Covered In The Colors

[Penelope Blaise]

A new film, a new set, and a new crew. It was all standard practice for the British film star who made it in Hollywood. What was new, however, was the character Penelope Blaise chose to portray. Tattooed. Her agent insured it would be well worth her time to take up the part - she had practically pushed the script into Penelope's hands, and much to her satisfaction, the Brit actually liked it.

Of course, there was no way a needle would go near her skin, but instead something less permanent would give for a convincing effect. It called for an artist to be brought in. One to recreate the image over her skin every day for weeks. It wasn't something that concerned her - just another simple step in the several needed to prepare any given shot.

"When they said gay icon, I was hardly expecting it to be the headline." Penny sighed into the phone, pinching the bridge of her nose. There was little she could do about it now that the published magazine was sitting atop her script. Sitting in the trailer waiting for this tattoo artist to arrive, she shook her head at her own face on the cover. On the other side of the line, her agent sounded a bit more upbeat about the news. "Couldn't they have gone for something with a little more class?" No, of course not. "I don't care if it's good publicity."

When the door opened, Penelope paid no attention to the person walking through it, instead working to wrap up her conversation with her agent before eventually dragging the phone away from her ear and dismissing the call.

[Lucy Serrano]

It was important to know that Lucy had done this before. It was not the first time in a city like this that someone had called on someone with such a personalised skill set for the very same work she was about to do. The greatest plus side was that it paid so well. And here, that kind of money was worth just about everything.

Out of her own interest, the Australian caught the familiar face on the front of the magazine when she passed the teller this morning. With bright bold words like those in her face, how could she not? It was an easy read as she took transport to the set, and in her own eyes, it was incredibly funny. She mightn't have ever worked with this particular individual before, but people in this industry talked. And though every word was a grain of salt, they eventually added up when they all pointed towards the same kind of attitude.

With a magazine still in her possession, Lucy allowed herself to be pointed in the right direction. She kept the material tucked under her arm as she knocked on the particular door to get no answer. Okay. That was fine. She figured she should just open it. And there was a woman sitting on the phone who didn't look at her.

Without a word, equal as it were, the Australian placed the only other item she brought with her - a decent sized wooden case that practically resembled a briefcase - on the available surface nearby. Dark hair immediately fell over her shoulder to cloud one side of her face as she popped locks on either side of the case.

[Penelope Blaise]

It was only when Penelope had ended the phone call did she even bother to look at the individual who answered. Though she hadn't met her before, the Brit had to assume this was the artist in question. Dark eyes inspected her briefly through the mirror, but a wall of dark locks kept anything significant hidden entirely. So she placed her phone on the magazine in her lap, setting it on top of the space in front of her. Away but unfortunately not forgotten.

Without any of this woman's features to focus on, her gaze worked down the form and eventually towards the case. Of course a tattoo artist would have experience under a gun, even if her art was less than permanent.

Eventually, the actress caught sight of the very magazine that she had pushed away. Her lips formed a hardened line at the sight of it, tilting her chin upwards and focusing back on a face she couldn't actually see. If anyone should know not to judge a person on their appearance, it was an actress, but Penelope Blaise was hardly normal for her status.

"You don't look like an individual that often reads." She pointed out dryly.

[Lucy Serrano]

Some people amidst this process were friendly. They were inviting because they had to be. Lucy had to invade their space and while that wasn't overly pleasant for anyone at an initial glance, it was an unavoidable fact. She earned a certain stint of grace, and it usually earned her a respectable place in someone's mind. And a stint in an unfamiliar, well placed bed if she - or really, they - were lucky.

But this was different. Not even a greeting and she was already digging heels into the artist. It forced her to breathe a laugh as she dragged the top up, revealing various transferable prints in their perfect vibrant colours.

"When you've got the city's newest and hottest icon in your chair, you make exceptions." She replied, the corner of her mouth cracking a grin instinctively at her own choice of words. Of course, largely derived from the print she'd been caught sporting. Tracking fingers through her hair, she tilted her attention towards her, letting dark eyes rest on the blank expression likely given.

[Penelope Blaise]

Australian. Penelope picked up the accent even before those humored words could settle in her ears. In her line of businews, it was no surprise that this woman wasn't the first Australianecessary she'd met, but that hardly changed her opinion on the convicts originally booted from her home country.

She let out a sharp breath when the artist all but quoted the text she carried.

"Don't have any great expectations." She replied with a tilt of her chin upwards. The actress had been all but looking through this woman until she finally caught her face.

Her lips pursed a ltitle more tightly.

"Do you need my shirt off?"

[Lucy Serrano]

Catching her eyes briefly, Lucy allowed the contact to linger as she stated into an equally dark set. She'd seen this woman dozens of times - both in print and on the big screen - but everyone was different in person. Few rarely deserved the concept of pictures not doing them justice.

Fast words caught her attention before she'd even been able to look through what designs in particular she was set to use. She supposed on some level an opinion could be shared, but really, this woman was just the canvas. Famous or not, she didn't totally get a say, did she?

"How about a; Hello, my name is Penelope Blaise. It's very nice to meet you, Lucy Serrano, I'm sure we'll work well together." She tried, shrugging her shoulders and doing her best to keep pressure on her lips so they wouldn't crack a knowing grin. But she was never good at it.

The corner of her mouth pulled; "And then you can take your clothes off for me."

[Penelope Blaise]

Something about this woman immediately bothered Penelope. It was no unknown fact that in this industry, the Brit wasn't the easiest individual to get along with. She was quick to jump to business, and there was little room for social formalities. At least, not when she was already bothered.

That grin only made it worse as Penelope sat up straighter in her seat. She was aware she was being rude, but it was certainly better than putting up some false pretense.

"It's a pleasure, Miss Serrano." Penelope tried regardless, though there was something flat in her tone. There often was when a camera pointed at her. Still, there was use in trying, on some level, if only for the fact that she would be dealing with this person for weeks on end.

"Why did you pick that magazine up?"

[Lucy Serrano]

The last thing Lucy really expected was any attempt at an actual conversation. She heard plenty stories of a rude attitude or complete cold behaviour, and as such she was ready for it. She was practically trying to advance herself above that kind of a shot to get ahead before it could take point.

Her tone was flat, but she kind of tried. It surprised Lucy until she was asked a question; that only made her think niceties were a way to earn something back. "Well, y'know, I like to do my research, strained as I am to try to read at all." She replied, shrugging her shoulders as she played a prior shot taken at her expense.

"Your kit off, please." She said then, her tone straining over the polite word tacked to the end of it. She didn't mean it. She never did, and that fact was always obvious.

[Penelope Blaise]

Penelope was quick to be caught; simple civility wasn't something she was actively known for unless she wanted something. But frankly, it worked in this industry. Curiosity had caught her mind, and perhaps it was because she was already stressed that she made an attempt at all. She tilted her chin up at the lackluster explanation given to her. It wasn't impressive.

As far as niceties went, this woman seemingly struggled with the basics. She could hear the false way it passed, even if buried behind an unbearable accent.

"Only an idiot would give a magazine actual substance." Penelope pointed out dully, irritation quickly sparking in the base of her throat. "Their job is to exploit and exaggerate, not to actually inform their audience." There was little real information she gave to the press - or, at least, real enough to be considered personal. This instance was only through an accident, at best.

She stood, fingers precisely reaching for the bottom most button of her blouse. "Take your research as a grain of salt." When the Brit reached the last button, she shrugged it off, folding it neatly before setting it aside.

[Lucy Serrano]

As Lucy found herself being lectured, her expression likely said it all. She was relatively unaffected by the series of statements thrown her way, as if she needed such a thing to be explained to her in the first place. Experience around the industry or not, surely these things had to be common sense.

Drawing the proverbial magazine away, she finally let it settle on the counter nearby. All it took was a sidelong glance for her to catch the way hands worked a series of buttons with precision.

"Did you or did you not just turn down a major movie role because you couldn't play it straight?" Lucy asked her, indicating briefly to the text she'd just abandoned with her eyes before she looked back again. "And weren't you proud of it? Cause they really highlighted how satisfied you were with that choice." Which wasn't a bad thing, and if nothing else, Lucy couldn't really indicate that it was.

[Penelope Blaise]

With her shirt removed, the actress ducked her thumbs into the band of her pants, running around the waist before she withdrew her hands and sat back down. They were rarely comfortable for her to wear when she favored dresses, but switching in and out of wardrobe it was simply easier to wear leggings.

When she sat, she crossed her legs, hands resting in her lap. She didn't look amused.

"I didn't turn the roll down because I couldn't play a heterosexual." Penelope corrected finally. Her attention shifted to the mirror, but she still watched the artist through the reflective surface. "I'm actively choosing not to." Was she proud? Admittedly, yes. There was something satisfying about being begged to play a role, and then to still turn it down.

"I have standards."

[Lucy Serrano]

The way in which things were worded was everything in her line of work. As Lucy listened, she shifted the nearest available chair to face in her direction when she finally sat. For whatever reason, she felt the need to explain everything to Lucy - or perhaps just correct what she had assumed - and if nothing else surely she had to give her someone who was willing to listen.

Pride practically beamed through her voice the entire time. Lucy thought to laugh, but she settled for an amused smirk instead as she stole the seat she'd only just moved.

She took her hand with no warning, making an immediate connection. A second later, she lightly pressed her free hand against her forearm. Her palm was slow to track the skin, back and forth.

"Do you?" She asked, and was a beat late to explain herself; "Have high standards."

[Penelope Blaise]

Her hand was taken without warning, and it took Penny by surprise. With the unexpected connection, her fingers curled around the artist's hand. The moment realization caught her, Penelope made a quick correction and loosened her hold entirely, opening her palm for ease of access. She was used to being handled in an almost object like fashion. It was normal. Practically an every day occurrence.

Strangely enough, this time she didn't feel like an object being worked on.

Her eyebrows quirked upwards, and it took the actress a beat to even make the connection after it was given to her. Her gaze had transfixed on the hand that pressed gently to her arm, and it took a little too much effort to look back up. When she had, her lips pressed together tightly.

"Yes."

[Lucy Serrano]

The answer given was exactly what Lucy had expected. It didn't require any kind of questioning for the Australian to know this woman carried herself in such high regard. It also didn't take a magazine to pick the fact up either, but a single interview certainly helped gather the appropriate intel.

"That's a shame." Lucy replied, almost absently. Or rather, it harboured the kind of sense that detailed how she didn't need to explain herself further. A shame was surely enough of an explanation. But the lightest brush of her thumb continued to track back and forth across her arm for another second before she forced herself to let go again.

[Penelope Blaise]

A shame. Penelope tilted her chin upward at the word. It was a statement that did explain itself, but the British woman still felt an overt need for an explanation. Like the response given was too obvious to carry any potential truth. Her lips parted while she considered asking, but with an inhale she chose to lean back in her seat instead.

"I'm sure it is for some." Penelope offered confidently instead, eyes drawing shut. With the connection severed, or at least in part, she felt herself ease back. It was simply another day of business, after all.

But relaxing wasn't entirely an option, or at least, it didn't feel possible as her lips remained pursed as tightly as ever. "That's rather bold of you to say, considering your position here."