Model Misbehaviour (Daleen x Vamp)

[TheLadyIsAVamp]

Bianca pushed open the tall glass door to the venue, smiling as the low hum of conversation and clinking glasses spilled out onto the quiet street like perfume. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Cassie was still following close behind. Bianca was in her mid 20s and had been modelling since she was a teenager. She'd attended this social on multiple occasions. It was a good way to meet people and make new contacts. She'd landed several well paid modelling gigs through social events like this. But Cassie was newer to it, and Bianca wanted to make sure her friend got noticed.

The venue was tucked away behind an unmarked entrance in the heart of the city, one of those word-of-mouth places where the chosen crowds mingled beneath dim lighting and velvet drapes. Inside, the walls were a rich navy blue, adorned with oversized monochrome prints of past fashion icons. Gold sconces cast a soft glow that danced across the marble-topped bar, where bartenders in pressed black shirts moved like clockwork.

“Don’t worry,” Bianca said over her shoulder, offering Cassie a reassuring smile as she handed her coat to the waiting attendant. “Everyone's really friendly, and if anyone gets elitist with you, I'll give them a talking to they won't soon forget!"

The room was already buzzing with a curated crowd, models in low cut dresses and deconstructed blazers, photographers with cameras slung casually over their shoulders and tablet devices containing their portfolios, and agents sipping cocktails with the air of people who hadn’t paid for a drink in years. Laughter rippled from a corner booth where a group posed for selfies against a neon sign that read Frame Yourself in loopy script.

Bianca looped an arm through Cassie's. “It’s a little scene-y, but it’s good for getting your name out there. Just be confident, smile, and don’t agree to anything without checking who you’re talking to first.”

A waiter floated past with a tray of prosecco flutes. Bianca snagged two and handed one to Cassie. “Welcome to the circuit.”

 

[Daleen]

Cassie was practically buzzing with excitement as she followed Bianca along, nervous energy mixing together with eager anticipation for her first steps into the real world of modeling once she heard the sounds of the gathering, picturing it in her head before she even turned to see it in the real world. She paused for a moment after stepping inside, the subtle chill of the night air sealed away behind her with the closing of the door and for a moment she felt as if she'd stepped into a dream she'd relived time and time again in her head. She stood there, pausing in her stride to simply take it in, the sights, the sounds, the scents, all of it oozed of upper echelon. Sure she wasn't under impression that she was sharing the air with Rockefellers or Roosevelts, but this was undeniably leaps and bounds from where she'd found herself. She couldn't help but compare it to the pizza party that had been her first networking event when she was sixteen, earning herself her first gig at a summer selection sale for a chain outlet store that had since gone out of business. She'd managed to keep herself involved in her work, and even did well enough to stay afloat after Highschool with a recently ended contract with Macy's. But she wanted more, especially considering the reality of student loans that had been hitting her lately. Staying afloat just wasn't good enough anymore, not when her dream and her career came with a ticking clock attached to it. At a fresh twenty one she was already having markets closed off to her, but she hoped it would also lead to some opening up.

Thus she had asked her closest friend and co-model for assistance, deciding that was better than asking her parents for money to buy time to chase after contracts herself. And now here she was! She had to stifle down a small squeal of excitement, doing her best to maintain her composure amongst the suave gathering of folks here tonight. First impressions happened once, and in this line of work, they could go very far indeed, though admittedly once she stopped to examine the room she couldn't help but feel a bit underprepared. The agents and photographers were easy enough to pick out, most dressed comfortably, albeit still showing off their success with their attire, but the competition, that was what was working her nerves. She looked around at them, only momentarily distracted by the attendant as she offered the man a sincere smile and a quick thanks as she handed off her own coat to him, showing off her own outfit for the evening, a black two piece vegan leather ensemble with a strapless black top that clung tightly to her smaller bosom with a silver snake adornment at the top center linked to a thin chain that wrapped around her neck, shining brightly against the raven black of her long hair. Leaving her midriff exposed, the creamy paleness of her skin was broken by the top of the matching black mini skirt ending tantalizing high upon her thighs, giving a free glimpse of her toned and slender legs all the way down to the strappy black heels she wore, with her freshly purple painted toenails pressed out at the tip. An outfit not designed for the weather outside, but one that fit in well enough here, if a bit less filled out in some area's than most of the other woman present.

She was pulled from her doubts and concerns as Bianca smiled back at her, and the simple gesture did wonders for her nerves. She reminded herself she wasn't here alone, she had her best friend here, and considering who that friend was, she had little to worry about. She laughed at the woman's promise, before nodding her head, having little to no doubt at all that Bianca absolutely meant what she said, and pitied anyone who threatened to get on that woman's bad side. "With you here, I doubt anyone would be so brave" she teased, giggling as she pressed in against Bianca's side once their arms intertwined one another and she nodded her head, listening intently to her friends advice. "How could I not be confident, when I managed to snag one of the most beautiful models in the world here at my side?" she asked before accepting the flute, her eyes roaming over the room once more. She'd meant what she said, Bianca truly was a stunning beauty, but that seemed to be a necessary requirement for entry here, how she was supposed to stand out against a crowd like this seemed a rather daunting task. However she just turned back to Bianca, putting on her best smile as she held her glass up for a cheer. "To a future of success" she offered, unaware that she herself had already earned more then a few stares, some less then friendly at the young newby intruding into crowded territory, but others with simple interest, and at least one with more then friendly ideas already forming. "So, see any familiar faces you want to talk with before we start working?" she asked, taking a sip from the glass, her practiced smile softening with sincerity at the sweetness of the wine tickling her tongue with it's carbonated bubbles.

 

[TheLadyIsAVamp]

"I see lots of familiar faces here, but don't worry, I can chat to them later! I'll point them out to you, though!".

Bianca took a sip of her drink and guided Cassie through the crowd with the effortless grace of someone who knew exactly where she was going. As they passed a group gathered around a glossy coffee table scattered with business cards and portfolios, Bianca leaned in, lowering her voice just enough to keep things conspiratorial.

“Okay, see the girl in the silver dress by the bar?” she nodded subtly toward a tall woman with an angular face and striking platinum hair pulled into a high braided bun. “That’s Amira, she does a lot of high fashion modelling. She’s got that whole ice-queen energy going on but don't let it fool you, she's a big softie."

Bianca grinned. “And iver there” she gestured toward a slightly scruffy-looking man in a charcoal turtleneck and round glasses, who was deep in conversation with a shorter woman holding a camera. “That’s Theo, he shoots a lot of my lingerie stuff. Looks like he lives off black coffee and existential dread, but he’s brilliant. If he asks to shoot you, say yes, even if he wants you standing in the middle of a motorway at 5am. The pics will be worth it."

They paused near a wall where an installation of backlit polaroids displayed snaps from previous events. Bianca let her eyes drift across them, taking in the flashes of models laughing, posing, frozen mid-smoke break, mid-pose, mid-kiss.

“There’s River,” Bianca continued, nodding toward a nonbinary model with emerald green eyeliner and a nose ring, currently laughing in a booth surrounded by admirers. “And that guy by the piano? That's Max. He’s a lifestyle photographer, but he always sneaks in fashion shots. Everyone acts casual around him, but his Instagram has like six million followers. One post from him and you’re golden.”

Bianca sipped her drink as she scanned the room. Her expression suddenly creased into a frown. "Oh God. She's here" Bianca groaned, nodding toward a young woman with flawless tanned skin wearing a fitted black minidress that hugged her body and showed off her long slender legs. She was stood talking and laughing with three older men, all of whom seemed to be hanging on her every word. "That's Valentina. Same age as you I think but she's been modelling for a while, started out with high end fashion and then moved into the sexier stuff. Lingerie, implied nude, fantasy dress up. She's popular with the photographers but she's a troublemaker. She can be a bit immature, she flirts too much and she's got a rep for being a party girl. She's signed by our rival agency as well. Probably best to just avoid her."

 

[Daleen]

"We'll see how long that takes" she teased with a soft laugh, knowing how sociable Bianca was. The woman could walk into a crypt and just being the life of the party that Bianca was bring them all back from the dead for a fun time. She knew better than to expect to have Bianca to herself for to long. However while she did have the woman, she meant to make the most of it and get as much info as she possibly could, thus allowing herself to be led away. Cassie had always been graceful, but even she had to make an occasional sudden move to keep from colliding into the occasional party goer as Bianca pulled her through the crowd, laughing as she tried to on occasion take another sip from her flute as they moved. Already affected by Bianca's contagious natural energy she was feeling more relaxed by the time they slowed while passing a table, and she leaned in to meet the woman's words, eager for the tea of the room. She turned, looking over at each person pointed out, doing her best to memorize the faces with the names.

She immediately held doubts about how soft Amira was, confident that it was just Bianca who had access to that side of the woman who looked as if she wouldn't bother wasting her drink to pour it out on you if you caught on fire, before covering her mouth to hide her small snort of laughter at the woman's advice for Iver. The way the woman said it made her confident that that had indeed happened at least once already, though she had seen Bianca's lingerie shoots and made sure to make a mental note to make her name known to the man. They had been absolutely fantastic, and Cassie had spent almost a week staring at them trying to imitate Bianca's poses and energy from those photos alone in her bedroom.

Taking another sip of her wine as they finally came to a stop, she looked back over the room, scanning the faces of the crowd before focusing on where the woman pointed. "Oh wow, they're lovely...and I want to talk to them just to know what pallete that eyeshadow came from I have to get my hands on it" she murmured before her eyes widened as the woman listed off Max's count. She herself had only recently managed to break past three hundred thousand, certainly no small feat but it paled in comparison, acting as a stark reminder of just how small a fish she was in this very big pond. She looked back to Bianca, about to ask the woman what her own followed count had managed to get up only to freeze in surprise as a look she'd never seen before flashed across the normally happy woman's face.

"Who?" she asked with worry as she turned to look over the room, before finding the source of the woman's ire. "Wow...she's beautiful" Cassie said before she could stop herself. She bit her lip as Bianca listed off the woman's accomplishments, and for a moment the sourness of Bianca was forgotten, as that seemed exactly the kind of person she wanted to talk to. The woman had already conquered high end fashion, which was Cassie's dream, plus the fantasy dress up had only added to her desire to meet the woman. She wasn't a cosplayer by any means, the thought of slaving over foam and 3d printers to great a chore for her but her own distractions from the world had tended towards the side of fantasy escapes across many genre of media, her personal favorite an elven fantasy anime that had gotten it's hooks deep into her.


She pulled on her lower lip, the soft rose lip stain taking the abuse with ease, as she found herself torn. She trusted Bianca a great deal, and if the woman said to stay away she knew it was probably for the best. Yet...the woman was like a checklist for everything she was looking for. Her own age, accomplished in Cassie's dream field, and it seemed they likely shared some similar hobbies as best she could guess, fantasy shoots were rarely done for the fame and fortune after all. They weren't exactly big ticket items, and it tended to be a niche market, so when it was done it was usually as a passion project. Though the mention of working for a rival agency did hold a fair bit of weight to it...she wanted to get to know the woman, to learn from her, possibly even network with her but, she'd be putting up a lot to risk for that. "Yeah...alright, so...what about them?" she asked, pointing to a random table for no reason other than to try and change the subject, though as Bianca began telling her about the people there she found it all going over her head, her eyes continuing to flick back over at Valentina. Even if they didn't work together...she couldn't help but admire the woman's beauty, she seemed to ooze the confidence of someone who knew exactly what they had to bring to the table.

 

[TheLadyIsAVamp]

Valentina was happilly chatting away with her little captive audience when she happened to glance over.

Her eyes met Cassie's for the first time.

She held the other woman's gaze, offering her a friendly smile before letting her eyes flick down the pale woman's body and back up again. Valentina hadn't seen her here before, but whoever she was, she was beautiful - smooth skin clad in an outfit that was neither too scandalous nor too formal, long silky hair hair that seemed to flow around her shoulders, a gorgeous face and sharp eyes, a slender body and legs that seemed to go on for days.

Yup, she was beautiful. So much so that Valentina's eyes kept flicking back to her. She was only half listening to the photographers now. One of them was trying to impress her with a story about a competition he'd entered. Something about a picture of a ladybird. She didn't care. She was much more interested in the other women. They kept catching each other stealing glances at one another. Valentina shot her a knowing smile as their eyes met again, and a moment later she excused herself from the photographers and walked over to the bar, giving Cassie a long lingering look that silently issued an invitation to join her as she walked past

"...And that's why she can't be trusted with tequila anymore" Bianca said, turning back to Cassie. "Cass? Hello? You listening?"

She didn't get a chance to enquire further. A large man with a full beard and a bald head appeared by her side and pulled her into a hug, calling out her name in a booming voice. Bianca laughed and hugged the bear of a man in return.

"Bee, I need to introduce you to Malcolm" he said hurriedly. "He's going to leave soon, have you got a minute?"

Bianca swore. "OK ok, sure. Cass are you alright if I just go talk to someone? Socialise, talk to people, I'll find you when I'm done!" She said, practically being pulled away by the large man.

 

[Daleen]

Cassie froze like a deer in headlights as the woman's eyes seemed to catch her own staring gaze, and for a moment she felt her heart skip a beat. Gods above and below, she really was beautiful. She tried to look away, she knew she should, at this point Cassie couldn't help but feel like she was being rude staring so intently at the other woman, but she couldn't. Her eyes widened as she saw the woman's gaze drifting and realized the woman was...no, no she was being ridiculous. There was no way the woman was checking her out, at least not like...no. The woman was probably just examining the new girl. Still it didn't stop the blush from creeping across her face, the heat in her cheeks finally motivating her enough to tear her gaze away. Though only for a moment, as her eyes soon flicked back over to Valentina, again and again as she tried to focus on what Bianca was saying she couldn't hear any of it. She felt drawn to the woman, for a moment wondering if this was what a fly felt like watching it's friend being closed up in a venus fly trap's grip, but unable to resist the pull of the sweet nectar's scent.

She felt that skip of a beat once more as the woman smiled over to her, and found herself wondering how many people might have seen that same smile while looking down upon a magazine cover, how many people pulled by those eyes. Her attention suddenly snapped back to Bianca as she heard her name being called, and she turned back to face Bianca, a dazed look on her face as she suddenly remembered where she was, and what she was here for. "Huh? Oh, um, yeah, yeah sorry, I just..." she hesitated for a moment before taking another sip from her glass. "Just thinking about all the possibilities I could find here, sorry" she said with a sheepish smile. "You were saying?" she asked, before blinking in surprise as suddenly someone new appeared, catching both Cassie and Bianca's attention, though only holding Bianca's, Cassie looking back to where Valentina had begun moving towards, just catching the back of the woman moving through a crowd before it closed back in after her.

"Hm? Yeah, yeah I'll be fine. That sounds perfect. I'm just going to grab another drink first but maybe I'll go and chat with Amira and see if I can't get past that facade to all that softness you told me about" she said with a half hearted laugh that barely surpassed polite. Once Bianca was dragged away, Cassie stood there for a moment, truly telling herself that she was going to do just as she said and find Amira and introduce herself. She knew she shouldn't go after Valentina, Bianca had specifically warned her about the woman, and if they were even seen together she knew how quickly the rumor mill worked. The last thing she needed when just trying to start taking her career to the next level was getting on her agencies bad side, and yet as she moved to search for Amira, she found herself trailing along after Valentina, making her way around the crowd the woman had simply strolled through.

She spotted the woman over at the end of the bar, and for one final moment she had enough time to think clearly. This was a bad idea, she knew this was a bad idea, everything in her was telling her that this was a very, bad, idea. And yet her feet carried her forward until she stood a few feet away from Valentina. She opened her mouth as if to say something to the woman who wasn't even looking at her, before biting down on her lower lip once more in an old nervous habit of hers, and at the last second turned instead towards the bar, resting one hand on the counter top of the bar, before bringing her glass up, and tilting it back draining the remainder of the wine. She should leave now...she technically hadn't done anything wrong, she hadn't actually talked to Valentina yet, she'd just...happened to find herself near the woman, on the complete opposite side of the room of the woman she'd said she was going to meet. But she hadn't done anything that could get her into any trouble exactly...not yet at least.

 

[TheLadyIsAVamp]

Valentina practically glided through the crowds, ignoring the sound of someone calling her name and pretending she hadn't heard. It sounded like Sonnie. She wasn't interested in shooting with him again. She didn't like the way he looked at her. Valentina liked attention, but there'd been something too hungry in the way he'd stared at her body when they last shot together.

Even if he didn't exude a creepy air, she wouldn't have stopped for him in that moment. She wanted the girl she'd been looking at to see her alone. She wanted to see if the girl would follow.
Valentina wasn't stupid, although plenty of people had made the mistake of thinking she was an airhead. She knew Bianca didn't like her. She wasn't that keen on Bianca, either. If she was on her own, maybe the girl who was with her would find an opportunity to approach her.

And if not, Valentina would just go right over to her with a fresh drink in her hand, regardless of what Bianca thought of her. You couldn't worry about what everyone thought of you in this industry. Valentina liked herself, and the photographers liked her, too. Nothing else really mattered.

She leaned on the bar with casual grace, letting her chest dip forward just enough to give the barman a good view down her ample cleavage. She gave him a playful smile, fighting back the urge to giggle as she saw his eyes widen. He was serving a trio of male models but clearly wanted to be serving her instead.

Valentina's attention didn't stay on him for long. She sensed a feminine form moving up to stand beside her and glanced down, smiling to herself as she recognised the legs and blue-painted toenails of the girl she'd been exchanging looks with.

She turned her head toward her and smiled happilly. God, she was even more gorgeous up close! "Hey you" she said, a playful lilt threading its way through her voice. "I saw you across the room just now, are you new here? I don't think I've seen you at one of these events before!"

The barman appeared in front of them. Valentina gave him her most appreciative smile and added an extra layer of charm to her voice. "One glass of Merlot please, and whatever my friend is having" She said, looking back at the other girl.

The barman, for his part, wasn't sure which of the beautiful women to keep his focus on.

 

[Daleen]

'What am I doing' she kept thinking to herself as she stared hard at the wall of bottles at the back of the bar. She shouldn't be here, she shouldn't have followed Valentina, she should have just went to Amira like she said she was going to. Yes, that's exactly what she was going to do, she was just going to step away, turn around before Valentina noticed her there, and pretend like she'd never come over here in the first place. If anyone asked why she was over there, she'd just say...she wasn't sure. She'd came to get a drink? As if she couldn't have done that from any part of the bar. She was trying to get away from the crowd to take a breath? That could work...who would even ask though? Bianca was the only one who knew her here, and why did she feel the need to come up with excuses? Because she knew she shouldn't be there she supposed. It didn't matter, she was just going to leave, if anyone did ask, she'd figure it out from there, no point in stressing herself out over nothing.

Yet as she kept telling herself that, she found herself stuck, frozen in place there, and her head turned to sneak a glance over at Valentina, only for her eyes to widen as she saw the woman looking back at her. Gods...she was beautiful. How had someone like her ever managed to get into this place when there was beauty of this caliber here, she truly never stood a chance did she? She should pack it up now, stick with outlet chains and the rare perfume ad, maybe if she got the right connections she could even get herself on some commercials, something with residuals. That wouldn't be so bad, it'd keep her going through college at least and after that she'd find some work with her degree. It could be a comfortable life...though her dream of being posted on a tower sized screen in Times Square would never be more than that.

She was snapped from her small spiral as she heard the woman's voice, something about it soothing one set of nerves while riling up a new set entirely, a small smile creeping onto her face without her realizing it. Valentina could make an amazing voice over model as well, she suspected there wasn't much this woman wouldn't be good at honestly. Her eyes flicked down, taking in the sight of the woman up close and personal...the clothes seemed to be tailor made, hugging perfectly to every curve, as if the woman had simply been poured into her outfit, though that same nagging self doubt pricked her chest as she compared herself against the woman. She managed to avoid staring to long though and her eyes flitted back up to meet Valentina's. Technically she still hadn't done anything wrong, after all Valentina had spoken to her first...it would be rude to just leave now wouldn't it? "Hey back" she said, hoping she sounded more casual to Valentina than she did to herself. "Yes, it's my first time here" she admitted as she moved to lean in against the counter, reminding herself to relax her shoulders as she felt them creeping up to her ears. Casual, collected, confident, and calm. Just like a photoshoot, control your emotion, you're not you, you're whoever the camera needs you to be.

"I'm here with a friend...she's helping me meet the people worth knowing to help me advance things a bit" she said before looking over to the bartender who had appeared. Well now she HAD to stay and talk, just for a little bit. Long enough to be polite, after all the woman was buying her a drink, and she hadn't come here to burn bridges. She hoped the excuse would hold water as she looked over her shoulder as if worried she might find Bianca right behind her ready to pull her away and give her a talking to. The woman was an absolute sweetheart but, she'd seen enough to know she didn't want to earn the woman's ire. Once she was certain she was safe she turned back to the bar tender. "Plum sake, with ice if you have it. Prosecco if not" she said, not sure how well stocked this bar would be. Personally plum wine was her favorite, it's overwhelming sweetness muted just right with the dilution of melted ice, it made for an absolute treat, and was one of her greatest weaknesses. The length's she had gone to on occasion to get her hands on a bottle was not some of her proudest moments.

"So, you've been to many of these events? Enough to recognize someone new at least?" she asked, genuinely curious how often this woman attended networking events such as this. Personally she couldn't see why, the woman had to be absolutely swarmed with offers, any reality in which that wasn't the case simply didn't seem feasible. "Are you here looking for work, talent, or socializing?" she asked as she moved to take one of the seats, since she was now here for a fair bit of time, just to be polite of course. At least that's what she'd told herself. She could feel the leaves of the fly trap closing in around her, but the sweet nectar had it's hooks in her and she wasn't sure she'd be able to pry herself away from this woman even if she did want. There was just...something about her that called to Cassie, something that pulled her towards Valentina.

 

[TheLadyIsAVamp]

The moment Cassie smiled and said "hey back" to her, Valentina knew she wanted to spend time chatting with her. She couldn't put her finger on exactly what it was, but something about the other girl that captured her attention. It wasn't just her beauty. It was everything about her.

She watched as Cassie leaned against the bar and relaxed her shoulders, taking in the way the other girl's body moved and the sound or her voice. She sounded confident but humble, not like most of the arrogant models Valentina met here. She listened with genuine interest, nodding in the right places and giggling when Cassie expressed her choice of drink. "Oh, so you like sweet things? I'll remember that!" She said playfully.

The barman reassured Cassie he could find her some and moved away to make their drinks.

Valentina held eye contact with Cassie as they spoke, giving the other girl her full attention as if she was enraptured by her. "Yeah I come to these all the time" She said brightly. "They're a regular thing here, the venue holds one of these events every three months and I've been coming to them for what...three years now? People come and go but you get a lot of regulars who show up every time, so you get to know people pretty quickly and then it's easy to spot people you've not seen here before" She explained.

She grinned at the next question and let out a mischievous little laugh. "All three, of course!" She said, slipping fluidly into the seat next to Cassie. "You can find some really good work opportunities here if you get to know the right photographers, and it's a great night out, too! When I get bored of talking I just put something on the jukebox in the corner and dance. That usually brings a photographer or three over!" She giggled. "But what about you? What kind of modelling work are you looking for?" She asked curiously, running the fingertips of one hand absentmindedly through her hair.

 

[Daleen]

Cassie cool and calm composure shattered and for a moment genuine surprised crossed her face as the woman mentioned Cassie's preference for sweets. "You know what plum sake is?" she asked, figuring the woman was American through at least a few generations, so knowing the sweetness of the traditional Japanese treat was a genuine shock to Cassie. It had been her mothers favorite back home in Japan before her parents had immigrated here to the states before she came into the picture, and finding a bottle even here in the city that claimed to have everything could be a not insignificant challenge. Sure one could order a bottle off the internet, but none of that was the real stuff. That you had to hunt for, and if you found someone who carried it you saved that location in your phone and your mind. She quickly recollected herself, though she was unable to help the sheepish smile on her face as she nodded her head. "Yeah, it gets me into trouble a lot with my agency. I once ate an so much saltwater taffy when I did a swimsuit beach shoot once that I swear I put on five pounds that day alone" she said with a soft and sincere laugh before she looked away, a blush creeping onto her face. Why did she say that? Gods the only person she still even worked with who knew about that was Bianca, and that was because the woman was the person whokept sneaking her more pieces when Cassie had begged her in between shots! A blush crept up onto her creamy skin, the red showing clearly especially when framed by the raven black of her hair.

"Thank you" she murmured embarrassedly over to the bartender before she managed to collect herself once more, though each time she had to, she find it harder and harder. Something about Valentina made it easy to feel relaxed, more like she was talking with a friend and less networking for her life. Confident the woman would see her as a glutton more then anything else now, she hesitantly turned back to face the woman only to feel her heart flutter as she found the woman's eyes staring intently at her...there wasn't awkwardness or disgust in those eyes though...there was something, but what it was she couldn't place. Whatever it was her her licking her lips which suddenly felt a little dry. Happy to have a chance of topic, she nodded her head, listening as Valentina explained her experience with these events, and she couldn't help but be impressed. Not only was this woman a part of this upper echelon, but she'd been here for some time. "Oh wow...so you really must know everyone worth knowing at this point" she said, genuinely impressed.

That small flutter she felt when meeting the woman's gaze was nothing like the eruption of butterflies in her stomach as she heard the woman's devilish laugh, her heart skipping a beat as she gulped once more. She wanted to hear the woman's laughter again, she wanted to save it as her phones ring tone, set it as her alarm clock to wake up to it everyday. That last thought had made her brows furrow for a moment, unsure of where exactly that had come from, and hoped her face hadn't betrayed the tumultuous thoughts racing through her mind as she turned herself a bit so that her legs weren't in the woman's way as she sat down, her knees now tucked back under the counter of the bar rather then pointed towards Valentina. "That's what my friend was telling me, apparently there's a photographer here that has over 6 MILLION followers on his instagram! I mean...could you imagine? Six million people staring at your work, judging it, examining it, critiquing it. I get nervous thinking about my own three hundred k! So many people who see you, see your work and decide that they want to see more, they want to know when you post, to have that many people involved in your life...I don't know how he handles the stress" she said with a small laugh.

She leaned back against the bar with her elbow propped on the counter, her head tilting slightly as her eyes flicked up to the woman's finger, watching it slide effortlessly through the woman's hair before she looked back after realizing the woman had asked her a question. "Hm? Oh, me? Um...well..." she started before smiling nervously. "Actually, I was looking to get into the field I heard you just left" she said softly. "I want to try to get into high end fashion...I don't expect to get filthy rich off modeling but....I've always dreamed on ending up on the big screen at Time's Garden. It's kind of a childhood dream, which is silly I know but, there's a whole story behind it. I figure high end fashion is the best way to get there...that and the money doesn't hurt" she admitted with a soft laugh. "Right now I'm mostly managing to stay a little bit above even footing with my student loans, and I figure a few sets with the right people, and I could sail my way through the rest of my college years, and pay off my loans before the interest starts to get to ridiculous, maybe even take it all the way to a doctorate without but...I also like to dabble in some of the fantasy shoots. But those are just for fun, in fact I've never even been paid for doing any of them, not in money. The last one I did I took a meet and greet with the voice actors for my favorite anime as payment" she said in hushed tones before giggling to herself. While her sweet tooth for candy and treats was probably her greatest secret in her modeling career, she felt no shame or embarrassment about her hobbies.

 

[TheLadyIsAVamp]

Valentina gave Cassie a conspiratorial look. "I went to Japan when I was a teenager and drank way too much sake. Shoju, too. I went to this rock and roll themed bar and a guy there introduced me to it. So yeah, I know all about sake!"

She giggled as Cassie told her story about the saltwater taffy, partly because the story amused her, and partly because she was now imagining the raven-haired beauty in a swimsuit. Or rather, a bikini. A very skimpy one. She briefly lapsed into a fantasy of them both wearing matching black bikinis that barely covered anything, walking toward one another on a sun kissed beach with their eyes locked onto one another.

"6 million?" She said, making a fanning motion with her hand. "Wow! That must be Max, I did a lingerie shoot with him ages ago. It's not what he usually does but that just makes the pics of me stand out more on his page. Pretty sure I got three or four thousand followers from his profile alone after that!"

She listened closely as Cassie spoke about her dreams and ambitions, only looking away to smile in thanks at the barman as he placed their drinks down and to tap her phone against his card reader, then her gaze was fixed on Cassie again. She could see the other girl coming to life the more she spoke, as if speaking her dreams aloud was rejuvenating her. Half the models Valentina met just wanted to make money off their looks rather than getting an office job. They thought it would be quick easy money and that being attractive alone entitled them to life of luxury.

But Cassie was different. And that fascinated her.

"I can definitely see you doing fashion work, you've got a gorgeous figure and there's a natural elegance about you that would really help. And with that face and hair? You'd be fighting off interested photographers left and right!" She laughed. "Speaking of which, let's go talk somewhere quieter. Two sexy girls sat together at this event? We'll have togs descending on us like flies!"

She stood up and took her drink in one one hand, then held her other hand to out to Cassie. "There's a cute little beer garden out back, on a clear night like this it's beautiful out there. People always seem to forget it exists. Shall we?"

 

[Daleen]

"Mhmm! That's him" she said, laughing softly as the woman fanned herself. "I know, honestly it's super humbling even being here in the same circle as him, even if it just for tonight. My friend said he's great to work with though so, I hope I can get the chance to find out, though I don't think I could do any lingerie shoots. I got offered one not even a week after I turned eighteen and my mom almost lost her mind" she said with another laugh. "Don't get me wrong, she's super supportive of my work, but I think she just doesn't want a bunch of people seeing me like that. Especially considering what I'm going to school for. I'd definitely get the title of the worlds sexiest herpetologist but lingerie model doesn't look great on the application in that line of work" she admitted, not that she personally had a problem with such things herself. She'd be fine with it so long as it wasn't to risque, she wasn't ashamed of her body by any means, though she'd heard it could often create problems down the road with romance options, though her mother was more likely to approve a lingerie shoot than her having a boyfriend, at least until she was done with college so she didn't really have to worry about that for now.

She was so focused on Valentina that she didn't even notice the drinks had arrived, and it wasn't until she'd finished that she realized the woman held it in her hand. She turned to look over at her own drink sitting there on the counter, and wondered how long it had been there, she hadn't thought she'd been talking for long but perhaps she had started to ramble, the idea making her blush return as she began to worry she might be making a bit of a fool of herself in front of this amazing woman. She wished she could keep her composure like Valentina did, even when the woman laughed it felt controlled, not in a cold way but, with a confidence that everything she did was perfect and she knew it, like the woman knew she could do no wrong.

Her blush only grew along with her smile as the woman complimented her, a nervous giggle escaping her lips before she could stop herself while Valentina laughed that sweet musical laugh of hers once more. She reached out, grabbing the drink off the counter, the droplets of condensation on the outside of the glass bracingly cold against her palms which had grown warm and a bit damp with her nerves. It seemed just being around Valentina was making her more anxious than she thought but no...no anxious wasn't the right word. She knew there had to be a word for whatever it was, but at the moment she couldn't think of it, or at least if she could, she couldn't think of one that her brain could make sense of. For a moment the word 'crush' flashed across her mind but she quickly brushed that off as ridiculous.

"Thank you, I follow a pretty strict routine, especially with my hair. I'm hoping to grow it a little bit more actually so it's become one of my bigger focuses on my prep routines and I'm very careful about what products I let anyone put in it during shoots" she said before preparing to shower some of her own praise back onto Valentina. Yet before she could the woman mentioned going somewhere quieter, and the possible attention they might garner, a sobering thought as she wondered just how long she had been here talking with the woman. She looked around nervously, before biting the left corner of her lower lip with her upper canine fang. She shouldn't, she'd definitely be in trouble with her agency for just associating with this woman, and worse she'd be in trouble with Bianca who had been kind enough to invite her up here. The woman had even speficaly warned her about Valentina! She'd stayed long enough to be polite, anything more and she wouldn't have any excuse that would protect her.

She finally turned her focus back to Valentina, the internal conflict obvious on her face as her hand raised up, pausing in the air between the two of them as she hesitated once more. This was a bad idea, this was THE bad idea, the bad idea among all bad ideas. Yet her hand still closed the remaining distance, easing down into Valentina's before she gave a small jump as her palm rested against Valentina's, feeling a spark jump between their hands. "Warm" she said softly with a hint of surprise in her voice as she looked down to her hand resting in Valentina's, before blushing and quickly standing from her seat. "Ahem, I mean, um...that sounds nice, it's a little warm in here" she said, trying to save herself with a nervous smile before taking a sip from her wine to shut herself up before she could embarrass herself further, the familiar sweet taste helping settle her nerves as she squeezed onto Valentina's hand, letting the woman take the lead, hoping that they could make their way through the crowd without Bianca spotting her, or anyone who might think to discuss the new girl and Valentina being spotted together, literally holding hands. Gods this was a bad idea.

 

[TheLadyIsAVamp]

The moment Cassie mentioned not thinking she'd be able to do lingerie shoots, all Valentina could think of wae what the other girl would look like posing in expensive lingerie. She imagined Cassie reclined on a hotel room bed, the warm glow of photography lighting sweeping across her body and highlighting every curve. She let her eyes drift down Cassie's legs and back up again.

High heels. Black ones to match her hair. High heels and lingerie, nothing else. If Cassie worse that for a shoot, she'd truly take off. Valentina had experienced it herself. All those high fashion shoots had been fun, but once she started indulging her playful side and letting her sensuality take the lead, the offers for work bad started pouring in quicker than she could accept them.

Still, she kept her thoughts to herself for now. Valentina had no idea what a herpetologist was, but she knew it was a million miles away from the way she'd been picturing Cassie in her mind.

And besides, just because Cassie didn't think she'd ever do it now didn't mean she'd always feel that way.

Just as Cassie had no way of knowing what had been going through Valentina's mind, so too was Valentina ignorant to the internal struggle raging within the other girl. She simply stood there patiently holding her hand out, waiting for Cassie to accept it. Valentina was used to getting her way. If her beauty didn't get her what she wanted, she just kept persisting until something gave.

Their palms slid against each other and pressed together as Cassie finally took her hand. The other girl's skin was warm and velvety soft, feeling utterly flawless against Vaelentina's. She smiled and began walking away, giving Cassie's hand a little tug before lacing her fingers between her companion's. Their digits seemed to slot together perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle that had finally been reunited.

She wove her way through the crowds, guiding Cassie along in her wake until they reached a hallway leading to the toilets. Valentina led Cassie past the bathrooms and out through a set of double doors into a warmly lit garden area. There were a few people out here talking and drinking, some taking the chance to smoke and others just enjoying the night air.

Valentina made her way over to a bench tucked beneath a balcony and flanked by hedges on either side, giving the two women their own little semi private slice of paradise. A garden heater drove away any chill the night might, its gentle red glow doing little to dull the silver brilliance of the mood and stars above.

"Oh, this is much better!" Valentina grinned as she sat down close beside Cassie. The bench accommodated them both but left no room for anyone else, stopping any potential uninvited guests from sitting down with them and interrupting. Valentina looked down at Cassie's open-toed footwear and painted toenails. "I love your nails, by the way!" She said happily. "They're just like mine." She slipped one of her high heels off and placed her bare foot alongside the other girl's. While Cassie had painted her toenails purple, Valentina had painted hers a deep shade of blue. "Maybe it's a sign" She said playfully. She looked back at Cassie's face, but rather than slipping her high heels back on, she let her foot rest on top of Cassie's. The contact was subtle, but their toes were now resting against each other with a closeness that was almost intimate.

"You said you wanted to get into fashion work like I used to do, right?" She asked, taking a sip of her wine. "I know a few good togs in that area. I still work with some of them, I just don't do fashion work as much as I used to. It's fun, but the sexier stuff pays better and it's so liberating" She giggled. "The fantasy dress up stuff is a lot of fun, too. If you can get in with a tog who knows how to balance a striking theme with something a little bit sensual, you'll take off in no time." She paused, looking at Cassie as if trying to figure something out. "You mentioned elves, yeah? I know a guy who'd be down to shoot with a gorgeous black haired girl dressed up like an Elf! Are you with the same agency as Bianca?"

 

[Daleen]

Giggling as she felt Valentina's tug on her hand, she slid from her seat quickly falling into step behind the woman. "I'm coming I'm coming" she said with another soft laugh at the woman's impatience. Finally the two seemed to share the same thought though as she felt the woman's fingers interlacing with her own, noticing just how perfect their hands seemed to fit together. What particularly caught her focus was the way the woman's thumb settled perfectly into the small hollow between her own thumb and fingers. She didn't have long to think about it though as she had to focus on keeping pace with Valentina as they moved quickly through the crowds which fortunately seemed to part naturally for Valentina, like a school of fish sensing a shark in the water. It didn't help that she had her head ducked down almost the entire time, trying to ensure that at the very least Bianca wouldn't somehow look over and spot them, especially considering she didn't even know where the woman had gotten off to. How long had she been away? Would Bianca go look for Amira to see if she actually had gone to talk to her? For a moment her nervousness reappeared, but she found it dulled as she gave Valentina's hand a soft squeeze.

Soon enough they made their way through the crowd and into a small hallway where she spotted the placards for the bathrooms, and than as if magic, she found herself in an entirely new world. The sound of the party behind them was shut off instantly as the door closed, and the only sound aside from muted voices of quiet conversation from those who also seemed to know of this place, were the sounds of the city, dulled by the shrubbery and walls, still present but only enough to add to the ambience. She smiled as she looked around, and was about to ask if this place had a flower garden as well, but it seemed Valentina wasn't finished moving yet and in her own pause Cassie nearly stumbled as she was pulled along. She managed to catch herself, laughing once more as she followed along. "slow down" she said, though there was a playfulness in her voice as if she knew that she might as well have asked the waterfall to let her pass through without being soaked.

A warm smile on her face as they finally came to a stop, Cassie looked around the small alcove, offering a small 'wow' of genuine surprise and admiration of the little bit of comfort carved out of the world here. It wasn't so much fantastical, but there was an energy here that she couldn't help but appreciate. It was cozy but there was more to it...it was...well, romantic. She imagined herself here, snuggling up against someone with her head on their shoulder, hands locked together on a shared lap, legs twined together just existing in the world together. As she pictured it, she seemed to startle herself as she realized she'd been imagining that very scene with the woman standing in front of her, whose hand she had already found her own clasped together with and her blush returned in it's full fury, leaving her grateful for the dimness of the night, the only light here the soft glow of the heater and the silvery shine of the moon.

"It really is straight from a book" she said quietly to herself, unable to help but pause a moment as she looked to the chair, the imagine flashing in her head once more of her sitting there cozied up with Valentina. Feeling a bit awkward at her own imagination, she sat down slowly on the bench, intentionally keeping what little distance she could between her and Valentina as they shared the seat, as if she didn't trust herself not to try and turn that imagination into reality. Yet as Valentina sat beside her, the woman closed off that small distance almost immediately, and her heart gave a small flutter as she felt the woman's legs pressing against her own, the warmth of the heater nothing compared to the warmth of Valentina's body. She sat there, tense and feeling awkward, once more pulling on her lower lip with her upper canine, and yet that tension drained quickly against Valentina's energy. Cassie found herself smiling once more as the woman complimented her nails, and she looked down as Valentina pulled her foot from her heel and placed their feet together side by side.

"Oh that's a lovely shade" she said as she leaned forward a bit to get a better look, before gulping, her hand squeezing once more on Valentina's, finding as much comfort as nervousness with the small action as the woman's foot rested atop her own and she once again had that image in her head of her legs twined together with Valentina's. "Hm?" she asked, snapped from her thoughts as Valentina spoke to her, before smiling nervously and nodding her head. "Oh um, yeah, actually. I wanted to try and um, get into something more...professional, if that makes sense? Less, modeling mass produced clothes and more celebrating someone's artistry with my own" she confessed, before giggling along with Valentina as the woman mentioned her sexier work. Somehow she doubted anything the woman did was anything but sexy, she could probably model faded coveralls and still ooze it out of every pore. "I can imagine. Even if I did try it I doubt I could pull it off nearly as well as I'm sure you do. I wouldn't even know how to pull that vibe off if I tried though. Bianca says it comes from experience but between you and me, I haven't even had my first kiss. My mom would let me be a Victoria Secret Angel before she'd ever let me think of having a boyfriend, at least not until I'm done with school. I've...tried a few times just in my room with my phone and, it just feels awkward" she admitted shyly, not sure why she was telling Valentina any of this.

"I don't think I'd even know how to capture that kind of vibe" she said with a small nervous laugh as she leaned back against the bench, tilting her head to stare up at the moon. "I did one, sort of sexy set once. I modeled a elven princess who had been tied up, it was supposed to be for a reference image of a princess who had been kidnapped for a kickstarter table top game, they paid me with early access though I haven't had a chance to play it yet, not enough time and not enough people. For some reason most of the people who play those kinds of games seem to avoid me" she said, apparently unaware of the effect she naturally had on people with her beauty. She perked up though as the woman mentioned someone who might do a set with her as an elf, an idea that immensely appealed to her. "Really?" she said with a small burst of excitement, though it was quickly extinguished and replaced with terror as reality struck her once the woman mentioned Bianca, and she was once more reminded of just how bad of an idea this all was. "Oh um....y-yeah. We have different managers but my contract ends next week so, we came here to see if there was someone willing to pick me up who works with our agency. Bianca tried to get her managed to sign me on but he already has more clients than he can handle so, here I am" she said with a nod. "I just renewed my contract with the agency, it's just the manager I'm needing to find, I was hoping to find someone I liked because if I'm just assigned one, well who knows who I'll get, you know?" she asked as she turned back to look over at Valentina, her heart fluttering yet again as she looked at the woman who seemed to only have grown even more beautiful in the soft light of the moon tinged with the glow of the heater, and as the light shined on the woman's lips, Cassie assumed a gloss coat perhaps? She couldn't help but think about how soft Valentina's lips looked, and as she found herself staring she forced her gaze away quickly, struggling to figure out what was going on with her.

 

[TheLadyIsAVamp]

Valentina might have been oblivious to the images of her being conjured up in Cassie's mind, but she was making up for it with her own little fantasies. Some of the photographers she worked with regularly had been encouraging her to model with another female. Duo shoots were always popular, and Valentina knew why - instead of one beautiful girl, the pictures depicted two of them, usually posed in a way that suggested to the viewer that there might be something sexual going on between them. Valentina had dabbled in it a couple of times, but she'd never found anyone she really wanted to duo with.

Until now.

As they sat there practically copied up together still holding hands, Valentina couldn't help imagining the two of them in skimpy lingerie, sat like this on a bed with their backs against the headboard. She pictured them shifting between poses - Cassie resting the side of her head on Valentina's shoulder, the two of them looking at each other seductively, their bodies tilting toward each other and their long slender legs entwining as they leaned in with lips parted as if they were about to kiss...

She glanced down at their joined hands, noticing for the first time how beautiful their skin tones looked together, tanned skin pressed against pale, their fingers laced together as if it was the most natural thing in the world. If their hands alone looked this good pressed together, how gorgeous would her tanned body look against Cassie's pale one?

The thought wouldn't leave her alone. It buzzed away at the edge of her mind, refusing to leave until she acknowledged it properly. She felt the squeeze to her hand as their feet touched, and responded by giving Cassie's hand a tender squeeze in return. Even their feet looked good together! She had to work out a way they could shoot together, somehow. They were from rival modelling firms and that made things trickier, but Veronica didn't care. There'd be a way she could make it work. She just had to be clever and cunning about it.

"I don't think that's true" Valentina smiled, seizing the opportunity to plant the seed of the idea in Cassie's mind, too. "You could definitely pull off a sexy vibe. You know why?" She paused. "Because you're already do! That kind of vibe isn't something you need to fake. Look at you! You're slim, you're gorgeous, you've got that beautiful dark tumbling hair look going on, and you've got the kind of legs that guys lose their minds over!" She grinned and gave Cassie's hand another little squeeze. "Seriosly, you're beautiful. You just need the right person to help you see that so you can tap into it."

She raised her glass to her lips and took another sip of her wine, savouring the rich flavour as it rolled across her tongue. She meant every word. Cassie did need the right person to help her bring out her inner vixen, and that person wasn't Bianca. It was her, and somehow she was going to make it happen.

Veronica's smile turned into a mischievous smirk at the revelation that not only had Cassie not kissed anyone yet, but her mum wouldn't let her have a boyfriend until after college. "Well, good thing it's your life and not your mum's, right? Besides, maybe it's not a boyfriend that you need. Maybe you need a girlfriend instead" She said playfully. Her foot moved slowly against Cassie's. "No-one knows how to kiss a girl like another girl does. That's why I haven't bothered with guys in a while. That and the other things girls are better at" She giggled letting her thumb caress against Cassie's hand so slowly that it was barely noticeable. There was a hint of the troublemaker Bianca had warned Cassie about in Valentina's eyes, but it wasn’t the kind of trouble people tended to avoid. It was the kind they willingly got swept up into, regardless of the consequences.

"It's a shame you already signed on again with your agency, I could have tried to get you signed with the one I'm with" She grinned. "I guess that makes us rivals or something...but don't worry, I won't tell anyone we spent the night together if you don't!" Her choice of words was deliberate. She wanted to put the idea of them being together all through the night and waking up together in Cassie's head. The image was already there in her own mind - both of them naked, Cassie laying on her back upon Valentina's bed, her ravenesque hair fanned out around her as Valentina crawled on top of her and lowered her naked body down onto Cassie's, their lips meeting in a deep kiss as they slowly rolled onto their sides and their limbs entwined.

"You'll find a manager in no time" She said softly. "I think Mark has some free space, he's a good manager, works a lot with newer models to help them find their niche." Plus he adores me, so he'd help find a way for us to model together. "He should be here tonight, I can message him and see if he'll come out here so you can meet him, if you like? I could set you up with the tog who's into the fantasy shoots too, the one who likes elves. He's definitely here. What do you think?"

 

[Daleen]

Cassie laughed softly as Valentina voiced her disagreement, and she couldn't help her curiosity as she turned back to face the woman. "Why?" she asked, taking the bait offered up to her, before her eyes began to widen, and her lips parted slightly in surprise before she looked away hiding the embarrassment on her face as Valentina showered her with compliments. She'd been told these things a hundred times before, by agents, photographers, and more then a few less then subtle men, but somehow coming from Valentina it made her heart race and she found herself squirming slightly on the bench. She reached up, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, her hand trembling ever so slightly as she found herself feeling rather flustered. She couldn't erase the smile on her face as she turned back to look over at the woman, her lips curving as the smile grew when she felt the woman squeezing her hand. "Thanks..." she said softly, before she turned back to look up at the moon. "Maybe...I mean...that is one of the benefits of the job. Feeling beautiful" she mused idly, mulling over the woman's words.

"Hopefully I can find them tonight...if there was ever a place to do that it would be here, some of the best talent in the game all under one roof" she said as she let herself relax against the bench, taking a small sip from her own wine, now watered down enough to truly enjoy, it's overpowering sweetness dulled down to a delicate yet full bodied experience she could savor without being overwhelmed by the taste. For a moment she couldn't help but think that Valentina might be that person...when the woman called her beautiful, she felt it. There was a sincerity in her tone that resonated within her but...that was silly. Valentina wasn't a photographer, or a manager, even if she was, they worked for competing agencies. The woman would be on every no list her contract could contain! She couldn't help but let out a small sigh at the seeming waste of an opportunity, though there was a small hint of panic at the thought of Valentina staring at her down the lens of a camera while she wore nothing but a set of designer lingerie...seduce the camera, it had been the biggest obstacle she could think of. She didn't know how to seduce anything! Yet...the thought of trying to seduce Valentina wasn't an unpleasant one. She gulped at the thought, quickly pushing it away, burying it deep and locking it away. The thought came with all manner of questions she wasn't ready to even think about right now, she was already dealing with enough of them because of this woman, but that was taking it to far! Even thinking it seemed unprofessional to her!

And yet, as quickly as she buried it, Valentina ripped it back to the forefront of her mind as the woman told her that maybe she needed a girlfriend instead, telling her how much better girls were at kissing, her grip tightening with a moment of panic against Valentina's, clear evidence the woman had struck a nerve somehow. Had she noticed Cassie staring? For a moment she'd even wondered if the woman could read minds and every muscle in her body tensed. "What makes you say that?" she asked, her voice rising a pitch as she tried desperately to keep her composure while she stared directly in front of her as if afraid to look over at Valentina's direction. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt the woman's foot gently sliding against her own, the small caress of the woman's thumb against her palm making goosebumps spring up across her forearms, the hair on the back of her neck starting to prickle as her heart beat faster in her chest. Was she...no, no surely Valentina wasn't...was she? Maybe? But no, no that was ridiculous, surely the woman was just joking. She sat there, a ball of tension as she waited for the woman to laugh and tell her she was just playing.

However as Valentina mentioned not bothering with guys anymore, she couldn't help as her head turned once more to face the woman, a doleful look on Cassie's face, her eyes full of questions and innocence. She opened her lips as if ready to ask something, but she couldn't find the words when she didn't even know what to ask. Before she could, the topic had changed once more, though it was hardly a reprieve, especially as the woman mentioned their night together, though not like that! Right? Her mind was racing, wondering how many girls Valentina had kissed before...if that was all they'd done together too. She'd never questioned her sexuality before...she spent most of her life surrounded by beautiful women, and she'd never looked at any of them in such a way...had she? She suddenly found herself going back over every moment in her head, wondering if maybe she hadn't been staring to try and imitate a pose, or to get a better look at their outfits and make-up. No, no, no that didn't...she wasn't...then why had she been so happy when Valentina complimented her? Why did she picture herself cuddled in against the woman...why did she wonder how soft the woman's lips might be against her own? She brought her glass back up to her lips, draining half the glass with a large gulp trying to distract herself.

Why didn't she let go of Valentina's hand? Why had she followed her here, why was she still here? Did she want...she looked away, taking a quick breath as her face began to feel uncomfortably hot, becoming all to aware of every spot their bodies met, their legs pressed against each other on the bench, their hands locked together so perfectly, the woman's thumb caressing her hand, her foot teasing along Cassie's. "Y-yeah, yeah that'd be...great" she said, drifting off as for a moment she found herself disappointed at the thought of someone else coming to join them, her eyes flicking back over to Valentina's lips while she licked her own, the sweet taste of the wine still present. "Hey...um..." she started before gulping once more, the leg not connected to the foot underneath Valentina's bouncing nervously for a moment as she looked away. "Um...." 'what other things are girls better at' she found herself wanting to ask, but either wouldn't, or couldn't bring herself to ask, her mind teetering on her imagination's limits, currently threatening to fill in the answer herself, yet with no other comparison...she could only use herself to imagine what Valentina might have been talking. She pictured herself once more, scantily clad, trying to seduce the camera for the perfect shot...what would happen if she succeeded? What if she did seduce Valentina, no, no the camera, no Valentina, no the camera, Valentina, the camera. "N-nothing, sorry" she said with a nervous laugh, feeling herself being overwhelmed in a way she'd never felt before.

 

[TheLadyIsAVamp]

Of all the beautiful models Valentina had met through her work, none had ever intrigued her quite like Cassie. She could be playful and cheeky, she had hopes and dreams that went beyond just making money and being popular, but she was also shy and unsure of herself, still beholden to her mother's wants rather than her own. Valentina found it exciting. If Cassie was unsure of herself and her own wants and needs, then she'd be susceptible to someone helping her discover and indulge them.

And if there was one thing Valentina was good at besides modelling, it was indulging wants and needs.

She had to fight back the urge to laugh as Cassie's hand suddenly squeezed hers at the mention of girls being better than guys at other things besides kissing. Was she getting under Cassie's skin? Oh, she was sure of it! That surprised little response could easily have been one of disgust or horror, but Valentina knew it wasn't. How? Because Cassie's hand was still holding hers.

"What makes me say that?" She repeated playfully. "A few things!" She held up her other hand and extended only her index finger. "One, your mum's laid down the law about boys, she didn't mention girls. That's a loophole in the law of mum, and if she didn't make the rules airtight then that's on her!" She extended her middle finger to join her index. "Two, you've not had your first kiss, that means you've not tried being with a girl before. You can't know if somethings not for you unless you try it, right?" Another finger extended. "And three, life's short and we only live once. Why even bother being alive if we're not going to live, y'know? Save being sensible and traditional for when you're an old woman."

She spoke with the sincerity and conviction of a woman who lived those mantras every day. Maybe Cassie would end up being like Bianca, another model who thought Valentina was trouble and immature. She wouldn't be wrong. Valentina was both of those things and she knew it. But she was also comfortable with who she was, and if people didn't like it, they could grumble behind her back like Bianca did. Valentina couldn't care less.

Her eyes met Cassie's as the other girl turned toward her. It seemed to Valentina that Cassie was searching her eyes for something, and Valentina starer back, her gaze bold and confident in the face of Cassie's unspoken questions. She smiled and gave a nod as Cassie voiced her approval of Valentina's networking idea, but as she reached for her phone she heard Cassie speak again and paused.

She looked back at the other girl, a little smirk forming on her lips. Cassie was looking straight ahead now, so Valentina leaned forward and titled her head so she was looking at Cassie more directly again.

"What is it?" She asked. "Come ooooon, spit it oooout" She teased in a singsong voice. "What were you going to say?"

 

[Daleen]

Cassie sat there, staring forward at nothing as the woman's words repeated over and over in her head. As much as she hated to admit it, which admittedly wasn't much at all...Valentina made some very good points. She couldn't help but smile a bit as the woman claimed to have found a loophole in her mothers arguments, something which her mother would have probably enjoyed equally as much as it would have annoyed her. 'Thinking like a lawyer' her mother would have said, and her own mother had often told her the very same thing about her life. She only had one, she had to live it, bad decisions make good stories. It was actually her mother who had given her the push to start down the path of modeling, Cassie having been your stereotypical Asian immigrant child putting her all into her schoolwork, her mother had often had to drag her away from her studies, though unlike most she genuinely enjoyed them. Chasing all of her passions, it was what got her where she was now, one year from her Bachelors degree, living in the big city, taking her first steps into the serious world of modelling surrounded by some of the biggest names and talents. She bit her lower lip, still smiling as she pondered if Valentina might somehow have made her way onto that list as well in just one night's span. She'd never had someone take up so much of her mind in such a short period of time, she'd never had someone make her feel so...Gods she didn't know what she was feeling.

As if she knew she was there at the forefront of her thoughts, Valentina's face suddenly appeared in front of her, startling her for a moment, pushing and prodding to get her to voice her thoughts. Her lips grew tight on her face, before breaking free into a wide smile, showing off a single dimple on her left cheek that had been hidden so far before she couldn't help herself and burst into laughter. Not giggles, not chuckles, but a full throated laugh that she quickly tried to hide away by covering her mouth with her hands setting her drink down, and for the first time since they locked releasing her fingers from Valentina's to do so. Failing as the laughter continued, bubbling up from deep inside of her, she leaned back on the bench, her shoulders shaking as the laughter continued, her nervous energy disappearing. The sound was, as cliche as it could be, angelic. It was pure delight and mirth, with tears welling up in her eyes as it continued despite her best efforts. She finally pulled one hand away, waving it at Valentina trying to assure the woman, or perhaps apologize. It took her almost a full minute to regain her composure, taking a deep breath of air as another softer fit of laughter escaped, petering out to giggles and another small gasp for air, the tears from her eyes trailing down her cheek as she sat there. "Oh...oh I'm sorry" she managed to gasp out before giggling once more, using the hand she'd been waving at Valentina to begin fanning herself, her face red with a large smile seeming stuck on her face.

"Yabai chan" she said as she finally managed to get herself under control, giving Valentina a small slang nickname, her breathing still a bit heavy but she was able to actually stop herself from breaking into any more giggles or laughter. "You are an absolute trouble maker...Bianca was entirely right about that" she said to nobody in particular, before she finally turned back to face the woman, still smiling hard enough to showcase the once hidden dimple that had never appeared in any photo of her except some as a child her mother had around the house, as no practice or pose smile had ever been sincere enough for it to show itself. Letting out one final deep sigh as she held a hand up to her chest, a small twinkle in her eyes, she met the woman's gaze, locking their eyes together. "(I was thinking how much I really want you to kiss me)" she said in quick Japanese, fast enough that while someone who spoke casually might catch a word of two, only a fluent speaker would grasp the entire statement. She couldn't help but giggle once more. She'd said it...she'd actually said it, well...sort of. She didn't expect Valentina to understand what she'd said at all, so it hardly counted as a confession but...she'd still said it. Feeling light headed from the laughter, as well as her abrupt confession, she reached over, grabbing her drink and draining the remainder, surprised to find that the ice had all melted, leaving the drink a bit to watery to be fully enjoyed. "But...I also think that I need to go and find Bianca before she puts out a missing persons report...and I've definitely got to think of something to tell her about where I've been for so long. Something tells me the truth will get me into a fair bit of trouble..." she said drifting off before pulling on her lower lip, still curved with that smile. "I'll leave one of my cards at the coat attendant...message me on Instagram, you promised me an introduction with Mark after all" she teased, though she made no move to leave the bench just yet.

 

[TheLadyIsAVamp]

Valentina couldn't help bursting out into giggles of her own as Cassie started laughing. A few of the garden's other patrons looked over at them, clearly wondering what rapturous joke they'd missed out on. Valentina couldn't have explained it if they'd asked. She wasn't even sure what they were laughing at anymore. All she knew was that Cassie's outburst had triggered one of her own, and soon they were both sitting back in the seat struggling to catch their breath.

"I sure am!" She grinned, doing her best to fight back another wave of giggles. "But Bianca's just a big old stick in the mud. And unlike her, I think you like a bit of trouble!" Her eyes met Cassie's and the two held one another's gaze in comfortable silence for several moments before Cassie said something in Japanese. Valentina hadn't spent enough time in Japan to be fluent, but she caught part of the sentence's meaning.

"You'd like to do something?" She asked, tilting her head slightly. "I caught the first part but not the rest. I'll need to brush up my Japanese with you around! Not that my oral skills normally need improving" She said, flashing Cassie a devilish little smile.

She shook her head at the mention of going back to Bianca, unwilling to accept the thought of Cassie walking away yet. She didn't want to give Bianca the chance to talk Cassie out of any future interactions with her, but she also knew the longer Cassie was away, the more suspicious the other girl would become.

"Not yet!" She exclaimed, shifting her bodyweight and laying down so her back across Cassie's legs. "Ha! You're trapped now!" She grinned up at her. "You don't need to wait to meet Mark" She continued, pulling her phone out of her bag. "He's here tonight. Just give me a sec."

She raised the phone to her ear and listened. After a few moments her face broke into a grin again.

"Hey Marky! I'm outside in the garden, could you come out here? I've met a new model that you're going to want to work with, she's gorgeous! Snap her up for a shoot before her diary fills up! Yes, outside, now. See ya soon."

She sat up and returned to her normal position again. An older man with a well kept salt and pepper beard emerged from the doors and headed toward them less than a minute later.

"Marky!" Valentina exclaimed, standing up and waving at him. "This is Cassie. Cassie, Marky. Cassie's new, it's her first time here. She wants to get into fantasy shoots like the ones we do, and there's an Elf theme she really wants to try out. Doesn't she have the perfect look for it?"

"An Elf theme, huh..." he mused, nodding his head as he looked at Cassie. "Yeah...yeah I can make that work. I'm thinking a studio piece, with the studio background set up to look like a fantasy forest and you in a dress or gown, not Tolkein elves but something classic and regal. Would that interest you, Cassie?"

 

[Daleen]

"Maybe a little" she admitted at the woman's accusations for her own delight in trouble, only to found another fit of giggles bubbling up in her throat at the confused look on Valentina's face once she'd made her confession. "Mmmm...close" she said with a teasing grin on her face which promptly faltered, replaced with a flustered look on her face as the woman mentioned her oral skills, causing Cassie to shift a bit in her seat. Gods how quickly this woman could make her feel so many different things, blushing back at Valentina's own grin. "Yabai" she said once more, labeling the woman a trouble maker through and through though, not in an unkind manner, a soft smile creeping back onto her face as she leaned back against the bench, keeping her gaze focused on the woman. Sighing softly at the thought of leaving the woman, she let out a sharp squeak of surprise, tensing as suddenly the woman was sprawling out across her lap, and her eyes couldn't help but flick down to the woman's chest, threatening to spill out of the tight mini dress Valentina was wearing. Her entire body stiffened up, her lips parting slightly before she forced her gaze away, hopefully before she'd been caught staring, though her eyes only moved enough to stop back at the woman's lips.

She looked down at Valentina, Cassie's long black locks falling from her shoulder down to frame her face now hovering directly over Valentina's. How easy it would be to lean down right now and answer the question that refused to fade from her mind. How would those lips feel...how would they taste...she imagined sweet, and licked her lips as if she could already taste it. Her hand reached up, gently sliding into Valentina's hair before she could stop herself, a shiver running through her as she kept the woman's head from hitting the hard bench, though that was mostly just an excuse...in reality, once she'd started touching Valentina, she found herself wanting more, not wanting to release her. Her touch was gentle, her fingers gliding across Valentina's scalp as her thumb began gently caressing the woman's head. She smiled down at the woman, before giggling once more and shaking her head, forcing herself to break her gaze and lean her head back with a playful and dramatic sigh. "Oh no, won't someone save me from this mischievous yokai" she teased, giggling once more.

"Alright, but just one" she teased, her thumb working small circles against Valentina's head while she looked back up to the moon. She sat there, letting the woman make her call, before blinking and looking over with disappointment clear on her face as Valentina sat back up. "You don't have to ge-" she stopped herself as suddenly someone came from around the corner, and they were no longer alone together. She couldn't help but tense, as if expecting to be scolded for being caught alone with Valentina. She watched as Valentina stood from the bench, and she suddenly felt off...as if the woman leaving her side was taking something with her. She used the time the two spent talking to collect herself, chiding herself for being silly before she stood, smoothing down her skirt as the man's focus was turned towards her. She found it easier then she thought to collect herself and regain her composure, offering a polite smile over to the man, though unable to do anything about the lingering blush that colored her fair face. "Hello sir, it's a pleasure to meet you" she said politely as she offered a hand out to the man.

What little success she had in reigning her blush was ruined as Valentina began talking about how perfect she'd be, and her polite smile began shifting towards something more sincere as they spoke of the fantasy shoot, quickly nodding her head at the man's question. "Yes!" she said with sincere enthusiasm, reaching up to tuck her hair back behind her ear. "I've only done amateur style shoots with that kind of work but I've loved every one of them. I'd love the opportunity to do something for real, especially with one such as yourself. Valentina swears by your skill with a camera and I'd love the chance to learn from working with you sir" she said happily. "I am currently under contract with Montagro, have you worked with them before?" she asked, hoping the man was either on the list, or a well enough established free agent that he'd get an easy green light. This would also solve her Bianca dilemna, if she came back to the woman with news of a shoot arranged with such a pretigious photographer, that would leave no room for any line of questioning that would get her into trouble!

 

[TheLadyIsAVamp]

"Montagro?" The photographer repeated. "Yeah I've worked with them before. Well, I've worked with their models. I'm not tied to any particular agency, I'm more of a freelancer. Guys like me, we can shoot with pretty much anyone as long as the model's agency approves it. Can't see Montagro having an issue with it. Get it cleared with them and we can get something set up for next week, perhaps. Here" he said, handing her his card. "They know me."

"Everyone who's anyone knows you, Marky" Valentina said in the higher pitched girly tone she only seemed to use when talking to him.

"And when are we shooting together again, Val? We should get another project set up."

"How about the same one?" She grinned. "You could take some snaps of her and some of me. Maybe one of us together, too." She moved behind Cassie and folded her arms around the other girl's neck, letting her chin rest on Cassie's shoulder. "Don't you think we'd look good together? What do you think, Cass?'

 

[Daleen]

Cassie let out a small squeal of excitement, unable to help herself as the man confirmed that her agency would indeed, not pose a problem for them working together. She didn't care if it was unprofessional, she was excited! She giggled happily, bringing her arms up to her chest as she wiggled a small dance, unable to contain her emotions as she pictured what the photos would come out like. With a fantasy shoot she didn't care how successful it was, those kinds of sets weren't about getting your face on the cover of magazines and screens everywhere, they were just FUN! "Sorry, sorry" she said, grinning like an idiot as she gave a nervous giggle before reaching up to fix her hair. She reached out, eagerly taking the card from the man's hand and looking down at it. This was fantastic! She was already wondering what the outfits would look like, what the set design might be. She didn't even think about asking where the photos might be used, were they just to be Instagram posts, a passion project? Or was she about to wind up on many a fellow nerds desk? It didn't matter, she just wanted to have fun.

She let the two talk between themselves as she looked down at the card, realizing this would also solve her Bianca problem instantly, but it was also true progress towards her goal here. Even if she did just wind up on the man's instagram profile, her face was about to be seen, truly seen, for the first time. Nobody looked at the models in chain store catalogues, or magazine ads, they were looking at the clothes and the prices. But this...this was going to be focused on her. Even if it was just for an advertisement for some fantasy clothing producer, or maybe a new game or campaign expansion...this would be about her, and how well she could sell it! Her first gig! Another giggle of excitement bubbled up, before being cut off with a squeak as suddenly Valentina's arms were draping around her neck. Surprised, she turned to find Valentina's face right beside hers, and that soft red blush reappeared slowly onto her face, creeping up from her neck before she giggled once more, biting down on her lower lip as she leaned back against Valentina, letting the woman hold her up as she pressed in against her. "I'd like that" she said softly, for a moment forgetting that they weren't alone.

 

[TheLadyIsAVamp]

Valentina's body reacted to Cassie's as if it was second nature. She pressed up against the other girl's back more as Cassie leaned into her, easily supporting her weight as she looked into her eyes and smiled. Her hands had crossed at the wrists as her arms draped around Cassie's neck, but now one hand came up and slowly caressed along Cassie's jawline. She felt like something passed between them in that moment, a heated spark that could have unravelled them both if Mark hadn't spoken.

"Love it. There's a natural chemistry between you two that we need to capture" he said enthusiastically. "We'll get some duo pics along with the solo shots, maybe we can have you wearing more of an 'evil femme fatale Elf' sort of look, Val."

"Works for me!" She said happilly, dropping her hands back to where they'd been. "Sexy, seductive villainess vibes are always scoop much fun! Especially if I get to seduce this gorgeous Elf in the process" She grinned, flicking the tip of her tongue playfully against the side of Cassie's neck.

"Perfect! Let's get something set up as quickly as possible" Mark said as he checked his phone. "I'm heading back inside, you want another drink, Val?"

"Sure! I need to catch up with Ricardo anyway." She stepped back and then moved in front of Cassie, pausing to give her a hug. "See you soon, Cass" She said before flashing a mischievous smile at her and heading back inside with the photographer.

 

[Daleen]

Cassie's eyes went wide and doleful as Valentina's fingers brushed over her jaw, her lips parting slightly as she found herself feeling entirely at home pressed back against Valentina. It was strange how perfectly she fit there against the woman, like two puzzle pieces pressed together. For a moment her entire world became Valentina, and if not for the woman supporting her she would have absolutely fallen over, yet she held complete trust that Valentina wouldn't ever let that happen. She blinked, a bit dazed for a moment before she turned back to Mark, remembering the man's existence at once, her blush only growing as she offered a shaky smile towards the man. "Y-you think so?" she asked, her voice a bit shaky before she smiled as she was reminded of the photo shoot. She giggled a bit at the idea, easily able to see the woman in that role. "Really we just need to get elf ears on her, she's already got the evil part down pat I think" Cassie teased.

She giggled once more, reaching her own hands up to drape atop Valentina's, gently squeezing the woman's hand before squeezing tightly, a shot of electricity running down her spine as her breath caught in her throat at the woman's small lick, her body pressing a bit tighter in against Valentina's as her brain seemed to shut down for a moment. She did indeed stumble a bit as Valentina released her, before offering another shaky smile to Mark as the man offered Val a drink, though her nerves settled down just a bit as she felt Valentina's arms wrapping around her. She did the same, giving the woman a gentle squeeze, the hug warm and pleasant, if short lived, before she bit her lower lip, a shy smile curving on her face as she nodded her head. "Yeah...can't wait" she said sincerely before watching the woman walking off, leaving her alone there.

She dropped back onto the bench, another giggle escaping her before she dropped her face into her hands. Gods what was this feeling, she felt light and giddy, excited about the shoot but also...excited to see Valentina again. For some reason it felt odd being on her own, the world returning back to...well, reality. The soft glow of the heater was nothing more then a bit of light without Valentina there to make it lovely, even the moon seemed to have grown duller. "What is going on" she said softly to the air as she leaned back against the bench, tilting her head back to stare up at the moon. Looking back she realized how incredibly unprofessional she had been, she shouldn't have let things go so far. She shouldn't have ever even gone after the woman at the bar, she couldn't help but go over all the things she shouldn't have done, and yet she felt no guilt about any of them. Instead, she was just left feeling....floaty. At this point, without Valentina there as a constant distraction from her ability to actually think, she found herself with all manner of questions she'd never imagined she'd be asking herself before.

Really it only boiled down to one though...did she have a crush on Valentina? She reached her fingers up to her neck where the woman's tongue had so playfully brushed across her skin. Just thinking it sent a shiver through her and a smile appear on her face. And yes...she couldn't even pretend that she hadn't absolutely wished the woman would have kissed her. She had always thought herself straight though! Sure she'd never found a guy that really WOWed her but, she'd just always assumed one day she would. It made sense to her but now...she let out another groan. "Oh Gods...I'm in so much trouble" she said to herself before laughing gently. The idea didn't really worry her, her mother would love her and support her no matter what, that she knew. The only thing that would change would be her mother telling her no girlfriends instead...though Valentina had a point, technically there wasn't a rule about it just yet. She giggled again, shaking her head as she leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees as she dropped her chin into her hands. She couldn't tell Bianca though, that was for certain. The woman had literally just warned her about Valentina not even an hour ago! Had it been an hour? How long had she actually been out here? She pulled out her phone, and her heart sank into her stomach as she saw 'Five New Text Messages' on her screen. "Chikushou!" she cried out before she stood from the bench and hurried inside. She thought about looking to see if she could spot Valentina in the crowd, but figured tonight she'd gotten herself in enough trouble with the woman. She looked down at Mark's business card in her hand, hoping that would be enough to save her, while making sure to make a mental note for herself to leave a card with the coat attendant for Valentina like she'd promised, not sure if Valentina would remember it anyways, she wanted to at least keep her word. Until then though, she began her search for Bianca, hoping that news of a shoot and a photographer would be well received.

 

[TheLadyIsAVamp]

Valentina wove her way through the crowds for the rest of the night, socialising old contacts and making new ones as easily as she breathed in air. She was in her element. This was just a part of the job to her. It was who she was. The extroverted, playful troublemaker who saw every hello as a chance for either fun or new paid work.

And yet, Cassie stayed in the back of her mind no matter who she interacted with. She found herself remembering the other girl's smile, the way she brushed her hair aside, the smell of her perfume, the way her long slender legs looked in that gorgeous outfit of hers.

You should really do more duo shoots with another girl, you know how crazy people would do for it...

Mark had spoken those words to her weeks ago. She'd rolled her eyes and teased him as she always did when he brought it up, but now the idea held an appeal for her that it never had before. She didn't care that Cassie was from a rival modeling agency. Nor did she care that Cassie was new to the scene.

Modelling with Cassie was that she wanted, and one way or another, Valentina always got what she wanted.

"I think we should definitely have my character holding her chin seductively at the end, like this" She explained to Mark, placing her index finger beneath his chin as if she was about to flick upwards. "And eye contact too, right? Faces closes, eyes locked. I know you'd capture that perfectly."

"Yes! Let's build up to something sensual as the shoot goes on. You think she'll be OK with that?"

"She's a professional" Valentina grinned. "Anything for the perfect shot, right?"

As she left the bar she suddenly remembered what Cassie had said about leaving a card at the coat desk. She quickly retrieved it and slipped it into her bag. She was tempted to add Cassie on Instagram that night, but it was important to not to look too keen. Whether it was lovers, friends or work contacts, Valentina knew that keeping others waiting made them think about you far more than rushing in and seeming too keen.

So she waited.

It was the following evening when Cassie wouuld get a notification that Valentina V Official had started folllwing her on Instagram.

So she waited.