"Kind of free floating from the ceiling like they're dangling like this? Or more like they're a reflective surface like this..." He did a quick couple of sketches on the next page so that way he could give Vegas the chance to correct the idea in advance before he just included it.
Vegas watched him draw, pointing to the idea he liked best. "Dangling. Maybe half the length of the chandeliers? There should be two, I think since this room is long."
Nodding, he went back to the room sketch to give two marks to where the chandeliers would be. Then it was back to the previous page so he could cross out one of the ideas for the glass circles. "For the chandeliers do you want them to be crystal ones to catch more lighting? Kind of like this?"
He drew one out roughly, which even rough still looked quality, and turned it to face him. A chandelier strung with crystal beading.
"Yes!" Riley really had a good sense of the aesthetic Vegas wanted for this place. He was pretty impressed! But the guy's an artist so that's sort of in his wheelhouse, isn't it? "I want the ceiling to sparkle and shine."
"Crystal will be good for that. The glass circles will naturally rotate a little with air flow of the people moving. So that'll hit the crystals and make even more sparkle and light for you." Going back to the main page, he started to add the fixtures that Vegas wanted. Then he did some quick sketches for what the lights would look like with the sparkles. It wasn't in motion but it helped to give a general idea.
Riley bobbed his head back and forth a couple times then smiled. "How do you like it so far?"
Vegas leaned closer, squinting a little as he inspected the page. It was really amazing to see his vision coming to life. Somehow Riley just seemed to intuitively know exactly what Vegas wanted to see for this space. A grin spread across his face and he nodded, pleased with what Riley's crafted.
He did a very vague representation of the mural on one wall. Just so they'd have an idea of where it would be. Tapping his lip, he considered for a moment then focused more on the bar area. "So for the bar you want it to be like most places where all the bottles of what you serve are on display on the wall right? Do you want any other details for it?"
Riley paused then smiled and looked over at him. "Maybe mirrors behind the bottles so Pete's mural gets reflected there?"
It's so cool how Riley's able to make his ideas take shape on the page. He's got a real talent for this! Vegas should suggest him to Kinn when it comes time to decorate their place.
He nodded at the question. The bar area should look pretty much like a typical bar. The long counter, the hightop seating, the booze all out on display. "Oh, yeah, I like the mirror idea. We'll need some kind of lighting in the shelving, too. You know, to make the bottles look sharp."
Riley thought about what kind of lighting would be available here for a second. They could probably use some basic bulbs and then use mirrors to bounce the light. Maybe colored glass even. On the other page, he started to sketch that out so that way he'd be able to explain it better.
"What if there were bulbs under shelves. Then when we use colored glass they'll reflect a more diffused light. Kind of like...this?" He turned the page to him to show him what he was thinking.
Riley laughed at that and bowed his head a bit. Quietly, he started to sketch out more of how the bar would look as a whole, pausing only for a second when it all caught up with him.
"You know, I always wanted to have a job that would either involve art or books. For awhile I gave up on the dream because I was on the run. It feels really good to kind of live that dream again here with you." He looked over at Vegas with a smile. "Thanks."
A soft smile came over his face and he reached over to pat Riley's shoulder. "You're welcome. Though, it should be me thanking you for doing all this for me."
"It's thanks enough that you picked me. Seriously." He smiled at him then looked down at his picture again. "You guys really believe in me and it feels good. When I'm with you guys I feel like myself and it's pretty great honestly."
That was something he could understand. Vegas was rarely himself. More like a parody of himself. He tried so hard to be what everyone expected him to be and lost himself in the process. Until Pete saw him. Saw him and accepted him, good, bad, and ugly.
"You've got talent, Riley. And you're capable of taking care of yourself. If something happens and you can't, you know we've got your back."
That was definitely what he'd been trying to tell his boyfriend. But it seemed that he just couldn't trust him... Riley pushed those thoughts away with a shake of his head. Thinking about that right here wasn't going to help him any. He just had to hope that Baiyi would see reason and learn to trust him. Or at least try.
"Yep. I took care of myself on my own for six years. I can take care of myself. And I know that you guys will always help me if I need you. That really means a lot to me and it makes me happy that you brought me into your family. It's great being here."
"We've got your back. If you need help or revenge, you can count on us." Cause let's be real, sometimes things happen that can't be dealt with until after the fact. "I'm not a good guy, so if you ever get hurt and you need me to deal with who did it, you can come to me."
Riley knew that kind of thing should have freaked him out. Maybe if he were a normal guy it would. But the fact was that he wasn't anymore. The Fae had made sure of that. So hearing that...it genuinely made him happy. Setting down his stuff, he reached over to throw his arms around Vegas to give him a hug.
Oh, that's a little surprising, but he'll accept it. In fact, he puts his arms loosely around Riley to return the hug. They're family now, so it's all good.
"I know you've done all kinds of awful things because of the live you've lived." He didn't need to know every detail to know how true that was. And that didn't bother him because... "But to me you're the kind of good that I need. Because you'll have my back and be there for me."
Riley pulled back to look at him. "And because you don't mind me just being me."
"Not everyone wants..." Riley sighed a bit and shook his head. "No, I don't want to talk about how things are going with Baiyi. It sucks and I just want to think about good stuff."
So instead, he forced a smile and sat back in his seat. "I'm just gonna keep being brave and being me."
"I get it," he mutters somberly. Oh, did he get it. His dad never approved him: his plans never met his approval, his sexuality was a disgrace unless Gun would use it to his benefit, he was a disappointment as a son. He definitely got what it's like to have to mold and adapt yourself to meet others' expectations; what it was like for who you were to never be enough.
He didn't know Vegas' full story and yet he didn't have to. He could tell that the man had been through similar. With who? That didn't matter. All that did matter was that it had happened at all. So he reached out to take his hand and give it a squeeze. "For what it's worth, I think you're really great and I'm happy that I get to know you and be your family."
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Trotting over to a seat, he got out his book then flipped to a clean page. "I'm ready! Start talking and I'll start drawing!"
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He drew one out roughly, which even rough still looked quality, and turned it to face him. A chandelier strung with crystal beading.
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Riley bobbed his head back and forth a couple times then smiled. "How do you like it so far?"
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"I love it."
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Riley paused then smiled and looked over at him. "Maybe mirrors behind the bottles so Pete's mural gets reflected there?"
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He nodded at the question. The bar area should look pretty much like a typical bar. The long counter, the hightop seating, the booze all out on display. "Oh, yeah, I like the mirror idea. We'll need some kind of lighting in the shelving, too. You know, to make the bottles look sharp."
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"What if there were bulbs under shelves. Then when we use colored glass they'll reflect a more diffused light. Kind of like...this?" He turned the page to him to show him what he was thinking.
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"That looks good," he stated. then he grinned and nudged Riley's shoulder. "Don't let me forget to pay your fee once we start making money."
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"You know, I always wanted to have a job that would either involve art or books. For awhile I gave up on the dream because I was on the run. It feels really good to kind of live that dream again here with you." He looked over at Vegas with a smile. "Thanks."
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"You've got talent, Riley. And you're capable of taking care of yourself. If something happens and you can't, you know we've got your back."
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"Yep. I took care of myself on my own for six years. I can take care of myself. And I know that you guys will always help me if I need you. That really means a lot to me and it makes me happy that you brought me into your family. It's great being here."
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"Thank you."
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Riley pulled back to look at him. "And because you don't mind me just being me."
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So instead, he forced a smile and sat back in his seat. "I'm just gonna keep being brave and being me."
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