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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2014 16:46:51 GMT
He probably isn't going back to work now anyways - a sick day of sorts. Santiago can see a note of hesitation, the way she averts her eyes a moment, but it isn't enough for her to turn him down. He would understand if she had, even if his intent is genuine. She doesn't know what he does for a living.
He nods, takes the bag and stands by her side watching the lights flickering off. He can see how it might be eerie, walking home alone from here. "Yeah."
Santiago pulls open the door, ladies first, before he follows her out. "Car's a couple blocks from here." He tells her.
@umi
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2014 19:11:03 GMT
She walks outside while she holds the door, and it's colder outside than she expects. Umi crosses her arms, rubs her hands on them. So far the night's been full of surprises.
Despite all that has just happened, she's eerily calm. Normally she's not a calm person (some would call her a touch paranoid, or anxious) but she feels absolutely stagnant. Calm waters. She pulls chap stick out of the sweater pocket and puts it on.
"So," she says, turning towards Santiago as they walk. Umi can already see the bruising and swelling. What a nasty injury. "What prompted that, again?"
@santiago
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2014 1:49:07 GMT
"Work." He says vaguely. "Would you believe me if I said you didn't want to know?" Santiago smiles as if it's not a big deal. Part of him wants to say something to assure Umi he's not really a bad guy, only a guy that spends time around bad people. But that isn't exactly true, as good as his intentions are right now. And she doesn't seem to need any assurance, undaunted as he leads her through the dirty streets.
@umi
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2014 3:45:44 GMT
Umi smiles a little, and she does believe him. There's no reason for her to press; Umi probably wouldn't have liked it if he pressed her. Then again, she didn't have any real secrets. So she just smiles sweetly and says "I believe you."
@santiago bring us the fuck 2 tha car
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2014 17:55:44 GMT
They make small talk on the way to the car, but for the most part they're silent. The streets are just beginning to come alive - in a few hours they'll be crawling with people. The lot his car stands in is nearly empty too - his car is an unremarkable sedan, the same one he does his grocery shopping in, the same one he drops Briella off at school in.
The roads are empty too, though there's a trickle of cars by the time they're out of the south. He pulls up in front of the building she says is hers. Santiago peers past Umi at the building, then meets her eyes. "Here, right?"
@umi vroom vroom
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2014 18:58:55 GMT
As the neighborhood becomes more familiar, she seems to relax and open up. If Santiago hit a conversational nerve, Umi could talk for hours but the car ride is more or less silent.
"Ah, yeah." she says, turning towards the door. She remembers her manners and turns to tell him "Thank you." Now she's got one hand on the door's handle and she pulls it, opening the door without opening it widely. Then she turns around rather abruptly because she's sure she's got some coffee inside, or something, and she wants to be polite. "You can come up, if you'd like."
It's also a morbid curiosity because she'd like to pick apart his brain. She doesn't think that a man has stepped foot in there since her divorce.
@santiago nyoom
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2014 21:58:34 GMT
"Least I could do." He replies. The car's engine is still on, its hum filling the silence as she pushes open the door. He's not expecting her to turn back around, or to invite him in. But there's something he likes about it, about Umi and her comfortable forwardness.
"Sure." He says, almost too quickly. Santiago hasn't bothered with women in a long time, but he has nowhere else to be now. He shuts off the engine and follows her out.
@umi
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2014 22:25:54 GMT
Umi's apartment is tastefully cluttered, a mix of hodge-podge trinkets on worn, colorful furniture with walls just as colorful. Two adjacent walls have bright, clashing floral wallpaper.
The centerpiece of the whole thing is a monstrous leather dog bed with a just as monstrous beast in it. He's an interesting juxtaposition to the rest of the decor, with his chain color and dripping jowls. He seems like he'd fit better in Tartarus. Bori looks at the stranger as if he can't decide to maul him or lick him.
"He's fine," she says absently, walking to a nook that acts as a kitchen. The dog stands up and hesitates, still watching Santiago, before following Umi. "Do you want coffee, or something?" For some reason there's still no awkward air. Umi is fluid.
@santiago idkkkk
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2014 22:18:01 GMT
He feels out of place here, not only because of the place itself but the very idea of it, of being invited in by a stranger, never mind the circumstances that led him here.
He glances at the dog - he seems uneasy, as if wondering if Santiago is here to take his place, a big ugly guard dog. Umi seems comfortable with both of them, and he follows at a distance, he lingers in doorways as he has a habit of doing. He feels like an intruder, the same way he feels in Briella's room, like he's leaving mud and dirty and grime all over their walls. He is careful not to touch anything.
"Sure." Santiago says, because it's what he's supposed to say.
"Do you... do this often?" He runs a hand through his hair, uncomfortable with the silence that he feels needs filling.
@umi what how do
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2014 22:56:57 GMT
She pours the coffe grounds into the maker - the flavor is called butter toffe. Umi smiles a little to herself at the question. "What, let bloody strangers drive me home and then invite them inside?"
Now Umi is smiling teeth and all, although he can't see it. Saying it out loud makes it sound even more ridiculous, and she knows it. But here she is anyway, brute of a dog sitting by her patiently, like she gets into these antics all the time, and he's used to watching her through them. A good actor. "Can't say I do."
@santiago
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2014 23:34:20 GMT
Her tone sounds light, as if she's talking about something silly and detached from her. He supposes it's comforting to know this isn't some dangerous habit of hers. She seems nice.
"So, it's a special occasion then?" He says with a grin, leaning on the kitchen doorway. He watches her, her hands small and pale and nimble.
@umi
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2014 23:42:17 GMT
Umi laughs a little, and turns, putting a finger to the tip of her nose. "Sure. You could say I have a nose for stuff like this." And she supposes it's true. She's relaxed, you could say she trusts him. Oddly, with no reason to.
She leans against the counter and pats the dog's head. "It'll be a minute," she says, about the coffee.
Umi surveys Santiago from across the room with her arms folded, a little grin turning up the side of her mouth.
@santiago
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2014 0:17:34 GMT
Her easiness is contagious, though the dog still watches him warily from a distance, Santiago laughs as well.
He nods absently, coffee not of much concern to him. She's facing him now, and there's still no fear in her face. She's smiling, even. "What?" He says. "Do I have something on my face?"
@umi
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2014 0:29:47 GMT
"Actually," she says, letting her arms fall to her sides and she leans away from the counter a little. "You do." She guesses that's the joke.
Umi steps forward, takes a few steps across the small kitchen, over the mosaic tile. A few tiles were missing and they'd been replaced with mis-matched ones. She's still not very close, but she stands on her tip toes and it's laughable, the difference between them. Delicate hands touch his hair line, and a little blood comes off on her fingers. Santiago's whole face is a wreck. "You're still a mess, but at least I tried."
@santiago
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2014 1:29:26 GMT
He can still feel the throb, swollen skin and stitches where his eye used to be, but it's dull. The sight of it almost makes his own stomach flip, and he's not sure how Umi is so nonchalant about it.
Her hands are gentle, her fingers graze his hairline. She has to stand on her toes to reach, and without giving it much thought his hands rest her hips to steady her. "It's fine." He says earnestly. He doesn't care that it's ugly.
@umi
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