as we pass through arrangements of shadows

[shreds]

Comments

[barely]

( The Gilbert Gallery hosts in-state artists and out-of-state artists, and rarely the gallery owner's own work. Because his curator met him at home for something, Jeremy was caught mid-project and convinced he should show his own work for once. With Jeremy's name comes the customer interested in the rare and in the mysterious. It's one painting in a show of other artists. It's Dawn who convinces him to go, and on his arm no less.

He never likes to be the face of his gallery, wanting the art to speak for itself.

That is, when he's not hunting. Hunting is still his main activity, under the nose of his family members. Dawn is the only one who knows he hunts and understands. She's the only one who understands all his stories, his mistakes, where he's come from and the family legacy he carries with him every day. Her mom's gone like his and her dad might as well be. She also has an older sister. And she's -- well, the equivalent of adopted and she learned about it when she was also a teenager. He and Dawn just click.

The night of the show, he refuses to look at his own painting, preferring to stay in the other room in the gallery. He holds one glass of champagne out of politeness and sticks close to his girlfriend. )

Thank god we're showing tonight and not next week. You know Alaric and Jo would insist on coming.

[ooglyboogleys]

They're proud of you. That's not a bad thing, is it?

[Spending time in galleries is always a bit bittersweet, reminding her of her mom. She misses Joyce all the time, but now is not about sad Dawn times, it's about supporting her boyfriend and making sure his opening goes off without a hitch.]

I know I'm proud of you. You worked really hard.

[barely]

I just don't need the attention on me, it's not why I do it.

( Jeremy has never been good with the spotlight on him. He likes to fade into the background and live up to his potential quietly. He also couldn't do the work he likes (the work that helps people) if he had more notoriety. Could you imagine driving up to some small town with Tyler and people being distracted by the fake FBI Agent Jeremy Gilbert the artist.

If he's honest with himself, he wouldn't hate the art world, or the parties. He always liked parties. )

You know you can tell me if you're not okay with Alaric and Jo staying in our guest room. I know I asked and you said yes, but if you have real feelings about it, you can tell me.

[ooglyboogleys]

The only real feelings I'm having about it is that I'm very excited to meet them.

[And it's true. It's not that Jeremy has been keeping her away from that part of his life on purpose - it happens, when they live so far away - but she's been interested in meeting them.

Hopefully it will make Hurricane Buffy that is eventually coming his way look tame by comparison.]

I was serious when I said it was fine.

[barely]

OK. I know, too, because you had your serious Dawn face on.

( He smirks, looking down at his drink. Yeah, being here's not so bad. )

I don't think I know where I'd be if I hadn't bumped into you on campus.

[ooglyboogleys]

Life probably would have been way more boring. And your guest room would have taken less time to clean because it wouldn't have become a book room.

[And there are other things too, more serious things, but they're not going to turn this into a more serious conversation right now. This is light and fun times while they're at the gallery.]

[barely]

Hey, I like books. I just never did good with them.

( Nor did he apply himself enough. But, he lost a lot when he was younger. )

Besides, you can read the books for me. I'll keep my bestiaries.

[ooglyboogleys]

I will happily read all the books for you. They are my favorite thing.

[Especially when they're really old and in a dead language.]

But I think having Jo and Ric here will be fun. And a great test run for when Buffy eventually comes to visit.

[barely]

I want to meet her!

( He grins, leaning into her, liking their little moment.

Dawn and Jeremy, make a spot check. )

[ooglyboogleys]

[She grins as she meets that lean, draping her arms around his neck and only half-paying attention to what's going on around her (10).]

Oh, you will. She is very excited about it. We just need to figure out when.

[barely]

( Jeremy gets his (15), so what he isn't looking for, he sees over Dawn's shoulder. Dawn helped him with this, because the vampires he was used to? Assimilated. Not to mention every trend repeating itself. But, this guy coaxing one of the cater waiters out the back door, he's dressed just wrong and he's a little too aggressive for his tastes. So much so that he turns he and Dawn around. )

12 o'clock, what does that look like to you?

[ooglyboogleys]

[Dawn glances over, scanning the room until she sees what he means.]

Well, that definitely went out of style a couple of decades ago.

[barely]

And not in the, cycles back around way like neon and scrunchies.

( And everything else 80's that came back again. )

You thinking what I'm thinking?

[ooglyboogleys]

As in he's here looking for dinner, then yes.

[She makes a face as she looks around at all the gallery goers, all of whom could have lunch potential.]

I'm pretty sure there's a stake in my bag in your office.

[barely]

I'll keep him on the ropes?

( He kisses her cheek, nods to someone waving at him and follows out the back door. )

[ooglyboogleys]

Sounds like a plan.

[Dawn will retreat back to the office and grab her stake, tucking it up her sleeve so that it's not hugely obvious. Then she sneaks back down and out the back door to try and find their fashion-challenged friend.]

[barely]

( By the time Dawn joins the party, Jeremy is dodging a thrown trash can as the vampire roars at him. (10) and (19). The trash can bangs down the alleyway. The girl is nowhere in sight. Jeremy kicks up a discarded wooden platform and kicks it towards the vampire who dodges. (10) and (16).

Dawn, roll initiative! )

[ooglyboogleys]

[Dawn darts down the alley once she's free of the door. The vampire isn't facing her, so she doesn't draw the stake right away - instead, she just darts forward and tries to aim a kick to his knees to keep him from escaping (7).]

[barely]

( Despite getting the jump on the vampire, his hearing kicks in (8) and he whips around, dodging her foot. He tries to grapple her then (and since she's so close to him...) (nat 20) and then tries taking a bite (10).

It's Jeremy next, but we must see how this resolves to see what he's going to do! ) )

[ooglyboogleys]

[Yeah, he definitely gets a hold of her (3). But she does manage to twist away from his teeth for now so he can't bite her (12).]

[barely]

( And Jeremy tries to bring up the top to the trash can to swing it at his back. (17, 4) It connects hard but the vampire keeps grip on Dawn's shoulders. )

[ooglyboogleys]

[Dawn wriggles a bit, trying to get her stake free from her sleeve and then seeing if there's an advantageous place that she can try and stab him (7).]

[barely]

( In pain and now half distracted, her stake connects (4), but it connects in his side as he cries out.

He tries getting a hold of her wrist, to break it (8) )

[ooglyboogleys]

[She tries to wrench her wrist away, but in the end, they wind up in a stalemate (8). Taking a breath, she does her best to twist it in again for another stab (14).]

[barely]

( (16) has him wrenching his torso back, too.

Fashion Victim tries throwing Dawn back (12) before Jeremy lands another blow with the metal trash can cover (16, 8) )