Blood and Ink

[Thalia]

Time didn't mean so much to Thalia; she barely noticed Rune was so late, nor much cared anyway: one of the perks of working for yourself. Pencil in hand and plenty of fresh paper to scribble on, she could idle hours away and only realise when the light cast shadows across her page how much time had passed. One fist resting her chin, sketchpad balanced on her lap, that's what she did to fill the drifting minutes. By the time the knock came, it was debatable whether she even realised how much time had passed. She flipped shut her current sketch, tucked the pencil behind her ear, and headed over to answer. The building employed top-notch security, but Thal was lax; today, the studio door was unlocked.

A smile greeted Rune as the door swung open, and of course her eyes tugged first to the woman's new multi-hued hair. The colours blended like a rainbow; Thal never even noticed the less tasteful embellishment. "Hi. Come in." Her hand waved vaguely over the interior, which while clearly a place of work had a somewhat dishevelled, lived in look to it. Thalia herself was similarly informal, in a pair of old worn jeans, bare feet and loose vest. "Love the new hair. Your stuff is in the folder on the couch. Excited?" She might not have noticed hint of gut, but she did realise at a glance the other woman looked a little drawn. Well, a lot actually. "Take a seat. Would you like a cuppa while we go over the designs?"