Through a Wine Soaked Glass

[Talia Bracken]

The Inner City. A place rarely ever seen for an unregistered human. A safe haven. Or the core of all wrong with the world. The view varied from person to person. For her it was simply where all her targets stayed. So getting in was important. For either information, or a kill.

Today wasn’t as interesting. She was there for information. No one would die by her hand that day. Intentionally. If someone got in her way, she wouldn’t be adverse to the idea. But she restrained herself. For now. The meeting called for a bit of subtlety. If her informants got caught, it would be a problem. Every ear in the Inner City was immensely valuable. That's why only a certain few were allowed these sorts of missions. Why someone like her went on them.

She knew how to blend in. How to walk into the bar and manage to avoid attention. Become nothing more than another face in the dim light. Forgettable. Unimportant. With ease she moved through the bodies towards the bar itself. Outwardly relaxed, but inwardly coiled. Best place to hide was in plain sight. So she smiled when she sat. Sounded polite when she ordered. Offered a glance to the one who suddenly sat beside her.

[Lucy Serrano]

Falling off the grid was sort of funny, really. Disappearing for days from someone like the assassin she was a little more than acquainted with was almosy impossible. But she had been held up in a single home, unable to move, let alone move and be caught by a set of ears or anything of the like. She had been gone, and when she managed to spare a thought to Talia, she wondered if she had considered looking.

Wasn't it always like that? That the assassin could just find her? She supposed this was an easy exception; being unwillingly bitten and turned into a vampire wasn't exactly on anyone's assumed cards.

The heightened way she could smell everything was almost sickening within itself. Every beat of a nearby heart practically rang in her ears. What was the point in a life like this? It was practically horrifying.

Falling into a neighbouring seat was lucky. Would she smell familiar in time? Would that be the only way Lucy would properly be able to find her again? At least that would be easy.

"You on business, love?" She asked pointedly, but she sounded tired; "Or 'em I your business."

[Talia Bracken]

It was almost funny how ironic the situation was. Recognition came from sight before voice chimed in. Was she on business? Or was she her business. Talia observed the one she came to find as a smirk tugged at her lips. "Maybe." She teased slightly. She was. But not this directly. She'd come to find out where she had disappeared to.

Now here she sat. Looking uncharacteristic lot tired. Talia picked it up in her voice. Her body. However faint, she caught it. It brought minor concern to her expression. She'd gathered reports from the others she knew. It was hard, but not impossible to find information. Unfortunately what she got didn't lead to a happy ending. Something she didn't want to address just yet. She sipped some of the drink brought to her. "You've been gone a while." She observed. "Everything alright?" She chanced to ask, blue eyes turning back to her. 

[Lucy Serrano]

Disguised or no, it was hard to hide from a heightened sense of smell. This was a different kind of game now. For herself, she at least had to assume the assassin knew nothing of her change. The corner of her mouth did drag a fraction before the obvious question was posed. Then it dropped, and she had to find the means to respond.

Lucy thought to lie, but every word would easily be found out by someone who knew what to look for. What would be the point? She had no intention of cutting ties with this person. Or rather, she had no intention of starting that potential severing.

"No," She replied honestly.

It was fair enough, she supposed. She didn't look alright. That was always a question given when the first answer was known. "Did you worry?" Lucy asked her instead, offering the threat of her own concern through dulled dark eyes.

[Talia Bracken]

A corner of her mouth tugged, but then dropped. No. Everything wasn't alright. Which only made the concern grow. And a theory more insistent. Did Talia worry? Now the corner of her own lip tugged up a little. It stayed in place, but wasn't nearly as strong as normal. It shouldn't be. Not at that moment. "Yes." The admittance was honest. She'd been given honesty, so in turn have it. There wasn't a reason for her to lie anyhow.

She thought. Considered her options. She no longer needed to be in the bar. Not when she had appeared right before her. The Inner city still posed its threats. She wouldn't need to face them for the time being. "Would you want to go somewhere a little more private to talk? Considering you just threw my reason for being here out the window." The offer came with a much stronger smirk. More similar to the ones she'd given before. "Or we could stay if you preferred."

[Lucy Serrano]

Talia had every right to be worried. She seemed like the type who only would if she registered a genuine problem. Lucy quickly wished for the older flow of things between them, where moments of genuine interest and concern were few and far between. It used to be fun.

It was a nice enough sentiment to consider leaving, though; to be stuck in a crowded room full of intoxication didn't make for the easiest platform for proper communication.

"You're not gonna wanna be alone with me, I don't think." She offered then. However vague, it seemed fitting, and it seemed like a fair thing to offer. She was a person only a week ago who knew the danger the obvious threats could pose.

[Talia Bracken]

She wasn't going to want to be alone with her. At least, she didn't think so. It was vague, but with what Talia suspected it clicked things together. An unfortunate conclusion, really. Yet not completely unheard of. It did place her in an interesting situation now. One she would think more on later. There were certain implications to it that would spoil her mood. It was already far too heavy to her liking.

"I dare say you're warning me. I'm a big girl." Came the tease. She was more than capable of handling herself. However she didn't want to have to handle herself. Not with her. "But alright, we'll stay. The alcohol is better anyways." She mused, taking another sip. The difference in quality from the Outer City was noticeable. "I can actually drink it." It came with an easy smirk. Her normal attitude slowly returning. Outwardly at least.

[Lucy Serrano]

Given how they met, it was easy to know this girl could take care of herself. She very easily could have taken care of Lucy too if she'd ever felt the need to. The thought must have crossed her mind the first time they saw each other. "Fine, I'll give you a bit of credit." She reasoned. After all, it was only fair.

For a few moments, she only watched the way she drank. Her attention felt acutely fixed, despite how distracting every heightened noise so suddenly was.

She leaned in a fraction, but even then she wondered if that was too much now.

"What do you know?" Lucy asked then. She knew Talia was capable of scraping together what information she could. If an assumption was there, it was far easier to confirm or deny over explaining herself outwardly.

[Talia Bracken]

She'd give her a fair bit of credit. The statement only proved to widen her smirk. "Why thank you." She purred, amused a bit. She had already seen what Talia was capable of. She'd walked in on her during one of her jobs after all. She was still an assassin. No matter what she now was. During her drink, she felt eyes on her. Intense. Focused. Her blue eyes simply flicked to meet hers once she finished.

She leaned a bit closer. The distance between each other lessening if only by a fraction. Talia didn't flinch, or move away. What did she know? She stayed silent a moment. Studying. Debating. Gaze flicking over her form in a small assessment. Lastly landing back on her eyes. "You've been turned, haven't you?" The question was put forth with a low and quiet tone. Unafraid. Simply inquiring.

[Lucy Serrano]

In such silence, Lucy felt herself being judged. She wasn't sure if that was the intention here, but those eyes were perfectly scrutinising. Of course they were, so she shouldn't have been surprised by what happened next.

Because there it was. A low series of words asked her the question she didn't want to have to answer once, let alone for the rest of her extended life.

"Yeah." She replied honestly, feeling the course of her mouth drop down. Lucy did her best not to sound aggressive, but it was an easy thing to hey angry about, "But I didn't make that choice."

[Talia Bracken]

Yes. An open admission to what Talia feared was true. There was anger in the word however. Restrained, but there. She hadn't made that choice. Something that made Talia blink. Then made her frown. By the wording and tone, she'd been forced. Or taken unaware. Either way, it was clear she wasn't happy with her new form.

She wanted to ask who. She wanted to find who. But it wasn't a question Talia felt she should pose. Not yet. Instead she studied her again. Her expression softening. She was genuinely sad for the thief. Not pitying. She couldn't imagine what she'd do in that situation. "I'm sorry." She said at last, the words genuine even if they came too little, too late. "I wish I could've helped." She still wished she could. "In your shoes, I'd probably be angry too." It came with a dry, humorless chuckle.

[Lucy Serrano]

Was that a stint of aggression she saw on another face? Lucy felt the way it burned her system more intensely than the practical poison that shifted her own blood. A vote of sorrow did make her feel awkward, but then, they always did. And at least there wasn't any uncomfortable pity to be shared. She doubted the assassin would have liked to hear of the many ways she tried to die amidst that ridiculous turning.

"I'm bloody fuming." She replied then, but she was still clever enough to keep her voice low. The last thing she wanted was to make a scene; she didn't want to make it worse.

"So listen," Lucy tried, but she was fast to fumble. Her tongue crossed the length of her lower lip in silence, like it could be enough to coax whatever words she needed. "I'd get it, yknow? If things were... Different."

[Talia Bracken]

She was bloody fuming. A statement that managed to pull an amused look from Talia despite the topic. It was quickly reeled in however. Especially when the normally suave worded thief seemed to fumble over her words. One eyebrow raised on Talia's face. She'd get it. If things were...Different. What the words implied was clear enough.

"Different?" She repeated. Mulled over. Her fingers tapped in an idle motion on the bar's top. It was easy to see why she would think so. Which was what drew blue eyes to observe her once again. Before a slow smirk grew and she chuckled. "You were always an exception." Came the response finally. "I see no reason why you would stop being one."

She took another drink, taking her eyes away for a moment. "Have you so suddenly changed from what you used to be?" Came the question and her gaze again. "Are you now as bad as the others I deal with? Because if not, then I see no real reason why anything between us should change." The smirk on her face grew with a spot of mischief. "Well, other than the fact I should be a little more careful about bleeding near you."

[Lucy Serrano]

Different was the best word Lucy could hope to use. An undefined situation wasn't something she was willing to even try to label on her own. She'd never been good with labels in the first place. She let the assassin mull over the words given, considered what options she could in the moments of silence given.

The response was actually sweet. It was almost uncharacteristic, but Lucy supposed they'd had their moments before. She could, at the very least, laugh at the idea of Talia being careful about bleeding before the humour of it dried out.

"I dunno if I've changed. Maybe. I dunno what the differences could end up being. It might only get worse." She proposed. Though she trusted herself to an extent, nothing felt normal anymore. "It's not like you can hide anymore anyway. I can smell you from a mile away now."

[Talia Bracken]

At the very least she laughed, which in turn made Talia smile. There were a few things that might change between them, but Talia certainly wasn't going to mention them. They were only if things became bad. Something she doubted would happen with her. But a backup plan was always needed. Especially in her line of work.

She didn't know if she'd changed. Maybe she had; she didn't know what the differences could be or if they'd get worse. It was an understandable answer. Only time would be able to tell. Talia had plenty of patience. It wasn't as though she could hide anymore though. She could smell the assassin from a mile away now. Words that made Talia give her a look. One that swiftly turned mischievous.

"Don't underestimate me." The response came out a slightly challenging purr. She dealt with vampires for a living. She had her tricks. For now however there was another matter that had her arching a brow. "Although I'm a little curious on how you've memorized my scent so fast." She stated somewhat playfully. No doubt there was a logical explaination, but she couldn't resist.