[CLOSED] Color is my day-long obsession-

[daemonized]

WHO: Ardyn Izunia & Grell Sutcliffe
WHERE: An art museum and an ice skating rink in Recollé.
WHEN: Valentine's Day!
WHAT: Date night.
WARNINGS: Potentially terrible accidents involving ice skating. Other than that, none.



the cut was a lie, I just wanted a Monet quote?

Starters below!

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ART MUSEUM

[daemonized]

[While most art museums weren’t prone to staying open later in the evening, there are times when exceptions are made for certain events and holidays. Valentine’s is particularly popular among couples for obvious reasons, and one of Recolle’s more recent art exhibits remains open to the public long into the night for this very reason. Admission is even half-off, regardless if someone’s brought a plus one.

Ardyn has, of course. This is hilariously his second date for the night, though he does find the distraction novel enough — though he had decided, days ago, that a normal dinner date would be both a misstep and underutilizing this wayward opportunity. After all, Grell was an intelligent woman, and their shared interests aligned well enough that he would have felt bad, really, to treat her to idle conversation and nothing else.

He’s even dressed nicer for the occasion. (Mostly. His clothes might still be adorned with the odd pattern here and there, but overall his coat is a bit more tailored, his scarf is not an awful eyesore, and he even has his hair tied back to keep it out of his eyes.

So they stand, the low whispering hum of the crowd surrounding the both of them, though Ardyn’s attention is instead focused on the painting hanging on the wall before them.]

Have you ever been caught in a snowstorm?

[Well. A little idle chatter wouldn’t do much harm.]

[erythristic]

[the museum hadn't been her first thought, but it's a nice surprise to get to go, especially to catch the extended hours. it's been a while since she's gotten to see any exhibits, as it is, and...well. she's not objecting seeing them with company, particularly company that she dressed up some for. that he has as well doesn't escape her eye. the attempt is decent, therefore it deserves a slight bit of note.

even if this all spawned from a bizarre series of events, there's no saying one can't truly enjoy it. it's, dare she say it, classy of him.

she hears Ardyn's question and glances over before her eyes go back to the trees in the picture.]

Only in the house. But I've imagined being outside in one from time to time - how the world would become all white and frigid, how the falling snow would try to cover even yourself, how persevering through to safety would require that much more effort, and how if one was particularly unlucky, they'd lose their way entirely.

[the unluckiest would lie down to sleep, and be uncovered when fate allowed.]

Why, have you?

[daemonized]

[He can't help but grin at her explanation. To be covered in that endless sort of cold, in a pristine yet numbing white -- how awful and yet how serene at the same time it would be. It's a nice thought, perhaps not as novel in real life, and so Ardyn appreciates the warmth afforded to them within the walls of the museum itself.]

I have, once. When I was much younger, my car broke down in a snowstorm, and I had to walk all the way back to the house, fighting against the chill. When I finally arrived, the first thing my parents asked was where I had left the car.

[What great memories.

But Ardyn doesn't dwell on it. Instead, he almost immediately motions at the little informational placard next to the painting.]

It says here that Monet was made of sterner stuff than I. He'd sit in that blasted cold and paint. I wish I were so stubborn.

[erythristic]

[they sound charming. the words are something she bites down on, letting the matter pass. that's not something to pry about, even as the thought crosses her mind that she thinks her parents would have brushed off the snow from her coat and asked the same.

but. Monet, not the past.]

Oh, but you could be, if you tried, I've got faith in that. Brace yourself with thoughts of your goal, and the cold becomes meaningless! You could make Monet himself smile upon you!

[taking a step closer, she tilts her head, and the snow is composed of artful brushstrokes. blink and don't look too hard, and the illusion is cast again.]

Or some other equal untruth to push yourself through.

[daemonized]

[He wouldn't have disagreed with the sarcasm, if she had let the words through. He's more than eager to think badly of his parents and certain siblings, though perhaps it's best that they don't dwell on this particular bit of family drama on Valentine's Day.

He casts his gaze to the painting as well, eyes idly settling on the magpie.]

Yes, but the question is what my goal is or should be. I've no grand artistic endeavor to strive for, not like Monet, bundled up in the cold, encrusted with snow. My love for law is, sadly, restricted to warm libraries or studies, lazing about in a comfortable chair.

[A shrug of broad shoulders goes here.]

The romanticism is lost when you're not braving the elements.

[erythristic]

One can be romantic in a comfortable chair as much as one can be one in the depths of fresh snowfall. The passion behind one makes it any setting full of potential-

[pause for effect, and then slowly turning her head towards him.]

Ah, but the law requires you to divorce yourself from that passion, doesn't it? At the least in application.

[of course, that's not entirely true. one could be passionate about upholding justice. but it sounded cooler to dismiss the possibility in her statement, so she went with that.]

[daemonized]

[He huffs a little at that, though it's mostly for drama. When is it not, with these two? It's a fun little game that he likes to play, one that is never as satisfying with anyone else other than Grell.]

In application, yes. Completely and utterly divorced of passion and emotion. There's irony in there somewhere, that I've asked you on a Valentine's date then, hm?

[He tilts his head at her.]

Do you think of me as cold-hearted and mechanical, because the law requires it of me?

[erythristic]

Hmmm...

[she pretends to deliberate for a moment before responding.]

I think you have the capacity to be so, when the law requires it. Stilling the heart to focus on fact and reason alone. And when all is said and done, you can relieve yourself of that duty, and go back to being human.

[it all boils down to how well one can pretend, doesn't it?]

Though I think others might say yes to the question outright, particularly those that call you professor. And anyway, what does the icy chill of the law have against our date? Is it perhaps jealous?

[daemonized]

[It exactly boils down to how well one can pretend. And Ardyn, bless him, is a master of it when he feels compelled to be.]

Why, I think it is jealous. It's been my companion for all these long years, and rarely has anyone else decided to steal my attentions away from it.

[He lowers his voice to a conspiratorial whisper.]

And don't tell anyone, but she's actually quite a dull and sometimes tedious mistress. And just as equally unforgiving.

[erythristic]

[raising an eyebrow, she whispers back.]

I would imagine nothing less. I do hope their wrath won't come down too harshly for the crime of borrowing you for an evening. But if it does...at least we'll have the paintings and fond memory.

[daemonized]

If I die, promise you'll throw yourself at my casket during my funeral.

[He grins. Morbid jokes are never not welcome, surely?

But he merely shrugs and moves on over to the next painting, which is maybe only five feet away.]

The paintings are solid enough, at least. Memories, on the other hand, have been slippery things lately.

[erythristic]

[but of course. she'll even throw in laments for good measure. tears were a given. she smiles at the joke, and joins him at the painting in a moment.]

It's almost like there's something in the water. Some sort of drug that brings out doubt that's come to lodge in our minds - but so selective in where it decides to land.

[was it a comfort, or worrisome, that they weren't alone?]

Yours hasn't slipped too far away from you, has it?

[daemonized]

[It was both amusing and worrisome, curious and frustrating. A myriad of things all at once, and it even made Ardyn -- a man who very rarely disturbed by much -- feel a sense of trepidation at first.]

That depends on the definition of "far". My mind seems rather obsessed with the notion of monsters that thrive in the dark. Morbidly fascinating, isn't it?

[Though these sorts of things are better delegated to fiction, not filtered to his actual mind. Hallucinations, memories, whatever they were.]

And yourself? How fares your sanity?

QUESTIONABLE ICE SKATING

[daemonized]

[Speaking of ice and now… sort of.

The second half of their date was born more from Ardyn’s slightly impulsive nature than actual planning. It’s not cold enough for a proper sort of ice skating rink outdoors, but that’s not going to stop the city from making a synthetic one. And as soon as the man had caught sight of it, Grell’s fate was sealed. They were going to end this date with some ice skating if it killed either of them, because why the hell not? It was chilly enough tonight. They could pretend it was real ice, at any rate.

Whether or not they're good at it is another matter altogether. Ardyn is… passable, at best. But at least he hasn’t faceplanted onto the fake ice, which is definitely a positive in his book.

He seems to be enjoying himself, or maybe he just enjoys teasing Grell, grinning and asking:]

Doing all right over there?

if you thought i wasn't going to tag both

[erythristic]

[so maybe she's still clinging to the wall, wondering why on earth she agreed to this section of this when of the things she can do ice skating is not an immediate answer that jumps to mind. it's something that requires balance and grace, and while she has balance and maybe some grace, it's the particular application that's tricky.

okay. time for bigger steps, to push herself away from the wall, and for one glorious moment she thinks she'll have figured out how to take strides-

except no, that leads to some wobbling, and Grell has to quickly right herself back to standing instead of completely falling down. right. at least she's away from the wall if not exactly in motion yet, arms out to the side for balance. if not passable, she's at least determined.]

I'm just fine, but thank you for worrying.

[ask her again when the inevitable faceplant happens.]

thoughtful conversation in one thread, faceplanting in the other

[daemonized]

[It's not like Ardyn doesn't have to occasionally reach out to the wall to steady himself, though he purposefully only pushes off of it with his fingertips, as if to not make himself look clumsier than necessary.

He even turns around and moves slowly backwards, so that he can entertain a conversation with Grell better. The teasing tone hasn't left just yet, but it's good-natured, really it is.]

You haven't fallen yet, but moving is the general idea of this activity. Or so I've been told.

[He's smirking a little too, the jerk. But Ardyn isn't far enough to not extend an arm out to offer her a hand.]

Need a pull forward? Some momentum might do you good.

sounds like them

[erythristic]

[show off. skating backwards. he'll trip like that.

if she was a pettier individual, she'd reject all forms of help and end up looking like the most foolish one here in the bargain. but she straightens up and reaches for his hand.]

I'm willing to try, at any rate. Since starting on my own is...

[not really working out. fine. go on and pull, Ardyn.]

[daemonized]

[If he goes slow enough, he probably won't. (Maybe.) And, he muses, since he's just keeping pace with her, he will be going slow.

He finishes her statement for her.] Not working?

[That grin widens, but he grasps her hand in his and pulls. It's not surprisingly forceful, just hopefully enough to get her started moving forward.]

[erythristic]

[yes, there's some movement there, and she begins to coast forward some. now, small steps to keep it going...she still keeps her other arm out for balance, but for now, she's actually moving. it's a miracle. a slow moving miracle, but one all the same.]

That's it!

[she has no right to look proud of herself for that, especially because he was the one to have the idea.

looking to over to him, she smiles.]

Thank you-

[or the miracle is not happening and she's lost her balance and is falling. whoops. at least she hasn't been going too fast?]

[daemonized]

[Yes, that's it. She's moving forward now, and it looks like she might actually get a few strides in with her newfound momentum too. Maybe she'll get the hang of it, better than himself (even though he's far from being adept), and she'll have discovered her newfound love of ice-skating. She'll be the next sensation in the world of figure skating in a couple years' time, and who will she have to thank? Ardyn, of course.

Or... she can just fall right now. That's an option too.]

Whoops...!

[-He exclaims, and on instinct he's leaning forward to grab at the bottom of her elbow, trying to hoist her up before she falls. The other lands at the side of her waist, to do the same. If it all works out properly, she'll basically just... faceplant into his chest, instead of landing squarely facedown into the "ice" instead.]

[erythristic]

[the good news is that Grell doesn't fall on the ice. the other news is that she collides with him instead, and for a second she thinks that even if her body did not take a blow, her pride most certainly felt all of it. rather premature, to be congratulating herself on any part of this. and it most certainly gives enough fodder for jokes later, she imagines. well deserved ones, at the least.

but it's only a second before she straightens up. she can't tastefully lament her shattered pride in his chest for longer than that.]

Thanks. That would have been quite the opposite of fun.

[and no doubt come with unpleasant bruises.]

[daemonized]

[While her pride literally takes a hit before him, Ardyn just laughs. One might think that he's laughing at her clumsy stumble (and one might not be completely incorrect), but there's something just amusing about the situation in general.

About the two of them, trying to skate like they actually know what they're doing.

Ardyn does have to reach a hand out to the wall, just long enough to keep himself steady while Grell straightens. It's only after he's... mostly sure that she has her balance again, that he completely lets go of her. If his hand hovers for only a second just to be sure, well, it's probably her imagination.]

...It might have been a little funny, though.

[erythristic]

[the pout she makes is entirely done to be dramatic. a little funny? really?]

Go on, make what jokes you may about me and my new archenemy.

[and after she says it, she feels the urge to laugh herself. ask her two weeks ago what her plans for today were and they would have been solidly to get a few drinks and complain to a friendly stranger about her life. now? now she's ice skating, something she's never tried before in her life. it's all so ridiculous that...well. one does have to laugh at it all.

so the fake sulking melts away, and she does laugh, and for once she won't even be faux annoyed if he does crack a joke at her expense.]

[daemonized]

[Laughter is contagious, or at the very least, good-natured humor tends to be. Ardyn’s grin widens, but instead of doing as he’s expected (offering a joke about Grell and ice skating at her expense), he decides to wave away the notion.]

Come now, I can’t do that.

[He scoots himself back, and slowly, very slowly, glides away from Grell, though his eyes remain on her. Think you can catch up without his help, or without falling over this time?]

Don’t think I’ve forgotten that we’re supposed to be a superhero team-up effort. It’d be quite the plot twist if I suddenly sided with your arch nemesis, Synthetic Ice.

[erythristic]

[slowly. she can do very slow. and little steps to make sure there's not too big a balance shift. slow gliding, and reaching out to the wall when needed.]

But it would make for such a powerful moment! You turn away to join the villain, and in heartbroken despair I swear revenge - ah, but perhaps it was all a ruse to slip in under their guard and destroy them from the inside? Using your many tricks to evade notice and in the end striking the final blow?