Thumb Rings and Ballet Slippers
Victoria walked sluggishly home after a long and merciless day. The wind beat at her porcelain cheeks and left it's pink stamp on them, God she loved London and it's harsh city wind. She'd moved to the big city a month ago, ready to take the stage by storm and make her mark as a dancer. So far, she'd got a job as a waitress in a little Italian joint though she didn't speak a word of Italian, lost her waitressing job because she couldn't speak a word of Italian and then picked up a different waitressing job for a little coffee shop that was home to a bunch of pretentious struggling artists so she fit in well. Basically, she'd become a professional waitress which had it's perks, one being that flexible hours meant she could make it to as many auditions as possible. She didn't even need to worry much about money since her Uncle and Brother both had enough money to chip in for rent or food if need be.
The blonde fumbled in her jean pockets before pulling out her key, she smiled at the door of her little basement flat before letting herself in to the smell of tea, honey and josticks, a sign that her room mate was already home.
Victoria had been worried about sharing a flat, Quaxo had set it up for before she left their family home for London and she'd never met the other girl, she was just told that it would be one of Quaxo's friend's little sisters. When Victoria got to London, Jemima was already there waiting for her with a cup of tea and a smile.
Jemima was the little sister that Victoria always wanted, she was only three years younger so there wasn't a huge age gap to make it feel awkward but she brought out the tender side of Victoria that had remained hidden after being the baby of the family for so long. Jemima was small, so small that Victoria felt like a giant in comparion and she herself was barely five foot five. They contrasted perfectly, but in a way that complimented each other.
For instance, Victoria looked like a doll with her oval face, doe-like blue eyes, delicate bone structure, slender nose and lips that were permanently stuck in a gentle pout. Her platinum blonde waves literally looked like snow and she usually pulled them back into a bun, allowing a few strands to fall and frame her all-too-perfect face. She wore soft pastels and applied her make-up with precision in the morning.
Whereas Jemima looked like a fairy or an elf with her pointed cheekbones and sharp jaw line, little flat nose, lips that were always pulled into a smile and chocolatey almond eyes that were easily the prettiest thing about her face. She had thick, mahogany hair that mainly fell straight but occassionally flicked at the ends. She wore thumb rings and peter pan collars, lined her pretty eyes and smiled a lot.
Victoria walked into the living room, hanging her jacket and her bag up before sinking into her seat. The first weekend the girls spent together, they went out and bought their own individual chairs, the landlord had already supplied a sofa but the living room looked so much better with their little armchairs that literally yelled for someone to sink into them. Victoria had chosen a white one with delicate pink floral detail and she cuddled into it now with a satisfied smile.
"Don't get too comfortable," came her room mate's voice, she spoke like she was permanently singing, "Your brother rang, he'll be over after work."
Victoria groaned, "Bloody hell, tell him to go away."
Jemima came out of the kitchen brandishing two cups of tea and her cheeky grin, "Do you think he'll bring his cards again? I love it when Quaxo brings his cards."
Victoria sat up a little straighter and smiled graciously as she was handed a cup of tea, "I've had enough of his bloody cards and his bloody talent."
"You haven't heard back from that show thing then?" Jemima said as she sat cross-legged in her own chair.
Victoria gave her a little wink, "Hit the nail on the head."
Jemima gave her a small sympathetic smile before taking a sip of her tea. One of the other reasons Victoria loved living with Jemima was that they were both out of work performers, Jemima had moved out of her family home and to London so she could spend a few years studying opera, something she had little interest in but her Auntie encouraged her so much she felt like she needed to. Her spare time was mainly spent working behind the counter at a really greasy fast food joint but the rest of the time, Jemima either busked or moped over the lack of work available to a nineteen year old studying opera. It was nice to be able to come home and moan to her room mate and have her completely understand.
"How was work anyway?" the dark haired girl said with one of her elfin smiles.
"Let's just say, if another gentleman with a badly styled goatee and thick-framed glasses asks me out to sushi, I may be handing in my notice a little earlier than planned," Victoria replied, grinning as Jemima threw her head back and giggled feverently. Victoria had been bought up in a very sheltered upbringing that included private schools and gluten-free diets, it only took her two weeks in Jemima's company for her to realise that she wasn't comfortable in that kind of environment. She liked making jokes and being sarcastic, she was glad she realised that.
There was a knock at the flat's door and the blonde rolled her eyes but sprung to action, straightening her shirt and smoothing her hair before opening the door with her sweet dimpled smile.
Quaxo stood there, his black hair perfectly swept to the side and creases by the corners of his blue eyes from where he smiled his sister's dimpled smile right back at her. He had a carrier bag of fresh fruit and vegetables, as he always did when he came over to visit her, and much to Victoria's dismay he was dressed in his performance clothes.
"Move aside, sister. Man has bought salvation from pot noodles," Victoria rolled her eyes and let her brother in but grinned despite herself. Another reason to love London, Quaxo was there. He'd moved to London when he was eighteen and since then had made a name for himself as one of the best illusionists around. He started off showing tricks on the street, then he moved onto birthday parties and weddings, then appearances at clubs and now he performed in variety shows and was working on getting his own show. Victoria was happy for her brother, obviously, but she hated that she was so far behind him. She loved having him there to buy her good food though.
He didn't walk into a room, he almost skipped or sashayed. Jemima had stood up to say hello and when he got to her, he lifted her in the air and twirled her before continuing on to the kitchen and unpacking his carrier bag. Victoria gave an apologetic smile and ran into the kitchen after her brother.
"Someone's in a good mood. What's up, Houdini?"
"I resent that, dear sister, I'm always in a good mood. I've got dragon fruit, by the way," the blonde's smile widened as he reached past her to pile the fruit into the bowl that Victoria kept out especially for Quaxo's food visits.
"Seriously though, why so happy? I mean, it's nice but it's a little unnerving." Quaxo was smiling, he'd finished packing the food and was already making his way to the sofa where he collapsed in his regular place with a satisfied sigh.
"I bring good tidings and great news, sister and sister's room mate," the magician said, "Tugger and I are having a little get together and you lovely ladies are obviously invited."
"What's new?" Jemima said, her eyebrow raised in amusement. Quaxo and his house mate, The Rum Tum Tugger, were infamous for their get togethers. Quaxo was often entirely against them because his house mate usually invited a rowdy crowd, now that his sister lived pretty close he'd pack an overnight bag and sleep on the sofa whenever they got too overwhelming for him. Within the month of Victoria being in London, her brother had already slept over four times. The two girls had been invited before but Quaxo usually advised against it so they never went and after seeing the annoyance on his face when he showed up outside their door at stupid o'clock in the morning, the decided they didn't want to anyway.
"I'll tell you what's new, little one," Victoria blinked as he pointed at her lazilly, "I'll tell you when you make me a cup of tea because frankly, I'm exhausted."
The blonde opened her mouth to argue but was caught short by her room mate jumping out of her chair with a smile, "I'm better at making tea, Vicky's crap at it. One moment, Mr. Mistoffelees."
Quaxo flinched a little at his stage name but kept his cheery expression nevertheless, he sat and chatted to Victoria for a little while about family and their Uncle before Jemima returned, her ringed fingers wrapped around a mug, he took it tentatively and chuckled as she ran a hand through his hair, ignoring his initial annoyance at his hair being messed up.
"Now tell us why we should attend your big boys' tea party," Victoria said, draping her legs over her arm chair and watching her brother intently as he sipped his tea.
"Because it's not going to be a usual tea party," Quaxo said, straightening up, "I don't want to spoil the surprise, it'll be boring if I do. Just take my word when I say that neither of you are going to want to miss it, mainly because I've overseen everyone who's been invited so there will be no..."
"Weirdos," Victoria finished for him.
As Quaxo began to object to his sister's language and Jemima laughed at the two's back and forth, Victoria watched and thought with about how much she loved living in London. She loved the city, to some extent she loved her job, she loved her room mate and she loved her brother. Mainly, she loved the feeling of being curled up in her own chair with a lukewarm cup of tea to her right and the smell of fruit and honey.
((A/N: I liked the thought of playing with a human AU and I like writing with these characters c: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, sorry if it's a little bit too introduction-y but I promise it will pick up pace soon!))