undergrounds | water's sweet but blood is thicker

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water's sweet but blood is thicker

I. COMING HOME - [OPEN TO FIRST RESPONSE OF EXISTING CR]
Kyle had told nearly everyone he knew of his returning home to America indefinitely. He didn't tell anyone about his return. The trip home to deal with estate issues, property problems, renter concerns, and so on was basically nothing but work. It broke his heart to be in his childhood home again, even though he still couldn't bring himself to sell it. He both loved and hated the reminder of home and all that he had lost, missing his family more than he could bear for a time. He resolved things surprisingly quickly, and also found himself missing the new life he'd created in London more than he expected.

He took the underground from Heathrow to his area, getting off a couple stops early to walk the rest of the way. He appreciated the crisp air, needed it to clear his head. It was half the reason he'd stayed sane in South Africa, those walks. With his duffel on his back, everything felt more familiar. He missed his unit, his family, his girlfriend. But missing people had never slowed him down before and it sure as hell wouldn't now. Which is why he sensed that the person nearby was more than a stranger.

II. DRINK N DRINK N DRINK N FIGHT - [OPEN]
Maybe it was the comments about vampire rights, or maybe it was the way the guy hit on the girl down the bar. Whatever the case, Kyle couldn't help but dislike the asshole and it was only a matter of time before he intervened to shut the guy down. The argument was basically guaranteed and the escalation to physical violence inevitable. The other guy got the first hit, Kyle was quick to return, though his focus was more on defensive moves than offensive. Getting off the X. A few more hits, the asshole's friends cheering him on and Kyle hoping the kindness of strangers would be enough to see him through if need be.

It was the interference of a third party that finally put an end to the pub brawl and Kyle couldn't help but be embarrassed at so easily succumbing to such actions. He was supposed to know how to exercise restraint. He did know. He just didn't like to sometimes.

[Feel free to be the asshole, the intervening party, or to assume the bartender intervened and approach Kyle after.]

III. DID YOU MISS ME - [CLOSED TO NANCY]
Kyle's fight had backfired a little, or a lot, when he was jumped on his way home later. It was a few human civilians against a trained soldier used to fighting vampires. It didn't last long, with the assholes scattering once he put up a decent defense. Still, three against one left him with a few good bruises, a very sore rib cage, and one hell of a bloody and possibly broken nose. There was only one person he trusted that he could turn to, not wanting the hassle of the hospital and potential police involvement.

He sent Nancy a text: Miss me? I'm shirtless and bloody. Come over when you can?. It wasn't the ideal way to tell his friend that he was back in town, but it would have to do.

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Kyle straightened from the chair, glaring at both his opponent and the intervening party. This wasn't finished as far as he was concerned, even if he could recognize the finality in her voice. He watched as the man fell into his friends, either a little too drunk or pushed a little too forcefully. Once the threat was clearly gone, returning to their own distractions, he crossed his arms and directed his attention to the strange woman.

"He deserved it," he offered, as though it was entirely obvious and ignoring how petulant the remark could sound. Then he turned, ready to take his leave, not wanting to both the woman any more than they already had.

Evie just crossed her arms, allowing a faint smirk to play out across her features. In the dark of the bar, her dimples are only just visible. "I never said he didn't deserve it."

Evie casts a glance over her shoulders at the guilty parties. "I only said you were disturbing the peace. You have a good right hook."

Kyle paused when she spoke, turning to face her from only a few feet away. She was cute, but it annoyed him a little that she intervened when he had the chance to cream the other guy if left undisturbed. Maybe. He'd never know.

"Thanks. I practiced in front of the mirror all day," he quipped in response, unable to keep humor from filtering into his speech. "Maybe the peace needs disturbing when the peace is an asshole."

She is cute, thank you. So is Kyle.

"Just the mirror? I'd have imagined you'd be the sort for the gym." She can see those muscles, Kyle. But her smirk broadens.

"I don't think he was the peace, so much as the one who started to disturb it. Regardless, let me buy you a drink." Look at her, flipping gender roles like it's no big thing. "I've still got a perfectly good booth I don't intend to waste."

"That too," he admits. It's more home exercises than actual gym, but tomato tomahto. The point is, he knows how to train and he continues to do so even after being relieved of duty. Old habits die hard, as they say.

"You don't have to, but I won't say no if you insist." No use in questioning his good luck, even if between his accent, and his uniform before it, he sometimes feels like a token interest. Kyle gestures for her to lead the way.

Even without his uniform, without his accent- he's hardly the first American she's ever met- she wants to find out more about this man. More particularly, why he smells so familiar.

"Perfect." She signals for the bartender to bring them both another round when they get the moment, and leads him to her small booth in the corner.

She slides into the seat elegantly, and picks her beer back up. "Cheers."

A drink later, and she asks: "So what brings you to London?"

Kyle accepts his drink and gestures for her to lead, even as she's already in the process of doing so, before following. He slides into the booth across from her and clinks his glass to hers in turn, taking a sip as is customary. Though it's a little more familiar for a complete stranger than usual, he doesn't much notice or mind.

"I've been here for awhile now. I have work, friends, hobbies." He used to be honest about coming for his family, but he's been more careful as of late, not wanting to put them in the line of fire from the supernatural world. It's part of the reason he moved out of their place so quickly. "What brings you here?"

"good to hear- I hate to break it to you, but no one is going to ever let up asking you that." She smiles over at him. She knows she's not imparting any great wisdom on him, but it's nice to shake off a lot of her usual formal ways. A nice night out in the pub is exactly what she needed.

Even if she was still trying to figure out why he smelled so familiar.

"Adventure." Is her answer, and it couldn't be closer to the truth. She and her brother had come to London in 1868 to try to free it from Templar rule. They'd succeeded, and found great adventure in the process.

"I'm used to it," he admits. After years in the army and now in London with an American accent, he's definitely used to both pretending to be more settled than he is and to answering the question in general. Even though he's used to it, it's still annoying sometimes. At least here it sees innocent enough. "But it still surprises me sometimes. Maybe I should learn to fake the accent."

He'll never learn.

"Did you find the adventure you're looking for?"

Evie makes the worst sort of faces. "Good lord, no. Avoid doing that, if you can. You'll only look like an idiot." It's some good advice, okay? Let the accent naturally effect you over time. Don't try to get one right away. Plus, everyone would make fun of him. He'd only get into more bar fights.

"All that and more, London's one hell of a city. What about you- what brings you here?"

"Thanks." He laughs at her remark about his potential idiocy. Kyle knows himself well enough to know he could never pull it off, but he feels like someone somewhere has done as much and succeeded. Actors do it all the time, after all, and in the reverse. But he's Kyle Sutton and Kyle Sutton doesn't do accents except the occasional hint of South African.

"Me? I like drinking." It's cheeky and he gives a grin to show as much.

And hey, South African can be easily mistaken for English, if you're not paying attention.

"It's not a problem," she tells him, and takes a drink.

His comment gets her to smile across the table at him. "I've met few that don't. I'm quite fond of it myself." Jacob was more than fond of it, but she wasn't here to think about her twin. "I don't believe I asked your name- I'm Evie."

"Kyle Sutton." He stretches a hand across the table in greeting, always one for polite gestures when he can be. "Good to meet you, Evie."

He withdraws it either after a shake or a short lull in order to return to his drink, taking another long pull of the alcohol down his throat and finding a pleasant comfort in the bitterness of the hops.

Evie's manners are impeccable, and so she reaches across the table to give his hand a firm shake. "Lovely to meet you, too, Kyle Sutton."

When the shake is done, she leans back in her side of the booth. "What part of the States are you from, if you don't mind me asking? I've spent some time over there, so I'm curious."

"Ohio, in the midwest."

Kyle leans forward, resting his forearms on the table as he holds his drink loosely between his hands. It's a little weird talking to a stranger about himself and there's a tiny, paranoid part of him that wonders if her stepping in was a way to mine for information. But he presses it to the back of his mind, as he always does.

"Where did you visit? Anywhere fun?"

If she wanted information, Kyle, she would have it. No, now she's just making conversation, enjoying her time with the attractive young gent. He's interesting, regardless of that smell she's now all but written off as a fluke.

"Not Ohio, that's for sure," she gives him a wink when she takes a drink. "I spent time in New York and your Capitol. Boston, as well." The Assassins had history there, as could be expected.

"Also a bit of time in California- before my brother insisted we spend a few nights in Vegas." That had been a ridiculous time, but she'd enjoyed it well enough. Jacob had seen to that.

"Good choice," he chuckles. "New York and Boston are supposed to be cool. Ohio's not the most exciting place. Not that I mind it, but it's not really a place you visit when you're in the U S of A."

Another sip of his drink. "Your brother sounds like a fun guy."

Evie laughs brightly. "He is- Jacob, is his name. I think you'd get along rather well. Especially if you're usually a fan of bar fights and booze."

He's not really safe, considering he was prone to drunken games of William Tell.

"Perhaps if he comes back into town while you're still here, I could introduce you."

"I don't like bar fights," he clarifies. It's important to him, for no real reason, that even acquaintances or strangers don't get the wrong impression. "Booze is fine, but I'm not a frat guy. I'm not in it to get drunk."

He smiles nonetheless, leaning back from the table and into the booth. "But yeah, I'd like to meet him."

"I understand; my apologies, Kyle." She nearly wants to call him Mr. Sutton, but she's aware of how hideously outdated that was. But it's always a reflex.

"Maybe I'll introduce you two, when Jacob's next in town." She had no idea where the hell he was, but she missed him. He was her twin, after all, and they never parted for long.

"Don't apologize." He waves a hand to dismiss the unnecessary gesture. It takes a lot to hurt his feelings or do something worth apologizing for and Kyle's much more about moving on right away.

"So what do you do, Evie?"

There was never ever ever a good way to explain what she did.

She was supposed to remain in the shadows, after all, keeping her allegiance with the Brotherhood somewhat quiet. Of course, the gold symbol on her daylight ring, and the tattoo on tricep gave that away, but you don't straight come out to a civilian and tell them 'lol I'm a professional Assassin.' People tended not to take it that well.

"I'm a consultant," she goes with. Because that's what she seemed like right now with Jean-Claude. Consultant, countess, dame, vampire, immortal assassin. "What about you?"

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water's sweet but blood is thicker

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