Blaze
The evening had started like many others. He had dressed up, went to meet some people and then headed to a nearby restaurant for dinner. He was alone tonight. No needs for bodyguards all the time. He was sitting at a table when the lights went out and people started panicking. He had stayed seated, eating in the dark as a weak light appeared from two light bulbs powered by the restaurant generator.
He finishes his meal as people exit the place angry and worried. He pays for his meal and heads out himself. Sounds of car crashing and honking can be heard. It wasn’t the best of time to use his car with idiots driving like assholes when there were traffic lights, when there were none, it was worst.
The city was truly dark, as the moon was hidden by clouds. Still he starts to walk slowly, looking around.
Kiana Knowles
It’s amazing how very dark the city can get – and how certain residents don’t mind it at all. People panic as they are shoved out of their comfort zones, kicking and screaming about it being unfair, angry and unable to function.
Kiana never panics.
She’d already gotten her dinner, and well, she is a street rat, as comfortable here as she is anywhere else – light or dark, it’s all the same to her.
The simple fact is this: In the pitch darkness of a blacked out city, even a single solitary candle can brighten the world. Add that candle to a fire built in the lid of a trash can, carefully controlled, flickering and flashing on the alley way floor, casting shadows and light on her face as she breathes into the embers, and coaxes her little fire to life. She then settles in front of it, crossing her legs under her, and grabbing her dinner.
It’s as if she does this every night. Or something. And, as is the way with a light in the darkness – it gathers the attention, and causes one to stop and look…
Blaze
He notices the fire and tilts his head in it’s direction. Some other notice it but there is no stampede toward it as it was warm and people didn’t have need for heaters. If they had been up North during winter, it might have been another matter entirely.
There’s a woman eating near it, sitting on the ground. The flame flickering shows glimpses of her face. She seems attractive. Focusing a little, he recognize the mute girl from the other night. He slowly makes his way toward the fire.
“You know, you’d be more comfortable eating home than in an alley.”
Kiana Knowles
She stirs her dinner – chow mein, it looks like when she scoops a bit to her mouth – and then looks up at him as he speaks. She arches an expressive brow, at that, and lips curve into a slight grin.
She gestures around to the alley, and tips her head again, as she pats the box behind her. Maybe this *is* home…
either way, she certainly doesn’t seem uncomfortable.
Blaze
He frowns a little “Really? This is where you live? Guess it must be why you need to fight. Get your ass out of the streets into a decent place”
He sounds more surprised than disgusted. “But since you didn’t look filthy the other time..I’m assuming you do have an apartment. For shower and stuff”
He places his hands in his pockets “Anyway, seems like you’re having a nice dinner for one””
Kiana Knowles
There’s a huff of breath that signals amusement as she gestures for him to join her. She reaches into the box behind her and tugs out a couple of beers and offers him one, brow arched slightly. Street rats share, and if he wants to share her dinner – her square of concrete – well, the invite is there.
She digs in the pocket for her hoodie for her battered notepad and pencil, and scrawls on it for a moment, before offering it to him to read in the firelight.
~Have other places too crash too. And not all street rats are filthy.~
Blaze
He reaches for one of the beer “Thanks” He leans against one of the alley wall for the moment opening his beer. She hands him the note pad and he reads it “No I guess not all of them are. Though not all of them have places they can use for shower”
He hands back the pad.
“So been having fun since last we met? Got to fight for money some?”
Kiana Knowles
She shrugs and mimes fluffing her hair in a clear ‘I’m cuter than the average street rat’ kind of way to explain why she has places to shower. Of course, nine times out of ten, she uses the Y, but that’s beside the point.
She takes a swig of her beer, and another bite before she answers. She shrugs her shoulders – but writes two words that explain how the situation will soon change.
~got backer.~
She even managed to escape the trial relatively unscathed. She shoots him a grin though, and points at him, then her eyes, then her chest, then puts up her dukes briefly…. brow raised in question – does he want to watch sometime?
Blaze
He nods at the words written on the paper. “Good for you. Guess it’ll get you rolling” He say handing the notepad back. He drinks while he watches her.
“Yeah, it might happen. I do hang there once in a while. So I’m pretty sure I’ll get to see you. After all, what you do doesn’t really lend itself for private demonstration”
He drinks some more, glancing around, watching the people moving, checking if any show too much interest in the fire..or them.
Kiana Knowles
She grins again and wiggles her brows when he mentions private demonstrations. Because it reminds her of their previous conversation.
~Where’s your bimbos?~ Speaking of private things, and all…
He watches the people that don’t seem to be paying them too much mind – all intend on getting home, getting somewhere, getting out of the dark…
Blaze
He look at the piece of paper “Hell if I know.” He says with a shrug. It didn’t sound like he was too attached to them.
He hand back the paper, then drinks form his beer.
“It’s not like they were someone important”
He pushes himself from the wall and sits on the ground, watching her.
Kiana Knowles
She nods, slightly, as he sits and watches her. She offers him a bite of her noodles – and if he takes it, she waits until he’s done, and then – she finishes it off. She sets the carton in the box behind her, and leans sideways to prop herself near him, her elbow against the cement, the notepad in front of her where it can be viewed easily in the flickering firelight.
This close to him, he can tell she’s obviously clean… she smells vaguely like vanilla, a lotion or her shampoo or something like it. It’s not overpowering, just slightly… enticing.
She looks up at him, and then writes…
~and is there someone important?~ Curious, and all.
Blaze
He shakes his head at the offer of noodles “Thanks but I just ate” He says, drinking once more from his beer. He reads the paper and smiles, almost laugh “Oh god no. No one”
He says, handing back the paper, not elaborating on this.
He leans against the wall, eyes looking at her “How about you?”
Kiana Knowles
She makes a face and shakes her head, vigorously, hair slipping from the loose knot at the back of her neck as she does so. No one important for her either. Single and she likes it just fine, exactly like that.
~men intimidated.~
Just because she could likely kick their asses most of the time. Such sensitive egos, men…
Blaze
He grins “I see” He simply says and finishes his beer. He didn’t seem to be intimidated at all. He has grown up around very dangerous women after all.
Most of them didn’t look at good as Kiana.
He look for a garbage can to throw his empty beer into before looking back at the young woman
Kiana Knowles
He grins, and so does she. Then, as he finishes his beer, she arches a brow, and writes the most important question of the night…
~So. Gonna let me use your shower tonight, or what?~
Because that’s what she has in mind. Really.
Blaze
He look at her up and down and then grin “Sure, why not?” He says, knowing exactly what the question meant “Though before we can use my car, there might still be some time..hard to drive without lights”
He gets up “Maybe there is away we could keep ourselves occupied until the lights are back on. Then you could use the shower..and more if you want”
Kiana Knowles
He agrees. She knew he would. She waits to stand until he does, tucking the notepad into her pocket again, before she takes his empty beer bottle, her’s and tucks it all into a nearby dumpster. She makes sure to put out her little fire, too, and as the last ember fades… she reaches for him.
Hands slide around his wrist, then up along his arm, to his shoulder and around his neck as she presses close to him, warm and viable and clearly old enough and experienced enough to know exactly what she wants – and how she’d like to be occupied.
She pulls back to wrap her fingers around the strap of her backpack, and slings it over her shoulder and gestures for him to take the lead…
Those blond bimbos got nothing on her.
Kiana Knowles
[fadish]