the-loveliest-lotus

[the-loveliest-lotus]

gaardian angel

[the-loveliest-lotus]

Chapter 19: Things Seem Fairer (Charles's Version)

--

Word Count: 1270

Episode Alignment: 1.10

Recommended Soundtrack: "Here Comes the Rain Again," The Eurythmics

Summary: Tess and Charles's date doesn't go as planned, and it's about damn time. Special mention of @the-gall0ws's Ingram.

--

Apple and Kestrel’s time-worn wood and décor felt like coming home. Charles smiled as he took a seat at the bar that swept the room in a wide arc. His reserved table with the privacy screen would be ready at the scheduled time. For now, he took a lazy dip into his memories.

The clouds hung low, catching the city lights in a sentimental glow, even more reason to stay cozy. The distance of twenty years seemed like nothing at all from where he sat, not when the pub felt just the same as it did to his younger, less canny but no less ambitious self. All that was missing was some Huey Lewis on the jukebox and Ingram retelling their fencing tournament.

And, if he could be so bold with the term, his date.

“Ah, Fuller’s ESB, please,” he said. Some echo of his undergraduate self was there somewhere, worked into the wood grain and pint glass stains. Like visiting my childhood bedroom. If he wasn’t looking out for Tess he may have caught his own ghost in the windowpane, wide-eyed and proud and embarrassingly more nervous than he would have cared to admit. He couldn’t help but smile to his pint. How far we’ve come, old friend.

Perhaps he might tell Tess about it. She might like it. She and Ingram may even get along.

Halfway through his pint he saw a tall blur outside. Right on time, he thought with a satisfied sigh. Charles watched her shake off her overcoat with a quick snap, revealing a smart sweater dress in British racing green over tall black riding boots. He sat tall with his hands folded on the bar, meeting her eyes with a mask of patience.

Tess returned with a look that melted into complete disappointment. Her head dropped as she closed the distance between them. Charles tensed with her every step.

“I’m sorry,” she said, rubbing her forehead.

Charles checked his watch.

“I have to go.”

“Is everything all right?” She looked haunted, and he immediately regretted the question.

“I was in a bit of a hurry – I wasn’t paying attention – and I left a candle burning.”

“Ah.”

“I’ll never forgive myself if I burn down my best friend’s flat.”

“She must be out for the night?”

“She’s in Paris. They don’t fly in until tomorrow.” She checked her phone. “If I get a black cab, I can be back in… An hour? Maybe?”

“How far are you going?”

“Chancery Lane.” Tight shadows framed her eyes when she looked at him. If this was a ploy to cancel, then it was expertly done. “I’m sorry. It’s been a day mostly not worth talking about.”

“How about I give you a ride?” He drained the last of his pint and stood. “I have a car outside. We can spend the time talking.” She hesitated. “Or, if you’d rather cancel—”

“Absolutely not.” Charles eased. “As long as it’s not an imposition.”

“We’ll manage.”

She hesitated a bit longer. “The ride would be helpful, as long as we can start fresh when we return.”

“Ah, sure.” He nodded to the Klokateer waiting across the street and told the tender to push their reserved table by an hour.

--

“Is there anything I can do?”

The car turned onto Bayswater. Though Tess responded to him, she kept her eyes closed for the drive.

She responded with a hollow laugh. “Strangely, you could.”

“All right.”

“It doesn’t mean you should.”

“Is this, ah, work-related?”

“It shouldn’t be, but it’s a God-forsaken job to be sure.” Her eyes opened, somehow making her look wearier than before. “I’m not trying to be cryptic. As a rule, I don’t talk about my son’s father.”

“Yes. I, ah, read about the defamation suit. Nicely done if you don’t mind me saying.”

Her face softened. “It would be smug to say thank you,” she said.

“Well.” Charles watched Hyde Park slip behind them. “I’m sorry you’re going through whatever it is you’re going through with your ex. That I can apparently help with.”

“But shouldn’t.”

“I tried.”

“Trust me. Can you trust me?”

“I think you earned the right to ask.” He hoped he didn’t sound as condescending to her as he did in his head.

“It’s not worth your time. It wouldn’t make anything better in the long run.”

“I’ll rephrase: is there anything I can do for you?”

“Distract me back to the here and now?”

He paused. “I haven’t told you why I suggested Apple and Kestrel.”

“You haven’t.”

“It goes back to college. I had just won the most prestigious tournament of my fencing career, and my friend – then my significant other – Ingram insisted on celebrating.”

She smiled at him. He took a deep breath and thought of a tall, bespectacled, wholly worthy opponent from twenty years prior.

--

“Impressive,” said Charles, shutting the car door behind Tess. The car pulled away from a five-story Edwardian building with geometric stone detailing. “I wasn’t aware Oxford had a hockey team.”

“Why not? Scandinavia’s down the street.” Trading college stories seemed to relax Tess, and the elegant lobby lighting gave her a glow. “Sports travel pretty well. Better than Guinness, at least. University of British Columbia has fencing, too, if you believe it.”

“Rule Brittania and the Commonwealth, I suppose.”

“It didn’t hurt that a Canadian founded the Oxford Women’s Blues.”

He followed Tess up several curling flights of stairs. “That’s your hockey team?”

“Mmm hmm. What was your fencing team called?”

“Ah, the fencing team.”

“Ha! Witty. Seriously, you didn’t have a nickname for it?”

“Ingram had a few, none of which are worth repeating at the moment.”

“I think I can parse them out.” From her purse came a small ring of keys. “Thank God,” she said, opening the door, “I didn’t burn the place down.”

The streetlights cast over soft living room contours in soft shades and a long dining table between the sitting space from the kitchen. Vases and small statues took up the flat surfaces and larger pieces looked down from their wall mountings, giving the look of a private museum. The wall of windows were barely concealed behind sheer curtains. It was an interesting space, though not to Charles’s tastes.

The warm, softly spicy scent in the air was the only part he immediately enjoyed. The candlelight died with the feathery hush of Tess’s breath. I wouldn’t be surprised if the candle was hers to begin with, he thought.

Charles glanced out the windows to see if his tailor’s shop was visible. Just barely. He kept his hands clasped behind him and his curiosity polite. To his left he thought he spied Tess’s face in a framed photograph. A wide smile stood out even in the dim lighting. He turned around to ask her about it, nearly knocking into her.

“Whoa, whoa, yard sale!” she said, stepping back to miss a collision. Her hand shot out to his arm to steady him. He grabbed her waist to prevent her from falling backwards. Both stared at each other with a blend of mild embarrassment and amusement that soon faded into the night.

Tess attempted a breathy laugh. “Are we dancing again?”

The dark, spiced air seemed to pull them closer. Their embrace was too delicate to survive a clever remark, Charles feared. The steps of the museum came to mind, but he wasn’t frozen this time. He knew his next move would leave him unguarded. It didn’t matter anymore.

A single word escaped his lips, barely above a whisper. “Please.”

She was already leaning in to kiss him.

--

Taglist: @the-loveliest-lotus @theveryrealsf3uuf @blarnettebutter @the-gall0ws @chordsykat @explosiontooth @judasbeast

[the-loveliest-lotus]

Some art of my friendos’ OCs :D

Jamila belongs to @sichore

Devon belongs to @dichromaticdyke

Cal belongs to @thesimonthedevious

Jim belongs to @the-loveliest-lotus

[the-loveliest-lotus]

【手描き】 Medusa Ex Makina OP

Song: LiTTLE DEViL PARADE - LiSA

Read Medusa Ex Makina (Rated M for Mature)

The wait is finally over, what started out as a simple promo for the idol arc of my fic turned into a huge fanmade anime opening sequence! It covers the first 3 arcs, plus it shows off characters and plot points for later on in my fic. This animation was a labor of love! I’d like to thank the people who let me use their OCs for this animation and the many friends I made along the way. You guys rock! ♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪

OC Creator Credits

@inky-da-dinky

@milobat

@katusjuice

@neopolitangumdrops

@the-loveliest-lotus

@pan-flute-skeleton

@sillydorito

[the-loveliest-lotus]

E2 for Lucy and Blues Devil if you're still doing them? 👉👈 Pls and ty ♡

Good old Rainbow Devil being adorable as sin 🌈

[the-loveliest-lotus]

Squirmy Wormies!

I bought worm on a string toys and showed them to my buds. @the-loveliest-lotus gave me the inspiration that Lucy and Makina would have a blast playing with them. :3

Lucy Skye Desmond belongs the-loveliest-lotus

[the-loveliest-lotus]

Winter Wonderklok 2024

Hello! And Happy Holidays my friends!

First of all, I must apologize to everyone for dropping this so late already. But I do have a very good reason. This year I have been in the process of planning my wedding which is coming up next month. It has consumed almost every part of my headspace and Wonderklok snuck up on me.

Second, I know this poster looks like crap. I am not an artist at all, but wanted to make this list stand out a little bit compared to a basic Tumblr note. Roast it for all its worth. Next year I aim to work with a great artist (TBD) to deliver a more dazzling display.

Third, since this is going up so late, I have decided to shorten the list and push it later. This takes place in the weird dates between Christmas and New Years, but feel free to post them in January if you don't have enough time.

Lastly, have fun with this! I loved everyone's contributions last year and I hope to see some good ones this year. Art, writing, pictures, playlists, you name it! Rock and roll with it. Best of luck and if you have any questions, comments or concerns, feel free to contact me.

Plain test

Dec 26th Snowball Fight

Dec 27th Ultimate Snow Fort

Dec 28th Warming up by the Fire

Dec 29th Bows and Ribbons

Dec 30th Preparing a Feast

Dec 31st Winter Animals

[the-loveliest-lotus]

[the-loveliest-lotus]

Question for Makina: If you ever met another you from a different universe, what do you think they'd be like?

Canon!Makina: If I had the chance to meet that happier universe, the one with lots of friends and maybe a lover, I would tell her that she's the luckiest girl in the world.

OC Cameo Credits:

Aurora Attic - @neopolitangumdrops

Vivi Skarsgard - @pan-flute-skeleton

Vanessa Leverett - @claudia-nomusaabara

Lucy Sky Desmond - @the-loveliest-lotus

Emilien Bouchard - @sillydorito

Translations: (I apologize if my japanese is grammatically incorrect)

Top Box : Dethklok 3rd annual festival

Bottom Box: Mordhaus dating scandal

[the-loveliest-lotus]

Chapter 14: Counterbalance (Tess's Version), Part 3

Has it really been a month and a half? The thirty chapters I already have waiting are staring at me in judgment. Ah, well. Here you go.

--

Word Count: 1112

Episode Alignment: 1.8

Recommended Soundtrack: "Fourth of July," Sufjan Stevens

Summary: Charles's turn to go a step too far - or, rather, not far enough.

--

“Do you like museums for a date?” asked Charles shortly after Tess thanked Elissa for her time and expertise. Only Tess heard her peals of laughter and a scandalized shout to Anthony before the screen darkened for the night.

“Not especially,” said Tess, “unless it’s an artist or a subject I really want to see. I’m here for sentimental reasons.” She smirked enough for him to see in profile but didn’t look at him. “What about you?”

“Well, dinner always seems to be easiest.”

“Right, because you have to eat anyway.”

“Ah, yes.”

“I agree,” she said. ”But at a certain point it seems…”

“Redundant?”

“Empty. Unfulfilling.” They were reading a plaque leftover from the gala. The case had originally held handwritten pages from St. Augustine of Hippo’s City of God. “What I like most and what I can manage are very rarely the same thing.”

“Mm hmm. Say you could get your way, though.”

“All right… Intellectually appealing, or else I don’t have much of a reason to leave home. If it’s a movie, it had better be interesting enough for me to sit still for two or more hours, plus discuss it afterward.” She gestured around them. “What I like about this is the chance to move around. A bit of a competitive element doesn’t hurt, either, if there’s some trade-off over time so it’s not just one person winning all the time.”

“Oh, I see.”

 “Do you? I’m not convinced.”

“It’s more general than I’ve come to expect from you.”

“Well, a lot of it is context dependent. I don’t have a five-point plan for dates. Do you?”

“What sort of context?”

“The person I’m spending my time with matters.” They watched one another for a lingering moment. “That someone influences how I want to spend my time.” She turned her attention back to a brutal depiction of the fall of Constantinople, but he kept watching her. “Charles? Do you want me to talk about you?”

A half smile was all he gave away.

“I want to hear you say it, then,” she said. He swallowed and kept the half smile, but no more. She turned to the next piece, depicting Hannibal’s charge over the Alps. What it had to do with the apocalypse was unclear, but Elissa would have loved it. “Pity, then,” she said over her shoulder.

He walked, almost crept, beside her and just behind her right shoulder.

“Let’s say it was me, hypothetically speaking,” he said mildly. Unconvincingly casual, carefully rehearsed mildness. Grating, punishable indifference.

He deserves to be toyed with for his dodging questions, his empty answers. On the other hand, he asked as she requested. No one cornered her in this conundrum but herself. Fine, then, she thought. I’ll at least have some fun out of it.

“If it were you, I’d like your hand on my lower back. Yes,” she paused, “just so.”

“That’s not an admissible answer, Ms. Blixt” he said in a darker tone of voice. His thumb lightly grazed her spine. Tess felt primal reflexes coiling from the base of her skull, as if aware of a predator behind her. It didn’t thrill her as it normally would. Something is off.

“Neither was pleading a confidentiality agreement, Counselor.” Her voice had a sharper edge than she wanted. She kept her eyes forward to avoid his glare. It had to be there. An ill feeling crept into her stomach. It was supposed to be a joke, but saying it aloud made her realize that she wasn’t amused.

“Answer the question, please,” he insisted.

This was a familiar, dreadful feeling. He wanted straight answers but continued to dodge questions. In fact, he hadn’t asked her to talk about him as much as he maneuvered for her to do the work. This isn’t fair yet. “You know what? No.” she said, “Not yet. If you expect me to be direct, then I expect equal consideration. The cryptic game is tiring.”

He lifted his hand from her back. Moment of truth, she thought. If he leaves now, then it ends without too much time lost. She stepped away enough to let him breathe. I won’t force your next move, but you must at least make one.

When Charles finally spoke, the softness of his voice seemed to crack the air around them. “I don’t get much time in sunlight. Golf, maybe a daytime appearance here and there.” Tess waited for him to continue. I won’t chase you. “So, ah, the out-of-doors would be nice to, ah, factor in.”

“I love the outdoors. In February I’m trekking the Atlas Mountains for two weeks.”

“Two weeks to yourself. That must be nice.”

“I’m not responsible for five grown men. I can plan my travel accordingly.”

“I can’t say hiking is my favorite thing, but it’s fine.”

“I prefer mountain climbing.” She let some quiet settle. He didn’t push or protest. “What else?”

 “Well, I’m not one to turn down fine dining. The right chef keeps it interesting.” He halted himself a few times, carefully considering his words. “If you’re asking me to paint a word picture then I’m not prepared to do so. You have an unusual way of showing interest.”

“You’re an unusual person; that merits an unusual approach,” she retorted.

“The confidentiality agreement you sent over,” he continued.

“What about it?”

“Overture?”

“Good faith,” she said. Better to show you I’m not interested in a photo op than tell you.

“It limits a lot of options.”

“It does, but it puts a solid boundary between business and pleasure. Mixing the two is—”

“Agreed.”

She nodded. “Me, too.”

“So, was Wejer und Locht a date by your standards.” It didn’t sound like a question.

Tess laughed. “It was an impressive flex. I don’t know if clearing out an entire restaurant is necessary for a date. For future reference.”

He took a breath. “I can’t imagine being bored around you. So far, you’re fascinating.” Tess eased some. He was trying, and that was enough for now.

He stepped closer once again. She could feel the warmth of his hand hovering just near her back, waiting for permission. “Have I earned the right to ask again?”

“Technically you didn’t ask me anything. You posed a hypothetical. Ask me like you mean it. Please.”

“What if it were me?”

 “I’d want to leave our public lives outside. Privacy will do if anonymity isn’t an option. That rules out concerts, industry parties, charity events, and probably a few other things I’m forgetting. It’s limiting, yes, but I’d rather have an hour of quality attention than a day of half-distractions.” She finally looked at him. “So long as you’re willing to meet me partway.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“So will I. Hold each other to it?”

The returning touch of his hand on her back made her eyes close. He didn’t need to say anything this time.

--

The last piece standing in Night was a modern multimedia piece imagining Ferdinand and Isabella both as glorious monarchs and as the Mesoamerican end of days. Work crews were already packing their dread manifestations away. Columbus in death shrouds was already entombed in bubble wrap.

In their dismantling shadow Tess let her imagination run feral. Any future with the still enigmatic man next to her would be an unconventional one. They would not be the couple to binge television or order takeout. They had little room for lazy Sunday mornings or coffee runs. Even a photograph of them on a red carpet would haunt her; charities around the world never stop calling for a chance at an “in” with Dethklok. So much was out of the question.

Yet Tess found their potential greater than any of the common comforts. The sacrifices they made were a choice - a conscious and worthwhile choice. Free time was hard to come by, but as they looked on, she felt more willing to share a portion of hers. There was a specific kind of sympathy there.

If we could understand each other then it’s worthwhile.

He would never ask her to reschedule an important meeting for a date. She couldn’t imagine begging him to hurry up at the office. These, too, were out of the question. Their time together could be truly precious, not because of its scarcity but because of the trust and reciprocity they could build.

To be understood is priceless.

He looked at her as if she said her thoughts aloud. To be understood is worth the price. They could forge something of their own. It's who they were. What they could have easily made up for what couldn't be.

--

Taglist: @the-loveliest-lotus @theveryrealsf3uuf @blarnettebutter @the-gall0ws @chordsykat @explosiontooth @judasbeast

[the-loveliest-lotus]

Chapter 14: Counterbalance (Tess's Version), Part 3

Has it really been a month and a half? The thirty chapters I already have waiting are staring at me in judgment. Ah, well. Here you go.

--

Word Count: 1112

Episode Alignment: 1.8

Recommended Soundtrack: "Delicate," Taylor Swift

Summary: Tess goes a step too far, but is not above admitting it.

Disclaimer: I wrote this, and the character of Elissa Murichs, long before the recent bombing in Lebanon. Neither are a reference in any direction to the current crisis.

--

“—picture of the end is nearly as universal,” continued Elissa, “and mainly differentiates by the type or finality of the Doomsday in question. Floods in particular feature strongly in greater Mesopotamian apocalypse lore, but are not limited to—”

They walked side by side, their earpieces facing away from one another for hushed conversation.

“—while these are not directly classical pieces here, they depict the Hebrew, Ancient Greek, and Mesopotamian interpretations—”

Work crews dismantled the spectacle around them. 

“—the waters that are meant to scrub the earth clean—"

Crews carried crates away in bland ceremony like partygoers leaving the next morning.

“—for a new iteration of humanity in each instance, rather than the end all be all—"

Tess glanced around the stark space lit for the laborers’ benefit. The space felt as unsentimental as death iteself.

“—making the biblical Noah, Hellenic Deukalion, and Mesopotamian Atrahasis the first chapter humanity’s second chance, if you will—"

She sighed. This meeting is also a mistake.

“Is there a problem?” Charles glanced at her.

Tess paused. “You were right, and I apologize.”

“—and if you look you can see the overt similarities between the two, suggesting a unifying source like a regional disaster passed down through oral tradition—”

“Earlier you almost called this a date, or it seemed like you were going to.” He made no protest. “You have a point, but that was not my intention. This was an honest mistake.”

“May I?” Charles reached for her earpiece. She let him remove hers, reducing Elissa’s voice to a distant lull in his hand. “What did you intend?”

“Hold that thought,” said Tess, taking her earpiece and facing the camera away from him.

“Everything all right?” asked Elissa.

“I’m sorry, but I need to handle something,” said Tess. “Write me off if I don’t call back in fifteen minutes.”

“For good reasons, I hope?”

“Thank you for doing this. You’re an angel.” The phone and the earpieces in their case dropped into the abyss of her coat pocket. It gave her a moment to stage her thoughts. “My intent is to build on last time. You asked me how I would have wanted the gala to go, so I thought I’d show you without the distractions.” To my credit, it’s very clever. “You asked about it, so I presume you are still curious.” She smiled. “So am I. But we’re still sizing each other up, and we both seem content with that for now.” Because you are so hard to read. “So, I intend to assess how much of a further time commitment is worthwhile. Yes, commitment.”

“I see.”

“Nothing that presumptuous. If I’m going to bet my time beyond a social call, I want clear buy-in.”

“You want us both to have a level of confidence about it,” he said.

“Precisely,” she said.

“I think what I’m missing is how that differs from a date.”

“Oh, Charles,” she nearly purred, “I end dates much differently.”

“I suppose last time didn’t classify as a date, either.”

“Last time was great; don’t pretend that you planned it any other way. It was also on your terms. Tonight is entirely on mine,” she let a moment pass, “and I am not interested in forcing your next move.” She lightly clapped her hands together. “So, in fairness, I suggest the following alternatives. You pick.”

“Interesting.”

“First, shake hands and say good night.”

“I’m going to have to pass.”

She held back a smile. “Fair enough. Second, call it a night and regroup later.”

“Third?”

She smiled. “Third, continue the evening as is, and we call this a proof of concept for a date. And fourth, we rearrange this evening until it feels a little less date-like.” Charles nodded. “Shall we wander while you think it over?”

“Ah, yes, that would be nice.”

She let him lead the way, moving and speaking with comfortable ease. Of course, I don’t want to force your next move, she thought, I want it to feel like your idea all along.  

He took his time, which was much easier to appreciate without Nostradamus’s unfulfilled Promises. Her heart still rushed as if a cold wind hit her. She could drink up this anticipation all night.

“How about,” he deliberated, “a twist on the third and fourth options. Or three-and-a-half.”

“Interesting,” she said. “What’s the twist?”

He gestured to the rest of the museum. “Let’s see what there is to see now and follow up with a discovery session later.”

“Session. I like that. Not a date, not a meeting.”

“Call it what you will.”

“I will. We may be past our hold time with Dr.—” Elissa’s text waited for her. I know you said fifteen but I am so curious! “—I stand corrected. She’s ready when we are.”

“As to that,” he said, “how long are we expecting that part of the program?”

“Anywhere between zero more minutes and an hour. It’s up to us.” She held up her phone. “Not for you?”

“It’s a nice touch,” he said. Damn right it is. “But, ah, wasn’t who I wanted to hear talk tonight.”

Don’t grin. Damn you, Blixt, don’t you grin like a fucking teenager. I’m watching you. Tess took a deep breath. “That’s fair, and I appreciate it. She is calling in from New York, though, so how about another hybrid?”

“How about we split the difference?”

“Half guided, half self-guided? Deal.” She offered her hand to shake. He narrowed his eyes at her, almost teasing but still suspicious. Her keenness burst through the tight laces of her self-command. Tess laughed from her core, from the very root of herself, the peals echoing in the concrete space.

Elissa saw it in her dearest friend’s flush right away. “Am I on speaker?” she asked.

“Hello again, Doctor,” said Tess with forced articulation. Be cool. “Thank you for your flexibility. We’ll have the rest of the group on in a minute.”

Elissa smirked. “Can I do the dance? Can I?” Tess could see her shimmying in her seat. “Theodora got some booty,” she sang in a giddy decades-old tune, “Booty in a museum—” Tess’s impatient look broke Elissa’s performance into giggling bits.

“Ready, Doctor?”

“No no wait!” she squealed as she had since freshman year.

Tess turned the camera on a frieze. She knew Elissa was holding her breath until she calmed down. “All right, Doctor, you are on air. Is this a good restart point?”

Elissa slipped back into her lecture with a few coughs and stammers. Charles didn’t seem to mind. Tess had a hard time keeping a straight face.

--

Taglist: @the-loveliest-lotus @theveryrealsf3uuf @blarnettebutter @the-gall0ws @chordsykat @explosiontooth @judasbeast

[the-loveliest-lotus]

For the memes lol

OC Credits:

Vanessa Leverett - @claudia-nomusaabara

Vivian 'Vivi' Skarsgard - @pan-flute-skeleton

Caj Stryker - @chordsykat

Lucy Skye Desmond - @the-loveliest-lotus

Jasmine Fauxx - @katusjuice

Aurora Attic - @neopolitangumdrops

Blanca Tennbris - @plvtosun

Fiona Lindstrom - @sillydorito

Zorya Auvelomaa - @mrfelixfischoeder

[the-loveliest-lotus]

Chapter 13: Counterbalance (Tess's Version), Part 2

I'm alive! It's been a monumentally busy and high pressure six weeks, but I return victorious and happy to be here. Tess came from somewhere. Anyway, let's see what she's up to.

--

Word Count: 1259

Episode Alignment: 1.8

Recommended Soundtrack: "Danger," Deathpact

Summary: Tess sets a grand stage with help from a friend.

--

The neutral ground Tess had in mind took a favor or two. Truthfully, it took one direct favor, four indirect favors, four reschedules on both sides, and a reluctant promise to Anthony that brought it all together. All in all, a small investment compared to the potential return. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

She only heard the city noise beyond when the door opened. The visual world was just out of reach. She waited in willing deprivation, kept company only with the staff’s muffled activity and ambient music that almost seemed to brush across her skin.

“Good evening,” a sweet voice said from beyond the black. “You must here for the private party. Right this way.”

A sensation caught her awareness, the feeling that someone was nearby. It reminded her of hearing the crack of undergrowth deep in the woods on a moonless night.

“Charles?” she asked the void. For a moment she heard nothing further, then soft grappling with a chair. Tess had to admit that the fumbling sounds were deeply endearing. “If you don’t say something I’ll have to presume you’re an intruder.” She reached into the silence and grabbed his hand far more clumsily than she intended.

“That had better be Tess,” said a familiar voice. Her name. It should not feel this good simply to be recognized, even just verbally. She forgot to take back her hand.

“Is this neutral enough for you?”

“I suppose this is a Wednesday for you.”

“Brand new territory. We’re the only guests for the next hour and a half. The staff are all blind.” Perhaps he could hear her smile in her voice. “It’s just you, me, and our animal selves.”

“As long as you don’t insist that we dance.”

Tess laughed. “If I do, I promise it won’t be to my advantage. That’s the point of neutral ground.” That’s the entire point.

--

Each course was a surprise based on their favorite colors, even after their buttery-voiced server set their plates and wine within reach. Her guidance spoke in terms of the senses: textures, dominant taste qualities, and the moods they intended to evoke. Sensuous was a cheap word in the modern age, but it was precisely the experience. And precisely the point.

Together they stumbled through aromas, texture, and flavors. They grasped for a sense of awareness through exploring, curiosity, and – undoubtedly – looking a bit ridiculous in the safety of utter darkness. The few bits of conversation that weren’t about the immediate experience were curious in some way, a question, a guess, a musing. Sharing bites across their plates became a predictable disaster, but Tess ventured on anyway. It was a relief that the server led each of them to the washroom before being escorted to the foyer, where a small gift bag with a detailed menu awaited them both.

Tess smiled at Charles squinting against the soft light. “It’s bracing in a way, isn’t it?” she said.

“Well, lighting is important,” he replied.

“So they say.” In her flat shoes she could look at him far more evenly. She noticed what looked like a banana sticker stuck to his shoe heel. “What would you say to an adjustment?”

Charles’s eyes narrowed. “Hmm.” He drew out his silence, but she had nothing but patience. You think you’re the only one who can give nothing away? “It’s only fair at this point, isn’t it?” he finally replied. She heard a cavernous depth to his voice that she hadn’t heard yet.

“I couldn’t agree more,” she said, holding the door for him. “All right with a short walk?”

Overcast had settled over the city, catching the city lights and giving the clouds a deep, bruised glow. Charles said nothing for six blocks. That’s all right; I was on edge when I was in your place. As jarring as the sights and lights were after three courses in darkness, silence seemed like the right counterbalance. Until they reached a reinforced door in an alleyway, that is.

Tess held up a hand before Charles could protest while the other hand fixed an earpiece in place. “We’re here,” she said to her phone.

“I hope you don’t mind,” said Elissa, “I’m staying in my house coat. Just say when, lovie.” Elissa’s dark hair cascaded in perfection over her shoulders, and her makeup shimmered with the warm tones of dusk in the desert. Immaculate as always. No one in their right mind will notice the house coat, thought Tess.

A weary man with facial tattoos opened the heavy door. “You here for the thing?” he said.

“Yes, thank you,” said Tess. “You must be Kai.”

Kai or no, he was in no mood to talk. He led them down a harshly lit freight corridor in surly quiet. Crates, pallets, and packing materials in various stages of use lined the hall. The unmistakable sound of labor echoed in the distance.

“Just give me the signal when you’re ready,” said Elissa. “I can’t see a thing.”

Tess handed Charles a second earpiece in its case. “This will help later,” she said. He took it with visible stiffness in his posture. What would comfort me? Clarity. “We’re getting a special backstage tour. That’s all.”

“A tour of—” the sound of a great curtain falling ahead of them cut his question short. The design on the collapsing blood-red banner was barely visible, but it gave enough away. Tess smiled back at Charles.

She tapped her earpiece. “Go ahead. The camera’s off and we’re on mute for now.”

They wound their way through the museum’s underbelly to the gaping, stark main hall. The special exhibit pieces were being packed back to their lenders, Without the mood lighting the space felt every inch its intended purpose: a place to burn the dead en masse.

“Dr. Murichs?” Tess said to the screen once Charles fixed his earpiece. She turned just enough to keep him out of the screen, even though Elissa knew exactly whom Tess was with. “We’re ready when you are. Going on mute.”

“Good evening, everyone,” Elissa began in her most pristine public speaking voice. “My name is Doctor Elissa Murichs, and I am delighted to give you this exclusive curated tour of the Skagerakk Fredrickshaven Museum of Antiquity’s feature exhibit highlighting art inspired by the perceived end of the world. If you’ll please point the camera forward – thank you, Ms. Blixt – we’re going to start in the east wing dedicated to flood myths. Please walk carefully; work crews should be filling in the canal features as we speak.”

Charles neared Tess to whisper to her. “Did you bring a friend to our—” he hesitated, “—ah, discovery meeting?”

Tess glanced at him, unconvinced. “You brought minions to our first meeting. You can concede me one subject matter expert.” He offered his arm in acceptance, which Tess was happy to take. Even without the assault of stimulants, depressants, and aphrodisiacs from their last walk through this hall, his nearness brought a delightful rush.

“A bit about me,” continued Elissa, “I hold a PhD in art history and archaeology from Columbia University, I am the Sotheby’s managing director of global fine art, and I am a consultant with both UNESCO and the Lebanese government. It is an honor to facilitate this tour for Ms. Blixt, who is a dear friend and a colleague and philanthropist par excellence.”

“A silent tour to follow the sightless meal?”

Tess shook her head. “We can talk as much as we like. She can’t hear us, so it’s not like we’ll interrupt her. Plus, you’re spared me plugging my knowledge gaps with obvious fiction.”

“I, ah, wouldn’t find that entirely disinteresting,” he said.

She smirked back. “So you can learn my tells? Clever, but you’ll have to go the old-fashioned way for that.”

--

Taglist: @the-loveliest-lotus @theveryrealsf3uuf @blarnettebutter @the-gall0ws @chordsykat @explosiontooth @judasbeast

[the-loveliest-lotus]

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[the-loveliest-lotus]

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[the-loveliest-lotus]

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[the-loveliest-lotus]

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