Crooked Young | OPEN

Emilie’s first art class was being held Monday on the 3rd. Much like Aristos, though she didn’t know it yet, Emilie’s class was elected and not part of the core classes. She was only going to be here a few days a week and borrowing one of the class rooms when she needed it. Though most of her plan was to have the students in the courtyard, the forest or on field trips across the world. Why would she stick them in a classroom to express themselves when expression was so much brighter when it was allowed to breathe?

Walking down the hall toward one of the available classes, Emilie had a bag full of canvases and various supplies for her students to help themselves to when she wasn’t around. Free Items, she called them. Take care of them, and they’ll be available for as long as they last. Considering that Beauregard students were the best of the best, she didn’t anticipate having to treat the students like kindergarteners much and restrict their access.

Passing by an open door, Emilie paused and then turned; moving to fill the doorway with her slight frame as she looked at the barren walls. She had a kind and considerate expression as she studied his empty room, his back turned to her before she lifted her hand up and tucked her blonde hair behind her ear.

”Maybe a tapestry against the wall behind your desk. It’ll create a focal point. A cluster of paintings or photographs over there would look beautiful too,” She said with a gesture before she turned her eyes on the other professor. He was definitely not a student, and perhaps in a similar boat as she was considering he was just now setting up an office a month into classes.

”Sorry. I overheard you and well, I’m Emilie Prince,” She introduced herself with a smile, holding her hand out for a handshake. ”The new art teacher.”

Color scheme.

He said the magic words.

Although Emilie was more artist than interior designer, she still loved to dabble in all things creative. She let go of his hand and peered around thoughtfully; taking his subject into consideration.

”Well I’ve never taken Ghoul studies before, and correct me if I’m wrong, but I imagine that whatever colors you have present in your room can directly affect how well class goes?” She smirked, imagining him summoning a spirit for the class only to have it freak out in some way unforeseen because his room is bright red. It’s didn’t seem too much different than students, actually.

Stepping into his room a little, she dropped her bag down. Loud clatter came from it’s depths, but Emilie didn’t seem phased. She moved into the center of the room and looked around with increasing thoughtfulness before she slid her wand out from her back pocket. Gesturing with a soft roll of her wrist toward the far wall, a dark blue stain began to spread. Tendrils of smokey, dark navy crawled over the surface and spread out like ink in water; lightening in color as it went until the wall on the opposite side was a pure and unadulterated white.

”Blue is calming. It helps ease nerves, and can calm a soul like you’re holding it’s hand. It doesn’t provoke, which I imagine would be important in your class. The further back you are in the room, the darker it is. Your desk should go there,” Emilie flicked her wand at the large thing and the sound of wood dragging along the floor burst for a short moment before the desk settled against the longest wall; backed by a soft and unassuming grayish blue hue. Like the ocean during a cloudy day.

She made a thoughtful sound and then moved over to her bag; opening it up and digging inside. She went elbow deep into the small duffel and pulled out several large paintings and a couple smaller frames before she moved around the room and started hanging them up. Emilie moved quickly, and efficiently. When she was done she stepped back, and the classroom was completely transformed. She canted her head and looked around; not quite satisfied but… She couldn’t figure out what was missing.

”What do you think? Of course if you hate it I can easily take it all down.”

Her expression made it clear she meant it to.

”I won’t take offense. I promise.”

Emilie beamed when he said he liked it; turning her head to look back around the space again. She was pretty proud of it, she wouldn’t lie, but as he was able to notice on her expression she wasn’t completely satisfied. She shrugged a single shoulder uncertainty and pursed her lips in thought.

”Well, to be honest I’m not much of an interior designer myself,” she started as she moved deeper into the room and then started to walk the edges of it. She kept her lips smooshed in thought as she tried to figure out what seemed off about what she’d done so far. ”My apartment is super bare. I’ve lived there for a couple months now but haven’t done anything to it. I don’t spend much time there, though.”

Casting a gentle lopsided smirk at him, Emilie stopped and then rested her hip against his desk and sighed.

”I can’t put my finger on it… Maybe the lighting?”

Her head tipped back and she looked up at the ceiling. Whirling her wand, she extinguished what lights there were; momentarily washing the room in unadulterated shadow. Aristos was just a figure near the door and her heartbeat skipped with inspiration. For a second she hesitated to light the room again, and then gently the tip of her wand began to glow. She held it up to her face like a dandelion and then blew it; watching the soft little spell as it danced through the air and left a little tail of illumination in its wake. The orb came up to Ari as though it were shy, hovering and jittering and then beginning to swirl around his waist and up to his face. The faintest chittering sounds as if it were alive before it dashed away.

From the desk, Emilie watched closely; committing the way the light and shadows played with his tattoos and eyes. It was fascinating, and she desperately wanted to recreate the effect.

Up to the ceiling it went; dancing between the rafters and then diving down to the walls. Emilie’s laugh was soft and amused as she pushed off the desk to keep her eyes on the little bundle of light as it came to a stop directly above them. She smiled; awe in her expression as if once the spell was gently detached from her wand she had no control of it. That everything that was happening was just as much a surprise to her as it was to him. The little ball of light started vibrating. The chittering sound growing louder. Like a toddler clenching its fists and bearing down for a scream. Only what came wasn’t ear-shattering. It was beautiful. The light swelled; bursting at the seams until it exploded. Little shards of light rained down around them. Most disappearing like sparks on ground too wet to catch, but enough remained to keep the room now gently lit.

Behind each frame, in each corner, little sources of light that remained impossible to detect but definitely there. Emilie moved over to Aristos and grabbed his hand; lifting it up and looking out over the lights. They swelled when his palm moved up, and dimmed when she lowered it. Grinning, and then laughing, Emilie turned her face to look up at him.

”There. It’s perfect.”