Doppleganger? (Closed)

[Corwin]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--
Corwin: He had been laying low for a while. For too long, really. It made him grit his teeth each time he passed by someone that he could feel in his bones was just another minion of Death. It made his fingers itch to grab his sword and attack them. He had tried that, though. He'd managed to just barely escape with his life on two separate occasions and had little faith in his ability to do so again. Death was strong and much like misery it seemed to enjoy company. There had been so many of them. He hadn't given up though; he never would.

He had watched the army gate up the mausoleum at the North West part of town with great joy. He wasn't alone, at least. Surely if they were blocking off the place that was so full of Death then they at least had some idea of what was going on inside. Someone must be trying to protect Harper Rock from its forces. It gave him inspiration to try a different tactic. To try and observe Death. Surely even Death had its weaknesses and Corwin as bound and determined to find them and exploit them.

It was during one of these trips. He was lurking around town trying to watch the areas around him without appearing to do so. He knew some of Death knew of him, though he didn't think all of its minions did. Some passed by him without a second glance while others attacked. His eyes had been sweeping the area in front of him when something caught his eye and had him doing a double take as his whole body froze. He couldn't look away. He was sure he was awake, so why was he seeing a vision he only ever saw when he slept? And she was alive. So very alive. He hadn't seen her like that in so long. Even in his dreams all he had were the images of her in death.

Nelle: It was cold. The weather hadn't let up, in fact it had only been getting colder and colder. She stepped off the tram and drew a deep breath of the crisp cold air that stung her very human lungs. Her light blue eyes slid along the other people that were bustling about around her as she reached to tighten her scarf around her neck and throw the loose end up back over her shoulder. She exhaled her breath and stared at the cloud of heat that had escaped her pale lips. Rubbing her hands together she brought them to her mouth to blow hot air into her stretchy black gloves with the tips of their fingers missing. She never liked not being able to use her hands - and so she had modified her gloves in order to keep that from happening. Sure, it was cold, but she liked it.

She enjoyed the brisk weather. It forced her to keep moving, to keep on her toes with the weather nipping at her heels. She liked the way it made her feel alive, the way it made her cheeks rosy red and her skin wave in goose bumps from time to time. Simply put, she liked it. Stepping to the side and pulling her phone out of her pocket, she brought up the 'Around Me' app. She was really just looking for a place to catch a good burger - she hadn't eaten yet today as she was in such a rush to get to see the sights around the new city that had claimed her residence.

Eyebrows arched as she made a mental note that there was an ice rink, and a news station. She wondered if they were hiring briefly, then tapped her finger to the screen and slid it up, her light blue eyes glancing over the places as she sighed. So there wasn't a burger joint. She sighed a little and slid her finger on up again, noting the Italian restaurant and the bar and grill. Feeling like that was her best bet, she tapped her finger to the little icon and looked at it on the map of where she was to its relative area. Not too far, she decided not to get back on the tram, but to walk instead. Pocketing her phone she smiled lightly to a guy who was seemingly staring at her, then shoved both her hands in her pockets and started to stroll in the direction of the bar.

Corwin: His heart stopped, or at least that's what it felt like. His hand immediately went over his chest as his knees all but gave out on him causing him to lean backwards until the hard cold stone of the building behind him was supporting him. Ellen. That was his Ellen. There was no mistaking those eyes. His Ellen was smiling and breathing and alive. Had it all been a nightmare? But no… where was his little girl? The thought made his eyes close as a heartbroken grimace came over his face. Visions of his Ellen and their little girl curled up together in their casket slammed into his brain, stealing the breath right out of his lungs just like seeing that face had stolen the beats of his heart.

This was a trick. It had to be a trick. This was Death's doing; who else’s could it be? His eyes opened again and though they held mostly longing there was also a tinge of suspicion. He half expected that the image would just be gone as if it had never occurred; a hallucination planted in his brain by Death. She wasn't though. His Ellen was even closer now than she had been before, except she wasn't. His Ellen was dead. His Ellen was curled in her eternal slumber while holding their sweet child to her. So why was he looking at her right now? He was filled with so much hope and fear that he wouldn't have been able to find the will to move even if the thought had crossed his mind.

Nelle: Glancing back to the male that had been staring, she blinked and stopped in her tracks. He had his eyes closed, his expression blanching in... dismay. Hurt. Anguish. She blinked again at him. The hell was his problem? He looked to her like he had actually shot her. She wasn't sure what it was about this guy, the way he looked scruffy yet handsome, the way he looked hurt yet longing, the way he had captured her eyes with his once he had reopened his on her. She gave him a harsh look, one of curiosity and discontent. He was putting her on edge, enough for her gloved hand to curl its fingers around her switchblade in her pocket. He seemed like a man with a problem. And she seemingly was piquing his interest. She didn't like it.

Keeping her eyes on him until she walked right past him, she kept on her original path towards the bar as she thought of what to do. She was tough. Strong. Wouldn't let him manhandle her. And she was armed, with as large of a legal blade she could find - it being the width of her palm and not a centimeter larger. She pressed the small button on the side of the knife that ejected the blade out from its handle while it was still in her pocket. Maybe he just wanted to talk. Or something. She wouldn't take the chance though. Couldn't. Not with what all she had been through lately - she just had an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. Though maybe that was just hunger.

Corwin: There was something different. He couldn't put his finger on it but there was something. The way she walked wasn't quite right. The way she moved wasn't quite right. The way she was looking at him now was all wrong. That was his Ellen; but it wasn't. He feared this was Death's doing. That Death was using her image to get to him and take him down. This reminded him of a conversation they had had one night about zombies. She had smiled and told him she wouldn't hesitate if he was turned. It had made him laugh in return, knowing she could barely kill a fly. He'd been adamant that he wouldn't be able to. She had rolled her eyes at him, thinking that he was just trying to be cute.

He snapped himself back to the present, still not finding himself able to move. Maybe he'd been wrong. Maybe he wouldn't… couldn't do it. Death couldn't take away his love. But it was tarnishing everything that love stood for if it was using her memory like this. God damn but he wanted a drink right then. A nice stiff one. One that would take all of the pain and conflict away and just let him be numb again. Of course, he knew deep down that he couldn't do this, but it was probably a good thing there wasn't anything close enough to tempt him.

Nelle: It finally struck her - the way he was looking at her. Like she was a ghost. An ethereal image burning in his pupils and into the back of his mind, the face that was hers had set off this reaction of his as he stood against the building of the station. She swallowed roughly, stopping once more just a few steps from him. Something in her made her stop just then. Like an invisible wall was right in front of her, and she was unable to take any means to step through it. She looked down at the ground, giving a light shake of her head before she turned around abruptly to face him. Something in her told her that if she didn't ask him about it now, she would never get the chance and it would eat at her until the day she died.

"Dude. What's your dealio?" She spoke clear and crisp, though her tone did have a hint of curiosity and concern to it - it was still a pretty brisk tone. She took her free hand out of her pocket, looking him fully up and down for once. Handsome, yes. She narrowed her light blues on him, pointing to his face and waving her finger around a little to signify she meant his face. "You look like you're about to lose your lunch. Blow chunks everywhere man." She dropped her hand back to her pocket, and tipped her head to the side. "Kinda rude to stare yanno." Muttered past her lips.

Corwin: He sputtered. There was no other word for it. The voice was all Ellen's, but the words were not. The expressions were not. "You…" The word was choked off and then swallowed as he tried to keep the sob from breaking free of his throat. One thing he knew for sure was she wasn't Death. He watched her move. Watched the air go into her lungs and more importantly he just knew that she was alive. He had no idea what to make of the apparition in front of him. If he had have been drinking still he'd have sworn it was just a hallucination, but he had been sober since his first encounter with Death.

It didn't matter that it was freezing cold out, he felt like he was burning up from the inside out. Without any warning at all his right hand was jerking up to pull down at the zipper of his coat - one of the ones that went all the way up and covered your entire throat from the elements. He wore it to keep the matching rune tattoos on either side of his throat hidden; he didn't know exactly what their meanings were but he knew that they were important. He wasn't thinking about that now, though - he just wanted to numb the searing fire within. "Who are you?!"

Nelle: Her grip on her knife tightened when his hand moved briskly, though it relaxed when he unzipped his jacket. Her eyes stayed glued on his for a moment longer, but then they drifted slowly to his neck. Black, ink, tattoos. Etched into his skin at his neck and she couldn't help but stare. They were hot. She stared, and if she stared any harder she was sure she could bore holes right through those tattoos. She finally blinked, her eyes stinging only a little bit as she had stared. "Huh?" She said gently, the word almost losing its vitality before reaching his ears it was spoken so softly. She glanced back to his eyes, blinking again before she drew a deep breath and blinked again. "Who am I?" She asked again, bringing her free hand to her chest as if to motion to herself. Wow this guy's got issues.

Corwin: He swallowed then. He had to. The way she'd said that was so much more like his Ellen than her previous statement. He wanted to reach out and grab ahold of her, crush her to him while whatever this was lasted. He wanted to break down and sob at her feet like a child. He wanted to lean forward and kiss her like he'd wanted to kiss his Ellen every day since the last time he'd kissed her. He wanted to do all of those things and more, all of them contradicting each other and sending his head into a tailspin.

"Ellen?" The name came out in a hushed whisper, but the words were almost worshipping in tone.

Nelle: An eyebrow arched as he said a name. But as it processed in her mind, she raised both brows. It hadn't been just any name. It was her name backwards. Odd. How did he know what her name was backwards? She looked around, as if she was being punked. Her lips spread into a smile then, and she looked around a bit more before looking back to him. "What is this, a joke?" She scoffed a laugh and shook her head, bringing her hand off her knife and crossing her arms in front of her. "Dude, bad joke." She laughed again lightly, shifting her weight and leaning back on one foot, the other out in front a little ways.

Corwin: There it was again; those words weren't his Ellen's. The voice, but not the words. He wanted to ask the same question she was; was this some sort of bad joke? If it wasn't a dream, which it couldn't be because he never dreamed of her alive, and she wasn't one of Death's then the only explanation was some kind of bad joke, right? He kept staring at her, hoping to find something that would completely dispel the illusion. That her skin wouldn't continue to be the exact same tone. That her eyes wouldn't be the same shade. That something, anything, would be different.

He didn't say her name again, though he did mouth the word. Unable to actually make the sound a second time but incapable of keeping his lips from forming her name. "How?" The word came out choked, as if it had got caught in his throat and had to fight its way out into the air. At the same moment, his hand reflexively reached out towards her cheek, one that surely wouldn't feel just like his Ellen's had. It couldn't. She couldn't be Ellen.

Nelle: He choked a word out. 'How.' She blinked again, then gave him an odd look. Eyebrows twisted as she seriously couldn't help but to scoff another laugh. This dude has lost his marbles. And then he was reaching for her, and her reflexes spoke for her as her hand shot out and knocked his away, her eyes going wide as she took a step back. Now clearly she thought this guy had issues. But the look in his eyes... that was sincere, and it was... was it? Could it have been a love? She had never met this guy before, but he was a good looking guy, clearly not a bum... and she couldn't just walk away. Not now. Not after starting this. Maybe she needed to help him? "I'm Nelle, not Ellen dude. Sorry I'm not who you think I am..." She bit her lip. How was that helping?

"Uhh..." She glanced around again one final time, as if the cameras would come out of the woodwork and she would finally be told she was on some kind of reality joke show, but they didn't. "I'm headed to get a burger, wanna join me...?" She trailed in her words, hoping he would get the hint to introduce himself to her. She just couldn't shake the feeling that he did know her, the way he was looking at her. Like he knew her deeply. It creeped her out, but more so, it intrigued her. And she wanted answers.

Corwin: His head shook. "Please…" he pleaded with both eyes and words, even as the movement of his neck contradicted him. This wasn't his Ellen. But it was her. No one could look that much like her. Sure, there were people who looked really similar to other people out there. There had to be. But… even the voice matched.

His hand that she'd batted away stayed hanging strangely in the air. He hadn't realized his intention so her action had been completely unexpected, leaving him too shocked to fully bring his arm back down to a rest at his side.

Nelle: She looked at him with that same look of concern and curiosity. "Ooookayyy..." She trailed off, chucking a thumb behind her as she then dropped her hands to her pleated coats pockets and glanced to his hand then back up to his face. Whatever was wrong with him, it seemed major, like it had shocked the crap out of him, like he had stepped clear out of his skin. Please what, exactly? What was he pleading her for? To go with her? Or maybe to touch her face? Yeah no. She wouldn't allow that just yet. Just yet? Who was she turning into? What was this guy doing to her? She shook her head lightly then nodded and turned back to the direction of the bar and grill.

"C'mon crazy, I'm starving."

Corwin: He followed as if in a daze. Or well, no; he was in a daze. His inner voice kept chanting Ellen over and over again as if by dong that it could make her real and not whatever she was. Even if the apparition denied the name. He probably would have been more skeptical if she had have admitted to being his Ellen. Would have known it was a trick. But the apparition said no. She wasn't trying to convince him that she was his Ellen. Which she obviously couldn't be. Could she?

He thought, maybe, he should be dizzy with how much of a circle he'd thought himself into since seeing her face. Ellen. She couldn't be. Ellen. She couldn't be. Would it ever stop? Where would it stop? So he followed on autopilot to the familiar burger place. He hadn't been there since the accident, fearing it would send him into a deeper pit of despair. It had been Ellen's favourite, after all.

Nelle: The bar and grill was quite a ways from where they were - seeing as how she had decided to walk instead of hoping back on the tram. She wanted to see the sights, being in the new city. She couldn't help but think that maybe this was her in. Her way to find out more about Harper Rock. Maybe even make a friend. Sure, he was a nut, and probably a bum - a good looking bum - but she needed the friendship in him. And right now, she'd take it. "So, crazy, you got a name? Or is it just crazy?" She chuckled, and looked back to him, stopping for him to catch up.

Corwin: Now he was back 10 years ago. The first time he'd spoken with Ellen. She had smiled at him and he'd been a goner. An awkward goner, but a goner all the same. The same voice that had just spoken to him resonated in his mind. Hi, I'm Ellen. I'm new… could you point me in the direction of room 413?. It had taken him a minute just to realize that she really was talking to him and not one of the others. He had shyly given her directions to the room as he'd clutched his Chemistry book tighter. She'd thanked him and made her way passed him before turning around and flashing another bright smile at him. By the way…what's your name?.

"Corwin… Corwin Munro." He said the words out loud now, even as the younger version of him said it in his head. Just as dazed now as he was then, like he couldn't believe she was even talking to him.

Nelle: He seemed so out of it... was he drunk? High? That was it. He must have been high. She stared at him and continued to stroll along once he was at her side, and she looked over to him past the clouds of hot breath that she exhaled as she laughed and spoke. "Crazy Corwin. Haheh. Now isn't that ironic." Yet little did she know just how ironic their meeting was - she had found comical relief in it all. "So Crazy Corwin... how long you been here in Harper Rock?" She asked lightly, staring at him with the occasional glance to the ground then around as she made sure they were still going in the same direction as the bar and grill. She even found she was flashing him a grin - something she hadn't done since the day she left for Harper Rock.

Corwin: The surreal feeling only grew the longer the exchange went on. "I was born here…" His reply came out in an almost childlike tone. He found himself both walking behind this Nelle person and reliving the day he had met Ellen. It made it hard for him not to relapse into the shy kid he had been back then as opposed to the much more confident man he'd become - not that his confidence hadn't taken a disastrous hit after the accident. Back then he'd been too shy to ask any questions of his own, letting Ellen ask away and share what she would while he looked at her in a daze. Now, he still didn't fully believe or comprehend what was going on right in front of him, making it hard for him to do much more than put one foot in front of the other and answer the apparition's questions.

Nelle: He had answered her question rather quickly, and she liked that. Clearly he wasn't crazy, or mentally unstable. Well, maybe a little unstable, from what she had seen. Ellen... who is that? She found herself wondering, thinking about who the woman he thought she was was exactly to him. Of course it seemed like it was something incredibly personal for him so she refrained from asking just yet. Maybe after they got a little further into dinner. Which she was finding odd too, that she had so spur of the moment asked him to join her. Like, what was that? She found blaming him for her spontaneity was serving her well in her mind.

"Oh good, so you know the city well then. Good. I need a tour." She mentioned, giving him a slow nod before rounding the corner and pointing to the bar and grill. "Ever eat there?" She asked, stopping to look at him and allow him to catch up again.

Corwin: Yes, yes. It all came roaring back. Memories lost in the void of his despair that he didn't dare look at for fear of being pulled back down. The first time they'd met. The first time he'd shown her around the city. The first time he'd realized that she was more than a friend to him. The day he'd finally got up the courage to ask her to be his girlfriend all official like and she'd laughed that sweet musical laugh of hers and told him she thought that she already was.

His brown eyes looked up at her last question sending another shock through him. Yes, of course he'd been there. He had been there many times with Ellen. He'd been there almost daily when she'd been pregnant with their daughter because all she had to do was bat her pretty lashes at him with her hand over her stomach (even before she was pregnant enough to have a bump) and he was just putty in her hands. He hadn't been there since the accident. He wasn't sure he was even capable of stepping over the threshold.

Nelle: She turned and stared at Corwin. She put her hands on her hips and stared. She put her hand out to stop him, her hand just barely touching the fabric of his shirt. "Okay Crazy, look here. Whatever kind of trance you are in, I need you to snap out of it. Can you do that for me? Corwin? Please?" She was blunt but her tone was still soft as her hand slid from his chest, her fingertips leaving the fabric last as she shoved her gloved hands back into her pockets. Her light blue eyes stayed fixed on his brown ones as the two stood there in the cold.

She was starting to think more and more that he was a nut. That he really had something missing upstairs that was necessary in the aspect of carrying on a regular conversation with another normal human being. Little did either of them know that Nelle wasn't exactly normal herself, that she had powers beyond belief and they were slowly manifesting themselves deep within her soul. With her birthday around the corner, it was only a matter of time until they would physically present themselves. What was a simple touch to Corwin's chest now would eventually grow into something much more. And she was not ready for it - but then again, who would be?

Corwin: "I…" His eyes found her again. That angelic face and that music voice. Please. It wasn't a word that Ellen had used often, surprisingly. Not that she was ever rude in anything she asked, but she saved that word. It was hard for him not to react to Ellen's voice saying that word. "Yes… I've eaten here. It's just…been a while." He hoped that that was a good enough explanation for his behaviour. Nothing was really a good enough explanation for his behaviour lately. First the drunken stupor. Then the whole Death thing. Now he was seeing his dead wife. Surely things couldn't get any weirder after this?

Nelle: Finally. She had gotten more than his name out of him. He was a normal human after all. "Well then Crazy, it's your lucky day. My treat." She chuckled and turned, though one hand slid from her pocket and grabbed a section of his jacket, tugging him along till he was strolling comfortably next to her and she offered him a pat on his back. Chuckling still and shaking her head, she looked down to the ground for a moment. "So... do you think you could give me a tour Corwin?" She kept using his name in hopes that it would help to pull him out of whatever odd mental state her looks had put him in. Whoever this Ellen was to him, she was sure it was someone incredibly important.

And then she glanced at his hand out of instinct, and it all made sense to her. Like a giant puzzle piece had been handed to her - one that was bright and vivid and one could easily tell where it went in the larger scheme of things. A bright gold wedding band on his left hands ring finger. She blinked, and looked up to him, almost dumbfounded. Did she seriously look like his wife?

Corwin: "Sure?" It didn't take much for the apparition to move him. He was little more than a doll at that point; easily maneuvered and directed. He still wasn't sure he could go inside the building that got closer and closer with each step they took. The band on his left ring finger and the matching bands that were kept close to his heart on a chain around his neck seemed to grow heavier and heavier until they were all he could feel. Then they were there. Outside the busy restaurant and his feet just stopped. They were full of lead and much too heavy to move the necessary steps to get him inside the building.

Nelle: They reached the building and she blinked, shaking her head of the odd possibility before she reached to open the door when she realized Corwin had just kind of turned to a lifeless person standing in front of it. Not very chivalrous... She thought, standing to the side and turning to wave her hand towards the opened door. "Well come on Crazy." She smiled lightly at him. The name stuck, and she liked it for him. After all, he was constantly acting like she wasn't real. She raised her brows at him, and tipped her head to the side. "Corwin? I'm hungry, come on." She urged.

Corwin: He hadn't even realized his feet were moving, but they were. It was her voice asking it of him. He was over the threshold and familiar scents were assaulting him, bringing back too many memories to count. He wanted to turn right back around and leave. He wanted to run back to his apartment and not leave for days. He wanted a drink. But he did none of those things. He put one foot in front of the other, following her urging, and tried to just breathe. All breathing did was pull more of those smells into his lungs.

Nelle: Corwin had awkwardly shuffled into the establishment, and Nelle smiled. It was progress, right? She quickly followed behind him before he had the chance to change his mind. She needed him. She needed someone who had been in HR for a while now and knew the city fairly well. Stepping to the side of Corwin, she smiled at the hostess and nodded when she asked if it would just be the two of them. "Yes, just Crazy and I." She said softly, looking over at Corwin with a chuckle. He hadn't made any notion that he didn't like the nickname - if anything, he played right into it. "Right this way." The hostess had said as she grabbed up two menus and led them to their table.

Nelle took the seat with her back to the wall - habit - and slid the silverware to the left side; being left handed always meant extra steps to adjust from the plethora of right hander assumptions.

Corwin: His eyes snapped to the movement, recognition blaring in them as he watched her do the same thing he'd seen done countless times before. Surely at some point this had to stop. He even opened his mouth to say as much. To demand answers. To demand his sanity back. But nothing came out and he was just left hanging there - mouth open and eyes fixed on the newly moved silverware. He had to snap out of this; he knew this. It was like the drinking all over again. Was he going to need to be taken to the hospital near death in order to snap himself out of this? No. Not again. "Who are you?" This time it came out more accusing than before. His frustration at his own reaction and inability to move since seeing the apparition finally making its way to the surface.

Nelle: Sliding her thumb under the hem and palm of one glove, she removed it before her eyes trailed back to Corwin. He had spoken! There was even more hope yet. Though he sounded... angry. Or more frustrated than anything. She blinked, sliding her thumb under the other glove to do the same, moving to pocket them to their respective pockets. She looked over to the hostess and smiled. "Two sprites, no ice for me." The hostess nodded and turned towards the kitchen and Nelle shifted in her seat to take off her jacket and set it beside her.

"I've already told you. I’m Nelle. Nelle Clausse. What’s wrong with you dude?" Her light blue eyes looked him over once more, "Like seriously. You keep looking at me like I’m a ghost." She mumbled the last part, flipping open the menu and glancing over the items there. She scrunched her nose up then her eyes lit up as she saw something quite intriguing. She figured she'd try it as she read over what the meal entailed.

Corwin: At least she was looking at a menu. Ellen never had, not even the first time. She'd looked pleadingly at their server and asked if they had what she wanted and then broke into that awe inspiring smile of hers when they confirmed they did. It helped to shake off some of his Deja-vu at least. "You are a ghost." He hadn't even made sure that the person she'd been talking to was out of earshot before replying to her. "Why are you here?"

Nelle: She blinked, glanced up from her menu, then gave a light laugh as she shut her menu. "I'm a ghost eh?" She chuckled and shook her head. Back to Crazy. She thought, raising a brow at his second question. "Well, after I was rudely fired for my lack of perfect attendance, I was told there was plenty of work for my profession here. We'll see though - I might have to change career choices if not." She sighed; she really didn't want that. She truly enjoyed delivering the news to thousands of people. She liked knowing that her face was the staple of the news in Pheonix Arizona. But now it wasn't - replaced by her 'loyal' coworker. She smiled as their drinks were delivered and she picked up her straw to remove the paper covering.

Shoving it into her glass, she picked up her menu and handed it to the woman. "I'll have the blue cheese buffalo burger lunch. Side of relish please. Corwin?" She asked, interlacing her fingers and leaning in towards him, "Do you know what you want? If not, she can wait to put my order in." She didn't want to be eating in front of him. After all, as thin as he looked, she figured he had to of been as hungry as she was.

Corwin: He couldn't breathe. Yet somehow his mouth was moving and words were coming out of his mouth. "The lunch special is fine. With whatever today's sandwich and soup of the day are." He wasn't picky. It had been their thing. She was always so specific and always got exactly what she wanted. He always ordered whatever the daily specials were without even stopping to check what they were. She always got the same thing. The exact same meal that the apparition had just ordered. It was why he couldn't breathe. Why he was being pulled back into the vortex he'd barely even made it out of yet. He wanted to scream. He wanted to claw at the imposter sitting in front of him.

Nelle: "Okay then, your food will be ready in a few." And with that she was dotting her I's and crossing her T's, then turning and walking off. Nelle raised a brow at Corwin. A ghost he had said. A ghost of who? The question bubbled up in her mind as she stared at him curiously. "Not a picky eater... that's a good thing." She smiled at Corwin, a comfortable smile. Clearly she had no problem with strangers. But they weren't strangers; she knew his name, and now he knew hers. She tipped her head to the side slightly and studied him for another moment then licked over her lips and picked up her drink. "So who do I remind you of?" She asked as nonchalantly as possible before sticking the straw in her mouth and taking a couple healthy pulls on it.

Corwin: Strong fingers moved over the gold wedding band he still wore. The caress was full of love and longing and he had to drop his eyes away from the apparition. He couldn't look at the ring either, so instead his gaze bore holes into the tablecloth. He felt silly. He was still absolutely sure that at any minute whatever brain malfunction he was having would cease and he would realize that she looked nothing like Ellen, because no one could look like her. She had been perfect. Perfection like that only happened once in a lifetime. Vocalizing it now just to have him realize the fallacy of it later seemed like a bad idea. This whole thing had been a bad idea - why hadn't he ran away from the apparition? Just turned and fled? But how could he have? He would never be able to do such a thing to someone with Ellen's face. It was a horrible predicament and he knew she was sitting there waiting for him to say something and all he could do was stare again. Was it too late for him to slip out?

Nelle: Her eyes went to the movement of his hands, and she raised her brows again. So she looked like his wife... and if she was a ghost, then Corwin's wife was dead. Well then... what the hell do I say to that? She cleared her throat and glanced down at her bubbling drink. "I'm sorry." She mumbled, feeling terrible for the emotions that Corwin must have been feeling, seeing a woman that looked like his dead wife, and having her taking him out to lunch. Maybe he wasn't crazy after all - for all she knew something like that would have the exact same effect on her. She sighed. Now what. Glancing back up to him, she gave him a sharp tilt up of her chin.

"I like your ink." She said, mentioning the markings on his neck. She had no idea what they meant, but she knew they were cool. She herself had two tats - but wouldn't show them off. They meant too much to her just to be showing them off. Maybe later down the road if Corwin saw them she'd explain them - but for now she didn't even go there. "How long you had em?"

[Nelle]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

Corwin: "Huh?" His eyes looked troubled as they snapped back up to the apparition. Of course. He hadn't had any tattoos when Ellen had seen him last. Too long… "Not long…" Again, he figured his answer was incongruent with the normal ones. Most people knew exactly when they'd gotten certain tattoos, but Corwin wouldn't have been able to give her a date if he'd wanted to. He blurrily remembered waking up one morning and them just being there, but he had no idea which morning that was or even how long he'd had them before noticing them. Her questions made the muscles in his arms tense as he resisted the urge to zip his coat back up to cover them back up. At least the rest of them still were covered.

Nelle: She stared at him. Clearly this was the wrong line of questions, though she would have thought them innocent, but clearly they weren't as he was ten times tenser than he had been before she asked the questions of his ink. Geeze man, lighten up... She fought the urge to tell him, taking her thoughts back to how he must have been feeling, seeing her and thinking she was his Ellen. Which she found was odd, that his wife's name was hers backwards, and she looked so much like this other woman that she had a complete stranger losing his marbles. She sat back, staring into those deep brown eyes. Clearing her throat, she looked around the bar and grill. It was cozy and comfortable, and she liked it.

Plus the fact that they had soccer on the big screen helped too as her eyes wandered over to it. She recognized one team as Brazil, but she didn't recognize the other. Shrugging, she looked back to the crazy Corwin, bringing a hand to her chin and mouth before speaking through her fingers. "So, Corwin, what's good to do around here? Is there a museum around here by chance?" She asked, moving to pick up her glass again. She wouldn't mind walking around a museum with crazy, if it meant getting to know him a little better - something about him drew her to him. She just couldn't see parting ways after mowing down on their chow here.

Corwin: "Museum? Yeah… yeah there's one in Bullwood." There were others around somewhere he was sure, but that was the first one that came to mind. His throat was dry. Parched. He bypassed the glass of Sprite and grabbed the glass of water instead. The pitcher used to fill it was probably tap water and not very cold but he didn't care - anything was better than Sprite. He lifted it up to his lips and tipped his head back, swallowing back the lukewarm water until the glass was completely empty and only then reluctantly placing the glass back down on the table.

Nelle: Bullwood. Like she knew where the hell that was. The only place she knew about was the motel she was staying at. She needed to find a place, and soon - before she didn't have the means to do so anymore. She perked up at the mention of a museum however, it sounded like fun. "You wanna head over there with me after we eat?" It was a simple question really, as she watched him drink down the glass of water that had come with their respective sprites. She narrowed her hues curiously on Corwin then. What were the odds he knew of a place? "Hey, you know of a good place to live around here?"

Corwin: He just stared at her for a moment. She just kept going and going. Still with Ellen's face and voice - when exactly was that going to stop? Frowning he stealthily moved one of his hands over the other, lightly pinching a bit of skin. That was supposed to bring you back to reality, right? But it did nothing. "I… think there are some apartments in Veil open?" There usually were, anyway. If that's what she was looking for. Maybe she was the type to want a house instead? Or maybe she didn't even exist and he was having a conversation with himself. "It's in Redwood… it's not a bad place."

Nelle: She stared right back at him, the way he held her gaze was something she was entirely not used to. No one had ever made her want to spend time with them, to tell the truth, and she just wanted to spend time with him. Who the hell was this guy?! She never let anyone get close, she had learned early that it was easy to lose those you care about... so why was she letting this guy get the best of her? She looked down at her drink and stared, unsure where to take the conversation. She had tried, three times now, and with him it was like pulling teeth trying to get him to carry on a conversation. Maybe the silence would do him good? So she kept quiet and occasionally glanced to the soccer game then back to him, then back to her glass.

Corwin: She wasn't going away. The ridiculous amount of similarities that went beyond normal similarities weren't going away. For some reason this made the haze lift slightly. He had to think logically. He needed to fill the silence up with information that was obviously nothing close to his Ellen. "So… uhh…" What the hell did he ask? Obviously he couldn't ask if she was sure she wasn't some reincarnation of his dead wife, seeing as how he'd already accused her of being a ghost. "Where were you… before you wandered here?" That would work. Give her a background. A life. Something that would mean she had no connection at all to Ellen.

Nelle: Before. Before she had been on a two-bit camera crew, reporting on the stupid news stories like cat fashion shows and the world's largest cinnamon roll in Arizona. "Well, I grew up in Arizona, though I think my mom said I was born in Minnesota. Or something like that." Just then their food had arrived and was set down in front of them, and she grinned as she took the top bun off the buffalo burger and dumped the relish onto it; slathering it with the container before re-topping the burger with its bun and grabbing it up for a giant bite. After chewing for a moment, she stored the food in her cheek and spoke very un-lady-like with a full mouth. "Graduated in journalism from ASU and went on to become a newscaster for Phoenix's channel five news."

She put the back of her hand to her mouth and chewed a bit more, then swallowed it and took another giant bite. Clearly she was hungry.

Corwin: His head nodded as he listened. Ellen had been quite shy, really. It was something that was easy to forget once you knew her because once warmed up that shy girl completely disappeared. She'd have never enjoyed being a newscaster though or anything that required her to be in the public eye constantly. She also wouldn't have eaten like that in public. At home in private she would have without a second thought, but she was always super careful in public. His own eyes strayed down to the food in front of him but he wasn't all that hungry. "Sounds interesting… why did you leave that to come here then?"

Nelle: She couldn't help but scoff through her full mouth, putting her hand there in case any food decided to fly out from the action. She smiled as much as her full cheeks would let her without flashing her teeth - she may have been rude but not that rude - and set her burger down only to pick up her glass with one hand while raising the other and holding up a single finger to signify for him to hold on just one second. After enough gulps to assist her in swallowing the food that was in her mouth, she let out a refreshing sigh and set her glass back down. Folding one arm over the other on the lip of the table in front of her, she leaned in. "Can you keep a secret Corwin?" She smirked then, something rather mischievous.

Corwin: "Does it matter?" He finally picked up his spoon, moving it around the bowl of soup in front of him. It wasn't in preparation of taking a bite - he was playing with his food. A habit that Ellen had always hated, especially after their daughter had picked up the habit. "I could say I will and then turn right around and tell the world - you don't know me well enough to know I wouldn't. You're either going to tell me or you're not." He shrugged his shoulders, trying to act like he didn't care. He didn't, really, other than wanting more information to make his brain understand that she was not Ellen.

Nelle: She laughed. Finally, his wit was showing through. She knew that there was more to him than this shell-shocked dude who was a pushover. No, he didn't look like one to her, so she knew it had only been a matter of time before he came out of that shell. Staring silently at him for a moment, she let her laugh trickle into a chuckle before picking up her burger again and taking a bite. Chewing. Clearly not feeling the awkward silence she had created. Swallowing. Leaning to swig from her straw, then looking back over to Corwin. "Well, you can be bluntly honest, I'll give you that." She smirked gently, shaking her head then going back to taking another cookie-monster sized bite out of her burger.

Corwin: His eyes lifted back up to her momentarily before going right back to his soup. He let the spoon fill with liquid before lifting it slowly out of the soup and then tilting it so the hot contents slowly spilled out of the spoon and back into the bowl. "So what's the secret?" His eyes went back up to her before returning to the soup yet again and repeating the exact same gesture with his spoon.

Nelle: Nelle chewed her bite, taking her time so she didn't swallow it too soon and potentially choke on it. She licked her lips as she moved one hand to pick up a french fry and pointed it at him as she drew a deep breath and spoke. "That depends on if you can keep it a secret or not. Otherwise, it's not a secret anymore... and then, what's the point?" Sure, she was playing a bit of mind games with him, but she figured it was helping him keep on his toes.

Corwin: His head shook and he let go of the spoon without taking a bite or looking back up at her. "You'll need to decide that one for yourself." Reaching over he picked up the sandwich they had brought him and finally took a bite of it before setting it back down on his plate. Still, he didn't look up at her or say anything else as he proceeded to chew in a much more polite fashion than she had. It wasn't the best sandwich he'd ever had there, but it wasn't disgusting either.

Nelle: She shoved the french fry into her mouth, staring at him as her two fingers that were holding the fry rubbed together as if that would remove the minimal amount of grease that had found its way from the fry to her fingers. She stared. He either seemed perturbed, or just plain annoyed. She chewed, and contemplated. She didn't know him, that much was true. She knew that he was a little bonkers - but who wasn't nowadays? Surely everyone had their own problems. She picked up another fry, and pointed at his sandwich with it. Maybe now wasn't a good time to be divulging such secrecies. "How's the sandwich?"

Corwin: Oh. So the apparition was deciding that he wasn't trustworthy. It was probably a good decision seeing as how he still wasn't completely sure the woman in front of him existed at all. You should probably wait until the person you're telling secrets to fully believes you're real before opening your mouth. That was probably secret telling 101 or something like that. "Sandwich is fine. How's…" He couldn't bring himself to say the name of the dish and had to gulp past a lump in his throat before he could continue. "How's your lunch?" He didn't particularly want another bite just then but he took one anyway, hoping the action of chewing would keep her from expecting him to talk again for at least a few minutes. Even though it felt like his throat was nearly closed and swallowing the bites felt like he was swallowing dice made out of sandpaper.

Nelle: She popped the rest of the sandwich into her mouth and then the fry, chewing her full mouth with a smile. It was good, as if her inhaling it hadn't tipped him off to that. She reached over and grabbed the bottles of ketchup and mustard, uncapping them one at a time before picking them up simultaneously and squirting them into a giant glob on her plate where her sandwich had been, effectively mixing them together. Capping them both and swallowing what was in her mouth, she set them back aside to pick up another fry and stir them completely together; mixing them to a nice odd orange color. Happy with it, she popped the fry into her mouth and focused on her food. She had questions for him, but she was still hungry. That trumped her curiosity right now.

Corwin: The apparition didn't answer him and when he foolishly looked up he immediately wished he hadn't. His eyes were fixed on her motions for a moment before he was coughing - choking on the bite he'd been trying to swallow before witnessing it. Surely this apparition was out to be the death of him. Replicating Ellen so flawlessly, with just enough inconsistencies to make him doubt and question. Out of instinct he was pushing himself away from the table, giving himself room as he coughed and tried to move the food that had lodged itself in his constricting throat. He should have gone with the soup.

Nelle: Nelle stopped mid chew. Swallowing the food briefly, she raised her brows at him. "You okay there Crazy?" She asked lightly, clearly not expecting him to choke. What had spawned this? What was wrong with this guy? He constantly seemed out of it, like he was talking to someone who wasn't real... but Nelle was real. She was flesh and bone and soul. She was real. "Do you need the Heimlich?" She dusted her hands off for any lingering crumbs and trained her light blue eyes on him. Okay, so him choking to death trumped her hunger. Odd, how things worked out like that.

Corwin: Ellen wouldn't have asked. Ellen would have just ran over and done it and prayed that whoever she was saving thanked her for it later. It was yet another inconsistency to help ground him, or screw him up further - whichever. He was just starting to worry about the fact that he couldn't breathe and possibly might actually require that kind of assistance when something loosened finally and he was able to choke the bite the rest of the way down, leaving him panting as he rested his forehead against the edge of the table. The breaths he pulled into his lungs were haggard and painful sounding, but they felt oh so good despite the pain.

Nelle: He seemingly cleared the reason for his choking from his windpipe, and Nelle just kind of stared at him, then moved to pull her scarf from her neck and set it atop of her jacket at her side. He sounded like he was still in pain. She frowned. Maybe she should have just gotten up and helped - maybe then he wouldn't be so hurt. She couldn't help but reach over and nudge him her glass of water, seeing as how his was empty. "Drink." She pursed her lips to the side. Hopefully that would help... she didn't know what else to do. And she was sure that she was in fact only making matters worse somehow.

Corwin: He didn't want to, but that was Ellen's voice telling him to do something so he complied. Lifting his head up just enough and reaching over for the offered glass, downing it all painfully in one go before bringing the glass back down against the table. He'd been careful not to slam it down, but it still had a decent thud when it connected with the table. His breathing was still ragged and painful, though there was an obvious improvement after the drink. Not enough for him to have said a word to the apparition even if he wanted to, which he wasn't all that sure he did want to do at that very moment.

Nelle: He drank. And Nelle couldn't help but be impressed, the way he downed the water in one go. Both eyebrows raised as she gave him a look of surprise - though he wasn't looking at her. "Damn." She muttered, then went back to her fries. Globs of mustard mixed with ketchup dawned each fry with each bite, it was the only way she really liked her fries. Talking with her mouth full again. "Yanno, I'd have to kill ya if you died on me." She smirked as she continued to chew, then pop another fry into her mouth. At this rate, she'd be done before him. But she was hungry, and wouldn't slow down just because his crazy self had choked on his sandwich.

Corwin: He finally looked up then to glare at her, though the glare was cut off as the waitress came bustling up to the table all concerned and wanting to know if everything was alright and if he needed anything and he really only caught a quarter of what the girl said she was talking so darn fast. "M'fine…" He finally managed to get out, hoping to appease the girl without having to say anything else. It was painful after all and talking really didn't help that. He was sure it would be fine in a few minutes but right then he really wasn't looking forward to having to give the girl an oral essay on just how okay he was. That didn't seem to do the trick as the flustered girl continued on and all he wanted to do was roll his eyes at her, but instead he lifted up his empty glass to her. "Water?" God he hoped she didn't require more than just that one word to figure it out.

"Oh yes! Of course!" I'll be right back. You just sit tight!" Corwin was sure all that was said in less than a second, but he was possibly exaggerating slightly. Then she was off in such a hurry she nearly ran into an elderly couple being shown to their seat. Geez.

Nelle: Nelle couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of her mouth around the food. That glare was priceless! She loved that she had gotten that reaction out of him, the way he immediately blamed her for his pain. Of course, it had been her fault, but she didn't know that. She shook her head and went back to her fries. Five left. She counted them twice, out of habit, and then picked out the longest one. She bit off the end of it, then chewed it slowly; sighing. She looked back to the TV with the soccer match still on, just in time to see a forward break away and attempt a goal, only to catch the goal tender in the shin with his cleats. Ouch. Sure, he was wearing guards, but that still had to hurt.

She eyed the waitress. Apparently she wasn't good enough to ask if she needed anything. She shook her head again. No, she hadn't been choking, but she was the one footing the bill. Geez.

Corwin: It wasn't long enough before the waitress was back with a whole pitcher of water, still apologizing profusely as if it had been her fault. Oh god how did he just make her go away? He gratefully drank down the first glass of water she filled for him, all the while listening to her chattering on. He couldn't even focus on her words now if he tried. Instead of the glare he'd levelled on the apparition earlier his look now was pleading. Maybe the apparition could make the girl just go away and leave him to recover in peace? Or maybe the apparition enjoyed watching his eardrums suffer. The moment he put his glass down on the table, not even half empty yet, the girl was already refilling it.

Nelle: Nelle looked over at Corwin and then back to the waitress who had come back as soon as possible. Holding a giant pitcher of water. Pouring him his glass, apologizing like crazy, talking on and on about how she saw him choking and knew he would need the water. Nelle raised a brow. Was she hitting on him? In front of her? Sure, the two may not have been on a date - hell, they just met - but Nelle couldn't help but feel offended. She glanced over to Corwin, their eyes locking as she realized he was looking at her. But it wasn't the same look as before - this one was softer, more pleading. Did he not want her there? Her voice was annoying. Nelle cleared her throat, the loud noise causing the waitress to cut herself off and look over at Nelle with a stern face.

"You did your good deed, now how about you get our check and stop flirting with my boyfriend." She said harshly, waving the waitress off. Her jaw tightened as she stared her down, then turned and walked off. Feeling rather accomplished, Nelle smirked and picked up another fry to dunk into her mixture. "Stupid bimbo."

Corwin: Once he'd realized that the apparition had followed his pleading, he quickly lifted the glass back up for another drink, which was of course the wrong choice. Boyfriend?! The water he'd just swallowed came bursting out of his mouth from the shock of it, causing him to cough and splutter all over again. He wasn't even thinking of where the water that had just sputtered out of his mouth for landed as he worked to get himself back under control. He grabbed his napkin that had been untouched until now and put it to his face before looking up in the direction of the apparition and the waitress.

Nelle: She was looking down at her plate one second, then covered in sprayed water the next. She jumped, looking up and dropping her fry, her light blues locking on Corwin. "Jeeze! What's wrong with you?!" She couldn't help but say a little loudly. Clearly she was startled and not enjoying the fact that he had just spit all over her and her food. Well, what was left anyways. She grabbed her napkin, and wiped her face off. Ugh, gross. "Funny way of thanking me for getting her to leave you alone." She mumbled through the napkin, then brushing her hands through her hair to pull the hair tie off her wrist and put her hair up. She looked back over to Corwin. "Seriously, what is wrong with you?" Though the look she gave him was more concern than anything.

Corwin: "What's wrong with me?! What's wrong with you?!" The soft look was gone replaced by the glare. "Your boyfriend?! Lady I don't even know you." And yet, he did. This weird person that was his Ellen but wasn't. He thought he should probably feel bad for the fact that he had just sprayed her, but it was her own damn fault. Saying crazy things like that. He shook his head and tossed the wet napkin down on top of his barely eaten sandwich and tried his hardest not to glare at the apparition some more.

Nelle: She scoffed. "It worked didn't it?!" She said sternly in a hushed tone. "Look, I didn't mean to offend you. I get it. I'm not your type. I wasn't being serious. Gosh. Calm down already." Just then the waitress had returned with their check and placed it face down on the table and turned to leave, Nelle already reaching into her jacket pocket as she waved her hand and picked up the bill. "No, hold on." She didn't like when they left the bill and never came back. She had asked for the bill for a reason, after all, she figured the museum wouldn't stay open for forever. "Here." She handed the bill with her debit card over to the waitress who was giving her the same look as Corwin. Nelle rolled her eyes and pushed her plate from her.

Corwin: Not his type? If only she understood. But how could she understand? He could pull out his wallet, where the last picture of his family while it was still intact still was. He hadn't looked at it since that cursed day, but he knew it was there. It would show him and her, their beautiful little girl standing in front of them and smiling at the camera like she was supposed to, while they'd been unable to look away from each other. That beautiful little girl had made them take the picture again "right", but that one had been his favourite.

Before he could even protest what was happening right in front of him, the waitress was making her way off with the woman's card. He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it - what was the point at this point in time? Instead he looked down at his barely touched food that she was paying for even though she didn't even know him. It made him want to scarf it all down, but with the way he was feeling right now he knew that wasn't exactly an option. Maybe he could ask for a box or something? Take it home and eat it later maybe. Even if he didn't eat it later, at least it would give the appearance that he was going to. Decided, he waited patiently for the waitress - who was probably going to be annoyed at the request - to come back.

Nelle: She saw him looking down at his plate. It was full. The food barely touched. She blinked a couple times at it too. He really hadn't even touched it. She didn't know how he couldn't... it looked damned good. She resisted the urge to reach over and snag up half his sandwich. It almost screamed her name. She contemplated having him get it to go. Yes, that would work. Though she didn't want to stick around the establishment longer than she had to, she would wait for a box when the waitress returned with her card. She looked up at him, and at his eyes. Those brown pools looking at his plate, though more so right through it. She reached up and waved her hand in front of his face.

"Yo, dude, you still in there? We can get it to go, yeah?" She stated, more so telling him they would, than asking him if he wanted it. She would definitely dig into it later. Maybe at the museum. "Mine was good, thanks for asking." She lightly jested. Crazy Corwin was doing that whole act again. Just when she had started getting him to be a little normal too. Shame. He was just as interesting if not more while normal.

Corwin: "Yeah yeah…that's a good idea. I was just thinking that…" He was right; it was completely rude for him to have not finished it when she was paying. Mind you, he'd had every intention of paying for his own damn lunch and it wasn't like she asked but that was beside the point. The waitress was already bustling her way back to their table and handing over one of those little books that they used for dealing with checks and receipts. Surely they had a name, though he had no idea what it was.

"Could I get a box please? I… seem to have some leftovers." At his words, the waitress looked over, seeming to really notice his plate for the first time. He could see the judgment in her eyes even if he wasn't really sure what it was that she was thinking. "Sure thing… I'll be right back with that." And then she was off again without waiting for the apparition to finish signing the receipt.

Nelle: "Oh wait... damn." She shook her head, taking the little black book up and pulling the pen off the top and clicking it a couple odd times to get it to where the tip would actually write. She didn't bother hiding the check that was marked for $28.57, moving to sign her name across the marked line at the bottom and looking up at Corwin after. He was looking after the waitress that Nelle had tried to stop, trying to get them out of there just a smidge faster than they already were to no avail. Snapping the tall black book shut, she set it on the edge of the table and picked up her sprite to finish it off noisily.

"So. Where is the museum again?" She asked lightly after setting her empty glass down and picking up a napkin to wipe her hands on finally, content with being done with her meal. "I don't know about seeing it today though actually. I may just go tomorrow - you up to a visit to the museum with me tomorrow?" She really didn't want to go alone. If there was one thing that was depressing, it was seeing someone walking through the museum all by themselves.

Corwin: "It's in Bullwood. Do you know where that is?" She was new to town so probably not… or maybe she wasn't quite that new. "I suppose I could… pick you up? Or well, not pick you up. I don't drive. But I could swing by wherever you're staying?" Wait. Why was he agreeing this? Shouldn't he be… cutting his losses and sending her to a Harper Rock tour guide or something? Surely tomorrow wouldn't fare any better than today had. It was too late to take it back now, though, so he continued on. "Or if you know where it is I could just meet you there, or at the station?"

Nelle: She raised her brows, genuinely surprised that he had agreed to another day as Crazy Corwin. A slow, smirk spread on her lips as she nodded while he spoke, more out of habit than answering his questions. Shaking her head no, she shrugged. "I know where the motel is. And have this nifty app on my phone.... that I don't really know how to work to be honest. It's a bit beyond me." She chuckled, glancing to the menu and salt and pepper shaker holder off to the edge of the table next to the window. It was out of place somewhat, and she reached to meticulously straighten the menu and turn the salt and pepper shakers to their seemingly true fronts - even though they were rounded like cylinders and had no real 'front'.

Corwin: "Which motel? It might be easier for me to just show up there…" The city was far from safe, it wouldn't do to have her out getting lost with Death's minions floating around at every corner. Not that he could tell her that. She wouldn't believe him and then she'd be in even more danger. Death had already taken Ellen, it wasn't going to get this woman as well - whoever she was. She had Ellen's face. Death definitely couldn't have her.

Nelle: "The one over by the trailer park. It's not the best spots in town, but I'm currently trying to find a good apartment to rent." She offered, waving her hand slightly at the window in the direction of what she thought was Newburough. The waitress had finally made her way back to the table with the box and silently she took the little black book while Nelle put her card back in its correct spot. "You've got the tip." She informed him, silently hoping that he didn't have any cash on him as she shot a dagger filled glance at the woman who had taken up residence behind the wall that hid the kitchen from their view.

Corwin: He knew of the place, at least. She was right - it wasn't in the best of places and was quite a distance from Bullwood. It was also quite a distance from his place as well, but he wasn't going to mention that. "It would be no problem to stop by there then…" But Nelle was already on her way up. It only made sense that he would pay for the tip. He didn't miss the glare that was shot towards the waitress, so instead of leaving the tip he normally would he did quick math in his head and left an acceptable tip instead of a nice one. It made him cringe a little inside to do so, but he felt like it was important.

At the last second he remembered to pick up the box of leftovers before jogging out to catch up with her. Her hotel wasn't exactly close by to the restaurant either, so he wasn't sure how he felt about her making her way back there either. Not with how low in the sky the sun was.

Nelle: Reaching for her scarf and jacket she slid from the seat and slid her jacket on as she headed for the door not waiting for Corwin. If he left no tip at all she would be satisfied, so it really didn't matter what amount he left for her - the fact that he was leaving the snotty rude inconsiderate waitress anything was something that Nelle didn't like. So she didn't pause in stepping outside past the heavy glass door that had an 'OPEN/CLOSED' sign stuck to its handle. The brisk air cut right to her core as she shivered and reached up to wrap her scarf around her neck.

Corwin had finally caught up, and she looked over at him. "Gonna walk me there?" She asked, almost as if she didn't want him to. She was strong, assertive, and more individualistic than the last; but that didn't mean that she wasn't afraid of the dark. It was stupid fear, sure, but she had it since she could remember and couldn't shake it.

Corwin: He'd been about to say yes, but something in her tone made him change his mind. Surely she'd had enough for one night. So instead he shook his head. "Not unless you want me to? I think I've had enough excitement for one night…" He even looked around like he was about to head home, or like there was somewhere he wanted to be. Hopefully she wouldn't be able to sense what his real plan was.

Nelle: She pursed her lips. Well fine then. She could huff it alone. In a city she didn’t know. At night. "Nah, don’t worry about it." There was that independence. "Meet me at the Bullwood station tomorrow say, noonish?" She asked, raising her brows and moving to pull her gloves from her pocket. She slid them on and pushed her hands back into her jacket pockets.

Corwin: "Sure thing, I can do that." He nodded his head, mentally calculating how long it took to get from where she was staying to Bullwood so he could make sure to be there with enough time to spare. Nodding again, more to himself than to her, he gave an awkward wave to her. "Well have a good night." And then he was turning, deliberately in the wrong direction so he could turn into the nearest alley. He wasn't all that knowledgeable in the art of stalking, but he figured he'd be learning it real quick. He didn't know what it was that had her wanting to walk these dangerous streets alone, but he could always watch from afar to make sure she got home safely.

Nelle: His awkward wave made her smile. It was cute. Or something. She scoffed her laugh and nodded back, returning the cute wave with one of her own before she turned on her heel and headed towards Newburough. The sun was setting, and it was getting rather dark out. She didn't like it, so she made sure that on her way back to the motel she stayed under the street lamps. Reaching into her pocket and pulling out a pair of headphones, she quickly untangled them with her nimble fingers and popped them in to turn on her Spotify playlist on her phone, drowning out the world around her as her feet plodded the cement back to the motel.