(no subject)

[seawalled]

Arright, my outlet converter has gone missing. Might've fallen out on the ride from the airport.

How am I supposed to charge my mobile now? I rather need it if I'm going to start looking for a new ... everything.

[there's a pause as the fresh face takes a deeeeep breath and exhales slowly, before smiling]

Right, I'm sorry, that's the absolute wrong way to go about introductions, isn't it? Hullo, my name's Ellie, and I just started getting these ... other memory things. I still feel daft saying it. But I don't suppose any of you have any advice for someone needing a flat here in the city? Apartment. You call them apartments here. I bake. I cook. I'll pay you in food. I'll walk your dogs. I don't know. I'll something.

Comments

[temptationaccomplished]

The trouble is: I'm not sure how I lucked upon his favor. Our first meeting was, well. It went down rather poorly, if I'm honest, and every time after. [And yet, even as he says that, he looks immeasurably fond and pleased, and like he might tell the whole story in grand detail if allowed.]

[madman_with_a_box]

[John laughed a little; he liked Ellie! She was pleasant and a bit funny. Truly, he'd met more amiable and interesting people in the past two weeks of being Different than he had in all of his years as a student and a professional. Oh, he had a few friends from those days that had stuck around...but most of them were still in England.]

Aw, you don't owe me any lunch for this! But I won't say no to getting out and having it! I'm up near Columbia University - that's northern Manhattan. Tell you what - give me the address you're at and I'll come to you, and we'll have lunch and I'll give you a whirlwind tour - but only if you're in Manhattan - I'm shite with the rest of the boroughs.

[He's already putting things in a backpack, including the converter and his wallet, and reaching for a light jacket, but he flashes her another cheeky little grin.]

[seawalled]

That sounds about bog-standard for Alec, really. [her expression nearly matches his... she may be encouraging this grand detail.]

Shall I set them up a log?

[seawalled]

Yeh, it's just a little hotel. M'cousin Anthony has this great huge place he's trying to convince me to stay in, but ... mm. Bit posh for me, and my half-brother doesn't care for it, so there's eggshells, if you follow.

[she'll text him the address of the hotel]

A tour sounds like a lovely way to spend th' day. I'll see you soon?

[temptationaccomplished]

Bog standard! No, don't tell me that! I like to think I'm an exception. HE makes me feel like the exception and that's the grandest part.

Anyway, we met on the network, Alec and I, shortly after his first memory. I made the cruel mistake of confusing him with Anthony--a fact I'm sure he will never let me forget. Nor will anything else in this bloody universe. He invited me to dinner at what I suspect was a wonderful Indian restaurant but may never really know. Or maybe I chose the location; I think it may have been that. In any case, he bought me flowers and grumbled about everything and we never did get round to eating.

But he was so utterly wonderfully Alec. Charming in his brutal, sweet nihilism.

He was so protective of Anthony. I couldn't appreciate it at the time--but he's... Well, you're his sister, I'm sure you've seen it yourself. It's like being sheltered from a storm.

I don't know how he ever gave me the time of day again after the row we had, but he's been a vexing source of comfort and kindness ever since. Oh, it's been awkward of course. Neither of us are proficient at small talk. I think we could spend hours together in awkward silences. I irritate him more often than not and he irritates me out of nearly every meal we try to share. He certainly won't call us friends, even after we spend all morning together at the zoo with balloons and ice cream and wild cats. He's awful.

But he was the one who told me about Grace, and he was the one who told me Anthony intended to propose to her at the party... And without his encouragement, Anthony and I might never have got together in the end.

[Which was immediately followed up by Alec's near-death. Best not to mention that.]

He clearly doesn't want me to enjoy his company and yet somehow I do.


Oh, good grief. I'm sorry. You didn't want all that.

1/3

[seawalled]

[got together?]

2/3

[seawalled]

OH! YOU'RE HER! Or, er, him! ANTHONY'S - OH! OH, this is brilliant! HULLO!

3/3

[seawalled]

That is, goodness, I certainly wasn't expecting the world to get this small! Now I'm even sorrier I wasn't at that bloody dinner. Oh good God, Mr. Fell. It's so lovely to meet you, and I'm so sorry it took so long. You've been such good for Anthony, he seems ever so happy - [by Anthony standards] - and the way you and Alec are getting along sounds absolutely lovely, you're quite right.

Zoos! Uhmf. He'd never go with me to a zoo, I think you've hit on something there. 'Brutally sweet nihilist', I don't think anyone's ever described him more perfectly. Though you may want to add something about prickles in. Maybe he's a hedgehog.

[temptationaccomplished]

A hedgehog! Don't let him hear you say that, but that's perfect. He would be such an adorable prickly hedgehog.

Oh, you didn't miss much. The dinner was a disaster, as nearly all my meals with a Crowley seem to be.

But yes, I'm...her. [a blush, he is pleased anyone thinks he's so good for Anthony] I blame Anthony for that rumor getting out of control. And it is a pleasure to meet you, too.

[traceofeffort]

Okay, good. That'll work, then. [John? Oh, right, she'd just met him. She nods.]

Ah, yeah, I've been practicing for a while. Clarinet's not easy either, I had band geek friends back in the day. But I'm... [That's a loaded word.] Both of me are dedicated to music. I just put on a big - well, big is subjective, to be sure, but whatever - show for my birthday, I'm sorry you missed it!

[seawalled]

It is, innit?! Maybe I'll get him a stuffie or something for Christmas. [then it occurs to her that he can see this if he likes, and she clams up. there are better and cleverer things than stuffies]

So I 'eard. Do the family go with you to all your dinners, then, or do you just have poor luck on social outings with Crowleys? Perhaps you should go on one with a Wright and see if things go any happier.

[seawalled]

Both of y - oh! Oh, right. ... Sorry, it's takin' me a bit to get used to. ... A show, though, really? That's amazing. I'll just 'ave to catch the next one. Hope you had a good birthday. Was it a big one?

[this is her way of trying to pin down Lisa's age. teenagers and young adults can be pretty hard to sort out once you're far enough away from being one]

[temptationaccomplished]

[Oh, no. Now he has the thought of Alec looking precious fast-asleep with a stuffed animal and it is an adorable idea.]

[Teasing] Are you asking me out, Ms. Wright? I'm afraid I'm quite taken, but if you're free for lunch some time, I'd love to treat you to a sample of what the city has to offer.

[traceofeffort]

It's okay! It really does take some getting used to, but eventually either it grows on you, or you hate it enough that it sticks. I'm the former. And if you don't mind nightlife, I've got smaller shows a couple times a week. As for this one, I just turned twenty, so I wanted to have a little bit of a party!

[Her tone turns dreamy, almost.] It went better than I could have imagined, so... I'm not complaining, y'know?

[seawalled]

Went to the odd club or two with a mate, back home ... don't see why I couldn't give it a try here. I'm not exactly a party animal, but I 'least know how to put my hair down.

[she grins as she picks up on that dreamy tone]

Sounds like it was a very special night, eh?

[seawalled]

[she can vouch that sleep is the ONLY time Alec Crowley looks precious]

Oh, I don't wanna cuckold my own cousin! [she says, with a grin that's proof positive just how much she's loving the little joke] Come on, Mr. Fell, I've got some morals. Besides, what would the fam say if I started going out with a lady? ... Seriously though if the girl joke bothers you, just tell me straight off and I'll say no more 'bout it.

And lunch sounds absolutely lovely.

YES Please set them up a log! :D

[madman_with_a_box]

Oh! Well, I mean. You can't beat free real estate in this city. It's none of my business, but if you can get a place to stay that's rent free, I highly recommend it. It's expensive to live here.

But! None of my business; you have to do what's best for you.

[He inputs the address of the hotel in his GPS and starts to gather his things.]

Great! I'll meet you there in half an hour-ish. Traffic is a bit meh around here.

[seawalled]

Just enough time to freshen up. I'll meet you in the lobby!

[traceofeffort]

There's plenty of that in this city. You'll find something, I'm sure. And there are enough of us that we can help you if you need it there, too.

[Her answering grin is huge.] I put on a damn good show. It's a lot of work, and takes some charisma and some creativity, but there's nothing like the rush of a performance.

[seawalled]

I'd like that. Maybe we can do a girls' night, eh? [she grins, a little embarrassed - because cor, Ellie, she admonishes herself, you're twice her age if not thrice]

Though that's a bit silly, isn't it...

[traceofeffort]

Perhaps! It doesn't feel like there's that many of us around here, so I think that would be fun. And you'll need a tour of the city eventually anyway. Besides, it'll give me an excuse to get out and stop working on my music for a minute.

[seawalled]

Wait, really? Oh! Well, then, maybe we should after all. I'd love a tour - John's showing me Manhattan, but that's about all he knows. And if Alec and Anthony show me 'round I just get to listen to them bicker the whole time, which means I spend my trip playing mediator and not actually getting to know anything.

[traceofeffort]

I'm mostly familiar with Queens myself, since that's where I live and go to school, but mostly I just want a chance to get to know more people, y'know? And it sounds like it'd be vacation enough for you to not deal with Alec and Anthony. It sounds like a loud group to deal with, all put together - they're fine individually but I think they'd be a lot at once.

[seawalled]

Oh, they are. Not to say I don't love them to absolute bits, but they whitter on. And I'd love to see Queens! What's it like? I mean, what's it known for? Is there any particular thing?

[traceofeffort]

Those two can go on, all right... Not always in constructive directions in at least one case, but they can talk.

Well. Maybe not that familiar. I really need new hobbies, I'm not familiar with a lot of things. But I at least know where the bars and the hotspots are, ahaha... Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to suggest.