2025-06-30 - Midnight Moonrise Rendezvous

It's been a long work day and Enzo is just glad to be home after a late dinner and drinks with Trace. He's spent much of the day on the phone with investors and speaking with the construction team right here in the park. Then there was the surveying of Moonrise Island itself, where they've already begun to set up base with at least at their makeshift temporary site office, where he'd moved some of his equipment. Unfortunately, he'd realized that something he was hoping to go over tonight before bed may have been left behind at that particular office.

Could it wait until tomorrow? Probably, but Enzo had another full schedule tomorrow, so who knows if he'd have the time to head out there again. With that in mind, how long would it take for them to just head out there and pick up the file and head back?

Enzo, himself isn't happy about it. And seeing that this isn't your regularly scheduled stop, he has to secure himself their own boat to head out there. No ferrys just regularly go to Moonrise Island!

"You don't have to come with me. It shouldn't take to long." He tells Trace as he heads towards the employee boat storage area. I'm sure there is one Surely, no one would be just hanging out in there. "I could just wake up early tomorrow and do this before I start the rest of my day but I might just want to sleep in."

Artemisia has - technically - a permit for the night use of a boat. She's got her certification an everything. Properly. However, she also makes a strange figure on the docks as she loads in an easel, painting supplies, and what looks like a picnic basket in the light of her phone.

She's planned but not - totally. The blonde freezes on the docks with her phone extended like a can of pepper spray as Enzo and Trace's footsteps are heard. Only. It's still got the flashlight so, so really Arte just manages to illuminate their feet.

They are not threatening. Shoes. "Oh, cute shoes." Then Artemisia redirects the light to point at their faces and relaxes substantially. "Oh hi guys."

"You know I could fly over," Trace points out to Enzo as they're walking along toward the boat, the large black wings folded behind him, his hands in his pockets. He's in a pair of black jeans and boots with a dark red long-sleeved t-shirt on that is hard to tell the color of in the dark until Arte is shining her light on them. At first, he glances down at his illuminated shoes, then he blinks, squinting a little at Arte's light as it shines in their faces. "But I like keeping you company," he grins as he bumps shoulders with the other man. "Hi Arte," he says. "Going for a midnight sail?" He works from home most of the time these days, so he can get up and do his choreography whenever he wants. That means that midnight boat trips are perfectly fine.

"Princess carry or Fireman carry?" Enzo decides to ask when Trace brings up that, yes, the Dark Angel could fly them over to the island. But was Enzo ready to be the damsel in distress? Enzo, himself, was dressed in a white short-sleeved buttoned down shirt with faint patterns threaded in, a pair of tan slacks and a pair of steel toed boots. He probably wore this same outfit earlier when surveying the construction site.

Then there's this light shining on him which makes his eyes narrow as well, "Oh. Hey." He calls out, not expecting anywhere out here at all at this hour. He even checks his watch for the time. "Are you playing ferry driver for the day? because we need a ride to Moonlight pronto." He then adds, "And when I say ferry, I don't mean an actual ferry, I mean one of these babies." He's talking speed boats.

"Hi!" Artemisia chips happily back, aiming the devastatingly bright phone light away so that they can see the stars against. "Yeah. Kinda. I thought it'd be really cool to like paint the moon at Moonrise island. I know," she bites her lip. "That it's in development an stuff. But like. It's also so poetic. And we have a waning crescent."

She sighs.

So poetic. At Enzo's question, Artemisia tips a hand towards the boat with an inviting gesture. "Your chariot awaits. As long as you guys don't mind me getting some sketches while you do... whatever." She has the good grace not to waggle her brows at them.

Trace just laughs, "I meant I could just go grab it for you and bring it back, but I suppose I could princess carry you over there."

There's a glance over toward the speed boat that Enzo points toward and there's the faintest of shivers that goes down his spine, ruffling his feathers before everything settles again, but his smile only falters slightly. He's still not great with speed boats, all things considered. But he takes in a breath and lets it out. This will be fine.

"Yeah, that'd be cool. I don't mind," he says to Artemisia before glancing over at Enzo. "Enzo's the one who has a full day tomorrow, so kind of up to him. Though if we have to head back early, I could fly us back."

"Oh." Enzo says, blinking when Trace explains himself, but now that he's got the other uttering the words 'princess carry', that brings a lift to the edges of Enzo's lips and a slightly embarrassed, for whatever reason, flush to his cheeks. "Yeah, that would make sense, wouldn't it."

Turning back to Artemesia, he nods, "Sure, you can go ahead and get out a sketch or two." There's a lift of his brow when he says this, "How long does it take you to do that, sketching, I mean?"

Though, when his attention returns to Trace, he notices the unease found in his body language, his expressions, or just the sound of his voice. That's when Enzo reaches to take one of Trace's hands in his, to give it a reassuring squeeze. There's this look in his own features and within his eyes that says that things are going to be okay. He promises. A look which he holds for a moment, before leading the way towards the boat.

"Like under half an hour a sketch," Artemisia says eith a slight shrug of her shoulders. "Come on then." She reaches into the boat and pulls out bright orange life vests. "Safety first.'

Trace does lean in and murmurs against Enzo, "You are my prince, after all." He catches that reassuring look and he squeezes Enzo's hand in return, nodding just lightly. It'll be okay. He'll be fine. And having Enzo there with him certainly goes a long way toward that. He presses a quick kiss to Enzo's cheek and then he's moving to get into the boat. When Artemisia produces the life vests he looks at it, and then at his wings, and then at her and says, "Uh.. okay." There's no way he can get it on, but he can hold onto it like a floatation device, so he takes one anyway.

Once on the boat, Enzo will try to figure out how to put a life vest on Trace, wings and all. It's quite the struggle. In fact, he forgets to put his on and attempts to have Trace wear the both of them at one point, before realizing that it's just not working. "Do we know if your wings are the water resistant type? If not, it's a test to run." Though when he says this, he feels a bit guilty about it, knowing that Trace had nearly drowned once as it were.

For the rest of the ride, he'll hold onto his vest as well and settle in next to Trace as they watch as the darkened island draws closer.

"First time setting foot on Moonrise?" He calls out to Artemesia over the sound of the motor.

"Don't worry. I used to go out on the lack with my dad in the summer," Artemisia promises, flashing a smile over her shoulder. Everyone in possession of a life vest, they set off in good time.

Its very pretty under the moonlight. "Yeah. I mean, its not really open is it?" Artemisia comments as she carefully pilot's the boat. "How about you? What has you heading out there?"

Trace endures Enzo's efforts with patience and a little bit of laughter as he tries to figure out some way to get the lifejacket on him even with the wings. It does not work, but Enzo does make a very valiant efort, and it does take Trace's mind off the very dark water all around them. He'd had a fear of deep water even before the near-death experience, but he seems to be focusing entirely on Enzo and Artemisia to avoid all of that. "They are water resistant," Trace says. "Otherwise I'd be dripping all over the apartment after every shower." He smiles a little at that guilty look and gives Enzo's hand another squeeze. He lets Enzo explain to Arte what they're headed to Moonrise for.

"You don't do that already?" Enzo asks about Trace dripping all over the apartment after every shower. He's teasing of course, but he does so with a mostly straight face. His free hand even reaches behind Trace to stroke at his nearest wing. Not that he hasn't touched those wings before, but they feel interesting. Nice in a way.

When asked about what business they have on the island, Enzo's head turns to face Artemesia once more, "Oh, you know. Nice evening. The moon's out. I thought it would be a nice make out point. It was going to be a surprise too, but you asked. No one is usually there at this hour. Except maybe a security guard. And now you." A pause, "You don't mind, do you?" He very well could be joking and knowing Enzo, well, knowing Enzo, it's hard to tell.

"Aw. That's so cute," Artemisia says with a smile as Enzo says it might be a nice makeout point. "Well, I approve and I even promise not to gawk," she teases easily as she continues to pilot the boat ever closer. "I don't mind at all."

Trace smirks over at Enzo's teasing, but the touch to his wing is soothing and he leans in just a little bit toward him. The pinions and flight feathers are sleek and smooth, glossy. The down beneath is soft. When Enzo goes on to explain that Moonrise makes a good make-out point and that it was going to be a surprise, he laughs. He does not, however make any attempt to either confirm nor deny that Enzo's claims are true. And Artemisia's response has him amusedly shaking his head.

Enzo's lips tug into a quiet smile when he leans into Trace, "It is pretty cute, when you think about it."

He then warns, "There's some construction going on right now, so I'd say to watch your step. Nothing major, but it's not completely undeveloped and we've already set up shop there. So try not to trip on the equipment once we dock."

"Watch my step," Artemisia repeats the suggestion like its an order. She is not notably good at watching her step. Uh oh. And this is how she dies.

"We're nearing the dock," she calls back. The boat slows as she cuts power, moving to tie it off.

"You're pretty cute," is Trace's comeback to Enzo, leaning back in return.

He nods in agreement with Enzo, "There's some construction setup and stuff marked off and a bunch of equipment kind of around. But if we take it slow, should be fine." Of course, he's not familiar with Artemisia's penchant for taking a tumble.

Glancing up as they near the dock, he seems relieved to not be out on the water at night anymore. But he made it! Once they're tied off, he climbs on out of the boat and offers both Enzo and Arte a hand up and out if they like.

"Should we go grab your thing before we forget it again?" he asks Enzo. Whatever it was they came out here to get in the first place. "We can put it in the boat so it's ready to go when we are."

"I am, aren't I?" Enzo says, when he's called pretty cute, with a tiny bit of humor in his tone, but that humor can be found in his expression somewhat.

They were finally there and Enzo can't help but look to Trace to catch the relief shown in his body language which has Enzo feeling relieved, himself. He then exits the boat with Trace's assistance and reaches into his pocket for the keys to the construction site office most likely. "Yeah, I can run in and do that." He says as he turns towards Trace to press a parting kiss to his lips, even though he wasn't planning on being gone for more than a few minutes tops. "I'll probably let security know that we're here, though I'm sure they saw us coming in. It's not every night that they get visitors."

"You're both adorable," Artemisia says cheerfully, not looking back at them as they approach the dock.

"Uhm." She doesn't sound certain about that. "Okay. I'll like follow you guys- you come out here a lot?" Once they're docked, she takes Trace's assistance out of the boat with a cheery smile and then reaches in to grab her art supplies and the picnic basket. "Wait? Guards? So this isn't really desolate?" Artemisia wonders noisily.

Trace returns that kiss, giving Enzo's arm a little squeeze as he heads back to the office to go pick up what he left there. Though when Enzo says he's going to notify security he whispers "Shhhh. It's not really a sneaky trip out to make-out island if you TELL security that we're here." He gives him a little wink and then shakes his head to Artemisia. "No, not entirely desolate. Building is going to start soon on the island. That's Enzo's new job. He's helping them with the project out here."

"Here," he says to her, offering his arm and a hand to carry either the basket or supplies, whichever she wants to hand over. "I'll walk with you." To prevent any trippings. "Enzo will come find us after he stops by the office." The 'office' is one of those trailer things one finds on construction sites. It is not glamorous.

Now it's Enzo's turn to just smirk and shake his head at Trace's whisper before he disappears in the direction where a few structures were built to act as offices for the foremen and the like.

"Thanks!" Artemisia says brightly to Trace, offering him the picnic basket to carry. It may be heavier than he's expecting. Her dark eyes, highlighted with pink, flit along the signs of the construction. "Let's walk along the waterfront? I'm sure not all of that will be construction."

"Surething," Trace says as he takes the picnic basket in one hand, Arte's arm with his other, and off they go, just wandering along the shoreline. There's plenty of open shoreline. And it doesn't take them too long to find a spot where the moon can be seen over the water. There's even a big log or two they could sit on if they wanted to. If he finds the picnic basket surprisingly heavy, he makes no comment on it. One does not judge a lady's snacks.

"I think this is perfection," Artemisia observes of the area with a few logs to sit on and a clear view of the moon. "Go ahead and set the food down. Feel free to open the bubbles, it's just prosecco and I didn't bring glasses because I'm a heathen, but it's nice," she directs Trace with a smile. She gets to setting her easel up.

As Trace delves in the picnic basket, he'll find it contains not only bubbles but the zip-lock bag version of a charcuterie board along with a plastic container of cookies that look like they came from one of the Boo'edwalk vendors. "So what's Enzo doing in his new role? Does he like it?"

Trace does as he is directed, setting the picnic basket down near one of the logs in front of him as he sits on it, wings stretched out a little behind him so they don't drag on the ground as he pokes around inside. He finds the bottle and takes it out, opening it with hopefully a corkscrew or whatever he needs to do so that he also finds in the basket. There's a little pop as he manages to do so without spilling it. "Well, you also didn't plan on sharing," he laughs when she mentions not bringing glasses.

He holds out the bottle to her so that she can take the first sip from it. It's only fair. "He's developing this island," Trace explains. "Coming up with a plan for a prototype future city with possible teleportation technology based on what we can learn from the portal room." He glances back in the direction of the offices for a moment and then says, "Yeah, I think so. It's what he was doing before he came here, planning cities. This is on a little smaller scale. But it's a first step toward bigger and better projects for him."

"What's a little germs between friends?" Right? Artemisia says it lightly, but it's clear from the way her eyes crinkle at the corners that she doesn't mind. "Yeah. But I still probably brought more than I can eat. So help yourself." Uhm. "I think it's a twist off." She smooths her fingers over a pre-primed canvas and puts a little paint on a palette. Despite the dark of the night, she uses brown not blue or black.

"He's-" Her paint brush stutters a little as Artemisia glances back over her shoulder at Trace with wide eyes. "One. That's peak. Two that's so cool. How the heck did he end up doing PR? Waste of talent."

Trace reaches in to the charcuterie ziplock baggie and grabs himself a piece of cheese. He then takes out the little baggies and sets them on top of the basket, opening them up and holding one at a time out to Artemisia as she works on her art so that she can reach over and grab a bite between what she's painting. Then he takes the bottle and takes a swig from it, not seeming to mind sharing. He grins at Artemisia's reaction and can't help but look a little bit proud. "It is pretty cool, isn't it? You should see some of the things that he's come up with. And yeah, not that he wasn't good at what he was doing, but it's so much cooler to get to see him doing what he wants to be doing."

Okay, when Enzo steps foot outside of that office, he expected to see an easel set up and Artemesia doing some drawing or other there. Instead, he's confronted by a whole ass picnic that suddenly sprung up without warning. That takes him aback for a second or two before he continues forward to join them. "Where were you planning on eating all of this if we hadn't shown up?" He asks quizzically.

Oh, he also realizes that they must be discussing him, but he doesn't say anything regarding it and instead takes a seat next to Trace, extending a hand to take the bottle from him once he's done.

"I'm going to keep you as a studio assistant," Artemisia warns as Trace proceeds to bring her snacks. "Too bad I probably couldn't get the time from Enzo," she teases, dark eyes bright with pink firefly flickers. It's quite the effect at night.

"Oh. Seeing someone get to practice their passion?" Tucking the paintbrush behind her ear, Arte reaches for the bottle. "One. Totally Hot. Two. Just... joyified." She lifts her brows and takes a sip of the bottle. She passes it onto Enzo. "We were just saying you're hot and talented. Besides, be happy for my foreplanning not judgemental. Painting makes you hungry."

It's only fair if he's going to eat her snacks, to actually share her snacks with her. Her comment has him chuckling. "I do tear myself away from him every once in a while," Trace says as he reaches for a cracker and wiggles it in her general direction. "Not for long though. Not if I can help it."

Glancing up as Enzo joins them, Trace grins and hands him the bottle when he settles down next to him. When Artemisia fills Enzo in on what they were talking about, he laughs. "Yes, do not judge the surprise picnic. Want some cheese?"

The edge of Enzo's lips quirk upward when he's told that he's hot and talented. "I could've told you that, but I'm glad to hear that word is spreading about my hotness and my talent." Even when Enzo did PR, he did come with an ego, so this isn't new.

Everyone has all of these physical changes and so far, as far as most people know, Enzo has none. Or none that can be seen. No glowing eyes, horns, golden skin. Nothing of the sort. But then again, he's been your typical normie.

When the bottle is passed over to him, he takes a long drink from it before he even answers the cheese question, "I won't say no to cheese." A mild glance is then given Artemesia's canvas to see how far she's gotten.

There's a rough sketch of the moon floating in its half measure over the lake, the reflection the most filled in with burnt sienna and lovely in its depth and presence. Looking at the canvas for as Enzo raises his own laurels, she laughs softly. Artemisia isn't bothered by a healthy ego.

"The cheese is nice." She says, taking a half step back from the canvas and tipping her head.

Trace gives Enzo's shoulder a little nudge. "And so deeply humble, too." He then offers over the cheese baggie so that Enzo can grab himself some cheese from it before returning it to the cover of the picnic basket. "So, Arte, what's new with you? Anything fun? Aside from midnight painting?"

He steals the bottle back from Enzo for a sip before placing it nearer to Arte in case she wants one.

Enzo collects several pieces of cheese for himself, his dark eyes flickering to Trace when he says while he chews, "I don't know how you stay so humble, looking like the angel you are," He only pauses to pop in another piece of cheese before he speaks again, "But I was always about being proud of what you can be proud of, because let me tell you, there's a lot of things I'm not proud of."

As he listens to hear about Arte's story up until now, he starts to try to feed cheese to Trace once he's done drinking from the bottle. "Yeah," He adds in, "Also, that was a fabulous parade you put on."

"Hrm. Other than midnight painting?" Artemisia casts the couple a slightly shy smile. "I'm officially dating Hawthorne, so that's nice. Other than that I'm trying to enjoy the summer. It's so nice here on the water. Having like lazy girl summer vibes."

She bends down to pick up the bottle and take a sip. Crouched down, Artemisia smiles at Enzo. "Thanks. I wanted to do it up big for our first Pride at the park."

Trace leans over and rests his head against Enzo's shoulder, a little smile touching his lips. He's not immune to compliments, or to cheese. He takes the bit of cheese offered to him from Enzo's fingers. "I don't think I'm that humble either," he chuckles. "And you should be proud of the things that you are proud of."

"Congratulations," Trace says when Artemisia mentions that she is dating Hawthorne. "He's one of the plant guys over at Starlight, right?" He doesn't know him personally but does know the name. "Lazy summer vibes are great," he agrees. "Fall's my favorite, but I'm enjoying the warmth here on the islands." He then nods in agreement, "Pride was a lot of fun. All the events were great and people seemed to really have a good time. Hope you'll be doing it again next year. I'm surprised they didn't have one last year, but I guess the park had just opened.."

When Trace says that he doesn't think that he's humble, Enzo can't help but cant his head to the side, looking thoughtfully at the winged-one, saying nothing.

"Ah. Well, congratulations are in order then. It's nice that the both of you found each other. Finally." Look, Enzo's been at the park for almost a year now and as a roamer type, he's watched people. Has he played match-maker in his mind? Who knows! Probably, because his job was pretty boring.

One of his hands idly reaches out for Trace's to lace fingers with his, "I do want to thank you for making this evening even more special than what would have been just a boring midnight errand. I mean," His free hand gestures around them. "This is nice."

"Yeah. He's the tall one with long hair," Artemisia explains. "Gives kind of tree vibes." Whatever that means. She laughs when Enzo says finally. "We've been kind of dating but not like together since the auction," she recalls. Enzo was in that auction.

Artemisia stops painting for a moment to give Enzo a smile of genuine pleasure. "Goes both ways. I'm happy for the company."