A Chat In The Lounge - Kyle & Amelia, con't.

[Amelia Bones]

She giggled at his 'socially-awkward' comment of himself. He clearly did not see himself as others did. Or at least as Amelia did. She thought he was quite charming with all his little eccentricities. "Well besides those two...." She winked at him. "I'm afraid I don't have time for much else. I'm very into my work. So I suppose you might say work was a hobby of mine. I do love it so." She tried to think back to the last non work related thing she had done that was out of her normal routine. It seemed, apart from her dancing nights, she was rather boring. "And really with all the dancing and socially awkward men, I don't think I need many more hobbies."

[Kyle Connolley]

Kyle laughed. "Yes, well, I do believe that us socially awkward men are probably enough to keep you busy. I mean, there are so many ridiculous conversations to be had, and it takes us so long to actually get to the point... how would you have time for other hobbies?"

Shaking his head, he looked at her again, wondering why she hadn't run for the door yet. Had their dance been that good? Was he looking particularly good tonight? Or did she just really enjoy watching him continually stick his foot in his mouth?

When the waiter returned with their drinks, he took a sip immediately, then set down his glass. "I confess, I don't have a lot of hobbies, either. I'm pretty much all business. But.... I do have one hobby... I'm sure you'll be shocked..."

[Amelia Bones]

Amelia gladly accepted her glass of water and thanked the waiter before he left. The glass already had condensation on it, and it sent a little shiver through her hand as she grasped at the glass. The water was cold and felt so good compared to the heat of the club. As Kyle spoke she realized how many things they had in common. They both were very involved in the jobs, both of which were dangerous and needed a lot of focus and training. They both had little time for socially accepted norms aside from work. And they both seemed to feel as though talking was extremely difficult. This last similarity made Amelia laugh. And it brought her back to the conversation. "Hmm..." She tried to think of something ridiculous that he would find interesting. "You don't knit, do you? I'd love some new doilies."

[Kyle Connolley]

Kyle shook his head solemnly. "No, I don't knit. But I do enjoy making an arse of myself in nightclubs. It's a hobby I've just discovered, but I really think it's something I may have to do a little more regularly. So you see, it was almost fate that we met tonight. You like socially awkward men, and I apparently like acting like an arse." He took another drink, feeling the warmth slide past his lips and down into his throat.

"I'm just kidding. Actually, my hobby is, I like painting. Ever since I visited the Louvre, a muggle art museum in Paris, as a kid, I've had this thing about painting. Like I could be a famous artist or something." He chuckled and shook his head. "But I'm afraid I'm no VanGogh."

[Amelia Bones]

"Well, no one ever really be will be Van Gogh. But you could still be pretty good. Are you?" She envied Kyle a bit. She had been to Paris many times on business trips, but never had time to sight see, so she had yet to visit the Louvre. She enjoyed all mediums of art. Paintings and sculptures amongst her favorite. She had a few print of some pieces she knew were in the Louvre at her home. But she could never afford to buy the real thing. Prints were enough for her.

[Kyle Connolley]

Kyle thought for a minute. Was he good? He'd never actually shown his work to anyone. For some reason, he was very sensitive about it... almost protective. He honestly didn't know if it was any good at all; he just knew that the work came from some deep part of him. It was therapeutic, but very private.

"I don't really know," he confessed. "Sometimes I like it, sometimes I hate it... I just know that when I'm painting, it's kind of a release. I guess that sounds weird... but that's how it is. I sometimes just sit down with no idea what I'm going to paint, and a few hours later, I come up with this whole piece. I don't really show it to people... I just do it for me."

[Amelia Bones]

She had considered asking to see some of his work, but after hearing how private it was, she knew better. If she had something that was a sort of secret release, she wouldn't want to share it. But she also knew, would anyone ask directly, she would feel bad not letting them have a little peek. She briefly thought on guilt-tripping him into showing her something sometime, but quickly ignored that naughty side of her personality.

"Well, if its a form of therapy, I guess you don't really need to be good at it. Do you?" She took another sip of her water and again was thankful for the cool drink. "But," she continued, "I wouldn't mind knowing a bit more about it, if you wouldn't mind sharing. What sort of things do you typically paint? Landscapes?" She imagined large landscapes when she thought of him painting. She could just see him in a little red beret, sitting on a hillside and painting the scenery around him. It was an image straight out of the movies. She had never really seen anyone paint anything, outside of a few little art classes she had taken when she was younger. She wasn't any good.

[Kyle Connolley]

Kyle took another sip of his drink. "Usually, I paint abstract things. I start with no image in my head, and I just start slapping colors on the canvas. Sometimes images take shape within the colors--a face, a flower, a figure... Other times, they're just more like... a feeling or an emotion." He began to feel a little odd, sort of itchy. He'd never really talked about his art--if it even was art-- with anyone, and it felt strange to do it now. But it wasn't as if he had anything to hide, right?

"I guess that sounds weird. What I mean to say is... I paint nothing. And everything. It's just.... whatever comes out." OK, that sounded even stranger. He was beginning to wish he'd never brought it up.

[Amelia Bones]

The conversation was extremely interesting but Kyle looked unsettled somehow. Trying to ease his nerves she honestly said," that's so intriguing. So your artwork is like your feelings coming to life. Fascinating." Her release, while fun, was nothing as productive as Kyle's. She was almost jealous.

[Kyle Connolley]

He relaxed a little. She wasn't pushing the subject, yet she was interested. She clearly didn't think he was insane. And really, what was wrong with his penchant for art? Even if his work wasn't very good, the point was that it satisfied a need, and she seemed to understand that. He broke into a smile. "Anyway, there's a reason it's just a hobby, if you know what I mean. I'm pretty sure I could never make a living at it."

[Amelia Bones]

She was glad that he seemed to loosen up a bit after her comment. The conversation was so interesting, she would hate to have to change the subject. Of course she would if he had looked any more uncomfortable. "Well if you made a living of it, it probably wouldn't be as relaxing. I mean sure, it's great to love your job. But to make your hobby your job...I don't know if it would be as meaningful after that."

[Kyle Connolley]

Kyle smiled at that. "Yes, imagine how miserable it would be for you, if you had to go out every night to dance and talk with socially awkward men every single night. I'm pretty sure that would lose its appeal after a while." Taking another sip of his drink, he leaned in closer. "I don't really pain people... not intentionally, anyway... but if I did, I think I would like to paint your portrait. I think you have the kind of face that would look incredible... timeless... in a painting. I know I'd never be able to do you justice, though."

[Amelia Bones]

Amelia laughed at how he turned her words on their end, to mock her. "Oh shut it," she said in jest. She couldn't argue that dancing every night would have very few downsides. But she hadn't been talking about her hobby, if that's what one would call it.

As he spoke of her face, Amelia turned the brightest shade of red a person possibly could. She was stuck somewhere between flattered and mortified. She couldn't even respond verbally to him. She just giggled inwardly and looked at her hands which were now folded in her lap.

[Kyle Connolley]

"I didn't mean to embarrass you," Kyle said quickly, frowning at her reaction. He found it hard to believe that a woman as lovely as Amelia would be so self-conscious. She was confident and strong in every other way, but it seemed she didn't believe that she was beautiful. Yet it was the entire package--her strength, her confidence, her sense of humor, and her beauty--that combined to make her a unique and intriguing person.

He finished his drink a little too quickly, then took another look around. "Hey, you want to get out of here? It's getting a little stuffy in here. We could maybe go out for some food, or dessert or something."

[Amelia Bones]

She was still blushing when she looked up at him again. He had finished his drink already, she still had half a glass of water. "Alright," she said more confidently than her face implied. She looked back to the bar where they had left Andromeda what seemed like hours ago. She wasn't there. Amelia hoped she had gone off to have fun, and not home by herself. She took another sip of her water and then set the glass on the table. She scooted out from the table and smoothed her robes which were ruffled after dancing and sitting, both for long amounts of time.

[Kyle Connolley]

Kyle stood up and dropped a few galleons onto the table to pay for their drinks. Following her gaze, he remembered Andromeda. "It looks like your friend left," he commented. "Can't say I blame her, after that encounter with her sister." Had that really been the same night? It felt like years ago. The sister, and the man she had dragged away from them, had disappeared into the crowd. Or perhaps they had left. He couldn't really say that he cared.

Nodding toward the door, he held out his arm for her. "Shall we?"

[Amelia Bones]

Amelia had to agree that if she had had a sister like that, she too would have probably left after such a scene. She almost felt bad for ditching Andromeda for Kyle, but then again this was the first time she had met Andromeda so it wasn't as if she was abandoning her. Right?

Kyle paid for her drink and she thanked him. "I really could have got that you know," she added. She stood too and followed along. "Next one's on me."

[Kyle Connolley]

Kyle smiled at the hint of a "next time." He wasn't at all surprised that she had protested him paying for her drink. His assessment of her personality still seemed to hold true--she was an independent woman. "Don't worry about it," he said, waving her off. "After all, it was only water. I'm sure my drink was more expensive, anyway."

As he led her to the door, he glanced down at her. "But we'll see about that next time."

Although he was generally attracted to strong women, he was also an old-fashioned guy. He liked paying for women when they went out. But he also knew better than to push the issue. "So, where do you want to go?"

[Amelia Bones]

She thought momentarily on their options. He had mentioned drinks or dessert, so that narrowed the field. The Hogs Head made great drinks, but was utterly disgusting and full of sour patrons. Madam Puddifoot's had the best desserts, but was too 'cute and cuddly' for Amelia. The Three Broomsticks made fairly good drinks and served a variety of desserts, so that would be their best option. And it was close. "Three Broomsticks alright with you? They have the best cheesecake there."

[Kyle Connolley]

Kyle nodded. "Sure, that sounds fine," he said. He took a final glance around the club, a cursory check for vampires. Seeing nothing unusual, he turned back and opened the door for her. "After you," he said with a grin.

He decided that it would be best to be on the alert as they stepped outside. Since he'd heard the rumors of vampire activity around the club, there was still a chance they'd run into one tonight. They'd have to stay on the other side of the street from the cemetary, for starters.