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Westchester County. Marie's been finding her thoughts drawn out towards this portion of the state more and more as the days go by; she likes the peacefulness found out in the counryside as opposed to the havok of the city. Enjoys getting to take time to collect her thoughts and just… be herself. Especially with the threat of the Friends of Humanity found so loud in the city.
Today /also/ finds her absent from the side of another redhead, company exchanged today for tha of another good friend whom she invited to join her for a picnic. Yes. A picnic. In the outdoors. In still-Winter. It's why she's all bundled up.
But sitting on the blanket that's been laid out, she glances over her offerings; a variety of sandwiches all carefully constructed by the slender seer herself, a bottle of one of her favorite wines. Then those green orbs turn towards the distance, pursing her lips in thought as she observes the silent meadows beyond.
*
Though if things get cold, returning to somewhere warm (the Circus, her vardo) are open options. It helps that despite the season, things have been a little warmer. A little. Amanda teleports into the meadow, clad in her long, almost flowing winter coat. Hood up, as she seems to always have. She approaches slowly, stepping a little harder than normal to hear the crunch crunch crunch of her feet in the snow, a sound that she is fond of. "Sorry I'm late," she says, kneeling at the edge of the blanket. "I just had to make sure the wards around the circus were okay." It's taken a little, but after teleporting with Marie, she's admitted that she can do the magic thing.
*
"Ah, Amanda! Nothing to be sorry for." comes Marie's voice at the arrival of her friend, waving one of her willowy arms over her head to make sure that she's seen before hopping up to her feet in order to run over and give the other woman a hug. Openness and honesty are good things; the fact that they both have powers? Mean that they don't have to hide anything around one another. This is also a good thing, if you ask Marie.
"How have you been? Are the animals well? Has anything exciting happened?" questions are peppered from friend to friend in rapid fire from the excitible Marie.
*
Amanda hugs her friend tightly. "I've been well," she insists. For a long moment she seems afraid to let Marie go. It's been a while since they've had a moment, and the news coming to the circus of those 'Friends of Humanity' … well, Amanda is technically a witch. And she is Roma. She knows a witchhunt when she sees one. And she knows they won't stop at mutants. "Everybody is just fine," she assures. "I like to keep wards up if I have to leave. With everything… happening, I just feel safer." Of course the wards can't keep people /out/ but at least, if something happens, she'll know.
*
"I am glad to hear this!" Marie chimes back, lips curved up into a rather happ smile. Letting go isn't something that's done too terribly quickly; hugs are good, and the redhead definitely qualifies as being a hugger — but all good things must come to an end. "I do not blame you, with everything that is going on these days…" her lips falter just a moment, but then she's back down into a sitting position, and pushing the basket in Amanda's direction. "…but we will have happier times today and think less of this, oui? I made lunch!" …food, admittedly, is one of Marie's favorite things.
*
The last moments of the embrace are a little squeeze from Amanda before she settles. "I insist on hot chocolate and dessert at my house," she says with a grin. It's cold, but she's here with a friend. That's all that matters. "Friends always make for a better time," she agrees with an enthusiastic nod. "We have to make this a regular occurrence.. Ah, I mean, getting together for a meal. I miss you!"
*
"You are kind to offer; and I will gladly accept." responds the French girl with a quick bob of her head. Hot chocolate and dessert? This is something that she'll find very hard to argue with, and especially when it /also/ involves good company. Without hesitation, she's quick to grab a couple of empty glasses and then the bottle, "Wine?" is asked before she pours; one for Amanda if she chooses to indulge, and one for herself either way. Alcohol was a guilty pleasure, ut a pleasure indeed.
"I had meant to get together with you much sooner, but with all that has come up… my path was set in a different direction." Like, hiding under her bed for days at a time, exiting the room only long enough for the necessities. She's glad the cards have changed their mind and let her start going out again… even if she's not going out into the city as much as she used to.
*
"I can teleport," Amanda reminds Marie gently. "I could come by whenever you'd like." Of course she needs to see the place first, but that's not the point! "I could set wards around you home too." She agrees to the wine, accepting the glass when offered. "Well, you have been dearly missed. I have been spending time with Dani - remember, I introduced you to her briefly?"
*
"You are welcome whenever you choose, doubly so should you teleport into my room." is offered matter-of-factly, smiling as she raises the glass briefly, then takes a long sip of the delightful contents. Oh yes, this? This is good. It was a habit she'd only started since coming to america…. but one she's taken to like a fish out of water. "…and it is a welcome invitation; though one I should run by my roommate." Pause. "You should meet Scarlett sometime; though she is often… out of the house." The bohemian that took her in is often busy; meeting with royalty, saving innocents, or doing any number of great things. Occasionally hiding from an enamoured Marie; especially one under the Enchantress' spells.
As for the latter question? There's a quick couple of nods, "Oui, I remember her! It is good that you have been able to have company; I know you are new to this country — even newer than I — and I would feel truly awful if you had been left longing for company."
*
"Oh, I'm never alone," Amanda promises. "I have my friends in the circus." Which might seem a bit weird perhaps, but Amanda literally grew up around these people. They are friends if not family. "We spent an afternoon together last week. It was… unusual. A fun time but.." Her cheeks redden faintly. She could blame it on the wine she's sipping, had she wanted. "She asked if I had a girlfriend or a boyfriend."
*
"Oui, I know, but it is not the same, non?" Marie offers, inclining her head to the side a bit. "The people you see every day compared to those you see less frequently." Of course, Amanda /likes/ the people she lives with. Marie grew up around people who hated her; stark differences, there. Nonetheless, she's listening all the while, sipping from the glass every now and then. "Good, good." …and the last bit? Well. This is Marie who's come to grips with certain feelings of her own; so the suggestion isn't nearly as startling as it might have been in the past! "…and do you? I do not believe we have ever spoken on the topic of love." A pause, and a blush to /her/ cheeks too. It's not a subject she's got much experience in. Barely any, even.
*
Amanda shakes her head slightly, but quickly. She's reddening more, her gaze downwards. At the picnic basket! Because look, tasty food! And there's still wine in the glass! "..No, no," she murmurs. "I had never really… considered…" It was, until Dani put the idea in her head, not something she really ever considered or spoke about. "I wouldn't know how to even get one!"
*
Does Marie actually have more experience in this situation than Amanda? Now /that's/ a frightening thought to be sure. To her credit, she doesn't recoil or look away. Maybe it's the wine providing liquid courage? "For most people… as I understand it, they consider the type of person they would like. Boy…" Pause. "…or girl. If they know such a person or must go looking. Then they make advances on that person, and if they are not rebuffed…" she shrugs just a bit, and flashes a brief smile. "…the rest is history, oui? Le amour is an… incredible thing, one not to be missed, and if you think yourself ready to pursue it… you should let nothing stop you."
This opinion? Comes from Amora's influence. Marie got a taste of what love /felt/ like. It was intoxicating, even moreso than the wine itself. Just the thought made her sigh happily. "Do you know the type of person you would like?" …of course, for Marie? It's far easier. The cards tell her, and that's the direction she goes — even if it's not been the easiest road to walk.
*
It's maybe confusion that writes itself over Amanda's face as she tries to understand Marie. Oh, she understands the /words/ well enough, but the concept, the.. giving herself over to all of that? It's pretty foreign to Amanda. She imagines she might feel that way, somehow sometime, but… "Not a clue," she insists. "Things are a bit… odd at the circus. There are many of my people there - Romani - but not all of us are from the same tribe. Those of us that are.. unattached. I don't think any of us are willing to break with tradition so none of us know what to do."
*
Confusion — especially about this — is something that Marie can understand well. So the seer in red offers the best advice on the subject she can. "I once shared much of your confusion in these affairs. A man made advances upon me, shortly after I had arrived in the country — I turned to the cards for advice on the situation. They told me that he would not be a lover, but instead a good friend — while he did not seem… excited at this news, the cards were correct as they always are." He even took her on a trip to a real beach! /That/ was a great amount of fun. "Perhaps you should consult your cards and see what they tell you?" Pause. "If you did not bring them and desire a more immediate response, you are welcome to use mine."
There's no warning to be careful. That's something that goes without saying between readers.
*
*
Oh, her cards are always on her. Just in case. But… "Mm.. perhaps not the best place to do a reading," she says, indicating their surroundings. "In a warm place, when we can sit and look at them together, perhaps." Because in Amanda's mind, having a practiced reader look over the results with her would be extremely helpful.
*
Without a bit of hesitation? Marie offers a hand. "I am ready when you are, mon amie." …yes, the teleportation took some getting used to… but this was serious business that she was dealing with here, to be certain! The kind that the redhead understood /all/ too well right now.
*
Amanda takes the hand and gives Marie a 'thank you' look, and squeezes the hand gently. "Perhaps we bring the food and blanket, too. And the wine." The wine is, of course, the most important thing they have! "But if this results in something silly, I am blaming you, Marie. And the wine." She grins and winks.
*
Bottle is put back in basket, and fingers grip onto the edge of the blanket, which is looped through the handle of the basket. She's not entirely sure how Amanda's teleportation works… so she's guessing that anything they're holding will come with them. "Oh, of course. It would be a shame to let such wonderful things go to waste!" …there's a firm agreement there; she likes her food and drink. It may be the one way that she's a hedonist. To the last? There's a laugh and a shaking of her head. "Affairs of the heart are rarely silly, Amanda." Smile. "…but if it is, such is fate's decision. We simply walk the path."
*