Wendy Berber: *she sits at a table,
disappearing behind a rather large old book titled :The complete works of
william Shakespeare:. a milkshake melst in fromt of her*
Wendy Berber: *she's got new glasses,
thick cat-eyed things, that don't do anything to dispell the impression that she
probably likes EZ cheese and knows that "platonic" doesn't have anything to do
with plates. she's tucked into a booth by herself, almost out of sight*
Francesco Giardini: He steps into the
cafe, looking around as he does so. The man developing a reputation as having a
backbone a mile long appears to be in a decent enough mood as he glances through
the cafe...almost good, even.
Wendy Berber:
d10: dex ath inept: 6,4,10,
Jocelyn Pasqual: *She's laughing like a
madwoman at ~something~ as she piles in with the guys, looking happy as a clam*
Wendy Berber: *she reaches for her
milkshake without looking, and bumps it instead, making it wobble back and forth
dangerously.. a moments indescision whether to save her book or catch the glass,
and she manages just barely to stop the sundae glass from falling off the edge
of the table, book falling at her feet with a thump.. alittle chocolate
milkshake pooling in her hand*
Francesco Giardini: Lean and hungry.
Poised and dangerous. That’s the words that come to mind when looking upon him.
He cuts a striking figure, standing just under six feet and weighing around 160
to 170 pounds. He has a full face, just a hint of tan to otherwise fair skin,
frame by shortly cropped, brown hair, a professional cut. Brown eyes carry a
look of cocky intelligence to them…this isn’t some mook off the street, this man
was born into greatness, and he knows it. He’s dressed in a Italian wool suit,
charcoal grey, with vest and a silk tie. Black cap shoes complete the ensemble.
He’s got an attitude to him…a look that’s not quite arrogance, not quite simple
confidence, but somewhere in between. The world is his…it just needs to realize
it.
Damien Thiereaoux: *he wanders in with
jocelyn and jim, smiling brightly, brilliant emerald green eyes showing(shades
taken off for once, but the gloves are on)*
Francesco Giardini: A glance over at
Wendy, and he quirks a brow. A quick walk over to her, smiling amicably.
"Hey...how you doin'?"
Jim Franklin: *And he follows behind, looking behind them
as well. He looks nervous. One of these things is not like the other. One of
these things just doesn't belong.*
Wendy Berber: oh um..*she looks up,
she'd been hoping that slip up had gone unnoticed. a flush coming to her cheeks
before she dips her head and says precisely* um. I'm ok. .. *her hand full of
chocolate goo.. she slides over in the booth and aquires a napikin to sop it up*
Francesco Giardini: A glance goes back to
Jocelyn and the guys, then back to the mousy one. "Wendy, right? I'm Frankie.
You mind if I join you?"
Jocelyn Pasqual: ((boo. thanks Jim. now
i've got the little song stuck in my head. *swats at*))
Damien Thiereaoux:
d10: per+alert: 4,2,9,6,2,6,
Damien Thiereaoux: *looking about once
they get inside for somewhere to sit, he gives a nod to frankie, remembering him
from the other night, and a bit more ggenteel of a nod to wendy,looking to
jocelyn and jim* so...booth alright with y'all?
Wendy Berber: *she nods. then shakes her
head. wait. "mind if i join you?" no she shakes her head* um. no. I don't mind.
*she ducks to pick up her book, naaarrowly missing her already gashed head on
the table as she retreives old willy shakespeare from the grimey cafe floor*
Jocelyn Pasqual: Yeah. *Nodnodding,
looking around, squeeking when she sees the girl* Wenders!! *Detangling from
Damien to bounce over*
Wendy Berber:
d10: per alert: 7,8,10,5,10,
Francesco Giardini: He moves to sit
opposite Wendy, looking over to Jocelyn as she bounds up.
Wendy Berber: *she keeps herhead ducked,
looking behind her as damein nods, then realizing he's meaning HER she gives a
hesitant* um. hi.. *she almost flinches as Jocelyn yells out her name, blushing
a little* um. hi jocelyn.
Jim Franklin: *He nods, and watches the
sudden movement with a slight jump.*
Damien Thiereaoux: *spun just a bit but
chuckling as she dashes off, easily keeping his balance, he looks over to
jocelyn and where she went with a grin before looking to jim* want t'go on ovah
or get a seat?
Jocelyn Pasqual: Hi! *Grinning, wiggling
around Francesco as he moves to sit, leaning in to hug Wendy* Are you okay?
Jim Franklin: I... uhh... *He looks back
to the strangers. But he nods, to find a booth, ducking in quickly.*
Wendy Berber: *she gives a little nod.
she's got new glasses. still thick cat eyed monstrosities, but new and in one
working peice.* um.. I'm ok.
Wendy Berber: *she's squished into a hug,
all bones and awkward angles.. its like hugging a bushel of twigs*
Damien Thiereaoux: *seeing jim head for a
booth he grins and waves to jocelyn, letting her know where theyll be as he
heads where jim did too, snagging up a menu as he sits*
Francesco Giardini: "Hey, Jocelyn." He
nods to her, watching the two for a moment. Another glance given back to Damien
and Jim.
Jocelyn Pasqual: Okay. I was worried,
you know? *Looking at Francesco, giving him a quick grin, then moving away* Hi.
How are you? So. Um. I'll leave you guys alone. Call me okay? *Winking to Wendy,
before bouncing back Damien*
Jim Franklin: *He sits in the booth, and
he looks down at the menu.* I can p...pay for myself, *he offers to Damien.*
Francesco Giardini: He blinks as she asks
a question and leaves before giving him a chance to answer.
Wendy Berber: oh. um.. kay. *she nods,
looking at her lap, eyes downcast, shoulders hollowing slightly. she all but
misses the wink* bye.
Damien Thiereaoux: *looking up to jim,
he shakes his head with a warm smile* naw, said Id pay now.......
Dante Lacostos: Dante slips into the
restaurant, his arm around Jez's waist, his head bent towards the other as they
talk quietly about inconsequential things. He's dressed rather gaje in
plain black jeans, boots and a soft lavender button down, his brown bomber
jacket on over it. His hair is, for once, pulled back into a tight ponytail,
baring the scars on the right side of his face almost proudly.
Jim Franklin: D...does that m..mean I pay
n...next time? *he asks, head perking up.*
Jez: He walks in with Dante, mostly
listening. He is wearing a very elegant, shimmering black silk suit, with a
black silk shirt beneath, black on black. And with it, shocking pink hi-top
Converse sneakers. His hair is as chaotic as ever.
Jocelyn Pasqual: *She flops down into the
booth next to Damien, leaning her head on his shoulder for a second* Share some
cheese fries with me?
Jez: ((both the suit and the sneakers are
available to goggle at, in my onsite personal album *L*))
Dante Lacostos: "So, you crashing with me
tonight or going home," he asks lazily as he glances around the restaurant...And
gets that deer in the headlights look.
Damien Thiereaoux: *that gets a bit more of
a grin and nod to jim* course.....yeah...long as there is a next
time....*chuckling softly, when jocelyn flops next to him he looks to her,
smoothing fingers through her hair and nodding* sure darlin.......
Wendy Berber: *the bookworm lets stringy
black hair fall over her face, shrinking into herself over one personal thought
or another, fingers moving to curl in her sweater*
Jim Franklin: Okay, *he says quietly,
looking down nervously at the menu.*
Francesco Giardini: He looks back to
Wendy, as the cafe begins to get crowded. "Hey...you wanna get out of here?
We're family, as I understand...thought maybe we could compare notes, or
somethin'."
Jez: "I think Liam's with Eddie
tonight. Would rather come home with..." He blinks. Damien. All he can see is
Damien. Deep breath. And another. Oops, forgot to exhale the first one and
starts a small coughing jag.
Dante Lacostos: Dante sighs and pulls away
from Jez in slight irritation.
Jocelyn Pasqual: *She bites playfully at
Damien's neck before sitting back upright* Can I get a shake too? Figure I
should go all out now before I start working and get all neurotic. *Grinning*
Jez: The neck of the shirt beneath the
suit is high up on his neck, his face purpling slightly as he gets the coughing
under control.
Jim Franklin: That sounds good, *he says
with a nod.* A s...strawberry shake?
Wendy Berber: *she stops mid reach for her
milkshake.... family?! uh oh! eyes get wide behind cokebottle
spectacles*.. oh. um. yes sir. *nodding, animated. she grabs her book and
clutches it to her chest. ready to go as he requested*
Dante Lacostos: Shaking his head Dante
squares his shoulders. "Sastimos Jim. Joce."
Damien Thiereaoux: long as y'work out an
all too darlin...ain' all shakin an fun like most might think.......but
sure.....get what y'want*hearing someone cough as he smiles to jocelyn, looking
up and about*
Damien Thiereaoux:
d10: per+alert: 4,7,5,9,2,1,
Jim Franklin: *He looks up. And then back
down.* H...hello, Dante. *He speaks softly.*
Francesco Giardini: "Not that high up in
the rankings." He smiles a slight bit and rises, offering an arm to her. What a
gentlemen, this one.
Jocelyn Pasqual: *Oh. Fuck.* Hey.
*Giving Dante a just slightly too bright smile, hand tightening on Damien's leg
for a second*
Jez: He's still looking at Dante and
really, really looking like he doesn't want to approach the table.
Jez: OOC> Dante=Damien, dang D-names! *L*
Dante Lacostos: "Sorry about the other
day, Joce. I can't afford to get into that kind of trouble." He shrugs and meets
her eyes, trying to make her understand with that look alone.
Jez: He nods to Jocelyn and Jim politely,
his gaze slipping back to Damien.
Wendy Berber: *the strap of her hip bag
gets caught on the far corner of the table as she goes to get out, and she's
wretched back like a dog thats hit the end of his tether, an awkward squawk, she
manages not to drop her shakespeare before she frees herself, and takes
Frankie's arm very nervously, saying quietly* um. I'm sorry.
Jocelyn Pasqual: Um. Okay? *Blink, eyes
widening, then narrowing* Oh. Yeah. Well. I got myself out of it. *Shrugging,
head on Damien's shoulder again as she watches Dante*
Damien Thiereaoux: *he sees dante after he
hears him, then sees jez, nodding to them both aaaaand about to open his mouth
to say something when his cell rings and he rumbles something irritatedly in
french, nabbing the phone up and talking quietly into it after he furrows his
brows looking to who it is on the display* ~french~ mother? what do I owe this
ca......*pausing and furrowing brows more, he looks to everyone and exscuses
himself, handing jocelyn a 50 and mouthing he'll be back before moving from the
booth to the door, frowning more as he goes and still listening for the moment*
(bah....gotta do the drop off husbandn to work thing...back in about 30 or
so...till then hes outside talking on the phone)
Dante Lacostos: "Don't be a bitch about it
Joce. You didn't get in trouble. Just be happy about that." He sighs and moves
away from Jez towards a table, leaving the dumbstruck kin to stay or follow at
his leisure.
Jim Franklin: *He looks up to Dante.*
W...will you ... and your fr...friend sit down and j...join us?
Jez: He watches Damien leave and then his
shoulders slump, just a bit. Happy mood gone.
Jocelyn Pasqual: *Half nodding at Damien,
scowling at Dante* Fuck you. I'm not being a bitch.
Jim Franklin: *His eyes widen, and he
colors at Dante's words. Looking away unhappily.*
Jez: A lifeline! He smiles gratefully
at Jim and pretends that Damien didn't just totally ignore him (he thinks),
walking over. "Thanks." He offers a hand. "I'm Jezebel. Jez."
Dante Lacostos: "NO you're just scowling
at me like you wanna eat my face." He sighs. "Sorry Jim."
Dante Lacostos: And Dante settles down in
his empty booth, his face darkening as he reaches up to untie his hair, his own
blissfully happy mood shattered.
Francesco Giardini: "Don't be sorry for
nothin'," he says with a shrug, leading her toward the door. A glance is given
to Dante and Jez, and a scowl that looks like it could take the paint off a wall
follows. He continues on to the exit.
Jocelyn Pasqual: You guys wanna sit down?
*Lip chewed, scowl gone, eyes on the table*
Wendy Berber: *tension high in the air..
wendy's not even involved and the awkward looking teenager is feeling it, eyes
on the ground as she heads out of the cafe with Frankie*..um.. bye... *and she's
taken out the door*
Jez: He sighs. "Oh everyone, just knock
this off. Let's be adults now. Hi, Jocelyn. Good to meet you, Jim." He looks to
Dante, sitting pointedly at the occupied table.
Jez: He isn't going to acknowledge
Francesco this time. More hostility he doesn't want to see...and he can FEEL it.
Jocelyn Pasqual: Bye Wenders. *Half a
wave, and a glare at Jez* I'm bein' adult. He fucking abandoned me. I could have
been sent away if they'd have called the cops.
Dante Lacostos: And he lets Jez explain
what could have happened had he been arrested. Remains firmly where he's at,
hiding behind his hair.
Jim Franklin: *He clears his throat.* We
can just eat, *he says softly.* And not t...talk about this.
Jez: He leans in to whisper very softly in
Jocelyn's ear.
Jocelyn Pasqual: *She looks at Jim, and
shrugs* Fine.
FRANKIE'S HOME
Wendy Berber: *native newyorker? hell
no. its obvious in the fact that she's now across the city, meekly following an
unknown and dangerous looking wiseguy alone to his private residence*
Frankie Giardini: He drives her to his
home, a nice, comfortable house in Bronxville, a nicer residence just north of
the Bronx, in an upscale community. Dual-level house, and it looks, while in
good condition, fairly empty.
Frankie Giardini: He kills the engine
to his current-model Jetta and slips out, moving around to get her door for her.
Wendy Berber: *the kin manages though
paranoid attention to detail.. not to lock herself in, or do anything TOO
embarrassing within the close quarters of the car, mostly watching her lap.
neverthe less, she seems to maintain a steady blush, shying away from him just a
tad. she gets out quickly* um. thank you.
Frankie Giardini: "Don't mention it."
He shuts the door, hitting the automatic keylocks, and leads her to the front
door.
Wendy Berber: *she follows, looking around
at streetsigns and markers as to their location. where were they?*
Frankie Giardini: The door is unlocked,
and he moves in, heading to the security alarm and resetting it. "C'mon in. You
wanna drink or somethin'?"
Wendy Berber: *her eyes widen and she
shakes her head* its ok sir.
Frankie Giardini: "You don't gotta call me
sir, you know." He shuts the door behind her and leads her into the living room,
gesturing to a selection of the leather couch or a couple matching overstuffed
recliners. "I ain't no Fullblood. Just a kin, like you."
Wendy Berber: *she sits in a recliner so
as not to crowd him, feet crossed awkwardly, book satchel beside her, a nod
through bangs* Kay. sorry.
Frankie Giardini: "It's all right." He
moves to the wet bar, making himself a gin and tonic. "So, you from around
here?"
Wendy Berber: *a shiver as she shakes
her head* um no. I'm from maine.
Frankie Giardini: "Maine, eh?" He nods a
little, carrying his drink over and sitting on the couch. "D.C., myself. How's
Maine?"
Wendy Berber: um. its ok. *she nods,
awkward*
Frankie Giardini: "I don't make you
nervous, do I?" He sips at his drink, and pulls out his cigarettes.
Wendy Berber: *her eyes widen. oh dear
she scrambles for an answer to that, hands tangling in the mountainous sweater
hiding her form. she pushes up her glasses and nods, saying quickly* I'm sorry.
*head ducked, she looks like she'd like to dissappear entirely*
Frankie Giardini: "I'm goin' to assume
that's a yes, then" He chuckles a little. "Don't apologize, all right? You ain't
gotta apologize to me. Hell, if I make you nervous, maybe I should apologize to
you, eh?"
Wendy Berber: *shake of her head. no. no
one neeed to apologize to her, it was her fault for being so .. awkward, and
useless. she opens her mouth then shuts it, swallowing i'm sorry*.. i'm uh.. *
uh retard? thats what you were going to say,right wendy? she reddens and
looks at her hands.*
Frankie Giardini: "Listen." He shifts his
body to face hers a little. "You ain't gotta be nervous around me, all right?
Only people gotta be nervous around me, I let 'em know. And you ain't on that
list. So you can relax, if you want. I ain't gonna hurt ya."
Wendy Berber: *she nods, untangling her
hands and setting then beside her pointedly. she's willing herself not to be
nervous. spine stooped as she sits in the recliner. an awkward silence ensues.
say something wendy, you're sitting there like an ugly lump * um. you
um.. are glasswalker kin?
Frankie Giardini: "Yeah." He nods. "My
father was the big furry one. You?"
Wendy Berber: *she shakes her head,
pushing up her glasses with a finger* um. my parents are um, both kin.
Frankie Giardini: "Lucky," he says with a
smirk, sipping at the drink.
Wendy Berber: *she gives a nod, falling
back into awkward silence, puzzling over what he would like of her*
Frankie Giardini: "You met any more of our
kin around? Or any of the Full's?"
Wendy Berber: glasswalker? *a shake of her
head* no. um. only you so far.
Frankie Giardini: He frowns a little,
nodding. "Yeah. Most of 'em got wiped out not long ago, I guess. S'why I came up
here, to help out. What about you...what brought you to New York?"
Wendy Berber: *she rubs her nose, eyes
flicking elswhere a moment before she swallows and murmers* I was um.. sent
to..*mumble mumble mumble*
Wendy Berber: *beet red. apparently
whatever she mumbled to her lap was goood*
Frankie Giardini:
d10: Per+Alertness: 6,3,8,8,
Wendy Berber -> Frankie Giardini: be
mated.
Frankie Giardini: He nods a little.
"Pre-arranged, or just to see what you could find?"
Wendy Berber: um. just see what i could...
*a swallow, she's quite red, but from her posture its hard to tell out of
embarrassment or shame or general awkwardness, fire creeping along her scalp,
she knocks her knees together with a boney clunking*
Wendy Berber: (add find in there
somewhere)
Frankie Giardini: "Well, there's an
advantage." He grins a bit. "They're mostly gone, ya got yourself some time,
right?"
Wendy Berber: *she nods to her knees*. um.
yes...i guess so.
Frankie Giardini: "Don't worry about it so
much." He shrugs to her. "When it happens, it'll happen. 'till then..." He
shrugs.
Wendy Berber: *till then you're just
totallyuseless another curt not of agreement* yes. *she draws her book
into her lap, struggling for something to say. he'd brought her to his house.
what was she missing? what did he want? she was certaintly missing something.
the girl peers about the house with a blink*
Frankie Giardini: "So what you doin' in
the meantime, 'fore you find yourself a mate?"
Wendy Berber: um.. i work at a bookstore
right now. *she nods, shifting the book on her lap*
Frankie Giardini: He nods a little bit.
"You enjoy it?"
Wendy Berber: *she shifts boney seatbones
in her chair* i like to read. *she nods, then offers awkwardly* um. what do you
do?
Frankie Giardini: "Work for the family."
He shrugs a little, taking a drink. "Whatever they need done."
Wendy Berber: *she nods, fidgetting. * i
see.
Frankie Giardini: He nods a little bit.
"So, hey. I tell you want, Wendy..." He reaches into his jacket, withdrawing a
card. He leans over and holds it out to her. "Way I figure is, we gotta stick
together, right? So if you need anything at all, you gimme a call. All right?"
Wendy Berber: *she takes the card , book
falling off her lap and onto her feet, she inhales sharply and draws them up to
herself with a huigh squeal of pain, then blushes, a swipe at the card,
sheepish*.. um.. kay.. *she bends down to get her book* thank you