Making ends meet

She wasnt sure what to have expected of an answer, but as Lily leaned in and told her, Tessa wasnt sure that she really liked what she was hearing which for a moment showed on her face. She didnt like being someone’s foreplay, especially not when she was happily engaged and out to enjoy her time. But she thought that maybe it was just that; that they were just as much here to enjoy themselves as Tessa and Gerard were.
Lily pulled her with and the way they walked reminded her of how her and Maddie would walk together all the time. When they got to the exhibition to show their ID’s, Tessa got nervous. Some places didnt accept 18-year olds and this place certainly looked expensive enough to reject whoever they wanted. But it seemed that Marcus quickly handled it and they were let in. “Oh nice. We work in photography so we have our own patrons. That was how we got in.” She explained, thpugh she did wonder if it sounded boring?

“Yeah.” She scoffed since the daemoness seemed impressed, at least that was the vibe she was getting. The mention of Marcus needing someone made Tessa shrug. “Then he’ll know soon enough that Gerard would be the man for the job.” She remarked, looking back to see that the two men seemed to get on quite well after all. This wasnt exactly how their night was supposed to be, but it wasnt bad right? She followed Lily down the hallway, stopping as the daemoness stopped. She looked to the painting as well. “These places? You often go to places with people way older than you?” She asked with a soft chuckle. She wasnt trying to be mean, more so genuinely curious about that. She didnt see couples with age gaps often. The question made her wrinkle her nose a little. It would be absurd to lie about wouldnt it? Her expression then softened up and she smiled, almost proud. “Yeah. We are.” She admitted, before looking at Lily. “Is it surprising?” She asked.

An attractive couple? Tessa scoffed. Not that she disagreed, but they hadnt really been much out as of late because Gerard had been working a lot and Tessa also having her school stuff to attend to. “A different relationship?” She asked with a small frown. What she had with Gerard was love, there was no different path for them to go. Though she wouldnt play dumb and say that it wasnt common that some relationships were different.
Tessa did like the display of pictures, mostly because she loved bodies. She loved every shape and sign of skin, how everyone was different. So frankly, this did go down her alley of taste. “Uhh, dont worry about it.” Tessa shrugged it off, mostly because she didnt feel like going into it right in this moment. The compliment made her chuckle. “Why though?” She asked, looking at her with searching eyes. Why did she find her that pretty? There were so many beautiful people! Tessa couldnt be the only one. She agreed to exchange numbers, handing over her phone to Lily so she could type in her number.

“Yeah.” She said, having a half smile on her lips, as she clearly didnt seem to get it. The confession seemed fair but it didnt quite answer the question. Was it a bad different? That somehow made her good? Lily further explained and Tessa scoffed lightly. “Most people hold back what interests them and I think it’s a shame. We shouldnt be ashamed of what we like.” She simply argued. At least that was what she thought Lily meant. And it truly was a shame that Tessa didnt see it in many people.
The question made her shrug. “I guess there’s nothing wrong with it.” She pointed out. Attraction was just one thing. Tessa found it to be quite abstract. You could be attracted to many things for different reasons that wouldnt lead to one thing only. So Lily’s counter-question didnt catch the valkyrie off-guard. “I’m quite open minded.” She admitted. She believed that she did fall in love quite often. In her work, in art, if someone wore a cute outfit, if someone’s face’s features matched just right; or if they didnt at all. “So no, not really surprised.” She remarked. She chuckled softly. “All this is pretty amazing. Is it all just one artist?” She asked to move the conversation a bit. And maybe not so much focus on attraction when her fiancé was just a small walk away.

There werent any nameplates to be seen so Tessa hoped that Lily knew. However the revelation that there were many artists wasnt a promising answer. But then she made it clear that it was all hers and Tessa blinked a few times in surprise before looking back at the paintings. Somehow she felt a deja vu; this had been how she had met Gerard. Though this time she wasnt criticizing but rather admiring what she saw. Lily moved away but Tessa lingered.
“Why do you say that like it’s a bad thing? It’s good exposure.” She said, having noticed that Lily hadnt seemed to fond of her own work, but really, was any artist ever happy? “I’m the same. Well, definitely not with the sex part. But I like bodies, I like looking at them and I like taking pictures of them.” She said as she joined the daemoness on the bench, stretching her legs out and slouching slightly to look at her skirt, touching the fabric lightly.
The mention of Marcus again made Tessa wrinkle her nose a little as she thought about it. “I dont think I like old men with money.” She admitted. She had met a few. Most of them were weird. Lily was maybe right, that it was all about power, but then she turned that narrative on Gerard and Tessa frowned lightly. “No, it’s not like that with him.” She said rather quick, looking towards Marcus and Gerard. “He’s sweet and loving. He has never reatricted me, even if he gets a little jealous. I can get jealous too. We just talk it out.” She said, quite convinced that there were no flaws in her relationship with Gerard.

She had meant it when she asked for a dance but it seemed that Lily was going to really commit to it. She felt the soft embrace and had to admit that it felt good. They could be really good friends, couldnt they? She was thinking a almost Maddie-level of friendship here. The conpliment about her makeup made her chuckle. “You really think so?” She asked, following the daemoness’ moves with ones of her own. There were no one watching them so they didnt have to do the same, just sync up which they seemed to get on point rather quick. “I can teach you a lot of my looks. I have a lookbook.” She said, tilting her head as she inspected the female in front of her. “I would give you black clouds. So we could match. Like yin and yang.” She pondered but then she narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, darker colours would suit your skin and eyecolour a lot.”

No Lily didnt look like a liar. The daemoness inspected her hand and Tessa allowed it. She did like her hands quite a lot. Especially when she let her nails grow just a little. She had slender hands, even if they were working hands. Lily insisted again and Tessa blushed just a little bit as it was rather forward, if not maybe with a sense of desperation. But not desperate as bad, but more like the daemoness explained. The need for fresh air. Tessa could as a creator relate to that.
But if there was one thing Tessa couldnt then it was leave now. She was supposed to be here with Gerard. To celebrate that they finally had time. “A little..” she chuckled at the question. “It’s sweet. It’s really sweet.” She clarified. “Let me consider it?” She suggested. Because she wasnt sure making a decision now was a good idea either way. “We should maybe head back.” She confessed. Was Gerard worried that she was gone? She didnt want to upset him.