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Katya Alkaev ([info]redhorse_tea) wrote in [info]bellumlogs,
@ 2010-05-13 15:49:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:javert

Who: Luther and Katya
What: Going to the movies
Where: Starting at Katya's and moving to the local theater
When: Around 6:45
Warnings: Irritability



For some ungodly reason, Katya had emptied her entire closest. She couldn't figure out exactly why because it didn't exactly matter, but she was now quite aware of the fact that everything she owned was covered in cat hair.

Babushka, on her perch on the window sill, looked immensely pleased with herself.

And it wasn't as if what she wore would matter anyhow. This wasn't... what did Americans call it... a date. This was her making judicious use of a profitable opportunity. She supposed she could have contacted Eliot via the forums, but he seemed much more interested in older movies and she wanted something she could talk with her employees about. And they all swore by the movie. In Russia, she had always enjoyed pointless action movies. There was something cathartic about watching a bad guy get pummeled half to death and then some. Finally, she found something moderately acceptable that wasn't covered in cat hair. She pulled it on, slid her feet into wedges - she could use the height - and stared at herself in the mirror.

Behind her, Babushka yowled.

"Hush, I have fed you already," Katya told the cat. She played briefly with her hair before deciding to leave it down. Moving from her bedroom to her living room, she was just in time to hear a knock at her door. Flicking some of her hair over her shoulder, she unlocked and opened the door with one brow arched. "Inspector Luther, da?" she asked, giving him a once over.


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[info]redhorse_tea
2010-05-14 05:24 am UTC (link)
Flashing messages on the large screen stole Katya's attention from Luther almost as soon as she sat down. She peered at the text, trying to keep her expression neutral, but she ended up squinting anyway. She tried to decipher what was written, but it took her some time. English letters were still strange to her, especially in names. Simple things she could work out just fine. Street names and generic words, those weren't so hard. But names. Names were the purest form of hell. So the movies were good practice.

The dimming lights signaled the end of her practice, and she felt bad for a moment for ignoring Luther. As she settled into her seat more comfortably, he leaned over and whispered a reminder that he was, after all, there to help her when she couldn't understand what was being said. How odd. She had almost forgotten.

"Thank you," she whispered back. She played with her shawl through the trailers, not really interested in them at all. She tried to sneak discrete looks at Luther, but failed because it was dark and so was the screen. She finally gave up in time for the start of the movie. For the most part, she was pleased. She caught and understood maybe 75% of what was being said, and could infer most of the rest. A number of times, the characters referenced organizations by an acronym and those went over her head, but the fact that she knew they meant a group was good enough.

A food while into the movie, she leaned toward Luther. "This I did not understand," she whispered to him, trying not to be ostentatious about it. Some people couldn't whisper quietly to save their own lives. "What is his meaning when he says 'I want one' to the redheaded woman?"

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-05-14 05:32 am UTC (link)
Luther settled into the seat, comfortable in the chair after a few trailers. Despite himself, he found himself distracted by the film and had to make himself look sideways at Katya, in order to double check that she was following. The light didn't show much, but he'd done more work in the dark recently than was expected. She seemed to be doing fine from what he could see and he let the film distract him, finding it more amusing than expected.

Katya's interjection pulled him out of it though and it took him a moment to process her question. Luther had leaned over automatically, close enough that he could make out her features. He blinked, unsure of how to explain that. "He means the secretary," he whispered back, wincing as he did so.

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[info]redhorse_tea
2010-05-14 05:36 am UTC (link)
Brow creasing, Katya tried to follow. "He desires the secretary?" she inquired. And then comprehension dawned. After a fashion. She realized it could mean two things: he wanted a secretary, or he wanted the secretary. English was so confusing. "Is he wanting someone to keep track of his moneys? Or is he wanting her for the sexual intercourse?" She kept her voice low, glad for the fact that the conversation on screen didn't fade off. Someone overhearing her question wouldn't have been opportune.

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-05-14 05:42 am UTC (link)
Too many things happened at once. Everything happening on the screen was forgotten, other than the few minutes which caused the confusion. Her first question elicited a tight nod and he turned away looking to the screen. She should have had a female come along - not Joanie, but someone who wouldn't have been in danger of exploitation.

And then came the next two and Luther's wince became even more pronounced. He couldn't look at her, despite the fact that he hadn't pulled away and said in a hushed, immensely awkward voice, "The latter."

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[info]redhorse_tea
2010-05-14 05:52 am UTC (link)
She knew in a heartbeat she probably shouldn't have asked the question. He didn't look at her when he answered, and his voice was tight and awkward. Sex, she knew, wasn't something Americans discussed quite as openly. Feeling like an ass, Katya returned to her seat. She wrapped her shawl around her arms and ensconced herself as squarely in the middle as possible. That way, he wouldn't think she was pulling away, but he wouldn't think she was trying to flirt with him either. She knew some women would take the opportunity.

The rest of the movie was interesting, but Katya hardly saw it. She was too busy beating herself up for making their time together uncomfortable. There were a few things said she wanted to ask about, but she didn't dare. It was like one of those tense silences between two people at a family dinner. The family continued talking, but those two people were absolutely silent. When the movie finally ended and the lights came back on, she tried not to rise too quickly.

Standing, she arched her back, stretching a bit, and then turned to him. "This was not so bad movie," she said. "They are speaking quickly, but I am surprised. It is not so hard to understand." Actually, she was a little proud of herself in that regard. She had managed to follow enough of the movie that she understood the plot and would be able to talk about it intelligently with someone. She thought about using her new-found knowledge on Luther, but opted not to do so. They could talk about other things on the walk home. Provided he wanted to talk to her at all.

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-05-14 05:59 am UTC (link)
It took him him only five minutes to realize she was uncomfortable as well. The movie was ignored in favor of watching her from the corners of his eyes. He only moved back into his seat slightly, mentally cursing himself for not acting more appropriately. It wasn't her fault she hadn't understood - the language barrier, obviously. Lingo or euphemisms wouldn't be available to her after all.

He only moved slightly away from her during the movie, covering it with a slight stretch, as his eyes remained ahead. All in all, he was quite happy to have it end and he stood as eagerly as she did.

"It was better than I thought," Luther said, moving to step out. Immediately he knew his leg was going to give him trouble, though he disguised the wince. He made a note to take Katya's opposite arm once they hit the street - it would do a better job of hiding it for now. The last thing he needed was further awkwardness, when he'd already made her uncomfortable.

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[info]redhorse_tea
2010-05-14 03:24 pm UTC (link)
Truthfully, she had liked what she saw of the movie. The action was fun to watch, the technology behind the movie fascinating. She had always loved watching things blow up on a television screen, and she had never been able to say why. So it was something of validation that Luther enjoyed the movie as well. Maybe it was just that she could feel better about herself as a human being and not guilty that she had forced him into something that was entirely loathsome.

Katya didn't notice his wince and didn't mind the change in arm. She set a leisurely pace as they walked; even though it was pushing ten, she felt no compelling need to rush home. Now that they were out of the theater and he had said he didn't mind the movie, she found the silence between them acceptable. It was the kind of comfortable silence that she enjoyed. But she knew most people weren't fans of silence, so she tilted her head back to look at him. "You are busy tomorrow, da, with your job?" she inquired. "We are having to get you home if you are." Hell, she was busy with her job, and she hated late nights. He didn't need to know that.

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-05-14 03:36 pm UTC (link)
He was relieved by the topic and immediately shook his head. "Not planned. Things tend to be unplanned - a tip-off or a new case can't be predicted." Unless he got a call, he'd pop in at nine and ask to go through the records again. Nothing had shown up on Jean Valjean in awhile, making Luther uneasy. The idea that he'd already left the city disturbed him - he'd have to follow of course, but there was the state of Bellum to consider as well as finally being back in the work-force.

"We can take our time," Luther suggested, glancing at her. "It's not that late, considering." Besides the speed they were at would allow him to attempt to hide his limp from her. There was a moment or two of silence, before he forced himself to say, "I didn't intend to make things ...difficult in there." Directly adressing their awkwardness wasn't the best move, but Luther wasn't sure if he could leave it between them. Sometimes an occasion called for bluntness.

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[info]redhorse_tea
2010-05-14 07:50 pm UTC (link)
Perhaps it wasn't late for him, but Katya saw no reason to rush either of them home. She would be tired in the morning, but a few cups of caffeinated tea would pick her right up. No one would know the difference. Except, perhaps, Emma, who was the sweetest child on the planet and always asked after everyone. She turned her thoughts back to the man beside her; daydreaming was rude, after all.

With a small laugh, she shook her head. "Net, it is not so difficult." Yes, it was. "I am sorry for asking the questions that are uncomfortable." No, she wasn't. "But in future, I will know, so I will not have to be asking those sorts of questions." Another woman probably would have winked at him or giggled or something. Katya merely patted his arm as a reinforcement of her words. "There is specific tone Americans use when making suggestive words. Is not so hard to spot, now I know it is there." She glanced toward him, one brow quirked. "Do you see the cinema often?"

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-05-14 08:00 pm UTC (link)
Though she laughed, Luther still felt uncomfortable about it. It didn't matter that she said it was alright; there was a tension that couldn't be mistaken, even as she patted his arm. His lips curved tightly, but he couldn't say anything more on the subject. Not when she seemed to think it was dropped.

"Rarely," Luther said. He shrugged. "Having free time is a new thing - I've been on the road for work, for several years. If I wasn't looking into a lead, I attempted to catch up on sleep."

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[info]redhorse_tea
2010-05-15 12:03 am UTC (link)
She nodded as he spoke. Free time was a rarity, even more so for her because she owned her own business. She worked late most nights from the apartment, and went in every other Saturday just to be sure things ran smoothly. "On roads? Ah! You mean you are traveling." That was curious. Katya didn't travel much. She wasn't a homebody, she simply didn't like going new places. Too many new things became too overwhelming. "Where have you been traveling? Me, I have only been here, Moscow, and the colder parts of Russia. They are not so interesting places."

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-05-15 01:43 am UTC (link)
"Not as much anymore," Luther corrected. He wasn't sure if she meant currently or if it her English, but it couldn't hurt to clarify. He shrugged once more, weaving their way around a couple who were having an intense conversation in the middle of the sidewalk. His eyes stayed on them for a moment before he looked back to her, "I've been all over the states and crossed the borders north and south a few times. Never left the continent."

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[info]redhorse_tea
2010-05-15 02:00 am UTC (link)
"You have been to Mexico?" she asked. "This place, I have heard is gorgeous." But too much warm weather was a bit overwhelming. She liked the coolness of the Atlantic Northeast, especially in fall and spring. Summers got a bit too hot for her, but not unbearably so. She thought she might enjoy a brief trip to a beach like in Mexico. "Where else? I have heard, there is great canyon in America. They say it is very beautiful. Have you been there?"

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-05-15 02:13 am UTC (link)
Luther laughed, shaking his head. "I've only been a few miles from the States. What I've seen is disgusting." With a rueful shake of his head, he led her into Bellum which had appeared sooner than expected. He kept his eyes on her, even as they moved to the stairs, not even thinking about his leg. "The Grand Canyon is impressive though. I've been there twice-"

His leg twisted sideways as he stepped up the stairs, causing a shooting pain up his leg. Luther's speech was cut off as he winced and reached for the rail with his free hand. From where he stood, he only made his balance more awkward as he stumbled towards her.

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[info]redhorse_tea
2010-05-15 02:26 am UTC (link)
With a quiet gasp, Katya shifted toward him as he fell, trying to catch him. She wasn't incredibly strong, but she spent a lot of her time lifting heavy boxes. But it was awkward. Her arm was wrapped with his, and they were side by side. She tried to guide him down as gently as possible, to control his descent, but she didn't know how well she succeeded. "Are you alright?" she asked.

Pulling away, she let Luther stand on his own, not wanting to hurt his pride. "These stairs," she said, "they are a little tricky sometimes."

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-05-15 02:36 am UTC (link)
He didn't end up sending her crashing to the floor which was a relief. Normally he did do better with balance and being on his guard. What was it about the women in Bellum that had him failing at it? His mouth tightened into a thin line and only made more awkward by how close they were.

He pulled away as she did, letting his arms move from hers completely. He coughed, in a poor attempt to cover it and he nodded. "I'm fine and yes." He looked up at them, eager to have a distraction, and honestly felt like he could glare at them. "They dislike me more than the elevator does."

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[info]redhorse_tea
2010-05-15 03:23 am UTC (link)
With a small smile, Katya ascended two steps and then waited for him. "The elevator, it is causing troubles?" she asked. "Is broken? I do not ride it often." She didn't. There was no point in using the elevator to go up a single flight of stairs.

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-05-15 03:40 am UTC (link)
Luther tentatively put weight on his left leg again, wincing only slightly. He followed her, moving to walk past her - slowly, but well enough to show that he was alright with keeping going. After all, she was only on the second floor. "It doesn't cooperate with anyone - it seems to have a mind of it's own. A friend and I investigated it once." He paused. "Actually, that's how we met."

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[info]redhorse_tea
2010-05-15 03:53 am UTC (link)
She thought, now, that she had heard something like that about the elevator. It was unreliable at best and took someone places they didn't necessary want to go. Now that she had some sort of confirmation, she was incredibly happy she was only on the second floor and wouldn't need to use the elevator extensively. She couldn't imagine having to walk to the penthouse, for example, on a regular basis. "I will keep this in mind," she said. "That the elevator is not so good for getting places, but good for meeting people."

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-05-15 04:32 am UTC (link)
He managed a small smile at that, making his way up the final stairs. "It is. If you have free time an hour of riding it randomly can have unexpected results." He smiled as he said it, almost ready to let laughter hide his awkwardness.

Down the hall to her door and he stopped in front of it, as custom dictated. His weight switched from his bad leg to his good and his arms went behind his back. There was a brief pause, before he said in a tone that surprised himself, "I did enjoy myself this evening. Thanks for inviting me along." Awkwardness and all.

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[info]redhorse_tea
2010-05-15 04:49 am UTC (link)
Following him to her room, Katya let her mind wander back over the evening. She hadn't expected to chat with him quite so easily. She hadn't expected to like him. But he was surprisingly easy company even after she put her foot in her mouth. So when they stopped at her door and he thanked her for the invitation, she gave him a tentative smile. "Da, I was enjoying this as well," she told him, meaning it.

Reaching into her purse, she searched around for her keys. She found them and pulled them out but paused before unlocking the door. "If you are not minding..." This was such an awkward moment. Katya fussed with her keys for a minute, looking at her hands instead of at him. She didn't know why asking the question was so hard. It shouldn't have been. It was just a bunch of words. "Perhaps you might like to be seeing a movie again? Next time, it would be your choice, da? But if you are thinking this would be okay, then I could be giving you my phone number, and you could be giving me yours?" She made it sound as much like a question as possible and refused to look at him, just in case he said no. She was only human; no one liked rejection.

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-05-15 05:00 am UTC (link)
Luther couldn't help but return the smile, moving back slightly as she unlocked the door. He watched her, not realizing she was asking something beyond some space as she got her door. The words sunk and he blinked at her.

It wasn't the fact that she'd asked that surprised him. No, it was the fact that he did want to go again. Even if it had been awkward - it would be as much as it would this time or even right now...Luther slowly nodded, reaching for a piece of paper and a pencil in his pocket.

"I'd like that," he said, looking to her - hoping she'd look up at him - and then down to write his number. He tore off the sheet, handing it to her as well as the pencil and pad.

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[info]redhorse_tea
2010-05-15 05:19 am UTC (link)
Relief swept over her when Luther said he'd like to do something with her again. She had been terrified - irrationally so - that he might say no to her. Lifting her face, she gave him a bashful smile. After taking the sheet of paper and sliding it into her purse, Katya scribbled her number down with a quick and efficient hand. She handed both pencil and pad back to him. "Tonight, it was very nice. I am glad to be seeing American movies." Should she say it was good to go with him? No, that was just too much.

Katya hesitated a moment longer at her door, feeling like she should say something else. But what else was there to say? She was about to speak when Babushka yowled loudly from the other side of her door. Embarrassed, Katya coughed, trying to cover the sound. "My cat, she is not so understanding of me not being there for her. Good night, Inspector," she said giving him one last smile before slipping into her apartment and shutting the door.

She leaned heavily against the inside for a moment, ignoring Babushka who continued to yowl and cry as she twined around Katya's feet. After a few minutes, she kicked off her shoes and hurried into her room to undress and collapse on her bed. She had an early morning.

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[info]sentinelstar
2010-05-15 05:36 am UTC (link)
He took it with a wry smile, hands brushing against hers a bit longer than he intended. It slipped back in his pocket and he nodded. "Me too," he said again, unsure of what else to say. Her slipping inside only made him feel slightly relieved and he headed towards the stairs.

At his own speed and thoughts, he made it to his room in ten minutes. The door was shut softly and he took the pencil from his pocket. On Katya's sticky note for 207 he wrote carefully trustworthy and then after a series of dots he wrote friend? before scratching it out. Mouth twisted wryly, he copied her phone number and circled it. With a final nod, he headed to his computer. He did have one more person to report to before calling it a night.

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