![]()
|
|||||||||||||||
| Welcome To The Night You find yourself in London on a dreary, foggy night like any other. But what lurks in the shadows is the stuff of fantasies and nightmares, far from mortal reality. This game uses the cursed and immortal vampiric condition as a backdrop to explore themes of morality, depravity, the human condition, salvation, and personal horror. We are a writing and roleplaying community dedicated to telling complex and engaging stories. Your fate is your own. Mingle among the ivory-tower elite in the Camarilla, join the fight of the discontented and chaotic Anarch rabble, or set out independently and attempt to survive in London's nighttime underworld. Anything is possible in our World of Darkness. Create Your Account! If you're already a member, please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Dangling Feet From Window Frame; Dawid/Aguirre | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Monday, 15. July 2013, 22:38 (1,353 Views) | |
| Aguirre Efrain Maddox | Monday, 15. July 2013, 22:38 Post #1 |
![]()
Mouse
|
Aguirre had been more than just a little uneasy since the night spent underground. They had walked for so many hours beneath London, most leaving the tunnels below wounded and tired, not even sure if their counterparts made it out alive. Frankie had assured her that Nora was okay, and the Diva-ghoul by extension of Nora's heroics. She had witnessed Ashley, the Prince's unfortunate pet, escape behind her with Dawid on her back when the tunnels started to collapse, but what had become of the Irishman? Who else had been trapped? These thoughts rolling over in her head had prevented her from getting any semblance of what could be considered 'rest' since arriving home after dropping her injured companion off at the hospital. And of course, there was that--had he done alright in the hospital? She felt pinpricks of guilt for not staying. To top the shit sundae off with a rotten cherry, her clothes--the only dress shirt she had left, her favorite leather pants, her trench coat--had been pretty well ruined, though she hadn't given up on repairing the coat yet, hanging it off the closet door to find further leather treatments. It was like a memento from the nightmare that had transpired. The Brujah had been working on cleaning up the small and frankly unimpressive apartment. Aside from the warm lighting that came from the overhead ceiling fan, and the slightly vaulted ceilings, it was simply a mid sized room that was a bedroom, an office, and a kitchen all in one. It wasn't hard to keep clean, but since Frankie was gone for the night doing something that wasn't her business somewhere else with someone she didn't know, all she could do now besides sit while idly scrolling through pages of literature, was pick up stray socks, make both Frankie's bed and her own, and attempt to de-clutter the desk she now shared. She thought the whole evening would be spent this way, but as she heard her phone vibrate and clatter against the island that separated the living room/bedroom and kitchen, she raised a brow. She had been sorting through photos, looking over the few she had brought with her from home, taping one in particular to her computer screen--of she and her brothers when she was a teenager, an old faded polaroid--then setting the box down as she got up to see who was messaging her. Frankie had set her own ringtone to something obnoxiously loud, so she knew it wasn't her roommate trying to get a hold of her, and almost no one else texted her. When it turned out to be Dawid, she smiled, having assumed she was given the brush off when trying to make plans with him a few nights prior. From: DawidStoryteller Have the night off. Could come by? Will need the address. No 2nd sips please. -DP Second sips? The woman didn't want to think about that particular part of the night; all that came to mind when it was mentioned was the face of Dawid covered in a bloody handprint and wild eyed, not to mention the barrel of the gun he held. She avoided the answering that part in her response. @DawidStoryteller Sure, of course, address attached. 10:30? A little less than an hour. That would give her time to get cleaned up and double check that the apartment was spotless. It wouldn't matter, though, if he didn't show up at all.. The doubt in her mind started to bleed through and put a damper on her excitement. Why was she excited, anyway? Why am I doing this? Her anxiety was starting to eat at her now. She knew he was bonded to someone else, and seemed to be overall alright with it, considering the air of contentedness he carried and the silly t-shirt he wore the night they met. Why should she allow herself to get her hopes up? Her phone vibrated again. From: DawidStoryteller Will be there! What. Am. I. Doing? This was bordering on ridiculous actually, and it was only now as it was happening that she realized it. She wanted to make some kind of deal with him, some kind of exchange in hopes for the cascades of knowledge that he spoke, maybe learn some of the things that her sire failed to teach her. Now that she was really thinking about it, though, she had almost nothing to offer him. What would he possibly find in her that held any weight? The sweet ghoul probably wouldn't go for the 'freedom' bit, as happy as he already seemed to be. She had no money, nothing of material value, not like his mistress. Ugh. What kind of overbearing bitch trained someone to call them mistress, anyway? Aguirre sighed defeatedly. The thought of how Dawid might be treated by said (awful) woman made her want to punch the wall. Now, however, was not the time to bloody her knuckles on bricks. Now was the time to prepare for the arrival of the blonde man upon her doorstep. She spent probably fourty-five minutes getting ready, rifling through her small collection of ratty and moth-eaten clothing, trying to find something suitable to wear, something that might look at least a little professional. Alas, all she had now that her dress clothes were destroyed were a pair of faded black skinny jeans, a legion of old band t-shirts, and an oversized black sweater she had gotten from a thrift store. Among those, she chose the black sweater and faded jeans, inwardly panicking about the fact that that was her only decent outfit. "I'm going to look homeless. This is going to be a complete train wreck." The woman braided her coffee-colored hair into a long rope falling over her left shoulder, hoping that things went better than the awful scene she had running rampantly through her imagination. 10:30 was quickly approaching now and she became more and more anxious. She needed to calm down, and so took the fire escape with a clove cigarette and a lighter she had stolen from Frankie on accident. With every puff that calmed her nerves, a new one popped in that canceled it out. Edited by Aguirre Efrain Maddox, Monday, 15. July 2013, 22:54.
|
![]() We are all museums of fear. Font color: #FFDAB9 | |
![]() |
|
| Dawid Prazmowski | Tuesday, 16. July 2013, 00:06 Post #2 |
![]()
Ancilla
|
The cigarette was still half-a-length when the tranquillity of the cool night was disturbed by a shout in a familiar voice. "According to Cocker, this should be the service entrance to your residence, M'lady", Dawid Prazmowski called out. He was travelling up the fire escape, looking at her with a bright expression as he climbed the stairs. He kept chattering at her in a lively tone. "Well, admittedly, 't was one of those digitalised maps on this tiny computer. Marvels of technology, that I should live to see them..." Having climbed the final set of stairs, he stood as close to her as he could and showed her the map application on his phone, which was probably the least mundane thing about him. During a phase of manic nostalgia, he'd ordered an outfit from the Gentleman's Emporium, wearing the Vienna Brocade Tailcoat with its velvet trim over the vest and Victorian dress shirt, along with the black-brushed cotton trousers and black leather lace up boots. He rarely got to don this getup, having found it far too extravagant for daily life in the 21st century. It was perfect for a first date, though. Just perfect. After looking down at the stairs he had just climbed he let out a puff that suggested that this had just been intense exercise. It seemed very quaint to him that a flight of stairs should be placed here, so close to the windows. Especially since the stairs were so.. transparent. "They ought to give your apartment a lift, though, M'lady. A man of ill repute might take advantage if you were to appear outside in a dress on this flighty flight of stairs," he said, giving voice to his concern for her honour. Looking her over more slowly, though, he reconsidered the likelihood that particular scenario. It seemed unlikely to him that this Kindred would ever appear in a dress, or even something that was remotely lady-like. It was a pity, and a little embarrassing. He'd dressed up for what he assumed would be their first date, only to find that the Lady had not seen fit to reciprocate. How awkward! Had he been mistaken about her amorous intentions? Edited by Dawid Prazmowski, Tuesday, 16. July 2013, 00:06.
|
| |
![]() |
|
| Aguirre Efrain Maddox | Tuesday, 16. July 2013, 03:37 Post #3 |
![]()
Mouse
|
"According to Cocker, this should be the service entrance to your residence, m'lady." Aguirre looked over the edge, somewhat startled to hear the familiarly colored speech of her favorite ghoul down in the alleyway. Whatever happened to using the front door? Before she had an opportunity to inform him of the actual location of the entrance, he started to climb the lower levels of the wrought iron fire escape upward, chatting happily about the marvels of technology on his way. She stood up, dusting the dirt from the grate off her jeans, glancing over the railing and getting a better view of his outfit from above. She absolutely adored it, especially the jacket; he looked like an old photo, which was fitting since he had only just finished talking about 'tiny computers'. She was smiling as he reached her floor. As he got close, what for most people she would consider in her personal space, she studied the app with interest, though stole a glance at him once or twice. She was obviously very excited to see him (out of the hospital and lively was a plus), and slightly amused at his mention of 'men of ill repute'. What was funny about this was that the last time someone had tried to break in through her window, he had been promptly ejected from the building and taken away in an ambulance, though she felt it was hardly appropriate to mention. Dawid seemed to prefer looking at her as something delicate. When she noticed him look over her, though, the smile she had been wearing before faded quickly into a look of complete embarrassment. She cast her eyes downward immediately and her posture became rigid and uncomfortable as she placed her hands in her pockets. He thought this was a legitimate date. He dressed like it, too, and here I am in the only ratty garbage I've got. The look on his face, however subtle, spoke to her of vague disappointment. She didn't mind, of course, that he thought they would be going out; she would have loved to go somewhere with him, she just wished she would have realized beforehand that this was what he planned. The woman felt as though she had missed an important social cue and faint coloring came to her cheeks. I knew this was going to be a disaster. It's already gone south. She didn't particularly feel like speaking, but didn't want to leave them both stewing in awkward silence. She was not happy in the least with how this visit had started, though somehow she thought that her usual formal still would have been a disappointment to him considering he was dressed like Victorian wealth. It seemed that she had looked even worse than she thought, though that wasn't necessarily her concern in the first place. She had been excited about him being here before, but now she wished she would have ignored her phone when it went off and saved herself the chagrin. The Brujah made an effort to try and water down her heavy accent, now worried she might come off as the backwater hick she had been seen as in college, greeting him in a soft tone by saying, "Hello Dawid. It's nice to see you again. You look wonderful." She didn't want to call him out on the look she thought she saw; it would only make the situation more uncomfortable. It was as though she was a pauper in the presence of royalty. Aguirre left her gaze on the grate beneath her feet, staring through to the cement below. Edited by Aguirre Efrain Maddox, Tuesday, 16. July 2013, 08:12.
|
![]() We are all museums of fear. Font color: #FFDAB9 | |
![]() |
|
| Dawid Prazmowski | Wednesday, 17. July 2013, 00:28 Post #4 |
![]()
Ancilla
|
Dawid could feel the two printed theatre tickets that he'd rushed to obtain shifting uselessly in one of his pockets. Thirty-five pound sterling each for a romantic musical in West End. Decent seats too, or so he had been told. That wasn't going to fly when his lady-love was dressed like a Parisian clochard, though. No need to tell her I've already got the tickets. That would be bad form. Perhaps she just needs to change her clothes. "There's a late performance of Mamma Mia on in West End that we might just catch. Final rehearsal for a new cast, but with all the bits and bobs going on", he began, adding: "Though if you should prefer to stay at home, that would be most.. ah..." he looked for a word that might supplant 'disappointment' "...enjoyable, too. Tis a good night to sit and dangle ones' feet from the window." |
| |
![]() |
|
| Aguirre Efrain Maddox | Wednesday, 17. July 2013, 04:42 Post #5 |
![]()
Mouse
|
Mamma Mia? Aguirre had heard of this before, but had never seen it. To be honest, she didn't really know the premise besides it being set in Greece or something like that, and the most she had heard besides that was that it was a movie. She had no idea that it was a live production, too. However, regardless of what she knew about the musical itself, she was more than just a little flattered that he had planned to take her out to a live theater performance. Not only was it classy, but it definitely wasn't cheap, especially the more famous productions. This lightened her mood quite effectively, pulling her back out of her shell a few inches. "I've never seen Mamma Mia." She avoided very carefully saying anything that made it sound as though she didn't want to go watch it with him. "This sounds like fun.." The Brujah was reminded that she couldn't possibly go in the clothes she was wearing; she wasn't exactly tactful, but she knew a formal event when it was coming at her head on, and this was definitely more of a 'little black dress' occasion than a 'big black sweater' one. Plus, she hadn't been on a date in years. She didn't want to look like she'd just walked in from the thrift store. Aguirre racked her brain, mentally running through anything she owned that might be appropriate for the situation. She had even started to consider borrowing something of Frankie's-- Frankie! Espen left her a little dress, she never even took it down from the bathroom door! This must be my lucky night! Aguirre looked up from the grate to Dawid, grinning. The woman didn't want to make it too obvious that she hadn't had a plan in the first place, making an attempt to smooth it over by saying, "Come in. I just gotta get dressed." She ducked back in through the window out of which she had climbed earlier, and once through, made sure Dawid got through without snagging his (what she assumed were expensive) clothes on the window latches. She motioned around the small apartment, trying to look at least somewhat proud of the studio she shared with Frankie. "Welcome to my humble abode. You can sit wherever you like, I'll only be a couple minutes.", while it was true she was a woman of few words, she was at least genuine in telling him to be comfortable. There was only one proper chair and it was placed at her desk, where she had left her phone and the photos she had sorted through earlier. With that, she left him to his own devices in the main room and headed for the only other room in the apartment that was separated by something solid, to change, closing it behind her after removing the dress from the hanger from the top of the door. It would be about five minutes before she emerged in the dress (which, she realized, had obviously been left for Frankie by Espen; she was lucky she and her pink-crested partner in crime had similar body shapes or the tailoring would never have fit), having undone her braid and let her hair down loosely. Between the black fabric of the dress and her dark hair, she could have passed for a life sized porcelain doll with the effect the dark colors both had on her pale skin. She hadn't worn a dress since high school, so it was fairly uncomfortable, but she didn't imagine the stiff ensemble he wore provided much more space than the dress did. She stepped lightly across the room, placing her feet into a pair of simple black flats that Espen had been trying to force Frankie into for ages. After coming round to take her phone from the desk top, she said in a blithe and playful tone, "Maybe we can take the main entrance out this time? There is actually a lift, y'know." It was admittedly a little odd--this hadn't been her plan at all. All she had actually wanted to do was talk with him, to ask him questions for the most part, and he had shown up instead with the idea of an outing in his head. She wasn't one to complain, especially when he had shown up in such a snazzy suit. It would be a shame if he didn't get to show it off. |
![]() We are all museums of fear. Font color: #FFDAB9 | |
![]() |
|
| Dawid Prazmowski | Thursday, 18. July 2013, 17:25 Post #6 |
![]()
Ancilla
|
When Aguirre emerged from the other room, Dawid was still standing, appreciating a few of her knick-knacks with his hands still folded behind his back. "Tis a very suitable residence, M'lady. As a working man, I should feel upstaged. I share my abode with a family and children, none of whom are even mine", he commented after turning around. He whistled silently, adding: "And that is a very suitable dress, if you don't mind me saying so. And yes, main entrance it is! We should be seen!" He offered his arm to the Kindred and stepped out, speaking quietly as they walked off towards the nearest tube station. A question was burning on his lips: "Would M'lady mind if I were to use the T-form while in public? 't seems more suitable to these modern nights, where informality reigns supreme. M'lady might call me 'Dawid' or some other endearment that might strike your fancy." After assenting to her wishes on the topic, Dawid continued to babble about conversational topics such as the weather his time spent in Venice, taking the boats to get around like an old-fashioned tourist. He didn't monopolise the conversation, though, inquiring first after Aguirre's friends, and then, more subtly, after her taste in men: "What do ladies of good breeding think to be the desired standards of male company these days? In particular, I suppose, I am inquiring after your personal standards." |
| |
![]() |
|
| Aguirre Efrain Maddox | Thursday, 18. July 2013, 21:27 Post #7 |
![]()
Mouse
|
Emerging from the lift and into the lobby, Aguirre had the realization that at that time of night, the chances of being seen were somewhat slim until they reached the theatre. Aguirre didn't have much of a problem with this, seeing as crowds made her uneasy, and made her feel like she was talking too much and too loudly. At least if the streets were empty and the metro station was sparsely populated, she could have a proper conversation with Dawid. When the finely dressed ghoul offered her his arm, she wove her own through, her hand coming to rest comfortably upon his upper arm; she got to walk closer to him this way, which was wonderful considering the heat he radiated. The evening was cold, but still, it was nice to be in the company of the living for a little while. She would enjoy it as much as opportunity allowed. "Would m'lady mind if I were to use the T-form in public? 't seems more suitable to these modern nights, where informality reigns supreme. M'lady might call me 'Dawid', or some other endearment that strikes your fancy." The woman had been waiting for him to start calling her by her first name rather than 'm'ady', as sweet as his old fashioned speech was. It made her a little uncomfortable, though she had thought he was accustomed to referring to people as such, so didn't want to correct him. This question was somewhat of a relief. With a quiet chuckle, she said, "Of course! My first name is always preferable." It had also come to her attention that he hadn't referred to himself as 'this one' a single time since arriving, feeding her a hope that maybe what she had said to him in the tunnels had been taken to heart, though more likely he assumed it bothered her. She did hope it was the former, however. As he spoke in his eloquent way about his time spent in Venice, Aguirre wondered where else he had been, and further more, how old he was; she knew that it would be rude to ask though, and would save the question for later should it come up. When inquiries were made as to her friends, the only person she rightly mentioned was Frankie, who was also her roommate and clan mate. This was more of a family connection there, which hopefully did not reflect badly upon her networking abilities. The Brujah fiddled with a string of her hair, thrown as he queried about her taste in mean in so many words. Men were something she hadn't actively sought after in years, if she ever had at all. The woman rather appreciated being on her own so long as she had a few people who helped her stay updated on current events. She supposed youth could be something she might look for, but youth was more out of a thirst for their knowledge than their actual company, with Frankie as an exception. You was shallow, anyway. What did she like? There was a look of vague puzzlement on her face before she looked up at Dawid with what she thought might be a silly answer. "I... Don't know, specifically", she paused, "I always liked my company to have a good head on their shoulders." The look of puzzlement was replaced once more with a pleasant grin as she said, "Like you, I s'pose. I wish I had the encyclopedia you got stored up here", she tapped her temple with her finger a few times. Aguirre wanted to turn his question around on him as they walked down the stained cement steps into the railway station, but thought it would be to forward on her end, as well as repetitive. Besides, she wanted to hear more about all the myths he knew, where else he had been, to maybe gain a broader spectrum on the man's sophistication and perhaps a guess at his real age. If nothing else came from her prying, she would at least enjoy listening to him speak him tales while settling contently into her own quiet corner. "Where else have you been?" She would answer questions if he had them, but for now, she wanted to know more about him rather than talk about herself. Edited by Aguirre Efrain Maddox, Thursday, 18. July 2013, 21:39.
|
![]() We are all museums of fear. Font color: #FFDAB9 | |
![]() |
|
| Dawid Prazmowski | Thursday, 18. July 2013, 23:46 Post #8 |
![]()
Ancilla
|
"I... Don't know, specifically. I always liked my company to have a good head on their shoulders. Like you, I s'pose. I wish I had the encyclopedia you got stored up here" She liked smarts. This is good. Dawid wasn't strong or rich, and he didn't consider himself especially handsome, being too thin, pale and frail to appeal to 21st century fashions. He'd considered getting a tan, but just couldn't bear the thought of spending so much time idly worshipping the sun. His Mistress wouldn't allow it, anyway. "Ah, thank you Aguirre. I wish I could take the credit for what little I've come to know about the world. Alas, tis privilege, not merit, that bestows knowledge upon even the most ill-bred creature. I've learned far more than a humble person such as I should have any right to learn." He glanced sideways, and smiled faintly at the Kindred: "You have equal capacity, and far more privilege than I could hope for. You are...." he paused, realising that there were ordinary people about. ".... special. And there are many people around who should delight in teaching you their version of the truth. Compared to them, I am ignorant." He bit his lip, not wanting to make her over-eager. So many young Kindred had been led to join the Sabbat by stories like these, and he didn't want Aguirre to be one of them. She was too sweet. "I would caution you, though, against pursuing digging too deeply. The higher secrets have jealous guardians, and both sides in the War will kill you for even knowing about certain beliefs, even if you were not to endorse them." "Where else have you been?" Dawid sat across from Aguirre in the underground train, his foot reaching out to brush against hers as the door closed. The carriage took them down into the dark tunnels, where the dim artificial light replaced the bright shine of the moon. "I've travelled around much of continental Europe. The cities of France and Italy and southern Germany in particular. They are all as wonderfully picturesque as in the storybooks, I suppose." And corrupt, violent, stagnant and rotten to the core. But no need to spoil a romantic story. "Old castles, haunted mansions, high-society dinners, the exclusivity of opera. I've seen them all. You should travel around some time. London is but a tiny reflection of the world Out There." Their bit of the carriage seemed empty enough, and so he dared to run his foot up to her calf, then backing down to massage her ankle with the sole of his foot. He didn't look down, merely smiling as he continued to try and entrap her with his words: "The most exotic, though, was Persia. Iran. Vast mountain-tops from which the history of the world is bearing down on you, possibly hiding the location of Noah's Ark. Deserts where the sun is blazing-hot and the night is bitter cold. Nomadic peoples whose lives have changed little since the days of Hammurabi." Edited by Dawid Prazmowski, Thursday, 18. July 2013, 23:47.
|
| |
![]() |
|
| Aguirre Efrain Maddox | Friday, 19. July 2013, 02:48 Post #9 |
![]()
Mouse
|
The manner in which her counterpart spoke of himself and of his privilege, referring to himself as a humble person; it was as thought he didn't deserve the knowledge he had so much of, and it made Aguirre somewhat gloomy. She didn't want to ruin the mood that seemed to envelop them, but she did want to argue with him, to tell him that a life in their world was a curse and that any knowledge he got out of the deal was simply a mild silver lining, less than he deserved. She wanted to tell Dawid that, from what she knew of him (which was admittedly less than she would have liked), he deserved anything good that he got from their lives that seemed to wear onward like an hourglass that never ran out of sand. "You have equal capacity, and far more privilege than I could hope for. You are... Special. And there are many people around who should delight in teaching you their version of the truth. Compared to them, I am ignorant." To imagine 'Dawid' and 'ignorant' in the same sentence was almost paradoxical for her. She had to wonder if he really believed these things, that he really thought so little of himself, or if maybe this was an act of some kind. She could hardly consider herself a decent judge of character, and this brought caution forward from the dark and more cynical parts of her mind, which she had done so well to push back thus far. She wasn't sure why she thought so highly of her charming, yet still rather alien date, but she could hardly believe that a man as intelligent as he was would fail to see his immense value. She thought idly, you could have the same 'privileges' as I do, if you would only ask. As he gave her warning, advising her not to go snooping in the wrong places, she was tempted to know exactly why, and what came to mind when he delivered such a concern. The warning made her want to do the exact opposite of what had been suggested, made her curious what had frightened him from such secrets in the past. At the next inquiry presented to him, it seemed as though he wanted to take her mind away from the last subject completely; she felt his foot touch her own, and as he began to describe the places he had sampled and enjoyed, the Brujah tried to play off the light blush that came to her cheeks and the tip of her nose by closing her eyes briefly to imagine stone castles in other parts of Europe, feasts where the men were dressed like kings in rich black suits and the women in royal purples, blues, reds, and golds. At the movement of his foot up her leg, and the mention of the middle east, she focused on images of clear blue skies above endless dunes. As this image came and went, she wished she could experience sunlight again, but such thoughts did not erase the simper that curled the outer corners of her mouth upward into a more pronounced grin. Her eyes opened, gazing upon Dawid's own with the conflicting emotions of caution and enjoyment attenuate upon her features. His words were sweet and eloquently presented, but this had not been in her original plans for the night. The dress, the train ride, how fantastic he looked in his eccentric suit, none of it. Aguirre would not let herself be swept away by the blonde man's gestures of what she supposed to be kindness, at least not right away. A similar game had been played with her sire, and it had not turned out so wonderfully. She let herself come away slowly from the beautiful images described, also pulling her leg away to cross over the other in a manner she hoped did not come off as ill-disposed. The dark haired woman focused once more upon questions. She asked in a casual manner, blush gone from her light skin, "How long ago were you in the Middle East?" Aguirre hoped she hadn't put him off with her not-so-subtle movement. |
![]() We are all museums of fear. Font color: #FFDAB9 | |
![]() |
|
| Dawid Prazmowski | Friday, 19. July 2013, 22:40 Post #10 |
![]()
Ancilla
|
"How long ago were you in the Middle East?" Dawid wasn't comfortable answering that particular question in public. There was the Masquerade to be concerned about, after all. And since the Kindred had stopped footsieing him, he assumed that it was because someone could be watching them. "I recently retraced the footsteps of my grandfather", he said, hoping that she would catch his drift. "My dear progenitor visited the Middle East during the 1930s as part of a Germanic archaeological expedition. He found the final rest when the war was on, but he did leave some things to look up. Old records, I suppose, and a few of my aunt and her children. My, ah, cousins... here, let me show you." The ghoul reached for his swollen wallet and searched through the bewildering array of cards, photographs, elapsed train tickets and small knick-knacks. Eventually, he found what he was looking for, a passport-sized picture of a young girl with a headscarf. With some pride, he held it between two fingers and presented it to Aguirre, so that she might have a closer look. ![]() "This is a picture of Yasmina. She's the eldest and I suppose the one that has the most of my - er - my grandfather's features, even though she's still her mothers' child." He gushed as he showed the picture of the young blonde Iranian woman. He showed off the picture and smiled with all the affection of a loving grandfather, and seemed eager to tell more about her, too. "Yasmina's older now, I suppose, but I should like to think that she still posesses of beauty and her mothers' grace. She moved to Teheran in the early 1990s for study and a job. Her sons marched during the Green Revolution a few years ago, after the Presidential Election. Sadly, to little effect. But so brave! I was worried that they might get caught. Stay home, I said..." |
| |
![]() |
|
| Aguirre Efrain Maddox | Saturday, 20. July 2013, 05:49 Post #11 |
![]()
Mouse
|
It could only be assumed the when Dawid said 'grandfather', he actually meant himself, especially from the way he said it. If he went as far back as his speech indicated, it was possible that 'great grand father' was a more suitable term, but she understood the point he was trying to put across. To think he had been around since probably before the 1930's... That was around seventy years before she was even born. It was a shock to think about her companion having been around for so long and still looking as though he was in his mid-to-late twenties. This was the nature of their supernatural world, and yet she was still astonished by the way it worked. At the sight of his over stuffed wallet, she was reminded of all the times her grandmother had pulled out old photo albums to go through and tell Aguirre of all the shenanigans she had participated in as a young girl; she wondered how many of those slips of paper, business cards, and family photos offered back stories the likes of which she had never experienced or given thought to. It also made her think of a way to pay her date back for taking her out; after all, she hated to be payed for, but it seemed as though the man would be almost offended should she elucidate her own silly habit of taking gifts as a debt. Once Dawid had sorted through the many things in his wallet, he pulled out a picture, presenting it proudly for her to examine. She took it from him, handling the tiny photograph with care as she studied the pretty girl in the picture. She had a familiar facial structure, very similar to Dawid's own, though his features weren't so prevalent beyond that. To think that she was much older now, with adult sons of her own, simply threw Aguirre for a loop. She wondered what her brothers had been up to in her absence, whether she had nieces and nephews, in laws.. She hadn't talked to them in over twenty years, they probably had adult spawn of their own. The Brujah handed back the picture, making sure he had it firmly in his grasp before letting it go. The concern he showed as he spoke of the Green Revolution made her chuckle quietly; he looked so young, but spoke in such a parental fashion. "She's beautiful. To raise brave boys, I'm sure it wasn't all nurturin'. My mother always told me bravery was in your DNA." Once arriving at their destination, they were ushered into the large theatre, which Aguirre very quickly discovered was an entirely foreign place to her. She had never really been in to musicals, but considering that Dawid had bothered to bring her out at all, she would definitely give it a shot. This also gave her the opportunity to sit close to him; she did this despite the arm rest between them, and let her fingertips come to rest upon the mid carpal joint in his wrist. A sharp point in the wrist had always been something she rather liked, though such strange details would never be mentioned. The performance was admittedly cheesy, but she at least enjoyed the music; she didn't hate Abba. She wondered if he had picked it because he liked it, or because it was assumed that she would. |
![]() We are all museums of fear. Font color: #FFDAB9 | |
![]() |
|
| Dawid Prazmowski | Saturday, 20. July 2013, 21:15 Post #12 |
![]()
Ancilla
|
Dawid felt giddy as they took the tube back to Aguirre's apartments. The show had been delightful in that West End way, transforming a few spoonfuls of nostalgia, a sugary story and well-known sing-a-long-songs into a vibrant spectacle of lights and sounds. Sure, it had been a final rehearsal. And sure, the lights had needed some adjusting during the first ten minutes. But then... what a show! To top it off, his date had held hands. When the lights had gone out he had leaned over and kissed her neck, feeling goosebumps on her skin. This time, the Kindred had not pushed him away. It held the promise of an evening with a happy ending. A happy ending with a Kindred being a thing that he hadn't expected to happen again any time soon. "Well? What did you think?" he asked with an excitability that begged for concurrence with his own opinion. Their underground carriage was nearly empty at this time of the night, and so he felt comfortable trying to grab her hands. His bony hands were warm and the blood was being pumped through the veins at an elevated pace, matching the efforts of his heart. |
| |
![]() |
|
| Aguirre Efrain Maddox | Sunday, 21. July 2013, 09:04 Post #13 |
![]()
Mouse
|
Aguirre didn't know how to feel about the performance; not because it wasn't enjoyable, because it was, but because her date had decided, mid-show, to lean in and kiss her neck. Goose bumps had indeed raised along her neck and down her arms due to the contrast of his warmth to her cold combined with the surprise the kiss had presented her with. Such a thing seemed somewhat intimate for the first date, but she thought it may have just been her rather American sensibilities. Perhaps this was another social cue she was missing. Maybe if she had intended for there to be a date at all, the blush she felt on her features might not have been what she imagined to be such a cherry red; maybe she wouldn't have been at such a loss for what to do about it. She had been blind sided by affection that she wasn't at all prepared for. Now, on the train ride home, she wondered if she had given him the wrong idea. Had she gotten too close to him before? Should she have left her hands in her lap during the show? Dawid was obviously pleased with Mamma Mia. He sounded excited as he asked her thoughts on it; this seemed to be something he really enjoyed, and though she wasn't entirely into musicals, she enthused about it anyway.. Maybe to a slightly lesser extent than her counterpart. "It was great! I can't say I've been to a better show." This wasn't exactly a lie; she hadn't been to any shows prior to this once since high school. Anyway, whether she really enjoyed it or not wasn't what she was concerned with; she didn't want to bring his mood down when he was in such a good one, especially by speaking even relatively ill of the performance he had been so kind as to treat her to. The Brujah didn't mind having his warm hands clasped around her own, though she did still have some residual discomfort from his earlier trespass. When they arrived at the metro station nearest the southerner's apartment, the eccentric man insisted on walking her to her door. The streets had been a dangerous place for kine and kindred alike, so she didn't protest, but she was a little worried about how Dawid proposed to get home safely. She hoped he would invest in a cab, which was a small fortune, but well worth it to avoid trouble in what was most definitely a troubled neighborhood. She invited him inside, hoping to have the conversation she had blueprinted before he arrived earlier that evening over a glass of wine and a clove; she didn't want to send him home yet. If the chat went at least somewhat smoothly, she would try to plan their next arrangement, making sure she was the one to foot the bill for their next excursion. |
![]() We are all museums of fear. Font color: #FFDAB9 | |
![]() |
|
| Dawid Prazmowski | Sunday, 21. July 2013, 19:15 Post #14 |
![]()
Ancilla
|
Though Aquirre's blueprint for the evening featured conversation and a glass of wine, Dawid had other plans. The elevator was the ghoul's first area of attack. When the doors closed behind him, the lips that had pursed with coy expression widened into a lecherous sort of grin He closed quickly on the Kindred woman, even if his words were still spoken slowly and deliberately: "It was ever so kind of you to wet a line and throw some bait in my direction", he declared as his eyes roamed over her. "Hooked and reeled in. I dare say I am helpless now. If only your beauty was veiled, that I might better restrain my warm affections." The ghoul seemed less the kindly grandfather now, and more the impetuous youth. As he tried to kiss her, his hands roamed freely over the Kindred's chest, before reaching to playfully grab her wrists. |
| |
![]() |
|
| Aguirre Efrain Maddox | Sunday, 21. July 2013, 19:55 Post #15 |
![]()
Mouse
|
What. This was not at all what Aguirre had expecting; hell, he didn't even seem like the same guy that had showed up below her fire escape. The look he gave her and the all the talk of having 'wet a line' caught her off guard completely. She hadn't been fishing for anything. This date had gone spiraling down in a plume of smoke, and contrary to her assumption of how the night would end, it wasn't actually her fault. He did manage to lay a kiss on her, but as soon as she felt his hands on her, she jerked her arms out of his grasp and pushed him back, perhaps a little harder than she meant to. She was obviously upset as her jaw set into an expression that could only be read as irate. She hadn't wanted to hurt his feelings before, but a line had been crossed by a few miles. She took a deep breath before asking in a quiet tone laden with a mix of anger and discomfort, "What do you think you're doing?" |
![]() We are all museums of fear. Font color: #FFDAB9 | |
![]() |
|
| Dawid Prazmowski | Sunday, 21. July 2013, 20:53 Post #16 |
![]()
Ancilla
|
Just before planting his kiss on the female Kindred's lips, Dawid whispered sweet things to her in a husky voice: "Hmm. J'adore. Your soft lips, that sweet tongue, those...." Sharp elbows? Fists?!" The ghoul had an expression of utter surprise when he suddenly found himself being hurled away from her sweet, sweet kettle drums. The Brujah's sudden display of vampiric strength had more than the desired effect, sending him flying across the room and hitting the lift's cage with a painful THUD that made the floor vibrate and the walls wobble. Dawid cried out in pain, a sore spot on his still tender shoulder having hit against that wall. As a final anticlimax, the echo of his cry was drowned out by an unfrendly, high-pitched 'ping', announcing that the elevator had reached the correct floor. He had to save this night. He was the Man. "Tis apparent... ah... I... understand how that assertive shove might be inspired by your primal instincts" he said, trying to put on a brave face while feeling a transient pain that was much like he had after being shot in the caves. He spoke more quickly as he attempted to guess her motives: "You are perchance new to intimacy. You think you don't deserve love any more. But you do, M'lady! I know you do! I beg of you to let me worship the Temple that is your body, to permit me to share with you such melting moments that will make you feel alive again! Because truly, should be a pity for us to part on cold terms, and cruel too, after I felt those charming goosebumps on your skin." |
| |
![]() |
|
| Aguirre Efrain Maddox | Sunday, 21. July 2013, 21:46 Post #17 |
![]()
Mouse
|
The Brujah hadn't actually meant to fling Dawid across the elevator. Considering how small the lift really was, there wasn't much of anywhere for him go to besides directly into the wall behind him, and when she noticed the pain that appeared over his features, she flinched; she had completely forgotten that he was still in a bad way from the tunnels. Coupled with the fact that she sorely underestimated her strength, she felt bad. However, as he started talking again, he only dug himself a deeper hole. Her eyes narrowed somewhat; she let him finish, but only because she didn't have the words yet to respond with. "Tis apparent... ah... I... Understand how that assertive shove might be inspired by your primal instincts.." She raised a brow. "You are perchance new to intimacy. You think you don't deserve love anymore. But you do, M'lady! I know you do! I beg of you to let me worship the temple that is your body, to permit me to share with such melting moments that will make you feel alive again! Because truly, should be a pity for us to part on cold terms, and cruel too, after I felt those charming goosebumps on your skin." Not only was this a play on the low self esteem she was completely aware of, but he had tried to pull the 'love' card. And to say that her actions were cruel? While admittedly she hadn't blatantly told him "No", it was only because she didn't want to bruise his ego, which she was now so far beyond worrying about. "Cruel. You know what's cruel, Dawid? Pretending you're interested in anything but sex. I don't participate in one night stands." The Brujah pulled a tenner from from between her bra and the breast of her dress--something she'd brought just in case of an emergency--and slapped it into his hand as she left the lift, saying, "I'm sorry I hurt your shoulder. Get a cab home, and I'll pay you back for the show." She walked back toward her apartment quickly, wanting to hide. She'd had enough of people for the night. Edited by Aguirre Efrain Maddox, Sunday, 21. July 2013, 21:48.
|
![]() We are all museums of fear. Font color: #FFDAB9 | |
![]() |
|
| Dawid Prazmowski | Sunday, 21. July 2013, 22:45 Post #18 |
![]()
Ancilla
|
While Aguirre lectured him on cruelty, Dawid just stared and listened, his extremities slowly limping. First his arms, which had been gesticulating wildly, fell by the wayside. Then his legs gave way, and he drifted slowly towards the lift's dirty floor. It seemed like it was all playing out in slow motion. The ten- pound note being slapped into his hand. The girl turning, her posterior shaking ever-so-finely, even though she was angered. Gone. The lift doors closed themselves shut after another minute, leaving him all-alone in the tiny mirrored room. For what seemed like an eternity, the ghoul remained in the lift, crouched into a foetal position with his arms wrapped tightly around his legs. There were no tears. Men do not cry. A jolt of movement in the lift and the sound of drunken louts at the bottom of the shaft ended his unscheduled bout of introspection. He muttered an apology as he shuffled past the college-age party-goers, crumpling the bank note in his hand as he began the long and shameful walk home. He'd save the tenner for a bottle or two of dirt cheap whiskey. |
| |
![]() |
|
| Frankie O'Hara | Monday, 22. July 2013, 02:58 Post #19 |
![]()
The Mohawk
|
Frankie scratched at her scalp as she walked down the street towards home. She'd been chilling with Espen for awhile, but she'd had some plans so she'd went home to...wherever she lived... Frankie pulled out her phone, Aguirre had told her to stay away for the night, but she was fucking bored. It was slow at the Tripper and there were no jobs that needed doing, so she was looking forward to a night just spent hanging out at home. She imagined that the Texan wouldn't be happy that she hadn't done the favor she'd asked and stayed away for the night, but good god she was bored and she'd raked her mind for things to do, but nothing really seemed fun, so to home she went. She jogged up the stairs to their small apartment and pulled her keys out of her pocket and unlocked the door and gave the door a shove to open it and readied her apologetic smile, "Hey! Sorry I came back early! I just...really didn't want to hang around the Tripper for another second..." She froze as she saw her best friend sitting smoking with a bottle of wine in front of her, wearing the dress Espen had dropped off. She frowned as she moved across the room and sat down next to her with a sigh, she gently took the cigarette from her hand, holding it for a second examining it before she set it between her lips and took a draw. She pulled Aguirre to her chest holding her distressed friend, hoping to provide whatever comfort she could. She held her there with her left arm as she took the cigarette from her lips and returned it to Aguirre, "Take it slow, okay? Tell me what happened." |
![]() OOC - Frankie's hot pink font color: #F660AB | |
![]() |
|
| Aguirre Efrain Maddox | Monday, 22. July 2013, 03:57 Post #20 |
![]()
Mouse
|
When Frankie came in the door, Aguirre looked up with a fairly glazed over expression on her face. She wasn't so much distressed as she was strapped for ideas on how to rectify the situation, though her brow did furrow some when she realized she was still in her roommate's dress. She had intended to put it back on the hanger, but it slipped her mind, and now it probably smelled like an ash tray. "Hi Frankie", she said, "I'm sorry, I forgot to give you the all-clear." It was nice to get a hug from her friend, probably one of the only people she willingly accepted affection from, and she relaxed into the pink-crested lady. "I had a date. Didn't plan it that way, though", the Brujah said. "It was great mostly, until the end. I'm just gonna be a cat lady for the rest of eternity." She looked down over the dress, then up at Frankie, saying in an apologetic tone, "Sorry I borrowed this without asking. I'll get it dry cleaned tomorrow night. Hopefully Espen doesn't skewer me!" Aguirre giggled a little at that, but Dawid came back to her mind and the giggles were replaced by a sigh, a pout coming over her features. 'It really was goin' so well, too. I mean, he took me to a musical, which was meh", she waved her hand in a sort of lazy fashion to indicate just how 'meh' it was, "But he's so smart. It's like he's got the whole history of the world stored in his brain." She puffed contentedly on the cigarette for a moment. "I think I hurt him. Like, physically. And mentally a little bit, too." This was probably the most distressing part about it, if there was a distressing part. She knew she didn't come from a clan of softies, but she didn't like being the one to hurt people. Not to mention that Dawid was human, for all intents and purposes, regardless of how long he had lived. She felt like a bully. "In my defense, though, he got touchy in the lift. But there was a good measure of overreaction on my end.. He's only a ghoul, anyway.." Edited by Aguirre Efrain Maddox, Friday, 13. September 2013, 16:32.
|
![]() We are all museums of fear. Font color: #FFDAB9 | |
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · The Borough of Enfield · Next Topic » |














2:01 AM Jul 11