Work Text:
Contrary to their habits, Bauhaus meandered across the windy City. After this day's exhausting meeting, they needed a bit of brisk air to clear up their mind — and they did not want to go back home directly. For months, they had worked hard on the design of a new plaza. Large open areas to walk, residential units fitting perfectly together and, on the western side of the plaza, their masterpiece: a whole cubic building dedicated to culture, with a library, a cinema, a theater, and so on. Urban and interior designs were harmoniously entangled, from huge outside walls to each bench. Pure genius. Alas, Bauhaus had found out this day that the Planners had completely defiled their ideas. Bauhaus tried in vain to convince them that the project should be considered as a whole: the cultural centre was part of the public square and should be mirrored by the housing lots on the other side. It was not that hard to understand! But these stubborn Planners were completely blind to functional aesthetics. ’Bauhaus‘, they told them with a condescending tone, ‘don't you think a whole plaza in that style would feel a bit, how to say, oppressive?‘ Instead, they decided to grant Bauhaus only the construction of the cultural centre and somestyle else would get the public plaza; moreover the housing lots would be replaced by shops and cafés.
Thinking again about the Planners' unctuous words made Bauhaus fulminate. Think about something soothing, they told themself. Circles. Circles are nice. Perfect. Inspire. Expire. Circles. They calmed down a bit.
Bauhaus considered refusing altogether this project. They should have, probably. But they could not afford to do so. Money was tight. They even had to share a House now. And that was another problem on Bauhaus's mind, as they were more of a self-sufficient kind. To live now in a Frankenhouse of four! The least insufferable Housemate was Gothic. Sure, they had their quirks —many quirks, quirks, quirks— and Bauhaus would not go as far as saying they got along. Nonetheless, Gothic was both consistent and ambitious, and Bauhaus respected them for that. The other two, however...
After circling for a long time, Bauhaus finally arrived home. The common room on the first floor was lit. Bauhaus was taking a long breath when they were greeted by a loud, reverberated "Good evening, Bauhy! How was your day?". Gothic was standing just behind them, their arches full of grocery bags. Bauhaus opened the door for them.
"Disastrous," answered Bauhaus.
A few seconds of silence followed. Gothic stared at Bauhaus through their stained glasses. Oh, right, opening up, thought Bauhaus. They explained the chainsaw cut the Planners had made to their project.
"Oh, that's awful, awful, awful." said Gothic. "But don't take it too personally, we all get through that. And you're actually lucky to have still a whole building for yourself. In my early days, I was only allowed to add a choir here or a nave there. I got my first whole projects solely because Romanesque is unable to follow fire safety regulations..."
Fire stirred up bad memories to Bauhaus, so they cut the talk short and went directly upstairs, leaving Gothic in the kitchen. The two other Housemates were in the common room, playing some board game. "And with that master stroke of mine, my dearest friend, I dare to announce it: Uno." said Baroque. "We're playing draughts, Baroque," answered Nouveau.
Bauhaus stopped dead at the entrance of the common room. "For Corbusier's sake," they swore.
Nouveau moved a piece on the board. "Clouds of foam oozing from the waves. Ocean." said Baroque, without noticing Bauhaus. "We're still playing draughts, Baroque," replied Nouveau. Without looking away from the game, they greeted Bauhaus and asked them the reason of their annoyance.
"Isn't it obvious? That," said Bauhaus, pointing to all the leaves. On the wall, dozens of carefully carved ivy leaves were whirling up and down.
"Oh, well, yes, Baroque made them this afternoon. Isn't it lovely?" explained Nouveau. Baroque greeted Bauhaus with a timid gesture.
Of course this superfluous adornment was Baroque's idea and of course Nouveau would not see the problem. This was not really a surprise for Bauhaus. Calm down. they thought. Avoid the conflict. Circles. Yellow squares. Blue triangles. Bauhaus tried as much as possible to dodge quarrels with their Housemates, as they could not afford to live on their own. Not anymore. Not after having been evicted three times from their former Houses.
Gothic entered the common room by the opposite door and walked right to Nouveau. "Hi Gothigo!" said Nouveau. "Hi Nouv'" replied Gothic. They did a little pogo dance and bumped their walls against each other. Gothic then noticed the board game: "Hi Barobar, learning a new game?"
"Yes, Nouveau obliges me with the art and craft of mahjong," answered Baroque.
"Still draughts, Baroque."
Bauhaus remained as impassive as concrete: this little complicity of theirs was unbearable. They could never feel in harmony with them. Gothic noticed Bauhaus's coldness. "The leaves," Bauhaus snapped, gesturing to the creeping decoration. Gothic looked around the room and turned to Nouveau, puzzled.
"Baroque's idea. They thought it could make the room in tune with the season," answered Nouveau. "I actually like them," they added with a faint snarky smile. "Maybe we should also add some flowers." Nouveau could never resist teasing Bauhaus.
"Don't you dare!" said Bauhaus. Circles. Triangles. Yellow, red. "Look, I know housesharing means making compromises but we all agreed the common room should stay neutral."
"Neutral, not dead," answered Nouveau. "Come on, it's just a few leaves. They are not even gilded!"
Bauhaus left the room, without a word.
"I designed underground entrances that are more engaging," said Nouveau.
"Why such a temper?" asked Baroque.
"Bauhy got their project redefined by the Planners," explained Gothic. "Apparently they left them only one building, somestyle else will design the public plaza and the other buildings."
Baroque stiffened slightly. "Well, that's not a source of joy, for sure, but it is nonetheless a blessing to get a brand new building, isn't it? Most of us contend themselves with restoration works... Oh, check, Nouveau!".
"Draughts, Baroque."
Bauhaus's days were filled with work. The cultural centre was their current main project, the most ambitious one so far, but they were also working on furniture and decoration gigs. These side projects were badly paid (especially considering all the genius Bauhaus put into them!) but at least the Planners were less interventionist for small-scale projects. One of these was creating new furniture for a bookshop. Bauhaus had designed black steel bookshelves with tubular aluminium frames: a practical structure, robust enough to hold up twice as many books as the previous wooden bookshelves. And it was, of course, gorgeous. The lines of shiny tubes gave a feeling of unending shelves, unlimited knowledge!
On the way back from the bookshop, where they had made some final measurements, Bauhaus made a detour to have a look at the construction site. The foundations of their cultural centre were sketched on the grounds, some excavation works already started. At long last. When this building is finished, the world would finally have a glimpse of their brilliant radicalness. And no Planner would dare to cut Bauhaus's projects anymore. Bauhaus contemplated the plaza in front of their cultural centre and, with a sigh, walked across the works. Judging from the excavation works, their cubic cultural centre would be flanked by two extravagant epicycloidal facades, maybe with a colonnade or an arcade. On the opposite side, a convex facade would protrude on the plaza, perhaps for a fountain. Bauhaus did not know yet whom the Planners had chosen for the rest of the design but it was obviously somestyle out of their mind.
When Bauhaus arrived at home, Gothic and Nouveau were talking in the middle of the common room and Baroque was drawing on a table nearby.
"I just don't feel it, Gothigo," said Nouveau.
"Unknot it, Nouv'," replied Gothic. "You should go with us, it will be fun."
"But what if they are also there?"
"My dearest friend," intervened Baroque without stopping from drawing, "you cannot avoid Romanesque for the rest of your life."
"Nouv', you should get over them. There are plenty more Styles in the skyline," added Gothic.
Bauhaus could not be more bored by such a frivolous talk and went to their chamber. On the way, they glimpsed a bit of Baroque's drawings. Complicated flower patterns, extravagant mythological sculptures, helical stairs. Bauhaus retched. "I hope you are not sketching new decorations for the common room," said Bauhaus. Baroque startled.
"What? Oh, er, well, no. I'm working on a new project," they answered, all marbles growing pink.
"You got a new project? Congratulations," said Bauhaus, flatly.
Bauhaus could manage the basics of politeness but would not go as far as partaking in others' happiness, especially Baroque's. Not yet, at least, not when they still had to fight for their ideas, not when they were still stuck at the stage of having their projects corrupted by the Planners... Hold on, thought Bauhaus. "What is your project exactly?"
"Oh, er, nothing clearly defined yet, a kind of outdoor passageway, with a fountain..." answered Baroque, evasively. Bauhaus dashed to Baroque's drawing table. I knew it! These curves, the outdoor arcades, even the protuberant convex wall for a fountain, everything was there.
"You!" yelled Bauhaus. "You are the one designing the plaza! You stole my project! How dare you!"
"Calm down! I didn't steal anything, you know the decision is made by the Planners!"
"But you could have withdrawn your design! You knew what this project meant to me!" shouted Bauhaus.
Actually, how could they have known? Bauhaus barely spoke to their Housemates, and certainly did not share anything with Baroque or Nouveau. But Baroque was too upset to point out the contradiction.
"Withdrawn? Do you think you are the only Style to struggle? The Planners were only giving me restoration works."
"Well, not my fault if you are outdated."
"Do you know how many decades I waited for a brand new project?" resumed Baroque, without noticing Bauhaus's remark. "For Bernini's sake, withdrawing? And why didn't you withdraw your project so that I can design the whole plaza? How am I supposed to have a cubic building fitting my epicycloidal facades?"
"Stiffen your curves! How am I supposed to make glass and concrete match your pinkish marbles?" Bauhaus caught sight of the drawing of cherubs on a fountain. "And don't tell me the visitors of my cultural centre will have a view on these abominations!" fulminated Bauhaus. They left the common room angrily and dashed to their chamber, almost jostling Nouveau and Gothic, who had come closer, ready to intervene.
"Oh, you were right," said Nouveau to Gothic, "Bauhaus does have emotions. A pity it's only anger."
The next days, Bauhaus avoided the common room as much as possible. They were furious and depressed. Their beautiful, perfect, cubic building, perverted by surrounding facades drawn by Baroque? How were they supposed to accommodate to such a thing? If at least the Planners had granted the design of the plaza to Brutalism or Constructivism, or even—let's be crazy—to Classical, Bauhaus would have known how to avoid an aesthetic cacophony. But with Baroque? Had this Style ever drawn a straight line?
Walking through the city, Bauhaus was absorbed by their thoughts. The bookshop owner had been ecstatic about the bookshelves but that was a cold comfort. The Planners are completely deranged, thought Bauhaus. Of all Styles, granting Baroque the design of a plaza? Their last project of that kind was a disaster. It was centuries ago but the Styles were still talking about it. The Planners wanted then an large open area so that as many people as possible could view a balcony. (Planners' requests for proposals were often weird.) Bauhaus could hardly think of a requirement easier to fulfill: just draw a triangle with an obtuse angle at the balcony. But Baroque wanted grandeur and curves: they put the balcony on the side of a trapezium (a trapezium, for Corbusier's sake!) and opened the trapezium on an oval. The oval, of course, was cluttered by an obelisk and two fountains. As a result, the balcony was invisible from almost a fifth of the plaza... This bombastic Style was unable to think of the function of space.
Still brooding, Bauhaus picked up the post before entering their Frankenhouse. There was an envelope for Gothic and a letter from the Planners for Bauhaus. Probably yet another absurd change to be made on the cultural centre. They did not hurry to open it. At that stage, it could only be bad news.
Bauhaus went up to the common room. Gothic, Nouveau, and Baroque were drinking some cocktails with a cherry. "Hello, Bauhaus, I'm trying a new recipe. Have a glass!" offered Nouveau.
"Hello. Gothic, you got post" said Bauhaus while giving them their envelope. Gothic opened it, there was a postcard inside. Bauhaus left the common room without another word.
"I designed cemeteries that are more joyful." said Baroque.
"Well, at least we know why they hate you. But me? I am the most adorable Style!" said Nouveau, shocked.
"It's not you. There's a wall there. Trust me," replied Baroque.
"What do you think, Gothigo?" asked Nouveau.
Gothic was absorbed by their post. The card depicted a few stone shanties with roofs made of thatch, in a hilly landscape. On the other side, a few words: "Lots of works here. Great landscapes with mountains as only cathedrals and maypoles like black bell towers. Wish you could be here with me. I miss you. Love, Vernacular". Gothic's gargoyles had turned vermilion.
"Gothigo? asked Nouveau again.
"What?"
"We were wondering how somestyle could ever hate me," replied Nouveau, theatrically mimicking despair.
"Don't worry, Nouv', everystyle loves you," Gothic said absently.
"Is that missive the bearer of bad news?" asked Baroque.
"Oh, no, that's Verny. They, uh, have fun and say hello to you."
"I miss them too," said Nouveau. "The House was funnier when they lived here."
Gothic jumped on the occasion to change the topic: "Barobar, you should square this quarrel with Bauhy before the mood here becomes insufferable."
"How could I and why should I do that, my dearest friend?" replied Baroque. "I did not start this battle and they barely agree to be in the same room as I."
"As for why, the reason is simple: Bauhy will never make the first step."
"Horrendous grounds for a gesture of mine. But enlighten me about the appropriate conduct."
"Start talking to them in a simpler way. They are more receptive to direct sentences with few incisive words."
"Repulsive!" said Baroque.
"That's a good start!" answered Gothic while leaving the common room with an echoing laughter. They went to their chamber where they read and read and read again Vernacular's words.
With a sigh, Baroque stood up. "I fear Gothic is right. My dear Nouveau, should I not survive this ordeal, I bestow you my collection of ivy leaves. Corruturum te salutat!
"Hold your capitals high, my valiant friend. Try not to lose your marbles!" answered Nouveau.
In their chamber, Bauhaus was also reading their post. But letters from Planners were less affectionate:
Dear Bauhaus,
The Council of Planning informs you that its Urban Committee has preselected your proposal for a residential area (regarding Request for Proposals #1952). You are invited to submit a full project by the end of the year. The final selection will take place three months later.
Yours buildingly,
The Council of Planning
Bauhaus had almost forgotten they had submitted a pitch for that request. A whole neighbourhood. Bauhaus had dreamt of it for years. At last, the opportunity to put every building in its right place! From libraries to apartments, from bus stops to kindergarten, everything for every activity, nearby, where it should! A Style's fantasy. It was only a preselection, sure, but which Style had a better chance than Bauhaus to win a total urban project like that?
And yet, Bauhaus was not as ecstatic as they should have been. After what the Planners did to their cultural plaza, it was hard not to fear such a fate for every project. Splitting a plaza between Styles was already disastrous for the aesthetics but if they split a neighbourhood... Bauhaus already had a dreadful vision of a fountain from Baroque in the middle of a road.
Bauhaus was dragged out of these appalling thoughts by a knock on their door. "Esteemed Bauhaus, would you be so kind to..." Baroque paused, remembering Gothic's piece of advice. "Bauhaus, we need to talk." Baroque felt uneasy to be that straight.
"You mean you want to talk," replied Bauhaus, sharply.
"Beside my humble volition, it would be of utmost importance for the House that we..." Baroque corrected themself. "I mean, I want to and we need to."
Bauhaus paused for a second. They hated to admit it, but Baroque was right: they could not continue to avoid silently each other. However erroneous the combination the Planners had made, they had to be professional and know a bit more about each other's project. For that, they needed to talk. And for that, Bauhaus would need to be patient and polite. Circles. Squares. Yellow. "Sit down," suggested Bauhaus, gesturing to a Wassily chair.
Baroque felt offended. "On a torture instrument?"
"That's a chair, silly."
Baroque sat down cautiously. Much to their surprise, it was actually very comfortable. The backrest swung softly when they shifted their weight. Baroque realized this sensation would be impossible to achieve with a marble bench.
Both stayed silent for a long moment, obviously considering that the first one to talk would lose something. Baroque thought they had already done more than their part: they were still shivering at the thought of the long, bright white, squared hallway they had to follow to reach Bauhaus's chamber. As for Bauhaus, they actually did not know how to open the topic of collaboration without being mean. As the silence grew more and more awkward, Bauhaus hastily asked the first non-aggressive question that crossed their mind. "What happened between Romanesque and Nouveau?"
That startled Baroque. Beyond being off-topic, the question was completely unexpected: Bauhaus was notorious for not having any interest in gossip whatsoever. Actually, pondered Baroque, that was the first time ever that Bauhaus asked something about somestyle else.
"Well, Nouveau and Déco used to be very intimate, for quite a long time. Then Déco met Romanesque at a massive Style convention. Love at first building site. In the beginning, Nouveau was actually quite comprehensive and also liked Romanesque but after a while... well, Nouveau hates triangles so they seceded. I'm sorry, I should have told you."
"What? Uh, no, it's not... I'm not that inter... " muttered Bauhaus, caught off-avant-garde.
"I mean, for the plaza. I could not withdraw of course but I should have told you the Planners asked me to design the plaza. I'm sorry."
A few seconds of silence ensued. Blue. Triangles. Circles. Bauhaus tried to think about it calmly. Baroque was right, they could not withdraw, even if it was the right thing to do. Bauhaus themself could not afford to withdraw.
"Yes, you should have told me." said Bauhaus. They tried to think of something more polite to add---but in vain.
"But the truth is: You scare me. You're so cold and distant. You remind me of Classical." Few words could have been more insulting to Bauhaus.
"I have nothing in common with that pompous, presumptuous Style!" yelled Bauhaus.
That burst made Baroque shake. They started to crumble. "Not on the surface, of course," sobbed Baroque. "But I mean, you both, you are, you know..." A flow of tears interrupted Baroque's words. Bauhaus froze: vulnerability was their structural weakness. "You are so clear!" Baroque managed to say between two sobs, almost shouting.
Bauhaus had no idea what that meant, in particular if that was supposed to be a shared trait with Classical. But Baroque was now crying from all their fountains and Bauhaus could not bear tears. They patted Baroque's cherubs. "Calm down," said Bauhaus quietly. "Here, look at that perfect yellow circle. Shhhh, it's ok." Baroque's fountains slowly dried up.
"But we are condemned to be ourselves, Bauhaus!" said Baroque when they got their breath back. "I would like, for once, to design a minimalist project. But the Planners never let me! ‘Baroque‘, they told me, ‘If we call you, it's obviously because we want some grandeur for that plaza. Otherwise we would have let Bauhaus design the whole project. So please do your things with helical curves, mythological statues, colonnades and the likes.‘ They said that with such a condescending tone!"
Bauhaus knew exactly what tone Baroque was referring to. This confession opened up a vault in Bauhaus. They, too, knew that pressure to be perfectly themself. A few tears were starting to trickle down from their gutters.
"I... actually like the plaza you designed a few centuries ago," said Bauhaus, their voice almost choked.
"The one with so many blind spots? You're just mocking me, I know what other Styles think about it."
"No, I mean it! Sure, it's not perfectly functional but I find that there is something liberating in that waste of space. A way of telling: 'Every squared centimeter of that plaza is interesting on its own. And who cares about a balcony? That's my plaza!'"
"Thank you. I actually hate that balcony."
They stayed silent for a while. Bauhaus then said suddenly: "I think we could do it."
"Do what?"
"The cultural plaza. Together. There could be a way to combine our projects."
"What? But the Planners asked us to stick to ourselves."
"Of course, we won't change that. After all, that's what we do best. And I am unable to draw an ivy leaf anyway. But with a few adjustments, I am sure both our projects could fit together."
Bauhaus reached for the model of their cultural centre. "Look, this cube has three floors. If I remove a part on the first floor and another one on the second floor and if I stretch the terrace a bit..."
Baroque looked at the result, astounded. The cubic construction looked now like three-step stairs with wings. The construction was still definitely Bauhaus's and yet it opened up on the plaza in a completely new way. Baroque added their own model on the table, trying to fit Bauhaus's new building. They chose two different curves for the inner and the outer columns of the surrounding passageways: the curves now looked simultaneously bent and straight, depending on the viewpoint. Moreover, they gradually flattened the arc joining the capitals: the arcade of the fountain now slowly evolved into a colonnade when it reached Bauhaus's building, at the level of the first terrace.
"Great!" shouted Bauhaus. "We still have to think of a solution for the materials but we're heading somewhere!"
After Bauhaus and Baroque began to collaborate, the construction of the plaza had progressed at a tremendous pace. Bauhaus was feeling a strange satisfaction with the evolution of their building. For sure, they still considered the Planners had made a huge artistic mistake by refusing Bauhaus's initial project of a Gesamtkunstwerk from the whole plaza to the smallest doorknob. But on the other side, Bauhaus was starting to see an unexpected concrete benefit: they could now prove that, with subtle adjustments, their buildings could fit anywhere. Literally anywhere. Bauhaus was already envisioning their buildings all over the City, near Gothic's cathedrals, Industrial's factories, Timurid's mausolea, or even Nouveau's mansions: the skyline was the limit.
And that could also help Baroque to get new projects, thought Bauhaus. Actually, I don't know if they are currently working on something else. Bauhaus stopped. They did not know why, but these thoughts were slightly unsettling, like a triangle with rounded corners. They decided it was their cue to make a break from work and left their chamber for the common room.
Gothic was there, teaching some yoga move to Nouveau. "Stretch that arch. Let your buttress fly outside you. Do you feel how that relieves all the tension?"
"Hello, Gothic, hello Nouveau. Is Baroque home?" asked Bauhaus.
"Yes, they are in their chamber," replied Nouveau.
"Great!" said Bauhaus, heading towards the second floor.
"Wait a minute, did you just smile?" asked Nouveau.
"You've been getting along with each other lately," added Gothic, miming a suggestive pointed arch.
"What? We just work together for the sake of our projects. I'll go check with them if everything is in order for the unveiling. By the way, Nouveau, would you agree to mix some cocktails of yours for the party afterwards?"
"Uh, yes, with pleasure," answered Nouveau, surprised.
"Thank you very much, my dearest friend," replied Bauhaus while leaving the common room to join Baroque upstairs.
"What just happened exactly?" asked Nouveau, puzzled.
"I think we are witnessing the blossoming of a new Style," answered Gothic.
An extravagant helical stair with an intricate wooden balustrade led to the second floor of the Frankenhouse, where Baroque's chamber lay. Two caryatids of Nereids framed the chamber entrance. Bauhaus had actually never gone there before, as Baroque and they usually worked together in the common room or on the construction site.
Baroque was absorbed in painting something on a small canvas. On the left wall, dozens and dozens of cherubs whirled all over the wall. The window on the right offered a view of a nearby garden, where a gravel alley separated a lush pink and red azalea bed from a neatly cut lawn under a bright blue sky. This gave Bauhaus a strange but not unpleasant sensation for a few seconds, before realizing that they were in winter, at twilight. "Holy Rohe!" swore Bauhaus, slightly irritated to have fallen for a trompe-l'œil.
Baroque, startled, turned around and quickly hid a jar of primary red paint. "Oh, hello Bauhaus!"
"Hello Baroque. I just wanted to check, is everything in order for you?"
"I went to the construction site this morning, everything seems fine. The fountain still needs some polishing but it will be finished on time. And on your side?"
"The nested tubular tables should arrive tomorrow. Otherwise I think everything is in order."
"Great!"
Bauhaus went through every aspect of the project but could not find any other work-related topic. They both stayed silent for a few awkward seconds. "So... everything is fine then," said Bauhaus.
"Uh, yes, I think so."
Another uncomfortable silence ensued before Baroque added "So, uh, we'll see each other at the unveiling ceremony."
"Yes, see you there," replied Bauhaus. "Well, we live in the same House, so, I guess..."
"Oh, uh, yes, of course, we'll see each other before. I mean, well, for this collaboration, we..."
"Right, we don't need any more, uh, work meetings. Unless unexpected problems happen... unexpectedly."
"Yeah, sure, you're right."
"I wish you'll enjoy a pleasant evening," greeted Bauhaus.
"Have a nice evening too," replied Baroque.
Bauhaus hastily went back to their chamber and beheld a blue circle to calm down. What was that? they asked themself.
The cultural centre cast a squared shadow on the plaza under the moonlight. The unveiling ceremony had been quite a success. The Planners' speeches had been as boring and formulaic as usual, of course, but the Styles were genuinely enthusiastic of the cultural plaza. Bauhaus received a lot of praise from Déco and Futurism, while Palladian and Byzantine were very interested in Baroque's passageways. The following party had also been awesome. Vernacular even bothered to stay a night in the City for the party (they did not stay long though, and Gothic excused themself shortly after). Nouveau and Romanesque talked to each other. This evening had been as perfect as a circle.
Every other Style had left by now. Bauhaus was on the terrace of the second floor, from which they had a view on the whole plaza. The shadow of their building was stretching to the foot of Baroque's fountain, The Ecstasy Thanks to Culture. Water was springing from it; that was the only sound to be heard.
Baroque joined them from the northern colonnade. "So... thank you for this collaboration," said Baroque. Although they had spent a lot of time together, they had only talked about the project. Now that it was over, Baroque felt a bit uneasy to be in front of Bauhaus, not knowing what to say.
"Thank you very much," replied Bauhaus. They resumed after a few seconds. "And, uh, sorry for having yelled at you when I discovered you were designing the plaza."
An apology. From Bauhaus. Baroque's columns shivered under such a historical trembler.
"Don't trouble yourself, it's perfectly understandable. Everystyle would have been mad."
They both felt deep in contemplation of the plaza. Their plaza. "We should..." They laughed: they had started to talk at the same time.
"Go ahead," said Bauhaus.
"I think we should work together again. If you agree, of course."
"I do. Actually, I was thinking, for my next project, I would like to add a few public gardens and I know you have a lot of experience with that."
"Oh, with pleasure!" Baroque answered keenly.
Bauhaus felt something in their little cube. A new sensation. They should explore it. Open up, they urged themself.
"Baroque, thank you for opening my cube."
"You're welcome, but I did nothing but cry, the idea to open the building on the plaza was yours."
Not the cube I meant, thought Bauhaus. Second try.
"Baroque, I think... I think you are the circle I've always craved for. My circle."
"Pardon?"
"I would like to know you better. To see you more often. Not just for work. If you agree, of course."
Baroque's dome pounded frantically. "Oh, Bauhaus, I would love to, but I am not sure, I think you are my cardioid, or, uh, my circle as you say but it's complicated, you are you and I'm me and we have fun but we are also so different, could we build something stable and I'm worried and how solid are our foundations, I have thought a lot about ourselves recently, I don't deserve you, what if you get bored but I..."
"Baroque, stop spiralling and Gibbs me a concrete answer."
"I love you."
All Bauhaus's squares turned primary red. They leaned towards Baroque and gently kissed their fountains. Baroque let an uncertain but passionate cherub wander over Bauhaus's skyscraper, while their yellow triangle meandered across Baroque's labyrinth of convex and concave walls. All their buildings erected themselves as they merged closer clumsily. Their forms were a completely new territory for each other. Eagerly, Bauhaus's tubular furniture filled Baroque's grand hall. Bauhaus explored Baroque's conical helical stairs as Baroque gently brushed Bauhaus's glass patio door. "No Baroque, that's triangular-shaped, your Solomnic column won't... Oh my Gaudí, it does, don't stop!". Rubbing concrete on marble, gliding wood on glass, tinkling steel on gold: the sensations were unknown and exhilarating.
Exhausted, they rested, two Styles intertwined. "Baroque, will you teach me how to draw an epicycloidal curve?"
"Only if you teach me how to draw a straight line, Bauhaus."
Nestling closer against each other, they looked at the skyline.