Fridays were Avery's early days, so it always felt like she was able to start the weekend a few hours earlier than the rest of Manhattan. On Fridays she liked to walk home from school, as opposed to taking the subway, taking her time to get a late lunch takeaway from her favourite cafe, and of course, stopping off for a coffee. But this Friday, she skipped all of that, heading straight home on the subway so she could be home a little earlier and relax there before going out that night.
She'd been given two tickets to an art exhibition, but her friend had bailed at the last minute, not being able to afford missing a shift of work, and she had understood, and figured she would still go anyway, and maybe see if Christian wanted the extra ticket. After all, they'd been getting along alright, much better than she'd expected when she'd agreed to live with him, and he was also interested in art.
She was mentally doing a run through of her closet, knowing that this was going to be a typical pretentious black tie event. She usually hated being surrounded by the kinds of people who attended these things, even though she liked having a giggle behind their backs about their completely incorrect facts on the artists that were being showcased. But it was an exhibition for one of her favourite artists, and a chance to see his work and be able to meet him was too good to pass up.
Avery reached the apartment building in no time, silently thanking the cosmos for the lift finally being fixed, grateful also to be out of the heat. She pressed the button for her floor and leaned against the handrail in the elevator, pulling her keys out of her bag. The doors opened and she walked out, taking the familiar 8 steps to her front door and opening it.
Not sensing any sign of Christian, she went straight to her room to drop her things off and then stripped down, wrapping a towel around her body and heading for the bathroom. A short (basically cold) shower later, she emerged, her long hair wet and dripping down her back as she went back into her room. She towel dried her hair as much as she could, then combed it, leaving hanging damp around her shoulders, not bothering to tie it back. She slipped into a pair of shorts and a tank top, then went out to the kitchen, intending on making herself a salad before settling down to watch tv.
Christian
Christian climbed out of the subway, carrying his cargo awkwardly.
It took him twice as long as usual to make it back to the apartment building. Doubly grateful that the lift had been restored now, he piled in and headed on up. He sighed as he listened to the mechanics, wondering what Avery would think of his newest acquisition. She'd been leaving him so many notes and random drinks/food that he already felt domesticated. He figured it was time to give something back.
He struggled once the door opened to get everything out, then carried it to the room. After a quick check to make sure no one was watching, he sneakily used his telekinesis to open and close the door behind him.
"Avie?!" he called, setting his cargo by the door.
Avery
"Hollllaa," Avery called back, in the middle of chopping up the vegetables for her salad. "I'm in the kitchen."
She tossed the carrots into the bowl, then got started on the tomato.
Christian
"I got something for us," Christian called back, before dumping his bag behind the sofa and taking off his jacket.
"Come see when you're ready."
He grabbed the one he'd decided would be his and took it over to the open window.
Avery
Avery raised an eyebrow, pausing in her movements. She washed her hands quickly and dried them off on the tea towel, before heading out to where Christian was.
"What did you get?" she asked, finally finding him by the window.
Christian
"Vintage easels," Chris grinned.
"Can't have a studio apartment without easels. Especially not with artists living here."
Avery
Avery laughed and nodded her agreement.
"Very true. Thanks dude, these are awesome."
She paused.
"Speaking of artists... and you can totally say no, don't feel obligated... but I have a spare ticket tonight to Ortega's art exhibition... she's gonna be there to do a meet and greet... not sure if you like her or anything..."
Christian
"Ortega..." Christian thought out loud, "is she the one that uses a lot of blue hues to make things like... um. I'm not sure. Disproportionate reality?"
He wasn't sure he'd said that right.
"We didn't get to focus much on newer artists in class, unfortunately. I only had what I could access on the web."
Avery
"Sort of," Avery waved her hand back and forth in a rocking gesture. "That was her earlier stuff, she did a lot of fantasy realism as well, but lately she's been doing a whole bunch of mix media. She's interesting."
She scratched top of her head absently.
"I mean, I just have a spare ticket, it's totally optional... it's a black tie event, so, you know... it can get really pretentious, but I do like laughing at people who have no idea what they are talking about."
Christian
"Black tie?" Christian screwed his face up.
He couldn't remember if he'd ever worn a suit in his life.
Avery
Avery nodded and let out a laugh. "Afraid so."
She glanced at her watch.
"There's still time to run out and get something if you want to come?"
Christian
Chris looked back at his easel, then out at the city.
"Hell. Why not?" he threw his hands up, "all I'm going to be doing while you're gone is... I don't even know anyway. Sleeping."
Avery
"Plus, free food," Avery shrugged. "Speaking of which... my late lunch is calling. Thanks for the easel."
She turned on her heel and headed back for the kitchen to continue putting her salad together.
Christian
Hours later, Christian was awkwardly shifting his shoulders in his new suit as he walked through the main doors with Avery. He watched as she gave over the invitations, and idly gazed around.
"Not many people here," he said under his breath.
Avery
Avery adjusted the straps on her black cocktail dress, eyes scanning the room. She smiled at the waiter who was holding a tray of champagne flutes, and she took one, taking a dainty sip.
"Oh," she let out a breath, seeing a painting catch her attention.
She walked over to it, leaving Christian by himself.
Christian
Christian saw what had caught her eye, then moved on by himself to check out the other paintings.
He noticed with a hidden smirk that there were people crowded around what he'd consider the simpler paintings, discussing their fine architecture, and yet not many interested in what he'd consider the more intricate pieces.
He stopped in front of one that no one seemed to be paying attention to, and took note of the different brush strokes the artist had used.
Avery
"Dull," a voice came from beside Avery. "The subject matter, the brushwork, everything. Hi, I'm Patrick."
Avery didn't even bother turning her head to see the arrival, instead just sent him on his way with a telepathic command. She kept her eyes on the piece she was looking at, thoroughly disagreeing with everything he had said to her.
She moved on to the next painting, tilting her head slightly as she studied it.
Christian
"It has such a... retro feel to it, doesn't it?" Christian said, noticing Avery catching up.
"She seems to be a fan of time-lapse subject matter."
Avery
"I like it, I mean, it's not the personal style I use, but I appreciate it."
Avery glanced at him, then back at the work they were standing in front of.
"I will never be this good," she said, letting out a laugh.
Christian
"You've barely lived a quarter of your life," Christian smirked, "and you weren't painting for most of that. You may surprise yourself sooner than you expect."
Avery
Avery shrugged, letting out another chuckle.
"True, true."
She glanced over at him.
"You see anything that's inspiring you?"
Christian
"I don't know, I think the setting's putting me off," he shrugged, as yet another couple went past bitching about one of the works.
"I don't know how people stand to put their heart and soul onto paper and then let people like these - who wouldn't know a sloppy joe from a big mac - just rip it to shreds. It doesn't make sense."
Avery
Avery laughed and nodded. "I deal with it in art school, about 40% of the people behave like that, and they don't know what they're talking about. I've learned to tune it out."
She pointed at the next painting they were stood in front of.
"This one," she indicated. "There's just so much feeling and emotion behind it, and people just disregard it as a bunch of random strokes on a canvas."
Christian
Christian nodded, getting into it.
"It's registered chaos," he agreed, "like there's a struggle within to hold onto reality. Over here..."
He pointed to the left of the canvas.
"As opposed to this side, where it's like... walking into the light."
Avery
Avery looked at him, keeping her shock from registering on her face. He really did know a lot more than he let on that he did.
"Exactly," she replied, nodding. "There's just so much more behind it."
Christian
"Whereas the one to our right that everyone is gushing over, it looks like the artist did it on an afternoon off," Christian added.
"Not to say that it's not great, but in comparison. It lacks the... emotion, of this one."
Avery
"Yeah, like she did that one to pay the bills," Avery nodded.
"But it's more structured, the brushwork so much more rigid and precise. Art only makes sense to most people if you've coloured within the lines."
Christian
Christian shrugged.
"That's one way to put it," he said, looking around again.
"I think I'm partial to the green one in the corner everyone seems to be ignoring."
Avery
Avery looked over in the direction he had said and made her way over to it with him.
"I don't know," she said, tilting her head. "I like it, but I usually like my fantastic realism slightly more... fantastic? I do like the mixed media though, that's an awesome detail."
Christian
"Yeah, I mean look at the stroke detail in the bottom corner there," Chris pointed to where he meant.
"I'm thinking of incorporating that sort of thing into my next project."
Avery
"Oh cool," Avery nodded, looking to where he was pointing. "I like the contrast."
She glanced around at the other people in the room.
"You seen enough? I don't know about you, but I'm starving and Fridays are my cheat days, so... I'm totally allowed to go for a pizza or a burger today."
Christian
"I could really use a burger," Christian thought she'd never ask.
He took one last look at the paintings, and the snobs surrounding them, then offered his elbow.
Avery
Avery took his arm, walking alongside him as they left the studio.
"There's a great place just near Times Square," she told him. "It's my burger place of choice."
Christian
"Awesome," Chris nodded.
"I shall see if it lives up to expectation."
He grinned.
"Thanks for doing this, hey. Aside from having to get dressed up it was a good night."
And on cue, he pulled his tie off and rolled it up.
Avery
"No problem," Avery shrugged, as they headed in the direction of Times Square.
"I get these tickets a lot through school, so you're always welcome to come if you like the artist. I feel bad dragging my non-arty friends to them."
She pulled her hair away from her face, braiding it on the side as they walked.
"Ah, I knew there was a reason I picked a loose dress tonight," she laughed as the burger place came into view. "I'm going to eat until it's tight."
Christian
Christian paused, some awkward thoughts going through his mind about that dress.
"I might take you up on that," he nodded.