InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "In Soviet Russia, IJ post YOU!"

Stefan Ionescu [the frog prince] (unimpressive) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-03-10 10:09:00

Entry tags:

frog prince, vasilissa

WHO: Stefan and Ileana
WHAT: Coming to visit!
WHERE: Outside of Bellum
WHEN: Today.
WARNINGS: Language?

A handful of hours and thousands of miles later, Stefan stepped out of the taxicab. Before this, it was LaGuardia, and before that, seven hour flight from the other coast. And before that, well, he didn’t want to dwell on that too much. All of that was over and done with. Right now was all he was going to focus on. Right now, he was going to hand the cabbie some cash, thank him for his time, and send him on his way. Right now, he was going to call his old friends, steel himself for a knowing reprimand over the phone and maybe a hug when came through the door. Right now was all he needed.

Right now, though, he had to find the phone first. He set his bags on the ground and slung the backpack off over his shoulder. He dug around for a few minutes, past the paperwork and the clothes and whatever else he had haphazardly stuffed in there last night when he was hauling ass out of his hotel room. Each hand closed around what felt like cell phones and he pulled them out. He took a moment to carefully inspect the backs, a small note on each one marking where he picked it up from, the name he needed to answer as, and how much prepaid minutes or money he had left. Seattle, El Paso, Denver, Atlanta, and more. Cheap phone after cheap phone and it would just serve him right that the one he was looking for was the last one of the bunch. This was his, the only one that was his own; the only one he answered just as his himself. He scrolled through the names and numbers, some he had recently spoke to and most he hadn't, finally calling the one he needed and pressing the phone to his ear.

As he listened to the rings he wondered if one of them would be home. Fuck, he hoped someone was home.

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

unimpressive
2010-03-11 06:29 pm UTC (link)

It seemed like she was looking down and Stefan squinted harder, scanning the windows he could see for any movement. He meant to wave but she spotted him soon enough and once he heard the line go dead he tossed the phone back into his bag. Minutes ticked by but he didn’t mind so much, less so when she finally showed up, his grin matching her own, arms folded across his chest. Bad habit, mimicking.

“It’s called a surprise,” he reminded her in mock seriousness as sauntered up to her. “Can’t give you any amount of warning. Who’d answer the phone then?” When he stopped right in front of her he gave her a long look: half pretending to survey just how much she had grown and changed since he had last seen her, and not half pretending at all. But the moment was quick and his grin came back suddenly. His arms came out to pull her into a hug, “C’mere. I should’ve called sooner.” He meant more that he shouldn’t have let five months pass them by but he could apologize for the last minute dropping by.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

vasilissa
2010-03-11 06:37 pm UTC (link)

"I never trust your surprises. You've got us in trouble with surprises before," Ileana reminded him right back, but there was no seriousness in her voice anymore. Just a warm teasing and delight.

Her arms went around him, hugging him just as tight as he was. It helped so much more that she found another friendly face in New York, lifting some of the leftover gloom of Esme's departure. "You know I'd have always answered the phone, stupid. It's so good to see you."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-03-11 07:32 pm UTC (link)

He scoffed, loudly. "It was nothing you couldn't handle." There was very little he thought she couldn't handle.

Once he felt her hugging him back, no goodnatured hitting or swatting at all, he turned his head and gave her a friendly kiss on the top of her head. "Good to see you too," and it really was. He pulled away slightly to grin down at her. "How've you been? Esme not giving you too hard of a time is she?" Last he had heard was that Ileana was going off to meet her sister. He didn't imagine it was an easy for either of them, but he hoped they were getting along.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	vasilissa 2010-03-11 07:35 pm UTC (link)
	Ileana wrinkled her nose at him as they pulled away. She could handle most of what Stefan would drag to their door, but she didn't want to find the point where she couldn't. Her face fell a little when he mentioned Esme and she cleared her throat, "Oh. I'm okay. Uh, found a job." A pause. "Esme isn't here anymore." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	unimpressive 2010-03-11 07:43 pm UTC (link)
	He made no move to cover his frown. He wasn't that shocked, to be honest. Disappointed, to be sure, but all of them were used to being on the move. He had been more pleasantly surprised that he had a stable address for either of them. He hoped there hadn't been a falling out between the two. "Something happen?" He couldn't help but ask. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	vasilissa 2010-03-11 07:51 pm UTC (link)
	"Not between us," she assured Stefan. She wasn't so sure how to explain Esme's condition without it sounding strange. "She was unwell." Ileana tapped her temple for emphasis. "Needed the mental health break and did what we all would've done -- travel." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-03-11 08:27 pm UTC (link)

"Ah," was all he said about that. Travel was the answer they all too often turned to and he wouldn't begrudge her that. It was unfortunate, and he had been looking forward to seeing her too, but maybe they'd cross paths some other time.

"Well, it's good thing I came by then." He cocked his head to the side towards his two bags on the ground. "Though if I had known it was just you and me, I wouldn't have packed so light." He gave her a wide and embarassed grin. It was pretty obvious now that this wasn't just one night in town sort of visit.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

vasilissa
2010-03-11 08:37 pm UTC (link)

Ileana knew that grin. She had seen it before when he'd show up to their door before. She, though, was more inclined to help now than before, since she was by herself. Looking at his bags and then back at him, Ileana just laughed and gave him an understanding look.

"I'm not even going to ask why this time. Come on," Ileana said, beckoning him to follow as she grabbed one of his bags. "We'll be on the twelfth floor."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-03-12 06:20 am UTC (link)

"Twelfth?" He let out a long whistle and gave the tall building another glance from top to bottom. She had been doing pretty well for herself. Or at least Esme had been. All the more reason for him to stay. He still had a good amount of money to help out.

She took off with his bag before he could protest. He slung the backpack over one shoulder, grabbed the last bag on the floor and hurried after her. "As long as you've got an elevator, we're all good."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

vasilissa
2010-03-12 06:24 am UTC (link)

"I know," Ileana laughed a little, "I didn't know how I was going to afford the place if I didn't have all the help I do."

Ileana peered over her shoulder back at him, "We have an elevator, but it's...well, I'll show you." She slowed her brisk steps in to the main lobby, hitting the button for the elevator. Turning to face him as they waited for the elevator, Ileana questioned him switching to Romanian, "You're not bringing any trouble in with you this time, right?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-03-12 06:54 am UTC (link)

"Well I'll be helping a little then too." He did crash, and crash often, but he wasn't much of a freeloader. He helped out when he could. And it just so happened that this time he could do it with cash.

He raised his eyebrows but shrugged, figuring that the elevator must be slow. Typical, with an old building. When confronted with her question, in Romanian so he knew she was serious, he let out a handful of curses, one right after the other in the same tongue. "No, no. I covered the tracks well enough. Thousands of miles between us. You'll be fine." The urge to knock on wood was pretty high but he just shifted the backpack strap on his shoulder. And if it came to it, he'd take off again. He let out a half snort and added with a smirk, "Why? You dating a cop or something?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

vasilissa
2010-03-12 07:03 am UTC (link)

"I'm going to hold you to that," Ileana meant it too. She was a Grigore to the bone and you didn't back out of favors with a Grigore, but she trusted Stefan enough to not hold a favor against him.

The elevator made a grinding sound, finally coming to a stop at the lobby floor. "No, but this building is filled with them." Ileana told him as the elevator doors slid open and she stepped on, waiting for Stefan. "Not to mention one cop I've met really hates gypsies."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-03-12 08:48 am UTC (link)

His face narrowed and he let out another curse under his breath as he stepped inside. The bag in his hand dropped to the floor harder than he intended. One cop was bad, more was worse, but it was the last part that really had him scowling.

"He giving you any trouble?" While Stefan wasn't the most intimidating guy, he knew a few things and could handle himself decently. He'd push it on occasion, and a gypsy hating cop qualified as one to him.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

vasilissa
2010-03-12 02:37 pm UTC (link)

Ileana pressed the button for twelve as she said, "Not yet. Only time I spoke to him was to have him tell me how I come from a background of thieves." She tried to keep a scowl off her face with little success.

The elevator lurched to a start, slowly ascending floors. She brightened a little, "But! I think there's only two cops now. The gypsy hater is the only real problem cop. The other is pretty quiet." Ileana paused to think of what she could warn Stefan about before adding in, "The landlord is nameless, the building is mysterious and strange, and neighbors are prone to gossip."

Ileana laughed a little when the elevator came to an abrupt stop at the eighth floor, doors opening and not moving any farther. "And this is why we don't take the elevator." She hit the button again for 12 to show Stefan, but the elevator didn't even seem to bother paying attention to the button.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-03-12 06:04 pm UTC (link)

The scowl only deepened on Stefan’s face and he leaned against he wall of the elevator. Later he’d have to ask her to point the man out to him. And if he continued to talk all that shit, he’d handle it. Or they would, if Ileana wanted in. At least the other one was quiet, although he’d still make it a point to find out where he was. Just in case.

The stubborn elevator made him laugh, the sound dying a bit when it refused to move after the correct button was pressed again. “This is the mysterious and strange you were talking about?” Annoying was more like it but he could see how it could be weird. He leaned over and pressed the button himself, as if he could have done better, but no luck either. “Guess we walk it?” Idly he thought about pressing all the other buttons, nine, ten, and on, but he doubted those word work either. “Someone’s gotta get that thing fixed.”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

vasilissa
2010-03-12 08:52 pm UTC (link)

"It stopped higher than usual, so it's not too bad. And it doesn't matter how many times you complain, nobody fixes the damn thing," Ileana explained as they stepped off the elevator. Her eyes went over to 802, just noting if she could tell if Cole was home or not. "But no, this isn't even the tip of the strange stuff that happens, but I'll let you find that stuff out yourself. You'll get a kick out of it."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-03-12 10:10 pm UTC (link)

He shook his head and picked up his bags once more. “So the nameless landlord is a deadbeat too?” He let her take the lead, following her to where he hoped there would be stairs. “Right about now is where the ominous music cuts in. If that elevator barely makes the weird list, I can’t wait to see what’s next.” Stefan cast one last glance back at the elevator and, as if mocking him, it closed its doors immediately and went down. Yeah. He was going to love it here.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

vasilissa
2010-03-13 04:20 am UTC (link)

"The landlord was fired right in front of all the residents on a forum by the anonymous owner. Told you -- spooky," Ileana cast him a grin over her shoulder, leading him to the spiral stairs. "But the people here are in general pretty nice, I've found."

As they turned to make their way up to the ninth floor, Ileana cheekily added, "There's pretty girls here, of course. Just so you can be Casanova to some lucky lady."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(Read comments) -