Tweak

InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "ouch! there was a pole there"

Bran Wilder {The Phantom} (lemortvivant) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-05-20 23:51:00

Entry tags:

christine daaé, phantom of the opera, plot: riddles

Who: Bran and Lotte
What: Awkward conversation
Where: The lobby
When: After the doors opened for Group G.
Warnings: None?

Bran was halfway through the doors when he heard Lotte calling him, but the last thing he wanted to do was stop and spend any more time in whatever messed-up world lay behind him. He realized he was being rude by ignoring Sherri, but he wasn't exactly a friendly person in the best of situations, which meant that right now he didn't give a damn about what she thought of him. His apartment was the next step, and after that he would have to consider what to do next. As soon as he crossed over the threshold into the lobby, the realization that the scars on his face were still visible hit him and he tried in vain to cover them with his hands.

The only hitch in his plan was Lotte. As much as he wanted to get away before anyone else could stumble upon them, he couldn't just ignore her. Bran almost made it to the staircase before stopping, turning around to face her with a stifled sigh. "Yes?"

(Post a new comment)

still_lotte
2010-05-21 04:21 am UTC (link)

She'd taken off from the theater at a run, bursting through the doorway. Being back in Bellum was a relief - she didn't think she'd ever been so relieved to be in the building. She only took a moment to look over the area before she followed Bran to the stairs, the faint smile on her face fading.

"Can we talk?" She stopped in front of him, arms moving to cross in front of her. It was colder here than in the theater. "Please?"

(Reply to this) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-21 04:58 am UTC (link)

He couldn't even pretend that they had nothing to talk about, and it really would be better to find out what she was thinking and see if the situation wasn't completely beyond salvaging. Talking - in the sense of an honest conversation, which he was pretty sure Lotte wanted - wasn't something he was used to, but he couldn't tell her no. It would only make things worse.

Bran studied her for a moment before relenting, glancing warily towards the front doors. "Alright. But not here."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-21 05:21 am UTC (link)

Lotte fidgeted, before him, waiting for an answer. It crossed her mind briefly, he could say no, but she shoved the thought away immediately. If he left, she wouldn't let him - she could be persistent. Maybe.

When he agreed though her shoulders relaxed and the faint smile returned. She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes following his before gesturing up. "I can make tea if we go to my apartment?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-21 05:54 am UTC (link)

Bran's distracted gaze returned to her as soon as she spoke - was she actually inviting him to her apartment? It wasn't even said with the fear or reluctance he would have expected, which only confused him further. Usually he had no problem figuring people out, and could adjust his behavior accordingly; but normal things like having tea threw him for a loop. It wouldn't have made sense to anyone but him.

He didn't have tea. He didn't have very much of anything in the sense of sustenance, actually; microwaveable meals or takeout consisted of his daily food intake. "Okay." Bran paused, trying to keep his scarred side turned away from her without making it too obvious. "Thanks." Twelve flights of stairs weren't very appealing, but he didn't trust the elevator; so after another pause he turned and started to climb.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-21 06:05 am UTC (link)

She was by his side in an instant, biting her lip hard as she tried to remember if she had anything in her apartment besides tea. She'd not been eating much lately, too busy or on the go. Her eyes darted to him once or twice as they climbed, mainly concerned with being an alright hostess. Some things were too ingrained from Valerie to be gotten rid of.

Lotte didn't pause at any of the stairwells, though it crossed her mind it was quiet. "I hope everyone else is alright," she said quietly, as they reached the twelfth floor. "I mean - do you think everyone had to put on a play?" It seemed silly when put like that and she shook her head.

She had to reach for the spare-key over the doorframe - who went to bed with their key anyway? It didn't matter if he saw or not - Lotte still trusted in the simple fact that even if he'd lied to her, he wouldn't do anything her because he let her go. There was a triumphant smile as she got it open and she gestured for him to go in. "Lights are on the right," Lotte said, before returning the key. Once that was taken care of, she slipped inside. "You can - er, sit down in the living room. Or there's the nook in the kitchen if you'd rather sit over there..."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-21 06:29 am UTC (link)

Bran was careful to keep his gaze forward, although he did manage to glance at her once or twice from the corner of his eye, just to see what her expression was like. It was strangely quiet, and there seemed to be no noise at all from any of the floors they passed. "I don't know. Maybe... I doubt we were the only ones to have something like that happen." If it had, maybe the rest of them hadn't completed their stupid rhyme or whatever it was yet.

He registered the spare-key but didn't think much of it - he preferred their vocal interaction, even if she thought it was a hallucination rather than him, and essentially breaking into her apartment couldn't lead to anything good. There were other ways to find out things he might want to know, after all.

His hesitation to enter her apartment first wasn't very subtle, but it only lasted a moment before he went inside, glancing to his right and slowly flicking on the lights. The last time he'd seen her apartment it was just a glimpse, but now he was actually inside and had a proper chance to look. As far as apartments went, it was nice, and at least it wasn't overly bright or white. He hated the all-white modern look. Bran's gaze shifted between the kitchen and the living room, and after a moment's consideration chose the living room - he took a seat on the far right side of the couch, leaning forward with his hands on his knees. "It's... nice, your apartment." It felt too stilted, saying nothing at all.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-21 01:30 pm UTC (link)

Her mouth quirked slightly at the comment, though her hands wrung before her. "Is it? I mean - Valerie picked out most everything, for where I lived last." And she hadn't really liked it then and didn't feel that way now. She looked over her shoulder at the kitchen, before back to him. "Is English Breakfast alright? I think I still have chamomile - I used up the ones I got from Katya..." She supposed another visit to her would be a good idea. After this.

Lotte went into the kitchen after a moment, still calling over her shoulder. "I have milk and sugar too, if you want - I think I'm out of cream." She put the kettle on the stove and got out the mugs, looking back every now and then.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-21 06:42 pm UTC (link)

It wasn't really a lie because he didn't think it was ugly, but calling it nice seemed better than his usual apathetic response. Although he couldn't realistically say that he knew Lotte well, the subdued colors didn't seem like something she would choose on her own. "Oh. Well, it's not... overbearing." He shrugged. It had just been something to fill the silence. His knowledge of tea was limited, and he wasn't about to start asking for specifics. "English Breakfast is fine."

Bran stared down at his hands, mapping out possible directions that the impending conversation could go and how he would respond. Admitting to attacking Ella was completely out of the question, but what about the other things? Distracted, he glanced at her over his shoulder. "That's alright - milk and sugar are good."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-21 07:10 pm UTC (link)

She didn't say anything else, slipping out of the other end of the kitchen and down the hall to her bedroom. There wasn't really a reason to give him warning was there? She grabbed a pair of socks and a pair of pants, putting the latter on under the nightgown she was still wearing. It really was too cold. There was only a brief look towards him, before she went back into the kitchen and pouring out the boiling water.

Bringing the two plain mugs into the living room, she passed the one with milk off to him and kept the sugar-only one to herself. Once that was passed off, she sat down on the left side of the couch. She turned so she faced him, back against the armrest, her legs crossed Indian style. The cup of tea was cradled between her hands and sipped while she tried to think of a good starting point.

There really seemed to be no way to end the awkwardness. Unless she started to panic or get angry, which meant she'd be awkward later

Lowering the mug, Lotte bit her lip. She looked at him and the face for a long moment before saying in a rush, "Katya said you didn't wear a mask."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-21 11:14 pm UTC (link)

Bran glanced up briefly when she left the kitchen, but he didn't move from his spot. He was grateful that he was, at least, wearing long sleeves - the scars on his face were bad enough, but she couldn't see their true extent while it was covered by clothing. He wondered if Ella had already found Daniel and told him about what had transpired, and how long he had to prepare before someone hell-bent on revenge showed up at his door. There was no proof tying him to her attack, but he doubted that she'd dismissed him as a possible suspect.

He took the mug with the briefest flicker of a smile, letting it warm his hands for now instead of taking a sip. This wasn't a conversation he wanted to initiate, nor did he know how to, so he waited for her to say something first.

When she finally did speak, he was slightly relieved that it was a start he could work with. "I don't. Not in the traditional sense, at least." He rubbed absently at the scars, still able to feel the ghost of pain even now. "Katya wouldn't have been able to notice that I was wearing something to cover the scars... that's the point."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-22 12:07 am UTC (link)

She kept her tea in her hands, watching him. It was a small relief that Katya hadn't been lying to her and even that he hadn't lied to her specifically. Small things, but she clung to that as she took in the scars again.

"I didn't notice one the other evening either," Lotte said, pressing her lips together for a moment. She wanted to ask about them, curiosity as well as concern making her. Just from the movement he made, she felt uneasy about it. She took a sip of her tea, inhaling the scent for a moment before asking, like she had in the theater, "What happened?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-22 12:53 am UTC (link)

He nodded, a slight tension in his shoulders the only sign that he acknowledged what she was referring to when she said 'the other evening'. The man she'd met that night was never real, and even though 'Trevor' would have to stick around for numerous reasons, Lotte was past that now. There was no point in pretending any longer. "It's a sort of... prosthetic mask, if you will. It's difficult to apply and even harder to remove, but it resembles human skin as much as anything." He didn't see the harm in telling her that, since Ella and Sherri had clearly seen that his face was scarred, and common sense said that he had to wear something to hide it. Usual makeup wouldn't do it.

How he got the scars, however, was another matter entirely. Bran shook his head, swallowing a deep gulp of tea to stall for time. "It happened a long time ago. I was burned and the wounds never healed properly." He was very wary of revealing anything beyond that.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-22 01:53 am UTC (link)

Her head tilted sideways, as she tried to picture the mask piece itself. Even if she knew what he'd looked like with it on before, it was difficult to imagine something covering the scars as well as it had. Lotte took another sip of her tea, making a small sound that could have been an I see. "Do you wear it often? If it's, er, difficult to wear." It crossed her mind to ask why he couldn't wear it constantly if it was hard to get off, but she shoved it aside. There was probably a logical answer that would only make her look foolish.

When he said they were burned, she frowned. "I'm sorry-" She meant it, looking at them. It crossed her mind that it must have hurt terribly - whatever accident it had been must have been horrible. She didn't like talking about her father after all - pressing further would only be bad. Even if she wanted to know what happened.

She let her eyes fall, staring at her tea for a long moment, before asking, "If I - I mean, if I ask you which parts of what you told me were true, from when we talked before - will you actually tell the truth?" She didn't look up, not liking the question itself. She wanted to believe in the bits he'd told her now, she couldn't see why he'd lie about that - but she didn't know what she could trust. The only thing reliable was what he’d said in the theater and that he’d let her go. "I won't tell, I didn't before."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-22 04:26 am UTC (link)

He didn't tell her that it was painful, assuming that the 'difficult' part was enough of an implication to negate the need to explicitly state it. Besides, his pain tolerance was much higher than most others; a conditioned trait that had come about accidentally rather than intentionally. "I only wear it when I know I'll be around other people." He offered a tight, mirthless smile. "The pain doesn't bother me anymore," was his explanation for her unspoken question as to why he went through the motions of taking it on and off.

Bran knew her apology was sincere, and she didn't mean it as a gesture of pitying him, but he still didn't understand why she said it. She wasn't the one who needed to apologize, and the one who did never had and never would offer such a thing; so he simply shrugged.

Practically everything he'd told her was a lie - there were a few half truths, but the majority of it was fabrication. Trevor was a fabrication. Some of the real answers were things she wouldn't like, not to mention things he didn't like talking about himself. He trusted Lotte to a certain degree, which was actually progress, but beyond that point he was fiercely defensive. "I'll try," he said finally, briefly lifting his gaze to meet hers.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-22 04:56 am UTC (link)

Lotte hadn't understood, assuming it simply was hard to do. She shut her eyes, wincing when he said it didn't bother anymore. It was suddenly easier to picture and she thought of how hard it was to simply take a band-aid off. She winced, trying not to apologize again. "I see."

She looked up, once he said he'd try to tell the truth and a bit of a smile crossed her face. It was good enough for her. Adjusting her position on the couch, trying to think of where to start. It had crossed her mind to make a list of the things Not-Erik had told her, simply to figure out who he was in the building, but she'd shoved it aside as being silly at the time. She hadn't been as attentive to what Trevor said, as what he had... She looked up, biting her lip again.

"Why Trevor? And everything you said then? You're not - you're not really an insurance agent, are you?" It was hesitant, not meaning to offend him. From what he said, she suspected he didn't interact with people much. "What about your family, really?" She'd empathized with that too, along with the fact he'd lost his job - that possibly not being true as well stung.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-22 06:03 am UTC (link)

He didn't expect her to understand, since he doubted she'd experienced anything more than the usual amount of pain most people did - cuts, scrapes, maybe a broken bone at the most. Not that he wanted her to know such pain; he was glad she didn't. Lotte would never deserve to have anything like that happen no matter what she did.

Bran looked down at his tea as he considered his answer. "Because that's what I have to do. I needed a name that has a social insurance number and identification, among other things." And a birth certificate, but he left that part out. "Trevor is just an identity so I can do... this. Get an apartment, a job, that sort of thing. And no, I'm not an insurance agent. I never was." The question about his family made his expression darken, and he fought back a scowl. "I have no family."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-22 06:15 am UTC (link)

She blinked, not expecting that. There was something about the way he worded it that bothered her - if he had a name, Bran, then he should have everything else. The only people who didn't or wouldn't have one would be someone on the run, she supposed. Which was silly, because Bran was nice. Lotte kept a firm hold on her tea as she leaned forward, "I don't get it. What's wrong with being...yourself?" She winced, realizing the mistake too late. A hand went to the left side of her face, gesturing vaguely. "Aside from the face thing." But even that was covered - literally - by the mask, right?

There was the obvious, unspoken question of why but she bit her lip, feeling like she was only getting more confused. Not even the comment about no family made it make more sense. "Literally or anymore?" Everyone, technically had family.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-22 06:42 am UTC (link)

Bran sighed, running a hand down his face as he tried to think of some kind of answer that was vague while still satisfying her enough to stop pursuing the topic. How the hell was he supposed to explain that he didn't have a birth certificate; that he hadn't even been outside for more than an hour the first sixteen years of his life and learned the basics from books and observation? He could have gotten forged documents for Bran Wilder, but it was trickier to create an entire identity from scratch - and besides, he didn't have those kinds of connections. Threats and stolen money could only get a person so far. Even to him the entire thing sounded like the plot line of a bad movie, so he could only imagine what she would think. "It's complicated. Look, when I told you I was no one, it really wasn't that much of an exaggeration." Hopefully she would just take that and leave it alone, but he doubted he would be that lucky.

Technically speaking he still had family out there somewhere. He didn't know his mother's name, or even the names of his grandparents; all he had was their last name. Truthfully he never wanted to find them, and his grandparents were probably dead by now anyway. Although he'd never admit it, seeking his mother out would only confirm the fact that he couldn't hurt her; and he preferred to pretend that wasn't true. "If being related to someone by blood makes them family, then I guess I did once. But when shared blood is as far as it goes, the word doesn't mean much."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-22 06:55 am UTC (link)

Lotte drank some of the tea, trying to understand it. If he wouldn't say it, it made her think it was bad or that he couldn't trust her. Both were equally bad, making her wince. If he was no one and he didn't have an ID it meant... "Oh." Maybe not entire sense but at least a little bit. She looked up, hesitant again as she hoped it wasn't because of something she saw on television. "Why?"

She accepted the answer for family, nodding thoughtfully. She didn't press it, thinking instead to what Not-Erik had said about family. Her eyes moved from him to the kitchen, where only a few days before she'd cried and heard the voice. She looked from there and back at him, biting her lip. It seemed strange to ask but...he had Erik. "What about music? You told me about your parents..." She trailed off with a shrug, assuming that was a lie as well.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-22 07:16 am UTC (link)

He stifled another sigh, drinking his tea to cover his rising frustration. If he kept avoiding the question then she would end up thinking he was some kind of fugitive running from the police. Technically he was a criminal, but that wasn't the reason why he needed to assume different identities. If he'd been born in a hospital like everyone else, he would have had an actual name and identification of his own, meaning he wouldn't have needed to break the law in the first place. He didn't know if that Oh meant she understood or not, but he decided to respond as though she did. "Because I was a problem, and people tend to hide their problems and deny their existence rather than deal with them."

Music was one of those wary subjects, since Bran wasn't sure if her belief that the voice she heard was a hallucination was strong enough to keep her from suspecting it was him. "That wasn't entirely a lie. Instead of taking lessons, I had to teach myself."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-22 07:26 am UTC (link)

She did get it that time and her tea lowered to her lap again. There was a concerned look towards him, before she shook her head. "That's terrible." It was said quietly, barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry." She regretted pressing it.

Her head tilted sideways and she bit her lip again. She hadn't said anything about music to him and didn't plan to. He didn't know about her father - no one in Bellum did aside from Ella and James. It was more a precaution than the fact that she didn't trust him - she just wanted nothing to do with it. The only reason why she agreed to the lessons with the voice was to stop afterwards and be rid of them for once after all. She simply said, "That must have been difficult."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-22 08:30 am UTC (link)

This time he did physically wince at her apology, shaking his head. "You have no reason to be sorry." Now she probably thought he was some poor victim of cruel fate, who might have done a few illegal things, but nothing too bad. Bran wasn't about to tell her otherwise, though, so all he could do was take another gulp of tea.

He shrugged, although teaching himself how to play instruments - the violin particularly - had been a challenge. It was simply what he wanted to do, and despite how hard it was refused to give up. Refining his voice hadn't been quite as difficult, but Lotte didn't need to know about that just yet. "I had a lot of time to devote to it."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-22 01:02 pm UTC (link)

Leaning back against the arm rest, Lotte restrained herself from protesting. Saying she shouldn't have asked would only make her wince. She did have a right to know, didn't she?

She let the subject of music drop as well, not wanting to hear anything else. He wasn't asking her the same questions or about singing which was enough. He didn't seem the type to care anyhow, barely looking at her as it is. She took another swallow of tea, another thing reminding her. "You sounded different - back before in the catacombs and on the watch. Which one's your real voice?" It was the main reason why she hadn't connected the two; he'd sounded so different. A small part of her wished he had Erik's voice, but it was shoved aside. It wouldn't help reassuring Ella, even if it would be a change to hear someone who didn't scare her speak in that voice.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-22 07:19 pm UTC (link)

Bran saw this as more of an informal questioning rather than an actual conversation, since he was the one who had lied about basically everything, and of course she would want to separate the lies from the truth. There were questions he wanted to ask her, under the pretense that he didn't know the answers already - like whether or not she could sing - but he figured they could wait. At least until she felt she could trust him enough, although that might never happen.

His real voice was the one Ella had heard, although it was the one he used least often - it was too memorable, and for someone like him, it was much better to be forgettable; that was why the voice he'd used as Trevor sounded so ordinary. "This one. The one I'm using now, I mean." Bran finally managed to stop staring into his mug and looked at her. "I disguised my voice in the catacombs out of... instinct, I guess."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-22 07:34 pm UTC (link)

Lotte gave a thoughtful nod, trying to be relieved about that. Something about that disappointed her, but she shoved it aside. Ella had heard his voice now too - it should have been proof enough, aside from his word that he hadn't been the one to hurt her. She looked at him, keeping eye-contact for a moment before her eyes fell to her pants' leg.

“I knew before the first transformation about the fables,” said Lotte carefully. “So, I at least didn’t have a shock by that – but I’d been told to keep an eye out in case…” She trailed off, it not needing an explanation. She kept her eyes down, going on. “I’m sorry if I was – panicked afterwards. I didn’t know what you’d do and – really, it took me awhile to realize what you had done.” She looked up, biting her lip. “If you’d said something then after you helped me out of there, I’d have kept quiet.” Mostly. The building deserved to know that there was an insane man in the catacombs.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-22 08:01 pm UTC (link)

Maybe one day he would be able to tell her that particular truth, but for now she couldn't know what his voice was truly like; the one thing that was almost unnerving in its similarity to Erik.

Despite Bran's instinctive defensiveness whenever the topic of his fable arose, he had to agree that there was a need for concern when it came to Erik. At least he had some kind of reasoning behind his actions; his counterpart often didn't. "I didn't know that you would. The last thing I wanted was my apartment number added to that fable list, so I played it safe." He tilted his head slightly to the side, studying her. "You're really not going to tell anyone about this? My name, my apartment number, what I've told you - any of it?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-22 08:10 pm UTC (link)

"I know," she said, looking down again. "I just wanted you to know." It seemed odd, in the back of her mind that she wanted his trust that much, but she didn't dwell on it. She didn't want to think of why it mattered, because she suspected it was because of Christine.

Lotte immediately shook her head. "I won't. Except the part about the voice, if Ella keeps pressing it." She looked up, asking again silently if it was alright. Another thought occurred to her and she nearly groaned. "But if we're going with our old plan for the moon, I might have to tell someone. My friend was planning to come up here and if Erik's downstairs..." Lotte bit her lip again; at this rate she was going to bleed. "I might need to give a reason for why we have to make sure Meg and Christine are quiet."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-23 12:24 am UTC (link)

He studied her curiously for a moment, wondering why she would want him to know in the first place. Did it really matter to her whether he could trust her or not? He was tempted to ask, but her answer might not be something he wanted to hear, so he decided not to.

Bran nodded, since the more reason Ella had to stop being so suspicious and start moving on, the better. He was fairly sure Lotte would keep her word, and if she didn't... well, it would mean she was just like everyone else, which meant he wouldn't have much of a reason to stay any longer. He could be gone before anyone thought to seek him out. Once she mentioned telling someone, though, his wariness returned. "You can't tell anyone, Lotte. Don't you understand? They won't keep quiet about it - why would they?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-23 12:35 am UTC (link)

She looked at him, brows furrowing. She wanted to protest that James was different - she'd known James for years, they'd grown up together, she could be trusted but her reasoning didn't make sense, even to her. She couldn't even tell James that the pills didn't work - James hardly seemed to accept the fables. Lotte hadn't said anything good about the Phantom to James, other than Bran hadn't hurt her - she might assume the worst.

Her eyes fell to her nearly empty mug. "I won't, I'll keep quiet." She finished the last of her tea, holding the mug in her hands for a moment. She leaned over to place it on the coffee table, looking back at him to ask hesitantly. "But what about the moon? Can you - do you ever hear anything downstairs?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-23 01:26 am UTC (link)

If this 'friend' she was talking about would become Meg on the full moon, then it must have been the woman in 501. Bran couldn't remember her name at the moment, but it didn't really matter - neither Meg Giry nor her counterpart posed much of a threat to him... unless she knew his identity. All he needed was for her to tell the wrong person, and then he'd never get any peace.

He was prepared to argue if he had to, but she must have seen the logic in what he said because she didn't push it further. "Thank you." The moon was still a viable issue, since Erik would probably be able to hear any noise that came from the apartment above. "I can't usually hear anything clearly, no... just faint noises at best. But Erik would more than likely be able to hear better than I can. Could you... go somewhere else instead, maybe? Stay with this friend of yours?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-23 02:10 am UTC (link)

She gave him a small smile, before thinking on what he heard. If she was to sing with the voice...he might hear things, she realized. Her talking to herself, more than likely. For a moment she was tempted to broach the subject, but she stopped herself as she opened her mouth. Bran couldn't think she was crazy. Enough people already did.

"We'd picked up here because it was higher," Lotte said. "And because at the time, Ella and Daniel said we could use the stairs to the roof." She shook her head, a bit rueful. "That's not an option now - if James is fine with me going back to her place, it should work just as well." The look she gave him was a bit sheepish. "I left her place a bit...awkwardly. I'll message her on the forums later."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-24 07:25 am UTC (link)

Bran did see the sense in their plan, although he couldn't help but dislike Daniel and Ella's involvement. He knew that the man on the roof became a beast during the full moon, and not even Erik's skills would be very successful against a threat like that.

Regardless, he did his best to return her smile. "I'm sure she'll be fine with it... I hope she is, at least. The less interaction Erik has with people, the better."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-24 01:26 pm UTC (link)

At that, Lotte couldn't help but relax. How was it that someone who became Erik could see the sense in things? The fact that he understood it all was mindblowing. Her smile stayed on her face, even as she nodded, keeping eye-contact.

"Exactly. She should be good about it though-" If not, she could find somewhere else. No one on the 12th Floor was an option, but there should be someone, somewhere who could keep an Opera sing for the night. Lotte shrugged, carefree for a moment before asking. "What are you going to do now? I mean - not the moon but afterwards as well." Her lip was bit, more out of thought than worry and she added, "You're still going to be here, right?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-24 05:46 pm UTC (link)

Bran sensed the change in her demeanor, but he was more worried about Erik than he was about other people. He needed to stay out of the public eye for his own safety first and foremost, but if Lotte wanted to think that he gave a damn about other people then he wasn't going to correct her.

That was a very good question, but he still wasn't sure of the answer. "I think so. I guess I'll just... lay low for now and see how things go."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-24 06:27 pm UTC (link)

She took that as a good sign, even if she didn’t know why she was relieved he wasn’t leaving. It would have been bad if it had been her fault, she figured. And despite the lying, she did like him and think he was nice. “Let me know if you need anything?” It was a quiet offering and with a smile. “I mean – I know, you said before, you didn’t want anything to do with me or the fable business…” She looked down at his mug, rather than his eyes.

“But hopefully I didn’t annoy you too much? If you need help or anything. Or talk.” Lotte felt her cheeks heat up and she took the moment to stand. Taking his mug and hers from the table, she gave him a quick smile. “Not that you have to. But you did just go through all my questions…” She headed towards the kitchen, head ducked.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-24 10:56 pm UTC (link)

He was almost surprised that she still thought he might not want anything to do with her, but then again he'd done a fairly good job of distancing himself from Erik in terms of obsession. Not that he was obsessed with Lotte, because he wasn't; but few people would have the mental capacity to recognize that. "I will, but I really don't want to inconvenience you any more than I already have."

Bran finished the rest of his tea, setting the mug on the table. "No, you didn't annoy me at all. If anything... you've been far more understanding than I expected." He stood when she entered the kitchen, but didn't move towards the door just yet - he'd learned to observe social cues, and he was waiting for his. "I did owe you the answers to your questions, at least."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-24 11:14 pm UTC (link)

Lotte simply left them in the sink – she’d wash them later, in the morning after she woke up or when she came back from work tomorrow – before coming back. Her hands went to pajama bottoms, brushing against the side while she shook her head. “You haven’t – not really,” Lotte said, because he hadn’t. He’d been understanding and helped her – they were going to be able to get through the Moon and now Ella should be able to realize Lotte wasn’t blindly defending him.

She didn’t exactly move towards the door, as it would have been rude, instead heading back to the couch. There was a moment where she looked up at him and the scarred face, before she shook her head, smiling slightly. She gave him a quick hug the same she would have given to Diego or James. Friendly and perhaps a bit too eager to feel safe. A thank you was said into his right shoulder, before she pulled away - hoping she hadn’t overstepped a line she shouldn’t have. With a sheepish smile, she moved to the door, asking, “If we don’t talk beforehand, email me after the moon?”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lemortvivant
2010-05-25 01:34 am UTC (link)

He was sure her existence would have been a lot less complicated without a Phantom living in the building, because it was no secret that the Lloyd Webber romance between Erik and Christine didn't actually exist. Still, he really would try not to draw attention to himself, although how much his counterpart would contribute to that effort remained to be seen. He didn't say anything in response, offering a weak shrug instead.

The way she looked at him - particularly the scarred side of his face - made him shift uneasily, and he barely had enough time to think before she was hugging him. Bran's surprise was paralyzing, allowing him to do nothing but stand there numbly until it finally sunk in; but by that time Lotte had already pulled away. "You're welcome," he managed, following her to the door. "I... I will." He offered an awkward smile before leaving, making sure the coast was clear before disappearing down the staircase.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

still_lotte
2010-05-25 01:43 am UTC (link)

It hadn't crossed her mind that a hug would be awkward to him - not even from the hint he gave about his family and the mask. He hadn't protested on contact before and it was simply something she did, would do to anyone. She only realized that maybe it wasn't the best of ideas when he left, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Giving him one last wave, she shut the door and locked the locks more out of habit than anything else.

Even with everything that happened, Lotte suddenly felt relieved and a startled laugh escaped her. She wasn't as frightened as she'd been before and there was a definite hope - a possibility - that things would work out alright. Hugging herself, she went to her bedroom. The only thing left to do was make sure everyone else was alright.

(Reply to this) (Parent)