Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Don’t think I’ve seen you around here before,” a voice spoke from beside her, hints of playfulness and curiosity in it.

Mismatched blue eyes looked up at her as she gazed down at the owner of said voice; a short, young looking woman with her hands behind her back, her short white hair adorned by streaks of baby blue. Much like herself, she had forsaken a dress or skirt, though as opposed to her and her formal but mostly boring black and red suit, the young woman wore a more lively ensemble; a black blouse adorned with a dark blue ribbon, a drop-shaped pendant sitting perfectly at the center of it, with a cropped white jacket that ended right at her waist on top. The end of the sleeves had a transparent section, showing the cuffs of the blouse underneath, while a chain connected both sides of the jacket together at the bottom. Instead of pants, she was wearing navy blue shorts that went up her waist—or was that a vest around it? She couldn’t quite tell, since the color and fabric looked the same, but either way it perfectly fit around her figure.

Two strategically placed white straps went around her thighs, just below the end of her shorts, serving to showcase their firm and flawless skin. She could also see a belt going upwards from them, peeking from underneath and—did her shorts also have a transparent stripe at the bottom?

Arlecchino quickly looked back up from that teasing skin, focusing instead on the distinct blue eyes that had just spoken to her.

“I could say the same to you, my lady,” she replied with a subtle but wolfish grin. No need to be unbecoming in the presence of someone new, after all, especially not when that someone was such a fair looking woman who, guessing by her choice of outfit, must be someone important, or at least belong to some well-off family.

Only people like them liked to dress so pompously and put a spotlight on themselves. This was a business event, after all, not some overly elegant gala.

Blue eyes stared at her for a second too long before the young woman finally replied.

“My, and a real charmer, too,” she said with an amused grin, stepping closer to stand right next to her. She barely reached Arlecchino’s shoulder, though she carried herself with the same grace. “That’s quite the rare quality nowadays.”

“Please, I’m sure you’ve received many such compliments on this night alone.”

“That is so,” the shorter woman replied with a proud nod, her smile unfaltering, “but it is rare to find someone with the charisma to so effortlessly back up such words.”

“You flatter me, my lady,” she replied humbly, years of similar exchanges teaching her the many subtleties required to get under people’s skin—both positively and negatively, as she needed.

And she very much wished for a positive outcome in this particular venture.

So she turned towards the woman and bowed slightly, a hand over her heart. “Arlecchino, at your service,” she introduced herself.

The young woman made a soft curtsy, showing off her mismatched gloves—one black, the other white. “Furina de Fontaine, though just Furina will suffice.” She straightened up, clasping her hands behind her back again. “Pleased to meet you, Arlecchino.”

“Likewise, Lady Furina.”

“Oh, please, that level of formality won’t be necessary.”

“Miss Furina, then,” Arlecchino offered.

“No chance of getting you to drop the ‘miss’, too?”

“Not until we get to know each other better,” she said with a slight grin and a glint of mischief in her eye that Furina didn’t fail to catch.

“A challenge,” she said, her grin more expressive than that of Arlecchino. “I like it.”

Arlecchino silently agreed.

“May I offer you a drink, then?” Furina spoke again, one hand signaling to their nearest table, a few untouched glasses filled with a golden fizzy drink still remaining on it.

“Thank you, but I don’t drink.”

“Somehow I doubt that,” Furina countered. “Is the cheap champagne not to your liking?”

“You could say that.”

Furina chuckled at her deflection, the clear and innocent sound ringing pleasantly in her ears. “Fair enough.”

“Do feel free to partake without me, though,” Arlecchino offered politely, not wanting to make the young woman feel like she should restrain herself for her sake.

“Ah, don’t worry about that,” she replied, before her mismatched blue eyes looked up at her again. “You’re… different.”

“... Excuse me?”

“From the rest around here,” Furina clarified. “You’re clearly one of the smaller investors in this theatre’s restoration endeavor, but I haven’t seen you grovel to any of the big names in hopes of getting their favour like so many others like to do.”

Arlecchino raised an eyebrow, slightly impressed by Furina’s deduction. “You’ve been watching me.”

“Just a bit,” Furina admitted, barely embarrassed. “You’ve got… an interesting presence.”

“Why, thank you,” the taller woman replied. “That’s exactly one of the reasons I don’t go, ah, ‘groveling around’, as you said.”

Most people found her presence intimidating, and with good reason. Though, Arlecchino couldn’t deny she quite enjoyed it when someone felt allured by it instead of scared. It helped that it was usually girls like Furina who seemed to fall for it, approaching her from a desire to dance with danger and add some colour to their monotonous lives of splendor. 

She didn’t always entertain their fantasies, of course. Arlecchino had to approach things strategically, and many times the risk of getting involved with important names either outweighed the benefits or just wasn’t worth it at all. She wasn’t quite sure where Furina sat in her scale yet, but she was dying to find out.

“What about you, Miss Furina?” She wondered casually. “As much as I’m enjoying your company, I’m sure you could very well stand on the same level as many of the attendees today, if not above them.”

Furina let out a short laugh, pleased by her praise. “I could, yes, but most of them are oh so boring. Not to mention, I haven’t found anyone with a real appreciation for the arts here.”

“Ah, yes,” Arlecchino agreed. “One would believe people investing in a theatre would actually show some interest in the art of performing, but most simply want their names on a plaque by the entrance to leave future attendees in awe at their magnanimity.”

The shorter woman looked at her with a catlike smile. “So am I right to assume you’re not like that, Arlecchino?”

“Au contraire, my lady,” she replied with a lopsided smile. “While I do enjoy modern cinema as well, there’s nothing quite like a classical stage performance, be it a play, ballet or a musical.”

“I do happen to be quite fond of musicals myself,” Furina commented.

Seizing her chance, Arlecchino’s grin grew slightly. “Then mayhaps you’d be interested in accompanying me for the opening number next week?” 

Furina’s smile matched hers. “Hmm, it just so happens that I’m lacking a plus one for such a momentous event…” She let the sentence hang in the air, neither agreeing nor denying the invitation.

“... But?” Arlecchino ventured, sensing in Furina’s sing-song voice that the young woman wanted her to play along.

“You did mention getting to know each other better~” Furina teased, leaning slightly forward. “Maybe over some wine at my place?”

Arlecchino didn’t need to ask when. It was obvious from the eagerness in Furina’s eyes that she meant now. 

The taller woman glanced around, quickly weighing her options. It did seem like the young woman had come to the event alone, going by the lack of hidden bodyguards or strict guardians looking her way. Many attendants were starting to leave, as well, only some of the big shots remained at the event—people she had no interest in discussing matters with more than was necessary, something she had checked off her list as soon as the event had started, so she had no real reason to stay any longer.

“Hmm,” she feigned a pondering hum for a bit longer, as if she hadn’t made her decision in the second it took her to look around. “Guess I have stuck around long enough to comply with social etiquette,” she finally replied, glancing at the young woman with a fanged grin. “Lead the way, Miss Furina.”

Furina softly clapped her hands together over her chest with a satisfied and triumphant smile, before turning around and extending her elbow out, making a somewhat circular shape with her arm. Quickly catching up, Arlecchino hooked her arm with hers, and together they walked out of the venue and into the night, the people around them barely paying them any mind.

They continued to make small talk on the way, Arlecchino internally grinning all the while.

She was planning to partake in much more than simply wine tonight.

The bed creaked softly as the woman softly stepped out of it and stretched her arms over her head, feeling refreshed, the soft light of dawn barely visible through the dark, closed curtains.

Turning on her heels, she stared for a while at the body still lying naked in bed, sheets barely covering any skin. Light scratches adorned her back, and as the woman turned onto her back, chest softly raising and falling alongside her breaths, more pink bruises were visible on her chest and shoulders.

Her eyes didn't rest long on those, however, instead focusing on her neck—there, alongside other innocuous ‘love bites’, rested two distinct punctures that were already starting to close. She gathered they would be gone by the time the woman woke up, leaving no trace and no evidence of her true actions.

Well, other than the fact the woman might be a bit dizzy once she woke up, but that was always attributed to the alcohol.

Furina grinned and softly licked her lips as she continued to stare, her tongue going over two sharp fangs to which a faint iron flavor still lingered.

Ah, how she loved the hunt—particularly when she stumbled upon such interesting prey.

She left some money and a note bearing her phone number on the bedside table closest to the still sleeping Arlecchino, claiming she had somewhere to be and to order herself some good breakfast. 

This wouldn't be the last time they would see each other, after all, and Furina always made sure to keep her food sources healthy and well fed.

Her satisfied grin was still present as she got dressed and left her apartment in silence.

She was already looking forward to next week.