I'VE BEEN A RAMBLER ALL MY LIFE (NOV CATCH-ALL)

[reticence]

A. COME AWAY, O HUMAN CHILD - CLOSED TO LANCELOT & RINGER
As soon as there is placed a bounty on a rogue fae kidnapping children into the Other Realm, Faolan knows several things for certain. One, that they must be stopped no matter what the cost, because children are innocents, and having had his own childhood taken from him, knowing others who have had their own taken from them as well, the sooner this is put an end to the less people there will be out there developing complexes around such things. For another, he knows that he's bound to get support when he asks around for help. He's certainly not going to be the only one after the reward, with a bounty like that placed on it. But it's not just the money he's after.

So he manages to rope a few people in to aid him on this. Ringer, from Hillingdon, who like him bristles when she hears that it's children who are being affected. And Lancelot, of course, for who better to aid in such an affair than a man who was once stolen away by the fae to the Other Realm when he was a child himself. He calls them individually, arranges for them to meet him in a cafe near where the latest child went missing, and lets them know that there will be company besides just himself on the job. He does not give names, figuring introductions can be made in the cafe itself.

He orders a coffee while he waits for them. He'd look suspicious not to, and to be honest even in the most dire of situations Faolan would rarely turn down a coffee. Sitting in the back of the establishment, his back against the wall so that he can watch who might be entering and approaching him, he sips at it and flicks through his mobile, making certain he'd told both of them the right time and place.

B. UNDER COVER WORK - SEMI-OPEN TO THE SHADOW COVEN
Faolan has been doing his best despite his new rise in the ranks back at Hillingdon to maintain his anonymity as 'Dubhan' as he does work for Kenzi, but everything has him more on edge now. As Leader of the Hillingdon Clan, even there he's still been keeping it a secret for the most part, his involvement with the Night Council as a Guardian, and here he has to keep double the secrets, not only the involvement with the Night Council (obviously), but also any and all mention of involvement with Hillingdon. As asking around about a 'Dubhan' there is going to bring an investigator up with next to nothing, but conveniently might lead straight into the fact that he's been lying to Kenzi about who he is and what he does for a living this whole time.

So he does his best to keep his mouth shut and keep his head down. Whenever she needs him, he's there. Whenever there's the need for someone to look imposing, Faolan steps up to the job. or rather, 'Dubhan' does. Looks imposing where and when he's needed, makes sure that Kenzi and her friends make their way home safe more than a few nights and generally plays his role of dutiful bodyguard. No one need know that he's there to collect information on them at the same time. It'll be his little secret.

C. HILLINGDON HOUSE - SEMI-OPEN TO HILLINGDON
Faolan doesn't really understand what he's done right (or wrong, for that matter) to find himself in this position. It's true, he's been with Hillingdon Clan for close to 10 years now. But he'd never imagined himself its top ranking officer. He knows that it has something to do with the fact that he's been doing good work for a good while and that he's finally being recognized for it. But honestly, isn't there someone higher than him? Someone more deserving of the job? Someone who isn't, say, spying on the clan for the Night Council? Not that he had much of a choice one way or the other, but that is neither here nor there.

He tries to make himself available for those within the clan itself to meet with, however. Most of his undercover work is done at nights, so the majority of his days are spent at Hillingdon House. He recognizes that there is a distinct lack of leadership here in the Hillingdon Clan, and that there has been for some time now. The best solution of course is not to blunder in and start installing himself willy-nilly. No, another approach must be made. So Faolan makes himself available. For the most senior members and the newest. He doesn't know that he's the best choice for this position. But he's willing to give it a try...

D. THE COFFEE FIX - OPEN TO ALL
Of course, Faolan's day would hardly be complete with at least one visit to some coffee shop or another. If he were to stop and think about exactly how much caffeine he put in his body on any given day he would probably wonder how he had any blood left running through his veins at all. And god help the day where someone tells him to give it up or cut back on the stuff.

He sits at a table in the back of the store with a pastry in front of him and a coffee gripped between both of his hands, soaking in the warmth of it. It's early still, he doesn't have any specific plans for the day other than to eventually get into Hillingdon and to answer his call from Kenzi if and when one comes that evening. Which means it's the perfect time to stop and take a breath and enjoy a good cup of coffee.

Comments

The Coffee Fix

[wolfmarked]

To say that Skip's bored isn't quite true. She has nothing to do today, but, in and of itself, that's not a problem. She's quite used to entertaining herself. Plus it's pretty hard to be bored when one just had a fairly loud row on the sidewalk not three feet away from the door of the little shop.

The man she was aruging with is gone, and she's inside now, leaning against the counter as she orders her coffee.

B

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy didn't need a bodyguard. She was 100% certain about that. But, apparently, after a full day with Fagin, she needed someone to make sure she got home alright. Not to mention, there was unrest in Lewisham, and sometimes you needed more than just yourself.

"This isn't necessary," Nancy said, a few steps into her walk with Dubhan. She'd had him meet her a bit away from the den, knowing full-well she wouldn't even be working after a full day with Fagin- if anything, she'd be drinking until she passed out. Wearing a pull-over and jeans, Nancy looked like absolutely any other girl tonight.

"But, thank you. All the same."

C

[anniesgonemad]

Annie didn't spend too much time at Hillingdon House. Her grandmother's flat was better for her, or if she wasn't there, staying with her boyfriend. But lately, she's been spending more time there, researching what she could about the attack on her school, even years later. She wanted to find out who was behind it, who had let them in. Why no one was there to help. The problem was that, given she was the only survivor, they were missing a lot of reliable first-hand accounts of what had happened. Karma, she supposed, in some sick sort of way.

carrying a few books in a well-used canvas tote bag, Annie pauses on the edge of a room when she notices someone inside. It takes a second for her to recognize him as- "You're the new leader." Did they have a fancy name? She didn't even know.

TIME FOR MORE HUGGING IN COFFEE SHOPS

[growsowngoats]

Faolan isn't the only one who pours a lot of coffee into his body, though he might not consider the frilly varieties full of sweet flavours and cream that Siobhan prefers to be actual coffee. Either way the fact remains that she is a lot more fond of consuming caffeine than an already mildly hyperactive person really needs to be.

When she spots Faolan, two things happen. The first is that she blushes an absolutely ridiculously bright shade of red because she remembers how she acted the first time they met, and the second is that she sort of decides to make the exact same move again. This time because she is a little shit and can't resist the urge to tease the prickly man. Mostly because she can tell that he is far from prickly all the way through, or he wouldn't have kept talking to her as nicely as he actually did after her impromptu hug attack.

So she leaves her spot in the line and heads over to his table to immediately give him a quick hug.

"Hello Faolan!"

She lets go of him and immediately sits herself down on the floor, legs crossed, so that she can start rifling through her backpack.

"I have something for you."

A

[knightscode]

Lancelot is used to being called in on Faolan's various jobs by now. He doesn't know Ringer specifically will be there too, or else he might have told Faolan how he'd met her and how peculiarly unfriendly she had seemed.

He turns up dressed down, plain black jeans and pale blue shirt -- black coat to try and keep out the autumnal weather and no dog. Lily isn't exactly an expert on the other realm herself, and she's also a tad conspicuous. Faolan is easy to spot when you know him and what to look for, curled up toward the back and clutching coffee as if his life depends on it. Lancelot shoots him a grin and orders once himself, waits for it to be made and carries it over to grab a chair near him.

"Can't seem to stay out of trouble, can you?" he whispers, but he's only teasing. The smile as he sips his coffee assures Faolan of that.

C

[specifiercity]

The idea of having a leader gives Arthur pause. He's always thought of Hillingdon more as a retreat, somewhere he could put his allegiance without making much of a statement, but a leader gives them organization. Having a leader means you're meant to have some direction, or some unification at least, and for Hillingdon that could potentially be good or bad.

He doesn't bother himself with it at first, but as November rolls on and the whispers about Islington making a move start to float his way, he decides it's time to introduce himself to this new leader and make a connection. He finds Faolan one day at the House and approaches him with a casual demeanor, not wanting to give away too much about himself right off the bat. Faolan's doing paperwork or something, so Arthur clears his throat.

"Excuse me, it's Faolan, right?"

Early Resignation

[kleptofaeniac]

Kenzi sniffled loudly as she waited, the cold she'd been contesting with took her out of commission for a while and it was still sort of kicking her ass but a little vodka to kill germs and determination would get you out of bed quickly enough. She had waited until she knew the alcohol was out of her system (though with how she drank, was it ever really?) to head out with her trusty - if not overused - silver knuckles.

She was dicking around on her phone after texting Faolan the address of the building she was waiting in front of and told him to 'meet me here in an hour.'

When she spotted him showing up, Kenzi straightened and put on a smile that was so fake it might as well have been plastic.

"Hey, big guy. Glad you could make it!"

She looks a little...haggared. Like she's worn down. Being pale is sort of a run of the mill thing with her, but combined with her general demeanor now it just seems like what she needs is a nap.