Vienna {h.s.}

chapter four - two days

edited 2/13/17

"I need a job." Vienna spoke into the phone. She tucked her foot under the other, waiting for a reply.

"I have an opening, but it's a traveling job. You won't be traveling much this year, but you need to be prepared to travel the next year." Vienna nodded, squinting her eyes as she thought it out. "It has great pay." She sighed at the comment, nodding her head.

"I'll think about it." And with that, she hung up, getting back to her art.

They had enough funds to support themselves, but Vienna was growing tired and anxious with the fact that the supply would end up running out. So she started looking for jobs. It wasn't a top priority, but it was a thing to do on her list. Oh, and one more thing.

She wasn't telling Venice.

It wasn't like she was keeping it a secret, she just was going to let Venice figure it out. She just didn't want to worry Venice, or maybe she just didn't want to let her know that their money wasn't enough to support them forever. She just wasn't ready to admit it.

"Hey stranger." Harry yelled through his front window. Vienna smiled, waving back at him with her paintbrush, her floor length windows all open and pointed toward Harry's house. A soft, brisk wind pulled through the room, causing bumps to appear on her legs, her shorts thin, and well, short.

"Duchess, will you let me come over?" Harry asked, and Vienna flushed, her paintbrush nearly falling from her fingertips.

"D-Duchess?" She recovered, and Harry smiled, nodding.

"Duchess." He stated, and Vienna pursed her lips as she smiled.

She went back to painting, her face still blushing. Her paintbrush took steady strokes, her eyebrows furrowed as she noticed a spot of paint that didn't belong. She blinked as she still felt eyes on her, and glanced up to see Harry staring at her, his chin sitting in the palm of his hand as his elbow rested.

"So can I come over?" Harry reiterated, and Vienna's eyes widened, nodding as she realized she hadn't answered before. "I'll be just a minute."

Vienna set down her paintbrush, stepping back a couple feet to examine her painting. She scowled, cocked hip to the side, arms crossed in front of her chest. Her foot twisted under her weight, and she propped it again to the other leg. She then turned, and locked the door to her art studio, only to have someone try to open it a couple seconds later.

"Aw, come on. Am I going to have to sit out here while you paint, duchess? Are you really going to do that to me?" Harry asked, and she could imagine the pout on his face.

"I just might." She replied, going back to paint.

"I want to see your art studio really bad. Please, Vienna." Harry pleaded through the door. And although she adored the way her name sounded rolling off of his tongue, he knew she would refuse.

"N-not yet." Vienna stammered, becoming shy with herself again.

"None of that love. I won't have you getting scared of me just because I pushed too hard. It was my fault, don't think anything else of it." Harry told her, and she blushed. He could practically read her feelings through a closed door.

"I'll be done in a minute, Harry." She informed him, and he hummed, sitting back against the door.

"I have a couple friends coming to visit me soon, and I would love for you to meet them." He said, and her stomach tightened.

He knew she didn't do well with strangers. He knew she was incredibly shy, and wouldn't be the best conversationalist, and yet he wanted to take her to meet them. And she kept silent, and that's when Harry knew she was overthinking it.

"Please let me come in, duchess. I want to talk to you." Harry begged, and he heard her sigh before she opened the door, making him fall straight on his back so he was looking right up at her. "Hi pretty." He greeted, and he saw her flush from the floor.

"Hi." She smiled, and he propped himself up on his elbows. He sat up, looking around the room, gazing with an open mouth at the work piled on the walls.

"This..." He trailed off, his eyes wide in wonder. She sighed, looking at her feel awkwardly. She hated people looking at her art, absolutely hated it. "Vienna, this is amazing." Harry breathed, standing up and walking over to her.

"I-it's nothing." Vienna wrapped her arms around her poorly covered torso, feeling the coolness from the outside suddenly bother her as she became self conscious.

"Love, don't you dare insult yourself. Your art is wonderful." He grinned, turning and examining the other wall. "Have you ever sold some of your work?" He asked, facing her, who was still closed up in herself. He could tell from her body language, she was sensitive about her work.

"No." She mumbled, and he trailed a couple fingers down her arm.

"Duchess, I didn't mean to get you nervous." He told her. She shivered, looking up at him with wide eyes. "You want to go get some tea? You look a little cold." Harry offered, and Vienna shook her head.

"It's okay, H." He grinned, and huffed in appreciation, something that didn't go unnoticed by Vienna. "What?" She inquired.

"You gave me a nickname." He sounded so giddy, and it made her smile faintly.

"You gave me a nickname too." She reminded him, and he nodded, engulfing her in a hug.

"And I am so very fond of it, duchess." He stated. She hesitantly returned the embrace, and he felt so complete by it.

She pulled back, and gazed at the painting once more, Harry smiling down at her from behind. He stood beside her, watching her artist mind work. He was so fascinated by the way she was, just the way she thought and acted and worked.

"So, about coming with me?" Harry asked, and Vienna glanced at him. She shuffled again, unconsciously away from him.

"I-I'm not good at people." Vienna told him. He sighed, going to stand in front of her.

"You're good with me." He objected, smirking at her which made her blush. "Is it because I'm different." He teased, fluttering his lashes with a silly smile on his face.

"No." She laughed, and he was infatuated with the way she had let loose.

Oh my god, her eyes crinkled, and her head tipped, and the sound that echoed off the walls was so beautiful. It was more beautiful than any music that he had ever created. And he wanted to burn it into a CD, and replay it, and he was so pathetic, but it was okay. Because he liked this girl, and it had been a very long while since he actually liked someone.

"It's because I'm... comfortable with you." She explained a bit more seriously. He nodded curiously. "I just, am very uncomfortable with people, but we've spent a lot of time together and I don't know. I just got... comfortable." She added.

"I'm glad you're comfortable with me, but these people are exactly like me, except they don't talk as slow." He joked, making Vienna smile.

"When is it?" She asked.

"Thursday."

"That only gives me two days to prepare!"

"It's two days, duchess." He reiterated, emphasis on just how long it was.

"I-I don't know, H." He could tell she was getting a little nervous, so he nodded.

"Next time then." He brushed off, and she relaxed a little.

"Next time would be lovely. But just give me a week's notice." She warned, and he chuckled.

"Of course." He assured her. "So, have you ever painted me, your muse?" And Vienna laughed at the relaxingly amusing man standing in front of her, wondering if he dropped from heaven's golden grip.