[Ariyah – The Elysium – Cargo Section – BoL – A]
“…modelling isn’t that hard. I’d be happy to teach you a few things, if you like.”
Ariyah immediately waved away the offer, but smiled at Darien’s kindness, “oh no, I’m very uncomfortable in front of a camera, but thank you anyway.”
She tried not to think about how she’d systematically refused Jasper’s every attempt to get in front of a camera. It wasn’t until after his death and she was packing away his stuff that she realised her Sire had a candid shot of her tucked away in his wallet.
Ariyah pushed down the sadness that threatened to well up again, this was not the time or place to indulge in sorrow.
“Although,” Ariyah said slowly, pulling her mind back to lighter topics, “I would love to see you in action one day. I bet a photoshoot would be quite a production.”
Fashion wasn’t her thing per se – she could appreciate a pretty dress, she just didn’t understand what was in fashion – but the process of dressing up someone, transforming them with makeup and hair, and then capturing it all on camera… that was fascinating.
She listened to Darien’s assurance of not needing her to explain herself and Ariyah was grateful. She looked at his proffered hand, the simple gesture both childish and delightful.
She didn’t hesitate. She hooked her little finger with his, “Pinky promise,” she repeated, and then she tilted her hand up so that their two thumbs touched, “and sealed with a kiss.” She grinned at him before letting go.
“At the risk of sounding like a hypocrite, I wouldn’t mind knowing a little about you,” Ariyah said, after a little while. Her hands had resumed their gesturing while she talked, and she waved it in the general direction behind her as if at past events, “Not necessarily your life history, but what you are doing now? What does Darien Carpenter do with his unlife, when he’s not out posing in front the cameras?”