[Derek Anderson] It was getting late ot be hanging in Chinatown, certainly not one of the safest neighborhoods at night. Maybe that’s why he was there. There has been a distubance and he had been called to check it. It took over 3 hours but now, everything was settled and a very angry man was on his way to the station. Ritchie will handle it, his shift was over.
He walked, looknig around, dressed in dark pants, blue shirt with tie and long dark trench coat. He washard to miss, nearly 6’4″blond, caucasion with kind blue eyes. He stopped near where they found the strange kin creature, looking at the statue where it had been standing. It had been a rally strange encounter. At least not everything happening to him in Chinatown had been bad. He had bumped into Sofie the other timer and had met a very shy, really cute Garou named Rory. He wondered what happened ot her. She never called, not that he had really expected her to.
He starts moving agian, wondering if he should stop somewhere for a coffee.
[Rory] Rory hadn’t called. Of course, if he’d caught on to anything, it can’t really be surprising that she didn’t. Its possible that she’s incapable of dialing the number correctly, as she certainly can’t read one. But she’s not hard to find, either. In fact, she stands out even more than he does…
There’s a bench, next to a table, and at it sits the redheaded garou. In front of her, there’s bits and pieces of something… metal and box shaped. Her head is bent over her work, nimble fingers working with impossibly tiny tools, her lower lip pulled between her teeth as she works, oblivious to everything else around her.
[Derek Anderson] He smiled. Well talk about the devil. He watches her for a while, interested in what she was doing. He did so from a distanceso not to startle her. She seemed really focused. He waited for a while then moved closer, taking the opportunity if there’s a puase in her work to make some noise as he close the distance. Startling a Garou was usually pretty high on dump things to do.
Once he has her attention, he smiled warmly to her “Hello Rory, how have you been?”He ask in a friendly tone. “Mid if I sit with you?” He ask as he move to stand facing her, ready to sit on the bench if she allow him to sit with her
[Rory] She blinks as the noise filters though… and she snaps her head up, and then there’s a brief, yet beautiful smile, seen just before she ducks her head away to hide behind her curls.
He asks if he can sit, and she shakes her head, slightly…
“Ok.”
When he can see what she’s actually working on, it seems to be an old metal music box, battered and beat up, looking as if getting it to work will be impossible…
[Derek Anderson] He smiled back at her and sat, watching the pieces “That’s quite a challenge you’ve set up for yourself”He say, looking back at her “Think you can fix it?”
He wasn’t doubting her, he was interested in knowing what she thought of her own abilites. He intertwined his fingers on the table, looknig back at the metal pieces once he caught a glimpse of her green eyes.
[Rory] She shrugs thin shoulders, and peeks up at him through curls. “I fan cix it.”
Confidence, there, where she is so shy otherwise. Her face heats up with a blush, but that doesn’t shake the steadiness of her hands, her fingers working the little tools like she has done this all her life.
Which, of course, she has. It’s the one thing that kept her sane, kept her hands busy when there was nothing and no one else.
[lets see if she really can…]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 4, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6) Re-rolls: 1
[Derek Anderson] Hissmile gre some “I’m sure you can. Glad to see you know it as well”
And he watches her, silent, letting her work as long as she need to. He was a patient man, not indications that he was in a hurry or bored. Of course watching her face, her concentration and every little shift in expression was as fascinating as watching her fingers manipulate the small tools. As things started to fit and click, his smiled turned somewhat warmer, he was impressed with her skills.
[Rory] She works with a single-minded determination, and it’s not hard to see how it would be mirrored in her fighting as well – except there, her tools of the trade are much different. Much, much different.
Finally, she settles back, and closes the lid of the music box. Then, with a peek up at him, she lifts it back open again – and a tinny, old, Fur Elise starts to play. Rusty, yes, but it works, and works well.
“There.”
[Derek Anderson] He nodded “Wow, hat’s tuly impressive Rory. You are one talented woman” He says with a smile, looking at her “I doubt many people could have manage to do that.”
He grin at her “So how have things been? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. Everything’s good?” He ask with curiosity. He really was interested in what was happening in her life.
[Rory] She wrinkles her nose, and shrugs a shoulder, pleased blush creeping under her skin again. “Its hot nard.” Though for anyone else it likely would be. She waves away the praise though, and carefully puts her tools back into the little case they came from. Now the clanking and clattering her backpack does on occasion makes sense.
She shrugs, slightly, when he asks what how it’s going… “Same old.”
[Derek Anderson] He nod “Well same old is better than bad right?” He asks her with a smile “So no plans for tonight then? I was thinking of gonig for a coffee or maybe a beer. Would you be interested to join me? My treat. You deserve it after working hard”
He slowly gets up, feeling the cold a little. Weather wasn’t really warm yet and he felt better inside than outside.
[Rory] She doesn’t feel the cold, not so much. Her rage boils and burns under her skin, the moon heavy and pregnant above, her body fairly thrumming with the power of it’s pull. That she sits so calm, works such tiny things with such precision… it’s a testament to how much control she really has.
He invites her to a drink, and tips her head slightly, then after a moment, nods. She finishes putting away her things, shoving it all into her back pack before she stands…
[Derek Anderson] He doesn’t offer her his hand or his arm. He was sure it would embarass her and well, they didn’t know each other that well or that way. He start walking with her, hands in his pockets “What do you feel liek coffee or beer? And if beer. Club, bar or pub?”
He smiled at her, walking at her rythm, knowing his usual long stides mgiht give some trouble to the smaller woman
[Rory] Smaller she may be, but she’s well used to keeping up when she needs too. The spirits tell tales of the shy garou that explodes into action with a ferocity befitting her moon – and one who should be higher ranked than she is. But he wouldn’t know that… and she certainly never speaks of it. She just keeps up with him, easily, her warmth breaching the small distance between them to warm across his side.
He asks what she feels like, and she shrugs, slightly… She’s not much for beer, and the bar scene or even pub scene under this moon is likely not a good idea. In the end, she nods. “Coffee.”
It’s warmer, anyway.
[Derek Anderson] He nodded to her “Coffee it is”He felt her warmth against him. Not that they were touching but still he could sense it. Her rage mixed with the heat coming out of her were quite an interesting combo. Strange, he was dating a really sweet woman but he always felt more attracted, more alive around the more dangerous ones. Either those with a very different look than him: piecing, tattoos, or with an edge. Rory definatly fell into the second category.
He ofund a small coffee shop and opened the door for her “After you milady”He said in a playful tone and stepped in beside her. He let her decide where they would sit.
[Rory] She ducks her head to hide the blush as he opens the door for her. She smiles, briefly, though it’s hidden as always behind those curls. “Ray used to tho dat.”
There’s a longing there, soft and barely heard, before she ducks into the warmth of the coffee shop, inhaling deeply of the scents within to help push it away again.
She’s definitely one with an edge, though it’s her innocence that always shines through, confusing people, making them wonder what her game is. They never quite believe the truth – she has no game. She’s just Rory.
[Derek Anderson] He smiled “Well Ray was a smart man.”He doesn’t comment that maybe Ray was stupid for not being around her…because he might be dead which was possible in their world and then it wasn’t his fault right?
“You should hang with me more often. I tend to do those kind of things”he say to her with a grin. Yes, he liked who she was. Quiet, shy, really sweet, but with a definite sense of danger. That was almsot intoxicating.
He sat, facing her, noticing how people felt incredibly uneasy around the redhead and there he was, as comfortable around her as most peope are laying on a beach with the warm sun over them.
[Rory] She didn’t notice how people shy away from her. It always has been, always will be, something that she simply lives with. As much as she tries to keep to herself, people will notice. People will stare. People will hide away from her and fear her, despite how much she simply wishes acceptance, friends.
Sometimes men were different. Ray was. Derek is. But still – there’s the bottom line: She is not allowed to discover anything more. She’s simply not allowed. Even having coffee will get her in trouble should the wrong people see – but she does so anyway.
And he invites her to hang out with him more often – predictably, she blushes again. “Maybe.”
[Derek Anderson] He smiled to her “Come on, you have to say yes. I know you have your duties and all. And oyu told me abotu your birth. Still you won’t get into trouble if you hang with me, I swear to you. I’m not stupid, I know some people would try to get at you or something. Thing is, hanging around with someone isn’t bad, nor are many other things. From what I’ve heard it’s when things gets more serious..more forever that they really don’t like it.”
He smiled “my guadian doesn’t really mind who I’m around as long as I don’t cause trouble. And I know we won’t, so think about it” He grinned slightly then order his coffee when a waiter gets brave enough to come to their table
[Rory] His guardian. “Krincess Pate.” She lifts her hand and rubs along the side of her nose absently, before peeking up at him, and shrugs a little. She and Ray thought they could hang around each other too – but then again, their chemistry was something that everyone could see. There was no hiding it – still isn’t. Which is why he pays for her place, but doesn’t visit.
…often.
She shrugs a shoulder though, which isn’t a no, really. But not really a yes either. She changes the subject. “You gave a hirlfriend?” Curious, really.
[Derek Anderson] He grin at that “Yes, Katherine is my guardian. She isn’t bad though, I could have been under someone worst. Then again, maybe I don’t know her well enough”
He smiled as he watches her, leaning into his seat “I do have a girlfriend at the moment. I’m jsut not sure that’s a forever thing though. She lack..something” He say with a shrugh “Anyway, I’ll see how it goes. We’re dating but I’m not claimed”
[Rory] She tips her head, slightly, daring a look at him when he says she lacks something. “…what?”
Relationships are endlessly facinating for her… additionally so because she is not allowed to have one.
[Derek Anderson] He smiled to her “My girlfriend is a really nice, caring and sweet person. I care for her a lot. But..she lacks an…I odn’t know. An edge maybe. I might be that nice proper guy, but my type of women is dangerous. I mean, i like then beautiful, nice, smart but with something more.” He shrugh
“Not going to say docile because none of you are. I don’t know how ot explain it. I jsut know that some people, like you, possess itand she doesn’t” He was being honest. The fianna did possess it. Doesn’t mean he wants to be with her, though it’d be a lie to say she wasn’t attractive.
[Rory] She blinks.. “…me?!”
And predictably, blushes deeply, the color spreading so fast, it’s not hard to imagine it goes all the way to her toes. She knows he was just commenting on her Rage.. Ray taught her such things, but it doesn’t stop the blushing.
“I’m nobody.” a beat. “Wust a jarrior. Nobody special.”
[Derek Anderson] He smiled to her, one of those charming smiles many women would love. “You are special Rory. You are more than awarrior, and I”m sure you’re a good one. But you’re also beautiful, skilled, charming and have a wonderful voice. Never let anyone tell you that you aren’t special. I know some will think so because of what you are. That is jsut stupid. And they are idiots if they don’t see what I see”
He shrugh “Anyway, you have this something more..you’re a warrior, you’re fierce and that’s really attractive”
[Rory] Oh she couldn’t stop blushing if she tried, at this point. She squirms absently, her curls not enough to hide that she’s pleased, even if embarrassed. Especially about the voice. No one ever said she had a nice voice before – she messes up too much, people only seem to see that.
Then, she shakes her head. “Ray used do to that too.”
[Derek Anderson] He smiled to her “Then now you have to know we’re both right. One person you mgiht doubt but two people who don’t know each other? You have to know it’s the truth.” He grinned
“ANd I hope you’ll talk more around me, I love your accent. I enjoy listening to you. Well I enjoy being around you period.”He smiled “I mean it”
[Rory] She squirms again, and peeks up at him, before looking around the room, anywhere but at him. He says he loves her ‘accent’ and that’s the funniest thing she’s heard it called before. Deformed, stupid, impossible.. those things sure. an accent that is loved? That’s new.
“Micago chen are odd.”
[Derek Anderson] He chuckled at that “Ican’t say about them, I”m from Pittsburgh. Maybe I”m jsut smarter or more observant than the others. Helps me see what others are missing”
Thecoffees are brought and he smiled to her, as he pick his adding only some sugar than drank from it. His eyes were on her, watching her prepare her coffee or watch her as she drinks it black.
[Rory] She wrinkles her nose, and shrugs slightly, and then offers the waitress a timid smile [though the waitress would swear its more of a snarl, that girl is so scary, hector!] and takes her coffee cup. Her hands are deceptively fragile looking, with the nails barely seen, the digits themselves thin and pale as she reaches for the sugar, and adds a couple packets, as well as some cream too.
As to his observations, she just peeks up at him, and smiles a little. “Maybe.”
[Derek Anderson] He nodded to her “Pretty sure it’s more than just maybe” He grinned “So, tell me somethign about you. Anything. I don’t know much except that you had a nice man named Ray in your life once, that you’re awarrior and that you’re skilled at repairing things”
He doesn’t mention that she’s metis or had a speech impediment as if it wasn’t that important to him. After all it was jsut part of her, as her redhair, the green eyes or her cute freckles.
[Rory] She rubs the side of her nose, absently, before tucking her hair behind her ear so that she can take a testing sip of her coffee. Her hair doesn’t remain confined for long, springing free again, as she looks up at him, and then shrugs a little.
“Mot nuch to tell.” There isn’t really. But what she tells him, haltingly, is this: She was packed before, a couple of times. One pack died. The other simply left. She’s been alone a long time, since. She misses it, really. She misses a lot of things. She doesn’t miss Chicago Dogs in the park, because that’s her favorite lunch, other than the Noodles from Noodle Hut here in China Town. Arizona was hot – and she always sunburned badly. Here, it is not so bad. And she sells her little fixed music boxes, and fixes little things like soda machines and toasters in places near her home to keep her fed with Chicago Dogs and Noodles.
And all of it comes out, slowly, pulled from her with his questions, offered only with his encouragement. It doesn’t take long, as there really isn’t much to tell.
At some point, she says she has to go, there are patrols to do, after all.. and with a blushing “…thanks.” She dashes to the safety of the street, and her home beyond…