Fan the Flame {Lea}

[MONA LISA SANDERS]

Mona had told Lea about Shane before, more than a couple annoying times. The older woman always humored her good-naturedly, chuckling or smiling as the tale required. It was one of the reasons the firetamer liked her boss so much. Even though Mona was kinda a sap, Lea humored her. But really, despite her life’s experiences, that boy was still the highlight of her life. Especially now that he’d pranced back into her life. Maybe ‘pranced’ was the wrong verbage, but it somehow fit him. Silly adjectives were exceptionally befitting the boy, er man, now. Rolling through her system now, though, were both nerves and excitement. He’d hugged her, during their reunion, and she’d felt like she was coming home. Her whole being had relaxed in joy. Now though… well, they had plans to hang out, and Mona had no idea what to wear or do. She was nervous as hell.

Stupidly, she’d thought their time apart would free her from the ridiculous crush she had on him. Alas, seeing him had proven her completely incorrect. So she’d talked Lea into clothes shopping with her, and providing advice. The woman had centuries of experience under her belt in the romance department, whereas Mona had practically none. She… well, she wanted seduction advice, kind of? The firetamer wasn’t really sure, but she didn’t want to completely embarrass herself around him.

Normally, she behaved just fine, having grown in confidence since she’d been a floundering teenager, but she still had little idea of how to flirt or interact in a romantic fashion with somebody. Mona had confidence in things that weren’t her physical self, if that made sense. She didn’t have much confidence in her appearance or her ‘moves,’ so to speak, but she had confidence in her brain, her knowledge and her skills, confidence in her kitchen and her morals. But in herself? Nope, not even a little bit. She was hoping that maybe Lea could give her some pointers, or things to remember when she saw Shane again. And she was hoping that a little wardrobe update might give her some more confidence in what she saw in the mirror.

So here she was, after having walked from her house, waiting at the entrance to the strip of shops known as ‘The Boutiques’ where people with lots of money came to spend it. Normally, the little blonde wouldn’t dare visit such a place, intent as she was on saving every penny she could to help her mom, but in her mind, she was buying a special occasion outfit, and her mom would want her to ‘go big,’ as she was wont to say. The idea of telling her mother what she was up to that day brought a smile to her face. Mom would love to know that she was trying to look good and go on a romantic endeavor, since it was so unlike her.

A few moments later, Lea mysteriously appeared from nowhere, scaring the crap out of her- making her squeak like a frightened goat- and greeted her warmly. ’Hey boss lady. Can you try not just poofing into existence like that next time?’ The redhead at her side seemed thoroughly amused and started moving in the right direction, something closely akin to swagger in her step. ’Now see, that’s what I mean. I would… well, not kill, but something terrible to have any kind of strut like that. That’s a walk people remember. In a good way.’

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clicketh for clothes!

[LEA PAIGE NATHANSON]

Lea certainly wasn't the typical boss. She knew that going in, and hoped that her future employees would appreciate a different approach from her and from Gabriel. The Ol' Fisherman's Pub was, in many ways, her baby, so she'd do anything to help it prosper, but not at the expense of overworking people who were talented and had drive enough to be hired by the immortal. Her staff was small, mostly because she and Gabriel were willing to pitch in just about anywhere and do any job that needed extra coverage. But other than the two of them, she had an excellent chef, a sous-chef that was useful, but still certainly in training, and two full-time wait staff that were trained to double as bartenders. Every now and then Mia, one of her tenants, would pitch in and help tend bar or wait tables when she was running short on cash. Usually it was when she didn't have enough to cover that month's rent, and Lea would just write up a quick schedule for her and keep the money that she'd make and apply that toward the rent. But the immortal was understanding – Mia was a good person, and needed someone to look out for her, so if she ended up being a couple days late or a few dollars short on rent, Lea looked the other way and said nothing about it. The more she really thought about it, the more the redhead realized that she had a tendency for 'picking up strays,' as it were.

Mona, her fabulous chef, wasn't exactly a stray because she had family and connections in the city. One of these connections, a young man named Shane, was one of her favorite things to talk about when the two of them actually got to talking. Lea had hired Mona not only because of her unmatched skill in the kitchen, but because the firetamer had a kind, gentle, and slightly shy aura to her that let Lea know she'd be absolutely no trouble at all. If anything, one might accuse Mona of being too nice and perhaps even too trusting. When Lea caught wind of that possibility, she was quick to take the blonde under her wing to make sure she didn't get mixed up in any of the danger that had a tendency to lurk around the city limits. The last thing she wanted was for someone she cared for to be hurt, again.

Most of the time, the two women's interactions were limited to work, so Lea had been surprised when the chef had gotten up the courage (although Lea didn't think she was that difficult to approach, really) to go shopping with her. The immortal had agreed quickly with little question as to why, but figured it was probably because the blonde was looking for advice. A change in wardrobe, some coaching on how to snag her man, possibly. While Lea didn't consider herself to be a fashion expert, she was fashionable enough to offer tips and noticed what looked good on women like it was part of her job. Mona was incredibly attractive, and Lea might even consider hitting on her if she wasn't her employee, and she didn't think it would cause the shy blonde to melt into the floor upon the mere suggestion that Lea was interested in more than her cooking skills.

When Lea reached the boutiques, she saw Mona waiting awkwardly near the entrance and approached her quickly. Perhaps too quickly, as she seemed to startle the young woman. ”I'm sorry, love. I didn't think I'd walk so quietly in these boots,” Lea said, addressing her with a common term of endearment and a bright smile. Then, she embraced the young woman in a friendly hug, because she figured that it wouldn't be too awkward or get her in any sort of trouble. Lea was a very affectionate, touchy person. It was just her nature. ”And please – it's Lea while we're here, since you refuse to call me by my first name at work.” Lea was cheeky, and even though she liked for her employees to treat her in a less formal manner, she was flattered at the amount of respect Mona seemed to have for her by continuing to call her “boss lady” or “ma'am,” among other things. Then, Lea took off toward the stores, knowing that Mona would follow, and let out a spout of warm laughter upon hearing Mona's comment.

”Stick with me, darling. I know all the tricks,” Lea said, then waited for Mona to catch up, then linked arms with her as if they were old friends. The immortal eyed the stores then looked at the blonde. ”Hmm, where to begin. Dresses, perhaps? Are you comfortable in those? Maybe shoes. What's your preference?”

OUTFIT: Here!

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[MONA LISA SANDERS]

Oh, what Mona wouldn’t give to be a wild-child. A confident, brazen example of feminine power and mystique… Alas, the firetamer had resigned herself to just being the ‘little sister’ in practically every encounter she had. That’s how most people saw her, the little sister, the brainy nerd, the quiet dormouse. Internally, she sighed at these comparisons, but laughed it off externally. She’d tried to pull herself by her bootstraps out of her comforting bubble of knowledge and full-coverage clothing, but it… hadn’t gone well. The second somebody had talked to her in an insinuating fashion, she’d plumb lost her mind and started rattling off random, just-barely-related facts about the current topic. A hopeless mess had been made, needless to say, and she’d gone back to her shared flat with her brow crinkled and her eyes sad to take a hot bath and forget (HA! as if she had the capacity to forget) the whole experience. But it looked as though she hadn’t completely forgone the idea that she could be more than somebody to be looked on with affection, rather than lust. Here was proof, even, in her shopping day with Lea.

She might’ve asked somebody else- her mom, perhaps, who was significantly more comfortable in her skin than her daughter- but that just hadn’t been possible, since Mona’s only alternatives were in the hospital or nonexistent… And Lea was nice, and smart, and certainly more confident in herself than the chef. She had this air of attraction that Mona wished she could just bottle and apply, instead of fighting to make herself more noticeable. Still, this was the best and only idea she had come up with, and she had low expectations but high hopes. It didn’t start out that great….

Making a goat noise wasn’t exactly attractive, but Lea didn’t make her feel bad about it, merely wrapping her in a gentle hug and admonishing her, kinda, for calling her ‘boss lady’ in public. Mona was pretty sure that Lea misinterpreted her use of the nickname… It was more affectionate than anything else, to be honest. If she’d been formally addressing the woman who signed her paychecks, it would’ve been ‘ma’am’ or ‘Miss Nathanson’ all the time. ‘Boss lady’ was special, because it wasn’t actually something she would call her formal boss. Like Gabriel… she always called him ‘sir,’ pretty much. He just, ugh, he kind of intimidated her. He was never mean or anything, oh no, he was always very polite and kind to her, getting her what she needed or lending a hand if the circumstance required it, but something about him made her feel like a scared rabbit in the presence of a hawk. She should work on that, maybe, too… Mona made a mental note to ask Lea about that later, and hope she could be tactful enough not to offend the other woman.

The blonde seemed to be off to a good start with that, earning a warm laugh from her companion at the mention of her killer walk. Mona released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding and actually grinned. This whole idea had her on edge, but if she relaxed and let herself embrace it, maybe she’d have a good time. She could do this, it was just clothing, after all. ’It would be interesting to compare notes then,’ she said with a chuckle, before elaborating. ’I know a vast variety of tricks, but there ain’t no way I’d ever be able to execute them. Ever. Nice thought though.’ She smiled at Lea as the other woman sort of… scooped her up like a lost bird and began the search, clearly having done this sort of thing before. ’Um, yeah. Dresses are fine. I guess? I mean, I don’t know…’ She sighed and shook her head with a self-deprecating grin. ’I’m comfy enough in dresses, but I guess it depends on the dress. And I usually wear flats or sneakers, so I don’t bust my face on the pavement. I would love to pull off that high-heeled strut, but the few times I’ve attempted it, I landed in a heap on the floor lookin’ like a crushed pretzel.’ Her lips quirked, making the story amusing, instead of sad. Mona had a habit of laughing off her own insecurities, so people wouldn’t know how much certain things bothered her. ‘They can’t see your tears if you’re laughing, baby,’ her mom had once told her. Somehow, it stuck, and it became her best defense mechanism. ’I’m kinda hoping your capable self can just tell me what to do…’ A tiny shrug accompanied her words, making it evident that she was floundering even more than she let on. Way to go M, look helpless right off the bat. And you’re hoping to pull ‘vixen’ out from where again?

[LEA PAIGE NATHANSON]

For being so beautiful, the little blonde really was so terribly awkward. Luckily, it seemed that awkward and shy was somewhat of the fashion, and people found personalities like Mona's to be quite endearing. Luckily, Lea also agreed with such a sentiment because ever since she'd first interviewed the firetamer for a job as head chef of her bar, she'd developed quite the little soft spot for her. The immortal recalled how Mona had squirmed in her seat even though Lea had been nothing but effervescently friendly and did her best not to be intimidating. However, she would learn in just a little while of knowing the blonde chef that many things were intimidating to Mona – she was rather sheltered, despite her training at a proper culinary school in Italy and growing up around European culture that, as Lea fondly knew, quite open and affectionate. Warm, even, and always seemed to love Americans. Especially pretty American women like the one who had invited her on a little bit of a shopping spree. That had taken courage, but the immortal seemed to think that perhaps the blonde was slightly more comfortable around her. They, on average, did spend at least forty hours a week together. Mona was always reliable and good about picking up extra hours as they needed, because other than the little sous chef Lea had hired to assist Mona on busy days and pick up the slack when the blonde was scheduled off, the blonde was the best she'd got.

Lea wasn't exactly a menace in the kitchen, but she didn't trust herself enough to put out quality product for the customers. She barely even cooked at home, and left most of the meals to Gabriel and her ability to dial and phone and get delivery with lightning speed and precision. Gabriel was always happy to spoil her and bend to her whims, though. For such a powerful, confident man, she'd sure managed to wrap him around her little finger and well. Perhaps that was why Mona really wanted her advice and knowledge on not only fashion matters, but matters where men were concerned. Granted, the redhead did have a skill with both fashion and men, so if her intuition turned out to be correct, she wouldn't be surprised.

”Mm. Well, to compare notes properly, there has to be a jumping off point,” Lea said when Mona made the suggestion. She certainly wasn't trying to be rude or too forward, and certainly wasn't suggesting that the blonde knew so little in either department, but she was genuinely curious about what 'tricks' Mona might be hiding up her sleeve. Lea did know, of course, about Mona's little memory tricks and that she could remember everything she saw, smelled, tasted, heard... it was quite the talent. Almost better than her ability to read minds, Lea sometimes thought. And it had a fancy term. Something with an 'e,' but since she certainly wasn't as skilled with her memory and was so much older than the mortal, she'd never remember unless something jogged her just right. ”Why don't you tell me some of what you've got stored up there, love, and we'll work on helping you master them?”

As they strolled, arm-in-arm, toward some of the shops that the boutiques had to offer, Lea started asking about her fashion preferences. She knew that the woman could use a little bit of a change if she wanted to be more noticeable, but didn't want to make too many drastic changes. The last thing she wanted was to make Mona feel uncomfortable in her own skin more than she already did, or change something that didn't need any alteration. Lea was rather fond of her little chef, but understood the need to feel more confident as sexy as a woman. Women just had the natural appeal that, when embraced and worn the right way, could bring damn near anyone to their knees. This was a power they wielded, and that was why she understood where Mona was coming from – the poor thing was ready to tap into her feminine mystique, but just didn't know a proper way about it and needed some guidance. Lea could be like her fairy Godmother! ”Heels we can practice. We could always try shorter ones, or some smaller platforms, just to give you a teeny boost of height and show off those calves,” Lea suggested when Mona commented on shoes.

”Dresses – I'd love to see you try on some of those. Skirts, too, maybe. You've got fabulous legs, Mona dear. It's a tragedy you don't show them off a little more,” Lea said, tracing her eyes over the mentioned area for a moment, not wanting to be too bold just yet. Even if she was attracted, and she was, she didn't want to overstep and scare the skittish young woman away. ”Baby steps, of course,” Lea said, wanting to provide a little reassurance. Although it didn't hurt that Mona seemed to know she was in good hands. Very good, very talented hands, but that wasn't something she needed to know until much later, if she was interested.

”This shop first,” Lea said, pointing to a place that had more semi-casual, classic dresses, skirts, and shoes. Sundresses, sandals, little flirty numbers that Mona might actually be comfortable in seemed like it'd be as good a place as any to start. ”If you see anything you love, grab it, no matter how you think you'll look in it, and I'll do the same. Maybe find a few pieces for myself, so you don't feel like I'm just gawking while you try them on.” It was a good attempt – Lea just had to see how Mona would respond to her suggestions.

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[MONA LISA SANDERS]

Mona really was grateful for Lea’s accompaniment today. Really. Even though her hands were a little shaky and her voice warbled every now and then. She just… she wasn’t a confident person in regular venues! That was a terrible excuse, she knew but she couldn’t friggin’ help it. The firetamer couldn’t remember a time when she was comfortable around anybody who wasn’t her mom… or her Italian family. But even that had taken at least a year of extended, frequent interaction. Yeah sure, she interacted with Lea almost on a daily, but it was different. That was work. That was someplace that Mona had all the know-how and well, control was kinda a strong word for it, since Lea was still technically her boss… But she had a decent amount, since it was her kitchen. That helped. Here though? On the street outside some pretty intimidating- to Mona, at least- shops with a woman who was so clearly confident made the blonde a touch trepidatious. What woman wouldn’t be? Trying to compete with that- not that they were even on the same playing field- was somewhere in the realm of the impossible. As was comparing notes with the woman.

Mons cursed her mouth for a moment, and decided to laugh it off before she started rattling, verbatim, Elle Magazine’s Top Tips for Seducing Him, or Cosmo’s Tricks to Make Him Scream. Gosh, the things she bothered to read when she was sad and lonely, hoping that they would somehow improve the game she lacked. She so obviously lacked. ’Aww, that’s really sweet, um, Lea. But I’d rather not embarrass myself. Um, perhaps just, advice or something would be better? Something that won’t turn me into an extremely awkward turtle, rather than a regularly awkward one. Thankies though.’ She smiled quickly, glancing back toward the lines in the concrete, hoping that her boss might switch to talking about something else. Mona was obliged, with Lea instead asking her about her clothing preferences. That, she could kinda do.

Not that she actually had much in the way of preference. Her clothes had pretty much all been thrift store finds or hand-me-downs from her mom’s friends her whole life. That wasn’t a bad thing, honestly. She was grateful for everything she got, and every penny her mom spent on her. But it didn’t really give her much of a chance to develop a style for herself. She wore what seemed to fit. Anything too small got donated, and anything too revealing. Of course, ‘too revealing’ for Mona was quite a few things. Heck, the nicest thing she’d ever bought for herself had been her watch, and that had been because she needed one so bad. A good one. Not the rinky-dink Minnie Mouse watch she’d had since she was like, eight, and didn’t care for watches. Being a chef on a schedule had made her very aware of schedules, and her watch was essential. Italy had taught her to embrace her downtime, but when she was on, she was on, and there were no excuses. Not even lame clothing options. So she was willing to try whatever, sort of. Heels, she would’ve loved to be good at. Lea seemed to think it was something that practice could remedy… Mona could only giggle nervously and hope. ’You might change your mind when you see it firsthand. I’m like a baby deer trying to learn the dimensions of its own body. Sad, really.’ It was said with a small grin, even though it was completely true. ’Bambi got nothing on me.’ The older woman reassured her that anything was possible before suggesting some attire that she thought would be good for the little chef. ’I’m with you guru. Just, like, point-n-click. Kinda.’

Lea took the reins with ease from, what Mona assumed, anyway, was years of practice. She took them into a store that didn’t look quite as pompous as most, which only settled her nerves a little. Until she was told to ‘pick whatever she loved.’ Her face pinched then, she could tell, as she nibbled her lip. ’Um… Lea, I don’t- well, I don’t really know what size I wear… I just sorta throw on whatever covers me.’ The look her boss gave her softened, and she offered a solution that sounded reasonable, getting a salesgirl’s attention, and a measuring tape. Mona had never been measured in her life. It was odd, but not unpleasant. They determined her approximate size- as everything was subject to fit and style- and she was moved around the store like a baby chick, Lea helping and picking things too so she wasn’t alone. When her arms were almost uncomfortably full of fabulous fabrics and patterns and styles, they moved toward the dressing rooms. Most of the things she carried were under advisement, and some riskier side of her that possessed a morbid curiosity. ’Here goes nothing,’ she said as she plopped her ‘potentials’ onto the counter in the room, strangely nervous. ’Be honest okay? I don’t wanna look silly. Don’t let me get something silly, please, I mean.’ With a little blush, from looking so insecure, she closed the little door on her dressing room with a soft click, slipping on the first thing from the top, a simple sundress with large sunflowers patterned on it, and reemerging a second later. ’Whatcha think?’

[LEA PAIGE NATHANSON]

Lea could certainly tell that Mona was more than a little uncomfortable, but to her, that was part of what the entire day was about – helping the blonde find some damn confidence. If Mona didn't want to recruit the help of someone who really did know what she was talking about, she wouldn't have asked Lea to come along. At least, that was what the immortal thought. Even though Lea had no shortage of confidence, she really did hope that whatever advice Mona needed – fashion or otherwise – would be helpful instead of a long-term hinder that would hold the young woman back from her true potential. And in Mona, Lea had always seen a surplus of potential. She had seen it when the woman had first applied to work for her, when she had gotten the confidence to ask her out on this shopping excursion in the first place, and now – there was something hiding in that knowledge crammed brain of hers, she just didn't want to speak about it. And Lea was certainly inquisitive enough to ask why. ”Trust me when I say that there is absolutely nothing you could say that would make me judge you,” Lea said smoothly. ”In my many, many years of experience stealing the hearts of both men and women, I've damn near seen and heard it all.” She really wasn't exaggerating, either. Certainly there were older beings out there than her, but seven hundred and fifty years was hardly a drop in the bucket of experience, either.

However, if Mona just wanted to stick with advice, Lea did need some help about what sort of advice she'd be giving. The immortal knew that she could advise Mona on quite a few topics from fashion to romance all the way to bedroom tricks if she so desired, but she didn't want to go off spouting off random facts at will. ”Fashion advice is harmless enough, hmm?” Lea asked, hoping that she wouldn't end up turning the blonde into an 'awkward turtle' as she seemed to think it might. That was what sparked a few of Lea's comments concerning her employee's out of work attire. She did hope that her comment about the blonde's legs wasn't too personal, but since Mona didn't say anything outright and her aura didn't change from the slightly nervous orange-tinged color it currently was, Lea felt that it was all right to proceed in the same fashion. No pun intended. ”I plan on making you walk around the dressing room for quite a while so you get the hang of it, Bambi,” Lea said, a sly, teasing grin etched onto her face as she spoke. Since Mona had been the first to suggest the image and the reference, Lea decided that it was only fair she roll with it.

Lea escorted them into a store and was damn near shocked when Mona confessed that she didn't even know her own size. What woman didn't have at least some clue as to their general size? However, the immortal did her best to keep any sort of blatant shock off of her face and calmly made another suggestion. ”Well, you'd likely feel awkward if I came after you with a measuring tape, so I'll get someone who works here,” Lea said, then beckoned one of the employees with a megawatt smile and a friendly greeting in her charming accent. The woman was all too willing to help, and didn't possess some of that over the top fake charm that so many retail workers had nearly beaten into them. It was incredibly obnoxious and as a business owner herself, Lea swore that she'd never subject her staff to such nightmarish requests. Always better to be genuine, that was her opinion.

After Mona's measurements were taken, the clothing options were selected. Mona picked a few items that surprised Lea a little because they showed that she really didn't have bad taste, she just wasn't given enough outlets to develop a proper style for herself. Lea chose a few things, too, as she said she would, including a rather short, strapless blue dress that would likely fit her every curve. Other than the dress, she found a few halter-style tops since summer was right around the corner, and a charming little sundress that had thin straps and was patterned in a lovely white color with small blue polka dots. ”That would defeat the purpose, wouldn't it, love? If I allowed you to walk out of here with something that didn't make you look absolutely fabulous.” Lea said, then practically ushered the blonde into a changing room. Lea went into a room as well and decided to try on the blue dress first, loving the way it fit her body almost perfectly. It was a little short, but she didn't mind showing off her legs, and knew that they'd be even better accented if she coupled this outfit with a pair of her highest spike heels.

The redhead emerged from the room and looked at the blonde who was wearing a charming sundress of her own with sunflowers on it. Normally, she'd be against larger floral patterns as a rule, but Mona actually looked lovely. Lea smiled warmly and walked a little closer. ”Honestly...” Lea began, then made a little motion for the woman to turn, and she did, then the immortal finished her appraisal. ”This cut really works on you, and it suits you. You look beautiful, Mona.” Lea smoothed her hands over the dress and asked the same question of 'how do I look?' to the blonde, giving her a chance to participate in both sides of the shopping experience. ”I don't get to enjoy the nightlife as I used to, but I'm hoping this might help me turn some heads.”

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[MONA LISA SANDERS]

Today was supposed to be an exercise in self-worth and respect. Yeah… So far, that wasn’t going so great. Mona felt kind of like she was making a fool of herself. Oh, through no fault of Lea’s, of course, that was sometimes just the little firetamer’s natural state of being. Actually, Lea was being really sweet to her, trying to assure her that she had nothing that wild and crazy in her brain. It wasn’t working, and Mona just ended up blushing and trying to get them to talk about anything else. She really did like her boss, and respect her a bunch, but that really wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have. Maybe ever… So the small blonde nodded, chuckled, and ducked her head, letting the words wash over her while they made their short sojourn, and hoping to talk the woman into discussing something less… charged. Lea let her have it, moving on to fashion advice, which the chef could seriously use. Her fashion sense was… well, practically nonexistent.

’Oh, no. No, no, no. It’s not harmless, it’s so helpful. I’m a complete fashion disaster at the moment. I mean… you’ve seen what I wear. I throw things on, hoping they work out. So I’m really grateful for whatever you can give me.’ She nodded, emphasizing. Mona had read plenty of things on how to be fashionable, on how to make what you had work for you, but she could never quite take the words and turn them into applicable actions. It just… it ended in disaster. And she looked like she did now. It didn’t help that she had never once shopped anywhere but thrift and second-hand stores her whole life. Except when she bought her chef’s coat. That had been new. And still one of her most prized possessions. So this… this forced opportunity to spend some money on herself, spoil herself a little, was a treat she didn’t want to mess up. Especially not in crappy attire and heels that she couldn’t walk in. And now, well, Lea seemed inclined to roll with the nickname Mona had accidentally bestowed upon herself. Not that the firetamer minded at all, she’d been called far worse things in her lifetime. ’If you say so, Lea. But I swear, practice doesn’t make everything perfect. I’ve tried with nothing but sad, pitiable results.’ Her delicate shrug, palms up, was a very honest accompaniment to her words, and emphasized them perfectly. She really just didn’t know. Some things, a book just couldn’t teach a person, no matter how well they could memorize the information. And there was just some information that Mona had never possessed, and therefore not memorized at all. Like her clothing sizes… Oops?

The cute little employee easily took her measurements in a very sweet way, and didn’t make Mona feel totally awkward about it, giving her the info with a casual nature that the firetamer appreciated. Yay. Well, at least now she knew! And could go forth and select items, just like her new mentor suggested, wandering the store at random and picking some obscure and not things that she liked. Some more that others, of course, but Lea had encouraged her to try everything, and so she grabbed a little bit of everything. All those arm workouts in the kitchen proved good for something as she easily hefted the clothing pile around with her, politely declining assistance from the employees when they offered. They even offered to help her pick some things, but she was hesitant about this enough already, and thanked them but inevitably shooed them away. Still, the suggestion made her a bit nervous, and she had to double check to make sure Lea wouldn’t let her look completely stupid when she left, even if she fell in love with something. The redhead assured her that she would not, and Mona felt a little better. ’Well, I know that, but still. We both know I can be stubborn if I wanna be, but I want you to be stubborn-er if I don’t pick um… ‘absolutely fabulous’ things.’ The blonde nodded decisively before she was ushered into a dressing room and encouraged to change, just give something a try. So she did, slipping a sunflower sundress on that she actually really liked.

And so did Lea, it seemed. Well, yay. She gave the redhead a rare, genuine smile after her boss gave her a compliment that practically made her glow. ’Thanks! I actually really like it. It’s… bright. Happy. You really like it?’ After another affirmative, they took a moment to admire Lea’s selection, and Mona faux-fanned herself with a teasing grin, making a similar spinning motion with her hand so her boss would repeat the process herself. ’Oh yeah, that’ll totally help. Not that you need help… Um. I mean-‘ She bit her lip for a second and sighed. Way to go, Mona… Okay okay, one more attempt. ’You look gorgeous, boss. Really. Blue’s a nice color for you, I’ve always thought. But you probably know your good colors, huh?’

[LEA PAIGE NATHANSON]

Mona really was too hard on herself sometimes. Well, all the time, from what Lea had noticed. And really, that was a terrible shame. The little chef had so much passion in the kitchen, so many good qualities, and Lea hoped that this... spending time with her in general outside of their working environment, really, might give her a chance to step out of her comfort zone in a good way. But first, the immortal knew that she'd have to try to boost some of the blonde's self-confidence. Self-confidence that was, truth be told, seemingly non-existent. What was even more strange was the fact that even though she was pretty good at figuring people out, Lea just couldn't wrap her head around the idea of why Mona had such little self-esteem. The blonde was talented, smart, beautiful... really, she had a lot going for her. And Lea wanted to show her all of those things, if she could. ”Mostly I see you in your work uniform, love, so that really doesn't count. There's always something to work with, and really, I'm flattered that you wanted my help. You just have to actually let me help, though, okay? I'll do my best not to steer you wrong.”

The two women made it to the first store, and started off on the right foot with actually getting Mona's measurements thanks to a very helpful, kind employee who was actually good about making what could have been an awkward situation fairly easy going and relaxed. Which was really what Mona needed. Lea might have offered to help with it instead, because it wasn't hard to take someone's measurements if you knew what to do, but she figured that it would have likely been more awkward for her to be all up close in Mona's bubble and personal space. Also, it would completely negate her plan to help make Mona relaxed and comfortable. Even though Lea didn't really consider herself to be intimidating, but for someone who was easily intimidated, she supposed there was always that chance that she could be. Unlike some older supernaturals, Lea tried really hard not to use her age and wisdom as a bragging point – she was more than happy to share what she had learned and use it to help others, not make herself seem like a better individual because she had been blessed with many, many years of living.

Once they'd collected a few things, Lea nodded at Mona's insistence that she be stubborn with the blonde's choices if they didn't work. ”I promise, I'll tell you if something is less than flattering. I want you to feel sexy, because you are... and could be even more so, with the right clothing choices.” Flirting? Oh, Lea – slow down before you scare the little awkward child into a corner and never get her out to see the light of day again. Really, she couldn't help herself because there was something charming and endearing about how such a beautiful woman could be oblivious about how gorgeous she really was. And Lea considered herself to be quite the expert on beautiful women, given some of her other experiences. The sunflower dress that she chose was lovely, and Lea told her so when she emerged from her own dressing room in a little blue number that seemed to also catch Mona's attention... and her compliments. Lea tilted her head to the side, looking at herself in the mirror for a moment, and then turning around, smiling in a little bit of a sultry way toward the blonde when she mentioned that she had 'noticed' that blue was a good color on Lea. Of course it was – but she would have never guessed that Mona would pick up on such a thing.

”I'm aware of the colors that are most eye-catching on me, but I'm surprised that you caught up on that, dear.” The immortal nibbled her bottom lip and swept her eyes all over Mona's body in that sunflower dress. ”I don't hate the thought of you noticing me, Mona. I rather like it, actually.” Then, she decided to turn the flirting train around for a moment, and be a little less forward, but still slightly flirty – just to see how the blonde would react. ”I always thought you'd look stunning in dark green. Bring out those gorgeous eyes a bit.” There. Now, how the blonde reacted could pave the way to... something. Lea wasn't sure what, but something.

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[MONA LISA SANDERS]

Ugh. Her mouth failed her sometimes. Okay, oftentimes. She had meant to prove a point about her wardrobe by pointing out what Lea generally got to see her in. But yeah… the other woman had a point. It was just her work uniform, which was pretty much the same thing every day: chef’s coat and a pair of pants. Slacks, generally speaking. But that was kinda her point. Mona wore whatever downplayed thing she could that fit. And that was it. The firetamer wanted to put her face in her hand and sigh at her own ridiculousness. Why could she not figure out this whole ‘speaking’ thing? That was pushing the pity a little too far, to be honest. She knew that. It was simply and over-exaggeration to make her mind return to a place they could work with. ’I… yeah, I know. But let’s just say that that was all I ever wear. And now you know how bad I am with fashion.’ Her chuckle was a little self-deprecating, but she liked to think that her point had been better achieved this time. That Lea would understand how hopeless a case she had just signed on to assist. But she seemed to only have the best intentions; she just wanted to do what Mona had asked, and get her some clothes she felt good in. ’Take the wheel, Lea, steer me somewhere less sad,’ she said, with a little hopeful face and a shrug.

So the older woman did, selecting a store that seemed more Mona’s speed that some of the other possible candidates, which the firetamer greatly appreciated. Especially when she had to mention the fact that she didn’t even know what size clothing she actually wore… Oops. But that was remedied fairly easily, for which Mona was grateful. The little attendant was actually pretty sweet about the whole thing, writing it down so ‘Mona wouldn’t forget,’ which was a thing that made the little chef giggle, because… well, reasons. She also explained that some sizing really did depend upon the store and style, and not to be dismayed if the measurements she was currently taking weren’t a fail-proof system. That actually eased her worries a bit, for some reason. There was wiggle room, space for the firetamer to get things wrong without looking ridiculous. Hurray. Well… she could look ridiculous in clothing, but not ridiculous in demeanor, which seemed more important. Besides, she had Lea’s word that she wouldn’t let the young blonde buy any clothing that didn’t really look good on her. But the way her boss phrased her acceptance of the terms… Gulp. She thought Mona was sexy? If she’d interpreted that correctly. But instead of answering it directly, ‘cause of, um, trepidation, Mona only nodded, affirmative and hopeful, and took her butt into the dressing room.

The dress, she liked, believe it or not. Made her feel girly and pretty. She thought it might’ve made her look a little younger, ‘til she got it on and realized that the cut revealed some cleavage and enough of her back to be adult. The semi-wide, white halter straps were comfortable too, but also meant she would have to get a new bra… as it stood, she was wearing a basic nude number, but Lea still thought she looked good in it, when she finally got up the nerve to emerge. The immortal, of course, looked wonderful and confident in this blue thing that Mona never would have dared. She was certain something closely akin to awe was playing over her features, just a bit, as she took her turn to judge her companion’s attire, voicing her assessment after she had done so. A little bit of stumbling happened, but she got the gist of it out correctly, and even managed a little observation that Lea seemed proud of her for. ’I’m observant, if nothing else,’ she said quietly, waving off the ‘surprise’ easily. And the rather more loaded comment about capturing the little firetamer’s attention. Wow. Um. Well, maybe that’s just ‘cause Lea was naturally inclined to turn heads, and the chef was just adding to the myriad. Mona had to be observant… but the things she paid attention to were- evidently- not the right ones. ‘Cause Lea then claimed that she thought Mona would look good in green, and that she had gorgeous eyes. Which meant her boss had actually considered such a thing, had actually looked at Mona for more moments than the chef remembered as being good for that… Hmm. But maybe she had something in her pile that would work. ’Really? I might have something dark green in my- did you just say I have pretty eyes?’ Of course she had, Mona hadn’t misheard her, but it was still shocking for her to hear.

[LEA PAIGE NATHANSON]

The immortal had been around for enough years to know that people were different. That was part of kept living for so many years interesting; there were always new people to meet and enjoy, for a multitude of reasons. Mona was down on herself so frequently to the level that it damn near broke Lea's heart because – and it might have been partially due to the 'aura thing' – but she knew that Mona was a good one. A good, decent person, which seemed to be something that was increasingly more difficult to find, what with war on the horizon and all. Of course she wasn't stupid enough to think the younger woman was flawless or anything, but there was a significant lack of flaws that intrigued her, even with all her worldly knowledge and experience, and made her want to help impart some of that knowledge unto Mona. Even with something as simple as fashion, because even though she was too much of a feminist to believe that the clothes made the lady, she knew that a little bit of a confidence booster that was brought on by something shiny, new, and maybe even slightly over budget was helpful to made a woman feel, well, womanly. Mona's chef coats certainly didn't show off the appeal that Lea had always thought was hiding underneath all the layers and the ill-fitted material, but the way Mona dressed was still charming, and the immortal frowned a little when more self-deprecating words flowed seamlessly from the blonde's pretty mouth. ”You dress for comfort and a job, and while there's nothing wrong with that, you'll never learn to get better if you don't try new things. And that's precisely why I'm here to help you, darling - not insult you, not comment on your current clothing choices, but help.” She arched a slim eyebrow, hoping that Mona wouldn't argue, and would just accept that it was basically a 'no strings' outing, and Lea really could be quite helpful, and didn't have any sort of ulterior motives. The young woman accepted, and then they were off.

It was the flicker of hope that caught in Mona's aura that gave Lea a little more gusto to her assistance, leading them to an employee who was kind enough and not overbearing enough to make her blonde companion nervous while she took measurements. It was sort of a close encounter, and Lea did watch carefully to make sure that her little chef wasn't ever uncomfortable during the brief, yet still personal exchange, and since everything seemed to be going swimmingly, she gently pressed Mona toward a few different types of clothing, waiting to see what she'd select when she was left to her own devices, yet still under a self-proclaimed fashionista's watchful eye. The dressing rooms were next, and Lea wasn't scant with the compliments, because she knew that even though it was more than a sure thing that Mona would be slow to accept any she was given, the consistency would be good for her self-esteem while she was trying things on, and Lea was pleased to note that she had chosen more than a few things.

The redhead had been worried that she'd have to do more hand-holding, making selections for the blonde and easing her into different trials instead of letting Mona pick for herself and her own tastes and expanding upon her already existent foundation. While the firetamer was certainly not the most fashionable, she wasn't a lost cause or anything, and certainly did have her own style and interests, which all could be reflected in clothing. Lea was also pleased to see that she'd chosen a dress; bright and cheerful, with flowers, and had a good length and cut to boot. Showed enough leg to be feminine and flirty, but not enough to be indecent, and fit the woman's figure well. Mona was definitely more demure, and more comfortable when she was showing less skin, but this was a good place to start. It wasn't as if the immortal expected her to be comfortable trying on more revealing things, such as swimwear or lingerie. Although it was a tempting mental picture, given that the small reveal of any skin had her... interested, in a way that she hadn't been expecting. Not completely, at least. She'd noticed that Mona was beautiful on several occasions, but the desire to act upon such things hadn't been present until that moment when she had her eyes all over the blonde's figure and vice-versa. ”Love, I know you're new to a good number of things we're trying today, but I'm not, and while I'm more than happy to treat you with some level of 'kid gloves,' I'd rather be a little more direct, and give you room to do so as well.” She gave a slow, seductive smile, and was trying not to leer or be aggressive, because such just wasn't her way. Still, she did want Mona to know that her appreciation was enjoyed as much as it was unexpected. ”Are you attracted to women as well as men, and that's why you noticed me, or was it truly just an observation?”

When Mona started rambling and Lea got the opportunity to watch the wheels keep turning, she smiled again. ”Yes, darling – you have lovely eyes. I'm drawn to them. And to you, because I enjoy admissions of my attraction to others, openly. Now... do try these on, hmm?” Lea handed her a more slimming black pencil skirt and a sheer blouse that didn't show lots of skin, but was more fitted. With a tank underneath, it'd be decent enough to make Mona comfortable, and the soft cream color would likely accent all the right aspects of the younger woman's hair and skin tone. For now, they could go back to fashion, but Lea hoped that Mona would choose to comment on their verbal interaction as well, but also knew that she could leave things well enough alone, if such was Mona's wish.

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