InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "glenn's aliveeee"

Cole Evans {Ichabod Crane} (blackcatsrbad) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-02-22 01:44:00

Entry tags:

ichabod crane, vasilissa

Who: Cole and Ileana
What: Their first official date
Where: Outside the building to start
When: Today at 3
Warnings: Probably none

Cole hadn't been on a proper date in at least a year. The last time he'd taken a girl out it was early spring, and she was a substitute teacher at one of the schools he was applying to. Her name was Paula and she was twenty-six, and they started talking about how hard it was to find a job in their profession and somehow that led to coffee. Two nights later it was dinner, and in the weeks after that they had been stuck in some awkward in-between stage.

Until she told him she'd found someone else, sorry you're a great guy but, and that was that. This time, though, he hoped it would be different. His luck hadn't been the best lately, but it could change. Maybe.

He woke up in the morning with bruises marking his abdomen and upper chest, mottled purple and green and painful to the touch, but he could handle those. They could easily be covered up with clothing, but the faint purple ring around his right eye would prove a little harder. He tried icing it for a bit, but it didn't work all too well and he was forced to go to work with it visible.

His colleagues joked about it, and he told them he'd recently taken up self-defense lessons - which wasn't a complete lie; he just hadn't actually started them yet - and a classmate had broken the rules and gotten him in the eye. His students seemed to think it was cool, and some of the boys even congratulated him on it.

Right.

Immediately after his classes were done he headed back to the building, making a last-ditch effort to disguise the now dark purple marks around his eye to no avail. He was just going to have to think up some excuse that didn't involve mugging to tell her. Sighing, he changed his shirt-tie-and-dress-pants attire for a sweater and jeans, wincing a little at the bruises. Damn it, he really needed those self-defense classes. And maybe a knife of his own.

Cole wasn't really worried about anyone he knew seeing him with Ileana - teachers had their own lives outside of school, and it wasn't as if she looked particularly young. Frankly, who he spent his time with was none of their business, but that didn't mean he didn't care. He just didn't think he would run into anyone he knew anyway.

He was waiting outside the building early, and he spent the minutes before Ileana arrived glancing nervously at the alley and wondering what had happened to the man who'd saved his life.

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vasilissa
2010-02-22 08:30 am UTC (link)

Ileana was pointedly Not Thinking about the letter that still sat next to her laptop. She’d pretend that she didn’t agonize over wondering who she managed to piss off, especially if they were friends with Cole. If anything, she was going to change things up and prove whoever sent that letter that they were wrong about her. Ileana had thrown away a perfectly good dress that she thought of wistfully, but the memories attached were not ones she wanted to keep. It was going to be a good start this time for her first date with Cole.

Dates were a funny thing for her, something she had a chance to have many of that ran straight into dead ends. The little, easy dates with town boys before they were gone in a fleeting image in a rearview mirror, but this time, she was going to make this different or apparently die trying. Ileana tossed the letter away finally into the trash bin, turning back to her closet to grab her old leather jacket and threw it over a kitschy, flower print dress.

She left her twelfth floor apartment, slinging her bag over her shoulder and made it down the stairs. Pausing for a moment and taking a deep breath, Ileana ran her fingers through her hair as if she could settle it in proper place. She expected Cole to be early, but she didn’t expect Cole early with a black eye to be the first thing she saw as she exited the building. Her smile turned into a quick look of worry and rushed up to him without thinking, “Jesus Christ, Cole. What happened to your face?” And reached up to gently touch right beneath the bruise. “You look like you got your ass kicked.”

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blackcatsrbad
2010-02-22 10:30 pm UTC (link)

Cole had settled on recycling the self-defense class excuse he'd used at work, even though he doubted Ileana would accept it as easily as everyone else had - besides, lying to her wasn't very appealing. Maybe he'd just try to pass it off vaguely or something.

He glanced up at the building idly, suddenly wondering if anyone was watching from one of the windows. The thought unsettled him and he quickly shook it off, telling himself he was being stupid. Of course no one would be that obsessed.

The sound of the front door opening caught his attention, and Cole turned towards Ileana with a smile. "Hi. You look--" Her sudden look of worry made him remember the black eye, and he shrugged. "Oh, that. It's nothing, really; just a little bruise." He gave her a mock-serious look. "Besides, who says I was the one who got my ass kicked?"

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vasilissa
2010-02-22 11:49 pm UTC (link)

Dropping her hand away from Cole’s face, Ileana tried to tease him a little. “Just a little bruise, huh? I’d hate to see what the other guy looks like if you didn’t get your ass kicked. Did you put him in traction?”

Cole didn’t so forthcoming with what happened to his eye, but Ileana tried to gently pry it from him. “So what happened? Fight with a student?" Making light of it helped ease off her own worry. She really would've rather had a chance to get him to sit down and let her take care of him. Or at least get him an ice pack at the most. "Fight someone for my honor?"

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blackcatsrbad
2010-02-23 01:16 am UTC (link)

Cole thought about the dead man in the alley, throat slashed wide open. Oh, you have NO idea. "I don't think a black eye constitutes as having my ass kicked. I'm a nice guy, though, so I wasn't too hard on the other one." It was easier to laugh it off, and it bought him a little time before he had to actually give a concrete explanation.

He hesitated, torn between the truth and keeping his promise to the unnamed stranger. "If I say I earned it by valiantly defending your honor, how many points does that get me?" Laughing, he shifted away from the wall. "It was just a misunderstanding. The guy was drunk, I should've kept walking, he took a swing at me; that's all. I'm fine, though - honestly." It wasn't quite the truth, but it was less of a lie than his stupid self-defense-lessons excuse - a sort of middle ground where he felt guilty, but not too guilty.

"Enough worrying about me. You said you were counting this as a date, and I intend to make it a good one." Grinning, he offered his arm - living proof that chivalry was certainly not dead.

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vasilissa
2010-02-23 01:39 am UTC (link)

“Hm, but you could have other bruises and are trying to be all macho,” Ileana teased a little, but did take a moment to examine Cole’s face again. She wasn’t totally unobservant, but she knew when to let things go. Cole’s story sounded like one of the times she should let something drop, given the slight tone of finality to it. She’d rather not pressure him too much, but maybe she’ll be able to get the whole truth out of him later.

“Well, I like the version better where you valiantly defend my honor from some ruffian. Next you’ll be saving me from a swoon.” She laughed and her eyes softened from the lingering curiosity as he offered her his arm. A gentleman as always. Something she wasn’t surprised about there. Taking hold of his arm, “I think it’s a good one already.”

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blackcatsrbad
2010-02-23 02:32 am UTC (link)

Her teasing was a little too accurate for his liking, but he gave no sign that what she said was true. She wouldn't be seeing his other bruises, and with any luck there wouldn't be any contact with those areas that resulted in pain. Besides, it could have been a lot worse and he knew it.

"In that case, if anyone else asks I'll just tell them I was defending a fine young woman's honor from a terrible ruffian, and if they think I look bad they should take a look at him." All thoughts of the threatening note and possible surveillance vanished from his mind, because they weren't in the building any longer. Sometimes that place really did feel like a whole different world.

Cole knew that there was a popular coffee shop near the school, La Croquembouche or something, but he also knew that some of his students went there. He didn't mention that, though, instead opting for one closer to the downtown centre without being too much of a walk. It wasn't too cold, considering how it had been the last few days, but he still wondered if she was warm enough. "Do you? Well, I must be doing something right." He couldn't help but feel a little more protective as they walked, considering what had happened the evening before. "You look really nice, by the way."

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vasilissa
2010-02-23 04:01 am UTC (link)

The weather was nice enough that she didn’t feel too much of a chill. She’d rather have brought the scarf sitting on her dresser though when the wind caught her off guard. Leaning more towards Cole’s side as they walked, she said, “That sounds much better.”

“I like your company.” A simple statement was enough to explain everything. The farther they walked from Bellum, the more relaxed Ileana felt. It was better being outside of the complex, away from all the strangeness that she never wanted to deal with. She pushed the lingering thought of being watched away as they turned a corner. It was easier outside, pretending like they were absolutely normal.

It was a lot nicer than she remembered – being normal for once.

“Thank you,” she smiled up at him, “You look nice too. You know, despite the shiner.”

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blackcatsrbad
2010-02-23 04:49 am UTC (link)

Cole noticed that she moved closer, and even though it wasn't overly obvious only someone who was completely oblivious would have failed to see it. Not that he minded, though. He turned his head to look down at her, wondering why her age had sent him into such a panic before. She wasn't a kid, and he wasn't some creep taking advantage of her. What people would think could wait until later.

"And I like yours." There was something he couldn't quite put his finger on - yes, he wanted to impress her, but that desperate need to act like someone he wasn't to keep her attention wasn't there. It was nice, to feel like he could just relax and not have to worry about living up to some stupid idealized version of a man a lot of women wanted. "Hence why I want to get to know you better."

He laughed as they crossed the street. "I think I kind of like it. Some of the guys at school said it made me look cool, which I assume was a compliment." Of course, it had gotten him his fair share of strange looks too.

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vasilissa
2010-02-23 05:42 am UTC (link)

“I’m glad we’re on the same page then,” she teased lightly, turning to look up at him with a smile to match his own. She turned back to look straight ahead, taking a moment to enjoy the walk. There was an ease settled over their stroll down the street as she leaned her head against his shoulder. Thoughtfully she wondered out loud, “I guess you do look cool. Like a movie tough guy.”

Ileana grinned at him as she let go of his arm when they approached the coffee shop, stepping ahead to open the door and cheekily, “Tough guys first.”

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blackcatsrbad
2010-02-23 06:01 am UTC (link)

He hid a smile at the feel of her head on his shoulder, and in that moment his boss could have stumbled upon them and he wouldn't have given him a second glance. "Well, if defending your honor means a black eye every now and then, I don't mind. Especially if it makes me look like a 'movie tough guy', as you put it."

Cole had planned on holding the door open for her, obviously, but he couldn't help laughing at the reversal of roles. "Really? I guess I've been getting it wrong all this time." He stepped in first, casting a glance back. Coffee was something he practically lived on, but he usually preferred normal coffee with some cream and sugar thrown in. "This place has pretty good coffee - and desserts, too. The tough guy insists that you choose whatever you want."

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vasilissa
2010-02-23 06:41 am UTC (link)

“How sweet, but I think I’d rather you not get in fights for my sake. Unless you have to, of course, in case of super villains,” she told him with a slight hint of seriousness edging to the corner of her voice. A brief flash of thought went through her mind about the letter in her waste bin back in her bedroom. Cole shouldn’t have to protect her, but perhaps she stumbled in to something that she wasn’t sure of yet. The thought was quickly shuffled away and her attention snapped back to Cole.

She stepped in to the warm coffee shop behind him before joining him at his side. She clasped her hands around the strap of her bag, pursing her lips as she looked up at the menu board. “Do you have any recommendations, tough guy? Any favorites?”

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blackcatsrbad
2010-02-23 07:01 am UTC (link)

Cole's smiled faltered for a moment, the threatening note and whoever had written it re-entering his thoughts. Daniel's suggestion that someone was watching them hadn't been very comforting, but it wasn't a topic he wanted to discuss. He said he'd take care of it, and he would. The only reason she was being targeted was because of him; he was sure of it. "Black eyes aside, I can handle super villains. I promise." He might not have been the strongest or physically capable of men, but he meant what he said.

His easy manner returned as quickly as it had vanished, and he scanned the menu with a frown. "Something with a lot of sugar," he said finally. "Sugar, chocolate - or caramel - and whipped cream. Something sweet."

The line wasn't very long and moved fairly quickly, and when the girl behind the counter asked dutifully for their order he got himself some chocolate mocha thing - he could use the sugar overdose - and waited for Ileana's order, watching her with a small smirk.

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vasilissa
2010-02-23 07:43 am UTC (link)

Ileana saw Cole’s smile falter for a moment and she knew his mind went to the same place. She reached down briefly to take his hand in hers, giving it a little squeeze. “I know you could.” And she meant it completely.

She let go of his hand when they reached to the front of the line. It took her a moment before she ordered some chocolate and caramel coffee with the whipped cream loaded on top and a brownie as well.

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blackcatsrbad
2010-02-23 08:04 am UTC (link)

He glanced down at their hands before meeting her gaze, trying to see if she meant it or she was just saying it to make him feel better - but he realized she actually believed it. The fact that she had faith in him felt... well, good.

Cole grinned approvingly at her choice, waiting until they got their drinks and motioning towards a corner table near the window. "Very nice, Ileana. You're a natural at this."

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vasilissa
2010-02-23 08:19 am UTC (link)

Ileana followed Cole to the table, setting her drink and dessert down before sliding down into the chair. She adjusted her skirt a little, talking while Cole settled, “I never had all the sort of frills to a coffee actually. Not to popular with the backwoods country...”

She stopped herself to laugh a little. It stunned her slightly to be so self-conscious about hearing herself talk for a moment. “God, that makes me sound so strange, doesn’t it? It’s just…The circus didn’t pass through the most metropolitan areas. Do you know what I mean?"

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blackcatsrbad
2010-02-23 06:04 pm UTC (link)

"Strange?" Cole took his seat, waiting for his coffee to cool down a bit before trying it. "No, I don't think so. I grew up with my mom pushing all kinds of weird herbal teas and all-natural drink things. It didn't seem strange to me, but to other people it did. Everyone has different childhoods, but they never seem anything but normal until after."

Strange or not, he knew his childhood hadn't been the most interesting. "What kind of places did it pass through?"

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vasilissa
2010-02-23 06:22 pm UTC (link)

Ileana took a tentative sip of her coffee, enjoying the sweet taste. Placing her drink back on the table, she said, “The circus? We went through most of the Southern states and the Midwest, but we never really went farther than Idaho and Utah.” She looked thoughtful for a moment as she recalled the constant rumble of the road.

Smiling a little, Ileana added, “We actually only went to Utah once. Ran in to some trouble there, so we never went back. Mormons.”

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blackcatsrbad
2010-02-23 07:44 pm UTC (link)

Cole had never been anywhere that far south - the only places he'd been to were in the eastern part of the States - but he'd read enough to have an idea of what it was like. "Mormons... oh." He raised his eyebrows in understanding, taking a sip of his coffee. "That must have been... interesting." Not that he had a problem with religion - just people who took it a little too seriously for their own good.

"I know you haven't been here too long, but do you prefer this - being in a big city - or traveling? The building and its insanity aside," he added with a laugh.

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vasilissa
2010-02-23 08:25 pm UTC (link)

“I guess you could say that.” She couldn’t hide the amusement in her voice. Of course she thought it was funny in hindsight, but it was a nuisance to deal with when they were rolling through the state. Apparently, a circus with mostly gypsies was not quite welcomed in the greater Salt Lake area. Who knew?

Ileana shrugged a little, tracing her finger around the lid of the coffee cup idly. “I’ve lived cities before the circus, but it wasn’t much of a home. I guess I kind of miss the traveling and the people most, especially my father. New York is nice and all, but it’s not quite home to me.” She shook her head a little at the brief sentimental longing rose up. “Do you miss being away from your family?”

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blackcatsrbad
2010-02-23 09:53 pm UTC (link)

Cole nodded thoughtfully. "I get that. Most people tend to think home is a literal thing, like a house with a white picket fence and all that. But it doesn't have to be something like that." Considering he'd been practically stationary his whole life, suddenly having to travel from place to place would be a huge change; it was the opposite of what Ileana must have experienced.

"Well... it was just my mother and I, so she's the only one I left behind. I do miss her, buts he doesn't live too far away." He paused. "I don't really miss the neighborhood, though."

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vasilissa
2010-02-24 12:39 am UTC (link)

“Exactly,” she agreed before taking another sip of her coffee. Bellum hasn’t felt as comfortable as a home, which wasn’t exactly a surprise. She never had threats against her in the circus, and there wasn’t any temptation she had to deal with. But there wasn’t Esme…or Cole. “I guess, though, I could get used to living in one place. That is if Esme doesn’t mind me changing stuff around when I get all stir crazy.”

Ileana peered at him from over the edge of her cup as she took another sip. “It was just you and your mom? Similar situation before I lived with my dad.” She looked out the window for a moment as she set down her cup, “I think she still lives in Philly.” Think was adequate enough, since she hadn’t heard anything in eight years.

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blackcatsrbad
2010-02-24 02:06 am UTC (link)

"It's not so bad. Besides, sometimes living in once place can be just as full of the unexpected as travelling." Bellum was a perfect example - especially with the anonymous posts; he never knew what to expect. So much for living in a nice quiet apartment building and living a relatively calm life. "Well, if she walks in and everything is suddenly different, I guess there isn't much she can do."

Cole watched her as he sipped his coffee, unsure of whether or not to ask about her mother and how she ended up with her father. "Yeah... I never knew my dad." He shrugged. "I wondered about him as a kid, but I never felt like I was lacking anything."

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vasilissa
2010-02-24 02:37 am UTC (link)

“I’ve found I haven’t liked the city’s version of unexpected,” Ileana said, trying to smile and play it off as if she was kidding. Truthfully, it was much easier when you knew what you were up against than the strange dealings of Bellum. She liked being with Esme and spending time in the seemingly vast city, she always had to return to the building and face all the threatening letters or anonymous rumors.

“Ah.” She couldn’t imagine not ever meeting either of her parents, even if her mother was an absentee. “That’s good though. I mean, never feeling like you lacked anything. “ She paused for a moment before she added, “It’s kind of worse. If you knew them and then they go. Or make you go.”

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blackcatsrbad
2010-02-24 03:17 am UTC (link)

"Well..." Cole opted for the less serious route, offering a smile. "I can think of a few unexpected things that have happened and weren't so bad."

He turned thoughtful, wondering if it was better or worse that he'd never met his father. "Maybe you're right. I used to imagine that there was some kind of justifiable explanation for him not being around, and for all I know it could have been true, even though it probably wasn't. But there was never that void - being raised by just my mom seemed normal. It would have been harder if I knew him and then he left."

He decided to approach the subject carefully, giving her the chance to talk about something else if she wanted. "Your mother... did she make you go?"

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vasilissa
2010-02-24 03:48 am UTC (link)

Cole’s comment brought a quick smile to Ileana’s face. She gave him a mockery of a curious look and asked, “Oh like what?”

Ileana looked down at her plate, idly wondering if she was even going to eat the brownie she ordered. She leaned her elbows on the table and looked back up at Cole as she said, “It is pretty normal though to wonder. I think you always look for some sort of reason when things just don’t make any sense. But you have your mom there and it always counts more than any missing person.”

It was a long pause before Ileana spoke again. She was inwardly cringing at the conversation turning toward this. Her tone as she spoke was a brittle lightness and almost too casual. “She never told my father about me after she left him. So one day she just…called him and told him to pick his daughter up at a bus station. She gave me a ticket for a Grayhound and left me at the station and I took a bus ride from Philly to Kansas with the hope my father would actually be there. I was ten.”

She cleared her throat and nudged the plate with the brownie forward with a quick change of the conversation. “Do you want to split this with me? I’m not all that hungry.”

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blackcatsrbad, 2010-02-24 04:08 am UTC

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vasilissa, 2010-02-24 04:26 am UTC

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blackcatsrbad, 2010-02-24 05:07 am UTC

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vasilissa, 2010-02-24 05:33 am UTC

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