giftbox.

[Danicka Musil] Last night she was on her way home from shopping when she sent off a text message to the -- naturally -- first person she thought of who could clean up a horned and twisted dog so big that it shook the ground on impact. It included a street address and information on what had to be done, but it also included assurances:

I'm safe. I'm at my place. I'm exhausted.

Which was code for, sadly:

I can't be around you right now.

It's been about twenty-four hours now, though. Danicka's not at her place anymore. She's sitting in a coffee shop that she's been frequenting since she arrived in Chicago. The cups have rough black exteriors and glossy green interiors, perfect pottery. Everything is in dark, warm earth tones. It's somewhere between a lounge and coffee house. What Danicka has includes alcohol, and she is sitting in a table she usually sits in, beside the window despite the cold. She remembers sitting here one day in February before being almost literally dragged a few blocks away.

It makes no difference. She reads 100 Years of Solitude and sips her drink, her hair straightened and down.

[Genevre de Provence] Danicka's cell rings.

[Danicka Musil] Technically, Danicka's cellphone vibrates. It's sitting on the tabletop, though. She glances at the screen, one finger in her book, and her brows draw together. She taps the screen as she picks it up and puts it to her ear. "Hello?"

[Genevre de Provence] The french kin sounded a touch bummed or moody or something. "Bonjour, mon ami. Are you close by? I need to talk to someone, S'il vous plaît."

[Danicka Musil] "Whether I'm close by depends entirely on where you are, Genevre," Danicka says placidly. Over the phone, the Fang kinswoman can hear a page turn. In the cafe, anyone else present can see her look at the ceiling. "What happened?"

[Genevre de Provence] She looked about from her car "I am a couple of blocks from mon home." She had pulled over til the shaking stopped. "I went to zee Brozer'ood to check on Lonna. And Theron (which always sounds odd when she tries to say it right) was zere. Where are you? I would rahzer non talk about zis on the phone."

[Danicka Musil] Her eyes close a moment. "I also don't know where your home is, Genevre. Where are you?"

[Genevre de Provence] She spilled out the crossroads she was close to which maybe put her a few blocks from the coffee shop.

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] Lukas sits down across from Danicka. He doesn't ask if he can or not; yet somehow, the gesture doesn't smack of dominance and presumption.

He smiles at her a little. She can see the way his eyes move over her, as though taking inventory. He produces a small box from inside his coat, which he then shrugs out of it, leaving it draped carelessly back over his chair.

It's unwrapped; looks like a leftover giftbox, the sort of thing chocolates might come in. It's a little late for christmas, though.

[Danicka Musil] The Fang on the other end is telling Ms. Musil where she is when Lukas sits down. Her eyes open at the presence of rage, the nearness of it, and her lips stay close together. On Genevre's end there's not so much as a sudden inhale to be heard. Just silence as she speaks. Then: "That's not far from me. I'm at the Red Lotus, do you know it?"

She confirms that Genevre does, and a moment later she's saying her goodbyes and hanging up. She closes her book. She sets her phone atop it. Danicka's sweater is the color of fresh milk. Her thin scarf is far brighter and more chaotic, reds and yellows and greens and purples, all darkened and subdued in the yarn. She looks from Lukas to the box, and back to him.

"Is that what I think it is?" she asks, then: "Genevre's on her way. She's upset about something." Just a warning. A heads up. Something.

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] "Probably," Lukas admits. "I thought you might be running low."

He glances out the window as though expecting to see Genevre out there. Or perhaps himself, walking by, seeing Danicka inside; turning to come in. Deja vu washes over him. He looks back at her.

"It's been almost a year," he says, quiet.

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] In the box:

- A stack of stiff, discolored cloth squares (6)
- Tiny baggies of grey ash (6)
- Throwing darts, the sort one might find in a dart set (10)
- Small clay tokens in the crude shape of shields (7)
- Small clay tokens in the crude shape of spears (7)
- Small clay tokens inscribed with a circle pierced with eight lines -- the approximation of a spider (8)
to Danicka Musil

[Keith Sommers] ooc: So where are you fools?

[Danicka Musil] "I have one bandage," she says. As though taking inventory, giving it back, as though it matters to him. Or maybe just because she chants it in her head sometimes, what she has in her bag of tricks that makes her a little more like Mary Poppins than she already was. "One dart. Two beads. Four bags of dust. One vial."

It's so much less than he gave her. He's seen her use one, perhaps two of the contents of the original box, or the second time he handed talens over. It's so much less.

"Dr. Slaughter wanted me to pass along her thanks for one of the bandages. I used another on Lonna Larson last night. I'm fairly certain she would have died," Danicka says quietly. She has no comment on how long it's been. She's tapping into thoughts she hasn't shared yet, and if she stops now...

...well.

She hasn't opened the box, either. She leans on the table. She could be passing endearments to his ears. She is not. "I gave one of the beads to a little boy in the twelfth century. He was rather scared afterward. And I used one of the vials to sneak behind a corrupted wolf ready for war so I could put a knife in his back."

Danicka reaches out and puts her fingertips on the sides of the box, drawing it across the table towards herself. She opens the lid and glances inside, frowns slightly at the unfamiliarity of some of them, but closes the lid again and looks at Lukas. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you any of this earlier; please don't be angry."

[Theron Locke] After the scene in the Brotherhood earlier Theron had tried to return to sleep, but found that he was unable too. So here he was walking down the footpaths of Chicago, no real destination in mind as he wandered aimlessly.

Hands buried in the pockets of a Buffalo Leather Box jacket, protecting them from the elements.

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] ....and vials of inky liquid (4)
to Danicka Musil

[Danicka Musil] [At a coffeehouse/lounge called the Red Lotus. Danicka and Lukas are at a table by the windows in front.]

[Theron Locke] It was just moments later than Theron found himself passing one of many coffeehouses in this strip. This one in particular was called the Red Lotus, and he would have kept walking on by had it not been for the two familiar figures that sat in the window. So he stopped and looked and found Lukas and Danicka to be sitting inside. A smile on his lips as he pulled a hand out of a jacket pocket and rapped his fingers lightly on the window to get their attention.

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] Oh, and:
- Tiny feathers, like those you might find in a pillow (4)
to Danicka Musil

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] Lukas looks ... a little stunned. He leans back, frowning, staring while she enumerates her expenditures. Some of it makes him feel a little better -- they weren't all her. She wasn't so badly hurt or so badly endangered she needed so many bandages, so many protective talens.

Some of it appalls him; makes him angry until he recognizes it for fear. And some of it doesn't even make sense.

When she finishes, and apologizes, his eyes close, ice blue lost behind black lashes. Danicka can see him take a breath, and let it out. Then he opens his eyes again. "I gave them to you so you'd use them if you needed to," he says. "It ... frightens me to think how often you needed to, but it makes me glad you had them."

He leans forward, elbows on the small cafe table; scrubs his face for a second with the heels of his hands.

"You know what the bandages, the darts, the ash and the vials are. There are three kinds of clay tokens in there. They're inscribed, so separate them out and don't confuse them. Two of them you'll be familiar with. The third is new. It'll make you hit harder, no matter what you use.

"There are also feathers. When you activate them, you'll be able to direct where they float. They'll let you smell and hear everything within ten feet.

"Dani&+269;ka...

"Be careful."

Lukas can feel his packmate's presence, so the rap on the window doesn't startle him. His affect does change subtly, almost imperceptibly, though. He sits back, spine a little straighter. And he touches the cold window with his fingertips -- still gloved -- smiling faintly back.

Come on in, Theron. You should know Genevre's on her way too, though.

[Genevre de Provence] Genevre gave up on driving. She left her car parked on the street, and started walking. She was so mixed up inside right now. There was the unhappiness of 'It's over finally.' occassionally sending a ping of heartache. Then the overwhelming 'I'm free! It's over finally!' also screaming at her. Final goodbyes usally made things better. Now she just needed to figure out which one was how she truly felt. So she tightens the coat around her, and begins the trek to the Red Lotus.

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] [OK, so she just got:
6 bloody bandages
6 arrow killers
10 sense dep darts
7 soak talens
7 damage talens
8 trapdoor boons
4 nightshades
4 whisper feathers]
to Danicka Musil

[Theron Locke] Theron nods in acknowledgement that he has been given permission to join them. Though it's not hard to notice that brief moment when his Alpha was relaxed...not having to be on the "job". Theron had been through a lot to find that....things had progessed to a point where that might be a possibility.

He then responds to the last comment Thanks Lukas... apologies for the interruption he looks apologetic as his eyes flick to Danicka briefly Thanks for the heads up though...but I think things are going to be alright between Gen and I. She sent me her final goodbyes as he says the last he reaches up and pats the breast pocket of his jacket

He makes his way through the door of the Lounge and proceeds to their table "Evening Lukas, Danicka... sorry again for the interruption. I hope I was interrupting anything important? I'll find another table if you'd prefer?" his eyes switching from one to the other.

[Theron Locke] (( I hope I wasn't - rather....))

[Park] This is a far cry from the neighborhood that saw the two of them knocking back beers and entertaining stares from a crestfallen woman on Christmas night.

It's a little further north, a few minutes' drive, yet there is a massive difference between the dive bar with the indecisive jukebox and the beleaguered clientele and the coffee house that the pair go to tonight. Whether Keith had come by the Brotherhood or Park had gone by the Loft, one of them had found the other tonight, and one of them had suggested that they go out into the city and get a cup of coffee and talk. There was plenty they could talk about, in theory. Their conversation had been cut off when last their paths crossed.

The moon overhead is full. What few people are out on the sidewalk at this time of night do their goddamned best to keep their eyes off of the pair as they walk down the street, if only because they feel as though they are up to absolutely no good, because they feel as though a wrong glance or a wrong word will incite violence against their persons. There isn't much to either of them; they're lean and young and easy enough to look at, but not easy enough to bear.

As they walk, conversation is at a minimum. Tempers are too high for idle chatter, and guards are at a high as they move through streets that Park confesses at one point to being surprised at; she'd thought, given the rumors that they're telling as far away as California, that the gutters would course with blood here.

Park has her hood up, and it isn't until they step over the threshold and her boots connect with the hardwood floor that she reaches up slim hands to lower it. She steps out of the way to allow the Silver Fang room to enter, and then she shakes out her hair and unzips her barn coat.

[Danicka Musil] There's more. Things like And last night, the dog? There were also two leeches. Tentacles again! Why always with the fucking tentacles and these assholes?

But she'd rant about bloodsuckers. Danicka dislikes them more than monsters, partly because they so often look human, because they take away her control so often, because... because she remembers things about them, knows them as well as she knows corrupted Lords and crazy Fangs. Danicka does not fear what she can't see, or what she doesn't know, or what she doesn't understand.

She's rather intimate with all the things she fears. And hates.

They speak of such things in their near-corner table that would warp the minds of mortals. They speak quietly, etching soft words into the air, and though Danicka doens't take notes on what he tells her, she files it away. She knows that to use this means draining her reserves of energy, exhausting herself, which makes them for preparation and last resort efforts. She knew that before. Her eyebrows flick up slightly when he explains the talens that increase damage done... by bullet, by knife, by whatever it is.

But she actually looks somewhat delighted when he tells her about the feathers. "That's so neat," she says, or is about to say, when he tells her to be careful. The smile fades. Her brow furrows. She adds, more quietly: "I am."

Danicka doesn't start when Theron knocks. She does blink, though, turning her head towards the rapping on the glass. It's debatable whether or not she knew he was there, saw him coming. She didn't make eye contact, but her peripheral vision is something stellar. Her attention to her surroundings borders on hypervigilant.

Lukas touches the glass. Danicka closes the box more tightly and twists in her seat, putting it in her bag hanging off the back of her chair. "How are things with he and Anežka?" she asks before Theron enters. It isn't a casual question. Not for her.

Whether Lukas has time to answer that or not, a few moments later Theron's right there, apologizing 'again' -- though that word makes her eyebrows tug together for a second in confusion. She sits up a little bit straighter, looking over at Lukas. Deferring.

[Danicka Musil]
Dice Rolled:[ 15 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 12 at target 3) Re-rolls: 1
to Lukas Wyrmbreaker

[Keith Sommers] He's in a mood. He's usually in some kind of mood: curious, friendly, self-mocking, aloof, let's do violence tonight, let's do violence tomorrow, let's do violence yesterday and today, let's sit and do nothing, let's do nothing, wouldn't it be nice to just nothing, or -- he'll come across easy, joking, just wants to do something, anything. He's often restless, Keith, but today he's in a mood, and this means he's not just letting his Rage tug him toward random outbursts. This means he's feeling low, and it shows -- the way his shoulders slope, even though he carries his head (the way they're taught: the way they're supposed to carry 'em) high enough. The way his eyelids stay half-hooded, like he doesn't want to get into the bother of meeting anybody's eyes, because he'd much rather be estranged from the (would you believe -- fucked up! -- beloved, maybe?) frisson of hatred and fury that's spiritually righteous (or so he's heard).

That mood's sort've put a damper on Keith's natural ability to carry on a decent conversation, but he's got something on his mind anyway, and Park confesses that she'd thought the gutters would course with blood. He managed an offhand reply, something about it being too fucking cold for any liquid to course -- how fast does blood freeze, anyway, just outta the body? They're in, and by sheer chance (Keith's definitely not perceptive enough to have planned going to the same coffee shop as Lukas and Danicka and Theron, as his cousin's packmates) it's the Red Lotus they've gone to for some coffee.

In Keith goes after Park, in a mood, running his fingers through his hair, boy needs to stop or maybe one day he'll go bald, but shyah. Like that'll happen. "Where do you want to sit?" He follows that up with: "Let's sit by the window."

[Danicka Musil] 8 + 11
Dice Rolled:[ 19 d10 ] 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)
to Lukas Wyrmbreaker

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] "They're through," Lukas says in the moments between Theron's knock, and Theron walking up to the table.

Then the Ahroun shakes his head at his packmate. "You're not interrupting, Theron. Come on, sit down. The waitress hasn't been by for me yet." His eyes flick past Theron; to Keith, to Park.

"Have you met them yet?" He nods at the pair. Newcomers. Lukas has been in this city a year; that's somehow become a long time in comparison.

[Genevre de Provence] The weather was screaming out for more snow, and the night sky that hid the full moon behind the engourged clouds showed it.

Genevre shuffled through the streets, along the sidewalks, til she finally found the Red Lotus. Two things caught her eye. The table by the window where Danicka, Lukas and Theron sat. And yet, this time, seeing him, there was no ache. No screaming pain of loss.

And then the second window where she saw Keith with another garou. She smiled and went to their window and knocked, trying to get Keith's attentions. When he looked, she would blow him a kiss. Then made her way inside.

[Danicka Musil] There are, when Theron arrives, two chairs at the table where Lukas and Danicka sit. There may very well be a third chair by the time that Genevre arrives, pulled over by the Theurge to seat himself. The table isn't very large; Danicka is putting her book away now, too, the greenish cover mottled with various animals. Snakes. Birds.

She is blinking at Lukas as people are making their way inside, but not in surprise. She does, however, lift a hand and flag down Genevre when the Fang enters, waving her over.

[Theron Locke] Theron turns his head to the two Lukas point, he shakes his head in response "I don't believe I have. They people I should meet ?" turning his face back to Lukas.

Eventually finding his way into a spare seat as he sits down. Hearing the door of the lounge open, he directs his gaze there. His Alpha had told him to expect Genevere, so it's not surprise when he sees her entering. When and if she gets his attention , he gives her a nod of acknowledgement and a small smile.

Turning back to Lukas and Danicka , he directs his next question to the later "Does Lukas know about last night?" he asks this question before saying anything more.

[Park] It's an easy enough question, but one that is asked as Park is surveying the bodies currently occupying the coffee house's belly. It's late on a weeknight, but most of the people in here have the next day off, have had the entire week off, these students and young professionals and artists, people with nowhere else to go on a Wednesday night than the local lounge. Many of them find themselves growing uneasy. The polite-looking young man with the gorgeous blonde is, in a word, intense; the tall, dark-haired fellow who joins him is far less unnerving, yet there is an edge to his presence that makes the weaker willed of the bodies start to grow uncomfortable.

Park reaches up to gather her hair into her right hand before tossing it over one shoulder, allowing it to drape behind her rather than about her upper body, and says, "Let's."

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] "The woman is one of Thunder's. You might remember her from when we went before the Council ((annnd we're just leaving that there cuz we don't know how that ends)). The man is one of Kate's, and she likes him quite a bit. You might as well meet them both."

The question that follows gets Lukas's attention, though he doesn't do more than look between his packmate and his mate. Then he raises his hand in greeting at Park and Keith as they approach.

"Hey," he says. "You guys want to move a table over and combine?"

[Danicka Musil] A different woman would, after just -- finally -- hearing that his relationship with her mate's sister ended, feel sympathy for him, however misguided. She's oblivious to any interaction between Theron and Genevre other than a dance that was, as Lukas told her, just a dance. Danicka is missing more information on the social dynamics swirling inside the Red Lotus tonight than anyone else, but she carries herself with a calm grace that suggests she knows everything Theron is thinking, everything Genevre is feeling, everything Lukas wants to say but isn't.

She might.

Theron doesn't know Danicka very well. And he has no idea the reaction she has when he asks her -- not Lukas -- if Lukas knows about what happened last night. Her forehead is smooth, and a small, gentle smile curls the corners of her mouth. It's soothing. She nods. "He knows."

[Keith Sommers] Keith is a direct person (it seems, usually). Let's, Park says, and Keith chooses a table without looking around; without much thought except for the moon overhead, and whatever it is that's putting him into a bad mood tonight, whatever it is he and Grandfather Thunder's philodox are going to discuss. Which is to say, he sat down without noticing Lukas. He doesn't even notice Genevre, at first, until she knocks on the window. That gets him. He doesn't quite flinch, but he goes dangerously still (tenses) for a second. His eyebrows furrow, and he looks out. She blows him a kiss, the furrow deepens. He picks up a menu, studies it. Says something to Park, and looks up to see what she's going to make of it -- and that's when Lukas waves, and calls over, and Keith sits up (he'd started to slouch once he was in the booth, drumming his fingers on his leg, drumdrum, drumdrum). He opens his mouth to reply -- checks himself; the presence of Danicka and Theron and Genevre. He lifts his voice, says: "Lukas. If there's enough room, why not."

[Genevre de Provence] Genevre enters and is flagged down by Danicka. She glances over to Keith for a moment, then joins those of the Unbroken at their table. "I did non realize you 'ad company, Danicka."

[Danicka Musil] "Actually," Danicka says, pushing her chair back as she rises to her feet, "let's move. There's a larger table over there," she adds, pointing to one in the middle of the room that will seat six. No one is there. All the minitables, suitable for two or three people, are taken up by couples or small groups. Nobody's sitting at the two square tables with six chairs around it.

She plucks her coat and purse from the back of the chair and shakes her straightened hair off her shoulder, smiling at Genevre. "Neither did I. I just happen to be a lighthouse for our people, or something."

Notably, when she reaches the table, Danicka takes the seat to the left of the head.

[Park] Whatever Keith says to Park grabs her full attention. She doesn't reach for her own menu right away, doesn't shuck out of her barn coat or toy with her hair again. She looks straight across the low table at the Ahroun, briefly pulling her lower lip between her teeth to chew at a tag of skin, and replies in a quiet voice not meant to carry far enough to be heard. That settles the matter; they're being waved at.

The woman looks over at the Fostern who had called a meeting of the Council last week, her expression nigh unto unreadable. Keith accepts the invitation, and the woman--who had only been introduced as Covered Sky-yuf by the Philodox Elder last week, who had not supplied her human name unless asked for it--glances between the two of them before standing again.

Her eyes find the Lord kinswoman easily enough, but she doesn't stare or sniff or scoot as close to her as she can get. The Fang who had blown Keith a kiss is likewise given no special attention. There's a suggestion that they move, and Park appears amenable to this.

"Lukas," she greets the Fostern, and her eyes flick to his packmate.

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] "Let's do it," Lukas says, and gets up.

The six of them make a small commotion in the cafe as they move, winter coats and all. At the new table, Lukas doesn't hesitate to take the seat at the head of the table, beside Danicka.

"Have you guys all met? This is Dani&+269;ka, my girlfriend, and Theron, my brother. That's Keith and Genevre, Kate's cousins. And this is -- " he hesitates for a second; he realizes he has no idea what Park's human name is, " -- my cousin Sky."

[Genevre de Provence] When they all move around and go about switching tables, Genevre does her best to get a seat next to Keith. A smile was given to Danicka. "I suppose it can wait, mon ami."

[Theron Locke] The conversation he was going to have with Danicka, stopped for the moment. He moved with the group as they changed tables.

Theron offers both Park and Keith a nod of greeting, the former now recognised as the philodox he had stood before "It's a pleasure to meet you both."

[Danicka Musil] The word 'girlfriend' makes Danicka smile in a flash, for some reason. It fades as she nods a greeting to Keith and Park, the two she hasn't met. To Genevre, a simple one-shouldered shrug and a nod of assent: "As you will."

Settling into her seat, she replaces her saucer and mug on the table in front of her, loosening her tightly-knit, brightly-colored scarf around her throat a bit more. "I'm afraid I've already eaten, but they have decent sandwiches here. And the pecan-pear salad is very good."

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] "If you need to talk," he says to Danicka, and more vaguely, to Genevre, "I should probably have a word with Sky and Keith."

[Keith Sommers] It isn't difficult to get a seat next to Keith for the Silver Fang kin -- at least, Keith puts no difficulties in her way. He chooses a seat at the foot of the table, just about opposite Lukas, but he doesn't take it immediately. Instead, he nods courteously to Danicka -- gaze resting on her collarbone, flicking up to her face -- then a nod of similarly measurable courtesy is given to Theron. "Likewise," he says, to Theron; a brief quirk of the mouth is meant to extend a similar sentiment (pleasure, not likewise) to Danicka. THEN he'll sit. "I'll apologize upfront if I make for bad company tonight," he says, and the furrow appears between his eyebrows again. He shrugs it off. Then: "What's their coffee like?" It's idle; he doesn't expect Danicka to know. He doesn't expect her not to know. It's filler. "And how is everybody?" He clues into something: "Ah. I don't want to keep you girls from girltalk."

[Genevre de Provence] Gen waved a hand. "It can wait. It is.....girl stuff." She smiled, her eyes going from Lukas to Keith and back, trying to give a hint about just what she needed to talk to Danicka about.

Then she heard Keith's comment and reached over to gently take his hand if he allows. "No worries, mon ami."

[Danicka Musil] [perception + empathy]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 (Success x 2 at target 6)
to Lukas Wyrmbreaker

[Park] Introductions are handed out in order of importance and familiarity, Danicka taking the seat to the left of the head and the rest of the group falling in from there. She is introduced as Sky, and she doesn't move to correct or amend, to offer up anything other than what has been given. Sky seems perfectly acceptable. Maybe her parents were hippies, or they just liked the way it sounded in English.

Park winds up sitting between Theron and Keith, across from Genevre, who is given a more thorough investigatory glance once she has taken up her seat. Coat is draped over the back of her chair, revealing the woman to be wearing a gray thermal shirt underneath. She hikes up the sleeves, and when Lukas says he should probably have a word with the two of them, she glances down the table.

The woman doesn't talk much. She hasn't said more than three words since they walked in, and all of them were directed at the Fang.

[Theron Locke] Theron just sits quietly and watches all the interactions, previously he would have been fixated on Genevre. But tonight it appeared he was more relaxed around her.. perhaps important events had been left in the past and now they would both move on freely.

He turns to Keith "Don't worry... I'm in the same boat. A bad night and a lack of sleep doesn't really help matters."

[Danicka Musil] It isn't Genevre who has Danicka's attention as to the matter of whether they need to talk or not. She looks at Lukas for a protracted moment, then allows Genevre's dismissal of the topic to end the matter of whether or not they'll be excusing themselves. She looks over at Keith. "Their coffee is their reason for existing. It's fantastic, and they use excellent cognac.

"And thank you," she says with a smile, "I'm doing quite well tonight."

If it's relatively speaking, it's still not a lie.

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] Lukas agrees to Genevre's dismissal with a wordless gesture of his hand. The Shadow Lord slouches a little in his chair, relaxed; one arm over the back, the other hand atop the table. It's that hand that turns briefly palm-up. Then he addresses Park:

"So how are you settling in? I've barely seen you since you came to town."

[Keith Sommers] He's not really very good at hiding his thoughts. To whit: he offers Genevre a somewhat perplexed look; puts his other hand over hers, pat, pat, there there, yes, they're Shadowlords aren't they, but it's okay, then deposits her hand on the table. Keith is a gentleman, or he tried to be, sometimes, even when the moon is full. As he does this, he's raising his eyebrows (expressive, those) at Danicka. Attentive. He grins, then. "Do I take it this a regular spot for you?" Theron says he's had a bad night and a lack of sleep, and he gets a look. "I'm sorry to hear that, man. What happened?"

[Park] A quiet smile tugs at Park's lips when Lukas states he's barely seen her since she came to town, as though she finds something vaguely humorous about what he's said. She doesn't laugh, though. She just folds her hands in her lap beneath the table and takes up the other half of the conversation.

His voice is deep enough that she doesn't have to strain to hear from beyond arm's length away. When she speaks, it is not in a soft or quiet voice but rather a low, confident alto.

"I keep strange hours," she says. That is to say: she's barely seen him, either. A beat, and then, "I'm settling in well. It's nice to sleep in a bed again, I haven't been in one place long enough to have one for months."

[Danicka Musil] Tonight Danicka is dressed like a schoolteacher of sorts. Her sweater is modest, her scarf eccentric but not offensive, her pencil skirt a subtle gray and almost knee-length; demure. Her tights -- or stockings, impossible to guess without pulling up her skirt, really -- are similarly colored to her sweater. Her shoes, a pair of leather ankle boots the color of gunmetal, are hardly fuck-me heels, but take her three inches above her normal height all the same.

She is, as Lukas discovers after a moment of conversation, able to slip her small feet out of them just as easily as any regular pair of pumps. His jeans aren't loose enough for her to slide her toes up alongside his leg, but that's alright. The touch of her foot to his ankle, running up and down his calf, is... more familiar than anything else. They haven't so much as touched hands since the last time they saw each other.
to Lukas Wyrmbreaker

[Theron Locke] Theron offers a shrug to Keith "It seems just the usual for Chicago... some friends of mine ran into some trouble last night. Saying ne ended up pretty badly hurt is a understatement, thankfully she was brought to me in time and there were a couple of others to help. "

"But last I heard from her guardian.. she was safe at home, resting. Just has all left me rather tired and stressed. I'm just glad they are in one piece though" a small look to both Genevre and Danicka.

"However I don't want to be a downer... was actually out looking for a distraction. So maybe we should direct the conversation elsewhere."

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] "You'll have to tell me about that sometime." That's not just conversational. He means it: he'd like to hear the story behind that. They're Shadow Lords. They're not particularly known for wandering.

Lukas goes on, "I'm sure someone's already passed the word on, but I take care of our family's affairs here. So if anything comes up, or if you get in any trouble, come find me. I'm at the Brotherhood most nights, room 2."

[Danicka Musil] "You do," Danicka answers Keith, in an agreeable sort of tone. She's leaning back a bit in her chair, looking a touch more relaxed than she did at first, her head tipped slightly to one side. In this light, the amber flecks in her eyes come out more brightly, make her gaze warmer.

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] Perhaps it says something, how good they both are at looking ... well, normal. Above the surface of the table, Lukas's attention doesn't waver from Park. He doesn't glance at Danicka when her foot contacts his shin.

Beneath the surface of the table, his leg extends slightly; brings the hard arch of his shinbone more solidly in contact with the curl of her toes. There's a sort of familiarity in that, too; an unshy, firm intimacy, like an animal bumping up against his mate in greeting.
to Danicka Musil

[Keith Sommers] It seems just the usual for Chicago, Theron says, and something about that phrase. Keith frowns down at the table for a moment, and when he looks up, his expression is apologetic. For once, he's managing control. "You're right, Theron; and I'm no good for company at all tonight, so I think I'm going to leave. I'm sorry; I'll try the coffee another time," brief nod for Danicka, and it's amazing that he even remembers these social niceties. "If you're coming," he says, to Covered Sky, giving her the option. And to Genevre, whose player looks like she's fallen off: "Good night. Lukas? I would like to speak to you soon. Nice to meet everybody once again." And with that, he makes his escape into the cold.

[Danicka Musil] Her foot slips behind his leg, entwining as they sometimes do when they're bared. When they're alone. He often covers her legs with his own as they sleep, just as his arm wraps around her and keeps her close to his chest. On the surface level, Theron is discussing last night and -- Danicka is watching the others leave, each to their own.

So she withdraws her leg, lest they see it nestled against his as they leave, the table not covered by a cloth. And exhales.
to Lukas Wyrmbreaker

[Danicka Musil] A muscle in Danicka's cheek works as Theron goes on about last night. Again. She doesn't look at him, but nods to Genevre as the other woman takes her leave. There's a slight exhale from her and a nod of goodbye as Keith exits, possibly with Park in tow. She looks at Lukas, then at Theron.

"I wasn't aware you knew Lonna."

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] Lukas's brief discussion with Park seems over; he looks up as Keith stands. "Sure," he says. "I'm at the Loft often enough. Are you still staying there?"

[Keith Sommers] "Yeah, I'm there tonight; probably tomorrow. Otherwise," a moment's pause. He's antsy, can't quite keep still. Too much energy, and it gets expansive. "I think Kate has my address." Ah: so the freeloader actually had his own place; he was just too lazy to go there. Or he liked the pool. "Good night," he says, again.

Then: gone!

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] "I'll catch you there," Lukas replies, meaning the Loft. Or maybe the pool.

Genevre departs as well; the table belongs to the Shadow Lords. Lukas looks between the two for a moment. Then:

"You guys want to get sandwiches to go?"

[Theron Locke] "Sounds like a plan.. I've got some things I want to talk to Danicka about." and then he turns to face her "Yeah after a few casual run-ins , we've been spending a bit of time together.". Standing from the table as he readies to make his leave with them.

[Danicka Musil] That makes one of Danicka's eyebrows quirk. She doesn't know Lonna very well; she's only met her a few times, and usually something horrific is happening. But the eyebrow lowers, unexplained, and if there was a question behind it, Danicka doesn't voice it. She looks vaguely curious about whatever it is Theron wants to talk to her about, but -- again -- doesn't seem to think now is the time.

"I'm actually going to go home, I think," she says, half-turning to glance at Lukas before returning her attention to the Theurge. "You can get my number from Lukáš," she says, and -- oddly enough, especially for a kinswoman of their time -- there's a note of permission being granted, to both of them, in that statement.

She says his name differently from everyone in the city. A rounder vowel, a susurration of sound at the end. It's deeper on her tongue, warmer from her throat. It isn't just that she pronounces his name correctly. She doesn't say anyone else's name with that sort of... ache to it.

[Lukas Wyrmbreaker] "Já uvidíme se pozd&+283;ji," Lukas says to Danicka.

Then he stands up, picking his coat up off the back of his chair, raising his eyebrows at Theron. "Sandwiches, and then I'll give you a lift back to the BroHo?"

[Danicka Musil] "Brzy," Danicka says back, rising to her feet and picking up her coat to shrug into it. She shoulders her bag and nods a goodbye to Theron as she buttons her coat, smiling faintly at both men before walking out the door and down the street ot her car.

[Theron Locke] "Yeah sounds like a plan... I got permission to go see Lonna, but I think I'll save that for the morning." he gives Danicka a nod as he is told to ask for her number , and watches as she leaves.