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Re: Cold Comfort
Posted: 05 Jul 2015, 17:39
by Lillian White (DELETED 6877)
“Well of course I know it’s dangerous everywhere. I just decided when I came to this place that I would stop leaning so much on others and make my own way. I haven’t known my friend too long actually. She offered her place since she isn’t using it at the moment.” She smiled knowingly, some places were more dangerous than others after all, and she knew it well.
“For now I’m working for my friend but I would love to find a job in an ice cream parlor. I want to open a parlor for myself and the experience would be wonderful. Though I guess for now I am just looking to make enough money to get my own place.” The man’s smile was contagious, her own growing by the second. His company was a stark difference from many she had met in life.
“So what do you do to make money?” She smiled contently, happy with how the conversation was going. The man was nice and she was having a nice time talking to him. But what was his name? Had she asked? Her eyes widened as she finally realized she hadn’t introduced herself properly. “I’m sorry. I haven’t introduced myself. My name is Lillian. What is yours?”
Re: Cold Comfort
Posted: 09 Jul 2015, 13:48
by Cosimo Alessi (DELETED 6612)
What did Cosimo do to make money? That was a good question. At the moment, he didn’t make much. Maybe he should look for an actual job, somewhere. For now, he just killed things, looted them, and sold what he could for what little money they would offer him. Better than nothing. Better than sleeping on the streets. He knew better now than he had before; maybe he could have sold things on the black market as a human, too, but he hadn’t known, then.
”Ice cream?” Cosimo asked. That was a first. He’d never heard of someone aspiring to work in an ice-cream parlour. Most of the ice-cream parlours he’d been to, contrary to popular belief, were filled with people who didn’t want to be there. At least, they hadn’t looked like they had wanted to be there. They’d been glum, and rarely smiled. As if the bright and happy atmosphere of the place had done the opposite to its employees than it was supposed to do. It seemed like a long-haul plan, one that would take a very long time to come to fruition—one could not possibly make a lot of money, working at an ice-cream parlour. Even full time.
But, each to their own. Anyone could achieve anything if they put their mind to it.
”I am a chef,” he lied, turning properly to face Lillian, offering her his hand. ”My name is Cosimo,” he offered in return, nodding his head in greeting.
Re: Cold Comfort
Posted: 09 Jul 2015, 15:20
by Lillian White (DELETED 6877)
Lillian laughed softly, his reaction was about the norm for her when it came to her long term goals. It wasn’t lost to her that it was an odd dream to have but she had always adored making ice cream flavors and mixing things people wouldn’t always expect. It was a small dream and she was never the type to go big. “I know it sounds silly. I’ve just always wanted to make a happy place. Somewhere people can feel at home.” She smiled dreamily at the idea, a place like home would be a delight but there was still a long way to go.
As Cosimo offered his hand she took it and shook gently. Her head tilted lightly as she grinned at him. “That is delightful. Do you enjoy cooking then?” In the back of her mind she had more questions, wanting to not bombard the man, just taking them one at a time. Trying to commit the name to memory for future reference. She knew the city was large but in the end the world was small.
After she pulled away her fingers began to fidget with her hair, twirling and tugging lightly at it. Her excitement had cooled off a bit and her nerves were catching up with her. She deflated a bit and became a bit more quiet, staring out at the different locations as she wondered how long it would take her to find and afford a place of her own. Her worries slowly drifting back in.
Re: Cold Comfort
Posted: 13 Jul 2015, 14:20
by Cosimo Alessi (DELETED 6612)
Cosimo nodded.
”I do like cooking. But I am not… a celebrity chef, si? I like traditional food. Comfort food,” he said. It wasn’t a complete lie. The things that he had cooked for himself and for his mother—and later on for his father and friends, when they’d all come around to the house to watch the soccer or plan a con—had all come from his grandmother’s recipe book. He rarely changed the ingredients. Every now and again he might have added a little more chilli or oregano, maybe a tad more garlic, to give the recipe a boost. But most of the time he stuck to what was written down in that scrawled writing that he had come to know and love. Maybe it was a nostalgia thing. He’d probably still be able to cook these things for other people, but he wouldn’t be able to taste it as he went.
”You sound like you know the merit of comfort,” he said, referring to Lillian’s comment on wanting to open a place that would feel like home to her customers. Most ice-cream parlours he’d been to were all white and humourless. Cold, because they had to be. But aesthetically cold, too. No welcoming warmth. He’d be interested to see what Lillian could come up with.
”Will you sell gelato? Lemon is my favourite. Limoncello. Have you heard of Limoncello?” he asked. A little taste of home. He wished he’d had that, too, on his last night as a human. But he hadn’t exactly had time to prepare.
Re: Cold Comfort
Posted: 14 Jul 2015, 17:52
by Lillian White (DELETED 6877)
“It sounds lovely honestly. I’ve had friends in the past who would make comfort food. I sadly never caught on to cooking,” she softly laughed out at herself. Thinking back on the times when she had tried and it made her fingers curl into her palms. The heat was torture on her delicate skin and could feel it with the passing memories. She had liked the idea of being a home maker but the physical warmth drove her away. She preferred things sweet and cold and she wasn’t bad at it.
Lillian gave a slow nod, she had been considering atmosphere for her parlor, either a cheerful atmosphere with warm colors or maybe a more mature night club setting. She had been experimenting with alcohol flavors in her recipes. She knew she still had time to reconsider and pin down the idea. Funding her dream would take more than enough time and planning so she would take it step by step. She had been to other parlors but she found them boring and the flavors bland. She wanted a more interesting business.
“My design plans are still in the wind but the concepts I have could go either way. I still have to get used to this city and get a feel for the people. There seems to be quite a night life so I may have to shift things around,” she admitted softly, looking over to the man curiously, “I’ve heard of it. I have used it a couple of times in my recipes. I’m not much of a drinker though.” She tucked a loose curl of hair behind her ear and smiled, she was unsure if she wanted to lean towards gelato or ice cream. It would depend on the vibe of the city and it there was a calling for either she would follow the path.
Re: Cold Comfort
Posted: 23 Jul 2015, 11:00
by Cosimo Alessi (DELETED 6612)
Cosimo crossed his arms over his chest, a light frown creasing his brow. It wasn’t all too often that he stopped on the street to have random conversation with strangers about their life plans. Cosimo could only live in the night life, now. But, if there was more of a night life, maybe that was due to the numerous blood drinkers. And, if that was the case, the majority could not eat. In which case, an ice-cream business would not do so well.
”I think… perhaps it would be smart to open in middle of the day – not many eat ice-cream for breakfast, si? And a little into the night. Dessert, no? Find a space close to… cinemas. Where they show late movies, so you will have customer who will like to come eat ice-cream and discuss,” he said. If he were to open a dessert parlour, or anything sweet, that was what he would do. Cater for the middle of the day when it was warmest (though they were in Canada – was it ever really that warm?) and for the night-time crowd that might want to come and have something small and sweet to eat after dinner somewhere.
”Otherwise, if you want a mainly night-time store, maybe a space near the clubs. You may not sell or drink alcohol, but the drunk people might like to spend their money on ice-cream,” he said. He still had his arms crossed over his chest. Now talking just for the sake of talking. In the end she could do whatever she wanted. She probably knew more about the industry than he did.
Re: Cold Comfort
Posted: 25 Jul 2015, 07:25
by Lillian White (DELETED 6877)
Lillian watched the man’s demeanor change. Once relaxed he seemed much more tense and in thought. She shook her head and continued to smile softly, she knew why there was a night life in this city, and she wanted to find some way to cater to the blood drinkers. For now though she had to wait and earn her money, so she would have more than enough time to figure out how to make it work. She felt better bouncing ideas off the man for now, he seemed to know the city better than she did so far.
“Maybe then I will reconsider my hours of operation. Maybe sometime just after lunch time to the late night. Somewhere with good foot traffic. I haven’t been out during the day as much since I arrived so I haven’t gotten a feel for how many families are around. Though I do have a lot of time to do my research.” She flicked her hair over her shoulder, beginning to fidget with her sleeves. She knew she was reaching for things to say now. She wanted to enjoy the conversation for as long as she could, but the shop lights were blinking out one by one as it grew later than even the beautiful night city could stand. The streetlights would not be enough to keep away the dark or the creatures wandering through it.
Re: Cold Comfort
Posted: 05 Aug 2015, 12:37
by Cosimo Alessi (DELETED 6612)
Cosimo also noticed the lights blinking out, one by one. The shops closing for the night. Soon, most places would be closed and the workers all gone home. That was the time when he should don his darker clothes and his mask, and scope out the buildings that he himself could break into. That was how he was going to gain his money. No honest businesses for the lanky Italian.
Cosimo nodded at the woman, arching a brow. She had repeated what he had said, though she had paraphrased. It was basically the same. She had taken his advice on board, then. He didn’t know how he felt about that. The thief was hardly an expert on these things, and he wouldn’t want to be responsible for the failure of this woman’s business. But, if she was going to start one to begin with, he assumed she must have the common sense not to do everything a stranger on the street suggested she do. If she did, then perhaps her business would fail for a reason. She wouldn’t be worth it. He cleared his throat.
”Are you on your way somewhere?” he asked, politely. ”Maybe I walk you, the rest of the way,” he said. They had already established that the night was not safe. He didn’t need to repeat the reasons why he thought this woman should be escorted.
Re: Cold Comfort
Posted: 09 Aug 2015, 03:27
by Lillian White (DELETED 6877)
Lillian gave a warm smile and nodded slowly, she was faintly aware of her parroting, it was more for her than the stranger. She had taken up the habit a long time ago to remember important things she was asked or at times ordered to do. It embarrassed her to admit but her memory failed her often and she worked hard to put names to faces and navigate in a new place. She did believe that Cosimo was interesting and did not want to forget the name or face for now. “I’m sorry. I must sound silly,” she muttered and pulled a bit at her hair, letting it go to hang over her shoulder.
Once she realized the man’s offer she nodded, even if she knew why the streets were dangerous, some company would be enjoyed on the walk back. “I should probably return to the apartment.” Her eyes squinted a bit and her nose wrinkled as she tried to recall the address, slowly turning in the opposite direction she was previously walking to check for landmarks. “I will have to retrace my steps,” she pursed her lips in thought, waving gently for the man to walk alongside her.
“Please tell me if this is out of your way. I don’t want to trouble you. Either way I’m grateful for your offer to walk me back.” She was losing some of her confidence as she walked and struggled to recognize the landmarks in the dark. Normally she would just wander blindly till something familiar came around but with the man walking with her she did not want to waste his time.
Re: Cold Comfort
Posted: 22 Aug 2015, 02:35
by Cosimo Alessi (DELETED 6612)
Cosimo started to walk alongside the woman, his hands pushed idly into his pockets. His nights weren’t taken up with too much, and idleness was part of his game. He shrugged his shoulders. ”It does not matter if it is out of my way. It is how we find our way eventually, si? To get lost. To wander,” he said. It wasn’t as if he could get entirely lost, anyway. Not irreparably so. He had a phone in his pocket with a map that he could access and a tome in the other pocket that would take him directly back to Ivory Towers. Never would he fear being completely lost. How could anyone fear that in the modern day? Without that fear, one could wander with ease, so long as they allowed themselves the proper carefree state of mind and a lack of commitment.
There were still a few people hanging around the streets. It wasn’t too late yet, but who knew which path this woman had to take to get home safe? Not that Cosimo thought he could play escort to every woman walking alone at night time. Not that he believed every single woman needed an escort; plenty of people seemed to live safely in their ignorance, getting by with blind luck. Maybe only certain sorts appealed to the predators of this city. But while he was here, and this Lillian was alone and walking home, why not?
”It is not such a bad place, this,” he said, nodding to the streets ahead of them. Harper Rock was damned cold, most of the time, and Cosimo missed the warmth of Italy, with its vineyards and fishing villages. ”I have settled easily enough. I think that you will, too.”