Another day in Paradise [Eric/open]

[Noemi de Trevalion]

The house was just starting to be set up and I'd taken one of the downstairs rooms- I think it was supposed to be another study- and finally managed to get it set up just the way I wanted so I could practice my ballet. Now that I had classes at the Academy it was a kind of studying in its own way, and there was at least one more, so I didn't feel too bad about taking over this one. I'd managed to find some large mirrors to hang on the walls and a bar to have put in place along one of them- and it wasn't perfect, but it was enough for me. At least it was something I could use until I convinced Vic that it would be alright to get something a little more extravagant.

For practice I wore very simple clothing that wouldn't get tangled around my legs or cause me to trip- a gown that was mostly darts of thin fabric overlapping to make a completely opaque skirt that allowed me to move freely, the top a simple one with cap sleeves, and a pair of tights underneath. On my feet were the pointe slippers that wound around with ribbon to the knee, as comfortable and worn-in as the dancing clothes themselves but still in good repair and attractive enough. My hair was wrapped up in a tight bun and pinned in place, then tied with a ribbon with only the faintest tendrils escaping around my face. It wasn't an outfit meant to make me look spectacular alone; the dancing was what should stand out.

Once down in the practice room I stretched, testing the bar carefully before I trusted it with my full weight, then moved through a series of simple steps. Pas de valse, pirouette piquee, arabesque, then up, and the rest of the routine.. It was familiar, and luckily with the travel I hadn't gotten too far out of practice. The music of one of the shows I'd seen played through my head and I made sure I followed the tempo, moving as precisely as I could through every single portion. I knew it wasn't perfect, I wasn't a professional ballerina, but I enjoyed this and did my best at it. Before long a light sweat had risen on my skin and my thoughts were completely pure and clear, nothing but the dance left in them.

[Eric Lamont]

Today was another of those das when the work was light and I had nothing to do really, other than enjoy myself. I had the brilliant idea to stop by and see Noemi. I wouldn't stay too long, of course, just see how she was and maybe plan that picnic. I was nervous though, a simple messenger boy like myself going to the house of royalty asking to call on a princess! A few months ago I was shivering out under a bridge, nothing more than a scarred outcast.

I knocked on the door of the house and, when greeted, gave my name and said that I was a friend of Princess Noemi.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

The dance-room was silent except for my breathing and the light knock at the door almost seemed louder for it; nevertheless I smiled and called for whoever it was to come in as I came down from en pointe. One of the servants, a woman about in her mid-thirties, peeked her head in and looked over at me and gave a slightly confused smile before she recited the message. I suppose I probably did look a little odd, a Princess done up like a ballerina, but I wasn't bothered. The gown was decent enough with all of its layers of fabric and fell to just past my knees when I was still, and Vic wore much more daring things from time to time when it suited her.

Picking up a towel I ran it over my arms, face and neck as I thanked the woman for the message and told her that I would see him in a moment; most likely she'd show him into one of the sitting rooms or some such and the house wasn't so big that I would get lost finding it. Once I was a little more presentable- or at least not sweaty- I tossed the towel into a bin on one side and then started toward the front of the house. I was both pleased and surprised that Eric had decided to come, mostly because I knew how hard it was for people to do so at times, but now I realized I should have trusted his word a bit more.

Once he was in sight I walked over to him and smiled. "It's good to see you, Eric. How are things?"

[Eric Lamont]

I smiled the moment she entered. Her outfit was interesting, no doubt she had been doing some dancing. "Things are wonderful! It's great to see you again as well." My eyes glanced around me in subtle awe of the house.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"I'm glad you stopped by, though I'm sorry you had to find me like this. I probably look like a disaster," I replied with a light laugh as I pushed some more escaped tendrils of hair behind my ear and went over to a chair to sit down for a moment. "Come in and relax, I don't think I have anything here that bites yet." Smiling widely I picked up a pitcher of water and poured us each a glass, then offered him one. I could tell his eyes were still picking up on the place, the way mine had when I'd first come in, and I was quiet for a moment so he could let everything sink in before I spoke again. "What have you been up to?"

[Eric Lamont]

I grinned. "Noemi, you're as beautiful as the last time I saw you. And yes, that's a compliment." My cheeks turned pink and then I found a place to sit down. "The usual, running and receiving messages, reading, taking up a little drawing now that I have free time again."

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"Thank you for the compliment, and you're as handsome as I remember," I told him playfully, then I took a sip from the glass of water I'd poured for myself and set it aside. The blush was back on his cheek again but I was starting to think it was something I should see as another compliment rather than worry about. "It sounds like work is going well for you though. Do you like your job so far? And what do you draw?" It was nice to be talking to Eric again, even though it hadn't been that long since I'd seen him last.

[Eric Lamont]

"I do. Even it if wasn't the best job I would simply be grateful to have one." I sipped some of the water before continuing my response. "I don't draw anything real ... just patterns and designs and such." I smirked and blushed. "Some people's envelopes have been getting some decorations."

[Noemi de Trevalion]

His confession drew a laugh from me and I shifted a bit to rest my chin on my hand, my elbow on one of the arms of the seat I'd found myself in. "People pay a lot of money for expensive stationary so I'm sure they appreciate the art of it," I told him cheerfully. "If you ever wanted another job that's one you could do. I know I'd buy it and I haven't even seen any of it yet." I was being sincere too; if it was something that he enjoyed doing and had some confidence in then I'd be more than willing to take a blind chance on it.

[Eric Lamont]

"Thank you, but it'll take a lot of training and work. I'm content with my position now. Perhaps in the future we'll see." I downed half my glass of water. "What have you been up to of late?"

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"Well if you ever do decide to try that, or just want to make a pretty picture..." I trailed off in a teasing tone, picking up my glass to take another drink of water and then holding it lightly in my lap. "I don't know that I do much that's very interesting. I've been getting my room arranged, meeting more people and trying to refresh my mind about more of d'Angeline culture so I don't always sound quite so stupid when I try to have a conversation. Then the dancing, of course, must not forget that. I'm supposed to go on an outing with my sister and cousin sometime but no one's planned anything so I'm not sure when that will happen. Did you want to go on that picnic soon? Because my schedule is still pretty much free."

[Eric Lamont]

I listened to every word she said and nodded. "Yes I am looking forward to that. Perhaps in a week?" I leaned forward a bit, giving her my full attention.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

Smiling I leaned closer to where he was as well, mimicking his pose and grinning. "Well, I don't see why a week wouldn't be a good idea, since it'll be on the day I don't have Academy classes again," I replied eagerly. "What do you want me to bring along? I'm pretty sure I have everything here that we might need unless you want something completely outrageous." Yes, I was teasing and joking, but there was rarely a time when I wasn't and he seemed to be getting used to it as well.

[Eric Lamont]

"Just whatever foods people usually take on a picnic." I smiled after I spoke and crossed my legs. "Would anyone else be coming, or just the two of us?"

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"That's a good question," I said with a light laugh, cocking my head a bit as I considered him. He already seemed a good bit more relaxed more quickly than he had been at our first meeting and that seemed like a small victory. "I haven't invited anyone since it's supposed to be the first adventure that we talked about and no one else I've met seemed like the type who would be interested. Do you want to bring anyone?" Or was there something to this question that I was missing?

[Eric Lamont]

I shook my head. "Oh no, I had no one in mind. I was just wondering if you did was all." It was close to overcompensating but not quite.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

There was something interesting about the way he answered and I cocked my head and watched him for a moment. "Well, I'm not so that's settled then," I said after that, smiling a bit and letting my tone become just a little bit more teasing. "Are you nervous about going with just me? I promise I don't bite, not really."

[Eric Lamont]

I shook my head, laughing slightly. "No no of course not. To be honest I was hoping that it would be just us, as much I should get to know more people."

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"Then it'll be just the two of us," I said confidently, taking another drink of water before I set the cup aside. "If you want to meet more people that's something I can help with too. I'm waiting to throw a party until things calm down a little but after that I'll invite everyone I know and you can meet them too. Will that work?" If he wanted to have more friends I could understand that completely; after all it was a large part of my motivation as well. A solid group of friends who all looked out for each other sounded like one of the best goals a person could have.

[Eric Lamont]

I smiled, truly excited. It would be, in a very vague sense, a debut. True, it wasn't about me, but it was a way, a much more honest way, to know others. "Sounds like a wonderful idea, Noemi!"

[Noemi de Trevalion]

Eric seemed to really like the idea and I smiled in happiness at his enthusiasm, reaching out to lightly squeeze his knee in a friendly fashion. "I'm really glad you like the idea! It'll be a lot of fun, I promise, though you might have to help me with picking things out to decorate and such. If you're not busy and you don't mind, I mean." That brought another thing to mind and I remembered the shopping trip before. "Oh, and I finally got my room set up with those things that I bought shopping with you that day. Do you want to see it?"

[Eric Lamont]

I nodded. "That sounds wonderful." I was interested to see how all the elements had come together. "Right now?"

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"If you want," I said eagerly as I smiled and stood up, smoothing down the darts of my skirt so they weren't too bunched or messy. "It's just upstairs and I need an opinion on the decor that isn't my sister complaining about where I put things and you have good taste."

[Eric Lamont]

I nodded and rose with a pleasant smile. "Well then lead on, captain!"

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"Oh, and now it's 'Captain', is it?" I teased lightly as I gave him a wink and started out into the main hall toward the stairs, confident that he'd be close enough to hear me without yelling or otherwise disturbing the entire house. "Onward then, soldiers, we will take the stairs and claim them in the name of the explorations of Terre d'Ange!" My tone was completely jesting and I couldn't help but laugh through my entire statement as I gave my friend a sideways look.

[Eric Lamont]

I glanced back at her with a wink and a nod. "Onward!" I said in reply, waiting for her to lead the charge. I felt like a little kid ... it was awesome!

[Noemi de Trevalion]

There was something very fun and free about how Eric looked at the moment that was completely endearing, and I gave him a bit of a wider smile as I playfully ran up the stairs, then stopped at the top, laughing all the while. Once I was on the top landing I looked around then gave my companion a wink and waited for him to finish his own climb. "We have conquered the stairs- now, onto the room!" I said in a gleeful tone as I started down the hall at a dash.

[Eric Lamont]

I followed close behind her, a gleeful smile on my face. When we arrived I skidded to a stop. "We best be careful," I whispered.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

He was playing, and somehow I had a feeling it had been some time since he'd done that, and I gave him a smile as I nodded. "You're right, that's a good call," I replied with a mirthful whisper of my own, stopping with my hand on the doorknob and giving him another sideways glance. "What do you suggest, my brave friend? And what could be hiding behind this door?"

[Eric Lamont]

I continued speaking in hushed tones. "Well there may be lions, a dragon, a pair of lost lovers ... I say we just charge right in!" I smirked but, despite myself there was a blush on my cheeks.