HOUNSLOW TERRITORY CLAIM

[reticence]

As per this month's faction reward, the Hillingdon Clan will successfully take the territory of Hounslow from the Redbright Institute.

Here is how that comes to pass and the agreements made to make it possible...

Comments

[outstandingbalance]

"Since spring," she tells him, letting the subject move on easily. "When I got to London, I knew I couldn't join the local nest. That was what I was getting away from. On the other hand, there weren't a lot of places that would take in someone like me."

She shrugs as though it could be that simple. It was a pragmatic decision. It also skirted a lot of the details. "I had to be somewhere. Redbright was more welcoming than I could expect."

[specifiercity]

"Mm, she does like to take in those that don't... fit," he says, his tone a bit cautious, but still implying that it's a power play. It's always a power play with Redbright; he kind of admires her that way. Not too much, though.

"You like it? Working for her?"

[outstandingbalance]

Natasha isn't naive. She doesn't have illusions about Sylvia herself. She appreciates the principle behind the school, in its way. Her decision to join was mostly pragmatic, though.

And her answer doesn't sugarcoat that, though it might sidestep the heart of the question.

"I like it better than I'd have liked Islington," she says. "And it really beats a stake through the the hard. Don't think I'd care for that much at all."

[specifiercity]

Arthur gives her a wry smile. "I don't think anyone would appreciate that, vampire or otherwise."

It's not his preferred method anyway. Far too up close and personal. That's what the wooden bullets in his pistol are for.

"Anyway, it's a good thing you didn't join Islington, especially now. And I think this," he gestures around, indicating that he's talking about the Hillingdon hand-off, "will help. We know what we're doing when it comes to vampires."

[outstandingbalance]

"I'm sure you do." At least insofar as it came to killing them. Natasha has a fair amount of experience with that as well. If she sounds a little unconvinced, it's not just because of discomfort with the prospect of putting targets on the backs of her own kind, though; when it comes to politics, she's less convinced they know what they're doing.

She's starting to wonder if anyone here does.

That thought is probably unfair and she sighs as she shrugs it off. "It'll do something, at least. Hopefully a show of power will be enough to forestall more action."

[specifiercity]

"Or force it out in the open," Arthur says coolly. "I don't know about you but I just want to see all of this done with, even if it means a little chaos for a moment."

[outstandingbalance]

"I can't say I'm a big fan of chaos," Natasha says with the ring of regret and irony in her voice that speaks to experience. "It's predictably difficult to control the outcome when you let things get to that point."

[specifiercity]

"No, I don't like it either," he says, to reassure her that he's not interested in all-out war. He doesn't want that, and most times he prefers to be able to plan and execute and have no surprises at all.

"Still, if it comes down to it, I'm pretty confident in my ability to improvise, and even I can admit that's what it takes sometimes."

[outstandingbalance]

"I wish I had your confidence." It might be pessimism that brings down her faith, and it might be experience. After what happened with Alex, it's hard for her to move forward boldly with this.

That was only the most recent.

The thing was, she was sure that whatever the chaos, she would probably be able to get through it herself, even turn it to her advantage. But she has priorities outside of herself right now.

"But either way... we're in a better position to handle it than we were."

[specifiercity]

"Mm," he says in response. There's not much more to say about it, other than what he's been over with Faolan, and that isn't for anyone outside Hillingdon. It's barely for anyone inside Hillingdon. So, it's time to change the subject.

"Do you want to get coffee later?"

Smooth.

[outstandingbalance]

Very smooth. One of Natasha's brows twitches higher briefly, but she can't really protest. She doesn't know that there's much else to say on the subject. Not that either of them is going to volunteer, at least. Not that she doesn't worry might make their relationship, whatever that is, more difficult.

So she lets him change the topic.

"I could get some coffee. Before sunrise?"

[specifiercity]

"Any time between sunset and sunrise is fine by me," he says, all nonchalant and pleased with himself. "I haven't let myself get into a regular sleep schedule for years."

That much is true. You have to be able to get the rest you need when you need it and be awake when you need to be awake in his line of work. There isn't much of a schedule to it.

[outstandingbalance]

"Me either," Natasha says with self-deprecating humor. There's no sting in the words. At this point, she doesn't think there's a need for it. She can laugh at herself.

"You know, I could give you my number. Once we have the time, we can hook up for that coffee."

[specifiercity]

Arthur raises his eyebrows like he's thinking this idea over, even though he's obviously going to say yes. He can't even imagine in what world he would say no to this.

"That sounds good, for the beginning of a plan."

[outstandingbalance]

"And how does this plan end?" She drawls, teasing out the implication. They've had enough interruptions and derailing. Eventually, her luck had to change.

[specifiercity]

Arthur laughs, almost bashful as he looks around like he's trying to see if anyone's listening. "Well, I usually save the question of your place or mine until the end of coffee," he says.

[outstandingbalance]

"Normally I would, but considering how things have gone for me up until now..." She trails off. He's been party to at least some of her incredible failure to close the deal.

[specifiercity]

He shrugs. Her ditching him at the bar is still pretty fresh in his mind, but now that he knows why it happened he feels they can at least revisit the possibility with some caveats in place.

"We can play it by ear," he tells her. "I'm not interested in doing anything that would make you uncomfortable, but if you're not uncomfortable with coffee, then I think that's a good place to start."

[outstandingbalance]

"Coffee is something I'm very comfortable with," Natasha says, willing to take that and see where it goes.