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Part of living out in the woods is, like, sometimes you go on nighttime walks in the woods on your own, out to that one clearing where you can see all the stars shining and the world is peaceful. A waxing gibbous moon hangs heavy in the sky, the air crisp and not quite cool. Can you call air lukewarm? It's kinda that.
Phaedra's in a dark dress with floral embroidery, walking barefoot, moonlight shining in her hair.
there's a familiar figure sitting in the middle of the clearing, the same strange young fella from the theatre that one night - the one that had stayed behind and kept phaedra company, despite their own distress at the situation. or perhaps because of? both?
either way, they seem surprised to see phaedra, not quite jumping out of their skin as they - no denying it - stare. this time they're not wearing sunglasses, and their moonblue eyes are almost glowing under the starry sky.
"..... um," they eloquently state, "hey."
Phaedra walks right up and plants herself with her back to Andy's, with about a foot of space between them. "Hey." Doing that thing that cats will do, when there's a single raised surface, sharing the space without quite really interacting. Yet.
andy glances casually over their shoulder for a moment, their glance curious, before turning back to face front. they sit not so much cross-legged as they sit with the soles of their feet pressed together, and move to rest their elbows on their legs - a more relaxed position.
"havin' a walk?"
"Yeah. It's nice out here." She looks up at the sky, everything about her very still and quiet.
So still and quiet, in fact, that Phaedra, uh, doesn't actually seem to be breathing.
y'know.
that scans.
andy notes this down in their mental book of notes, glancing back once more (this time with more curiosity), before taking in a deep breath and letting it go with a sigh.
"nice and quiet and perfect for stars," they agree with a nod, glance up for a moment, "city's nice, but the lights block out so much."
"I always liked the stars. Even when I was little." A tiny pause. "Littler than I am now, I mean. But. They always made me feel safe. When things were loud or someone was yelling or I was in trouble, the stars were always okay up there."
something about them softens, their voice growing slightly quieter, "me, too. even when no one else was there for me, the stars were. constant and watchful."
Slowly, slowly, Phaedra leans back so just her shoulderblades bump against Andy's.
andy grows still for a moment - not stiff, just still - before they.... slowly relax back into the lean in silent approval.
"Calamity told me. That you're Andy?" Her voice is soft, a mere thread of a whisper.
silence for a moment, then a nod, "yeah, andy. was your name uh.... phaedra?"
“Yeah. I picked it myself.” She relaxes slightly against Andy—she doesn’t seem to be very warm to the touch, huh?
a lil smile, the coldness also noted in the mental book of andynotes, "i did, too. pick andy. Andromeda."
Phaedra lets out a bit of a laugh. “I considered Andromeda. I looked at a lot of old Greek names, when I was picking.”
they giggle, "mine is mostly from the constellation and galaxy. the stars."
"that'd be funny, though. meeting another andromeda."
"Like twins. Or something. Um. Just...so you know, I talked to Calamity. And Finley. I'm okay with them. Am I okay with you, too? After the theater?"
"that's good. and yeah, i don't got hard feelin's for anythin'. just was... worried?"
"It was a lot. I know...I can be a lot sometimes. Sorry." She glances over her shoulder now slightly. "Maybe we can all...get together properly. Plan it this time."
"you didn't do anything wrong. shit just... happens. so long as you're feeling better, and stuff was smoothed..." they glance over then as well, offering a lil smile as they catch eyes with phaedra, "that'd be fun. we could check out the hale building together. or not. there's loads of places 'round here."
“Or get you all out here into the woods. Or...something.” When they make eye contact, Phaedra smiles softly. “I’m not picky. I just...it’s nice to hang out. Finley’s teaching me about video games and Calamity about comics, a little.”
they perk up, "i like video games. and comics. and that'd be nice, too. do you have a telescope?"
"I don't have a telescope. I actually don't...know a lot about the stars. Just some of the stories my...um, someone used to tell me. About Orion, who was loved by Artemis, and the twins Castor and Pollux and all that."
"..... i could teach you about that? i mean. if you're interested? i study the stars, so like i tend to know a bit about them.... both in the like. astronomy sense and the astrology, if you prefer one over the other."
"Astrology, I know a little about. I've never drawn up anyone's chart, yet. But I'd want to learn...if you're serious about teaching. And astronomy, too. But, uh. You might have to start from very-very-very basics." She sounds sheepish about it.
andy, meanwhile, sounds almost.... excited? "i can do that, i can definitely do that. i um.... can bring some of my books over? and star charts. the map ones, not the like astrology ones, but i can work on some of those, too. absolutely yes."
"Yes? Yes. You'd bring them out here to share? I...live about a mile that way." She points into the woods.
"i can do that, yeah. i can...." they consider this for a moment, words slow and cautious, "maybe i can bring my telescope out here, too. and show you some stuff. it's not big or powerful anythin', but it's.... it's nice." they are clearly very fond of those telescope.
"It's more than just my eyes can see. So." She grins, and turns so she's more perpendicular to Andy. Sitting beside them. "Though my eyes do see a lot sometimes. You were invisible."
a pause as they register the change in topic, before slowly nodding, ".... yes. i wanted to ask about that, actually. how did you see me?"
"By looking." There's a pause. "Okay, that's a cop-out. How did you go invisible?"
they contemplate this question and how to answer for a moment, "i asked the light to ignore me and shadows to hide me." a strange answer, but not untruthful?
"The Beast looked into the shadows and asked them who was scared-est and who was most likely to start a fight. And your fear smelled louder than you could hide."
Maybe they're speaking the same language.
"one would think i was autumn," they sound amused more than anything, "gonna hafta hide it better next time. i mean. s'long as it's not you."
"Oh. Oh! You're one of our 'seasonal friends', as Eyrgjafa calls you. Gotcha. Okay, that makes sense now." There's a bit of a laugh. "I might have seen you anyway. When the Beast is looking, it sees a lot of hidden things."
they give her a curious look, "how much of me can you see? and like. what's that make you?"
"I mean. I see you as I see you, not more than that. And, uhm. I'm a vampire?" She seems to brace, as if expecting Andy to get up and leave at that, or something.
a blink, a headtilt, "that explains the Not Breathing. and the Cold. that's cool."
".... pun not originally intended, but totally intended now. for the record."
"Would...you feel more comfortable with me, if I was warm and breathing and doing a better job of pretending to be just a person?"
"........................................................... no?" they seem downright confused by this question, "i've seen weirder."
"Oh. Good. Wait, like what?"
"well, there was a guy who was like. a real tall tree. like an ent? and uhh..... a porcelain ballerina.... a clockwork bat..... a living book..."
Blink. Blink-blink. "Ooh. Oh. That's. Yeah, probably weirder than just a vampire."
nodnods, "like you look human just. real still. which is cool, 'cause i can also go real still when i wanna? i mean i still breath but....." they trail off a moment, "... yeah."
"It takes...effort. To be like I'm living. So when I'm out here in the woods, I just don't." She shakes her head slightly. "Here, I can just be how I am."
"well.... you don't have to pretend around me," a nod, then they leeeean back to plop down on the grass, "or when i'm like. coming over with.... books. and stuff."
Phaedra moves to lie down beside Andy, smiling. "Have you met Finley yet? Properly, I mean. Zhe's into science-y stuff too, but I dunno how much zhe knows about stars."
"not really, no. zhey seem interestin', though, so like.... i'd like to? if that's cool?"
"Betcha it'd be cool. Zhe's a little shy. Doesn't like yelling at all. I fucked up at the theater, with that."
"that's okay. would it be better to like.... be introduced?"
"Mmaybe. But just...be nice. Zhe's had a lot of hard times. I think all of us kinda have, huh?"
"that's.... prolly an understatement," they chuckle softly, "but don't worry. i don't... do the yelling thing. often." if at all - it's hard to imagine andy's soft voice being raised in any manner. except, perhaps, in song?
"I...kinda have a little tiny bit of a temper." She sounds apologetic about this fact.
they glance over and flash a small grin, "nothin' wrong with that. you can make up for my lack of a temper, or somethin'."
"I don't...harm people. But sometimes I've been known to kinda, uh. Read them for filth. I did that once to someone who's a leader on our community, I think he kinda still hates me about it."
"that's when you know you did it right," blep.
Phaedra giggles quietly. "Guess so."
".... what'd he do, though? was he like. a real asshole?" tea time?
"I mean. You ever meet someone who's been doing something for so long and putting so much time and energy into it that they feel like they can't stop because otherwise it's all been for a waste? It was that kind of a thing, and I pointed out how little he believed in it." She bleps this time.
snrk. "that sucks for him. what makes you think he still hates you?"
"How he smolders when he looks at me. It's okay, though, he would never do anything about it."
"i mean, i'd hope not. if someone can't take criticism...." clearly someone does not understand the idea of vampire frenzy or politics...
She laughs a little, and looks up to see where the moon's at in the sky. "I should head home, but...uh. Can I get your phone number?"
their phone is whipped out, "ya."
She offers her number. "Text me so I have yours?"
It is done! Their text is along the lines of andy :star2:
There's no sound when the message is sent--clearly Phaedra's not carrying her phone. "Great. We'll get together. You, uh. Be good, okay?"
As she levers to her feet.
"no promises," blep.
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