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Aurelio Menegi: Murano Studios was a decent-sized workspace tucked into a row of brick buildings that fit in well with the stout-but-sturdy architecture of the neighborhood, a proper nod to its focus on the industrial side of the city. The main part of the studio was the workshop space, as one would expect, with a number of stations equipped with the furnaces, worktables and the like needed to heat, shape and construct the glass into the desired designs. A gallery and showroom was off to one side, closed to the public due to the lateness of the hour, while offices and a break room could be found farther back.
On this particular evening Aurelio was at work on one of the front kilns, keeping an eye on the molten glass within as it came up to the proper temperature. He was dressed casually as was his wont, the all-black ensemble not a deterrent for the Torrent even with the heat that washed over the workspace, along with the leather gloves and protective gear needed to work the glass without major injury.(edited)
Jack Martingale: The door to the studio opens, despite the lateness of the hour, and a charcoal-sketch changeling wanders into the space. The sudden smell of a spring rainstorm mixes with the heat in the air, mixed with that coppery tang.
Jack's in tight shorts and a tighter t-shirt, a rainbow IATSE bug emblazoned across the front, and he leans against the wall after the door closes. Not saying anything, just watching the artist at his work.
Aurelio Menegi: Although he noticed the door opening Aurelio's gaze remained on the kiln for the moment. A few other tools were arrayed on the worktable nearby to shape the glass once it was ready, along with a metal rod. It wasn't until he turned to grab said rod that he looked towards the door, smiling a touch as he saw the Darkling there. "Bueno sera."
Jack Martingale: "Evening." Jack nods and gives Aurelio a quick once-over, like he has every time they've met, his smile widening as he starts over. "Told you I'd show up here unannounced someday..." His gaze slides from Aurelio's face and body to the tools around him. "What're you making today?"
Aurelio Menegi: The look didn't go unnoticed, and may have been returned briefly as well. "That you did, and glad you did besides."
"A set of ravens for a larger project." He took the rod in hand and moved towards the kiln, resting one end just inside of the oculus to let it start to warm up. "Should be ready soon."
Jack Martingale: Aurelio gets a wink for that, and Jack takes a few steps closer. Not into Aurelio's personal space yet, but clearly interested in what the man is doing, and he rests a hand on the worktable, a sheen of sweat already building on his forehead.
"Ravens - the rest of the project around, or are the ravens the first bit?" He looks around as he speaks, taking in the rest of the room while seeing if he can see anything that might need some ravens attached.
Aurelio Menegi: "Doing these first. The rest will be stained glass that they'll sit on." He tilted his head towards a sketchpad on the worktable, showing the sketches of the 3D glass tree in question. "Should fit together like a puzzle, if it comes out right."
Jack Martingale: "Shit, Auelio, this's stunning." Jack picks the sketchbook up to look at the sketches, splitting his attention between them and the work that Aurelio's currently doing. "A commission, or just something to go in the showroom?" He starts to flip through the sketchbook as he speaks.
Aurelio Menegi: "Commission. Did a stained glass version of the tree for the Patriarch in Dover that was shown online, and someone asked for a larger version of it." And indeed, as Jack flipped though he would see the sketches for that initial version, the branching willow tree digging its roots deep into the ground below.
While he talked Aurelio shifted the rod to dip it into the crucible holding the molten glass and gather some on the end. Once there was enough for the body of the corvid-to-be he pulled the rod from the furnace and turned to face the metal workbenches nearby, rolling the orb of glass skillfully along the surface to help cool it further, revealing the black of the glass along the way.
Jack Martingale: "Ah..." Jack nods. "Someone in Dover, or did someone here fall in love with it? Or is that confidential?" Jack smirks a little, and leans onto the table slightly to watch the glass take shape.
Aurelio Menegi: "Someone here. Know the name but not who, if you follow." He smirked a touch in turn. "They did appreciate it in Dover, though, which felt good. The others did most of the talking, but I was happy to do my part."
Jack Martingale: "Huh. I wonder if they know the reason behind the original..." Jack looks thoughtful as he muses. "Glad the gift went over well. Have you been keeping up with everything? It's...kind of a fuckin' mess, at this point." He takes another glance around the room, like he's making sure they're alone.
Aurelio Menegi: They were indeed alone in the main workspace, with no light visible under the door that led to the staff area. The Elemental did his best (and fastest) work alone, after all, but didn't mind the company in this case. "Not too. I know some went back to talk more, but haven't heard details."
Jack Martingale: "Hopefully it'll all work out." Jack grimaces slightly. "A war's not what anyone needs right now. And Baltimore's trying to use it to leverage a bunch of shit from Dover, the fuckin' assholes." He shakes his head.
Aurelio Menegi: Aurelio shook his head at that, shifting his focus from cooling the glass to starting the initial shaping, using the tools at hand to form the head from the body and shape an indentation between the 'shoulders' to give the impression of folded wings. "Such greed...uncalled for."
Jack Martingale: "Yuup. I guess you gotta be an asshole to get ahead there, but Jesus Christ..." Jack huffs, his outline sketching in a little darker for a second or two before returning to its normal shade.
"Hoping they'll settle for Dover helping 'em rebuild, but I don't have high hopes. An' that's all hanging on if there's any freeholds left, after we try and heal the tree."
Aurelio Menegi: "The freehold in Rome was much like that, from my few dealings with them. Still acted like the empire was in place." He sighed, turning to briefly put the piece back into the kiln to bring the temperature of the glass back up. "One can hope. Plan to be here to defend against what the roots may do."
Jack Martingale: "I'm useless as that kinda defense, honestly, I'd just be in the way. I'm hoping I'll be better at convincing a mad tree thing to stop killing the Hedge..." Jack shrugs, watching the glass go back in the kiln. "'F I'm distracting you, just let me know. Don't wanna make your work suffer."
Aurelio Menegi: "Best of luck." He shook his head at the offer to leave, pulling the piece out to continue shaping it. "No worries. Can work faster alone, but I don't mind the company."
Jack Martingale: "You're not the first artist I've met who's said that." Jack smiles and leans against the work table again. "And careful - you keep saying you don't mind my company, and I'll show up again..."
Aurelio Menegi: "Touch of the Lares, from my time there. Or...Brownie, I think?" He looked to Jack for confirmation, smiling a touch as the Darkling continued. "You say that like it's unwanted."
Jack Martingale: "Ah..." Jack nods. "I never really talked much about it with the other artist who mentioned it, we uh..." A scribble drifts across his cheeks as he smirks. "Lets just say I've kinda got a thing for artists. And I dunno, is it unwanted? Don't wanna come on too strong, you keep your shit pretty close to the chest."
Aurelio Menegi: "Not a bad thing, that." He shook his head at the question that followed, although his gaze was turned towards the glass as he picked up one of the tools to start teasing out the beak from the glass that had been gathered to form the head. "Part of the stone, perhaps, but your presence is welcomed. You are easy to talk to, and have helped much since we met."
Jack Martingale: With Aurelio's focus on the glass, he probably misses the way Jack's expression flickers and falls.
"Always glad to be of service. Joyeux, and all that." He huffs in amusement.
There's a beat, and Jack opens his mouth to speak, closes it, and opens it again.
"D'you want my number?" He's clearly trying really hard not to sound desperate.
Aurelio Menegi: "I do, yes." The Torrent nodded, looking up from the glass briefly to tilt his head towards the sketchbook before giving Jack a small smile. "Will add it to my phone later."
Jack Martingale: Jack's mien's gone a little flickery, bits of charcoal shuddering away from him. "Cool." He grabs a pencil and scrawls his number down in the corner of the sketchbook, keeping his head down.
"Lemme know 'f you need help with your Clarity. I keep weird hours, so you can text whenever." He gestures to the sketchbook. "Gonna...leave you alone to work now, 'les you've got any other shit you need an ear for?"(edited)
Aurelio Menegi: "Will do." Aurelio nodded, doing a bit more work on the glass before returning it to the kiln to reheat it. "Not at the moment. Thank you again for coming, though; can send you a photo once it's done if you'd like."
Jack Martingale: "Sure. If you want." Jack nods, his smile small and merely polite now as he stands straight again. Very little trace of the casual, flirty Jack remains as he half turns to start to leave. "See you 'round."
Aurelio Menegi: Aurelio paused as Jack turned to head out, shaking his head as the almost-missed cue became clear. He muttered something quietly to himself in his native tongue before switching back to English. "You're free to stay if you're not busy...would like you to, in fact."
Jack Martingale: "You have something else you need a Joyeux for?" Jack turns back around, his eyebrows slightly raised and his smile still polite.
Aurelio Menegi: "No, but you as you staying is good too. Did not mean to make you feel like you were not wanted."
Jack Martingale: "Nah you..." Jack shakes his head and gestures vaguely. "Sounds like we're just looking for different shit. Nothing wrong with that. I should get going, though, uh...text me. 'F you want...something." His lips quirk upward here just slightly. Acknowledging the wide variety of what 'something' might mean. "Otherwise I'll see you 'round."
Aurelio Menegi: "We may not be, but we can talk later." He nodded, quietly hoping that he had avoided stepping on the same landmine again. "I will. Have a good night."
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