Steven opened his eyes to the obnoxious sound of an infant crying in his ear. He hated the ringtone he had gotten for his alarm setting on his phone, but that's why it woke him up. He gazed att he strange ceiling as he struggled to bring himself to full clarity, and hit the disable alarm button on his Palm Pilot. It was still disconcerting waking up in the new place. He got dressed in his faded JNCO's, slipped into some red Converse All-Stars, pulled a vintage Knight Rider shirt over his lean frame, that read "KITT HAPPENS." He gathered his few accessories: two smooth stones went into a pocket, his gem necklace, now missing four stones, went around his neck, his wallet, and his phone went in his other pocket. He headed out the door, whistling the tune from Cheers.
He knew where he was headed. He had walked the roads around his new condo enough to learn how to get to certain landmakrs which guided him to places he needed to be. This time, he headed into the French Quarter. He was going to stop in to a certain bar he knew of. As he walked through the crowded streets, he picked up a present for someone. He thanked the stall owner, and made his way through the mass of people easily. The sidewalks here were nowhere near crowded as in Manhattan.
His jade colored orbs looked up at his destination. The Hookah. He;d only been here once, but so much had happened that night, the location had been seared into his neural triggers. He smiled, and slid in the door as one of the patrons left. He didn't have to struggle his way to the bar, which amazed him, and he sat at an open stool. Mr. Terrafor scanned the employees eagerly hoping to find the tiny goth pixie he'd opened up to.
"-Damn it all to hell son of a bitch! If you two can't stop fighting like insane little children every time you work together I swear to fucking Christ I will shit can you both and just hire somebody else that knows how to behave and do they're job instead causing a ruckus and frightening off the customers!" The petite pixie's voice was probably able to be heard even though she was yelling from the kitchen at a couple of employees that were making her life a living hell. "I swear, if you two pull any more shenanigans, or I hear one more fucking squeak that sounds like an argument I will knock both of you upside the head with a rolling pin and toss your asses out on the street where you belong! Do you understand me?" She asked the question and stared down both men, both of them nearly twice her size until they each looked down sheepishly at their hands and gave a nod. "Good! Now, since you ran off most of the damn customers with that little stunt, your both on kitchen duty. I want to see the floors sparkling and everything shiny and clean next time I come back here."
Shaking her head the tiny goth girl turned on her heel and left the kitchen, walking through the hall that led back to the main room of the Hookah Lounge. She stopped before heading out through the door that would lead her out behind the bar, and grabbed her half apron, tying it about her slender waist and taking a few calming breaths. Her long midnight hair had been pulled back and held neatly with a clip though already strands were starting to fall loose around her face. Besides the apron she was dressed in a pair of baggy dark blue jeans that were held low on her hips by a rainbow colored belt. Her t-shirt was bright red with a rainbow going across the front and the logo, 'Skittles, taste the rainbow.' As usual her face was nearly devoid of make-up except for her eyes, those were lined thickly in black while her eyelids were dusted in a light red shadow and her lips, which were covered with a light pinkish gloss. The rest of her ensemble consisted of black boots and black gloves that covered her hands to her wrists.
Walking through the door, blue-green eyes fell on the girl behind the counter, finishing lighting maybe the lone customer that was left in the place's hookah, and gave her a small smile. "When you are done with that you can go ahead and take your break. I'll look after the bar for a bit." The girl smiled an appreciative thanks and picked up the smoking device to take it to the waiting customers table. Lorissa herself gave a small sigh. She should really be back in the office working on some of the paperwork that she'd been neglecting, but paperwork had never really been her strong suit and procrastination won out instead. Sometimes she missed the simple days of working at the hookah, when it had been all the free alcohol she could drink, just take care of the customers and the bar. Of course, there was still all the free alcohol she could drink, maybe she just wasn't cut out for management.
She walked over to the cooler that held their bottled beer and lifted the lid, pulling out a bottle and popping the cap off before her eyes noticed someone sitting at the end of the bar. She tilted her head to the side, taking a small sip of her beer before walking over. The little pixie recognized the guy at once, and tilted her head to the side, the smallest of smiles tugging at her lips. "Well look what the cat dragged in... What brings you here friend? Can I get you something?"
-- Edited by LORISSA MCDERMOTT on Tuesday 22nd of March 2011 11:37:33 PM
Steven winced in sympathy for whoever was getting yelled at. The woman he came to see was sure castigating them hard. He was wondering if he should expect one of those concussive air shocks again, or not. He just shook his head, his brown locks swaying lightly. He touched his lips to the glass of beer in front of him, letting the head-foam tickle his upper lip as he took a long pull from the heavy liquid. He set the glass back down, licking his upper lip to clear the foam off, and gave the young girl setting up a hookah a wink. She blushed despite her attempt to feign that she was used to it from customers. He just chuckled, and twirled the present behind his back.
Finally, the partners in crime were put in their place, and he heard some shuffling near the "employees only" door. He lowered his head over the beer as her hips pushed open the swinging door, and made her way behind the bartop. Her legs sashayed back and forth, and finally disappeared as she lifted the cooler lid. He brought his eyes up as she rummaged around.
When she found what she was looking for, she looked up, and his eyes met hers. They were a color like ocean water near the bahamas. He felt if he looked long enough he may hear the waves, so he broke the gaze, and pulled the gift from behind his back. It was a white tulip. "Hey, Lori. Sorry for disappearing the other morning, but I needed to take care of some things, and you looked so snug. I didn't want to disturb you. This is to make amends, and to thank you for the couch. It was quite comfortable."
He held the flower out to the girl, and waited. Steven didn't know this girl too well, but he definitely enjoyed her company. She had a way about her that said she didn't give a shit what people thought, but he knew she cared. But she wasn't going to let anyone hurt her. He liked her spirit. He just held her eyes until she answered.
The tiny goth girl watched his face for a moment as they stared back at one another, her head tilting slightly to the side. The beer bottle in her hand lifted to her lips and she took another swig in that silence before he spoke. His words had another slight grin tugging at her lips and she set her bottle down on the counter top in front of him, giving a slight shrug of her shoulders. "It's ok, I'm used to people disappearing on me." Even though she said it in a playful tone, the truth of that statement was in her eyes. Hearing that he didn't want to disturb her, that she had looked so snug had her lips pursing together. He must have caught her on a good day. No nightmares. Lucky him.
When he said he had something to make amends and to thank her for the couch, she lifted a slender ebony brow at him. The couch was probably half his size. There was really no way that she could think of that he had been comfortable in any position sleeping on it. "Comfortable? My couch? I can't even sleep on that thing comfortably! Are you sure you didn't catch some kind of fever?" She asked, leaning forward to place a gloved hand to his forehead. Well, it didn't feel warm to her, but then again, there was the barrier of that leather material. "I think you must be delirious," she joked as she pulled her hand away.
As he held the flower out to her, her lips parted in slight shock. She even blinked a few times just to make sure he was really holding out a flower to her. The tulip was lovely, but, she couldn't ever remember getting a flower from anybody before. It was the kind of thing she'd always read about in cheesy romance novels, or heard about from other women, but never something she expected for herself, and that was why she seemed so perplexed. "I... Umm..." Damn! Now she was acting like a brainless nitwit that couldn't string two words together.
She grabbed her beer bottle, liquid courage, and took a long gulp before setting it back down and straightening her shoulders. Lori knew he was waiting for a response, so, licking her lips nervously she finally was able to say. "Steven, it's really beautiful. Thank you. I don't think I really deserve a present just for letting you spend a night of hell on my couch. But, it is a very nice gesture all the same." Slowly her hand lifted, taking the gift he offered, and gave him a dazzling little smile as she brought the tulip up to her face so she could take in it's light scent as the petals tickled softly against her nose and lips.
Steven's green hues twinkled in the light of the bar. He chuckled, and sipped his own beer. "Oh, no. The couch was fine. It was warm, and plenty roomy. The only thing I had to complain about is someone's snoring." He gave a pointed look with a smile playing across his lips. He lifted his glass towards her. "There are good ships and wood ships, the ships that sail the sea. But the best ships are friendships and may they always be." After the glass clinked with her bottle, he finished it off, and set it down.
He looked around the bar, and took in the amount of patrons. "What time do you get off? I'm kind of hungry, so whaddya say, 'Skittles' want to go grab some gumbo?" He tossed her a few bucks for the beer, and went to the juke-box at the end of the bar, and punched in a few numbers after feeding it. Three song choices? Stevie Nicks' 'Edge of Seventeen,' Goo Goo Dolls' 'Iris,' and Salt N' Pepa's 'Push It.'
He picked those just to throw her off. He liked the first two, but the third was just funny to him. He never understood why people enjoyed songs about sex. He much preferred songs that made you just want to hold someone. He danced a little on the way back to where she was behind the bar, and shook his hips like David Bowie. "Gotta love the classics." Edge of Seventeen was just getting to the chorus.
"Snoring? If anyone was snoring buster, it must have been you, because. I don't snore." She said giving him a tiny glare. That he said the couch was plenty roomy just had her shaking her head again, "If you say so, I will take you word for it, but I'm gonna start thinking you're some strange sort of contortionist." Blue-green eyes lifted to his emerald gaze as he started talking about ships, wondering what he was going on about now, when she realized it was a toast, and he was talking about friends. Clinking her beer bottle to his glass, she brought it up to her mouth and finished the rest in the container before tossing it with perfect accuracy towards the trash.
As he asked her about getting off, she looked around herself. It had been a fairly slow day, thanks to tweedle dumb and dumber in the back. The girl she had let go on break was just hanging out in one of the booths, no doubt taking advantage of the little pixie's preoccupation with the unexpected visit. Great, she would probably never hear the end of it if Silent or Nyx found out some strange gentleman had come in to give her a flower. "Skittles? Should I start calling you Kitt?" she asked jokingly. "Actually, I'm not due to get off work for a while, but, I am feeling a little peckish." A gloved hand took the money for the beer and placed it in the till as she watched him walk towards the jukebox to pick a few songs out.
Tilting her head to the side, she waved her replacement over and told the girl to go check on the idiots in the back, and then come back up and tend to the bar. The girl knew if it started to get crowded what numbers to call, Hell, Nyx might still be around somewhere, Lori wasn't exactly sure. As Steven danced back up, she couldn't stop the laughter that fell from her lips, "I love this song!" She exclaimed with a grin, slowly untying the apron from around her waist. "Well, Steven, I'll take you up on the dinner, but I my have to rush back here if a crowd shows up" Not that she expected one to. "Would you like another beer while I make sure it is safe to go?" She asked and would serve him one if he so wanted.
After that the petite pixie would move through the lounge, checking on customers, making sure that everyone was well taken care of and having a good time. The second song he picked actually had her swaying her hips in a little dancing of her own as she walked around the main floor. The third song was just starting to come on as she made it back to the bar, and both brows shot up. That was certainly unexpected. She choked back a laugh, giving her head the smallest of shakes, those blue-green eyes lifting to Steven's face as she stood there, ready to leave. She didn't reach for a purse, or even her backpack this time, but then again, she kept most of her cash and her ids in her pocket. "So, are we ready?"
"Oh, you snore. It's kinda like..." And he imitated the most obnoxious snore he could think of, complete with whistling. "You did it all night, but there was a sort of rhythm to it. It was sort of snort snort whistle, snooooort whistle whistle." He chuckled evilly and leaned over the bartop, his face getting close to hers, and then looking down to grab a beer. He placed the top in his elbow, and twisted, coming away without the bottle top. He flicked his arm, and the top jumped, bounced off the counter behind the bar, and rolled into the trash.
He sipped it as she finished getting herself ready. Her backup girl was cleaning some tables, and when Iris was in full swing, he pulled her close, and twirled her around a few times, then spun her off again. What was with this energy? He was just bursting with silliness it seemed. Well, he did usually do this when there's been a tragedy. He likes to keep people happy. It took his mind off whatever was bothering him.
He was gyrating to 'Push It' when she came back out, without the apron, and she asked him if he was ready. "I was born ready babeh!" And he gave a couple more pelvic thrusts before falling into a fit of chuckles. He slid an arm around her waist, and led her to the door, pushing it open and waiting for her to exit. He stepped into the evening air, and looked both ways down the street. "So, what's good here? I don't want any of the burgers saturated in fat."
He reached up and touched his necklace which brought another thought to mind. "Oh shit, also, do you know where I can get some gemstones? Need to replace the ones I lost." He would be unable to defend himself if he didn't have his necklace. The stones were the focus of his abilities.
His reiteration that she snored, and then the imitation of what she supposedly sounded like had her eyeing him with a frown on her lips. "I do not!" She said in an exasperated tone before he leaned in close. The little pixie froze, her eyes widening for a moment before he grabbed the beer. Blue-green eyes watched as his arm flexed and he opened the bottle, always wondering how people did that. Funny, how she could wonder about opening a bottle with one's arm when she could do it with her mind, if she really wanted to. Which was the neater trick? A brow lifted as the cap somehow made it to the trash and she gave a rueful shake of her head before going on about her business.
When 'Iris' was in full swing she felt hands grabbing her, and again she froze, nearly stumbling until she realized it was Steven. The tiny goth girl let him twirl her around a few times before spinning her off, so she could finish what she was doing. It wasn't that his actions had upset her, well, actually that is what it was. Lorissa had just never been rather fond of being touched because of her own forsaken gifts. Not the telekinesis, but the one she hadn't told him about yet. Being comfortable in someone's grasp was a sure sign that the petite pixie trusted them.
Blue-green watched as the man gyrated his hips to 'Push it' and she could not stop the smallest of smirks that tugged at her lips. He told her he was born ready with a few more thrusts before chuckling. Lori could not help the amusement that lit up her eyes, but when his arm slid around her waist, for the third time she froze, and quickly wiggled out of his grasp, waiting until they were outside before saying, "I'm sorry, but could you please, for my sanity, not do that? It's nothing against you. Because I actually think you're rather cool. But I don't like to be touched." She stood a few steps away, staring at Steven, and inside her own brain was screaming at her. Way to go dummy! Now he probably thinks you're some spastic ice queen.
The question about what was good in the area had her shrugging, the smallest smile touching at her mouth, "There's a place up the road that does good gumbo, if that's what you're in the mood for." Gloved hands fidgeted at her sides for an awkward moment until he asked about the gemstones, and a frown tugged at her lips. She'd never been one to wear much jewelry, specially stones that had gone from hand to hand, person to person, sometimes in bloody fashion. "Umm... Not sure I can help you with that one, though next time I see Silent, I can ask her."
-- Edited by LORISSA MCDERMOTT on Wednesday 23rd of March 2011 05:34:25 AM
Steven raised his hands in surrender, and spoke quickly, "Whoa. I'm sorry, are you hurt somewhere? I didn't mean to hurt you." His face pulled into a frown, and he was obviously concerned. If she was hurt, he wouldn't be happy. That would make two new friends injured. He stayed far enough not to threaten her injuries, but close enough for his presence to be there.
"I'm not really sure what kind of food I'm in the mood for. I've never really eaten any cajun cuisine before. I just know gumbo by the name because of Forrest Gump. What do you usually like to eat?" He tried on a smile to reassure her, and let his gaze linger over certain features of hers. Nothing that would offend the young woman, of course, but he was interested in memorizing her features. The gloves were always there, and he was curious, but he'd delve into that at a time she wasn't skittish.
"And as for the stones, it's not a huge deal. If there isn't a shop around here, I could order them from my wholesaler. I wonder if you guys have a good jewelry store around here..." The last question was uttered quietly, his brain working to sort the details if there was a demand enough to open a store here. With the legalization of the fangs, he'd probably be able to seel to them, at least.
"So, tell me more about your roomies. I didn't get to meet them, and to be honest I was hoping to have a peek when we were in the bar. Wanna ask them how they like handling a spitfire like you." He winked, and smirked at her, lettign her know it wasn't a judgment on her attitude.
Seeing his hands raise in surrender so quickly she gave a small nod, though when he asked if she was hurt, a soft sigh fell from her lips. "No, I'm not injured, or hurt, or anything like that. I just.... I'm not really the touchy-feely type of girl." In fact, most of the time people being too close just made her downright nervous, with very few exceptions. Alcohol made her a little bit more tolerant, and while, other substances that she abused made her even more. The thought sparked something in her mind, and her hand dug into one of her pockets, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Opening the pack, she pulled one out, and then offered one to him before lighting the cancer stick and taking a calming drag.
Blue-green eyes noticed him staring at her, and she tilted her head to the side before he distracted her with talk of food. The smallest of smiles tugged at her lips before giving him a shrug. "Me? I guess I like a little bit of everything. I'm told it happens when you move around from place to place a lot. Though I've always been partial to steak and potatoes. Or Italian..." She gave a charming little shrug of her shoulders, "Although I have to say after being in Italy, Italian food here isn't quite the same." When he stared at her features so, she almost wondered if maybe he recognized her. After all, she had a famous face. Aurora had seen to that when the woman had launched her into a modeling career. Thankfully since moving to New Orleans she hadn't seen her likeness plastered on a billboard like she had back in New York.
The quiet musings about a good jewelry shop in the area had her shaking her head. "I'm sorry I don't know. I'm not really one for baubles either." The topic switched quickly to her roommates, and Lori frowned. "Well, they are a rowdy bunch, but I love them. Well at least Silent and Nyx.. I don't really know Sirus, just his name and seen him around a couple of times." What else could she tell? Revealing the truth about them being wolves seemed like betraying the trust they had put in the little pixie. "Maybe you will get to meet them later? I'm not sure where they've run off to." The mention of wanting to ask how they handled a little spitfire like her, had laughing, givng a shake of her head.
-- Edited by LORISSA MCDERMOTT on Wednesday 23rd of March 2011 06:11:45 AM
The elementalist slipped one of the paper tubes out of the pack, and put the filter end in his lips. He pulled out a zippo, and with a flick, the flame licked the tip of the tobacco product, and was sucked inside igniting the nicotine soaked leaves. He exhaled through his nose, and sighed.
"Well, I like Italian. I doubt anything down here will be up to par with New York Italian, but I'm sure it'll still taste good. Is it within walking distance, or do we need a cab?" He pulled out his PDA to look start looking for a cab company just in case. He was amazed at it. In Manhattan, you rarely had to call the company, since there were more cabs than personal vehicles on the road at all times.
"Baubles? You don't like having accessories? You are a rare woman indeed." He knew for a fact he'd seen her before, being a jewelry store owner, he was pretty sure he had provided pieces for some of her shoots, but he was used to celebrities. They really weren't different than anyone else, besides their own quirks. There was never a need to freak out when meeting a celebrity, so he would let it lie until she decided to bring it up, if ever.
After he took one of the offered cigarettes, she closed the pack and put it back in her pocket, watching for a moment as he lit his own with the zippo. Hearing him say that he liked Italian, Lori grinned, and started walking off in a direction. "I know a good place. Little mom and pops Italian restaurant type deal, been in business since I was a kid. They've always got good food at really decent price." His question was answered with a shrug, looking at him as he reached for his phone. "It's a few blocks away, but I can manage the distance if you can?" She said with a challenge in her voice. The little pixie was used to walking everywhere. Sure, she had a vehicle, but when it came right down to it she preferred the exercise.
The cigarette was puffed on as they walked until it reached the filter, and then tossed underneath her boot. Being told she was a rare woman because she didn't like accessories had her laughing, giving a shrug. "I have some jewelry, but I hardly ever wear it. And what I do have, I didn't get here in Nola. If that makes me rare, well, then I guess I am indeed so. I just always figured it made me strange. But then again, all things considering, I could be worse. At least I haven't gone psycho. Yet." Had to put the yet in there. She was getting better at dealing with all the memories trapped in her skull, but still had to fight sometimes.
"So, Steven, you know a bit about me. Where I work, where I live... What about you? What do you do for a living? What brings you to New Orleans?" She asked the questions with a curious grin, a midnight eyebrow arching up towards the sky. "Do you usually frequent quiet parks on the night of a full moon, or even tawdry sex shops for that matter?" There was an amused look on her face as she asked the last, giving him a little wink.
He stashed his PDA when she said the restaurant she liked was just around the corner. He definitely could walk that far. If he couldn't, he would return to New York with shame. He didn't answer her verbally, but gave her a survey with his countenance that said he'd rise to her challenge. Half of a second later, his pace quickened, and he added a little bounce to his step, giving him a longer stride.
She expounded on the jewelry subject, and then the assumption she wasn't crazy. He kept his pace, but turned so he was walking backwards. "You sure you're not nuts? I mean, you are walking down a darkening road with a man you've barely met. And he has your face tattooed on his body, no less." He let the swirling lines coalesce into her features one more time, but added a bunch of jewelry just to call her bluff. Steven let his features pull into a mischievous grin, and then did a back handspring, turning himself in the air, so he could walk by her side again.
"And as for your 'interrogation,' madame, I own and operate a small jewelry store in Soho. That's a district in Manhattan. New York." He would play her small town game, breaking it down Barney-style. "I would still be up there if not for a desperate call for help in my inbox. Seems the Fangs are having a big get-together soon, and my friend wanted me to be here for some reason. But he hasn't contacted me yet. Although, I must say, I hope he needed me to save a young bartendress with an affinity for kinetic manipulation."
He kicked a rock out of his path, and continued answering her questions, his voice sounding like limestone on granite. "And of course, I always like to walk in the park on the night of a full moon, luring young beautiful women into helping me save another's life. It's how I roll. As for the sex shops, I really don't frequent them. I find some of the meerchandise amusing, but if you can't keep your love life interesting using your own talents, you need to get on the internet and do some research."
The look she was given when she'd laid down the challenge had her giving a cheeky grin, though when he added a bounce to his step and quickened his pace, the petite pixie was hard pressed to keep up with him. Hey! He had at least a few good inches on her, was it any wonder she couldn't keep up without looking like she was almost about to run? As he turned around to face her, walking backwards, her lips pursed together, yet his words had a bit of laughter falling from her them.
"I don't know, when you put it that way, I just might have to agree with you and admit that I am probably quite out of my mind." Blue-green eyes moved to where his tattoo of her features had arranged adding a bit of jewelry to her countenance. A slender raven brow lifted upwards and a gloved hand lifted, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Though I must say, at this point and time I am starting to think that you might be the crazy one."
"Interrogation?" She laughed as she repeated the word back to him, "Me? I would never interrogate anyone! I'd leave that for Silent. She's better at it than me." Lori could not help the grin that spread across her lips as he explained to her what Soho was. "I know where Soho is! I used to live across the street from Central Park." She quieted down as he started to tell her the reason he was in New Orleans, nodding, able to understand wanting to be there to help a friend, although when he said something about saving a bartendress with kinetic ability she just shook her head with a laugh.
Lori watched as the rock was kicked, and they were finally closing in on their destination as he continued to answer her questions. His joke about always walking in the park had her laughing some more, and wanting to poke bakc at his playful banter. "Aren't you just the cheeky one?" The talk about the sex shop had her grinning from ear to ear before giving a shrug of her own slender shoulders. "I wouldn't know, my own is something more akin to that of a monk." She said before thinking and immediately wished she could take back the words. Damnit!
-- Edited by LORISSA MCDERMOTT on Thursday 24th of March 2011 03:46:44 AM
Steven's eyebrows about hit the stratosphere. "You? No way. Is it because of religion? Or is it just you believe in true love?" He didn't mean to pry, of course, but she was the one who had broached the subject. He had his own somewhat prudish views on the act of lovemaking, so he understood if someone had their own as well.
She was an ex-New Yorker? Reeeaaally? Well, time to prod a little for the information she may be withholding. He loved the city, even if he didn't feel like living in the bustle and flow of it. "So, Central Park, huh? And you know Soho, so maybe you've seen my little shop, though you don't like baubles." He jabbed a little with the word. "The place is called Fragments, it's just a tiny little excursion my uncle started. When he passed, he gave it to me." Fragments was far from a little excursion. His uncle Balthazar had about every major city in America buying from their local shop. Of course, his uncle had never traveled to New Orleans. He always stated that the women here were more interested in the platic variety given for a quick glimpse of their bare chests.
"I've been in New York only for a few years myself. Needed a change of lifestyle." That was the truth, but he would never tell her about his old lifestyle. not at the moment anyways. He needed to know he could trust her explicitly, so that his old demons, some people called them by their agency names, would not come to haunt him.
He noticed she was slowing, and upon looking around, he noticed a few restaurants smattering the shopfronts. "Oh. Looks like we must be almost there. Which one could it be?" He looked in a few of the windows, and saw the conglomeration of many ethnicities, both food and people. Some of the food looked atrocious, as well as some of the diners themselves.
His quick questions were the reasons the petite pixie wished she could have taken the words back as soon as she had spoken them. The questions themselves had a hint of a blush staining her cheeks and she started to look down at the ground as they continued walking. How the hell was she supposed to answer? "No, it's not because of religion, and no. I'm not waiting for true love. I'm not a virgin, but. Fuck! This is awkward." It really was, and her hands were fidgeting at her sides before she gave a shrug. "I don't know! It's like I said, I'm not really the touchy-feely type of girl." Not to mention most people got spooked when their partner wouldn't take off their gloves for any reason. Then there was also Jessie, but she didn't want her mind to dwell on the subject of the vampire either, not having seen him since their walk in the park a few weeks back.
A frown tugged at her lips when he said the word baubles like it was a bad thing, but she just continued walking past the shops and restaurants that looked rather dirty until coming up to a door that opened up into a little hole in the wall place. It smelled wonderfully of Italian herbs and spices and was neat a clean. "I might have seen your shop," She said giving a shrug, now that he mentioned the name, it actually was ringing a bell. If she could read his mind Lori would tell him that she wasn't exactly a New Yorker, in fact, she had no real place to call home, she had traveled the world over, and New Orleans was the closest thing she had found. Though that was due more to the people, than the actual city itself.
"Oh, I understand changes, and needing them. I haven't always been a bartender you know." She said with a mischievous little grin. The hostess came up to them then and she held up two gloved fingers, having to wait only a moment before they were shown to a cozy little booth and handed menus. Her hands grabbed and opened the menu placed in front of her, and blue-green eyes scanned the pages trying to figure out what she wanted.
"Don't you worry your pretty little head. I don't think there's anything wrong with keeping your body to yourself. Nowadays, the world is in a rush for everything. Fast food, fast cars. They want everything now. Hell, I saw a 13 year old a few months back that had a girlfriend. He had just met her. Whatever happened to dating? People want the results, but none of the work. What they don't understand is the journey is ninety percent of the reward in itself."
His celadon hues moved over the tiny restaurant, and he pushed his lean frame into the booth. He glanced over the menu, and quickly made his selection. "What are you having? And what to drink?" He looked over the rim of his menu, and pulled out his rocks, spinning them on the tabletop behind his food choices.
Hearing her answer, he spoke to the waitress, "La signora avrà pollo alfredo. E io avrò linguine con pesto salsa, con vino Chianti, grazie." He spoke the language with practiced ease, and looked at her face which was probably astonished. "Rosetta Stone works wonders. So what else have you done? If you don't mind my asking." He stopped the stones, and set them back in his pocket.
"A thirteen year old with a girlfriend he'd just met. No kidding? What is the world coming to?" She said softly with just a hint of mockery in her tone. "Well, thanks, I guess, about... well, not thinking I'm weird or something" Damnit! She really was just awkward when it came to this type of shit. Though what he said about the journey being part of the reward made sense and had her giving a nod of her head. "That's true, I guess. Though I think most people out there have gotten this mentality that they have to everything the way they want it, right when they want it, and if they don't get it, they freak."
When he asked her what she was having she chewed on hr lip for a moment before responding. "Hmm.. I think I will have the chicken alfredo. It really is the best here, well, except for in Italy, but it comes quite close." As for what to drink she gave a shrug of her shoulders, "I can go with a soda or something. I dunno, surprise me." She said giving him a grin.
Giving her answer, she watched as he turned around and started speaking to the waitress in Italian. A hint of a smirk tugged at her lips, that gave was to laughter when he talked about rosetta stone. "Really? I might have to try that sometime." She tilted her head to the side when he changed the subject and cocked an eyebrow towards the ceiling. "What else have I done? You do mean jobs, right?"
Well, she had to ask, some people were known to mean things other than what they said. "Well, I actually have worked at the Hookah for my friend Silent for a large part of my life, first here, and then a few years later in Hawaii. In between I went to college, or tried anyway, but that didn't work out to well, and worked a part time job at a coffee bar. After Hawaii started having those volcanic eruptions and sank back into the sea," she paused long enough to take a breath, "I actually traveled to Rome. I had some money left to me after my father passed away and decided to see the world a bit."
Her fingers moved to play with one of the salt shakers as she spilled a good few years of her life history into a few sentences. Of course, there had been a lot more going on in her life, but there always was. "In Rome I met some people that kinda changed my life, gave me a new direction. Siblings, Aurora and Caine. Both very odd, but genuinely pretty nice people. And well, Aurora asked me to let her photograph me. If I had known she was going to launch me into a modeling career I might have told her no. In fact, at first I think I did tell her no, but, no one says no to Aurora for very long." She sat back a little, making herself comfortable as the waitress poured their drinks and brought bread to the table, placing it in the middle.
"After that I traveled a little more, living life out of a suitcase and going wherever I could find work. They sent me to Spain, France, Australia, Greece, even Japan once. Pretty beaches. All over the place really, but I got tired of always being on the go, so I moved to New York. I figured that I could still work as a model and not have to travel all over the place for once. When Silent caught up with me in New York, my life was pretty rocky, sure, my career was fine, better than fine, but I still felt like I was going crazy. She told me she was thinking of re-opening the Hookah and asked me to come with her, manage the place and so, here I am."
Wow. He really hit the goldmine. Steven wondered if Lori was saying so much because he made her nervous, or if it just came naturally to her. He took it all in, and made some small adjustments to his mental file of her. He recalculated some things, and nodded as she continued. When she reached the end, he raised his eyebrows, and took a sip of the wine the waitress had brought over. He loved Chianti. It was so rich, but not bitter.
"You've been moved around a lot. I know how that is. But you said you did modeling? Anything I may have seen? I admit, I'm not tuned into the whole fashion slash chic-of-the-now world, but I do read magazines every now and again? And have they ever put you in a tabloid? Those people should be run over. The paparazzi I mean."
The waitress brought over thrir dishes, still steaming from the kitchen. It looked delicious. He brought his fork into his hand, and started twirling his noodles, so he could mvoe them to his mouth easily. He was sure glad she didn't try and dig into more of his past, or he'd have to make something up that didn't make him seem like an asshat.
Yeah, the little pixie was talking a lot, but not because she was nervous, or that she really shared this much of her history with everyone. The truth was, she was starting to feel comfortable with Steven, at least a little bit. After all, they had helped save someone's life together, with the help of a few others of course. Of course, now that most of the information was out of the way, her fingertips played a little nervously with her glass of wine before lifting it to her lips to take a sip.
The statement that she moved around a lot had her giving a nod. "Yep, but I suppose I got used to that at a young age. My dad was in the army. I think I must have moved at least twelve times before I turned fourteen." When he asked about her modeling, she gave a shrug of her shoulders. "I don't know, I've done magazine covers, make-up adds, runway walks. They had my face up on a billboard in New York a few months back, just south of the Brooklyn tunnel. I also did a bit part on that show Cop Drama that ran a few months ago. It was a two episode arc. Nothing fancy. Don't think I've ever been quite well known enough to be in a tabloid though."
Food came out, and the tiny goth girl took in a deep breath, inhaling the delicious scent. Taking another sip of her wine, she set the glass down before picking up her fork and knife and digging in. Conversation slowed for a little bit as she focused on eating, while trying to avoid making a mess of things with the pasta and chicken confection. Blue-green eyes looked over at his plate and she tilted her head to the side. "So, what did you order, anyway?"
Army brat, yup. Children raised in a military family usually became somewhat of social pariahs. Or just the opposite. "Well, are you happy with your lot in life?" He pressed her just a bit more, hoping she was happy. If she wasn't he would find a way to help attempt to make her that way.
He ate more of his noodles, and had a mouthful with some noodles still hanging when she asked what he had ordered. He made a quick decision, and bit the noodles, so the loose strands fell free, and he could chew what was in between his mandibles. He swallowed, took a swig of wine, and cleared his throat. "It's linguine with pesto sauce. It's quite tasty. Just wish I had my herbs here, I'd touch it up with some basil and rosemary."
He delved back into his food, and finished it off. He nibbled on the garlic bread. It was perfect. A little soft, and not too brown.
The question made the petite pixie pause in her meal, slightly taken aback. Was she happy with her lot in life? The answer was not easy, so she sat there pondering it quietly, no longer eating her food. The smallest of frowns tugged at her lips, before she just gave a shrug of her shoulders. "Most of the time, I suppose." It was the best response she could think of. There were simply too many parts of her life that caused her pain to be considered truly happy, but she'd found her own way to deal with things. The best way to put it was, "I try to make the most of every situation and try to find the good things in them, even if I don't always find them right away."
After answering Steven, the tiny goth girl lowered her eyes to her plate. Fork was picked up but instead of returning to her meal she found herself pushing the food across the plate without actually bringing anything to her mouth to consume. Blue-green eyes looked up when he told her what he had ordered and gave a small nod, "You know, I'm sure if you ask they will bring you some out," she said setting down her fork so a gloved hand could reach for her wine glass. Lifting the glass to her lips, she drained it empty and then tuned her head, catching the waitress's eye and lifted the glass for a refill. One of the best things about this place was the fast friendly service, "Thank you," she said as the wine was quickly poured.
Lori sat back in her seat keeping the glass in her hand, as the man across from her finished his meal, her appetite having fled the scene. When the waitress came by again asking if they needed anything else, she gave the woman a smile and asked for a to-go box.
Steven noticed that she had barely touched her food. "Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry, if I did." He picked the check up, and gave the waitress his card. When she brought it back with his receipts, he gave her a twenty percent tip. He finished his wine, and stood, holding his hand out to help Lori up. He then, picked her to go box up, and headed towards the exit, to hold the door open.
"I guess you probably need to get back, huh? I'll walk you if you promise to give me your number." With that, he fished his phone out, and handed it to her. "Just type it in, and I'll make sure I call." He chuckled, and kept in stride with her as she headed back to the Hookah.
A brow lifted up when he asked her if he said something wrong, but simply gave a shake of her head in the negative, placing a sweet smile on her lips that just didn't quite reach her eyes. "No, not at all. Why would you think that?" Not exactly the truth, but not exactly a lie either. When the waitress brought the check and her to-go box, the little pixie busied herself by putting her food in the container, stealing a few pieces of the garlic bread as well knowing that if she didn't get to finish off the meal, somebody in the house certainly would. When Steven picked up the tab, the smallest of frowns tugged at her lips, she would have split the check with him, but let it go, not wanting to make a big deal about it, even if it kinda felt like a date now. She finished off the wine quickly as their meal was being paid for and when he offered out his hand to help her up she took it, sliding across the seat of the booth until her feet touched down on the floor while he grabbed her left-overs.
Blue-green eyes watched him as he held the door open for her and she gave the smallest of smiles before heading out the door. His question had her giving a nod, "Yeah, I probably should be. Who knows what antics have been going on in my absence." She tilted her head to the side when he said he would walk hr back if she promised to give him her number, both brows arching up towards the sky as she handed her his phone. "And what if I decide to give you a fake number instead?" She asked with a mischievous grin on her lips as gloved fingers started typing a number into his phone while they headed back in the direction of the Hookah.
He didn't know what had made her shut down, and he had pried enough already. He just walked beside her as she typed a number into the phone. Her question would pull his own eyebrow up, into a questioning look. "Well, I guess that I would either reach an error message, or some poor stranger will be getting a call. Though, it wouldn't be hard for me to call you on it. I know where you work, and where you sleep." He stuck his tongue out at her, like a petulant child. As they made their way through the avenues of the old french settlement, he made sure to keep his curiosity in check. The phone was sheathed into his back pocket, and mostly forgotten.
As they came up to the bar, he again held the door open. "I'll see you inside. Need a cigarette, and I don't want to foul up the aroma inside." It was a poor excuse, but he needede to think. He pulled out a cancer stick, and lit it, letting his mind wander a bit about the last few days. Zack should be recovering, and the doc wanted him to do a favor. He puffed on the cigarette some more, and a smile stealthily crossed his face as he thought of Lori. This girl was fun to be around. She wanted people to think she was all fire and ice, but if she was ice, she was as deep as an iceburg, and the Titanic of his mind, had only struck the tip.
He finished the cigarette, and crushed it on the rim of the trash can outside, tossing the extinguished butt in. He pulled open the door and entered. He made sure to catch the other worker, and ordered a strawberry hookah, and a glass of Guinness, along with a Chocolate Snake Bite. He moved to a seat along the wall, and waited.
His response made her chuckle, she just couldn't help it. "True enough, I suppose." She'd actually typed in her phone number, but she wasn't about to tell him that now. He would just have to be pleasantly surprised when he called her. When he stuck his tongue out at her she reciprocated the motion right back at him, scrunching her nose before giving another laugh. The walk back to the Hookah after that was taken mostly in silence as it seemed they each had thoughts of their own to mull over in their minds.
When the reached the Hookah and he held open the door for her, saying that he would see her inside after having a smoke, she lifted a questioning brow up at him. "Umm... ok," she responded giving a slight shrug of her shoulders. Heck, people smoked all sorts of things inside the place, it including cigarettes, but she wasn't about to begrudge him a few minutes alone. She took her to-go box from his hands so he could smoke in peace before scurrying inside. First thing Lori did was run her leftovers upstairs to put away before returning back to take up her usual position behind the bar.
She noticed by the time she came down that Steven was sitting at the bar and gave him a little wink as she ran to the back, doing quick rounds. Thankfully everything seemed to be in tact, and relatively peaceful. The kitchen had indeed been cleaned up to the point where someone could eat off the floor if the wished, no small feat. The little pixie grabbed her half apron, tying it about her waist as she came back out to the front. Things were still extremely slow and as the girl finished making the strawberry hookah, and taking the man his drinks, Lori told her that she could go ahead and clock out for the night. She pulled down her own bottle of whiskey, and uncapped it, drinking straight from the bottle before making her way over to Steven, "Thanks for taking me out to dinner. It was pretty cool."
Steven caught her wink, and gave her a grin as she busied herself around the bar. Once he had his order, he downed the shot, and took a long pull at the hookah, filling the chamber with aromatic smoke. He inhaled again, and let the smoke come out slowly, making him look like a human incense burner. After that, he sipped at his beer, and casually smoked his shisha in relative calm. The little goth girl came up again, and expressed her feelings of the night. A sparkle in his eyes, he nodded. "It was very fun. A much better outing than the park the other night. I still can't wait to find out who it was that attacked us. Whoever it is, needs to lay off the eggs. Seems they were rotting in their stomach."
He took another long drag, and wreathed a lamp with an almost perfect smoke ring. The strawberry taste was a pleasant lingering tickle on his lips and tongue. He glanced around the bar, and noticed it was picking up a bit. He didn't know if anyone had overheard his mention, but he had said it inconspicuous enough. No details about what really happened, and he could always dodge the questions.
