Firmer Ground
Dec. 6th, 2013 01:18 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
st_clare in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
birthright_rpgShe felt much better in the daylight.
Julianna felt much better altogether, really. She'd done the best she could to cleanse her office of the taint of Elfleda's presence. Her desk had been removed and was being replaced. There had been questions about the damage, but she'd deflected them with a set of careful half-truths. The school had asked her to compensate the institution for the expense of a new desk. The cost was an inconvenience, but a small one.
Nathan's calm demeanor had assisted immensely in restoring her equilibrium. When she left his apartment to retrieve her car, he'd given her a hug and a chaste kiss on the cheek. She was certain he must have dozens of questions, but he had yet to ask them. If this was going to go on, she'd have to think of something to tell him.
December weather was crisp, even in Nevada, a cold front having come in. It made her smile with fondness, because it reminded her a tiny bit of home. Wisps of clouds dotted the blue sky. She'd left a note with one of Valerie's professors, asking the Slayer to meet her on the patio of a coffee shop near the campus. There was a mug of tea in front of the Watcher, one she'd been sipping from. The stone was in her messenger bag, wrapped in a scrap of cloth. She was glad she'd be rid of the filthy thing.
The sunlight was comforting. Natural light was best to ward of entities like the Corruptress, at least according to the new information she'd obtained. Julianna was still afraid. Only a fool wouldn't have been. But she was no longer scraped down to the bone by terror as she had been. The fear was manageable, and that was the first step towards being proactive.
Julianna felt much better altogether, really. She'd done the best she could to cleanse her office of the taint of Elfleda's presence. Her desk had been removed and was being replaced. There had been questions about the damage, but she'd deflected them with a set of careful half-truths. The school had asked her to compensate the institution for the expense of a new desk. The cost was an inconvenience, but a small one.
Nathan's calm demeanor had assisted immensely in restoring her equilibrium. When she left his apartment to retrieve her car, he'd given her a hug and a chaste kiss on the cheek. She was certain he must have dozens of questions, but he had yet to ask them. If this was going to go on, she'd have to think of something to tell him.
December weather was crisp, even in Nevada, a cold front having come in. It made her smile with fondness, because it reminded her a tiny bit of home. Wisps of clouds dotted the blue sky. She'd left a note with one of Valerie's professors, asking the Slayer to meet her on the patio of a coffee shop near the campus. There was a mug of tea in front of the Watcher, one she'd been sipping from. The stone was in her messenger bag, wrapped in a scrap of cloth. She was glad she'd be rid of the filthy thing.
The sunlight was comforting. Natural light was best to ward of entities like the Corruptress, at least according to the new information she'd obtained. Julianna was still afraid. Only a fool wouldn't have been. But she was no longer scraped down to the bone by terror as she had been. The fear was manageable, and that was the first step towards being proactive.
no subject
on 2013-12-06 07:21 am (UTC)Coffee, while she enjoyed it, wasn’t what she craved with the slight chill in the air. The nip to her skin as she’d walked over had felt appropriate, a slight numbness to the senses that had remained since yesterday. After meeting Brian in the park. She’d spent hours last night gathering things like a fevered squirrel expecting a terrible winter. In some ways, she was.
Valerie stepped outside a short while later, a mug of hot cocoa clasped between her hands. The towering display of cream wobbled slightly as she sat down, speckled with cinnamon at her request. “Good afternoon, Julianna, have you been here long?” It was a soft question as the blonde took in the cup of tea before her eyes moved to the elder’s face. “This is a nice place. I don’t think I’d have found it myself.”
Fingers tightened around the mug of scalding sweetness until the burn made her sigh. Valerie’s personality had been subdued all day, it wasn’t like her. So with effort she tried to smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. Julianna’s presence held a vague comfort, but it evoked a lot of apprehension too. Only the blonde could fix that. “How have you been? Did you manage to find out the identity of Beth?”
no subject
on 2013-12-06 07:48 am (UTC)It was very what? 'Enlightening' could be apt, but given the Corruptress' nature the word choice would also have been ironic. Julianna's ringless hands clasped the mug of tea between them and lifted it to her mouth. There was just the right amount of sugar in it. She put the cup back down, steepled her fingers together.
"Firstly, her name isn't Beth, it's Elfleda." Even pronouncing the brunette's name made the Watcher's spine stiffen, but at least she didn't shudder. "My books only gave me scant information, but it was enough to make me wary. I took the stone you gave me and performed a few simple spells on it, to test its properties. It seems as if that was the trigger for what happened next."
She looked Valerie over, noted that the blonde seemed withdrawn, quieter than normal. And the smile hadn't quite been genuine. But it seemed politic to deal with the most pressing matter first.
"She came to me, in my office. Formed a portal from whatever nether realm she resides in and...wafted through it, like a foul breeze." Julianna picked up her tea, took a slow sip. She and Valerie were alone on the
patio. That reduced the likelihood of being overheard.
"She gave me a warning."
no subject
on 2013-12-06 08:30 am (UTC)Elfleda.
A small noise escaped Valerie as she lifted her chin, now she knew the name to the cryptic entity. Before she had a chance to really ponder that, the elder said something to snap her out of her thoughts. “Wait, the stone is a trigger? It felt harmless when I carried it around. Are you alright?” Admittedly, that paled in comparison to Julianna’s revelation that Elfleda had not only just waltzed into her life, but had taken the time to warn the woman. That felt instinctively interesting.
“What kind of warning?”
More importantly, why? Elfleda had the ability to come and go as she pleased from different dimensions and yet spoke of only dealing with those that held some sort of potential. Why bother a Watcher? Unless she felt that Julianna was somehow interfering in her plans. No, if that were the case then it meant Valerie was part of them… Inside, the essence twisted as if sensing the topic at hand, a queasy sensation made saliva pool in her mouth. She swallowed it back with a grimace.For now, the cocoa was abandoned on the table.
“It’s because I gave you the stone, isn’t it?” It feel like a form of punishment. Twice in two days she’d found out something bad had happened to people she was trying to form a relationship with. Which, in her eyes, made it her fault. Green eyes sought out Julianna’s and for a tense moment she didn’t say anything, just tried to read the woman’s expression before finally whispering, “What did she say?”
no subject
on 2013-12-06 08:54 am (UTC)Julianna was looking at Valerie full in the face when she said it, maintaining eye contact. She didn't even know what it meant not to interfere. Otherworldly entities, especially demonic ones, were notorious for being capricious. There was a reason Greek mythology was filled with stories of the lives of humans being destroyed by gods looking for playthings. Elfleda had given her the barest taste of what she could do, and if it hadn't been for an enormous act of will, she might never have walked out of that bathroom after expelling her lunch into the toilet.
"The stone seems to be a kind of...homing device," the Watcher said. "A calling card, as it were, with a signal attached to it. It may have been the spell I used that led her to me." She darted a quick look at the Slayer, then lifted her hand. "I'm fine. Physically, anyway. She never laid a finger on me. And I was foolish to tamper with the stone by myself. I'm not particularly skilled with magic, I only know the basics. Given what occurred, I'm fortunate I didn't harm myself."
That was a difficult admission to make, but she could say it because it was true. Intellectual curiosity was all well and good, but not when it stood a chance of getting one killed. Or worse.
"She was human once, an innocent girl given in some dark ritual. Whether it was for power or wealth, I've no idea. She serves as an emissary for a being she calls her 'betrothed'. Leviathan."
no subject
on 2013-12-06 09:21 am (UTC)Clearly she was being sarcastic, though not maliciously. The fact that Elfleda had somewhat ambiguously staked some sort of claim to… What exactly? Her future? Her potential? Her life? Unfortunately it was hard to tell, given the details of her life Elfleda seemed to know. The motivation behind it unclear and the blonde found that unequivocally unsettling. It was all very well lurching around in the dark, but what if you found something lurching right back? With a deep breath in she exhaled slowly and shook her head.
“Well how she came to be is depressingly tragic and yet not really surprising. It never fails to amaze me that it’s usually always women that are sacrificed.”
She fell silent then. Thumbs stroking the lip of the mug thoughtfully as she gazed at the heap of cream like it were a crystal ball filled with answers. “I don’t know what she wants.” Valerie’s voice was quiet, not resigned, just vacant of emotion. “She sought me out and I haven’t seen her since that time in the park. If she’s warning you not to interfere I can only assume it’s because she’s somehow invested in, well, me.” That evoked a cringe as she glanced at Julianna.
“I have no idea why. I mean she can travel to other worlds.” As if that somehow explained Valerie’s insignificance, despite the fact that the blonde wasn’t insignificant in this world. She had a destiny, a purpose, and she tried her best to fulfill it every day. “Seems pointless. I wouldn’t waste time with me when if I could float through worlds.”
no subject
on 2013-12-06 09:56 am (UTC)Julianna said it gently enough, but there was a thread of intensity beneath the gentleness. She knew the party line; Slayers were assets, warriors to be trained, and sometimes to be lost. The way Allison had been lost. The Watcher could feel her expression trying to close up, to help her shut out the memory. She forced herself to remain accessible.
"I considered disposing of the stone," she admitted. "Or trying to destroy it. But given its properties, I don't know if it can be destroyed. Regardless, attempting to do so would mean I broke my word. If this is to work, we must establish trust between us, and if I take the decision out of your hands you'll have no reason to trust me. So."
Julianna grasped the strap of her messenger bag where it was slung over the back of the empty chair at the table, pulled it towards her. A bit of rummaging followed, and she discovered the cloth-wrapped stone at the bottom of the satchel. She plucked it out, set it on the scratched surface of the Formica tabletop. It was the size of a carved scarab from Egypt.
"I'm going to return this to you because I said I would, but I must advise you to dispose of it yourself. I don't care how. Drop it into Lake Mojave. Bury it out in the desert. But get rid of it. Elfleda is very dangerous."
no subject
on 2013-12-06 10:36 am (UTC)The confession had the blonde watching the elder curiously. Julianna could have easily said nothing and just handed it over with the words of caution but she hadn’t. She chose to share that part, she chose to expose her inner workings and worries and while it touched Valerie it left her feeling heavy with guilt. The blonde had been honest but had made a point to not discuss Certain Things that could quite seriously cause some sort of Council wrath. Teeth worried the inside of her lip as the stone got placed on the table between them. She didn’t reach for it, just took a moment to reflect on it, bundled up.
“She found me without it, she’ll find me with it.”
Valerie’s features twisted between a small smile and a grimace as she looked at the elder.
“I’m kinda damned if I do, damned if I don’t.” She shook her head, a slight lift of shoulders. “I’ve had a few strange dreams, I can’t actually remember them though I’ve tried, but when I wake I feel…” Valerie lifted her hands and let out a huff of breath. “Restless. I can actually feel the essence inside me. I have since I met her, and I don’t…” She struggled, forced herself to maintain eye contact. “I have no idea what it means. I mean I don’t feel different, I’m just acutely aware that it’s there.” She cleared her throat. “Merged with me.” She added in a whisper, like it was some sort of dirty secret.
When did life get so complicated? No, wait, when did life get more complicated? University had been a dream, this was meant to be the time of her life, not a risk to it. Since coming to UNLV she’d come to the conclusion that the area itself seemed more dangerous than anywhere else she’d been. Nevada was like a magnet to supernatural activity. It was like an open door frat party only the human’s were the snacks.
“Listen, Julianna there’s something I…” Valerie’s gaze dropped to the mug of cocoa as she worried her lip between her teeth. “Okay, there’s this… It’s just...” A huff of breath to accompany a shift in chair. “I can talk to you, right? This isn’t like you’re a teacher and you’ll go report me to the Council for bad behaviour or anything, I mean there’s not like a rulebook.” One foot began to bounce beneath the table. “Is there?”
no subject
on 2013-12-06 04:07 pm (UTC)Julianna's mug of tea was still three-quarters full. When she looked at the surface of the liquid, she could see a hazy reflection of the sky. Seconds ticked by on her gold wristwatch. The corners of her mouth turned up into a rueful smile.
"There isn't a 'rulebook', per se," she told Valerie. "There is a list of very strong suggestions that govern the relationship between Watchers and Slayers, and most of those are directed at Watchers. Acceptance of those suggestions has helped to build the Council's tradition of grooming girls into warriors. As for me..."
She paused. She didn't want the blonde getting the wrong impression, that she was some kind of rogue who'd strayed from the beaten path because she'd been unnaturally attached to the girl she'd trained. If she'd been a different person, she could have taken a much darker route to escape the pain. But she genuinely believed in the Council's work, and even now that included most of their ideals. So where did that leave her?
It left her conflicted, is where it left her.
"I did think you seemed troubled when you sat down," she finally said. It was best to be frank. She wanted so badly to return to the place she'd been seven years ago, to be good at this again. That meant establishing trust and honesty.
The Watcher sipped more tea. "If there's something concerning you besides the dreams, you can speak to me about it. Anything you say will remain in the strictest confidence."
no subject
on 2013-12-08 05:17 am (UTC)So it was with great internal debate that she finally met the Watcher’s gaze, face blank and voice clear, a bluff that it didn’t matter one way or the other. “I want to swing back to the dreams and stuff but yeah, I want to speak about…” Valerie willed her foot to stop it’s incessant tapping, sat up straighter, and gripped her mug tightly. “Here’s the thing, I take my responsibilities very seriously, and for years I’ve wandered through life without people and that was fine, you know, no big deal.”
Green eyes found the sky, then the table, then Julianna as the blonde let out a breath. “Since coming here, attending school, the environment of camaraderie…” Slender shoulders lifted to convey the ambivalence she felt. “Living my life separate, without people in my life, friends, it’s not working for me anymore. I think… With the solitary years of sheer dedication… I… I…” Valerie’s teeth chewed the inside of her lips but she forced herself to continue. “I want to have that little slice of normality. To be able to go to the movies with a group of people and not worry that I’ll be reprimanded, to meet people and develop friendships, to hang out and talk about b-uh, s-stuff, like a normal girl. Student! I wouldn’t shirk my duties either.”
Valerie ran her thumbs across the warmth of the mug and finished with a simple sigh of, “I want to live while I still can without fear or guilt.”
no subject
on 2013-12-08 07:02 am (UTC)"Hmm."
It was a thoughtful noise, and the Watcher ran one finger around the lip of her mug. "I know that it can be very difficult to maintain secrecy and form friendships at the same time. There's always the worry that you'll say too much, or that you'll tell something to the wrong person and the information will be used against you. Vampires gossip among their own kind, tell tales because they can't help themselves. They're worse than schoolchildren."
She said it with slight humor, but it was a serious subject and she knew it. As an academic, and then in the employ of the Council, she'd had less trouble carving out a slice of normality for herself, but most of her friends and close acquaintances were other Watchers, researchers with ties to the Council, or people interested in the supernatural. The others were colleagues at the schools she'd taught at, and she was never quite comfortable with them in social situations.
"The teenage years are such a difficult time," she offered carefully. "It's when most young people are being prepared to leave the nest. They're encouraged to socialize, engage in activities outside of school, possibly find employment. Being called disrupts that just when it's beginning to happen. All through training, girls are constantly told how important it is that they keep others at arm's length."
The older woman lifted her shoulders into a shrug. "I'm not planning to condemn you, if that's your concern. It's human instinct to want companionship, on whatever terms are agreeable to you. Being a Slayer only alters you physically, not emotionally."
Julianna paused long enough to drink some of her cooling tea, looked beyond the patio to the expanse of the street she could see. Weak afternoon sunlight glinted off of windshields of cars as they passed by. A minute passed. Then two more minutes.
"Is there...is there a...particular friend?" She asked it very carefully indeed, even cringing a little at the possibility that she was intruding. What if it was too soon for Valerie's comfort for her to ask that?
no subject
on 2013-12-08 08:21 am (UTC)Silence lingered, though it was heavy it wasn’t uncomfortable. Several sips of hot cocoa sweetened her saliva more than it warmed her but she’d take what she could get. It was the tentative question that halted the mug on its way to her lips, Valerie looked towards Julianna, and quietly hoped her expression wasn’t startled. She took a gulp, an excuse to make a quick decision, since there were technically two people she could mention. Sabra however, she wasn’t ready to discuss. “There is.”
The soft way those two words were spoken said more than they intended as the blonde set her mug back down. She wasn’t asking permission to let people in, she was telling her that she was. There was no hostility. In a sense, strength, to stand for what she believed was right. For her.
“It’s... Tentative. We really don’t see each other very often. The first time we decided to hang out we were attacked by a vampire. I didn’t tell him what I was, but he didn’t run, either. In fact, he found out by himself, accidently. I did not take that well, like, at all.”
Valerie tried to choose her words carefully. On one hand it unnerved her that there was someone out there telling humans and vampires about the chosen ones and the Council. On the other she didn’t want to come off as looking down on Julianna because she didn’t know the ins and outs of how it came to be. Then again, it was Valerie’s life on the line, wasn’t it?
The tip of her index finger swiped through cream as she met Julianna’s gaze unflinchingly.
“I believe you’ve met him, with your shared acquaintance in common, at the Skylark opening.”
She offered a slight smile before licking the cream off her finger with a slight shrug. It was her way of saying everything without needing to delve into anything that might come off as judging.
no subject
on 2013-12-08 09:23 am (UTC)The buggered Skylark opening again. Why did that keep coming back to haunt her?
Then again, it was her own fault. She'd allowed Holiday to get under her skin, and that had caused her to make a spectacle out of herself. She was going to have to discover a way to keep the girl from pushing her buttons.
Julianna allowed silence to take hold while she gathered her thoughts. Valerie hadn't demanded an explanation. She didn't even seem to be angry, just curious. The Watcher released her mug with one hand, rubbed the back of her neck. A rueful expression crossed her face.
"That shared acquaintance lacks discretion, or at least speaks before she thinks," she said, maintaining the eye contact with the Slayer, "She pried into matters for personal reasons, and as a result she discovered some things she's ill-equipped to cope with. I don't believe she grasps the concept of the damage she can do."
The older woman was a bit curious herself as to why Brian hadn't fled. There must be more to him than met the eye, but now was not the time to ask specific questions. It was enough that she knew that Valerie had allowed him to come close, close enough that she was beginning to question the way she'd always done things. Julianna was well aware that not everyone reacted to life changes in the same way.
"He seems like a nice young fellow," she said. "He was a bit scattered at the opening, but I doubt he's like that on a regular basis." She wasn't making an attempt to put her seal of approval on anything. She didn't even know Brian, and apparently Valerie was only starting to know him. But as she said, she wasn't going to condemn the Slayer for taking tentative steps towards something she wanted.
no subject
on 2013-12-09 11:44 pm (UTC)“Okay.”
One simple word and a slight shrug of shoulders and that was that. Evidently the situation was taken in the blonde’s stride. No reason to get upset, no sense of placing blame for the sake of it. The cocoa was raised to her lips and she took a liberal sip. Swished the liquid around her mouth as if that would take away the sticky residue it left behind, then swallowed knowing it wouldn’t.
Valerie quirked an eyebrow but didn’t ask the woman to elaborate on ‘scattered’. The chances that he might have swallowed some sort of pill were probably higher than the chances that he hadn’t. No mystery there, no need to put a spotlight on his recreational habits, no need to comment on it. Instead the blonde cast her gaze across the street as she let out a slight hum.
“He’s…” Green eyes narrowed in thought then sought out Julianna’s as she plucked what she considered the most appropriate word to describe Brian from her mind. “Sensitive.”
Then she sniffed, straightening up to wipe off imaginary fluff from her shirt absentmindedly. Whatever emotions may have tried to surface were pushed aside so Valerie could discuss more important matters.
“I was wondering if you had any kind of protection charms that I could give him, I’d buy them of course, but I have none of my own to share.”
The tip of her tongue pressed against her lower lip before she she added clearly though quietly.
“An elder vampire attacked him, save a splint on his wrist and a few good bruises he’s as fine as can be expected. The redhead though, she’s been around from at least the thirties, I don’t know her name. Since I keep myself to myself, I imagine she saw him as a way to get to me, without actually finding me. I know that she was staying at the Hart. I’m not reckless enough to try and get in there, though.”
no subject
on 2013-12-10 01:48 am (UTC)"The thirties, you say?" the Watcher asked, sitting up straighter in her chair as her hands abandoned their stations on her mug. "I know that vampires can live for centuries, provided they avoid detection. They hide in plain sight more often than not, especially in the modern age. As cities grow and become more sprawling, they have more opportunities to conceal their presence."
She drummed her fingers on the tabletop, pondering her options. "The best I can suggest is a cross, or even a crucifix. Vampires fear religious symbols, or they're at least extremely wary of them. I don't know Brian, so I can't guess as to whether or not he'd agree to wear one, perhaps on a chain around his neck?"
The older woman paused, looked at the shop's parking lot. She could only see the fender of her BMW from here. "If he would agree to it, I can acquire one and have it blessed for extra protection. That goes for you too, by the way. And you're wise not to go to the Hart by yourself. That place has a certain...reputation. It's very likely that she expects you to do just that, and would likely plan an ambush."
no subject
on 2013-12-10 02:45 am (UTC)Valerie wanted to roll her eyes at the idea of crosses since she had hoped there would be something else but hey, extra protection was a step up. So she nodded with a casual, “I can pick up a couple and get them blessed then, uhm do you…” She eyed the woman carefully, “Want one? I mean after Elfleda it wouldn’t hurt, right?” Did crosses even work on Leviathan's bride? While she pondered that idea she plucked the stone up and shoved it into her back pocket to get it out of the way.
“I’d considered the ambush too.”
Valerie tilted her head, let her mind wander for a few moments, until her eyes darkened and the emotion drained from her. When she looked back at Julianna she took a slow breath and nodded more to herself than the woman. From her pocket she grabbed a receipt for the cocoa and snagged a pen from the nearby tray that had been left on the next table. A few swirls of ink later and she slid the paper over to Julianna with a calm look.
“I don’t have much, there’s never really been room for anything else in my life, but there are things I hold onto. We both know things happen, sometimes in the blink of an eye. When my time runs out, let him know. Give him the choice to take what he wants of my possessions, if he wants any at all. As for my weapons, I don’t think you’ll need them but the other girl, she might, so pass them along if you’re able.”
There was no rush to her words, the tone held no fear, no sadness, as if the blonde were talking about the weather.
no subject
on 2013-12-10 03:15 am (UTC)The piece of bluestone the Watcher had acquired made an appearance from her messenger bag, was place on the table next to the scrap of paper Valerie had just written on. The receipt was innocuous, but the words the Slayer had said made the older woman's stomach threaten to turn into a hard knot of dread. The subject of a death, another death, was precisely what she didn't want to think about. Losing Allison had been so hard, and she didn't want to know what it would do to her if Valerie died too. She was just on the cusp of trying to be a good Watcher again, and even though the blonde was right about things happening in a matter of seconds, she would rather not consider that right now.
"I'm glad that you've found someone who might matter to you," the older woman said as she reached for the piece of paper, and if her voice was a little thick because Valerie had just mentioned the idea of her own death as if she'd said her coca was getting cold, that couldn't be helped. There was a quiet crinkling noise as she tucked the receipt out of sight.
"You said you wanted to discuss the dreams as well." Yes, another subject change was necessary. "What have you been dreaming of?"
no subject
on 2013-12-10 04:10 am (UTC)“Yeah… I’m sure she’ll show up unexpectedly to be cryptic and vague, you know, in that fun mindgame way that makes utterly no sense while she leaves me with questions scattered around like fallen sprinkles from a donut. Minus the, uh, sugar and stuff.”
Death hadn’t been a topic she’d planned to approach but it was better said now than later. Valerie picked up on the thick tone, almost felt sorry for causing the discomfort, so when the topic changed she didn’t bat an eyelid.
“I only remember fragments, purple flames, a shattered mirror, this sense of…” Valerie pressed her lips together and let out a small, thoughtful noise. “I can’t be sure if I’m being lead somewhere, or if I’m following, but when I wake I feel… Just, seriously restless, like it’s shifting inside me. I end up going back out to patrol, with success I might add. Not that I usually don’t have that, it’s just, I don’t know… Weird.”
no subject
on 2013-12-10 05:08 am (UTC)This second encounter was progressing smoothly, and the Watcher was heartened by how receptive Valerie was. It was going to take time to truly develop trust, but the important thing was that an effort was being made. Everything worthwhile required work and dedication, and those were concepts she wasn't afraid of.
"It's possible that your Slayer abilities are responding to the close proximity of Searchlight," she suggested. "It's a tiny place, but I've been doing some reading and it seems to have a...a pull, for lack of a better term. I haven't had the opportunity to actually study the town's records, but it is a subject of curiosity. Perhaps over the holidays while school isn't in session, I'll investigate further."
She was looking for other things to say, something relevant. She couldn't truly reassure Valerie that the dreams were harmless, she could only inform her about what her experiences told her. But sometimes even the most basic information could be of assistance. It was ignorance that caused the most harm, not discovering things.
"If there's anything else you'd like to speak about, I wouldn't mind hearing it."
no subject
on 2013-12-11 03:35 am (UTC)The words were soft and said after a moment of silent contemplation. Valerie didn’t want to cause complications, or make Julianna feel inadequate with giving advice, so she didn’t tell the elder that she could feel the difference between her normal prophetic dreams and the odd few that had left her wide awake at the dead of night drenched in sweat. No sense in them both feeling odd due to it. On the other hand it was entirely possible that it had to do with searchlight. Other people had been having strange dreams and so far nothing bad had happened.
Though, it was the topic of research that drew Valerie’s attention back, and without hesitating she added gently, “I could help you with that. I mean I know it’s the holidays but if you…”
What, don’t have plans? The blonde shrugged lightly, forgetting that just because she didn’t have any, didn’t mean the Watcher would be in the same boat. Clearing her throat she continued, “If you have a few hours free or, if you're busy with, you know, I wouldn’t mind browsing through your books. I’d look after them, no bent corners or liquids near them.”
Valerie tried to shake the hopeful tone her voice had taken on and forced herself to sip at the cooling cocoa that somehow tasted even sweeter now that it didn’t scald her tastebuds. Holiday’s didn’t really bother her, all in all they were just another day, so she offered a lopsided smile and changed the topic before the Watcher felt uncomfortable.
“Oh, no I think we covered the most important things.” Valerie took a moment, tilted her head and regarded the elder. If Elfleda had shown up to scare her off she could only imagine how she’d done it. Julianna wore a brave face but that didn’t mean she was entirely alright. “With things getting so demony of late, maybe we could meet up next week just to check in, see how things are going?”
That didn’t sound so bad, did it? She’d tried to word it carefully, so as not to offend the woman. Still, at least it showed that she cared enough to want to make sure the elder was alright. That had to count for something, right?
no subject
on 2013-12-11 04:58 am (UTC)And yet.
"I don't see why we couldn't arrange something," she told the blonde slowly. "I live in a three-bedroom apartment in a complex near the campus. I rented the largest model they had available because I wanted room to keep books and use some space as a home office. I'm sure the management company wonders what I do with all that extra room since I live alone."
Which reminded her, she was going to have to set up some protective wards. Just in case. Elfleda was not to be dallied with, and as the blonde had said, she could come and go as she pleased by traveling through the ether. Rented dwellings were less easy to defend that permanent residences, but she had contacts back home who could provide her with resources. She was being stoic for Valerie's sake, but fear was a common sense response to a visit from the Corruptress.
"I'm enjoying getting to know you," she admitted after a short silence. "I don't expect things to develop overnight. But I'd like you to become comfortable with coming to me for advice when you need it. It's an unusual arrangement I've suggested, since Watchers are supposed to keep their distance after the initial training period is over. However, I do believe there can be profit in it for both of us."
The shadows were beginning to lengthen as the sun continued it's trek towards the western horizon. "If anything comes up on your end, please feel free to phone me," Julianna said. A bit of rummaging allowed her to find a pad of paper and a ballpoint pen, and she wrote down her home number and handed it off to the Slayer. "That's a more reliable way to reach me than through the school. They need to replace that secretary, she loses messages more often than not."
no subject
on 2013-12-11 05:44 am (UTC)However, the mug she picked up almost slipped through her fingers at the, well, truth the elder shared and she found herself blinking with her mouth open. “Uh, well I, yeah, ditto.” She finally managed, realising that she did actually enjoy their conversations more than she worried over them.
Now that she’d at least spoke about Brian it was a weight lifted from her shoulders and since she’d been met with nothing but civility regarding it she could actually breathe a little easier. Things were actually okay. In fact, the conversation had gone a lot easier than she’d imagined it would in her head.
“I think you’re right. Obviously or you know, I wouldn’t…” Shoulders lifted a bit bashfully, “You know, show up to talk or uhm, listen. I mean not that I would ignore the invitation, just that if I thought this would be a waste of time for both of us I’d say so, but I don’t think it is. Which is, okay strange but it’s nice, too. It’ll just take time to get used to it, is all.”
Valerie took the paper and slipped it into her pocket along with the charm Julianna had given her. Laughter escaped the blonde at the mention of the useless secretary and she raised a hand to stifle it as best she could. Then a thought occurred to her and she tilted her head, “Do you get to pick your secretary, because I could look for someone to help? Not that I have anyone in mind, but you never know.”
no subject
on 2013-12-11 06:20 am (UTC)Julianna finished off the last of her tea, which had finally gotten cold. The hour was growing late enough that she'd need dinner soon, and Valerie likely wanted to patrol once it got dark. "Well, if there's nothing else that's pressing, I should let you go about your business. I wish you success if you patrol tonight. Even one girl can make the world a safer place. You should remember that."
That might have been a shade too much, but it was worth mentioning. Self-confidence was important for combatants, and everyone needed shoring up now and then. She knew she certainly needed it sometimes.
no subject
on 2013-12-11 07:13 pm (UTC)The blonde didn’t finish the cocoa but took a liberal sip before sliding it across the table and out of temptation. It shouldn’t have mattered that Julianna wished her success, it shouldn’t matter that she pretty much said she was helping to keep the world safe, but she’d be lying if she said it didn’t touch her a little. Lets face it, nightly patrols were akin to groundhog day, when darkness took over she lived her life on repeat. After a while, you couldn’t help but wonder if a difference was actually being made, or if you were just dancing with the inevitable.
“Mm, yeah, I’ll keep that in mind. Listen if… If you need me, just call or you know, whatever.” Valerie offered a shrug, unwilling to press the issue. If Elfeda appeared to the woman again, the invitation to reach out for support was there. Carefully she stood up and stretched, a slight smile caught her lips and she sighed. “I better let you get back to…” She motioned with her hand, unsure really of what the woman would be up too but polite enough not to shine a spotlight on it. “See you later, Julianna, and thanks again for the charm.” Instinctively, her hand shifted to press against the pocket it currently resided, then she turned and walked through the café with a small smile.
no subject
on 2013-12-11 11:21 pm (UTC)The Watcher pulled her billfold out of her messenger bag, extracted a couple of singles. She and the blonde had occupied the table for so long that she'd have felt guilty if she didn't put some cash in the jar marked 'Tips', which sat on the counter. She'd never had to work for minimum wage, but she knew that those who did relied on tips to supplement their income. The young man stacking coffee cups in a plastic drying rack smiled at Julianna when she added her contribution.
Behind the wheel, she flipped down the sun visor to keep the glare out of her eyes. She would go home and make some calls regarding how to place wards. Knowing only the basics meant she'd need assistance. She felt optimistic about how things were progressing with Valerie. Only time would tell what would happen next, though.