#Elena has enered Arcilla AU

[rinnysega]

Smell of Smoke - An Elena and Ozzy Drabble

In all her years performing in barrooms and nightclubs, Elena Ruiz never did get used to the smell of cigars. Some of her favorite garments were ruined in her eyes when she was unable to get the stench out of them. The stench from gentlemen who somehow made it past Hugo to talk to her backstage, the air around them thick in burnt smoke and chauvinism.

One night in particular, Elena found herself in her dressing room, already in pre-mourning over one of her favorite gowns. She sat in her undergarments at her vanity and stared at it as it hung and glistened from the lightbulbs along the mirror. Carlos would be there tonight, and at the last minute he invited several of his friends who were notorious for their chain smoking. Another beautiful gown gone to rest too soon…

A soft knock didn’t even so much turn her head when her door opened and an unfamiliar voice stuttered out, “Oh, my apologies, señorita.”

Elena looked over to see a gentleman she hadn’t seen before, which was odd considering she must have seen almost every man in the country and perhaps a few in west Venezuela. He was a baby-faced man older than her, with a beautiful complexion of dark skin without blemishes or wrinkles or any other signs of sinful vices of drinking or fighting. If Elena didn’t know better by the modest way he dressed, she would mistake him for a man her age.

“I’m sorry,” he said again, to make sure she got the message. “I was looking for the restrooms.”

“They’re down the next hall over.” Elena stood up and noticed something quite different about him. He wasn’t staring her up and down. He wasn’t trying to force himself into her dressing room. If anything he gave a simple, shy wave of apology again before attempting to close the door and leave.

“Oh, wait a moment,” she said to him.

The man stopped as she came closer and opened the door a little further to talk to him. “You’re here a little early for the show. If you have good seats up front, I’d love to know your name if I see you on stage.”

Those baby cheeks lifted in another shy smile as he replied, “Oswaldo, but I go by Ozzy.”

“Elena Ruiz.” She held her hand to his to shake. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before.”

“Sounds about right. My partner brought me out to help carry his things. He’s got a meeting to go over his art portfolio to make some posters for the nightclub. If you’re the only Elena Ruiz here, you may be the subject of one of them.”

Oh, so that’s why Carlos had friends with him...He must have gotten word about this and wanted to boast. Once again, Elena oh so loved being kept in the dark when it came to anything relating to her.

“Sounds exciting.” She gave him a genuine smile despite her annoyances toward Carlos - and hell, even Hugo now if he knew about this. “I’ve never posed for an artist's poster before.”

“Well my Nairo is the best!” Ozzy exclaimed. “He’ll make you feel right at home and make sure you have everything you need to be comfortable. He’s quite the professional.”

“He must be a sweet guy to have a gentleman such as yourself as his partner.”

Ozzy didn’t react much to her words except to give a soft shrug and change the subject. “We’ll be sitting front row center. Nairo may be sketching while you sing, but I’ll be watching.”

“And I’ll be singing,” she joked.

They both shared a small chuckle and Ozzy then excused himself to go search for the restroom.

When Elena shut the door, she sat back down at her vanity and took a breath to start her pre-show routines.

Look on the bright side, she told herself. If you have to say goodbye to such a beautiful gown, at least it’ll be immortalized in art forever...

Gift for @prophetic-hijinks and @thebiggestnope