acaseofyou | open post

It's a tough job, Kaz, but I'm happy to do it.

Up, I think. They're already in there, they just... Bubble up sometimes.

You should avoid the desert, then, even if you'd get along with the cacti.

A real gentleman.

[ It's almost funny, the lengths he goes to to take care of others while decrying politeness and decorum. Sweet, too. Birdie makes her way out of her booth and toward the door, another crack of thunder booming once she's outside and under the umbrella with Kaz. The umbrella only does so much, the wind blowing the rain right at her in the moment between the door opening and her getting under it leaving parts of her hair dripping. ]

Let's go home before there's a power outage.

[Kaz is selective in who he cares for, rather than falling into the category of caring abstractly about mankind at large. Like most aspects of his being, he's deeply rooted in the material world. He's invested in those who have shown him it's worth his while. No saint is worth their salt, but people like Birdie who have earned a space in his life, those he'll go to the ends of the earth to protect. He also has no qualms about protecting those he loves through underhanded means.

In this instance though it's less nefarious and more simply... wet. The rain slides even down his collar, soaking through to his socks.]

You're fortunate I don't believe in jinxes or you'd have cost us a tow truck.

[He carries the umbrella for them, holding it more so over her than him for all the limited good it does, then holds the car door open for her to slide into the passenger seat. He heads to the driver's side after, already sure she's plotting to alter the music choices. Which is fine. He'd been listening to the news, not that he'd break her heart to tell her.]

No, jinxes aren't real far as I know.

[ As if that was a pertinent question at all. She sticks close to him as they walk the few steps to the car, and slides herself in quick as she can so he can get in himself without staying out any longer in the rain. She doesn't even reach for the radio when the news comes on with the start of the car.

She just sits, smiling at him, seatbelt dutifully fastened and bangs wet and sticking to her forehead. ]

Any other plans for the rest of your night?

There're some documents I have to review, but at least I can do it from home rather than being out and about. How about you?

[There's some stray hairs that managed to sneak out the sides of his hat, wet against his temple. He's used to the overall dampness of his face and clothes though, the persistent wet of Ketterdam. The cold though he could do without, its chill tickling his nose enough that he sneezes into his arm.

Starting the car, he turns one of the air vents towards her so she gets some of the heat that starts blowing.]

Give it a minute and it'll start getting warmer in here.

Hmmm, nothing big. Maybe a hot shower and playing with the cat, if she's not already occupied.

[ She's settled in, and at the sneeze she offers a quick and automatic: ] Gesundheit.

[ As the warm air starts to circulate, Birdie puts her hands out in front of the vent, fingers curled. The cold doesn't bother her much, the coat she wears mostly for show. Still, it's nice to know her usually cool fingers won't be frigid. ]

Really love modern technology. Much better than the record players they tried to put in cars.

She's well spoiled at the Slat, but I'm sure she'd come running to spend time with you.

[One hand on the wheel, he takes out a tissue from his pocket and wipes at his nose, giving her a small nod at the Gesundheit. The cold doesn't seem to affect vampires in the same way, but that's not surprising to him by now. He does know she at least can appreciate the warmth the heat provides. Pocketing it again, he shifts the car into drive and begins to take them back on the slick street roads, avoiding areas that seem flooded.]

I can't fault human ingenuity trying to combat the tedium of long car trips, but I'm having a hard time trying to imagine how they'd fit a record player into a car.

That's sweet. She's sweet. And so are you, when you want to be.

[ Which is rare enough, but she does appreciate every time it comes through for her. He pulls away from the curb and starts the trek back home, but it takes a few turns for her to settle back into her seat, hands in her lap, eyes on his face, the little bits of damp hair sticking out from his hat. ]

First, it was a little one. Most only played 45s, so you'd need a passenger in there flipping and switching 'em out all the time. Second, it went under the dash. Back before this... [ She gestures at the bump in the middle between driver and passenger for the center console. ] Was a thing. And they attached with bungee cords.

[ That last bit is said with a mock horror, like she's told the scariest story at a campfire. ]

She is sweet.

[He doesn't respond to the rest, because it's a complicated matter of not seeing himself as sweet but not minding her seeing him that way sometimes. Ghosts of the past whisper at him each time she sees something good in him, as though he's not as far gone as he once imagined. That he can indeed make himself into the sort of man he wants.

Seeing her hands hovering when they were in front of the heat vent, he turns the ones pointed at him towards her too as he starts to drive. The whole car will warm up eventually either way, and that's good enough for him.]

That's... well. Points for effort if not style, I suppose. Have you used a bungee cord for anything else? Ever gone jumping with them?

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