A War Unlike Any Other [Murdoch x Mael]

First topic message reminder :

I'm gonna keep this short, since the person I'm RPing with already knows most of the details.
Simply put, this is an X-Men-style RP.
This RP is set in an alternate Universe: think of it as the Marvel-U, but with a host of Original Characters rather than canonical ones. It just makes it easier to write them, seeing as how I don't have an encyclopaedic knowledge of what the Marvel Heroes and Villains want and what they've been through. Just easier this way.

So...what about the story?

Well, again, I'll keep it short and sweet. Much like in the Marvel-U, this universe is rife with advanced aliens, cosmic powers, mutants, government programs, deadly assassins and sentient machines. All of them exist uneasily alongside one another, some of them using their abilities to commit crimes, some using their abilities to fight crime....and others just minding their own business. Some of these individuals group together – for obvious reasons of security – towards a common goal, whether that be personal gain, the safety of innocent bystanders, or even just survival in the face of some countries ruthless oppression. Humans, whilst not unanimous in their opinions of these superhumans, do fear them. When a battle between two powerful metahumans can easily level half a city, you'd be a fool not to fear them...and the crime-fighting supers, though they are fighting the good fight, are vigilantes. And vigilantes are A) illegal and B) make the police look bad. And some people don't like that. And obviously, humans lash out against things they are afraid of, don't understand and things that make them angry.

And unfortunately, that fear and anger and therefore prejudice and oppression leads to the formation of radical groups, seeking Superhuman rights...or even superhuman supremacy. The most powerful group by far is the organisation known as the MSS, or the “Mutant Supremacy Syndicate”. The members are little more than superhuman terrorists, and frequently come into conflict with the groups dedicated to saving lives and protecting the humans from the more violent of the superhuman number, like The Champions or The Defenders. The MSS has been held at bay, for the most part, by the combined efforts of the various superhuman hero groups – both the small and the large – but the battles always cause untold destruction...and apparently, the humans have had enough. A shadow organisation, known as The Sword of Achilles, soon surfaced. A seemingly massive initiative, with unknown amounts of funding, members and even political influence, The SoA appears to be a purely human organisation.

At first, the mutants didn't perceive them as a threat; when you are as Gods on Earth, not much fazes you...until the SoA unleashed its power on an unsuspecting mutant population. Soon enough, they were executing and assassinating and sometimes even kidnapping mutants off of the streets and out of their homes, and were employing advanced technology against the mutant groups to bring them to heel. They started to win more and more battles against the smaller, splinter groups, forcing most mutants to – out of fear – either join the groups or go into hiding. Most of the mutants and superhumans and sentient machines decided to fight, and flocked to join the heroes and villains like The Champions or the MSS...but as the battles grew fiercer and casualties started to rise, and as the Supers started to distrust the average human more and more, the MSS's ranks swelled with more new recruits than the heroes splinter groups....and as the MSS consolidated its power and brought all the villains and freedom fighters into its fold, the heroes of the world decided to set aside their differences and join together to form one giant hero organisation; The New Age Platoon. Now these three factions are in an all-out war, and wherever they meet, death and destruction usually follows.

So this is where we come in; My character is one of the mutants who went into hiding; he's trying to lie low, stay hidden and is hoping just to fly under the radar and get on with his life in peace. Your character, Mael, is a human who until now has not really gotten involved in this world. Besides that...well, whoever you want her to be.

The man waiting at the door to show new customers to their seats leads them to a nice, secluded table in the shade - probably assuming that they are a couple, out for a nice afternoon together - and leaves them with the menus as he goes off to...stand somewhere and look important, he supposes. The cafe is fairly empty, so he can't imagine that there is that much left for him to do except clean. As they sit, he clocks her fidgeting, her fingers twitching and even her arm sometimes half extending down to the bags at her feet before she notices and snatches them back. He smiles gently, mirth dancing in his eyes as he sits...it seems that his self-critical attitude is unfounded; apparently, he is ridiculously photogenic, or at least this girl thinks so. His eyes flicker back up to hers as they sit, however, and he accepts the menu with a murmured "Merci, monsieur..." his French is a little rusty, but it gets the job done. When you travel as much as he does, you tend to pick up a few languages along the way.

He sets the menu down and looks at her, smiling. "Twice. Once on a holiday with my parents, but I was too young for me to remember anything about it. The second time was about eight years ago, when I had to travel through the country my first time in Europe. I didn't stay, though; I was going elsewhere." Somewhere far, far further away than France. He was running at the time, and he intended to get as far away as possible. Arguably, he's still running. But he doesn't mind. This life is, for the most part, fairly enjoyable. You get to see new places, meet new people...you don't form any lasting relationships, but that's ok. If he ever gets, *ahem,* lonely, there are certain establishments that one can visit. Not that he does so particularly often, but sometimes it's a welcome distraction.

"How about you?" he asks, "You obviously know a bit of French...have you lived here before, or is this your first time?"

Chocolate brown hues watch him as he explains himself and a bit of his travels. So, he’d been to France before? She smiled to him and then she licked her lips slightly, sitting back in her seat and then crossing one leg over the other. She bounced her foot, the top one, slightly in the air as she tried to distract herself from taking photos of this practical stranger. He was fascinating – though she couldn’t readily detect why she was so fascinated with him in the first place. She shifted a little and her fingers drummed a little on the edges of her seat. ”It appears to be quite a beautiful country,” she murmured, smiling a little before she managed to gaze back up towards him. She then spoke with a shrug on her shoulders before she smiled a little more comfortably. ”I’ve not. I’ve actually never been here before; the French I’ve picked up was actually from a trip to Africa. I stayed with a tribe there… they thought I looked strange and invited me to stay. I picked up some of the language from them,” she explained, thoughtful as she thought back to her time there. The African people had thought her to be very strange, her blonde hair and brown eyes being something of odd nature to them. She’d been there to photograph and they’d been more than interested in how her camera had worked and what she was planning on doing. She’d sketched and photographed many things while she was in Africa – though she’d technically been on the run then, as well.

Peering up towards the waitress who was now approaching them, she sent the woman a smile and then she looked down at her menu. It was a good thing that they were taking drink orders, first. She didn’t feel like testing out her French at this point – it was probably so rusty that it was embarrassing, and she simply ordered a water and a coffee to begin with. However, there was one portion she made sure to include, in French. ” Crème et le sucre, s'il vous plaît.” She then smiled and looked towards Vergil as the waitress seemed… interested in taking his order. So, Cat wasn’t the only one who found this man interesting. And for some reason, she didn’t seem very pleased about it, though she was excellent at hiding it. She merely waited for the waitress to leave before directing her attention back towards him.

”So… why do you travel so much? Just a wanderlust?”

Learnt French in Africa, huh? As long as he's been on the run, he has never been to the African Continent. He's been further from his point of origin - China, Japan, the Far East of Russia, even so far as Australia and New Zealand, but never Africa. That part of the world is particularly dangerous for him, not least of all due to the slightly more war-like Supers that call that region their home. He's surprised that Cat didn't walk away with some fairly graphic horror stories as to why they don't like letting tourists - particularly snap-happy ones - into certain areas. But then, it sounds like she visited one of the outlying tribes in more remote areas like The Congo rather than any big cities or militarised zones along the borders, so perhaps she was just lucky in avoiding unwanted attention. Unfortunately, somebody like him would stand out like a sore thumb; he has a frustrating ability to draw peoples attention towards him even when he's only walking down the street. People can sense that there's something different about him, he supposes...it isn't always an advantage.

He pauses just long enough to speak to the waitress who sashayed up to their table. She notes down Cat's order fairly hastily before turning to him and fixing him with what he has no doubt is her 'sultry' gaze; the look she gives any man that she has an interest in...from the way she holds herself, he doesn't doubt that it works more often than not, as does the attention from a relatively attractive French girl. She's not unattractive, but he has very little interest in hooking up with anybody. As he mentioned, occasionally he will hook up with somebody to relieve tension, but his lifestyle does not lend itself well to establishing long-term relationships. There are other reasons, of course, but moving around a lot is a big part of it.

But he decides to play her at her own game; she evidently expects him to become interested in her and begin chasing her for her number, which would serve to boost her own self-esteem and reaffirm her belief that she is, in fact, gorgeous and desirable. He orders his own drink - just water, to begin with - and gives her a wide, warm smile; a flash of teeth, along with a cocky and inviting twinkle in his eyes, splitting his handsome face apart...and he can see that she almost melts. He has to resist chuckling...though there are disadvantages to his obvious uniqueness, there are also quite a few advantages. One of them being that his...presence can be directed at people specifically. It's a side effect of some of his other abilities; he just has a natural air about him that intrigues people who are somewhat more in tune with the world around him. That's possibly a reason for this girls fascination with him, something that he didn't think of earlier; she's a traveler and a photographer, so she's obviously going to have more empathy with the world around her.

He smiles enigmatically at her question once the waitress has left. "Something like that," he replies cryptically, "What about you? Are you traveling just to see the sights, or is there...another reason for your city-hopping?"

Cat was curious as to how this interaction between the obviously-interested waitress and Vergil was going to pan out. She watched with a little bit of jealousy tinged in her features – she knew that she’d never be able to move like this woman, command the attention of someone away from another, or scream sex-appeal. No, that was typically the role of her sister… and the only reason she knew that was from the pictures she’d randomly seen on television programs, in newspapers or magazines, about her sister’s obvious success. It made her blood boil slightly, so she pushed the thoughts back. Her sister was a terribly touchy subject when it came to Catherine; she preferred to ignore the fact, completely, that she had a sister at all. Eyes refocusing back on the pair before her, she watched them interact while slowly getting her camera out from her bag. They seemed distracted enough… and the look Vergil was giving this waitress – it was strange, captivating. Was this how males typically looked when gazing upon someone who was attractive or desirable? The waitress was obviously affected by his look and gestures; maybe Cat didn’t get it because she knew men never looked at her the way that Vergil was looking at this French woman. A little bit of a pang rumbled through her body before she hid the look behind her camera, keenly. Then, a little bit of a ‘snap’ sound, and the moment was captured. The picture consisted mostly of Vergil with a blurred, close-up of the woman on the left side of what she’d captured. Cat couldn’t wait to print that one.

There was something captivating about Vergil that she seemed to notice past the looks he could give; it was odd, something she couldn’t place her finger on, but she liked it. It was interesting. She’d not felt this intrigued by someone in quite sometime. She smiled towards the waitress slightly, nodding as she disappeared without even recognizing Cat’s existence any longer – and why would she? – before turning her chocolate hues back towards Vergil. Hearing his answer, she smirks a little. She assumed that he wasn’t one who was going to reveal his entire life-story to her in one go. So she, being the bit of a smart-ass she was despite her initial, shy nature, responded to him in like as her eyes drifted down towards the menu. “Something like that,” she murmured softly. Then, she let out a quiet chuckle, her finger grazing over the menu, the long digit tapping in a few places and stopping in others as she tested her ability to read the foreign language. She spoke again, eyes occupied, her camera now in her lap as she tried to decide on what she wanted to eat.

“Granted. I could not deny a bit of a wanderlust… though, that stems from knowing that I truly have no place to really… be.” She lifted her gaze once more and sent him a light smile. They obviously weren’t ready to be sharing their stories just yet… they were strangers, after all! But no reason to not be a bit… coy, with one another.

Vergil laughs at that; so, he has a smartarse on his hands. He does suppose that he deserved that, given his mysterious and enigmatic answer, but still...it takes a special somebody to be a complete smartarse to somebody you just met, and somebody whose picture you just "secretly" took. Yes, he noticed that; somebody like him has to be constantly aware of what's going on in the world around him, lest he be nastily surprised by something or other that he would rather not be surprised by. He doesn't doubt that this girl means him nothing but a friendly chat and lunch, but it is a habit that is hard to shake off. That, combined with his somewhat sensitive eyesight, means that he can usually spot things happening that the doers would really rather remained secret. He isn't offended at her desire to snap him in action - in fact, he's almost flattered - but he would really rather that she just came out and did it rather than hiding it from him. She only ends up embarrassing herself, and if she always tries to snap people without their permission, she could end up getting into trouble one of these days. Fortunately, he's flattered by her attentions, and slightly amused by the fact that she appears to be more than a little jealous of the attention he is paying to the waitress. He has no interest in her, of course; he is merely giving her attention in order to teach her some humility rather than acting like she is the most gorgeous girl in the world....for all she knows, he and Cat could be on a date and she could be flirting with somebodies boyfriend. She should really learn some manners. Maybe when he leaves without asking for her number, she will stop and think about what she could have done wrong.

He lifts an eyebrow and leans back, scanning the menu quickly, but in all honesty, he already knows what he wants. It's been a while since he had one, so he thinks it's about time for a good old French breakfast. He keeps the menu up, though, to give the illusion of nonchalance. "Do any of us?" He asks suddenly, shifting his gaze to her. "Everybody wanders through life, searching for something, even if they have no idea what that something is. People like us just take it a bit more....literally than other people." He gives her a lopsided, cocky smile; they both know that they are wandering, and though he has a feeling that they are both running from something, he also knows that they are both looking for something; whether it be acceptance, stability, love or just the next meal, they are always looking for something....and they'll know when they find it. Until then, it's just constant wandering and wandering and wandering. He winks at her, then returns to his menu.
"Oh," he adds absently, "How did the picture turn out? I hope you got my good side." He casts a quick, wry glance at her across the table.

“Oh… so you do contain some words of wisdom.”

Cat was teasing him, of course. She honestly didn’t like to talk about why she wandered; she had a specific reason. She knew that most people might believe that, as a photographer and an artist, moving around would help keep her muse stoked and prepared. It would help her sell her items, gain experience, literally see the world. If that was what people assumed, she merely let them hold that assumption. There was no reason to go airing about her business, her lack of family and her famous sister. Chocolate eyes sparkling slightly, she shrugged her shoulder and then she leaned back after closing the menu. She figured she’d just have one of her favorites, since it tended to be a universal breakfast food. Unfortunately, she knew that once she was able to order… that female would come back. How… unfortunate. She gazed to him and then she seemed to shift in her chair, suddenly a little less confident and a little more uncomfortable. A sheepish smile graced her lips before she licked them nervously and tapped her long fingertips along the surface of the table before her. She figured he would’ve seen her snap the photo; she hadn’t anticipated him to address her about it, though. Her teeth slightly emerged as she tried to calm her smile, and failed.

“My apologies… it turned out excellently. I didn’t want to interrupt that ‘moment’ anyway. Would’ve ruined my shot,” she teased once more, sitting up and crossing her arms before leaning slightly on him. She gazed forward and then tipped her head, smiling crookedly and then raising her eyebrow. “She was attractive, and obviously interested. Are you going to pull a number like, leaving your phone number upon the receipt? Getting her attention later as we leave and obtaining hers?” Her eyes were laughing; she knew that he might just be able to do this, yes, but she was enjoying toying with him. That woman had practically swooned in his presence, and to Cat, it was amusing. She wasn’t someone who ever really put herself out there. Heck, Cat could count how many dates she’d ever been on, on one hand. She rubbed the back of her neck before shifting again, crossing one leg over another, and nestling comfortably into her seat. Then, she spoke lightly, watching him while awaiting his answer… or his lack of answer, to her questioning.

He watches her carefully as he asks her about the photograph, ignoring her little teasing jab at his somewhat cliche line; he deserved it, he knows, but he can't help but feel like that was an evasion of sorts. He gets the feeling - nothing concrete, just a gut feeling from the way she is carrying herself - that she, like him, has a deeply personal reason to be wandering around from town to town. His mouth twitches upwards into a small smile; he will leave her her secrets. She does not wish to talk about it with a stranger? Fair enough. He has a feeling that they will be seeing a lot of each other over the next few weeks while he's in the city, especially given that this is a fairly small, out of the way location. Besides. He would not want to let such an...intriguing girl out of his sight for long. She may just disappear in a puff of smoke.

He smiles wider, and leans back, his grin cocky and teasing. So, she picked up on it? He almost snorts; of course she did. You would have to be an idiot to not notice how much that waitress wanted to pay attention to him and only him. Truth be told, it is fairly amusing that she thinks that focusing solely on him is going to get his attention....understandable, but amusing nonetheless. He chuckles, and casts a glance over towards the waitress, who is hastily taking orders from a pair of other customers in an attempt to be the one to bring Vergils order out to him. She isn't bad looking, by any stretch of the imagination...just not his type. She turns and notices him looking, and he gives her another dazzling smile. She grins back, turns and scarpers. He turns back to Cat, still chuckling. "No, I will not. Girls like her need to be taken down a peg or two...blatantly flirting with a guy who is having a one-on-one lunch with another girl? Either it doesn't occur to her that we could be together, or she doesn't care. In the former, she needs to learn to think about that possibility. In the latter, she needs to learn to respect that possibility." He shakes his head, chuckling. "Besides, she isn't my type."

His response… surprised her, to say the least. He wasn’t even going to try? That was definitely not what she was planning on hearing from him, but she was pleasantly surprised. And now, she was more than a little curious about him. She typically was not one to pry, but he was definitely, definitely very interesting and surprising to her. Tilting her head, listening to his explanation, she realized that he was right. She’d not even thought of that; it was quite rude. No wonder she’d been irritated, even more subconsciously than she’d known, by the female’s presence while she was having lunch. Turning her gaze over towards the waitress once more, she studied her with critical chocolate brown hue. How she was observing this woman might be how she would observe a piece of artwork or a subject she was concentrating on filming – minus the adoration she had for her art career. She was critical and skeptical before she turned her eyes back to him and sent him a warmer smile, her eyes not nearly as critical when gazing upon him. “She may not even realize… so I think she’s going to need to learn and then learn to respect it, as well. Maybe she’s not often ignored; maybe her advances are usually taken up on and you’re the first to actually refuse her? I feel as though maybe, when you don’t reciprocate, it’ll be enough of a shock to her system that she might change her ways.” Her words were gentle, an observation that she had made. She tended to think in that way; it was simply how she was.

A coy smile touched her lips then, though, as she relaxed into her seat and bounced her leg on top of the other. He had to know this question was coming, despite the cliché, right? “Well… what is your type, then, Vergil? Do you like the more silent and shy types? Those who can hold your attention? The crazy, outgoing type? Or… do you bat for the other team?” It was obvious by her grind and the amusement in her features that the last question was merely jest. But, to avoid any… problems between them, she shook her head and let out a laugh, unhindered. Holding up a hand to stop his words, she spoke to him more gently this time. “The last question was just a joke, Vergil. I didn’t peg you as that type. Though… I still am curious as to what you think your ‘type’ is.” A nod and a smile is what she sent him. She knew that he would answer her honestly only if he wanted to; he could lie to her and she’d probably never know. She just figured that her questions weren’t too personal, right?

He nods once more as she acknowledges his plan; though it could be easier to simply ignore her, it is more effective to walk out of the cafe with his companion, completely ignoring her and not even requesting her number; she would be specifically watching him, looking out for him and waiting for him to ask her, and when he doesn't...she'll be disappointed and humiliated. He might even ask Cat if he could pretend to be more intimate than usual with her, just to hammer the point home; maybe putting an arm around her waist, or pecking her on the cheek? Doing that in front of the waitress would certainly make her feel sheepish, and given that she's probably already told her other female friend on the counter that she's going after him, she'll look stupid when she admits that she thinks Cat is his girlfriend...and maybe she'll be more careful in future. Who knows? But that is something for when they're leaving. Right now, he has to make her believe that he is honestly interested.

The waitress comes back over with their drinks, setting them down on the table but very obviously angling herself towards Vergil as she bends down a little further than may be strictly necessary; he can see that she has undone the top button of her uniform, and while it's hot outside, he does not for a minute believe that that is the reason. She's really pulling out all the stops to get his number, isn't she? He has to stop himself from chuckling...he can't imagine that many guys wouldn't enjoy that sight, and to be fair, they are a nice pair. But he simply looks up and smiles at her, and when she turns away to go and fetch their food, he looks back at Cat and rolls his eyes. "It appears that she's determined to get me to ask her for her number." He chuckles, shaking his head.
"Onto your question, though," he says, picking up his drink to take a sip, "I do not have a 'type.' It is all a matter of whether I feel myself attracted to them or not...the only thing I require is that they interest me. That they can hold a conversation with me...beyond that, no. I have been attracted to tall, gorgeous blonde's, and I have been attracted to shorter, more comely brunettes. Appearance means little to me, other than something that is nice to have for the sake of my vanity, but is not something I would prioritise." His eyes twinkle suddenly. "As for your other option....just because I have not met a man yet, does not mean I will not. I am not opposed to the idea." He winks, and takes another sip.
"How about you? What is your 'type?' Are your pictures of me going up on a shrine of the men you've stalked in your life? Should I be concerned about my safety?" He laughs quietly, trading her light hearted jab for his own....it has been a while since he has just sat down and had a friendly, teasing conversation with somebody....he had forgotten how nice it was.

Cat could not hide the look of disgust that seemed to cross her features when the waitress returned, seeming to practically flaunt herself over Vergil and completely ignored that Cat was there. Her look of disgust was slightly filled with curiosity as she observed and watched this waitress, watched her mannerisms and how she was acting towards Vergil based upon his responses. She liked to watch people, to see how they reacted in certain situations, and this one was certainly entertaining to watch. This woman’s cleavage was completely visible for Vergil to see because she was bent over, facing him, and slightly flashing it to Cat as well. Trying to make her jealous? Cat could’ve rolled her eyes, but she didn’t want to ruin the façade she was putting on for the sake of the game Vergil seemed to be playing with her. Her brown eyes returned to Vergil as the female twisted around and sauntered herself away, causing her head to tip. Him rolling his eyes was amusing, and it played along her lips in the form of a smile. It was interesting – many males would’ve simply given in at the possibility of sleeping with this woman. She was pretty, gorgeous even, and Cat knew that compared to girls like her… well, she had nothing to really offer. It was a blow to her own self-esteem, but she was sure that was part of the woman’s plan, whether conscious or not.

“She’s not going to be giving up, I think.” Her words were soft after his own, before she took interest in what he was saying in answer to her silly question about his ‘type’. She took interest in his answer, though, and it showed on the level she seemed to be paying attention. Pushing some of her loose, blond strands of hair behind her ear, she relaxed back into her seat and held her drink in her hands so she could sip at it while listening. Then, she seemed to grin as he answered her joking question, answering in a respectable way that she honestly was pleased to hear. Not many would be so honest – she could tell he was being honest – and that was a quality that she admired. He was definitely an interesting man, one in a million she imagined, compared to those who had approached her or who had blatantly hit on her in passing moments. “Well, I respect that. All of that,” she answered with a grin, sipping at her drink for a moment before she grinned over her cup at him and shrugged her shoulder at his own question, and his jibe. She could tease back, of course, but that was already proven as one of her abilities once her shy nature was dissipated.

“ Honestly? I’ve no type because I’ve never really been picky. It’s unfortunate, I’m sure, but at the same time… I suppose it’s people who’ve held my interest, as well. Not many people can do it, not many people can appreciate art, and that seems to be a major factor for me. I’ve actually had someone approach me and insult my art, displayed in a small place, and insult it. Granted, they didn’t know I was the artist,” she laughed at that, leaning forward to set her drink down before she shrugged her shoulders. It didn’t seem to bother her too much. “But I politely informed them, shortly after. And a shrine? Don’t give yourself so much credit, so soon.” Her brown eyes were warm and sparkling as she shot him back a jibe, obviously teasing him and playing along. She had no shrines; heck, it had been a long time since a person had caught and kept her interest as long as he had. It was very… pleasant. A change of pace, for the good.

Vergil laughs, then, and sips on his drink slowly as he regards her; her annoyance at the waitresses behavior was evident in those few moments before she seized control of her emotions, and the look of sheer disgust was amusing. It isn't often that you find somebody with as descriptive a face as Cat appears to have, but given that she is the artistic type, it suits her personality rather well. She seems....pleased with his answer. Impressed, even; most people, upon hearing an answer like that, look at him strangely, as if he is some kind of alien or some deviant. He supposes that most people would say that he is, if they knew anything about him past his appearance, but people can be so blind to things that aren't spelled out for them....like the waitress, for example. At least, he hopes that she doesn't think that Cat is his lover; the alternate would make her, quite frankly, a bitch. But regardless, he is not about to give in and ask for her number, even if she were to climb on the table and give him a lapdance. He has no interest in girls like her, and to pick somebody up when on a social lunch with another girl - even one he has no romantic interest in - would just be rude. And it would tell this girl that she can do this again without consequence.

He shrugs at her answer, acting nonchalant, but there is a small twinkle in his eye as he looks at her. "So soon? Do you mean that you have plans for a shrine?" He appears to consider for a moment, then shrugs. "If I'm to have a stalker, just make sure you don't take any pictures of me when I'm in compromising positions. That could prove problematic..." for her, but he doesn't say that. She has given him no reason to believe that she has sinister ulterior motives, and for now he is content with just joking and laughing with her. Gods Above, how long as it been since he just sat and laughed with somebody? How long since he just had a friendly chat with somebody and let himself relax a little? It seems like forever. Strange, how the world can bring two people - who are so completely different and yet so completely similar - together like this. He shrugs, and takes another sip from his drink. "It's good to not have a type. Personality is far more important than appearance, and having a type just limits your options more than is necessary. You cannot help it if you are attracted to people with certain characteristics, of course, but trying to be as open minded as possible does you a lot of good in the long run."

Cat can feel him observing her, watching her facial expressions, and typically that would bother her. She didn’t like to be scrutinized and looked at so closely, but for some reason, Vergil’s simple observations didn’t seem to draw out any hostile emotions from her. In fact, she seemed to relax a little more, realizing that he wasn’t going to judge her or try and reprimand her on some of her reactions. Cat had spent a lot of her life walking on eggshells, trying to stay quiet and out of the limelight that her sister seemed to adore so avidly. She didn’t want to be known as the ‘sister’ to one of the greatest nature activists – and mutants – on the planet. Her parents had ignored her enough as it is; she didn’t need the rest of the world to ignore her, as well. Honestly, she didn’t want the attention, if she was being truthful. She didn’t want people looking at her, recognizing her, and possibly buying her work simply because of that title and reason. No – she wanted to do things her way, for once. She wanted her life to revolve around something she had control over, not her sibling. Chocolate eyes watching him, she smirked as he seems to address her shrine. It was a silly concept, but definitely something worth joking about. She answered just as nonchalantly – “If I made a shrine of you, you would never know. Don’t fret.” A smirk touched her features as she listened to his next statement, causing her eyebrows to rise.

It may not have been intended to seem like a veiled, subtle threat, but that was how she took it. It was… interesting. What was he hiding, where he could be viewed in ‘compromising positions?’ She realized all of the ways she thought of that two-word phrase and applied that to Vergil. Some of her thoughts, she had to admit, she wasn’t quite proud of. But she merely laughed it off, grinning towards him crookedly. “I’m sure it would. I’ll try to avoid photographing you in compromising situations. Can you let me know, when those are happening? Maybe I can keep my trigger finger at bay, then.” Oh, it was quite fun, playing along with him. The tailing topic of their conversation, though, was honestly a little more serious, though. She shifted in her seat and sipped at her drink before setting it down. She spoke lightly, smiling in a gentler fashion as she turned her gaze towards him. “I like to think I’m fairly open-minded. At least, as much as I can be. Granted, dating isn’t really on my agenda at the moment.” Or ever, she thought for a moment, shrugging physically to show him that it honestly wasn’t at the top of her priority list. She supposed, if someone came along… but that was unlikely.

He can sympathise with her; he is possibly one of the few people she has met that honestly can. She wanders from place to place, running from something that only she knows, scared of forming connections that will someday whither and die. Forming attachments on the run is never easy, and harder still when you are moving from place to place to avoid being caught, found or recognised when you really would rather not be. He gets that feeling, all too well. Though he does occasionally pick up the odd one-night-stand, that is more to relieve some tension and to actually find some human contact that it is to form a bond or attachment to somebody. He smiles at her softly, inclining his head in thanks at her joke on the shrine; he realises that it probably sounded like a veiled threat, and in all honesty, it was. He does not like many photographs of him, especially ones that are clear enough to identify him. But, he has a feeling that those photo's are only for her.
"I understand," he says quietly, and leaves it at that.

But he returns his attention to the lighter, more jovial topic in their discussion; the one that will most definitely keep them smiling and laughing, and keep this lunch from descending into a small pity parade for the both of them, as lonely and isolated as they are. He grins slightly, taking another sip from his drink and leaning forwards, as if offering to share a secret.
"Well..." he says quietly, "I suppose I could pose for a few pictures...as long as I was paid a modelling fee..." he winks. "Maybe I would even do a few of those painting class style poses for you...au natural..." he chuckles. He's seen her looking at him like he's a work of art, and now is the time to call her on it. "If you want, I could pose for a Greek style statue, if photographs don't last long enough...." he winks, and leans back, an amused smile playing along his lips.

Thankful couldn't begin to describe how happy she was that he was going to drop the subject of partners and possible relationships. She wasn't someone who was really into discussing it, anyway, because it was never something that she honestly was focused on. She had been, at one point in time, interested in a certain male. But she'd found out that he wasn't really in the relationship for all the... right reasons. He'd been sent to spy on her, discover what she was doing with her life, because her sister and the rest of her family had been curious - though she was sure that it was mostly her sister who had been curious. Can't have a loose end in the family, Cat was sure. It would be dangerous. She could be dangerous, even though she was certain that her sister had no idea who she really was, what she did with her life, nor the occupation that she held. Her sister probably knew little to nothing about her.... then a sickening realization hit her: her sister probably knew a lot more about her than Cat was comfortable with. Distracting herself with their new conversation, she sipped her drink and leaned forward, grinning at his spoke to her, going along with their little joke.

"Well... I can't say I have money to pay you with. Maybe I could write you a raincheck," she countered with a laugh, shaking her head as her eyes sparkled a little. Then, they lit up, her eyes seriously wandering his form as he mentioned a painting. Granted, she didn't tend to do nude portraits, but the idea of painting him... that was certainly appealing. "I'm sure that, if I do decide to paint you, you could keep your clothes on," she teased, raising an eyebrow. "Unless you're just that eager for me to see what's underneath." Oh, this was truly entertaining. She loved the idea that they could have these conversations. Some could view this as flirting, surely, and she didn't really care if that was how it was taken. She grimaced a little as he mentioned sculpting, but it was a playful facial expression. "Sculpture? That's not my forte... though I'm sure a painting of you would last much longer than a simple photograph. However, now that I think about it... I'm not sure a painting of you would last long, in my possession. Someone would purchase it in a heartbeat," she complimented, nodding as she shifted in her seat, sitting back as their waitress brought them their meals.

Cat's meal was practically dumped onto her place-mat, causing her eyebrows to shoot up as she watched the waitress be attentive to Vergil's needs and wants, asking if his meal was alright and basically ignoring her. The female had a strong, oh such a strong, desire to suddenly fling some of her own food towards her. But she kept the action reserved to simply taking a bite of her food, turning her eyes down towards her plate.

Whatever Vergil is about to say is cut off by the return of the waitress; he notices how little care she has for Cat's food in the way that she just slaps it down on the table, and he also sees Cat's eyes narrowing dangerously....she restrains herself from anything drastic, but he feels sort of regretful about that; he would almost certainly pay to see Cat do something drastic in order to get revenge. It would be entertaining for the few minutes that it lasted before somebody went to split them up...he's never actually seen a catfight, so that could be rather interesting. And, he thinks with a smile, it would technically be over him. He has to stop himself from laughing long enough to allow the now-fawning waitress to leave their table, at which point he lets loose with a quiet, full laugh as he glances at Cat. "Don't worry," he says softly, "She'll get her come-uppance soon. And I have half a mind to complain about her poor service; that was just rude, and I cannot believe that she has been able to get away with that for so long...." he frowns slightly; the customer service industry really is going downhill, isn't it?

He shakes his head slightly and then tucks in, taking a bite of his food. "Where were we..." he thinks for a moment - or at least, makes a show of it; he remembers precisely where they were - and then smiles. "Ah yes. You were telling me that you couldn't wait for me to get my kit off." He winks, then laughs again. Gods Above, how long has it been since he laughed this much? Too long, he thinks, too long by far. "I could pose naked or clothed; it's up to you. It depends whether you think seeing me naked would be too distracting for you to paint effectively..." he winks. "But hey, you have to make your money somehow. I'd assume that, if you could, you would earn money from painting and photography? Why not try it in this little town to support your rent? It would be better than waitressing and flirting with hot guys all day...." he winks.

Catherine was… surprised, to say the least, when he laughed as the waitress left. Her startled nature revealed itself on her face as she looked towards him, canting her head with a strong, curious urge to ask him what was so funny about the situation that seemed to bother her. A raise of her eyebrow and her chocolate colored eyes watched him tentatively – had he laughed at her reaction to the female’s neglect towards her? She couldn’t quite tell, but she didn’t want to worry about it. She was glad she hadn’t reserved to flinging food. That certainly would put a bad impression on her company and make her appear a fool in this new town. Listening to him as he spoke, she watched him carefully, and then she cracked a smile. “You haven’t eaten out in a while, have you? I’ve actually, believe it or not, had worse service than this. I’d prefer being blatantly ignored, than constantly and consistently being hit on by a creepy waiter in a foreign town,” she murmured, shrugging her shoulders lightly as she took a few bites of her food. It tasted delicious, especially since she hadn’t acquired a good meal in quite sometime. She licked her lips clean as she sat back, listening to him and waiting for their old conversation to come back to the surface. A playful smile graced Cat’s lips, one that suited her well, as she laughed boldly when he suggested that she couldn’t wait for him to get naked. A blush did appear on her cheeks – how long had it been, since she’d last seen a man who’d willingly gotten naked for her? She shook her head, anxiously shaking the thoughts away as well, before she focused back on him while he held her attention.

“Hey. I’m a professional – I don’t get distracted,” she teased back, smiling towards him. She then settled down a little, pondering what he was saying. She didn’t want to be a waitress, certainly not in a town where she knew only bits and pieces of the native language spoken here. And that was spoken – she had no idea how to read, nor spell in French. Tipping her head, she smiled a little softer. “I was actually hoping to do so. It’d be nice, but I don’t believe I have nearly enough funds saved up to even get an apartment or loft – let alone pay the first deposit and then rent after. I’ll have to save up or something.” It was evident that she’d lived this life before – she wasn’t bothered at all with the notion that she might have to be homeless until she acquired the correct funds to have a place to live. She was sure she could find a shelter somewhere; that wouldn’t be a first, either, after all. She was pensive as she quieted down, lost in thought while eating and picking at her food.

Vergil chuckles again and inclines his head; he has to admit, being hit on could get to be fairly grating if you haven't got the patience for it. Whilst he might have an unearthly amount of tolerance for people - depending on the situation and the person, of course - he can see that Cat is a little more fiery than he, and he can imagine that the constant affections from somebody that you've repeatedly rebuffed could get very annoying. He admits that he would prefer it if the waitress would just leave him alone, but that is more a case of him being annoyed by her lack of manners than anything else. But then, complaining that you're being flirted with is like complaining that you have too much money; it has its own small problems, but hey, at least you're getting attention from the opposite sex. There are plenty of people who get ignored daily, and who would kill for a chance to flirt with a pretty girl. It's all about perspective, really; each side has their own problems...kind of a "The grass is always greener on the other side" situation. But he isn't here to think about philosophy.

He tilts his head, taking another bite - the food really is excellent; he'll be sure to tip the chef [not the waitress] on his way out - and thinking. She is right, in that making money out of art is extremely difficult, especially in a new town where nobody knows you and you don't have that much work with you. Plus, it takes a lot of time and effort to paint or draw or create something that you have no idea whether people will like in the first place....it's always a risk or a gamble, and is not something that you should rely on for your livelihood unless you're a big name like Banksy or some such. He smiles slightly. "You can't keep your eyes off of me when I'm sitting opposite you in casual clothes," he comments slyly, "So I would love to see what your reaction would be if I were posing majestically like a marble statue, everything on display...." he winks, noticing her blush - blushing is really rather cute on girls, he thinks, and for some reason finds it really endearing - and smiling softly. "...but I can see your dilemma." He pauses, thinking for a moment...then he grins again. "Why don't you stay with me? I already have a flat and a job lined up here, so you wouldn't have to live in a cardboard box using one of your paintings as a roof. So long as you contribute to rent, food and utilities, you can create your art and try to raise the capital you need, without having to worry about living rough. It would be a little cramped, since it's only a one-person flat, but we could take turns sleeping in the bed, we obviously get along and it would give you a chance to complete that shrine to me that you're working on." He winks, smiling softly.

Cat’s blush only seemed to increase in magnitude as he commented on how she seemed to watch him. She hadn’t meant to stare – sometimes, it was just difficult for her not to. She liked to watch people, observe their expressions and their body motions. It was part of the artistic personality she held and craved to keep a hold on. He was an interesting person; that was something she couldn’t deny. But seeing him naked…? She surely would lose her mind with embarrassment. It was easy to hide behind tough words and a quirky personality, but when it came right down to it… Cat was a shy female who knew about the ways of the world more than most would assume. She’d traveled, been abandoned and felt pain worse than she’d like to admit. Yet, at the same time, she was cultured and driven, and she’d experienced joy and happiness in the simplest, common things. It happened, when you lived on your own for so long and had even survived living on the streets. She laughed, unable to help herself, trying to make her blush disappear in the easiest and best way that she can. Distraction was always key, when it came to hiding her embarrassment. She licked her lips, taking a few more bites, not wanting to comment because she wasn’t sure how to really comment back on something like that. She did end up responding, though, in a quiet tone with her voice directed down towards her food as she pushed it around on her plate with her fork. “Honestly, I’d probably fumble around so much it would look as though a four year old toddler was attempting to finger paint the first person they’d seen nude,” she commented, letting out a laugh as she shook her head, teasing her own embarrassment to try and boost herself back up. She quickly recovered, however, when he offered up her living with him.

She was startled, but at the same time, relief seemed to pass over her expressive features. The idea of not having to live on the streets for a while was very, very nice. She smiled at him gratefully, a little bit of excitement in her eyes now that the stress of it all seemed to finally lift from her shoulders. “Really? I don’t want to impose… but that would be wonderful, thank you. You don’t have to share the bed – I can take a couch or the floor; I’m sure both are more comfortable than cement or stone,” she commented with a cheeky grin. She seemed filled with a renewed energy. She had a place to stay! Granted, she would have to get right down to work, earning money for her keep, but she could do it. She knew she could, especially knowing now that she had to in order to stay. She grinned at him, the motion lighting up her features, before she spoke to him with a laugh. “You’re quite stuck on this shrine business. What if I’ve already begun building it in my mind and I don’t think all of the… pieces, will fit with our current living situation?” Oh, how nice it felt to just relax! She had nothing to worry about now… and it was a pleasant change of pace that reflected in her actions and expressions.

[ Sorry about the delay...and the short nature of the post. A broken clavicle really is a pain in the...well, neck. Lmao. ]

He watches her carefully, and has to admit that the sudden grin does wonders to light up her face. Beforehand, despite the flirtatious nature of her demeanor and the ready smile that would grace her lips whenever he made a joke, there was always something haunted and a little worried about it. There was an edge, as if she was unsure whether or not that now should really be the time for smiling, and it is one that he recognised; the wary smile of somebody who didn't know whether they would be sleeping on concrete or a mattress tonight, the person who was enjoying eating while they still could. He has no doubt that she would be able to find a job in a town as small as this, but the application process takes at least a week or so, usually longer...and that's a long time to go without rent or food. Had he not offered his place for her to stay at, she probably would have stayed at a hotel for a few days, until her money ran out and she was forced to live rough. And that is something that he does not wish on anybody. He had to sleep on the streets for the first few months when he left home, and it was not a pleasant experience. There are worse places to be, of course, but you try telling that to somebody sleeping in an alley with a cardboard box keeping them warm.

But the news that she now has somewhere to stay lights up her features, and he finds himself grinning back; of course, he will have to be insistent about sharing the bed. If she's to be living with him and paying equal rent, it means that she gets equal usage of the facilities available. That means that she does get to spend some of her nights in an actual bed rather than on a sofa while he lounges on a soft mattress. He shakes his head slightly. "I must insist that you have equal custody of the bed," he says, "I would not be able to sleep if I knew that you were having to spend every night on the sofa in the living room." He laughs quietly. "If you're to modify that shrine to work in our current arrangements, you'll need some decent sleep after all." He winks slyly. "Besides, I doubt it would look professional if you showed up to an interview for a job and you could barely stay awake. You might drop your camera." He feigns a look of horror, then grins; it feels nice to be so free with his smiles for once. It has been too long since he's just had a nice, easy conversation. If she's a spy...then she's a damn good one.

[You’re quite alright! I understand. I hope that your recovery goes smoothly!]

Cat may have the ability to see the beauty in everything around her, but one thing she always seemed to miss was the beauty she possessed herself. She didn’t believe herself to be more than plain Jane and just someone who people passed on the street without giving a second glance. Oddly enough, with her sister being famous and her pretentious family, she preferred to live this way. It was better to not have the attention wherever you went, since it made life easier to live when she was constantly switching locations. There had been towns, cities even, that she’d adored so much she wished she could’ve stayed. But her life didn’t allow for a permanent residence – it simply wasn’t meant to be. She shifted in her seat thinking about it, taking the last few bites of her meal before she pushed the emptied plate away from her immediate vicinity. She smiled towards him, brown eyes sparkling for a moment, as she found herself admiring that he was allowing her half-rights to the bed. That was… extremely gratifying, since she couldn’t really recall the last time she’d slept on a true bed. “I… well, thank you. I must say, I’m happy to accept – my last apartment only had a fold out bed to sleep on, and I can’t even begin to describe what that mattress was like,” she said, grinning slightly before shrugging her shoulders. It was true – she’d rather sleep on a couch than a mattress that held up those standards. Licking her lips slightly, she finished the rest of her drink, wondering briefly if the female waitress would even bother to come and refill hers. No doubt she would practically pounce on the table whenever Vergil needed something. The thought was… slightly amusing.

She pondered what he said about the interviewing, and she knew that it brooked no argument. She agreed with him, completely – she loved to get some sleep, some honest, good sleep. Shifting in her seat, she crossed her legs slightly and leaned back once more, in a much more relaxed pose than she had since being around this stranger. He was making her more and more comfortable as time seemed to wear on. That, or she was getting exhausted from a late night, and a train ride, and jet-lag. “You’re right about that. If I drop my camera, I’m doomed,” she teased herself with a laugh, shaking her head firmly as she rubbed at the back of her neck. “The shrine modifications will definitely require some sleep and some decent thought,” she said, playing along with the shrine joke still, laughing and shaking her head. It was a lovely gesture, keeping up a joke so that way they had something to consistently tease and discuss. It was a gesture of bonding, truly, and she enjoyed it. It had been far too long since she’d felt like getting close to someone. And for some reason, he didn’t send up any warning flags. It had been a long time since she’d felt this comfortable around someone she’d just met. She… enjoyed it.