west end girls. [tag; gianna]

Ruari was dying.

Properly, totally, clinically proven dying. On her stomach with her face pressed against her pillow, a soft snoring filled her bedroom. It was small but bright with large windows and neutral coloured furniture and a few touches that were very…Ruari. For example, a bright Persian rug hanging from the wall, eccentrically coloured mismatched cushions and half burned candles. Her long blonde hair was chaotic. Loose and unkempt, it looked as though she'd been dragged through a hedge backwards. She'd gone to bed without washing off what little make up she was wearing and as a result, she had a smudge of eyeliner across her left cheekbone, making her look like one of those stupid Muggle American football players.

"Hmpfgh arg," came the groan as she began to stir, rolling over a little and letting out a hiss as the sun slapped her sharply in the face. Like an unsociable vampire, she pulled the duvet back up and over her face, trying to ignore the stabbing pain at the base of her skull.

It was all Gianna's fault, obviously. Ruari didn't drink very much, perhaps the occasional glass of wine but a "girls' night out" turned into "let's-see-how-much-we-can-drink-and-sing-and-the-first-one-to-fall-off-the-bar-loses" night. Her head was pounding, her tongue felt woolly and she really needed to shower but everything was so much effort. Her limbs felt like lead and the ticking of her bedroom clock felt like a jackhammer into her skull. She felt very muck like she had the flu and there was only one explanation; she had one hell of a hangover. Yes indeed.

She spent another ten minutes in bed before finally moving. Slowly, she threw back her duvet and gingerly, she got to her feet. Bleary eyed, her hand moved to her bedside table, looking for her watch but instead, knocked over an empty bottle of wine and the loud noise made her wince. Ruari clapped her hands over her ears and clenched her eyes shut. She was twenty four years old. Shouldn't alcohol just run off her like water off a duck's back or something? She was suffering.

Dragging her feet, she schlepped back out into her apartment, thoroughly unimpressed by the beautiful Dublin morning. Or was it afternoon now? From inside, she could hear the faint rumbling of Muggle traffic. It was Saturday. With her hair a mess and make up smudged, Ruari was wearing one of Hal's shirts. He'd left it here earlier in the week and she made a gin-soaked mental note to get it dry cleaned as soon as she could walk straight. She was happy in her life, now. She has a nice place to live, good job, great relationship. She rather liked that he had a few things left here. A shirt, a toothbrush, a book. Nothing major but just enough to make his mark.

Limping over to the sink (why was her leg sore? Did she actually fall off that bar? Fail.) she filled a glass with water and took a sip, finding herself surprisingly thirsty. She knew she needed water and a big fat breakfast but she was feeling a bit delicate at the morning. "Urgh," she groaned, her hands on the sink and pitching forward. She didn't think that she was going to be sick, she just felt…sore. Dull and achy, her head was swimming. How was this proof of a good night out? She didn't remember much. She remembered pink fizzy drinks, music, karaoke and chicken sandwiches. She had no idea where the sandwiches came into play but c'est la vie.

Looking up, she winced as the pain that stabbed her between the eyes washed over her again. Dash was staying with her parents for a few days so Gianna had taken the spare room. Seeing her come in, Ruari coughed. "We are never ever doing that again," she told her cousin, her usually friendly Irish lilt replaced by a weak, gravely tone. Sitting down again at the small dining table, she grabbed a bottle of vodka and poured two small glasses. "Hair of the dog?" She asked the brunette, saluting her with the glass. "Chin chin," she said brightly before downing and coughing again. "I need a bacon buttie," she grumbled. 

Alcohol was amazing. Like the tears of the little chubby angels she saw in so many muggle paintings, and whoever actually invented alcohol deserved a basket of muffins sent to them. Gianna would make sure that they got to smell the delicious baked goods, then eat the whole basket in front of them because why the hell hadn’t they thought of inventing something to cure the aftereffects of said alcohol? Okay, so, fine, wine was probably invented like a million years ago when people still crushed grapes with their feet or something. But they were wizards, they should have magical drinks that produced all the amazing effects of drinking, like having zero inhibitions, without all the nasty ones, like everything she was experiencing right now.

This was the hangover from hell.

The sweatshirt she remembered to put on before falling into bed last night (or was it this morning?), which was one of the softest shirts she owned, currently felt like stiff cardboard scratching against her skin. The inside of her head felt like a construction site, she was hungry but at the same time she wanted to throw up, and judging from the sour taste in her mouth, she probably did at some point. And she didn’t even have to check her reflection to know that she looked totally gross. She had on the dress she wore last night under the sweatshirt, which was still slightly damp from Merlin knew what, her hair was a fright, and her makeup had rubbed off on the sheets. Damn. Now she had to wash those.

A crash, a curse, and heavy footsteps (she didn't’ know even they could sound drunk) signalled to her that her cousin was already up, and that she should be too. “Are you decent?” She called out, giving up trying to look presentable, “Is Hal somewhere in there? If so, are you both decent?” Her hands quickly flew up to cover her eyes, just in case. She very much wanted to look, because this was Hal Trickett she was talking about here, breaking preteen hearts left and right with a single gaze! But Gianna was loyal to her cousin, so that meant no peeking. It probably wasn’t even a valid concern, because just like her, Rauri lived in a shoebox, albeit a much prettier one. There was no way she’d be able to hide a six-foot-oh-hello-there hunk in here without Gia knowing. And Gia knew a lot of things.

Stumbling blindly out of the spare room without bothering to wait for a reply, she lowered her hands experimentally, then immediately winced and covered her eyes back up again. Everything was so… ugh! Gianna always said that there’s nothing wrong with having a little colour in your life, but holy unicorn turds was Rauri’s apartment bright! Colours and patterns were everywhere, made even brighter with the morning sunlight. Squinting as much as possible, she joined Rauri at the table, all but collapsing in one of the chairs. She tried to make herself as comfortable as possible while every single one of her non-existent muscles screamed. “Don’t look now,” she said miserably, “but either your wall art is eating the cushions, or you need to redecorate.”

“Never, never ever.” She echoed her cousin’s sentiments. Rauri looked about as much of a mess as Gianna felt, although she probably looked worse. Ugh, what’s with blondes and their perfectly messy bedheads?! “You’re crazy.” Gia grumbled, but accepted the drink from her, and toasted her wordlessly. Maybe it was still the alcohol talking, but her head felt less like someone was driving wooden spikes through it as she downed the small glass in one gulp. Her stomach rumbled violently at the talk of food. Had they eaten anything last night, besides drinking an obnoxious amount? She couldn’t remember anything, which was probably a good thing. “Why do you smell like chicken sandwiches?” The brunette frowned and leaned in for a deeper sniff. She did smell like chicken sandwiches!

If there’s one thing to know about Gianna, it was that she liked food. She liked food a lot. And anyone not offering to share food was a big no-no in her books. “Are you withholding food from me?” She glared a little accusingly at the blonde opposite her. “That’s not very nice of you, is it? So I’ll give you a chance at redemption if you make me something to eat. Ooh, and I’ll be extra nice and tell you what really happened to Martha too!” Gia leaned forward and gave her cousin the biggest, silliest pout she could muster. No one could resist that, right?!

Ruari was normally a morning person but today, she hated it. She hated bloody everything. Very rarely was she in a bad mood but she wanted to curl herself up into a little ball and just expire. It'd be better than walking around feeling crook all day. Ideally, she needed her mother to take care of her. She was great. Her brother, Clooney, wouldn't be much help. He'd just sit there and smirk at her rude.

"Eh?" The tall blonde asked intelligently, wincing as Gianna spoke. Everything did hurt. "Hal?" She asked, her gin soaked brain still playing catch up. "If he was here, don't you think I'd be still in bed rather than looking like a badger's arse?" The dressmaker grunted roughly, rubbing the back of her head. Actually, she could do with a Hal cuddle. He took care of her wonderfully. "He's not here," she said glumly. "He's working." It was probably for the best. If he saw her now, he'd throw himself out of the window. Was she decent? She shrugged. She thought she was.

Pouring both of them another glass, she encouraged her cousin to drink. "Have another, it'd take the edge off," she replied, tipping it down her neck before shuddering. Gross. "What?" She asked with a frown, looking around her mismatched apartment. It was very her; small, bright, loud, unusual. "Don't be rude," she said softly. "I don't criticise your home," she told her younger cousin swiftly. "It'll look less offensive if you've not drunk a bottle of vodka," she said placidly. She didn't want to decorate. She loved her little bijoux haven. Gianna was just cranky.

Closing her eyes, she pinched the bridge of her nose before she groaned. "Why am I being punished?" She asked the brunette miserably. Once she was accused of being crazy, she shrugged and drank more of the potent liquid and instantly regretted her choice. She squinted at Gianna and tilted her head curiously. "And you look ridiculous," she said, gesturing to her cousin's hair and panda eyes. "You look like you've escaped from somewhere rather unsavoury," she said frankly, knowing that she must look similar. Headed to the sink, she filled two glasses with water, holding one out to the pretty girl. "Drink that," she said. "We're dehydrated. My mouth's as dry as Ghandi's flip flop," she grunted before sipping the cool liquid.

"Do I?" Ruari asked, eyes wide. Pulling at her borrowed shirt, she sniffed. It did smell like sandwiches and her lavender scented perfume. "Oh!" She exclaimed, swatting at Gianna as she was sniffed. "We stopped for kebabs on the way home," she explained, pulling a face as she pulled a wilted leaf of lettuce out of her bra. "That's disgusting," she said. "I'm disgusting," she lamented.

Ruari arched an eyebrow. "No," she explained. "I was going to feed you once the room stopped spinning. Give me a second," she complained, clenching her eyes shut and wincing at the noise the chair made as it scraped across the floor. Hobbling to her kitchen, she clanged about, extracting a frying pan and heating it, flopping bacon into the pan and soon, a delicious scent filled the apartment. The smell seemed to clear the fog a little and soon, she'd placed a bacon sandwich on a blue and white plate and a cup of strong tea in front of her cousin.

Ruari sat back down, applying a generous squirt of tomato ketchup onto her bacon and taking a bite, making a mumbled noise of satisfaction as she chewed. Best. Breakfast. Ever. Or was it lunch now? Kind brunch? "What happened to Martha?" She asked Gianna, licking ketchup off her finger absently. "Did she fall off the bar too?" She asked, looking down at her knee which was now turning a rather livid shade of umber. "I think I did," she said with a sigh, extending a slim leg to show her cousin the damage. That'd hurt like Hell later on, she could feel it starting to kick off now.

"Did she get off with that hot barman?" Ruari asked, eyes wide as she chewed. "I think she lost one of her shoes," she said with a frown.

Still a formless gelatinous blob spilled all over Rauri’s table, Gianna managed to lift her arm somehow and gestured weakly with her forefinger and thumb. “Point.” If she had her own big strong man to cuddle with she wouldn’t be here with either. Not that Ruari wasn’t lovely company usually, but right this moment her pillow would be the much-preferred one. She didn’t even bother to argue about the badger’s arse comment, because it was probably true. Oh she didn’t know! Just because she was from Hufflepuff didn’t mean that it was obligatory to know what a badger’s arse looked like. Why was she even thinking about this anyway?

Watching her cousin down another shot, she sipped at hers much more carefully. Any sudden movements meant a headache, so she tried to keep as still as possible as she drank it all up. Urk. “Are you sure you’re not a budding alcoholic?” She voiced her concerns rather suspiciously, “Because you know I’m always here if you need to talk.” Gianna nodded along as Ruari defended her decorating choices. “Yeah, maybe it’s just the alcohol talking.” She highly doubted it of course, but she wasn’t going to push the subject since she was technically a guest. There was rude, and then there was rude, and she wasn’t going to be that girl.

Gia let her head drop back to rest on her arms. Had her head always been this heavy? Maybe that was why she was being punished too, because her head was too big, she nodded to herself at Ruari’s statement. That sounded about right! “Next time stop me when I try to drink my weight’s worth in purified potato juice. Maybe then you won’t be punished.” Because wasn’t that how vodka was made? From potatoes? She probably looked like a potato now, or she will soon anyway. Skipping on her skincare routine for just one day meant horrible skin for the next two weeks. Ridiculous won’t even begin to cover it. “Yes,” she agreed gloomily, “I’m the chew-me-up-and-spit-me-out girl, that’s me.”

She perked up at the sound of running water, and she accepted the glass thankfully, gulping it down in one breath and not caring that it dribbled all over her chin and down her shirt. Screw what she said about alcohol, this was the liquid of the gods; this clear, sweet, miracle drink. Maybe next time she wouldn’t laugh when someone tells her to stay hydrated. They know what they’re talking about!

“You’re probably as disgusting as Hal likes it, so I’d say you’re fine.” She commented cheekily, scooting away from her resting place on the table just in case Ruari decided to swat at her again. She stuck her tongue out at the older girl as she got up and stretched out luxuriously, draping herself over the table with her hands dangling over the opposite edge. The glass of water was really doing wonders for her, and she felt herself relax enough to hum a soft tune. This was the life! Lazing about as someone else made her food? If only this was a dream she never had to wake up from. Although she could be persuaded otherwise, especially since actual food was so much better than imaginary food.

Oh. Delicious, delicious bacon on bread! It was hot, and crispy at just the right places, but not so much so that the fat ran dry and yucky. If she could marry this sandwich right now she probably would. And his ten brothers too, because that’s how many more of them she could stuff in her stomach. “You’re an angel, Ruar! Hal should never let you go again. I’ll beat him with a spoon if he does.” She complimented, her mouth still full of the culinary masterpiece. “And ew! You should get that looked at.” She frowned, swallowing the last of her sandwich. Were they sitting at the bar yesterday? Why did she remember distinctly they started off in a booth? Oh well.

“Ha!” Gia exclaimed scornfully, “She wishes! Although I won’t say it was for lack of trying.” That girl will attack anyone and anything that so much breathed in her direction. “No, apparently the barman she was trying to hit on was her boyfriend’s –you remember her boyfriend Jimmy– sister’s fiancé! And she was there too! Got into a huge fight and everything!” Gianna cackled gleefully, just short of rubbing her hands together for the perfect villain look. Served her right. She was always making subtle jabs at how she was the only one who didn’t have a boyfriend yet, always with that fake, simpering smile of hers. Ugh! At least there’s such a thing called karma. Who’s the one without a boyfriend now?

The mug of tea was soon emptied as well. Thankfully it wasn’t those herbal teas, those were just manky, nutritional value or not. “But enough about Martha.” She said, feeling almost like her usual, cheery self again. “How’ve you been lately? The shop still doing well?” Gia eyed the empty plate as she waited for her cousin to reply. What were the odds of Ruari making her another sandwich?

That was awfully rude of her and she frowned quickly. It wasn't that she didn't want to be here with her cousin, nor was she choosing Hal over Gianna, it just…wasn't the same. Besides, hers and Hal's relationship was still blossoming. They weren't the same people as they'd been when they were sixteen. It was like they had to get to know each other all over again. It did alarm her though as how dead set her cousin was about finding a boyfriend. She didn't need one. Then again, it was sort of like peer pressure, she supposed. Heck.

Placing the now empty shot glass on the table, Ruari sipped at her tea before she blinked. "Alcoholism doesn't run in this family," she told the brunette. "It gallops." It sure did. "I'm done drinking," she said, sounding determined as she dumped three teaspoons of sugar into her tea. The hot, sweet, jolt of sugar should try and clear the gin haze from her alcohol soaked brain. Or so she hoped. She frowned at Gianna again. Though her cousin hadn't said it, Ruari knew she didn't approve of her using left over fabrics to make cushion covers or the fact that none of her cups seemed to match.

"Promise," she said brightly, extending a hand to her cousin and gently patting her on the head. Despite being older than Gianna, she wasn't setting a great example. She never really did. No more purified potato juice for anyone! ..except at the next party because someone was bound to come baring poitin. Then they'd all be royally screwed. Whoops.

Ruari blushed pleasantly and busied herself with refilling glasses. Placing a fresh glass next to Gianna, she popped a straw in the glass to aid her drinking it. She was trying very hard not to mention Hal that much. Her cousin was having a tough time and she knew a very small amount of family members, including her brother, seemed to disprove of the union. Everyone made mistakes. That was what teenage years were for. But their relationship wasn't a mistake, not at all. Ruari was a big believer in Fate. That was the only reason they'd bumped into  each other, in a random cafe, after seven years.

"Oh gee, thanks," the blonde said with a laugh as she chewed on the corner of her sandwich before downing a large portion of her water. "I'll be sure to warn him next time I see him." Hal was great. He was so good to her and with her family. She just hoped she wouldn't repeat the same mistakes that drove a wedge between them the last time. Chewing, she sucked a spot of ketchup off the pad of her thumb and she slowly, very slowly began to feel a little bit more human. "Oh pfft," she said, dismissing the other girl's concern away with a wave of her hand gently. "It's just a bruise. No need to trouble anyone about it."

"No!" Ruari exclaimed with wide eyes, gasping in shock as her bacon sandwich fell to the plate. "Goodness me," the blonde said softly, frowning. Now that really was too close for comfort. She winced, running a hand through her messy golden locks. "That'll be an awkward conversation to have this morning," she added darkly. She didn't condone cheating or flirting with someone you weren't dating but she was far too nice to come out and say that Martha had been a bit of a dick and deserved every bit of bad energy that came her way after that. Gianna's laugh earned her a small, brief smile. Nah. She shouldn't be delighting in other's misfortune. Even if it was well deserved.

Swiftly, she slid the untouched half of her sandwich on to Gianna's plate without hesitation. "I've been fine," she said with a smile as she sipped at her warm, sugary tea. "Shop's pretty good, yeah. There's some of huge pureblood ball going in a few weeks so I've had some women come in and order some gowns. It's really fun," she said with a bright smile. "It's like something out of a fairytale. If you don't think you're going to vomit, do you want to try one on?" She asked brightly. "I do need to make sure the darts are sewn in the right places so I need it on a body to smooth things over. How about you?" Ruari asked curiously. "Job's going well?" She asked, wondering if she was still witnessing. There was nothing wrong with witnessing at all. It was hard work and long hours for next to no money and very little thanks which was why she sort of wanted Gianna to try her hand at something a little more… permanent.

"Another sandwich?" Ruari asked, pointing to her plate  before standing, refilling both of their mugs with still hot tea from the tea pot as Jeff, her Samoyed, came hurtling through the kitchen and promptly attacked Gianna with happy barks and a heck of a lot of licking.

Ha. A lot of her family members did seem awfully reliant on alcohol. Her cousin Clooney seemed pretty well put together. Or maybe he was just drunk all the time and nobody knew. If that was the case then maybe she should ring him up soon; she needed a lesson or two on how to pretend to get her life together. She raised her glass and did a mock toast. To not drinking in the future! “At the very least, tell me I’ve had enough after my fourth shot. I might kick up a fuss and insult your face, but it’s better for all of us in the long run.”

Because who were they kidding? They were Regans. Any resolution not to drink will be dissolved the moment the next family gathering rolls around. She chalked it up to peer pressure, because some of her cousins could be very convincing when they wanted to.

A playful grin slipped on her face when Ruari blushed without commenting. “You know you can talk about Hal. I don’t mind.” She commented, chewing on the straw her cousin so thoughtfully supplied her with. And she really didn’t. Just because she was single and alone didn’t mean she wanted everyone around her to be as well. If anything she was really glad Ruari and Hal found their way back to each other again. What were the odds of that happening in real life? “Is he the one, do you think?” Maybe there would be a wedding in the near-ish future? She’d definitely wrestle one of Ruari’s friends to be a bridesmaid. How exciting!

“I bet you can tell Hal about the bruise when he comes over and you guys can play doctor.” Gia wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. It was kind of weird to think about what her cousin and her boyfriend might get up to in their free time, but she just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get Ruari all flustered up. Messing with family members was fun; she knew why so many of her other cousins did it now. “No but seriously. You two would make beautiful babies.” And then she could be the weird aunt who would always be mumbling about some lost love or another with hairballs stuck in her wool cardigan. Ah, future, nice to meet your acquaintance.

“Yes.” The twenty-one year old nodded emphatically. “I don’t remember much else, but apparently someone went home with someone else’s hair. I guess we won’t be seeing much of Martha in the foreseeable future.” She gave an unconcerned shrug and went back to picking crumbs off her plate before attacking Ruari’s half of the sandwich with gusto. Pity she didn’t have photo evidence. Maybe the next time she got to see the other girl she’d be able to resist rubbing that into her face. Hmm. Unlikely. At least she didn’t have to pretend to like the awful hag anymore.

Gianna sighed wistfully at the mention of the ball, her mouth still full of warm bacon sandwich. “I really want to go, but I bet I’m not rich enough for their blood.” Given the kind of people who went to these events, they probably had caviar swimming in their veins. She may be a pureblood, but she was also working class; they were hardly of the same breed. Her eyes lit up like the first Christmas tree of the season when Ruari asked if she’d like to try on one of her dresses. “Yes please!” She gushed, shaking her head no at the offer of another sandwich. She didn’t want one of her cousin’s gowns to burst at the seams. Ruari would understand, but Gianna would never live it down.

Gathering up both of their empty plates, the waitress walked over to the sink and gave them both a quick rinse before Ruari could protest. “I mean, its just waitressing. Tedious, but not especially challenging.” Or fun, she added under her breath. And it wasn’t as if Crazy Larry’s was exactly booming with business. “Valentine’s Day was horrible though. I didn't even know glitter Jägerbombs were on the menu, but I sure spent a lot of time cleaning it up.” Gianna dried her hands off and shook her fist in the air. Damn Valentine’s Day. Damn all holidays. Whoever decided that holidays would be a good time to visit the bar with friends should be hogtied and pelted with rotten fruit. Why couldn’t everyone just be satisfied with a nice, quiet turkey dinner at home?

“But back to the more important thing.” Gia started, scratching Jeff’s ears absentmindedly as he covered her face with licks. (Which was sad because that’s probably the most tongue action she’s gotten so far this year.) “I’d love to help you with the fitting and seamstress-y things. I promise I won’t even sweat, or get bacon breath all over them.”

Ruari really did feel horrible. She rarely drank, much preferring to take herbal teas. She felt like a dried out sponge. Her flat was fairly tidy, it was just the odd article of clothing and the dishes that needed washing and putting away. She did look alarmingly fresh-faced, though. "I'll remember that," the tall blonde replied, wincing as the bright spring sunshine slapped her sharply between the eyes.

The dressmaker blushed harder. She and Hal agreed to take things slow, eager not to repeat the mistakes of the past but it was difficult. She hadn't said a word to anyone but everyone seemed to know. Her nanna wanted to know if he was coming over for Sunday lunch. It wasn't that Ruari was ashamed of Hal, quite the opposite. She was just fiercely protective of their fledgling relationship. She wanted to guard it, cherish it, nurture it. She didn't want to tempt fate but it was so easy to chat at length about him. She was deeply, deeply in love with the Healer.

She just didn't want to rub Gianna's nose in it. She knew her younger cousin didn't like being alone so the blonde thought that by talking about her relationship, it might accidentally push her into a pit of despair. Absently, she sipped her water and then reached for her tea, alternating between the two beverages.

"Yes," Ruari replied swiftly and without any hesitation. To her, Hal was The One. No buts or maybes and not a hint of embarrassment. She smiled gently, momentarily indulging herself in a fond memory. She'd met her soul mate when she was fifteen. It was just a shame that so much shit got in the way. Where would they be if they'd stayed together now? Living together? Married? Babies? She didn't know. She wasn't one to plan ahead but she could easily play house with him. All she knew was that she couldn't bare to lose him again.

"Gianna!" Ruari exclaimed, appalled, her face a deep shade of umber as she felt like she wanted to die. "Don't be so crass," she said with a wrinkle of her nose. She blushed again as images flashed before he eyes. Hal was a great lover. Romantic and gentle. "You might not want to sit on the sofa," she warned her cousin with a gentle smile as they'd been rolling around on it the previous afternoon.

Ruari laughed and shook her head. "I'm pretty certain we're nowhere near that stage yet," she corrected the brunette, trying to keep her active imagination in check. No babies, no wedding talk. Ruari was content and comfortable where they were. They saw each other frequently but not too much. They stayed over occasionally but not every night so she wasn't accidentally smothering him with her presence. Things were good. They were great, actually. They were heading in the right direction. Slowly, naturally, organically.

"Hair?" Ruari asked sharply, her big grey eyes wide with confusion. She didn't mind offering up her sandwich, she wasn't very hungry. Ruari didn't tend to eat a lot. She tended to just absently graze or totally forgot to eat if she had deadlines to meet. She wouldn't be telling Hal that, no way. "I think you're better off without her," she told Gianna with a shrug.

Ruari frowned and tangled a hand in her silky golden locks. "I imagine very few people are," she said sympathetically. The Regan name was a long and prestigious line. Well known and well accomplished but the money trickled out. Everyone had jobs. They weren't born with silver spoons in their mouths and she wouldn't have it any other way. "I don't really want to go," she said conversationally. "I'm not very graceful," she said with a weak smile. That much was true. She could walk on a perfectly flat floor and then still find something to trip over. Nightmare. "I don't think I'd like the company," she told her cousin with a wrinkled nose in disgust. "I bet they don't even serve food, just champagne."

"Really?" The blonde asked brightly, visibly becoming more animated. "No don't -- ah," she stated as Gianna was already clearing up. "Must be hard work," she said sympathetically. Poor Gianna must be on her feet all night, running around, taking orders. "My Valentine's Day was lovely," the Dubliner said wistfully, her eyes glazing over as she sighed happily before focusing again. "That doesn't sound like fun," she said, puzzled as to why anyone would want to drink glitter. Wouldn't they end up with a sparkly poo like a disco ball in the morning?

Ruari was up and on  her feet, scraping her hair into a half-hearted ponytail, clambering over Jeff was she went to her bedroom, returning a few minutes later fully dressed and smelling considerably nicer than she had before. "Jeff," she stated, careful not to use harsh tones like the instructor had told her. Her dog licked Gianna's face once more. He was a tall dog when stood on his back legs but he was just a bundle of white fluff. "Sit," she said, holding out her hand and watching him comply as she chucked him a small bit of left over bacon which he wolfed down before licking her and then happily trotting over to curl up on the sofa in a sunbeam.

The blonde laughed and rolled her eyes. "You're fine. I can always clean them. Come on!" She gushed before turning on her heels and trotting down her fabric covered stairs to her shop, barefoot before throwing open the doors to her domain. The main salon was large and airy with big windows and bare brick and white armchairs. Humming to herself, Ruari disappeared into the back room, carefully carrying a deeply blue dress that would with beautifully with Gianna's skin tone.

"Here you go," she said airily, holding the dress out to her as she smiled. Her pale fingers reaching for pins, she blinked. "You've got a considerably better body than the woman I'm making it for," she observed, "but I can pin you in so I can sew in some darts for shape."

Gianna sighed wistfully, longingly, again when Ruari was able to answer her question without even pausing to think. It must be nice to be so sure of a relationship that she didn’t have to second-guess herself or her boyfriend to be able to say that he was the one with such certainty. She already knew it, but it still made each and every single one of her previous relationships- if they could be called that- seem stupid and worthless. They probably were, and she did really regret a good number of them. Well, those that she was sober enough to remember at the very least.

Oh Merlin. Karma was real! She laughed off the comment about her being crass, because that was who she was like half the time, but Ruari’s follow-up comment totally made her cringe. Slightly. On one hand she was totally curious, but on the other she kind of didn’t need to know where they did their business, which would definitely ruin things a little for her when she stayed over again. “I’m glad you trust me enough not to spill that information at the next family gathering at least?” Gianna made a face that was half amused and half disturbed, and drained the rest of her water in a few gulps.

The waitress nodded solemnly at her cousin’s statement. There was no rush anymore, not like their parents’ generation. Ruari was still young; she could do with a few more years of having Hal all to herself. Although… “I mean at the rate you guys are going it’s bound to happen sooner or later. I hope you’re taking some precautionary measures.” A wary glance was thrown at the sofa, and the twenty one year old had to stop a shudder that threatened to go down her spine. Yup, definitely ruined.

“All joking aside, I’m really happy for you guys. Mostly for Hal though, because he has such an amazing girlfriend.” And she did mean that truly, from the bottom of her heart, not because Ruari was offering her sandwich up as well, oh no. With a mouth full of warm bacon goodness, she could only nod appreciatively at the older girl’s comment about Martha. Screw Martha. No one needed her. She had Ruari and her amazing sandwiches, and that was all she needed to be honest. And Gianna was totally better than her, ha!

Shrugging animatedly, it was practically the only action that could describe her feelings about the ball without any actual words. It was a nice thought, being able to go, but ultimately that posh event was way out of her league and her comfort zone. She didn’t know any of the proper etiquette, and she wasn’t even sure if she knew not to scarf down all the dainty appetisers at one go. Why did rich people always eat such tiny foods? “Neither am I. And I have pretty horrible table manners.” Gianna responded truthfully, letting out a small, satisfied burp to prove her point. “Even if they served champagne I don’t think they serve enough of it. I probably need three bottles just to get me through dinner.”

For the third time this morning Gianna resisted the urge to sigh. Of course Ruari had a lovely Valentine’s. Hal was probably someone who splurged on her when it mattered with flowers, fancy wine, and a four-course dinner to boot. With her previous dates, she’d count herself lucky if they remembered to buy her a cheap box of chocolates at the local grocer’s. “It’s fine,” she said somewhat dismissively, “It’s all over is what matters, and I don’t have to worry about it for another ten months. It’s such a stupid, gimmicky event. No offence.” There, that didn’t sound too bitter, right?

Putting on a more cheerful smile, her hand scratched absentmindedly at the top of Jeff’s head as he scampered back and forth. She watched as Ruari interacted with him, her smile now less forced and more thoughtful. There never was any mention about pets between her and her roommate and whether they were allowed in the flat; Gianna just never thought to bring it up, and she really wanted a dog too. Distracted with her plans on how to sneakily bring a dog into her life, she almost followed Jeff to the sofa at Ruari’s command.

Her cheeks now considerably warmer, she padded after her cousin to her workshop. Gianna had never been to Tempt Dress before. Not properly at least, since it’s been finished and opened for business. She really liked what was done to the place. It wasn’t huge or excessively white and posh, but cosy and bright enough that it automatically looked inviting. She took her time to take everything in, admiring the little things Ruari added to the space that made it hers. She couldn’t even put a finger on what exactly that was, but it just seemed like the perfect place for her.

When Ruari re-entered the main area, this time with a gorgeous sparkly dress on her arms, it was all she could do to gape and gasp at the beautiful creation. “You made this? It’s so beautiful!” And here she was, unable to even get to work on time while her cousin was building her own label. But she didn’t have much time to mope as she was ushered to change, keeping up her promise of not breathing on the dress. It wasn’t tight, but it fit as snug as a glove, and she was afraid if she so much as took a large breath of air the dress would split right into two.

Preening a little at Ruari’s compliment, Gianna gave a little twirl as she made her way over to where her cousin stood with various pins that looked slightly threatening. “Yeah? Then you should really see me when I don’t have three bacon sandwiches in me.” She said airily, taking a moment to admire her reflection in one of the full-length mirrors. “If this is a dream then don’t wake me up. I’m gonna stay here forever and honestly that horrible hangover was worth it.” To be able to wear dresses like this all the time? Hell, twenty hangovers were worth it.

Ruari winced at the thought of Gianna airing her dirty laundry. Then again, some of her family weren't exactly angels but sex wasn't really something to be discussed over dinner. The tall blonde spent enough time dodging questions and glances when Hal attended the New Year's Eve bash. Her family meant well but often, it was so easy to become…overwhelmed. Nanna Regan was like a bloody pitbull with a bone.

Ruari promptly choked on her water, clapping a hand over her face swiftly to try and stop the liquid from coming out of her nose as she coughed. "Excuse me?" The dressmaker wheezed. Her eyes were the size of dinner plates as her cousin's frank statement finally settled in. Yes, she was taking precautions and no, they hadn't had sex all over her apartment. Most of it, sure, but not all of it.

"We don't have that much sex," the Irish woman replied shyly, nervously tugging at the end of her long blonde hair before chewing her lower lip. Did they? She and Hal weren't the type to rip each other's clothes off and things of that nature. They were being careful. They were fearful of repeating past mistakes. Aware that her cousin was trying to get a rise out of her, she flushed a pleasant shade of pink. She was still wary of her fledgling relationship and even more wary not to rub Gianna's face in it. It was easily done. She was just wafting around the place in her happy little love bubble. She absently wondered if Hal discussed her like this with his family.

"Thank you," she replied demurely, once she's settled down and Ruari shrugged carelessly. "Big deal," she said breezily. "Apparently, I ate with my hands until I was five like some feral child," Ruari offered, rolling her eyes playfully at her burp. Compliments to the chef and all that. "Agreed," she said with a nod. Ruari was elegant and graceful but just because she and Gianna came from a wealthy family didn't mean that she had a lot of money to throw around and stuff. In fact, making fancy dresses would be the closest she'd ever really get to a ball. Sigh. She was an everyday Cinderella.

Ruari nodded as she cleaned up,  her messy hair waving as she did so cheerily. "Yup," she said breezily. "I hate it too," she said with a sigh. "I don't see why the world needs one day where your significant other needs to buy you stuff. In fact, they should show you that they love you every day by doing little things. Like folding the laundry or folding over papers in newspapers of articles that they think you might like to read." Reaching out, she squeezed Gianna's shoulder affectionately. "None taken~" Ruari replied with a gentle smile. This year really was the only day that she hadn't felt like a complete and utter failure. There were horrid pink and red reminders that she'd been chronically single and while it was nice to have Hal now, she still thought the day sucked balls.

The shop was wide and bright. Ruari usually offered her customers tea or coffee and a biscuit when they entered, even if they weren't interested in buying. Her shop was a comfortable, safe space. "Do you like it?" She said with a broad smile, clapping her hands excitedly. If Gianna wanted one, she'd make one for her. She never charged family…which was probably why she was as poor as a church mouse at the moment. She made dresses for friends and family by way of gifts and she'd made her cousin, Etain, her wedding and bridesmaids dresses too.

Ruari grinned, pins at the ready but it looked like they were unnecessary. It looked as though Gianna had poured herself into the blue dress. "Hold still," she instructed as she stepped around, deftly pinning two bits of fabric together at the base of the low back of the dress to prevent tearing or fraying. "You look great," she said brightly, taking a step back. "Is it itchy?" She asked, gesturing to the tulle and sequins. Ruari wouldn't be offended if Gianna had said it was a bit scratchy. She'd just sew in another layer to protect the skin.

Letting her cousin enjoy a princess moment, Ruari tilted her head curiously. She was an all-inclusive designer. Skinny? Cool. Lanky? Great. Boyish? Fab. Plus size? Perfect. She made from scratch and never compared one to another. "Say Gee," she said casually, offering her cousin a smile. "I may or may not have a magazine spread coming up. I don't suppose you'd like to model for me?" She asked, her grey eyes full of hope, looking a bit like an anxious puppy as she waited for an answer.

"Oh Ruari, if I had anyone to have sex with, I'd hang on and never let go." Gianna sighed dramatically, waggling her long nails at her cousin, "Not literally of course. I imagine that'd be quite painful. And inconvenient." At least Ruari didn't seem like the excessively needy kind of girl. She'd really hate to have to drop another person from her inner circles because they had a tumour named 'my significant other' sprouting from their hips. Looking for a proper friend in today's market was a bit like looking for a job- sad, and over qualified for whatever's already on the market.

Bless her cousin with her blindingly blonde hair for agreeing that Valentine's day was pointless! There, that was a goal she could set herself for the upcoming year- get a new job that didn't involve coddling drunk couples on this vomit-inducing day. It was much, but... baby steps. Would it be too much to ask Ruari if she could hire her? Gia wouldn't even mind having to stand in the display window for ten hours a day; she got a lot of practice doing that as a waitress anyway- good for the legs if anything.

Being in Tempt Dress was like reliving a childhood dream, only much, much better- she could actually wear one of the pretty dresses, instead of just getting jealous at one of her dolls. Her fingers smoothed over the intricate beading, thumbed the delicate lace details on the sleeves, and enjoyed the way the sequins scratched against the sensitive pads of her skin. "Like it?" She replied dreamily, "I love it." She breathed back happily at her cousin, her bright blue eyes sparkling with delight.

"No no no, it's fine. Really, it's perfect. Feels great, looks great, I'd marry it if I could!" She didn't even flinch when one of Ruari's pins lightly grazed her side, that was how much she loved it- she'd literally bleed for it. Although maybe not too much if it could ruin the dress. And she wasn't normally a vain person – that was a clear lie – but she finally knew what it meant to be unable to tear her gaze away from her own reflection. She'd return to the normal, slightly greasy Gianna soon enough, but it was fun too pretend for a while that this was the lifestyle she got to live everyday. Waking up in a big bed, silk sheets, breakfast in bed... "Hmm? What was that?"

It took her a moment, but when she could finally hold still long enough to stop touching the tulle and embroidery on her thighs, her cousin's words finally sank in like a shitton of bricks. "You want me? To model for you? In a magazine?!" Gianna exclaimed in a tone that Nana Regan could only call 'squawking', and almost fell over. Thank goodness she wasn't wearing heels at least, or she was sure she would've toppled over like a drunk next to a christmas tree (that story was actually quite funny, and she made a mental note to tell Ruari about it later).

On one hand she'd like nothing better. Being a model was never really a dream of hers, but the thought of it was nice. It ranked number four on Gia's list of impossible careers, and featured in one too many afternoon daydreams. On the other, much bigger, scarier hand, she was Gianna. There was probably some new inventive way for her to screw things up, just like Gianna always did. She didn't mind too much making a fool in front of her family, even some friends, but where everyone could see her? She was sure the magazine had some discretion to not actually publish anything awful, but word spread, and she didn't fancy living life looking out of two holes in a paper bag.

"I don't know..." She bit her lip, looking torn at Ruari's puppy-dog expression. That girl was spending way too much time with Jeff for her own good. "Let me think about it? I can't promise you anything, but it's not a no either." If she had been one of those girls who were actually eager to jump-start a modelling career or whatever, then this would be a good opportunity, but still.. her? Gianna Regan? Seemed a bit dodgy. "For now I'll just help you fit more dresses and we can have ice cream later, my treat. Deal?" She smiled hopefully at Ruari; surely she couldn't say no to ice cream?

@Ruari Regan we can finally end this?!?!?! i'm such a goober i'm sorry x___x

"Really?" Ruari asked, eyes wide and her hands clasped to her chest in sheer joy. Her dresses couldn't be rushed. They were intricate and beautiful and custom made. Gianna was slimmer than the client it was made for but even through the extra fabric, her mind could easily mould it. In her line of work, an overactive imagination was surely an asset indeed.

Gianna's sudden shock made her wince. Despite having breakfast, water and coffee, everything still hurt. It was a damned good thing that the shop was shut. The idea of one of her customers coming in, seeing her as rough as a badger's arse and smelling like last night's kebab was…well, horrific. Ruari wandered around, silently praising her cousin's physique. The Regans came from a long line of tall, lithe and good looking members. Despite her trying to accommodate for most sizes, models were expensive to hire.

"Yes!" The blonde replied, bobbing up on her tiptoes and instantly wishing she hadn't as the feeling of nausea swept over her. "I mean it wouldn't be a really big magazine," she was quick to tell Gianna. The reason was two fold. One, to stop her from getting scared and two, to gently remind her that this wouldn't really catapult her into the spotlight or earn her shed loads of cash. "It might end up in the Prophet but there's this bohemian, independent magazine in Europe that contacted me and I think you'd be great," she said with a sunny smile.

"Oh," Ruari replied. Her frown was present for only a flicker of a second before it was replaced with a smile, hopefully hiding her disappointment. "Sure, no problem," she said breezily. Would she like Gianna to model for her? Sure! She was beautiful. Tall, elegant, enthusiastic but if her heart wasn't in it, it wouldn't be much fun. She supposed she could ask other family members. Maybe Etain or Ciara. Maybe Murphy would do it for her menswear stuff but probably not. He did seem a bit dark and broody. But if women saw him, she was sure that he'd be inundated with offers of female company. It might do him some good since splitting with his girlfriend a few months ago. A fresh start and all that.

"That's fine," Ruari replied gently, ushering Gianna into the fitting room and handing her a hanger so she could place the garment back safely. Once her cousin was back in her less glamorous garments, she opened the door and lead  her back up her cute, chintzy wallpaper covered stairs to her apartment.

"Ice cream'd be great," Ruari managed to say as her stomach began to protest. Dairy? Now? Urgh. Nope. "Go and grab a shower," she said to the brunette, tossing her fluffy, lavender scented towel. Her bathroom was small but functional. With a little bit of jiggery-pokery, she'd managed to squeeze a bathtub in it. Decorated with clean white, there wasn't much in it by way of products. A simple girl, there was some shampoo and shower gel, a bar of soap and a hairbrush. Pretty much that. As well as some funky looking Eastern incense, oils and perfumes.

It wasn't a five star hotel but the way they were both feeling, Ruari assumed just being clean was a bonus. As her cousin headed off, she absently cleaned away the plates and leftover bits of the delicious bacon sandwich. Maybe they could, go for a wander and maybe take Jeff for a walk? There were plenty of places for ice cream along the Liffey. As she waited, she became tired and with a yawn, it wasn't long before she passed out, curled up on her sofa with Jeff using her as a pillow.


woohoo! done xD