Seeing the unseen (Levi)

[Lorelai]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--
Lorelai:
She’d been too much in her own mind to notice Levi’s attempt at chivalry, or rather what might have been an act of chivalry, had he followed through on it and actually offered her his coat. By withholding it however he had reinforced in her that her apartment might be the best destination after all. Of course her conscience fervently disagreed.
“Oh. Okay. Well… I don’t much like bars myself. Which is rather sad considering I have to wake up in one every night.”
She didn’t pause long enough for Levi to ask what she meant about that, as he may not have known about the curse. It was possible too that he’d simply assume she lived about one, but that was an idea she’d soon dispel.
“I am a little cold. Though the wetness is more unpleasant than the cold. Since we are in need of a destination still, perhaps you would be so kind as to accompany me home? I could change there and we could talk. If you wish to continue talking to me that is. You may have things you need to do and I would understand if you couldn’t stay.”
Lorelai wasn’t trying to sound sorry for herself but there was a sadness in her voice that showed she would prefer it if he stayed a while once they reached her apartment. She spent far too much time alone, or rather surrounded by the dead. So having another ‘living’ entity to speak to that wasn’t Pru, was somewhat of a novelty.

Levi:
“Nah, it’s fine. I ain’t got anything to do. Let’s get you home,” he said – the feeling lacking; as, seemingly without meaning to, Levi had an invite to her apartment. He almost felt guilty about it, like he’d somehow given her the nudge and manipulated the situation. For once, Levi hadn’t given it much thought. He’d said the first words that came to his head and here they were, on cue, biting him in the *** like he always knew they would. At least he wasn’t heading to the ******* mall again. What was it with the women in his life and making him go ******* shopping? Plus, he hated malls, so it was like a double slap to the face. It was still weird that he was going home with Lorelai – the odd girl who spoke to ghosts – but if that was where she wanted to go, he wasn’t going to say no. “So, where do you live anyways?”

Lorelai:
Lorelai smiled when he said he’d take her home as it meant she would retain his company a little longer. If speed was of the essence she could have tomed herself to her apartment but it wasn’t as she wasn’t really heading home just to change. Though one thought had yet to occur to her. If Levi was an allurist, then she had nothing in to offer him. No drinks. No food. This was something she would have to remedy in the future in case guests dropped by. It had hardly been a priority up until now though, as Pru really was the only person she knew and spoke to on a regular basis.
“I live over in West Towers. It’s in Honeymead, so we may have to take the train…”
Lorelai looked about them, her blue eyes searching for a familiar landmark before they settled back on the man before her.
“Erm… Levi..? Do you know where we are? Are we anywhere near Honeymead?”
For all she knew it was quicker to walk to the apartment block. She really hadn’t been in the city all that long and unless she travelled a route regularly, she had no need to commit it to memory. To a girl from what was basically a large farming community, the city all pretty much looked the same and Lorelai often found herself lost within the concrete jungle she now called home.

Levi:
“Honeymead, huh?” he parroted for himself when she’d mentioned it; it wasn’t on his regular route. They’d walked west mostly, away from his place of work, putting them closer to the Honeymead than he actually realised. They’d just walked past a couple of fancy houses and there was a patch of greenery up ahead which looked vaguely familiar. “I think we’re near Thornside Park. Just up that way,” he said, giving an indication. “You know the place at all?”

Lorelai:
“Oh. Oh yes. The apartment block is close to the north-west end of the park. I love the park. It’s full of all of nature’s creations; though sculpted of course. If it wasn’t for the lake, I might consider it to be entirely unnatural, as the place is artificially maintained for people. It’s not like the wilderness, where nature is untamed and so wonderfully varied.”
Lorelai was passionate about nature and it showed when she spoke. It hurt her to know that she could be attacked if she travelled too far into the lands she loved but life was, what it was. Since Levi seemed to know where he was, she decided to just follow his lead. The streets would not become familiar to her until they neared their destination.

Levi:
Levi actually smiled at her; she was easy to smile at. Her optimism, her enthusiasm – it was infectious. Still, that didn’t mean he was about to frolic with the daises; he had his pride. With their destination in mind, Levi decided to take the lead and head into the park via the south entrance. Lorelai had said that this patch of green was artificial like it was a bad thing – an affront to nature – but Levi didn’t see it that way. As far as he was concerned, men were a part of nature, so whatever they did was a part of nature’s design. There were herbivores and carnivores for a reason and as much as men liked to pretend that there was a divine reason for why they’d managed to make it to the top of the food chain, for all they knew, Levi wasn’t buying it entirely. Maybe he’d just read far more scientific books than religious ones though. “I dunno about that,” he said. He hadn’t been sure about stating his opinion at the risk of upsetting her and showing his true, dickheaded, colours, but he couldn’t help himself. “Nature is an abstract thing really. And these plants, all these animals and organisms, are always trying to dominate and manage one another. They’re all looking out for themselves, not trying to live in harmony…”

Lorelai:
“You don’t find the park a little… too sculpted?” she asked looking sideways at him as they walked next to one another. “Nature has its own balance. Here we’re looking at a carefully crafted landscape. A man made haven in the heart of the city. Not that that in itself is a bad thing I suppose. I’d rather the park exists, then not exist. People need a peaceful place to come and relax. It’s important.”
Lorelai wasn’t one to argue and she rather valued the opinions of others, so she quite enjoyed hearing what Levi had to say. In fact, she felt that this was the closest she’d come to seeing the real him thus far. Up until know his answers really hadn’t told her all that much about him.

Levi:
“This is nature’s balance,” he said dully. “See that tree over there?” He pointed at an oak that must have been about a hundred years old judging by the height. “Its roots are burrowing their way underground sucking out all the nutrients they can. Its branches are creating that much shade so it can ensure that it is the only thing that grows there. Cos it doesn’t like the competition. But while the oak goes on a slow war path, it’s being eaten by grubs and other insects and fungi. And meanwhile you got birds and **** making meals out of them, so, why not have people manage whatever they can?” Levi gave a shrug. He didn’t want to sound too preachy and judgemental.

Lorelai:
Lorelai’s eyes followed in the direction he indicated and as he explained his point of view, she imagined everything he said within her mind’s eye. He had a way with words and she rather enjoyed hearing him speak. If he was looking to start a fight, he’d be sorely disappointed.
“That is a wonderful way of looking at it Levi. I never considered that before. All I see is how man is constantly trying to control that which they probably shouldn’t. There’s a sort of poetry in nature. If that makes sense. And when it’s sculpted, I feel it loses some of it magic. At least I used to think that.” As far as Levi was concerned, Lorelai hadn’t understood his point. He could have gotten angry about it, but there didn’t seem to be a point. He rather disliked the people who would take your opinion, nod and then come up with a passive-aggressive way of telling you to take your opinion and shove it up your arse. Lorelai wasn’t doing that entirely, so, he shrugged his shoulders. “Well, as you know, I don’t know a whole lot about magic. Before I was this, I was just an average man.”
“Oh… I didn’t mean actual magic. I may have phrased my words wrongly. It’s beauty? Is beauty a better word? Once we start sculpting a place like this, we take away some of the natural beauty.”
She was beginning to confuse herself as she spoke, but rather than keep talking or changing the subject, she waited to see if beauty was in fact a better word.

Levi:
Levi actually laughed, not entirely at her, but that it was like he was speaking Italian instead of English or something. “I know you weren’t speaking literally about magic,” he said, dialling back the laughter into a more controlled smile. “Relax, I’m not that stupid. I’m just really, really good at pretending I am.” He gave her a wink, then focused on the road ahead.

Lorelai:
“Oh!” Lorelai raised a slender hand to her mouth as if that would help to cover her faux pas. “Oh Levi. I didn’t mean to insult you. I’m sorry.”
Her words were sincere. She wasn’t mocking Levi in any way, shape or form; she truly believed that she’d misspoken and accidentally given him the impression that she thought him stupid.
“I don’t think you’re stupid Levi. When you spoke about the tree, I thought you highly intelligent. I could imagine everything you said. Your words painted a picture for me.”

Levi:
He’d caught the mannerism out of the corner of his eye and found it very curious. It was a really weird custom, and not to mention an archaic one at that. What had he read about it again? That it had started with Japanese women because they used to black out their teeth – it was fashionable or some **** and yet, it was rude to show your teeth? Levi couldn’t really remember, so it was a good excuse to pick that book up again. Maybe when he was back at his apartment he could read it before dawn came and stole his consciousness away. Sounded like a plan. He’d been so distracted by plan making that he’d caught the end of her words and just stared at her like she’d scooped a fish out of the air. “Uh… ok,” he stammered idly.

Lorelai:
Lorelai fell quiet as she started to feel that every time she spoke, that she made things worse. She didn’t want to upset Levi, she never wanted to upset anyone, and yet now she felt like she had. Her hand moved from her mouth to her stomach as a sort of social sickness crept in. In feeling that she’d wronged him in some way, she was physically afflicted.
“Should… Should I stop speaking?” she asked in a more timid fashion than she’d previously used with him. “If I talk too much. You can tell be to be quiet. I… I won’t mind.”

[Levi DAmico]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--
Levi:
He should have been suspicious of the quiet, but he was lost watching the world around them as they walked in what he felt was nice reprieve from chatting. The sky was partially open, letting the stars shine through the jet black nothingness. It was cold so even their breaths were misting on the air as they had been talking and since Levi was still prone to breathing, he continued to do so in the quiet. There was snow on the grass in patches and it was still freezing so what wasn’t snowed under, crunched beneath their feet. He was enjoying the sound up until he heard something that he didn’t like so much. Ironically, the one person he didn’t mind talking had asked if she should shut it and he quickly realised that he’d been a jerk even unintentionally. “You don’t talk too much,” he said softly, trying to warm up. “I… I’m just not much of a talker, so, don’t take it personally.” He paused, trying to think up the right remedy his usual closed-off attitude. “So… tell me about where you grew up.” It was worth a shot.

Lorelai:
Lorelai didn’t realise that he was just lost in his surroundings, so when he told her that it was basically him and not her, she pushed the sickness back down and tried to ignore it. When he then asked about her upbringing, she lightly shook her head, her damp hair bouncing slightly.
“Oh. You don’t want to know about me. About that. I’m not very interesting. I had a very sheltered upbringing.”

Levi:
Since he couldn’t tell whether she was being evasive or humble and he was supposed to drop it or annoyingly ask her more questions until she just told him, Levi decided to avoid asking her about it. “Ok then…” he mumbled, switching his focus from Lorelai and to the path ahead again. He could just about make out the gate surrounding the exterior of the park from where they currently were. “So tell me something you do find interesting about yourself,” he said, turning his umber eyes back on her.

Lorelai:
“I… erm…”
Lorelai’s thoughts swam around in her mind. She really didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t an interesting person, at least she didn’t think so, so she was at a loss as to what to say.
“I’m not a very interesting person. Honestly. But I suppose… Well...” Lorelai sighed, her shoulders slumping forward in defeat for a moment. “Oh… I dated a vampire. While I was human. That’s how I met Pr… my sire.”

Levi:
Levi’s brow quirked at that reveal. “So you’ve known about Vampiri for a while then?” he asked her immediately. She was right, this was interesting.

Lorelai:
Lorelai nodded. “Oh yes. I met… I’ve known almost as long as I have been in the city. I came here in April.” She added the month, as she was sure it was the sort of information he might ask for if she didn’t volunteer it. “They…” she was playing the pronoun game, “were an allurist.”

Levi:
Her words were coming in staggered, suggesting that she didn’t want to reveal certain information and wasn’t as good as he was in that department. He felt kind of sorry for her, so, he wasn’t sure what to push for more information on. The fact that she hadn’t said her partner was a he, kinda screamed that she was a woman though. Levi wasn’t all that bothered by it, but he could understand her caution if that was the case. So, maybe it was time to talk about all this Allurist, Telepath ****. “What do you mean, exactly, when you say they were an Allurist?”

Lorelai:
“It’s a type of vampire. There are several. I don’t recall how many exactly but I’m sure I was told at some point.” Lorelai blushes slightly, as she feels stupid for having forgotten that kind of information. “Our starting powers seem to mark us for what we are. Sh… They had the ability to make me feel… calm and excitable at all once. Or they could make me feel more than what I was. Like I was a better version of myself.”

Levi:
It was good to have the confirmation that he was on the right track with figuring this Vampiri stuff out. When she mentioned someone had told her this information, he figured she was talking about her sire again. He didn’t know the specifics, but he was used to the Mafia ways of life and expected that it would be the same deal in this one. When you’re initiated into that underworld, you’re not really hung out to dry. People teach you ****, either the hard way or the easy way, but they teach it to you quickly enough. You either learn or you end up dead or worse, behind bars. It didn’t seem the case with this world. That, or CC wasn’t exactly sire material. He let the thought go with a roll of his shoulders, feeling himself get tense just thinking about the dumb ***** again. Levi quirked a brow quickly enough as Lorelai stumbled with her words again. It was actually kinda cute. It sounded like she was going to say ‘she’ before she stopped herself, but it could have just as easily been something like Shane or whatever. Levi didn’t want to bug her on that subject if it made her uncomfortable. Mind you, he didn’t want to ask his next question because it made him uncomfortable. It was real shame he didn’t have a choice. “So,” he said nervously. “These Allurists. You asked me if I was one. How would you tell that kind of thing?”

Lorelai:
Thankfully for Lorelai, Levi didn’t seem to want to push her for names or pronouns, so she was free to blunder through their conversations. He was curious about allurists it seemed, but she really didn’t know all that much about them as a path.
“I… erm… Well as far as I can tell… They enjoy the privilege of being able to eat and drink. And I believe their powers deal mainly in the art of persuasion. Or manipulating the personality. But I could very well be wrong. Sh… The one I knew was very charismatic and sociable. As I said they could alter my perception of them, and make me want to be near them. They didn’t use that power on me very often though. The other power was nice. It made me a better person, it was like I felt as if I could tackle anything.”
Lorelai wasn’t sure she could explain the powers any better. She wasn’t even entirely sure if those traits belonged to that path, as she was yet to pigeonhole a lot of the powers. She was probably better suited to talk about the telepath path, which they’d already touched on, but even then she was new to it and had only developed a couple of powers since the night of her turning.

Levi:
Levi considered her words as they continued toward the gates. She’d said that Allurists were the only ones able to eat and drink normally, but, maybe she didn’t have all the cards in her hand after all. He could eat and drink normally again – with effort. It came down to a matter of willing the alcohol down, closing off his throat so it wouldn’t come straight back up again. It wasn’t easy, but, he’d managed. So, maybe he was an Allurist? Maybe he wasn’t, but could pick up their traits? He was starting to think he was a Shadow, but, it wouldn’t hurt to ask. “So, you’re a Telepath? That’s a kind of… Vampiri, yes? Is a Shadow another kind too?”

Lorelai:
“Shadow?” she asked, clearly never having heard of that path before. “I’ve never heard of a shadow before. And yes. A telepath is a type of vampire. I know of telepaths, allurist and killers. My sire is a killer. But she’s really sweet. I’m not sure how we end up on the paths we do. I would never think of Pr… her that way.”
Lorelai followed Levi as they walked towards the parks exit. The area was beginning to look a little more familiar to her now but she was content to let him continue to lead the way. She’d never been much of a leader herself, she was far better suited to the role of a follower. She wasn’t some mindless drone though; she would happily question what she was told to do if it made no sense to her. Lorelai was however an accepting soul, kind and gentle and would do anything she could to help another person. It was likely this trait that had her so bound to her sire that she literally had no free will when it came to doing what Pru wanted.

Levi:
Levi was a little disappointed, but, in a way he was also a little pleased that she wasn’t too far ahead of him after all. He gave another shrug as she went on about her sire being the best thing since a free hooker, and his eyes wandered up to the exit they were passing under before he glanced across the street. He remembered Lorelai had said something about the West Towers being north-west from here, so, he glanced back to her again with a light smile. “Things looking a bit more familiar now?” he asked.

Lorelai:
“Mhm,” she nodded. “I think we come out of here and go right. The station will be on our right and the apartment block will be on the left.” She gestured with her hands as she spoke. “Levi… What type of… us… are you? You never said.”

Levi:
Levi nodded to her directions, ready to take the lead, but her question and the movement of her hands caught his attention first. He turned to her, a frown deep in his features. “I… I’m not really sure. The ***** who sired me said something about me being a Shadow, but, I dunno what that is.” He looked back toward the path, really feeling anxious all of a sudden. He could have done with a cigarette really, but, she would probably hate that. “So, you like living here?” he asked, stepping forward and encouraging her to walk to heel.

Lorelai:
“In the city? I did. Until I was… made like this. Now it’s a little too busy. I see… Well… Apart from the ghosts of people that need my help. I see… And now you truly will think me crazy. But signals. I see signals. It’s one of my powers I suppose. I’m not sure if others see them as I do, but I can sort of pluck them out of the air and see what they are. That’s how I would have been able to see who was calling you. I could intercept the information. If I wanted to. The signals might be quite pretty if there weren’t so many of them. I feel like I’m walking through a web made up of rainbows at times. It can be quite disorientating. And… I’m sorry… I’m sorry your sire isn’t better to you.”
She curbed the instinct that told her to praise Pru and extol her virtues, although she really did want to tell him just how wonderful she was. It was still strange to her, to want to hate someone so bad and yet be forced to love them. She’d liked Pru well enough as a human. She thought she was pretty and kind and she’d even written Pru an acrostic poem to show the woman just how much she liked her. But now. Now she was the woman that had taken her life. Lorelai still didn’t believe that things had been so bad that a doctor might not have been able to save her.

Levi:
Levi couldn’t control the bewilderment that crossed his features. A part of him thought it was nuts, the rest of him felt, well, afraid. Levi didn’t like fear, it made him sick to his stomach to think that he could lose something, but for a moment, he feared that what Lorelai was telling him was true. Sure, he knew only a handful of Vampiri, but he knew that this couldn’t be the world’s populace. If there were an army of Vampiri out there, some or heaven forbid, all of them, able to pluck information out of the air and intercept it like she said she could, well, ****. Not only did it put him at a severe disadvantage, but there was no way he could ever overcome that. Levi grumbled to himself, not really thinking about it and he didn’t really listen to anything else she had to say as they walked like robots to her apartment.

Lorelai:
Lorelai attempted to talk to Levi as they continued down the street but he seemed uninterested in anything that she had to say; the logical reasons for this, from Lorelai’s perspective, being that he thought her crazy and was trying to figure out how to leave without upsetting her feelings.
“This is my building here,” she said stopping at the doors. “If you don’t wish to come in… I’ll understand.”

[Lorelai]

Levi:
He was still pretty much stuck in his own head by the time they reached the building. He only stopped because she had done and the sudden lull in motion brought him out of his brooding like a cold slap to the face. He frowned, checking the area briefly, then returned umber browns to cerulean blues. He could tell from the look on her face that she was a bit upset, the discovery causing him to sigh morosely. He’d given her the impression that he wasn’t interested in her anymore, but that wasn’t even close to being true. He gave a glance up to her building, to the tower of dark brick patterned with lit up glass windows and the not lit up, which created gloomy reproductions of the surrounding city and further up, reflections of the sky. Maybe he was just going crazy, but there was a weird vibe coming off the place and his phone was nagging him again, giving him the idea of just leaving her to it after all. He idly rejected the call, then looked back to Lorelai, finally giving her an answer. “If you still want me to come up, I’m fine with it. I like talking to you. You’re interesting. But, if you don’t wanna chat, I’m happy to just walk you to your door and leave you to it.”

Lorelai:
She expected him to look at his phone and excuse himself when it began to ring again. She couldn't blame him for leaving her, as she knew she wasn't all there mentally. Lorelai hadn't been quite right since she lost her baby.
"Oh," she said, a soft smile appearing on her lips. "I was worried that you thought me crazy. Which I very possibly am." sighed softly. "It feels that way at times."
She'd been so involved with the conversation up until this point that she hadn't really noticed the changes about her. The ghosts were keeping their distance, the signals seemed weaker and less imposing. The only time she'd experienced this was when Pru was with her, so she hadn't been expecting to find any peace with Levi at her side.
"You are more than welcome to come in if you wish to. You would not be keeping me from anything. Honestly. I would, I am enjoying your company."
With this said, she opened the door and walked into the lobby. He'd already said he'd walk her to her door, so she moved to the elevator and pressed the button.

Levi:
“We’re all a little crazy,” he’d told her nonchalantly before she gave him the go ahead to follow her into the building. A lot of people thought he was crazy too, more to do with his mood swings and the fact that his go-to emotion was rage. Granted, he didn’t speak to people or things that weren’t there, but, he wasn’t normal that was for sure. Besides, there was still that chance that Lorelai wasn’t imagining **** when she was talking to invisible beings, so, he had no place to judge right now. When they stepped into the elevator, it felt a little awkward, but then this whole thing had felt awkward. He’d already told her that he wasn’t one to talk, so, if she didn’t say anything, he probably wouldn’t have either.

Lorelai:
As they rode up in the elevator, Lorelai wanted to take Levi's arm again, only this time she didn't even begin to move to do it. She wasn't overly clingy as a rule, but she did enjoy being close to others.
"Levi? What was the first power, or powers that you developed?"
Since he didn't seem to want to volunteer information himself, Lorelai decided to try and get him talking by asking him some slightly more directed questions. As much as she hadn't sought to become a part of this life, she had been and still was curious about it. She didn't know anything about Shadows, so she doubted that she knew anything about the powers that he possessed, and the best way to learn was to ask.

Levi:
At the sound of his own name, he gave her a side-ways glance, the kind you’d give a child when they were about to ask you something. She did have that delicateness about her, a warm spirit and a child-like curiosity and even though Levi would never admit it, he was a sucker for kids. He was smiling before she asked him the question and then his features took on their characteristic frown, not because he was angry or anything, just that he was considering it carefully.
“Well,” he began, keeping his voice low. “The first thing I remember was this influence over darkness. I’m not really sure how to explain it. And I feel crazy talking about it weirdly enough.”
He paused, averting his gaze. That probably wasn’t the best word he could have used, but Levi wasn’t thinking about that. What he was thinking about, was that this could very well have been the first time he’d ever had a conversation like this. Sure he’d questioned it a millions times himself, but, it was different having to explain it to others without putting on some kind of a demonstration. His last demonstration was amusing, having soaked CC with a shadowy punch at a body of water; unfortunately, she hadn’t been entirely fazed. The lighting inside the elevator was fairly dismal, Levi noticed, leading to the decision to work with it and create a light show… or rather a shadow show. Bringing his arm up and opening his palm like he was holding an invisible orb, he worked on manipulating the shadows to grow and retract with the same movement of his fingers. When his fingers curled into his palm, the darkness would swell from their corners and retreat again when his fingers curled back. He glanced back to Lorelai then, hoping to determine what she thought about all this.

Lorelai:
There was a chance his words might have insulted Lorelai, what with him calling himself crazy, but she didn't take them that way. In some ways it was comforting to know that she wasn't the only one that felt a little crazy. She'd been expecting him to name his power and explain it as best he could but the explanation she received was vague at best. As he began to demonstrate the power Lorelai, rather than being impressed, grew a little wary. It was strange seeing the shadows about her grow and recede. The display of power, having unsettled her a little, caused her to move closer to Levi, even though he was the one causing the strange event to happen.
"And this power is useful?" she asked, her voice further betraying her nervousness as it trembled slightly.
Being the sweet and innocent soul that she was, she couldn't imagine how the power might be used as its applications seemed nefarious at best. It never occurred to her that shadows could be used to protect people, as she'd never really contemplated shadows before this moment.

Levi:
When she came in close, Levi regarded her with suspicion – at least up until he saw the look of mild fear on her face. Her question made his brows knot and he let his hold on the darkness go, bringing the elevator back to its natural lighting. “Well, I guess if you’re ingenious enough, anything’s useful,” he told her. “Comes in handy if you need to… go off the radar.”

Lorelai:
“Go off radar?” she repeated.
She was obviously questioning the meaning of the words as she gave him a little more personal space. With the shadows returning to normal, she had little to fear. Now that he was finished with the display, she even felt bold enough to step closer to the elevator wall. She was just about to touch the shadows and see if they were as they should be when the elevator stopped and the doors began to open.
“Oh… This is our floor.”
She stepped out and crossed the hall, searching for the key in her pocket. She didn’t have a keychain of any sort, it was just a single key that would have been all too easy to lose what with the fact that the pockets of her cardigan were not exactly sturdy. She quickly unlocked the door and pushed the door open.
“Please come in. You are most welcome.”

Levi:
Levi didn’t think anything about her question and just hummed as if to confirm that was what he’d said and she hadn’t heard him wrong. They waited for the ping and slide of the elevator door before moving on toward Lorelai’s apartment. Levi kept pace with her, albeit a step behind her to give her the comfort of stepping into her home at her leisure. When she opened the door, Levi instinctively waited for an invite before following her in.

Lorelai:
"I have blood bags in the refrigerator if you are hungry?"
She tells him as she makes her way towards the bedroom.
"Please do make yourself at home."
Having said this, she disappears into the bedroom to shed her damp clothing, so that she could dry off and change into something dry.
The flat he'd been left to investigate was rather Spartan in design, there was nothing in the flat that wasn't functional. She had a sofa, a small dining table with a couple of chairs and a couple of bookshelves filled with second-hand books that covered a multitude of different subjects and genres. There was of course an altar on which she could practice her art and a number of house plants, as Lorelai liked to try and bring a little of nature's beauty into her home; even if it were artificially manipulated just like the park.


Levi:
He was quick to dismiss the offer with a wave of his hand, regardless of whether Lorelai saw it or not. She was on her way to the bedroom as quickly as she’d dropped the proposal – clearly leaving the decision up to him. It wasn’t that he was paranoid or anything – or maybe he was – but it had served him well up until now. Save for alcohol. Whenever that was offered, he didn’t waste any time quibbling over his response. Then again, he had to be in the right frame of mind and with the right people before he’d accept a drink. When Levi was drunk, things rarely went as planned.
While Lorelai was sorting herself out, Levi decided to have a quiet glance around her stuff. It wasn’t that he was particularly nosy, but, he was easily bored. Like a toddler, Levi needed constant stimulation else he might as well go to sleep. It didn’t take him long to find something interesting: a bookshelf hosting a crowd of well-read books. He read the spines, not wanting to touch a thing because he was weird like that. Lorelai had far-reaching tastes, which was a pleasant surprise. She should see his apartment, he thought, or, as he preferred to think of it: a library that he occasionally slept in.

Lorelai:
The blonde wasn't gone long. She dried herself off, deposited her damp clothing in the hamper and put on a pale yellow, floor length sun dress. Lorelai's wardrobe was made up almost exclusively of this style of dress; the colours were all pastels and muted. Some of the dresses were printed, usually with flowers, but the majority were plain. Walking back into the front room, she smiled at her guest who seemed to be perusing the books in the bookshelf.
"Thank you for waiting. I'm sorry if I took too long."
She hadn't been more than five or ten minutes in getting changed, as she hadn't felt the need to shower in order to help get warm and dry. Her hair, which had never gotten wet, was now neatly combed through, the wavy, blonde locks, cascading down over her shoulders and onto her back. She had a Spring look about her that didn't just stop with her dress. With her healthy glow, which was probably more apparent now they stood in a well-lit apartment, she was a picture of health too.
Lorelai seated herself on the couch with her feet neatly crossed at the ankle and slightly off to the right. One hand came up to brush her hair behind her ear, but only on one side and she was silent for just as long as it took for her to find a subject on which they could continue to talk.
"Your type of vampire is aptly named if you can manipulate the shadows... Do you find new powers easy to control?"
This was one thing she hadn't asked Prudence, for while she was pretty good at controlling her powers, there were times when she spoke into someone's mind without meaning to. Just the thought of them, or rather Pru, since it was usually her that got the cacophony of wailing noises when she was upset, was enough to reach out and touch their mind.

Levi:
The sound of footsteps made him stop what he was doing and turn to greet her. The sight of her made his mind go blank, so he stood there absently admiring her even after she’d taken a seat and had combed some golden locks behind her ear. He’d never been caught in the sun before, but it felt somewhat similar. Levi’s mind wasn’t all that full of fairies and tales, but her look certainly struck a fantasy chord; she could probably step in quite well for one of those princesses locked in a castle somewhere. Come to think of it, he could do just as well as the villain in one of those tales; some wolf or dragon in human form.
At her comment on shadows, Levi shrugged his shoulders. It might have been an apt name, but it was also rather lazy in his opinion. There couldn’t have been much thought given to classifying the type of Vampiri that can manipulate the shadows if you’re just going to go ahead and call them Shadows. At her question, he headed for the opposite end of the couch and took a seat. He figured she wouldn’t mind and he wasn’t about to stand there awkwardly all night. “I think it’s just a matter of practice,” he said casually. “Most things are. How about you?”

Lorelai:
"Oh yes. I can agree with that. My powers have taken a little practice to control and even then I do seem to project my thoughts into Pru's mind without thinking about it."
Back in her home and having taken a small break from conversing as she changed Lorelai had completely forgotten that she was trying to keep her sire's name a secret. She wasn't as well adept to keeping secrets as some people were. Ana had managed to keep her sire's identity a secret the entire time they dated and Lorelai had even met Pru a couple of times. So easily said the name was, that she didn't even react to her own stupidity, as it seemed perfectly normal to say Pru's name. She liked the name, but nearly as much as she liked the woman that possessed it.
"Perhaps I should apologise now in case I ever do the same to you," she offered another smile but she clearly wasn't joking, there was always a chance that she might touch his mind with her thoughts without meaning too.

Levi:
Pru, huh? So she talked to someone named Pru? That was interesting.
Levi’s eyes narrowed as his mind narrowed on the subject. Could it still have been a coincidence? Levi decided to just ask her outright. If he was wrong, so be it, but he figured at least he’d finally know one way or the other. Lorelai didn’t look the type who was able to lie, so, he’d get his answer.
“So, Pru…” he said, arching his eyebrows at her. “That’s not short for Prudence by any chance, is it?”

Lorelai:
For a moment she thought he plucked the name from the air and then she realised her mistake.
"Oh my stars," she said covering her mouth once more as if that would help her to filter her words. "I shouldn't have. oh dear. I do hope I haven't said something wrong."
She fell silent for a minute or so as the conversation moved inwards.
The cat's is most definitely out of the bag Lorelai. You may as well answer the man.
But I don't know if I'm allowed to or not.
Well... She didn't tell you to not mention her did she?
I don't think so.
I mean if she had you wouldn't have even been able to say her name.
That's true.
Besides. He said her full name. Maybe he knows her?
Lorelai nodded to herself, but the nod could just as easily have been an answer to his question.
"Yes," she said breaking the silence that had fallen between them, her voice more timid and softer than usual. "Pru is short for Prudence. Do you know her?"

Levi:
He grinned – partly because it was great to be right and partly because she was terribly entertaining.
“I know a Prudence, sure. Redhead. Blue eyes. Short…” He wanted to add ‘a giant pain in the ***’ but managed to keep that bit to himself. “So Prudence is your sire? That’s funny.” It wasn’t funny and his tone clearly suggested that he didn’t think it was funny. “She sired my sire, as it turns out. What does that make us in the grand scheme of this Vampiri **** then… nephew and aunt?”

Lorelai:
Lorelai perked up at the description of her sire. She obviously liked the woman and just the thought of her made her smile.
"Oh. We're family?"
She reached out with her hand and laid it briefly on his arm before retracting it. It explained a lot. The fact that he seemed familiar to her, why he seemed to be able to lessen her burdens. She'd never imagined she'd meet someone else of their bloodline in an alley.

[Levi DAmico]

Lorelai:

"I guess," she looked momentarily confused as she worked it out. "Yes," she nodded. "Though I don't think that sounds right? Do you?"
Lorelai looked to Levi, temporarily forgetting to ask who it was that had sired him. Lorelai wasn't all that familiar with her siblings and she didn't for a moment believe that he belonged to CC as his description of her was nothing like the woman she'd known.

Levi:
He watched her movements like a hawk, preparing to strike or retreat at any given moment. As sweet as she seemed, if she was related to Prudence, to CC, then Lorelai clearly had dragon blood pumping through her veins. He’d not exactly made a great impression on them, but that wasn’t the whole of the reason why they’d been bitches to him. Levi figured it was just because they were a bunch of psychos and were all so busy trying to tear each other off the pedestal that they couldn’t possibly be civil to one another. Lorelai had even described Prudence in a positive light, so he didn’t really know what to think about her intentions. She seemed harmless enough and while he allowed her to touch his arm, seeing as how there didn’t seem to be anything attached to it, he still frowned at her. He didn’t want to be their family after all, just like he didn’t want to be Patriarca.
“Nope,” he said rather bluntly toward her question. It was difficult to hide his frustration in that one word, so he had to cover his tracks. “You’re far too young to be my aunt. What are you, like 20-something?”

Lorelai:
She wasn't offended by his tone. It was difficult for her to think of Prudence as her mother what with the feelings she inspired in her.
"I'm twenty-five years old. How old are you?"
Lorelai had no problem asking him his age, after all he had asked her hers, even if it was somewhat impolite to ask a woman her age. Thankfully, she thought nothing of the enquiry and was more than happy to give him the answer he required.
Taking a moment to look him over again, she began to wonder who it was that he was sired under; not that she would likely recognise the name as she hadn't really asked Pru about her other childer. She'd assumed that she'd be introduced to them as and when the time was right.

Levi:
There was no faux pas as far as Levi was concerned because he was pretty sure he was a) providing and compliment and b) too blunt to give a **** about that kind of stuff anyway. She looked a lot younger than she actually was, which was why it was a bit of a compliment to say 20-something because he figured she was around 22.
“You look younger,” he told her flatly. “I just turned 30, actually.”

Lorelai:
"Congratulations then. Or rather, happy belated birthday?"
Lorelai didn't mind that he thought her younger than her age, her life had not been particularly trying up until she came to the city and so it was possible she was more rested than someone else of her age. Not that Lorelai was lazy, she did her part when she lived at home and she wasn't above helping whenever they needed an extra hand to help bring in the latest crop.
"Will you think badly of me if I can only name one other that Pru has sired?" she asked as she began to broach what could become a rather awkward the subject. "I'm not even sure how many Prudence has sired if I'm honest."

Levi:
Not really know what to do in that situation, he just stared at her before averting his gaze to say a quick, “Yeah, grazie.”
There was, what seemed like, an awkward pause before Lorelai spoke up again and caught his attention. He was frowning again because he thought it rather odd. “I dunno why I’m supposed to think badly of ya,” he muttered, almost immediately as he was thinking. “I only know a handful of you guys anyway.”

Lorelai:
"Because I should probably know who I am... related to."
lorelai made a mental note to have this conversation with prudence when she next saw her. She should know how many people Pru has sired and whether or not she should meet them. She should at the very least be able to name her so called siblings.
"What is your sires name? She's a she. I know that much. And that you aren't particularly fond of her."
It was difficult for Lorelai to imagine not being fond of someone as she pretty much liked everyone she ever met. She had the gift of blinkers perhaps because she seemed to be able to find the good in pretty much every person that crossed her path.

Levi:
Levi went very quiet when Lorelai asked about CC. He hadn’t said much, but he had given Lorelai the obvious impression already that he wasn’t fond of the woman. That much was true because she inspired so much hate within him that half the time he wanted to shoot her in the face as soon as look at her. Then again, there were days when he didn’t mind seeing her. They could talk for hours, which was new on him considering he didn’t like to talk too much. Still, they weren’t close or anything like that and he called her CC because he felt ridiculous calling her by her stripper name and she wouldn’t let him know her by any other. He didn’t have a plan when it came to answering her, so once again just went with what he knew.
“I call her CC,” he said before rolling his eyes. “I don’t really know that much about her. We don’t talk. Not really. And, as you know, I don’t say much as it is.”

Lorelai:
Her eyes widened in surprise. Levi belonged to Ana. She couldn't recall if she'd ever been told of his existence. How long had he been a vampire? Was he sired before, during or after their relationship? She just didn't know.
"I... She never... You're hers?"
Another possible secret that Ana had kept from her. It was no wonder that she wanted to call the woman by a different name to anyone else, she didn't want to share her but she was now beginning to wonder if she very really knew her. How could she know and love someone who withheld so much of themselves from her.


Levi:
Levi frowned – more so than usual. It seemed like Lorelai knew a few more people in their family tree than just Prudence. Still, her surprise seemed unfounded.
“Uh, yeah.” Was all he could really think to say on the matter. “I guess that means you know her too?”

Lorelai:
Her entire being began to shake ever so slightly with nervous energy. Just the mention of the woman had been enough to unsettle Lorelai. She drew her legs up onto the sofa, tucking them under herself and began to bite on her fingernail; only she didn't bite her nails in the same way most people do, her right hand clenched into a fist and she held it twisted to the point that she had to raise her arm to actually bite the nail itself. The positioning of her hand seemed to be highly unnatural and yet Lorelai barely even registered the fact that she did it.
"I..." she said chewing between words, "spoke of... her... already."
Take your hand away from your mouth Lorelai. You're mumbling.
"Oh."
She forced herself to lower her hand and settle it in her lap, placing her left hand over it to try and anchor it down.
"She's the vampire I dated," she whispered, her eyes on her hands.

Levi:
He wasn’t sure why she was behaving the way she was, but he easily recognised the distress it was causing her to think of CC. Clearly she’d known the woman well enough to be disturbed by the mere mention of her. Then again, maybe they were on good terms and Levi basically just told her that he hated CC. In the middle of his thought process and watching her, Lorelai slowly began to reveal all. Good terms was one thing, dating was quite another. Levi’s brow quirked at her admission and he looked out into the room trying to figure **** out. Lorelai had said they’d dated in the past tense, so whatever they had was clearly over. Levi couldn’t tell whether it ended well or not, but he assumed it hadn’t been easy on the sensitive soul in front of him. And it didn’t really make sense that Lorelai and CC could be a couple. Sure, he didn’t know CC very well, but given the information Lorelai had given him about the person she’d dated, it sounded like CC was manipulating the poor girl.
“She told me about you,” he said to her finally, looking for her amongst blonde hair and anguish. “Well, not that you were you, but she told me she was dating someone. I… wouldn’t have thought you were her type given she’s a *****.”
It was probably too late to pull his foot out of his mouth now.

Lorelai:
"She... did?"
This meant CC had kept yet another secret from her as she couldn't recall her ever speaking of Levi.
"I love... I loved her."
Her feelings towards the woman confused her, mainly as a part of her would happily take the woman back if she were just to walk through door and say she still loved her.
"She was good... No. She was sweet... No. She loved me. At least I think she did. But you don't imprison people you love. Do you? I didn't see it then. But I see it now. Could you...? Would you... have someone sectioned, if you loved them?"
She was beginning to speak about the incident at the hospital . It was probably a turning point for Lorelai in that relationship, as it was the one thing that the woman had done that she couldn't entirely forgive.

Levi:
There wasn’t much he could say to answer her questions about love and what people should or shouldn’t do when it came to that. He’d never been in love and purposely tried to avoid it and push people away so they never had to bother him with **** like that. Levi didn’t have time to think with his heart because he had to work with his head and gut-instinct.
“I think the girl has issues, personally,” he said with a smirk, not because it was particularly funny; he didn’t look amused either. “She kept me locked up in her bar for a ******* week. Which was after she cut my leg clean off, might I add. All because I went back to Boston without informing her. The girl seems to want to control everyone and if they don’t wanna do it her way, she’s gotta bully them into submission.” As much as he talked **** about her though, he knew he wasn’t being entirely fair. She had shown him some vulnerability which gave him the impression that she wasn’t just doing the things she did because she was an evil *****. Maybe she was just seriously fucked up was all.

Lorelai:
She could easily believe what she was being told. It seemed to be CCs way. Lorelai rarely minded her controlling nature, she was just happy to be near her, it was just once in a while that things got out of control.
"I was caught in the blast from a bomb... in her... business. She took me to hospital. I understand that. That was right. But.. I was sensitive to energies and she never understood it. or listened. I didn't want to be there alone. I couldn't. Dawn was coming and she had to leave. I wanted to go home. We disagreed. I tried to leave. She never listened. I told her. I did. How I felt. Being there. Without her. It was like drowning. So much negativity. The sickness. The fear. I was choking on it. I couldn't breathe. I tried to leave and she... She told them my injuries were self-inflicted. That I'd tried to kill myself. They locked me away for twenty-four hours. She left me in my own personal hell. Intentionally."
Of course the woman had been concerned for her wellbeing but Lorelai could never and would never be able to understand her decision to leave her like that when she could have had Leo come and sit with her through the day. She could have rung her mother too, but for some reason the woman hated the fact that when Lorelai was in pain that she wanted to find comfort in her mother's words or arms.

Levi:
Of course it was wise to be aware of the fact that this was all coming from one person’s perspective, and that one person just happened to see things and babble and have emotional issues, but judging by what he knew of CC, he couldn’t help putting that rationality aside. It was like he was looking for excuses to hate her. Lorelai gave him plenty.
“That’s rough,” he said. “Is that why you two… ain’t together anymore?”

Lorelai:
“I think it was the beginning of the end for us,” she says honestly. “Do you mind if we don’t talk about her?”
Lorelai repositioned herself on the couch so that she was angled more towards Levi, her legs still half beneath her, one hand resting on her ankles.
“I… Hmm… Is this strange? For us to meet this way?”

Levi:
Levi sat back into the couch. He was perfectly fine not talking about CC if Lorelai was. When she shifted to face him, he made sure to look at her dead-on. Her comment and question made him smirk. “I dunno. Is it supposed to happen in a certain way?”
Lorelai:
“I… Hmm… I don’t really know. But it seems strange that we met by chance. Don’t you think? That you found me in the alleyway. Which… I should thank you for. I’d probably still be there if it wasn’t for you.”
Lorelai began to relax once more now that the conversation had moved away from CC and now that she didn’t have to try and hold back Pru’s name. Levi was family, which in her mind, meant she didn’t need to hold anything back. They were free to speak only about anything and everything.

Levi:
Levi considered her words, but he really didn’t have anything to add to it immediately. He wondered why she was sitting there, what she was seeing when he came across her. He didn’t want to ask her that though in case it distressed her. She finally seemed to be relaxing around him. “So, Lorelai,” he began, “you like books, huh?” That was terrible small talk.

Lorelai:
“Oh yes. I love to read. We didn’t have a television in our home. We didn’t have much of anything. And even then some of the books I read had to be hidden away from my parents. Romance novels were not acceptable reading.”
Her words were very matter of fact. She held no bitterness for the fact that her upbringing had been rather strict in certain ways. Her family were loving and affectionate and everyone worked for the betterment of the community. There was a television in Hoshkosh, but only one and it was very rarely used. Her and her friends would borrow books from outsiders when they stayed and quite often they left the books when they left. The young women would swap contraband books and share what they had, not one of them laying ownership to any one particular novel.
“Do you like to read?”

Levi:
During the night and his time with Lorelai, his phone must have buzzed about twenty times. It had rung repeatedly, there were text messages waiting, but he’d ignored them all until now. As she continued talking, Levi’s phone buzzed yet again. Getting a little pissed off at the damn thing going off all the damn time, he decided to excuse himself with a quick glance at the buzzing buzz-killer. It was rude, but, he wasn’t going to be able to focus on her with all these distractions. At least if he knew who it was that was bugging the **** out of him he could feel justified in his efforts to ignore the pissant. As it turned out, however, he quickly realised that ignoring his phone hadn’t been the best idea. “****,” he growled. He looked to Lorelai rather apologetically.
“I’m gonna have to go. I’m sorry about that.” He stood up, tucking his phone back into his pocket. “I guess, if you need me, you can just use those telepathic powers of yours,” he said with a wry smile.

Lorelai:
She understood his need to check his phone, he was dressed as a gentleman after all and probably had a number of things that required his attention. Lorelai was just happy to have been able to have had his company for as long as she had. He had saved her in the alleyway, seen her safely home and held a spirit at bay. All in all, she had nothing but gratitude for him in her heart and that was before she found out that they were related.
“Oh, I can do that… if you don’t mind. Thank you for seeing me home. I’m sorry that I wasn’t better company. And I’m sorry if I kept you from anything important.”
She offered him a reassuring smile that showed she wasn’t angered by his sudden need to depart.
“Please feel free to visit anytime you like.”
Lorelai stood to see him to the door but she was unsure as to whether or not she should try to hug him or anything. Being indecisive on the matter, she decided it was probably best not to be overly familiar with him, at least not yet.

Levi:
“Something’s always important to someone,” he said casually. “It’s been nice to talk to you, though. Maybe we’ll do so again.” He was talking and walking at that point, making a bee-line for the door. It wasn’t like he wasn’t in a rush, but, he could stand to be polite. He opened the door for himself and turned back once to give Lorelai a smile before he’d leave her for the night. “Take care, ciao.”