Viv was cursing under her breath as she pushed the car down the road to the gas station. The sun was slowly sinking behind the grungy buildings, lending them temporary glamour.

Viv swore if she found out who siphoned her gas she would beat them stupid with her largest pipe wrench. Violence never solves anything, but sometimes it sure feels good, when you're having a crappy day. She thinks as she struggles to push the beat up old Dodge Diplomat over the curb. She's sweating rather profusely having already pushed the car two blocks. Her hair hangs only halfway braided after her exertion. Her sweaty disheveled bangs dangle annoyingly in her face. Each time she pauses, she pushes the hair from her face.

A couple of seedy looking teenage boys stand against the side of the gas station watching her struggle. Her dark denim shirt clings to her from sweat and exertion, revealing more curves than Viv would like. Her jeans still hang loose on her hips though. In fact she's so sweaty she periodicaly has to keep hitching them up.

The only thing going right today is the fact that she has managed to do enough odd repair jobs to have some cash. She manages to get the car to the pump, and ignores the sarcastic comments from the teens. The night is too young for murder She tells herself. She wouldn't really kill them, but while she smacked them around she'd never let them know that. She dismissed such thoughts, she was trying not to cultivate that sort of reputation here.

Hot and annoyed she pumps gas into the green and bondo colored rust bucket. What she wouldn't give for a long hot shower right now.

Aren't you supposed to be in good physical condition to ride a motorcycle? And aren't you not supposed to be fatigued? For reasons of his own, Uriel was neither in good physical condition, nor more than half-awake. His health issues tended to tear him down, no matter how hard he tried. It was hard work to stay on top and in control of this damn machine.

VROOM VROOM VROOOOOOOM purred the engine of the motorcycle as Uriel pulled back the throttle, weaving in and out of the cars in a rather annoying fashion. He sat back, then took a sharp turn, pausing for only a second afterward.

What someone would see was a rider with obviously no care for his own physical health. No helmet, no jacket, no protective gear... only gloves and black combat boots. That's not to say he wasn't wearing old, wrinkled and dirt blue-green colored jeans, and his wrinkled mint-colored t-shirt made of baby cotton.

He slowed down as he weaved into a spot at the gas station, resting his feet on the pegs for only a minute before he placed his feet on the ground. The enginge died out, he kicked out his kickstand and then swung his long leg over one side of the motorcycle, his pretty face crinkled into a slight frown.

He wasn't hot, as the wind had been whipping in his face and on his body as he rode, but was at least warm as he strode to an empty gas pump spot and shielded his eyes with one gloved hand. There was a reason, other than it was the right gear for the motorcycle, that he had those gloves on. He looked normal. He blended in.

The only reason he had a motorcycle? It was because it cost less, not for the attention.

He started pumping gas into the vehicle, looking across to the woman with th Dodge Diplomat.

(Ugh. I apologize for the half-ass post. :aww:)

(no worries)

Viv heard the bike rumble up. She liked bikes, because Mac hated them. But, it was awefully hard to carry around her tools on a bike. Instead she had this bucket of bolts car. Which she prayed would start with more gas. It was bad to run out of gas in anything fuel injected, she was not in the mood to play mechanic by sunset today.

She finished pumping in enough to halfway fill her tank, she was not going to fill it again, only so someone could come along and siphon it once more. As she walked past the guy with the bike to go pay she couldn't help but notice his hair. "Great hair." she said as she passed.

She paid for her gas and got a lemonede, since there was no bottled water. At least the lemonade wasn't caffienated. She opened the lemonade and passed the guy with the bike and the multi colored hair as he went in to pay. That was when she saw his eyes.....She'd never seen eyes like that in her life.....So she found herself staring into them for a minute. She almost tripped as she stepped down into the parking lot.

Quit daydreaming she warned herself as the door closed behind him. He wasn't hard on the eyes at all, he would give her something to daydeam about later.

She went back to the car and hoped it would start. Of coarse it wouldn't. She swore and dug out her battery powered head lamp. She crawed underneath with a wrench, to trick the fuel injector. It didn't take her long to do, she's had to do it before. Just as she was clambering out from under the car, Mr. Motorcycle was walking out. She watched him while she removed the silly looking headlamp.

He offered a gentlemanly smile, and if he had a hat, he'd tip it to her. But instead she'd just have to make do with that innocent, I love the world, but this smile's special and just for you smile.

"Thanks. Mm, you too. Uh." He paused, thinking for only a moment, “I mean…” oh, damn.. “You know what I mean.”

[I]Eh heh. Greaaat move, Uriel.[I]

He looked back at her, pink eyes shimmering with some sort of otherworldly amusement as he went into the store, looking over his shoulder briefly before paying attention to more… to say, ‘important’ matters. Or, as important as paying for gas could be.

He walked out, and stuffed his gloved hands in his pockets. Ever since meeting Norman, he’d been paranoid about letting people see his claws, too much of his teeth, or his wings. Norman hadn’t believed he had wings… and he had, to say the least... disturbed him. Or, rather, upset him. Or both.

He padded quietly to his motorcycle, offering the woman another glance..

Why was he looking at her?

Simply, he liked humanity. He liked people. He liked company. He hated to be alone.

Whew, at least he'd said nothing about the headlamp She was sure it had messed her hair up even more. Though for the mess she knew she was at the moment, he sure kept looking. So she looked back and took a sip of the lemonade.

Viv was ignoring the voice that reminded her not to get involved with people so they didn't wind up dead. He looked interested and interesting, Besides no one knew her here.....

She spoke to him across the gas pumps, Is this how guys feel when they hit on a girl in the laundymat?, " You hungry?" She'd wait and see how he interpretted the question. He could simply answer yes or no, or he could take it as an invitation. Viv hoped for the latter, she was sick of eating alone in drive throughs.

He leaned up against one of the poles in between the gas pumps, seeming to ponder the question. He blinked tiredly, refusing to yawn. "It depends. Do you ask that of every stranger you see at gas stations, or just me?" He smiled a little sleepily, unintentionally creating a friendly, disheveled and innocent, relaxed vibe.

"And do you like motorcycles?"

A little grin.

Yes, intereested and interesting, seemed to sum it up for the moment. She smiled back and then replied. "Just you, and yes I like motorcycles." She said her eyes were lit with merriment, and her southern drawl still betrayed her ammusement. She sipped her lemonade some more while she kept looking at him. So much for daydreaming.....

Something about this guy seemed to just pull her in. She leaned towards him and offered her hand, "My names Viv, by the way." she told him in her husky drawl.

That lazy smile didn't disappear from his face. He seemed to be contented by this fact. "Well then, I could use some company. If you're not too busy, that is."

She offered her hand and he took it, leaning over and kissing the back of it lightly. "Pretty name. Mine's Uriel.. and it's a pleasure to meet you."

He kissed the back of her hand, his lips just barely brushing it, still it was enough to send little electric shivers down her spine. Even if she had been busy, she'd never say so after that.

"I'm not busy at all. It's a pleasure to meet you too, Uriel. " she said in her lazy drawl, still terribly aware he still had her hand in his grasp. She was still gazing into his unusual eyes, when she deliberately reached to her cellular, clipped to her belt. She turned it off. She didn't want to become "busy" either.

The smile now turned into a rather pleasant expression. "That's great." Thing with Uriel was, he generally came on too strong. His voice was soft and smooth, like dark chocolate, layered with light and pleasant tones.

"Would you like to go somewhere, then?"

Judging by his dress, he wasn't likely to haul her any place where she'd be terribly out of place as she was. She would have to tidy up her hair though. "Yeah, somewhere with food, haven't eaten since Ten this morning." she said. Her voice gave away more tiredness than she'd admit to, but most people wouldn't catch it.

For some reason when he talked, it was comfortable, it some how sank into her when he spoke If she listened to him long enough, he'd likely lull her to sleep. She'd probably have some pretty good dreams too.

She reached into her car, and got her hairbrush off the dashboard. She had to deal with her hair if she was going anywhere. She pulled it through her hair til it bore some semblance of order, and opted to leave it down. It would take to long to braid. He watched her while she did, with a pleasant expression.

Quietly she asked, "Am I followng you, or am I leaving my car somewhere else?' There was a trace of emphasis about the car, She did not want to leave it here now that it would start. The seedy punks leaning on the building might try something with an unattended car.

Absently, he ran his gloved fingers through his hair. Damn, it's so hot out.. how do people stay out in this heat? He slouched a little, but continued to watch Viv, pink gaze never wavering.

"It depends. What do you want to do? It's your choice."

She looks fondly at her clunker, "Well it does have air conditioning that works even if it looks like crap. Doesn't compare with the wind in your hair, but it's pretty hot out here. You'd think this late in the day it would cool off. So I guess I'll follow, unless you'd like to ride along in the A/C." His gaze was unfaltering while they talked.

"You know, I'd love to... but on the same note, I can't simply leave my bike out here, if you know what I mean." He couldn't afford another one, you see, and he did not want to sacrifice drugs for payments towards a new vehicle.

"So, you can follow, I guess?"

Viv eyed the punks, "I know exactly what you mean." Viv hated having to replace vehicles herself, it meant finding work, real work, exactly the line of work she was trying to aviod lately. "Lead the way." she told him as she climbed in the car.

Fortunately the place he led her to wasn't very far, nor was there much traffic so it didn't take long to follow him. She didn't lose him either, managing to stay directly behind him the whole time. She didn't dwell on what she was doing while she followed him. It might bring up the past and all the things she was avoiding if she thought too much about this.

He pulled in and parked so she could park next to him. She did so, then turned the car off and locked it up. The intense staring resumed between the two of them.

“Of course,” he nodded, a sheepish grin lighting his features before he climbed back on his vehicle.

If there were traffic, it would probably be bad for the both of them. Uriel wasn’t as alert as he was supposed to be and well… let’s just say that if he got into an accident, it’d end badly. And with the way Uriel rode, he was already asking for an accident.

The ride made him feel alive, though, if not just a little bit sick. But it was better than standing up and catering to customers at the bar all night. That was mindless work that got him a lot of unneeded attention already, and he’d rather be outside than in, if he had his choice.

With that thought in mind, he parked the motorcycle in an empty spot and turned it off, hopping off and kicking the kickstand out so it wouldn’t fall.

He wasn’t one for staring, so naturally he just strode by her side, taking her hand in his own gloved one. He’d have to figure out a way to eat with them on or something.

Once he took her hand she snapped out of it, and walked with him inside. She still wasn't going to allow herself to think about how crazy this was. She knew better than to get close to anyone. She also knew better than to go loping off alone with a stranger. She was sick of being alone though and so she went.

What was Viv thinking? She deliberately wasn't. For the time being she refused to deal with the fact that anyone she got close to got killed by an evil mage, who just happened to be her father. She also refused to deal with the fact that someone with pink, mesmerizing eyes, and an angelic face was likely not entirely human, if at all. Though all these thoughts churned on a subconcious level while she deliberately ignored them in the twilight.

She walked happily along, surprisingly oblivious for Viv, and sat where Uriel chose.

Uriel wasn't even thinking about how crazy this was. In fact, this was perfectly normal behavior for him, and he didn't see why it should be considered crazy in the first place. He liked company, hated to be alone and.. well, it pretty much sorts itself out from there.

When they walked in, Uriel held the door for both of them with his spare hand, walking her in first.

And Uriel chose a small table for two in a little corner of the diner.

Well Uriel likely is the sane one out of this pair. Normally Viv striking up a conversation with random stranger number seven, means she's about to hurt random stranger number seven pretty bad.....luckily right now she isn't hurting people for money.

They were not sitting long when the waitress came over and asked what they wanted to drink. Viv only asked for water. The waitress gave them menus and went to get the drinks.

"You come here often? anything you'd recomend?" Viv asks. She is overlooking the fact that he hasn't taken the gloves off yet. She's actually enjoying the company. It's been quite some time since she enjoyed anyone's company.

Uriel ordered water as well since he probably didn't drink anything else other than alcohol. And he didn't exactly feel like consuming alcohol right this moment.

"No, I'm afraid not... to both of those."

(It's dreadfully short. I apologize.)

(uhm me, guilt free and half the calories, remember?)

"Well I guess we'll hope for a decent dinner then." she said. She looked over the menu and made up her mind. The waitress came back to take their order. Viv ordered a steak plate with soup, salad and a baked potato.

"So how long you stayed here in Bayfield?" she asked making conversation. She was pretty relaxed and her slow southern drawl probably made her seem more so.
At this point she no longer noticed if his gloves were on or off.

She could smell the food cooking back in the kitchen. Her stomach growled loudly.

"Yeah.. hope for the best.." Expect the worst, was what he was about to say, but then the waitress came and was ready to take their orders. So Uriel ordered something small. A salad... with bread. Generally appetizers, but it was a meal for Uriel.

He smiled faintly. "About a year or two. I don't remember."

His gloves were still on, and he was hoping she wouldn't notice.

"You?"

"Just over a month. Memphis was just too hot for me." she told him. Of coarse she meant it in more ways than one. She was still overlooking the gloves. Funny how when you don't want to notice something you don't.

"You don't eat a whole bunch." she said casually. She hoped he wasn't eating a second time on her account.

The waitress came with the salads and after putting salt and pepper on it Viv started in on it. It did not survive her very long and soon the bowl was empty. "I haven't even lined up a real job yet. "She said after finishing her salad. "Just been doing odd repair jobs and staying in this hotel/motel thing. There were several cheap ones, but I took a room at the one with the least amenities. Not even a little fridge in there. It's good though, I can't go midnight snacking." she felt sort of silly telling him these things, but she couldn't actaully recall the last time she'd simply sat and had a conversation with anyone.

"Ah." He said with a gentle nod. Too hot? Weather seemed to be the least of his worries in where he moved to... but Bayfield seemed to be really hot in the summer and damned freezing in the winter. Weather would be a good reason to move. But of course, it hadn't just been the weather...

"Never saw a reason to." He shrugged and toyed around with his salad for a moment with his fork, picking out a tomato and staring at it. Not being able to use his claws was torture, but he did know how to eat like a normal human being.

"Oh, really? That's too bad. I mean, about the job." He was still staring at the poor little tomato he'd stabbed with his fork. "But I guess if you're happy with it, then all the power to ya."

"It's different from what I was doing." she said. She didn't volunteer anything about what she had been doing though.

Watching him play with his food as he was, she was more convinced he'd likely already eaten. She wondered why he's accepted her invitation then.....Maybe he's lonely too she thought, but the thought fluttered away from her very quickly, she doesn't like admitting she might need other people for anything.

The waitress brought more water the rest of Viv's food. "What do you do?" she asked him. She began to cut up her meat into meticulous little cubes.

He didn't ask. Maybe it was a good thing, or maybe it was a bad thing. Uriel figured if she wanted him to know, she'd tell him.

He didn't already eat, he just... didn't eat a lot. He began chewing on that piece of tomato he'd been staring at, then stabbed into the salad with his fork, eating that portion as well.

"Me? I work as a tattoo artist, and a bartender at Dark." A simple shrug.

"Better you than me, I'm not huge on bars, hot crowded, lots of people. I usually skip them. Tattoos seem like they would be interesting work though." Viv would go nuts if she was a bar tender, far too confining.

She thought about it, and it occured to her that both occupations would involve more evening hours. "I'm not going to make you late for work, Am I?" she asked him.

"Tell me about it." He said sarcastically, shaking his head and stabbing another fork full of innocent lettuce. He didn't really like working as a bartender either... but hey, it paid.

"No, I took a day off. I practically live and breath work quite literally, and I figured it needed to to stop. Was about ready to quit, you know." He shrugged once more, seeming a tad indifferent.

"I've done that, gotten so fed up with some of the people I worked for I just up and quit. Can't just do nothing but work, but it seems like most of the time I don't have anything better to do either." she said with a small sad smile. Yep, it's sad nothing better to do than break kneecaps for money....Viv has issues, or maybe a subscription.

"I hope I didn't mess up your plans for your day off then. Or were you just out on the open roads with your bike?" she asked him as she finished her meat and moved onto her potatoe.

"Yeah, I know. Work sucks, but then there's nothing to do but..." lay around wishing you were dead, writing your will, or wishing you were working is what he was going to say, but instead opted for, "..painting." Of course he could always lay around flipping through pornography magazines or comic books, but he didn't care to add that part.

"Nah, 's okay. I need the company, seriously. 'N yeah, just kinda riding around."

"Nothing to do but work or painting? "she said clearly amused. "What plannet are you from, there are other things to do." she said not too seriously with a smile. She sure smiles a lot while she talks to him, and it's not her creepy sadistic smile either.

"You seriously need the company, you don't have any friends, or do they have to work today?" she asked him with a puzzeld look. Good looking guy, personable, and a voice that could melt butter and he seriously needs company? Of Coarse Viv is thinking what gives? Though she doesn't put it quite like that.

She is done with her food at this point so she tells the waitress to bring the check. She's not sure if Uriel will want to sit here, or plan something else, so she waits for the check and tries to figure out how to broach the subject.

"Well, I suppose there are other things, but yeah... majorly, those are the only things to do." He said with a small grin and a shrug.

"No friends. Never bothered to make them, really. I know, pathetic, isn't it? Live in a city for gods' sakes for a year or two, and have no friends. I must be dysfunctional or something." He shook his head slightly, stabbing some more of that salad of his.

"That's why I need the company. I figure I should at least make a friend, but hey.." he seemed a little indifferent about that, too. He really needed to be more social... even though he was already. It's a wonder he doesn't have any friends.

"Well are we going to continue making friends here then? Or do you have something else in mind?" she asks him.

"I doubt you're dysfunctional, well wait, I'm probably not in anyway qualified to say that. I don't generally make friends too easily myself." She doesn't say, because my psychotic father kills them all, so I just stopped trying.

"And I don't mean right this instant, You should finish your salad, just because I'm a little pig doesn't mean I'm trying to rush you into leaving or anything." she adds not wanting him to think she's rude. Though Viv can be extremely rude, right now she is trying not to be.

He gave a rich chuckle, shaking his head a bit. "Ah, no... it matters not. I'm sorry for having to make you wait."

So he stabbed the salad at the rate a normal person would and began thinking more than talking. He wasn't big on talking with food in his mouth, so he had to wait a minute or two before he could reply.

"I don't have anything planned. My whole day is free. Is there anywhere you'd like to go?"

She liked his laugh. "I'm not bothered to wait, I didn't mean to rush you." she told him. She hadn't but she did appreciate he was being somewhat thoughtful.

"What's there to do around here? I really don't know." she tells him. "Are there any points of interest that I should be aqquainted with?"

"It's okay, I'm not rushed." He reassured her, smiling faintly before pushing around nearly the last bit of salad and then stabbed it, munching on the greens and looking thoughtful.

Once he swallowed he reached into his back pocket for his wallet.

"Well, that depends on what interests you. There's an amusement park, there are spots to go hiking in the woods... there are beaches, clubs... a casino, a musuem... we could go watch a movie..." he gave a one-shouldered shrug, "Whatever your heart desires to do, really."

It's been a while since Viv consulted with her heart on anything so this takes some thought on her part. What does her little heart desire to do?

She gives it some thought, Clubs are the places you go to in order to follow your victim home, beaches are nice, but at dusk fully clothed walking would be one of the few options there for sane people (Viv not being one of those), she was pushing her luck already so she decided not the Casino, movies, that's why they had rental places, she didn't feel thoughtful enough right now for a museum, but on mulling over the options.....she has never been to an amusement park.

"Never been to an amusement park before, what do you say?" she asks.

Uriel was hoping she would choose any option aside from the clubs, because he breathed in the atmosphere and practically lived in it every day. He almost shot himself in the foot by asking that question, but since she didn't choose it, he was mildly glad.

All the other options were fine by him, in all honesty, and he nodded slightly.

"It's fine by me," he said softly, pulling out enough cash to cover both of their meals, and setting it on the table, along with enough tocover the tip.

Viv had intended on paying for her food, but she didn't press the matter. She would just try to pay for the park. She can't remember the last time anyone else paid for anything for her, likely it comes with the territory when you are as independant as Viv.

"Okay. Am I following you again or should we try to drop off a vehicle someplace it won't be bothered and go <pause> together?"she asks, pleased that he seems to be rather easy going.

Uriel was used to paying for himself as well, but taking someone out to lunch and not paying was a little bit more than extremely rude.

"Whatever you want, because I'm not against it either way." He gave another gentle shrug, beginning to stand now. "If it saves on gas you could come with me, or whatever. Unless you'd have to go leave it somewhere? I don't know. Whatever you want is fine by me."