Get outta here! (Open)

Last edited by Christopher Knowles on Mon Jan 27, 2014 10:07 am; edited 1 time in total

Evening, that time when Violet felt the most at peace. Surrounded by her element allowed her to simply be without too much worry about people. Breathing deeply, the cool air was calming and welcome to her. Her black boots made gentle footfalls at she walked along the mostly empty streets. Pulling her black pea-coat close around her neck, she brushed some stray dark brown strands from her face and tucked them behind her ear. While she wasn't typically in jeans, tonight her dark wash jeans just....fit her mood. Violet really didn't have a destination in mind, but a walk certainly sounded nice.

As she walked, she happened to walk passed an alley and heard a door slam. Normally she wouldn't have cared but this time, she turned her hazel eyes down the alley to see what the commotion was all about. Much to her somewhat surprise, there was a man who seemed to have just been thrown out of the bar. Violet watched as he touched his face. A strike or a kiss? After thinking it over for a moment or two, Violet put her hands in her pocket and turned down the alley. The least she can do is see if he was alright. She stopped about five feet or so from him and watched him closely before asking, "Hey, you alright?"

Though the side of his face felt like it was on fire, something about the cool wind outside made the pain slowly subside but he still rubbed it for a moment, then shook his head, shooting a dirty look to the bar and the bouncer who was looking him dead in the eye through the small glass partition on the door. Frustration was really about the only thing on his mind at that point that the bartender would try to cut him off, that he ended up slapped, and had yet another bar to add to his 'no longer welcome' list.

Deciding it best to likely make his way back to the hotel room which he'd been staying in for the last few days since coming into St. Louis, he turned and faced the exit to the alley only to hear a voice asking him if he was alright. His bright blue eyes narrowed and his brows furrowed as he peered through the darkness and the blurred vision of his liquored-up mind to the origin of the voice spotting a woman standing just a few feet from him. Boy had she asked the most loaded question in the world and even the thought of it made Chris scoff a tad. He could have gone on about failing his best friend and watching him die only to find out he was some kind of monster that was capable of turning people into human french fries with electricity from his body, and how his entire family and the Air Force had abandoned him. Sure, he could have gone there, but he figured that a total stranger had no business knowing most of that nor would she even care.

"I'll live," he stated rather bluntly, "it's not the first time a woman's slapped me - dare I say it won't be the last." While he spoke about it, the pain tingled a little in his face and he reached up instinctively to touch the hand-print before lowering his hand with a shrug as he made no attempt to hide his looking the woman over for a second. "Hey, no offense, but you really shouldn't go in there. It'd be like throwing a single steak into a den of hungry wolves."

So a strike reddened and pained his cheek. Violet tilted her head, taking all of this man in. Must have been some slap to cause a mark and continued touches by him. He seemed tame enough... Though, it was a hard call to make. If the slap was given due to his actions thanks to the drink or simply being him she didn't know, but a part of her wanted to be sure he was alright nonetheless. At his comment of her not wanting to go into the bar that of which he had just been thrown from, a smile toyed with the corners of her pink lips. "Who said I was going in?" she asked, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Besides, bar hopping isn't really my thing. Too many loose cannons in one room can lead to destruction of more than just their intended target..." Violet said softly.

His words only led to the second time in one night he'd made a bad choice of terms with a woman, though he counted himself lucky that it wasn't slap-worthy, otherwise he'd call it a record. The pain in his face was starting to fade and didn't sting like a group of hornets was sitting on his cheek any longer. In response to her words, Chris shrugged, "Well, you're standing in an alleyway with only the bar and the homeless in it - you sure don't look homeless, so I narrowed down to an educated guess." Given his own statement a bit more thought, he couldn't place what a young, attractive, well-dressed woman would be doing in that area of St. Louis unless it was business-related or she was just a glorified prostitute. His better judgement coming to mind, and not wanting another slap to the face, he kept that thought to himself since he didn't figure it was the case. Most hookers didn't ask random men tossed from bars if they were alright.

"But I take it you aren't going in, so it's really no matter." He paused for a moment and looked back toward the door only to find the bouncer still staring a hole into his head which made him frown with frustration and groan a bit, turning back to face the mysterious woman that had the misfortune of coming across a freak like him. "Well... see ya around, lady." There was a time when Chris would love to take a woman like her someplace warm and buy her dinner, get to know her, and maybe end up with a good end to the night but he really didn't see where electrocuting her if his dinner was overcooked or undercooked would be a good way to start introductions. He shoved his hands into his coat pockets and started toward the road nearby, giving her a nod.

A man of deduction and reasoning. He made a valid point, why else would she be there? Tipping her head and nodding slightly, Violet showed her agreement with his educated guess. It was a good one. Perhaps the drink hadn't tainted his mind too much, after all, he reasoned that out pretty quickly. As he looked back towards the bar, Violet peered over his shoulder and spotted who could only be the bouncer watching him closely. Her hazel eyes narrowed as she heard the frustration sound from him as he turned back to face her. Quickly she returned her look to as it was before he looked away. Bidding her goodbye and walking past her towards the road, Violet looked back at the bouncer and raised her hand slightly. Giving her fingers a flick, a rope-like shadow lashed out and slapped the glass the bouncer was looking throw, shattering it. With a small grin, she heard him yelp in pain.

Turning back towards the man, she hastened her steps to fall beside him and keep pace with him. "The night is still young. Would you care to grab a bite to eat? My treat?" Violet asked with a soft smile. Sure it was forward of her, but he seemed to be having a rough night. A little kindness never hurt anyone.

Chris was nearly down the alleyway when he heard the glass shatter from the bar behind him, but didn't bother turning to look. In his head, he figured it was just the bouncer tossing out another drunk patron who happened to have a beer bottle in hand. Aside from that, he felt that another glare from the bouncer wouldn't bode well for either of them and the young man kept his eyes focused on the road a few feet from him. It wasn't until he heard footsteps closing in that he turned, afraid that the bouncer, bartender, or a boyfriend of either was running toward him to attack though relaxed upon seeing who it was. Despite still not knowing who she was or why she was there, she was easy on the eyes and decent enough which gave him all the reason to allow her to follow. He didn't know what was so interesting in him over others, but he wouldn't question his blessings when they came around.

When she asked if he wanted to go eat with her, honestly, his first thought that came to mind was a hard 'no'; Chris wanted to go back to his hotel room and pass out without any further trouble for the night or barbecuing his company. Still, he figured that perhaps getting out for a bit might be what he needed to take his mind off of practically everything troubling him. If he went to bed, he'd find himself only lying in the darkness staring at the ceiling thinking about his past and putting himself in a worse mental state to boot. After a bit of consideration, he took a breath and looked over at her. "Yeah. Sure, we can do that. Just don't be shoc - surprised, rather, when I don't turn out to be the best company you've ever had." Considering his previous worries, the last word he wanted to use to describe her likely disappointment with him was shocked.

Violet kept pace with him as he thought her offer over. When he accepted, her smile grew a little brighter. Violet noticed his change of word choice, going from what was likely to be shocked to surprised in regards to his company and what kind of company he was likely to be. "Company is company, good or bad, sometimes it's just nice to have it," Violet mused. She wondered briefly why he made a change of words, but let it be. People often changed words mid-thought and, often, it turned out for the better. "Where would you like to go? I've not been to many places here," she said looking up and down the street before turning her bright eyes on him.

Given then fact that he only had one vehicle and left it parked at the hotel many blocks in the opposite direction, he knew they'd have to walk. The city was huge and he wanted to have some general idea where they were going before just randomly walking around at night as that was just begging for trouble. Still, despite his words that would normally drive any other person away, she was intent on sticking with him through dinner at least then he was pretty well certain she'd be desperate to get away. Chris had warned her, though, and tilted his head a little with an arched brow and slight shrug, "Eh, you get used to being alone after a while if the silence doesn't drive you insane first."

"Honestly, I've only been in this city for a few days so I couldn't begin to tell you the best places to eat. I know where to get a drink, that's about it," he stated as he walked on down the sidewalk wracking his brain but the only thing that came to mind was the small diner which he usually stopped in for his morning hangover cure as well as the place he first ate after arriving there. It wasn't too far for a walk and, to the best of his memory, it was directly ahead three blocks, right two and then an additional left for three. It equated to around thirty minutes or so. "I do know a place, though. It's nothing fancy, but I've never had issue with the food. It's a decent walk, though. You alright with that?"

"The silence doesn't bother me, just like being alone doesn't bother me, either. But, sometimes, it's just nice to be with people..." Violet commented. Thinking about her family, they were the few that she often sought to spend time with when being alone wasn't appealing to her. Based on what he just told her, he was used to being alone, as well.

Hearing that he had only been in the city for a matter of days, perhaps a little shorter duration of time than she was, and that he really only knew where to get a drink, Violet wondered if tonight's little adventure was a regular occurrence with him. She started to think of the places that she had been to with good food just in case he didn't know any other places than bars. But, then he spoke up saying he did know one place with food than never disappointed. At his mention that it was a bit of a walk, Violet looked up at him and smiled coyly. "A little walk never hurt anyone. Besides, that was my goal tonight anyways. Running into someone to share a little company with is just a bonus," she answered him. "I'm Violet, by the way," she offered looking ahead in the direction they were going.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I actually prefer being alone. It's better that way," he declared as they moved on. Chris didn't want to explain his underlying reasons as to why given all that he'd been through with those he associated or had gotten close to in the past. Even his own family thought him some sort of freak-show and didn't speak to him. It didn't bother him so much with his mother and father than his brother, though, with them being so close growing up. He'd thought that, if anyone, his brother would be there for him no matter what he was going through but he put his career before blood and it never did sit well with Chris.

Walking didn't bother Chris and he was relieved to hear that she wasn't turned off by it at all. During his time in the military, he marched and/or ran everywhere which made traveling on foot an experience that grew with him. In fact, when he couldn't sleep at night, he'd find himself just walking around the various hotels he ended up in on any given week usually stopping in the gym to jog on the treadmill. It served as a relaxing experience for him that gave him some mental clarity if only for a short time. "Walking around a big city at night by yourself? Just saying, but that doesn't seem like a very smart move for even a man, let alone a young woman." He turned to look at her when she introduced herself and it was nice to finally have a name to go with her presence and face. It was a pretty name that suited her well and the last thing he wanted to do was call her 'lady', 'woman', or 'hey you' all night. After nodding in acknowledgement, he replied, finding it only proper to introduce his own name, "Chris."

"Chris....." she echoed him, glancing at him for a moment. It was a good name, likely short for Christopher. A strong name for a strong young man... Violet had noticed that he was quiet a handsome one with an air of mystery about him. "I normally prefer to be alone. It's....safer....." Violet said tucking some stray hair behind her ear. She didn't know why he preferred to be alone or why he thought it was better that way, but most of the time she agreed. Violet had learned that trust was something you just don't throw around. And, in her opinion, being alone was the best way to make sure you and those you cared about didn't get hurt. She didn't even know why she mentioned that to him...

Walking around a big city at night by yourself? Inside, she laughed. If only he knew... But, maybe that would come out at a later time. Maybe... "I can manage on my own," Violet mused looking at him. "What brings you to St. Louis, Chris?" she asked as they walked. She liked to walk, even if she was by herself in a big city. It allowed her to relax, think, and simply enjoy watching the world go by. Along with her daily routine of exercise, she found walks soothing. A nice close to the day...

He heard his name and arched a brow, turning his head to look at Violet. While he couldn't know for sure, he felt that whatever she was about to say was either really bad or really embarrassing for her - likely both. The pause after getting his attention was enough to indicate that to him, and maybe he'd find out she really was a prostitute; then again, those thoughts may have been the alcohol doing it for him despite starting to wear off with each step. He was curious, though, why her being alone would be safer but deducted that she meant that there were a number of dangerous people in the world and could do her harm. The young man nodded, "Yeah you can say that again..." His reasons, however, were due to his very odd, dangerous and at times uncontrollable ability but she didn't need to know that.

He was starting to get used to her company and would hate to scare her away. Then again, judging from her confidence of being alone in the big city at night, maybe finding out the strange guy she just met was a human Tesla coil wouldn't be strange at all. Chris finally responded, "Well, you sure don't lack in confidence. Not to sound overbearing or anything, just... chalk it up as friendly advice: overconfidence will get you killed. Every time." It was a lesson hard learned from his days in the service and even before then. He'd seen many a strong, capable soldier killed due to being too confident in their own survival odds.

When asked what had brought him to St. Louis, there was no really simple way to answer. He glanced over at her for a second, then turned back ahead of them and found himself biting the inside of his cheek for a moment trying to think of why, but nothing came to mind. With a soft sigh, he shrugged, "I really couldn't tell you. I just ended up here. I've been on the road for a while, just... driving. Been a lot of places, seen a lot of stuff, but no real destination." He wanted to add that there was no place that he'd be truly welcome, though she was starting to prove that wrong.

At Chris' agreement that being alone was the safest way to go, Violet made a small deduction that perhaps something had happened in his past to make him feel this way. Perhaps he, like her, had experienced harm by the hands of another. He was proving to be a rather interesting person to her, and she was already beginning to be pleased that she walked down that alley to check on him. Chris was nice company.

The advice he offered caused Violet to look at him for a time. She being called confident wasn't anything new, but benig warned that over confidence could, or would, lead to her end was something she hadn't heard that often. Granted, she had to agree. Over confidence caused mistakes when mistakes seemed to matter the most. Thanks to her brother and his training, Violet had learned to keep her confidence in check as much as can be expected, but that didn't mean she wasn't a confidence person. "Over confidence causes a blur of vision which leads to not seeing what is before you. When that happens, you're more prone to mistakes. Mistakes bring about a greater danger than what you might have started in," she reasoned out with a small sigh. Looking back forward, she added, "Just have to learn to not let your confidence get the better of you, I guess. But, thank you for the advise." Glancing back at him, she smiled and gave a small wink. Violet appreciated Chris' advice. Sometimes being reminded of what you already know was a good thing, and advice like this was never a bad reminder. "When you're on your own, you need to be able to fend for yourself. Sometimes you get lucky, other times... Well, other times you hope that someone is looking out for you..." Violet said and faultered before finishing her thought. She had on more than one occasion found herself in just that situation, but with the development of her power as well as her training her brother had schooled her in, situations such as those didn't pop up all that often.

So he really didn't have a reason to be in St. Louis. More he just sort of ended up there. Violet could relate. When she moved to the United States she really didn't have an overall plan in mind either. Where she ended up just kind of happened. "Not one to settle down, huh?" she asked lightly. "Travel and seeing the different things that places have to offer is a nice. A new adventure in each new place. How long do you plan to stay here, if you are simply making a stop along your road to wherever the road takes you?" Violet asked.

Any other time in his life, Chris probably wouldn't have minded a pretty young woman looking at him for an extended period of time based on, what he'd suspect, to be his previous words. In fact, just a few years before then, he'd have welcomed it but anymore people looking at him too long had a tendency to make him nervous. His personal intuition stemming from combat training and survival had helped him get out of the war zone alive as well as move across the US like a nomad keeping out of serious trouble with others. Chris was happy that she agreed with his statement on overconfidence which showed she was a lot wiser than most other people that hadn't been through serious trauma and found out that lesson first-hand. "Learning to control one's temper is harder than confidence. Since I've got my temper in check, I'm usually where I need to be with everything else." The man glanced at her with a soft smile and nodded at her appreciation, "You're welcome."

He didn't say anything to the wink, not sure what to make of it. There was too much it could mean for him to process it all with confidence, flirtatiousness, or a sign that she planned to get into trouble either way. Chris felt it safe to just smile and look back ahead of them. "Can't depend on people watching your back, though. Sometimes it's just not your day and there's nothing you can do about it. Fight as hard as you can, give it everything you've got and it won't change the end result - you end up losing... and it stays with you for the rest of your days." His last few words were more to himself than to Violet, though he felt they were audible nonetheless. He glanced at her, nipping it in the bud before it came up, "Don't ask."

"Nope," he replied quickly, glancing toward her then back ahead of them, "gotta keep moving every week or two. It's too dangerous to stay in one place for too long." Chris listened to her speak of the joys of travel, and he couldn't deny some of the beauty of the places he'd seen since his personal exodus to nowhere. At her question, he pondered for a moment, never having been one to give himself a definite time frame in an area and either left when he felt like it or when he got a bad feeling that trouble was coming. "Not long, I'd say. Probably in the next couple of days... maybe a bit longer - it depends, but no more than four days."

He shrugged, giving her a glance then looked forward again. Chris got the feeling Violet was more than meets the eye but he'd never been someone to pry into another person's personal history as that was their own business and not his. Though the same worked for that person with Chris' past as well. He found himself looking over at her again, his thoughts of who she was and what her story was clouding his brain for a moment, but he managed to turn away, as hard as that was, and looked ahead to take note that the diner was a couple of blocks further. "There's the diner I was talking about. It doesn't look like much, but it's a decent place."

"Temper is a tricky thing. It can be just as dangerous as overconfidence if it's not controlled. it's good that you've learned to keep yours in check," she said with a small smile after Chris spoke about the dangers a temper can hold as well as him learning to control it, making it one less thing he needs to focus on with things really mattered.

As Chris shifted to speaking about not always depending on others to watch your back and how sometimes there was nothing you could do, about what came to pass came to pass and it was just something you had to take with you, her smile slowly faded. She was slightly unnerved by how close to home he had just hit with those few statements. Dropping her gaze to just in front of her steps, she was reminded just how right he was. That had happened to her... Just like that... On her own, fight as she might, it made no difference. She carried the scars with her everyday. Violet might not be able to see them, but they were there and she knew it. Others could see them, if she let them... "You are too right there, Chris. Sometimes there is nothing you can do and you pay the price. Carry the scars with you no matter where you go..." she said quietly. At his comment of not to ask, Violet snapped back and found that while his comments could be taken as advise in general, he was actually speaking of person experience, just as she was. Violet raised her hazel eyes to him and managed a soft smile in understanding. While she was curious, she didn't think it proper to simply ask after being told not to. If he wanted her to know, maybe in time he would tell her.

It's too dangerous to stay in one place for too long.... That statement surprised her. Was he in some kind of trouble that he needed to keep on the move? Violet wanted to ask, but figured she could save that for later in the night if it ever came up again. Sometimes she could be bold, but she didn't want to push it so soon with someone she just met. "Where will you go after your time here? What would keep you here longer?" she asked. Violet was more or less just curious as to what would determine whether or not it was time for him to move on. She hadn't really met anyone that was more nomad than anything.

She was very intrigued with why he was never one to settle down. A handsome one such as him could easily find a reason to settle down someplace, but not him... Just one more thing to add to the list of things that made him interesting and mysterious. When he mentioned that the diner was just up ahead, she looked in the direction he was looking and spotted it a couple of blocks ahead. "Sometimes the ones that don't look like much are the better of all the others," Violet mused with a quick glance at Chris. It was true. When people simply looked at something from the outside, if it didn't look like much, they tended to pass them by. The real prize is then left for those who take the time to investigate and see what lay underneath the surface.

All Chris could do was just look at her when she spoke on temper being as dangerous as overconfidence. There was a lot of truth in her words, but to him it wasn't entirely true. Overconfidence ended in one's own destruction, but when he allowed his temper to get the better of him it resulted in others being killed in what could only be described as a supernatural way. He couldn't help but notice that Violet smiled an awful lot and he suspected that she was either a genuinely happy person or was hiding some sort of inner demon that smiling helped keep under control. While he was curious, he wasn't so boldly rude that he'd come out and ask her such a thing.

"Yeah, it's awful," was all he could say to her reply about carrying scars. Chris had his fair share of scars and some more that belonged to others. Ever since Dan was killed, things had changed and not for the better. Though he was able to quickly avenge his best friend's death by electrocuting each of the men that had either had a part in capturing them or killing Dan, life got hard after that. He just shut down for a while and hadn't left his home on the base and when he finally did, his temper was harder to control than it had been before. His discharge came soon after that when he told an officer, in not so nice terms, that he wasn't going to just let Dan go and move on then punched the man in the face. Ever since then, he'd been carrying his scars on his own across the US, moving to whatever bar he felt like finding his way in in whatever city he had drove the night before. Then there it was -another smile. He couldn't resist a soft smile back that time, taking that opportunity to get his mind off the past. "You have a very pretty smile. It's not just lip service or anything. I just couldn't help but notice is all."

Chris thought over her question for a moment, not really having had the time to plan out a route he wanted to take and just went wherever he felt on a given day. Offering her an uncertain shrug, he glanced back at her from the road ahead, "I don't know. Maybe north? I've not really been up there yet." He'd grown up in the south and served on base there too not to mention had been all the way to California and back so heading up north wasn't a terribly bad idea. He paused in thought on her second question as he did the first, not really having anything that would keep him there too much longer due to the danger of doing so. "Like I said: it's dangerous. I can't think of anything that'd keep me here past four days."

Chris was suddenly developing a growl in his stomach at the sight of the diner. The scent of the food hitting his nostrils as they moved closer only made the feeling of hunger worse and he found himself getting a bit excited. "Well, this place could be the prime example of the 'don't judge a book buy its cover' adage." He made his way a bit ahead of her to the door, feeling he'd at least be polite to the person who offered to pay for his dinner and hold the door open for her. The young man even cracked a smile. "The menu is small and simple, so you won't be overwhelmed by it all like you would one of those fancy restaurants."

Chris' compliment of her smile made Violet pause and glance at him. She had received compliments about different features about her person, but her smile was one that didn't seem to pop up all that often. Brushing some of her dark hair out of the way, she spotted a small smile of his own. Tilting her head slightly, the corner of her mouth smiled a bit. "Thank you. You know, you should smile more. It fits you better.... And, that, is also, not lip-service," Violet said, using the same term her had just used. She liked his smile, even if it was a small one. She wasn't telling stories when she said that it fit him, either. A smile seemed like it belonged on his face.

When he didn't really have a set plan as to where he was heading after St. Louis, expect north, Violet offered, "You could try New York. It's a busy place with lots of culture and things to do. Not that St. Louis doesn't offer the same." Again he mentioned that it was too dangerous for him to stay in one place for too long, and again, Violet had to stop herself from asking why. Whatever trouble he was in had to be pretty serious if it kept him on the move every couple of weeks or so. Maybe once they got settled with their meal she might find a way to ask him. She didn't know why she was so overly concerned for him, but she was.

As they neared the diner, Violet inhaled and was surprised at the wonderful aromas she was smelling coming from this quint little place. Looking the place over when he said this was it, Violet nodded in agreement. It certainly was one of those 'give it a chance' places, and she was open to do just that. Violet slipped past Chris as he held the door for her and offered another smile in return for his, "Thank you." Yes, smiles deffinately fit him. The atmosphere was calm and homey, something she welcomed happily. At his mention that the menu was simple, she couldn't help but let a little laugh escape. "Sometimes all the bells and whistles aren't what they are cracked up to be. Simple is good sometimes," she said as she unbuttoned her coat, revealing a light purple sweater with a white shirt underneath that peeked out from under the V-neckline of the sweater.

God, it had been so long since Chris had received any sort of compliment about his person or personality; thus it came around as a bit of a surprise when she answered his appreciation of her lovely smile with a compliment of her own. The surprise likely showed on his face, but he nodded and cleared his throat a bit, "Thanks, Violet. It's been a long time since I've gotten a compliment - especially from a woman."

"New York, huh," he questioned as if giving the suggestion serious thought in his head. He'd not considered going that far north, but felt that maybe one of the biggest cities in the world was just the place he needed to go. Chris believed, in that moment, that Violet had come to him for a reason and that reason was to suggest a city he hadn't thought of so that he could finally stop moving around as often; he could finally disappear. "Well... that might not be such a bad idea after all." Though St. Louis was rather large, comparing it to New York City was like comparing an anthill to Mount Everest. The Big Apple was like its own country with various people and cultures and plenty of opportunity for the young man to stop being so much of a danger to others. At least, that's all he could hope at any rate.

With an affirmative nod, he stepped in behind her then took a look around the diner. "Agreed. Simple sure does this place credit." It wasn't packed, but was far from empty. He took a glance toward where he usually sat to notice that his favorite booth sat vacant in the corner as if calling his name. He turned back to Violet and pointed toward his booth, moving to remove his own coat as she had done leaving him in his denim button up while he tossed the coat over his arm until they could make it to table.

For what he figured had to be the third or fourth time that night, he was starting to question what Violet's play was that she was being so pleasant with him considering women usually weren't his thing, let alone woman as gorgeous and obviously well-to-do as she was. Still, he felt like they were somehow supposed to be friendly with one another like they were distant relatives, though he knew for a fact she wasn't. Finally coming to the booth, he took his seat tossing his coat into the booth beforehand and making himself comfortable.

"Must not have met many decent women, then," Violet teased, seeing a flicker of the surprised her compliment had given him. "You deserve it," she added sweetly. Violet wondered if he hadn't fetched many compliments due to his moving around, or trouble he was in, or being more likely to frequent a bar over a nice place. Regardless, she was happy to put a smile on his face with her own compliment.

Hearing him mull over the idea of making New York his next move, Violet smiled a little. It was a place to get lost if you were on the run. With so many people and cultures, it was easy to get swallowed up. A great place for a new start, as she knew from personal experience. That was why she and her brother moved there a few years ago, for a fresh start. She wanted to say that she hoped he would go there. Being as she lived in the city, it might give her the opportunity to see him again should tonight go over well. "I think you might like it there, Chris. Tons of opportunities if you did decide to stick around there for more than a few weeks," she offered.

Violet held her coat in front of herself as she followed him to a booth in the back of the diner. A denim guy, she mused to herself seeing his shirt. It only added to his handsomeness, she decided, and he was very handsome at that. Sliding into the booth across from him, Violet set her coat next to her and the questions she was wondering about him popped into her head. Why was he moving around so much? Why was it dangerous to stay in once place for too long? Suddenly, she thought of something she hadn't noticed before. She felt comfortable around him... Violet hoped the shock of that realization wasn't evident on her face or in her eyes. Her brother could always read her eyes no matter how hard she tried to hide whatever they said. Why was she so comfortable with this man she had just met... Pushing the thought away for a moment, she asked, "What do you recommend since you've been here before?"

Chris had to chuckle at her response concerning his past with women. "Nope... all of them underhanded, selfish, etcetera. Never had a good one come around." He turned to glance at her, locking eyes with her for a moment, "Until now." He and women had never managed to mesh very well, though he had his dad moving his family around every year or two to thank for the lack of social skills early in his life. It wasn't until the Air Force that he found some of his own charisma when dealing with others, but the characters of the women he'd come across since weren't the kind of people he wanted to sit next to let alone settle down with. On top of that, he'd never felt like he deserved anything other than a swift execution. It was nice to be with more pleasant company for a change. "Thanks, but... with all due respect, I don't deserve it as much as you. You're the nice young woman that's taken pity on the drunk."

Violet's words enticed him to go to New York, though he couldn't understand how. Either way, he felt it was a safer bet than moving around the country until he eventually ended up there or dead, or worse along the way. The way she talked about the city, the young man decided it was safe to assume she'd been there before. It was no secret that most people had been the New York at least once even if it was to see the Statue of Liberty as kids. "I take it you've been there? You speak about it like you have."

"Start with the coffee - it's the best in the city. Then, it's pretty much narrows down to whether you want breakfast, or dinner. With breakfast, you can't go wrong with an omelet and the chicken dinner is good. Those are my suggestions, anyway, you can eat whatever you want." He turned to the waitress who had moved over to their table, likely having seen them come in the door and sit in her section. She wasn't the usual woman that Chris had been waited on from the times before, but her smile seemed genuine and given her age, he suspected she was a high school student working late but he never could be sure anymore. When asked what he wanted to drink, he smiled softly, "just a coffee for me would be great." He waited for the young woman to take Violet's order and walk off before he spoke.

Chris felt that he probably looked as if he obviously had something to say due to his having been staring at her the entire time since they sat down but he didn't want to ignore his own intuitions. "Violet..." he began, furrowing his brows and tilting his head, "do you... do you get the feeling like we're connected somehow? I know it sounds crazy, but I just can't get it out of my head that you're someone I can finally trust and I have no idea why, but-" He stopped and shook his head, sitting back in his booth as his drink arrived, "Never mind, it's crazy talk. I guess the liquor's not totally out of my system."

Never had a good one come around. Until now... Violet glanced up just at the right time and her eyes locked with his, if only for a moment. A softness came over her features at his kind words. She had a soft spot, a weakness of sorts, for kindness and a kind word directed at her. Violet had been hurt many times over by those who supposedly 'cared' about her, but Chris was different some how. He seemed genuine in what he was saying. A soft flush crept into her cheeks after looking away. "How do you know I'm a good one? And it's not pity. You just seemed like you needed some....company...." she said, her voice drifting off a little as she looked back at him.  Was that what really made her go down that alley? He needed company?

His question of whether or not she had been to the city before, made a small grin touch her lips. "As a matter of fact, I live there," she said with a shrug, "Have for about 4 years now. Guess, that's what made me think of it when you said that you wanted to head north." The city was a good place to hide from your evils, real or figurative, as well as be hidden when you were someone such as she was. Violet could hide in plain sight and no one was the wiser.

Chris' suggestions were good ones about the menu. She was glad she asked. When the waitress came to their table and Chris ordered coffee, she ordered the same. Something warm to drink just sounded perfect. Even if they didn't have a meal, coffee would hit the spot she was sure of it. Glancing back at Chris, she noticed that he hadn't really taken his eyes off her since they sat down. It, for once, didn't bother her. Chris was not coming off as a threat to her in the slightest. His next question shocked her a little, but she was extra careful to keep it hidden. ...you're someone I can finally trust...

Violet felt her heart skip at hearing him say that. She felt the exact same thing. She felt like she could trust him, that he was safe, that he meant her no harm whatsoever. When he stopped and brushed what he was saying aside, she shook her head slightly and said, "No, no. Go on. Finish what you were going to say." Violet looked up and smiled at the waitress as she dropped off their drinks. Looking back at Chris, her hazel eyes locked with his again, "Please..." Before she answered his question, she wanted to hear the rest...

Last edited by Violet Divine on Sat Dec 28, 2013 1:13 pm; edited 1 time in total

Looking in her eyes was like seeing something inside of his own self. There was some sort of purpose in her life and it showed with confidence; Chris had a purpose for his life, but didn't share the confidence as a result of unknowing what that purpose was. When she expressed doubt of being a good one, the young man couldn't help but shake his head with a slight smirk while allowing her to finish her statement. As he voice trailed off, he turned to look at her and swallowed before looking away once more. "I don't know anything for fact, but I like to think you are. Since it's not pity and simply kindness, then that goes a long way in being a good one."

"Well... I guess you're the authority on all things New York, then." He smiled as he glanced back over at her, having never been to the big city before and suddenly realizing that her look alone gave her away as a New Yorker. Chris started to wonder why Violet was in St. Louis to start with given that it was so far from her home, but after further thought, he felt it wasn't his business to pry; he went on the theory that it was some sort of business trip. "I don't see any reason not to go, actually. Thanks for suggesting it."

Chris was a bit taken aback after Violet told him to continue and hadn't run off afraid that she'd been speaking with a maniac for the past twenty minutes. He did trust her, though, and didn't see any reason to hide what he was thinking from her so long as he kept his voice down. Chris was a known alcoholic and could be belligerent, but he didn't want everyone to think he was crazy on top of it. He took a sip of his coffee, let his bright blue eyes fall on hers and leaned forward to whisper, "It's just... erm - over the past couple of years, I can't shake the feeling that I'm meant for something big, something different than what is expected. When I look in your eyes, I see that same understanding." He took a breath, not able to believe he was telling her these things, but he had to trust someone in his life. "You've been so kind to me and when you mentioned New York, it seems my destiny to go there and that maybe that's where I find what I'm supposed to do." He stopped, just looking at her for a moment for some reaction in her face or eyes then sighed and sat back again with a laugh, "Go ahead and tell me I'm crazy... I sound crazy."

Kindness.... Something that Violet was always good at. "I guess kindness over pity would give me points in the good one column. I'm just glad you were receptive to it. Often, in situations like yours, people aren't as open to it as you were," she commented to his reasoning. Even though her past wasn't the best, Violet was still capable of unfailing kindness. Her brother never understood how that was possible, but it was something that he was pleased she was still able to do. She was, too.

When Chris commented that there was no reason for him to not go, Violet felt her face light up. She didn't know why it mattered to her so much. He was just a guy that she had just met... Maybe it was the idea that he might find someplace to make a home for himself. Maybe it was that with him in New York, the chance was there that they would cross paths again. Maybe it was the idea that he might be able to stop running... Whatever the reason, she was pleased to know that he was either seriously considering it or was set on going. "You're welcome. Glad I could help," she said with a small smile.

Violet mirrored his leaning in when he began to tell her more of what he had started before he stopped and played it off as the drink doing the the talking. As he spoke, Violet's mind started to think why he would think these things or feel that way. It wasn't uncommon for people to feel that they were meant for something bigger than what they were doing, especially those like her. She had felt the same thing as he was talking about when she was younger, and that made her think of something. Was it possible that he was like her? Her eyes looked into his eyes as if searching for the answer to that very question. "Destiny and fate always strike when you least expect it," Violet whispered to him. She dropped her eyes for a moment before bringing them back to his, "Maybe New York is where you are supposed to be."

Leaning back, as he did, Violet folded her hands and put them on the table, looking at them. "For the record, you're not crazy. You might sound it, but you're not. As you say, you see that I understand, and I do. Just like you, I don't trust lightly, but I feel like you I can trust. Even though we just met.... I feel it, and it's not something I feel often. Now I get to sound like the crazy one..." she mused, glancing up at him. "But, that makes me wonder. forgive me for asking, but why do you say that it's dangerous to be in one place for too long?" Violet asked. The question was forward, but something inside her compelled her to ask. There was something there that seemed to fit with this puzzle of what Chris and she were feeling. This connection, if you will...

He'd take kindness over pity any day and he didn't care what she said, she would be the good kind to him from that day onward unless she did something drastic to screw it up. He didn't suspect that was likely a case just by the look in her eyes and vibe he got from her, though Chris had to keep in mind that anyone could be dangerous - wolves in sheep's clothing. "Reception isn't a problem, Violet. You're the first person to be kind to me in... well, a long time." Since Dan's death, everyone was hostile with him and never trusted him, then his own family turned their backs on him. It was logical that Chris would become the way he was given all that had happened.

"Nothing wrong with a good suggestion," he remarked following up their conversation about New York being a potential place to go. As she went on, he listened but found himself questioning his direction in his mind at how his mentality had changed in the past few years. Destiny and fate - two evils that Chris hadn't used to believe in or care to hear about. There was a time when he'd laugh at whomever mentioned them and reaffirm that he was in control of his own life, and he had been up until the day he found out he wasn't normal. "Like lightning, right?" His little remark could have been taken as a joke, but was closer to the truth of it all than Violet could know. She spoke like New York would give him answers and Chris felt that it definitely couldn't make matters worse to go there and search for them. With a nod, he agreed, "Maybe so."

He supposed he shouldn't have been as shocked as he was when Violet got down to asking him exactly why it was dangerous for him to stay in one place for more than a week. After all he'd said to her so far, he couldn't very well back out of his words then and he did genuinely feel he could trust her. He took a deep breath and bit the inside of his lip nervously, having never spoken of what he could do to anyone before then and had planned to never do so if he could avoid it. If it hadn't been for the kindness in her eyes and feeling of trust he got from her, he'd have probably left right then and there. "I can't - I mean, it's not something I can easily explain..." He looked away, out through the window next to their table watching the darkness outside for a moment then sighed and looked back at her, believing it was finally time to tell his story.

"Two years ago while I was serving overseas, I killed five people - electrocuted them. More to the point, I fried them alive. They were murderers, it was war and was justified, but that's not what concerns me. That thing I said earlier about control of my temper... that's why it's so important. If I get angry or scared, it happens and I can't control it. I don't want to be a danger to anyone who doesn't deserve an end like that... no one really does, so... I never stay anywhere for too long." He shrugged and looked from her soft, hazel eyes to his hands underneath the table that were grasping at his shirt bottom like some scared school boy that was confessing to a principal. "I don't know what I am anymore. A freak. Demon-possessed, genetically-engineered to be a human lightning rod or maybe I'm just insane but whatever this is, I can't let it happen again. I won't." He turned his blue eyes back up to her and shook his head, "I'm just looking for answers. Reasons for it, maybe? I don't know."