Morningstar Manor

Fall had finally come and the evenings were beginning to get cool. Which meant even more people than usual decided that a coffee in the evening was a nice idea.

Jack had just come from a long shift at the Lamb and was in desperate need of a coffee. So he got in line and sent a text to Declan.

Must have coffee. Want one?

***

JJ was already sitting at a table, sipping his coffee and looking through a car magazine. He'd had a long day at work, then a nice long practice with the band where he'd had that interesting encounter with the new bookstore owner. Now he had no more plans for the night and coffee and a magazine in the Mocha seemed as good as any.

***

Kara was headed to the Lamb but was also trying to fight off the cold that seemed to be going around. She'd taken a nap thanks to some cold meds and now needed a strong coffee to perk herself back up so was standing in the line for the counter.

***

Ruprecht stepped from the men's restroom and put a sign in front of the door that said Out of Order. He looked over the crowd of people and sneered a bit.

Niles swooped into Elspeth's apartment carrying a bag full of movies and two bottles of wine. 

"Hey baby," he said when he saw her, sitting down the movies and the bottles so that he could wrap both arms around her. He kissed her lightly on the mouth and slid both hands down to her rear. "How's my girl?" he murmured.

Niles was drunk. So drunk he could hardly stand up, and as always, he found himself at Elspeth's door.
He couldn't blame her for her - father. She didn't even know. She hadn't asked for any of this, and he knew that. But fuck, he was so ANGRY. Angry at their situation, angry at the hopelessness of it all, and maybe a little angry at her for making him love her enough to get into this mess.

He knocked on the door, his forehead resting against the wood and his hand sliding up and down the smooth surface as he waited.

It had been a whirlwind of a trip, leaving with nothing but what they had on their backs. Her credit card would hate her but Elspeth was having the time of her life. Good food, good sights...a good man. Now she had a plate of crawfish in front of her and wasn't quite able to eat it...but Niles was doing his best to convince her.

Declan sat in the Mocha still dressed in his suit from work except his collar was open and his tie was untied and draped around his neck. He was also contemplating hiring another assistant, if he could find someone qualified enough. That would mean less time at work, more time where he wanted to be, and less drama. Couldn't go wrong with that.

Bea sat outside the Manor in the gardens with Pippa on a leash reading through the mail she'd just picked up. She had on a rather awesome if not gaudy Super Mario Brothers corset that she'd ordered from this awesome little shop online, and to quantify awesomeness, she'd been invited to a HUGE convention. She decided right then and there to schedule herself heavily for the promotion of her second comic, due out at the first of May. It'd keep her busy.

Anastasia was in her studio behind the Gallery with the door propped open, letting the cheesey hip hop music she was listening to float out into the alley. She wasn't working really, but looking instead at the newest painting that she didn't remember doing. It was worse than the others, and just looking at it made her sick to her stomach with nervousness.

Sterrin walked through the Foundry market in a coral pink tank top dress that clung to her figure, completely and utterly bored as she had been all weekend. There had to be something interesting around here somewhere, but damned if she knew what.

Rhiannon was in her shop, laughing hysterically as Lee tried on a dress from her new summer line. Miri had given him the make-up treatment again, and the boy really was too pretty for his own good. He strutted through her store, making a few of the customers laugh too while Miri trotted along behind snapping pictures. 

Niles was out in the garage inspecting Piglet. He'd finally gotten her back after a complete body make over and more money than a sane person would spend on fixing a car. He could've bought another one just like her for cheaper, but it was the principal of the matter. This was Piglet, she was his, and he was going to keep her.

It had been a horrifying weekend, full of details for her job but more than that, full of sadness for those who'd been hurt...or worse. Now Elspeth, tired and ready to crash, stirred a pot of chicken soup and rubbed at weary eyes.

"Do you want some toast with this?" She asked Niles. "I have some Italian bread in the drawer."

I'm feeling domestic. Making dinner tonight. Want some?

Elspeth was, for once, not terribly busy. Instead, she was sitting at her desk sneaking a peek at an entertainment magazine and drinking hot tea while she listened to hip-hop on her iPod.

Elspeth was considering bids for new tiles in some of the bathrooms of flats that were between tenants. If she picked the colors, it was possible the new tenants wouldn't like them -- on the other hand, if she waited for someone else to choose, it would delay the new tenants from moving in, once they were approved. It was important to freshen and repair every apartment between residents, but whoever had lived in these two flats -- adjoining, oddly enough -- had done some work in their bathrooms. Chipped tiles, broken moldings. Strange stains.

Maybe blue? Maybe green? Maybe simple, easy to care for white...?

Maybe she needed an assistant for projects like this.

Niles was tired, stressed, and wanted to see Elspeth. That's all there was to it.

He walked up to her apartment and knocked on her door without calling first. Preplanning wasn't what a real relationship was, right? And he wanted to see her.
He leaned against the door and waited for her, hoping she was home.

Niles was feeling dopey, happy, and he wanted to see her. Without calling first or making an appointement, he went down to the Mocha to get her hot chocolate and a cookie, and then took it back up to her office.

With the cup in one hand and the cookie in the other, he knocked on her door with one booted foot and waited.

Niles had went all out for this dinner with Elspeth. He hadn't wanted to go too over the top, but he wanted it to be obvious that he was trying. He'd prepared a traditional Cajun dinner with the key lime pie she'd once told him was her favorite for dessert, with ice cream in the freezer, some daisies on the table for her, and two neatly wrapped little gifts. He'd also shaved, put on a nice button down shirt with his best pair of jeans and waited for her to arrive.

The pool house had been specially warmed for the occasion and extra loungers brought up. Screens had been erected for the models to change behind and everything was ready for the beautiful people to arrive.

They had their schedules - the ones who would be wearing the collection items and those who would be providing a back drop - and it was anticipated that the shoot would last most of the day and maybe into the evening. There was no knowing.

[ooc: Party post so tag in and let the pups chat amongst themselves, or if they want input from one of the staff, please give us a poke.]

Andras had said 'Thursday', and here he was, hopping around the gallery, looking for people to tell him what to do, or customers to sell something to.

He had called Schnozzle, though, and Schnozzle, though grumpy, had agreed to come for a coffee in the evening.

Niles walked into the Manor with his head down and his mind a million miles away. His hand hurt and he felt almost a little outside of himself, like all of that hadn't happened. He wished it hadn't, but that was life, right?

When he got in the elevator, the thought of going back to his apartment made him feel sick. He needed... He needed...

His finger found a button that didn't go to his floor, and when the doors opened, he walked to a door that wasn't his and knocked.

Elspeth had a thick file, as usual, but this one was different. This one had photos. And...resumes...sort of. If you could call Height, Weight, Eye Color and Occupation part of a resume. So far she hadn't really seen anything that melted her butter, but she supposed the men perusing her file might feel exactly the same.

She had coffee, though. That was making this a little bit easier.

Gun ranges would be a whole lot cooler if you didn't have to wear those lame headphones, Niles decided as he and Elspeth recieved their saftey gear and headed into the target room of the gun range just out of the city. Technically, you weren't supposed to practice here unless your were a police officer or some other sort of official, but Niles had friends in low places.
He'd also had some Karma Chai this morning and was actually feeling loads better. And, he was with Elspeth.
That probably helped a lot too. 
Smiling and feeling better than he had in days, he gestured to the guns. "Pick your weapon of choice, beautiful."

Dear Miss Vale,

from my dear friend Kris Angyali I have heard what an exceptional woman of great taste and style you are, so I trust you not to dismiss me out of hand.

For my next collection -- fall/winter 2010 that is -- I am looking for a timeless historic backdrop to have an initial shoot for the brochures done, and the 'usual suspects' here in New York have been turning me down, on account of their deep-seated elitism and crusty resentment against my earlier work.

Now, as I have heard of the marvels of the place that you rule over, I would really really really really love to use Morningstar Manor for my shoot. My dear friends Kris and Gabe, who will be styling my models, are already in place -- isn't that convenient. I have heard such wonderful things about your ballroom and your roof garden, I would really be very happy to work there.

Please, help me, Miss Vale, you're my only hope!

Yours truly and forever,
Lewis Floddersen

P.S.: Both the Manor and yourself will be generously reimbursed for the trouble, that goes without saying. I'm not a struggling artist who needs to beg, after all. But the best things, money can't buy. And among them, dear lady, is your good will.



[[OOC: Yes, it is this guy finally coming into play. Style- and personality-wise, imagine him a cross between Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier; and yes, he's definitely in their league, as far as fame and fortune are concerned.]]

"This will be fine, thank you," Elspeth told the hostess as she showed her to a table in the back. Nice and quiet...she didn't expect a scene, but privacy was always appreciated. "He'll be here shortly."

Niles had woken up this morning to the sounds of his cat joyfully batting bulbs around his Christmas tree. Being of the mindset that it was the documentarian's job to simply observe, he grabbed his point and shoot camera and started snapping pictures as Lola darted in and out of the tree. After he got one that he felt was particularly awesome, he put it onto his computer and made a personalized card for each of his friends that he was delivering gifts to today, and the ones that he'd gifted already. After sticking the coordinating card with each gift, he happily carried them down to be delivered. Had he gone overboard? Yes. Were his gifts bordering on extravagent? Some were. But it wasn't like he didn't have the money and he adored having people to actually buy for. Whistling, he headed back up to his apartment.