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| Gregor's Strange Meats — Blue District, The Ring |
| This diner and butcher shop is nothing more than a narrow, rectangular outlet off the Blue District's bazaar. Based on its near-constant state of busyness, it could do with an expansion, but Gregor Petempke couldn't be bothered with such an idea. It is typical of every other hole-in-the-wall restaurant in history. The floors are plain tile that might have been white a long time ago, but have settled into a comfortable yellow. The walls are naked metal, decorated with a few holographic travel posters from various tourist spots in the System — all places that Gregor has been and has lots of stories about. Running along half of one of the side walls is a standard deli cabinet filled with what Gregor specializes in: strange meats. Frog legs, stuffed sheep stomach, chilled monkey brains, grasshoppers, shark fin, pigs feet, and other oddities fill it. Not only does Gregor sell fresh meats, but he also has a rather exotic menu where they can be braised, fried, baked, sauteed, and anything imaginable. It is honored as some of the best — and unusual — food in the system. |
| 16 January 3014 |
Gregor's is not exactly fine dining, but it is just outside of the Warrens and familiar to Rook. So when Luke replied to her message, she asked to meet him here. The smells of very strange cooking fill the air, but she has nothing but a cup of herbal tea in front of her as she waits. She's wearing a simple hooded tunic over leather pants, boots, and a few layers of bangles and necklaces, all of the cheap as heck or homemade variety.
Perhaps not his first place to plan a second date or a second go around, but it works. Luke arrives on time-well on time for Luke. He is currently dressed in a black hooded tunic, dark grey pants which bloom from military type boots, and a leather jacket. And yes he is carrying as far as weapons go.
There is a look about the diner with his mismatched eyes, before he freezes. just a glimpse in the peripheral, before the somewhat familiar face of the woman he slept with on New Years catches him. A nod to the guy behind the counter, before he is making his way over to the small stable she has put herself at. "You know.." Luke begins as he draws out his chair. "I've never eaten here before, but I've heard things." he does not designate whether they are good, or bad. Once down he looks up to her, his hands smoothing over the tabletop before coming to nest and lace just in front of him. "How are you, Rook?"
"Pregnant," is Rook's response to the question of how she is. Well, she isn't exactly known for her tact or ability to mince words. She flits her gaze across the table at him, her eyes as dark as his cybernetic one, looking for his reaction to her news. Her face is carefully neutral as the steam wafts up from her herbal concoction that is definitely not coffee and thus definitely irritating her.
"Excuse me, but did you say pregnant?" comes Crow's response rather deadpan, as eyebrows shift up in mild surprise. His face keeps it's composure, though his grin fades for a moment, and brows lower. "Please, do not take this as rude on my part-but have there been?" anyone else is left out. Surely she can connect the dots on that one. "I am not calling you anything, I would just like to make sure, you understand." Though it is silly to think else-after all she only knows he's a knight.
"No, just you in months. Don't work, not asking for anything. Thought you should know, though. Need to know if you have any health issues." Rook spins her tea cup slowly with one hand as smiles a little bit. She doesn't seem angry about it at least. " No strings. Just want to be sure baby is ok."
Luke nods carefully for a moment. And there his hand comes up to touch at his chin for a second, as his eyes look off to the left. Quiet, but he's not raging or standing up. "Well. I-" he starts before looking back to her, his head tilting. "No. I don't have any health issues. No diseases that are fatal or communicable." he rambles out in a murmur before his hand drops to the table top. Eyes watch her, before he is reaching in his jacket for cigarettes. Those are sat on the table and stared at. "Oh." and then the pack is brushed aside to fall on the ground. "Right." as if remembering something.
"You're happy with this, then?" asked, before his fingers are back to picking at his lip. "What." a brief pause. "What would you like from me?"
"Wanted to be a mom someday. Just came sooner than planned. Happy. Yes. I was the last of mom's line. Now I'm not. That's a good thing." Rook shrugs a little, and watches the pack of cigarettes hit the floor longingly. "Cept for nicotine fits and coffee withdrawal." She looks back and blinks at him when he asks the question. "Huh?" She seems confused. "Like more sex?"
Crow nods absently there. "Oh, good." How does one respond to that in a normal setting? Still The man looks to the pack, before looking back to her. "I won't smoke around you." When he is not around her-most likely, yes. As to her confusion, he blinks owlishly for a second, before he shakes his head. "No-" and then fingers raise up. "Well, maybe. We can discuss that-" all a flutter, words feel trapped against his tongue and he has no clue on how to approach them. "I mean, as for being the Father…What would you like me to do? I can take care of you, I have means." he says softly. "Get you a good clinic, or doctor." A glance to her. "Would you want me in the child's life? I mean it is ours isn't it?"
Rook blinks owlishly at him for a long moment. "Didn't think you'd want that. Don't even know me. Don't have to do anything you don't want." She ponders for a bit. "What do you want?" she asks curiously. She was expecting a heaved sigh of relief at the no strings part. She never considered he might want to be in his child's life.
Luke shrugs. "I don't know, honestly. And no-I don't know you, but I do know that you have my child in you." And he laughs softly. "I-" a look back. "I want what is right for the child. Simple." If it is going to be kept that is, which by the looks of things that is happening.
"Ok. I guess you should know where we live then," Rook admits. She gets out a pen and scribbles an address on a napkin. Seems she lives in the ratty Low Orbit Apartments, in the basement, B1. "Not sure what I need yet. Friend is sending information to me. Have vitamins though. And this," she pulls out one of those electronic cigarettes that leaves one inhaling heated air instead of chemicals. "Tastes like crap, but not dangerous."
Luke takes the paper and looks over it before he is frowning slightly. "I am sure we can get you into something better, if you wished." And there he looks back up to her. "You're not using anything are you?" Might as well ask that question in order to insure the baby's health. Eyes slide to the electronic cigarette and he smirks for a moment. "Well, better than nothing." And with that he looks back over to the tea, and then to her. And his hands move to the middle of the table. "You know, oddly enough. I never have expected children."
"Knights make money?" Rook asks, a bit perplexed, clearly this wasn't some scam to gold dig. "No, been clean a while. Friend helped me get off Red Eye. I like my place though. Safe. No one looks there. Nothing worth stealing." She nods as if she's dropped sage pearls of wisdom there. "Small though," she admits. If he only knew how small he'd be horrified. "Why not expected? Because a soldier?" Dying in glorious battle and whatnot.
"Some do. I-I have some." And there he looks back to her, before shaking his head. It seems he is not going to explain, still as to her apartment he nods once more. "Of course. I'll come by and take a look." As to the other he laughs before a fingers moves up to tap his black cybernetic eye. "That, and I don't think I've been an advantageous choice for my House..My reputation proceeds me." Crow adds on. "Never really bothered with it."
"Advantageous for your House?" Rook asks. "You couldn't choose for yourself?" She doesn't know much about Knights but she thought they could just marry like any citizen.
"Yes." Crow replies before he is looking back to her. "And no I can't, on account of myself being noble." And there he looks to her. Mind you he doesn't say which House, or anything of that nature.
Blink. Blink. Blink. Rook looks as if he just told her he was really a Hostile. She goes white as a sheet, and then bolts. "Have to go." She rushes out. Fortunately for him, she forgot to grab the address for her place. She's findable still. And very very weird.
She gets up to bolt, and Crow's hand is quick, knife quick, as he reaches out to snag her wrist. Fingers clamp and hold, though he doesn't turn his head, to look at her. "Don't." it comes out almost as a bark-from habit really. His hand is warm, and the grip is good right now. "Don't run." And now he looks back to her. "I am not going to fuck you over, so I would ask the same. Please sit." And there he loosens his grip. It's her chance to decide.
When she turns back, her eyes look too bright from unshed tears. She sits, slowly. "Bad experience," she rasps out hoarsely. "He made promises. Didn't mean them." She is trembling slightly, staring down at her teacup. "Can't be hurt like that again."
Eyes turn down before Crow is reaching into his jacket again and he pulls out a plain white handkerchief. That is passed over before he is looking back to her. "I'm sorry." he adds quietly. "as for that, I will make no promises with you, unless it ever comes to that stage in our-whatever." And one hand raises and flips. "Nor would I wish to hurt you." Clearing his throat. "Again, like with sex, that is something we can discuss as we need to, alright?"
Rook takes the handkerchief and dabs at her eyes briefly as she nods. "Ok. I should go though. Have to work," she says quietly. "Who are you, really?" she asks. She's rather sure nobles don't name their kids "Crow."
A glance up. "Crow is my byname." he adds. "It's short for Crowseye, most others just call me Crow." he adds softly, before he is turning to pick up his cigarette pack on the ground, before he is reaching for the address on the table. "My name is Luke-Luke Grantham." And there he looks back to her. "Obviously, I don't hope to see that come up on HNN with headline about all this."
"Grantham? Related to Devon?" Rook asks, wide-eyed. She shakes her head and grimaces. "Won't tell anyone. Don't worry. Used to being kept secret."
"She is my niece." Crow responds, before he is nodding. "I just mean reporters. Likely if you have family-you can just tell them Crow if you want-or don't. I-" and he's quiet for a moment before he is rubbing his chin. "I don't mean secret, but I don't mean flaunting either. I don't know what we have-really." nothing has been, as they say, set in stone.
"Devon is a friend," Rook says softly. "One day at a time. That's fine. If you want, come by tomorrow or whenever. Maybe meet Lincoln. Half-brother. Only family I have." Other than the Hostile sitting in the Citadel, mind you. She gets up and manages a small smile. "See you soon." As if they just had a friendly tea and not a life-altering conversation. Then she's out.
Luke nods. "She is dear family to me." And there eyes go to Rook's stomach as she rises back up. The smile is returned as he raises his hand, and waves, as she moves to head out. "See you soon." he replies back as she passes. He turns to watch, before taking time to simply stare at the table.