changing fashions [abelle]

[Every]

She ran her fingertips over the chiffon with a thoughtful expression, debating on what she wanted her dress to look like for the Tytonidae anniversary party and how much she actually wanted to look nice for the event. Studying the silk in debate, the brunette stepped away with a small hum and went to one of the sales associates nearby. “Excuse me,” She stated quietly, the woman turning almost immediately and greeting with a smile that seemed as if it were ironed on, “Do you have any other colors for the strapless chiffon? Preferably something dark?”

“Of course! Let me go check the back!”

Overly peppy, hyper. Something told her that the woman’s attitude was as fake as her nails and quietly, Every folded her arms in front of her chest as she looked around the store in wait. Her dark brown hair had been straightened and secured at the back of her head with a barrette so the longer parts would stay out of her face while trying on dresses, and then she had paired one of the tee-shirts she loved with gray leggings so changing wouldn’t be a hassle. While she waited for the other woman to return with color options, the small brunette leaned forward to readjust the pair of flats she wore and straightened up afterwards, collecting her cellphone to send a text message.

‘Abelle, if you don’t get here soon, I’m going to summon you. And we both know I will.’

Of course, to summon Abelle, Every would have to go into a changing room or somewhere else where people wouldn’t be able to see the sudden appearance of her faction mate. Reaching up, she pinched the bridge of her nose in thought before she tucked the phone back into her sweatshirt pocket for the time being. Threats did worse nicely, and if Abelle refused to wear a dress... well. Projected depression was a helpful ritual from time to time, and Every had quite a few items to spare. All it would take would be to find Abelle’s fae name. Her hardest issue would likely be with Shan, but Every didn’t bother worrying about that for now.

Another issue, she noted, was the concept of getting a date. She had already sent an email to one of her friends and no response had come, but that didn’t particularly bother her. Considering it, she debated on asking one of her other siblings – it could be interesting to get Helena out of the Dahlia for once anyway. Plus, the woman often harped on her about looking like a ‘young lady’ anyway, so why not give her a chance to dress up and look fancy again? Upscale fashion was something the blonde liked. Sliding her phone out of her pocket once more, Every checked the text messages – a habit that showed she was getting antsy.

[Abelle Broussard]

Belle looked down between her watch and her phone. It wasn’t always easy to get out of the office. There was always something that either needed signed or some sort of daily issues. Today it was another water leak. The damn pipes were old in the building, and she swore one day she would get them fixed, but today wasn’t that day. Today she had a friend date with Every. The girl was going to make her go shopping. For a dress none the less. It seemed lately, every chance anyone got; they were trying to throw the poor girl into some sort of formal attire. It simply wasn’t her. She strongly preferred jeans and a decent shirt, but now the threats were rolling in and Every seemed more than impatient in wait of her.

“F***! I gotta go,” she looked up at one of her employees that she had called into the office to chew out about one thing or anything. It really was too early for this sort of thing and she just really wished she could leave the office for more than a few hours without having something go wrong.

Grabbing her bag and jacket, she nearly pushed the woman out the door in her haste. “Move,” she barked impatiently and nearly growled when the girl stumbled over herself. It was truly a wonder why anyone bothered to work for her; but they did and she made sure they were well compensated for their time and aggravation. It was the best she could do as there didn’t seem a way to sate her bad attitude most evenings. She could hear the woman ask one more question before she was dashing out the door. “Just do whatever you think you need to do…why in the name of God did I hire you as manager if you can’t even do the job right…ugh!” she would deal with her later. Right now she was on to making her life a little more hellish.

Jumping on her bike, she sped off to the mall. She almost hoped she would get into a car accident, so that she didn’t have to face this. Maybe and just maybe, she could get Eve to see it her way and let her get a decent pants outfit. Did formal always have to be about dresses and heals? What was wrong with a pair of nice pants and a really nice shirt? Did anyone think of what might happen if they all had to battle to the death? Running around in heels and dresses the swept up the floor. How silly.

Hearing the phone again, she had a good mind to toss it, but quickly realized she had paid entirely way too much for it and wasn’t about to spend another near one grand for anything ever again. Spending wasn’t something in her nature, stacking her money was more like it. She loved going to the bank and seeing her balance grow a little more every day, it turned her on a little.

“Oh you’re gonna summon me huh?” she grumbled to herself and decided if she got summoned she would shoot someone in the foot. Didn’t matter who, but they would feel her wraith. She hated being rushed as it was that way all day lately. Rush to do work, rush to aid her faction mates, rush to do everything and most days she was too tired to even use her day walking powers to get anything more done; but it was all for the greater good she supposed and didn’t complain too much about it. Putting all thoughts aside for the moment, Belle parked the bike in the overcrowded mall lot and proceeded to go meet Eve. May as well get this over with, she thought to herself as she texted her once at the entrance. ‘I’m here…no need to summon’ she sent off and started to stroll.

[Every]

In all honesty, it was Velveteen’s fault that Every was nitpicking about dresses and waiting for Abelle in the shop rather than sitting at her desk physically planning out the party itself. Her step-sire had requested that they have a more formal evening, and being that she actually liked doing things such as that, the petite brunette was intent on making the Tytonidae anniversary party better than the first one – and she knew that if she were given the time, it would be exactly just that. Better. She had small little events planned and after she finished with her ‘date’ with Abelle, Every would then go to Arbor Vitae to look at the bloods for sale.

After that... she couldn’t remember what else she had to do. It had something to do with her apartment, paying her phone bill was also a good idea. She rubbed the back of her head as the sales associate returned a few moments empty handed. “We’ll have to special order a different color, but I’m absolutely positive that you would look in another we have in stock,” Every avoided the urge to roll her eyes as she followed the other woman to a mannequin, “Adrianna Papell created this one, we have it either in the violet as you can see here, but also there’s a Champagne version.” The brunette tuned her out the second she began talking about designers, studying the dress.

When you’re perfectly comfortable wearing just Old Navy for your entire lifespan, they weren’t something that really interested you and they never would. She shopped for dresses by the way they looked and the way they fit – only lately had she actually begun to pay attention to the concept of being able to fight in them. That was another thing she needed to do, see if Micah or Karina would be able to do that ritual... As the woman talked, Every removed her phone from her pocket and typed it in to ask them later, returning her gaze to the other just in time to receive a lace dress only mere inches away from her face.

It clearly startled her and she had to avoid instinctively baring her fangs and hissing like she usually did to Kirill, her childe, as she simply pulled away and glared at the female lightly. “Can you not do that?” The woman’s eyes widened and she apologized sheepishly as the brunette lifted a hand to rub at her face, letting out a heavy exhale before she looked at the dress now that it wasn’t directly there. The cloth itself was acceptable, but the style wasn’t what she was looking for. “I’ll keep looking around.” Every lifted her lips in an attempted smile and then felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

Removing the device from her pocket, Every read over Abelle’s text and looked around for her in the shop before realizing that she had just arrived. She began walking out of the store to wait by the elevator where the two had last been locked in with another group of people. That time, there was no way in hell anyone was going to get her into it. If she had to walk down the escalator going in the opposite direction, she would. Paranoid? Yes. That was another thing Every blamed Velveteen for. ‘Meet you near the death trap.’ She typed it out and pressed send, leaning up against the wall as she watched the holiday shoppers move to and fro.

[Abelle Broussard]

Belle’s nerves were already on edge before she entered the mall, and now that she was inside, she nearly thought was would have an anxiety attack. Not a few dozen, but hundreds it seemed like, were on a holiday mission to the finish line. Lines were backed up, children cried and there was even a line to see some fat guy in a red suit take to take orders from bratty, snot nosed little ones. Such a fun way to spend a holiday. Not. She wasn’t impressed at all and made it known with the smug, cold look that she gave each person that passed by.

Belle took one last look down at her phone, in a way hoping Every wouldn’t text back and that maybe she would be off the hook. There was no such luck however, as she woman mentioned the death trap. The trap that seemed to be the epicenter of all madness. How many times a day, before the thing just snapped again, this time a slew full of people would go down with it, and she guessed that this time, it wouldn’t be a bunch of vamps and misfits. Shaking her head, she weaved through the crowd until she caught sight of her and with a half hearted smile, waved her down. If the woman knew anything about her, she would try to make this as painless as possible.

“As busy as a day as this…” she moved closer as they met, nearly whispering over into her ear. “We were better off ordering stuff online,” just as she got the words out of her mouth, she was reminded of just exactly how much she hated this time of year. She hadn’t been blind as she moved through the mass and in particular kept an eye on a little blonde girl, cuter than a button, but a pocket and handful of candy. She knew it was a ticking time bomb before she sticky girl f***** up, and sure enough the moment Belle turned her back, did she feel a half eaten sucker leech to her jeans for dear life.

Belle glanced at Eve and then back to the child, and for a second everything stood still, in her mind at least it did. She had two options at this point: A). Freak out on the little girl, freak out on her mother for not paying attention, and then jeopardize their true identity or…B) pretend as though it never happened and look for a new pair of jeans while she was there too. Hanging her head, she sighed knowing which option he really had no choice than to go with.

Holding up a finger at Eve to give her a minute, she leaned down toward the child, peeled the sucker from her leg and stuck it to the minor’s cheek, then gave it a little pet. The young one looked up at her, and for a second she thought that perhaps she might have gotten a little look at the perma-fangs, that protruded every chance they got upon any amount of excitement, but she shook her head at the girl, discouraging her from even making a sound. Once she was certain, she nodded and gave the girl a little ruffle on her head and moved back to stand with Eve.

“This place is going to be the death of me,” she looked the woman over, hoping she shared or at least could understand the struggles, that a challenged killer such as herself, went through.