Two for the Saloon

"Is this seat taken?" Peter asks, drumming his fingers against the booth Vivian had selected for the evening. He looks pleasant and alive in a dressed down suit of bright cerulean blue and grey. One hand holds a fourteen dollar drink that matched his suit, probably glowed under a black-light, and very likely would be thrown away eventually, because Peter had no intention of drinking it. It was all about looks and blending in with the herd, especially when he was meeting someone who his every instinct screamed warnings about like police sirens caked in gore or the screech of bloody fingernails down a chalkboard in an abandoned school.

That he didn't trust Vivian would go unsaid, because that was his default assumption with everyone, but he wondered what exactly her game was. They were meeting publicly, so unless she had the entire club and it's patrons under her control there wasn't much she could do to him that was permanent. And if she had the entire club and it's patrons under her control then it really didn't matter what she wanted to inveigle him in, because his only recourse would be to smile and agree with anything she proposed.

The Daeva desperately wanted a cigarette, but since the Saloon had no smoking, she'd have to mull the swizzle stick in her drink to occupy her hands. As she was off in her own head a moment, her eyes resting on the crowd, the tap on the table made her look up to see the Shadow.

"Dahling!" Vivian said excitedly. "No, please sit." Tapping the seat, but not an indication of him to take that exact one. "I'm glad you could make it."

She spied the drink in his hand. It was a curious thing, and lavishly expensive if she could recall. It was humorous that the delicious concoction may sit there and look pretty most of the evening. Hers, would eventually end up in a commode. "I see you found the place. Did you have any trouble?" She smiled with ease and obvious delight that he did decide to join her.

"How have you been fairing so far in the City?" What she meant was something more, the look was in her eyes.

"Oh, only a little," Peter says as he slips into the seat opposite Vivian like silk over glass. "It's not my usual stomping grounds, obviously. But I couldn't say that Sacramento has treated me anything but splendidly, of course. I confess some disappointment that my cousins made themselves so scarce so recently, but I know it's a family talent, so I guess I can't exactly be surprised."

He skims a finger along the edge of his glass, its resonant hum far to faint to be heard in even a quiet room, let alone the club. "I can only hope it's treated you similarly well, Ms. York."

It occurred to her that they were very scarce with the Shadows, particularly lately. "I can't really say much for my own family, it's myself and the big bouncer that have been a constant for a couple of years, at least. Your family is usually a large asset to the lot, so it is rather peculiar." From the little Vivian knew of the Mekhet, it really was something odd.

"I'm a sneezable asset. I wouldn't say I do anything profound, but I do enjoy it. Considering the past places I've lived and worked... this is a lovely change. Probably why I've stayed so long." The Daeva over exaggerated one particular word, it could have meant several things.

"Where would your usual stomping ground be? I know you're new, but I'm sure you have preferred venues you'd like to be. Or, different scenery all together?"

Or he probably stays home and is all bookish like most of the Shadows I've met...

I hope he's not a stick in the mud, he's too pretty for that.

Oh bollocks, what happens if he's reading my mind right now.

Vivian smiled quickly, awaiting his reply.

Now just what is a Carthian supposed to read from this situation? An Invictus invites him for a chat and right away she just very casually alludes to how close she is with the Prince's Personal Assassin.

"Well I'm sure they'll turn up underfoot when it's least expected. We tend to." He keeps up with a pleasant smile that has about as much value in this situation as the overpriced poison in his drink. "And maybe they just got distracted with... whatever it is they do in private." Who knows with Dragons.

"I'm not sure if you're asking me where I like to eat or what I like to do with my spare time, Ms. York."

Shrugging, the Daeva didn't have a lot to say on the Shadow family. "Well, I'm sure they will, from both of our Families. Although mine is a little more pomp and circumstance about it." A small laugh and a shake of her head. Most Daeva weren't known to be quiet about their entrance, unless they were working.

"How about both? And not necessarily eating, what do you like to do for entertainment? How about when you're alone?"

A soft half chuckle. "This isn't an inquisition, you can ask me anything you'd like as well, Peter." A genuine smile as she swirled her swizzle stick in the drink.

"It isn't?" Peter asks calmly. "I confess that I'm at a loss to come up with a reason someone like you would reach out to someone like me, considering our political associations."

"I'm fond of the theater" Peter says finally. "Mostly because I lack any talent for it and I find the whole process of things that I have to experience only from without to be a great deal more interesting than the things I can get my hands into."

Chuckling and trying not to be loud about it. "I have no talents for it either. I know, that's probably a shock." Vivian said with a large grin while her hand went into a stop motion. "I love theatre, movies, television, music. Yet, I understand what you mean. You like to watch what you may never be able to do, because its oddly fulfiling to see someone else do it?" She at least hoped she understood what he'd meant.

"Well, I wouldn't take much stock in my affiliation. It was only recently I became such." The Daeva shrugged, it wasn't as huge a deal to her quite yet. She was just getting her Invictus feet wet and really had no idea what would come about that yet. She had goals, but still a bit lost.

"Do you want to know the exact reason I wanted to meet with you...?" She leaned in ever so slightly, stirring her drink slowly and still looking at Peter's face.

Vivian grew very frustrated with other Kindred sometimes. They always thought she was up to something. Clearly, no one knew her before... but it was like a scar or a red letter that traveled with her everywhere. It made her wonder if those that were suspicious of her were doing something that would cause suspicion.

"If only. I'm about as deep as a dinner plate, Ms York. I like it when people aren't looking at me. It's safer, I feel, when everyone is distracted." More importantly, he felt, entertainment was something everyone pursued. If you couldn't provide it in person, you could get just as much benefit from someone by providing it to them second hand.

"I could only guess, Ms York." Peter answers, wondering what the rest of the Invictus would think of it. "A new face in a small community? My dark and mysterious nature? Won or lost a bet? An elaborate hazing tradition? It could be any reason."