the_lioness | (no subject)

(no subject)

*Alanna is pacing around her room, brow furrowed. She's nervous, and can't quite figure out why.

Maybe it's the skirt she's wearing.

Or the small amount of face paint. No, not face paint. Make-up. That's what they called it here.

It couldn't be the knee-high boots. They aren't all that different than the boots she normally wears, if a bit less comfortable and broken in.

She misses her regular boots, mud and all.

Sighing, she grabs the long coat Bar had given her at her request and puts it on. There. No one will notice what she's wearing when they pass through the bar. She tucks her hair back and laughs softly. Maybe one day she will learn to stop worrying that she looks too female as a male, or too male as a female. The good thing about Adam is she doesn't think he cares one way or another.

At that thought, she grins and finally starts to relax.*

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

*There's a knock at the door, and a light coughing - clearing of the throat, really - and Adam's standing there, hands behind his back.*

*Alanna takes a deep breath and tries to remember that she's a noble and knows how to act dignified. She throws open the door anyway, smiling shyly.*

Hullo. I'm ready. Assuming you still want to go?

*He grins at her.*

No, I'm here to tell you that I don't want to go out.

...Oh. *Her face falls slightly, and she blinks.* Are you sure?

*A pause. A few blinks.*

Alanna. I'm kidding. Would I have dressed like this? Would I have brought a present?

Oh. OH! Good. *Blushing, she smiles and lets her eyes run over him.* You look very... handsome.

*She coughs, and suddenly looks even more confused than she did a few seconds ago.*

Wait... present?

*He shrugs, a bit embarrassed.*

For later.

*He winks.*

You look great.

Later. Alright. *She moves closer, slowly hugging him and trying to see over his shoulder - which is just laughable, really.*

Thank you. I... *She starts to explain about the skirt and the coat, but decides to let it be. If she starts to ramble, he'll pick up on the nerves.* Shall we?

*She wouldn't be able to see what it is anyway, it's wrapped. Wrapped poorly, but wrapped nonetheless. He takes her hand and walks her into the hall.*

I thought we'd just go to a pub near my flat.

That sounds lovely. *She pales a bit as they pass the security office and squeezes his hand.* We had a bit of an incident earlier. Truthfully, I don't care where we go. I just don't want to be here at the moment.

*As they head out the door, he wraps his arm around her shoulders.*

What happened?

Nick was shot in the head. Right in the middle of the bar, Adam. *She sighs, leaning into him.* I didn't actually see it happen, but I heard the shot, and rushed out. All that blood... *She shudders, eyes glazed over at the memory.* The woman responsible was captured, however.

*He wraps her up in a hug, not sure what to say, in the middle of the London on a dark rainy night.*

I'm sorry. Will he be okay?

I think so. By the time I got back from the cells, he was gone. Svava had been with him, and she saved my life once. I'm sure she saved his. Besides, he's a vampire... that has to factor in somehow.

*She smiles up at him.*

I'm sure it's fine, and I don't want to worry about it tonight. I just wish I was better at protecting my friends.

Can't be everywhere at once.

*They're walking slowly, but the pub is close, and he opens the door to the din of the pub, welcoming them in with its dimly lit smoky atmosphere.*

*Alanna deliberately kept the pace slow. As much as she's concerned about Nick, her eyes are wide with awe at London. The smells, the sounds, the sheer number of people... she takes it all in, looking very much like the startled country girl -or boy- she had been her first day in Corus.*

Aye, I know. I'd just like to be in the right spot at the right time for once.

*She bites her lip as he opens the door. The first thing she notices is the music, then the bold, dark colors, the small, round tables and high-backed chairs, and the smell: smoke, beer and cooking food. It reminds her of the Dove, but the patrons look considerably more clean. Grinning, she takes her coat off and nods.*

But I think this looks like a perfect spot for now.

*Adam was afraid that it would be too much like Milliways for her, so he's glad she likes it. For all that it is a bar, there are definitely some significant differences between the pub down the street and the bar at the end of the universe. For one, it's near impossible to get a table. He shifts from foot to foot, a bit embarrassed.*

We could, uh, go to the bar?

*Alanna is still studying the pub and the patrons with abject curiosity. Everything fascinates her. Eventually she turns back around and smiles.*

Apologies. I'm staring rather like a fool, aren't I?

*She swallows, suddenly nervous all over again. What if these people can tell that there's something... different about her? Tugging on her skirt, she blushes and nods.*

The bar it is.

*She walks that way, convinced people are eyeing her suspiciously and fervently wishing she had on breeches.

And a sword.*

*He leans over, sensing her discomfort, and places a kiss on her cheek as he whispers in her ear.*

You're doing fine.

*He clears a space for the two of them at the bar and asks the bartender for two ciders, passing one over to her when it comes.*

There should be a table shortly.

*She turns and smiles at him, taking a seat at the bar.*

Thanks.

*When the cider comes, Alanna's careful not to look the bartender in the eye. After taking a long drink, she gets distracted by a stack of cardboard coasters and laughs.*

I don't mind sitting at the bar. Do you come here a lot?

This place? Now and then.

*He takes some of the squarish coasters and starts building with them.*

When I'm not at the bar, I have to eat something.

*Forgetting that she is in on unfamiliar ground, Alanna relaxes. She hums softly and starts building her own coaster tower, sticking her tongue out the side of her mouth.*

Of course you do, and I saw the boxes of ... take away, was it? *She blushes.* But Crowley has such a lovely kitchen. Don't you use it at all?

*She grins, turning around to look at a large group of people laughing loudly.*

I wish I could know what everyone in this room is discussing at just this moment.

*Adding a third level to his tower, he shrugs.*

It's not really all it's cracked up to be.

*She playfully blows at his stack of coasters and smiles when it stays still. Perversely, hers topples over.*

What, Crowley's kitchen or knowing about all the conversations?

*She quirks an eyebrow, starting over.*

*He laughs.*

Both, really, though I was referring to the conversations. I'm sure Crowley's kitchen would be wonderful if I knew how to do much more than boil water.

*He winks at her fallen tower and keeps building his.*