[PRP] Mona Lisa (America & Temperance)

[The Semblance of Unity]

She slumped into Darlene's, a yawn forcing its way out of her. Tuesday was her late night at the college and with final just around the corner she was dying. Temperance hadn't been into Darlene's in a while; she'd gotten busy and stayed busy, but she kind of missed how relaxing the place was.

Barely glancing around, she picked the nearest stool and folded herself up on it. And then promptly put her head down on the counter.

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There was a quiet huff of laughter that floated past her and then, a minute later, a soft rap on the wood next to the weary student's head. "Now we can't have you doing that here, this is a quality establishment." The words were accompanied by something soft and smelling of clean laundry nudging at her head.

A small pillow, of all things.

And a smiling redhead, ponytail bobbing as she turned and retreated with a tray of food for one of the tables. Another minute later she was back again to check if the weary guest was napping still or ready for a bit of carb-loaded comfort to round out the night.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Temperance shifted over the few inches needing to bury her face into the pillow, ignoring the comment for the most part. It smelled nice, comforting, and it she had been anywhere else she'd have given in to the nap aura fairly radiating off of it. Instead, she sat up and pinched the inside of her left elbow sharply. She was exhausted, but she had to study and figured she'd do it at Darlene's because maybe she'd stay awake. But if pretty waitresses kept giving her pillows, that just wouldn't work. Well, she sounded pretty.

As America came back over, Temperance saw it was true, too. "Hey, s-sorry. Here's your pillow." She held it back out towards America, not quite meeting the redhead's eyes. "Can I get a co-yawn-ffee?"

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Tucking the pillow under one hand with a small laugh, America beamed at the girl. "Sure thing, hun."

The cup appeared in front of the girl after a few moments, and smelled like she was fortunate enough to draw off a fresh pot. Cream and sugar appeared a moment later. "Still got some midnight oil to burn?" Must be a student, or maybe running between a couple jobs, poor thing looked like she needed that nap.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Temperance took a deep breath, inhaling the delicious coffee scent. Then she dumped in enough sugar to choke a horse. "Mmm, bad sleep and-" She turned her head to look at America. "You're pretty; I don't think I've seen you." Then promptly turned beet red and ducked her head.

"What I mean is 'hello, I'm Temperance' and 'are you new in town' and-" Everything came out in a mumbled rush and she just trailed off. Ugh, she thought to herself, surely she wasn't that ******** addled.

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[lizbot]

"Naw," America waved off any awkward correction, "you were right the first time." A shameless wink followed and then America was holding out her hand. "Name's America Jones and pleased to meetcha. I've only been around a couple weeks, and working here the past few days."

With a pleased little hum she went on, "Temperance is a dang pretty name. the sort a person doesn't come across too often." Another wink, "'Specially in a bar."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

The wink caused Temperance to smile a bit. She hadn't met many people so utterly confident in themselves, but America exuded it. If it was a front, it was a great one. This time even the tips of hers ears pinked. She didn't hate her name, but it was never something to be considered pretty. It was long, and no one ever spelled it right and it tripped over people's tongues in harsh angles.

"Well, we don't all have to live up to our names. Are you living up to yours?"

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"Since the day I was born," America puffed up proudly with a small laugh. "Prob'ly runs in the family. I had an Aunt Prudence and goodness gracious, the most iron of ladies, nowhere near as cute as you, gotta say." She went to go leave a check and refill a few more drinks, but eventually the girl was back, setting a small carafe next to Temperance's mug.

"Now what's keeping you up so late and trying to keep up even longer?"

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Before Temperance could splutter out a response about how not cute she was, America was off, twisting between the other patrons of Darlene's. By the time the red-head came back, it would be awkward to mention it again, so she just huffed over her coffee. After a bit, she pulled out her notebook and began to doodle and write down things about her dreams. Might as well, she thought. Millie had said they were special but nothing was special for Temperance so that was clearly incorrect. She frowned.

She tucked a strand of hair behind one ear and flinched when America appeared again. "Avoidance," she said carefully. "Silly dreams and whatnot keep me up anyway, might as well find company to be awake with." Temperance looked around at the empty seats next to her and shrugged. She hadn't exactly come in with anyone. "Well, um, company of a sort."

"Do you like the late shift?"

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"Oh? Well I suppose that's as good a reason as any, and this is a nice place if you want a bit of quiet noise and bodies about you. Dreams are tough, though, 'cause the longer they keep a body up the more they gonna get hold, pulling a person back down." America gave a soft hum as she wiped down the counter and seats near Temperance.

"I'm a morning person," she grinned at the girl, having gotten many a glare and groan for this single fact. "So a little yes, 'cause I got it all to myself to do what I want, and a little no, 'cause I sleep in later and miss the really crisp early bits."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Pulled in? Like... physically? Oh, w-wait, no you didn't mean it like that, of course." Temperance let out a small bubble of embarrassed laughter. She didn't realize America had said 'pulled down' and not 'pulled in', her own mind having supplied the word substitution. The card she'd written Millie's name on, the Equinox, Renard - it weighed heavily in her pocket.

She wrinkled her nose at America. Of course she was a morning person, Temperance thought; she seemed bright and fresh. "I have to switch between morning and night person-ability-ness - work and school. But it's kind of nice to see the sun rise and turn everything back into day, you know? But there's still a special time right around 3:30 to four when everything seems asleep - like the world's got potential." Then she froze, stuttering out a sorry. Apparently, her own exhaustion made her ramble.

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[lizbot]

There was something so warm and inviting, when a person does that. Go on a little ramble, just a little dip into their view of the world, and takes her with them. America found herself unexpectedly charmed by the other girl. She looked prettier in that moment, even as she awkwardly apologized.

"Sounds like a magic sorta hour," she commented with a smile that had something extra for Temperance, a bit of gentleness to balance the earlier bright energy.

"Work and school, huh? You sure you don't want that pillow back?"

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Temperance met America's smile with a bashful one of her own. "It's too bad magic's not actually real..." She turned her coffee cup around twice, fidgeting.

"Oh! Oh, no, I'd just have a dream here and probably make weird noises in my sleep." She giggled a bit. "I'm a nursing student, and there's no rest for the wicked, I suppose. Why'd you come to Ashdown?"

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[lizbot]

"Well, who knows. World's got all sorts of strange, right?" America suppressed the urge to say magic's real. Real as anything and that means just about anything could be, right? It was a thought that had been buzzing pleasantly against her skin for awhile now. She wanted to slap her hand on the counter and burst into some sort of Disney musical number, calling out, the world is different now! It's the same but more!

But while magic was real, it wasn't hers. Besides, what proof did she even have? Sunny was a friend and person who'd shown her a gift, not a sideshow attraction to trot people along to gawk and marvel at.

"Nursing," America gave a low whistle, "that's a big load of smarts you must be carrying 'round on those shoulders. But," she winked, "I wouldn't tell any secrets, if you talked in your sleep, hun."

And then there was another check and table to clear, but when America arrived next, she took the stool next to Temperance as another server covered the floor. A small break, apparently.

"My mom grew up here. Found an old photo album of hers awhile ago and decided to make Ashdown a stop while I was traveling about." Her smile turned wry, "Had a bit of an accident, so it went from a stop to the stop."

the semblance of unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Not that kind of strange," she sighed out. And then promptly blushed as America whistled. And then America scooted away, clearing tables, depositing checks. Temperance felt bad; she'd almost forgotten America was here as a job.

"An accident?! Are you o-... I guess you are okay. You look okay." Her eyes scanned America worriedly, although she looked a bit sheepish as well. "Nursing just takes a lot of memorization." She waved it off. "How long did you road trip for? I've never really been anywhere."

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