sweethymns | Pictures in the Dark

Close enough to the truth, so it should work.

[He doesn't look directly at her when he answers her next question.]

Um, I keep myself busy with work a lot. I mean, I have old contacts from my school days, all the way back to high school, but- [He kind of lets that sentence hang in the air for a second. The truth of the matter is that he keeps to himself a lot, and it's hard to gussy up that statement to make it sound like something else.] I don't really do a lot of... "hanging out" with people.

...

[Reaching up to RUFFLE MICHAEL'S HAIR.]

Don't do that to yourself!

[Wh- hey! He reaches up, running his fingers though his hair to straighten the mess, and to "shield" himself from her. Neither really works properly.

He manages to string at least two words together in his surprise.] Do what?!

Don't make yourself lonely.

[Her voice tones down, but it's quite serious.]

Iona...

[He drops his hand, looking at her with a(n obviously strained) smile. He doesn't really want anyone to worry about him, but he shouldn't be surprised that she would be so apt to.]

I'm not lonely. Really. You don't have to worry.

[Usually she'd keep pressing, but Oren's warned her enough times to try and restrain that part of her personality; the part that wants to encompass everyone she meets even if it's overbearing.

So she puts down her hand and crosses her arms with a serious nod.]

Alright then. This just means one thing.

You're gonna make friends with the lizard people.

[Now THAT is an obvious joke.]

[He's secretly glad for the change of tone, and offers a more sincere grin.]

The ones that you think are using this place for war conferences? Gee, thanks.

Think about it! You'd have a gang of lizard people to back you up if someone tries to mess with you!

I also have time-stopping powers, remember?

[POWERS THAT MAKE HIM FAINT....]

[And she'll gladly point them out.]

Until your powers stop messing with your head, I'd say the lizards are a good back up plan.

[A tiny scoff.] We're working on the former right now, so maybe let's not fall back on the latter just yet.

[One of the customers waves to Iona and she straightens up, smoothing out her skirt.]

Well, back to work! We should be done in a few hours so save some energy for tonight, okay?

Sure thing. [He nods, and then after a moment, diligently returns to the task at hand: working.]

[Later, when the cafe is emptied out and the chairs are set on top of the tables, Iona sits on top of the counter, dangling her legs (she's short, shhhhh) and she lets out a relieved sigh.]

Phew! Even I'm tuckered out. How're you doing for your second night?

[He stands next to where she's seated, leaning against the same counter. If Iona is tuckered out, Michael is that and then some. He gives a short laugh at her question.]

A little tired, but I've still got some energy left for a night on the town.

[If there's a twist of irony in the "night on the town" part, it's merely because he's hardly the type to ever utter those words in succession. It's not a lie, though; he can still keep going for a bit, his only saving grace being his penchant for staying up late during his college years a habit he hasn't completely broken yet.]

In that case, we're going to have to use my entrance. Oren can take care of the rest while we freshen up and go out.

[Iona's entrance, coincidentally, leads to her apartment.]

Your entrance?

[He pauses, mind trying to infer what that means.]

So we'll be dropped off close to your place?

Super close! Like right into my living room!

[

um.]

Do you want me... to just... wait outside while you get ready then?

[Where outside? Just... outside. Her apartment or... something.]

Oh! I'm sorry, did I make it weird??

I mean, in that case, you could wait here with Oren...

No, not weird, not exactly-

[Maybe he's just being overly sensitive to this stuff, he wonders. She's just offering for the sake of convenience, after all, and it would be nice to freshen up some before heading out.

How quick she is to invite a guy to her apartment without really thinking twice about it, though. That's the part that floors him, but it runs so parallel with her personality, and what Michael knows about her so far. Maybe, then, he shouldn't be so surprised.]

It's fine, I'll go too. [He corrects, with a little smile.]

[PHEW, Iona looks relieved.]

Right! So that's that. It's just a quick change and then we'll head out after all.

All right. [He pushes his weight off the counter, straightening.] Right behind you.

[Iona opens the cafe door...

And it leads to what clearly is an apartment room. It's very well furnished and modern, with some colorful touches in wall decor, thanks to Iona herself. Heck, it's probably expensive since this is LA we're talking about. Unlike the cafe, there's no hint that there's anything inherently magical even though the two inhabitants are the very definition of it.]

Home sweet home! Well, not quite as homey as the Grind mind you.

[He steps out and looks around; Michael's surprised, really. He expected a place that looked far more "magic-y", but instead finds himself in a relatively normal looking apartment, though certainly nice and modern.]

It's a nice place. [He won't sit unless he's invited to, so he'll just stand for now.] Someplace relaxing to come home to, right?

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LATER THAT NIGHT...

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