Who: Mulder and Nina When: Saturday, 8pm What: A date? Not an actual date date, but… yeah, a date. Where: Rosewood Park, Summerbridge Status: Complete Ratings: PG 13ish at most
Truth be told, Mulder wasn’t entirely certain what he was doing here. While he wasn’t one for nature, he really wasn’t one for crowds, especially given that most people he found to be annoying. Or, they found him to be annoying. Either way, he didn’t like crowds, he didn’t like nature, and he generally didn’t meet strange women who confessed to being a vampire, a hybrid vampire at that, in the middle of nowhere in the dark.
But, despite his tendencies to be a loner, the truth was, he needed someone to balance himself. It helped to have someone that he could talk to about things, bounce ideas off of, and not have them give him that judgemental look like he was crazy. He’d had a partner like that, though things had separated them. Namely, his decision to come to Preya. Having stayed in his place during the day while everyone else was living it up at ‘Ye Olde Faire’, he’d gone over his case notes, continuing a few correspondences in regards to the latest events that were going on in Preya itself. Work, especially his kind, was never truly done, it seemed.
Even now, in this unexpected social venture, he was certain that it was likely to be work related, at least to some extent. Given his recent confirmation of multiverses, his usual questions and speculations would need some updating, and Nina would be a good source for that. Plus, he would likely be able to assuage her fears that not all government agents and employees were the bad cloak and dagger type that kidnapped people in the middle of the night.
Calling a cab, certain he’d never find the place on his own in time, he arrived a few minutes early, walking around the park, occasionally popping a sunflower seed into his mouth as he took in his surroundings.
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When Nina had first commented on Mulder's journal, it had been an effort to fuel his paranoia just for her own entertainment. Then somehow it had turned into an earnest conversation and her telling him things that no one else in the city knew. Was she that desperate for interaction? Maybe she was. Nina's life was a lonely one and it had been since childhood, long before her afflictions had come to light on her eighteenth birthday. So when Mulder gave her the time of day, essentially, she had latched onto him embarrassingly quickly. If anything, he was someone to talk to.
But she didn't trust him completely. She fully expected that the main reason for this arrangement was professional curiosity. She was an anomaly and that was interesting to the right people. Otherwise, they saw her as a monster or a tool to be used for their own gain. She preferred the interest. As soon as he tried to use her for his own gain, she was going to be out of there like a damned shot. He was already a confessed former government agent - but the former gave her hope, especially if it was his own choice. And it had to be, if he were here.
Throughout the daylight hours, she had worked managing her managers as they managed the theaters and had worked to start figuring out a date for a nice Lord of the Rings marathon. She also needed to figure out an appropriate commission fee for John and his work on trivia questions for the pub quiz portion. Apparently, he had been planning on doing it for free but that was just bad business and she wouldn't abide by bad business. She was ready to go by the time the sun had set but there had been enough time for her to... grab a snack, as it were, and then take a cab to the park even though it likely would have been faster to run. There was no sense in revealing all her tricks immediately.
When she arrived, she made sure everything was in place before venturing out into the park - the sunglasses that hid the glowing white eyes, the blood red scarf that wasn't actually a scarf and didn't even look knitted in any way, shape or form. They were habits but they made her feel comfortable. It didn't take her long to spot someone with that familiar posture - and the sunflower seeds. She kept her amusement very internalized. It was with a hint of a smile that she approached Mulder, thumbs hooked into the pockets of her denim shorts that maybe showed off a little too much leg, "You know, I find that usually sunflower seeds means someone's trying to quit smoking - or an oral fixation. They usually go hand-in-hand."
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Professional curiosity was first and foremost for Mulder. Granted, it had leaned more to personal as their conversation had continued. While he always strived to prove that such things existed, the chance to learn more about the person that the phenomenon held a certain appeal. Especially given that said interactions at some point had unexpectedly turned to subtle flirting. Or perhaps it was because of the more personal interest they had gone that way. He really couldn’t say. But finding one that hadn’t labeled him as Spooky, and actually talked about such things with him? Yeah, that was something to look forward to.
“Oral fixation,” he replied, turning to spot the one speaking. “I haven’t smoked in quite some time, and only then on occasion. Usually in times of high stress.” It was perhaps a good thing they’d met outside, otherwise she might have walked into a room to find about 20 pencils stuck to the ceiling. He briefly took in her appearance, casual as compared to his own usual attire of light shirt, dark suit, and basic tie.
“Mulder,” he said, offering his hand. “Formerly of the FBI, X-Files division, all around paranormal expert. Good to see you aren’t all goth in frilly lace and velvet. Though, I did imagine you as having dark hair, for some reason.”
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How could she label him as Spooky when she had actually experienced the things he was curious about? But that was a conversation to actually get into. Nina laughed at his honest answer, careful to not smile too broadly. She didn't want to come off as looking like a shark by showing off her fangs just yet. "Well, congratulations on quitting. I understand it can be quite difficult even for casual smokers." Yes, they were quite the pair but he hadn't mentioned a dress code and so she had dressed for the heat and the outdoors.
"Nina Price," she offered her full name so casually, taking his hand in a firm but controlled strength like she was trying to not crush his hand accidentally. "I've never heard of that particular division but I expect that you wouldn't know about SHIELD's Area 13 either." There were so many secrets between the different agencies. "I'm from extraordinarily upper class Hollywood. We don't do 'alternative'."
From there, she settled in at his side, reaching to loop her arm through his without asking - though a simple sidestep would stop her. "So, where would you like to begin?" It was an open ended question, letting him decide if he wanted to begin by grilling her about the paranormal or by outlining his plan for the evening.
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Mulder hadn’t even considered a dress code. He dressed as he always did. He never dressed down unless he was staying in, or exercising. He nodded lightly. “Habits are funny like that, easy to start, hard to stop.” The name was filed away with the face, knowing that he’d be able to recall it anytime he wanted to. “Only Area I know about is 41, though… can’t say I’ve ever heard of SHIELD. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. He’d heard of something by that name, though that was comic books. And, given his chat with The Doctor and the female vulcan, the possibility of comic books being a reality in another verse wasn’t so far fetched to him. “That’s usually more the Bay area, isn’t it?” he asked with a touch of a smile. “The ‘alternative’ part, I mean.”
Grilling with questions usually wasn’t the way to go about things. Especially with a topic such as this, as there were too many things to be known, and he’d likely interrupt one thing to inquire about another. While he’d be able to keep track with everything she said, she could easily get fed up with his constant interruptions. And there was no telling how that would go.
Giving a slight shrug, he popped another seed into his mouth. “Well, we could stand here, looking out of place while I grill you with questions, probably interrupt too much, or we could walk around, and you tell me about yourself in your own terms. Any questions I have can be saved for later. Then, if you’re up to it, I can tell you my life story and answer any questions you might have.” He gave a light shrug and a smile. “After that, maybe some ice cream.”
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Nina laughed, unable to stop the grin this time as she commented, "Habits are easy to stop. You have to die to do it but there's no easier way." Of course, the real trick was coming back. Having been turned, she'd broken a great number of habits including breathing, eating, and drinking far too much wine for her own good. Not that it had ever done much for her after the werewolf curse had kicked in. "Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate," she quoted from memory, scrunching up her nose like she had a bad taste in her mouth, "Area 13 is where they keep all the creepy-crawlies they kidnap before they either keep them imprisoned or tell them they can earn freedoms by working as terrorist hunting squads." That bad taste just made her angry and it showed. No one could say Nina had a poker face of any sort.
But she was drawn out of it and flashed him an easy smile, "Ugh, the Bay - they've got no sense of decorum. If you ever want to go searching for the weird shit in California, either the Bay area or Hollywood will be your best bet. But the Hollywood weird will be more exclusive - appointments and memberships." She gave him a slight nod and started down the path. A walk would be good though she didn't correct him about the ice cream for now - he'd be the only one eating it after all. Though that suggested that he didn't entirely believe her... Yet. He would.
"Well then, let's start at the beginning, shall we?" she breathed a soft sigh. "Transilvania," Nina said with a heavy Romanian accent, so he would know she was using their version of the name, "1795 - an ancestor of mine got pissy with Dracula, so Dracula killed his wife. Then Gregori wanted revenge so he tried to steal something called the Darkhold - a deadly powerful magic book. Gregori got himself bitten by a werewolf being enslaved and it turns out that particular brand of lycanthropy is magic-based, passed through a bloodline. No biting turns - you're born with it and when you turn 18, your life is ruined." Alright, she was a little bitter. But here, she paused to let Mulder process and ask anything he wanted to then.
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Definitely not the SHIELD that he’d heard of. Though, now that he had, he’d never forget it. And given the way that she spoke of it, it definitely didn’t seem the type of thing one wanted to run afoul of. That information was also stored. Not that he’d likely run into any, unless by the off chance one of them happened to arrive here as well.
“Oh, I’ve been there a few times,” Mulder replied as they walked, not minding her arm in his in the slightest. “Never gotten so many propositions, even dressed as I am. Granted, all those propositions were decidedly not my type. Don’t plan on going back there anytime soon.” Not that that was really an option at the moment, all things considered. And of course, he’d mentioned ice cream more as a joke. Given as much as she likely wasn’t able to do anything else, he certainly wasn’t one to hit up a bar, not with his low tolerance. That… wouldn’t be well at all.
As she spoke, he merely listened, each piece of information being processed and sorted away into his memory, other things that he’d ‘known’ being altered and added to. “Genetic lycanthrope,” he mused. “I’m guessing that with that, the full moon turning is still a mandatory thing, but what about other times? Are you able to… shift at will whenever, or is that merely another romanticised fiction?”
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Nina looked at him out of the corner of her eyes, up and down, definitely judging his appearance. Then she smiled at him almost coyly, "I can certainly see why. Everyone loves a person in a nice suit anyway." Though she really wanted details on the propositions just to amuse herself. She filed it away for later conversation. She supposed neither of them were planning on going anywhere ever again. They were stuck in Preya... But she didn't want to go back to life in a prison, being forced to kill for the service of others.
She nodded slightly as he thought out loud and then the questions, "Yes, the full moon is... a rough time. That's the beneficial thing Preya gave me - a room in my basement to keep me from harming anyone." As for the rest, well, that just provided an opportunity. "After sundown, I can shift whenever I please - into a full wolf form or a half-bestial form. I could show you but," she trailed off for a moment, bringing back that coy expression, softening her voice, "I'd just end up naked and it's really too early for that." Though her tone and the way she bit her lip suggested otherwise. It was mean to start that particular game so soon but she liked to 'bother' men, as it were.
But back to factual, "Before the vampirism was added, I had no control. It can be learned but I had no teachers. My uncle Jack was a bit busy being a... quasi-hero and my mother abandoned me years before I found out about the affliction."
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That was a conversation that would take a lot of convincing. Or, getting him drunk, which likely would be the easiest way. “Suppose that depends on the type of suit, and the circumstances regarding the appearance of the one wearing it,” he replied. A suit flashing a badge wasn’t always a welcome sign, after all. Of course, not that he would really have that sort of problem in Preya, all things considered.
“A basement?” he asked. That.. could lead to all manner of things. The statement did catch him slightly off guard, though he recovered. “Yes, I can only imagine so. No doubt this basement has restraints? Leather straps, collared restraints, cat o’nine tails, would say maybe a latex suit, but that wouldn’t be much help, would it?” Not that he had any actual experience or knowledge of such things, it was more second hand knowledge given his usual means of data processing and recollection.
Popping another seed into his mouth, he thought momentarily. “So, there is a semblance of a pack mentality, but also a mix of being the lone wolf, as it were?” he asked. That made sense when one thought about it. One couldn’t learn by themselves, and at the same time, a group would likely attract too much attention. And that’s without getting into the whole territorial hunting grounds and… well, he didn’t truthfully know about mating rituals. He wasn’t certain that that was a topic to get into this early.
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Nina was fairly certain there were many ways to get information out of him but that was hardly appropriate for a first meeting. Nor was getting him drunk appropriate. "True," she allowed, able to think of many times when a suited man wasn't welcome in her life. "But if it were you, I don't think I would mind so much," there was nothing subtle there. And she had already admitted to flirting with him before so why stop now?
The more he went on, the more her eyebrows crept towards her hairline and she ended up beyond amused. "Naughty boy. Those could certainly be added but I've already got the suit," she flicked the scarf around her neck, "Admittedly, it's not latex. Instead it's a fabric made of 'unstable molecules'. Don't ask me how it works - I'm not a science geek." Certain he would ask why she wore it like that, she added, "It's the one thing the wolf keeps on. So if I need a quick change into the wolf, I'll still have something to wear afterward. And if I wear it before changing, it disappears into the fur then reappears." Again, science. She didn't get it.
She arched an eyebrow as he pondered the nature of wolf dynamics and then shrugged her shoulders, "I wouldn't know." Her jaw tensed for a moment before she stated, "My mother left to find a way to break the curse - but only for herself. She didn't care. My uncle cares but we're always distant from each other. And with my... other affliction, now neither group wants to deal with me. I'm a monster to monsters. I'm not supposed to exist." Her grip on his arm tightened and she drew closer to Mulder, keeping her eyes on the ground.
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There might have been, but… he wasn’t going to be forthcoming with those. And… just like that. “Is that so?” he asked, genuinely curious. “One conversation, one meeting, and you’ve got me pegged like that?” He wondered if that was just her nature, or something to do with enhanced senses and all that able to determine he wasn’t a threat.
Or… if it was something else.
He turned slightly to observe the fabric more closely. “Well, I’m something of a self professed science geek, though more in other realms than that. Not even certain anything like that exists in my reality. Sure there’s someone somewhere that knows about it, or is in one of those think tanks pondering it’s nature and how to make it a reality.”
He nodded slightly. It was something that he could quasi relate to, the other agents labeling him as an outcast within the Bureau. Nothing as far as what she experienced, but still. It was something. “You’re only a monster if you let yourself become the monster,” he said. “And, from what I’m hearing, that doesn’t sound like you.” True, he didn’t know everything about her, but she’d admitted to taking precautions to guarantee her safety as well as others during the full moon. And… he’d certainly not come across any reports of bodies being discovered mysteriously empty of blood. That would have been something that came across his desk for certain.
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"Far more shallow than that, Mulder," she told him with a laugh, "I'm simply saying I don't mind how you look. Though it's true that I don't fear you. I could snap your neck like a twig." And that wasn't exaggeration. She might not have been as strong as a full vampire but it was enough. Although that probably wasn't something that was overly comforting to hear.
His reality. She had, of course, heard of other dimensions, pocket worlds and other timelines but she hadn't really thought about it occurring here. She hadn't really thought about the mechanics of Preya at all, if she were honest. It was just a place to come that was a much nicer prison than her previous one. "You need your own Reed Richards. He's got the patent on it and it's very expensive and hard to get."
Nina lifted her gaze to him as he spoke. She pressed her lips together for a moment before saying, "I always liked that Nietzsche quote - 'Is it better to out-monster the monster or to be quietly devoured?'" She was letting herself be devoured, she was certain. Each day, it made her feel less and less real. "I try so hard to be a good person and then they just took me and made me kill and--" she had enjoyed it. Or the monsters in her enjoyed it. Nina had to keep them in a compartment, away from her. She shook away the dark cloud and heaved a heavy, unnecessary breath, "Different topic." Something easy to trigger - she took off the sunglasses with her free hand and hooked them to the front of her green tank top. Glowing white eyes were now uncovered and wouldn't that just cause questions.
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“Oh,” Mulder replied, not entirely certain how to handle that compliment, given it wasn’t something that he was used to. Of course, that was to be expected, given he seldom interacted with people on a personal level. And he had no doubt that she could. Especially if being a good shot didn’t amount to anything, given her condition.
Multiverse was something that he’d only been remotely aware of, and hadn’t known to be a reality until arriving here. Something that had only recently been confirmed through conversations with a couple others. “Sadly, Richard’s is merely a fictional being in my world,” he replied. “The closest we have is Steve Jobs, and he’s focused on other things. Of course, there was Howard Hughes, but he was more aviation, and possibly more eccentric.”
He chuckled slightly. “Always been more partial to ‘And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee’. Seems quite fitting in my work.” Popping another seed, he arched an eyebrow. “Okay, that’s a new one. I’ve seen eyes portrayed as being red before, but never white.”
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It amused the Hell out of her that he didn't know how to react to the complement. It was such a casual thing to say and now she knew how to stop him from talking if she really needed to. Just call him attractive or cute or something similar. It wasn't a lie and it would clearly work. But she had to use it sparingly or else it would lose the effect.
Nina furrowed her eyebrows together, thinking for a moment before repeating, "Fictional? Does that mean I'm fictional? Or what if I'm not even created yet... Oh, trippy." She didn't even want to go down that rabbit hole since clearly she was here. That meant that she was real somewhere and maybe someone just had a weird multiverse dream. "Ugh! Don't even get me started on Steve Jobs. Such an asswipe," she scrunched up her nose, baring her fangs without realizing it. She had no respect for the man. "Neither of them could come close to the intelligence of Reed Richards."
She shuddered slightly at the quote, fairly certain she had seen into that abyss and it had simply taken her over more than once. Blood lust was a Hell of a thing and though she didn't believe in God, she still prayed that it didn't happen here. "They're normal blue eyes in the daylight hours but at night, I've got fucking high beams." Alright, they weren't that bright. It was more localized to the edges of her eyes than that but that wasn't the point. "On the bright side," ha, "no one can tell if I'm looking straight at them unless I pointedly turn my head." She did so then to stare at Mulder, making sure not to blink.
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That was indeed one way, though there were a couple others. And it likely would lose effectiveness if used too often. Not that he was certain that she would. Then again, who knew?
“That is a whole mess of unanswered questions I haven’t even begun to ponder,” he replied. “The closest I can say is that each of us is real enough, even if to someone else we’re a variant or mirror of a fictional work. Makes me curious as to what sort of world would have a fictional version of me, though. As if one of me wasn’t enough.” He nodded in agreement. But then, Reed also had access to a whole mess of gadgetry that wasn’t readily available in his world.
He nodded, holding her gaze momentarily. “True, and guess that also ends the whole ‘my eyes are up here’ bit also.” Unless one were to look away, because, that just wasn’t ‘normal’ by any means. “It’s not so bad, really. I mean, it could be worse, right?”
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She could fully understand why he hadn't started down that particular rabbit hole yet. Each path could essentially lead to the worst existential crisis ever seen. There was also the thought that what if this was all a computer simulation but again, existential crisis. She didn't want to get into it. "I'm sure some world out there has found you particularly interesting. FBI agent and previously mention partner looking for the supernatural - sounds like a hit to me."
Nina lifted her chin slightly as he held her gaze. How easy it would have been to try and hypnotize him in just that moment. Could she? He was clearly very intelligent and that made it a little more difficult to do. "I don't mind that part," she grinned, giving him a wink. Appreciative eyes were always welcome. "It could definitely be worse," she agreed, "I could be Count Orlok or something." Of course, she wouldn't just call the character Nosferatu. That would be too easy. "But like I said, vampires are always pretty. The fiction itself has always been an allegory for sex. Might as well live it."
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Though he’d made a career of the proverbial rabbit holes, that was indeed one that he was not all that keen on going down. Way too many variables and complicated things, as if his life hadn’t been complicated enough. “The only question, though, given the events I’ve been through, would they count as a drama or a comedy, though?” Cause, really, depending on the circumstances, either one could apply.
“Oh, going old school classical, are we?” Mulder asked with a smile. “True, back then, definitely not much to look at. But, flash forward to the present, and as a Clan, Nosferatu, while still not much to look at, are quite the respected Clan in the Camarilla. Tremere, on the other hand, well, most don’t even count them as true Childer of Caine, do they?” Granted, one could hardly count White Wolf’s Vampire: the Masquerade role play game as factual vampiric mythos.
And there it was again, something that he truly didn’t expect to be so.. Blatant. “How does that work, exactly?” he asked, deciding that they might as well explore that path, given its prominence. “Sex, I mean. One would think that would be an unlikely scenario, given the whole vampirism thing, being undead. Or is it something the werewolf side cancels out, given the necessity for breeding? Or.. is it merely widely perpetuated myth that vampires actually have sex, given the romanticized nature of the mythos in most modern fiction?”
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"Dramedy," she said simply as she smiled at him, "A perfectly acceptable genre because honestly, if there isn't a little comedy amongst the drama somehow, it just gets too heavy and no one enjoys the results." Even horror movies had their moments of comedy amongst the terror. And if he asked for examples, she had plenty of them but she didn't bother going on a spectacular listing of films and television shows. She would have seemed like a shut-in.
The more he went on about... God only knew what, the higher one eyebrow arched. Childer of Caine? What the Hell? "I have no fucking clue what you're talking about. Did you just go on some weird nerd rant or is this like real shit you've discovered because if it's the latter, you officially know more than I do." But honestly, she hoped it was the former. If there were clans she was missing out on, it would just be worse for her - they'd never accept her anyway being a hybrid.
Nina still had that curious, slightly surprised look going on as he decided to just press into the more intimate topic. She didn't mind, of course. She wasn't really that shy. "Wow. Breeding. Alright then," Nina laughed, shaking her head slightly, "Right, for one... I don't have the capability to procreate. I'm dead. Simple as that." She didn't want Mulder thinking it was any other way. Her body was... A functional shell in a way. "Otherwise, I don't really know how it works - just that it works. Just like I still have saliva. Like I said, I've never really had anyone to teach me the hows and whys. The vampire that turned me grabbed me off the street and forced his blood on me." Nina bit the inside of her cheek, trying to stifle the growl that entered her voice. It didn't work.
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Dramedy? Well, yeah, that could be a likely possibility. And he likely wouldn’t have said anything, given his own habits. Granted, his habit wasn’t exactly a habit as much as a tendency that happened without even being aware of it. And not something that he brought up. Others did that plenty on their own without any help whatsoever from him.
“Role playing game,” Mulder offered at her confusion. “All the nerds sit in their basement, fill in little bubbles on a sheet of paper as to what abilities they have. There’s an entire system dedicated to mages, changelings, werewolves, vampires, and mummies.” Of course, that wasn’t even going into the specifics of those that actually role played it with variants of those rules and odd gestures to indicate what powers were in use and such. Basically, nerd rant, yeah. At least as far as he knew.
He nodded as she pretty much confirmed what he’d suspected, given most accepted lore on vampires. Which, for the most part, was pretty slim, given that they were perceived as fictional beings by most people. “One of those things that merely happen without explanation,” he mused, popping another seed into his mouth. It wasn’t entirely clear if her knowledge on the topic was something that she just knew, or if it was something that she’d discovered through personal experience, and he didn’t probe to find out. Some things, were best kept personal.
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Nina wanted to appear as normal as possible and going on and on about the industry, genres and everything else likely wouldn't do that for her. She wasn't trying to impress him or anything with her sheer normalcy. Nina didn't expect he would care about that. It was just how she reacted to being... Well, what she was. She had to make herself seem less bloodthirsty, more cuddly - which was hard to do when she was practically suited in thorns most of the time.
"Oh," she said simply, unable to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Thank goodness none of that was visible with the whiteness. "And you know this because... You played yet you're comfortable enough with it to call yourself one of the nerds?" Nina smirked bumping him with the arm still looped through his lightly. Part of her almost wanted to take his hand but those were occupied with the sunflower seeds. Ah well. She wasn't even clear if this was a date-date or an information-date anyway. Either one was fine.
She nodded along as he spoke, glad he didn't continue on with the details of the topic. But it did lead her to ask, "Why are you so interested in my sex life? Is it because you want to become part of it but wanted to make sure first?" Another broad grin with razor sharp fangs visible. And it was all in an effort to see if she could make him choke on one of those sunflower seeds. If she could, she'd consider it a victory.
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‘Normal’ was subjective to Mulder. Sure, someone might be different by society’s standards because of what they were, but to him, their natural state, however different, was still normal. To him, Nina was normal, glowy eyes and all. He wasn’t certain about being all cuddly with a vampire, but, had he not known that fact, and things had been different, it was a possible scenario.
“I have a photographic memory,” he replied. “Thus, anything I see, hear, experience, I will always remember. And, given that my research and work was based on primarily paranormal events, sometimes those cases included the occasional oddity of someone trying to take gaming too far into reality. And yeah, I played D&D as a kid.” As it was, he’d just finished the last one, dropping the bag in a trash can as they passed. He’d been somewhat anxious, considering that he’d never really gone on a… social function. He wasn’t certain if this was a date or not still, to be honest.
And that wasn’t a question that he’d been expecting, primarily because he hadn’t really been asking about hers so much as in general. But, yeah, it could have been seen that way. “Oh, my apologies,” he replied, grateful that it was dark so that no one else could see the slight tinge coloring his cheeks. “I um… meant more general. Professional curiosity can only allow so much. Personal is… well, personal.” Glancing out at the lake briefly, he continued. “I mean, that isn’t to say I wouldn’t… actually, I’m just going to shut up before I did myself into a deeper hole.”
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"That... is not a gift I'd wish on anyone," she wondered if it was a natural talent or if he had mutants in his universe like she did. Those X-Men or whatever they were calling themselves this week were always getting into trouble. "I'm essentially going to live forever - I sure as Hell wouldn't want to remember it," she frowned more to herself than anything else. Again, she rolled her eyes, shaking her head slightly so he'd know she'd done it, "Of course, you did. I'm not even surprised. But hopefully that means you had friends and you weren't just playing by yourself."
Once his hands were both free though, she twisted her arm and slipped her hand into his quite casually. It didn't have to be a date for her to want to hold hands with someone. It was just comforting. She just hoped she didn't look like some kind of... call girl with a John. That would be weird but unsurprising considering how differently they were dressed. But then again, the way they were just walking aimlessly might dispel that notion fairly quickly.
She could hear his blood rushing, seeing the red in his cheeks even in the dark - a benefit of vampiric eyes but she suspected he knew that. "It's okay. Calm down. I'm just teasing you," Nina shook her head slightly, chuckling, "I'm fine to answer whatever questions - just some answers will make me very upset. But if it means someone will understand and maybe look at me and not just see a freak, I'm all for it."
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“It’s not that bad, actually,” Mulder stated. “I mean, I don’t always have everything flashing through my mind all the time. I can recall it whenever I want to. Made tests rather easy in school.” Friends? “I don’t know if I’d say they were friends as much as similar minded people,” he said. “But yes, I didn’t play with myself. There were others involved.” And that probably wasn’t the best way to phrase that, given the way the conversation was headed.
He glanced down at the unexpected gesture, though didn’t complain or mention it. It wasn’t something that he normally did, but then, how many people normally went on casual strolls with a vampire hybrid, discussing the basics of such a life? And they might be getting the occasional odd look, but that was something that he was used to anyways. That there might be more going on based upon their drastically different appearances wasn’t even remotely close in his thoughts, even if that was the topic at hand.
“Oh, I’m fine,” he said. “Admittedly a little embarrassed, but, nothing worse than that. Didn’t think that question insofar as your personal sex life would come up until the third or fourth date.” If this was in fact a date. “Perspective,” he mused. “Things seem entirely different from a different viewpoint. You see yourself as one way, based upon your experience. Me, never have actually been subject to that, see it entirely different. There’s a lack of personal bias. Where you see a monster, I see a person struggling with preconceived notions based upon an unusual diet and a penchant for flirting with strangers. You are you, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
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"Yeah but mix that with living forever and see how well you'd do at controlling the recall," she noted. She imagined that with time, it would become harder and harder the more his memories piled in. There was only so much the human brain could handle - and she wondered when she would start forgetting things? She didn't expect it would be for a few decades but it would happen eventually. Nina couldn't help but practically bark with laughter at his phrasing, covering her mouth with her free hand to stifle it. It really was an awful way to say that...
Nina bit her bottom lip to smother her grin and laughter as they continued on. Poor Mulder. He was so easy to mess with and she loved it. He was her new favorite toy. "Oh, making plans for the future already? Right now, I'm in the 'I would definitely say yes' column." And really, no matter what this was, it was going well. They hadn't argued or offended one another yet. That was a miracle when it came to Nina. Her eyebrows furrowed together as he started speaking.
Perspective, indeed. Her expression softened into a hint of a smile but almost sadness around the eyes. It wasn't entirely reflected in her words though. "Wow," she breathed, "You're really gunning for that first date kiss, aren't you?" And that time, she was totally serious. She worried her bottom lip with a fang, leaning against him a bit more heavily, "That's probably the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me, even if you meant it more professionally."
----
That was a good point, he wasn't certain what it would be like if he ever got to be that old. That really wasn't a consideration he'd thought of, given that it seemed highly unlikely. Old age, yes, but immortality? There had only been one person he'd met that had met those requirements, and that sort of thing wasn't something that he'd been looking forward to having to do. He grinned slightly at the stifled laughter. Well, at least things were going well, even if they were doing so at his expense. If you couldn't laugh at yourself, then there was a lot of problems.
"Well, I generally plan, though hadn't really gotten to that level of specifics. More in a broad sense." After all, failure to plan was the same as planning to fail, as far as he was concerned. If things were to go that way, then, yeah, I'd have to say the same," he said. Not that he was specifically looking for that, but he wasn't averse to it. Sex, after all, was a natural part of humanity, a base need since time had begun. While he might have been a bit old fashioned, especially given how society seemed to view such things now, he wasn't one that thought that it should be something saved until after marriage. Because really, there would be a lot of people that would never have sex otherwise. But, it wasn't something to be casually done, either.
"That's actually a thing?" he asked. "I always thought that was more a second date type of thing." He shrugged lightly. "And it's true. Granted, even my personal opinions are at the very least partially determined by professionalism, given I started out as a profiler. With that objective look, I can see none of the usual tendencies of one that is typically described as a monster from what you've told me. In short, definitely not like Orlok, in looks or nature."
----
It was his fault he had such poor phrasing. If he didn't want her to laugh at him, well, he was going to have to think before saying things like 'playing with myself'. Christ on a Bike. It really shouldn't have been as funny as it was but she was somewhat childish when she started to get comfortable with people. "Planning is good. I like planning. I'm so used to having a minute by minute itinerary that it's been kind of difficult to... Learn to improvise," she missed having an assistant to figure all of everything out for her but Inger was far too rare to actually replace.
She chuckled softly, "It's absolutely a thing if you're very good." Nina squeezed his hand gently, silently implying that he was, in fact, particularly good but they still hadn't even decided what sort of date this was. Still, she left that unsaid and let them move on. "So, okay, tell me about profiling. There's a TV show about profilers but I only caught like one episode before being dragged into the whole SHIELD thing. I'm going out on a very small limb to say it's only vaguely accurate like every other crime show." It was his turn to talk about himself or at least his profession. She'd done enough about herself for now.
-----
“Minute by minute?” That was… borderline obsessive, having everything mapped out to that much of an extent. “I’m not certain I could go into that much detail as far as planning things, there’s just too many unaccounted variable to account for. You never know for certain what people will do or say that might cause you to have to alter plans.”
This evening, for example. While he knew that it was intended for them to get to know each other more, he didn’t know if it would end with them returning to their respective homes alone, if there would be further plans to meet and talk again, or if things would be a bit more… open, spending the evening in the company of the other.
“Well, I couldn’t say specifically, since I haven’t seen that show,” he said. “But in essence, it’s studying a crime scene and applying a wide variety of psychological factors to everything, determining from the manner in which the crime was done to building a base profile of the person that did it. The way that certain things were handled can give you insight into the way the person thinks, reacts, and generally his or her everyday thought processes. Depending on the profiler and their ability, one can get a more accurate idea of the person. Most often is a basic profile of someone abused as a child, has loner tendencies, and is acting out in retaliation for some childhood trauma. Others are able to get a good idea of age range, likely work profession, and other social habits. As for myself, I’d say that I was one of the better ones.”
He had successfully profiled a number of serial killers before his work had… changed to his more recent occupation in the X Files before coming to Preya. “It can be a bit hazardous, trying to get into the mindset of someone like that.” Again, the ‘staring into the abyss’ was quite aptly fitting for that.
----
"Well," she started with a laugh, "Perhaps not so specifically but my assistant was very anal retentive. She liked to have things in a certain order and kept me on schedule very well. There were buffer zones, of course. She's a professional and she knows that sometimes things happen but even those were scheduled. Well worth her paycheck." She wouldn't be overly disappointed of Inger Reinfeld suddenly showed up, really. And she knew how to use a tranquilizer gun so that was even better.
It sounded about the way they described it in the show but there were certain things she was fairly certain a profiler didn't do. It almost made her nervous being around him. What sort of secrets could he figure out about her? Admittedly, all he had to do was ask and she'd tell him but the idea that he didn't have to was unnerving. It wasn't mindreading, obviously, but it was probably the closest thing a normal person could get to it. On the other hand, maybe he just didn't use it in his personal life. Maybe he was able to keep that aside.
"I'm sure it is. Those are dark places to be," she murmured but then she cleared her throat and shrugged her shoulders, "Well, that sounds a bit like what they show them doing. But I don't believe you'd be actually chasing down the murderers themselves to make the arrest. That feels like the Hollywood portion." She thought for a moment before asking, "So what's the funniest case you ever worked on?" She didn't want to know the scariest or most traumatic. Neither of them wanted to talk about those sorts of things. Funny was better. Funny was light and perfect first date material. Maybe it would be a guy who thought he could talk to cows and tried to free them from various farms or something.
-----
Ah, that would make more sense. Given the way that Nina spoke of her, it was a safe bet that she wasn't currently in Preya. Which, could make things quite interesting, given that adapting to not having a schedule of sorts could be problematic for one that was used to it.
It had indeed been dark, which was perhaps one of the reasons that he'd switched his focus, although at times, it too, was quite dark. "Nope, that was the investigating officers or local police assigned to the case. I was more just an assistant, and mainly worked in an office during such times.” They walked in silence for a bit as he pondered all his old cases. There were certainly a number of odd ones, but he didn't know if anything was particularly funny or not.
"There was one case," he said finally. "An exterminator apparently being killed by cockroaches. During the course of the investigation, there was another suspicious death, similarly attributed to them. Needless to say, it caused quite a panic. However, during my investigation, with the help of my partner, it was determined that the deaths were in fact accidental, the cockroaches having nothing to do with them. It was actually a bit funny how everyone reacted, like it was the end of the world. Suppose sometimes that truth is stranger than fiction."
----
Nina tried very hard to adapt on her own although she was in the market for an assistant. She made a mental note to repost those advertisements in the papers and job sites again. But she wanted to focus on his job right now, not her's. That was the whole point, wasn't it? To not focus on their current lives but just enjoy the company of someone else? "Thought as much," she sounded slightly disappointed but she let them lapse into a comfortable silence as he thought on his cases. She enjoyed the fireflies and she wondered how he wasn't baking in a suit and the warm weather but she didn't ask. He was probably used to it.
When he spoke up again, she turned her head to look at him, putting on her 'yes I'm interested' face. And she couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head a little, "It's like almost the plot of that Men in Black movie." She just barely managed to keep a 'sugar water' impression to herself. "Imagine though... If insects did suddenly decide to be outright homicidal, we would be really fucked. They definitely out number us." So the next one then, "Right, how about... The case you're most proud of but maybe you didn't get enough recognition for."
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Mulder nodded in agreement. "makes it even more fucked when one thinks that many species of insect seem to operate on a hive mind. Any such war, we'd be screwed before we even got started." And it was nice, conversing like this. One might not have even noticed how the conversation had switched back and forth, covering one topic and moving to another without any odd, awkward moments. At least as far as the conversation itself was concerned, of course. "That's not really a fair question," he replied. "There were many investigations that I did, but given the nature of those cases, despite me proving some truth about something that someone somewhere didn't want to acknowledge, all evidence was deemed circumstantial at best, and thus, inconclusive.
He literally had filing cabinets full of such cases. Cases that he had solved, or both him and Scully had solved, but they were listed otherwise because... higher ups didn't want to admit the truth. "And of course, anything other than that is probably listed as classified, and thus, I wouldn't be able to tell you." Granted, Classified: Top Secret likely didn't apply here in Preya, but who was to say that anyone or anything in those files might or might not similarly find their way to Preya? After all, as far as he could tell, there had been no specific pattern as to whom was invited, or when they might arrive. There could in fact be some here already, though they had just been maintaining a low profile, unknown and unobserved.
----
Nina shuddered at the reminder of the hive mind. God, that would be really, really bad. "Let's be thankful that it hasn't yet happened," she paused for a moment then asked aloud, "Do you think my blood would kill or transform any blood sucking insects that tried? Like mosquitoes are already vampires in a way but would it make them really a vampire?" She didn't think she could change a human being since she was only half but maybe her blood had the potency for murderous bugs. She certainly didn't notice how they flitted from topic to topic. Why worry about the direction the conversation was going as long as it was going and no one was fighting?
Did he really think he was getting away with that 'classified' nonsense? She stepped away from his side to settle in front of him, facing Mulder. The hand she'd been holding was then placed on the small of her back as she settled in close to him. Although she couldn't really put on puppy eyes, nor did she want to try and hypnotize him, she could use closeness and touch. "C'mon now, handsome," she practically purred, voice going almost sultry, "We're in Preya and from completely different worlds. What does it matter if something is classified in your world? I wanna hear all about it."
-----
"I don't think it works quite that way," Mulder replied. "From a scientific standpoint, the genetics aren't compatible between human and insect. Not that science is an exact art in hypothetical discussions, but the fact of how many mosquitoes there are, and the existence of vampires, I believe that something would have been noticed by now." Granted, he didn't know exactly how much vampiric blood it took to change someone either, so that could have been a factor, mosquitoes simply unable to be changed being unable to take the required amount of blood to enable that.
He blinked as they stopped, Nina standing before him, getting much closer than they had been. "Are you trying to seduce me?" he asked, a hint of a smile touching the corners of his mouth. "Eugene Victor Tooms. Born in 1873, he was a serial killer that hibernated for 30 years, sustaining himself on the livers of his 5 victims when he came out of hibernating. I was able to link him to the other murders, though that evidence was deemed circumstantial. Thus, he was only linked to 4 murders at the time, those being the current ones, in 1993. Not even a year later, he made parole, and with one liver still needed, sought to kill my partner, Agent Dana Scully. He was killed in the attempt. So, despite knowing and showing he'd been killing nearly 120 years, nearly 20 victims total, he was only convicted of 4."
----
"Well... Maybe not vampire, but I bet mosquitoes could transfer the zombie virus since all it takes is a little bit in a wound, apparently," although she didn't know if that would work in the real world. She'd known a zombie but she had never learned if he was bitten or made. Those were two vastly different things. Though he did have that craving for flesh so maybe he'd been bitten but he'd been just intelligent enough not to be considered rabid. Hm.
She smiled broadly but didn't answer him because he started telling her a case almost immediately. The case itself sounded like something SHIELD would have been interested in - although they likely would have dissected him or some such to try and figure out how he worked, what he was. "It's really hard to prove immortality without having a picture for every year. And any more with photo manipulation, no one's going to believe." She didn't have to worry about that herself. She'd been turned when she was twenty but that was only six years ago. She was still fully believable. "I'm sorry that no one believed you - and that your partner almost became a victim. I bet that was stressful as Hell." Nina was aware of the close bonds partners in any field of law enforcement made. She'd felt them with Warwolf, no, Vince, despite how brief it had been before she'd come to Preya.
"I think you've earned a reward for being such a good boy," she teased, "Especially since it didn't take much to get you to reveal a case. So what prize would you like?" She had no idea what he would ask for but she was beyond curious to find out.
-----
Zombies, well, that was a whole different set of problems, especially given there seemed to be no set ruling factors as to what sort of roles and rules zombies fit. Viral outbreak, pathogen spread via blood or saliva where even a scratch would turn one into a zombie? Voodoo magic? There were countless types, each inherently different than the other. “Oddly, that’s perhaps one area that I can’t say anything specific on, given there seems to be too much information, at least as far as theories go. “
Mulder nodded. “True, though then, photo shopping wasn’t as widespread or easy to do. Nor could eyewitness accounts be fabricated. Though, even with such ‘proof’, it is something that is hard to believe if one doesn’t want to, which seems to be the case with most people.”
A prize? Well, that was... unexpected. “Well, I guess that would depend on what’s available,” Mulder replied. “I mean, I don’t see the much longed for large teddy bear that everyone wants. Or is that something I have to trade 3 smaller prizes for in order to get?”
----
"I knew a zombie but I think he was magically created since he could talk... Not very bright. Smelled bad. Never thought to ask him about mosquitoes," she noted almost idly like this was absolutely an everyday conversation. Maybe it was for some people that came for more supernatural worlds. Even for her, it was a bit odd. She hadn't liked that walking corpse but he'd been easier to deal with than that damned mummified Pharaoh. What an asshole - still thought he was a fucking god.
She would give him the photo manipulation thing, realizing she hadn't thought to ask what year he'd come from. That seemed like something that should just come up automatically but it also made her realize that things didn't change as much as people thought they did. "Eyewitness accounts can absolutely be fabricated with the right incentive," she arched an eyebrow, smiling almost mysteriously.
Wait. Did he just--? Nina couldn't help but laugh, looking a little con-mused (confused and amused). "Unless 'three smaller prizes' is code for that first date kiss I mentioned, that was the part where I was trying to seduce you," she told him, wondering who just went on about teddy bears and trading, "Should've just hypnotized you instead." But she didn't move away even as she shook her head slightly. Good Lord.
----
“Oh, that’s undoubtedly true, given if one knows how to do such a thing,” Mulder replied. “And, I probably could. But, in this instance, I didn't, and everything was thoroughly witnessed and documented by my partner, who ironically, was initially paired with me in an effort to debunk my work and have my little office shut down. No manipulation of any sort happened, I can assure you.”
“Not that I know of,” he replied. Granted, he was a bit out of the dating loop, as he’d mentioned before. But still, he would have thought that if such was indeed some sort of code, he would have known that. “And it’s good to know those are offered as well,” he replied. “But, if such is the case, I do have a question first.” Idly, his fingers stroked along the small of her back, not even noting that they’d been engaged like that for quite some time already.
“What’s your long term goal in all this? Is this some fling, something more long term, or are you pretty much uncertain, and going to wing it as you go along?” To be honest, he wasn’t entirely certain himself, which would have been easier, since knowing for certain would give him a better idea how to answer that question.
----
Being that they were his accounts and not those of random passersby, she'd concede that argument though she knew many ways that others could manipulate people and not be remembered. She did it often enough. He was so confident though that she didn't want to argue. She liked that confidence. "So you ended up making your partner a believer then?"
She wasn't really aware either. Nina hadn't bothered with dating in almost ten years. Once you became a werewolf, it just seemed dangerous. Add in being abducted by a vampire and then a government agency, it just never came up. But she was free and she was feeling better than ever (which wasn't really saying much). "A question," she repeated, looking nervous. There were only a few that she could think of, but the way that his touch lingered, the way it almost felt like there was something behind it... It made her hopeful.
Then there was a look of surprise and relieved laughter to follow. "Legitimately, that is not what I was expecting. I was expecting 'promise never to bite and/or hypnotize me'," which should've been given since she hadn't done either of those things yet. "It's... been awhile since I've tried whatever this is. Usually I've had hired arm candy to look good for photos in the daylight hours." She paused for a moment, biting her bottom lip as she earnestly thought, "If you can tolerate my workaholic attitude, occasional superiority complex, extremely low self-esteem and various degrees of rudeness, I'll stick around. If you can't... Tell me so we don't waste our collective time."
----
He nodded. Scully had gone to become of of few people he trusted. And, it was a good thing, he supposed, being unexpected like that. It forced people to be more truthful, given lies were often hard to come up with on the spot. And the really ironic part, most of the things she listed were his faults as well.
“And here I thought opposites were supposed to attract,” he said. It was a fair enough answer, and pretty much matched his own. He couldn’t see any immediate issue, though granted, one could never tell what the future held. In the meantime? He leaned down slightly, kissing her.
----
Unexpected was good. That his question hadn't contained something about her beasts, she was beyond pleased with him. If it had, she would have been gone in the literal blink of an eye. There was no reason for her to tolerate any judgment of what she was or what she might do. But he had continued to prove himself the least judgmental when it came to her not being human. Maybe he still had a professional curiosity but he was keeping it in check.
Nina shrugged through a smile, never having believed that - and she doubted he did too. People just came together, opposite or similar. She rose up slightly to meet him halfway, pressing carefully into the offered kiss. Her hand lifted as she curled a finger under the knot in his tie, pulling him a little closer while being careful not to choke him. He needed to breathe. She didn't. But she was certainly taking advantage of that fact by lingering. Nina was afraid to let it get any deeper though - humans didn't know how to navigate fangs - and perhaps her nerves were a little too obvious.
----
Mulder let the kiss linger, though didn’t deepen it. It was after all, still a first date of sorts, and he didn’t want to be too presumptuous, even though she’d stated otherwise a number of times. Even so, that wasn’t an excuse to have free reign. And there was absolutely nothing wrong with taking one’s time, was there?
“Guess now we have something to work forward to on the next date,” he said, once he’d pulled back. At least, he was thinking that there would be, given the circumstances.
----
No, she wouldn't have minded presumptuous too much but it would have still made her nervous. There were so many moral implications that she wasn't sure he'd considered - or did he even care? Was she just being paranoid? Probably. But when he broke the kiss, she just grinned at him, more pleased than paranoid. "I guess we do," she agreed as she settled in back at his side, taking his hand again. Yes, this was a particularly good night - the first good one in a very long time.