Covered In The Colors

[Lucy Serrano]

Interruption rattled the moment between them, whatever it was supposed to be. Lucy listened to the small exchange as she tried to catch her breath. It wasn't easy. Fighting wasted time as much as everything else had.

She thought to reach out. She thought to do it definitely, too. Fingertips just barely grazed the arm still connected with the bed until it was finally and she was finally standing. Still, Lucy was bring stared at. Every inch of a beginning was hers to make.

Lucy sat up, dropping her eyes to her hands as they worked the button and zip of her own jeans. "Those should last tomorrow, too, if you're careful." She started. Of all things she could have said, it was probably the worst. Or the best. Lucy was trying to gauge what wasn't and wasn't to be talked about here; "So, you probably won't see me unless something happens."

[Penelope Blaise]

Her back straightened, stiff with sore muscles but her posture was perfect as ever. Hands pressed to the leggings she wore, easing nonexistent wrinkles out of the tight fabric to keep her hands busy. Still shirtless, she hadn't tried to hide anything. Given the amount of thoughts running through her mind, she looked confident. She practically owned it.

Until she spoke. The smallest amount of pressure pushed Penny's lips together, forming a tight, thin line between them. And then she turned, heading back towards the front of the trailer where they had been originally working. With her back to the artist, she could see the physical damage done to her back if she wished. For the actress, she was practically oblivious to it other than the residual aching in her shoulders.

"I will need them touched up." She spoke as if she already knew. She did already know.

[Lucy Serrano]

With distance in place, another connection seemed impossible. Lucy watched the way she was left alone, and her own eyes immediately landed on the marks she left on the perfect notions of the Brit's body. She got up a second later, determined not to stay on the bed where she wasn't wanted.

"Planning on playing rough, are you?" Lucy asked, that little sliver of her own humour shining through the words with ease. She knew these kinds of stencils were designed to last long enough to pay the artist less in billable hours. "Okay." She replied anyway with a shrug. So she'd be back tomorrow, it seemed. She didn't ask for elaboration.

"I wouldn't show anyone your back, by the way." Lucy pointed out, keeping her eyes glued to the belongings she was packing up.

[Penelope Blaise]

Creating distance seemed like the best tactic deemed possible. She spoke as if she were ready to leave, and that hardly wore well on the actress. But her tone was met with humor, and even she could pick up on the meaning behind those words given back to her. It drew a quirk of her eyebrows out of the Brit, but she didn't dare let them be seen.

Instead, she began to reach for her shirt, though not before catching the tail end of what she had to say. It caught her attention enough to turn, back facing the mirror as she glanced over her shoulder.

Surely enough, red lines creased into her skin, deep enough to leave lasting marks. She didn't look surprised, but the corner of her mouth twitched as she hauled her shirt back on. "You won't tell anyone this happened." She offered next, though it was more of a demand than a request at all.

[Lucy Serrano]

As she caught the newfound words offered to her, Lucy took time to consider them. It was truly a wanted statement; something said with a kind of demand for the positive, not a request for the negative. She certainly wasn't asking Lucy to tell people; she was searching for discretion in a situation where she wasn't sure if she would be granted it without a kind of pressure.

"I got no plans to brag." Lucy admitted. After all, she didn't see much to brag about. That sounded genuine from her adopted tone. Being serious wasn't her Forte, but she could wear it when necessary.

It was a sorry sight to see her throw her shirt back on again. A transformed sleeve was all it took to alter the look of someone who made money off that sort of thing. Lucy only glanced at her once before closing the lid on every other drawing brought. "I wouldn't get anything outta talking, and neither would you." So in effect, it worked out perfectly to keep her mouth shut. She had every intention of doing so, threat or no.

[Penelope Blaise]

She had no intention of bragging, though plenty would at the opportunity to. There were a handful of celebrity journalist that would pay to have a conversation about it with the Australian. Clearly, the artist carried some sense of morality or was too stupid to realize. Penny - harsh as she was - was sure it was the latter of the two, given the woman's grammar.

And it seemed confirmed when she stated there was nothing to gain by talking; the Brit didn't disagree, if only for her own sake. When she turned to look at her again, she was packing up.

Drawing a hand up through her hair, she exhaled. Annoyed. "You have no plans." Penny corrected, like she were scolding her with a teacher's tone.

[Lucy Serrano]

Slow, careful hands removed the last of what tools Lucy brought with her. Applying stencils to a form with simple landmarks made replication an easy dream; she didn't dare suggest that she take photos for reference given how strict this girl seemed over her own reputation. It made sense anyway.

But the correction did have her scoffing as she fought back a laugh. It wasn't the time to laugh. Better saved for later when she wouldn't get killed for it.

"Whatever, love," She declared, nonchalant as she could be, "It's all the same to me."

And Lucy then turned to face her without a word or a sound. Just a daring glance at her lips with her own belongings in hand. The means to end whatever this encounter was landed rightfully in the bosses corner.

[Penelope Blaise]

Compared to moments before, the space between them was vast. It put the actress on edge. With as much of a front she knew she could give, she still felt strained. Her fingers twitched against her legs as she watched the artist pack up the rest of her belongings. Quick to leave, and despite her words, Penny had no doubt she would be running to the press. A crack in her reputation would come with a hefty compensation.

She blamed her irritation on the thought, rather than her own actions. Eyes narrowed as her eyebrows furrowed when the Australian spoke again.

"I am not your love." She corrected again, only this time a bit more harshly. She took a step closer, if only to gain some sort of authority now that she'd slipped. "Therefore, do not refer to me as it."

[Lucy Serrano]

There was an undeniable stint of pride from Lucy as she stood before the actress who had brushed her off earlier that day. She couldn't help the way it felt to be essentially rushed out of the trailer she was all-but asked to come back to tomorrow. These were things to keep hold of despite the way she was looked at now. Tension seemed to rock her form, whereas Lucy at least managed to be as settled as she could be.

But all this? This was too good.

Rather than engross herself in a fight, Lucy reached out with her free hand. She let her fingers brush against the palm of her hand, like she was trying to be daring enough to hold it without actually making the jump. Her thumb brushed across her knuckles if granted the chance.

"Okay." She reasoned instead. She could have made any number of jokes, but she didn't. Instead, she'd the strip evidently ill-fitting nickname from her vocabulary.

[Penelope Blaise]

In part, Penny was expecting some sort of fight over her harsh tone. At the very least, a sort of humored remark, given the forward nature she had spoken prior. Instead, there was nothing, or as close as nothing as she believed the artist could manage to give.

Her hand was taken in part, and the actress let her have it. The thumb brushing across her knuckles was gentle, as stark contrast from the way she knew those nails could dig into her skin. The way they literally had done so.

Her eyes lowered. "What are you trying to gain through this?" She asked finally, and with her exhale, Penny had briefly lost her aggression. There was more curiosity in her features. Desperation to learn, even.

[Lucy Serrano]

It surprised Lucy to know that she could make contact with a seemingly vicious creature and come out of it unscathed. There were no demands or harsh requests now, just a simple question that deserved a decent answer.

"I'm not looking for anything." Lucy replied simply. She doubted people in her position had ever really caught those words from someone who genuinely meant it. Even if she sounded genuine - and she truly did - that wasn't worth much in a world full of expert liars.

She squeezed the hand she barely held, securing it for a few spare seconds before ultimately letting go completely. Though she liked the contact, she was already learning not to push; "Bye." She gave with the raise of her hand and the smallest wave in tandem with a necessary back step.

[Penelope Blaise]

With her hand taken, Penny curled her fingers around those that squeezed her own. It was light - a flicker of pressure - but it existed, and with purpose. A reminder that her hand was only taken because she wanted it that way. Yet her breathless nature and stiff posture gave away its own message, whether she was aware of it or not.

Because she hadn't been stage kissing her.

She didn't want to look desperate, but she absolutely was. She held her breath, if only to keep her from speaking, as the artist exited. Otherwise she might have considered stopping her. There was no reason to find interest in the artist, yet her attention was captured. Penny forced herself to turn, walking back to her chair.

"I will see you tomorrow."