undergrounds | [open] bright as the day fresh as the moon and stale as the hay

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[open] bright as the day fresh as the moon and stale as the hay

i - @ the supermarket
at your favorite tesco (but probably in city of london or enfield), at any time during the month

[look, everyone's gotta shop for groceries. connor's lists have gotten undeniably weirder in the last few months, offering to pick up things for his witch friends ("friends" - friend, in the singular, that's soeki) while here's there. most of this stuff honestly feels like a joke (candles and sage and he's honestly wondering if they're going for eye of newt and toe of frog next), but connor's a good friend and if he's going to be at tesco anyway he can pick up stuff for his buddy.

along with, you know, the usual - good looking produce, the atlantic, condoms, new lightbulb for the broken fixture, cold cereal, pasta, eggs. if you need help reaching something on a shelf, just want random commentary on your life choices, or happen to recognize connor from somewhere (his tinder account? maybe you already know him? the possibilities are endless) this prompt is for you.]

ii - @ the courthouse
city of london, towards the end of the business day.

Shit --

[this is connor, running through a crowd like an asshole, trying not to bump into anyone (but offering "sorry!" if he does, i mean he's not devoid of manners). he's carrying a briefcase with a brief from his boss/professor in it, one that the deadline is approaching, in about thirty minutes, says a quick look at his watch. according to her it was their fault the brief was running so late and despite the wonderful world of the internet, this particular magistrate believed in hard copies, thank you so they'd drawn straws and connor had lost. "good luck with rush hour foot traffic!" yeah, thanks.

he manages to compose himself enough that when he hands the papers off to the clerk (with five minutes to spare!) he doesn't look like a total wreck. mission thusly accomplished has a minute to take a break, relived that he managed to not screw this up and get in her bad graces.

another day, another crisis, right?]

iii - wildcard
[you probably know how this one works! if you want a specific prompt by me let me know that, too.]

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["Calm" is definitely something it's hard to be, in a situation like this. But he doesn't try for another attempt at making light of it, just swallows his pride and tries to calm his fears as she seems to be helping him. hopefully not to just take a bite for herself, later.

He's not about to get in the middle of two vampires, he's not insane. He uses the baby vampire's obvious surprise at the heel in his jaw to wiggle his way out of that hold and get out of their way. he doesn't try to go too far, though, he doesn't want this to become a huge chase between the three of them, and he doesn't know how far natasha is willing to go to save him.]

[With Connor out of the way, the baby vampire is free to counter attack, and for a moment the two of them engage—and it seems to turn into nothing so much as a human catfight. The image is only enhanced by the fact they're a little too fast, the way they move not quite human.

The punk hisses, but he's at a disadvantage. Natasha's handicapped somewhat by not drinking human blood, but she's older, and more importantly, she's actually trained to fight and she has decades of experience. Unlike him, she's not just lashing.

Whether or not Connor would recognize it, it's only twenty seconds or so of scrapping before she gets control of the fight entirely and puts the other vampire down on his back.

He's still baring his teeth and snarling, but her expression is closed and flat. It stays flat as she grabs him by his spiked hair and knocks his skull hard against the pavement.]

Run.

[She tells him afterward, when she's shocked him quiet. He looks away then, going slack under her.

And when she lets him up, he does as she says, crab walking away a couple of meters before climbing to his feet and loping off.]

[connor watches all of this, but it's hard to really understand it. vampires and their speed, coupled with natasha's actually prowess with this and he's pretty lost. he's never really been in fights, and he's totally grateful that he missed out on this one.

he waits until the guy is completely gone before he starts breathing mostly normally again. he's still a little scared of natasha (who wouldn't be? she could kill him by looking at him) but he feels safer.]

I -- [he's kind of at a loss for words. there's not really a good way to know what to do in this situation.] Thank you. [thats probably a good start]

[She watches the other vampire go, not turning back until she's satisfied that he's gone.

Which means just in time for Connor thanking her.

Somehow, that takes her by surprise. She was expecting him to be afraid—a reasonable reaction after being saved from one vampire by another.]

You don't have to thank me. [She answers, then adds when she realizes that isn't entirely reassuring.] He had that coming. You shouldn't have been in danger in the first place.

[That makes it sound less like she's going to eat him herself, right?]

[it does sound a little less like she's going to eat him herself, which is mostly reassuring. but she's still a vampire, and he still saw what she did to the other guy.]

It's amazing how few humans are in danger, considering...

[he figures this is more or less a hint that this isn't his first encounter with the supernatural.]

[Natasha can take the hint. The fact that he's not panicking and he seems to have an idea what she is and what just happened were the first clue, but this confirms it in her mind.]

Not really. [She smiles just slightly, putting on a professional face.] There's more in place to keep you safe than you probably realize.

[More here than there had been in Russia, at least. Or than there had been anywhere fifty years ago.

It's all relative.]

You live near here? I can make sure you get home safe.

It seems like the more I learn about all of this, the less I know.

[which is both terrifying and in some ways kind of exciting, once you got part the terrifying part.]

Are you sure you don't have other good citizens that need protecting?

[Natasha spreads her hands slightly, a gesture that's almost a surrender. She's just one person. Can't be everywhere.]

Probably are, if I'm lucky enough to run into them. But I offered first.

Then I'll take you up on it.

[i mean he's not an idiot.]

I'd like to make it home with my groceries.

[Natasha snorts at that, amusement in the sound and creeping into her expression as she responds.]

Groceries. Of course. Well, you have my word your energy drinks will make it home safely too.

Hey! I'll have you know, there's some very nice produce in here.

[he holds up the bag in evidence]

I'm not here to judge anyone's eating habits.

[Too soon? Probably too soon. Natasha hasn't socialized that much with humans in a long time.]

The produce gets home safe too.

There's a little bit of judgement.

[but it's okay, he's super judge-y, too. they're gonna get on well.]

[She holds up her thumb and forefinger couple centimeters apart; a very little bit of judgment, maybe.]

So which way is home?

[connor laughs. he's still obviously pretty shaken, but it feels pretty normal to joke around a bit. he points off in a direction.]

Out of the creepy alley and back onto the street, and then a couple tube stops.

Out of the creepy ally seems like a good first step.

[If she's annoyed he left the street in the first place, she doesn't show it. He can't really help being what he is.]

You know, you seem to be taking this well.

[It's not exactly untrue. He's shaken, but he could be panicking. He's joking. But that's not why she says it—the says it to build his confidence a little, to help him calm down.

And because she hopes he'll share a little information, if he has it.]

A lot of people wouldn't believe what just happened.

It's not my first run in with things most people wouldn't believe.

[lots of helpful info there, truly.]

[It confirms her suspicions, at least. And there are other clues.]

Doesn't seem like they were good things people wouldn't believe.

On the plus side, it wasn't attempted murder, before.

I guess there's a bright side in there somewhere.

[She might hope for a more informative answer, but she can be patient.]

For what it's worth, there's a strong chance he wasn't going to murder you. At least not intentionally.

Cool. He wanted some but not all of my blood.

[so much better...]

Something like that. People older and smarter than him tend not to like bodies popping up.

[It's somewhat better? It could be a lot worse.]

Bright side?

Not really feeling the bright side here.

He's probably not going to run off and kill someone else.

[She says it a little flatly, like a math problem she might not have the right answer for.]

And it probably wasn't a brush with death.

Sure, fine. Bright side.

[connor's still scared. and he's still a human aware of all these things he wishes he wasn't. but those things can't really get taken back at this point.]

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