once upon a quiet night {lorelai, invite]

[Mordechai]

The huge killer leaned back in the saddle of his Victory Judge, eyes making random sweeps of the late night denizens of Harper Rock City as the bike rumbled a quiet, yet throaty idle beneath him. He had spent weeks in the north of the city, systematically killing off the Lionelli that made their home in Foucault Castle. The last thing the city needed was more ‘connected’ families. He had heard rumors at the Met, and taken action. Mordechai seldom waited around for help, doing his best work solo, though he had seen some acquaintances of his slipping through the shadows and doing their part to end this scourge. For over two weeks, he hadn’t even left to feed, using his powers to lure unsuspecting cattle into the halls of the old castle. Now though, he needed to make a run home to see his kennedy, and drop off the multitude of parts he had found for her, and maybe make a run over to Pru’s place, the High Noon. He had not seen much of her since she had found a new focus in life, and it would be nice to run into her.

The trip to swansdale was uneventful, even with the increased police presence, and the way they stared at the seven foot three inch, three hundred thirty pound, leather clad behemoth that rolled down the streets with their hands resting firmly on the butts of their service pistols. Long hair streaming out from beneath his helmet, Mordechai finally slid the judge into his reserved spot beneath Veil, and rode the elevator to his apartment to divest himself of the hundreds of weapon parts he had found in the castle. Looking out the open window over the lights of the city, Mordechai smiled, when his enhanced vision showed none were near or looking, and just one more black shadow amidst the night’s blackness, dove out the window. With speed and smoothness built from years of practice, the male shifted into the form of a massive harpy eagle. The seven foot wingspan propelled him higher and higher until he was just a speck against the moon laced clouds. Circling once, the eyes of the eagle let him easily scan all of the surrounding area, the slightest movement catching his attention, til it was catalogued and stored in his memory. Tucking his wings slightly to increase speed. Mordechai rode the cities updrafts till he reached the smokestack of the old abandoned power plant, and with one more cautious circle dropped to the backlot of the High Noon Saloon, shifting back to his true form, just as the bear paw sized talons graced the asphalt.

Slipping around to the front, Mordechai nodded a greeting to Annie, then headed up the entrance hall. Enter the barroom proper, his eyes swept the floor, taking in the gangsters, college kids, and regulars, as he spoke quietly in a deep rumbling voice that was eerily reminiscent of the overbored Judge’s idle to the head of security standing behind the door bouncers, “Going back to the boss’s place. If you see her let her know.” Meeting JJ’s nod with a matching one, he slipped the secret panel and strode quietly down the hidden aisle to Pru’s office.

Calling out quietly as he entered, Mordechai found an empty office awaiting him. Entering the killer watched the cctv for a moment before settling into the oversized reinforced chair he had brought in when he gave Pru her Hayabusa. Not many ready found chairs could handle the massive package of muscle and sinew wrapped inside his riding leathers, without creaking, or breaking. It matched the one behind the desk of his office, and in just a few moments, his eyes were closed as he slowly spun on the well oiled bearings….as he subconsciously dropped right into his normal behavior when he sat in his office thinking, chair spinning, eyes closed.

[Lorelai]

The night was much like any other and Lorelai had awoken on the table as she always did. She wasn't sure who it was that had started covering the table when the room was locked on account of her imminent arrival but she was thankful for the gesture. Waking up half naked on a sticky table had never been much fun, so waking on a table that had been cleared and covered in a thin blanket was a vast improvement. Having folded the blanket and put it behind the bar, the female had gone about retrieving her clothes from Pru's office so that she could set about the task of cleaning the back room before it was opened to the public once more.

As Lorelai made her way back to the office to change back out of her clothing before toming home, she wondered if she might see her wayward sire. She hadn't seen Pru in a little while. Well not at work. And outside of work she'd only seen her when she'd handed back her tome and then been given it once more after Lorelai tracked her down in the caverns.

Opening the door to the office the female froze as her turquoise eyes took in the scene in front of her. The giant was spinning in the office chair. Deep within her, her conscience began to laugh but Lorelai wasn't so impolite. Neither was she brave enough to step any further into the room. No. She stood by the open door waiting for him to notice her.

"Hello Mordechai," she didn't smile but neither did she frown. She was still quite unsure about this man. "If you are waiting for Prudence, it might be best to phone her. I haven't seen her here in over a week."

As much as Lorelai was unsure of the male, she wasn't about to leave him waiting in an office for a woman that might never show. Truthfully Lorelai was worried for her sire but she actively trying to distance herself from her so that she could break the spell the woman held over her, so she was trying not to think about her recent uncharacteristic behaviour. This was also partially as she blamed Nathaniel for the distance that now loomed between her and Prudence. The somewhat obsessed female had even refused to congratulate her sire on her recent wedding for reasons of her own.

Prudence wasn't the only one acting out of sorts in Lorelai's life. Levi had just tried to end their relationship for reasons she probably would have discussed with Prudence had the woman been around. Her lack of thought had almost cost her the best thing in her life and without Levi around she would have likely provoked the sewer dwellers into ending her life, as she would have been hard pushed to find a reason to stay while she was out of favour with both her man and her sire. Robin would have been her only reason to continue and he was so self-sufficient that she wasn't sure he'd miss her either. It was this very reason that had prompted her to give him his tome before she and Levi had found a new apartment for them to call their own, she wanted to see him more often so that she could make sure that he was taking good care of himself.

Frozen at the door in her simple pale blue sundress, arms folded across her chest, Lorelai waited to see what the intimidating man would say or do.

[Mordechai]

His eyes were closed as he slowly spun, but his ears tracked the cadence of the footfalls in the hall, and cross referenced with the light scent his nostrils inhaled, let him know that someone he knew, someone that belonged, Lorelai, was entering the office. Almost since the night they met, for some reason, the slight blonde telepath had been afraid of him. To him it made no sense, he had never harmed her, had brought her items she had needed for her rituals, had even started coming into the saloon before sunset, fighting the slight lethargy he sometimes felt to place a thin clean blanket he had bought over the table in the back room, then more nights than not sitting outside till he sensed her movement inside to be sure she was undisturbed, then silently slipping away. Something had gone wrong when Pru saved the woman. The killer did not understant all the nuances, other than to know that each night, somehow, Lorelai was transported to the table in the back room. Usually dressed as a Victoria's Secret model.

Mordechai waited till she spoke, then dropped both New Rocks to the floor stopping the chair so that he was facing her, perfectly aligned. His eyes snapped open, one obsidian, one cerulean, he had forgone the colored contacts that usually hid his heterochromic irises. “Hello Lorelai.” He paused as she offered to place a call for him , but then slightly shook his head the long tresses making a silken swish against the silk of his shirt. “That is not necessary, She is a busy woman, I do not wish to intrude upon her” Mordechai thought back to the months it had been since he had laid eyes on his friend in the castle up north, then gave a slight shrug. “If she does not come in I will leave shortly. Do you still dabble in the arts? If so I have a few more of those syringes you use”

The large male shifted slightly in the chair but remained seated. The woman was pretty enough as she stood in the doorway, but the crossed arms were a sure sign of defensiveness. Mordechai knew that his very presence was often intimidating do to his brobdingnagian proportions, and did not wish to cause a further schism between them. At least now she was the taller, even if she was only one third his weight. He remembered the last time he had been here talking with Prudence, she had mentioned that the *****’s spawn had shown an interest in Lorelai and knew that it was generally accepted to be good manners if you asked to the well being of significant others. Their conversation had seemed slightly stilted as it was, so he decide to add a personal touch. “How is….Mr Damico doing, Pru mentioned that you had found someone” There, that was definitely polite and caring, kennedy would be proud.

[Lorelai]

Her posture wasn't what it should be. Though her back was straight and she looked confident, which in and of itself was no small feat for the blonde, the posture wasn't one she naturally adopted due to the fact that it was a clearly defensive stance. Lorelai was more often seen to stand with her arms wrapped about her stomach when she felt uncomfortable or out of place. There was just something about Mordechai that still caused Lorelai to keep herself withdrawn from him. It might have been his size but so long as he sat in the office chair that wasn't so apparent as to cause her to wish to flee.

It was his eyes that caused the female not to turn and walk away. She could easily return later with a fresh set of clothes for the drawer. She liked to replace them once a week, even if she did only wear them for an hour or so a day. Fascinated by the fact that his eyes were not as they should be, her arms dropped briefly to their sides and she moved a little closer to the table. Nervously she scratched at her upper right arm with her left hand.

Are his eyes usually that colour?
No.
What colour are they usually? Blue?
Are you really asking me that question?
Yes. Who else would I ask?
I don't know. Someone who might actually care enough to pay attention to stuff like that.
Pru?
Yes. Good idea Lorelai. Ask Pru what Mordechai's eye colour is and leave me alone.
Did I say something wrong?
...

He was speaking to her. Making polite conversation and it took a moment for Lorelai to realise that she was caught up in her own mind. It wasn't unusual. The blonde spaced out all too easily at times. It wasn't enough that she had to deal with invisible entities that no-one else saw. No. She could be distracted by internal conversations too.

"Oh yes. Pru is a very busy woman," she sighed but didn't comment further. It hurt Lorelai when she didn't see her sire and so she had to try not to dwell on it too much, as they seemed to have drifted apart since Nathaniel came into Pru's life. "And yes... I still do rituals when I have the time and the ingredients."

The fact that he asked after Levi, had her smiling, even if it did take her a moment to place who he was talking about.

Mr D’Amico. Well now. That's all formal sounding isn't it.
Perhaps that's just the way he speaks.
So what? Behind your back he calls you Miss Lee?
I don't know. It's possible I suppose.

"Oh, Levi is quite well. Thank you for asking."

It was perhaps a lie as Levi was always stressed about something. Neither was he a stranger to injuries of all kinds, what with his lifestyle and sire being what and who they were, but there was no need for Lorelai to get into any of that. Levi's business was his own and there were certainly things about him that Lorelai would never be discussing with anyone.

"I'm very happy with Levi. He's... different to anyone else I've ever dated." As if to change the subject, she chose this moment to ask after Kennedy, Mordechai's partner who just happened to be Levi's sister. "And Kennedy? How is she? I have not seen her in some time. But then I do not believe that we frequent the same places."

Lorelai had taken another few tentative steps into the room as she'd been speaking and so decided to settle herself in the chair on the opposite side of the desk to Mordechai. She wasn't entirely sure if she should reprimand him for sitting in her sire's chair, but decided against it; for now at least.

[Mordechai]

A slow smile softened the stony visage as the killer waited for the petite blonde to speak. Ever since he had opened his eyes she had been staring at them. The heterochromic iris’ seemed to catch everyone's attention, more so since his transformation. It was the main reason he wore the cosmetic black contact that he had decided to forego this night. In public it helped him to blend in, remain as inconspicuous as a seven foot killer could be. In private, or with his few friends, he cared not and recently had begun to wear it less and less. The more time that passed since his turning, the less he cared what anyone thought… the less he cared about anything. Still it was amusing to watch Pru’s spawn stare, it was almost as those she was having a conversation with herself about it to decide if she should mention it or not.

Finally she began to speak, answering his questions mainly, not adding much detail other than what was strictly necessary to provide the answer. Then she surprised him, a two - fold surprise. First she asked about his beloved kennedy, and then she moved farther into the room, closer to him, and sat across from him, as if to continue the discussion. The smile spread as Mordechai thought about his kennedy. It even reached his eyes for a moment as his gravely voice made itself heard. “ kennedy is doing well. She has recently taken up a new craft, and spends most of her time at the apartment practicing, improving, and turning out items for sale. In my travels I find many of the parts she uses so in a way, it is a collaborative effort.” He paused for a moment as his eyes scanned her face. This was the first time the woman had ever entered his presence without her sire almost ordering her to stay and talk. “If you wish, I can keep an eye out for items to help you with your rituals. Prepare a list of some of the things that are harder to find, and I will try to fulfil it.” The laconic killer was a horrid conversationalist, he preferred action to words, but there was nothing to do. Nothing but talk. His eyes roved about the office resting for a moment on the armoire. Mordechai knew that Pru had given space to Lorelai for clothes but he decided that topic was verboten, as the last time they had met up the telepath had almost seemed to have a psychotic break when Mordie had pointed out that Pru should get knickers like the ones Lorelai was sporting as part of her outfits for cruising her Hayabusa. Instead he chose to go with what he hoped was a more neutral topic. “I was wondering, is the blanket I brought for the table sufficient? Or would you prefer something different?” An eyebrow cocked as he awaited reply

[Lorelai]

Lorelai was about to ask what Kennedy crafted but then Mordechai asked her if she herself required anything and that set her mind working in a different direction. Did she need anything? She didn't believe so. Used syringes were always welcome but it didn't seem right to mention it then so she quickly sent an email to herself to remember to email Mordechai later with a list, if necessary. The timid blonde wasn't sure if she would be emailing him when the time came as she wasn't sure how this conversation would go. And just when she was once more wondering if she should bolt for the door, the giant of a man asked about her blanket. It took her all of two seconds to realise that he was the one that was covering the table and readying it for her arrival.

He does that? I thought it was Prudence.
Yeah me too.
I wonder why he does that?
Because he's a nice guy?
I'm not so sure about that. I've seen him do some awful things.
But that doesn't make him all bad. Right? I mean I'm pretty sure Levi's no saint.
I... Hmm...
See... You can't deny it, even though I know you want to.
But... he still scares me.
I know.

"I didn't know that was you Mordechai. Thank you. That's very kind of you."

She neatly folded her hands in her lap, resisting the urge to reach up and play with her hair or do something that would show just how nervous she was. As it was, she probably betrayed her nerves by sitting too still, her back was straight and she barely even went through the motions of breathing. Her fingers knitted together in her lap and her head bowed slightly. She wasn't really sure what else she should say, as far as the blonde knew the only thing she and Mordechai had in common was her sire.

"Does Pru allow you to sit in her chair?" she blurted out without thinking.

Her cheeks turned a soft shade of pink as she realised she'd said that out loud. She hadn't meant to, at least she didn't think she did but then she was oddly protective of her sire and that seemed to extend to her possessions now too. Did it even matter if Pru allowed it? It was a chair and Lorelai wasn't the sort to put much stock in the ownership of things. Not only was she not materialist, but she wasn't above relieving people of their excess if she thought she could put their items to better use.