Charles
[BADDA BING BADDA BOOM]

◇ Another lovely day, huh?

□ At least, that's what Audrey thought to herself when she looked out the window after a morning spent re-reading one of her favourite novels and saw perfect blue skies. Blue skies, just a few clouds, the leaves calmly swaying in the light breeze flowing over the Cradle... If she had a tail, it'd have been wagging excitedly as she packed up her art supplies and a wicker basket full of various light snacks to keep her occupied. Or, maybe she was just hoping to pawn off some of her foraged berries and mushrooms to the squirrels? Whatever the case, she found herself walking out of the main doors of the Cradle's residential building, art supplies under one arm and curled around one hand's four primary digits and the other curled around the handle of a well-loved picnic basket.

▪︎ Needless to say, she had a great feeling.

□ Of course, though, she first needed to find something to paint. Something scenic, something idyllic, or possibly something charmingly mundane... The possibilities were endless. Roaming the grounds in a typical ankle-length mint dress festooned in flowers, her bare feet nary made a peep nor an ache as she walked, jade eyes scanning the grounds for anything of note, and after about ten minutes she found it: a tree. It was some sort of fruit tree, and it was in full bloom, and her eyes lit up the moment she saw it. Excitedly rushing over to a patch of grass, she began to set everything up: canvas on a lightweight easel, palette at the ready, water in an awaiting vessel... She was *Ready* To spend the entire day outside painting this one tree, and she was stoked.
Bertha
```Day 40 of Gabriel Darius Trahan [Link to Patreon]'s soiree at Newton's Cradle...```
 
Despite being from the South, Gabe *Hated* The heat. The relatively small pro of 'being able to walk around shirtless without the obvious attention grab being noticeable' was far, far outweighed by everything else. Like sweat. And not being able to layer clothes. God, wasn't Sweden supposed to be *Cold*?

Still, it was nothing compared to the blistering heat Gabe was used to, and so he set off to find something worthy of entertaining his stimuli-craving brain besides schoolwork and scrolling through the comments on his latest Instagram post. The outfit he chose today was... Well, it was the best he could do in the sweltering heat— a simple dark green tee shirt, paired with brown khakis and a light jacket tied at his waist *Solely* There to break up the large blocks of color. Well-kept sneakers (nothing actually fit for running in, almost certainly for show) helped make him seem more casual than his usual dress.

It wasn't an exceptional outfit in his standards, but it was nothing he'd be ashamed to be seen in, and therefore *Good enough*.

Familiar red hair piques Gabe's interest, momentarily disturbing the long, intricate inner monologue concerning his appearance. He would have mourned the loss of the soliloquies dedicated to his chiseled abs, had the identity of the girl at the easel not interested him so. 

*Audrey*. 

God, Gabe wished he was better dressed.

He hadn't seen her since the night he spent cooking for the Cradle and its... Odd residents, but she was someone who's brief company actually interested the perpetually self-interested actor, which was a startling (and impressive) feat. 

He instinctively changes his course to the mound of painting supplies, feeling a metaphorical wagging tail oscillate behind him.

_ _
"Hey," Gabe says, announcing his presence by clearing his throat. He looks over her shoulder, taking a look at the stained canvas and the girl's face, furrowed in concentration.

"Wow," He remarks, leaning in closer. "Pretty."

*The canvas, too.* A silent voice echoes.
Charles
◆ "Eep!" Clearly, Audrey hadn't been expecting company. If anything, she'd been so absorbed into laying down the base layers and strokes that when a familiar self-assured voice boomed not five feet away she naturally jumped a bit and whipped her head around. "Oh gosh, Gabe! You're gonna give a girl a heart attack, gee..." 

Looking over at her friend, she let out a sheepish laugh, faint hints of dragonfruit peel pressing themselves against her cheeks in a fit of embarrassment. Was she that easy to spook that him simply coming up behind her and saying 'hey' was enough to scare the bejeezus out of her? Or had she just been absorbed into her canvas, spirit detached and eyeing down every detail of every tree while her body laid down oil strokes one arc of the brush at a time?

▪︎ Whatever the case, she shook her head to declutter her thoughts.

◆ "What'cha doing out here, hun? Taking in the nice weather?" She chirped out from a branch of curiosity. "Because, boy, I love the weather over here! Olympia is just so *Rainy* In the summer, it sometimes felt like the universe itself didn't want me to live since, you know, I *Needed* Direct sunlight back home, and... I guess you probably don't wanna hear me complain. So! What's brought you out?"