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Onward and Upward (Julian & Nora) [COMPLETED]

During the first few months settling in the eternal city, the raven haired male found himself basking in the freedom the city exuded-- an enigmatic energy that just drew him closer than ever. He had hoped to seek out more people like him, and maybe someone from the past. He was not at all disappointed, from meeting his childhood best friend, Cornelia, up to getting a glimpse of an old friend he met in Siberia a few years back who he just found out was more than what she led on. Has his progress been eventful so far? That's one way to word it. Leaving his home in Westminster, England, was hard despite being fairly familiar with the nomadic tracks he's been affiliating himself with, but moving permanently to a place that's over 4,720 miles away.

The angel child was a bit skeptical and hesitant to leave his parents and family behind, but the transfer position from his occupation made it a lot easier to comprehend. Julian is an aeronautical engineering officer, which surprisingly suited him far better than being a biophysicist. It allowed him to successfully transfer his department to Colorado as a military officer. It was certainly better than nothing.

With his eyes trained on his bow that was placed neatly in the vintage casing from inside the glass cabinet, he pursed his lips lightly before getting up from his seat and went over to the glass. Retracing his finger as he loomed over it, the angel child unlocked the cabinet with a single flick. There, a beautifully intricate bow stood majestically alongside a quiver of about a dozen arrows arranged neatly. When was the last time he held one within his grasp, much less shot an arrow? Probably a few months ago when he was busy bombarded by the documents he had to work through day and night. Julian has been a busy guy for the past few years, serving his time in the military itself for most part of his career, working as an aerospace engineering junior officer that literally work on the components around. If only he was able to screw the bolt on his own body components, that would've been helpful for the Nephilim.

Sparing a few brief glances over to his mahogany desk that was filled with different colored files and documents scattering around, making a mess out of it, he hummed to himself while trying to tell that an hour out wouldn't hurt. It was a stent in his workaholic self, but even he needed a break sometimes. He's immortal sure, but he's not expandable, for sure. There was only so much a person could take, anyways. That includes the mental just as well as their physical was involved. Deciding against his own will on insisting to stay back and finish his work, Julian wrapped his fingers around the bow and dragged both the quiver and that with him as he closed the door to the cabinet before making his way out. He didn't forget to grab his car keys and jacket, because the cold didn't faze well with him as it does with a few. He's a bird, angel, or yeah, sure, but he's not immune to weather or climate change.

Once he got his engine revved up and ready to go, he sped off the compound and drove his way to the woods, a rather restricted place he would be able to hunt at. He's heard of the therianthropes, and he doubt he'd miss anything that resembles one. Regardless of it, he'll be mindful. But before making his way there, he was in desperate need of coffee; truly a man's best company. So he made sure to remind himself to stop by a cafe and get his daily dose. After parking his car at the left side of the road, Julian entered the cafe a few minutes before it was going to close with a sheepish grin asking whether he's allowed to order despite the time. Thankfully the cafe owner was kind enough to brew one extra cup for him. Accepting the warm coffee gratefully, he left a few extra dollar bills to tip and make his way outside. Just as he was about to return to his car, a creaky sound was emitted from the alleyways near the block he was at, causing the Nephilim to spare a second glance. Normally he would ignore them but on this particular night, the paranoia does set in. What if someone was in desperate need of help?

Placing the coffee aside for a while on the roof of the car as he clasped on his quiver around him and brushed his fingers against the bow, the raven-haired male carefully make his way back to at least scour the area to confirm his suspicions. Curse his enhanced emotions. While trudging through the greenery scene, he found himself humming a lullaby to himself, a hymn, until he eventually spot a perfect place for him to direct his target on. Obviously, Julian's nephilim senses were a bit rusty, that's why he didn't notice he was the one led into a trap albeit it being totally accidental. He wasn't given the time to fully comprehend things until he felt a string encased itself around his legs and dragged him away. Well, up. His bow fell from his grip and the arrows did too since he was upside down. A groan escaped him as he tried to get himself down frantically.

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DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on August 10, 2019 at 9:38

She watched the way he pondered over what she might mean by that, she didn’t really share any of her reasons for what she did with anyone, perhaps because they were a mess in her brain too and trying to explain was probably going to reveal more about the crazy way her brain worked than actual insight into the work she did. “The former” she responded pretty matter of factly when he spoke about a guilty conscience, that was exactly what her main driver had been, at least at first, she hadn’t been able to handle what her parents had done and what had happened to her friend and so she tried to find some way to atone for what they did. Since then it probably became more than that. “Good, I don’t have much patience for people with death wishes” she believed everyone had the means to learn how to protect themselves and that’s why she was involved in the dhampir community, namely the part where she taught self-defense, even to people who weren’t dhampirs “Or people who are here one day and gone the next” she muttered under her breath knowing in her life, everyone came and left and that’s why she didn’t rely on anyone.

The moment she spoke she glanced at him noting the way he seemed to put off by her comment, hers wasn’t really directed at him, it was directed at a lot of people she knew who were very fake and claimed they could do things just to show off “Oh if you can actually do what you claim you can do, I agree” she nodded noting that he seemed to be a little upset by the comment “I just know a lot of people who act like they know everything when that is far from the truth, no one is invincible and everyone has limits” his apology made her nod her head thoughtfully, she definitely understood that one, people who told you not to try and to stick to what was easy, if she stuck to what was easy she probably would have sunk into the darker side of being with a family from money, she would have stood by her parents even after she found out they were feeding the illegal drug trade too. But she couldn’t do that, her morals wouldn’t allow for it “Caring enough about something to speak up isn’t anything to apologize for” she commented matter of factly, he apologized a lot it seemed, pretty pointlessly if you asked her.

“I probably would have been a social butterfly” she commented but didn’t really explain her thoughts behind it because it was closely fuelled by the life she led in her past and the things she went through which weren’t the kinds of things she wanted to disclose to a stranger “You’d be surprised how well other me does with people” she commented alluding to her real self rather than her vigilante self. She was a businesswoman so she had to handle people all day every day and she didn’t completely snap on them. When he stopped if she asked if he was scared she raised a brow “Meeting a vigilante who beats street thugs up for a living doesn’t bother you? But no, you have nothing to fear from me” most people were scared of her, they would keep their distance, criminals definitely were because she had a pretty good catch rate and most of them ended up with their asses in jail. “Well perhaps” she commented with a shrug of her shoulders “What I do isn’t because I want anyone to thank me though, for me, it’s about justice” she shrugged slightly, she definitely didn’t do all of this because she was seeking some kind of glory.

“I guess you could say that” she responded to his question, noting the way he was pretty sarcastic and witty, she didn’t mind being around people who knew how to bite back, it assured her with more confidence that he wasn’t going to go getting offended by some comment she didn’t mean. She went silent when he managed to guess her profession so quickly, was it really that obvious? Of all the jobs in the world, he managed to guess hers so quickly. She pursed her lips and then smirked a little “Wouldn’t you like to know” she responded coyly, besides, businesswoman could mean anything, from someone who worked in an office to someone who owned a bakery so she wasn’t going to speculate his intentions behind the words.

“You make a habit of training in public?” she questioned with a raised brow a little surprised that the male was so casual about carrying weapons in public, if she did that then it would definitely cause some kind of suspicion and panic, she kept hers hidden with runes most of the time, until she needed to use them anyway. The way he smirked when she thanked him definitely had her reflexes wanting to smack the stupid smile off his face but she refrained herself, instead, shaking her head and grumbling a little “Should have left you in the alley” she sighed a little but then he started working on the wound. He was very careful with his hands which she appreciated but that still didn’t stop the pain from radiating on her side where the cut had been made. She grimaced as her grip grew tighter against the countertop but she did her best to hold herself still while he worked on it.

Talking to him was pretty much the only distraction she was getting from the pain so she kept doing so, didn’t even really matter what the topic was as long as it grabbed her attention enough to not think about anything else “Air vehicles” she commented and laughed softly “That’s such a fancy way of phrasing an aerospace engineer” it was clear probably immediately that she knew a bit more about engineering and technology than he probably realized “Do you pilot too?” she knew most engineers also learned to fly too, you didn’t see many car mechanics unable to drive after all “Always thought about learning myself, seems like it’d be really exhilarating” she had the money to, just never got around to it she supposed.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on August 24, 2019 at 16:37

The moment she confirmed to him that it was indeed the former that has been haunting and plaguing her much like how things do to some people, even himself, Julian found himself pursing his lips softly and nod, of course, he shouldn’t be surprised by this. He’s the same, is he not? “Then you must have come from somewhere that’s pretty wild or shitty” the words flew out a lot easier and smoother than what he intended to say, it made the Nephilim curse himself internally, well that sounded a lot worse than what his head was on about, “No offense” He didn’t mean to offend her with his words, but sometimes no matter how caring and understanding Julian may look and act around everyone else, he also wasn’t too gullible or oblivious enough not to know how to differ a few things away from the other. He did wonder how she would atone those ‘sins’, though judging from her nightly activities aka what he just saw go down earlier, she was doing one hell of a good job at it.

It made him both relieved and worried, the first because someone was actually looking out for the welfare of some other people she probably didn’t have to get to know directly or indirectly, the second because though it was minor wound, without further assistance or a second hand helping her, it would’ve festered into a lot worse condition and no one would ever know what she did. It was a sad reality. He didn’t say anything upon hearing the mutter under her breath since she said it quietly and that obviously meant that she didn’t really intend for another presence to hear it. “Nobody sane would want a death wish” he retorted, rolling his eyes in feigned annoyance as he continued to work with her wound. It wasn’t a big gash or anything, just a slight cut from a sharp-edged knife, most probably a pocket knife or a balisong, not that he would expect any less from the people who dealt with those illegal trades.

Julian wanted no part of it. Leading a normal life is what he’s been striving to do for the past few years yet he chose to transfer here, in a base near to a city infamously known for their supernatural population coexisting with the humans. It was fascinating so to say. Perhaps, that was why he felt the pull. Though he did have a similarity with the way she said it earlier, the people who came to stay today and gone the next, how ironic. “God, not only did you come from a background where you encounter a lot of questionable people, you had to mingle around those people too? I feel sorry for you” he pointed out, snickering mildly because he was lucky to have a job that is pressing but at least he wouldn’t have to pull out a whole speech just to talk to his superiors, he only needed to use that brain to fix and create circuits and components, easy enough. In a way.

“I apologize because it’s just naturally ingrained in me. I grew up being taught that manners maketh man, no matter how cheesy and corny that thing was… my family is kind compared to most who lived on the upper side, but they were strict and stern. Always reprimanding to do this and that even when it wasn’t completely your fault. Old habits die hard, sor-” he stopped halfway uttering the sorry word and pressed his lips into a fine thin line sheepishly. The way he had to hold his head up and high while apologizing every time when he was a child made it seem like boarding school was a haven to the angel child. His brows were furrowed into a slight frown as he tilted his head to the side and examined her side profile in awe, “Other you? Close to a social butterfly? Would you look at that, such an alter ego” he chuckled, brushing his fingers against her cut delicately.

“I don’t mean to say that I dislike this you or have anything against you, but I probably would’ve liked the other you, especially if you work in the industry where the administration is a pain, people could use seeing a sweet smile every once in a while… especially a sincere one” He shook his head the moment he was asked if it scared him, truthfully there were far more pressing and scary matters in this world to think about, so much that a handful of thugs dealing in the illegal black market world didn’t faze him as much as the first, “No, not really.” Julian had a small smile on his lips when she told him he had nothing to fear from her, “Good to know I would not be found tomorrow morning with my body hung up and organs gone” It was probably never going to stop bothering him about how jumpy he’s been on that human trafficking matter, albeit not human but he is a halfie so close enough. “Then that’s good enough” he stared at her with a knowing look as he closed the wound with the gauze, “Justice is low nowadays, good to see someone who looks up to it and actually does something about the lack of it, action speaks volume. Definitely louder than words.”

When she said she should’ve left him in the alley, he chuckled and shook his head, “If you did, I wouldn’t be here to do this." The moment he saw the brief look of pain masking her features, he bit his bottom lip and wondered if he should do what he’s about to do, it’s to help, right? When else is he going to use his clairsentience ability if not to aid someone in need of it? So he did exactly that, he closed his eyes momentarily to visualize it and when he fluttered his eyes open, he tried to soothe her by mentally relieving the pain. It’s still there, but she wouldn’t be able to feel it for now. The mind can be such a powerful weapon. Julian parted his lips in awe when she guessed his occupation right on the spot, but nodded nonetheless, “Yeah... I have the license to pilot as well, though most of us aren’t exactly granted the luxury of any ‘leisure time’ so the hangar is pretty much our second home. How come you know about aerospace so well?”

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on August 24, 2019 at 22:36

His pretty blunt comment hit the nail right on the head, either way, you took the words he said, though she’s got with the latter. She rolled her shoulders back and then let out a soft laugh when he followed it up with a ‘no offense’ blanket statement “None taken” she responded with a cynical snort “Pretty accurate really, though many people have messed up pasts” she knew that much for sure, everyone who was supernatural seemed to have something that happened to them, it just wasn’t a world where everyone got along and were good to one another, never would be regardless of how much she wished things could be different. His retort about people being sane and having a death wish made her shrug her shoulders “You’d be surprised how many people I have seen put themselves into the firing line of danger without thinking of the consequences” emotions definitely clouded judgment, she had no doubts about that, especially when it came to caring about others “I mean I get why in theory but in reality I’m just exasperated by recklessness” she had trained for months before she went out on the streets and she knew how to handle herself.

Sometimes Nora questioned herself on her own sanity if she was honest, the life she lead, it wasn’t for the faint-hearted, every night she went out there was a fair chance she might not come back and she had made peace with that. But it was also the reason she kept people far from her, having someone depending on her to come home, that might hinder her ability to do what she needed to do “Don’t feel sorry for me, other people have things way worse than I do” those were the people she tried so hard to protect, the vulnerable, the ones who didn’t have a voice or the means to stand up for themselves. “Though I guess sometimes the pity would be nice when I have to listen to someone talk about all the investments they made with daddy’s money for 2 hours straight” she gave an exasperated sigh but said little more because she didn’t want to reveal too much about her personal background.

She listened to the way he talked about his upbringing, frankly, he seemed like a nice and kind person, the sort who couldn’t turn his back on someone in need which she supposed she could relate to. He’d insisted on helping her even after she sarcasmed his ear off. “Well at least they didn’t raise you to be a brat” she commented and shrugged her shoulders, she had seen the worst of what parents could do to their children, herself included and so she was glad for anyone who had gotten a good upbringing and was raised to be respectful and appreciate what they had. “Well caught, clumsy” she commented with an amused tone as he stopped himself before apologizing, Julian seemed to be a little awkward with his words but she got the sentiment of what he was trying to say. “I’m gonna pretend you didn’t say that like an insult” she commented with a shake of her head noting the way he implied that she was hard to approach. Well, he wasn’t wrong but it still didn’t sound nice to hear out loud.

She resisted the urge to shudder from the pain when she felt his fingertips brush over the cut but she didn’t say a word, instead, listening to what he said about her “Don’t get me wrong I’m not Snow White or anything” she commented with a shake of her head “I’m not that good of an actor” she stressed the word ‘that’ as she spoke “But at work we all have to save face a little, coworkers and customers alike expect certain things” but when she got home, she preferred to have her alone time, where she could process the day and not have to say a word to anyone. When he said he wasn’t afraid she did allow a small smile to cross her lips, it was nice to know that someone out there didn’t find her completely unapproachable. “I mean, you did make yourself pretty easy to trap” she commented with an equally amused tone back to him “Maybe throw a few stones before you run headfirst down a creepy alley next time” though his presence there had definitely worked out in the end so she probably shouldn’t complain too much.

His comments on the reasons she did what she did, they meant a lot, just to hear someone say that they thought she was doing the right thing was completely foreign for her and she just stared at him for a moment in disbelief “Yeah if only the authorities wanted to do anything about it” she commented with a sigh “I deliver them on a silver platter and no doubts most will just get a slap on the wrist” still, it wasn’t like she could do anything herself, she was already breaking the law by fighting these people, wrongful imprisonment wasn’t one she wanted to add to the list. “Well true” she commented as he quipped back about how he was here helping her, sometimes she cursed herself for being completely unable to just be grateful. She was expecting the pain, did her best to brace herself for it and yet while he was working away it just seemed to fade, a dull ache in her side but little more than that.

She was a little confused and perhaps a little worried that she had suddenly become unable to feel pain but she was too grateful for the break to care. When he questioned her on her interest she shrugged her shoulders a little “Personal interest in the field, friend of mine always wanted to go into the airforce and she loved to tell me all about planes and how they worked” never got to see the dream come true unfortunately but Nora had kept the passion alive through the work she did at Everectronics and by generally keeping in the know on topics she knew she would have loved “I couldn’t actually fix one but, I could probably keep up with the explanation of how to” that’s where her knowledge sat anyway “But mostly I just really like the idea of flying, not just in a plane as a passenger but flying and having control over flying” she realized she was talking quite freely which was unlike her so she pressed her lips together cursing herself for letting herself get carried away.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on August 28, 2019 at 15:27

Despite his sarcastic and witty self that was pretty much hidden for most times of the day, Julian usually wouldn't want to strike any cord inside anyone, he didn't wish to offend anyone, even if the person deserved such offense. That's just him, the angel child usually doesn't have a filter to go with that mouth but as soon as those words fly out, he would clamp it straight back up and apologize. Though seeing from the reaction he received from the female regarding apologies, he decided against doing that and kept his lips pressed into a thin line and offered her an impish look, "Most people usually take what I say with a heavy heart… I guess in a way, they don't think I'm a liar anyway, I'm glad you didn't… I was this close" he waved his hand in front of her and made a gesture with his thumb and index finger as if he's pinching a small cube MSGs usually use, "to apologize… again. And you've made it clear earlier that you weren't a big fan of if so…" his eyes were cast downward due to the amount of awkwardness filling his entire body.

It wasn't supposed to be this hard trying to talk to someone, he's not anti-social, for sure. The comment about most people having messed up pasts caused Julian to purse his lips and nod in affirmation, where was the lie? "Guess I'm just fortunate to have a better past than most are given." His life was pretty good up until the tragedy with his former fiancee, or late, whichever one would use. He could understand why she was aggravated and bothered by the fact that people sometimes managed to put themselves in line out of recklessness without thinking of the consequences that would follow suit, but he also applauded the courage whoever mustered it up to go through that. It's a complex situation. "I can get behind that, wish some people would go in more prepared. I was in no doubt, putting myself in probable danger when I went into the alley earlier but at least I knew I could wriggle my way out of things when push comes to pull."

It wasn't bragging, but he was confident he could get through it once he feels the pressure enough. "Just because people have it way worse than you, doesn't mean you have to keep disregarding your own situation. It's stupid of me to even start to say this because you may lead a different and happier life outside this… alter ego of yours, but I don't see how people needed to evaluate the difficulty of their lives on a scale" he frowned, it seems that they do have plenty of things to disagree over while also agreeing with each other, it was amusing, "Your live is still yours, if you think it's harsh and difficult then nobody should undermine that. Nobody should have to withstand anything. They have the right to respond to it…" He was careful to select his words, remaining a bit more articulate with it because the last thing the Nephilim wanted to do was piss or offend the dhampir off.

Investments? So he was right that she was affiliated with the business background, this made him quirk a small smirk that was evident across his distinct features. "They can suck like hell, I imagine it's like having to constantly sacrifice your ears for the sake of it." He feels the same whenever investors come and talk about what they want and what they envisioned, most of the time it's all absurd because their job was to create and fix but not to the extent of their fantasy world, it was like asking them to create a unicorn out of thin air without any materials. Not that they could create something like that even with materials. A small smile graced his lips when she said his family didn't raise him as a brat, "No… they didn't, huh" and he was proud of it. They were quite traditional and set in their ways but they prioritise family and blood above everything else.

He didn't mean it as an insult, but hey, if she sees it that way, "I mean… if the shoe fits" he shrugged teasingly and chuckled, she's like a grumpy cat you want to pet while also knowing she can slit your throat without any notice. Peculiar. He noticed the way she was trying hard not to wince or flinch when her wound gave her enough reason to do so, "It's okay to show you're in pain, you know? Nobody else is gonna see it anyway… it's just me here and I'm pretty sure my pride was already ripped apart the moment you hung me upside down because of that booby trap" he murmured softly, gazing at the female with enough contempt. "I get what you mean when you say customers expect what they look forward to, the same situation applies on any workplace on a daily basis. Believe me, I've been faced with ridiculous requests to design a new aircraft that would weigh less or a component that will save the fuel and charge the jets with solar energy instead. To be immunized from EMP and all that, it was frustrating."

From the scrunch of his nose, it was clear that Julian had enough clients that stressed him more than his work paid him. "But I still love what I do… just those inconsiderate and unbelievable people sometimes didn't fit quite into the memo." A small whine escaped him when she mentioned how easy it was for her to trap him, "You're never going to let me live that down, are you? I mean… considering if we ever meet again" his voice fell quieter upon the end, she seemed like someone he would very much like to be acquainted with, a bit of a dangerous individual but isn't the world itself one? "That's a terrible idea, what if the stones hit innocent people? What if they hit homeless people? Or cats? Dogs? Animals? Hello?" he shook his head and huffed, "It's good as shooting an arrow inside there…"

He kept a silent treatment throughout the time she talked about authorities taking action, it wasn't an ideal situation he agreed but sometimes, we can't change the entire thing even if we wanted to, it was a sad reality, the same way how a happy individual like him turned a bit reserved and colder now, but that's a story for another day. Once he saw the look on her face that wasn't scrunching while trying to keep the pain in, he grinned proudly, "Do you feel better now? I wasn't sure how it would work since I haven't used it for years…" Admittedly, the last time he used it was to soothe her sister who also lost her husband a while ago. "You like flying? That's rare, I haven't seen any who actually likes to do that. Not just flying in an aircraft space but flying in general, whenever I ask what they'd do as a bird, they would say they'd rather be a chicken or birds who couldn't fly."

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on August 28, 2019 at 20:30

“Yeah well I learned pretty early in life that a lot of people say a lot of bullshit” he commented with a laugh and shrugged her shoulders, she guessed she just got used to people lying and bigging up the things they had to say that words meant very little to her “Actions speak much louder for me, which is why you’re still here” she had paid close attention to the actions he had taken tonight, how he hadn’t gotten angry when he rightfully could have, how he refused to leave her behind even when she told him she didn’t need his help. She could respect the picture he painted of himself. “But you do need to stop with the apologizing, there is nothing to be sorry for” she shook her head but gaze him a slightly playful look. “Just don’t take it for granted like I did” she commented with a shrug of her shoulders, she really hadn’t appreciated what it was like to have everything until she lost it, nowadays she tried to give back as much as she could and really treasure any fortune she did get.

She nodded slightly “I’ve seen a few copycats try and do what I do but none of them truly understand what they’re getting into, how dangerous the criminal circle can be and how ruthless people can be to protect their interests” she rolled her eyes, greedy people would always be greedy, unfortunately, nothing she could do but prevent them from hurting people. She gave him a scrutinizing look when he said he was prepared for the danger he faced earlier “You do remember that you froze up, right? You shoulda ran like hell” she commented curiously, mostly trying to figure the guy out. He seemed brave but also reserved at times which was a very strange combination.

His words of sympathy probably would have had some effect on the average person but Nora just wasn’t the type of person who wanted people to feel sorry for her, she didn’t deserve sympathy, she deserved people to hate her for not seeing what her parents were doing and not being able to stop it. Hell, she hated herself for it. “I don’t need anyone’s pity” she commented as she pressed her lips together and looked at him sternly “I take responsibility for my role in everything, I’m not gonna blame the world for my own fuck-ups so” even if people constantly told her what happened wasn’t her fault she still didn’t feel right doing nothing to right the wrongs her parents made. She realized her words might sound a little harsh and quieted “I’ve made peace with my lot, I’m an action girl, not the type who sits around waiting for something to save her” he hoped he understood that much.

“If there’s one thing I can’t stand in the world it’s entitled people” she commented bluntly “It’s why I go to the castle by the west of the city so often, no one deserves to lose their life because of someone else’s greed” and a few times she had seen the glow of celestial energy through the walls and so had passer-bys. She made sure they went on their way, a silent guardian of the night she supposed. No one in Evermore needed anyone to come along and start screwing up timelines after all. “I don’t need to worry about you when it comes to that though, you’re probably too humble for your own good, I can tell” despite not being all that approachable herself, she was pretty good at reading people and figuring them out and she had a positive view of him so far.

She grumbled a little when he spoke again, shaking her head a little, her temperament wasn’t helped by the fact that the cut against her side was stinging like hell ever since he started working on it, to be expected but didn’t mean it didn’t hurt any less. It seemed he noticed how hard she was trying to push down the pain and she nodded a little “Yeah I’m used to….much more hostile company” she admitted with a slight twitch of a smile at the corner of her lip “Showing pain is showing weakness you know” it was a switch she didn’t really know how to turn off but she did laugh when he spoke about his own pride “Actually you were pretty brave, most guys cry and beg for me to let them down so” she chuckled softly, now those were funny to remember when she was having a bad day.

She did begin to relax though, her grip loosening against the side she was holding and her breathing steadying as she felt the pain begin to subside, it was like a breath of fresh air and she was enjoying the moment and listening to him talk, he had quite a soothing voice, she noted, very thoughtful and well-spoken “Everyone has bad days at work, usually related to customers or managers, sometimes both” she laughed dryly “It’s nice to hear someone so passionate about what they do though” she commented as what was probably the first real compliment she had given someone in a long time but she quickly played it off. “Nope, how could I ever forget the topsy turvy giant I managed to catch” she grinned, teasing him a little about it.

She rolled her eyes at his dismay over the idea of throwing stones as though she was telling him to literally throw stones “Not literally you idiot” she spoke bluntly “I meant case your surroundings before rushing straight into danger, phone flashlight would have saved you the escalation” she chuckled softly at her own joke and shrugged. When he spoke about her pain she didn’t catch on to what he was doing or even talking about so she dropped her gaze to the wound “There’s no way in hell that’s already done” she commented with a questioning brow, what was he even talking about? She cleared her throat when he picked up on her slight excitement “I like the idea of it I guess, the idea of the freedom it would give” she admitted and dropped her gaze for a moment “Though it’s not like it’d ever actually happen so” ever the realist was Nora “What made you want to get into the field?” she asked as she flicked her gaze over to him.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on September 3, 2019 at 16:28

The longer he kept hearing her speak out, the more intriguing he found this person to be. Her gender didn't waver him any bit, the fact that she is a female, a hard-headed and stubborn one at that, not to mention quite brave and daring all the same while wearing her justice hood, it just made him admire her more. Something about her just calls out to him and he knew whatever she is doing, she had a very good reason warranting them, of course Julian isn't exactly a saint either but he tries not to hurt people who don't really deserve it, but if needed, he had no problem getting down on dirtying his hands to assure the peace would continue to commence. This thrill inside him, he needed to tame it down if he had any chance of actually living a normal and mundane life without having any casual murder threat popping out of nowhere just hecause he decided to go help someone and get in a middle of a local mob or gang war. He does not need that at all.

Something about her screamed raw and real, perhaps it was her own unwavering stance of confidence that drew him into admiring her. "Are you telling me that if I wasn't useful, you would have shoved me off and tell me to go back home from where I came from?" he quirked his eyebrows inquisitively but the slight curve at the corner of his lips sure said otherwise, he was amused. "I try not to take things for granted… something like a life lesson to me. A cheesy philosophy, really." When she talked about how copycats annoyed her while also hinting that she was worried about how stupid those people can be getting themselves in trouble that could possibly lead to a gruesome path, or even death, he pursed his lips and pressed them into a small smile, "That small caring side of you is charming" he pointed out, for someone who had a demeanor like her, he knew it was hard to get pass her on anything but it didn't seem like she would chase him out there anyway, so why not be honest there? It wasn't as if he had anything to lose.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance as he huffed, "Okay fine, perhaps I did freeze… momentarily. I was in shock. God, if my sister saw me freezing up she'd chew me alive" he grumbled, massaging his temples as he looked down in embarrassment, clearly it had some impact to him as well, "Admittedly, that was a big mistake. I shouldn't have froze." It wasn't like she was trying to rub it in but it does feel like there was salt rubbed on his wound there. "But I wouldn't run… I know that's stupid of me. No sense of self-preservation, you'd say. I just can't." A tragic trauma that never left him the same ever again. Something he definitely doesn't like to dwell over. And neither did his family. "Everyone can be sympathized. Just because someone pities you, it doesn't automatically disregard your own efforts on making your peace with your problems. It's just human nature. I would rather be kind than heartless. I would rather have emotions no matter how insufferable it can be. You would know that, wouldn't you? You're half human" he murmured, her aura clearly screamed supernatural from the first time he laid eyes on her and the way she moved effortlessly and swiftly stated she was experienced in fighting.

Especially with that bow of hers. It didn't take him long to figure out she was either Nephilim or Dhampir, but there were no purple tinge in her hues and she held her bow like it was a part of her which meant it was her affinity weapon. Or at least, he thought he guessed it right. "You help out Celestials?" he asked softly, he didn't know much about them, other than the time he befriended one; Artemis. Too humble for his own good, was there another meaning to that? "What do you mean by being too humble for my own good?" Admittedly, Julian can be quite dense, at times. It's his charming quality. He's not the sharpest tool when he's tired. He paid attention to every movement she made while tending to her wound, the way she twitched and winced made him press his lips because it did seem like it hurts a lot. "Well, thankfully today is your lucky day, you get a lesser hostile company. People tell me I can be very charming" he cooed teasingly and chuckled, closing the wound using gauze and bandage soon enough.

"Showing pain is being human" he glanced up to meet her eyes before getting back to his original position which was towering over her. Upon hearing about the wire, he instinctively rubbed the sore spot around his ankle and leaned against the table and chuckled, "Yeah… I have to say those wires are quite sharp and strong. My weight definitely doesn't make it easier for me to survive though… hurts like a bitch" pulling the sleeve of his left pants up, he noticed there was a bright red bruise covering it. "I've never seen that kind of alloy material before… did you make it yourself?" He's an engineer, of course he was curious. Besides, maybe… he wanted to talk to her more. "Work is work. If you keep forcing yourself to do something you don't like, it's only gonna last for as long…" he shrugged, that's what he thought at least, he lasted for a while in that department because of his passion. "Topsy turvy giant- as if I didn't have enough reasons to be embarrassed already, you red squirrel…" he grumbled. Red. Squirrel. "You made it sound so literal with that blunt tone that I can't even differentiate which is sarcasm and which is literal."

When she expressed her disbelief in how fast he cleaned and closed the wound, he smirked smugly, "I work fast" he winked playfully, but ended up laughing at the attempts soon enough, "Yours weren't that severe. They just sting more because it tore the tissue inside, but it should be fine with some rest and no rigorous work." No one's ever asked him why he did what he did so this was the first, "I've always liked fixing electrical currents… creating components, anything that can aid anyone in something. And aeronautical… simply because when I was a kid, I loved jets. I was 6, what kid wouldn't want to picture themselves wearing a goggle and flying a fighter jet?" He paused momentarily before returning his gaze to her, "I wonder how it would be for us to meet under different circumstances. Surely your alter ego is more hospitable" he teased.

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on September 3, 2019 at 23:31

She looked at him with a deadly serious expression for a moment and then nodded her head “Yeah probably” she answered pretty honestly, she didn’t have much time for wasting time and so if there was nothing he could have done to help, she would have sent him packing, that seemed like basic logic to her “No point exposing one of my safehouses for nothing after all” she eyed him for a moment wondering if he would be stupid enough to show up here again in the future, that would be a big problem if he did but looking back at him scrutinizingly she decided he wasn’t going to risk it. When he said he didn’t take things for granted she nodded slightly “Good, that puts you one step ahead of most people” a lot of people didn’t notice what they had until it was gone and it could no longer be appreciated, she learned that one the hard way. When he spoke about her supposed caring side she scoffed a little “I am not charming” he commented under her breath, mostly annoyed that he was picking holes apart in her usually pretty well-fixed mask.

She didn’t really mean to call him out and she only realized she did when she heard the annoyed tone of his voice, though it seemed he was more mad at himself and his own actions than he was the fact she mentioned it “No you shouldn’t, it’s only a matter of time between frozen and death in some situations” though she had been there and she wouldn’t have let any of those thugs lay a finger on him, that’s what she did, protect people. She narrowed her eyes at him slightly when he said he wouldn’t run and that he didn’t have a sense of self-preservation “Then sooner or later you’re going to regret it” she commented bluntly, caring too much, it was a weakness, it was reckless, when you didn’t handle it the right way. When he pointed out the fact she was supernatural she glared at him “Watch your tongue” she warned him, knowing how many problems he could cause if the press found out she was supernatural, people were much easier to track when they were in a known minority “And keep your damn pity to yourself” she grumbled not wanting to hear another person tell her how they were sorry she went through what she did.

His words about celestials made her realize how much she had been spilling to him without even meaning to, now he knew one of her safehouses and where she often went during his time as a vigilante, if he wanted to help the authorities track her down, he could now probably do so with relative ease. She bit her cheek annoyed at the fact he was too easy to talk to “I try to” she admitted softly “From afar, they don’t know I’m there but” she shrugged slightly “I try and take care of those who need it most and they’ve been through hell and back” or that’s what she heard anyway, she just wanted to make sure no one bothered them. When he questioned her on what she said, she lifted her steely gaze to meet his hazel eyes “It means you’re too nice and one day someone is going to use that kindness against you” perhaps she was a little concerned by that given everything she had seen from him tonight.

“You seem to know how to make people talk even when they shouldn’t” she grumbled, cursing the fact he was such a good person and made himself so approachable that she couldn’t just find a reason to dislike him and move on. He’d just about finished closing the wound when he spoke again but she barely felt anything he was doing, it was clear it wasn’t the first time he’d done this and she suspected there was even more to it than that. “Yeah well you quite curtly pointed out I’m not human so” she shrugged and once he was done she pulled down her jacket and sighed gently. She did feel bad for stringing him up earlier, she crossed the room and dug out the herbal remedy that the organization had given to her once and headed over to the kettle on the desk flipping it on. “I had help” she responded when he asked if she made the alloy that set the trap, she wasn’t going to give him that lead because it went right back to Everectronics “But I know a little about that stuff, enough to make suggestions” it was clear he was interested in the stuff she had invented, she hated saying it wasn’t hers.

When the kettle finished boiling she grabbed two mugs from the barren-looking cupboard and mixed the herbs with the water, it was a blend recommended to her from the organization to promote supernatural healing and recovery and Nora suspected this guy was far from human. She picked up one of the mugs and offered it out to him “Did you just call me a squirrel?” she asked with an unimpressed expression on her face “Do I even want to know what the hell about a squirrel reminds you of me?” she noticed his apprehension about the tea and she shrugged “It promotes healing, I use it all the time to help get me back on my feet, don’t worry, it’s not a narcotic, you already saw how much I hate those” she went back to the desk and grabbed her own mug taking a long drink of it, tasted pretty bad, did wonders for the body.

Hearing him talk about his work, it became immediately clear to her that he didn’t do what he did out of duty or to make ends meet, it truly was the thing he was passionate about and he practically like up while talking about it, to the point that she couldn’t stop the hint of a smile which crossed her face as she listened to him talk “When she has to be” she answered coyly and tilted her head “You’re awfully curious about my other side for someone who avoided telling me his name” she commented as she arched a questioning brow, no that had no escaped her notice in the slightest.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on September 7, 2019 at 17:31

He stared at her with an oblivious look as she confirmed it so easily, it made him wonder if this is really a part of her wonderful personality that matches well with her exterior or it was simply just a defense mechanism. Either way, he was still fascinated by how easy she answered and retorted back at him like it was nothing. "When you put it that way, I swear I felt a pinch of hurt right here" he pointed at his chest where his heart lies, up to even closing his eyes and clutched it dramatically, hey the mood didn't have to be somber 24/7, it was bad enough the warehouse was creepy and shady late at night. He's guessing it really does live up to its abandoned name. He quirked his eyebrows up in response to her remark about being one step ahead of others, "Just one?" Admittedly, perhaps Julian wished to talk to her more and was doing a slower progress in things than he usually does but she didn't notice it, at least because his hands worked fast to cover the wound with clean gauze so it wouldn't be exposed to unclean air for long.

He rolled his eyes upon hearing her retort how she wasn't charming, "There are two types of people here, people who know they're charming and admit it, and people who don't realize they're charming but others do" he pointed a gauze her way before pointing to himself, "Take me for instance, I know I'm charming and people kept telling me that" he then pointed at her, "You say you're not charming, but I say you are so who's more valid?" Bickering with her was probably not a good idea but it was one of the ways he could keep her here slightly longer. Just a tad bit longer. Something about her kept calling him in, as if she was tugging a string to beckon him to come closer. A dangerous enigma. A beautiful one but nevertheless, dangerous. "I should probably be more mindful the next time, got it" he said sarcastically, "You could've just worded it like that, you know. I know how to read between a few fine lines."

Sighing heavily to himself, he shook his head and pressed his lips into a thin line as he stared back at her with an unidentified look, "Thank you for the reminder. Or warning… Whatever it was. Good to know you still do look out for my well-being despite being the one who strung me up like some codfish." Oh he's never going to let that go, for sure. "But it helps for you to know that some of us know we have weaknesses and we sometimes utilize that to our strength. It could contribute just as much. We learn to accept it rather than to fear it" he murmured softly, it was a teaching he's been taught since boarding school up until he graduated and became an engineer today. Something he held onto, he could easily say it's a small philosophy of his. When she snapped at him, he blinked twice and looked a bit disheartened that she still felt like he was only sympathizing with her when that wasn't what he wanted her to take from what he said earlier, a part of him wanted to call her out for being so stubborn but ended up keeping all of those things to himself.

"So in the same way, you are a guardian to them. They just don't know who to thank" he concluded with a smile, he still saw her as a defender of justice, someone people could look up to, as if he doesn't already. "Yeah I don't doubt they have… one of my friends is one. A delicate soul that sometimes you can almost feel the pain of how much they've been through" he mused tenderly, and turned his attention back at her when she said he was too nice for his own good which made him snickered, "People used to say I'm hard to approach. Being kind is all that I can do to prove them I won't eat them if they approach me. I'm nice and considerate, not naive and stupid, though you seem to think that's the case for me quite often." He had an amused grin, he wasn't going to fault her for it because he does ooze that kind of energy sometimes.

The moment she grumpily pointed out how he seemed to know how to make people talk when they shouldn't, he shrugged casually, "I told you I'm charming." So she was in a way, knowledgeable about the creation, that's good. He was already interested in her and all of the banter they had back and forth only spurred that even more. "Reliable on both physical and mental then, interesting." However, he did not expect for her to pull out some herbal remedy and offer it to him to which he accepted slowly, still holding a small look skepticism. Of course she would call him out for calling her a squirrel, he carefully took a sip after watching her taking the same and shrugged absentmindedly, "Squirrels are cute feisty little things. You either want to hold and coo over them, or you want to run away when you piss them off. Or both. So there you go, squirrel." The look on his face after finishing the contents of the tea said it all, it was almost funny to watch him furrowing his eyebrows while scrunching his nose up in distaste, "God it tastes awful…" he grumbled.

Once again he was called out again for not telling his name and he had to hide the amused smirk before extending out his hand after placing the mug aside, "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance then, Miss 'Scarlett', I am Julian Nathaniel Lockhart, a not so stealthy Nephilim you strung up earlier like a fish bait." He narrowed his hazel hues at her before craning his neck to rub against his sore muscles from earlier, "If I so stupidly end up walking into a deserted lane, would you come rescuing me?" It was a random question, just something he wanted to ask and to maybe extend their time together.

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on September 7, 2019 at 22:43

She saw the way he responded to her words but she wasn’t the kind of person that lied to save someone else from being hurt, she believed in the truth when it came to those kinds of things, people deserved to know the truth “Are you saying I have enough power to wound you?” she raised her brows at him curiously, though she had to admit his dramatic reaction did make her want to laugh. Maybe he wasn’t the worst person in the world to be around. When he spoke again about being one step ahead she gave a dry chuckle under her breath “I already gave the compliment, don’t push your luck” she spoke it bluntly, there was a certain cockiness about him which was both irritating but also kinda admirable. The thing she couldn’t understand is why he was wasting his time talking to her or taking care of her, she’d have expected him to be on his way by now.

His words made her frown for a moment as she looked back at him as he attempted to explain what he thought made her charming but his points just ended up making her more confused “Right, next you’ll be saying they’re going to build a statue in my honor” she scoffed and shook her head at him “No offense but you barely know me, you can’t possibly know what kind of person I am” really the way he was acting like he wanted to be her friend or something, that was what was bothering her. People trying to know her or be close to her, wasn’t something she was used to or entertained. No matter how many times she shot him down with a grumpy comment or by cutting off a topic he just seemed to keep coming back, it would be frustrating if it wasn’t also so fascinating “Sorry, next time I will spell it out for you” she spoke bluntly but shrugged.

“You’re not gonna let that one go are you?” she spoke and tilted her head to the side, her traps were normally set up in remote locations she knew her targets were going to come into, she rarely left someone up there too long, just enough to stop them getting anywhere until law enforcement came to take care of them “I look out for people in this city that need it, it’s as simple as that” and he was in danger by being in that alley and therefore needed her help. Especially because he refused to run away from danger for some reason. “You say it like you know something about it” she spoke giving him a scrutinizing gaze “What weakness is it that you’ve turned into a strength?” she as curious to know considering he seemed so forthcoming with all this advice she didn’t ask for. Frankly, she wasn’t sure why he was still entertaining her.

“I think that’s the case for most people, I try and keep out of the spotlight, people don’t need to know who or what saved them, in some cases they don’t even need to know they were saved, they just need to be safe” like she said before, just because the media had caught onto her activity and started reporting on it didn’t mean she was interested in being in the spotlight, nor was she doing any of this for thanks. She looked back at him as he spoke about his friend that was a celestial “I’ve never actually met one” she spoke softly and shrugged “Keep to the shadows you know” and she had no reason to go the castle as herself “I don’t know much about what they went through but I know no one deserves to go through pain like that, not if it can be stopped.” she watched him intently, he was so peculiar, it made her incredibly curious about him in a way she knew she shouldn’t be “Only sometimes, other times you make half sense” she commented with a shrug “And you’re not hard to approach” she affirmed with a nod of her head “At least not to me” she half a hint of a smile to him.

She sighed a little when he responded smugly to her comment about his demeanor, she did find him easy to talk to, even if he was cocky and a little naive “You’re also narcissistic it seems” she commented shortly and eyed him for a moment before she returned to making the herbal remedy she always relied on. She didn’t like to talk much about how she got hold of it because that meant talking about her parents, something she wouldn’t even dream of touching on with a stranger like him “So you’re calling me cute but also calling me someone who you should run from when you piss me off?” she quirked a brow “Why haven’t you started running yet then?” the joke was with purely dry humor but that was all she really knew. She laughed when he tried the tea before downing her own and pulling a similar face to him “Yeah it doesn’t get better with time either but it’s worth the results” she dropped her gaze to his ankles which she knew would be red and swollen “You should be fully healed in a few hours, maybe less considering you’re not human either” Nora knew how to spot the purple tint she saw in his eyes a mile off.

His introduction did make her smile very slightly “The middle name so wasn’t necessary” she jested back to him and rolled her eyes “And it’s nothing personal, keeping my name a secret is what’s best for both yours and my safety” the more people that knew her secret the more people could be hurt or used against her and she wouldn’t change her mind on keeping it a secret. “Well that depends if I happen to be near said deserted lane, I don’t have eyes everywhere Julian” she was wondering what his motive with all of this was “Is this your weird way of asking if we’re ever gonna meet again?” she would be lying if she said she didn’t like this guy, she thought he was sweet and caring and genuinely good person.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on September 11, 2019 at 18:55

"Sometimes I think people underestimate how much a word's worth is to someone. One word is all that it takes for another to wound the other, and quite easily if I may add" he quipped, "But yes, your words can wound me if you want to… or if I allow it to" Because at the end of the day, it depends on both parties, it needed to be mutual and consensual, at this moment, Julian had no problem sharing his insights and thoughts with the infamous vigilante. Besides, it did help to know that the angel child is also quite enamoured by her, her bravery and justified front while also playing it off as nothing fascinates him. Even if the chuckle was sarcastic or dry, he still saw it as an achievement seeing as she didn't seem like a people person at all and perhaps he wouldn't be here had it not beeb to his medical attention knowledge that he could forcibly apply on her but that's still something. At least for Julian. "Hey, who knows, one compliment could lead to another, and I don't know about you but I love myself some 'genuine' compliments. Especially when they're coming from a very difficult person" he purposely pointed his forefinger towards her and ended it with a coy grin.

Truthfully, there was nothing else to be done about her anymore. Her wound had been closed with the gauze after it was cleaned by him, and he made sure to take away her pain using his clairsentience ability, there was really nothing else keeping his moraled self here in the abandoned creepy shady warehouse yet here he was, standing by the table while staring at her with an amused look twinkling in his hazel hues. There was no way he wasn't interested in her. "You're right, I don't know you. And I can't say your first impression on me is all that good either. You strung me up like a codfish and continued to treat me so coldly" he crossed his arms and called her out on it but then paused and chuckled, "But… you also saved me when you could've just left me to fend on my own. And you tolerated me till now and for someone who I'm sure could rip someone's head off if they pissed you off, that's a major feat for me. That's what matters to me. What I see in people. Everything else really doesn't do anything for me." He was a simple guy, after all. All her bluntness wouldn't even make him turn away, even if it did earn her a scoff one or two here and there, sometimes.

Upon hearing her ask if he was ever going to let that go, he shook his head and popped the P when he said nope. "How can I? I've never been trapped before much less being held upside down from my feet due to one." The more she tried to undermine her work of looking out for others in the eternal city, the more Julian found himself coming back with a similar statement that lifted her achievements up in the air. "And you knoe that takes a lot of bravery and dedication right? The effort to cleanse the city off its crimes… that's a big risk right there that you're taking" And the fact that she goes out her way almost every night to keep everyone else guarded and safe says all he needed to know about her. When she asked what weakness that was turned into a strength, he shrugged but had a smile on his lips, "You can say it like that. I had personal experience if you would say it. Not something I particularly want to reminisce but… it did strengthen me up, it made me stronger." He winced unconsciously because it all leads back to his late fiancee and the massacre that robbed 19 people of their lives, simply because they were attending a ceremony. His ceremony.

The guilt will forever be there but it was tolerable now after a few years of learning how to cope with it and to exchange it into his strength instead. It worked. So far. "I may give you an answer the next time we met, though. So keep yourself updated" he winked teasingly and snickered, he just loved getting any reaction out of him. "Maybe that's for the best. For others not to know the identity of their savior or guardian but I can't say the same for myself, if I was a victim saved by you, then I would want to know who saved me. Who I owe my gratitude to." Believe him, he was already more curious about her. So she's never met a Celestial, he could understand why, judging from Artemis's explanation, they tend to keep a low-profiled life to ensure an easier way to live their lives without having to worry about hunters. It was promising. "As far as I know, the stars are quite shy to others" he mused, hearing that from her made him conclude that she is a good person, she just doesn't want to overwhelm her which he could understand.

"Oh so you do admit I'm friendly and charming?" The way he wiggled his eyebrows together at her with that wry smirk on him was clearly showing that he was anticipating some sort of reaction from her, "Took you long enough to realize." Admittedly, it wouldn't exactly be the first time someone's called him a narcissist but hearing it from her, however, it sent differently. For some reason unknown, even to him. "I think you mean to find the word, 'confident'" he quipped in amusement, the smile never left him. It was either a smile or a smirk. Either way works for him. Julian pondered for a good while and smiled, "Why haven't I tun away from you yet? Hm… let's see" he cleared his throat and pressed his lips into a small smile, "A, squirrels are cute. They are. Period. B, if you mean me harm I wouldn't be standing here right now. C, you're a unique squirrel that plenty wanted to know more about." There was this enigmatic energy about her that he couldn't just shrug off and it was so frustrating for him.

The laugh was beautiful though, he had to keep his eyes glued to the ground while refraining himself from grinning because then she would notice and stop laughing or smiling. A part of him was surprised when she pointed out that he wasn't human and another part was amused endlessly. "Technically, I am still half human so, that still applies." Upon hearing that his middle nickname was so not necessary, he shook his head and clicked his tongue in dismay as if he was expressing his disappointment on him, "That's my angelic name, so of course I needed to enunciate it. Nathaniel. There." He kept beaming like there was nothing to pull him down. He understood she needed to keep her identity a secret so he didn't pry and only sent a knowing nod. He shrugged absentmindedly and tried to avert his gaze elsewhere while fiddling with the helm of his jacket when she asked him if this was a way of him asking if they could meet again, "Maybe…"

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Eleanora Riley Nordstroem on September 12, 2019 at 10:54

She tilted her head to the side as she watched him talk, despite the cocky exterior she got the feeling he might have somewhat of a sensitive side shining through which definitely had her curious “Exactly that, words are only words until you let them be more than that, it’s all about how you take them in and process them” she looked back at him raising her brows, which she supposed was his way of telling her that he actually did care what she thought which definitely had her intrigued considering they barely knew one another. “You really have no idea when it’s time to shut up, do you?” she asked him with a judging quirk of her brow as he sounded hopeful to get a second compliment “You could win the gold medal in babbling, how’s that for a compliment?” she gave him a sarcastic smile.

The wounded was patched up now and thanks to some kind of miracle, it didn’t even hurt, with the night still being young she knew there would still be time to get back out on the streets tonight and that was definitely thanks to the Nephilim. She looked up at him for a moment “I mean I have told you many different ways that I’m not an approachable person and yet for some reason you are still here” she folded her arms and tilted her head to the side, either he usual defense mechanisms didn’t work on him or he was just an idiot. She looked back at him, noting the way his eyes lit up in the moonlight that came through the window, they were full of depth and color, something about them told her there was much more to him than most people got to see. “Damn you make it sounds like I’m some monster who would leave a poor person hanging in an alleyway” she allowed a half-smile to cross her lips “and you’re not that hard to tolerate, just need some duct tape for that mouth you like to run” she shook her head a little.

She scrunched her nose up in amusement as he talked about being held upside down in her trap “Not many people get to experience one of my traps and get to go home and tell their friends about it, if anything, you should be thankful for the experience” she gave him a serious expression before she laughed softly “Or just watch your back next time, that works too” when he pointed out that he saw a certain honor in what she did every night she shrugged her shoulders slightly “If I don’t protect the city, who’s going to?” that was the reason she was never able to give it up, if she wasn’t the one putting all these people into jail, then they’d just be roaming the streets and causing havoc. “I feel like we all have one of those, our turning point that defines the person we become, I had mine too” she nodded slightly “Either you make something from it or you curl up and quit” and she would never be the person that just gave up, that wasn’t in her nature at all.

“You sound confident there will be a next time” she commented with a suspicious gaze, she wasn’t sure whether she needed to worry about this guy getting himself involved in things he shouldn’t after today because he seemed awful curious about the work that she did “I understand the need to express gratitude but it’s easier for me to do things from the shadows, it means if I need to blur lines to do what I think is the right thing then I can” which is why she didn’t like anyone knowing her motives, where she based he operations from or even what she looked like. “I think I would be shy too if I had to live my life like that” she admitted it with a grimace “but I also think they’re stronger than they probably give themselves credit for, especially in a large group like that” she’d seen the leader out practicing her control over her light sometimes and she could seem pretty terrifying.

“I never confirmed either way” she responded shortly to his teasing and she rolled her eyes at him dramatically, there was something about him that just seemed to find itself under her skin which wasn’t something she was used to. Usually, a few cold comments and sarcastic expressions were enough to send the average person scurrying but not him, he was different in many strange ways. “I feel like in your case, confident might as well come right next to foolish in the dictionary” she shot him a stern look. She really was wondering now why he was still here, she definitely recognized stalling tactics when she saw them and all she was trying to figure out was why he wanted to stay so badly “A, I am not a squirrel, B, if I was a squirrel I’m about 2 minutes from biting your arm to hell and C” she paused and sighed softly “You don’t want to know more about a damaged girl with anger issues, believe me” she pressed her lips together and then sighed.

The way he was looking at her when she laughed was one she didn’t recognize and she had to admit it made her a little nervous because everything about him felt unfamiliar and different “Well most of us are half-human, I didn’t realize we were running on technicalities, Nephilim” the back and forth between them would have been frustrating if she didn’t find it quite so amusing. “Alright, I will refer to you as Nathaniel from here on our, your holiness” she jested with an unamused face, there was something about Nephilim she always found to be quite self-righteous so it was kind fun to mess with him. He was smiling brightly at her despite it all though, didn’t matter how many times he shot him down, he seemed to just let it all bounce back. His admission made her give a very rare smile which she quickly hid as she tilted her head to look up at him “Well tonight you’ve helped me get back out there and whatever good I manage to do tonight, I’m attributing to you so” she nodded slightly “Thank you” which was her way of saying goodbye, because she needed to get back out there “And I hope we don’t meet again because that means you’re either in danger or where you aren’t supposed to be, but if we do, of course I’d save you” she didn’t look back at him as she headed out the door and back onto the streets of Evermore.

NephilimPermalink Reply by ✓ Julian Nathaniel Lockhart on September 15, 2019 at 18:11

"I have a feeling that behind that exterior you try to mask over for others to see, there's that warmth and wisdom lying somewhere." Technically, if he was going to measure them up from what he has seen displayed by the female earlier throughout the entire time he's been with her from the beginning of the dark uneventful night, she did smile and laugh more than once. Perhaps, it wasn't so uneventful at all. He was itching to see more of that smile, despite it being hidden well behind that facade of hers and yes, the hoodie. Goddamnit, hoodie. Julian has never been this mad at an inanimate object that wasn't the plane or wires. And that was all because of how frustrating his work can be at times. "I do know when to shut up but… I just chose not to. I know enough when to seal this mouth when needed and right now, nothing has warranted a reason for that so…" he shrugged casually and lifted both his hands up in quite the dramatic manner. The smile she gave him may have been a sarcastic one but it was a smile nonetheless, he'd take that and turn it into a positive thing.

It's all he knew to do, after all, his life hasn't been so happy for quite a while so why not makeshift those happiness for his own when he can? Julian may not be able to change his past and erase them as if they never existed in the first place but he can damn well make sure he's happy enough at this point of his life without having to reminisce those cursed days. He was desperate enough to reach that ultimatum to prevent himself from being so sad. "I'll take that medal either way" he quipped cheekily. The more she tried to push him off, the more he found himself wanting to stay, for some goddamn reason he didn't even know why. It was strange for him to be showing this kind of empathy to a stranger but she doesn't feel like one now. Sure she would have felt a bit indignant with his behavior but those little quirks made him smile. Perhaps he was actually going crazy. "If I get a dime for every time a person tells me the same, then I would've left my own family. People say things they don't mean half the time" Maybe, just maybe, for some strange and unknown reason, he wanted to know more about her. Her enigmatic presence was too much for him to ignore.

There it was again, that small half-smile, he had to refrain himself from smiling or grinning too hard because he knew she would scowl and say the opposite. "Who knows… you did strung me up and wouldn't let me down until you've wounded my pride. But on another note, I'm glad to see I'm a decent guy who just needs an off switch sometimes, which sorry to say there's none." Oh, there's another laugh again. No wonder it has him smiling jovially at her. "An experience I'll bear in mind for any future meet ups, who knows, maybe we'll get our own rendezvous" he teased. The more she talked about it, the more the angel child find himself smiling softly at her words, there's that sliver of respect he had that's beginning to grow by tenfold the longer he spends his time with her. "Such a good moraled person. That's a good philosophy to stand by, I think I'll steal that a bit sometime later" he mused and pressed his lips together when she called him out for saying they'll be another time, "Let a man down nicely, why won't you" he huffed and shook his head, "Your fan here wants to get regular news of his fav vigilante."

The way the Celestials lived their lives did struck him to be quite fascinating, he wasn't gonna lie. They've led such a low-profiled life he actually wondered how they did all of that when their glow and presence would draw in quite literally, any supernatural at distance. Kudos to them. "It's fascinating to see them survive... " Definitely an art of life he wished to learn. Could he be that mundane too? He rubbed his chest as he feigned hurt, "Okay ouch… Confident and foolish in my dictionary is not that close. I think the world you were looking for was reckless." Hey, he could say that too if she was going to turn him upside down. The look was quite stern and even Julian wouldn't be able to say it did not intimidate him the slightest because believe it or not, she's scary. Doesn't mean he's gonna scurry off like any other sane person though.

Pursing his lips slightly, he shook his head, "A. Squirrels are naturally aggressive because they're protecting themselves and the ones they care for. They would bite anyone's arm off even if I offered them an acorn. B. You don't know that. Maybe damaged people find their people easier than most." He had to stop himself from saying anything more. Even the slightest slip up would be sending him over to that part of his memory lane he does not want to venture into. Thankfully, he was able to deflect the situation better when she moved on to the next. He finds it ironic when she mentioned his angelic name, it was probably one of the things he loved about himself, the name Nathaniel; the angel of fire and an archangel who brings balance, harmony, and trust. Maybe he'd like to believe those traits are passed down to him. Perhaps, one day. "Actually, I wouldn't mind you calling me that" he shot, "Makes me feel better about myself anyway." To others, they may not understand the significance but to him, that name brings him light.

When she told him any good she does further tonight would be attributed to him for his help, he had a small smile on his face, "That's good to hear…" Even like that she still wanted to get out and kicking. Admirable. "And I'd save you if needs to be." As soon as disappeared into the night, he pulled up his quiver and strapped them around his shoulders alongside his bow and found himself walking back to his residency. That was until he was busy trying to locate his keys and facepalmed, "I left the keys…" In the car, which was parked in front of the cafe.