“Why have you never visited,” Chéri had the answer ready. They expected Darius to run from it.

Chéri widened their smile “That is correct. I can sing really well.” Chéri chortled “Like a chef! And where would I learn that!” they laughed again “What else do you think I can do? I specifically, not someone else. Look at me. It is a good skill for an artist to learn to guess character from the outside.” Chéri was toying a little with Darius, but they didn’t mean it badly, not at all.

Chéri nodded. Who wasn’t afraid of that, they would have asked. “You aren’t. No one ever is when the childen come. They learn after.” They said that with a casual tone. They glanced at the canvas a little “I would like to see. When you are ready.” they expressed. They were a professional model, of course, and would not just go for it like that, but at some point they were going to take a break and then Chéri would have the chance… if Darius wasn’t too shy about it.

Darius seemed in thought and gave a shrug. "I don't go out much and I know you and Sonia there, but you guys could be busy. I don't know what to do if you guys aren't free to talk. I'd rather be invited." He said sincerely. "It isn't that I don't want to be around you." Of course he also didn't have the most sparkling personality so he didn't want to annoy them and be there when they didn't want him. He was bearable in small increments.

He smiled huge and shook his head. "You are beautiful, clever, and artistic. I think you could do anything if you tried with enough time!" His head cocked to the side and he leaned to look around the canvas. "Is there some skill you want to show off?" He said curiously as he felt Cheri was hinting at something.

The eldest Carrington son went back to painting and his smile faltered a bit. "Yes, but some of us could be bad enough we ruin the lives of the children. " Like his father, he was certain he wasn't a good father. He leaned back a moment and held up the brush. "You want to see? You can look any time, but it doesn't look good yet. So don't be too harsh or disappointed." He smiled and waited to see if they wanted to come around and look.

What Darius was saying made no sense to Chéri. The brothel was literally a public space, the fact that they lived there was completely immaterial to its functioning. Their colleagues would even be called “public women” and they would probably get a similar name, if people dared call them anything at all. “So, do you need an invitation? Do you want me to invite you, is that what you are saying?” Chéri was blunt and didn’t much care for games.

Darius threw himself on generic. Not a bad choice, Chéri had to grant him that. At the question, Chéri looked up, meditating. “Maybe,” was it worth it? They weren’t sure. They were sure of many things, of course, but that one specifically…

Chéri puffed a laughter “There are so many things that ruin children’s life, I don’t think you have it in you. Worst you could do, I figure, is cowardice. But I don’t se that winning,” Chéri was guessing, as they often did. But they really couldn’t see much else that made Darius a potential threat. Now, if that was to come off, then maybe, but so far… no, they really couldn’t. Chéri stood up “Is now a good time?” they asked, walking closer to the canvas, but not stepping next to Darius yet.

Darius looked uncertain as he glanced away, back to his painting. "I'm not great with people. I'm alright with you and Sonia, you are my muses. But if I was there and you were busy? I wouldn't know what to do." He nodded quickly, though Cheri couldn't see. "I would prefer to know when you were free and I could come see you." He still wasn't completely sure he'd come. But he would if he were invited. It would be very rude to Cheri not to.

He waited for the other to keep going. When they didn't, he looked around at them. "What is it?" He asked. He was curious now, they were being so mysterious about it.

The words were nice, but he really really wasn't sure that was true. There was a lot he could do wrong, but he wanted to believe them. He brushed at the painting for a moment. "I .. want to believe you. Do you really think so?" He asked. He leaned back when the other started to come around.

"Sure, you can look.." The painting had the shapes coming together and ghosts of what was to come. Some shading for the facial features and hinted pencil marks for the eyes. But the colors were already rich and only needing more depth and detail to bring it to life.

Chéri shrugged “Looking for more models, I am sure you could find something interesting. But then again, very few people are as beautiful,” they stated that as a plain fact and not one they had particular feelings about. Chéri chortled “Do you want an appointment?” they asked, curious if Darius would dare even imagine visting Chéri there. “I was under the impression you weren’t very eager. Is there something there that disturbs you?” Chéri played games, yes, but also often didn’t realise how blunt they were to people.

Chéri shrugged “You don’t pay me enough to lie about that stuff. And I don’t care to lie for free,” they answered with absolute conviction “and if you like to think yourself my friend, you’d better believe I wouldn’t lie,” Chéri stated that plainly, as if no other option was possible.

Chéri approached the canvas. While they lack refinement when it came to painting and had had no formal schooling, they had seen many coming to life. It was a life experience they had simply collected, like many. “You like rich tones. And thick impasto?” they tried to guess, though, again, they weren’t an expert. They turned with curiosity to Darius and tilted their head on the side “I would have thought you’d prefer to work with less contrast, this is bold…” Chéri commented, stepping a little closer to Darius, almost brushing shoulders with him, while fixing a lock of their hair.

Darius waved his hand, "I dont want to gather the courage to ask anyone to be my model if they aren't good enough. Only you and Sonia are so far." He seemed to consider their words. "If you want me there, then invite me at a day and time and I'll be there." Time dragged on for a moment before he replied again. "Not particularly. Just being out in public among basic people disturbs me. I did it enough in my past when I had a friend." And he didn't forget those days as much as he tried.

Chéri didn't respond when he had asked about skills, they moved on to talk about their friendship and lack of interest enough to lie. It actually brought a small smile to his face.

When they moved close, he noticed how close but it seemed like the only way to be to see his art well. "Ah, yes, "he nodded being thrilled they understood that much about painting. "While I have the details drawn underneath I want to form the emotion and spirit of the painting in colors and then build upon it." He looked up at them cheerfully. "It gives it more passion." Ironic from the man who tried to down his own passions and emotions.

Chéri frowned “If they aren’t good enough?” they asked, confused “How do you know if someone is good before actually working with them?” Chéri bent their head to the side. Darius explained how he felt about being in public. Chéri frowned. “Why? Are you afraid they will see you?” they apparently weren’t fully new to the idea or the experience.

When it came to their skills, Chéri decided to drop it. It didn’t have to be an innuendo, but they were not a big fan of talking a lot about themselves and that was already more than they enjoyed.

The painter started to explain. Chéri followed with great attention, trying to figure our “Colour first,” they repeated “more than the sketch…” they had learnt that was a thing, actual paint vs drawing. “Emotion that swallows the details… how do you keep it consistent between different session? The more you talk to some, the more different you and they will feel and your emotions will change. I am not acting as anyone else right now, so how do you keep seeing me as whom you first put there?” Chéri asked. Then they extended a coy little smile and laughed that heartwarming way “What is passion?”

Darius shook his head. "It's what inspires me. I don't get inspired by people easily." He shrugged and thought it was clear when they first met about his muse. Darius looked away. "I'm sure some are fine, but some might not be and I could spend a lot of effort, money, frustration, pain trying to please someone who won't ever be good to work with. I don't like to give up easily when I have my heart set on a painting. "

The painter blinked looking surprised. "No, should I be? Do people not want to look at me? I'm just not good at talking to people, most people think badly because I'm not social and come from money..."

Darius wilted at the questions as he stared at the canvas. "If I worked on the details first, how will I keep them when I work on the emotion. Putting in the color and emotion first helps remind me of the mindset I want and gets me back in the mood I was in. "

He looked at Chéri confused. "Your details might change but I still feel happy to paint you and want to show off this elegance I feel resides within you. It'll be harder to change things as I get more detailed but I'll have the general part.It's... just my process." He felt like cheri was being critical to the way he painted though he was certain he was wrong.

He relaxed at the smile and laugh. "What do you mean? Passion is ... my love for painting. Maybe yours for dancing? I'm sure you know what I mean."

Chéri wrinkled their nose “Of course. But not everyone can hold a pose, has the patience for it or is willing to appear just how you see, for anyone who looks at your canvas. So the contrary is also true” Chéri bent their head back “But, on the other hand, you paint like in a frenzy. You are so fast. Probably if you don’t go with that right away, you will lose whatever you saw?” Chéri was trying to guess, they had no idea how these things worked.

Chéri shook their head and raised their hands “No, I just know that some people don’t want to be seen period. There is no real reason,” Chéri did not understand anxiety or depression on a practical level, but they had seen it and that was their go to conclusion every time they met a recluse or someone that appeared as sch to them.

“Emotions first…” they repeated “it’s the opposite of dancing. The contrary. Maybe that is why it requires being still rather than moving.”

Running a had through their hair, they wondered “Is that what you see in me? Elegance? A little piece of Paris, perhaps?” they said, with one of their warm smiles.

Chéri made a disappointed sound “Mh, I don’t think that is passion. That is dedication. I dance even when I don’t feel like. I love it even when I don’t like it. Passion doesn’t work that way, don’t you think?” they kept smiling all along, with their eyes big and bright “Passion is,” they made a gesture “a little less of a head thing. Some feel it here” they drew a line starting from the back of Darius’s ear down to his neck, down to the beginning of the shoulder, but otherwise kept themselves unchanged, curious to see how the man would react to only the addition of physical contact and nothing more.

Darius nodded. "I've had subjects I didn't love that I merely sketched. Especially when I practiced. I am lucky my two favorite subjects have been such perfect models." He shrugged a bit as he focused on the fabric stretched before him. "You might be right, I feel the need to paint fast to get it out of me quickly. Even if the figure it gone, the memory remains." He fell silent with afrown as he thought of the hidden painting.

"Well maybe there is. I don't mind being seen, but being acknowledged." He seemed to be in thought for a moment. "In my home, it is always being reminded that I'm a disappointment. On the street it is people wondering why I don't help them because everyone needs something." He almost scowled at the thought, but hid it quickly. "I don't think it's wrong to avoid people who just look down on you or want to use you, right? I want to be seen as a person. Sonia does that." he admitted slowly.

The artist seemed surprised at this revelation. "You don't use passion in dancing? I thought so much about it was heart. But then I hadn't spoken with a dancer before. That is interesting..." He continued to paint slowly, adding in some colors for light and shade around the more blob like figure.

He glanced around as he could hear the fabric move and looked to them and smiled. "I do see elegance and beauty. I can see a little Paris in you I think from what I remember of it. You are like.. " He struggled a moment to find the words. "I see someone who .. I just feel like you were born already ascended to a better human. You have grace in your movement even when you aren't trying and your smile looks like it could melt stone." He smiled and went back to painting.

When the other spoke he was quick to reply. "it might be dedication too, but it is definitely passion for me. If I don't want to paint, I don't do it. If I crave to get out my creativity I'll do other things. " His eyes ran over the room towards his menagerie of taxidermied animals to his collection of discarded musical instruments. "And then I always return to my true love... art." He smiled to Cheri then went to look back at his work. That was when the other came up and touched his ear. He gasped and his eyes widened huge. He didn't bat their hand away but looked at them wide eyed.