Paintings and Teenage Awkwardness

Who: Corwin and Shannon
Where: The Quinlan house
When: Shortly after sunset

Back on the rounds again. Getting into a routine again. That's what Corwin was hoping to do, that night. Sure, he had some specific errands to run... but those wouldn't take him all night. All he had to do was get those out of the way, and he could get back into his routine of checking each various house along his "route" to make sure the people inside were still safe and sound. Maybe watch them a little from afar, through a window, before he moved on.

At this first house on his stop, though-- not quite following said "route", as usually his first house was Delilah's, but this was one of his errands-- he wasn't here to watch. He actually got to be here legitimately, and come right up to the front porch and knock like a real, living person visiting a friend.

Eric was bouncing on his heels behind him, brought along, as promised, and a little antsy about it.

Shannon had been in the kitchen having a bit to eat, after seeing to it that Jasper had been fed, when the knock to her door was heard. Quietly slipping from her chair the red head made a slow wander from the kitchen to the front door of the residence. A peek out the narrow window in the door had a smile caught to her features. She knew he would be coming, he had told her that earlier via email, but that didn't make the sight she glimpse on the other side of the door any less welcome.

"Hello Corwin." She said softly, and with a gentle smile as the door opened to her visitor, or visitors as it was when Shannon spied Eric behind Corwin. Her smile seemed to brighten instantly at seeing the teen ghost. "Hello Eric." She smiled with the easing close of the door behind her as she stepped out onto the small porch.

"Hullo," Corwin said, back, pulling his scarf down so she could see his smile. Eric just waved shyly from the walk, rather than the porch proper, looking a bit embarrassed and awkward. He was good at that. "How are you?" Corwin asked, reaching out a hand maybe an inch or two in her direction before he remembered her dislike of touching and pulled it back, tucking both hands into his pockets.

"I am doing well. I'm glad you came by." She might be one who often hid herself away in the seclusion of her own house to avoid the public in general, but Corwin was one of the rare few she felt somewhat at ease around and actually did find a certain pleasure in talking to. Aiden had said on more the one occasion that she needed to get out more and not be almost like the town hermit, though she was sure he'd rather she do that then be in the company of the vampire.

"How have you been?" She queried back with the softness of a smile lingering on her face.

Leaning against the railing a little bit, to be more comfortable where he stood, Corwin shrugged lightly. "Hanging in there. It's been an exhausting few days."

An exhausting week, Eric corrected, hands stuck in the back pockets of his jeans and eyes on Shannon, looking her over as if trying to find injuries or changes since the last time he saw her.

"At least the worst of it... seems to be over," Corwin sighed.

"I think that's why Aiden felt it'd be all right to leave. I doubt he would have left for a couple days if the shadow things were still a threat." That in no way was a comfort to Shannon. Sure the shadowlike creatures seemed to have gone, but she now knew what her brother did, and each time he went away on one of his "trips" it filled her with a constant worry until he showed up back at the house in pretty much one piece.

"At least we all survived." She said to both of them. That was something to be thankful for, wasn't it.

"Where does Aiden keep disappearing to?" Corwin asked with a little frown. "Isn't this the second or third time he's been out of town since I met you?" And that seemed like a lot, given he hadn't known Shannon that long. Eric didn't say anything this time, but he was still watching her.

"He...he's a security consultant." She told him. Shannon really didn't like telling an untruth to Corwin, but she couldn't tell him the truth about what Aiden actually did. Security consultant sounded like a plausible reason as to why Aiden took frequent trips from Marquette.

"Hello Eric." Shannon said again with a smile to the teen who seemed to just be silently lingering a few feet behind Corwin. She didn't want him to feel like he was being left out of it all. And if he'd been looking for any visible signs of injury to her person he wouldn't find them. Though if Aiden hadn't been home the other morning she very well could have felt the full impact of one of the shadow things claws as it tore through her shirt into the flesh beneath.

Corwin was curious about the security consultant thing-- especially why it might make Shannon nervous to talk about it-- but he was really more interested in letting Eric and Shannon talk a little, since Shannon seemed to be making a concerted effort for it now. So he kept his mouth shut. Eric looked between them briefly, as if drawing support from the vampire who'd killed him, and then said back, Hey, Shannon.

Aah, awkward teenagers.... Corwin doubted he could've done much better himself, but it was still kind of... weirdly painful and yet amusing at the same time.

Sorry I haven't been by in a while, Eric continued, still awkwardly, and now looking at Shannon's feet.

"You don't need to apologize." She told him with a soft smile. "A lot has been happening in town lately." Shannon moved to one of the chairs to sit down. "You're here now with Corwin to visit." And wasn't that all that mattered at the moment. Shannon couldn't, and didn't, expect either of them to visit on a daily basis, especially with the possibility that her brother might be around.

For a moment, Eric seemed completely tongue-tied, so Corwin stepped in to try and rescue him a little. "So how did the painting go? You said you made three-- all of those shadows?" And he really kind of wanted to see them, but he didn't know if she was still abiding by the not-letting-him-in thing. It wasn't as if he could get in without her invitation, so it was a moot point.

"Yes." She answered softly. "I can bring one out so you can view it." Shannon offered up. Trying to get all three out would be a bit more then the red head could manage in one trip, one would be easier and simpler to carry from her makeshift studio out onto the porch. Her eyes slipping briefly to Eric with a wonder if something was wrong as he seemed to be in an awfully quiet mood, though that hadn't seemed to still him from looking over at her.

"Oh, I'd like that," Corwin smiled. "If it isn't too much trouble, or anything. I haven't seen any of your work yet... seems like I probably should, at some point, it's a big part of who you are, right?" Eric just watched quietly, looking distinctly awkward and oddly unsettled.

Shannon smiled softly in return. Rising slowly up from her seat the red head made a turn for the door. "I'll only be a moment." She told the pair before disappearing past the door and into the house.

Corwin settled back against the railing to wait, shooting Eric a brows-raised, "well, what?" kind of look. Eric returned it with an irritated, awkward shrug and looked away sharply. "You could at least talk to her," Corwin whispered, confused.

I don't know what to say!

Sadly, considering Corwin had been in Eric's shoes once or twice, he really didn't have much to say to that. So they just waited in silence.

It only took a few short minutes for Shannon to decide which piece of the work she had done to show Corwin, and then make a return to the porch. Letting the covered canvas lean brief against the wall beside the door, Shannon opened it, then reached over to heft up the piece of work with both hands before stepping out onto the porch. One hand having a better hold on the canvas then the other as the canvas almost slipped from the grasp of her damaged hand a couple times. This one was of a shadowlike creature, with what appeared to be a dark shadowy, clawlike hand about to swipe out at a young dark haired woman standing a couple short feet from it with her back to the creature. The background of the pair made it appear like they were within the depths of a forest or wooded area.

"My mother always found what I seemed to capture to canvas or paper disturbing." Shannon said with a bit of sadness as the painting was set down on the porch floor, and leaned against the wall of the house for viewing by Corwin, and Eric if he were interested in seeing what kind of work she did.

"I don't think it looks disturbing at all," Corwin said, coming over to help her carry it when she almost dropped it, there, easing it down together and carefully not touching her own hands as he did so. "Or, well, not more disturbing than it should. You're very good." It wasn't as stylized as Ivan's paintings, but she had a very good eye for detail.

Who is it attacking? Eric asked quietly. Not you. Because the hair was wrong.

"Thank you." She said with an appreciative smile to Corwin for the compliment regarding her work. "I thought dark hair fit in better with the whole setting." Shannon said to Eric with a faint smile. Which had been why she also altered the location the actual almost attack had happened. In the depths of trees at night offered a darker, more foreboding effect for the viewer then within a kitchen at the edge of dawn.

Eric nodded, flicking his eyes from the painting to Shannon and back again, as if trying to find some deeper meaning than the relatively simple, if threatening, scene. "I ought to introduce you to Ivan," Corwin mused, oblivious to the ghost and whatever he might be thinking. "He's a painter, too, and he does a lot of things that are dark like this, though he does other things, too... you might like him. Or at least have someone to talk about art with." As he was hopelessly uneducated and untalented when it came to art of any kind.

"I don't know." Shannon said with a bit of hesitancy. She didn't do well around strange people, and paying a visit to someone's home she didn't know, if that might be what Corwin may have had in mind, that would just be too awkward for the dreamwalker. Even if they shared a little bit in common.

"Well, it's not like you have to," Corwin said, looking over at her with a little smile. "Was just a thought. He's nearly as shy as you are, though, if that helps." Though quite a bit more clingy, if allowed to be. Corwin didn't mind, of course-- he quite liked affection, shown physically or otherwise-- but he figured Shannon probably would.

"Can I let you know?" Shannon asked softly. There were other factors to consider here. Namely her brother, Aiden. She was abiding by a rule he set by not inviting Corwin to the house, but the one thing she wouldn't do. The one thing that would bring a little more ease to her brother's mind. Perhaps make him worry a little less about her while he was gone. She wasn't going to sever all contact with the man, even if he was a vampire. First and foremost in the red head's mind. He was a friend. Something she was greatly lacking. So, if she would agree to meet this friend of Corwin's she'd have to make certain Aiden wouldn't be around, cause that surely bring nothing but trouble all around.

Not able to help herself Shannon slid a brief glance over toward Eric. A question lingering at the edge of her tongue, though not quite finding it's way out to be spoken.

"Oh, of course," Corwin said, blinking at her for taking the suggestion so seriously. It had really just been a passing thought. "Take your time. He's new to town, and he's actually not in very good shape right now... the shadows did a number on him Friday, and he's been in the hospital. I'm supposed to pick him up in a little while and take him home, actually."

He's human, Eric added, as if maybe that would matter. Though he didn't freak out too bad when Corwin told him he was a vampire.

Shannon nodded understandingly to Corwin. If he was in a bad way, well there simply wouldn't be any way he could be brought around in the near future. "That's a good thing." Shannon said trying to get the semblance of a smile to reach her features. "I'm glad he didn't react too badly to that." Her gaze drifting back over to Corwin as she spoke.

"Me, too," Corwin sighed. "Though he didn't even realize it when I first showed him these." He pointed at his fangs. "I had to tell him. It was kind of strange, and awkward, but he got over it without me breaking his brain too badly."

"They can be unsettling to some people at first sight." Shannon said with a remembrance back to the first time she had seen Corwin. It wasn't like the sight had terrified her to death, not exactly. But once the initial shock had been over come a friendship of sorts seemed to engage between the two.

"Yeah, I know," Corwin said with a sheepish little grin. "And yet I have more people in this town who know and are okay with it than I've ever had in my life. Death. Whatever." It blew his mind sometimes, how many people had seen him, knew exactly what he was, and yet... didn't care. Billy's terror and Aiden's suspicions were much more normal to him, for all he hated them.

I think that's the way it should be, Eric sniffed defensively. There's nothing wrong with you.

"Eric.." Shannon had started to say something. Perhaps inquire as to if there was something wrong, but the dreamwalker's word were cut off with the saying of his name. Shannon instead moved to open the door and then to the painting to lift if from the porch floor. "I'm going to take this back inside." She said with a sudden glance to Corwin before she turned toward the door to escape briefly inside.

Corwin gave a little cough as she disappeared. "I think that might be my cue to give the two of you a moment alone," he murmured.

Corwin, Eric said with a pleading look, but Corwin was already backing up, waving the ghost up onto the porch. At least Eric didn't just follow him, but stayed put, albeit nervously.

Shannon returned a couple moments later after returning the one painting to the small grouping she had done. "He left?" Shannon askeed Eric when she found him the only one on the porch, a bit puzzled by Corwin's absence from the porch, with a slight nervousness/awkwardness now settling in. Not that she had ever minded being alone with Eric, it was just this time he seemed to have very little to say. Had she done, or not done something that had the teen ghost in a quiet mood.

He's down the street, Eric sighed, trying not to be irritated by what Corwin obviously thought was a good deed-- but now Eric had no idea what to say or do. I guess he thinks we need 'time alone' or something.

"Is there something wrong?" She quizzed him. "Did I....You just don't seem like yourself." Shannon shifting the question before the prior had been completely put to voice. Eric didn't seem himself, he was usually more talkative, and bubbly. Well that wasn't quite the word Shannon would have used, but it was the closest description of the ghost's normal personality that she could grasp to use at the moment.

Uh. No, you didn't, Eric said awkwardly, looking away and pushing his glasses up his nose. I'm just... it's been a long few days, you know? And I feel bad that I haven't been by-- And that she hadn't contacted him, either. And that they still couldn't go in her house. And that her brother hated Corwin, and could protect her. And that he couldn't touch her, even if he could touch her. --and I'm just not always really talkative, I guess, he finished lamely.

It may have been a reflective action when Eric looked away, or something within her subconscious that had drawn the action forth, but whatever it was it had Shannon lifting a hand toward Eric's shoulder. "Eric." She breathed his name. Her hand though never made actually contact with what she perceived to be the ghost's shoulder. The coldness the grazed her fingers, coupled with the sudden realization that she had extended a hand out to touch the teen, had Shannon slowly retracting her hand to lower it gently to her side.

Eric looked up with a blink at the movement, and it startled a little bit of a smile out of him. It's okay, he said, the smile turning a bit wry. You didn't do anything, I'm just in a funk, I guess. It happens sometimes. Corwin calls it me being a teenager and usually just lets me listen to music or play video games until it goes away. But he was coming to visit you, so I figured.... He'd wanted to go and see her, at least.

"I'm glad you came with." Shannon returned with the slight traces of a smile. Even if he did little talking, the red head was glad he had tagged along.

Though it took him a beat, Eric smiled a bit more and answered, Me, too. Long's I didn't, like, offend you or weird you out too bad.

"You didn't offend or weird me out" Saying the latter, just as hearing it said, had an odd sound to it. That saying wasn't one Shannon heard with any regularity, and she wasn't quite sure what its meaning was, but the red head didn't think it could mean anything good. "Worried me some, though." She said honestly, and with a lingering smile.

Eric almost laughed at the awkward repetition of his slang, but he managed to keep it to a real grin. Okay. Good, then. Don't be worried. He glanced over his shoulder; Corwin made a little shooing motion from down the sidewalk at him, and he rolled his eyes. Can I come in? he asked, though. Maybe, uh, see more of your paintings?

"If you like." She smiled back. Not like letting him come inside was going against anything her brother had said, and it wasn't like Eric had never been inside the place when she was the only one there. She was glad he seemed to be resorting to his old self, and though she had a slight twinge of regret that Corwin couldn't be let in and Eric could, Shannon welcomed the teen's company.

Shannon moved toward the door, and out of habit she left the door open to her guest after she stepped across the threshold into the house.