18622/Harmonious Beginnings

Harmonious Beginnings
Date of Scene:	19 July 2024
Location:	Aria's Apartment (8A)
Synopsis:	After an impromptu duet at her HFC debut, Aria invites Sofia to her apartment for coffee, and a new friendship begins to blossom.
Cast of Characters:	Aria Seraphine, Sofia Maroni

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Aria Seraphine has posed:
"Sofia? It's Aria. I got your note..."

That's how the conversation began, the day after Aria's debut at Lily Anne's Lounge, where the two of them had captivated the entire audience with their impromptu, jazz-inspired rendition of "All About That Bass."

But that hadn't been the extent of it, had it?

Not only had Aria recognized Sofia as a fellow songbird, which itself shouldn't be all that surprising, there was an emotional tug that was familiar to Sofia after that number -- a siren-esque draw towards the new talent that wasn't exactly familiar, but wasn't all that different, either.

Aria had been thrilled to sing with Sofia. Genuinely overjoyed. It had been palpable on the stage, in the look in her eye, and the way she radiated that warmth through every pore while they were saying their goodbyes. And that same warmth comes through the phone as they chat. It's not quite young, naive, or over-the-top enough to be thought of as 'fangirling,' but there's an unmistakable warmth and desire to connect. So, when it seems like they have something to discuss and the opportunity presents itself, Aria's not too bashful to make the offer...

"Sofia, would you like to come over? I could make us some coffee. We could order in, even, if you wanted..."

And then the address is given: Apartment 8A, Midnight Manor, in the Garment District.

It's... not a dump. That's probably the _best_ thing that can be said about it. It's dated. The decor even in the lobby (and especially the elevator) still looks like it's from the 1980s, but it's been kept up. There aren't any rats or passed out drug addicts loitering in the halls, like there were in her last place. (Though in fairness, Aria had been one of those passed out drug addicts more than once...)

Finally, the knock at the door comes, and Aria's there a few seconds later in a silver blouse and a black, pleated skirt that doesn't quite reach her knees. Her feet are bare, and though her hair and makeup are barely done, there's still something... radiant about her. Warm. Alluring in a benign sort of way, that Divine Presence passively giving her a kind of healthy, welcoming glow.

"Hey," she says warmly, stepping back to open the door farther and offer a hug. "Thanks for coming."

Sofia Maroni has posed:
Sofia Maroni certainly did recognize something in Aria during their duet, but she had a lot of questions as well. Spotting a fellow singer is one thing, but it's like Aria -knew- something was special about Sofia. And she encouraged her to let it loose.

So of course she agreed to come over for coffee.

The blonde is wearing a leather mini with knee boots, a silk blouse, and a matching jacket.

Sofia steps into the hug, returning it warmly. "Thanks for inviting me." she replies, stepping inside. "I know you must have questions, just as I do. But why don't we get comfortable first?"

Sofia looks around, but she keeps any opinions about the place to herself.

Aria Seraphine has posed:
There's nothing that resembles either pretension or shame from the young woman woman with the golden brown hair -- nothing, in fact, that seems to be waiting for any judgement to be passed by Sofia at all. It's almost childlike in its innocence, like she has the ability to simply exist without fretting over whether her apartment was good enough or making the standard apology for 'how messy it is' that grown-ups always do.

It's not, in fact, messy. It's quite tidy and cared for, and it would hold up to scrutiny as long as no one ran around with a white glove.

A soft laugh bubbles up from Aria's lips at the mention of questions. It's a kind of relieved sound, acknowledging that they're on the same wavelength, as she's closing the door and locking it to keep out the riffraff.

"Happily," she says. "Would you like a cup of coffee? I have cream and sugar, too."

It's not hard to find the kitchen. It's in the same room as everything else except for the (tiny) bedroom and (tiny) bathroom, and the scent of the freshly brewed pot fills the air even as Aria's padding over to it. She's already set out a couple of cups with spoons, so she's fetching the cream and sugar to set out.

"Please, make yourself at home. You look amazing, by the way. And your outfit at Lily Anne's?! That flapper dress was _incredible_. The whole thing. It must be _such_ a pain to keep those outfits looking so new. I can't believe you still had it. I barely have the closet space for week's worth and a couple of jackets. Trying to save something for a hundred years would be..."

She blows out a huff of air that serves as both a huff of exasperation and a way to clear a stray lock of hair out of her eyes.

Sofia Maroni has posed:
Sofia Maroni slips out of her coat, and after a brief glance around she lays it carefully over the back of a chair on the way into the kitchen.

"Just a little sugar, please." she replies, finding a counter to lean against. "And I'm glad you liked the dress..." Aria comments on the difficulty of keeping the outfits new, and Sofia chuckles softly.

"Yes, I wore that dress when I was a lot younger. But you know that. Somehow. Just like you know my father was Don Angelo Maroni and my mother is the goddess Aphrodite."

Sofia tilts her head a little, letting her natural beauty show through now. It's nothing near Aria's divine aura; more like the presence of a movie star.

"I have a couple of apartments that I keep for storing some of my keepsakes, you might say."

Aria Seraphine has posed:
Coffee poured into one cup. Sugar added and stirred. Aria lifts the cup for the very brief trip over to set it beside Sofia with a sheepish little smile. There's a moment where she really seems to consider the other woman, pausing for just a moment to sweep her gaze down and back up again -- appreciative without being leering. And then she's moving back to doctor her own cup -- sugar _and_ cream for her.

It's really more like a coffee milkshake by the time she's done with it.

"Were they?"

It's an innocent sounding question, however devoid of surprise, that also conveys a quirky, almost grandmotherly humor driven home by the way she grins over her shoulder at the other woman. Her eyes are still those of a teenager -- too bright, too blue, with entirely unblemished corners -- yet there's a certain depth to them in that moment. An admission as much as an understanding.

"I don't have very many keepsakes," she admits as she's setting the milk back in the fridge. Then she collects her own cup and makes a little gesture into the 'living room'... which was just the same room, except it's the part that has the couch. In fact, speaking of keepsakes, if one looks too hard at the pictures on the shelves, they'll find they're all of different people... stock photos that probably came with the frames.

"I don't mean to keep you in suspense, Sofia. I have you at a disadvantage, but I haven't told very many people who I really am... and even fewer why I'm here." She's sweeping the back of her skirt as she eases down onto the sofa and crosses her legs. "It hasn't... gone all that well for me. But honestly, when I saw you... all I really wanted to do was tell you."

She blows out a soft breath. "I'm an angel. Or, I used to be. My name's just Seraphine... I admittedly added the Aria to make it a bit more..."

She grimaces.

"Stripper-y."

Then she takes a sip from her cup.

Sofia Maroni has posed:
Sofia Maroni accepts the cup with a small nod, the smile remaining warm. She chuckles softly and takes a sip. "You know they were." she replies softly, watching Aria's movements as the two adjourn to the living room... er, the sofa area.

Settling onto the other end of the sofa, the blonde crosses one leg over the other and seems both poised and relaxed. It's the posture of someone who had a cultured upbringing. And Aria's words do not evoke a surprised reaction. Not at all.

"That -does- explain a lot, Aria." she replies. Her mouth twitches into a small smile at the stripper reference, blue eyes bright with understanding. And with something else. "I've worked at some rough places though the years, but I always had my singing." There's a pause, and she adds. "And now you do as well."

Drawing a slow breath, Sofia exhales softly before leaning in a little closer. "We may be from different... beliefs... but I give you my word, Aria, that you will never need to do something you don't like again. Now that I know your true name, I can find you anywhere."

Sofia shrugs a little at that, the smile becoming a bit playful. "I'm sure you know that I work for Iris as well. Delivering messages is what I do, now, in my off-time. And, if you will have it, I offer you my full protection."

Aria Seraphine has posed:
"If I'd only met you five years ago..."

The words leave Aria's lips on a dark, mirthless chuckle as her eyes dip down towards the cup of light caramel colored coffee cradled in smallish hands. But there's still a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. A ray of hope, of strength, that seems to linger despite whatever darkness lingers over her like a cloud.

"Do you... make this offer to all the fallen angels you meet?"

It sounds like a rhetorical challenge, but there's a strong sense of curiosity when those blue orbs flicker back up, inspecting Sofia's reaction through dark lashes.

"Don't you... want to know what I did to end up here? How evil I really am?"

Her expression is half-grimace, half-pleading.

"Please don't... don't take offense. I don't mean any." And that, at least, is absolutely sincere. There's a shake of her head that moves her hair around her shoulders. "I... used to think I understood... things. About the world. About human behavior. And if I've learned anything over the last five years..." That mirthless chuckle is back. "It's that I don't understand nearly as much as I thought I did."

Sofia Maroni has posed:
Sofia Maroni tilts her head, letting out a soft, understanding sigh when Aria starts talking about her past evil deeds. Reaching out, she takes one of Aria's hands in her own. "A wise woman recently told me that it's not about your past or your heritage. It's all about how you live in the present."

Sofia raises that hand to her lips to kiss the back. "Her name is Diana."

Then she continues "You know my father's family, and all the blood in their ledger. I am not one to judge, Aria. And even so, I would judge by what I see before me, not by anything you may have done in your past that has already been judged."

Releasing the hand, Sofia settles back once more. "I don't sing as much as I used to these days. I spend most of my time training with the Amazons. They are good people, and I'm sure that they would welcome you if you wished."

Sofia takes another sip of her coffee, then. "I think you should really give humanity more of a chance."

Aria Seraphine has posed:
Aria's eyes flicker down again.

'It's not about your past...' those words seem to sink in, but whether it's the way Sofia intended is debatable. It's thoughtful, at least, forcing her to take a moment to consider what they really mean to her.

Does none of it really matter? It would certainly seem that way. For eons, she'd been the ideal -- a faithful and unquestioning angel of mercy who upheld the divine order until she stumbled on something she wasn't supposed to. Until she was framed for sins she never committed. Until her wings were ruthlessly hacked off by the angel who passed off his own sins as hers.

She struggled in this hell on earth because of him. She was used, abused, and treated like garbage with no recourse because of an archangel's recklessness, his desire to play God.

And if her past didn't matter -- if none of the good she had ever done counted for anything -- maybe the evil she wanted to commit didn't matter, either. Maybe, if she was going to be punished anyway, taking out her vicious revenge on an archangel would be a worthy way to balance the scales.

But even as that darkness starts to physically cloud in -- making even the surrounding room seem vaguely darker, smaller, and more ominous -- her hand is taken. She looks up, and all at once that oppressive darkness retreats. When it's kissed? Things actually seem to take on a measure of brightness, just like her smile.

"I would never ask. I know how private they are. But I would love to meet them, if they were willing..."

Humanity...

That smile softens, and she turns her wrist just so, fingers lightly interlacing with Sofia's.

"A few people have kept hope alive for me... that some semblance of what I believed was the true order of things actually had any basis in reality at all. I'm afraid my brother's understanding is probably more accurate than mine, but I'm glad you're here... even if you are a bit of an exception to the rule."

Humor glints a little in her eyes as she gives Sofia's hand a little squeeze.

"You should really come back to Lily Anne's some time... I would love to have you back on stage with me..."

And that seemed to be what she needed, then. Casual, light conversation with a new friend to ligthen her mood and help restore some of that lost faith.