Kit threw her head back and laughed, loud and obnoxious enough to garner stares from all the surrounding customers. It wasn’t a happy laugh, the sound coming from a place of almost mania instead of true amusement or happiness. When she was finally done, all of the volcano induced mania draining from her, she slammed back what was left in the last glass of rum and then slammed the glass right back down on the table so hard that the shot vibrated up her arm almost painfully.
She wasn’t one to believe in promises of better. Not anymore. She’d made promises and listened to promises and thought that that was it, that they meant something. She was actually a little upset with herself for drinking the last of the rum now, as she kind of wanted to throw the contents at the predator in front of her trying to lure her in with promises of better. Her eyes landed on the mostly uneaten food in front of her and a wicked smile curved her lips.
“You make promises of change and rebirth as if you have any power here. Sometimes broken things mend, but sometimes broken things bleed out and die on the table.” She grabbed a hold of her fork and started playing with the food left on her plate, seemingly idly. “Death, that may fix me. Or at least put me out of my misery, perhaps. Nothing you can do has any power over me and mine. It’s a little sick and twisted that you sit there acting otherwise.” With that said, Kit flicked her fork, launching pieces of food towards the jackass.
Drink the night away (Cosimo Alessi)
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Kit (DELETED 8248)
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Re: Drink the night away (Cosimo Alessi)
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Cosimo Alessi (DELETED 6612)
- Posts: 404
- Joined: 21 May 2015, 11:41
Re: Drink the night away (Cosimo Alessi)
There was a chirp of laughter from a nearby booth as the food hit Cosimo in the face. The Italian only sighed, eyes closed. This was what he got when he tried to help people; when he enquired after their problems and offered solutions. Had the whole world gone to ****, or was it just this city? Did no one appreciate kindness anymore?
Wiping the excess food from his face, Cosimo failed to look at the girl again. Instead, he reached into his pocket to get a pen, and wrote his number down on the cardboard coaster, beside his name. Why was he even bothering? He asked himself, even as he scribbled the last number. If people didn’t want to help themselves, then they couldn’t be helped by anyone else. Still, maybe she’d change her mind, or she’d reach a point where she had no other option. He pushed the coaster toward her.
”I am not lying. I cannot promise it will put you out of your misery, but the offer is there. It is the offer of something, when you feel that you have nothing. If you lose everything, but you do not yet wish to give up, call me,” he said. His voice was tired. He was sick of offering his help only to have it literally thrown back in his face – or to have the sharp heel of a shoe gouge a wound in his shin, or told to leave his own home, to lose his relationship, because he chose not to let someone die on the street. His kindness was only ever rewarded with disdain or pain. Sooner or later – probably sooner, rather than later – he was going to stop offering it.
”Maybe you will realise that not all kindness is a scam,” he said before he stood, digging into his pocket for the money to pay for the food that he hadn’t touched, approaching the counter so that he could pay.
Wiping the excess food from his face, Cosimo failed to look at the girl again. Instead, he reached into his pocket to get a pen, and wrote his number down on the cardboard coaster, beside his name. Why was he even bothering? He asked himself, even as he scribbled the last number. If people didn’t want to help themselves, then they couldn’t be helped by anyone else. Still, maybe she’d change her mind, or she’d reach a point where she had no other option. He pushed the coaster toward her.
”I am not lying. I cannot promise it will put you out of your misery, but the offer is there. It is the offer of something, when you feel that you have nothing. If you lose everything, but you do not yet wish to give up, call me,” he said. His voice was tired. He was sick of offering his help only to have it literally thrown back in his face – or to have the sharp heel of a shoe gouge a wound in his shin, or told to leave his own home, to lose his relationship, because he chose not to let someone die on the street. His kindness was only ever rewarded with disdain or pain. Sooner or later – probably sooner, rather than later – he was going to stop offering it.
”Maybe you will realise that not all kindness is a scam,” he said before he stood, digging into his pocket for the money to pay for the food that he hadn’t touched, approaching the counter so that he could pay.
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Kit (DELETED 8248)
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- Joined: 11 May 2016, 00:25
Re: Drink the night away (Cosimo Alessi)
She had been expecting anger. Who wouldn’t be angry at a random stranger hurtling food at them? His actions left her speechless and she simply stared out, even after he had left. The server brought another glass, but Kit didn’t touch it, nor did she notice when the man had completely left the pub. Instead, she stared out at the space where he had been as she continued to try and process the interaction. She had been rude. She knew this. He had hit a nerve and she lashed out like a cat.
He had hit too many nerves. Promising her things as if he had any right to. The very word promise was like a poison itself. A promise was something people used to get what they wanted for nothing, like a cheque they know is going to bounce. She had learned that the hard way, had taken so many of them at their value before realizing they were empty. She’d given everything, all for promises that fell flat in the end. And he was right, the damage he could have done to her was nothing like the damage already done. He didn’t have the power to break her. She very much doubted he had the power to fix her, either, and trusting in that kind of a promise wasn’t something she planned on doing anytime soon.
Her eyes glanced down, taking in the scribbled digits. It was a surprise that he had left them. She wouldn’t have. She traced over the numbers, before picking the coaster up and slipping it into her purse. She wasn’t going to call; she didn’t need to be betrayed by another promise. Still… she didn’t feel right just leaving it there, either. So she took it and then flagged down the server to pay up.
The screen on her phone was the only source of light as she lay curled up on the floor. She thought she was adequately put back together; thought she’d at least duct taped herself back to working condition. She had lied to herself. Lied that taking herself across the country to get away from the reminders would help. Her hair was even a lie. She was still just as broken as day one. Just as broken as the day her world was shattered by the realization that promises meant nothing. It took so little to reduce her to this, to take her to a place where even the numbing of alcohol couldn’t touch her pain.
This time it had been a picture making its way to her newsfeed. She wasn’t sure how. She hadn’t stopped to take a look at who had made it happen. She’d stared at the picture before slamming her laptop closed hard enough that she swore she heard something crack. She wasn’t worried about that now, though. All she was worried about now was making out the numbers on the coaster through her tear filled eyes. She had to start over five times before the number came out right. The phone felt warm as she put it against her ear and listened to it ring.
He had hit too many nerves. Promising her things as if he had any right to. The very word promise was like a poison itself. A promise was something people used to get what they wanted for nothing, like a cheque they know is going to bounce. She had learned that the hard way, had taken so many of them at their value before realizing they were empty. She’d given everything, all for promises that fell flat in the end. And he was right, the damage he could have done to her was nothing like the damage already done. He didn’t have the power to break her. She very much doubted he had the power to fix her, either, and trusting in that kind of a promise wasn’t something she planned on doing anytime soon.
Her eyes glanced down, taking in the scribbled digits. It was a surprise that he had left them. She wouldn’t have. She traced over the numbers, before picking the coaster up and slipping it into her purse. She wasn’t going to call; she didn’t need to be betrayed by another promise. Still… she didn’t feel right just leaving it there, either. So she took it and then flagged down the server to pay up.
***
The screen on her phone was the only source of light as she lay curled up on the floor. She thought she was adequately put back together; thought she’d at least duct taped herself back to working condition. She had lied to herself. Lied that taking herself across the country to get away from the reminders would help. Her hair was even a lie. She was still just as broken as day one. Just as broken as the day her world was shattered by the realization that promises meant nothing. It took so little to reduce her to this, to take her to a place where even the numbing of alcohol couldn’t touch her pain.
This time it had been a picture making its way to her newsfeed. She wasn’t sure how. She hadn’t stopped to take a look at who had made it happen. She’d stared at the picture before slamming her laptop closed hard enough that she swore she heard something crack. She wasn’t worried about that now, though. All she was worried about now was making out the numbers on the coaster through her tear filled eyes. She had to start over five times before the number came out right. The phone felt warm as she put it against her ear and listened to it ring.
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Cosimo Alessi (DELETED 6612)
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- Joined: 21 May 2015, 11:41
Re: Drink the night away (Cosimo Alessi)
Silver linings were Cosimo’s strong suit. It didn’t take him long to let go of his frustrations after he’d left the restaurant. He’d done what he could, and that was all he could do. He had Athena to go home to – Athena had her own problems, and Cosimo could tell. She wasn’t as social or as active as she used to be, and she was home more often than ever. And he liked to go home to her; he liked to be there for her. Because, as much as his sire’s departure had hurt him, Cosimo hadn’t lost everything. It saddened him that there were people in the world who had nowhere to turn to, but the encounter had only pushed Cosimo home. Athena was home.
The girl at the restaurant had been so steeped in her attitude, her belief that there could be no good in the world that Cosimo wondered if she were beyond help. The last thing he expected was a phone call. The scribbled number on the cardboard coaster was completely forgotten the night after; he hoped that the girl would pull out of her funk, non-existent good vibes were all that he could offer, and she wouldn’t even know they were there.
And so, when his phone rang with the unidentified phone number flashed across the screen, Cosimo only answered because it was a number from the same area code. And yet, when he answered – ”Ciao?” – his tone was terse and sharp. Honestly, he was expecting a telemarketer.
He was still at home; Athena was in the apartment behind him, getting ready for work; either that, or she was going for a run. Cosimo stood leaning against the railing of the balcony, bare feet and bathrobe, pyjama pants hugging his hips and the breeze pushing through his hair. He was staring at the city, considering his options for the night. Where he would go and what he would do. He held the phone tentatively, ready to hang up, fully expecting someone on the other end to try to sell him something.
The girl at the restaurant had been so steeped in her attitude, her belief that there could be no good in the world that Cosimo wondered if she were beyond help. The last thing he expected was a phone call. The scribbled number on the cardboard coaster was completely forgotten the night after; he hoped that the girl would pull out of her funk, non-existent good vibes were all that he could offer, and she wouldn’t even know they were there.
And so, when his phone rang with the unidentified phone number flashed across the screen, Cosimo only answered because it was a number from the same area code. And yet, when he answered – ”Ciao?” – his tone was terse and sharp. Honestly, he was expecting a telemarketer.
He was still at home; Athena was in the apartment behind him, getting ready for work; either that, or she was going for a run. Cosimo stood leaning against the railing of the balcony, bare feet and bathrobe, pyjama pants hugging his hips and the breeze pushing through his hair. He was staring at the city, considering his options for the night. Where he would go and what he would do. He held the phone tentatively, ready to hang up, fully expecting someone on the other end to try to sell him something.
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Kit (DELETED 8248)
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- Joined: 11 May 2016, 00:25
Re: Drink the night away (Cosimo Alessi)
His tone almost made her hang up. Almost. But she had no reason left to do anything but trudge on. She didn’t even bother trying to control her sobs, knowing full well it was beyond her at that moment. She was mostly just glad she could breathe through them. She’d blacked out from them once. She wanted all of this gone. Every bit of her. A new life sounded perfect. That’s what he had offered, so she was going to take him up on it.
“Changed my mind.” The words came out garbled and in between the sobs that she still couldn’t control. “Want new life. Change.” She didn’t even bother trying to get out full sentences, or even word combinations that made 100% sense. He would understand, she hoped, and work from there.
She hit the speaker phone on her button, setting the phone down next to her as she waited for his reply. Waited to see if she’d blown her chance at what he offered, even if she still wasn’t sure that what he offered would make a difference. There was something broken in her that wasn’t easily fixed. She had tried. Everyone closest to her had slowly turned away, tired of dealing with the broken and getting frustrated with her inability to just brush it off.
“Changed my mind.” The words came out garbled and in between the sobs that she still couldn’t control. “Want new life. Change.” She didn’t even bother trying to get out full sentences, or even word combinations that made 100% sense. He would understand, she hoped, and work from there.
She hit the speaker phone on her button, setting the phone down next to her as she waited for his reply. Waited to see if she’d blown her chance at what he offered, even if she still wasn’t sure that what he offered would make a difference. There was something broken in her that wasn’t easily fixed. She had tried. Everyone closest to her had slowly turned away, tired of dealing with the broken and getting frustrated with her inability to just brush it off.
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Cosimo Alessi (DELETED 6612)
- Posts: 404
- Joined: 21 May 2015, 11:41
Re: Drink the night away (Cosimo Alessi)
As soon as Cosimo heard the sobbing, he straightened. He turned away from the view to lean against the railing, gaze penetrating the innards of the apartment; Athena was still there. It wasn’t Athena sobbing on the other end of the phone. Juniper, maybe? Calliope?
The voice, when it finally spoke, was not familiar; not familiar like that of the women he knew. A frown creased his brow as his memory reached backward. And then the voice mentioned change, a new life – and he remembered. The face came back in a flash of bright colours. Kit. The sad woman who’d masked herself in a frame of brightness. Cosimo kept his eyes on Athena as he nodded. Kit couldn’t see, but he was nodding more at himself than at the woman on the other end of the phone.
”Si, okay, Kit,” he said, tone considerably softer than it had been when he’d answered the phone. Judging by the uncontrollable sobs, whatever depression Kit had been feeling when they’d met had snowballed into something far greater, something far more vicious. Anger had been superseded by desperation, and Cosimo had offered to be the lifeboat.
”Where are you? Do you want me to come to you?” he asked. He remained where he was in the cool, relatively silent seclusion of the balcony, the warmth and comfort of his home with Athena inside. Not everyone had a warm and comfortable lifeboat. ”I can be there soon…” he said. It wouldn’t take him long to get dressed – he didn’t need to shower. A pro of being a vampire. No body odour, no sweat, no flaking skin, no oily hair. Frozen, for lack of a better word.
The voice, when it finally spoke, was not familiar; not familiar like that of the women he knew. A frown creased his brow as his memory reached backward. And then the voice mentioned change, a new life – and he remembered. The face came back in a flash of bright colours. Kit. The sad woman who’d masked herself in a frame of brightness. Cosimo kept his eyes on Athena as he nodded. Kit couldn’t see, but he was nodding more at himself than at the woman on the other end of the phone.
”Si, okay, Kit,” he said, tone considerably softer than it had been when he’d answered the phone. Judging by the uncontrollable sobs, whatever depression Kit had been feeling when they’d met had snowballed into something far greater, something far more vicious. Anger had been superseded by desperation, and Cosimo had offered to be the lifeboat.
”Where are you? Do you want me to come to you?” he asked. He remained where he was in the cool, relatively silent seclusion of the balcony, the warmth and comfort of his home with Athena inside. Not everyone had a warm and comfortable lifeboat. ”I can be there soon…” he said. It wouldn’t take him long to get dressed – he didn’t need to shower. A pro of being a vampire. No body odour, no sweat, no flaking skin, no oily hair. Frozen, for lack of a better word.
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Kit (DELETED 8248)
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- Joined: 11 May 2016, 00:25
Re: Drink the night away (Cosimo Alessi)
The voice changed, reminding her of the reason she’d reached out to this stranger in the first place. He was calm in the face of her storm and, true to his word, continued to try and offer her a life raft. This didn’t mean she wasn’t still under the impression that he was some sort of predator trying to use her vulnerability to his advantage. As far as she was concerned, just about everyone was trying to prey on those weaker than them. His offer sounded like something a cult would say. Maybe that’s exactly what she needed. To give up everything and go join a mindless cult of mindlessness. They didn’t let you have electronics and Facebook in cults.
“M’at my motel. Can text you the address?” She wasn’t entirely sure what the address was. She’d been in it long enough to be at that place where she really should go find an apartment. But no. She stayed in the crappy motel because that was her life.
“Will you come?” Those words were the hardest for her to get out. Not because of the tears but because she was actively putting her faith in someone. Something she’d sworn never to do again. Unlike last time, she wasn’t betting on it working out for her. She was fairly sure this guy was going to hurt her in some way, but at least she would be ready for it. This time.
“M’at my motel. Can text you the address?” She wasn’t entirely sure what the address was. She’d been in it long enough to be at that place where she really should go find an apartment. But no. She stayed in the crappy motel because that was her life.
“Will you come?” Those words were the hardest for her to get out. Not because of the tears but because she was actively putting her faith in someone. Something she’d sworn never to do again. Unlike last time, she wasn’t betting on it working out for her. She was fairly sure this guy was going to hurt her in some way, but at least she would be ready for it. This time.
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Cosimo Alessi (DELETED 6612)
- Posts: 404
- Joined: 21 May 2015, 11:41
Re: Drink the night away (Cosimo Alessi)
The Italian nodded, even though the bright-haired girl could not see him. Hadn’t he already said that he would come? Not in so many words, of course, but he had said so. Sobbing and inconsolable on the other end of the phone, there was nothing for him to do but to assume that she was completely out of it. Maybe she was drunk – or there were prescription drugs involved. The kind that if taken in large doses could be fatal. He would have to move quickly.
”Si, Kit. I will come. I will hang up now – I will get dressed, and I will come. It will depend how far away are you, how long I will be. But I will come. Text me the address,” he said. She seemed unsure, and Cosimo couldn’t say he had ever been in her position. He didn’t know what it was like to think that everyone he ever met would let him down. Even his father, deadbeat that he was, wouldn’t have let Cosimo down if he could help it. Clearly, Massimo hadn’t been able to help it. Massimo was dead.
”Text me the address,” he repeated, before he hung up the phone and headed for the bedroom. There, he pulled on a pair of blue slacks, a grey, fitted shirt and the first socks (polka dot blue) and shoes that he came across. Not a complete delinquent, he took five seconds to push a brush through his hair, before he found his phone, wallet, and keys. As he pulled the door closed behind him, he swiped at the screen to see if he had any messages – he wouldn’t be able to help anyone, or go anywhere, if he didn’t know where he was going. It was all up to Kit, now.
”Si, Kit. I will come. I will hang up now – I will get dressed, and I will come. It will depend how far away are you, how long I will be. But I will come. Text me the address,” he said. She seemed unsure, and Cosimo couldn’t say he had ever been in her position. He didn’t know what it was like to think that everyone he ever met would let him down. Even his father, deadbeat that he was, wouldn’t have let Cosimo down if he could help it. Clearly, Massimo hadn’t been able to help it. Massimo was dead.
”Text me the address,” he repeated, before he hung up the phone and headed for the bedroom. There, he pulled on a pair of blue slacks, a grey, fitted shirt and the first socks (polka dot blue) and shoes that he came across. Not a complete delinquent, he took five seconds to push a brush through his hair, before he found his phone, wallet, and keys. As he pulled the door closed behind him, he swiped at the screen to see if he had any messages – he wouldn’t be able to help anyone, or go anywhere, if he didn’t know where he was going. It was all up to Kit, now.
![[Wearing]](http://ilarge.lisimg.com/image/11490162/1118full-michiel-huisman.jpg){kind=link}
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Kit (DELETED 8248)
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Re: Drink the night away (Cosimo Alessi)
The connection was gone, a thought that threatened to send her further into her pit of despair. Her phone screen was dark, a power saving technique, and she had to turn the screen back on and draw in her pattern in order to get it back on. She didn’t get it right the first or even the second time, but the third time she managed to get it. The on screen keyboard was one she failed at on good days, and tonight wasn’t a good day. Between the alcohol in her system and the emotions that ran wild, the message she sent was more cryptic than anything. Someone with enough knowledge of the area, and a desire to decipher it might be able to make heads or tails of it, but out of context it would appear to be nothing more than gibberish.
She hit the send button as her hands shook, the phone dropping to the floor after. She glanced up at the door, the one she hadn’t even bothered to lock as she’d stumbled in earlier. She hadn’t gone straight there from Grosetto’s, stopping off at a bar on her way by. No one had bothered trying to engage her there; everyone clearly reading her “**** off” vibes. Everyone had all night, except for Cosimo.
Her hand easily found the bottle beside her. After the bar, she’d stopped at the liquor store and stocked up. The clerk had assumed she was hosting a party and had tried to engage her before cluing into her mood. They all clued in eventually. And yet, Cosimo was going to come get her, despite everything. Something was obviously wrong with him.
She lifted the bottle, moving to take the cover off before realizing that she’d never put it back on. Convenient. She tipped the bottle to her lips and gulped more down, the straight alcohol burning on the way down in a way that she had begun to associate with feeling better. The burning now was supposed to dull the pain, making that feeling almost as good as the buzz from the alcohol itself.
She hit the send button as her hands shook, the phone dropping to the floor after. She glanced up at the door, the one she hadn’t even bothered to lock as she’d stumbled in earlier. She hadn’t gone straight there from Grosetto’s, stopping off at a bar on her way by. No one had bothered trying to engage her there; everyone clearly reading her “**** off” vibes. Everyone had all night, except for Cosimo.
Her hand easily found the bottle beside her. After the bar, she’d stopped at the liquor store and stocked up. The clerk had assumed she was hosting a party and had tried to engage her before cluing into her mood. They all clued in eventually. And yet, Cosimo was going to come get her, despite everything. Something was obviously wrong with him.
She lifted the bottle, moving to take the cover off before realizing that she’d never put it back on. Convenient. She tipped the bottle to her lips and gulped more down, the straight alcohol burning on the way down in a way that she had begun to associate with feeling better. The burning now was supposed to dull the pain, making that feeling almost as good as the buzz from the alcohol itself.
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Cosimo Alessi (DELETED 6612)
- Posts: 404
- Joined: 21 May 2015, 11:41
Re: Drink the night away (Cosimo Alessi)
Cosimo was standing out the front of Sanctuary waiting for the message to come through; it took a while, but finally his phone buzzed and he had to stare, dumbfounded, at the message he received. He had asked Kit to send the location of her motel, but what he got looked like nonsense. Cosimo was not a local, and nor was English his first language. Not that what he received looked anything like English, anyway – it probably didn’t matter if it was in German.
There were clues, however – he ended up wandering the streets and asking random passer by if they could decipher the message. After he told a couple of them that he was looking for a motel where his friend was staying, eventually he stumbled across someone who’d lived in the city all their lives, and who could point him in the right direction.
He could, of course, have called Kit. He could have stayed on the phone with her until he’d arrived; could have, somehow, got the directions out of her that way. But he felt rushed. He felt like he wouldn’t have got much sense out of her anyway. And the last thing he wanted was for her to do something drastic while he was on the phone to her, with no way of reaching her in time. It had to have been at least an hour as he wandered around trying to get directions, and to walk the few blocks to where he eventually needed to be.
When he reached the motel, which had minimal security, he searched all the doors until he found the one he assumed he needed. He checked the gibberish message a couple of times just to be sure – though he couldn’t be. But he knocked anyway. He knocked twice, before tried the handle and peered inside.
”Hello?” he called. He stayed on the doorstep, just in case he had the wrong place.
There were clues, however – he ended up wandering the streets and asking random passer by if they could decipher the message. After he told a couple of them that he was looking for a motel where his friend was staying, eventually he stumbled across someone who’d lived in the city all their lives, and who could point him in the right direction.
He could, of course, have called Kit. He could have stayed on the phone with her until he’d arrived; could have, somehow, got the directions out of her that way. But he felt rushed. He felt like he wouldn’t have got much sense out of her anyway. And the last thing he wanted was for her to do something drastic while he was on the phone to her, with no way of reaching her in time. It had to have been at least an hour as he wandered around trying to get directions, and to walk the few blocks to where he eventually needed to be.
When he reached the motel, which had minimal security, he searched all the doors until he found the one he assumed he needed. He checked the gibberish message a couple of times just to be sure – though he couldn’t be. But he knocked anyway. He knocked twice, before tried the handle and peered inside.
”Hello?” he called. He stayed on the doorstep, just in case he had the wrong place.