( open ) ♕ ❝ a place in the clouds ❞

[gasping]

CHARACTERS: caroline forbes & you!
LOCATIONS: all around the city, ft: deja brew.
WARNINGS: none yet.
SUMMARY: catch-all log post for january & february.

♕ deja brew.

( first things first: caroline forbes cannot — will not — live in a shoebox apartment. not if she can help it, anyway, and a careful perusal of her cadelle welcome kit says that moving out is both totally possible and easy... provided she has the right funds. which, of course, she doesn't have here, because her bank account didn't exactly transfer over. normally, that wouldn't be too much of an issue, what with her enhanced abilities of persuasion at work... but for whatever reason, that hasn't been working out so well here. mostly, trying just gives her a headache.

so it's back to the old standard for caroline, and while the employment office had been quick to point out a few places that could likely use her help, she wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea of coming to a new place only to venture into food service. not that there was anything wrong with waitressing. it just wasn't her idea of a good time.

the locations directory in her phone doesn't give her many ideas, so rather than linger in her tiny apartment any longer than necessary, caroline decides to do things the old-fashioned way. she'll just walk around and find places that seem interesting, and once found, she'll ask if they're hiring. how hard could that be?

well, fast-forward two hours later, and she knows exactly what it could be: exhausting, and boring, which is worse. sinking into a booth at deja brew with a freshly steamed latte is just the ticket to feeling decidedly less miserable about this entire thing, right? it might also help to talk to people. people like the person whose walking path just crossed into her field of vision. )

Hi. Do you work here? ( a pause, and she corrects: ) Not, like, here here. In the city. Do you have a job?

♕ wildcard.

( if you'd like something specific with caroline, please let me know! semicolons / hartbeat#2740 on discord / pm, whatever floats your boat! )

Comments

♕ for derek — mahogany.

[gasping]

( for all caroline's carefully planned out social calendars back home, her to-do list here is surprisingly short. instead of a million boxes to check off, she's left to her own devices, to wander aimlessly through the city in search of something to occupy her time and energy. a date — or meet-up, she supposes she could call it, casual as this place makes things seem — is just the ticket.

derek suggests mahogany, and it doesn't take much time to look up the address, or to hop a cab over.

the musician on stage is just finishing up a set by the time she settles in to a booth on the far side of the room, warm light overhead dappling her glass of whiskey with its honeyed glow. it's a nice ambiance, she has to admit. a bit quiet, now that the music's stopped, but she's comfortable here. it reminds her a bit of the salvatore boarding house, all dark woods and somber atmosphere.

she might have beaten him here, but it doesn't take him long to catch up; he's easy enough to recognize from across the room, so she flashes a bright smile and a wave, hoping to catch his eye without having to give up her spot. )

[duelo]

[ When a pretty blonde girl swipes with no message and then follows up with an apology for getting distracted by his smile, it's hard for Derek to resist at least following up to see if the two of them get along in person. Mahogany sounds more the speed of a date than CriminALES, so he'd invited her there. He leaves in time to get there a minute or two early.

His eyes move around the room, scanning the people as he subtly scents the air, because it's just what he does in a new place. It takes him a few minutes to catch the movement of her hand in the wave and look over to see her already at a table.

Derek lifts his chin in the universal sign for acknowledgement before adding a quick wave himself, in case she missed the nod, and then he makes his way over to her.

Because it's still reflex, he can't help noticing that she smells nice as he moves to sit across from her, a smile on his face. She's pretty on the app. She's prettier in person. ]

Caroline. It's nice to meet you in person.

[gasping]

( he's on time, and he's polite; two stars are already marked in the 'pro' column for derek hale as far as caroline is concerned, and they've only exchanged smiles and a few words thus far. plus, it doesn't hurt that he's so nice to look at, what with the firm line of his jaw and the slopes of his shoulder and...

and she's getting carried away, even in her own head. a sip of her drink helps to steady her runaway thoughts, and caroline smiles again, a little more warmly this time as he settles in across from her. )

You too. ( but she can't quite help herself as she confesses: ) Your smile's still pretty distracting. I should have asked if you wanted me to grab you a drink.

[duelo]

[ Derek smirks a little, eyebrows lifting a little. ]

Well, I appreciate the compliment. I'll get one when someone comes around next, I'm not in a rush.

[ He's interested in spending some time with her, after all, otherwise he wouldn't be here. No sense hurrying things along. ]

If you can forgive the cliche, you're even prettier in person than you were in your profile.

[gasping]

( she can forgive it. she might groan a little, good-naturedly, but she's smiling still; there's something to be said, at least, for the sincerity behind the statement. he doesn't make her feel like he's saying it just to flatter her or get in her pants, so that helps. )

That's... you know, I honestly don't think I've ever had somebody say that and mean it before. ( a soft laugh, and she holds out her drink in his direction, gentle sloshing of the amber liquid inside going to and fro up the sides of the glass. ) Since you're so nice, I don't mind sharing.

( or, maybe more specifically, she doesn't mind sharing because it gives her an excuse to shift just that much closer, where she's able to pick up the scent of him, earthen, like a damp forest after rain. )

♕ for stiles — beta lobby.

[gasping]

( you wouldn't think it would take thirty minutes to head down two flights of stairs, but it does. in fact, it takes her nearly thirty-seven minutes to finally push through the doorway into the lobby of beta building, breathless and flushed from mild embarrassment as she scans the room for his face.

blame it on the fact that caroline spent exactly thirty-six of those minutes going through an entire suitcase full of dresses and blouses and cardigans, trying on and taking off and making faces at herself in the mirror the entire time. it's not like he was asking her to go to tea with the queen. they were just exploring the city, a friendly jaunt around town to get their bearings. it didn't even matter what she wore. oh well. )

Sorry, I — ( but he doesn't seem upset by her delay, or even really like he's noticed at all, so caroline stops herself from rambling with a firm smile. ) I couldn't pick a shirt.

( overzealous and over-invested? maybe. but at least she looks cute. maybe she could be normal, too, and try a normal person's greeting? )

Anyway. Hi.

[fadingspark]

Hi.

[Stiles just smiles at her. He's been friends with Lydia Martin long enough now that he understands the whole waiting on a girl while she changes her shirt process. That's why he originally suggested 30 minutes, figuring it would be more like 45. So he's actually surprised that she's there close to time.

And fuck she's gorgeous. Totally out of his league here. Yup. But he can play cool.]

Don't worry about it. The only reason I'm not wandering around lost trying to find the place is that I was already here. And you look great, so the shirt choice - right on.

[gasping]

Oh. ( she might be pretty to look at, but caroline's spent a lot of time being passed over for friends and enemies alike, so the seemingly casual way that stiles offers her a compliment catches her off-guard. her smile — previously tight for the sake of friendliness — warms, adding a brightness to her expression that hadn't quite been there before. ) Thank you.

( don't worry, stiles, she's not as much out of your league as you think she is. or even at all. there's a moment of silence before caroline dives back in, friendly to the point of aggression with the perky tone to her voice even as she rambles. )

Okay, so, I was thinking, maybe start downtown, and work our way back? I'm kind of hungry, too, so if there's something you wanted to get to eat, we could try to find it? Oh, and — ( a brief pause, just enough for her to fish her phone out of her back pocket ) — and there's the city directory, too, I found some things on there that might be interesting, have you seen it?

[fadingspark]

Food would be amazing.

[and as she pulls out her phone talking about a directory, he will grab his and watch how she accesses it]

I didn't know that, but that's pretty handy. But no, that plan sounds solid. What do you feel like eating?

[please don't say salad]

[gasping]

( what's so bad about salad, stiles? sometimes, all a girl wants to do is stuff her face with crispy lettuce and vegetables drowned in italian dressing. don't judge her! )

Something super salty. Like, I could probably eat my weight in fries right now. ( and she's not kidding. that super metabolism means caroline doesn't hesitate to indulge when the mood strikes her. ) There's a diner on here that apparently has a bottomless bucket...?

( #want. )

deja brew }

[wildkingdom]

No.

[Malia has not hopped on the job train yet, though she probably should. She's become increasingly more bored as time goes on and she should probably try and figure out how to fill her time, but it's hard to find a job that allows her to use her unique set of skills.]

Why?

[gasping]

Me either.

( the realization of which earns a disgruntled huff from caroline as she sinks a little lower in her booth, hands curled around a still-warm cup. she should really get this together. it can't be that hard to find something to do. )

I've been walking around for hours trying to find something.

[wildkingdom]

What do you like to do?

[There are a lot of different options, or at least that's what Malia's been told. Maybe there's something that fits her style she just hasn't managed to track down yet.]

[gasping]

I... ( what does she like to do? well, lately, the answer's been boiled down to 'not getting staked' and/or 'not letting other people die'. but that's not really a fair answer to the question. ) Well, I used to plan parties, back home.

I don't know if that's a thing I can do here, though.

[wildkingdom]

They throw parties here all the time.

[So yes, that totally sounds like a thing she can do.]

I don't know who runs them, but they're usually sponsored by the city.

deja brew

[gardenofthegalaxy]

[ Gamora had been getting coffee for her and Baby while she was on a break and she paused with the cup holder and two giant coffees when she was addressed by the blonde.

There was a slight raise in her brow as she waited for the question to be better defined before she offered a slight smile. ]

Hello, and yes, I have a job here. I work at B-Sides. [ After a beat. ] Have you just arrived?

[gasping]

I mean, not like today, but yeah. A few days ago. I've been trying to find something to do so I can get out of that tiny apartment they put me in but the only things I can find downtown are, like, restaurants and I'm just not really cut out to be a waitress.

( she could maybe be a hostess, but if caroline's entirely honest, she'd really rather just work during the day than have to sacrifice all her evenings. but more importantly: what the hell is a b-side? )

Where did you say you worked? Besides what?

[gardenofthegalaxy]

B-Sides. Bee. Sides. As in the flipside of a record or cassette? The songs not released on an album, but released with a single. [ Gamora was beginning to impress herself with the musical knowledge she was gathering but she had the internet, Baby, and Magnus to thank for it. ] It's the city's music store.

[ Gamora shouldn't really have been one to judge but she was starting to regard the blonde like she might not even know what music was. ]

The restaurants might not be good for working at, but they're very good for eating at. I'm fairly certain that your employment options are also not quite so limited.

[gasping]

Like, an iTunes store? ( she's never seen a cassette before, okay? records, at least, she knows of... but not so much what they sound like, or how they were released. it's all a bit above her head. ) Why would they need a physical store for that?

( you know what, it probably doesn't matter. she knows that plenty of old people need help navigating computers. maybe it's just a way the city generates all those good vibes. )

Are there any parties here? Or clubs? I could help with that, I think. I'm pretty good at planning parties.

[gardenofthegalaxy]

For the iPod? [ Gamora shook her head. Now she was beginning to understand Quill's obsession with his childhood technology was not always helpful. ] It's for CDs mostly. Not the digital songs.

[ Gamora adjusted her grip on the coffee tray as she gave the question some consideration. ]

There is The Deviant. I believe that is club. I'm not sure that there is actually a party store, but the city generally plans its own parties for us. [ Parties went over her head, in the same way "ancient" technology went over Caroline's. ] I'm sure there are people that would throw their own parties though and need help.

♕ for robbie — sucker punch.

[gasping]

( she comes early. she's overly confident in her own abilities, and feeling particularly good about herself after a night of casual flirtation and ice cream at sweet creamery, so it's with a full size helping of caroline forbes enthusiasm (™) that she claims a training dummy for her own use on the east side of the gym. it's brighter, there; the light from the windows bounces off her blonde hair, tied up tight in braids that fall over either shoulder. it makes her feel like she's glowing a little, even if that's mostly just sweat sheen.

who cares. she's ready to take down some douchebag with a penchant for insulting strangers in the ring, and that's what matters. embarrassing them in public. making them cry. the usual. )

[acuerdo]

[he arrives with maybe fifteen minutes to spare, coming straight from work, dirty coveralls still on. he'd considered just skipping out, his foul mood from the night before had largely been forgotten with the arrival of his girlfriend in just a few bits of cloth that passed for a cheerleading uniform, but then he considered the likelihood that she'd just flame him on the network and robbie decided he couldn't just bail.

sucker punch is thankfully quiet, just a few of the regular guys he works out with from time to time tucked in the back and a young woman he doesn't recognize. missmystic herself, he supposes as he heads off to the locker rooms to dump his stuff and get changed and cleaned up. by the time he returns, he's taped his hands and looks ready to go a few rounds in the ring.

of course, there's still the matter that blonde barbie with the attitude looks like a swift wind would knock her over. is he really gonna be able to fight her and not feel guilty? he approaches her and clears his throat loudly to get her attention.]

You're a lot smaller than I was picturing.

[gasping]

Yeah?

( he'll have to forgive her if, at first, her attention stays glued on the the dummy in front of her as it sways side to side, still rocking from her last punch. getting here early has given her the opportunity to watch people go back and forth in the ring, which while entertaining mostly made her realize that she's hardly got any sort of experience in actual boxing.

chucking someone halfway across a forest floor with a superhuman kick to the stomach isn't exactly boxing, and her workout shorts and off-the-shoulder t-shirt combo aren't exactly regulation gear. not to mention the fact that caroline forbes doesn't know the first thing about taping her hands. she's lucky she managed to find a pair of lace-up running shoes in her closet.

but is she going to admit to that right away? maybe not. )

Is that a problem?

[acuerdo]

[he's not really an expert in boxing, most of his fights sans powers have been against thugs who've hassled gabe rather than in a ring with rules and structure, robbie's had the chance to do quite a bit of practicing while living in cadelle. it gives him just enough know-how to be able to mentally size up his competition.

she's got some strength in her muscles, despite her stature, but the form is definitely lacking. so in the time that she doesn't immediately react, he pegs her for what she is: an amateur.]

Makes me feel a little guilty about fighting you. What if I leave you with a nasty shiner?

[gasping]

A shiner?

( calling it an eyeroll doesn't exactly do justice to the look of total dismissal that casts across caroline's face. she might be worried about not knowing what the hell she's doing, but physical injury isn't on her lists of 'what ifs'. maybe it should be, but she's overconfident in that regard. accelerated healing will do that for a girl. as he settles his bag, her hands reach out to steady the still swaying dummy, finding and taking the opportunity to lean against it for support. )

I think I'll be fine.

( maybe he's chickening out, though. even with those taped hands, he doesn't seem deadset on dragging her into the ring. )

I didn't realize you were spending all night thinking about me, though.