Eternal Bliss [OctopusPrince and gio-vanne]

[OctopusPrince]

Helios couldn't believe that this was really it. She really shouldn't have been at her local bar, blowing the last little bit of money she had on bottles of chocolate stout, but what else was she supposed to be doing? She'd been kicked out of her apartment, which to be fair was ridiculously overpriced anyway, and all she had was her purse, a bag full of clothes and her cello left to her name. She'd managed to get most of the clothes she liked at least, her favorite dresses, some socks with floating eighth notes on them, and of course she'd managed to shove most of her undergarments into her bag before her landlord was screaming at her to leave. This was what her life had come to. Fucking Helios Vintaska-- the 'sun child' of the Vintaska family. More like the burn out.

She'd called her parents, but as always, they wouldn't pick up and her siblings, her sister Alluna and her brother Endymion were as always, too busy to do more than text a question mark at her as to why she was calling them. The earth, the moon and the sun-- what were her parents thinking? Was it a goal of theirs, to put pressure on all three of them as soon as they were born? Well, it had worked on Helios' brother and sister. Alluna was a lawyer, Endymion was had his own marketing firm, and Helios?... Helios had a bag of clothes, and a cello. She'd bought the instrument herself, she'd taken out the loans to go to school herself, she'd paid all of her fees and her private tutors herself. And so, she supposed she had three things left in her life, a bag of clothes, a cello, and 100 thousand dollars of debt. She had worked so hard, and for what? To be kicked out of her apartment because rent was late (again) and she had to practice cello at night? Of course she had to practice at night! She worked during the day, all day.

Helios tried at least, not to look as pitiful as she felt. She was a regal looking woman after all, from a prestigious family, and that at least had taught her not to bare her weaknesses on her sleeve. Even with the cello case at her hip and her back of clothes tucked under her bar stool, she looked relatively composed.

She was tall and lean save for the hips her mother's side of the family had gifted her, with pale skin and ash blonde hair, a hefty length of it that fell down her back when it wasn't hoisted up into a ponytail. She'd managed to get out of her uniform and into a cocktail dress before her landlord had ruined her night and her life, because she had planned to go out tonight in the first place, to come to this bar she always frequented, just not under these circumstances. The dress was a deep, wine red, cut to make her look even taller, her legs pouring out of the bottom of it as milky, toned muscle, and the only accessory she wore that evening, was a pair of ruby earrings to match the scarlet dress, the shimmery gems dangling and catching the neon lighting of the bar logo lights.

Dark brown eyes stared down into the top of her beer, the small ring leading into a dark, liquidy abyss, and she wished for just a moment, that she could stuff herself into that bottle, drown in stout, and call this whole life thing a day. Instead, she sighed, took another long sip, and stared absently at nothing, listening only half way to all the bustle of other locals around her.

 

[gio-vanne]

A bore. Everything was, as usual, a bore. He took his wine glass and gave it a little stir, whiffing the bittersweet aroma as he did so. Pale, slender fingers curled around halfway through the rim. His bright crimson eyes stood out on broad daylight but at night, along with the dim lights of the bar, they simply looked deep brown. At night, there was no need for sunglasses. He could see clearly.

And he could see her from his little corner in the small space of The Sky Bar.

Lucian took a sip of his red wine. It was oddly satisfying on nights he can't feed. For centuries, he managed to trick his brain into believing the red liquid is good as his original sustenance. It wasn't all that bad, though. Lucian's entire body system was much like a normal human being's only that he doesn't age, he doesn't scar, he is porcelain-flawless, and is oddly tall.

And he drinks blood. Lots of it.

Lucian is stuck with the looks of a late-20's to early-30's man with wavy locks reaching the blades of his shoulders. Mostly, he keeps it tied up in a loose ponytail but on casual nights like this, he keeps it down. His eyes lingered on the sea of strangers, observing the way they wasted away their mortality. At one point, he envied them -- enjoying their days away and accepting both the good and bad and moving on with it. Life's ups and downs meant nothing to him. Rather, life's endless ups and downs no longer meant anything to him.

Yet here he was on his 7th day in a row, spending hours on end in a bar that is both strange and familiar.

He takes his attention back to the woman in red, a disregarded cello at the foot of the long chair she was sitting on. She chugged sluggishly on the cheap beer and the way that she did so, Lucian could tell this wasn't a good night. And the nights hadn't been good, he knew, because he had been seeing her nearly all week chugging on the same, sad alcohol.

"Excuse me," Lucian said as he motioned a bartender to come by his table.

"Yes, Mr. Lucian? How may I help you on this lovely evening?" He responded with an unusual jolly tone.

"You see that woman over there?" The bartender followed his gaze. "Her dress is beautiful tonight. She has not worn anything so magnificent for the past days so, I believe this night is something entirely special, wouldn't you think so?"

With the way she looked, the bartender knew that the night was something else entirely. Yet he didn't dare interrupt.

"I would like you to kindly give her a glass of this lovely Chateau Margaux.

"But sir," he paused for a quick moment and hesitated to continue what he was about to say, but he did so anyway. "That is our exclusive line and we only serve it strictly for VVIPs like you."

Lucian simply smiled. "Ah, you are truly kind," he said. "I would buy all three bottles tonight and make sure the Lady in Red gets as much as she likes. If I may say so myself, I would like to request that you give her just a tad bit of this beautiful drink. But you would wait, would you not? You would wait right beside her because I am sure, after the first sip, she would want some more."

"T-three bottles... sir? That would amount to--"

The smug look on Lucian's face did not falter. "It's just a penny, love. Please charge it under my name and everything else the lady wants."

The bartender bowed down at him as if he was some slave. "Yes, sir."

As the bartender walked toward the Lady in Red, Lucian kept his eyes on her. This night, he knew, will no longer be a bore after all.

 

[OctopusPrince]

Helios looked up from her empty beer when she was addressed by the bartender, who seemed... nervous for whatever reason. Polite, but nervous. She was being offered a glass of their finest red wine, and as the beautiful, rounded glass was set before her, she was still a little confused.

" From Mr. Lucian, ma'am." The bartender explained, gesturing as politely as one could while pointing someone out and letting Helios' eyes follow until they were landed on a man who was relatively isolated in the bar, seemingly drinking the same dark red beverage from the looks of it. She stared, for just a moment, forgetting herself a little... When was the last time someone actually attractive had bought her a drink? She couldn't tell just how handsome this man was, but she could tell he wasn't an old creep trying to sneak up behind her chair and cop a feel either.

She held up the glass next to her cheek, tipping it a little in acknowledgement and smiled, mouthing a thank you before looking down into the wine glass the way she had her beer. the ruby red liquid like a mirror. She took a slow, delicate sip and found the flavor incredibly refined-- the best wine in the house? No kidding, Helios could tell from teenage years of sneaking into her parents' wine cellar that this was top dollar shit. Helios smiled to herself, and felt a sinking, nostalgic pain at the same time.

She wasn't a teenager anymore, sipping Merlot when her parents weren't home. She wasn't a college student, busting her ass and working three jobs while training to be a professional cellist. She wasn't top of her class anymore, she wasn't first cello, she wasn't a scholarship candidate or being told every other day by her mentors she should apply for Juilliard. She was just a graduate now, a nobody, and she couldn't even call her parents. She was no one, but at least, she was a pretty enough no one that night for a nice glass of wine. It was a nice gesture-- a questionable, expensive one, but she didn't really have the mind to care as she finished the glass, thanked the bartender, and ordered another chocolate stout.

"Ah- I've been told to inform you you can have as much as you like." The bartender again seemed nervous. " What's the matter?" Helios asked, as contradictory as that was- wasn't the bartender supposed to be getting HER to spill her emotional grievances? Before she could tease him about that, he leaned over to whisper to her.

" That man's a VIP, and that glass of wine he just bought you was a 140 dollar glass of wine. He purchased all three bottles we have in stock and said you could drink as much as you'd like." Helios blinked. Wow. Shit. That was... Her mind did quick math and she glanced down at the empty flute in her hands. She almost wanted to laugh out loud at it-- she was homeless, and today was the day a man who could afford thousand dollar bottles of wine had decided to buy her a drink? It was funny on a sort of cosmic level. " Luckily for Lucian and his wallet," Helios said, leaning in conspiratorially, " If I had more than three of these? I'd be dead weight tomorrow- red wine always gives me such a hang over." It was half a joke, and it landed, the bartender grinning in amusement at her.

" It's... thoughtful, but... there's about," She glanced around the Sky Bar, " eight other women he'd be better off buying red wine for in here." She told the bartender, and he chuckled again, " None as pretty as you tonight. Lady in Red~" He sang at her, and she rolled her eyes, smiling and waving her hand to make him stop, both of them laughing. That's why she liked this bar. It was atmospheric, high end without being a murder on the wallet if you knew the menu, and it just... felt nice. When people talked, when people bought her drinks, when people danced and even when people got a little too wasted- it was fun and a relief from the shitty world she spent her days in.

The bartender delivered her another chocolate stout, and announced, a little more confidently, " Also anything you get, including your usual swill, is on his tab." Helios laughed out right, she and the bartender had discussed that at one point, that he hated stouts and while she loved the dark, rich flavors they offered, and it had been enough of a conversation that he could joke with her about her taste without getting himself in trouble. She couldn't blame him-- chocolate stout was trash, but she loved the layered flavor of it, chocolate, coffee, hops, herbs... it wasn't refined per say, but it was her favorite. " Yay free swill," She said unenthusiastically, before her eyes slid, carefully, curiously, back to the man who was officially paying for her drinks. Was he going to come over? Or was she really that bad at hiding how bad her day had been? Either way, she grinned a bit, feeling flattered by the gesture, and took a long sip off of her new beer.

 

[gio-vanne]

He must admit, the pleasant exchange of words between Lady in Red and Mr. Bartender irked him a little bit but the way she smiled and the way she laughed, there was something quite... charming about it. At the time, he couldn't bring himself to put his feelings into words. Deep down he knew those feelings yet those were the ones he wouldn't dare acknowledge. Not yet. For the night, he just wanted a little fun.

She mouthed a soft 'thank you' which made him smile and acknowledge the nice gesture. He, too, raised up his glass gently to give her a toast.

A toast to the beautiful Lady in Red, he thought.

Once more, Lucian gestured Mr. Bartender to head back to his table.

"Did the Lady get another glass of wine? Perhaps she wanted something more?" He asked out of sheer curiosity. "Ah, what I would give to a beauty wearing a color that's quite pleasing." He admired her from afar like a work of art and he spoke greatly about her to the poor bartender who could only nod at his passionate descriptions of one woman.

"Sir, she said you could have spoiled about eight other women here tonight," Mr. Bartender told Lucian. His words were responded to by a gentle laugh.

"A beauty with a humor, I see," he remarked. "I believe she got her usual right after the wine."

Bartender nodded. "It's not exactly something she's willing to give up easily, sir."

Lucian nodded as if he was understanding something for the first time. "Very well. I see. Well then," he stood up and towered over the modern man for a good 6 inches or so. "Thank you for kind service again tonight. You simply are marvelous." With that, he handed him a bunch of crispy green bills.

Leaving his glass behind, Lucian walked towards the exit and kept his gaze right at the door. Along the way he would pass by the Lady in Red and though he didn't find the need to talk to her at great lengths, Lucian felt his curiosity getting stronger and stronger with every step he took. It had been too long since he got attracted to a mortal woman. Matters of the heart were no longer entertained because he already spent many nights cursing whoever it is who damned his soul for allowing him to watch everyone he loved die. Fooling around was easier, yes, and he paid high-class escorts for that but eventually, the sex was meaningless. A woman's body became just another daily routine.

Lost in thought, Lucian only realized that he was just a few steps away from her when it was already too late to gather his composure. Ah, she was much more beautiful up close. Maybe a smile would be better on her face but despite the gloomy look, she held a natural beauty that, dare he say, was truly hard to find.

"The night is young, milady, but I do wish you a pleasant evening," he told her, his voice deep and low with a thick accent no one in the modern time has ever heard of. Out of respect, Lucian kept his hands inside the pockets of his coat. "I believe he --" Lucian pointed at Mr. Bartender "-- already told you you can have anything you want tonight."

Without another word, Lucian fluidly motioned towards the exit. He didn't even bother to look back and see if she'd be curious, too.

Yet right behind the exit door just outside Sky Bar, he stood.

Waiting.

 

[OctopusPrince]

Helios didn't have a chance to respond to the man that had bought her her drinks that evening- but she almost wanted to laugh. Milady? There was something both charming and entirely too amusing about such an archaic title, but then he reminded her she could have anything and that was a completely different sensation. Was it... a flirtation? She had barely considered it, or what she might say in response, before he was gone, disappearing into the darkness through a door marked with the neon red exit sign. So he bought her drinks, said all of two sentences to her and left. Helios smiled at the bartender, raising her eye brows. " That's a mysterious VIP you've got there." She joked.

" We do have a few rather eccentric sorts," The bartender agreed-- something about the patron, Lucian, seemed to shake the bartender up. Helios was tempted to ask after it, but the last thing she wanted was to cost this man his job in the name of gossip. She drank, and when she was pleasantly buzzed and feeling at least a little better than when she had walked into the bar, she gathered up her bag and her cello and moved towards the same exit, into the dark night. She checked her phone, her bank account specifically and decided a hotel was her best bet-- she'd probably get mugged if she slept in her car, even if that was cheaper. She sighed, and moved through the almost impenetrable dark, her high heels clacking on the pavement while her cello case gave a low rolling grind, the wheels old, but still functional.

 

[gio-vanne]

The sound of sharp heels clacking on the pavement along with rough rolling sounds that matched its pace made the smirk slowly form back on Lucian's lips. So she was curious, too, huh? It was indeed an interesting evening.

"So you followed me, I see," Lucian said with his back turned to her. It wasn't an arrogant statement. Instead, it was something along the lines of understanding why and being pleased that she did so. He looked up to the night sky and when he saw there was no need for sunglasses to cover his eyes, he turned to her and met her eyes for the first time.

"A cello is quite amusing," He said as he cautiously took a few steps closer to her. "I do not personally know of anyone who plays this beautiful instrument but I must admit, it is a crucial part of the orchestra. I would be honest, milady, in telling you that I do not pay close attention as you would have liked but now that I think about it, imagining famous pieces without a cello would not sound right."

Chuckling slightly, he followed up, "pardon me. I truly am not knowledgeable with music. I live more for the visual arts and contemporary movements, you see, but... dare I say, I was trying to charm you?" He reached out for her hand, took it gingerly with his, leaned down, and gave the top of her hand a soft kiss. She would have noticed the plain gold ring on his index finger. It would have felt cold against her skin.

"To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking tonight?" He said as he stood back up and hid his hands back inside the pockets of his coat. "Ah, pardon me. Where are my manners. My name is Lucian. Old habits die hard, they say, but umm..." he cleared his throat. "If it's embarrassing to listen to how I actually talk, don't worry, I've mastered talking a little more modern, somehow. Pardon the accent, it's something I simply cannot get rid of."

Once again, he took a bold move and and stepped closer to her."Let me help you tonight, milady. Let me take you home."

Lucian motioned one of the security guards to come closer. He, too, got caught off-guard. "Yes, Mr. Lucian? Is there anything I can do for you tonight?"

"Yes, I'd like you to take my car back up here for me, please." He reached for his keys inside the pocket. Considering the looks of it, it was obvious the car wasn't an ordinary one. "I will be escorting this beautiful lady to wherever it is she desires."

 

[OctopusPrince]

Helios frowned at the man, glancing him over. She knew this kind of man, definitely- rich people thought they could charm anyone. " Excuse me," She corrected, resting the hand he had kissed on her hip. " You didn't wait for me to answer, to tell you my name-- that's not how this works." She pointed out irritably. Sure, he was handsome, and attempting to talk about music was at least a note worthy effort, but did he literally expect her to just hop in his car when he'd bulldozed over her even speaking?

"Do you actually want to know my name? Or are you just interested in showing me your fancy car, Lucian?" She asked, petulant. " I have my own car, and I appreciate the wine, and the compliments, and meeting you, but I don't need a ride home." She wasn't about to tell this complete stranger she didn't have a home to go back to. It was obvious he thought he was being charming, but where was this coming from? She supposed people who had a lot of wealth could be egregiously entitled, but this was an annoyance. He reminded her of her father, who was very good at talking and not nearly as good at listening.

" I didn't follow you- this is the exit I always take to get to where I always park my car. I may not be a VIP, but I'm a local, so just because we went out of the same exit doesn't mean I'm chasing you down. My name is Helios, if you were actually curious, and yes, the cello is intensely important to all orchestral music, I wouldn't have studied it if it wasn't. Thanks again, for the wine and beer, good night." She turned from the man and made to walk off, ignoring the gawking security guard because apparently, people didn't talk to this Lucian guy like that. He should've bought wine for someone else, someone who would've followed him out and swooned at the idea of going home with him. Helios wasn't that woman.

 

[gio-vanne]

He must have spoken and decided too quickly because the next thing he knew, Lady in Red -- or Helios, rather -- was making endless remarks leaving everyone within earshot stunned. Mr. Security Guard looked like he was about to faint. Her feistiness only made him even more interested.

So the creature of the night got blinded by the sun, huh...

"Helios," He repeated. "A lovely name that shines bright, indeed. Well, then--" he kept his keys back in his pockets and motioned the security guard to let them be. "I guess I've upset you, Helios, so I apologize. Can I make it up to you?" He asked; no longer with arrogance and failed attempts. This time, it was with utmost sincerity. "At least let me help you out with this." He tapped the cello case gently. "Lead me to your car?"

This time, he waited for her to respond and didn't get ahead of her way.

 

[OctopusPrince]

Helios narrowed her eyes at him, suspicious, and just to test him, just to prove he didn't have much say in the matter, she handed him her bag of clothes instead. "I'd rather you carry these, thanks." She said tersely-- she made an account of the fact that she had pepper spray in her bag, that if this guy was doing anything more than being nice, than she'd make him regret it. It was surprising though, nice even, the change in attitude and more so, that he knew what her name referenced. Most people couldn't recall that the root Helio meant sun even though Helios was sure everyone had learned about that sort of thing in grade school. She sighed, and tipped her head, blonde hair spilling on her shoulder before she reached to push it back.

" This way." She pulled at her cello, and led him through the parking lot, stopping at her car and producing her keys. " ... Thank you, for your help." She said, more patiently, since in the short walk to the car he hadn't done anything untoward. " Lucian, right?" She asked, just to be sure. It seemed like the blunder on his part was a matter of social ineptitude rather than crass arrogance, and despite herself, Helios could forgive that. She had to remind her brother all the time, that he'd be single forever if he treated women like he could get anything he wanted from them just by saying he wanted it, at least... that was when her brother used to talk to her all the time. Now he was too busy, to call his little sister and complain about girls. " You know... you could've stayed a little, and talked with me. You didn't have to pay for my drinks just to leave... Maybe... tomorrow we can have drinks together? Properly?" This was probably a foolish idea, but there really wasn't much in her life to care about at that point.

 

[gio-vanne]

Lucian merely shrugged as he took her bag from her wondering why, with her elegance tonight, she carried along a huge bag and her cello. He wanted to ask if she performed somewhere tonight but upon remembering the look on her face when she entered Sky Bar that night, Lucian opted to keep his mouth shut instead. He didn't want to screw up anything further. He wasn't used to it, but her attitude was just the change he needed in his routine life.

He would have left it at that once they got to her car. He would have let time decide if they'd meet again someday but it turned out that it wasn't a decision left to fate.

She decided on her own.

The blood in his veins burned for the first time in a long time. The urge was there to at least plant a kiss on her cheeks but he knew she wasn't that easy.

And he wouldn't ruin his chance.

"I like you," he simply said, without any malice in his tone. "I admit, you are not the first woman that I showed interest in but you, my dear, are the first one to ask me out. Proper drinks tomorrow night it is, then." He held the door out for her and once she was settled down inside her car, he gave her a smile and a simple nod of acknowledgement.

----

[The following night]

"Excuse me, master. The preparations for tonight are done."

"That is appreciated, Marius. Much appreciated. You may go."

[At Sky Bar]

Dylan, the bartender from the previous night, was busy going about his usual routine. In his pocket was an envelope wax-sealed in crimson red embedded with the letter L. It was addressed to a certain "Shining Lady in Red" and it was made sure that it'd reach her without being tampered. Inside this envelope was a simple note along with an address:

"Yes, Helios. I would love to have proper drinks with you. I will be waiting at 52 Rosetta Penthouse. 9:00 PM.

L"
​

She would have laughed at the lame invitation, he knew, and he could already imagine her telling Dylan about how absolutely lame and suspicious this was. Partially, he no longer expected. Yet he hoped. 52 Rosetta Penthouse was the city's most sought-after dining place offering a 6-course meal capped off with a glass of wine (in this case, it was already arranged that Chateau Margaux will be served for them). Lucian already made the right preparations to get them both a table (which would have taken months) at the far corner by the floor-to-ceiling glass window. From there, they would be able to gaze at the night skyline of the city in all its glory.

A few floors below 52 Rosetta, Lucian prepared a simple suit for the night. Black slacks were paired with a deep maroon velvet coat. He kept his hair tied loosely this time and just to be safe, he wore a pair of brown contact lenses he purchased earlier that day. Along with it, he also purchased a bouquet of red and white roses. Somewhere along his attempts for modern dating he wondered if he should include some jewelry, too, but he knew he wouldn't win her over just like that. Lucian settled for the pretty flowers instead.

"You wanted to have drinks properly, Helios. I will show you what it takes to have drinks in a proper manner," Lucian murmured to himself. This time, without her hearing it, he sounded completely pleased with himself.

. . .

The bouquet was on the middle of the table for two, maintaining a safe distance from the candles. On one seat he sat with his legs crossed and his head tilted to the side a bit to look at the urban scenery right before him. It wasn't new, of course, but the moment made it entirely different. He loved the spot for his own reverie and he never attempted to share this table with anyone else yet this time, here he was, waiting for a woman he barely knew -- a woman who may or may not even be there tonight.

 

[OctopusPrince]

Helios had shown up at the Sky Bar a little earlier than she would have usually wandered into the place, dressed impeccably because well... she had asked a guy on a date after all-- drinks, but it was a date. Right? It was probably a date...right? She wasn't sure what she was thinking, how was she supposed to date someone when she didn't even have a home? And yet, she had pulled out all the stops because it had certainly been a while, and it was a nice, comforting thing, to dress up a bit. She'd chosen a black dress that evening, the cut strapless with tangling curves of little false diamonds around her shoulders. She'd managed to find a pair of earrings she liked in the back of her car, abandoned from some other night, that had the same sparkling diamond look to them, occasionally twinkling through her let down waves of blonde hair. She had red lipstick on, and had bothered with a bit of mascara and cover up to hide the fact that she was exhausted, both from the hideously hard hotel room mattress and her long day at work, but besides that, she left her face to its natural beauty.

When she arrived at the bar and glanced to the spot Lucian had been in when she'd first saw him, and found that he wasn't there, she felt a surge of disappointment. Had he stood her up? It would be just her luck if he had, and she'd just began to worry over it when the bartender offered her a wax sealed envelope. " For you, from Mr. Lucian," Dylan explained, and Helios took it, laughing. " What's with this guy?" She joked, shaking her head and opening the envelope seal, reading over the simple message. " Rosetta 52 huh? Wow." She mumbled to herself, before getting up and waving good bye to Dylan. That place was... incredibly fancy, she knew that much because sponsors for the school had dinner there occasionally and loved to talk about how classy it was. She hopped in her car and sighed. At least he hadn't been a no show.


She arrived and was escorted to the table to meet Lucian, thanking the server who had brought her over and smiling a bit at Lucian. " Hey. Sorry I'm a little late. I thought we'd be having drinks at the Sky Bar." She explained, brushing waves of her hair over her shoulder with a touch of bashfulness. This place was really nice, with a beautiful skyline view, and flowers and Lucian looked... impeccable. Her heart was fluttering a little out of a perfectly natural nervousness, but she smiled more confidently anyway. " Thanks for agreeing to have drinks with me."

 

[gio-vanne]

The previous night, Lucian kept his attention fixed on her face. For the most part, it was simply his aim to get her to smile at least for the night but this time, as she entered Rosetta 52 even before the waiters noticed, all he could do was the take in every inch of her entirety -- from how different she carried herself tonight to how her eyes looked when their gazes first locked. Lucian didn't know how long it had been since he smiled sincerely but, at that moment, he knew he did.

"Ah, pardon me," He said upon realizing he was staring a little too much. "My manners, where are they, indeed..." He took the bouquet of roses on one hand and used his free one to pull up the other seat for her. "How can I refuse a lovely lady? The lady wants some proper drinks, I will give the lady some proper drinks. But before anything else," Lucian gently placed the bouquet right in front of his date. "Flowers for you, Helios. I hope you'd like them." Along with the flowers, he gave her a sincere smile.

Before proceeding back to his seat, Lucian talked to one of the servers and instructed him to start their dinner routine.

"I requested a simple dinner for tonight, Helios, but I made sure they'd give us the most prime ones in their menu. For our hors d'oeuvres, it would be a Vol au Vent with corn and crab chowder. It's quite rich and creamy with a little dash of saltiness. I'm sure you'd love it. Our main dish would be pepper-garlic pasta with crab, shrimp, and saffron marinara sauce as well as smoked prime ribs with baked potato gratin. Dessert would be cranberry-chocolate bread pudding with espresso caramel and white chocolate cream." He narrated the menu flawlessly while locking his eyes on her. "I've also requested for Chateau Margaux as our final indulgence, but I've also requested for stouts in case you'd prefer that. I believe it's your frequent order at Sky Bar?"

Getting all the trivialities out of the way, Lucian straightened up his back and leaned against the back rest. "I'd like to apologize for my rude behavior last night," he said. "Let's start this again. Helios, would you tell me more about yourself?"

 

[OctopusPrince]

Helios accepted the flowers, smiling fondly- roses were lovely. She took a seat and crossed her legs under the table, watching Lucian with a slowly growing smile as he listed off the menu with his thick accent and his elegant manner. This man... He was certainly adorable in a way.

" You're doing it again, already," She teased, tipping her head and smiling at him with a jovial playfulness. " You ordered all of that before I even got here? What if I have allergies?" She didn't have any food allergies, but she wondered just how Lucian would react, if he thought he'd made yet another mistake by being the sort of man to try and take care of everything himself. It all sounded delicious, honestly, but she would get Lucian to understand that he wasn't going to be her chaperone-- just because he could choose things well doesn't mean she didn't want to choose for herself.

She chuckled at him after giving him a few moments to flounder, and waved her hand. " It all sounds really nice. I'll let you get away with ordering for me this time," She joked, surprised at herself for implying there'd be a next time. She set aside the bouquet on the table where it wouldn't be at risk of being harmed or in the way of their food, and then looked back to Lucian, reaching up with delicate fingers to tuck her hair behind her ear. " What do you want to know? I guess you've already landed on a few things relatively important- I don't have any food allergies." She chuckled again, " And I don't like being told what to do." She rose her brows at him and glanced him up and down, sizing him up teasingly.

 

[gio-vanne]

She was playing his game and he knew that. Deep down, Lucian can see the gratitude and joy in her but she played her attitude so well, he wanted to see where this was going.

"Ah, manners, manners, again." He said with a slight chuckle. "My apologies once more, Helios, I tend to forget you are here to own me and not the other way around." His voice was nowhere threatening. In fact, he had a playful smug on his face with a brow slightly raised up as if taunting her to go on. She didn't like being told what to do and, by all means, Lucian absolutely loved a woman who didn't swoon (not yet, at least).

Leaning back again, he kept his gaze locked on her and matched her expression. "Well," he began. "You tell me, my darling, what to do. And I will grant it a hundredfold. Try me."

Soft jazz music played in the background amid the hushed buzzing white noise of the chitchats around them. Servers placed the orders one by one on the respective tables and while they waited for their own, Lucian did not blink even once. He didn't even look away. Instead, he taunted her more than she was taunting him but he made sure, just for now, he'd play her game and shrink himself down a little.

 

[OctopusPrince]

Helios couldn't help her amusement. So he wasn't a pompous ass- he could be playful. She was there to own him, to tell him what to do, now that was funny.

" Oh, I get to tell you to do whatever I want?" She joked, " This is a risky exchange for ordering dinner before I got here, I don't know that you want to give me that kind of freedom, Lucian." She teased, resting her elbow on the table and her hand under her chin. She had to think of something good. This man was wealthy and bold and had actually showed up for a date- she didn't want to embarrass him, or make him feel belittled, but something a little funny might make things more even between them. She couldn't even be friends with someone she couldn't joke with after all.

She smirked at him, batting her eyelashes, " Repeat after me." She drawled, before saying, rapidly, " Peter Piper Picked A Peck of Pickled Peppers." She knew it was low hanging fruit to go after that luscious, unusual accent, but it was at least something they could laugh about privately-- no one was near enough to them to hear it if Lucian were to stumble over the tongue twister, or if his accent warped the words in an unusual way. Now that she got to sit across from him, actually look at him in a lit setting, it was almost baffling how handsome he was. She wasn't necessarily surprised- wealthy people were either exceedingly ugly, or stupidly beautiful, and she wasn't an exception to that rule, given that she came from a prestigious family herself. She was curious actually, where his accent was from-- was it... slavic? Maybe? She honestly couldn't tell. But his smug expression, his playful offer to let her boss him around, the flowers, the drinks... it was all incredibly charming, and if he let her boss him around enough, she considered that she might tell him he had to take her home with him.

Having sex with a handsome stranger after a night out certainly beat returning to that hotel room with its shitty bed and paper thin walls... She had paid for it for the week, so her cello and bag of clothes weren't going anywhere. It was early to say how things would turn out, but she was definitely intrigued, and she wasn't the type of woman to hide that.

 

[gio-vanne]

Lucian expected the trivial things like asking him to buy her another drink. He would have done so easily, and would have taken the most expensive one in the menu. He expected her to perhaps demand a second or third date, and he'd willingly oblige to take her to another country. Maybe even take her to a private island. The world was at his disposal and he knew his words very well -- whatever she requested, he'd gladly oblige a hundredfold.

Yet beyond the things he expected, an odd request came. A tongue twister? That was it?

"Give me a moment to fully understand what you just said," he remarked. As he spoke, he struggled to stop himself from looking like a complete fool by laughint almost uncontrollably. "I tell you you can ask of me anything you'd like me to do, and I mean it, dear Helios, that I would give you absolutely anything but what I get in return is to utter those baffling, meaningless words?" He couldn't help but let of a soft laugh this time. "You really are quite something now, aren't you? Well, then..."

Just because it was a simple request doesn't mean he won't keep his word and give her more than that.

Leaning closer until their faces were just inches away, Lucian dared to look deep into her eyes as he let their lips touch ever so slightly. It wasn't a kiss, it wasn't anything beyond lips touching and without breaking his gaze, he spoke fluidly and almost alluringly, word per word, as slow and as flirty as he can get.

"Peter... Piper... Picked... A Peck... of Pickled... Peppers."

With that smug smirk still on his face and without breaking their eye contact, Lucian leaned back on his seat. He didn't even plant a single peck on her lips. Instead, he continued looking at her while running the tip of his index finger along his lower lip.

"Next request, please?"

 

[OctopusPrince]

Helios had not expected that in the slightest. The feeling of his luke warm lips brushing hers ever so slightly as the said he tongue twister had taken all of the comedy out of the moment, and left Helios speechless and flustered for a moment. This guy... He was slick. She was blushing and she knew it, her pale cheeks flushed enough to be seen even in the dim, romantic lighting of the restaurant. Lucian was smooth, she had to give him that.

She touched her lips as he brushed a finger along his own and then cleared her throat, taking a moment to reroute her brain. " Ah-" She had to think of another request, and yet, her mind was beautifully blank, her whole body tingling from the flirtation. Thankfully, a waiter came with their first course of the meal, and she was distracted enough by the waiter's presence to draw her eyes away from Lucian. She took up the bottle of stout that was brought for her and took a swig. Wow. Okay.

" Tell me about where you're from." She offered, because that was the best she could think of right then and now she was definitely curious about this man, about what kind of person he was.

 

[gio-vanne]

She was flustered and caught off guard. Mission accomplished, he thought. He almost made some backfiring remark but he opted to admire her momentary loss of composure instead. She was cute like that -- blushing, lost for words, unable to look at him directly for a few seconds.

When she asked that question, Lucian's composure still did not falter but he wiped the smug look off his face. "I'm from Romania," he said. "I came from a small town, probably not something you have heard of, but I appreciate your curiosity. It is oceans away from here but I already lived here for quite awhile now, I've already grown accustomed to this place."

His words were vague but they were true. He really was from Romania where his kind began and he lived in the city now for quite awhile. Thankfully, the waiters served their soup already as he finished his little spiel.

"Next request, please, my darling." Lucian followed up as he tasted his soup. "We can keep this up all night but I would really appreciate if you could tell me a little more about you and maybe... why you looked so sad last night?"

 

[OctopusPrince]

Helios had decided, just then, that she'd give him a little peek into her life-- he really didn't seem so bad; he had a sense of humor, seemed to want to please her without being obnoxiously eager about it, and her lips were still tingling from his little play on her request.

She sighed a bit, and considered what she ought to say. She didn't want this man to pity her-- but she hadn't really gotten to talk to anyone about what had happened. " It was a really rough day for me, yesterday," She admitted, stirring around the soup with her eyes down, long eyelashes veiling her gaze.

" I work during the day at a retail store down town, it's a fashion boutique-- not really the thing I'd like to be doing obviously, but it's where I'm at right now... I finished college about a year and a half ago, and the government has apparently decided I make enough money as a 50 hour a week boutique supervisor to pay my student loans, so I've been paying out of the nose for the last month... My... Rent had been late a couple of times, and I guess my landlord had had it. Well, that, and the only time I can practice my cello is at night when I get in from work, so he threw a huge fit." Before she could really stop herself, it was all coming out, casually, but honestly.

" I mean, it's the only time I can practice, and it's not my fault my neighbors only ever want to listen to trap music and Nirvana," she groused. " But anyway... so I got kicked out my apartment, and now I just... have to pick up the pieces again, you know? It's not a big deal, I've made it through worse, but last night I was kind of throwing myself a pity party." She admitted, lifting her gaze to smile with a touch of sadness and embarrassment at Lucian.

 

[gio-vanne]

Countless times he heard women giving him fake sobs and pity stories because they wanted something else. If it was a pity story about lack of money, they wanted his wealth. If it was a pity story about a failed love, they wanted his affection. By now he can already tell which was real and which wasn't so when he listened to her, he knew it was a legitimate situation. Come to think of it, he remembered how she carried a huge bag the previous night along with her cello.

"Sounds like a rough night," he said. Helios didn't seem to be the type of girl who wanted to be pitied but Lucian didn't want to sound so rude, which he would if he didn't acknowledge her situation even for just a bit. Deep down, he wanted to offer a solution. Paying all her loans would be easy peasy for him but he knew she has so much pride (the good kind) in herself to flat out accept such an offer.

At the distance, the soft jazz music continued playing. It turned Lucian's attention to the empty space with a small stage at the other end of the restaurant where local performers usually played their pieces during weekend dinners. On weeknights like this, 52 Rosetta would usually play some pre-recorded jazz music. Perhaps a basic playlist on Spotify.

"52 Rosetta plays dull music, don't you think?" He told her. He leaned closer and spoke to her in a hushed tone, as if sharing a secret between two the of them. The sight of her lips just inches away from his again almost took his mind somewhere else. "I believe I can talk to some people and have you perform here instead."

Immediately and almost comically defensive, Lucian leaned back again and raised both of his hands in defeat. "I'm not telling you what to do. Honest!" he remarked with a smile. "I am merely... suggesting... a better alternative to the fashion boutique. 52 Rosetta is a common business place at night on weeknights, I'm quite sure they would love good music. And..."

He smiled at her, reached out and tucked a loose strand of blonde locks behind her ears.

"I am very much positive you play good music."

One by one, the waiters started serving their main course.

 

[OctopusPrince]

Helios tipped in just a little when he leaned closer, both to listen to what he intended to say, and on some instinct, that after he'd pulled that little stunt earlier, she found that she wanted to be close to him. When he tipped back, defensive, she laughed and smiled at the idea, glancing over at the stage again. " ... You really think they'd let me play here?" She knew she could do it-- she could crush an audition, and read just about any music put in front of her if she was given thirty minutes to cold read it. But...this was not just any restaurant-- if Lucian had those kinds of connections, than that was about the only way she could get in.

" If you think they'd let me audition just on your word, than... I'd give it a shot," She admitted, before smiling at him with that same playfulness from before, a little less flustered over the fact that he'd touched her even though the simple gesture had been endearing. She nearly tipped her head into his touch, but instead she grinned and rose her brows at him, " But I don't know how far you'll get with that, since you barely know anything about classical music. More interested in the visual arts, if I do recall?" She teased, taking a bite of the delectable food before her. " You don't have to help me out with that sort of thing," She added after a moment, " I'm sure I can find another apartment in a week or two, once I get my bearings back. I don't necessarily need to make more money, but... it would be nice to have a job where I get to do what I spent all of this money on learning... to do what I love most."

She glanced away for a moment, thoughtful, before smiling at him, sincere. " Thank you, for offering. That's incredibly thoughtful of you." She could at least tell that he wasn't trying to coerce her-- it seemed like a genuine intent to give her an opportunity, to be helpful without handing something to her. Someone like Lucian could easily tell her if she went home with him he'd pay her loans in an instant, that if she had sex with him, he'd buy her a pent house of her own. But instead, he offered her a job opportunity. That... was impressively kind.

 

[gio-vanne]

Lucian made a mental note to tell her facts about himself from now on, at least the facts that did not fully reveal the truth. At one point, he had to make up so many stories either to play things his way or to play with a woman but Helios, she remembers things. Fortunately it was indeed true he was more into the visuals than the music and the thought of her remembering such a small detail about him made his heart feel certain things he no longer knew.

"Yes, I know nothing of classical music which is why I'd appreciate it if you can teach me by allowing me to watch your performance if you opt to take my offer. Nevertheless, it's not for me to decide but simply for me to help you out with. Earning while doing what you love will be indeed pleasurable."

As the dinner coursed through, Lucian tapped the pockets of his slacks. "Oh, Helios, will you excuse me for just a minute? I'll have to take this call." He took out his phone from his pocket and stepped away for a bit, making sure he was no longer within earshot.

"Hello, yes, it's me. Yes, our dinner is splendid. Thank you for the impeccable preparations. I will be recommending a friend to you. She is a cellist, a graduate of a good college, I assume, so I must believe she is remarkable. Yes. Yes, that would be much appreciated. No, she does not need to know. I have to end this call, we will talk again soon. Thank you."

When he came back, he gave her a smile and allowed a companionable silence to envelope them as they finished their meticulously prepared meals. It was only when the wines were served that he decided to interact with her again.

"I believe not all women are after wealth and only wealth," he said as the server poured them their first glass of Chateau Margaux. "Not all women will happily leech it off even if a man would willingly allow to do so." He looked at are with a hinting gaze for a split second to imply that he was that man and she would be that woman he would willingly spoil yet he already fully understood their game will not play out like that. And he loved it.

"You are a powerful beyond what you think, Helios." He commented. Lucian then took his glass and raised it up for a quick toast. "I am just here to help. As I said, request anything of me and I will grant it beyond what you can imagine. So..." He let their wine glasses clink. "...a toast to this, umm, unique start of a good friendship." He took a sip of his wine with that smirk on his face as he looked his gaze on her, as if telling her,

I got you.

 

[OctopusPrince]

Helios smirked back at him. What a hint to drop- and then to say friendship? Oh, it was on. Was he testing her, to bring up women who wanted wealth, only to offer her whatever she wanted? It was fascinating, how double edged his words were. She had thought she'd be alright with going home with him that night and calling it over with, but now... now he was subversively challenging her. It was refreshing beyond words, to not have to think about how her life had taken a turn for the worse, to instead be deeply amused and full of anticipation over the fact that based on what she thought Lucian was hinting at, this would be a game of who gave in first, who took this so called friendship, and attempted to make it more. She wouldn't lose to him, no matter how charming he was.

" To our new friendship," She agreed pleasantly, clinking their glasses and taking a long sip of the beautifully crafted wine. She glanced at him over the rim of her glass and then, cupping it with both hands she leaned against the table, closing just a little space between them. " So, if you like visual arts, tell me about that. Who are some of your favorite artists?" She asked. It would be boring and rude, to ask what he did for a living-- she didn't really care how he'd gotten all of his money. Most of the people in the world had it landed in their lap, and had some elaborate tale about such a thing that bent them to seem worthy of ridiculous amounts of wealth. Art was better, and she was curious to see just how passionate he was on the topic.

 

[gio-vanne]

"Amy Sillman and John Currin did wonderful works about women," He remarked. "Not quite sexualized but more of... appreciation, if I may dare say so." He took a whim of his wine again before taking a quick sip. His eyes were fixed on the passing scenery right outside the window and for a moment, he was lost in thought. "Contemporary art also amuses me," He began. There was an itch to tell her that he had never seen anything like it before, but it would probably make him go on and on about how different contemporary art is from the classics in such a way that he'd end up spurting out too many details and knowledges as one who had lived through time.

"It's funny," he pointed out before taking his attention back to her. "A woman's body is mostly the subject of many forms of art. I wonder what makes it insanely popular compared to that of a man's figure? What would your thoughts be on this?"

He set his glass aside.

"I believe it's mostly about the beautiful curves." He dared look at hers for quick second before shooting his gaze back up swiftly to meet her eyes. "And the eyes," he followed up. "A woman's eyes are always beautiful. Some, more so than the others."

He would lose. He knew he would lose this game he played. But right now wasn't the time to lose just yet. He could get lost in her eyes but not this little playful act they both seemed to enjoy yet he knew, somewhere down there, she is still just like any other woman -- craving for love, craving for affection, craving for power.

Following up his question, he asked, "if there was one thing you can change right now, or rather, one thing you can ask to make your life absolutely flawless and right, what would it be?"

 

[OctopusPrince]

" One question at a time, please." Helios dodged, knowing now that he was trying to find ways to unveil her, to figure out what sort of woman she was. She'd let him know in plenty of ways, that as much money as he had, that wasn't what interested her.

" I think women are the subject of a great deal of art because until quite recently, most women didn't have access to artistic education. Women have also been viewed as objects of conquest for several millenia, and male artists with that kind of objective view of women can see their beauty without seeing their humanity. There's so many works of classical art where a woman is posed just so, to be viewed, to be enjoyed like an object, conveniently oblivious to the person looking upon her. In that way, a man can look on a woman as long as he wants, as long as she's not autonomous enough to stop him. When women do look out upon the viewer, there's almost always a level of sexuality to it, an invitation and offering... It's not until recently, that women have been portrayed as people, rather than as objects to be enjoyed." She sipped her wine, and looked at him, serious, because she knew plenty about all types of art.

" I don't think a man's body is any less beautiful or titillating than a woman's. I think that the freedom to sexualize female bodies over male ones has been rewarded and preferential." She summarized, giving him the same glance over, since she'd noticed it, him admiring her form, and she did just the same to make her point as well as to just look upon how handsome he was.

"As stereotypical as it might sound, and in its own right contradictory to my opinion, my favorite artist is Alphonse Mucha. I also like Gustav Klimt and Toulouse Lautrec... the refined line work and elaborate patterning, as well as the portrayal of hyper stylized but thoughtfully organic female forms is really appealing... Just about anything art-nouveau is really lovely to me, honestly."