Alexander Pierce III knows your (darkestfears) wrote in doorslogs, @ 2012-06-03 11:42:00 |
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Entry tags: | mary jane watson, scarecrow |
Who: Alexander & Maddie Kate
What: A meeting of the false persona sort
Where: Coffee shop off the strip
When: Backlogged like whoa. This is before the last group plot!
Warnings/Rating: Alex being a creeper, nefarious plans ahoy!
There were some things that people simply couldn’t stop doing. Habits, routines, and the like, they made a person predictable, even if they didn’t think they were. And Maddie Kate Robinson certainly fell into that category of ‘predictable’. There were many things Alexander could have picked to prey on, but it was her several times daily habit of getting coffee at any number of local coffee shops that he chose. The coffee shop he chose was somewhere busy, a few blocks off the strip but still bustling with customers coming and going with paper cups of sugared down brew in their hands. The seating area outside, a handful of small, wrought iron tables, was the perfect perch to keep an eye out for her that afternoon. His hours at the clinic were already taken care of that day, and he had exchanged the button down shirt and white coat for something more fashionable and trendy. The skinny black jeans were likely a tad over the top, but he wore them well. A grey wifebeater and a dark green button down topped it off, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his black hair slicked back away from his face. The glasses were a heavy brown frame, non-prescription, but it was enough of a change to his normal appearance that he doubted he would be recognized easily by someone that didn’t know him. The only hitch in his plan was the cast that still encased his left arm. That wasn’t as easy to hide, but he had a story for that.
Red converse clad feet were kicked up on one of the nearby chairs as he sipped at a sugary concoction he didn’t care to know the name of. One of the college newspapers was opened in front of him, and to all appearances, he seemed completely engrossed in the ‘news’.
Being a girl of a certain lifestyle -- late nights soaked in alcohol and bad decisions -- MK had developed a bit of a caffeine habit along with her other drinking one. It was typical to see her frequent various coffee spots throughout Las Vegas since her arrival, and when there wasn’t a glass of amber liquid in her hand at some club, it was almost guaranteed that her fingers were wrapped around a venti something or other. Iced, no ice, large, with whipped cream, triple shot espresso, whatever. Some days, her body ached for coffee more than the reason she needed it to begin with. Truthfully, the whole thing also added to her image of paparazzi princess, too, and she wasn’t one to refute the idea.
The previous night had been one of those nights, one that required four or five cups of java just to push herself out of bed in the morning to make it to her photoshoot. (While some media outlets had no idea what to think of the little girl lost that was MK Robinson, some snatched up the opportunity to use the starlet to sell even more issues.) When she finished for the day, about midday, she needed another fix and made it to one of her favorite spots, a place just off the strip. They knew her already and thankfully did not make a big fuss when she strolled in, something she really appreciated especially in recent days, and as she strolled past the sitting area, she tried her best to avoid attention. Her outfit was non-descript -- skinny jeans, a flowy sleeveless shirt, and a sunhat along with her usual sunglasses -- and only a couple of people whispered and stared as she walked back out with her large iced coffee with two shots of espresso. The sitting area was fairly empty, only a couple of people scattered in the metal chairs, and she took a spot tucked away in the corner.
He noticed when she arrived, and he wasn’t the only one who did, it seemed. But Alexander didn’t make his strike, not yet. That would be entirely too obvious if he pounced on her within moments of her taking her seat. So instead he bided his time, a good five minutes passing before he pushed the chair away with the toes of one shoe and got to his feet, coffee cup in hand. His walk was more of a saunter, smooth and easy despite the unbalanced gait given to him with the heavy cast. Kicking at one of the free chairs that sat at her table, Alex lifted eyebrows from behind the heavy frames, giving her a long look as he tilted his head to the side. “Mind if I sit with you?” he asked. There was no sweet talk to go along with the words, no charming one-liners or pet names. He just seemed like another guy on the streets of Las Vegas, looking for company of the non-prostitute variety.
She hadn’t really been paying much attention to her surroundings besides a few bold tourists who approached her for a picture. She obliged and took off the hat to expose the fiery locks and smiled for them before letting the apps on her iPhone consume her mind. That Temple Run high score was calling her name, after all. So, when the man approached her table, she didn’t acknowledge him until he spoke. Not out of disrespect, though, but because she hadn’t heard him come over. Her head raised up quickly, and she offered him a smile. “Of course,” she said in her signature sultry voice, locking her phone but not tucking it away. She waved a hand to the free seat across from her. “After you.” Sipping her coffee, she observed the guy and tried to figure out what his deal was. He was handsome, definitely, but maybe he was just some random creep trying to get his sneaky exclusive with her.
Alex was playing up the part of oblivious boy quite well as he took his seat, settling with his right elbow on the table and slouched ever so slightly so as to rest the cast easily against the incline of his chest. He didn’t say anything for a long while, and there was no hurry about him, no rush, instead taking a long drink of coffee, only then taking a look at her as though she were anything more than ordinary. “Sorry about invading your space,” he said, his voice even and easy, pitched quietly but nothing that could be mistaken as a whisper. “It just feels awkward to sit by yourself, and I saw you, sitting by yourself, so I thought I’d save us both a little awkwardness.” A crack of a smile, just the left side of his mouth lifting, and he gave a nod towards the iPhone she had still in hand. “What game are you playing?”
Something in his voice sounded familiar, but nothing that alerted MK too terribly. She met a lot of different people in a lot of different places, and voices and faces tended to blend together. Maybe she had run into him, or someone who looked like him, but she wasn’t concerned enough to rack her brain for an answer. She would just have to figure it out, if anything. She laughed a little, sitting up a bit more in her seat. “Thanks for being my savior, then,” she joked before shrugging. “That Temple Run game. It’s ridiculously addictive, y’know. I thought I’d try to finish some of my coffee and beat my high score before throwing myself back into the grind.” She smiled again, not sure whether this guy recognized her or not. “Maddie Kate,” she said as a way of introduction, pressing her hand to her chest for good measure. “But most people call me MK.”
Inside, Alex had to laugh. This was entirely too easy, and if MK was this fond of giving her name out to strangers, then, so be it. She would learn to regret that at some point. The least she could do was feign not being herself in public when someone didn’t seem to recognize her. But Alex was ready with a warm smile, making a gesture towards his cast. “I was really into all the Angry Birds games, until the accident. Hard to play with one arm in cast. Not impossible, just not near as comfortable.” Alex took a long sip of coffee before he decided to respond again. “Chris,” he finally said, by way of introduction, pulling the name out of a bag of common names that wouldn’t stand out. “It’s good to meet you, MK. I’m in the city on business, so can’t say there’s too many people here I’ve gotten to know. Yet.”
She noticed the cast before he mentioned anything about it, but hadn’t wanted to press about it in case there was some awkward or painful story about it. “That sucks. I remember when I had a broken arm when I was younger and totally hating it.” She didn’t mention that it was her father who broke her arm during a particularly fierce beating when she was nine. “Is it really bad? Your arm.” She smiled, knowing about being in a city for business and having to make a set of temporary friends until you moved onto the next place. “I came here for business too. Vegas has a looot of different people, so I’m sure you won’t have trouble. Are you here long then?”
“It’s bad enough,” he responded with a shrug of one shoulder, and that was all he said about it. He didn’t see a need to linger on what had happened, the lie he would wrap around it, though it came off as someone unconcerned, who lacked worries, who simply lived for the moment instead of wallowing in the past. “As for business...” Alex drained the last of his coffee and got to his feet, giving her a look with a tinge of a smile. “Let me buy you another drink, and we’ll talk about that. Unless you don’t let strangers buy you drinks.” There was something easy and playful in his voice, sinking the hook in deeper. It wouldn’t be that long before he had her.
MK could appreciate how unconcerned he seemed with his injury; she recognized it for what she thought it was -- someone brushing off a problem to be dealt with another day or to be completely ignored. She did the same thing, most of the time, as was told through the pictures that littered the pages of the gossip rags. Considering his offer, she decided on why the hell not. People bought her drinks all the time when she was out on the town at night. A cup of coffee was far more innocuous. She smiled up at him as he stood. “Why not. How can refuse an offer like that?”
“What’s your poison, then?” Alex asked, his demeanor easy and friendly. “Or do I get the pleasure of choosing something for you myself? I warn you, I have horrible taste in coffee and usually end up with the most sugar-laden drink on the menu.” It was an innocent offer, this drink, this exchange. Nothing bad would come of it, for it was far too early in the game to be doing anything like that. No, the fun was in hooking them, reeling them in, and then showing them how firmly he had them tangled up in his mess, in his problems. That’s when things truly got fun.
She laughed again. “Oh, you’re one of those people?” she teased, smirking just a little before draining the last bit of her own cup. MK knew she should be more guarded, especially with Alexander’s threats looming, and Wren would probably be most displeased if she saw the redhead so easily trusting people. But this was her thing, MK’s. On the surface, the friendliness allowed people in, but only so far. It was still an act, even after all the years later. Even after Seattle and learning to trust people a little more, some parts were still heavily calculated and thought out. Everything was a little act. “I’m willing to risk it, I think. You’ll do a fine job.”
“Those people?” Alex echoed, giving her a look before rolling her eyes and taking up her empty up and his own in one hand. “Just for that, you will have to choke down whatever it is I bring back to you. I hope you realise that.” And on the heels of that threat, Alex disappeared back within the coffee shop, leaving MK to her own devices for a handful of minutes.
Alex emerged with two cups in hand, one balanced between his cast and his chest, the other in his hand, weaving through the tables back to where MK sat, sitting the one in his hand in front of her and the other near his own seat, sitting moments later. “It’s something with caramel that I can’t pronounce. Let’s hope it’s not too dreadful.” A crack of a smile and Alex adjusted himself where he sat, his gaze lingering on her, warm and unassuming.
His threat earned an amused scoff and a pair of rolled eyes as well before she flashed him another smile. As he went off, she busied herself with her phone again, glancing through messages and emails from her agent and other people in charge of her image and career. She knew her whole reputation was in a crucial place where one little action could tip things one way or the other, but that could be dealt with later. Or tomorrow. Or the next day.
She was in the middle of shooting her agent a response about a new ad campaign with some make-up company when ‘Chris’ returned. In the time he was gone, she had pushed up her glasses finally, revealing her bright green eyes. Remnants of the make up, nothing outlandish but clearly professional, still present. MK leaned over a little to make sure he was okay before sitting back again and taking up her own cup. “I’m sure it won’t kill us, whatever it is. Cheers.” She raised the cup in a toast and tapped it against his.
When she pushed up her sunglasses, Alexander took a long moment to openly appreciate those green eyes that were revealed. “And even if it’s awful, whatever doesn’t kill us will most assuredly make us stronger. Isn’t that the saying?” Tipping his cup upwards, he returned the tap with a smile before taking a long drink, eyes closing as he appreciated the flavour. It wasn’t horrible, and that was clear on his face as he sat the drink back down, leaving his fingers curled around it loosely. “Can I say something that’s probably entirely too forward to be polite?” Alex asked, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smile.
He was handsome, this Chris, that was for sure. But she brushed away the thought because thinking about how good looking a stranger was the last thing she should be doing. “That totally is the saying. I guess it can work for super sugary caffeinated drinks too.” In the end, it didn’t matter to her how the coffee came. She would freebase it if that were possible. As long as she got her java fix. It wasn’t the worst thing she drank, either, and she only stopped sipping when he spoke again. His question earned him a quirked eyebrow before she laughed. “Go ahead, shoot. I’ve probably heard worse.”
His smile was honest as he leaned forward towards her, and for all that anyone would be able to notice, his attention was wholly on her. There was appreciation in his eyes, a warmth that rested behind those glasses when he spoke next. “You have the most amazing eyes I have ever seen. You shouldn’t hide them behind sunglasses. You’re depriving the world, MK.” It was over the top, far reaching, but he made it sound genuine with all the warmth in his voice. There was no reason to doubt what he was saying.
Despite herself, MK couldn’t help but smile, even as she rolled her eyes with dramatic exasperation. “See, I was right. I have heard worse, even if that was pretty bad. At least you didn’t ask me if it hurt when I fell from heaven or what my sign is. Scorpio, by the way.” There was a teasing tone in her voice, but the smile was warm and affectionate. She didn’t encounter people like him in her world much anymore; everyone was as fake as she was. But Chris, he was nice, it seemed. “You aren’t so bad yourself,” she said with a small smirk, drumming her fingers against the plastic cup.
Alex let out a laugh at that, shaking his head in amusement. “I don’t usually go for the pick up lines, but really. Your eyes are amazing.” Another laugh and Alex leaned back in his chair, canting his head to the side as he surveyed her. This had been entirely too easy. Hooked and baited. “And I’m glad I don’t offend your senses, my lady,” Alex said a moment later, and then he pulled out his own phone, thumbing through a few menus before looking at her, his eyes sharp behind those faux frames. “Is it too forward to ask your number so I can call you while I’m in town? You’re allowed to say no, but you’d make my day if you said yes.” He grinned then, one foot sliding forward on the ground beneath their feet, just giving her ankle a nudge with the toe of his red converse.
MK knew she shouldn’t be talking to strangers, or at least let her guard down so readily. She shouldn’t be sitting here with a really good looking guy and flirting up a storm when her relationship with Adam was so rocky already. And she did care for Adam, she did, and she wanted to be with him, but this guy was nice and detached from all the drama. There was nothing wrong with more friends, so why the hell not? She reached forward, plugged her information into his phone, and returned it with a grin. “Whenever you’re around, give me a call. I can show you how to really hit Vegas.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. God knows I’d love to hit this town before I leave.” Alex got up to his feet as he took his phone back, thumb flying over the screen and sending a text to her phone even before he left. “Expect a call, MK. I look forward to seeing you again.”
Pocketing his phone, Alex took his drink and left, disappearing into the milling crowds of people that were forming as work got out for the day and people went about their evening lives. The smile on his face was purely wicked, glasses pulled off once he was out of sight, his eyes bright and sharp. This would be good. This would teach everyone to mess with him.
The text, sent to her phone, buzzed moments after he disappeared.
Seeing Vegas is nice, but I’m really just looking forward to seeing those green eyes of yours again. -C