Grayson Mudali (forevergrayson) wrote in light_of_may, @ 2010-06-22 00:27:00 |
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Entry tags: | 2009-07-17, grayson, saoirse |
You see I got this American love
Who: Grayson and Saoirse
When: Nighttime
Where: Hittin the town!
Saoirse had been glad to hear from Gray, and happier yet to have that raincheck cashed in. She needed it. Kai re-entering her life was a bittersweet thing - she'd missed her so much, but she was still a little emotional over the whole thing. She could use the distraction tonight. On top of everything else, she was embarrassed over the way she had behaved over that, you know, demon thing (oops), but Grayson didn't seem to be holding it against her, so she was just going to try not to think about it and chalk it up to a lesson every baby vampire had to learn once. Don't feed off the demons. Unless you were able to clear your schedule out for crazy antics and you had a willing babysitter. Check.
Her injury from The Bitch that The Manwhore had run off too was still a little visible, but Saoirse had covered it with an olive fashion scarf over her tanktop. Still casual, covered up, without being completely out of place by being the vampire wearing a turtleneck sweater in the middle of summer. It'd do. After pulling her boots on, she went downstairs to wait for Gray.
Grayson had something of a busy morning, calling in a favor or two of his own to find enough people to work at the bar that night. Being the boss had to have some perks, and this was definitely one of those times. If he wanted the night off, he could damn well get the night off. And if he wanted to enjoy a friend's company while doing so, then he would, no questions asked. Just because Saoirse also happened to be employed at the bar didn't mean he had to make it news for the entire staff. He made his arrangements, then headed back to his condo to change into something a little less business like. Nice jeans, a plain black tee, and a leather jacket, the kind that had been well worn and looked like it had been made for him.
Pulling up in front of the house where Saoirse lived, Grayson killed the engine and went inside. By now, everyone in their House knew what he drove, if only because you didn't see a Maserati often in a town this size. Seeing Saoirse, he gave her a smile, only showing a hint of his fangs, "You look lovely. Did you pick a show for us this evening?"
Truth was, Saoirse had wondered slightly if her co-workers were gonna hear about this little outing, and what opinions they might have about it. She'd asked Navi, and predictably was told to play it up. As much as possible. For shits and grins, of course. Saoirse rolled her eyes at the advice, and decided it didn't matter either way. She grinned back at Grayson, grabbing her bag as she nodded in response. "Thanks! Casual works well for you," she returned. "Got a list in case the first is the dud. There are a lot of clubs with live performances I've been wanting to check out since I moved here, we can just see what's good. Ready to go?"
"Thank you." It wasn't a side of him that had been out much, since arriving in Scarlet Oak and making sure Heme was running smoothly, but he enjoyed it nevertheless. They could both use an evening to forget about everything for a while, a night to just enjoy themselves. Just because they were vampires didn't mean they didn't have a life worth living, so to speak, worth experiencing. Getting the door for Saoirse, he led her out to his car, getting the passenger side door for her as well. "Ready if you are. I'm curious to see what's in Ann Arbor, to tell the truth, I've only made the most cursory of trips there. I'm sure there's got to be a place that'll work for us." And if not, the company was still good regardless.
Saoirse had to admit, Gray's car was so much more impressive when she didn't feel like she was dying (again). Seeing it in the parking lot was one thing, driving in it was quite another. Expensive things were something she had needed to try and get used to after being sired, since the House of Azrael loved to throw money around. It wasn't as hard as she might have once thought. "I came down here a couple times before I was turned," she said, finding that it was something she said without thinking about anymore. She no longer flinched or felt awkward. How was that for transition? "College town, you know. It was always a good time."
Perhaps one would have considered his car to be an unnecessary expense, considering that there were a million models that could get you from point A to point B. But Grayson had made a decent amount of money doing what he did, and if he couldn't buy himself a nice car, then what was he to do with it? He never bragged, it simply was what it was. Nodding, he climbed into the driver's side and started the car up, pulling out of the driveway. "I was always a city boy, myself," he said. "London, New York. I'm still getting used to living in a smaller place, I haven't done it in... twenty years? Something like that. A college town means there's bound to be places open at all hours," and not just because there were now vampires in the area.
"And that's always good," Saoirse agreed, putting her seatbelt on out of habit. She blinked at herself immediately after she did it. Well, I guess if we got in an accident and I went through the windshield my forehead could probably kill whoever it hit. The things she had to think about. "I always felt like Grand Rapids was a big city, but I still went through culture shock when I went to LA. Guess nothing can prepare you for that. The only other traveling I ever did was a family trip to Ireland when I was a kid."
"Agreed. Everyone goes through a bit of culture shock at some point, even I did, coming to Manhattan from London." And he'd travelled by boat across the Atlantic, too. All to find that the job he supposedly had waiting for him was in an illegal speakeasy. Looking back, he'd been furious, but knowing what he did now, Grayson wouldn't change a thing. "Where did you go in Ireland?" he asked. "I've been to Dublin, still have yet to explore the countryside. Maybe someday I'll make a point to go." Whenever he didn't have business to attend to, that was, whenever that may be. It wasn't like Gray to take a long vacation.
"Dublin and Kilkenny, I know for sure," Saoirse answered, thoughtfully. "A lot of it was in little counties, visiting family, and faerie landmarks and faerie forts." Which would have sounded absolutely insane a few months ago, and was still kind of weird for some people to think about. "My family wanted to get closer to our heritage. It was a lot of time trapsing around ruins - which I loved."
Grayson, for his part, saw nothing weird about it. A place with as much history as Ireland - as anywhere in Europe, really - would be bound to have supernatural landmarks attached to them, as well. And if vampires were real, and there was such thing as fae blood, then the fae were real, too. Simple as that. "That's the best kind of exploration, where you don't have a specific destination in mind, but rather you just go and see where you end up. I've done similar things, tracing my own history." He gave Saoirse a smile, "Of course, my trip was not Ireland."
"It was amazing. I wish I remembered more of it," Saoirse replied. She'd just been too young. She remembered running around and pretending to have wings, and falling asleep in the grass surrounded by ruins, feeling utterly at peace... it had been beautiful. "I need to go back someday." She wondered what being on a plane would be like, now that she had vampire senses. Would it drive her batty? She looked to Grayson and smiled. "India?" she guessed. "What was that like?"
"And you can. Go back, that is. Perhaps see more now than you ever imagined." In part because of their enhanced senses, and because they simply had more time on their hands now. This life did open a lot of doors to them, not all of them obvious at the beginning. Grayson had learned to see that over the years, for sure. "India," he confirmed. "Though I went after I'd been turned and it was - an experience. The sights, the sounds, all these things I could not have felt when I was human." And he'd gotten to see where his parents had been buried, that part was rather important to him. "Made for a decent tradeoff, given that I couldn't eat any of the food."
Saoirse grinned softly. That sounded like something she'd have to do... someday. She didn't pay rent anymore (thanks, house), so she could save and do what she liked. Of course, her first priority was purchasing a piano, but she was not yet there. "That'd be nice," she agreed. "Aside from the food thing. The sights and sounds might be enough. That and all the feelings invoked, walking through your roots."
"I'll be honest, I had not expected it to be as enlightening as it was. And yes, before you ask, it's one of the few vacations I've taken over the years." Grayson was earning himself something of a reputation as a workaholic, but that was only because the bar was new, and there was always a fire to put out somewhere. He did know when to step away for a while, usually in between businesses. For now, ensuring that, yes, he could a night off when he wanted was usually enough to keep his social side happy. Especially with as good a company as the woman sitting next to him.
"You know coming from a human I'd be impressed, but I must keep in mind that your 'over the years' implies a lot more than most people," Saoirse pointed out, grinning widely now. "I think you need at least one a year. Doesn't always have to be something big or requiring a passport. Just something. Or maybe one big one every five years." Though now that she thought about it, it could prove difficult for a vampire. Would it ever be possible to run out of things to see? Scary thought, that.
Grayson chuckled at that one, shaking his head as he drove. Seer knew him well by now, at least when it came to his work habits. "I manage to sneak away for an extended period of time once every decade or so," he told her. "My trip to India was the better part of a month, my sire had questioned if I'd come back at all. But of course, duty calls. It really depends on what I have going on at the time, business wise." He wouldn't think of leaving Heme for a while, not for longer than a few days. Shit always hit the fan while the boss was away. "You have a point, though. I will keep it in mind."
Saoirse found herself wanting to ask about Grayson's sire - was he (she?) still alive, still around, what kind of relationship did they have... but found herself ignoring the subject. Sires were a touchy subject. "I'm just full of good ideas," she said instead, keeping the conversation light. "Speaking of... I have Heme ideas I'd love to throw at you, if you're receptive to them." Maybe his work ethic was rubbing off on her...
His sire was not a subject he brought up often, if at all. Grayson was still in touch with Hasim every now and then, and he had not heard that the older vampire had been killed, so he assumed life couldn't be treating him too bad. Who knew, in the wake of the Light of May. And as Saoirse didn't pursue the conversation, Grayson didn't either. "Heme ideas?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Thought this was supposed to be a night's break from all of that." He was smiling as he spoke, however. "Though I admit, you've got me curious."
"Hmm..." Saoirse thought aloud, trying not to grin. "You know what. You're completely right. Save it for another time." She wasn't sure she'd actually get away with that, but it was too fun not to try. "If I indulged and told you about it I might end up a workaholic like you, and then the world would explode. Nobody wants that. Who will make vampires look good?"
There was a part of him that wanted to ask, to push the subject further. But Saoirse was right; he was a workaholic. It was hard, being new in town and with only the bar to distract him. Now he was starting to build friendships here, especially with the woman sitting next to him, and he wanted to enjoy that. No distractions. No worrying about work and what state he'd find the bar in when he returned. "Since you've already implied that the world will explode should this discussion continue," he said, in the same teasing tone she'd used, "perhaps I can be persuaded to delay this for the night. Perhaps. But only because of such dire consequences." He glanced around him, taking in the roads coming up. "Think we're getting close to our destination, anyway."
"We are," Saoirse confirmed, succumbing to the urge to grin. "Turn right at the second light." Vampire eyesight was pretty handy. "And all work talk is officially to-be-continued. Tell me about music," she decided. "I always wondered what it would be like to live through so many musical trends. Do you wish it was more like it was 'back in the day'?"
Following her directions, Grayson looked out over the street as they drove by, in the hopes that he'd remember how to drive them out of there later on. If not, well, there was the woman sitting next to him. "Sometimes," he said. "I'll admit, I can't exactly get behind the music like, what is her name? Oh, yes, Lady Gaga." Seriously, Grayson just didn't get it. But maybe that was the years starting to catch up to him. "My tastes vary, though, depends on my mood. I had the pleasure of running a blues bar in Chicago for a long while, it was one of my favorites." He did wonder what Saoirse would think of his record collection, pieced together vinyl records and CDs and yes, he had an iTunes account and an iPod. Often untouched, but still, he owned one.
"Well hell, Gray. Lady Gaga's a lot for humans to understand. No one can fault you for that," Saoirse replied, resisting a tiny laugh. She routinely wondered if that woman was regularly riding a high on vampire blood. Might explain a lot. "In the beginning I was always surprised to find out older vampires didn't have the standards and tastes of ornery old grandpas," she commented. "A lot of us seem to evolve with the times a lot better, I guess. Maybe because we never have much of a choice."
Grayson chuckled, "That does make me feel a little better, I will admit. Less like an ornery old grandpa, as you point it." Was one of her lines about something called a "disco stick"? Honestly, he'd suspect something supernatural about the woman but he was more inclined to believe she was just a little off her rocker. He'd leave that to the youth of the world, he'd stick to the classics. "You get used to adapting," he pointed out. "I do still have some of the pieces from my own youth, but the new stuff always surprises me too. Over time, I bet you of all people will have quite the impressive collection."
"I'll certainly try," Saoirse agreed, grinning wildly. "That's our destination," she told him. "If they suck, I have others. But I like this collection idea." That was one good positive to focus on. Think of all the musical breakthroughs she'd live through. She just had to keep thinking positively. Perhaps not surprisingly, this was much easier to accomplish in Grayson's company. Her smile softened at the thought. He was great for that.