WHO: Aureolin Fleer and Stitch Weaver WHAT: An art show. WHEN: A few years ago. So Aure has his chair by now. WHERE: Some art gallery in the Capitol STATUS: Complete PROMPT: Exotic. [Aureolin & Stitch]
Stitch looked up at the ceiling and exhaled. Art shows were so boring and yet again, he’d let some Capitolite convince him to put one of his newest creations in one. It was called Chair and Ottoman because that’s exactly what it was. The ottoman had mismatched legs of varying height, color and decor. There were nine legs, too, instead of the traditional four. It was very avant garde. Very now. It was covered in the same fabric as the chair, a patchwork of brocade silks in neon colors. It was hard to say which was more lopsided than the other -- the chair, with it’s seven odd legs or the ottoman. Yet Stitch stood proudly by it, holding a glass of champagne, smiling and nodding at everyone who went by.
Aure, the other hand, loved art shows. As the son of two artists and the brother of a model, he’d grown up in galleries and had learned from a very young age that he was to appreciate any and everything that someone had seen fit to put in one. Aure was appreciating the piece called Chair and Ottoman by examining it very closely with a thoughtful expression while stroking his chin when he spotted the visionary responsible for it standing nearby it.
“Stitch! Stitch Weaver! I would recognise work like this anywhere - so fresh, so exotic! It’s unbelievably brilliant.” Aure greeted him, shifting his own champagne glass from one hand to the other in order to attempt shake the artist’s hand. “Aureolin Fleer. I’m the stylist for District 3.”
Stitch reached out his own hand to shake the stylist’s hand. He knew who Aureolin Fleer was, of course, but he nodded anyway. “Nice to see you again!” he smiled and then took another large sip of his champagne. “So, you like it?”
Aure beamed, delighted that someone as talented as Stitch not only remembered him, but also thought it was nice to see him again. “Like it? I love it? Where do you get such inspired ideas? I mean, nine legs? That’s so… just wow. Incredible. It’s an incredible piece.” If he were to have been completely honest, he wasn’t really sure what the theme or meaning of this particular work was, but that wasn’t something you were ever supposed to admit in the presence of an artist.
“I think you should have a whole show of your own,” he said. He wanted to reach out and touch the brocade, but he managed to resist the temptation. “Are you selling this one?”
“Oh… well… thank you!” Stitch was never sure exactly how to respond when people sincerely thought his bullshitting furniture building thing was an earnest attempt at… something. Then again, maybe he had managed create some kind of amazing art without even trying that hard. Maybe he was that good.
“Really, a whole show? That’d be something,” Stitch added non-committally. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard that suggestion either, but the truth was that he was simply too lazy to do however many he’d need to do in order to have a show. It seemed like a lot.
“A whole show.” he repeated firmly, with a nod. “Everyone would be there. I should put one together! Although you know, of course, no pressure or anything. I know that you can’t rush truly great art.” He gestured to the furniture with a reverential expression, then fumbled in his pocket for a moment before pulling out his business card. It was sparkly and bat-shaped and very possibly glow-in-the-dark. He likely would’ve stuck lights in it too if that wouldn’t have made it too cumbersome to keep in his pocket. He offered it to Stitch.
“Please feel free to call me if you ever want to put on a show of your own. I’ll make it happen. Also, if you ever happen to create something that you’re willing to part with. I would just love to have one of your creations to call my own.”
“It’s true, you can’t rush it. Not at all. But it’s an interesting idea,” Stitch said, trying to sound more intrigued than he actually was. He took the business card and studied it, trying to remain as expressionless as possible, although he couldn’t entirely help letting the very corners of lips turning up a bit, like he was about to giggle. The business card was definitely fitting. And then Stitch had an idea. There were wingback chairs, of course. But what about batwingback chairs?
“I think I can make something you’d just love,” Stitch finally said, pocketing the business card. He bit his tongue before he could ask, how much have you got?
Aure’s eyes lit up like a Capitol child’s on Christmas morning. “Really? You would do that?” he asked. Then, without any prompting, he quickly added, “Money’s no object, of course.”
Stitch nodded enthusiastically. Aure’s excitement was slightly contagious. “Certainly. Of course it isn’t. Which is good, since I would need a deposit. Just for materials of course. I’d need a few feet of ebony wood,” he thought aloud and then paused letting “ebony wood” sink in, a phrase that he was pretty sure would pique Aure’s interest. “And probably some dark velvet fabric, among other things.”
“A deposit, yes. Of course!” Aure agreed eagerly, and before Stitch had even finished explaining what the money was for, the stylist was already reaching for his chequebook. At the mention of ebony, however… and dark velvet fabric, he looked like a small animal about to have a heart attack from too much excitement. For once in a very, very long time, Aure found himself speechless.
“Amazing! Unbelievable.” he said finally, as that was all he really could manage as he quickly scribbled up a cheque for a sizeable sum. The slip of paper that he handed to Stitch was worth enough to buy several dozen feet of ebony wood, more velvet fabric than any one person would ever need, and then some.
Stitch tried not to gawk at the sum and instead nodded dumbly. “Great. I’ll get to work on it right away!” he said, finally. “I’ll let you know when it’s all done. Of course, as you said, you can’t rush art. But I’ll try not to make you wait too long!”
“Splendid! Thank you so much for doing this - this is a dream come true!” Aure said elatedly. “I’ll wait as long as it takes. Is that enough of a deposit? You will me if you find you need more, will you?”
“Oh, yeah, absolutely! I’ll definitely be in contact,” Stitch said, with maybe a hint of smugness as he put Aure’s cheque in his pocket next to the inspirational business card. “Pleasure doing business with you!”