Thread Back-Up from Discord for the thread "I, Who Have Nothing"
Starring: Ellen Bailey & Thora Phrostfur
Written from: 11/24/2020 - 11/29/2020
Total Word Count: 26,223 words

☠ ❣ Content Warning ❣ ☠

Nothing explicit, but mentions of violence & mature themes throughout

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Ellen Bailey:

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Thora Phrostfur:

It felt like an eternity since she'd been to a proper party; passing around drinks and jokes, innocent flirtation and other things in kind was a welcome retreat from the madness of packing and going in and out for work to have something other to do than... grieve. Having a moment to stretch and socialize was... Nice. And it was a big party that she'd been begged to go to by a close friend from her old theatre group. So she went, dressed to the nines in white and complimentary makeup. Thora was weaving in and out through different circles of people, changing spots every time she got a new drink. She was carrying a tequila sunrise when she spotted a familiar blonde head in the crowd from her spot on a U shaped couch. Other people were either trying to get her attention or were talking among themselves. Was that... could it be? "Is that you, Ellen Bailey?" She called out to the blonde. No way she'd be in New York, right?

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Ellen Bailey:

Ellen is chatting to a group of actors about one of the shows currently running when someone calls her name from the crowd. It doesn't immediately register who it belongs to, just because it's been so long since she heard it - so she looks over towards the caller with a frown when she realizes it's not one of her friends. So she locks eyes with her before she realizes who it is she's looking at. There's no mistaking that Ellen heard AND saw the gorgeous woman calling to her on the couch. Ellen whips back around to face her group, wide eyed, and tries to pretend she hadn't heard. But they are all looking at Ellen equally as wide eyed, tittering on and asking how she knows Thora. Fuck me, she groans internally, of all the people to run into... Is Thora the guest of honor tonight? How long has it been? A year? Nearly two? Ellen wavers as the group looks at her expectantly, seemingly confused that she wasn't acknowledging the call. Finally she slowly turns and offers Thora a wave. "It is!" She calls back.

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Thora Phrostfur:

The blonde turned and she grins. It is Ellen Bailey. Ellen Bailey from Bear River. Gods, it feels like it's been forever. How long had it been? The last time she'd been the cop, she'd been with... Aerallis. She sighs mentally at the thought. If nothing else, she never thought that she'd ever see Ellen without the petite Italian. And now that she was... gone... it shouldn't have been surprising not to see them together. Yet it still feels like a shock. Aera had been madly in love with her - a secret she'd taken to the grave. Poor Aera... Ellen makes eye contact with her and turns back around. Thora chuckles. She's not surprised, not really, that Ellen would like to ignore her. Her friends likewise seem surprised that they know each other. So do one or two individuals sitting with her on the couch. Friends of Ellen's, maybe? As if she'd been guilted, the human turns and replies. "I knew I recognized you!" She laughed, waving the other over. "Get over here, love. Let's catch up!"

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Ellen Bailey:

Ellen's expression is all beaming and bright smiles, but internally she is running through a rapid list of excuses of how to leave the party right that second and not have to join the ethereal beauty on the couch. They all come up short, especially with so many eyes suddenly on her. So she makes her way over anyway. Ellen is perhaps one of the only people in this place who dislikes Thora. And thinking about it she couldn't ever really put a finger on why. Too gorgeous, maybe; on a scale of 1 to 10, Ellen was maybe a 6 and Thora was a 25. Off the charts. And there was the whole matter of her... friendship to Ellen's best friend. Ellen settles herself in the open seat Thora has made for her, although it is far closer than perhaps the blonde would like. She'd prefer a good six feet of distance between them. She is all smiles and good natured looking at Thora. "I had no idea you were in New York City today! Have you been here long?"

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Thora Phrostfur:

She beams as Ellen makes her way over, scooting over slightly and shooing away another person from the spot she wanted the blonde to take. Long dark hair tumblers over her shoulder as she extends her arm along the back of the couch on Ellen's side - who is all smiles and warmth. Thora knows it's fake. Even after all this time, it appeared that she hadn't let go of her jealousy. "About a year now. New York is one of my old stomping grounds. I always find myself back here when I'm changing locations." She says. And it was true. She'd moved out of Bear River months in advance. Thora had also been among the party to level it to the ground afterwards. It'd been such a shame to eradicate a place with so many memories.

"How about you? How long have you been here?" Small world indeed. Of all the people to see again, and so randomly, she didn't expect that it would be Ellen.

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Ellen Bailey:

Ellen is sitting in the proper way, due to the length of her dress, but she doesn't recline. One, because Thora's arm is draped across the back of the couch behind her, and two, it means she can get to her feet again any moment if she feels she needs. Ellen isn't usually the jealous type, and she refuses to acknowledge that this is where the dislike lies; rather she blames it on the predatory look the dark haired angel always seems to have, the smirk that is too suggestive, and the fact that she can be described as an angel at all. Thora says she had been here nearly a year. It was somehow a miracle they hadn't run into each other already. "I grew up here, actually. Being in Bear River was a big leap." Ellen chuckles. "I ah... didn't have a reason to stay anymore so I came back home. About, uh, six months ago? Give or take."

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Thora Phrostfur:

"Oh wow, you don't say?" She sounds genuinely surprised. Truth be told, she's not; when Aera had introduced them, she'd gone home and looked up everything she could about Ellen Bailey - simply because she was protective of her friends, especially close friends like Aerallis. Her grin falters slightly at the mention of nothing to go back to, but then it's back. Even if she'd wanted to, she could never go back to Bear River. Neither could anyone else. It no longer existed. Ellen must not have looked back on it at all. Any pictures containing landmarks or businesses, anything that could identify the location as Bear River, had been completely wiped out. Six months... God. It had been that long, hadn't it? "I see. I'd say that I was surprised we hadn't bumped into each other sooner if I hadn't been so busy." She crosses her legs, turning her body towards Ellen. The blonde has her undivided attention, much to the surprise of others. She pays them no mind, and eventually, they stop looking - but they're listening. "What have you been up to?"

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Ellen Bailey:

By the time she moved to Bear River, Ellen hadn't lived in New York City for almost 10 years - so it's no surprise that Thora didn't know. She wasn't very public about it. Didn't want people to figure out someone who spent her early formative years as a professional ballerina was now on their police force. People could be... quite judgemental. Ellen notices the same as everyone else that she has captured Thora's whole and undivided attention, going so far as to turn her whole body towards her - in that sexy white ensemble. Ellen keeps her gaze firmly on Thora's face, but hope that someone else will come along to save her is rapidly dwindling. Thora won't be deterred. Ellen's not sure she can blame her, given the circumstances; they are the only two here who can talk about their old home. "I..." She hesitates. It doesn't seem like Thora knows why she left Bear River. So she goes with the cover story. "Have been on an extended vacation. Taking care of my parents. Dad's getting on in years, and my brother is really busy with his job on Wall Street. So I volunteered to come home." Her smile turns a bit brighter as she is genuinely excited as she says, "I'm hoping to use the time for my Detective exam."

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Thora Phrostfur:

The only thing she'd cared to confirm was that Ellen Bailey wouldn't be in Bear River on the day was supposed to be erased. She hadn't really looked into the way, but heard from the grapevine that it had something to do with the mafia. Well. Whatever worked. Knowing that, she takes the story she's told at face value... and a grain of salt. She doesn't focus on that part though. "Oooh." She cooes, voice taking on an enchanting, melodic tone. "That's exciting! Good luck to you. I'm sure you'll do just fine." Her mouth pulls into a suggestive smirk, eyes glinting mischievously. "Detective Bailey." Thora tests the title on her tongue, and nearly purrs. "That's a hot title. Almost as hot as its owner. Almost." Honestly, she meant that; that form hugging black dress, the way she'd done her makeup and god those legs. Ellen looked good. And... She couldn't pass up the opportunity to tease a woman that she was certain was in the closet. Deep in the closet. "It's pretty noisy in here. Care to join me outside? I'd love to talk some more."

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Ellen Bailey:

"Thank you." Ellen's smile is genuine now as she accepts the reassurance that she'll do well. She really hopes she will... after two previous failed attempts she had given up. Now she had nothing but time, though, and hoped to make it count. Buuut that real smile is gone in about 5 seconds when Thora's shifts to that same suggestive smirk and predatory glint she had been mentally complaining about only a minute earlier. As is normal for her, she curses her Irish blood as a light blush immediately flares to life on her face at the sound of her hopeful new title purred off the tongue of the glamorous woman. She hopes the lighting in the room and her makeup is enough to hide it, but the stutter she cannot. "Uh, I, um -- thank you(?)." She isn't used to compliments like that from lips like that, so it comes out as half a question. She swears internally and struggles to brush it off. "I don't look nearly as good as you." she throws it back at her. For a second she only stares at the offer to go outside. There are a lot of people in here; a quarter of them are staring openly at Thora, and about another third are pretending not to while eavesdropping. Ellen got used to it being around Aera so much... Especially after their first concert went viral among her fans. But if Thora isn't going to let her go quietly and she's going to be dealing with these eyes for a little while... "Oh, sure." She accepts, getting to her feet perhaps too eagerly. "You're right, it is awfully noisy. And it's such a nice night." Ellen offers an arm to help Thora up. "Shall we?"

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Thora Phrostfur:

The second thank you sounds like a question, and she makes a sound that's half a giggle and half a purr. Ellen was cute. God she loved easily flustered women. Maybe that was part of the reason why Aera adored her so. She could see it. "Oh, love. Just because I look good doesn't mean that you don't shine just as bright. You're a diamond in the rough, miss soon-to-be detective." She winks. "But thank you." To her surprise, it doesn't take any convincing to relocate. Ellen stands and offers her arm. Thora smiles at her, turning on the charm, and accepts it. "It is." Her white cape flutters behind her as they walk out back, away from prying eyes and ears. Another victim to Thora's seduction, their probably thinking. She could care less. The raven haired goddess closes the door behind them and walks out onto the porch, drinking in the night air. "You know, it's strange." She says, turning back towards her company. There's no smile. Only a solemn expression. "I don't know if you've tried... But I can't find anything pertaining to Bear River. Haven't been able to in about six months or so." It's something that she feels she needs to get out of the way. Ellen needs to know, now, that she can't go back.

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Ellen Bailey:

Ellen can see what she's doing. All honey sweet words and teasing compliments. She wants Ellen flustered, for some reason. That's been her game with most people, Ellen has noticed. It's really annoying that the flattery is so easily working. Well, Ellen resolves, she's not going to let her get away with it that easily. In the same breath, though, she knows she is likely to fail. If Thora is going to embarrass her, better to do it in private, where phrases like how she is a diamond in the rough can go unheard by the entourage. Ellen drops Thora's arm the moment they are outside and the door is closed, hugging her arms to her chest. She blinks, startled, when the raven haired beauty suddenly turns around with a very different expression on her face. "Er... No, I hadn't tried, I haven't really had a reason to..." She frowns. "But I don't know what you mean? What were you looking for, specifically?" And is that why Thora was so eager to drag her into a conversation? Because she needed something confirmed and Ellen was conveniently available?

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Thora Phrostfur:

"I mean, it's like it doesn't exist. It doesn't come up in a Google search. My old house and... even hers... aren't even on Zillow anymore." She said, matter of factly. "I was looking through old photos months ago when I noticed that all of the pictures I'd taken in Snow Haven weren't on my account anymore. I'd... Been asked to provide a few pictures and thought it was weird that I couldn't find any of the ones that I'd wanted to use. And I was curious if you had the same experience. Felt like I was losing my mind for a bit there." Short, sweet and to the point. It wasn't just because she needed Ellen to know she couldn't go back, not really. It would've been odd for her not to talk about it too. To human friends that would've remembered the place. But it wasn't something anyone else needed to hear.

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Ellen Bailey:

"Doesn't exist?" Ellen repeated, her frown deepening. What on earth did that mean? Of course it existed. Towns don't just disappear. And then Thora mentions her photos being gone. Ellen looks... vaguely alarmed. She hadn't looked at any old photos, either. It... hurt too much. Between the very obvious drifting apart, the serial killer case, losing her job, then the... funeral... Ellen had all but banished her time in Bear River from her memory. But she hopes her photos aren't gone, too. And then wonders why she would be worried about that. Thora's photos vanishing wouldn't have any impact on hers. "... I've been very busy with my parents. I hadn't noticed, no." She shifts her weight to her other foot. Maybe she'd ask Jimmy... He'd be able to help her look into it. Financial records, at least. "But I'll check too, when I get home."

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Thora Phrostfur:

She wouldn't dig at it more. The seed was planted, nothing else was needed. But unfortunately, unless they'd been on a USB that hadn't been connected to the internet at all since the town was wiped, Ellen's photos would be gone, too. That was always the sucky part about her real job. Losing the memories, and eliminating innocent people that hadn't left in order to contain the threat. Thora nods, letting out a breath. "Okay. Thank you." The flow of conversation would naturally go to the funeral. Or Aera. But... it's still a fresh, open wound. So it needed to be something else. "How're your studies going? For your detective test."

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Ellen Bailey:

Ellen nods but doesn't offer anything more after Thora lets out a breath and thanks her for checking. And it's made her uncomfortable in a vague way that she hadn't at all expected. The whole town, gone? Why would that be? How would that be? How can a whole town just be... vanished from existence? Something wrong with Google, clearly. And the internet in general. Or maybe it had been blocked on Thora's devices for whatever reason... Ellen stirs, shaking off the train of thought. "Oh, um... fine, I suppose." She starts to fidget with her necklace. "It's much easier to study when you're not working... I'll admit I don't have a very easy time studying. I didn't have a normal path through school so I never got good at it." She trails off. This is normally the part where you ask the other person something, but Ellen isn't really interested in small talk about Thora's life. She moves up to stand at the balcony railing, soaking in the night air. It really is a nice night tonight.

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Thora Phrostfur:

Not good at studying. It felt like a very American thing to say. She grins. "Well, you'll probably say no, but if you'd like some help, I'm a great study buddy. I used to be a lawyer, once upon the time. And I've kept up with my degree in criminal justice." Again, not a lie. And it felt like the polite thing to offer. She was a friend of someone close.

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Ellen Bailey:

The blonde shoots a look at Thora, looking bewildered. "A lawyer? You?" For a second she can't even picture it - the gorgeous woman in a caped outfit, dressed like a lawyer and up giving an opening statement. But her disbelief quickly fades. Ahh. So this is the reason why Ellen often caught herself comparing the predatory look Thora has with her ex, Richard Mason. He was a lawyer too. That was a lawyer look. As quickly as the shock is there, it's gone. It makes total sense that that is a job Thora can do. "I can tell." Ellen's smile has shifted back to the fake politeness again. "And, you're right. I do appreciate the offer. But I think there would be a lot of distraction, trying to study with you." She means it more in the sense of everyone around her, and doesn't realize it comes across that Ellen would be the one distracted.

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Thora Phrostfur:

She chuckles. "Yes. Me." She's had more job than she could count and had far more trades than Ellen had even been alive. Law was just one that she stayed up to date on. Chemistry was another, along with other branches of science.
The predator's gaze returns shortly after. A solitary ebony brow arches as her lips curl into a seductive grin. "Who would be distracted, sweetheart? You or your family?"

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Ellen Bailey:

Her eyes widen slightly when, as if reading her thoughts on the matter, Thora's expression changes to just that same predatory glint. Accompanied by an... almost seductive smirk. Ellen swallows, looking away out into the night. She said she wasn't going to let herself get flustered again so easily, so she wasn't going to fall all over herself for the first slip-up she'd made. "Neither. I don't usually study at home. I remember how the crowds flock to you. I wouldn't be much a fan of paparazzi around while I'm trying to focus."

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Thora Phrostfur:

She was so fucking cute. If this had been their first time meeting, and she hasn't known that one of her best friends was in love with this woman, she'd have made it a personal goal to take this human home tonight. Hell, she was a great first time for women discovering their sexuality. Damn it, Aera! Thora gigglepurrs again, moving to Ellen's left side and leaning on the railing. "I can sneak around if I want to. Used to do it all the time in Bear River." Not because she was well known there, but because Aera was and she didn't want any negative press. Because of course, they'd have mistaken Thora for her sister, Evelyn.

"It's not hard. But I get it. If not me, then I have a friend that's great at helping others study." That was true, but really she'd just pretend to be someone else to help Ellen out. "In the public eye, she's a nobody so you wouldn't have to worry about that. If you'd like help." She looks down at the wooden porch. "You were her best friend, so... if I can help you in any way, I'd like to."

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Ellen Bailey:

Thora comes around to her left side, and Ellen leans away from her, just slightly. She wants distance between the two of them, more distance that had been allowed on the couch. She offers a no-name friend instead, and Ellen opens her mouth to reply - probably in decline, she doesn't really want Thora's help at all just based on the principle of the matter - when her breath freezes in her throat. "It didn't feel like that in the end. We hadn't talked for months." It comes out more defensive and more bitter than she intended, and she shuts her mouth before she says anything more, rolling her jaw. The silence that falls after feels heavy, but Ellen makes no move to clear the air. She looks up sharply at the question, then back down and away. "... We met when I first came to Bear River. I was new and lost and alone and she decided to adopt me like the lost and hopeless woman I was. She took me to one of her concerts and the rest is - was - history."

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Thora Phrostfur:

It sounds... bitter, and defensive. The werewolf looks at her for a moment, surprised. But she understands. Aera had never admitted it, but Thora knew her too well to notice when she avoided talking about Ellen after a certain point. Suddenly, Ellen was around less. Alena and Camille were around all the time. She knew that Aera was trying, for whatever reason, to move past her feelings for Ellen by replacing them for others. By cutting poor Ellen out completely. And it hadn't worked. Yes, Aerallis had loved Alena and Camille both, very much - there was no denying that. But it wasn't the same as what she had, what she'd felt for Ellen. And try though she did, she never moved passed that love. She remembered one of the last conversations they had being an argument over why Aera was trying so hard to settle. The Italian had argued that she wasn't, more to convince herself than Thora. She notes the way that Ellen looks up, sharply, and then down again.

Hearing how they met brings a smile to her face. "Ahhh, the concert that had all of her fanbase buzzing for weeks. I wondered what happened before that." She chuckles. "We met through my sister, Evelyn. Evelyn is the vocalist for Angelsbane and she was friends with Kaelene, who introduced her to the Tithiros sisters. I was with Evelyn for one tour; we're identical twins and have similar singing voices, so we trade out sometimes. But it's a secret to new people we don't know, right. For the first four months, she thought I was Evelyn." She laughs a little, taking in a long breath. "Have you heard from Ilosti, by any chance?"

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Ellen Bailey:

Thora doesn't say anything about her little outburst, and she's grateful for that. It was so hard to feel like her best friend was slipping away and not being able to do anything about it. They were both suddenly too busy, Aera was gone on tour, Ellen's entire world was consumed by the case, they never spoke of 'that day' again... And then suddenly Ellen was fired and had moved across the country and Aera was married and... She couldn't even remember what they had talked about last. It had been months before she died. Ellen offers a weak smile as Thora tells her story in turn, but only 'hmm's to show she's listening and otherwise doesn't respond. "... Once. Maybe twice. Since it all..." Ellen trails off, then takes in a breath and clears her throat. She turns to face the raven haired goddess completely. "Sorry Thora, I know she was your friend too but I don't really want to talk about this tonight. I didn't come to this party to trip down memory lane with you, no offense."

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Thora Phrostfur:

Well, twice was better than nothing at all. She hasn't personally heard from Ilosti since Camille's funeral. She'd just fucked off in the middle of the night to who the fuck knew where, and... it'd been radio silence since. Even if it wasn't much, she was glad they were, or had, talked since. Thora raises her hands in silent apology. "None taken." She leans back on the rail. "Well. Don't take this the wrong way, but I never really figured you as the artsy type. You've got the legs for it, though. Did you... dance before? Ballet, maybe?? No judgement if you have."

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Ellen Bailey:

Some of the tension bleeds from Ellen's form as Thora agrees to drop the subject. It's a relief. Even her own mother - who could make the most hard hitting reporter cry with how doggedly she pursues information - had quietly stopped asking or talking about Ellen's friendship with Aera... or lack of it, towards the end. Thora was the first person she had run into who knew her from those days and so was the first person who wanted to talk about it and Ellen was just... not here for it. Not with Thora, at least. Ellen finds a small grin on her lips despite herself as Thora changes subject. "Really?" That's kind of a first. Not an artsy type? The blonde felt it was usually the opposite, like her coworkers and the criminals they went after could sense the liberal arts on her. Well, in this case it's a safe subject, she's not a cop at the moment and has no reason to hide it when among the theater crowd. "Yeah, you nailed it. I was actually a professional ballerina growing up. National competition level. I attended the School of American Ballet, here, in New York City." Anyone who knew of the school knew how competitive and prestigious it was. The New York Ballet, the nation's highest ranking ballet company, only accepted graduates from the SAB for new contracts. "I changed careers when I was 18, though, and went into the police academy instead of doing my audition for the NYB."

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Thora Phrostfur:

"Really?" Thora shrugs and gives an apologetic grin, like she's embarrassed that she hadn't seen it before.

Her brows raise at the mention of SAB and NYB. "That's impressive. I did theatre and other types of dance, but never ballet. I'm sure that you were an amazing dancer. Why did you change paths, if you don't mind my asking?"

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Ellen Bailey:

That was always the question... why throw away what would have likely been an active and thriving career, with the potential to go as high as the prima ballerina, to completely change course and direction and go about as far opposite of ballet as you could get? "Growing up here." Ellen grins. That is the easy and basic answer. No need to talk about the events that led to cementing the decision. They weren't close enough for that. "I wanted to help people and I felt like I could do that better as a cop than through performance. I wanted to join the NYPD, specifically. I only stayed 5 years, though. I wasn't able to make as much of a difference as I thought here in the city. I had more success in smaller precincts."

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Thora Phrostfur:

"Haha. Fair enough." Thora grins back. She didn't expect the other to open up to her for anything aside from that, and notices that it's kind of a one sided conversation. And that's fine. "So you won't be staying if you make Detective. I can't say I blame you. Smaller towns have their charm far more than big, over populated cities. Easier to keep tabs on everything." Her station was changing again soon, to a smaller town that had a surge of supernatural activity. It sounded like Bear River all over again. Except that there were three Knights already there: the Bloodmares. It'd be nice to see her old handler again. "I'll be leaving soon, too. Also for another small town further north, as luck would have it. There are hot springs there and they sound magical." She chuckled softly. "You should pick a place with hot springs too. Perfect for R&R. If you've never been in one, add it to your bucket list."

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Ellen Bailey:

"That's been my experience, too." She agrees. Except for, well... Bear River. But Bear River is a special case, right? Not every small town is rocked by an active and aggressive serial killer. "Still enough to keep busy but for the most part it's nothing like the crime here." Ellen tilts her head, actually... considering. "I haven't, actually. That does sound really nice." And what would a placement like that be like? Mostly tourists, most likely, so a little more hectic than a normal sleepy town... but oh, man, easy and convenient access to hot springs? "I've still got a while before my test, but..." Her smile is more genuine again. Thora has a way with swinging her guard up and down. "I'll keep that in mind, when I'm looking."

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Thora Phrostfur:

"Never been to a hot spring? Well that definitely needs to change. " Thora says, matter of factly. Now there's a smile she can get behind - one that lights up the others features. She can see how Aera fell in love with it. "There's a spa in the town that gives public access to the Hot Springs and it's pretty adorable. Plus, it's adorable. If you go, I'd recommend it. I've read that it's one of the best places to go, especially during the winter. Snow and hot springs sounds like a hell of a combo. Like being in a hot tub while it's snowing... but a thousand times better." She sighs. "I'm going to miss the beach. I already miss the one in Kiri. There was a hidden, private lagoon nearby. Beautiful place." Thora lets out another longing sigh. There wouldn't be any beaches in Alaska. 'Cause of course she couldn't be anywhere that didn't have fuckin' snow. "You'd have loved it... But anyway, that makes me curious! What's your favorite vacation place? Or favorite place you've been?"

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Ellen Bailey:

She shakes her head 'no' in confirmation. Natural hot springs, definitely not. She had been to spas and such of course, but it wasn't the same as a real thing. Ellen finds herself listening a bit eagerly, wondering if it would be as good as Thora seems to think. Daydreaming about soaking in the hot springs... mmm. She finds herself chuckling a bit. "I've always been more of a northern girl than a beach girl." She says, almost teasing, as Thora sighs about losing the beach. "I'd trade beach for hot springs, I think." Her question... actually makes her think for a second. Ellen leans further against the railing, shrugging her shoulders. "I actually hate being off work, so, I don't really do vacations. Yes, this... whole thing... has been hard. Always have to stay busy. But I performed once in Vienna, just as part of the corps, for a couple of weeks the summer I was 14. That was a lot of fun. I always thought I'd be one of those bohemian girls who would travel Europe performing, but... didn't really happen."

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Thora Phrostfur:

The werewolf hums in thought. "Shit, you're right. I would too, if only because of there being less people." She chuckles, swirling her fingers against the cook metal of the railing. "If only it didn't have to involve the damn snow. I was so over shoveling it from the driveway in Montana. But if there's hot springs... I guess it's worth it." Maybe. If it was magical, like she'd heard. Still... She was going to get real tired of snow. Very quickly. On the plus side, she wouldn't have to shovel the driveway. She'd be staying at a fancy hotel, so... It wouldn't be all that bad. Or so she'd been promised. Thora glances over at her company as she speaks, and grins. "You're too much of a busybody, Ellen." She teases. "Live a little. Like... tonight. The world is a stage. It doesn't have to be like it was in Vienna, though I'm sure that was fun. But now you've got me curious. I'd like to see you dance sometime." There was music inside, a little louder now than it had been earlier. They could go back in and dance. Maybe together? "Or we could go inside and dance? Could be fun."

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Ellen Bailey:

She has to agree. "Yeah, the shovelling is rough. This is why I live in apartments." She says, sympathetically. The apartment complex has to do that for you, after all. Thora's grin causes her eyes to widen a tick. "I am! I'm here, aren't I?" She presses her hand to her chest in mock insult. "Me being here isn't living?" But then... her cheeks begin to grow hot again at the suggestion to... dance. Ellen looks doubtful about doing some sort of a performance in front of the raven haired beauty. She doesn't really do private shows like that, not in years at least, and only for friends, which, she had to remind herself, Thora is not. Ellen hasn't been a professional dancer in years, she's self-conscious about performing now. But then the alternative suggestion is offered to dance inside, at the party, where there will be other people dancing (probably drunk), and Ellen seizes on it before thinking twice about who it is offering it. "Sure, we can go inside and dance." She agrees, too quickly - and then it's too late to take it back.

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Thora Phrostfur:

"Yeahhh, I've learned my lesson." Thora laughs. She should've known better than to get a house where there was snow. Some people lived with it or didn't mind it. And she was not one of them. "I'll be staying at a hotel that a friend of mine owns. She's only charging me a flat fee every month and given everything that's there... I couldn't say no." The mock insult earns a golden giggle. "You know what I mean." Ellen's cheeks redden again at three mention of dancing. She seems unsure - either about dancing herself or with Thora, the werewolf isn't sure. However once offered an alternative, the blonde is quick to agree. An eager smile breaks across her features. "Great!" Thora offers her arm to the cop. "Let's go."

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Ellen Bailey:

Ooh, that sounds like a great deal. "Definitely can't say no to that." Man, if she could find one of those long-stay hotel rooms... she might never leave. Easier than trying to unpack and furnish a whole apartment. Ellen lived out of 90% boxes the entire time she lived in Bear River.

Ellen doesn't realize her mistake in agreeing to the offer to dance until it's already done. She swallows and takes the offered arm again. How bad could it be, though? She knows she's not terrible. Dancing is a skill that doesn't just go away. As long as you stay in shape and take care of yourself, which, Ellen has. The problem is, she's worried she'll get flustered or embarrassed - being under so many eyes, who will undoubtedly all be looking at Thora, because who wouldn't? Not to mention, Thora had casually mentioned doing other types of dance, just not ballet - Ellen doesn't want to try and compete. She'd lose. The blonde leads the way back into the party, and over to the dance floor. It's not empty, but it's not overly crowded, either. Plenty of room for them to find a spot. Ellen chooses one for them, and flashes Thora a smirk. "Think you can keep up with me?"

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Thora Phrostfur:

The moment they re-enter the building, most eyes are back on them. Or rather, her. Moving into the dance floor, she can already see people getting closer. She greets them when they speak to her, but blocks their path if they attempt to get between her and the human so that Ellen doesn't get pushed out or boxed in. The blonde picks a spot for them, flashing her a smirk. Thora gives her a crooked grin. Dance wasn't a competition for her. Her experience was different from Ellen's and shouldn't be compared. She was more interested in seeing the way the other moved, and getting Ellen to move with her. She can smell the alcohol off someone behind the blonde, and pulls Ellen close by the wrists to prevent her from being bumped into and having alcohol sloshed on her dress. Doing so gets Ellen rather close, directly against her. Thora looks down at her with a suggestive smirk, her amber gaze hooded slightly. "I don't think that'll be a problem."

Her hands drop from Ellen's own to her waist with a gentle squeeze, and then away. "Let's see you move, darling." Thora purrs, just loud enough for the cop to hear. She steps back to give Ellen room, listening out for whatever song is playing. It sounds like a house mix of Love Me Like You Do.

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Ellen Bailey:

As predicted, they are swarmed nearly the moment they step back inside. The difference between when this happened with Aera and now, though, is that Thora is much taller and in fact has an easy time blocking the ones who might try to get between them. For a second her eyes are caught on that crooked grin, her mouth suddenly going dry; and before she can shake it off Thora has suddenly grabbed onto her wrists and dragged them chest to chest. Just in time; Ellen can sense the drunk behind her before she sees them, swaying past them, full glass in hand; that would've gone all over her. Ellen lets out a soft snort through her nose; the instinct to snatch the drink from their hand and cut them off is the cop in her, and not her place. "Good save--" She glances back to Thora, only to see the suggestive smirk now painting her lips, and realize they are now pressed quite close together. Heat creeps across her cheeks, and she swallows against her dry mouth and only 'hmphs' to the raven haired beauty's confidence. Thora steps back with a purr, giving her space. Ellen takes a breath, also listening to the music, feeling the bass of the music through the soles of her feet. Neither the shoes nor the dress are particularly suited for this, but the blonde is determined at this point. Her eyes slide close. It may have been over a decade since she danced regularly, the dance floor is still her element. Has been since she was old enough to walk. It's her first love, over all else, and after a short span of beats to gauge the flow of the music, she relaxes into it. She is able to adapt to the space and to her clothing without even a second thought; her movements, graceful and a little rigid at first, melt into the fluid motions of a professional. It's not full ballet, not here or dressed like this, but the motions are clearly there. Her body practically hums with the music's energy, and she transfers that passion, that energy, that life, into sexy, sensual, and vibrant.

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Thora Phrostfur:

Seeing the heat sweep across her cheeks takes the werewolf back to when they'd first met. When Thora realized upon talking to Ellen, for the first time, that she was being taken advantage of. The werewolf had always known that of course - but not like that. She'd been playing into Aera's sick fantasies of a woman she'd never actually had for weeks, and it'd sent shivers down her spine. They'd continued after the incident. Became more frequent. Even when she started seeing Alena and Camille, Aerallis still came to her for reckless abandon, desperate for an outlet for the feelings that she couldn't let go of. And she'd loved it. Ellen moved like the music was an extension of her body, and transformed the energy of the music into a sexy, sensual vibrance that she finds herself captivated by. She notices the elements of ballet in her movements. They're breathtaking. Thora licks her lips and swallows the desire to trace the moving form's hips with her hands, and focuses instead on feeling the music. It only takes her a moment to melt into the beat. Her movements are fluid, graceful, sensual and sexy - displaying hints of both professional belly dancing and a lot of free style, the kind that superstars and pop stars spend months learning the choreography to for a song. She uses every aspect of her body as she dances, including her eyes and the expression marring her features. And it's the hooded eyes, the parted lips and the pop of her hips that make her dancing provocative. As the next song begins, she seems to drink in Ellen's energy and adapts it into her own. She gets closer, matching that energy and passion as though they'd been practiced partners for years.

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Ellen Bailey:

By the time Ellen opens her eyes Thora has joined in, and she has fallen too deep into the rhythm to care all too much about appearances. Thora's movements are mesmerizing in the most beautiful way and if she wasn't already moving she'd be entranced; but as it is the two are feeding into each other's energy.

On a subconscious level she recognizes the other woman is matching her as one would a partner, and the blonde blends seamlessly into the motions as if they have done this for years and this is an old, practiced routine. Thora's style is wildly different from her own, but they compliment and complement each other, as if fully intended.

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Thora Phrostfur:

Her partner flashes her a sultry grin that leaves her grinning and extending an open invitation. Ellen takes it, spinning into her space, hands on her hips. She's doesn't even notice the crowd gathering around them, not really, too focused on the adrenaline pumping through her veins, the electricity in the air between them and the energy of the moment. It's been a while since she'd been so compatible with someone on the dance floor, and with an aura that's easy to slip into. The werewolf rocks her hips, letting the other feel every curve and movement, as her arms extend over either side of Ellen's shoulders with a pop of her chest. There's something mischievous, fiery and seductive in her amber eyes, a path to the gates of temptation. She smiles, showing off teeth that almost look like canines in the neon lighting as she closes most of the distance between them - pressing against her partner as her hips circle and her chest follows. As her chin lifts, her eyes glow and narrow, following Ellen's movements with a wink.

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Ellen Bailey:

The throbbing beat of the music seems to keep pace with each pump of the blood in her veins. All thoughts from earlier have faded - the crowd, thoughts on Thora, and most of all what little nerves she had about how long it's been have vanished. Her body still responds just as easily now as it did when dancing was her whole life. Thora presses closer when Ellen accepts the invitation, and the humming electricity between them takes on an erotic taste sparking across synapses. And strangely (or at least it would seem) Ellen doesn't shy away from it; her hazel green gaze sparks mischievously in return, meeting fire for fire, grin for grin, and the blonde leans into the movements like this is all part of the game. It is a game, to her, on a primal, subconscious level. There has never been rules or beliefs imposed when it comes to dancing, to ballet, to sweeping basic repetitive motions into a work of art. Magic, madness, heaven, sin, all wrapped into the beat of the song and the lead-and-follow of her partner. By the time the current song ends, Ellen finds herself pressed chest to chest with Thora, on her toes, her arms resting on her shoulders. Entangled in a maneuver mid step that would appear completely posed to any observer. Ellen pants, shivering from the adrenaline of it all, and stares deep into those amber eyes. She tilts her head, with an exhilarated grin and eyes half-closed. "Keeping up?" She teases, although Ellen is the one clearly out of breath.

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Thora Phrostfur:

She's only conscious of the crowd from the applause that erupts after the song has ended, and there's a brief lull in the music as the DJ changes tracks. Thora doesn't pay them any mind, even when she hears the snapping of pictures. Her breathing is level, but there's a dull pink glow across her cheeks. In retrospect, her partner is still catching her breath, grinning. Ellen's having a good time. Good. With Ellen's tease, she leans down slightly, her eyes never leaving the blonde's. "Are you?" She teases back, allowing her hands to ease down from the other's shoulders to her arms and then to her hips. Thora soothes her hair back with one hand as the next queues, then returns it to its place, listening to see how to beat is going to play out for a moment. It's a remix of Take It Off with what sounds like a mix of ET. As a reflection, her movements and energy become more risqué. She hadn't imagined it earlier and she's sure, now more than ever, that she'd been right about Ellen all along. Now, she wants to see if she can lure out more of that energy, and if it could extend off of the dance floor.

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Ellen Bailey:

"Barely." Ellen laughs, half breathless. The love and passion for dance may have drowned out all else, and the familiar movements had returned to her like riding a bicycle, but Ellen's stamina isn't quite what it used to be. Especially not for this wild and erotic mashup of different styles they have somehow come up with. Thora doesn't seem to be done; Ellen steadies herself on her feet from the position she had been holding as hands settle on her hips and the next track begins. Well, that's fine; she's having a blast and could keep going. Ellen smirks up at her, using the grounding of the hands on her hips and her arms still resting on Thora's shoulders, to arch and roll her body into the other's risqué movements. The blonde naturally responds to the energy being fed her way, via the music and her partner, without any real thought of the implications or how it looks to the crowd.

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Thora Phrostfur:

Thora gigglepurrs in retrospect, drinking her in, knowing that this might be their last song and that her partner will need to rest after. Using her hands as an anchor, she helps Ellen steady herself until once again they're in perfect sync, feeding off of each other's energy. The noirette slips a hand to the lower part of Ellen's back as she arches into her movements, using the momentum at the higher points of the song to sweep the blind off her feet and spin, so that she's practically floating in Thora's arms. Her grip is experienced and steady until the others feet are back on the floor. Rubbing. Arching. Rolling and grinding. Hot breath on bare skin. It's enough to be maddening, feeding into a building fire. As the song draws to a close, Thora dips Ellen low, almost to the ground and sweeps her up. A hand tangles in golden hair, bodies twisted together. The werewolf is closer this time, mere inches away from Ellen's face, paused in an incipient kiss. To the crowd, it once again looks planned. Her breathing is faster and it takes a moment to level out. Her eyes flutter open. Slowly, she releases Ellen and soothes back her raven hair. That's when she notices, really notices, the crowd gathered around them in awe and shock and cheering, many of them taking pictures. Ellen doesn't need that. Without a word, she pulls Ellen close, shielding her face and walking her out from the center of attention. She blocks off anyone that attempts to stop her, and stops only at a far off couch.

"Rest here. I'll get you some water." The she-wolf leaves her for a moment, venturing to the bar to grab two bottles of water when she spots the tequila sunrise she'd discarded by the other couch from earlier. Oops. Ah well. Too late now. Taking a breath, she returns to Ellen, shooing off anyone that she thinks might be bothering her, and then offers her a bottle of water. It's cold, fresh from being on ice.

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Ellen Bailey:

Thora's strength is hidden in its deception, but other than her heart leaping in her chest when she is swept off her feet, Ellen only giggles and is able to hold herself steady until she is back on the floor. This new number is somehow more alluring and more erotic than the last. Skin to skin, body to body in the lights of the dance floor. Ellen is lost to the thrill of the music, the bleeding heat from her partner. Each touch is a spark of electricity spreading warmth across her already flushed skin. It's been months since she felt so alive. The song ends with Ellen entangled in Thora's arms, dipped low in a bow that the blonde melts into as if by design. Their lips are close enough that for a second, riding the high of the music, her lips tingle with anticipation as if to close the gap between them. But... she doesn't. The song fades into silence, and all Ellen can hear for a second is the roar of her pulse in her ears and the sound of their mutual panting (ragged, in Ellen's case). Then the crowd explodes in cheers as Thora releases her back to her own two feet. Ellen finches at the roar of the noise.

The adrenaline and euphoria is enough to ward off the worst of the sudden anxiety as she realizes the amount of cameras pointed in their direction. Damn it, she's done it again! She sighs to herself, slightly annoyed, as she's led off and tucked away in some private corner. That's gonna be viral all over social media. Again. The second Thora walks off for water, the friends she knew here swarms her. Ellen fans herself and offers sheepish smiles to them. "No we're only acquaintances -- it's a long story --" She tries to answer the bombardment of questions and excitement, but Thora returns and shoos them all off. "Thanks." She mutters, taking the water with a grateful smile and chugging at it. "Jesus. I haven't danced like that in years. Oh God, and they were filming the whole time, weren't they." She groans, wiping sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand, careful not to smear any of her makeup. Ellen flashes Thora a weak smile. "Is that living enough for you, now?"

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Thora Phrostfur:

Greedily draining her water bottle, Thora sits beside Ellen. She sets down the empty, and slightly crushed, bottle on the table in front of them and brushes the hair from her damp face as her partner tells her that she hadn't danced like that in years. To be fair, she hadn't either - not with someone else, not like that. The last time she'd danced with anyone on a similar level was with Aerallis and Camille. But they weren't professionals, and it hadn't left her as flushed as her dance with Ellen. She almost wished that she'd known the blonde was a dancer sooner. "Don't worry about them. I can ask that if they're posted, that they be kept private." She says, wiping beads of sweat from her forehead and chest with care, so as not to smear her makeup. Thora didn't really pay attention to social media much. Or at least, not for herself, her sister for Angelsbane. Her personal accounts were private for a reason. "I haven't danced with anyone like that in a while, either." As she glances at the blonde, the other gives her a weak smile. She chuckles. "For me, no. For you, probably. At least for the evening. Here." She stretches her arms and legs. "I'd love to dance with you again someone. Though... Maybe not with so many people around." Thora leans slightly into Ellen's space, back against the couch. Her eyes have a mischievous glint again. Emboldened, she decides to take a shot - though she doesn't expect it to go anywhere. "We don't have to stay... We could get out of here, if you wanted."

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Ellen Bailey:

Thora dismisses it, but Ellen already knows - most of those photos are on social media already. Especially if it's her friends. They don't have any qualms with making her viral, as some of them were still upset all these years later she didn't stay with ballet. After this sort of performance... They'd all tell her that this is proof she can still get back into it. Maybe not ballet, but dance in general. She continues to chug her water until the bottle is gone, then she sets her empty next to Thora's. The euphoria from the dance still thrums in her veins. This sort of performance is why she fell in love with ballet. Why she thought she could spend the rest of her life doing it, once upon a time. "... Maybe I'll take you up on that offer." She wouldn't have thought she would ever want to spend time with Thora, alone, and especially not now that their main connection is gone, but... If she would get a chance to dance like that again... Did the partner really matter? She stills as Thora leans into her space again. The meaning rings loud and clear in the tone, but Ellen is still too flushed from dancing for any blush to be obvious. The blonde's expression is incredulous, although the emotion is her eyes is guarded. It isn't Thora's fault, their dancing... But Thora had also, with Aera... "I do want to get out of here... But because the second you walk away I'm gonna get pounced." She hikes a thumb over her shoulder, where her friends are hovering, conspicuous in their attempts to be casual. "So you can't leave me here by myself. Not after that."

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Thora Phrostfur:

A grin curls her lips. Might take her up on that, the blonde said. She hopes so, and makes a note to do so as much as she can before she has to leave for Snow Haven. There's enough time left to savor the dance. Though granted, she never thought that she would savor anything with Ellen - only to be called by that name by someone else. Being on the other side of the name, even months later, felt... Different. It felt her wanting that familiar unfulfillment. Perhaps that was why she asked. But Ellen does something that she doesn't expect. Thora blinks at her, her expression one of momentary shock. "Wait..." She shakes her head and slides closer, searching the others gaze. It's incredulous, and her body tingles in anticipation. She swallows it. "You... do realize what I offered, right? Don't say 'yes' because you don't want to be pounced by your friends."

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Ellen Bailey:

Never thought she would see that look on Thora's face - shock and disbelief. Ellen savors it a moment... Then shakes her head, amused. "No, I know. I don't know why, but I'm not that blonde." She reclines back on the couch, resting her head on her hand and her elbow on the back of the couch, as Thora leans in. "I'm not offering that - maybe the dancing made it seem like I was, but, I'm straight." She says it gently. "But I am offering to leave. Get out of here."

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Thora Phrostfur:

Straight. Sure. The werewolf arches a brow in disbelief. Then her features become suggestive. She's played this game before with "straight" women. "So is spaghetti, until it gets wet." Thora teases, licking her lips. "Where do you want to go?" She doesn't say it, but her features do: if she leaves the party with Ellen, she fully intends to try and seduce her. Wanting the unfulfillment again, perhaps.

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Ellen Bailey:

She wrinkles her nose. Not the first time she's heard that, but it doesn't make it any less true. "Yeah, yeah." She replies, smirking, to say she knows she's teasing, when Ellen is serious. Then she falls quiet, thinking. What had she planned to do after they left the party tonight? "We were going to go grab some coffee and snacks at this Cafe not far from here on the way home. I'm starving after all that, anyway. You and I can go." She offers. It's about as far away from a suggestion of 'your place or mine' she can think of.

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Thora Phrostfur:

Coffee? This late? The two of them are overdressed for a cafe, she thinks. But it's fine. A cafe would be less populated than the places she normally went to, and if they go anywhere public, especially anywhere with alcohol, she really doesn't feel like beating people off with a stick. So, a little cafe worked. Or at least, she was assuming that it was little. "I could eat," Thora admits. "You'll have to lead the way. But let's go." The noirette stands, offering her arm to her partner again.

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Ellen Bailey:

She grins, again, and gets to her feet. "The coffee was supposed to be to help sober up and wake up." She explains. "But I also just drink coffee... all the time. It's like soda to me. You don't have to drink any." She accepts the offered arm and makes a motion over her shoulder at her friends, who immediately begin whispering together. Ellen rolls her eyes and hurries to lead Thora out before anyone tries to stop either of them. "I'll get us a cab," She says once they reach street level. "It's not a far walk but in these outfits... Rather not."

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Thora Phrostfur:

She doesn't protest when Ellen rushes out of the building. She's able to wave to all of her friends before they leave, who only give thumbs ups. Thora rolls her eyes. Once they're out on the street, she looks out across the lot and spots her crimson moped still locked to a railing nearby. "You don't have to. I drove. Did you walk?" Thora didn't drive her car much in New York unless it was for longer distances.

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Ellen Bailey:

She blinks, following her gaze to the moped. Oh. That makes sense. Honestly she wouldn't have been shocked if Thora had told her she had a personal driver and vehicle. "No, I took a cab. My car... doesn't like the city." She admits, then smiles brightly. "It's not very far. You know 15th and Smithville? It's that little Cafe on the corner. Sunrise City, I think it's called?"

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Thora Phrostfur:

Honestly she's not surprised by the answer. Most people in the city either walked or took a cab. Thora was one of the only people she knew that refused to step foot into a city cab. Either she took her moped or someone else drove her car. "Smithville... Yeah, I know where that is." She said. She'd never stopped there, and thus hadn't really noticed the cafe on the corner, but she'd driven by it enough to know where it was. The she-wolf removes the white cape and leads Ellen over to the moped, letting go of her arm to pull a key from her boot. She unlocked the vehicle and secured her cape in the side bag. There's only one helmet, and she offers it to Ellen after she swings her leg over the seat and starts the engine. Once Ellen secures the helmet and gets on, wrapping her arms around her waist, the noirette walks the bike to the street and takes off. Driving something so small allows them to weave in and out of traffic as needed, cutting their drive time in half. She pulls up on the side of the street, where others have parked, and cuts the engine. Once the vehicle is secure, Thora gets off, combing her hair with her fingers while she waits on her company. She lets Ellen lead them inside, taking a moment to look around before taking a seat.

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Ellen Bailey:

Ellen takes the helmet and slides in behind Thora as she prepares the moped. It's just as short of a drive as Ellen promised, even more so because they're able to weave in and out of traffic, and Ellen hands the helmet back and leads the way into the Cafe. It's a quietly bustling Cafe, a couple of tables full but otherwise empty. Half of the Cafe is a bakery and breakfast setup, full of delicious and yummy looking food, and the other half the coffee area and seating. No one looks up or around when they enter, which is a nice change, and Ellen follows Thora to a seat to drop her belongings. But she wants to make a beeline straight to the muffins and bacon. "Hungry?" She comments, motioning to it.

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Thora Phrostfur:

She doesn't know what she expected. Someone to come over and take their order, or a greeting and induction of a menu, perhaps. But that's not what happens, and as Ellen asks if she's hungry, the tips of her ears burn hot with embarrassment. It's not that kind of place. She should have known better. "Yeah." She replies, following the others' motion and rising from her seat. Before they leave the table, Thora makes a mental note of the position of her company's things, and follows her. Not being stared at is a welcomed change. The smell of food makes her stomach growl and her mouth water. When she said that she could eat, her inner beast grumbled that it would only be a short amount of time before she became a different person if she didn't eat. She hopes that the table is big enough for all of the things they're about to bring back. Her eyes flick over the bakery goods but don't linger there. Her gaze fixed on foods packed with protein and fat.

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Ellen Bailey:

Ellen doesn't notice anything happened, too used to this place and not used to a different kind of set up. Thora's eyes have fixed to all the various meats and poultry, Ellen notes - bacon and sausages and made-to-order omelettes, among lots of other things. She grabs up the prepackaged things she wants, everything bagel and some sandwiches and a muffin, then says to her, "I can pay. Get whatever you want."

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Thora Phrostfur:

The words that leave her company's mouth are like pure magic - dangerous and inviting. Thora's gaze snaps towards her, blinking in surprise. Ellen probably thought that she'd get maybe one or two things like she did... And she'd be wrong, unless Thora cared about keeping appearances and then planned to eat more at home. Which, she hadn't planned on that at all. She'd intended to eat and drink more at the party for at least a few more hours. "Those are dangerous words, Miss Bailey." The she-wolf says. "I appreciate the offer, but you're not working right now. I'll pay for it." And without any solid income, Thora knows that the human can't afford a beast's appetite. Ellen gets a few items. The noirette selects enough for a medium sized family. She selects high protein and fatty foods, and oddities with organ meat. Her usual diet, to keep up with her busy, heavily active lifestyle. She insists on covering the bill - a good thing, too, given the total. The man at the register seems confused by how much she has, like he expects to see kids or other adults. She's used to it. Once they have their food, she picks milk as a drink, and heads back to their table. She eyes Ellen's things to make sure that they haven't been disturbed and satisfied, she sits. Luckily, the table is just big enough to accommodate everything she chose to order, along with Ellen's things.

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Ellen Bailey:

She doesn't understand why Thora's gaze has snapped to her like she said something important. The confusion is evident across her face as the other woman declines, calling it 'dangerous' of all things. "Is... it?" She asks, genuinely at a loss. She realizes they have never eaten together so maybe there's something she doesn't know, but... That something turns out to be enough food to feed a family. Surprisingly, though, Ellen isn't shocked in the least - she spent her childhood on a diet that could rival that of a professional football player, working with dieticians provided by the school to make sure her caloric and nutritional needs were met for a growing child while also being able to hold up to the rigorous training of the ballet world and competition season. So she can see why she would want to eat that much, having seen the other woman move - she's just grateful Thora declined because oof her wallet. Yeah. She had next to no bills and no rent at the moment, but she was also unemployed, so. Just what she had in her savings. They return after drinks - Ellen orders a mocha macchiato for her drink - and she chuckles as the spread is laid out. "Just fits. Nice." She comments, already digging into her everything bagel.

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Thora Phrostfur:

"I was a little worried that it wouldn't." She says, fork already in hand and breaking up an omelet. Normally, she'd have ordered more but, she hadn't been as active lately as she normally was. So her calorie and nutritional intake was a little less. And Ellen, having been in ballet for most of her childhood, wasn't at all surprised by the size of the spread. Thora didn't think that she would be. But still, it's rare for a human not to be bothered by it, and it's pleasant. "How's your mocha?" In a matter of minutes, the first omelet has been defeated and she moves on to the next plate. Vege omelet with bacon. Yum.

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Ellen Bailey:

"It's perfect. Hits the spot." She giggles. It's also as close to black as that drink can get, which typically horrifies anyone who tries to taste test it. She just drinks her coffee black, so when she does get something other than plain or flavored she does it as minimal as possible. She makes quick work of her everything bagel too, moving to one of the hot ham sandwiches she picked up. She really likes everything in this Cafe, it's become a favorite spot when she happens to be on this side of the city. The silence that settles between them as they eat is different than earlier; this silence is much warmer and more comfortable. Companionable.

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Thora Phrostfur:

Ellen isn't the only one that notices the difference in their silence as they eat. Thora notes it when she finishes the second omelet and moves into the meatier dishes. It's comfortable, almost like the beginning of a friendship - something she never really thought that she'd have with the blonde, who had previously held onto her jealousy too tightly. It doesn't seem to be present anymore, or at least it isn't at the moment. Dancing had changed Ellen's entire mood and attitude towards her. She pockets that knowledge for later. Thora has perfect table manners, never placing her elbows on the table and is a pleasantly elegant - but slightly fast - eater. She doesn't talk with her mouth full either. It's still strange. Every time she looks up to check on the blonde, she expects to see another familiar face not far behind - like that person is just around the corner and can just walk to the table at any second, and for a moment, Thora seems to be expecting something. But she doesn't. Of course she doesn't, she's dead. Her mouth twitches and she resumes eating. "Is this one of your favorite spots?" She finds herself asking.

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Ellen Bailey:

She notices Thora keeps glancing at her as they tear through their respective foods, but doesn't note anything weird or unusual about that. Just notices she's doing it. Ellen's manners are polite but not quite as rigidly perfect as Thora's - her elbows do end up on the table quite a bit. "Recently, yeah." Ellen chuckles as she drinks from her coffee. "Chains have their place but my God was I the most pretentious hole in the wall snob when I was a kid here. We all were at that age. The original hipsters, haha. This place reminds me of those days. Authentic small business surviving NYC experience."

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Thora Phrostfur:

A small smile breaks across her lips with the other's explanation. It feels like more information than Ellen had been offering before. Was it because she was more comfortable now? She giggles and nods, setting down her fork and wiping her mouth before she responds. "I dig it. Small businesses have a special place in my heart. There's more soul and more authenticity in them. And this," The werewolf gestures to the rest of the cafe. "Is both comfortable and adorable. And the food is good. Great pick." She picks up her fork and starts to eat again, occasionally watching others in the dining area. Mostly human, she notices.

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Ellen Bailey:

"Yeah, absolutely. And there's no shortage of authentic places like that here. It's something I do with friends a lot, try to find new places around the city that are worth a damn. I'm glad you like it." Ellen smiles, bubbly and genuinely happy Thora likes it. Not something she thought she would think any time soon. Ellen has less than a quarter of the food that Thora does, so once she finishes her muffin - the last thing - she gathers up her trash and the trash Thora has finished with and throws it away, to make more room at the table, then settles herself back down to keep drinking her coffee. "This is probably a good spot if you wanna hide away." She offers. "Just a chill Cafe to hang out at. Your sister might like it too."

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Thora Phrostfur:

She pauses before taking a bit, lowering her fork back to the plate. "Yeah? Well, I could use some recommendations. Normally I'm in Ithaca, not here. I'm more familiar with other areas of New York." Unless it was for clients, friends or for work, Thora normally avoided the more populated areas of NY - to avoid being detected or pestered. Some days she didn't mind, but most days, she did. She had too much to do than to entertain admirers and fans all the time in person when it wasn't before or after a show or session. Thora continues eating, but as she finishes plates, she piles them up neatly with all of the silverware stacked on top - making it easy for Ellen to gather it up and take it. The werewolf hums with gratitude, and looks up briefly when the blonde returns. She nods, swallowing as she begins a new stack. Before speaking again, she wipes her mouth. "She certainly would," She flashes a toothy but warm smile at her company. "And you're right. I like supporting local businesses, so I'll be back." She pulls over a plate of ham, eggs, sausage and a bowl of organ meat stew, picking up her fork again. Thora has made her way through a little over half of her meal by that point, and seems to be saving the rest of the organ meats for last. "If we bump into each other here, you're welcome to join me. I'll treat you to coffee."

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Ellen Bailey:

She grins. "Oh, then I've got a whole list. We've been working our way through the boroughs. Although we don't have a lot of places in the upscale areas... too expensive." She admits as an afterthought. But they've been able to find quite a few gems. All as a byproduct of Ellen needing to stay as busy as possible, of course. If Evelyn came in and spent as much money as her sister... Between the two of them they may very well keep this place open on their own, Ellen thinks to herself, a little amused at the thought. She rests her chin in her hand and her elbow on the table. "Mmm... rare as that might be, I'd like that." When she says it, she blinks, as if surprised she did. She mentally waves it off. Oh, well. What are the chances that she would run into Thora here anyway? She's shocked at herself that it feels as though a lot of the animosity she had felt when she first saw Thora this evening has melted away. Surely that isn't just because they bonded over dancing... is it? Well... maybe it is. That dancing had been magical; it reminded her of her youth and some of her side performances in Helena when she volunteered at the theater, and she hadn't danced with a partner in years. Yet she fit so perfectly in with Thora's steps it was like it had been destined. Ellen is a superstitious type even when she tries to fend it off with logic, and a firm believer in things like destiny and fate like you find in fairytales. Comes with the territory. Maybe she had been quick to judge Thora because of how close she had been to Aera, and then after that day... She brushes it off. "When are you leaving for your new place?" She asks, casually sipping from her coffee.

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Thora Phrostfur:

"I expect a detailed report, then." She chuckles. "Most of the upscale places here, I've been to. Not too many places that I'd go out of my way to visit. They're more for the prestige. There's maybe one or two gems out of the lot of them... You're not missing much." Or perhaps her palette preferred something a little closer to home. Cooking was something she enjoyed. It was something that she and Aera had in common and had bonded over. Thora generally didn't go out unless it was new, or a place that she really enjoyed. She glances up from her meal in time to see Ellen blink, as if she was surprised that she'd said it. The noirette blinks, too. Aerallis had said that Ellen enjoyed art in all of its forms way back when, hadn't she? That was how they'd met, how their friendship started. It shouldn't be strange that it would do the same for her and Thora. That must be it, then, she thought. She grinned in silent agreement and went back to eating. The way to Ellen's heart was through art, in perhaps any form. And with enough ardence, it could also be the way to get her in bed... More information that she filed away for later, to test. For science. Yeah. Thora polishes off another plate and moves into the stew, eyes brimming with excitement. She's mid bite when Ellen asks when she's leaving for the new place. Now she was comfortable enough to offer more information and had more of an interest to hold a proper conversation. Yeah. She could do this. The werewolf chews and hums, appreciating the flavor. Then she swallows, pats her lips, and gathers another spoonful of meat and vegetables. "In two and a half months. Three months at the most, if I haven't finished tying up loose ends by the two and a half mark." She says, bringing up the spoon. "When do you plan on taking your exam?" As she waits, she takes the bite, chewing in thought. She might stay longer, if she had a reason to.

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Ellen Bailey:

Two and a half months, three at most. That's not a lot of time... when you take into account that Ellen can only assume on how busy Thora is in a day to day. Yeah, they likely won't run into each other too often, then. "Two and a half months... you should be able to get through the existing list by then." She muses. "Provided your schedule isn't already packed all the way out through then. If you somehow do, I'll have more for you by then, of course." She pauses to take a slower, longer sip from her coffee. "I'm trying not to rush it... I've failed it a couple of times already." She admits, softly. "I was going to sign up for the one next spring, so... about six months, give or take? That'll give me enough time to get my resume together and location hunt and put in for it and all that by the fall. If I pass this time."

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Thora Phrostfur:

All things considered, she was used to leaving without a whole lot of time to wrap things up. Three months, to her, was a long time. By the two month mark, the apprentice she'd been training for the last few years would be all caught up and would be taking her place in New York. Her work was easily managed; she could do it whenever she wanted, for as long or short as she wanted. Training her apprentice was eating up most of her time, when she wasn't working - which was fine. Once that was done, she had projects to finish. "It is 'til the last half, but even then, I ensure time for myself. Aside from projects and a few other things, I'm only as busy as I want to be." She says, nonchalantly. "Most of my rooms are already packed, and I have plenty of time to finish." She pauses, when the other admits that she's already failed the exam a few times. Information she hadn't offered before. Six months. That was a long time. Plenty of time, in her mind, to study for an exam. "I'm sure that you'll do just fine. Third time's a charm, right?" The noirette smiles are her, lifting her spoon to emphasize her words. "If you're nervous, my offer from earlier still stands. If I really need to, I can prolong my leave for a little bit. I don't think you'll need it but, the buffer is there is you want it. I've never failed a test, and neither has anyone that I've tutored."

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Ellen Bailey:

Thora nonchalantly explains that she isn't really all that busy. Ellen chuckles to herself. "I live most of my life out of boxes, too. I never fully unpacked in Bear River." And fully isn't anywhere close to the word that she should use. She hardly unpacked at all. Too busy, no energy. Maybe she had somehow knew she would need to leave in a hurry, as well. It had taken no time at all to gather what little was unpacked, choose what to abandon there, and head back to New York. "But that means you'll definitely be able to get through the list. It's not overwhelmingly larger, to our disappointment." The blonde looks down into her coffee as Thora looks up. But she looks up to meet that amber gaze when she claims she's willing to even prolong leaving to help. "No, no... I couldn't ask you to do that." She is firm as she shakes her head, but shifts back to softer as she looks back down. "I have to do this on my own. Thank you, though. Must be nice to have never failed." She says the last bit teasing, taking another sip from her coffee.

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Thora Phrostfur:

The werewolf stares at her when she says she lives most of her life out of boxes, in a similar fashion that Aera had when she first heard it. What the fuck? There was no way that Aerallis would've let her do that, unless it was temporary and unpacking didn't have much of a purpose. But even then. "Well... At least you never lost anything? I'm assuming." She chuckles. Thora could never do that. She was the type of person that completely unpacked in a week, with or without help. She couldn't stand not being somewhere that didn't feel like a home, and an unfurnished apartment was certainly not a home. And Aerallis let her. Witchcraft. "I wouldn't say that I live out of boxes. I just pack quickly and unpack even faster." Granted, packing an apartment was a lot easier than packing up a house... And certainly easier than setting up a house. "Either way, I look forward to checking out the stops on your list." She could certainly stop by a few of them with H'tes. She hums in thought, digging back into the soup. "On the contrary... I think it's nice to fail. You don't really learn much if you pass all the time." Thora picks up the bowl. "The only reason that I haven't failed is because I have a photographic memory. It's both a blessing and a curse." And it was the only thing that Camille had absolutely hated her for. The human had loathed her for her ability to flip through a book in an hour and be able to pass an exam without any other practice, and teach it just as easily - as if she'd been doing it her whole life. "Anyway. I have faith in you, Ellen. You got this. Study hard." She drains the broth and sets the bowl aside, finally done.

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Ellen Bailey:

Ellen smiles sheepishly to the flabbergasted look on Thora's face. Oh. So they hadn't really been talking about the same thing when she said she was mostly packed. "Well..." She trails off and leaves it at that. So the answer was yes. She did. Thora later confirms that it wasn't a matter of living out of boxes, and all she can do is chuckle, still sheepish. Oh man, a photographic memory... That really would be a blessing and a curse. More of a curse, in Ellen's case. Time and fading memories were the only reason she got through certain cases - if she has to live with the wails and screams from victims' relatives crystal clear every time, she never could have done this job. "Thank you." She says, sincerely, and means it. She is down to her last few sips of coffee just as Thora finishes her bowl. "You know for a second I thought you were going to say 'to fail is to be human' or something suitably philosophical like that." She teases. "I appreciate that you didn't."

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Thora Phrostfur:

"Ellen." She chides playfully after the other trails off, impling that she had, in fact, lost things. This woman was a hot mess. But the sincerity makes her smile as she stacks the bowl on top of the plates. She laughs lowly, shaking her head. "Goodness, no. I'd never say something like that." Thora stretches and rolls her shoulders. "Ready to go? Or did you want to chill here for a bit?"

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Ellen Bailey:

She raises her hands in a 'what can you do?' gesture. Look, sometimes things just vanished, okay? Plus she could be forgetful at the best of times. Her memory went towards her job, and that meant that sometimes items within boxes or even whole boxes would disappear without Ellen being able to remember the last time she even saw them. She tilted her head back to swallow the last of her coffee and set that cup off to the side with what remained of Thora's veritable stack. She then stretches herself. "No, I'm ready to go. I suppose you get to choose this time? Where are we going?" Unless it was now time to call it a night.

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Thora Phrostfur:

"Alright." Rising from her seat, Thora discards the dirty dish stack where Ellen had prior, and offers the blonde her arm once she returns. There's a half-amused, half-suggestive smirk marring her features. "My place, then. More room for dancing." She purrs, leading the other back to the moped once her arm is taken. And she does intend to dance.

Just not the whole time.

She hands the helmet back to Ellen and locks up the back storage, easing onto the bike easily.

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Ellen Bailey:

Ellen hesitates for a second, staring at the offered arm. She had been specifically trying to avoid anything that could be considered as 'your place or mine', but that had been before. The mood is totally different now, they're having a casual conversation that's just friendly. Plus, the allure of returning to the dance floor so soon is tugging at her. So she takes it, if a bit slowly, and follows Thora out to the moped and settles on when it's time to go.

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Thora Phrostfur:

The drive to Thora's place is a smooth one, lasting maybe only 20 minutes. She pulls into a gated condominium complex, passing the gate and navigating to building 10. They're upper class, clean and modern, smelling of freshly cut grass and magnolias. She parks and cuts the engine, securing the helmet back in place once Ellen hands it to her. Her apartment is on the first floor, with two purple large flower pots on either side of the door containing an arrangement of seasonal flowers. The welcome mat matches the seasonal colors. There's a welcome sign on the door with a panther on it. As she finds her apartment key, she glances over at Ellen. "So, don't be alarmed; I have a big animal that can't go back to the wild or be in a zoo because of special needs. Rocky is a big baby and he's very friendly. Don't let him lick your face. After he greets you, he'll do his own thing." The key hits the lock. Agree a turn and click, she grabs the knob, and let's herself inside, leaving it partially open for Ellen, and closing the door promptly once her guest is inside. She sets her keys up on a hook by the door and turns on the lights.

The front room leads into a large living room of a polished, hardwood floor, decorated in purple and white with splashes of seasonal color. There are marble pillars with stone busts atop them of modern styled Hades, Persephone, Hera and Apollo respectively. The paintings on the wall are scenes from movies like Tangled with the lanterns, the Godfather, majestic big cats and band posters of Angelsbane and Hydra. There's a space between them for a third band, but it's been removed. Also on the walls, and some frames on the shelves, are pictures of Thora with friends, some of the twins, and several of a black panther - some of which she's in. It looks less like an apartment and more like the house of an artist. The furniture choices are simple, clean and complimentary - making the apartment seem as though it'd been furnished by a professional. There's a large flat screen TV mounted on the wall, and a big space between it and an L shaped, white leather couch. Next to the couch is a large, violet pet bed upon which a big black mass, that had been previously curled up, has sat up. "You can set your things on this table here," Thora gestures to a table by the door.

"I'm back." She announces. The animal stretches and rises to it's feet. Yellow eyes peer at them from the other side of the room as he stretches. It's a black panther. Swift, hushed pads carry him towards his owner. "Hey Rocky." She says as he head bumps her thigh with a chuff. Thora kneels and scratches his chin and behind his ears. Rocky leans into the affection, rubbing his body up against her so that she pets him all over. Ragnarok looks at Ellen curiously for a moment, but doesn't move towards her til his owner is standing again. He considers her, sniffing. He doesn't head bump the human, but does get close enough for her to touch him if she wants to. Thora watches him and her guest closely, until his curiosity is sated. Rocky headbumps Thora once more with a chuff before he returns to the living room, and settles on his bed.

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Ellen Bailey:

Ellen knows the area on a cursory level as Thora pulls in to the complex, and is suitably impressed, though not surprised. It's the sort of high end area she would work on patrols but could never dream of living. She hands the helmet over and scans the area, familiarizing herself. Until her attention jumps to the noirette at the mention of an animal. A wild animal, from the sounds of it, considering she mentions a zoo. Thora's home is beautiful, and Ellen stares around, wide eyed and fascinated. She's so drawn in to the decorations, the busts and the posters in particular, that she doesn't even notice the aforementioned black mass until Thora has called out to it - to him - and he moves. It's a black panther. Ellen gasps, awestruck. Thora has a black panther as a pet - special needs or not, that is crazy to have an exotic pet in a lavish apartment in NYC. She knows it's a thing, but, still. Thora calls him 'Rocky'. "Hey, Rocky." The blonde coos softly when the panther turns his attention towards her, but she doesn't try to touch him. And eventually he grows bored of sniffing her and heads back into the living room.

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Thora Phrostfur:

"I think that's the calmest reaction I've seen to him." The she-wolf muses, "That's refreshing." She heads over to the couch, picking up the remote from the matching coffee table. "Do you want tea or anything?" Thora asks, turning it it on and navigating to YouTube Music.

When Ellen gets closer to the couch, she'll be able to see the open door to another room where a piano sits against the wall. Beside it is an acoustic guitar.

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Ellen Bailey:

Calmest? "Really?" Ellen sounds surprised, as she drops her purse and other belongings where indicated on the table. She was awestruck and nervous, but she must just naturally have a freeze response. What did other people do, yell and wave their arms? Isn't that the opposite what you do with a wild animal? "I've seen a lot of weird stuff, I guess. Not a lot can surprise me." She moves to join Thora near the couch, because she's not sure if that's where they're settling or if they're moving somewhere else. The open doorway catches her eye and she glances towards it, and the piano and guitar inside. "The coffee was enough for the moment, thank you, but could I have a glass of water?" She says, turning her attention back to Thora.

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Thora Phrostfur:

"Really." Thora clicks around on the remote, scrolling to her playlists. Normally, people had two different responses to Rocky; excitement and awe or frozen, or sometimes animated, fear. People had a different smell when they were scared. Ellen had frozen, but her scent never changed. Others had left her apartment entirely upon seeing him. To his credit, he never attacked. "That's fair." She pauses on a playlist called 'choreo 1', and nods. "Sure. Ice or no ice?" She asks the question over her shoulder on the way to the kitchen, which is on the other side of the living room, behind the couch. Thora pulls down a tall glass from the white cabinets and, depending on if her guest said she wanted ice or not m, does or doesn't put ice on the glass before getting water from the fridge toggles. The noirette returns moments later, handing the glass to Ellen. "So I tend to dance in here, but I have another room if you'd prefer. Most of the other room is packed, so there's lots of space. But either is fine with me."

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Ellen Bailey:

"No ice is fine, thanks." Ellen says, and waits, glancing over the playlist pulled up on the screen, until Thora returns with the glass. She drinks some of it and then sets it on the coffee table. Hmm... She examines the space, hands on her hips. It's a large living room for a complex in New York, she can't even imagine how much Thora pays for the place... big enough she doesn't need a separate studio room, although a different space is offered. She's not too concerned about there being two people instead of one, there still looks like plenty of room aside. She slips out of her flats and tests her bare feet against the floor. That is the test, carpet or no: too slippery or fuzzy and one misplaced spin could send you head over heels to the floor with a broken bone; too rough or too sticky and you were just as likely to tear or burn the soles of your feet. She shifts her weight to one leg and brushes her foot along the floor in a slow spin. Then she flashes a smile. "I think this is fine."

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Thora Phrostfur:

The playlists consists of upbeat titles, done from pop artists and others from mixes and the house genre. The first song on the list is Majesty by Ben Moon, followed by the VIP mix for Far Out - Truest Lies. Other notable titles on the list are God Is A Dancer, Toxic, a remix of How You Like That and songs from another KPOP group. Thora waits as Ellen tests the floor. It's perfect for dancing, not too rough or sticky - just cool and smooth, but not smooth enough to slide on unintentionally. She scoops up the remote. "Would you like to pick?" She offers, looking at her company rather than the screen. "This is usually my default list. You can pick whatever you're more comfortable with."

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Ellen Bailey:

Ellen considers the screen and then laughs when she sees Toxic. That is exactly the song they all used to dance to - she was in her senior year when the song came out and copying the choreography from the music video was all the rage. "Let's start with that song, Toxic." She says, still giggling at the memories. It wasn't too much longer afterwards that she finally sat down to tell her parents she didn't intend on completing her audition for NYB in the early summer, and plans were made about transferring to her grandparents' house in Wisconsin for the police academy there. Looking back on it that was so many years ago now. How time flies.

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Thora Phrostfur:

When Ellen suggested the first one to be Toxic, the werewolf chuckled. It had been all the rage when it first dropped and everyone was trying to copy the singer from the music video, herself included at first - til she put together her own choreography. Which flavor depended on whether or not a pole was involved. As that was in the other room that she'd suggested, it wasn't going to be that one. Probably for the better, for Ellen's sake. "Wow, throwback. Okay." She laughed, clicking down to the song. It wasn't the music video, just the audio. "I still remember when all of the dance studios were performing to this song, haha! One of my favorites to dance to, even now." Thora picked up the coffee table and set it to the side of the couch, out of their way and pressed play on the remote, tossing it on the couch behind her. The familiar tune comes over a surround sound system. Ragnarok, taking the hint that it's dance time, moves from his bed and vanishes into one of the rooms down the hall. For a moment, she watches Ellen to see how she'll start. It's been a minute and it takes her a few seconds before her body begins to respond to the music, remembering the beat. But she's not following the music video, and as she moves, her eyes glow passionately. It's an instantaneously energy, overflowing with zeal and self-confidence. Unlike at the party, however, she moves more flexibly now - like the warm up was over.

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Ellen Bailey:

"Me too!" Ellen laughs again. "We definitely did it during downtime or evening practices. It was a nice change of pace from all the classical, standard ballet stuff." She stretches while Thora moves the coffee table. She can be less concerned about her dress, here, and in bare feet the blonde already looks and feel more confident in her movements. Plus a living room is always less pressure to dance in than a dance floor. There are no curious or prying eyes here. Ellen starts out with the original routine as the song begins, just to know if she remembers it and bringing to mind all the memories of learning the routine with friends, the freestyling, making up the parts that weren't in the original music video and then mimicking her tour performances when she finally started those. It was a good respite from the normal, tedious practice, when the rest of the seniors were trying their best to perfect their NYB auditions (which also served as the final exam for graduation). After the first few lines though, Ellen, grinning, copies Thora's lead into a completely freestyle choreography. Her range of movement is vastly extended not needing to worry about her dress flying up and not being in the public eye. One of her pride points is being just as flexible now as she was when she was active in ballet, and she takes full advantage of the space afforded to them to use said range. Ellen's movements are rolling, smooth, a more elegant and sensual version of the sexy controlled rhythms of her partner but still filled with as much fire and passion. Two totally different styles, again, that compliment each other to near perfection.

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Thora Phrostfur:

The noirette chuckled, imagining a young Ellen with her friends learning the sensual routine for the first time, giddy and full of excitement. She remembered her first introduction to dance being a classical, required affair that was expected of a lady, and the evolution of the art through the centuries - not just in the rest of the world but in her own style, experimenting with what worked and what brought out the most adrenaline, the most enjoyment. Through years of self-discovery and experimentation in all of the aspects of her life, she'd gone from a quiet but passionate waltz to dirty free-for-alls where everyone went hardcore and there was glitter on the floor when the festivities ended in the morning; to something more controlled that combined both her natural elegance and a wild side that couldn't be tamed in perfect harmony. She notices, with a grin, that the blonde is following her lead for the rest of the song. Ellen was a natural, copying and rolling with movements that had taken lots of trial and error for her to perfect. She flowed more, seeming to come more alive, when not confined to a space and conscious of prying eyes. It's a beautiful sight, one that she hoped would echo through the halls of time and space to reach the one they'd lost. Their style complimentary is even better now in private than it was on the dance floor only an hour or so prior. Thora slides closer, just a bit, to allow Ellen to follow her lead easier. It has the same energy from when she used to teach choreography to groups in Korea before, and after, their debut - leaving her almost intoxicated with the feeling. When the song ends, she rolls her hips forward and spins, rising up from the floor. She's grinning from ear to ear as she collects the remote from the table, fingertips itching for the next. "Are you familiar with the routine for How You Like That?" She asks, curious.

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Ellen Bailey:

Of course, the simple fact of the matter is that Ellen may still have it, she isn't as skilled or as perfect as Thora seems. The blonde's confidence may make up for it, but anyone with a professional eye can tell how rusty she is. Therein lies one of the reasons why she gave up dance, in the end; being in her mid-thirties, Ellen would now be at the end of her dancing career should she have stayed the course. Especially if she had risen as high to the rank of prima, which of course she aspired to as much as the next ballerina. She had been frankly lucky and blessed to have danced since toddler years and nearly a decade in the professional field and not sustained any long term wear-and-tear injuries. For someone like Ellen, who devotes her life to her work, knowing her career had an expiration at such a young age made the transition to the law enforcement field that much more tempting. It wasn't the main reason; just one of many why she had stepped away. Ellen's grin is all teeth and sparkles as she meets Thora's and the song dies. "I know of it." Of course she, like a vast majority of people, watches all the choreography videos for the super popular dance tracks. "I've never done the routine but... I can probably pick it up." She winks.

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Thora Phrostfur:

She's happy to share in the experience and the passion, not at all bothered by how rusty Ellen is. The important thing, to Thora, is that her body still responds to the movements and that there aren't any signs (or at least obvious, to her knowledge) of any damage that affects her dancing in a negative way. For a moment, she muses that being non-human could likely soothe over what she had lost with age in terms of stamina, but quickly dismisses the thought. Knowing of it was good enough for a start. "Alright. We can go through it once and see how you do, then I can go over the parts that you're shaky on with you. The dance by itself is pretty simple, but... As I'm sure you can tell by now, I like to shake things up." She laughs, ticking down to the song in question. "Unless you wanna watch?"

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Ellen Bailey:

She thinks for a second as she gulps from her water glass and Thora scrolls down to the song. It'd be nice to see how well she can still do the "one-and-done" - learn as much of a routine as possible in one go. Her blood hums with energy so she feels like she's up to the task. "Let's try the first way. I don't think I have to sit it out to learn it just yet." She chuckles and rearranges herself back into a position.

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Thora Phrostfur:

"Alright." Purrs the she-wolf, amber eyes glinting with the tease. "Let's see how you keep up." She presses play and tosses the remote again, standing to face Ellen with her back to the wall where her movements will be seen better. Thora takes the leading role in all parts of the song, whereas the members of the pop group change out depending on who is singing.

The first half of the song is danced exactly the same as the group's official choreography of it, focusing mostly on hip and arm movement and placement of the feet. But once the second verse starts, the werewolf diverts to her own style - more intensive, with small added details on emphasizing the beat of the song and an expression of the lyrics.

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Ellen Bailey:

Ellen has seen the original routine enough, and is practiced enough, that other than being perhaps a fraction behind pace - to allow herself time to take in Thora's movements and adjust to mistakes on the fly - she is able to keep up remarkably well. She is forced to slow a bit more when Thora changes it up - the sharp, intensive details are against the principles tenets of ballet so on top of learning them as she does them, she has to process and adapt a bit. It's not slow enough to be off pace but it is a delay. She is keeping up. Barely. But she is. Thora clearly loves the song, though, and other than the 'lag' Ellen is able to reflect Thora's movement with a high level of skill and appeared ease. A mirror image as much as one can be. It would be clear to Thora that this is her first time doing the routine, of course, there's no fooling a professional. Still, the blonde is clearly feeling herself and an immense pride at being able to 'keep up' in a sense. She still has it and she can rock it with a pro! Hell yeah!!

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Thora Phrostfur:

For her first time performing the routine, she notes that the human is doing a decent job of keeping up - especially for someone that hadn't danced regularly in a while - even while lagging a bit behind. It's to be expected. With enough practice, they could do it perfectly in sync; this and any others they wanted to do. As it ends, she walks back to the couch, beaming. Her body is a little flushed now and itching to continue. "You're a quick study! I like that." She admits, "Would you like to do it again or move onto another one?" Thora looks at her partner, searching her features to gauge where she is. One more song and she'll need another water, too.

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Ellen Bailey:

Thora hardly even looks winded. You'd think this was all light practice and they were just getting into the good stuff, rather than the fourth hardcore dance they had done that evening. Or was it the fifth? Shit, she's going to be stiffer than a board tomorrow. Her usual fitness and yoga routines were not enough for the level of activity she was doing tonight. The blonde is much more flushed than Thora, panting again, deep conical breathing to replace the oxygen she lost in her bloodstream. Her hands make their way to her hips; her thumbs pressing into the small of her back to alleviate the slight pressure starting to build there. "Let's do it again. Just one more time. I think I can do better now that I know a little more what to expect." She smirks.

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Thora Phrostfur:

Just looking at Ellen, she can tell that the blonde is going to be hating life tomorrow. She chuckles slightly, just under her breath. She rolls her shoulders and takes a deep breath. "Alright. Two more dances and I'll owe you a massage." The werewolf says it playfully, but she means it. It'll help alleviate the tension in her muscles tomorrow, and... The song plays again. Rather than take the leading role the entire time, she lets Ellen do so on the parts that she feels confident to do so, but does lead the second half of the song all the way to the end.

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Ellen Bailey:

Two more dances, she says, and then she'll owe her a massage for the trouble. Ellen's grin turns sheepish. Was it that obvious? No, it was probably because the fellow dancer knew she was going too hard for being so out of practice. "If only there were hot springs nearby now." She jokes, dropping her hands from her hips and moving back into position. She is able to keep up much easier the second time around, muscle memory already beginning to kick in. Thora even lets her lead in certain steps until the new routine kicks in, then leads through once her unique routine begins. Ellen is able to keep up much easier with the new routine, too, her movements less delayed and smoother. Still, she puts her hands on her knees when the song fades out again to breathe. It's such a different style than she's used to, it's much more work.

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Thora Phrostfur:

"If only, if only." She sighs and chuckles. To Ellen's credit, she is able to keep up better than she had the first time. Her own skin flushes fully, and she has to take a moment to level her breathing - to steady the adrenaline coursing through her form. The freeform looks like it's taking a toll on her partner though, and she guides Ellen to the couch to rest. "Very good." She coos, offering the human her glass of water. Thora fetches her own glass and drains it greedily, setting it on the coffee table empty.

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Ellen Bailey:

Ellen sinks into the couch as she is led there, panting, and drinks greedily from her water as its offered. "Thanks." She practically beams at the compliment. "That routine is a ton of fun. Different for me, but fun. A lot more high intensity than I'm used to."

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Thora Phrostfur:

Thora gigglepurrs again, patting the human's back gently. "I'm glad that you like it!" She grins. "Freestyle is definitely more demanding of your body, but it's a lot of fun." There also wasn't a risk of injury, unless someone was just careless, but fault would be with the individual rather than the routine or style. She carefully moves Ellen's hair from the back of her neck, to allow the air to cool her skin better. The flushed color across her skin is a deep, pretty pink-red. Her fingers linger for a moment. "For your first time with it, you're doing very well. Most people don't pick it up that quickly." She grabs their glasses and rises, withdrawing to the kitchen to get more water - no ice in either. Rather than hand it to her, Thora presses Ellen's glass against the human's cheek.

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Ellen Bailey:

This is one of those moments where she wishes she had brought a hair tie, or a scrunchie, or something. Especially since what style she had done for the evening had long since fell out. She would have reached to move her hair herself, but Thora beats her to it, and she sighs. She's happy to hear the compliments on how well she's doing, feeding her ego and pride. "It's been a long time since I've danced in general, let alone picked up new routines." She giggles. "Glad to know I've still got it. It's been a lot of fun!" She raises her hand to take the glass, but rather than hand it to her, Thora presses it against her flushed cheek. Ellen leans into it, grateful for the cool glass against the heat, and gently grasps the bottom of the glass so the other can let go without it dropping. "Man, but I forgot how much work it is. It's hot." She fans herself with her other hand.

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Thora Phrostfur:

She can tell that it's been a while, but Ellen is happy with the compliments - a victory in and of itself, since previously, the blonde hardly paid any attention to her. Not without being mad about it, anyway. "You definitely do." She grins. Thora releases the glass once she feels that the other has taken a firm hold of it, and moves to sit beside her on the couch, downing her own glass of water. "We'll rest for a minute so you can cool down." She takes hold of the remote and backspaces back to the playlist, so that nothing plays.

"So," Thora clears her throat. "I'll be performing at the grounds nearby in the days, around 7pm, if perhaps you'd like to come. They're holding a carnival of sorts, so funnel cake and all the fun stuff. But it won't be like what we're doing now. I'll be fire dancing that night." It wouldn't break her heart if the other said no, though. "If you need a break from studying." She winked.

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Ellen Bailey:

Thora says they should rest for a minute. "Thanks." She says, agreeing, and settles back against the couch. Ellen holds the glass to her cheek for awhile longer, until the cool glass stops feeling so cool against her cheek, and then downs half the glass in a few swallows. She's actually not super thirsty, surprisingly, just uncomfortably hot. The blonde slides her gaze over to look at her as she makes the offer. Fire dancing? That is one kind of dance she doesn't think she could do. "Oh, no, I shouldn't." She demurs, waving her hand. Not because a carnival wouldn't be fun, but going because of Thora just to stand on the sidelines... anyway, they aren't that close. She has to remind herself. Conveniently the studying is there to use as an excuse, but... "I do actually already have plans the next few days, outside of studying, which I really should be doing more of... but thank you. I bet you'll do great and look as gorgeous as ever doing it. Fire dancing though... talk about wanting that adrenaline, jeez."

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Thora Phrostfur:

It's a no and that's okay. Honestly, she'd have been surprised if the blonde had said yes. "That's okay! Maybe another time." She dismisses it easily, like it wasn't a big deal. "But thank you. Fire dancing is one of my other styles. The other two are belly dancing and - don't judge me - pole dancing. I used to be competitive with the latter, actually." She laughs. "Wanting the adrenaline is an understatement. But anyway." Thora stretches her limbs and cracks her neck, sliding a little closer into Ellen's space. "We can step outside, if you want. It's cooler outside."

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Ellen Bailey:

Thora dismisses it easily enough, and Ellen is sidetracked by her other dance styles. "Ooh!" She loves belly dancing, the amount of control needed to be a belly dancer has always been impressive and the movements are always so smooth and elegant. "And no judgement here," She is quick to say. "Pole dancing and ballet are like sisters, since we use the barre for practice - the amount of muscles and control you need for poles too is amazing, and no easy feat. To be competitive at it? I bet you were great!!" Ellen doesn't notice that as Thora stretches she moves closer into her space. "Probably is." She agrees. "And we should keep moving because I'm afraid if I sit for too long my legs will stop working, haha. Once the muscles realize we're done they may give up."

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Thora Phrostfur:

She grins, both at the praise and the enthusiasm her companion has with the admission. "You're right, they are like sisters, in a way." Perhaps that was an underlying reason why their styles were so complimentary. "And thanks. You're looking at the four time champion of both Pole Arts and Aerial Arts." She says with a flick of the hair. "There's probably videos all over YouTube still." Thora hums her agreement, rising back to her feet. "Right. One more then, and I just just the one. I think you'll appreciate it." She says, collecting the remote. It clicks down to God Is A Dancer, once again only playing the audio. The werewolf barely follows the dance from the video, in fact barely at all, but does incorporate moves from it. Like the previous, it's faster paced and intense - using all parts of the body, emphasizing details from the lyrics and acting them out. But as she spins into the second chorus, beginning the strut, her left hand beckons the other to come closer - a silent invitation to make it into a couple's dance rather than a lead and follow like the ones before.

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Ellen Bailey:

Four time champion? Ellen whistles, clapping. "I'll have to look you up and see!" In the same breath she's happy all her competition videos exist only on whatever media her parents and the school recorded them on; her summer tour in Vienna may exist somewhere but she wouldn't be easily recognizable in it. She couldn't imagine with social media being the way it is these days if her performances were plastered all over the internet.

Ellen gets back to her feet, setting her glass down, and shifts her weight from foot to foot as she shakes out each leg and returns to center position. She grins as she spies what Thora sets it to.

"I loooove this song." She gushes. It's to no surprise that Thora chooses not to follow the original choreography at all - which is fine by Ellen, because in this case she doesn't think the artist is all that impressive as a dancer and the routine isn't all that special.

She is able to keep pace just as well as before, except this time rather than follow Thora's routine, Ellen mixes it up and incorporates her own. Because she knows the song and has thought about how she would fix the choreography. It's smash cutting Thora's with her own until the motion comes, at which point the blonde flicks her hair over her shoulder and steps into the space and blending into the couple's dance just like back on the dance floor at the party.

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Thora Phrostfur:

A deep, rolling purr escapes her as the other steps into her space, accepting the invitation. They've blended once again, a mixture of sensual elegance and passion in equal measure. The more risque movements feel more natural in the free space. Hands on hips, nails teasingly scraping past skin, fingers tangling in hair, rolling into and molding into and against the others' form when called for. It feels more intimate than the others, even the ones from the party... It's not a dance, it's a carefully disguised seduction - filled with feathery touches and teasing motions intended to leave her partner wanting more, to entice and tempt with smiles, a fiery gaze and experienced hands that have more than likely done this many times before. As with all the times before, they're feeding from each others' energy, creating something passionate and beautiful. They're closer than they had been when Thora dipped her to their last song at the party, dipped low again in yet another incipient kiss as the song ends. But this time, her amber gaze is a slow, burning flame of want as she searches Ellen's green eyes, and she doesn't leave it hanging long enough to consider.

The next song in the queue begins as she acts on the build from the dance, and closes the rest of the distance between them, capturing the others' mouth. It's warm and slow, vanilla and spice, and just as passionate as her movements had been that builds into a roaring flame before she pulls away, as though she'd just realized what she'd done and is coming down from the high.

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Ellen Bailey:

There is something different this time when Ellen steps into the dance and her hands find her partner's body. She is still following Thora's lead to the rhythm and the beat, with her own twist, but the space between them is nearly non existent and what little there is seems to hum with that same electricity there had been on the dance floor earlier. Shimmering and blooming like an aura calling to the other. Her body is humming again, too, but it feels like an energy that's different from what it had been before and it isn't just energy from the music. It's like Thora is pouring passion and heat from her movements into Ellen's own, guiding her with hips, knees, breasts, and hands into positions and pressing their bodies together in sexy and intimate ways. She wouldn't ordinarily read into it if there wasn't these strange signs all of a sudden - the one mistake of a dancer is to assign feelings and emotions to a performance. The performance is the art, and you are designed to sell it to the audiences. But like with actors, musicians, any kind of artists, you have to be careful to separate the art from the artist. Yet there is no denying the passion Ellen is feeding into is not just about the music, the dance; the passion and heat seems to bleed into her skin, sparking tiny little flames with each trail of the fingers against bare flesh. The song ends with their bodies molded together in the dip even closer than before. Her blood sings with the adrenaline and the heat, the tingling spreads across her lips once again as their lips are hardly breaths apart. She opens her eyes when Thora does not immediately move to release her and meets that amber gaze and realizes, with a jolt, that Ellen was not mistaken and the passion in the dance had been genuine.

Thora does not wait to decide whether Ellen is or is not going to close the gap - she gasps through her nose as their lips are pressed together. The playlist continues, unstopped; and Ellen freezes under the gentle and tantalizing onslaught. Lustful in its endurance, sweet and soft in its execution. Her cheeks, already flushed from the effort of the dance, burned hotter, if that was possible, and her train of thoughts has all but derailed and jumps the tracks aside from exclamation points and question marks. How was she supposed to... what was she supposed to... For a second it's like Ellen loses her mind - while she doesn't open up any further to deepen the kiss or anything of the sort, the tension that appeared when Thora's lips first met her own begins to bleed from her form. But it's also in that moment that it seems Thora has also come to her senses and realizes what it is she's done, as she pulls away. For a second it appears as if Ellen may follow her; instead, she jerks back and her eyes snap open, skewering Thora with a confused and alarmed gaze. Thora begins to bring her back to her feet to release her, but Ellen completes the task the rest of the way for her; she gets her feet back underneath her and pulls away from Thora's arms, with perhaps not as much force as she should have. She looks away, refusing to meet what appears to be the beginning of a mischievous grin, and without thinking, her hand comes up and she wipes her lips across the back of her hand. Her train of thought has right itself on the tracks and currently consists of nothing but exclamation points and question marks. The words cause an uncomfortable feeling to burn in her core. The blonde frantically shakes her head. "No, no... it's... fine. I'm fine. We --" Can't? Shouldn't? No, hell no, not when that predatory look is back in her eye. "We can leave it."

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Thora Phrostfur:

Ellen didn't return the kiss, only freezes, like she wasn't sure what to do. But she feels the tension bleed out of her figure. If it had continued, the blonde might have returned it. However, after a certain point, it couldn't be written off as a mistake - something that she didn't want to do in the event that her partner had needed an out. She was still in the closet, after all. Ellen herself didn't know it, but she did. For a moment, it seems as though the blonde would follow her... And as though realizing it, she jerks back, eyes clicking open. Thora only blinks at the skewering look she's given. She can see the panic, the question marks and exclamation points. It's not something that she should push further, for Ellen's comfort. Maybe another time, if it came. The company even suggests that they leave it. "Hey," She says softly, reaching for Ellen's shoulders to soothe her. "I'm sorry, I was caught up in the high. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Uncomfortable, no. But she had meant to do it, and she wasn't actually sorry about it. At all. In fact, she hoped it helped the blonde come to the realization - even though she would probably write it off. "Relax, I won't try anything if I give you a massage. But your body won't like you very much. At the very least, I should take responsibility and help to alleviate those symptoms for you."

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Ellen Bailey:

Ellen tenses but doesn't flinch away as Thora reaches for her shoulders. She had an opportunity to step back, but doesn't; so she slowly turns her gaze back to meet Thora's eyes. The other is apologetic and not pushy, and Ellen doesn't read any further than face value. Whether because she chooses not to, or can't see the hidden meaning, is unclear. Still, Thora apologizes, and her shoulders loosen some, the tension fading but not all the way gone. She had told her she wasn't into that, but... it could be forgiven, considering she said she had been caught in the high. That's fair enough. "Okay," She says, and that is meant to say she accepts the apology. But Thora still gently insists on the massage. The other woman is completely right and Ellen is loathe to let it go, but she has to say: "I don't want to give you any ideas," The blonde replies, fidgeting both hands with the hem of her dress. "I mean, I don't want to lead you on, or... make you uncomfortable because I'm not..." She trails off, with a shrug. It had looked for a second like she was going to say something else and changed her mind.

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Thora Phrostfur:

The blonde accepts the apology and for the most part, the tension fades from her form but not all of it. She spots the woman fidgeting with the hem of her dress, and carefully takes her hands in her own. Ellen even trailed off, wanting to say something but not finishing the sentence. She was thinking about it then, perhaps. Good. Poor confused baby. "I'm not uncomfortable and you're not leading me on, but I appreciate your concern." Thora says, squeezing her hands. "Listen, I'm not expecting anything. It's okay. I'm sorry that I made you uncomfortable, honey. Are you okay, do you need some more water?" She offers, genuinely apologetic - only for Ellen's discomfort, not for the why. Worst case scenario, she could always go back to the party.

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Ellen Bailey:

Thora drops her grip from her shoulders to reach for her hands - and again Ellen doesn't pull away. Thora assures her that all is fine, again she's sorry, she's not expecting anything. "I'm not uncomfortable either," she's quick to assure her, she feels terrible all of a sudden that Thora is so contrite and apologetic. "It's just, I'm just... not... like that." She squeezes her hands. "I am fine. I'm okay." Now she feels bad for making Thora feel bad. It's not like Ellen hasn't also been swept up in the heat of the moment. It's probably more because Thora isn't her friend and has a history with her best friend - former best friend? - and was teasing her about it earlier, that she gets defensive whenever anything remotely close comes up. She waves off the suggestion of more water. "No, I'm good for now." She isn't really all that thirsty, just hot. "If you're okay... we can still do the massage." She flashes a weak smile.

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Thora Phrostfur:

Sure, honey. Is the first thought that comes to mind when Ellen tries to say that she "isn't" like that. She was, and there was nothing she could do to change the werewolf's mind. She knew an actual straight woman when she interacted with one and Ellen wasn't it, by any stretch of the imagination - she was just in denial. And that wasn't something that she would comment on, unless someone else came up. For starters, a real straight woman would be uncomfortable. That Ellen wasn't should've been very telling. She hopes that it's something the other reflects on, later. "Alright." She says, releasing her hold of the blonde's hands. "I'm okay. Would you be more comfortable on the couch or...?" She asks, gesturing to the couch or to the hallway behind the living room, that would lead to the bedroom and other rooms. "Or, if you'd rather, I have a massage table in another room. Whichever you're more comfortable with." Regardless of whatever option she choses, a sheet will be involved - for Ellen's comfort, not her own. So it doesn't really matter which, to her.

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Ellen Bailey:

Ellen takes a deep breath and forces her shoulders to relax as Thora lets go of her hands. Unsurprisingly, the noirette states that she actually has a massage table in her home. Ellen might have been shocked if not for the fact that she was used to these sort of surprises, thanks to Aera. She also couldn't be shocked since someone who could afford to have a wild animal live with could also afford an expensive massage table. "Probably best we use the table," She finally says, because the couch doesn't seem like a great place to do more than rubbing shoulders and despite having just said that she wasn't uncomfortable, the thought of a massage on a bed sounds like a recipe for disaster.

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Thora Phrostfur:

"Good call," She says quickly, reaching for the woman's elbow. "C'mon." She leads the human down the hall, to another room; boxes are stacked against the back of the wall and at the center of the room is a massage table with two sheets over it for a guest to borrow under if the opportunity arose. There's a case for the table on the right side of the wall. Aside from the tabe and the boxes, the room is otherwise empty. Another room Thora has packed. "I'll give you six minutes to get comfortable." Thora informs her, stepping out of the room and closing the door. It's enough time for Ellen to shed as many layers as she's comfortable with, and for the werewolf to grab the massage oil from her bedroom. After six minutes, the tall tale sign of her heels on the tile can be heard before she knocks and waits for the other to respond. It's only when Ellen says that she's ready that she enters the room, bottle in hand. She sets it on the floor and peels down the sheet, which would allow her view of the others' back. "Feel free to ask me anything," She offers, grabbing the oil and lathering it on her hands before touching the woman's back. It's a warming oil with a mint smell, meant to relax and knead into. Thora spreads the oil over her back before she starts the deep tissue massage, something that she feels Ellen needs - with or without the dancing that was involved tonight.

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Ellen Bailey:

Before Ellen has a chance to even consider whether she should change her mind, a hand is on her elbow and she is led down the hall to a room that appears to be all packed besides the massage table. Ellen takes in the room and the boxes only to glance over as Thora gives her a specific timeframe to get comfortable and then disappears back out the door. Ellen stands there for a moment, gathering both herself and her thoughts, and then moves towards the table. She isn't new to getting massages - they were a frequent part of sports medicine when she was growing up, and a luxury she often splurged on as an adult - and she is normally comfortable with stripping all the way down to nude. Is that something she feels comfortable enough to do here, though? She considers, then mentally shakes it off. No, of course it would be fine; the misunderstanding has been cleared up and Thora promised not to do anything that would make her uncomfortable, besides. So she strips down and makes herself comfortable under the sheet. She calls out at the knock at the door and then rests her head on the headrest. "I'm used to massages." She explains at the offer to ask any questions. She won't really have any, except - youch that is a massive knot in her back that it seems Thora hits immediately. Yeesh.

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Thora Phrostfur:

"That's good." She notes, feeling around for knots and other sorts of tension spots that need to be worked out. She finds several, and starts to work on the first one that she found almost immediately, kneading softly at first to gauge Ellen's comfort level before getting any deeper. "You have a few spots though. You should probably come see me every week, for health benefits, before I leave." Thora continues to dig into the knot that she'd found, soothing and undoing it until it's completely gone, allowing her to move on to others that she'd felt while spreading the oil. "Feel free to tell me to go harder or lighter. It's all according to your comfort level." Massages aren't something that she minds. She's been a professional before, and it was as equally relaxing to her as it was her client.

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Ellen Bailey:

For the first time she notes how it seems like... Thora is coming up with plenty of reasons why they should spend plenty of time together before she has to leave. First the studying, then meeting up at the cafe (unintentionally or no), the offers to dance together more often, inviting her to the carnival, now saying that she should be massaged weekly.

It's almost like Thora is finding and seizing upon every reason they should spend as much time together as possible before she leaves. Only aside from what just happened, Ellen can't think of why? They weren't close, tonight notwithstanding. Was it just because of... well, grief?

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Thora Phrostfur:

"You can go harder. I'm used to it." Oh, was she? Ellen walked right into that one, and she wouldn't he sorry for it. She chuckles. "That's what she said," She jests, chuckling, but following the direction to knead harder as suggested. It's only a smidge. Ellen is still a human, and can't bare the full brunt of her strength. Best to save that for later. "You walked into that one." Although she's in the here and now, seemingly, the werewolf is mentally far away. She'd picked up a lot more of Aerallis's mannerisms than she'd realized. They'd only arisen as a constant after she re-appeared in 2007. Prior to that, she didn't come across as that thoughtful. Afterwards, she was, but rather than being second nature or by thoughtfulness, it seemed more... That she was conditioned to it as one would a master. It was also when other desires had appeared, and the formation of the dungeon began.

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Ellen Bailey:

It takes a second for her to process what it is Thora means and why she said it at all. Then Ellen chuckles. "You're right." She concedes. She did walk right into that one... can't even be mad. Still, Thora does as instructed and picks up the pressure. It may only be a smidge to her, but the blonde feels the difference - the pressure picks up a noticeable amount, and the knot she is working on begins to fade away. Otherwise, Thora appears to lapse into silence, and Ellen doesn't do anything to break it, allowing her to work quietly and lost in her own thoughts for... probably different reasons.

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Thora Phrostfur:

She chuckles slightly, but it's swallowed up by the weight of her work, which she continues delegiantly. Thora doesn't speak unless spoken to, content to work silently on the physical aspects of what is required of her. At every turn, she nearly expects Aerallis to enter the room, curious but livid, but it never happens and it leaves her on edge. Good for Ellen but not for her. Every move she makes, every breath she takes, just reminds her of someone long gone. And as much as she hopes that might won't meet again for her duration of time in New York, she also hopes that they won't - for those reasons. And indeed, it seems that Ellen is lost in her own thoughts. As she promised, she doesn't try anything - focusing only on soothing muscles in her back, her legs, her neck and shoulders and back again.

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Ellen Bailey:

Thora continues to work in silence and since Ellen doesn't attempt to address her - except if a spot is particularly painful and she needs her to ease up a bit on the pressure - the time stretches on unbroken. As if she has a magic touch the blonde feels her muscles relax under the other woman's ministrations, soothing, and as she travels up and down her back, neck, shoulders, and legs, Ellen suddenly realizes how exhausted she is.

It's the satisfied exhaustion of a good workout, but they both knew she had tried too hard and pushed too hard dancing as much and with the degree of difficulty she did. Considering how long it had been since she had danced at all, let alone danced like that. She starts to fade off while Thora works; too relaxed.

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Thora Phrostfur:

With the unbroken silence, she continues to work uninterrupted, soothing out as many knots as she can before she feels the blonde start to fade. Thora doesn't attempt to wake her up, only continues to work out the kinks as she feels them and when she's done, she moves the blonde only enough to give professional level chiropractic adjustments. If Ellen is fully asleep by then, she scoops the blonde up in the sheets and carries her to the couch, where she'll leave her for the rest of the night. Then she leaves on her bike for the party for a few hours, only to return with someone else in tow - that won't pay any attention to the human passed out on her couch. Until it's morning, and she places Ellen's clothes on the foot of the couch and makes breakfast. A casserole, like Aera used to make some mornings. While it's baking, she turns on the TV (which had previously turned off), and pokes Ellen to see if she'll rise. She has two additional people to feed, at that point, after all.

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Ellen Bailey:

Thora doesn't attempt to wake Ellen up. Again, if it hadn't been the rigorous, full body workout of the past several hours, followed by the muscle-obliterating massage, Ellen may not have fallen asleep. Buuut she totally did. Especially as all her kinks are worked out and adjustments done. She slips into sleep, and because Ellen is a naturally heavy sleeper and Thora did not attempt to wake her up, she is out. She wouldn't have anticipated sleeping through the night, either, and yet somehow she does. A deep sleep without any dreams that would be remembered in the morning. She doesn't wake at all until deep into the next morning, when the TV is turned on and she is nudged. The blonde blinks awake with a sharp inhale through her nose. "Wha...?" It all rushes back instantly, and Ellen winces. The massage did wonders on her aching limbs, but they still did ache from overuse and exertion. "Ugh..." There is light streaming in through the windows, and Ellen looks around. She's still... at Thora's apartment. Oh, no. Had she somehow fallen asleep and then slept through the whole night?? And she was still wrapped up in the sheet from the massage... A blush appears on her face as she realizes Thora is still standing nearby. "Good... morning." She mumbles, holding the sheet with one hand as she sits up and reaches for her clothes. "Um, where is the bathroom...?"

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Thora Phrostfur:

The human stirs when prodded, and Thora sits back with a sigh. "Good morning," She offers back, averting her gaze as the other rises, even though she has a sheet held with one hand over her frame. It's more for Ellen than it is for her. She points down the hallway. "First right." She says. "Get changed. I'll make you a plate before you go." Thora rises and retreats to the kitchen, where she makes three plates - making sure to add extra to both hers and Ellen's plates for the amount of energy they need to make up. Once Ellen is out of the bathroom, the werewolf invites her to the kitchen, presenting her with a bowl of all of the good stuff - high in protein, fiber and calories. "When you're done, I can call a cab for you." She offers as she makes two other bowls, both for herself and for the third guest.

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Ellen Bailey:

Thora greets her and pointed out the bathroom back down the hallway. She isn't looking at her, which Ellen is relieved by. She gets up with a nod and stands up, wrapping the sheet more properly around herself and then heading to the bathroom with her clothes tucked under one arm. This... isn't the best outfit to get redressed in, but if she's going to do something of a walk of shame (even though nothing happened) it might as well be in this. She reemerges from the bathroom fully dressed, and is summoned back to the kitchen area. The casserole smells heavenly and Ellen reaches for it eagerly. "Thank you," She said, earnest and genuine, both for the food and for calling a cab. She somehow hadn't realized how hungry she was until she had the bowl in her hands, and then it hits her hard enough that she's almost nauseous and she scarfs it down. She doesn't notice - or doesn't register - the addition of another bowl. Hers is gone in no time flat, for the human, and she holds out the bowl again. "May I have another?" She still feels like she's starving, but one more bowl should be good enough, considering how hearty the first was.

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Thora Phrostfur:

While Ellen gets dressed, she takes the other bowl on a bamboo stand to the bedroom for the other guest, noting that the human is downing hers rather quickly. She makes a point to be in the kitchen afterwards, absentmindedly picking at her own bowl when the blonde asks for another. "Sure," She grins, taking it as a compliment as she takes the glass bowl from the human and refills it. This time, she makes sure to add more than she had previously, for extra measure, before handing it back. "Knock when you're ready to go." Granted, Thora had already communicated with Lyft that service was needed and they were on their way. By the time they got there, she assumed that Ellen would be done with her food. Once she hands over the bowel, she heads back into the bedroom with her own.

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Ellen Bailey:

Thora heads off for a bit while Ellen scarfs down the first bowl, then returns to refill her bowl with a grin. She isn't eating out here, but Ellen doesn't really pause to consider why that might be and just nods as she disappears off to one of the bedrooms. The blonde eats this one a bit slower, not quite so starved, so she doesn't hurt her stomach or make herself nauseous from overeating. But she still polishes off the entire second bowl, as well, and only after finishing it does she actually feel full. It's not even an uncomfortable full, either; damn. Well there was her cardio for the next months handled, huh? She washes her bowl and silverware in the sink and sets it on the dishrack, before heading over to the bedroom door and rapping on it gently with her knuckles to do as instructed. "Thora? I'm all set." She calls through.

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Thora Phrostfur:

After two minutes, she's at the door. "Alright," She says, coming out of the room and closing the door. The noirette checks the Lyft app on her phone. She's in a silk robe, and nothing else. "The driver should be here in a few minutes. You'll just need to tell him where you want to go." She puts her bowl by the sink and places a hand on the small of Ellen's back. "I'll walk you out, dear." And indeed she does, to the curb as instructed. Even without makeup, she seems to be flawless. "Did you sleep well?" She asks, checking the app again. Two minutes away. Ellen had finished just in time.

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Ellen Bailey:

When Thora reappears, it's only in a robe. Ellen heads back to where she had left her belongings, slipping on her shoes and pulling her phone out of her purse and checking it. It didn't die overnight, somehow, but she winces and grimaces when she looks at the screen and drops it back in her purse without unlocking it. That... is something she's going to need a second to process before she sends out the 'no I didn't die' texts as well as handle the flood of other notifications she saw on the screen. She jumps, startled, at the hand on the small of her back, not realizing Thora had moved back to stand next to her. "Oh, all right." She says, not even bothering to ask whether she should in just a robe - they were on the first floor and it wasn't like the parking lot was far away. Plus she doesn't think Thora will care. She can't help but chuckle at the question. "Yes, I did. I can't believe I passed out that hard. Thanks for letting me crash here."

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Thora Phrostfur:

Indeed, Thora doesn't care. It's less like she's only wearing a robe and more like she's fully dressed, in her mind at least. She only chuckles. "I'm glad that you slept well." She says, checking the app again. One minute. "Take care of yourself, okay?" She doesn't attempt to hug the blonde unless it's something that Ellen starts. Instead, as the car pulls up, she crosses her arms and waves, smiling. "Don't worry about the fee. I'm covering it. Take care."

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Ellen Bailey:

"I will." She says, then adds, "It was good running into you again. Thanks for the dancing. It was a lot of fun." She doesn't initiate a hug, only waving back as she goes to step into the car. Then, hesitating, she glances up at Thora. "You take care of yourself too." She smiles, soft. "I'll see you around." Then ducks into the car and gives him the address her car is parked towards the outskirts of the city.