Something Clever [Caligrace]

[Robin Little]

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

<Caligrace> ""--- Are you following me, handsome?""

<Robin Little> "... I might be a little bored."

<Caligrace> "You stalk people because you`re bored, or just me? -Raised a brow as she studied him.-"

<Robin Little> "Not as a habit. It must be your red hair."

<Caligrace> "-Touched her hair momentarily.- I`m not sure if I should feel complimented or search for security..."

<Robin Little> "-Snorts- I don`t think you have anything to worry about from me."

<Caligrace> "Isn`t that usually what a strange man says before luring an unsuspecting woman into the shadows with promise of candy? -smiled softly.-"

<Robin Little> "-Rifles through his pockets- ... Unfortunately I don`t think I have any candy..."

<Caligrace> "-She tried not to laugh at that, but she had no control over it.- Well, I guess you`re just of luck, then. I`m not a roses kind of girl."

<Robin Little> "Oh yeah? What kind of girl are you, then?"

<Caligrace> "Now, what would be the fun in me just telling you? You haven`t even asked my name, yet."

<Robin Little> "-Laughs- Well ****. My bad. -Holds out a hand- Robin Little. And you are...?"

<Caligrace> "Carefully adjusts her bag to her other arm and gently grasps his hand with a dazzling smile. "That`s better. Caligrace Summers.""

<Robin Little> "-Has a smile that`s almost boyish in its charm. It at least touches his eyes- Caligrace? Never heard that one before..."

<Caligrace> "Dropping her hand from his with a smile, she tucked a red curl behind her ear and rested a hip against the counter. "I like to be unique, I guess.""

<Robin Little> "-Pushes his hand into his pocket- You picked your own name?"

<Caligrace> "Laughed and slowly shook her head. "No, but it does make me unique. At least on paper.""

<Robin Little> "Some might say that your uniqueness is entirely due to growing up with a unique name."

<Caligrace> "My roommate would argue that once you get to know me, you`ll see it`s not all in the name. I`m... not entirely sure it`s a compliment, either."

<Robin Little> "How is that not a compliment?"

<Caligrace> "She`s basically calling me weird. -Shrugging a shoulder, the redhead smiled fondly.- Which, I guess she`s right."

<Robin Little> "Is that ah... she called you her girl? -Points over to the ATM-"

<Caligrace> "Following the direction of his finger, she shook her head with another laugh. "That`s Freyja. She`s the one that killed me.""

<Robin Little> "-Arched a brow- That`s quite a way to put it. Why not `she`s the one who saved me`?"

<Caligrace> "She frowned only briefly before shoving her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "She attacked me. I needed to be saved -from- her.""""I`ve forgiven her, though.""

<Robin Little> "-Arches a brow and then nods, laughing- Same same but different. You might say I offered myself up for the attack."

<Caligrace> "Pulling her hair over her shoulder, she nervously twisted a red curl around. "... You offered yourself up? Why? I mean, that`s personal... nevermind.""

<Robin Little> "-Laughs- I don`t mind. I was a blood doll. She is my friend. We both underestimated her thirst."

<Caligrace> "Tipping her head, she frowned in confusion. "What in the world is a blood doll? You didn`t like... feed her, did you?""

<Robin Little> "-nods- Don`t ask me how I fell into it. But I got paid for my blood. It worked well enough, until I... well, died."

<Caligrace> "So, you were basically a prostitute without the sex? -It wasn`t a rude question, at least not in her head. She was genuinely curious.-"

<Robin Little> "-Doesn`t easily get offended- Basically, yes. Except, well - I enjoyed it."

<Caligrace> "-Laughed easily, shaking her head.- I would think the same of prostitutes, too. I mean, it is sex. I have a thing with blood. I just...I couldn`t imagine giving mine freely. I`m struggling just to keep myself fed as it is.”

<Robin Little> "See? I helped those that struggled to feed. But do you mean - you don`t like it? The taste of it? And well - some prostitutes don`t pick their living. They're forced into it."

<Caligrace> "She didn`t like to think of that - of the poor souls being forced, so she didn`t. "I was never able to hurt someone. Even blood bags make me nauseous because I know there are better deserving people out there that need this to fight off illnesses and wounds.""

<Robin Little> ""But if someone came to you and said `Hey, if you don`t kill me, you can have my blood.` That would be better, right?"

<Caligrace> It took her a long moment to process his question. It wasn’t that it was a difficult inquiry – it was more that she had no idea. She wanted to believe that it would be easier for her if someone were to offer up the very essence of their being to her, but the mere thought caused her stomach to twist into tight knots. “No. No, I really don’t think it would be. I would still be taking something important from them. I would still be hurting them.” She knew it didn’t make a lot of sense – she heard it in his voice, in how trivial he made it all seem. “I’m sure that makes me seem all the more weird, doesn’t it?”

<Robin Little> Robin shook his head. “Not really. My sire - Lorelai - was… is the same. We met when we were both human. Months later I find her in Harper Rock and she’s a vampire. No matter how often I tried to convince her to take my blood, she didn’t. For the same reasons. The night she did…” he shrugged. “She was just desperate. And I was persuasive,” he said, grinning. Robin himself didn’t have any problems with his feeding - but he wasn’t about to tell Caligrace that. For some reason, he didn’t want her thinking bad of him.

<Caligrace> She couldn’t resist the charm in his grin, and soon found herself laughing. “I can see it, you know. You do seem the type to talk yourself into just about anything.” After a moment, she dropped her hand from her hair and laced her fingers in front of her, where she idly began to twist her thumb ring around. “It does make me feel a bit better to know I’m not the only one that can’t seem to ‘vampire’ right, though.” Her nose crinkled as her gaze drifted to the tall blonde lounging against the ATM then. “I don’t fault those that do. I mean, Freyja – she’s a monster, but I know she has a heart of gold. Everyone here is just trying to survive in their own way.”

<Robin Little> It was almost as if she had read his mind. Robin laughed lightly and nodded. “I don’t think I’ve got it in me to be a monster. And I don’t talk myself into much, either - things kind of just happen? I go with the flow,” he said with another shrug. “Lorelai was… well she was a bit of a hippie, I suppose. Before she was turned. Vegan, make love not war, that kind of thing. It makes sense she’s kind of… against drinking blood,” he said. Of course he noticed the way the other was fidgeting; the way she couldn’t seem to stand still. He himself was happy to lounge, to lean idly against the wall with his bag slung over his shoulder, strap across his chest, and his hands pushed into his pockets. “Do you… want to go sit down? Or go somewhere where there aren’t...you know, zombies?”

<Caligrace> “What, you don’t think they make wonderful company?” Laughing at her own little joke, she pushed herself from the counter and dusted off her floral printed mini-skirt while searching for her sire. One moment, she had been against the ATM and watching them like a hawk – the next she had disappeared into the crowd. She hadn’t been separated from the blonde for long since she’d been turned, but she wasn’t going to be rude and turn down the offer for companionship. Besides, she found herself enjoying his company. It was a nice change from the constant chatter about which designer bag to buy next or where to hold the next White Rabbit venue. “We can go somewhere else, I just need to send a quick message…” Trailing off, she tugged her cell from her jacket pocket and quickly sent a text out before tucking it away once again. “There. That should hold her off for a little while. She’s very… protective.” With that, she picked her bag off the counter and slung it over her shoulder.

“Lead the way?”

<Robin Little> The smile he gave was small; the joke hadn’t gone over his head. No witty retort immediately came to mind, however, and he was glad of the distraction that the change in topic offered. He, too, glanced over toward the ATM. As much as he loved spending time with Lorelai, he assumed she preferred to spend her time with Levi. They were friends, he and Lorelai. The sire and childe relationship didn’t really come to the fore - except for that one telepathic message, of course. She had tried to sound like his mother, and it had felt a little strange. But she was just concerned for him. Which was fair enough, given her guilt. Even though his turning was his own fault, really.

“She’s a bit fierce…” he said, in reference to Freyja. At least in comparison to his own sire, who was like a deer in the middle of a clearing. It wasn’t that she was docile. She was just very sweet and forgiving. “She’s not going to come hunt me down with a machete, is she? Because I’m taking you somewhere else?” he asked, leading the way toward the exit of the apartment complex.

<Caligrace> As much as she wanted to assure him that he was safe, she couldn’t get the lie to form on her tongue. She wasn’t entirely positive that the blonde wouldn’t do whatever she had in her power to track them down if she thought she had reason. Freyja wasn’t typically temperamental. In fact, she was as laid back as Cali on most days – but they had both learned the hard way that she didn’t take her new life as a sire lightly. The memory of an earlier night had her pressing her hand absently to her side, as if she still possessed the gaping wound the paladin had left in her flesh. Shaking her head after a moment, the allurist tried to offer him a disarming grin to ease his concern. “As long as you leave me in one piece and plan to return me, I think you’re good. Besides, she’s like a docile kitten the second I turn on the charm.”
She didn’t tell him she was exaggerating the last part. She had faith in her ability to control her sire, but she knew that if the other thought she was in any danger, there was nothing she could do. Holding her bag tighter to her side, she pulled her hair once more over her shoulder and followed along behind him. She thought to ask where they were going, but after a second, thought better of it. She had always been one for surprises – at least that much hadn’t changed when the night she died.

<Robin Little> The writer arched a brow at Caligrace, wondering whether he should believe her or not. Was she kidding? Was she having him on? Not that he didn’t think vampires were capable of unreasonable violence. He had seen some things in his time, and one might wonder why he had ever entertained the thought of being turned. Yeah, it had always been there in the back of his mind, he’d just never had the courage to jump into the fray. That decision was made for him. Which was why he could never be angry with Lorelai. This was something he would have ended up sooner or later, anyway. Maybe it had something to do with eat or be eaten. The human instinct for survival, and all that.

“I have been inspiring her. And you. And she seemed thankful. Maybe I can finally be the guy the girl can take home to her parents, eh?” he said, then laughed. Sometimes his own humour was so ridiculous the best he could do was make fun of himself.

Out in the QZ grounds, he turned left, headed toward the manhole that would lead to the sewers which would then lead them back into the city. He knew a few holes in the wall. Places where he used to go to drink wine and/or coffee. He was still honing his skills in that department. “So. If one were to shorten your name, would you prefer ‘Cali’ or ‘Grace’? Or neither?” he asked. “Cal? Ligra? Oh… I could call you Ace…”

<Caligrace> She somehow managed to keep her expression passive – innocent, really. How else was she going to make friends? She was used to being a social butterfly, the top of her game – hell, she’d even managed to make being on the scholastic team and head cheerleader during her high school years. It took a very charismatic person to pull that off. No, she never had a problem in finding friends wherever she went. However, since her death – things had taken a turn for the worse. She was trying to change that, but she highly doubted he would stick around if he knew how utterly psychotic the Norsewoman could be. Shaking the thought from her mind, she once again pulled her hair back over her shoulder and simply smiled at him in what she hoped to be reassurance.
“I don’t know if Freyja will ever enjoy us bringing men around. She’s totally a woman only type of gal,” she teased before relaxing her hands. She knew she was fidgeting too much – it was a curse, really. She couldn’t seem to keep still as her mind wandered off into a land where literally everything could go wrong. As it was, she was wondering if she was going to trip over her own feet or make a fool of herself in front of him. What if she said something stupid? Or, god forbid, what if she snorted? Instantly, her mind was plagued with the ‘what ifs’ and her hand had crept its way back into her hair.
She didn’t pay attention to where they were headed, and instead dropped her gaze to her Crystal Wedged Sandals. It was the only thing she could do to assure herself that she was, in fact, walking just fine and she wouldn’t meet the concrete in front of the first potential friend she’d made. “I’ve never had anyone call me Ace or Ligra before,” she laughed, shaking her head. She honestly had no preference to what people called her – as long as it wasn’t something that was insulting.

<Robin Little> Robin didn’t quite know how to respond. A woman only type of gal? Did she mean that generally, or intimately? Who was ‘us’? The questions clamoured at the front of Robin’s mind but he didn’t ask them yet. He was a curious type and sometimes he asked a lot of blunt and inappropriate questions. These were peppered with a lot of nonsense. And then sometimes, on a rare occasion, he could be eloquent when delivering knowledge. Robin hadn’t failed at life, not really. He had been to university. He had his degrees, and his first class grades. But they were all in the arts, and he lacked the motivation to do much with his achievements. His motivation was to write one of the best books of this century. But being caught up with the vampires and the supernatural kind of took him off course, his brain unable to focus. How could he write something ‘real and true’ if what was real and true was far beyond anything he or the general populace had ever imagined?

For a few seconds, there, his mind wandered. Subconsciously, he had found that manhole cover and wrenched it aside. He hesitated at the top. Normally he would say ‘ladies first’. But it was hardly a gentlemanly gesture to send a lady down into hunter infested sewers first, was it? Not that Robin himself was any good against the hunters, but it was the gesture that counted, right? Once he got to the bottom he’d gesture that the area was clear, and would help Caligrace down.

“I don’t know. In the end I kind of just like Caligrace. In its entirety. Don’t you?” he asked. “Maybe I can dress like a woman and if she tries to question it, I’ll act all insulted. Because it’s my choice, right? Whether I want to be a man or a woman…” he said, grinning like an idiot.

<Caligrace> As the silence continued between them, she began to fidget more. Had she said something wrong? Oh, god. Was he going to leave her in the middle of the streets? You should have just kept quiet, Caligrace. The inner voice had a tone to it that didn’t match her voice, more snide – demonic, almost. She had possessed it most of her life, but it had blossomed since she had died. Breathing in deep, she filled her useless lungs with the city air and released it slowly with a shake of her head. It wasn’t until he slowed that she managed to snap out of her thoughts, and she dropped her gaze to his arms as he began to pull the manhole cover to the side. He moved so fluidly, it was as if the heavy metal was weightless as it scraped against the concrete. When he straightened again, she took a step back and tilted her head, her eyes filled with questions. It was clear she wasn’t making the connection right away, until he turned to face her completely. “Oh, hell no.”

[Caligrace]

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


<Caligrace> His humor was lost on her as her gaze jumped from him to the dark entrance and back again. He was insane. There was absolutely no way she was going down there. Who in their right mind would think that a woman – hell, anyone would? Holding her hand up in front of her, she took another step back until she felt her heel hit the curb behind her. “Are you a mental patient or something? What would possess you to think I would go into a sewer with you? You need some serious help, Robin.” God, why did all the cute ones have to turn out to be utterly psychotic? You sure know how to pick them, Caligrace.
“I mean, not only is it a scene straight out of SVU, it’s filled with rats.” It was clear in the panic that filled her voice [if not her words alone], that she had never ventured inside the underbelly of the city. She hadn’t a clue that it was a natural thing to do. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she scrunched her nose and stood stubbornly by the sidewalk. She knew she should be running as fast as she could in the other direction, but something kept her cemented in place, her wide gaze locked solely on him.
Maybe he’s just kidding. Yeah, that sounds more plausible. He doesn’t look like a serial killer. Neither did Ted Bundy, though…****…


<Robin Little> Robin glanced between the manhole and Caligrace with absolute and utter confusion. Whatever jokes he might have uttered were lost in Caligrace’s complete refusal to join him in the sewers. He was even half in the manhole, assuming she would follow directly behind him. As she continued to back away though, he climbed back up onto the solid ground. Maybe he had been going about this the wrong way. Maybe there was some other way in and out of the Quarantine Zone that he didn’t know about. There were those nifty tomes and fadeportals that Lorelai talked about - she was going to make him one. A thing to take him magically to her place. But she was lacking a single ingredient and no matter who she asked, she just couldn’t get her hands on one. So maybe there was…?

“Aaah…” he stumbled with his words, and pushed his fingers through his already-scraggly hair. It was funny, really, all these vampires about, killing zombies, and Robin looked like he’d climbed right out of the Scooby Doo squad. Kind of. He would, if he still had to wear his glasses. Which he didn’t, after the transformation. His eyesight cleared, miraculously.

“I’m not… is there some other way out? I’m sorry. We don’t have to go through the sewers but…” he laughed. “I’m kind of new to all this and I thought the sewers were the only way in or out. Please, god, if there’s some other way, show me! I’ve been somehow misinformed…” he said, laughing. Maybe he did come across like some kind of creep, and though he was genuinely amused, his laughter might seem like some kind of cover. Though he really was just thoroughly amused. What a story to tell, if he’d been romping through the sewers each night when he didn’t actually need to. “I’m really not insane, I swear…”

<Caligrace> He had been serious.
She could only stare in complete horror when he gripped the edge of the sewer to pull himself back out, her arms crossing over her chest. What had she gotten herself into? She really, really should have thought this over or had the man vetted before agreeing to go out into the world with him. She had only noticed that he was another vampire – a nice, charming, vampire. That admitted to stalking you for the past few days around the hotel… Well, there was that, too. Releasing a quiet sigh, she pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. She should have started walking away before he had a chance to speak – but by the time she realized she hadn’t, it was too late – he had begun to stammer out a confused and rather apologetic sentence, and she couldn’t help but laugh quietly at the way he nervously began to ruffle his hair. “—Wait. People actually use the sewers?”
What a pair they must have made to anyone that walked past. Her, dressed to the nines and looking panicked – him, looking as if he had just stepped out of a mystery novel, standing above an open manhole with a confused expression. If no one had called the cops at that point, she’d be highly surprised. Running her hand through her hair, she tipped her head to the side and narrowed her eyes. He seemed so sure that was the only way to get from place to the other. She didn’t feel anything from him that would alert her to anything else, but then again, she hadn’t honed her skills as Freyja had. She was only a few days old. “I… I honestly don’t know. I mean, I’ve never gone through them, but…”
It was then that she finally took the time to look around their surroundings. The run down buildings, the zombies ambling around the streets – and finally, the fact they were blocked in. There was no entrance, no exit. … How the hell did I get here? Knitting her brows, she turned to look towards the hotel’s entryway before shaking her head. “… I woke up in the flats. I guess she… I guess she must have carried me through them.” Slowly, she turned her attention back to him and dropped her gaze to the manhole once more. She really didn’t want to go down there, but what other choice did she have? He clearly knew no other way out, and the more she thought about it, she didn’t want to stay there another minute. She hadn’t left the hotel since she’d been turned, and she only just realized how stir-crazy she was getting. “I… I don’t know, though. I mean, it’s creepy.”
Was she actually considering this? Even the nagging voice in the back of her mind was quiet with shock as she found herself taking a step closer to him to peer into the darkness with uncertainty.


<Robin Little> Robin stared in silence for a while. It was clear that the redhead was reluctant to go through the sewers but Robin knew of no other way out. They could stay inside, but he didn’t think anywhere in the Quarantine Zone was conducive to a nice comfortable chat over a drink or three. There were ******* dead things everywhere, for crying out loud. Dead dead things, and not just vampires. Things with flesh falling off their bones. It was hardly appetizing.

But that wasn’t the reason he stared. He was just trying to compute. She had woken up in the flats. And then... ?

“You’re meaning to tell me you haven’t left this god-forsaken corner of the city since you were turned?” he asked. He tried to imagine it, being cooped up in this stinking place with its ruined, abandoned buildings and its non-used roads that were slowly being taken over by weeds. Nature was taking back what was rightfully hers. There was something morbidly beautiful about it, Robin would reluctantly admit, but it was a bit depressing to imagine neve leaving the damned place.

“How long ago were you…? I mean… you can go back and ask her, if you want. Your sire? Maybe she knows another way out? She must have got you in here somehow… unless you were in here already…?” he kind of wanted to know, now, the exact details of Caligrace’s turning. But that would be taking his curiosity just a tad too far.

“My point is. Yes, people use the sewers and it’s how I’ve been getting in and out, and yes it is creepy, now that you mention it. There are hunters down there. Which is why I was going first, you know. Not that I’d be able to protect you any but at least they’d shoot me first and you could get away? But it’s kind of part of the fun. The danger. Like an adrenaline kick. Do you like those?” he asked.

Now he was rambling. He stopped. He laughed. He pushed his fingers through his hair and bit his tongue to keep himself from saying any other ridiculous, idiotic things.

<Caligrace> She could feel the weight of his stare on her back, and she had to fight the urge to shield her face. She might appear to be confident, but beneath the clothing and make-up, she was as timid as the teacher’s pet in high school. Realizing that she couldn’t hide from him forever, though, she slowly tore her gaze from the darkness below and turned to face him. The look he wore almost choked another laugh from her throat, and she had to put her hand to her mouth to stifle the sound. He seemed so confused – almost horrorstruck at something she had said. With a tilt of her head, she began to rifle through the last few seconds of their conversation in a hope to decipher what it could have been. She didn’t recall revealing anything serious about herself – especially something that warranted such a bewildered expression. Is that what’s got him so twisted?
“No, I haven’t really had reason to. I mean, Freyja’s there. There’s a shop, our apartment…” She trailed off, then, allowing the unspoken to hang between them. As well as decomposed, rotting corpses and feral monsters waiting to rip out our throats. No, that was enough to put a damper on anything, and she wasn’t ready to voice such things out loud. She still hadn’t come to full grasps with what had happened to her, despite the fact she held a brave face whenever the topic arose. Only her sire knew the real truth, and her words still rung through her mind – the guilt, the sorrow, and even the pride and happiness. It twisted deep into her heart, and quickly she shook her head and tore her gaze from his to stare at the sky.
Not now, Caligrace. It’s a lovely night. Enjoy it.
It was easy for her voices to say. They weren’t the ones actually faced with her current dilemma. She could either leave or follow him into the depths – neither of which seemed more appealing than the last. With an exaggerated breath, she pushed her fingers through her fire colored curls before slowly shaking her head. Easily dodging the questions of her turning, she scanned his features before answering him quietly. “No, we’re not asking her anything. She would have a fit and I really don’t want to spend my night listening to her scream at us in a language I can’t understand. We can just… go.” Oh my god. Did I really just say that? Oh, god.
The words hung between them, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to back out. Steeling herself for whatever might be scurrying around in the shadows, she took a step back and motioned for him to go ahead. It was only when she glanced to the ladder that his other words began to make sense. She moved to rest her hand on his bicep before he could make it too far, stalling his movements as her eyes widened. “— Did you say we could get shot?” Curling her fingers against his arm, she kept him in place while two questions bounced in her mind: What had she gotten herself into – and why was she finding herself enjoying it?

<Robin Little> Robin was happy, at least, that she hadn’t run off. Not that he thought he’d done anything wrong; he knew he wasn’t a creep and his own ego wouldn’t have been bruised, much. Not that there was much of an ego there to begin with. It was as if he was never even born with one; he didn’t know that he was lacking the thing. As soon as she agreed to come with him, he felt a responsibility settle over his shoulders. The writer wanted to think that he was doing the redhead a favour. He was getting her out of this place. She hadn’t answered how long she’d been in here, but how much longer would she have to stay if he didn’t show her the way to break out? Would she ever try to get out on her own?

The Quarantine Zone was such a depressing place. It could only have a negative effect on someone if they stayed too long.

He took a step toward the manhole entrance, only to have his progress blocked by Caligrace. She asked with such incredulity, and he had to laugh. Was she really so sheltered? But then, maybe she was just that new. Robin had known all these things before he was turned, so their experiences would be completely different. That judgment was shoved right back into the corner where it belonged.

“There’s a possibility of getting shot,” he nodded, not shying away from the truth. “But if we are shot, we’ll duck and run for cover. It hurts like a *****, but it also heals in a night or two. Most of the time,” he said. He hadn’t been shot all that much, thankfully. There was a crooked smile resting on his lips.

“And from the way you’re talking about your sire, it almost sounds like getting shot would be the favourable alternative,” he said. A hand reached up to cover Caligrace’s, fingers curling around hers reassuringly even as his wide-blues searched her face. “It’ll be fine. We’ll be quick. When we get down there, we’ll turn right. Head in a straight line, mostly. Straight toward the exit. We’ll end up over near the harbour,” he said. Maybe if he sounded sure of himself and of their destination, it would calm her. He inched closer to the manhole, waiting to see if she’d follow, or if she’d change her mind and back out of the whole endeavour.

<Caligrace> His words rushed through her mind, and as she tried to piece them together, she took a step back. It was almost as if her body wanted to continue while her heart was screaming to run the other direction. He had stated it all so calmly, as if they were discussing if it would storm or not. No, it wasn’t as if they were discussing the fact that there were people lurking in the shadows that wanted to shoot them. With a worried frown, the redhead tugged her lower lip between her teeth and bit down with enough force that her fang ripped a small gash in the sensitive flesh. Why was she still standing there, in the dark street with a man she hardly knew? Why was she weighing her chances of actually getting shot when she followed him in?

After a long moment of silence, she finally tore her gaze from the sewer entrance to glance at his fingers. It was strange how his touch felt warm, when others felt cold. Perhaps it was the chill from the wind battling the temperature of his skin, though she wasn’t entirely positive. In fact, she made a mental note to add it to the ‘Peculiar Things about Robin’ column. The list was growing rather large, and she was beginning to wonder once again if she was making the right choice in following him to his destination. Shrugging it off yet again, she gave his fingers a squeeze before pulling her hand free to motion to the entrance. “I don’t plan on getting shot, handsome. I suggest you be prepared to become a hu-- vampire shield.”

The words were spoken with such brutal honesty that it shocked even her, and she offered a smile to soften the blow. She hadn’t been kidding, however. She fully intended to toss him in the line of fire and duck to safety before anyone thought to fill her with lead. Before she could talk herself out of it again, though, she took a step forward and slipped her heels off, allowing them to dangle from her finger as she waited for him to descend.

<Robin Little> What Robin had come to learn about their species was that they generally came out on top. That time he had stumbled by accident into an abandoned building up North, where he had witnessed such gory and brutal death - it may have taken him a while to sift through the images, but in the end he concluded that those who were stalking the place were vampires, and the dead things? Not vampires. The scene had given him nightmares for months. But now that he was a vampire himself? The nightmares had ceased. Of course he had wondered - had he had nightmares because he had been afraid? And now, knowing what himself could be capable of, he was no longer afraid? Or was it simply just that he could not dream anymore?

Whatever the case, he didn’t waste too much time thinking about it. And when Caligrace suggested that he become her personal vampire shield, he just laughed and shrugged, as if there were worse things that he could be. Maybe he was so starved for company that being shot for someone in order to gain their trust was a better alternative than sitting around alone. Was it strange that he almost hoped he could play the hero? That there was some … no, he scolded himself. You can’t kill a ******* hunter, Robin. You’ll just look like a coward who runs.

He flashed a grin at Caligrace and nodded. “Let’s just hope that between here and the exit, we don’t run into any trouble,” he said, before he descended into the murky depths. It was humid down in the sewers, the bowels of the city stinking of offal and abandonment. The walls covered with grime and, every now and again, a clustered family of rats. It wasn’t exactly the most appealing place to take a woman he’d just met, but it was the only way that he knew of to get to the other side.

Once he was down below, he looked left and right; the coast was clear. He gestures for Caligrace to follow him, standing close to the latter that she would climb down. “If there were any other way…” he started, wanting to make up for what he could not change. But then, seeing her shoes in her hand, he thought of something better. “Climb on my back. If you want…” he said, turning a little to offer his back to her. It probably wouldn’t lead to the easiest way to defend themselves, if they ran into trouble. But, again, Robin was banking on good luck.

[Caligrace]

She couldn’t believe she was actually going through with this.

There was no reason that she shouldn’t have pivoted on her heel and headed back for the Flats. He wasn’t holding her hostage, he wasn’t manipulating her mind into believing that she wanted to spend her time traipsing in the sewers with him. Yet, when he bent down to pull the cover free again, she took another subtle step forward. You’re going to get yourself killed. Do you not remember what happens in those crime shows? The girl always dies! Shaking the anxious thoughts from her mind, she narrowed her eyes as she peered once again into the shadows. The scent that wafted up from inside caused her to outwardly cringe, and she braced herself for how much worse it was going to get.

It’s now or never, Caligrace.

She waited until he had lowered himself inside, unaware that she had been tense. She had expected the sound of gunfire to emerge the moment his feet touched the bleak cement floors, and yet nothing but silence – and the sound of his clothing rustling – met her ears. “No, no. I can do it. I don’t need to be carried around like a child,” she laughed, though the sound was strained. Trailing her tongue over her lower lip, she knelt down so she could dangle her legs over the edge. Her fingers gripped both sides of the entrance, and she steadied herself before closing her eyes. Unaware that she could have used the ladder, she simply let her body fall to the bottom, her feet connecting with the ground with jarring force. Her body stumbled forward, and she gripped his shirt before straightening up and running her fingers through her hair.

“Oh god, what have I done? Come on, let’s get out of here before I scream bloody murder.”

She had tried to keep that humorous tone to her voice, but her panic was evident. You’ve done it now. He can kill you and no one would be the wiser. Nice going, Caligrace. The biting edge of her thoughts had her taking a step away from him, her arms wrapping around her stomach as she looked in first one direction and then the other.

“… Which way?”

[Robin Little]

Robin could feel the tension. Metaphorically, of course. It seemed to vibrate from Caligrace in shuddering waves, and he was easily influenced. Maybe he was a bit like a shell – he could be calm and humoured when in the company of others who were calm and humorous, but he could also be nervous when in the company of others who were nervous. And whether she was or not, Robin translated Caligrace’s behaviour as nervous. Anxious. Maybe anxious was a better word. It helped him to pick up the pace – to very quickly step out in front of her, and take the lead.

”This way,” he said, turning right to lead toward the East of the city. He crossed the little metal grate to the other side of the sewer, sticking close to the wall. At least these were main thoroughfares, and their feet didn’t have to slosh through the filthy water. It trickled along in the middle; a single rat bounded away from them, in the direction that they were heading. Robin’s voice was hushed so that the baritone hum of it didn’t alert anyone who might be waiting around any corners. At least there weren’t too many corners, on their way out.

Before he continued, he waited for Caligrace to join him; he lifted a single finger to his lips in the universal motion to be quiet. It was almost like playing a video game down here – at least, that was how Robin got through without having a panic attack of his own. If he pretended it was all make-believe, especially when he was sneaking around behind a hunter’s back – when he could see them in the distance but evaded their notice anyway. It was something he had learned to achieve, but wasn’t sure he’d be so lucky with Caligrace in tow. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that. It was a short distance. He kept invisible fingers crossed.