Private Sea of Memory

[Angelique Deveraux]

Location: Tapani Sector (Syl Hotel)
Tag: Luca Caldogne

_________________________________________
​

Long manicured nails tapped at the button on the interface of her commlink though she didn't actually activate anything. She was filled with a certain form of indecision. Angelique came from a long line of famous vocal artists that all bore a striking resemblance to one another. It was a running joke among the social elite of Coruscant that her genetic template had been cloned on Kamino. She laughed along with it and accepted the compliments, but left it at that. If only they knew the truth.

She'd only been in the Tapani Sector a few weeks. It had taken time to acclimate to a new locale, especially, when she was tasked with performing every other night for the next month. She enjoyed it, obviously. Her passions lay in creation, despite, the eternal hunger that seemed determined to distract and ravage her senses. Angelique created music. Beautiful, music. For all the galaxy to hear and find some level of enjoyment or comfort it.

It was a small, paltry gift, an apology, for that which she took from the galaxy. Many of her kind viewed other species as livestock. Not Angelique. She had been called many things in the past. Angela. Angeline. Angelica. Always, versions of the same thing. She saw the potential in short-lived species even if their lifespans only measured like that of a mayfly. Some of them died so soon that others thought they might as well never have lived at all. There was a certain beauty to it.

Precious, fragility. It was something she would never know.

She hesitated now, truly, out of a human moment. She had spent so much time among them that their insecurities had grafted themselves onto her being. It hadn't taken her long to realize who Luca Caldogne was. Not, merely a banker. No. Not at all. Finally, she gave in and pressed the correct set of buttons to reach out. She hadn't in quite some time out of respect for his privacy but within her penthouse sat the most lavish bouquet of flowers. Her favorite. Red, bloody red.

Only one person sent them every premier. In all her years, all her lives, in which she'd chosen to sing he had never missed it. How he found out? The ancestors only knew.

She listened to the small chime ring as she leaned back in the velvety lounge. It was harder to find a good meal in this sector, but, not impossible. Her occupation was something many of her kind would write off as a momentary diversion, but she truly cared about it. The fact that he always remembered…

Meant something. Perhaps, a warning.

Perhaps not.

A male voice on the other end answered and lips as red as the roses on the table curled into a familiar smile. He knew her well enough to hear it without seeing her face. It was a comfort that he sounded the same as he always did. Perfectly preserved. "Hello, love. It's been a while…"

Too long.

 

[Luca Caldogne]

Angelique Deveraux

He did not immediately respond.

Instead his head tilted and Luca listened closely. Not just to the words, but to the tone behind it. The intonation. Until he determined that, yes, this was exactly who Luca thought he was talking to and not some imposter. "A while..." Luca murmured thoughtfully at that. "That it has, Angel, I am surprised you are calling me now."

This life's bouquet must have appealed even more than the previous ones.

That was good.

"Is everything alright?" He settled down with the phone in hand. Looking out of the landscape of Procopia. His estate had a wonderful view and he enjoyed sitting there during these sort of private moments. It filled him with a sense of luck.

 

[Angelique Deveraux]

Location: Tapani Sector (Syl Hotel)
Tag: Luca Caldogne

_________________________________________
​

Part of her wondered if he made her wait on purpose. Surely, not. Patience was not her strong suit.

"Can I not call to thank an old friend?", she responded, sweetly, though feigning hurt feelings. The velvety laugh that followed would be a telltale sign that she was only teasing. Yes. It was out of the norm for her to contact him directly. His information wasn't the easiest to get ahold of after they skipped through time. Her performances were always announced these days, usually, months in advance. "Everything is fine…I was actually calling because for once—I'm close by."

He was the only one left alive that she associated with that called her that. She insisted that the press, her people, and everyone else always refer to her with her full name. Angel was just a childish nickname from her youth that had developed over time into a full persona. Only he would know that.

"I want to see you."

Blunt, as always.

Angelique never did dance around what she required. More often than not she was used to getting it. Yet—With him, she was cautious. Careful. He had never been anything but kind to her but there were still unspoken rules to observe. Their people had their own ways. Typically, they isolated themselves after a certain point. They didn't exist together.

Too many people went missing in the same area of space.

A light laugh passed through her lips. This time, a little sardonic. "Perhaps I am growing sentimental."

"More, sentimental."

That was the reason for her laugh. Between the two of them, she was always the softer one. Ever with her head in the clouds and some sort of romantic notion of what it was like to skip through time the way they did. To see and experience everything there was to offer. "But…I want to see you, Luca. Face to face. Not just through a holo."

Or a memory.

 

[Luca Caldogne]

Angelique Deveraux

"Oh, I am not that old, am I?" Responded in kind as Luca laughed lightly. "Though I suppose it is a matter of perspective."

Now what followed next surprised him.

They had been corresponding for a long time now. Never did either of them push towards a real meeting however. It was... risky. In a lot of ways, but the primarily one was pragmatism. Hiding yourself among the humans was a complicated affairs in the most ideal circumstances. Two of them being supported in a single ecosystem?

Tricky.

"I see." Very quiet and careful tone. This was to be expected however, Luca always had been the careful one of them. Meticulous, organized and with an eye to the future. It was no wonder their paths diverged at the very start of their lives in the Galaxy.

Yet he always stayed in relative touch. It was the one nostalgic tendency Luca allowed himself. "I would have to lie to claim I did not consider such a meeting in the past." He poured himself some wine and grew a bit more thoughtful there. It would be nice, no? To slip off the mask for a single day and enjoy himself without having to keep everything in check so much?

"Yes, I think we should." Once the path was taken Luca Caldogne did not allow himself half-measures. Full in or not at all. "I will be hosting a gala relatively soon on Procopia. I can send you an invite? Unless you are thinking of something else entirely."

 

[Angelique Deveraux]

Location: Tapani Sector (Syl Hotel)
Tag: Luca Caldogne

_________________________________________
​

"Older than I am.", she replied smartly, cheeky, as ever.

She liked his laugh. When it felt real, anyway. She had heard it countless times but it had been so long since they'd actually been in the same room. Capable of breathing the same air. As much as she did her utmost to blend in with human society—It wasn't quite the same. She was always careful. Mindful that no one got too close. Her skin was cold, too cold. "I…I know it's complicated. I won't…"

"Dine at any establishments you frequent."

A polite way of saying that her meals would not come from the Tapani Sector. She was connected with pockets that were far deeper than any well. Angelique made her meals quick, efficient. As quick as they could be. It was a process, having a bowl of soup, but she didn't feel the need to drag it out. Bringing fear and tormenting her food had never brought her any joy. Other things, appealed to her. Other things, luck among them, notoriety, could be just as pleasing.

It was inhumane to make a sentient animal suffer.

At first, his tone was as expected. Of course, he would refuse. It was too dangerous for both of them to remain in the same area for too long. She had become exceedingly good at it. Hiding in the public eye while working on a public stage—But still. That only risked her own eternity. This risked his too. Angelique was already prepared to accept a polite refusal, but that didn't seem to be the case. The crestfallen feeling teetered, while he mused, and she bit down on her lower lip.

He really did like making her wait.

"Really?"

Her response was much higher than intended. Luca made his way safely through life by micro-managing every event. Angelique was the opposite. She invited human behavior, nature, and all things that made them what they were. Serendipity. Whimsy. It made it so that none questioned her because there was nothing shallow or hollow about her responses. They were true. At least, until they began to discuss cuisine. That was typically lie upon lie.

Thankfully, no one questioned when a starlet skipped a meal.

In truth, she had hoped for something a little more intimate. A place where they might not have to be so careful, but she was still elated that Luca had agreed at all. "That would be…Lovely. Let me know as soon as you can so I can make sure I'm not scheduled for a show."

"I wrote something new. I think you might like it."

 

[Luca Caldogne]

Angelique Deveraux

Her tone surprised him.

How long had it been? Too long, they both agreed, but how long? The more centuries passed the more difficult it was to remember those early days. This was a boon to be sure. But in these moments Luca couldn't help but wonder the things he lost without even realizing it.

"I appreciate your discretion." Responded calmly. Feeding grounds were a sensitive thing after all. Luca had cultivated the Tapani Sector for a long time now.

A carefully organized eco-system of tributaries, favored ones and culling grounds. Every time a big event happened it set his efforts back, but Luca thankfully had the patience of years behind him.

"If... Your visit is extended, I'd enjoy to cook for you however. I have acquired some recent stock that you might find... Appealing."

She could practically hear the thin smile as Luca gave that offer.

"Oh, I am sure I will. I have always been a great fan of your singing. I will make sure there will be enough for some private time, Angel, then you can perhaps give me a demonstration."

A pleasant surprise. It was a while since he listened to her sing and even longer to hear it in the flesh.

They'd make their goodbyes once there was nothing else left to say. An hour later Angelique received a beautiful letter addressed to her personally. An invite to the gala and tellingly there was no plus one attached to it.

Rather than meet her out in the grand dining hall of his estate the guards would escort her to his study room on the evening of the gala.

It seemed sacrilege to have their first moment in the flesh be surrounded by the herd.

No, that wouldn't do at all.

He was standing near the window and looked over the courtyard. Even here the event was in full swing. People from all across the Tapani Sector mingling and mixing as they competed to be the most charitable of them all.

How amusing.

 

[Angelique Deveraux]

Location: Tapani Sector (Syl Hotel)
Tag: Luca Caldogne

_________________________________________​

She gave a smile that he couldn't see at the calm response. Part of her wondered how she'd won the privilege of spending time in his company so easily, while the rest of her, simply wanted to accept the victory. There were members of their people who might take the intrusion of another negatively. He could have just as easily thought she was in the area to cause trouble, but she had never done so in the past. Even if she knew where he was.

It was difficult enough. Angelique never wanted to make life more difficult.

"I'll keep you posted, though, I could never say no to a home-cooked meal."

Angelique felt a pang of hunger at the mere thought of it. She was not, perhaps, as well-fed as some of their peers but she made due. Her decisions conflicted for many reasons. Most, wouldn't understand. To take what was required. Nothing more. They moved on to another topic, music, and her focus shifted almost instantly. She held her comm to her ear for a moment and let her body slide back into the plush couch cushions. He liked when she sang? "…I wasn't sure you'd remember what I sound like."

It wasn't a priority.

"Or aware that you'd heard anything…recent."

As in - Anything from this century.

She received his flowers. Always, with the same pitter-patter footsteps that let her dash across the room to bury her face in them. But she had never seen him at the opera house. The audio was often recorded, though. It would have been easy enough to come across the sound bytes. "If it would please my host, of course, I would be more than happy to. You can be my test audience."

She chatted on about this and that, mostly, filling him on her newest goals. Angelique didn't have any lofty aspirations like galactic domination. Opera was just popular enough to support an expensive lifestyle but small enough that few would hear of her from one end of the galaxy to the other. Saying farewell was always…Bothersome. This time, moreso.

Now she had to wait even longer, plus, with something to look forward to. It was pure torture.

Still. For one that lived so long…She could wait a little while longer. She could have patience.

Angelique just hated it.

---

Location: Tapani Sector (Luca's Estate)

_________________________________________​

The gala arrived before she knew it. The repulsorlift vehicle that brought her to Luca's estate was just as classy as the invitation itself. Thoughtfully, she brought it with her. Exiting the car would find a lovely creature wearing a fitting crimson dress with a deep brown fur wrapped neatly around bare shoulders. Something to keep the chill away. As was expected. A pair of black heels with a pointed stiletto made her seem taller than she was while her hourglass figure was all too apparent. Black hair fell in curling waves down her back.

Curious eyes took in everything there was to see. People. Some, more attractive than others. The soft lights and lilting music that a live orchestra filled the air with. Angelique both loved and hated parties. It was easy to get distracted when a particular guest felt, well, good enough to eat. Ignoring that need could be trying under the best of circumstances.

What she didn't expect, however, were guards. They greeted her politely enough so she placed her worries to the side and let them lead her through the expansive domicile. He would hear their approach. No amount of light footsteps would hide the sound of her shoes clicking on the polished floor. Tawny chestnut eyes slipped over his back while he watched the party. Briefly, she wondered what he was thinking. "…You've a lovely home."

She couldn't help but smile. It could have been a trap. She could, have been an unwitting prisoner. She knew that every lesson told her to stay away—And yet, this pleased her. Even just his presence filling the room made her sigh in relief. She liked people as a whole but sometimes…Sometimes they were just too much. Hard on the senses.

"May I come in?"

 

[Luca Caldogne]

Angelique Deveraux

A glance into Luca's mind:

Bloodline of Patrice is currently mingling with the patriarch of Alfos. If they express interest in one another, their estates will merge, but more importantly their progeny will-

And so on and so on.

At least until the door opened up and Luca cocked his head to catch that sound. "It took a long time to get right." He responded with a smile he didn't before turning around to greet her. Instead he was struck by her. How was it possible that she changed so much and yet remained exactly the same as the last time they saw each other in the flesh?

A gentle coughed was interjected to span the first moment with the awkwardness that followed.

"Of course, you are my guest today, the grounds are open to you." His hand gesture was short and sharp. Inviting her to join him at the window, while he poured them both a drink. "I believed it prudent to meet in private first." And oh, if Luca wasn't always prudent first and foremost.

"Corellian blood-wine." He gestured towards the bottle. "I had it minted personally after Corellia's fracture."

A gaggle of Corellian tradesmen lost their way in the Tapani Sector. Luckily in the desolation of their homeworld their fate was forgotten. Corellians became quite rare afterwards and so it only seemed wise to preserve them as much as Luca could. They always had a particular taste. Something you couldn't get anywhere else.

"Success suits you, miss Deveraux." Murmured politely as he offered a glass to her and joined her at the window. "I have watched your career with great interest. I hope my flowers were not too imposing on your privacy."

The tease was almost missed except for the little grin hidden just so by the glass.

 

[Angelique Deveraux]

Location: Tapani Sector (Luca's Estate)
Luca Caldogne

_________________________________________​

A delicate shade of rose crossed her cheeks for a moment while Luca seemed to have a slight bit of shock at her appearance. For better or worse it made her chuckle softly. He was always so calculated in their correspondences. While he thought to politely change the subject, she spent no small amount of time letting her eyes follow the lines of his form. The small, slight, and subtle differences that others might miss. The slight change in the way he parted his hair. Her memory was nigh eidetic.

“I can imagine, though, you’ve got time. It’s hard for me to keep active at a permanent residence for long though I have inherited a few...”

She had a few under varying names, though, she rarely spent any length of time in them. Singing was her passion. That meant that she traveled, frequently, and no amount of wealth and digital performances would ever hold the weight and import of having a live crowd to witness history being written firsthand. She needed the high, vaulted ceilings.

Almost like the ones here. She was willing to bet that he got great acoustics. Not that she could imagine him singing songs of love, heroism, and triumph over the wine that soon followed. Angelique made her way into the study and her hand fell against the pane of the window while her eyes took in the people down below. Their thoughts would have been very different. She wondered who they were. How they knew Luca. How this worked, for him. “I appreciate that. Crowds don’t bother me but…”, she reached, to gratefully, curiously, accept the wine. “This is better. Much, better.”

Her gaze moved away from the herd and back toward Luca. He was…More handsome, than she remembered. If that was possible. Angelique kept her distance from others as well as she was able but within the walls of this study, truly, it was unnecessary. There were still social norms to observe but it felt nice. Simply, to breathe. The taste of the wine surprised her, though, she didn’t find it unpleasant. There was something to it, something, about it that she couldn’t quite name. “This isn’t what I expected. Corellians are usually a rowdy bunch, in my experience. They tend to produce bath-tub gin over something so…”

“Refined.”

Her words were carefully crafted with bits of humor woven into it that only he might catch. Luca mentioned that success suited her and a breathy laugh escaped her. “This suits you. Perfectly.”, she gestured toward the study, the estate, and could only find more things to look at. She was always curious. As a kitten, though, with marginally larger fangs.

Brown orbs flickered for a moment when Luca spoke of the flowers, though, she was mostly flattered that he followed her endeavors. Most of their peers would have dismissed it as a silly distraction that could just as easily be forgotten. Angelique couldn’t stop. Music was endless. She’d written so many pieces that she’d lost count, but still, there were more. Never to be repeated.

Not from one end of eternity to the other.

“I love them, Luca.”, she reiterated, reaching out, to playfully backhand his upper arm. She knew he was teasing but for a split second, he had her. Mischievous, wasn’t he? “I used to try and keep one from each bouquet, but, that got difficult. I found that you can press the petals after they’ve dried and create ink. True parchment can be hard to find…But when I can, I like to write down my music.”

It was an old habit. Sentimental, but something only her brain would come up with. Her parents had always chided her for that. It was her weakness. Her mother had warned, the last, and final time they had spoken that it would be her undoing. She was Anzati. Not human. It would serve her well never to forget it. Angelique just couldn’t understand why that meant she couldn’t enjoy the life she was given. She followed the rules. She obeyed.

But, she did live. For herself—No one else.

 

[Luca Caldogne]

Angelique Deveraux

"Mm, well, it takes a lot of planning and plenty of patience." A thin smile showed up as he sipped a second time. "Personal sacrifice too." How many family members had he sacrificed across the generations? Perhaps it would shock Angelique. She was always... a gentle soul. As gentle as they could come from the breeding stock of Anzat anyway.

She wouldn't understand.

Which was okay.

Few could and that was something that Luca was used to.

An ah there. "Well, it might be that the Corellians didn't make the wine." Absent tone as he opened the doors to the balcony. Letting some of the air in and the music drifting in from below.

He leaned against the doorpost and followed the span of her hand as she indicated the room. "When I first came here... this room-" Thoughtful for a moment as Luca recollected the past. "Huh. Come to think of it, it didn't exist back then. The manor was much smaller back then," He smiled fondly as he thought about that.

"The House of Caldogne wasn't that successful, until I... added my own personal touch to it."

Her admission about the bouquets took him back however. A surprise flashing up on his expression, before he covered it up neatly. All come and go in the span of a breath or two. "Well, I am honored my gifts resounded throughout the centuries for you then, Angel. And that they inspired your greatest pieces in their own little way."

Her twap was followed by his own gentle pet on her shoulder.

"It's good to have you here. How long will you be staying in the Sector?"

 

[Angelique Deveraux]

Location: Tapani Sector (Luca's Estate)
Luca Caldogne

_________________________________________​

Angelique made a face at the word "patience" but nodded her head slowly at the mention of personal sacrifice. She didn't know the meaning of it the same way that he did but she did know loss. It was inevitable not to live this long and not have something, somehow, cause injury. Her own follies had been due to her own youthful perceptions. Wishful thinking.

The hardest thing about living for longer than everything and everyone else was exactly that. She had watched those she had come to care for age, wither, and die in what felt like the blink of an eye. Humans were, at the end of a good day polite acquaintances. At the end of a bad one? Dinner.

It was something she still had trouble wrapping her mind around and it left her feeling unsettled. So often she found herself surrounded by fellow artists. Sound, lighting, and make-up personnel. And yet, she felt entirely alone. She wasn't alone, here. How did so many Anzati do it and not lose themselves? Lose their minds? In truth…Many didn't. The older they got, the less stable they were. The more paranoid. Eventually, they slipped up.

It only took once. Just one, small mistake, and the torches and pitchforks were on the way.

Angelique lifted her head when he commented about the Corellians and a faint but of amusement threaded in the kiss of her mouth. "Didn't they, though?" In a deep, dark, and macabre sense. The opened balcony doors drew a soft sigh of enjoyment from her. The music she'd heard on the way filtered through and she found her head nodding for a moment, bobbing, in perfect time. The orchestra was good. Luca began to speak of the manor and her focus returned to him easily enough.

There was something about his tone that placed her at ease. It was a strange sensation. She should have felt the least bit of wariness simply by nature. But, with him, she never had. She liked when he spoke of times that had long since passed. She tried, briefly, to imagine the manor smaller but found it difficult. "I don't know how you've kept up with it all these years. I thought I did well but…"

"You've made it an art."

The raven-haired woman received many bouquets and gifts from fans and patrons. Yet, his were what she looked forward to. It was the only reminder she had of her past. He was one of the few that kept in contact with her throughout the centuries. He was unwavering, like stone, and even though memory tended to erode—He never forgot her. Finding a practical use for his gift once they'd died was her way of remembering him. Even if, he didn't know.

Again, the blasted nickname. Though…From Luca—She didn't much mind. Her head tilted and she cast him a small smile that was soon hidden by the edge of her wine glass. He asked how long she might be staying and her brow furrowed a little. "I'm not sure, exactly. It was only supposed to be a few months but our new show was a huge hit in Procopia. They didn't expect such a strong reception and the government thinks it would be good for morale if we stayed."

"I heard they were willing to double our fees if we postponed our break."

Her shoulders moved and she shrugged lightly out of the fur that wrapped around her. One hand let it drop in a chair while she set her wine down on a coaster and made her way past the balcony doors and outside. "Come…", she outstretched her hand, winsome and lovely, in the late evening. "Dance with me. At least once, before your guests need you."

 

[Luca Caldogne]

Angelique Deveraux

Anyone else calling him an 'artist' would have received a cold reception.

Luca preferred to think of himself as an architect. One with the luck to be blessed with more time than most. Time that could be used to see not just the lay of the land, but the very shaping of it around himself. The differential in perspective was key to it. Yet, he found that he didn't mind it from Angelique however.

Maybe it was because she was a respected artist herself. As a result it meant more than as a simple idle compliment.

"A few months..." Would already be a long time for two of their kind to... co-habitat in the same ecosystem. More than that? It was risky and Luca didn't abide by risks. "If so, you should consider staying with me for the duration."

He joined her, his hand settling easily in hers, and gesturing towards the estate with a free hand.

"There is enough space here. And it will be nice to spend some time with a childhood friend once again." It would also enable him to keep a closer eye on Angelique. Another Anzat running around freely on Procopia for an extended duration? No, that was something that he couldn't risk. If she stayed on his estate however?

It could be managed he thought.

His hand gently settled on her side, polite fashion, as Luca settled himself into a dancing form. She'd know the one. They had to learn it back on Anzat... presumably the form was long since out of fashion back on their ancestral home.

But it amused Luca nonetheless.

"One dance then. Before I have to play graceful host for my guests."

 

[Angelique Deveraux]

Location: Tapani Sector (Luca's Estate)
Luca Caldogne

_________________________________________​

Luca seemed…Concerned.

She didn’t blame him. It was one of the reasons she had contacted him directly aside from simply wishing to see his face. It was never good for their kind to move in on one another’s territory without expressing intent and adhering to it. “I know…I’m sorry. I promise won’t cause you any difficulties. I know how to control my appetite, probably, better than most.”

His fingers wrapped around her own, still outstretched, and she let herself be drawn closer. Being invited to stay? Here? Angelique wasn’t sure how to respond. She didn’t want him to feel like he had to open his home to her, nor, did she want to be a burden. Dark eyes fell down the front of his suit while his hand settled on her waist. His skin was a familiar, calming cool, and she tried to focus on that versus rapidly compounding concerns.

“If you’re worried, I can always push to decline. They can’t do the show without me.”, she murmured carefully, though, part of her regretted it already. The cast and crew wouldn’t understand. She’d never been out sick a day since joining the company on her “mother's” written recommendation, so, perhaps it was time to use that excuse. She could feign illness or fatigue. “I…”

She trailed off while slowly falling into step. The ease with which they moved felt so strange. She recognized every movement he made and fell into it without thought. Without even realizing what they were doing. It was an older dance; however, most music followed the same few timing patterns. It would work. Angelique drew nearer and allowed him to take the lead as was custom. Her free hand fell to his shoulder, though, after a lengthy pause—She realized something important.

Angelique wanted to stay.

Not just in the Tapani Sector. She wanted to stay here, with him. The lack of anxiety she often felt was a breath of fresh air. She wasn’t so unsettled. “This is your home. I trust that you know what is best while I’m here. So—If you’ll have me, I’ll stay. But only if it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“I don’t want to impose.”

In truth, she was already grateful for the moments he had spared for her in the first place. Her request to see him had been selfish. It didn’t take long to feel like a youngling again. He flew threw his lessons with flying colors while she, at the very least, had some catching up to do. She hadn’t minded it then, though. She didn’t mind it now. Angelique released his shoulder so that he could spin her round and a soft chuckle escaped her at the dizzying movement. She returned to his arms, steady, and with precise movements. “…Are you sure?”, she questioned, eyes becoming round with mock innocence, while the edges of her lips pointed downward in a small pout. “Only one?”

She was enjoying herself. Surely, his guests could wait for one more.

 

[Luca Caldogne]

Angelique Deveraux

"Do not worry," He responded without hesitation. "I do not offer something I have no intention of giving."

And with that the discussion was wrapped-up.

Luca made his decision and the moment Angelique expressed interest? There was nothing else to discuss. The eventualities were already taken care of, the details handled, this much she could count on. "There are several rooms available. I will give the servants leave to prepare them and once you are ready, you can move in at your leisure." He'd assure her calmly as he turned her in his arms and smiled at the display. Yes, it was true, he did miss this and it was not just the hint of home.

He hadn't thought about Anzat in any serious fashion in many many years. Maybe he should pay a visit? Then again... who knew what it looked like now... it might be better to let his memories remain nostalgic and warm.

This reminiscing was cut short when Angel asked him for another dance.

"Very well, one more." And then Luca caught himself in that. Pursing his lips in amusement at it. "You always were able to get me to agree to anything." This realization reminded him how dangerous this game would be. Luca build something splendid here. A clockwork that ticked magnificently. The Commerce Guild was already a new addition that added complexity.

Could he maintain one more measure of depth? Especially someone who brought out the subjective worst in him?

Angelique always had that way with him. This wasn't a good idea, Luca knew this instinctively.

Yet, he still turned her once more in his arms, this too was instinct.

"Do you know any people at the gala already?" Curious and doing his best to push past his worries to something more pleasant.

 

[Angelique Deveraux]

Location: Tapani Sector (Luca's Estate)
Luca Caldogne

_________________________________________​

"Sometimes, people offer things just to be polite. Or because they feel like they have to…"

Angelique didn't doubt his intent to keep his word, however, she didn't like the feeling of invading the space of someone who was likely used to having the run of it. He was her oldest friend. One of the few Anzati that didn't immediately seem to disregard her idyllic notions. They didn't have flights of fancy. They didn't whimsically make music, place themselves in the spotlight, or inhabit the same domain for centuries. Often, the others made her feel less than. Not in a pleasant way. "Several rooms?"

"I don't need that much space. You'll barely notice I'm here.", she responded, truthfully, but swaying lightly in the partial cage his arms created was soothing. It settled her concerns, one by one, simply because he was so matter-of-fact. She did have several trunks, but the costumes were kept in storage with the Company. Oddly enough, they were expensive. The jewels weren't fake. Her hand tightened on his for a moment. Just enough, to get his attention, if she didn't already have it. "Thank you."

She thought about home all the time. It was different. Watching the way humanity took care of their young versus Anzati rearing techniques was startling to say the least. It was confusing to watch. Affection, compassion, and many other teachable human moments was mostly overlooked. It had nothing to do with hunting, spycraft, or staying fed. She missed certain parts of Anzat, however, she didn't want to go back.

The reality would only break her heart.

When Luca agreed to her request for one more dance, she rewarded him with the same genuine smile she always had. Honeyed brown eyes seemed to settle with contentment and she leaned closer still. This was nice. He would feel a chuckle run through her body when he intoned that she was able to get him to agree to anything. In their youth, perhaps. "You're lucky then, that I don't ask for much."

She smiled as he spun her once more. A flash of red silken fabric and a shock of raven hair. Angelique moved back into his arms as easily as before and fell back into the correct pattern. It would be of no surprise to him if he followed her career that she was light on her feet. One could not perform on any stage and not know their own body. Especially, when it came to dancing.

The question about the herd caught her a little off guard. Was he actually curious about whether or not she knew these people? They had value to him, she was certain. But only as much as he could maneuver across an eternal chessboard. "I know of a few of them. Some, I wish I knew less.", she murmured, though, she didn't elaborate. One thing that seemed to be consistent in any generation was the fact that men in power felt entitled to things that did not belong to them.

She belonged to no one. It was a difficult pill to swallow.

"Are there any actually worth knowing?"

Angelique spent much of her time simply watching others when they felt no one was looking. It was far more educational than interacting with them directly. Typically, it appeared that most were more than they initially appeared and it wasn't always a good thing. She trusted very, very few.

Her head tilted so that she could rest her temple against his shoulder. Not, part of the dance. It was silly. She felt conflicted about being here, but she wanted to be. It was dangerous. It was stupid. It was everything they shouldn't do. "I've missed you."

Also, something they shouldn't do.

Before he could respond she pulled back with a cheshire smile. The second song had ended and provided the exact subject change to provide an exit from a conversation he undoubtedly wouldn't want to have. "I'm glad you haven't developed two left feet in my absence.", she teased, letting her hand linger in his before releasing him. The evening air felt nice, but they were going to meet his visitors soon. The whole bottle of wine wouldn't be enough but a delicate hand scooped up the glass and she elegantly drained the small amount left. "All right, then. I'm ready to meet your public…"

"If we must."

Again, the cheeky kiss of her mouth told another story. There were many, many other things she would rather spend the evening doing. But—This was the charade. She wouldn't gum up the works of his ultimate design.

At least, not on purpose.

 

[Luca Caldogne]

Angelique Deveraux

"Mmm, I was always of the opinion that offering something you don't mean to offer is impolite in itself." Luca countered lightly and it entirely tracked with the way his mind operated.

His gaze was drawn to the herd beneath them as well. First, at her implication that some of them were less than sterling (this Luca knew intimately and was part of the reason why no guilt was ever felt) and then the query afterwards. "As much as it is worth knowing the lineage of a prized sow or expensive stallion." The tone was not dismissive. It simply was. These nobles, entrepreneurs, and modern riche were the best of the best that the Tapani society had to offer.

And they were dreadfully lacking.

"I will introduce you to a few. Good humans to know if you'd like to penetrate some new markets." Easily offered with nothing expected in return. "-and some of them? Well, it will be more amusing when we have dinner tonight."

Stepping back Luca smiled.

"I am glad I measured up to your lofty expectations, miss Deveraux." Teased easily as he wondered once again if this was wise. "I. Missed you too. It is nice to be able to drop the mask, even for a little bit."

That admission reminded himself that this wasn't wise at all.

"Come on then. I will show you around." Offering his arm.

 

[Angelique Deveraux]

Location: Tapani Sector (Luca's Estate)
Luca Caldogne

_________________________________________
​

"Not everyone is or intends to be, polite."

It was one more thing that she liked about him. Angelique had to wonder about certain aspects of their arrangement because of their nature. But, common and sensible courtesy? He seemed to have that ingrained down pat. She listened quietly as his assessment of the assembled guests and nodded her head slowly. He would be appalled to find out that her typical fare was akin to shopping at a grocery-mart sky mall versus his cultivated farm to table approach. "That sounds dreadful."

It did.

She tried to find something redeeming about most people. Otherwise, how could he stand to have them in his home? It was like having a dog dine at the dinner table. He offered to introduce her to a few of his associates, purely, for her benefit. Angelique smiled up at him, winningly, as always. "…I would appreciate a lay of the land so to speak. The market here is very different than Coruscant."

That was her usual locale. The ecumenopolis was a hotbed for activity and hundreds of thousands of people went missing every other day. No one noticed the few she needed to survive. It may not be as things were in the older days, where, her hunger drove her ambition—But it was enough. She wasn't weak. Nor was she starving. It was better than could be said for some.

"I trust you, Luca.", she murmured softly at his notion of dinner later that evening. She was a little hungry. Her brow furrowed just slightly, worried, that he might have noticed but let it go. It was nothing to make a fuss over. Besides, he seemed to enjoy teasing her far more than she remembered as it was. She didn't need to hand him any further ammunition.

"I hardly consider not crushing my toes a lofty aspiration.", she returned, just as cheekily, while she gestured down toward her footwear. It was a pair of exceedingly high pumps with small gemstones adorning the heel. "These were not inexpensive—And some of us have to sing for their supper."

His admission that he missed her, in turn, drew a small smile, but again she let the topic lie. Angelique knew that Luca was used to doing things a certain way. They all were. She would do her utmost not to make any waves that could cause him to regret her stay. At the offered arm she made her way toward him once more. Her hips rolled in a delicate sway, practiced, and perfect. "Show me, then. As it seems that I'll be staying awhile…I have a lot to learn very quickly."

Her hand looped around his arm and she let her form rest a little closer than what propriety might have suggested. It was deliberate. The same individuals that they would be dining with later were likely the same individuals that didn't understand boundaries. Fewer would bother her if they assumed she was taken by their host. At least, she hoped.

Angelique left her fur and small clutch behind in the chair, mostly, because the estate was comfortable and rather secure. There was nothing incriminating in her belongings regardless but she couldn't see any guests wandering aimlessly into the private study.

 

[Luca Caldogne]

Angelique Deveraux

The gala went off without a hitch, but that was to be expected.

Luca left nothing to chance.

Every invitation targeted. Every seating measured and placed delicately aware of certain dynamics. Luca knew these people. In fact, he knew their parents, their grandparents, their grandgrand parents and so forth. Their temperaments, desires, their childhood wishes and fears. All of it was an open book to him and Luca employed it royally.

Eventually however... the party was over. The last guests left and Luca showed Angelique where she could refresh herself after such a long night. By the time she had? An attendant offered to guide her to the dining room.

A smaller nook rather than the expansive halls the gala had been in. For more intimate affairs rather than elaborate setpieces.

"Ah, Angelique." He was sitting at the hearth, reading a book, but rose up once she slipped into the room. "Dinner is already served." And it might surprise her that the table? Actual food and drinks, instead of the more... useful application of soup.

"The first foray. I found that having some regular food prior to the real meal makes the latter far more filling. I hope you don't mind putting it off just a little while longer." Teasing her with a smile as Luca pulled a chair out for her.

 

[Angelique Deveraux]

Location: Tapani Sector (Luca's Estate)
Luca Caldogne

_________________________________________​

The opera singer checked her hair idly in the mirror for a long moment. Her curls were holding up well but her lippy was another story entirely. She reached into a well-hidden pocket on her form-fitting dress and pulled up a thin tube so she could reapply. The rest she didn't have to worry much for. Her foundation never moved and her dress held exactly where it was supposed to be. Accentuating what should be—Nothing more, nothing less.

Her face hurt from smiling so much. Idly, she reached up to pat her cheeks.

She wasn't expecting to see an attendant when she exited, however, brown orbs immediately searched the small space for Luca. The estate was so large that it felt empty when he wasn't present. Still, she followed along obediently. Curious eyes peered into the smaller setting and found the sight of her old friend reading a book before the fireplace endearing. Her expression softened, when he stood, though she snapped back into focus. "Served so soon? I was only a few moments…"

Ah. It was Luca. He had most definitely planned ahead.

She peered toward the spread that had been assembled, though, she wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Angelique had tried all manner of human dishes in the past but she hadn't expected Luca to find much value in it. The way tastes developed over time, contrasted with their usual diet. The cuisine on the table wouldn't provide sustenance but the texture, flavor, could be enjoyed. In a fashion.

Patience was never her virtue for everyday things, but, when it came to hunger? She could wait. Her practice involved stretching herself to her limits so she could time exactly when she needed to eat. What the last possible time frame would be—Before things got ugly. Those calculations let her keep to a rigid schedule, which, was required with her profession. "As they say—"

She accepted the chair Luca pulled out for her, though, her fingertips graced the back of his hand in gentle appreciation. Was he always so gallant? "—Good things come to those who wait."

Angeline did have a guilty pleasure when it came to pastry and sweets. There was something about it that always caught her attention. Even the smell, occasionally, reminded her of some of the more mobile dishes she'd had in the past.

"So…What would you recommend tonight? A little bit of everything?"

 

[Luca Caldogne]

Angelique Deveraux

"That is a motto of mine as well." Luca prided himself in his restraint and patience. There were some of their numbers that ate scores of people a day. He heard of instances were Anzati could go through about thirty humans a day. Those... were hunted down by professional killers sooner rather than latter and were not worth any respect.

Thirty people? What kind of insane creature needed that much sustenance?

"Mhm. I wouldn't worry about finishing a meal. My people always make more than is necessary, so they can enjoy my meals too." Bemused expression there but clearly Luca was fine with that.

"I do advocate for the apple-stuffed pastries. They are rather sweet and savory." A mischievous smirk there as he began cutting up his steak. It was perhaps a bit of a strange decked-out dinner table. Filled with sweets and meat and salads. A mixture of everything. But that was the way it went when you didn't need this food for sustenance.

You just picked out the flavors you felt like consuming in the moment.

"Tell me, how do you like the Tapani Sector? I have been here for a long time now. I would value an outside perspective on it."