LOCATION: duchess' place FOR: @dechagrin

It wasn't late, but Duchess was an early riser. She was already winding down, cozied in her robe in front of the television, halfway through Les Émotifs Anonymes when she heard someone at the door. A delivery driver at the wrong address, perhaps? Or the new pallet she'd ordered arriving early? She certainly did not expect to be face to face with her eldest when the door opened. "Toulouse!" The very instant a smile began to spread — it dropped. Catching herself, she tried not to let the dread show in her eyes, her thoughts practically etched into the worry lines on her forehead. If this was another emergency... oh, in all honesty, she wasn't sure she could handle it. "Is everything alright?"

closed: @dechagrin location: evermore museum & gallery

a building holding hundreds of the paintings and statues and artifacts humans have made is more than ariel could have ever dreamed of – all so well preserved, too, unlike the rusted remnants at the seafloor that she never was able to see as they were intended to be seen. she's been here for hours by now, lingering in quiet awe as she inspects one piece of art after another, eyes tracing every brush stroke and gradient before her.

(she traced the first painting she saw with her actual finger, but after a stern talking to by the security guard, she definitely won't be doing that again.)

currently, her gaze is ensnared by a scene depicting something so familiar: a mermaid. she doesn't look exactly like how she knows actual mermaids to look, but the shimmering tail is close enough to evoke an ache of homesickness in her chest, to force her to linger on this piece of art for even longer than the rest.

with her attention so focused on the painting, she hardly notices when someone stands near her – how long has he been here? how long has she been looking at this one painting?

"oh, hi!" she smiles, offering a hand to shake as she's seen so many humans do. "i'm ariel." is this a good time to introduce herself? do humans socialize in museums, or just look at the art? it doesn't matter; it's too late to question it now.

the bonfamille family really embraces the whole being from the city of love part don't they

they really do put the FRENCH in french kissing, don't they ?? is it like a birthright to be a tasteless whore... or...??

god help whoever is created from them as a result... that bloodline is fucking cursed.

@ladamemarie @jazzykitten @dechagrin