cycleofages | 01 Bite ~ Ways to Cope ~ OPEN

Entry tags:

01 Bite ~ Ways to Cope ~ OPEN

Who; Elena Micheal & OPEN
What; Adjusting...
Where; Around HQ
When; August 6th - 12th
Warnings; Fighting. Will change if there is anything else.

This place was something new, something strange and it kept Elena on edge. She had been assured that things were fine and that her other nature was something that was known if not accepted by those in HQ. That didn't mean she wanted to talk about it. She'd been bred to keep her secrets close and losing them shook her deeply.

In short, she hated this place.

Sparring | Afternoons(8th,10th,12th) | Forest

She hadn't sparred since she left Stoneheaven but now that she's somewhere new she wanted to be ready. She borrowed a loose fitting pair of sweats and a top to use for the hours she spent training. Then she found a place in the forest with enough space to move around. She shifted from stance to stance hearing the grass rustle with the touch of the wind.

Elena specialized in grappling which would be easier to practice with a partner. For now she'll do what she can but she'll welcome anyone who would be willing to fight with her.

Running | Any Day Before Sunrise | Forest

Tension was something she was used to. She always tried to stop the changes, to keep herself human and that put stress on her body. Running was one of the few ways that she dealt with that stress. Each morning, prior to sunrise, she can be found running laps around the edge of the forest. The warehouse was large enough to give her to illusion of distance and yet her body yearned to run on four legs.

Elena was wearing the borrowed sweats and shirt with her golden hair tied back in a tight ponytail. She paused only to grab a drink of water and then began to run again. When the sun started to flicker in the odd sky she'd head back to her dorm to grab a quick shower.

It would be obvious to anyone passing by that she was tense.

Eating | Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner | Cafeteria

With every meal Elena had a cup of hot tea or coffee. The tea in her cup varied but it was always warm and steaming and a silent comfort. She liked ice tea but the AC in HQ always made a warm drink a welcome sight.

Elena was used to eating a lot of food, she'd subsidize her meals with protein bars or other high fiber supplements but that was harder now that the cafeteria was only open during certain hours. After a bit of pressure from Gus she'd begun to try and eat the appropreate amount without feeling self-conscious. She would get several plates of food of the course of the hour and sit alone, with a book, at a corner table.

Even when she was done eating she'd simply sit, drink tea and read before being kicked out of the cafeteria.

Swimming | Midnight(10th) | Pool

Elena had done what she set out to do but the after meeting she was feeling stressed and she wanted to cool off. Having no access to a bathing suit she used the next best thing; her underwear.

Her clothes were neatly stacked on a chair, her necklace resting on top of the pile. Her underwear was simple, black and a little lacy but it covered enough to count as a bathing suit. She swam laps pausing at the edge of the pool to catch her breath. The air felt thick and cool as she inhaled and the water felt inviting and strong as it held her.

She wasn't a big swimmer but the change was nice.

Pacing | All hours of the day | Moon Dorms (Wild Card Option)

Elena was having a hard time remaining still. She paced around her room and when that wasn't enough she'd pace within the moon dorm common area. If it was late at night she'd wander into the hallway and then through the available areas of HQ. Her hands were shoved into her pockets while a thoughtful expression masked her features.

She didn't know what to think but she knew what Logan would say and in a weak or two she'd have a problem. She would want to hunt but she couldn't do that down here. She'd gotten her physical and cleared with the request not to bite anyone but it felt far more complicated than that.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Elena's hand lightly pressed against the concrete wall of the pool before stopping. Her fingers pull through her long hair pushing the wet strands over her shoulder and out of her eyes. She didn't know that she wasn't alone anymore, the scent of chlorine and other chemicals obstructed everything else.

She pressed her palms on the edge of the pool and lifted herself from the water. She felt the beads of moisture roll down her the flat of her stomach as she placed a knee on the side of the pool. From there she stood, her fingers returning to her hair to ring out the excess water. As she turned towards her towel and things she spotted Joey.

She tried not to look surprised but she hadn't thought others would be up. "You're up late."

Elena didn't seem bothered that she'd been caught swimming in her underwear.

"I'm not the only one." His response came without much thought, as he watched the water trail down her lithe form. He was staring, but he didn't catch himself immediately. Instead, he simply watched for several seconds before blinking and looking away. He wasn't wearing his suit coat tonight, but the clothes he had to choose from were limited. He wore slacks, for lack of anything else to wear, and his dress shirt, but the tie, his hat, and his coat were back in his room.

He swallowed, clearing his throat. "Didn't mean to interrupt."

"I thought a swim might help me sleep." It was easy to admit as much. She doubted she was the only one having troubles sleeping here and considering that Joey had found her here it meant that her suspicions were well grounded.

Elena reached for a towel and began to dry her hair while taking a seat on the edge of the chair. "You aren't interrupting. I was going to get out soon anyway." She watched him curiously for a moment before continuing.

"Are you exploring?"

Joey watched her for a moment before looking away, swallowing. "So, swimming helps you sleep, huh?" That was a new one, though Red did say that exercise was supposed to help you relax, not that he ever saw her actually do any.

He licked his lips at her question, nodding. "Yeah, I'm still getting used to this place." And you know, breathing.

Elena noticed his nervousness and couldn’t help the small smile that graced her lips. She supposed she shouldn’t be walking around in her underwear but she hadn’t found another alternative and it covered her enough. She used the towel to dry her long hair before lightly patting down her legs. Her shoulders and back still dot with moisture but she put her attention back to her hair. If it isn’t dry it’ll just continue to drip uncomfortably down her back.

“Sometimes, I usually run but with only so much space I thought to try something new.” She nodded her head towards the pool before turning her gaze back to Joey. “It’s nice; you should give it a try.” She was sure he was wearing underwear beneath his pants too.

Joey smiled somewhat coyly at her suggestion and pointedly looked toward the pool rather than watching her towel off. Oh, he'd love to, but people here would see and hear him, and it just wasn't appropriate to do in person. He might not exactly be a prude, but he had scruples, damn it.

"Maybe some other time, Elena." It was strange to think of getting into a pool wearing so little, for one. And for another, he didn't actually know how to swim. At least, he didn't remember knowing how to swim.

"I'll hold you to it."

She placed the towel to her side and lightly began to braid her hair. It would keep her hair out of her way and make it wavier when she undid it. Her long thin fingers weaved and twisted her hair before tying off the end. "Anything else you were looking to see? I'm finished here and it'd be nice to have company for a bit."

Elena stood and slipped on a dress which covered the wet lacy underwear.

Joey smiled to spite his discomfort and nodded. "I wouldn't expect anything less, sweetheart." He didn't know Elena very well, but he was starting to get an idea of her moods and he liked them, which was weird. Casually talking to a woman was still such a new concept to him he didn't really know how to take it.

He used to be good at it. Now, it was as though he'd forgotten everything. He supposed being dead did that to a guy.

"Probably. There's a lot to get to know around here. Why? You looking for company, doll?"

Elena slipped into her sandals before tossing the towel in a bin near the door. She continued to lightly play with thin strands of damp hair that have broken free from her braid. She had a thin black purse that came to rest on her hip after pulling the strap over her shoulder.

"I was. I thought it might be fun to see things together." She'd get another perspective that way and it wouldn't leave her alone with her thoughts. Elena was always happy for a distraction and Joey was presenting himself as one.

"Unless you had other plans tonight?"

"You know, it just so happens I'm completely free." He smiles, standing as well. Now that she was completely clothed, it made talking to her a little easier. It wasn't that he'd never been with a woman or anything as lame as that. He was just old-fashioned that way, he supposed.

"Lead on."

Her dress continued to show off her legs while her gait showed off her hips. There was an easy expression on her lips as she walked, her sandals lightly echoing through the large swimming area. She reached the door and then held it open for Joey to step through.

"After you."

Elena smiled and waited with her back pressed lightly against the door.

Joey not-so-subtly watched those legs of hers as he passed through the door she'd opened for him. She was definitely easy on the eyes, this one.

"Don't mind if I do." He really didn't any any other pressing plans, so staying with the kid wasn't a bad idea. "So, where to next?"

Elena's smile tugged a little wider at his stare. She rose her eyebrows when she met his gaze if only to let him know that she saw that.

"I didn't have a specific place in mind." She followed allowing the door to close behind them and the echo of the pool to fade. "How much time have you spent in this room?" The rec room was large and while Elena has made a pass through the area she hasn't seen all of it.

Joey returned his eyes forward, because it was polite and because he'd totally been caught, clearing his throat as though that would somehow hide the fact that he'd been watching.

"Uh, enough to know I'm never going to like pinball." He smiled a charming smile, as though to further divert from his looking.

Elena shook her head and slowly began a circle around the edge of the rec room. There was an impressive selection of books on the selves though most of the books appeared to be works of fiction.

"I've never been good at games either. I think I played pinball once as a kid." She looked over at him with a soft expression. "I prefer to do things outside. What about you?"

Joey, on the other hand, just took a seat in one of the chairs as she passed by, leaning back and folding his hands in front of himself.

"I used to enjoy a good bar, good booze, good music."

"That would be nice wouldn't it?" Elena enjoyed bars too but she prefered to go with people she knew. There was never a reason to be at a bar alone.

"Maybe we can find one." She pointed up towards the ceiling. "We aren't trapped here after all."

A smile touched Joey's lips as he looked over to her. There was something about the girl, charming maybe, and feminine, but not delicate. There was something else, too, maybe it was not needed to act to get information, not having a duty to help her move on, but he liked her.

"Sure, sweetheart. I'm game if you are."

Elena felt herself smiling at him. "I'll find a place and let you know. Any preferences? I get the impression that you might have a favorite drink."

Though perhaps she was wrong.

"Beggars can't be choosers, right?" He smiled. "Last time I had a drink, it was smuggled hooch, whatever we could get our hands on." That being said, "I've always had a soft spot for good gin."

"It's a date then." She smiled at him, thinking of a place that might have some Gin. She's not spent a great deal of time in New York but she's sure she can find a place.

"Should we schedule a time now? I don't see either of us being particularly busy."

"I don't really have an elsewhere to be, dollface." He smiled at her. It'd been, well, he couldn't actually remember since he'd taken a gal out for drinks, and he was actually looking forward to it.

"Then how about Friday night?"

It was in a few days and it'd give her time to find a place that might have a good selection of Gin.

Sadly, Joey had a whole lot of nothing going on any night, and Friday was no exception. Normally, if you could call their existence normal, he'd be out all night hunting spooks with Red, but here? Here, he found himself getting bored, which was a weird concept since the kid inherited the gift.

"Friday night sounds great."

Elena found plenty to do but then her life has taken her all over the place. She's had to start over a few times in her life and she knew what it was like to have nothing and build everything back up again. That was one of her strengths.

"I'll look forward to it. I don't know if I'll be able to dress up." Woman's clothing are expensive. "But I'll try to look nice."

She paused for a moment. "Let's meet here. At this chair." She lightly drummed her fingers along the back of the chair that he was sitting on. "9 pm?"

01 Bite ~ Ways to Cope ~ OPEN

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)

Swimming | Midnight (10th)