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Jeremiah Hamilton: The Green Room is a cafe tucked into the center of the Spring Gardens neighborhood, done up in warm woods and a paint job to match the name. Tables are set up both inside and out, with the interior also hosting a wooden stage - currently unoccupied - and a counter near the front with a view into the kitchen beyond it.
Jeremiah, for his part, had laid claim to that same back table near the door to the office area of the cafe, a faint hum of magic about him to those who were aware of such things as he waited for Nevy's arrival.
Nevermore Usher: Nevermore enters, dressed in a variation on that I'm A Professional Suit, and with a large zippered portfolio. She looks around, sees Jeremiah, and smiles, approaching. "Gooooood evening!"
Jeremiah Hamilton: The Warlock was dressed neatly himself, having gone with a set of black slacks, a dark grey dress shirt with the sleeves neatly rolled to the elbow and a black vest to round out the ensemble. He looked up towards Nevy at the greeting, giving the medium a warm smile as he stood to greet them. "Right back at you. Things going well, I hope?"
Nevermore Usher: "Here's hoping." They grin. "I've got some more art projects to work on - things I hope will help some friends out." They glance around. "This place is still doing pretty good, looks like?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Good stuff." He nodded, looking about at the cafe with a smile. "We are indeed. No complaints on my end."
Quinn Tolliver: Quinn slips inside the Green Room, dressed as if he's come from work; button-down, bow-tie, patterned sweater vest and chinos. He has his satchel strap slung across his chest. He slows for a moment to pluck the hair tie from his wrist, twisting his hair into a bun.
Nevermore Usher: Nevy nods, grinning. "Great." They pat their portfolio, obviously excited. "I'm pretty proud of all this! I think I did some darn good work, if I say so myself."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Let's see it, then." Jeremiah made an 'after you' motion at the table for them to take a seat, smirking a touch as he spotted Quinn's entry and giving the other mage a nod before taking a seat of his own.
Quinn Tolliver: Quinn returns the nod with a wide, bright smile; lifting a hand in a quick wave, he weaves around tables to eventually reach the pair. "Hello, Nevy. Hello, Jeremiah. I apologize for being late, I was absorbed in my work."
Nevermore Usher: Nevy blinks, glancing between the two. "Oh - am I interrupting something? Sorry - I thought that..."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "We didn't have anything set, no." Jeremiah shook his head, giving Nevy an "it's all good" look before turning back to Quinn. "Things going alright?"
Quinn Tolliver: Quinn shifts his weight from foot to foot, something in his smile turning plastic. "Oh. Uh. Yes." He checks his watch. "I was just stopping by to say hello before I went to have dinner."
Nevermore Usher: Nevermore glances between the two. "Um... I... can give you guys a moment if you need it?" They're looking at Quinn's waxy smile, concerned.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Appreciate you coming by." Jeremiah nodded to Quinn, giving his best reassuring smile. "Nevermore is going to be showing me the art they've worked on to put up here at the cafe if you want to take a look before you head out."
Quinn Tolliver: Quinn immediately lights up like the Fourth of July, turning wide, eager eyes to Nevy. "Nevy! Oh my - can I see? I won't touch. I promise I won't. I can give feedback if you want." He is almost, literally, chomping at the bit.
Nevermore Usher: Nevy blinks and chuckles, the smile returning. "I suppose I can accept another member of the adoring public here to enjoy my masterpieces," They say, the words heavily sardonic. They give a lopsided smile. "But... what do you mean by 'feedback?' These are finished pieces; I'm not doing any retouches or reworking on them."
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah let Quinn answer that particular set of questions, sitting quietly in his chair for the moment.
Quinn Tolliver: Quinn's eyes remain wide; clearly, he didn't consider this was an option. "Oh. Uh..." He rocks on his heels, chewing thoughtfully on his lower lip. "I will...just admire them, then!"
Nevermore Usher: Nevy smiles and nods. "Thanks." Then they unzip the portfolio. The first drawing that's pulled out is a stylized albino bat on a black background, hanging upside-down from a few artful lines that give the suggestion of a branch. The bat is, frankly, adorable, with huge and guileless blue eyes - the only hint of color on the page - and an expression that mixes ageless wisdom with little bit of affable befuddlement. "The first piece - White Wings."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Oh I love that..." Jeremiah smiled as he looked the piece over. "The expression on it is great."
Quinn Tolliver: Quinn sits on his hands, but he can't help but lean forward and drink in the sight. His gaze moves to the top left corner and then moves across the canvas in a slow, deliberate fashion. His expression turns almost serene, as if mollified by Good Art.
Nevermore Usher: Nevy grins at that. They set the piece carefully aside, and pull out the next one - an elaborate piece of norse-style knotwork in tan over a background of darker brown and red. A closer look shows that the red is actually a second set of knotwork, behind the first and working through it. It's hard to tell where each of the lines starts in the central knot, but each has a distinct endpoint - a jagged cut, near the edge of the picture. Surrounding the knot are eight stylized rats, their tails cut off with a jagged line that matches the ends of the knotwork. Each one lies on its back, clearly dead. This is a Rat King, each of its component rats killed and tails cut off. "This is called Dethroned."
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah's eyebrow quirked up at the rats on the edges, but once things clicked he smirked, nodding firmly as he looked it over. "The detail work on the knots is fantastic. Well done."
Quinn Tolliver: Quinn leans over this much as he did the last; once he's examined the whole piece, his attention returns to the norse knotwork to admire it anew. "Wow," he exhales, little more than a whisper.
Nevermore Usher: Nevy grins at the reactions. "Thank you. That one was... a bit vindictive, I have to admit." They pull out a third painting - a young witch, brewing at a cauldron. The witch is lovely, but in a way that emphasizes her intelligence and power, not in any ways the sexualized 'skintight robes cut up to here and down to there' portrayal such a character might usually get. She's looking out of the drawing with an expression of wry, knowing humor, and Nevy has used that perspective trick that makes a picture's eyes seem to follow the viewer around the room. The broad cauldron beside her is placed on top of a narrow column, almost like a coupe cocktail glass. A tawny curve tipped with a tuft of brown fur peeks out of the far end of the cauldron, as though it hasn't been mixed in quite right. "Here we have Brewing Knowledge."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "I like it..." Jeremiah chuckled as he leaned forward to look over the cauldron in more detail. "That supposed to be a lion's tail peeking out?"
Quinn Tolliver: Quinn issues a sudden laugh; it sounds like he was surprised to hear it himself, and he looks faintly startled after. He gestures to the cauldron. "I hope it is a lion's tail. The tarot imagery of it...delights me," he admits, cupping his face in both hands to conceal the pink.
Nevermore Usher: Nevy smirks. "It is - bit of an in-joke on a couple levels," They say. They consider Quinn. "Speaking of Tarot, I've got something to show you later, if you want. First, though..." They pull out the last figure. A figure, dressed in elaborate brown robes with a hood. The face is indistinct, just a couple of lines, but the bearing and what can be seen of the expression show power without pretense, a kind of Big Dick Energy that radiates quiet confidence. The figure is pensively examining a spiraling white tower, the very image of Beautiful But Ostentatious Masonry. The tower is obviously very tall indeed; however, through perspective, the robed figure actually stands taller on the page. "Here we have The Sage."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Gotcha." He nodded, looking over the final piece. He already looked intrigued by the trick of perspective and the aura that radiated from the figure, but when they mentioned the name he smiled, nodding slowly. "That...is amazing. If that's who I think it is, have they seen it yet?"
Quinn Tolliver: Quinn stares at the Sage, expression unchanging. He seems about to say something, and then only shakes his head, one hand splayed against his mouth. And then he dips his chin, embarrassed over his tears.
Nevermore Usher: Nevy smiles and shakes their head. "You're the one who requested the commission. The inspiration for each piece - if any - is going to be next. I'll be bringing them here to see - I figured you wouldn't mind the business."
They notice Quinn's expression and blink. "Is... are you okay?" They say, concern clear in their expression.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "I wouldn't, no." Jeremiah looked ready to say more, but Quinn's reaction made him pause and look towards the young Guardian with concern equally visible in his gaze. "You alright?"
Quinn Tolliver: He sniffles, hurriedly bobbing his head. "Yes, please excuse me," he assures them, his voice thick. "It was - the portrait reminded me of something else, and then I sensed the subject, and - I care about..that...particular person very much." He nods again, withdrawing his linen handkerchief to get himself in order.
Nevermore Usher: Nevy nods and gives a small smile. "Me, too," They say. "That's... kind of why I designed it like I did." They take a breath and look at Jeremiah with a grin (conveniently looking away from Quinn to give him a chance to recover himself in some sort of privacy). "Well, boss? How'd I do?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "They mean a lot to a lot of people." He nodded, giving Quinn his space to pull himself back together before looking back towards Nevy with a bright smile. "You blew my expectations out of the water, and they were already pretty high to begin with. Bravo."
Quinn Tolliver: Quinn nods vigorously in agreement, relieved at the circulating empathy. He tucks his handkerchief away once again. "Do you - are you going to sell prints, Nevy?"
Nevermore Usher: Nevy nods. "Absolutely. They're set up to go live on my website tomorrow." They give a small smile. "Prints, digital sales, and residuals are the gift that keep on giving."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "True indeed...I look forward to putting these up. Imagine they'll sell quickly." He sat back in his seat, looking over the quartet for a moment before going back to Nevy with a grin. "And on a personal note, I am totally going to be commissioning you for the next tattoo I get. That knotwork is amazing."
Quinn Tolliver: Quinn's attention is brought to Jeremiah, who gets an intrigued side-eye. "....You're getting a tattoo? You already have a tattoo?" He sounds both surprised and delighted by this.
Nevermore Usher: Nevy grins. "I'm glad to draw something up - I can't be quite as intricate for tattoo designs, since the ink spreads, but..." They pull up a sleeve and show a stylized eye in their forearm in their own recognizable style.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Very nice." Jeremiah showed off his left arm to Quinn with a smirk, the rolled-up sleeve revealing the partial tattoo sleeve there dominated by a set of piano keys framed by tropical flowers. "Got one on my right shoulder too, been mulling over one to balance it out on the other side."
Quinn Tolliver: Quinn tilts his head, considering, and then nods in approval after examining both their tattoos. "I plan to explore your tattoos closely," he informs Jeremiah; Quinn uses the same conversational tone he'd use to order a waffle from Maddy. "For the sake of art."
Nevermore Usher: Nevy blinks, then laughs. "Not right now, I hope," They say, grinning. "Although like I said, I can give you two some privacy if you need it."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "For the art, of course." Jeremiah chuckled, shaking his head with a smile. "Definitely not now, no."
Quinn Tolliver: "No," he tells Nevy; his brow furrows, and it clear he's just entirely puzzled. "Are you uncomfortable? I understand some people are sensitive to discussing such things. I will not make you uncomfortable, Nevy, nor would I wish you to leave my company." He nods, pausing as he folds his hands in his lap.
Nevermore Usher: Nevy blinks. "Oh - no, not uncomfortable. I was trying to make a joke. Sorry if it fell flat."
Quinn Tolliver: "Why are you sorry? It's hardly your fault I can't always tell." He gives her a dimpled smile, gaze somewhere around her hands. "Did you know I went on a first date with Jeremiah? It was successful. I secured a second date."
Nevermore Usher: They grin. "I picked that up, yes. I'm glad for you two."
Quinn Tolliver: "I am glad also," he agrees. "Although River claims she is responsible because she blessed me with luck. I prefer to think that Jeremiah is simply drawn to neurodiverse prodigies who look good in suspenders."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "You did look rather cunning in them, that is true." Jeremiah added with a smirk.
Nevermore Usher: "Why give up the credit? Own it!" Nevy gently punches Quinn on the shoulder with a grin.
Quinn Tolliver: "It's true," he agrees, and it's with a furtive, almost-smug little grin. "I really did."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Indeed. Confidence is key when it comes to this sort of thing, and you're no slouch."
Nevermore Usher: Nevy chuckles. "Alas, I am too much a shrinking violet. Forever shall I languish, alone and unlovéd, wasting away to pale nothingness." They pose with one hand at their forehead, a melodramatic tableaux of theatrical distress. Then they wink at Quinn. "That part was a joke, too," they say, then break pose with a grin.
Quinn Tolliver: Quinn purses his mouth in a thoughtful expression, head tilting. "Many people assume that I have little confidence, when in reality I am very confident in my capabilities. I just keep it to myself, for the most part. Unless I am speaking of my attempts at wooing Jeremiah," he confides in Nevy, gesturing to the Warlock. "I will speak about that frequently."
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah chuckled at the sudden burst of melodrama, shaking his head with a smile. "And you said that I need to take my act on the road..."
He nodded as Quinn spoke, that smile widening at the end. "Fair enough."
Nevermore Usher: Nevy chuckles. "I did take my show on the road. I grew up in Chicago, remember?"
Quinn Tolliver: Quinn gives Jeremiah a crooked grin, and then turns back to Nevy. "See? If he gives me that kind of encouragement, how could I not." He cocks his head. "Are you looking for a partner, Nevy? I can give you the internet links that helped me."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Touche...and we're definitely glad to have you here." He nodded with a smile, glancing towards Quinn as his question before looking back to Nevy for their answer.
Nevermore Usher: Nevy blinks. "I... that's not really on the front burner for me, right now. I've got a lot of more important things to keep track of."
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