video:

[charring]

[Charlie, looking a little annoyed and a little tired, has her back against a white wall. And she's surrounded by books. All of them recipe books. She's seated on a floor and she's thumbing through them and if anyone looks carefully, there's a hint of Petrichor's tail sticking out from her zipped up jacket.

Yes, she snuck her cat into the book-store. No, she has no fucks to give about it. She knows the device is on. It switched itself on a few minutes ago and she recognized the little red light for what it was. She just had nothing important to say until now. Her tone is flat and she hardly spares the camera a glance. It's all books right now for her, anyway.]

Everyone survive yesterday alright?

Comments

*siiigh*

[socoolbrewster]

It's Peter Vincent, of course it sounds like you think.

Also, uh. Hi.

[Shiftyyyy. Is this as weird for you as it is for him? Because SUPER WEIRD.]

[charring]

[WEIRD AS FUCK and yet she misses him so so much. Explain that one.]

Hi. [Is...is that a hint of shyness in Charlie's voice? And possibly a small smile.] So this is typical behavior for him?

[socoolbrewster]

[Well that makes two. Ugh he's not sure how he's supposed to feel about any of this.]

Pretty much, yeah. From what I've seen, anyway? I never actually met the guy before I got here.

[charring]

[Neither is she.] Wonderful. It explains why he flat out asked a friend of mine if she was a prostitute.

[God help her. Save her. Get her out of there. Also, Petrichor recognizes Ed's voice and has peeked his head up, mewing again. Charlie hastily stuffs him back in her jacket, trying to not start laughing. At least she's smiling more, right?] The cat is trying to get me in trouble, here.

[socoolbrewster]

That sounds like it's probably par for the course.

What, you can't bring cats out in public? In bookstores? Blasphemy.

[An amused smirk, and it may not be quite as sincere and relaxed as usual, but it's close.]

[charring]

[Petrichor just really wants to see Ed right now so he's peeking out again and from the wince on Charlie's face, he's not being pleasant about it.] Ugh. Cat. God damn it.

[There's a shuffling and she checks something on her hand.] Not bleeding. Good. Lets get out of here. There are signs saying no pets and Petrichor is being...well, Petrichor.

[She stands, carrying the device on the stack of books she plans on purchasing.]

So...uh....yesterday? Not quite how I wanted that sort of thing to go for me or...either of us? But I'm not knockin' it.

[Meaning she enjoyed it. All of it. Except for the shower. Also she's turning red as hell.]

[socoolbrewster]

Yeah, if you want I could meet you somewhere, I guess. A little less weird conversation-wise that way?

[He clears his throat and rubs the back of his head and it's just such a human gesture but Charlie can claim full responsibility for it.]

Sorry for...you know. Getting like that. But...yeah, it wasn't bad. Considering.

[charring]

I'm close to the open-all-night ice cream store. They're more pet friendly and they have a good imitation Shamrock Shake there. Better than what I attempted at home, anyway. See you there?

[She notices the gesture, notices how normal it seems and smiles a bit more.]

See you in a bit, Ed.

[socoolbrewster]

Sure.

[And disconnect and....he'll be there. Trying not to be shifty and awkward.]

[charring]

[Charlie will be arriving a few minutes later, Petrichor trotting along right beside her. She's watching the cat, amused.] You do realize you're a feline and not a canine, right?

[Petrichor doesn't care. He likes Charlie. Charlie is his space-heater. When Charlie spots Ed, he gets a shy (jesus again with the shy) smile.]

Hi.

[socoolbrewster]

...Hey.

[Slight smirk. Seriously, it's pathetic how weird this is right now.]

[charring]

[She hesitates for a moment, holding the single bag she's carrying with both hands. Not that it needs it. It's light. She's just not sure what to do with her hands. And then the bag is in one hand and she's brushing her fingers through her hair, tucking it behind an ear only to have a slight breeze blow it in her face again. Ah, well.]

So. Conversation about yesterday. Where did you want to go for this? The park is...empty by now.

[She just wants it to be the two of them for the sake of it being the two of them. Not because of this whole...situation.]

[socoolbrewster]

[A shrug; you're the one who knows this place better.]

Wherever, doesn't matter to me.

[...He didn't realize That is what they were going to talk about, but in retrospect really, would there have been anything else, considering?]

[charring]

[Well, there are a few things she'd like to get off her chest at the moment. She'll make it quick, she promises. She holds a hand out to him; it's there if he wants it.

Soon after, she's heading to the park. Petrichor follows part way and then just heads towards the apartments. She'll find him later at her place.

She also has the patience of a rabbit on espresso and once enough people.]


I'm not mad at you for yesterday. At all. We were both cursed and that's what I was upset about when I left.

[Not that she flounced out of there. She sort of...went too quiet, said she had things to do and left once she woke up the next day.]

[socoolbrewster]

[He takes the offered hand, but it's an uncertain grip, like he's concerned it all might start up again if he touches her, and before they've gotten to their destination he's dropped it just because he's got no clue where they even are in things right now. But he follows willingly enough, even if he kind of tenses when she starts speaking.]

...Okay. You know that's not exactly reassuring, right?

[charring]

[She actually looks upset when he lets go. Briefly. Just a flash of the emotion on her face before she pulls it back. Charlie. Don't be impossible to read, right now. That's a bad idea. She thinks about what he says, though, chewing her lower lip before looking at him again.]

I don't want yesterday to change things between us. I mean, not more than it has. I like us. I don't know what to call us but I like it enough to defend my choosing you to people I consider family. And one asshole who stuck his nose where it didn't belong. [Peter, though Charlie's partly hoping Ed at least heard that conversation on the network.] I mean, I'd like to continue whatever that was. I don't know what you want, though, and that makes me nervous.

[And ramble-y. Charlie. You've never said so much to a single person in one go. But at least she sounds less nervous. Determined and even a bit stubborn.]

[minigolfandsushi]

Wait WHAT?!

[charring]

OH MY GOD GO THE FUCK AWAY BEFORE I LIGHT YOU ON FIRE!

[She doesn't mean it. Just trying to sound like she does. And she's glaring.]

[minigolfandsushi]

THAT'S THE GUY YOU'RE FUCKING? HIM?

[charring]

Problem?

[minigolfandsushi]

Yeah. HE'S A FUCKING VAMPIRE?

[charring]

And I'm a pyrokinetic. So...again...problem? Because I seriously don't see one, here.

[Well, this is certainly a change from her omg-awkward attitude a moment ago.]

[minigolfandsushi]

He's a ruthless, heartless, blood-sucking monster, and he will kill you.

[charring]

I can think faster than he moves. All I need is that thought and he's ash.

[Not that either of them are keen on seeing the other gone.] And...I barely know you. So I don't get what your concern is, Peter. It can't be about me. That's bull.

[minigolfandsushi]

I don't need to be friends with someone to not want someone murdered. I may be a fucking worthless piece of shit, but give me SOME credit as a human being!