undergrounds | [OPEN] The sun don't ever want to shine

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[OPEN] The sun don't ever want to shine

1. Singing @ Rhapsody in Red (a night club in Hackney) - Sept 4, evening

Singing at the club was quickly becoming Caroline's favourite thing. She'd always love to sing and was very proud of herself for being able to job doing it - and all without turning to mind control to land it. And sure, the place wasn't the nicest club in the world but the money was good and the customers generally behaved themselves. But most of all, on this little stage she was able to just put her emotions out there and not feel self conscious about it.

So far, London had not been what she'd hoped. Instead of feeling free in her life, she felt more trapped than ever. Trying to figure out just what was going on in the Nest from one day to another was exhausting - let alone dealing with any of the other factions and their politics. Plus, she missed everyone back home desperately. She had expected to be a little homesick but it was hitting harder than she'd anticipated.

All these feelings somehow led to her singing better than she ever had before.

She was singing the last song of her first set, an original rather than yet another cover, called Why Don't You Stay. It was a fairly standard break-up song, but there were a few lines that just had extra resonance now ...

I never thought it'd be so hard to let go.

When it was over, she was definitely read for a break. And a drink.

2. Outside Guilty Pleasures - Sept 5, evening

Soon after arriving in London, Caroline had decided to spend her nights off exploring Nest territory. She'd done a pretty good survey of Hackney by this point, so tonight it was time to go to Tower Hamlets. She's already done the tourist thing and checked out the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge, so tonight she was hoping to find places of "local colour."

She's pretty sure it doesn't get more uh, colourful, than Guilty Pleasures. She was pretty sure she'd heard the name before, though right now she couldn't remember why. She also couldn't decide if she wanted to brave going inside or not. It was about as far from her usual scene as you could get. But that was old, Mystic Falls Caroline. New, London Caroline was still figuring out her scene.

She was out there thinking about it for awhile.

3. Wildcard (must be @ night in Nest territory)

I'm pretty good with anything, if unsure send me a PM or say hello on plurk (

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"New in town, then?" She nods towards the blonde, recognizing the American accent anywhere. Nancy's own London accent, meanwhile, was twinned with dashes of Cockney. "Welcome." She raised her glass to her in a small gesture.

"Nice t'meet you, Caroline. I'm Nancy." She extended a hand, her jewelry fake. She wouldn't wear the good stuff out like this- no, that was for appointments, only.

Caroline took Nancy's hand and shook it firmly. "Yeah, I just moved here a few months ago too, from Virginia."

Caroline looked forward to the time when it wasn't obvious she was new here. Maybe she should try and speak with an English accent. Except she'd tried that before, in acting class, and couldn't get through the sentence I want a proper cup of coffee in a proper coffee pot. So maybe she'd just have to deal with it.

"So, what brings you out here tonight?" As far as Caroline could tell, Nancy wasn't with anyone and she obviously wasn't a regular or she'd have seen Caroline here before.

"Well, I hope you like it." London was the worst. But it was also the best damn city, as far as Nancy was concerned. One thing was for sure: there was no place else in the world like it.

If she tried to speak with an accent, Nancy would never speak with her again, because that was honestly just embarrassing. It's acceptable if you're drunk, though. But you don't want to hear her awful American accent.

"Just trying out a few new spots, lately." Drum up some new clients. "Trying to get to know this area a little bit better."

"It's more different than I expected, but mostly different in a good way." The reasons she was feeling down lately didn't have to do with the city, after all. That was all on her. "I've been doing a bit of that myself, trying to settle in. Find anywhere good yet? Other than here, of course."

Nancy considers this. "I suppose- I've never really been able to travel." Too poor to leave the immediate area, though she'd lie if she hadn't participated in a few day trips to take advantage of tourists.

"I have, yeah. My boyfriend told me of a few to check out." She didn't like revealing to other women right away what it was she did. Most she'd met tended to react negatively, and from what she knew about Americans, it was unlikely that Caroline was going to be chill with meeting a random sex-worker. "So here I am."

"I hadn't gone much of anywhere until recently," Caroline admitted. "So I decided it was time to change that."

She grinned at the mention of a boyfriend. "Ah, well, I hope he has good taste. I know a few guys whose idea of a decent place is anywhere that has cheap beer."

"Ah." She nods. "Well, I know a few places around, if you're ever curious. But if you work here, I can imagine your hours are a bit odd." Hers were, as well, so she wasn't one to judge.

Nancy laughs. "Oh, no, that's hardly Cooper." she waves the idea away. "He's got good taste. Likes a decent whiskey over a cheap beer."

"Odd is one word for them," Caroline agreed. Her brow furrowed though when she mentioned her boyfriend's name. Yes, maybe Cooper was a really common name here but they were both in vampire territory and Caroline had met a Cooper who was a vampire. So she figured she had to ask.

"Um ... is this Cooper a lanky, Irish guy? Blond hair?"

So she knows Cooper. Nancy regards her carefully. "Yeah, that's the one." Still, admitting she's dating him is exciting and still felt so new.

"How'd you meet him, if you don't mind me asking?" HOPEFULLY they got along well.

"No worries. We were both at a dance club and just talked for a bit." She thought back on that conversation. "I may have flirted with him a bit, sorry. Though he didn't flirt back at all, so that's probably a good sign for you."

She didn't mention the whole 'I'm a vampire, you're a vampire' part of the conversation. Maybe Nancy was one too but Caroline couldn't tell. And she wasn't about to give up her own secret, or anyone else's.

Honestly, she didn't think Cooper would cheat on her. She certainly wouldn't on him, semantics aside. "Don't worry about a bit of harmless flirting." God knew she did it with far too many people. But that was business. And it's nice to know that he didn't flirt back, either.

"Thank you, for the honesty, though. I appreciate it." From a girl she just met. Interesting.

"I'll tell him you said hello, if that's alright."

Edited 2016-09-06 15:14 (UTC)

People did always appreciate her honesty. Caroline couldn't help but think back to that drawing Klaus had made for her. Part of her wished she still had it.

It was nice though, to meet a woman who didn't get upset about harmless flirting. Even if Caroline had to admit, she was one of the people who was sometimes not so cool about it.

"Sure, go right ahead. Maybe the two of you could come here together sometime. I'm here most of the week, unless there's another act booked."

"Of course, maybe. We don't really go out together as a couple much." The last time the'd done that in public had been a disaster. Cooper had bloody challenged a man to a duel. she couldn't risk that again.

Or the blow to her reputation.

"How are you finding London so far?"

That was bit strange. But, of course, Cooper had told her he was a strange fellow. Guess Caroline should believe him.

"As I said, it's different from what I expected. Though I guess I'm not sure what I did expect." Less crazy vampire politics, for one. "And yeah, it's tough sometimes, not knowing that many people here but I'm working on that. And now I know at least one more person."

She nods. "I guess- I've lived here my whole life, so I really can't relate." She takes a drink.

"Exactly- remind me to give you my mobile before your next set. I keep odd hours, so you can pretty much always reach me." She flashes her a smile.

"Sure, that would be nice." Caroline finished off her drink and considered ordering another, then decided it was not to. She still had more sets to go and besides, she was beginning to feel a bit better about life.

"So, what do you do?"

Well. That was always a fun question.

How many years had she been working the streets? It was always hard to explain to another woman that she was a sex worker. Men were easier- you casually bring up in conversation that you would like their money if they are interested in taking you home.

Oh well- better to cross the bridge now than have it come up later and lose a good friend.

"I'm a sex-worker."

Caroline first reaction was to laugh but she managed to stop herself when she saw the look on Nancy's face and realized it wasn't a joke.

"Oh."

She had no idea how to react to that. She'd never met a prostitute before. There weren't exactly a thing in Mystic Falls.

"Um ... that's well, uh." She stopped and took a deep breath. "Sorry. I wasn't expecting that."

Well.

it could have been worse.

Nancy grimaces. "It's okay. And don't worry- he knows." If she was uncomfortable though, Nancy would leave.

"He ... oh." Caroline hadn't even been thinking about Cooper. It really wasn't her business. Though most of the things she had been thinking of probably weren't her business either.

"Okay." She tapped her finger against the bar for a moment. There was one thing that again might not be her business, but at the same time she felt like she had to ask. "And this is ... your choice? No one is forcing you?"

She doesn't think about it often, those months when Damon had taken her choices away, playing with her for his own amusement and using her for his own gains. She couldn't just sit back and let it happen to somewhere else.

It's a question she isn't used to getting, yet. And it's a complicated answer. She's run into that with Skip- she'd asked her how she had felt the first time she slept with someone for money. She had had to be the one to explain how young she had been which tabled the discussion promptly.

But she had known Skip. She didn't know Caroline. and truthfully, she didn't think that Cooper knew exactly how she had gotten herself into this line of work anyway.

"Oh completely," she lies effortlessly with a smile.

"Okay, well ... good."

Caroline still wasn't sure that was the right thing to say but at least she'd asked. She looked over at the clock behind the bar - it was almost time for her to start up again.

She turned back to Nancy. "Are you going to stay for the second set?"

Not really, but Nancy can appreciate it, to a degree. It's nice to know that there were people out there who at least pretended to care.

"Maybe- depends if anyone catches my eye. Here-" she grabs a cocktail napkin from the bar and, and fishes in her purse for something to write with. She settles for lip-liner and uses it to write out her mobile number.

"Before I forget. Send me a line, if you want."

Caroline smiled and tucked the napkin into her bra. "No pockets in this dress. And I will."

She was pretty sure she meant it.

"Great- if I don't see you, it was lovely to meet you, Caroline." If she doesn't text her, she won't hold it against her.

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[OPEN] The sun don't ever want to shine

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