they won't stop buying your smile, they won't stop

[ichabod]

Ichabod's sense of direction kicked in and his dark gaze was sent glancing up for one of the first times to focus on the horizon before them as they navigated down dark streets, walking aimlessly. Hands still clasped behind his back, he twitched his head in every shadowed direction, interested in his surroundings suddenly. This was where he had run into others; and it wouldn't be a stretch to assume it was possible to run into them again. He would remain somewhat alert; though aloof.

He chuckled slightly at her apology, shrugging. "No need to be sorry. In the words of Popeye, I yam what I yam and tha's all I yam." He paused, then laughed outright. "Nevermind, that's beyond your frame of reference. Popeye the Sailor. He was old when I was born, so; oh jeez.. he must have been a cartoon in the 1930s." They had continued playing Popeye cartoons well into the 2000s, and they had just become obscure when he himself was a lad. He continued chuckling, suddenly feeling old beyond his mental years. Placing a hand in the small of her back once more, he directed her toward a deserted bus stop bench.

"I'd rather not go any further into the darkened city.. let's perch here for awhile, shall we?" He folded himself onto the bench with a bit more comfort than the rickety folding chair at the opening, his legs stretched before him and crossing at the ankle - sticking partially into the street. Arms tucked low over his chest, he gazed at Amelia quietly. "Family here? Lived here long?" Aimless questions, intending on prying more information out of this fascinating though quiet girl.

[riacat]

Amelia clasped her hands together in front of her as she continued to walk along side of Ichabod. She didn't carry a nervous appearance any longer, but her eyes did waver as she took notice of her surroundings. They didn't hold her attention for very long, nothing in this part of the city was all that interesting to her. She shook off the thoughts, returning her interest to Ichabod as he began to speak. She couldn't help but smile a little at the reference, although she really had no idea what he was talking about. She hadn't watched any cartoons when she was little, really, so no matter what he was talking about she probably wouldn't have understood very much of.

"Well, I never really watched cartoons, or television." She mentioned, shrugging as if it was no big deal to her. "I've always prefered reading, I guess." Amelia explained, figuring he could have countered with a "why?".

"Of course, but what's wrong with the city?" She questioned, taking a seat on the bench with her legs doing just the opposite of his and curling under the bench. Lia placed her arms in her lap comfortably and gazed out at the basically deserted street. There was a couple of cars driving along, but it was surprisingly not all that busy.

"Uhmn, I don't talk to my family. My Grandparents used to live here though, they passed away. But I never really met them..." She trailed, shrugging. "I've lived her for quite a few years, I suppose. It's really not that bad, though, I mean... I usually just stick to myself and everything's quiet and convenient." She explained, sparing him a look as she answered his questions. "How about you? Been here long?"

[ichabod]

His eyes flashed to hers as she questioned the city, an eyebrow arching heavenward in an "Are you serious?" sort of sentiment. He grinned slightly at her. "I'd rather not have to combat a load of supers to keep my newest fascination safe." His teeth clicked as he sliced the words off neatly - they flowed lightly, as if he were joking; but carried a rather sinister concept.. neither of them could deny the validity of that fear. Ah. She was beautifully naive.

He listened in silence as she explained her situation - deceased grandparents and the rest of the story. He nodded slightly at the appropriate moments, intense gaze held on her quietly and occasionally diverting to gaze around; lest she be uncomfortable with having a werewolf gawk. "Mmh. Been here about two weeks now. Maybe a bit more? I'm not sure.. time all muddles together for me." He lifted his shoulders in a slight shrug, staring out at the dark street with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"I think, to date, you and two other wolves are all I really know. Alvan I knew from a few years back.. Evyon was a new experience." He was referring to his demented companion, whom had recently gone missing - and the young changeling from the beach, whom he hardly knew. She, unlike Amelia, had been a rather chatty individual, asked a million questions, and seemed thoroughly grossed out that Ichabod was 70 years her senior. He smiled serenely. It was a little gross. Thus why he could never have a relationship.

"A reader? Who's your favorite author?"

[riacat]

"Oh..." Amelia replied to his reasoning, smiling and shrugging, realizing that her question had been a goofy one. Of course, the city wasn't safe for her, and probably not safe for the weaker supers. Not that she thought he was weak or anything... it was just a thought. But fascination? She was still thoroughly confused as to why she was so interesting. No doubt she enjoyed that he thought so, but she definately didn't consider herself worth the time.

"Two weeks? Whoa, thats hardly any time at all. Do you travel a lot, or is this just where you want to be at the moment?" She questioned, uncertain why he'd want to be here of all places. Like she had said, it wasn't that bad, but there was such better places in the world, she could never fathom why any one would want to be here. "Alvan and Evyon...?" Lia started, unsure if she was pronouncing either's name correctly, but that didn't stop her from moving on. "I suppose I don't know either of them. I work at a small little store, but I don't have any co-workers, I know a few people from the stores nearby, though. I guess I'm not very social." Amelia explained, laughing as if it was no big deal. It really wasn't, though. She didn't mind not having any close friends.

"Authors? Oh my, you're going to find this interesting, maybe. I love Edgar Allen Poe and Anne Rice. It's silly, I know! Anne Rice especially. I wouldn't be surprised if half of the people my age have no idea who they are. They stopped printing them God only knows how long ago, but I've found a few copies. I actually work at an antique book store." She said, smiling.

[ichabod]

[ooc - sorry. pc crash. hard drive died, took me a week to get it back.]

"Oh.. I just like it here at the moment, I guess. Nice to be among .. um .. family." He wasn't sure what to call his furry brethren, and simply hoped Amelia wouldn't push the subject. He considered elaborating and quickly dismissed that - simply put, he wasn't close to anyone and had no intentions to be .. but, well, living around other wolves had a certain appeal. Less people trying to burn your house down in the middle of the night, at least.

Adjusting to swivel slightly her way, he drew his legs up to prop beneath him, his large frame contorting easily to fit into this new self-imposed jigsaw puzzle. A soft smile graced his features as she sparked to life - obviously the discussion of books was a good one. Chuckling as she mentioned Poe, he clutched his heart in mock pain. "Ugh! A woman after my heart! I have a fondness for Poe and all of his macabre. 'Who slayeth the dragon, the shield shall win.' Mmh. The man was brilliant." He grinned at her, 'tsking' under his breath at the next author. "I was never overly fond of Anne Rice.. but then.. I tend to stick to the short stories and poetry; not novels. I have a short attention span. Few things provoke interest."

He avoided flicking a decided gaze at her, leaving her to pick up on that innuendo if she pleased. Rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, he gazed into the darkness beyond her. "I should drop by that book store sometime. I enjoy older works. They make me feel young again." He grinned. Obviously he wasn't that old as to remember the days of Poe, but it was true - antiques made him feel considerably more youthful. Fixing his calculated stare on her again, he winked, shuffling his feet fidget-ishly. "I sort of pinned you for a bookworm."

[riacat]

[no worries! it's taken me longer to respond, i'm sure, with no real excuse. ]

Amelia was pretty sure she understood exactly what he was getting at when he spoke of 'family', and although she wasn't positive she knew what he meant, she nodded anyway. "Uh, yeah, I understand." She replied, smiling as she watched him settle himself into a different position. Frankly, she was amazed at how tall he was, and often forgot when they were sitting until he had to maneuver himself. He made her feel two feet short, and not an inch taller every time they stood side by side.

That smile of hers became quite lively when he began speaking of Poe. She was thoroughly amazed that Ichabod enjoyed Edgar's writings and quite happy he did, too. It wasn't too many that cared about reading anymore, especially reading the darker side of things. That is, considering, that real life seemed dark enough for everyone, what was the point of furthering the unhappiness? Not that Amelia was unhappy with the current situation of the times, but many people were. Frightful was an understanding description, but she still enjoyed the way her life was going thus far.

"I'm glad to hear!" Amelia exclaimed, keeping her toothy smile, even when he continued on to say that Anne Rice was far from a favorite. At least Poe was, that was enough to keep her happy.

"Actually, that would be great, you should." Lia invited, nodding her head in agreement with what she just said. "The books are great, but the store is a great little place, too. I'd buy it out if I could, but that would be silly considering I have no idea where the owners keep finding these books. I could never keep up." She explained, obviously thrilled to work at a place like that.

Her smile faded not a second later and she wrinkled her nose at his statement. Playfully, of course. "Oh, please! I don't believe you. I'm not a tad bit bookwormish. I don't even wear glasses." Amelia toyed, crossing her arms faux-defensively under her chest.

[ichabod]

He laughed abruptly, propping his cheek on his palm, his left elbow resting on the back of the bench. "Oh please.. I bet glasses would look divine on you, anyhow." He snickered, clicking his teeth teasingly. "Not all bookworms are trite, drab little things." He rolled his eyes, reaching out to tug a strand of her hair softly, still chuckling slightly. "I was a bit more of a bookworm in my younger years. Wow, no, I was a flat out nerd. Pocket protector and all." Surely they still had pocket protectors, didn't they? He shrugged the thought off, a smirk curving his cheeks.

His hand dropped back into his lap reluctantly. His temperature ran permanently high, but the flush that came to his cheeks was obvious despite that natural warmth. He was enjoying his time here - he hadn't met many people - creatures - to whom he connected well with, but she was easy to be around; it was unstressful, unstrained. "You... you're fun to talk to. Thank you." He paused, then backed up to establish a reasoning behind his thanks - "I mean, for not turning tail and booking it like so many other women would have."

He shrugged, gaze dropping to the hand in his lap as he fidgeted the short, kept fingernails over his thumb, picking at the tendrils of skin around the cuticle. "So, Poe. Rice. Dickinson?" He queried. He himself found Dickinson to be overbearing at times but overly 'with it' for her time period; her works exhaustively emotional and usually, sadly, mirroring his own. An emo werewolf. How quaint. He twitched a lip at the thought, keeping his gaze transparent.

[riacat]

Amelia mocked his gestures, propping her elbow on the bench and then propping her chin on to her lithe hand, while the other lay limply in her lap. "Oh please, you embarass me." She scoffed, listening to the rest of what he wanted to say, although it wouldn't be long before she was laughing again. "Pocket protector? I think you're just fooling with me, now." Lia responded, trying her best to sound unperturbed by the contact between his hand and her hair. Although it was just hair, it made her feel the littlest bit uncomfortable and although she tried to hide that with her laugh, she was awful at faking.

"Oh, well. I guess I'll take that as a compliment, thank you." Amelia responded, smiling. It was a compliment, although she could completely understand what he meant. She was surprised at how much that aspect hadn't been bothering her during their little conversation. If it was surprising to her, of course it must have been surprising to him. Either way, she quickly moved onto the next subject. "Ohhh, Emily. Of course. I suppose she was a bit of a creep... I mean, because she was so holed up. But I can't talk. The only places I know is my apartment and my work. Otherwise I don't really bother going anywhere. Tonight was certainly an exception."

[ichabod]

Neat ivories, all in a row, displayed under his curled lip as he grinned slightly at her mention of Emily Dickinson being a 'creep'; noting her somewhat reclusive and spinster-ish behavior for reference. He chuckled briefly, shrugging. "Well, I'm a creep, and I still travel quite a bit. I'm not quite comfortable indoors.. I find it ... " He trailed off, searching for the right word. "... too domestic." Well, it wasn't quite the word he was looking for, but it did the job. Shrugging, he climbed to his feet.

"Well, Miss Amelia, I'm afraid my stomach is growling positively horribly and I need to find myself some dinner." He could have done the - quote- domestic thing - end quote - and asked her to dinner somewhere, settled his stomach at home with a box of macaroni even, but .. well, hunting was good exercise and let's face it, he was an old man. He extended a gentle hand to her, palm up, to help her up. "I've a feeling you probably don't want to tag along, however I'd be happy to walk you safely home."

He would have wondered a bit about the sanity of someone willing to dive into watching a werewolf hunt - it was a gruesome and somewhat morbid thing - and so he assumed she was mostly sane. However, he wouldn't let her become wolf bait or even worse, Vamp bait, by leaving her alone in the streets after dark - that was simply foolish, and he ultimately did adore the human species - it was a terrifying weakness for him that he embraced whole heartedly. "If you don't mind, that is..."

[riacat]

With her lithe hands folded neatly in her lap she turned just enough to face out into the dark, still keenly listening in on the words that he spoke. It was interesting how their ideal surroundings conflicted. While he enjoyed being outdoors, she preferred the 'safety' of her quaint and stylish little apartment. Her gaze wavered from the unknown dark ahead of her to look at him as he stood up. Perhaps her company was getting tiring. She could understand completely, she was a bit of a bore.

She wasn't expecting to hear what came from his mouth in the next several seconds, however. "Oh." Amelia managed to say very quietly, unsure of the appropriate reaction to such an announcement. Her mind couldn't help but swim with curiosity, although she was slightly scared of the questions she was considering to ask. Lia thankfully took his hand and pulled herself to her feet. "Yeah, you're... uh, probably right. But that would be lovely. The walk home, I mean. I wouldn't at all mind." She explained, trying her best not to show the awkwardness that had crept its way into her demeanor.

Amelia fought with herself several moments before she decided to be brave enough to question him and even though she played out several questions in her head, she knew they wouldn't roll out so easily. "Sooooo, Ichabod. Uhmn, how do you eat? I mean, if you don't mind. It's not like I'm trying to insult you or anything... you don't think that do you...?" She rambled, speaking quieter as the unnecessarily long sentence continued. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm just a bit curious, I mean... I don't know these things and ugh, my apologies."

[ichabod]

As she climbed to her feet, he dropped his hand appropriately, folding his fingers together and lacing them behind his back; waiting for her to point them in the correct direction before stepping out. He worked on keeping his strides deliberately short - it wouldn't do to leave your companion in the dust, now, would it? Her silence was noted, she was grappling with something - no doubt his dinnertime assertion - and he allowed her that time to process, face stoic and nearly serene as he gazed at the sidewalk beneath them. Her question caught him off guard, however. He chuckled, voice raspy.

"Ahh.. well..." He had almost half expected this. She was a bright woman, that was obvious; and the smarter people were, the more they generally wanted to know. He paused, clearing his throat. How to put this? "Well.. the way any wild, normal timberwolf does. There are some werewolves who prefer to do the more modern thing - shift, hunt, shift, drag it home, enjoy it in biped form.. however the reservation I was born on, we preferred to stay.. uh.. Au natural." He paused, blinking slightly before glancing over at her, expression slightly curious. Both eyebrows raised, he continued. "Animals only. Mostly deer, rabbits, the occasional bird. It's rather messy."

He scuffed a foot against the pavement, sending a rock skittering outward with an almost panicked sort of staccato beat. "I have no time or desire for recreational murder.. and although human flesh is succulent and most of you smell rather divine, I prefer venison." He kept his tone light, though he was vaguely concerned on how that statement may affect her. He preferred to stay as honest as possible, and well... that was the honest truth. It was delicious. And to werewolves, there was really no such thing as cannibalism.. they weren't human, despite how many qualities they shared. "I've been on a raw diet, in that respect, since I first shifted.. over 60 years ago. I eat regular food too. I'm a sucker for some white rice and General Sao's." He grinned. Chinese was a favorite. "And I'm not insulted. Ask away." He chuckled, returning his gaze to his feet.