Viv had been having a very strange week. Her brother was in town looking for her. Not terribly thrilling news, but she could continue to avoid him, she was certain. She really had no reason to stay in the city, well at least not one that she would admit to herself. She sat on top of her truck which she'd parked by the water. It was a grey and windy day, it suited her. She had come here to feel the sea mist and breath salt air.

She'd gotten a new truck. A brand new truck, white, basic, with a camper shell to keep all her tools out of the elements. It was cheap, foreign and got good milage. She'd gotten a good deal at the dealership after fixing their A/C. Ironic, for she'd wanted to get a truck that day. She'd also moved to a place and out of that motel. Further from where Gattie was staying, with a woman. He was a busy thing, worked in an art gallery, there was something about the woman that ran it Viv couldn't put her finger on.

Gattie also spent lots of time visiting a mage with a flower shop. So he was hanging out with mages, and living with one. Was he enlisting their help in trying to find her. She knew he was looking. She'd done work on a toilet in that flowershop and seen a flyer on her way out.

She also knew there was a mage keeping tabs on her brother's roommate, girlfriend or whatever she was. She needed to track him down and find out what his connection to her brother was. She might not want Gattie to find her, but she would be very displeased if anything happened to him.....very displeased indeed.

She was perched ontop of the truck cab wearing a pair of jean shorts, work boots and a button down work shirt, mulling over all of this. Then her thoughts came to the vampire. She could feel him all the time, running around with her magic. She wasn't entirely sure what to do about that either, right now her lust for violence was sated, but that feeling would fade she knew.

She let her hair down for once, she wanted to feel the wind in her hair. She closed hr eyes and emptied her mind. Then she simply listened to the cries of the gulls.

Uriel was miles away, thinking about nothing and everything... thinking about why's and why not's, what if's and should have beens. He was thinking about things he shouldn't have been thinking about, and on the opposite end of things trying to not think at all.

He had been laying around for a while since his shift of work had ended, and now he was toying with the phone, Viv's phone number in the other hand. His arm dangled off the couch and he stared up at the ceiling, a comic book opened and on top of his feet.

His hair, velvety, long and multi-colored, was brushed and kempt, hanging in his face like a very soft curtain. His pink eyes stared emptily, eyelids coming down to cover them, and he rolled over. He brought his arm near his face, glancing at the phone, and watched as the comic book fell to the floor.

His clothes looked worn, or at least the ones he was wearing (which would be a pair of faded blue jeans, minus any boxers or a shirt) and he just preferred to be lazy now that he didn't have anything to do.

He finally brought it upon himself, glancing over at the number in the other hand, to call Viv. He dialed the number and put the phone to his ear was a small sigh.

The phone was ringing.....in the truck. Blast! she skittered off the slippery truck roof and onto the ground landing neatly. She opened the truck and fumbled on the dash til she grabbed it with her hands still slippery from mist. She slithered into her seat damp legs clinging to the vinyl.

Once she had a firm grip on the phone she grabbed a towel from behind the seat and dried it and her hands. She flipped it opened and pressed the talk button without even looking at the caller I.D. feature. No doubt it was a job, it was always a job, not like she gave out her number to anyone anyway. "KilDares' Kwikfix." she answered lazily in a sleepy tone. She began to dry her damp legs off.

The phone rung for a while, and in that time Uriel was having second thoughts about calling her. What if she had been busy? What if he was interrupting something? Just about when he was ready to hang up, a familiar voice answered the phone.

"Viv? This is Uriel.."

"Uriel, hello Uriel." she said still lazily but more alert now. "What's goin on?' she asked in that lazy southern drawl, hoping his life hadn't been a wierd as hers.
And why would it be Viv? he's not crazy enough to bait a vampire, or spy on his own relatives while he hides from them. she reminds herself. She pushed those thoughts down, Uriel seemed sweet, lonely and possibly a little troubled, she didn't like to be herself around him, or maybe she was herself around him, which was an even more disturbing thought.

She flopped down on the truck seat and dangled her legs out since she hadn't shut the door, propping the towel under her head and listening to Uriel.

"Mmm..." he contemplated this, tapping claws against the phone. It must be odd that he has to contemplate something so simple as 'what's going on' but then you find out all the other weird things about him and suddenly it doesn't seem so odd anymore.

Finally he answered in a rather lazy tone that seemed to be deep and coated with honey, "Not much. How about you? How've you been?" He rolled over on the couch again, clutching the phone to his ear. He opened his eyes again, looking as the torn, ugly material he was laying on.

"Honestly, I've had a screwed up week, I'm trying to put it behind me. Did you wanna go do something, or did you just call to talk?" she didn't think he had just called to talk, he was about as talkative as she was.

She laid there with her eyes closed and the sea mist sprayed around her legs. He did have a nice voice. Too bad he wasn't more talkative, she'd just lay there and listen, maybe melt to the seat.

"Nn, I'm sorry about that..." he said softly in a rather soothing tone of voice, sitting up and reaching across the couch to grab a pillow, lay back down, then hug it to his chest. He had several things on his mind, but if Viv was having a bad week than he really didn't want to bring them up right now.

Perhaps he should invite her to do something, and ask her later on in the date.

"I don't know. I wasn't really sure if you were going to answer, but if you want to do something..." it was left unsaid, but the words 'then we can' were implied.

She didn't really want to do anything, but she did want to see Uriel. She liked him entirely too much for someone who was still practically a complete stranger.

"Where are you, right now? I can come get you and we can drive around, I just can't sit still right now. I was getting ready to walk around out here by the water when you called. It's good you called, I almost left the phone in the truck." she told him.

"Unless you just called to talk in which case that's fine I can walk around while we talk, as long as signal doesn't get patchy." she went on, though he sounded good over the phone he sounded better in person. She really wouldn't mind seeing him.

He was getting ready to say something else when she answered, and he shook his head a little, listening to Viv talk. Uriel would never just call to talk, because he never really has much to talk about. And of course, add to the fact that phones could never really do someone's voice justice and have bad reception in some places, it's just... not something Uriel would want to do. But now that Viv was on the phone he didn't know what he was supposed to do.

"...okay. The singal's not too good on this phone, so... I don't know. I'm at my apartment."

He dug his claws into the couch, causing them to swim around in the stuffing.

"Uriel, I have no idea where to find your apartment.....directions might be useful." she doesn't mean to sound snappish or anything, she sounds sort of tired.....Seagulls and waves can be heard in the backgound. Come to think of it, she is pretty tired after playing with that vampire last night.

She did wonder why he was calling now, perhaps this was simply the first chance he'd had to around work. She sat up in the truck and her head swam. She could feel something trying to pinpoint ther from far away. She threw up a shield and hoped it was Gattie, cursed, cursed magic.

She waited to see if directions would be forthcoming, or if they would continue being awkward to eachother on the phone.

"You asked where I was." He was tired, too. He was about to say something like 'I didn't assume you wanted directions', but figured that wouldn't be the smartest thing to say. What he said was bad enough.

"If you really want directions I'd be willing to give you some. Otherwise we could meet somewhere if you're not busy."

The awkward indeed continues.....lucky for Uriel he's dealing with a very confused Viv right now, who also happens to have sapped most of her rage the night before. Unfortunately, she is confused and upset enough that she can't conceal it in her voice even over the phone.

"I'm not busy, meet me here, at the waterfront near the picnic area at the jetty?" It was more like a plea than a question or a command. Viv definitely doesn't seem too sure of herself right now, though it does not seem she is upset with him, just simply upset.

If there's one thing Uriel's good at, it's reading emotions, or coming very close to reading them. Not that it was very hard to do, but he was constantly around people, so he could tell what people were feeling, though not in the sort of empathic kind of way. It was another of those weird things about Uriel.

"I'll be there," he reassured her. "I'll see you there, okay?"

He is of coarse very reassuring, for whatever reason Viv is ridiculously suceptible to his charms. VIv is not usually charmed by anything. "Yes, I'll see you shortly then." she said and he'd hung up.

She'd meant to tell him she didn't have the car anymore. Hopefully he'd figure it out. She got up and climbed back onto the roof of her truck and laid down up there to feel the mist and wind. She took the phone with her this time, though she had no intention of answering it unless it was Uriel again. She closed her eyes and waited while something kept whisking over her shield as if unsure about whether there was nothing there or not.

Cursed, cursed magic..........

Uriel clicked the off button on the phone, brought his claws out of the furniture, threw the pillow back in place and threw the phone on the other end of the couch. He sat up and rummaged around for some sort of shirt, finding a sweatshirt and throwing it on.

He reached over on a stand for some gloves, slipped them on, and bent down to grab his casual boot type shoes, slipping his feet into them and quickly tying them. He headed out the door, pulled his hood over his head, and started his way to the waterfront. She sounded upset.

He quickly got to the parking lot outside of the apartment building and got on his bike.

And sometime later, he was at the waterfront, off his bike, and near Viv's new truck.

"Hey," he called softly to her, "what's wrong?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you...." she said climbing off the truck and landing neatly on her feet to walk over to him. She was glad to see him. Sad he's likely the only person she'd be glad to see at all and she barely knows him.

He gave a gentle laugh. It wasn't meant to be mocking, just soothing. When she walked over to him he moved only slightly and smiled very softly, standing beside her and putting an arm around her. It wasn't a possessive sort of thing, because he was only trying to make her feel better.

He'd heard plenty of crazy things... surely he would believe what she told him? "Just try me. I'm here to listen if you want."

She leaned into him slightly and accepted his gesture for what it was, comfort. She shook her head, "Uriel, the less you know the better off you are." she told him sadly. "I just can't right now." And she felt bad about it, but she couldn't mix him up in it.

She shouldn't even have decided to meet him. She should just give him a wide berth and keep him safe from notice. But she was feeling lonely and confused right now so she didn't do that. Instead she just walked with him and let him make her feel better.

"I apologize," he said almost immediatly, but he didn't sound hasty at all. He sounded tired, and he sounded sincere. "I didn't mean to pry." He was not at all upset about not knowing, because personal matters were personal matters. "I was just concerned."

That's what friends are supposed to do, right? Act concerned, and try to be comforting? That's exactly what he tried to do as he walked with her, listening to the waves lap against shore, and the persistant cry of the lonely gulls. He needed some distraction from everything.

"So why'd you call, did little fairies tell you I needed to hear from you? " she teased lightly. She felt better simply being with him and was glad he accepted that she couldn't tell him what was wrong. She wanted to, but she couldn'nt do that too him. "And I know you weren't trying to pry, you thought I might want to talk about it. " she reassured him.

A faint smile pulled at his lips, as small and subtle as it was. It was there if you looked hard enough. "I don't know why I did." He had needed company too, believe it or not. But that wasn't exactly the reason he had called her. "I just wanted to know how you were doing, and I did say I'd call you."

"Yes you did." she agreed with her own slight smile. " I wasn't sure you'd find me after we got off the phone, I meant to tell you I didn't have the car anymore." she siad as she walked with him. She was glad he'd called. She'd rather think about him then the vampire she could now feel, her brother being in the city, or the strange magical probing or whatever it was.....Those thoughts were the path to madness so she didn't think about them any more.

"You been okay, or still working too much?" she asked him. At least he didn't look as rough as when she'd gone to "Dark" to fix the breaker boxes.

"To be honest, I wasn't quite sure if it was you on that vehicle." He gave a tiny shrug, closing his eyes for a brief moment that was just a tad longer than a long blink. He gave a gentle sigh, looking out at the water, seeming consumed by this atmosphere and the company of someone. It was nice to have company when you needed it.

"I've been okay."

Yes it was nice to have company. It was a luxury that Viv normally would not allow herself. Yet here she was having a third outing, with Uriel. She felt better when she was with him, she still barely knew him, this should tell her magical senses something, but she ignores it as she has before. Today she does not ignore it in the same way though, today confusion, and preoccupation, rather than a lack of honesty with herself, make her fail to notice many odd little details about Uriel.

She simply kept walking with him, glad he had come and that he said he was doing okay. The wind and mist blew her hair around as they walked, and for the moment she was almost at peace.

She wasn’t the only one who had not noticed little, odd details. Uriel didn’t notice (or rather, didn’t question) that she was very good at throwing sharp objects such as knives. By the way, he still had the teddy bear, and he’d not destroyed it yet. In fact, he’d grown quite fond of the stuffed creature, as a little kid would grow attached to a small animal. It was the animal he’d not had as a kid, and it held some sort of value, as it was a gift from his new friend. Friend… it was so nice to attach that word to this new city, to this life… to finally have a friend.

(short, sorry.)

(Quit apologizing, I'm not cranking out pulitzer prize posts myself :) )

They walked around for a long time. Longer than it had seemed to Viv at any rate it was almost sunset now. "You want to sit at one of the tables for a little while?" she asked, sounding slightly tired. Her legs were a little sore.

Walking in the salt air had tired her out some, so had unwinding a bit in Uriel's company. Strangely he was likely her only friend, especially since he was still practically a stranger. He didn't pry though, and seemed to accept her as she was, or at least what she could let him see. Maybe that is why he was her friend, he didn't know her, or insist on knowing all about her.

Viv didn't think about it. She watched the sunset and held his gloved hand. Though she was not really aware of the glove.

"If you'd like to," He said sort of slowly, carefully picking out the words he wanted to use, "that would be nice." After all, this atmosphere was relaxing enough. He would have rather simply sat in the sand and watched the ocean as the sun set, but a table was nice as well.

Uriel had tried to make friends before Viv, but it didn't seem to work. It was good he had his secrets... he had his abnormalcy hidden away and she'd not found out about it yet, or else he'd lose yet another person that should have been his friend. Norman was scared by those wings of his, didn't believe in them... they'd freaked him out, so he vowed never to show them or his claws ever again.

"The tables, yes. I could sit in the sand, but then I would lay down, and then I'd no doubt fall asleep." she said in a tired voice. She was tired, but she simply didn't want to be alone at the moment.

She was alone most of the time, the only real connection she often had with people was fear or pain. The rest of the time she remained detached. Even her regular customers tended to remain aloof from her. She was cheap, efficient, and typically communicated no more than the bare minimum with anyone. She did good work though, so she had no shortage of jobs. Jobs and money do not automatically bring friends though.

Not that Viv really wanted a lot of friends, she was a danger to anyone she formed any sort of attachemnet to. She didn't want to be alone all the time either though. It made it so much harder to try to stay focused, when there was nothing to do with your empty hours except be alone with your thoughts and memories.

"And there's something wrong with going to sleep? I mean, if you have nothing else to do..." why not sleep? Uriel would have been protective of her, as he would have been with anyone who slept out in the open, all too vulnerable... all too much a near willing prey to the sick people out there. It couldn't be a more blatant sign to attack unless you wore a shirt saying 'RAPE ME' or a pin on your shirt saying 'happily unarmed'. Then again, there was always that paranoia about trusting Uriel, as he could very well do things to her in her sleep. Not that the thought had even crossed his mind, however.

"Well I never sleep well in sand for starters." she laughed, "Plus it would be rude, Oh yes can you meet me so I can fall asleep after you get here. I mean Really!" She doesn't mention she has trouble sleeping, or why. Better not to mention it's difficult to sleep due to some very violent impulses.

They make their way to the tables and sit at one without giving it much thought. Viv was almost ready to lay her head on the table and sleep anyway, she wasn't feeling restless curents of evergy or a need for pain at the moment and at least sleeping at the table it wouldn't be hard to get up. She slouched across the table resting her chin on crossed arms while they sat there.

"Well, I did call you. And it's not rude to sleep if you're tired, Viv." He grinned as he slid onto an empty spot, sitting at the table next to Viv with his arm still around her. "I really wouldn't mind."

"Later I wanna ask you something." Maybe after a little more time sitting and just resting.

Strange, Uriel was definitely strange. She was so tired though, very tired even though she had slept after her encounter with that vampire. She took a deep breath and then went to sleep with his arm around her. She didn't think he'd try anything, and if he did......she didn't finish the thought before sleep took her.

Dreamless sleep, she could still hear the waves crashing while she slept, such a soothing sound.

Smiling faintly, he looked down at her as she slept, leaned somewhat against him since he had his arm around her. He had been somewhat tired himself, but he wasn't going to go to sleep, for anything could happen whil he slept. He hated sleeping somewhere he wasn't guranteed to be safe.

He gave a gentle sigh, dropping his arm down her body somewhat, letting his eyes half-close.

She slept for about an hour. She woke up because she realized she wasn't alone. It only took a minute to remember she was with Uriel. "How long was I out?' she asked him sleepily.

He seemed tired himself. "You okay, you look like you could use a nap yourself." she pointed out and put an arm around him.

"Didn't you want to ask me somehing?" she was sounding more awake now.

Still the cry of the gulls went on, though seeming less frequent as darkness was dawning on the beach, casting particularly dark shows in the areas that should've only had faint ones.

"Hey, sleepy head," he said playfully, and just a touch tiredly, "I'd say about... fourty-five minutes?" He estimated, looking up at the sky.

"Yeah, 'm fine." He replied with a gentle nod. "Oh, mm, yeah. It'll sound odd, but..."

"It'll sound odd, I doubt that, People ask me the strangest things." She told him really they did, in either line of work.

She listened to the gulls cries they seemed to be diminishing and the breeze was getting down right chilly to her. She rubbed her arms a bit. It was only the damp wind making her feel cold she knew.

"Mm... 'kay." He took in a breath, frowning a little in thought. He wasn't sure how he was going to ask this, but he might as well take a stab at it without sounding too hesitant. "I need to borrow some money...?" It felt strange having to ask her that.

The mental stumbling block with the question for Viv was the word BORROW. Afterall when you go collect owed money and make examples of people who OWE like Viv does.....well.....Needless to say Viv won't loan money.

She could tell he really didn't really want to ask. She rubbed his shoulder while she thought how to answer, She didn't want him to think she was saying no. She worked this over in her mind.

"Borrow, uhm, what if I just Gave you money?" she said. She wasn't about to explain her logic, she really didn't want Uriel to know about some of things she did. "How much do you need?" she asks. After all it is only money to her, she only needs so much for herself.

Perhaps he'd asked the question too soon, but she was the only person he knew at least well enough on a social level to ask. And he didn't know about her logic about owing and borrowing money. Right now Uriel owed money he didn't have and was asking to borrow some so he'd be in debt to yet another person. But that's the story of Uriel's life.

His pink eyes strayed elsewhere for a moment as she thought what he'd asked over in her head. He wouldn't hold it against her if she said no, because asking for money for him was a big thing. He tried not to seem too shaky about this.

"I... it's not much."