Beers Over Fears || Celeste & Luce

Location: The woods outside of White Crest

Timing: May 18th, 2020

Tagging: @celestelavie

Description: Celeste and Luce meet up for beers and a break from their responsibilities.

It’d been entirely too long since Celeste had been on a date and she was absolutely kicking herself in this very moment for leaving her best blouse behind when they ransacked the house. The shade of red would have been perfect for a hot date and Luce was undeniably a very hot date. She supposed she’d end up putting her leather jacket over whatever blouse she’d chosen anyway so she opted for a pale blue that accented her eyes nicely. Not that one would be able to tell as much under a night sky, but it did add a little confidence boost which never hurt. As she approached where she was meeting Luce, she felt herself begin to relax a bit. A night completely devoid of werewolf and hunter talk would be a welcome change. The sky was perfectly clear, too, which set a nice mood. She waved and smiled as she saw Luce approach. “Hey,” she greeted, looking the other woman over, “You look great… which I’m sure you knew already, but still.” Smooth. 

Parking her car in the lot not far from where they planned on meeting up, Luce grabbed her bag from the passenger seat and hopped out. She slung her bag over her shoulder, the bottles of beer rattling against the small picnic blanket she’d shoved along with it. Walking out into the woods, Luce grinned as she saw Celeste. Her Al’s uniform had done her absolutely 0 favors, but this look? Luce could get behind it. Or rather, she smiled inwardly, under it. “What can I say, I’m a snack.” She joked, doing a spin with no small amount of bravado. Dark tank top to show off her arms, tight jeans to highlight her legs, and a red and black flannel tied around her waist to emphasize her curves?  She knew she looked damn good and wasn’t afraid to show it. “You look gorgeous. Your top goes really well with your eyes.” She said, gaze lingering on the curves of the woman’s body for a moment before smiling. “Now, how about those beers?” She said, holding up her backpack.

There was something appealing about the way Luce carried herself. She certainly didn’t lack for confidence though it was entirely warranted. She was beautiful and talented, it’d be crazy for her to be anything but confident in herself. Celeste still found it to be a refreshing trait. “Indeed you are,” she said with a smirk, looking her over as she twirled. Her eyes lingered on her hips momentarily before meeting her eyes again. “Thanks. Couldn't let you be the only one here looking like a snack tonight," she laughed lightly, her cheeks slightly flushed from the compliment. With a nod, she answered, "A beer sounds perfect right about now, lead the way." She followed closely by Luce though, keeping an ear out for anything shifty. As much as she loved the woods, she had little trust in White Crest not trying to throw a creature shaped wrench in her evening plans. As they settled into a spot with the picnic blanket, she asked, “This is a beautiful spot, nice clear sky tonight, too. Do you come out here a lot?" 

“You know it, babe.” Luce said with a wink and a smile at the other woman. Watching the way Celeste’s cheeks darkened, she let out a laugh. Not at her actions, just the words. “Well, you certainly delivered on that.” She said, giving an approving nod at the woman. As they walked through the woods, Luce led the way up the slight hill, where the forest receded and gave way to a nice view of White Crest. Spreading out the picnic blanket, Luce set the beer down on the edge of the blanket and cracked open one of the bottles. “Here you go.” She said, holding it out before opening one for herself. “It’s a great hidden gem, for sure. One of the perks of living here my whole life, I know all the best spots.” She said, taking a sip. “Not too often, I reserve spots like this for when I’ve got company.”

“Cheers to that,” Celeste said as she clinked her beer bottle to Luce’s. There was a smirk on her face before she took a sip of her beer. This really was the perfect setting to relax and actually enjoy Luce’s company in. She looked Luce over momentarily, clearly pleased with the sight in front of her. She was lively, that was for sure, and the way the moonlight hit her hair looked like something out of a painting. “Well, I’m glad I got to accompany you then. I’m getting all the best views in town.” She was feeling a bit more relaxed and scooted a bit closer to Luce on the blanket, taking a moment to look out at the town. As dead set as Ariana was on calling this place, she had to imagine growing up here to be pretty wild. It seemed doubtful that Luce could live her whole life, work with Ulfric, and be completely clueless to the town’s true nature. “So growing up in White Crest,” she mused, “What was that like? Were there always so many mimes?” 

“Indeed you are,” Luce agreed, very much a fan of their little back and forth. Not that her ego particularly needed it, but it was still gratifying all the same. “Then again, I could say the same. I’ve got a pretty great view myself.” She said, leaning back on her elbows to take in the night sky and the lights of the town along with how Celeste was silhouetted in the foreground. It’d make a great painting, if she had her supplies with her. Taking a long sip from her beer, Luce thought about the question. What was it like, growing up in White Crest? How could she frame it in a way that didn’t reveal much about the fact she grew up in a family of magic, knowing that the world was never “normal?” She tapped her fingers on the bottle as she mulled it over before replying, “Your typical small town experience-- everyone knows everyone, high school drama boiling down to the cheerleaders and the football team with no one giving a fuck about anything else.” At the comment about mimes, Luce made a face, “Don’t even get me started on those stripey fucks. I hate those guys.”

This was decidedly one of the best nights Celeste had in awhile. Their easy conversation and the view of the sky over the town made it easy to forget the sense of impending doom that always seemed to try and fight its way to the surface these days. She looked to Luce and smiled, “Seems like a win-win.” Celeste watched her as she explained life growing up in White Crest. It all seemed so fairly simple for crazy the town had been since she’d arrived. Either she was none the wiser or was smart enough to not talk about vampires and werewolves on a first date. It was hard to say which was better, but it mattered little anyway. Right now, they could enjoy themselves without worrying about all of that. It almost reminded her of her own hometown, not that she’d been back in the last 15 years. She took a quick swig from the bottle and mused, “I grew up in a small town, too, it has its charms. I miss it sometimes.” Not that she could visit, but it was nice in theory. She laughed at her reaction to the mimes, giving her a nudge, “What? The stripes don’t do it for you?” Her voice took a more serious tone, “Probably for the better. I’m not a big fan either. I had to fight a mime that looked just like me a few weeks back. Bitch stabbed me. Definitely not a fan.” 

Luce kept her eyes trained on Celeste’s face and, while her gaze occasionally dipped to her lips and lower, she did keep her focus on the words. She was a good listener, she had to be-- it was part of her job. “Oh? You from around the Northeast or somewhere else?” She asked, genuinely curious. “What do you miss most about where you grew up?” Luce asked, taking another swig of beer. Playing with fringe of the blanket, she wound a strand of material around her fingers before absently braiding three of them together. “Ugh, fucking mimes. If I never saw one again, it’d be too soon.” Luce groaned, casting the braided bit of blanket aside. Raising an eyebrow at the woman, she tilted her head. “You fought a mime? You got stabbed?” She asked, intrigued. Celeste didn’t look like the type to go around fighting things, or betting stabbed by them. “Are you okay, now?”

Celeste found she liked the way Luce looked at her and couldn’t take her own eyes off Luce. It was hard to ignore how soft her lips looked and she supposed there wasn’t a reason to. This was a date, after all. “Tennessee, actually. Small mountain town called Seven Devils.” She pondered the question a moment before answering, “That’s a tough one. It’s been so long since I’ve been back, but I do miss the little hole in the wall country kitchens. They always had the best food.” She leaned back a bit to level herself with Luce, resting on her own arms, beer still in her right hand. She tried to shrug it off. “I could go my whole life without seeing another mime and I’d be happy. And yeah, I’m okay now. I’m tougher than I look.” She figured she could gloss over the part where she killed her own mime clone and had to stitch herself up. She turned on her side, leaning on one arm to look at Luce as she mused, “So, I know you’re a gorgeous artist who works for Ulf, but what do you do when you’re not absolutely charming the ladies who come into the shop?: 

“Tennessee. That’s pretty cool.” Luce nodded, a bit intrigued at the idea of having lived somewhere outside of White Crest. She’d been in Maine her whole life-- or at least, for as long as she could remember, Las Vegas hardly counted. Aside from a view travelling out for tattoo expos and visiting other shops, Luce had never really been out of the state for anything. “Makes sense. Gotta love some good old fashioned home cooking.” She replied. That said, she couldn’t relate with the Southern cooking that Celeste probably liked. Being raised in a Turkish home meant that comfort foods were gözleme and lamb mantı, but same difference. “Well, I’m glad to hear that. I’d hate to see a pretty face like yours in pain.” As Celeste lay back on the picnic blanket, staring up at her, Luce grinned in response. “Oh, you know, a bit of this, bit of that.” She shrugged, “But, I’m a little more interested in cashing in those good ideas you owe me.” Luce said, before leaning forward to close the distance between them, pressing her lips against the other woman’s.

Though Celeste wasn’t sure she’d call it home cooking, it was a small thing she’d miss. There were some friends too, but it’d been so long that she wasn’t even sure they’d even share much in common anymore. Food was a simple answer. “Exactly, haven’t found a place here that gets biscuits and gravy just right yet.” She smiled at the mention of having a pretty face. She knew as much, but it was still nice to hear every once and awhile. “Thanks, I like to think my tough fighting back face still has its charms at least.” She had a slight smirk on her face as she spoke. It was almost amusing how quickly Luce could divert the conversation away from herself. She wasn’t complaining. They didn’t need to get to know everything about each other. She was hardly looking for a relationship in the midst of the shit show that her life was currently. Still, Luce was a fascinating woman and she wouldn’t have hated learning more about her.  “Very insightful,” Celeste had retorted with a laugh before welcoming the feeling of Luce’s lips on hers. It was easy to let the rest of the world slip away from her thoughts as she leaned in closer. How soft Luce's lips felt on her own and the tickle of the other woman's hair against her arms only made her want more. Instinct kicked in and a hand ran through Luce's hair which was also insanely silky. Was there anything about her that wasn't just inherently hot? As she pulled away for a breath, she whispered, "Have any other good ideas? I think I like owing you." 

“Mhm, I’m full of insight.” Conversation wasn’t the reason why Luce was out here and a part of her was relieved that Celeste wasn’t pulling away and trying to get her to talk. She’d had to deal with way too many girls who didn’t seem to get that she wasn’t interested in talk-- or relationships-- than she’d wanted to. Not that there was anything wrong with relationships. She just didn’t want one right now, that was it. At least, that’s what she’d always told herself. All thoughts went out of her head as the woman ran her hand through her hair and a grin played against her lips. A fantasy played through her mind, one of Celeste yanking her head back, biting her neck before-- Mhm. When the other woman pulled away and mentioned good ideas, Luce couldn’t help but smirk at her. “Oh, I’ve got a lot of good ideas.” She said, leaning back in to kiss Celeste once more before moving her lips to brush against her ear, voice low and full of desire, “One I’ve got right now is you and me, heading back to my place. And then,” Resting her hand on the woman’s hip, she pulled back to gaze intently at Celeste. “We can see where the night takes us, hm?” 

For a moment, Celeste found it easy to focus on only the present. There was something freeing about it. Being able to just focus on the way Luce’s hair felt in her hand or the feeling of her breath on her ear. It was intoxicating and more than anything, she wanted to forget about everything else, but at the mention of going to Luce’s home, reality came crashing back. This had been a bad idea. Why did she think she could have a normal night in the midst of all that was going on? She knew the bounty was picked up and she couldn’t risk someone finding her at Luce’s. Putting someone else in danger was the last thing she needed to do right now and she frowned slightly at Luce, not quite pulling away. “Trust me when I say I want to, but I don’t think that’d be a good idea.” There was no good way to explain why without sounding paranoid, crazy, or both so she looked down momentarily. “It’s definitely not you, I mean, look at you,” she gestured at Luce, who did indeed look like something out of a fantasy, “I’m sorry.” Weak finish, but she should have known better. 

When Celeste pulled away, Luce didn’t protest. As much as she would have enjoyed a night of what would have been undoubtedly hot sex, she wasn’t that disappointed. She could just as easily call up one of the women on her phone for a booty call or hit up one of the bars in town to see if anyone was interested in going home with her. But, honestly, just hanging out with Celeste was nice in its own way. With a quiet laugh at the woman’s hurried reassurances that it wasn’t her, Luce waved a hand. “It’s whatever, don’t worry.” That said, a slight frown crossed her face. “It’s not because I live with my sisters, is it? Because… they have no room to complain.” She said with a slight scowl. The number of times she’d walked into the kitchen to see Dario standing there, waiting for Bea to make breakfast, was incredibly fucking annoying. “But yeah, don’t worry about it. Besides,” She said with a smirk, “We can still hang out here.”

Celeste had to admit Luce was being pretty cool about the whole thing. She had undeniably been giving her the green light before and put on the brakes out of seemingly nowhere. Somehow the prospect of her being mixed up in the current danger Celeste was facing didn't seem like a reality until she mentioned her home. It had been foolish, but Luce seemed like a good woman that she wanted her parents to stay far away from. Really, she wished they'd stay the hell away from White Crest altogether, but she'd have to deal with them eventually. Maybe Luce couldn't know about all of that, but she was being understanding enough with the very minimal reasoning provided. She relaxed a little bit, leaning back watching her as she asked if it was about living with her sisters. Her head shook slightly and her brow line scrunched up a bit as she began connecting the dots. "Sisters," she asked, "Wait... Are you Bea and Nell's sister?" She watched waiting for an answer before adding, "Thanks for... well, understanding."

At Celeste’s questioning tone, Luce felt the back of her neck heat bright red in a rare moment of embarrassment. She hadn’t even known that she was related to them. Well fuck. She hadn’t meant to out herself as living with them, or the fact that her sisters were Bea and Nell. But… Fuck, fuck, fuck. Cat was out of the bag now, and it was all her own doing. With a slightly pained sigh, Luce nodded. “Yeah. That’s them.” She said, doing her best to keep her tone neutral. But, it was impossible to keep the faint traces of bitterness entirely from her voice. She hated it when people referred to her as Bea’s younger sister, as Nell’s older sister. Or worse. Nisa’s middle daughter. Ugh. Lifting her beer to her lips, she took a drink, grateful for the distraction. “Of course. I’m not some pushy fratbro, if you say you’re not into it, you’re not into.” She nodded.

It seemed that her sisters may have been an off topic, but Celeste wasn’t quite sure why. She didn’t want to push it. There was the sinking feeling of realizing Luce probably already knew about her. Maybe that wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but it begged the question of why was she here with her to begin with. Though that meant she must also have magic at her disposal and could probably fend for herself. She mulled it over and looked at Luce thoughtfully, “I’m not sure why I didn’t realize that. I’ve technically already been over then.” She realized how bad that sounded the moment she said it, “Wait, not like that. They were helping with some protective things.” That didn’t give too much away. If she knew, she knew. If she didn’t, she probably had a million questions. She could feel the sweat building up in her palms and her heart thumping heavier in her chest. With another sip of beer for good measure, she looked back to Luce, “Thank god, I hate frat boys.”  

“You were at Bea’s house?” Luce echoed, confusion mingling with a slight tinge of ‘oh fuck’ in her voice. She’d checked their group chat before coming out here and it wasn’t as though Celeste was a super common name. Plus, after the debacle where she and Bea thought they’d slept with the same person last year, they’d made a point of adding last names to the list. And, after the Jennifer/Jenn/Jenny debacle, they made it law that they had to add last names. But, when Celeste quickly clarified, the tension eased. “Huh. Okay.” Hang on-- they’d been working on protective things? Celeste knew Ulf, had been looking for him when she’d stopped by with lunch. Was she one of the people he was helping? Rather than dwell on that revelation, Luce began to draw shapes on the folds of the picnic blanket. “For sure, for sure. Frat boys are fucking annoying. Take it from someone who works with them on a nearly weekly basis.” She said with a grin. 

While she didn’t push it, Celeste had the feeling Luce would eventually find out. Her sisters and her boss both knew about her situation. It felt inevitable Luce would eventually find out, but she couldn’t bring herself to explain when it was the last thing she wanted to think about it. More than anything, she wanted the whole situation to just disappear, but there was only one way that would happen. She tried to push the thoughts away. They brought a certain queasiness to her stomach that needed to subside. She took another gulp of beer, hoping it’d help her relax again. She focused on Luce, hands making shapes in the blanket still looking like a dream under the sparkle of the night sky. She masked her sigh with a small laugh, “I’m sure you’ve heard some especially heinous things from them. At least you get to poke them with a needle over and over when they’re being gross. I get the joy of bringing them extra ranch.” She raised her bottle and toasted, “Here’s to hoping for minimal frat boys in our future.”