2012-10-31 Halloween At Home

The trip home from Metropolis is a blissfully uneventful affair and Selina gets home from Shadowcrest in no time at all. She finds herself grateful for that fact as the events that took place still has her shaken and she is in dire need of a bath and some bubbly, things she indulges in as soon as she gets home and in no small amount. By the time the soak is over she's feeling a bit less freaked out (and perhaps a tiny bit tipsy) but while her nerves have settled she finds herself lonely instead, that prompting her to pick up her phone and look through her list of contacts.
Halloween is often very chaotic in Gotham, meaning Batman will most likely be unavailable and many of her other friends are probably out enjoying the evening in a form of a party or similar affair. One name stands out on her list of numbers, someone who she has been meaning to give a ring to long before now and Kyle's given a ring. If he picks up an invitation to come over to her place is extended, complete with pizza, beer and a movie if he is free and up for a small road trip.
Road trip? Sure. Road trip. Normally, Kyle'd drive. But who drives in New York? And moreover, Gotham's not exactly a short subway ride.
Long and short, Kyle flew. Suppressing the glowing green arc of his contrail, the Green Lantern hurled his way across the moon's face during Samhain, completing the hour-long trip in less than ten minutes.
Landing a block away, he quickly dons his civilian clothing and starts hiking to the address listed.
A brief spat with a doorman over solictors, a ring, and a long elevator ride, he stands at Selina's door. Squaring his shoulders, he takes a breath and juggles his supplies, camera, and bag onto the left side of his body, and knocks twice on the door.
"Coming..." comes Selina's voice from the other side of the door, the same door that's opened just moments later. Selina's dressed comfily in a midriff-baring tee of black and a baggy pair of sweats, the pants a lighter shade of ebon that her top. "You are a sight for sore eyes," she says sincerely, her eyes bright and her smile warm. "Come on in... do you need help with anything?"
When the door is swung open a table set up along an interior wall can be seen as well as a bowl of candy but she mustn't be expecting a lot of children as it is fairly small in size. "We will need to order the pizza but the beer's in the fridge if you'd like one now while wating for dinner."
"Thanks," Kyle says, flashing a grin. "Nice to see you too." He walks in, glancing around the apartment. Kyle's clearly a bit overdressed for this- he's wearing nice slacks and a dress shirt. He sets down his portable equipment and starts glancing around the area, making mental notes. "This is a nice place you have," he offers, looking around the penthouse. "Really nice. Just you and the, uh, kitty?" he asks.
As Kyle looks around the subject of the evening comes strolling in, a pretty white Persian who seems to own the place if her lofty, royal-like aire is any indication. The guest is looked at and given a mew, Isis sounding wary, and then the cat starts to twine herself around Selina's ankles. Grinning, she picks her up and pets her, causing the cat to purr. "Yeah, it's just us gals," she murmurs, answering Kyle while chuckling, the light laughter brought about when her feline companion nuzzles up under her chin. "Is there anything you need help with, Kyle?"
No, I don't think so," he says a bit distantly, still looking around the room. "So, I'm just going to set up in a corner," he says, nodding at a space near the edge of the penthouse. "I'm going to take a few pictures for reference, then do some sketches of the space. You know- get a feel for it," he says, giving her a grin. "Then I'll get some shots of the kitty here, you can decide where you'd like to sit or how, and I'll knock out some 'set' sketches. It'll take me about an hour, at the outside." He kneels down and starts unpacking, removing a portable easel, some graphite pencils, and a camera. "Just pretend I'm not here. Cats know when they're being photographed," he says with a conspiratorial wink.
This is a first for Selina and Isis both and they watch the artist, Sel's expression as curious as the cat's is. "Alright. I'll let you do your thing while I order dinner, then. What do you like on your pizza?" She puts Isis down who immediately goes over to where Kyle's crouched, her tail swaying behind her as she sniffs at him and then his belongings. "Be nice, Isis," Selina says with a slightly chiding tone to her voice. That causes the cat to meow as if saying 'yes, mother, I'll be good'. Of course she doesn't exactly behave, Isis instead making herself in home on one of Kyle's belongings.
"Who'sa good kitty," Kyle croons, picking Isis up with a delicate touch. He gives her a little momentum away from his pile of gear and finishes setting things up. "Anything's fine," he assures her. "As long as it's not sardines. Or olives." He takes out a camera and starts panning it around the room, apparently at random, finger tapping silently on the picture button.
Isis gives Kyle a little indignant 'hmmph', a sound that is followed by a mew when she sees her human wander into the kitchen, phone in hand. "Yes... I would like..." Selina's voice drifts off for a moment as she feeds the kitty, that being the last Kyle should be hindered by the feline overlord until dindin is over. "... sorry. A large pizza with artichokes, prosciutto... yes. That would be good. Thank you. Drinks? Oh, we have that covered. Thank you." Her credit card info is given and then the phone is hung up just before Selina returns, her hands occupied by two bottles of beer, one of which is offered to Kyle. "Will be here in thirty."
"Thanks." Kyle takes a sip of the beer, which is presumably brought to him already opened. "So how long have you been living in the city?" he asks conversationally, sitting down at the low, lap-level easel. He starts flickering a pencil over the canvas, glancing up at the room's dimensions for confirmation of his movements.
Selina watches at the same time she tries very hard not to be intrusive, taking position just behind and to the left of Kyle while he draws. "I've been here all my life," she answers just before the first sip of her beer. "Used to live in the east side of the city until I... well, you know. Until I was able to move here." Yes, Selina Kyle came into her money instead of being born into it like so many of the social elite. "What about you? Where are you from?"
Isis comes back in from the kitchen and sits herself somewhere nearby, placed so that she can keep an eye on him as he sketches while washing her face daintily.
"I'm from LA," Kyle says easily, sketching out the interior. A rough but clear image of the penthouse starts to come into life- emphasis on artwork, on the lines and circles of the place. Important pieces of furniture and artwork get sketched in early as the dimensions of the room come to life.
He glances over his shoulder and grins at Selina. "Miss Kyle, please. I'm here to get a sense of /you/," he says, shurugging his shoulders at the room in front of them. "Move around. Watch TV. I'm here as a professional, not a guest. This time, anyway," he says with another wry grin.
"Hmmm? Oh, right. I forgot you're here to work," comes the casually quipped reply, the words spoken just as Sel begins to wander about the room. Despite it being Halloween there are no knocks on the door so far, allowing for the two to speak without interruption at the same time she goes about business as usual.
A remote is picked up and the television turned on, already tuned onto one of those channels that have 24/7 movies on. Looks like tonight's selection is some kind of horror flick. "I haven't made it out to the west coast nearly as much as I would like to say I have..." She gives Isis a quick glance, making sure the queen of the penthouse is being good. "If I ever get out that way again I'll have to pick your brains for places to go to."
"I guess that depends on what you like to do for recreation," Kyle says, glancing up from his easel. He shifts to a different part of the small canvas, glancing at Isis as Her Majesty sits still for a few moments. "Me, I loved the gallerias and stuff. I used to help out at the LA Contemporary Art Center when I was an undergrad. Did some volunteer work, painting murals, that kind of thing." He grins to himself. "Did a few road trips to Portland and Seattle for art openings. Portland... crazy town," he mutters.
Selina finds a spot on the couch to curl up on, paying much more mind to Kyle than she is whatever it is that's on the screen. Not every day she gets to watch an artist at work, after all. Especially one who is as handsome as he is. "I have a love for art myself," she says as she motions at a few framed pieces of art that are hung here and there. All are older, what might have been considered 'contemporary' at the turn of the 20th century, all paintings that fit with the feel of the penthouse. The mention of Portland gets her to lift a brow, Selina now curious. "Crazy? How so?"
"Uh," Kyle hedges, looking at the ceiling, "it's not /all/ bad... but the Boehemian District is where all the art school refugees and 'performance artists' congregate." He shakes his head and goes back to sketching, glancing sidelong at Selina as he moves to a different part of the canvas. "And they all try to one-up one another for shock value or 'creativity'. So it gets kind of out of hand with nudists and body artists trying to look cool in front of building-sized murals and street musicians."
In reality... In /her/ reality, that is... Portland doesn't really sound any more crazy than her own world. Perhaps even less so. Nudists and competing artists are tame compared to the level of crazy she experiences almost daily. But that is a subject best left alone, seeing as how Selina doesn't really know Kyle well enough to delve into that part of her life. She instead just nods and rolls her eyes. "That sounds positively insane. But it does sound like it'd be fun to experience, even if only once." The doorbell rings and she blinks, rising easily to her feet. "Either trick-or-treaters or the pizza. Want to take bets on which it is?"
Kyle glances at his watch. "No bet," he grins. As Selina crosses the room and enters the entryway, Kyle peers after her, then unbeknownst to her holds up his ring hand. He quickly pans it across the room, palm out, and a glimmering green light encompasses one finger. He glances quickly after her position and puts his hand back down, the holds a finger up to Isis, shushing her quietly.
Enough time lapses and Kyle's secret is safe although Isis isn't exactly quiet. If she could speak she'd probably ask what the hell just happened but she can't so all he gets is a slightly puzzled mewl from her at the same time she looks at where the beam had been just mere seconds ago.
"It was both," comes the announcement while the door is closed and Selina returns with pizza in hand. "Had a few kids arrive just before the delivery person. I hope you're hungry. Their larges are positively huge." The box is set next to him and then Selina's off again, this time to get plates and napkins.
Kyle shakes his head at her generosity, but pops the box open and takes a deep whiff. "That's delicious," he says. "New York does real pizza. Back home, they put some shredded cheese on white bread with ketchup and call it a day." He smiles as she returns with plates and a napkin, accepting them and dishing her the first slice. "This smells great. How'd you find this place?"
The pizza probably counts as 'gourmet', complete with everything on it and in the crust being organic. Fancy. "The place is a couple blocks from here," arrives the reply just as Selina hands Kyle a plate, her own kept in hand so she can put a slice for herself. The rest of the six pack is brought with her as well, that set down on a table before she passes anything else over. "I like it. Nice for when I want to stay in and not deal with anything... froo-froo." She sits down, not too far from him, looking comfortable.
Kyle takes a few bites of pizza and shakes his head, sketching busily. "You're the only client I've had feed me at a sketch session," he tells her with a quick grin, moving some supplies around for easier access. "Usually I'm sitting in a back room with the kids while someone's dad is in the office and mom's off with a tennis pro." He shakes his head and makes a few adjustments to a part of the canvas as Isis strikes a pose, looking regal, then flops on her back artlessly.
"I pride myself on not being like them. I don't like those kinds of people..." A hand is waved as if saying she doesn't want to speak further, Selina above talking badly about other people. Most times, at least. "Besides, if I were to leave how would I get to know you better, Kyle?" Yes, it seems like this appointment is dual-purposed. It does give him a chance to look around, get a feel for everything plus get to know Isis better at the same time it gives Selina a chance to talk with Kyle.
"Ah, the ulterior motive," Kyle says with an easy laugh. He shakes his head and makes a few adjustments to Isis' sketch, then looks at Selina and continues drawing. "So, Miss Kyle, if you're being candid, tell me a bit more about yourself," he says, hands moving busily. "What do you do for fun? To relax?"
This isn't the first time Selina's been accused of having those. At least this time it's meant in a playful manner. Doesn't mean she isn't blushing, however as her face grows quite red. Warm, too. "Fuuuun," she drawls while looking at the televasion, her expression faintly embarrassed. "I travel when I am able to. Although lately I haven't had much time at all for that. So I normally just travel between here and New York City to do shopping... uh, what about youself?" Yes, let's try to bring the conversation back to Kyle.
"Social life, what?" Kyle says, wryly. "My exhibit's moving to the Metropolis Museum of Art this week, so that's kind of consuming my life lately. The travelling project has been the other part of my days, and once in a while I get to go on a date and get some coffee." He shakes his head. "But, you know. When I get time, I love eating, going out and listening to blues music, that kind of thing. Too much time in college in the Arts department, I guess."
"I bet you have girls beating upon your door, wanting to be the one you go out with for a date when you do have the time." An off-handed compliment, that, but still sincere despite the off-the-cuff manner it was delivered. One last sip has Selina's bottle emptied and the bottle is set to the side. "Hand me another, please," she asks while darting a glance towards Kyle out of the corner of her eye. "Met, huh... I've been meaning to go out there again but business seldom brings me to the city and I rarely think to go out there for a day. Perhaps we could go together and explore it sometime."
"No one wants to go out with a starving artist," Kyle grins, passing Selina a bottle and cracking it open en route. "And now the girl I'm seeing would probably bl- knock the door down the other direction if they were." He laughs at the imagery, taking a sip of his own beer. "If you find yourself in Metropolis and need a guide, let me know," he informs her. "I know a couple of nice places to hang out, and a few neighborhoods to explore. There's a gallery in Little Tokyo that specializes in jade art. They have a piece in there the museum is /dying/ to get their hands on- it's a jade dragon that's got to be worth a quarter of a million," he informs her. "Han Dynasty. Very cool," he adds.
"Figures you're spoken for," Seline says with a faint sigh. Why are all the guys she could see herself with taken or otherwise unavailable. Ah well. She's still happy for him. A hand reaches out quickly and an attempt to tussle his hair is made although it can be easily blocked if he doesn't want her to do it. "As for the tour... sure. I'll let you know." The thought of a jade piece costing as much as is mentioned gets her eyes to go wide. Impressive.
Kyle looks a bit embarrassed as Selina ruffles him. "I guess I shouldn't have said anything," he says wryly, not avoiding her touch. "But if you're not interested in the commission piece anymore, I understand," he says with a mock sigh. "I must not use my powers of art for evil purposes."
Blink. Wait, what? "Why wouldn't I want you to do it? It isn't like... now I am lost." She keeps her fingers in his hair for a few seconds longer, this time trying to brush his hair back into place if it looks like it got too mussed. "No, I'd still like for you to work with me, please?" God, don't let her have blown something good by saying what she did!
"I'm kidding. I figured you just brought me here for ulterior motives and you don't want to see the sketch I did of Isis now." He holds his canvas back a bit, giving her a playfully suspicious look. "Which is too bad, because it really came out nicely."
"Brat." Selina slips closer and leans in as well, letting her head rest upon Kyle's shoulder when she tries to take a peek. "Let me see," she grunts before succumbing to the urge to be playful, that being when she tries to tickle him. "No hiding the sketch. I have to approve it, after all! Come on, Kyle!"
Kyle leaps to his feet and backs away grinning, flipping over the sketchpad and holding it towards Selina like a shield. "Ok, you win!" he says, quickly, using the sketchpad to distract her. "I hope I captured things well," he adds with false modesty.
Isis and the penthouse have been captured in broad strokes, lines suggesting motion and grace that are reflections of the cat's personality and attitude as much as a literal depiction of her.
Selina's face, however, really stands out. At a three-quarter profile, eyes downcase and smiling vaguely, there's a positively feline look to her- alluring, incomprehensible, and beautiful. It's a striking piece of sketchwork.
The assault on the artist stops as soon as he shares his work with her, the quality of which stuns Selina into silence. At first there's nothing to give away her reaction beyond the quiet, her expression held in check. It isn't until a tear runs down her face that the stony facade breaks and Sel looks away, up into Kyle's eyes while her own grow increasingly misty. "It's beautiful," she whispers, not daring to speak loudly as she doesn't want to ruin the magic of the moment.
Kyle coughs a bit awkwardly at her tear, looking embarrassed. "Er. Well, you're very kind, but it's just a sketch." He casts around for tissues and passes one to Selina over the sketchboard."I think you'll like the finished piece much more," he assures her. "Do you know what kind of image you'd like for the two of you? Portrait of you holding Isis, her sitting on your lap...?" he asks, trying to jar her out of her teary reverie.
The tissue gets a 'thank you' mouthed at him and it's used to dab at her eyes although there's really no need to do so. The single tear is all that gets the best of her and soon Selina's eyes are dry again. "Uhm... her sitting on my lap would be a perfectly lovely pose, I do believe," she manages to get out before she clears her throat. Yup. Kyle is not the only one to be embarrassed. "Would you like to save negotiations for then or would you rather set your rate now?"
"I never set rates," Kyle says a bit firmly, holding a palm up to forestall her. "Art is worth what it's worth. If it takes me an hour to do a piece, it takes an hour. If it takes a hundred, it takes a hundred. You'll pay me what you think it's worth, when you see it. I don't want you to commit to a sum that leaves you feeling over-payed."
Selina could point out that money is no object to her to try and help Kyle feel like it'd be alright to set a rate but something stops her, the words never leaving her mouth. What she does do is simply nod and smile. "Fair enough," she murmurs. "But I will pay you what I think is fair and I will have no form of protest from you when it comes time to pay." There. That'll suffice to get that point across, or so she believes.
"Well. I'm not so devoted to the craft that I'll pass up a good paycheck," he says with a wry, boyish grin. "And I appreciate that." He extends his hand out for the sketchpad she's holding. "I'll need that for a few days so I can finish the main piece," he tells her. "But if you like, I can throw the sketch in for free when I deliver the painting," he adds with a smile.
Oh. Right. The pad. It gets returned to Kyle, it handed over as is a smile, Selina's expression perhaps not unlike the one she has in the picture he finished not that long ago. "Thanks," she manages to get out before she feels herself starting to tear up. Now is the perfect time for another sip of beer. "This has been one of the best nights..."
"I'm not that great for company," Kyle laughs. "You should get out more." His grin is easy and a bit playful as he takes the sketchpad back in hand and starts packing up his things. "I'm not sure how long it'll take me to finish, but I won't shirk on it. I can't guarantee that I can get it done with any reliability, though," he admits. "Sometimes these things take a while."
Kyle merely gets stared at for a second before she leans in again, this time to give him a fond peck on the cheek. "I get out plenty. Still like your company." And Isis seems to like Kyle as well as she rubs against his leg once before returning to one of the other rooms, most likely in need of another nap or a bath or something. "Take all the time you need. I know things like that can not be rushed."
Kyle returns the friendly peck and gives Selina's arm a quick squeeze. "You, too," he assures her. "Let's get some coffee later this week, if you're free," he offers. He finishes packing his things up and shoulders his bulky duffel bag, which is well-worn and clearly has been in his possession for a long time. "You know how to get a hold of me?"
"I got your number saved on my cell," Selina points out, Kyle being one of the few non-work related numbers on it. "I will give you a call in a few days and we can arrange something." He is walked to the door and it is held open, Selina polite and mindful of her manners to the end. "Until then... stay safe. Please."
"/Miss/ Kyle," he says with an overly polite tone and a broad grin. "I look forward to seeing you again. Have a good night, all right?" he tells her. "And thanks. For the hospitality, and the work." He grins broadly and with a wave, turns to head out of the penthouse apartment.
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