Vessels and Trueforms

[tryingitall]

Balthazar lands on the terrace, taking the opportunity to set out the decorative baby pumpkins, as well as the larger one, and tracing a light preservation spell over them before heading inside. His Halloween shopping gets set on the kitchen counter, still in the bag. He's pretty casual about his surroundings sometimes, equally at home with tidiness and clutter. He seems to have brought in some additional groceries and drinks today, though, and these are put away in the pantry and refrigerator.

There's apple cider, for one thing, and a couple bottles of a golden-tinted auslese with a cornucopia on the label. He likes sweet wines.

This minimal labor done, he goes into the living room and flops onto the sofa, looking pensive. "Best to do this slowly, I think," he says to Lucifer. "I'll let him take control of the vessel for a bit before trying to separate. To talk to you, perhaps? I think he'll want to."

Comments

[devilsphoenix]

Phenex has often seen this response and knows to wait, or be there to catch someone who truly fumbles. Even so, the angel is softly admiring of the impact. The reaction between angel and artist is one that causes Phenex's presence to brighten both visually and spiritually.

"Phenex, or some call me Songbird." There is a glance at Lucifer that suggests he is the origin of the affectionate nickname.

They take Levi's hand and place a kiss on his cheek in greeting. "The pleasure is mine."

With the kiss and thier presence comes an unburdening calm. It is thier effect on one of their own, though how that ability effects an artist differs greatly. They can feel the damage, and like Lucifer have the same inclination to heal the scarring, but that is a discussion for another time. For now, it is time to get to know one another.

[tryingitall]

The general feeling of being overwhelmed and made silly by the angel's presence lingers, and is mildly embarrassing, but there's a sense of safety even in the awkwardness. If anyone were going to judge him for being clumsy, it's not this angel. A bit like screwing up in front of a trusted teacher. No big deal; no one else would understand a well-meaning mistake so well.

Probably not Lucifer either, honestly. "Phenex," he repeats sheepishly, although Songbird will linger in his brain now. There's a little burst of mental images, the frisson of energy that often precedes a storm of creative output as the idea of birds with snow-white beaks and rainbow wings dances through his head.

The kiss is highly unexpected, but the calm it brings is helpful. There is such a thing as artistic frenzy, and it's likely that without that calming effect, a being like Phenex could spark that by their mere presence. Instead, Levi takes a breath, eyes closing for a moment, and then smiles, visibly recovered.

"You know, I haven't had a chance to sketch in years, but I haven't eaten on my own power in just as long. Do you mind if I make cocoa and cookies? I'll share, of course."

And then they can get down to the business of making art. There's no question in the human's mind that that's on the agenda.

[devilsphoenix]

"It's a shame that the king has left. He is a splendid cook." Phenex comments. Lucifer had, indeed, disappeared without warning but once he saw the two were comfortable he felt like a third wheel... and honestly had somewhere he would much rather be. "I do not mind and will join you if you wish."

They are utterly calm and placid, more like how angels are described than Lucifer or the others who were relatively brash, fiery, unpredictable. They moved out of the room but waited in the hall for the human to join them.

"Lucifer mentioned that you are a visual artist. Do you do more than painting and sketching?" No one had to tell Phenex which pieces of art in the studio belonged to Levi. There were marks upon them of their creator that they could trace, feel in the presence of the pieces even if they remained hidden in their safe spaces.

[tryingitall]

"I think he has a date," Levi comments wryly, although not without a fleeting thought that it's interesting that a king can cook so well.

"Anyway, I used to know my way around a kitchen, but it's been about a century." He approaches slowly, still a little sheepish in the angel's presence, but content to lead the way up the hall and to the kitchen. He knows the layout of this apartment well enough. He's seen it through his own eyes, with Balthazar operating his body, many times.

"I'm mostly a painter," he says, "but I've dabbled in other things. I can carve wood and stone, but I get impatient with it. Clay is better, but sometimes i feel like I need the color to make my brain work right. I was good with glass, believe it or not, but I never had enough space for my own equipment, and working with someone else would've meant making what they told me to make. Couldn't make myself do it."

[devilsphoenix]

"I would call it more than a date. Lucifer hasn't let many see him since we fell." Phenex had been lucky enough to see him once when he was speaking to God while he remained in his heavenly splendor. It had nearly taken the angel's sight, but worth it.

The angel followed colors in their wings shifting into yellows with the rising curiosity about the artist. "I don't know how long you have been asleep but there are colored clays now. Perhaps we should venture out to an artists' store while they are away?"

Phenex didn't even know if they were aware of all the current human art supplies. It would be interesting to browse. "I prefer watercolor, chemistry, and gemstones when I have a choice, but I find all of the arts and sciences appealing in their own right."