InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Dammit, Janet, I love you!"

Stefan Ionescu [the frog prince] (unimpressive) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-03-31 14:57:00

Entry tags:

frog prince, sleeping beauty

WHO: Stefan and Rosalie
WHAT: First dates are exciting! And also most likely to go awry.
WHERE: 701 and beyond~
WHEN: Wednesday evening
WARNINGS: None?

These past few days had not been going very well for Stefan. His dinner at home with Ileana hadn’t gone well. At all. They had barely spoken to each other since. To take his mind off of the argument, and exactly what had started it, he spent his time preparing for his date with Rosalie.

He wasn’t familiar with the area and asking Ileana for help had been out of the question unfortunately. Rosalie hadn’t specified any particular cuisine, much to his chagrin. So he opted for the most obvious, and most difficult choice for the evening. It had taken more than a handful of phone calls, finagling, impersonating, and a bit of bribery but he scored a last minute reservation at Bella Sotto. The town car arrived before seven and was waiting to take them there. The date itself was going to away a sizeable chunk of the money he had left, but he didn’t mind so much. Stefan wanted to make the best impression, and if that meant pulling out all the stops, then so be it. He could always get more money. He was going to have to eventually.

At seven on the dot he was at her door: suit, jacket, tie, the whole nine yards. He knocked politely with his free hand, the other holding a bouquet of flowers. It was a simple but elegant spring mix, lots of colorful daisies and tulips. It seemed out of place and too casual when measured against the more elegant aspects of his plan. There was just something too obvious about giving a Sleeping Beauty roses though. He hoped she’d appreciate the thought.

(Post a new comment)

beaute_endormie
2010-04-01 12:00 am UTC (link)

If the past few days had not been going well for Stefan, Rosalie's had been just as bad. And had everything to do with Boyd. Tuesday, the day after things had gone badly with Shane, had started out with a cup of yogurt that had been washed down with two more cups of Scotch. It had gotten progressively worse as she went through the motions of her usual day, drifting through her classes in her own hazy world, as if separated by a heavy veil. Everyone around her- they were normal. They didn't turn into fairy tales at midnight or get attacked by wolves in the downstairs apartment. She had another drink at lunch, smiled sweetly at the bartender, who was looking at her with some concern, and went onto her last class, sitting patiently for an hour while all the words that floated out of the professor's mouth washed through her mind like it was a sieve.

Wednesday had been better, meaning that she had remembered that she had a date early enough in the afternoon that she had stopped drinking. A phone call from her grandmother, informing her that her presence was desired for Easter, first at church (which wasn't so bad) and then for an extended family brunch (which never failed to be a miserable experience), reminded her of what was expected. She cleaned up well, clipping her hair in a way that it covered the scratches on the sides of her face and hiding the deeper ones on her legs with dark tights. Unsure whether it was going to be a casual date or not, she tried to dress somewhere between the two, well enough for a nice restaurant if she put on the right coat once she saw what he was wearing.

When the knock came, she was all set, a little tired looking, but that couldn't be helped and she was more than attractive enough to make up for it. She smiled at him when she opened the door, a real one, because before everything had happened, she really had been looking forward to this. "Hello!" Formal it was then. She took the flowers when he offered them, thanking him and putting them in a vase (but not before she tucked one of the daisies into her hair). "How have you been?" she asked him as she slipped her coat over her shoulders.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-04-01 06:59 am UTC (link)

The seconds that ticked by after his knock were some of the longest of his life. Brow furrowed and jaw tight, he was the picture of nervousness. The expression froze for a split second at the opening of the door, melting away immediately once he saw her, a near blinding smile taking its place. Stefan was barely concerned with how casually she was dressed (she looked great but he was sure she'd look perfect in anything, be it ballgown, paper bag, or burlap sack). She did looked a little tired, but only just. She still was ready for their date, with a smile even, and he took it to be a good sign.

"I've been better," he admitted sheepishly, briefly thinking about all the tension brewing around the apartment recently. "Things started to really look up... well, right about when you opened the door." He waited until the she slipped on the coat completely and offered her his arm. He gave a quick glance back in the direction of the elevator, which was thankfully still waiting for him. So far it was in a cooperative mood, and he hoped it continued. "How've you been?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

beaute_endormie
2010-04-01 04:14 pm UTC (link)

At least she was good for something then. Some warmth spread over the numbness she had finally settled into, and she smiled again, because making someone look as happy as all that was nice. She slipped a purse onto her elbow and shut her apartment before taking his arm. "I've had better weeks too," she admitted, but didn't go into details, letting him lead her out instead. She walked close to him, reassured slightly by his presence and polite affection.

The mirror in the back of the elevator told her pretty and put together, no cuts or scrapes visible. Good. It carried them all the way to the lobby without incident. "Do I get to know where we're going?" Rosalie asked him, making her voice light, "or is it a surprise?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-04-01 06:35 pm UTC (link)

Stefan seemed to give her question a lot of thought, making show of hemming and hawing as they went through the lobby. He opened the door outside for them, gesturing to the parked town car and the driver holding the passenger door open as well. He told her he was a gentleman. No door unopened as long as he was around. “I can’t imagine I could keep it a secret for very long. It’s not too far from here.” At least he didn’t think so. “I hope you have an appetite for Italian.” It was a hint, but more for his sake than hers. If she guessed right, then hopefully she could give him a clue as to her opinion of it. If she wrinkled her nose even a bit, he could tell the driver to take them somewhere else.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

beaute_endormie
2010-04-01 06:55 pm UTC (link)

Thanking him quietly for the door, she slipped into the car, deliberating his hints. Formal and close. Her eyes had lit up when he mentioned Italian and she started to feel like maybe it wouldn't be so hard to play happy on this date after all. Italian was good. "Bella Sotto is the only one I know around here," she told him, "and they're amazing. But I don't know all of the restaurants in the area." Rosalie added the last part just in case she was wrong.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-04-01 07:59 pm UTC (link)

“I was hoping you’d say that.” With her approval, he could relax and more than just a bit of tension slipped from Stefan’s shoulders. If anything he was on the verge of slumping back in the seat. No need to tell the driver to change course. No frantic search for something better or equally as nice. “You probably know more restaurants than me,” he assured her. “I was more afraid I picked one you hated.” There was a little bit of a chuckle before it sputtered to a stop, a heavy silence between them in the car.

“How long have you lived over there?” He gestured feebly at the building quickly disappearing behind them. Fuck, he hadn’t been this nervous in a while. Had he always had this bad of a game? It was so easy to feel comfortable in her presence. They had spent a good amount of time together a while back. And she had seen sides of him that he never showed before a first date (and one side he didn't even know he had). But now on strangely normal ground, he realized that he knew nothing about her at all.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

beaute_endormie
2010-04-01 09:06 pm UTC (link)

She shook her head, causing her hair to bounce around her shoulders. "I love Italian food," she told him brightly, talking easily over his nervous silences. "Anything that comes from a country around the Mediterranean is a favorite."

There was a pause as she thought back to last year. "I moved in sometime during October," she recalled, realizing how long ago it seemed now. "So, almost six months now! And I lived here for a few months when I was twenty-ish, but it was normal back then so that doesn't count." She was relaxing slightly now and the numbness seemed to lessen even more in her chest. "What about you? How long have you been living with your friend?" Even if Rosalie hadn't been distracted, she wouldn't have been nervous. Dates were easy things to manage with smiles and charm, even if she cared a great deal more about this one than any other in recent memory.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-04-02 12:01 am UTC (link)

Stefan was thanking every lucky star in the sky when Rosalie kept chatting over the silences. Talking had never been his forte, not really, not like this, so he was more than happy to listen to her. “Oh to be young and twenty-ish,” he couldn’t help but mutter, but mostly he was surprised that there was a time where Bellum was normal. People had been quick to assure him that the recent event was a new one, but also that other odd things happened every once in a while. For there to be a quiet period of a few months gave him a slight start but it was quickly pushed away when she turned the question on him.

“Oh… just a few weeks,” he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. It had felt like just yesterday but it had been a while. “Wasn’t really on planning on staying long. Usually move around a bit. Couple of days usually.” That was all that this was supposed to be. Just a few days and then he’d be on the move. “I dunno. Maybe I’ll skip out soon. She’s really…” He let out a soft Romanian curse under his breath and shook his head. “I’m just pissing her off. She’ll get over it.” He was sure of that.

“So in between Bellum round one, and Bellum round two, where’d you go? Or should I be saving the questions when we’re actually at the restaurant?” He glanced out their windows. It wasn’t much longer.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

beaute_endormie
2010-04-02 02:01 am UTC (link)

He was going to leave? Well that was just great. Rosalie looked away, out the window. There was something that made people stay, some intangible quality, and whatever it was she didn't have it. This time, she did let silence fall for a few seconds before she picked up on the second part. "Normal roommate difficulties? Or stuff actually going on with her?" With this building, anything seemed possible. And of course if that rumor had been true about Cole, then it would seem likely that she was having a difficult time right now.

"Don't worry, I'm sure that I can come up with something else to talk about once we're inside." The corner's of her mouth twitched at that because polite conversation would never be a problem either. "I studied abroad in France." Rosalie turned her head back so that she could talk to him normally, but she still didn't quite look at his face. "Art history mostly. French literature some. I took a lot of classes that had absolutely nothing to do with my major," she explained. Which was how she had ended up so behind.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-04-02 04:32 am UTC (link)

It was a maybe on the leaving front. Just a stray thought. If her unhappy silence continued he would have fumbled and apologized but thankfully she caught up on the more important snippet of his thoughts. "She... uh. Remember when I said she was like family? I'm getting a little overprotective over her." A beat. "About who she dates." Another heavy pause. "And I didn't... express that... as nicely as I just did now." He winced as he looked at her, knowing this wasn't his most shining moment.

Every time she gave him a hint of a smile he could feel a grin sliding across his face. Yeah, any plans on leaving Bellum and its lovely resident were far, far from his mind. "Did you like it? France, I mean. And your classes." Of course she must've. French literature in France? Obviously she liked it. Why did he have to ask? "What's your major?" That was a better question.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

beaute_endormie
2010-04-02 11:41 am UTC (link)

Rosalie raised an eyebrow. "It's Cole, isn't it? Who she's dating? That's what I heard." Although she couldn't quite imagine anyone objecting to Cole dating their sister, even their younger one. He looked regretful though, which said a lot, she supposed.

France. Stefan was in for it now, no more worrying that there wouldn't be conversation. Rosalie's teeth tugged thoughtfully on her bottom lip for a second before she started, launching into it brightly with an animated expression on her face. "It was great, living there." My grandmother actually left me her place in Paris, so I got to live there, and it was a good break from the city." 'The city' being New York. "Because I was born about 15 blocks away and I've lived here ever since," she explained quickly, before returning back to her previous subject. "Classes were nice too. Especially the art. It's easier to learn stuff when the subject is right there and you can actually go visit it, you know?" Another smile. He had hit a gold mine here. "Even though I'm an English Lit. major, so it didn't relate. But that does seem like an okay choice now, with the building being...like it is."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-04-02 05:42 pm UTC (link)

“Cole,” the name was meant to come out as a question but it fell harshly. So that was the fucker’s name. He might have seen it somewhere on the forum, a very brief period where he tried to skim old posts and immediately got overwhelmed. He’d have to check again when he had a chance. Despite knowing the man’s name, Rosalie didn’t look nearly as appalled as he was feeling. That didn’t bode well. “He’s too old for her,” he replied with a slight scowl. “She’s just a kid. And he’s… eighty.” Generalizations, he had them in spades.

There was another moment of panic, briefly distracted by this new attention to her lips and then immediately worried what this flash of hesitance meant. Soon enough she was back to talking, chattering away easily. Here and there were a few questions meant to spur her own, but as if reading his mind she answered them before he could open his mouth. Her choice for literature made him chuckle. That was definitely far from art. “An okay choice? Sounds more like destiny.” It was a small and admittedly bad joke but it was too ironic that she favored literature and ended up in a building full of characters.

The rest of the ride to the restaurant passed by quickly, almost too quickly, and once they arrived he offered her his hand once more to lead her into Bella Sotto. He briefly left her alone to speak in hushed tones with the maître d'. There was a little bit of discussion, a question or two and some name dropping. Curiously enough, none of them starting with ‘Stefan’ but thankfully he hadn’t told Rosalie his last name. A few moments later they were be walked to a quiet corner of the restaurant. He wouldn’t let the waiter hold out her chair, choosing to do it himself before sitting down. “Do you ever think about going back?” Not that he wanted Rosalie to leave, nor was he encouraging her. “It’s like you… you light up when you talk about it.” A huge grin bordering on goofy. “New York seems great so far but the way you talk about Paris, doesn’t seem like this can compare.”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

beaute_endormie
2010-04-02 06:36 pm UTC (link)

Rosalie looked a little alarmed at how harshly he said Cole's name. She hadn't thought he was that old though, mid to late twenties perhaps. "I met him the other day actually, he's really nice. Not too old, I didn't think." Normally Rosalie wouldn't have gotten involved, but she felt like she owed Cole something, after nearly getting his leg bitten off.

"Maybe it was destiny," she admitted when he suggested it. "I sort of picked it by closing my eyes and pointing at a list, you know?" Admittedly, it had seemed like a good idea at the time since she had been completely high. Rosalie had never found the subject exactly fascinating though, and she lost track of the conversation for a second as she thought about that. Then she brushed it off. It was a good choice now anyway, and she didn't mind.

When they got out at the restaurant, she slipped her hand into his and waited, patiently and uncuriously for him to return. When they were seated, she finally answered his question. "Well right now, I'm still in school here, for one. And I visit sometimes, although I haven't been in a while." Even with the ticket that Daniel had given her for Valentine's day, there was so much going on in the building that she hadn't even thought about a vacation. And for two-- well, three now, I suppose-- you haven't heard how I talk about New York yet." Grinning, she set her hand on the table and looked across to him, suddenly realizing how much she had been talking about herself. "But what about you? If you haven't been here long, where did you live before?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-04-02 10:20 pm UTC (link)

Not the reaction he was looking for, which only further hammered home the notion that maybe Stefan was in the wrong. He was nice, which Ileana had told him too. “He’s ten years too old for her,” he said stubbornly before a tsk and another half curse, Russian this time, rolled off his tongue. Talking about his not-sister and her bad taste in boyfriends was not what he intended for light date chit chat.

Destiny was a good distraction and he felt a hint of a smile curling at the thought of her just picking Bellum on a whim. “An awful lot of faith you put in chance.” Aside from the craziness, it was a good building. She and Fate could’ve picked something a lot worse. He had stayed in a lot worse. She was lucky, but as they already touched upon, luck didn’t to have a lot to do with it.

With hints like that he was already raring to ask her to talk more about New York. But he had set himself up for his question and he knew it would’ve come eventually. Hopefully the deer in headlights expression he knew he was holding would fade. “Before… I was in Seattle. Stayed there for… two weeks I think.” Things had gone south really quick then. “Was in LA before though. For a while.” It was easier to lose himself and lose anyone else following him in a place like that. “Denver before that. Not doing that again. Made a big mistake going there for winter.” Big in that he had been ill prepared, but it had been beautiful. He gave her another shrug, the urge to run his hands through his hair nervously was high but he refrained. “Always on the go,” he said simply, as if that explained everything. “But never been to New York before. You were saying?” He gave her a smirk and barely refrained from tossing her a wink. “I don’t really plan on going anywhere but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be swayed to stay.”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

beaute_endormie
2010-04-03 02:17 am UTC (link)

When Rosalie had been eighteen, she had been dating Ed, who had been twice her age at the time, but she didn't mention that, preferring to keep it far back in the past. She almost let the subject drop and resolved to put in another good word for Cole at a later date, but she really did owe the teacher one. "Maybe you should meet him, and just see for yourself?" she ventured. "Before it ends up something that gets really bad between you and her."

It was just as well that Stephan had assumed she meant that she had picked the building at random, because Rosalie didn't want to go into the barely thought out choosing of her major. She ran with it though, smiling. "But look where it brought me."

She didn't understand why he looked so trapped when she asked him about where he had lived before, but luckily the expression disappeared after a few seconds so she rattled off the cities back to him. "Never been to Seattle, I have been to Denver in the winter but I didn't think it was so bad. LA is...interesting," she decided after a moment of deliberation. In all truth, she hated LA, but especially if he had lived there for a while, she wasn't going to admit that. She did want to know more about him, so she held on to the subject for a little while longer. "Do you travel for work, or just because you want to?" Then, nudging his foot under the table, she continued, "I hope the length of your stay isn't determined by the eloquence of my argument for the city. I'm not sure if I can handle the pressure." She didn't get a chance to start right into it though because a waiter approached to take the orders for their drinks. Rosalie bit her lip and deferred to Stefan, more somber as she remembered that the last thing she should be doing given the past few days was picking out drinks.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-04-03 07:46 pm UTC (link)

The idea of meeting Cole and somehow not pounding his face in didn't seem very high. But it was obvious that Rosalie was trying to sing the man's praises, and coupled with his still fresh guilt over his argument Ileana, he knew he was losing this battle. "Yeeaah. Maybe," he conceded slowly, drawing out the words as he felt his high ground slipping. "What's he like? You know, besides 'nice'?" He wasn't sure if he really cared to know what Cole was like but he was making an effort.

He laughed over her careful description of Los Angeles. "It's something else," he countered quietly. He happened to like it plenty, but he knew he was almost alone in that fact. Even among those who lived there. The nudge on his foot made his smile slant into a smirk and he lost himself momentarily, his moment unfortunately interrupted by the emergence of the waiter. Rosalie deferring to him made Stefan shift uncomfortably for a moment before skimming down the drink list in front of him. White wines were his usual dinner preference and he ordered a bottle of pinot grigio for the table, hoping Rosalie wouldn't object too much.

"I'm sure you could make a pretty compelling argument in favor of New York," he assured her, trying to find that easy flow of conversation once more. "Never had much of an opinion about Paris but you make me want to go there sometime." Preferably with a guide, and if she happened to be named Rosalie, even better. "But I travel for a little of both. Work and because I like it. It's what I'm used to." He hesitated for a moment for usually he would leave it at that. There wasn't much reason to delve into the hows or whys of his life but she had been honest and open with him so far. Only right to return the favor.

"Grew up in a traveling circus. Yeah, I know," he laughed easily. He had heard ever variation of every exclamation when he told people that, which was why he didn't tell it too often. Already he was beginning to regret his confession, knowing it could start to work against him and all his efforts to exude wealth. Still he wasn't ashamed of her heritage of upbringing so he could take whatever reaction she had in stride. "It's probably not what you expected. But it taught me how to live on the move." Among other things. "That's how I know the Grigores, actually. Grew up with her sister Esme for a bit." If Rosalie had been at Bellum for a while she probably at least knew about the elder sister. "Then she moved on and Ileana came to stay with her dad and that's how we met. Stayed on board with the caravan until I was eighteen then took off on my own too. Been working on the road ever since." Of course he wasn't exactly going to tell her what it was he did. Circus kid was one thing. Life as a grifter was another.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

beaute_endormie
2010-04-03 09:06 pm UTC (link)

What was Cole like besides 'nice'? Rosalie struggled for a second, thinking it best to come up with something besides 'able to get his leg stapled shut without screaming or passing out'. "Smart," she told Stefan eventually, "He's a teacher. Polite."

Having no objection to his choice of wine, Rosalie smiled as the waiter left and he brought up Paris again. "You should definitely visit there at least once," she recommended. "And as for New York...you might have to actually take a tour of the island if you really want to be convinced. By someone who knows what they're doing of course," with a tone that indicated that that someone should be her. Assuming that she could stave off moodiness and that he liked her and even, you know, wanted a second date.

When he told her that he grew up in a traveling circus though, interest sparked in her eyes. Not what she expected, true, but unusual and certainly not even close to what her childhood had been. "What did you do? Where was it?" Ileana must have been his roommate then, because she recognized the name Esme and it replaced the light expression on her face with something a little more serious.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-04-04 01:05 am UTC (link)

A polite teacher was definitely not what he was expecting and Stefan had to push his features back into something resembling disapproval. The easy retort would be to insist it was all a front but he let it slip and slide away from him. "I'll talk to her," he conceded, but eventually. They both needed to cool down and he wasn't about to start another fight so soon after the last finished.

"Someone who knows what they're doing, eh?" Just where was he going to find someone like that? "We're gonna have to see. Don't want to jinx it. Who knows if she'll even want to see me after tonight?" This time he couldn't help the eyebrows that went up, or the wink that followed right after.

Questions about the circus were all well and good. At least it wasn't disapproval. "A little bit of this, a little bit of that." He never had a actual role to so speak. He always helped around when he had to, snuck off when he didn't. But people always wanted to hear about something interesting, as if he looked like an animal trainer, or a contortionist. "I've got a bit of a trick. Can imitate anyone's voice. Anyone. Just need to hear it once." The look he gave her was modest, but there was a hint of a challenge in his eyes. He wondered if she'd take him up on it.

The change in her expression wasn't missed and he couldn't help but ask. "Why the long face?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

beaute_endormie
2010-04-04 04:59 am UTC (link)

Rosalie didn't blush easily under normal circumstances because it was such a dead giveaway of emotions, but she couldn't help turning a pleased shade of pink when Stefan winked at her. Her teeth caught on her bottom lip again- a nervous habit, he might have caught on to by now- and she murmured something about might be persuaded.

"Wait, really?" By now, Rosalie knew that there were people in the building with gifts, and she had worked out some of the specifics of her own non-power with Ella, but she hadn't heard about this particular power. "Like, the waiter that was just over here?" It was a vaguely framed suggestion, so that he could actually show her if he wanted to, or he could simply explain in words if he would rather not.

Shifting a little uncomfortably at his last question, she raised her shoulders in something that resembled a shrug. "I didn't know her," she admitted. "But it seemed horrible, what happened." Stefan might not know exactly and Rosalie wasn't privy to most of the details of it, but she might as well elaborate now that he had asked. "I believe she was seeing this guy- the old Van helsing actually; his name was Emil. But he drowned right before Christmas and she made a couple posts on the forum that weren't exactly the sanest and I think it really messed her up." When she was done, she glanced back up at Stefan to gage how much of that he had actually known. True, most of it was gossip, but it had come from reliable sources at least.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-04-05 12:43 am UTC (link)

He definitely had been noticing her little nervous habit and he found it adorable. It only made his smirk grow even wider.

"Really," he chuckled. He thought back to the waiter and his face took on a politely bland expression as he asked, "Would you care for something to drink?" a pitch perfect copy of his question from before. And for good measure he added, "Wine, water, tequila? How about some scotch? Or a lemonade? Some kool-aid, perhaps?" to further prove that he had the man's voice down pat, intonations on point, even for words that he hadn't already said. The waiter was easy, as he was hear most recently. If she picked a celebrity of some sort it might have taken him a little longer.

Ileana had only mentioned that Esme had been unwell, but the way she said it made Stefan think she was just under stress. The death of a lover wasn't run of the mill at all and he frowned. What else could he do? "I didn't know," he admitted honestly and shook his head. "I just knew she was on the road. Needed some time away. Wasn't surprised, even less so now that I know what happened." Taking off was something he understood all too well. He let out a nervous cough as he tried to steer the conversation back to something more pleasant. Thankfully the waiter arrived once more, pouring them two glasses of wine and leaving the bottle at their table. When asked for his order, Stefan ordered his steak and looked over at Rosalie. Drinks were one thing but he wouldn't presume to know what she would like to eat.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

beaute_endormie
2010-04-05 01:23 am UTC (link)

Rosalie giggled when he asked her for lemonade and brushed her hair behind her ear on the side that wasn't covering scratches. "Did you learn how to do that or could you always?" she asked him, apparently fascinated.

Since she didn't know much more about what happened to Esme, she hesitated, and luckily was spared answering by the appearance of the waiter. She took a sip of her wine and barely remembered not to make it too long, because despite how much she was enjoying herself, she couldn't disassociate the part that liked Stefan and his company from the part that was tired and hurting and worried sick about Boyd.

She wasn't paying attention to what she ordered- some type of pasta- trying instead to focus back on the date and push the last few days in the back of her mind. Conversation, she needed something-- "So besides strange incidents where you turn into an animal, do you like it here?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-04-05 01:58 am UTC (link)

"Always," he answered immediately but scrunched his lips together as he gave her question more thought. "I've always had a pretty good ear for things. And I had a lot of free time on my hands. It gave me something to do and some attention if I could do a trick of some kind." In his family's business, gimmicks were everything so once he found one he latched onto it. "Men's voices are easy. Women and children, now those are an impressive feat." It was a little bit like bragging but he could do those if she wanted. He half hoped she wouldn't though. That would get some even stranger looks from anyone around them.

"Besides turning into an animal," he laughed, words he never thought he'd ever say. "I like it. Company is good," he wagged his eyebrows in her direction as he reached for his own wine glass. "Other than the weird night and the occasional slip up on the elevator, it's nice. I like it." He took a sip of his own before asking, "How about you? I mean, you came back, but obviously things are a little different. The fairy tale thing wasn't happening when you first got there? No other frog men I have to compete with I hope?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

beaute_endormie
2010-04-05 04:28 am UTC (link)

So it wasn't something that was caused by the building, probably. Rosalie thought about asking him to do someone else, but then she took a swallow of wine that was too large and nearly choked. That was what she got, she supposed. Easier on the alcohol, Rosalie, cautioned a voice inside her head, one that sounded rather like her cousin.

Rosalie turned pink again but her expression was almost smug when she grinned back at him. "Have you met anyone else on your floor or anything?" she asked, curious to know who his friends were. "I don't always like it," she admitted after a pause. "But then the people are usually totally worth it. So I don't mind." The bit about the frog men got a laugh out of her and she assured him. "I swear to God, I had never seen a frog before I met you." Which was a strange sentence in itself. "They don't last long in the city." She made an apologetic, wincing face, before her features settled into something quieter. Because while there probably wasn't another frog for him to worry about, there were almost certainly more princesses somewhere.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

unimpressive
2010-04-05 05:33 am UTC (link)

He tried to think of who else was on the twelfth floor and realized that he really hadn't met anyone. It wasn't that he was busy, or unfriendly, but his days had been spent fuming over Ileana, double checking to make sure he had his tracks covered back in Seattle, and thinking of Rosalie. Playing nice neighbor was fourth on his to-do list and hadn't come up yet. "I haven't, actually. Only chatted with a few people here and there. Mostly skimming that forum thing. Sure's a lot of crazy gossip." He had to admit, the thing he had seen on there made him think twice about befriending anyone.

He raised his hands up in mock defeat, "I believe you" for really, she didn't look like the type to go around catching frogs in her childhood. "Alright, so if the people are worth the trouble, as you say, then maybe I should start to get to know them." He cocked his head to the side as he asked, "So tell me, who should I talk to? Who should I avoid like the plague. You'll be my guide."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

beaute_endormie
2010-04-05 06:00 am UTC (link)

Forum gossip. Rosalie had a sudden bad thought about the anonymous post and how frequently she seemed to come up, most often tied close to sex and/or Daniel. That might be a wrinkle at some point.

She had walked into that, hadn't she? The problem was that she couldn't exactly just introduce him to Daniel, Boyd wasn't talking to her, she was barely talking to Vlad, Shane was probably a bad idea, and she wanted to keep him far away from Derek. "Well--" she stalled for time, drumming her fingers on the table with the hand that was resting between them. "Ella's really nice. I think you might have talked on the forums the other day? So is this girl Lotte who does actually live on twelve. You'll probably want to stay away from Kiki. And then definitely avoid a woman by the name of Vaughn." Roslalie almost shuddered, but managed to satisfy herself with a long sip of wine. Her cup was nearly empty.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

(no subject) -

unimpressive, 2010-04-05 10:48 am UTC

(no subject) -

beaute_endormie, 2010-04-05 01:12 pm UTC

(no subject) -

unimpressive, 2010-04-05 06:53 pm UTC

(no subject) -

beaute_endormie, 2010-04-05 09:22 pm UTC

(no subject) -

unimpressive, 2010-04-06 02:34 am UTC

(no subject) -