chiron_survivor: (reporting for duty)
Adia Costas ([personal profile] chiron_survivor) wrote2019-01-04 09:10 pm

A special visitor. ((for [personal profile] rogueinladysclothing))

On the day that Amelia is supposed to visit, Adia spends more time than usual cleaning up the cabin, outpacing even Caspar as she bustles about their tiny home to make sure everything is in its proper place. This is the first time she's having a Nexus friend see where she lives, and she wants it to look its best.

Caspar sweeps the floor methodically. Even a little sluggishly. He's been quieter than usual since the New Year began. Maybe it's because he hasn't a good glass of wine since the Solstice; Seth's attempt at sparkling apple cider didn't go much better than his previous attempts at brandy.

Or maybe it's something else. She's been giving him the chance to tell her in his own time. Regardless, she hopes Amelia's visit will improve his mood.

The coordinates she sends Amelia are not for the inside of the cabin, even though that would be the most cautious. Instead, they teleport her to the garden behind it. It's dormant now, the perennials resting until it's their turn to blossom once more, but there is plenty of evergreen forest further in the distance to give the landscape some color. From this spot, Amelia will get a lovely view of her friends' cabin, made of wood but surprisingly modern in its design, with a slanted roof and a large, open-air patio attached.

"Hi, Amelia," Adia greets her when she arrives. "Welcome to Atlantis."
rogueinladysclothing: (Discussion)

[personal profile] rogueinladysclothing 2019-02-10 02:10 am (UTC)(link)
Adia's eagerness earns a small laugh. "Of course. If you have a brush, it would be good to have on hand in case you accidentally tie knots into your hair." Which she may or may not have done in the past while she was learning... Her smile warms as she reaches over her shoulder and pulls her braid around to the front of her body. With her hair not fully pinned up, its full length can easily be seen. It appears the rogue's thick hair goes over halfway down her torso when it's let down.

"Open hearths and wood burning stoves, mostly," she explains as she removes the ribbon from the end of her hair. As she loosens her braid and begins combing out her tresses, her eyes focus on something that's not on the table in front of them. "My family's home was made from a combination of stone and wood, which helped retain some amount of heat, but kept smaller ovens throughout the house to keep it warm. We also kept the fires going in the living room and kitchen to keep the bedrooms directly above them warmer during the cooler months." She never thought much of it when she lived on Kairn, but it makes sense to her now that she's lived in the Nexus for so long.

Shaking her head a little, she undoes the last few locks of hair making up her braid and smiles at each of her friends in turn. "We also kept rugs on bedroom floors and bought fur lined blankets for our beds. Winter was never really that harsh, though, which I think made it easier for us. We never had to worry about bitterly cold temperatures or ice building up on the roof like towns further inland did."
rogueinladysclothing: (Curious)

[personal profile] rogueinladysclothing 2019-02-11 08:58 pm (UTC)(link)
The comment about her hair gets a small smile. "My mother would chastise me for letting it get so long," she jokes. "A lady should never let her hair be so long as to let it be unmanageable, or some such nonsense." A beat, and she shakes her head a little. "I've always preferred it tied back or pinned up, so I don't mind the extra length." That, and she always prefers to wear her hairpin. It's hard to work with it in braids, though, and so it stayed safely locked away in her apartment for this particular visit.

The bathroom gets a quick glance from Amelia, but her focus is mainly on Caspar as he asks after her world. "Techniques in carpentry must have improved, then. I don't feel a single draft, and that was a commonplace thing even in the most well made houses." She laughs softly as she works out a stray knot in the ends of her hair. "After some reading, I've determined my world's technology most closely relates to that of Renaissance Europe on most versions of Earth. We traveled by ship or by horse, had only a few cannons on city walls for protection, and were still harnessing the power of explosives. Medicine isn't all that advanced either, but blacksmiths were quite well versed. Several of my friends were able to make weaponry from meteorite without any struggles, despite the higher temperatures and extra force required."
rogueinladysclothing: (Playing Along)

[personal profile] rogueinladysclothing 2019-02-12 08:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Amelia can't help but laugh at Adia's story. "Mothers must be similar everywhere in the multiverse. You'd have thought I was the youngest in the family with the way she fawned over my hair for the first few official functions I attended after my father was initiated into the nobility. She only stopped when I came back wearing my hairpin one night after she'd spent almost an hour braiding my hair before sending me and my father off."

She's about to ask about insulation - what did they use in their cabin and was it easy to make? - when the question about the meteorite comes up. The rogue's face turns a little more somber and she shakes her head as she turns her gaze to the unnecessary task of straightening the ribbon from her hair against the table.

"No, there was never any recorded history of meteorites that large before my city was struck by one the size of a large cart. There wasn't any record of four raining from the sky all at the same time either." She sighs and tucks her hands in her lap under the table so she'll stop fidgeting with her ribbon. Come on, Amelia, lift yourself up from the sadness and focus on the weaponry.

"Most of it was kept under lock and key by the city guard, but several of my friends wanted to work with more of it than the small pieces they were able to recover after the city was safe again. I wasn't directly involved with the... acquiring of the stone, but I helped misdirect a few people and get some copies of keys made for them." Her lips tug into a brief smile as she looks up at her friends again. "I honestly wasn't expecting anything from them in return, but the two blacksmiths worked together to make my rapier for me. My hairpin came later when my inventor... friend asked what I wanted for my birthday. It was the first proper piece of jewelry I received as a lady."

...dreams, talking about home and the best and worst parts of it isn't ever going to get easier. Amelia exhales a small, silent breath and then sits up properly again, forcing herself to let go of the pain to focus on the moment.

"I'm not sure how many others were able to get their hands on enough to make weaponry or armor, but my band of five hand plenty between us. Arrow heads, plate mail, a hammer, a rapier, and the sturdiest wrist crossbows I've ever seen." Her smile turns a tough wry, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "Everyone we went against had a right to fear everything we brought to a fight."
rogueinladysclothing: (Rueful Smile)

[personal profile] rogueinladysclothing 2019-02-17 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
The small break to supply Ana with a distraction is a welcome one for Amelia. Her smile softens and she's able to take a slightly less pained breath before Caspar asks about her favored weapon. It's a good question, but it makes the rogue laugh softly.

"There was no way to do something like that on my world," she offers as an explanation for her laughter. "Or if there was, my friends never explained it to me." Her shoulders rise and fall in a half-hearted shrug. Testing for the purity of a material before using it for a blade or armor makes sense, but Amelia's not certain anymore if it makes sense because of what she knows of blacksmithing or because of knowledge she's picked up in the Nexus. Her lips tug into a small frown as she shrugs again. "I never thought to ask after something like that either."

But this is hardly the reason for her visit and they've been distracted long enough from the braiding lessons she promised. Turning to Adia, Amelia manages a small smile as she nods to her friend. "Are you ready for our lesson? It'll be a bit of show and tell, and then a lot of practice so you can get the feel for it while I'm here to offer advice."
rogueinladysclothing: (Hands)

[personal profile] rogueinladysclothing 2019-03-03 10:38 pm (UTC)(link)
"I could," she agrees. Not that she ever thought about doing so ...ever before now, but it's certainly an option in a place as vast and varied as the Nexus. It seems unlikely that she'll ever exercise the option, but there's always a chance it may be of interest enough to have her go out of her way to check. "Maybe someday."

With Adia on board for their lesson, Amelia smiles briefly and then sweeps her hair back over her shoulder. As she settles it down her back, she shifts to give the other woman a better view of her hands. "I'm going to explain what I'm doing as I show you the first time, and then you can give it a try. It may take a few attempts to get the basics, but I'll be here the whole time to help, I promise." It's a skill few take to with ease the first time, but Amelia has confidence that her friend will pick it up without too much trouble.

"To get started with the most basic style of braid," she says after a moment, "you'll need to separate your hair into three separate sections. Each should be as close to the same width as the other two." She pauses for a moment to demonstrate, taking a few extra seconds to show how she checks to size of each section and how she judges one against another. "Once you feel good about that, pull each section tight, and begin pulling the outside locks of hair over the one in the center, switching the side you pull from each time. Keep your hair pulled tight as you do this to avoid the braid twisting in on itself or turning over part way down." As she explains, the rogue's hands work effortlessly to weave her hair into a tight, perfectly symmetric plait down her back. She takes care to go slowly for Adia's sake, but as she nears the end of her braid, she pulls her hair over her left shoulder with one hand and turns to face her friend with a smile.

"When you get to the end," she continues, "you can decide how far down you want your braid to go. You can weave your hair until the very bottom, or you can stop a few inches up. It's all a matter of preference." She smiles, and then takes the end of her hair in one hand as she takes up her ribbon to tie off her plait with a neat little bow. "Make sure you pull your ribbon tight, and the braid will stay in place without trouble." Of course, Amelia realizes she makes it look very easy with how much practice she has, but she knows that everyone could do as well if they'd had as many years of practice as she has.

After checking over her work and giving her ribbon one last tug, she smiles at Adia. "Ready to give it a try?"
rogueinladysclothing: (Shy Smile)

[personal profile] rogueinladysclothing 2019-03-07 10:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Amelia allows her friend to work in peace, wanting to see how Adia works before she offers any tips. When the woman finishes with her braid, the rogue smiles.

"Pretty good," she says earnestly. "The start of your braid is a little loose, but that's a trouble many people have. Be sure to keep a tight hold on each lock of hair as you pull them into place and, with a little practice, you'll be able to do it without having to think about it." And that is the true sign of any master, as far as Amelia's concerned.

She hesitates for a moment, fidgeting with the ribbon in her hair before asking, "Did you want to try again? Or would you like to see something else? I have a few other styles I could teach you if you'd like something a little more complicated to show off."
rogueinladysclothing: (Subtle Grin)

[personal profile] rogueinladysclothing 2019-03-11 09:16 pm (UTC)(link)
If the teasing between her friends means something more, Amelia doesn't pick up on it. Friends and lovers tease each other all the time, from what she's been able to glean from watching others in their successful relationships, so the rogue assumes it's just that. It's not like she has any experience to lend her further insights here.

She is, however, quite impressed by how quickly Caspar takes up the task of braiding Adia's hair. His precision makes it seem as if he's had practice before, but she has a feeling it's not that. Whatever the case may be, the finished braid earns a pleased smile from her.

"Well done," she tells him, a hint of surprise and pride in her voice. Given how well both of her students have taken to braiding, Amelia can't help but be proud of the work they've done. "I'll have you doing braid crowns before the end of the night if this is how well you take to the most basic braid. Adia's hair will never be anything less than fashionable if she lets you take care of it for her."

As she lets down her own hair again, Amelia makes a mental note to find a book of braids for the couple. She has a feeling they'll both enjoy it after these first braids.

"Now, who gets to try the next one?" she teases, setting down her ribbon on the table. "I promise to make it more of a challenge for both of you."
rogueinladysclothing: (Casual)

[personal profile] rogueinladysclothing 2019-03-15 03:36 am (UTC)(link)
Adia's excitement is infectious, and Amelia returns it with a bright smile. "All right, the next braid I'll teach you is a variation on what I've heard is called a french braid. This one starts at the front of your head, comes down the side, and then pulls across the back. It's great for sweeping your hair fully out of the way while you're doing work that requires your full attention and without your hair distracting you."

What follows over the next several minutes is a detailed demonstration of how to begin a french braid. Amelia begins the braid several times over to go over various details, her tone and temperament patient through all of the questions and restarts. She reminds both her students to keep the hair pulled tight as they weave the hair, but makes special note of places where it shouldn't be pulled as tight to avoid issues further into the braid.

In the end, the rogue pulls her braid gracefully over her left shoulder, tying it off with her ribbon before turning her full attention back to her friends. "I know this one is much more complicated, but how do you feel about giving it a try? I can demonstrate again first if that would help."
rogueinladysclothing: (Subtle Grin)

[personal profile] rogueinladysclothing 2019-03-21 04:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Amelia's happy to see Adia take to this lesson so quickly, and quite impressed that this latest braid is even better than the first. It's unexpected development that the rogue appreciates, as it means Adia won't have any trouble picking up future styles when they next sit down for more lessons.

The end of the braid is a challenge Amelia hadn't anticipated, though. With her own hair as long as it is, there's never a chance for her finish off a braid in the way Adia's looking for now. "You can weave the end back into the hair you have pulled tight at the bottom. If it doesn't stay well, you can also use a small pin to keep it in place." A beat, and Amelia digs around in her pockets for a moment before producing a small plastic case with a few bobby pins in it. She offers it to Adia with a smile after popping it open. "I have more at my apartment, so if you don't have any, you can have these." They're not quite the right color for Adia's hair, but they'll do the job they're meant to.

As Adia finishes with her hair, Amelia turns a playful look up at Caspar. "You'll probably need a few of those with various braid crowns. A well weaved ribbon can also be used in some cases, but it's very style dependent. I'll have to teach a few so you have options even when you don't have all of these supplies with you." Why, is the rogue appealing to Caspar's need to make his girl feel pretty? The likely answer is yes.
rogueinladysclothing: (Surprise)

[personal profile] rogueinladysclothing 2019-03-29 05:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Watching her friends be so tender with one another makes the rogue smile, even with her heart tugging painfully at the thought of how she screwed up her chance at something similar. It's a thought she doesn't want to have, no matter the circumstances that bring it up, and so she focuses instead of untying the ribbon in her hair and slowly unweaving her own braid.

"Of course you can keep them," she confirms, not quite able to meet her friend's gaze as she says it. "They're easy to come by in the Nexus and I rarely find a use for them. I'd rather you have them than take them back to set them in a drawer where they'll only gather dust." A truth, at least, though it's offered purely to keep her mind occupied and away from those thoughts that always seem to drown her in sorrow.

As she finishes loosening the last few strands from her braid, she fully looks up to check over Caspar's work. Whether it's because of his Cylon nature or something else entirely, Amelia can't help but be impressed by his braiding skills. He could make a large sum of money every day with hands as fast and practiced as the ones he has.

"I don't know if I have anything I could teach Caspar at this point," she teases gently. "I show him something once and he jumps ahead of it without any need for my help. At this rate, he'll be finding new styles and teaching me." Maybe not, but it's hard to tell. Caspar has progressed so quickly that Amelia is honestly astounded by everything's he's accomplished. It feels more and more unlikely that she'll have anything she can offer even as advice to him by the end of the night if he keeps up at this pace.
rogueinladysclothing: (Sassy)

[personal profile] rogueinladysclothing 2019-04-08 04:41 pm (UTC)(link)
"They'd have to be stronger than picks or better than magic to beat my current setup," she jokes right back. The idea has certainly been brought up to Amelia before, but she still has yet to try it. Maybe someday she'll get around to it, when she can find a door to try on that won't get her in trouble when she opens it that is.

Watching Adia make a dash for the bathroom makes Amelia smile, but not so much as that fond look on Caspar's face. It's sweet to see him so enraptured by her, even as it also tugs at her heart in a way she doesn't like. "There's plenty of videos available to teach you new styles when I'm not around," she counters. "I don't have any saved that I could show you on my phone right now, but they're very easy to find. The library also has a large section of books on hairstyles from time periods across many different worlds if you'd prefer those."

She's found a lot of random things in the library during her hours of searching for new books for research. If Caspar is surprised then Adia clearly hasn't told him how often they meet up in the library or the number of times she's run into the rogue with a new set of books in her arms.

"No matter how you choose to find new styles, I think you'll find your partner always willing to let you try them out." She winks at Caspar to confirm her teasing, then looks up as Adia return to the table. "So, what do you think of this particular style? I might be out of a job at this rate if you like Caspar's version better than mine," she teases.
rogueinladysclothing: (Happy Smile)

[personal profile] rogueinladysclothing 2019-04-11 08:58 pm (UTC)(link)
She laughs heartily at both of them refuting her thoughts about Caspar. Despite coming to teach the both of them about braiding today, Amelia's going home with a lot of knowledge on her own. Knowing more about her friends is always a good thing, though.

"I'll have to keep showing him all the best styles, then," she jokes with another laugh. "I'll have to spend some time brushing up on all the styles my mother taught me. It's been so long since I've had anyone to use them on and I'm not certain I can do a few of them on myself. The more complicated crowns and braids are difficult to do without being able to see everything I'm doing."

Guess that means she'll have to come over again or have the two of them over to her new place, not that anyone will likely mind. Amelia smiles at the thought and then motions to Adia with a hand.

"Did you want to learn any others tonight? I have a few more that would be fairly easy to teach you since you picked up the last braid so quickly." A beat and she gives a small shrug of her shoulders. "If not, I have some more research to do so I have new material for the next time we meet for braiding practice."

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[personal profile] rogueinladysclothing - 2019-04-12 21:03 (UTC) - Expand