sincerest-flattery:

wrapped-in-shadows:

sincerest-flattery:

You, you would? [Glances down at the card in surprise, but reaches out a hand to take it.] Oh, thank you, I… [She gives him a small smile.] I would like that, if you are willing.

[Smiles back at her] Of course. [The card has his phone number on it, as he said, but also his email and website, with a little blurb about how he’s an artist.] I hope we’ll hear from you soon?

[Looking over the card quickly, she reads over the information before carefully pocketing it and looking back up.] Yes, I will be sure to. [Someday soon, time willing.]

Wonderful. [He smiles again, and gives her a little nod.] And p-please be careful. This city isn’t a safe place. [With that, he departs]

sincerest-flattery:

wrapped-in-shadows:

sincerest-flattery:

[It helps that he didn’t ask, didn’t want her to explain.] Yes, though I am not sure if she will recognize me. [She’s not being entirely truthful, she knows Katelynn won’t recognize her, but it’s easier to avoid thinking about that.]

Well, th-there’s only one way to find out. [He gives a nervous little laugh] I’ll ask her. And if you’d still l-like to talk again sometime, um, [he hesitates, getting out one of his cards] here. My number’s on that.

You, you would? [Glances down at the card in surprise, but reaches out a hand to take it.] Oh, thank you, I… [She gives him a small smile.] I would like that, if you are willing.

[Smiles back at her] Of course. [The card has his phone number on it, as he said, but also his email and website, with a little blurb about how he’s an artist.] I hope we’ll hear from you soon?

sincerest-flattery:

wrapped-in-shadows:

sincerest-flattery:

Katelynn? [She pauses, searching through her memory, then finally smiles.] So it is Katelynn who has been helping you. We met once, before—- [Falters, blushing faintly. Explaining what she meant by ‘before’ was… difficult.]

[He looks at her curiously, wondering what “before” refers to.] Really? Th-that’s good to hear. [At least he takes from the smile that she likes Katelynn] I’m afraid I’ve been away from the city for a while, so she hasn’t mentioned you. [Which, if they only met once, is understandable.]

[It helps that he didn’t ask, didn’t want her to explain.] Yes, though I am not sure if she will recognize me. [She’s not being entirely truthful, she knows Katelynn won’t recognize her, but it’s easier to avoid thinking about that.]

Well, th-there’s only one way to find out. [He gives a nervous little laugh] I’ll ask her. And if you’d still l-like to talk again sometime, um, [he hesitates, getting out one of his cards] here. My number’s on that.

sincerest-flattery:

wrapped-in-shadows:

sincerest-flattery:

[He has someone that’s helping him, good to hear.] That’s… it is not so different from myself, I… if it was not for the support of someone important to me, I wouldn’t [Bites her lower lip] I do not know if I would be here.

[His heart goes out to her now, seeing how deeply this affects her.] Th-that sounds really sweet. [Hesitates, considering something. This is still a very alien thing for him to do, but he wants to.] And y-you seem really nice, Veda. [Swallows] M-m-maybe we could, um, h-hang out sometime? You could meet Katelynn; I think you two would like each other. [And he’d like to have more friends, and for Katelynn to have more friends who aren’t scary superpowered people]

Katelynn? [She pauses, searching through her memory, then finally smiles.] So it is Katelynn who has been helping you. We met once, before—- [Falters, blushing faintly. Explaining what she meant by ‘before’ was… difficult.]

[He looks at her curiously, wondering what “before” refers to.] Really? Th-that’s good to hear. [At least he takes from the smile that she likes Katelynn] I’m afraid I’ve been away from the city for a while, so she hasn’t mentioned you. [Which, if they only met once, is understandable.]

sincerest-flattery:

wrapped-in-shadows:

sincerest-flattery:

I did not move from anywhere. [Smiles faintly] This city is home. [Everything, everyone, she knows, is here. That by itself makes it easy enough to claim the city as home.]

[Funny, he could have sworn she’d said she’d only lived here for the last five months. But, maybe he misheard – he decides not to press the issue for the moment, since she seems nice.] I know what you mean. I was, heh [embarrassed as he remembers] very shy w-when I first came here. B-but then I met my fiancee, and she’s helped me to get out more.

[He has someone that’s helping him, good to hear.] That’s… it is not so different from myself, I… if it was not for the support of someone important to me, I wouldn’t [Bites her lower lip] I do not know if I would be here.

[His heart goes out to her now, seeing how deeply this affects her.] Th-that sounds really sweet. [Hesitates, considering something. This is still a very alien thing for him to do, but he wants to.] And y-you seem really nice, Veda. [Swallows] M-m-maybe we could, um, h-hang out sometime? You could meet Katelynn; I think you two would like each other. [And he’d like to have more friends, and for Katelynn to have more friends who aren’t scary superpowered people]

sincerest-flattery:

wrapped-in-shadows:

sincerest-flattery:

[Hearing someone describe their home like that, it’s clear just how much he loved growing up there.] So your home is… more ‘open’ than the city?

[That’s an odd way of putting it. He gives her a slightly puzzled look.] Y-yes, you could say that. But it’s not my home anymore. [Smiles a little] I’ve m-made a place for myself in the city now. And what about you, Miss Veda? Where did you move from?

I did not move from anywhere. [Smiles faintly] This city is home. [Everything, everyone, she knows, is here. That by itself makes it easy enough to claim the city as home.]

[Funny, he could have sworn she’d said she’d only lived here for the last five months. But, maybe he misheard – he decides not to press the issue for the moment, since she seems nice.] I know what you mean. I was, heh [embarrassed as he remembers] very shy w-when I first came here. B-but then I met my fiancee, and she’s helped me to get out more.

sincerest-flattery:

wrapped-in-shadows:

sincerest-flattery:

So it is close by? [Smiles at that – if it’s near enough to the city she might be able to visit one day, while Mike is busy.] What kind of village?

[Smiling a little more himself. She may be awkward, but she seems nice.] Well, l-like I said, it’s small. It’s s-surrounded by farmland, and woods … [He goes on to describe the place a little more] I grew up there.

[Hearing someone describe their home like that, it’s clear just how much he loved growing up there.] So your home is… more ‘open’ than the city?

[That’s an odd way of putting it. He gives her a slightly puzzled look.] Y-yes, you could say that. But it’s not my home anymore. [Smiles a little] I’ve m-made a place for myself in the city now. And what about you, Miss Veda? Where did you move from?

sincerest-flattery:

wrapped-in-shadows:

sincerest-flattery:

Do? [Actually has to pause to consider the question] I do not actually… have a job, if that is what you are asking. Although… what is ‘Anderson’s Field’?

[Raises an eyebrow, but then, Anderson’s Field is pretty small. If she’s new to the city, she may not have heard of it.] It’s a town. Well, m-more like a village; it’s very small. On the outskirts of the city. [He’s still puzzled by her way of speaking. There’s shy and socially awkward, and then there’s this.]

So it is close by? [Smiles at that – if it’s near enough to the city she might be able to visit one day, while Mike is busy.] What kind of village?

[Smiling a little more himself. She may be awkward, but she seems nice.] Well, l-like I said, it’s small. It’s s-surrounded by farmland, and woods … [He goes on to describe the place a little more] I grew up there.

sincerest-flattery:

wrapped-in-shadows:

sincerest-flattery:

It is nice to meet you as well. [Though how, she has yet to figure out. So far nothing has happened, so staying should prove to be similar.] No, I have been here for… five months, now.

Really? Th-that’s kind of neat. I only moved here b-back in November. From Anderson’s Field. [Awkward smile as he tries to make conversation] S-so, what do you do?

Do? [Actually has to pause to consider the question] I do not actually… have a job, if that is what you are asking. Although… what is ‘Anderson’s Field’?

[Raises an eyebrow, but then, Anderson’s Field is pretty small. If she’s new to the city, she may not have heard of it.] It’s a town. Well, m-more like a village; it’s very small. On the outskirts of the city. [He’s still puzzled by her way of speaking. There’s shy and socially awkward, and then there’s this.]