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Post by RIN COOPER on Jun 4, 2011 19:22:30 GMT -5
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"Burgers and hot sandwiches are good," she answered instantly. "Stay away from the steaks, the pasta, or anything that says 'smothered in country gravy.' It's a bad, bad thing. And Paolo's working the kitchen, he makes the best fries by a whole lot."
Another of those impish grins, more challenge when he offered her a hand. She arched one eyebrow high but laid her hand in his in a mark of trust, or maybe defiance. Rin was only too well aware that in the spectrum of more-than-human creatures she sat squarely on the bottom end. But it wasn't in her to back down, not when the circumstances seemed fairly benign.
"And I don't blame you, but it's gotta be a quick fix. Like picking up fast food instead of spending three hours making a gourmet meal? I doubt they have the attention span to be much good to you for long, but a couple good months of fervent devotion before they discover Taoism has got to help a bit."
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APOLLO
DEITY
GREEK GOD OF LIGHT, MUSIC, AND KNOWLEDGE
What's life without enjoying the simple things?
Posts: 61
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Post by APOLLO on Jun 5, 2011 13:08:35 GMT -5
Apollo instantly ordered some fries and a burger when one of the waitresses came by. He gave her a charming smile and a cheeky wink, relishing when her cheeks turned a bit pink. Though he already had the company of a beautiful woman it always did his ego well when he flirted and got good results.
"Now, I'll take care of that chill," Apollo let his energy come up inside him and concentrated on making a thin layer of warmth to combat the cold air coming from the AC. "Is that better?" He asked, knowing that at least personally the air didn't effect him anymore and the warmth spread out among all his limbs.
"I just might if I need a recharge. It's very sad to not find anyone who wants to believe in me past a few weeks." His grin was still sly. The conversation was great but it was also nice to just look at her pretty face. Rin was fiesty but there was no harm in looking.
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Post by RIN COOPER on Jun 5, 2011 14:16:21 GMT -5
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She had to admit that the room was more comfortable with the layer of warmth hovering just above her skin. They had to run the a/c high to combat the number of bodies in the building and the heat of the kitchen, but it made it kind of chilly, especially at night. "Thanks," it was light, but genuine enough.
Once he'd ordered his meal she glanced over at him, veiling her eyes with her lashes as she asked, "Well, and just what do you offer your worshippers in return for their devotion? And what do you demand of them? If you're holding out for virgin sacrifices and slaughtering bulls it could be part of your issue right there."
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APOLLO
DEITY
GREEK GOD OF LIGHT, MUSIC, AND KNOWLEDGE
What's life without enjoying the simple things?
Posts: 61
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Post by APOLLO on Jun 5, 2011 22:34:35 GMT -5
The thank you was unexpected and Apollo flashed her a charming smile in return. Much brighter than the little thing he gave to the waitress. "You have wonderful manners that I don't normally encounter. You are quite welcome."
He laughed a loud at that. It was a nice, joyful sound that was almost musical. Apollo took a few bites of the fries first, before answering her, closing his eyes and just letting the taste linger. Quite good. Better than he had expected in a small diner like this...in a small town like this for that matter. In his experiences the coastal cities like New York had food that was to die for. Probably because it was the place to be for some celebrities and those with cash. Apollo had lived long enough to not be short on anything, be it money, pleasure, or just sex. He knew how to get what he wanted when he wanted it.
"Of course not. That would be to dismal and my worshippers would run out without me being able to properly and fully enjoy them. No, I don't require all that much. Maybe some sex and good food. Adoration." He winked, "All the stuff that most men dream about but can never have and aren't sure how to get it even if the opportunity arose.
"What would you want, if you were a goddess, might I ask?" Apollo glanced at his burger, before putting a hand over it discreetly and heating it up just a smidge more so he could properly enjoy it hot- not just warm. He liked things with a bit of kick to them unlike those humans who wished for things either plain or luke-warm.
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Post by RIN COOPER on Jun 5, 2011 23:56:40 GMT -5
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Rin laughed, lashes dropping in mock-shyness and her head tilting to go with the coquettish expression. And like so much about her, the whole thing communicated on several levels at once. Flirtatious, yes, but also a little bit mocking him, and mocking herself even more. One of the things that kept Rin bearable on a timeline longer than a night or two was that as much as she laughed at everybody and everything else in the world, she laughed at herself even more often.
And so she flicked her eyelashes at the Greek god, pursed her red-painted mouth in a little moue of consideration. "What would I want?" She raised her eyes to his again. "About what I have now. Freedom. Enough money to buy the things I want, work to do when I feel like working and the right to leave when I feel like moving on. Men to think I'm pretty, women willing to gossip with me, and a family back home to call and write to and who I know I could always go home to if the road ever got too hard." She smiled at him, but there was a steadiness to her eyes that said that she was at least a little bit serious in her answer. "What else could any girl want?"
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APOLLO
DEITY
GREEK GOD OF LIGHT, MUSIC, AND KNOWLEDGE
What's life without enjoying the simple things?
Posts: 61
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Post by APOLLO on Jun 6, 2011 12:35:20 GMT -5
Apollo let his eyes flash with amusement, his smirk still in place. "And what a good girl you are. No desire for excitement or the dark side of life?" He was a god of light but that didn't mean he didn't appreciate the darkness. It could be gloomy, yes, but only in places not filled to the brim with young people looking for a good time.
"No crazy ideas about some wild sex life or having so much to drink you could pop?" He let his fingers play along the bar, as if he was playing some musical piece by Beethoven. Apollo let his free hand get another taste of those magnificent fries as he just watched Rin for a moment.
"You aren't one of those girls who reveals everything at the surface. You're careful and cautious and only reveal what's necessary if even that. You put on masks, same as me. Would there ever be a situation where you left the masks to the side?" Maybe a bit too personal of a question but Apollo wasn't daunted by such things. She could refuse to answer if she wished, it wasn't a big deal to him.
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Post by RIN COOPER on Jun 7, 2011 3:20:00 GMT -5
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She shook her head, but despite the cheery smile and bright eyes there was something of honesty in her still as she said, "I'm not a dark person, really. Sure, I've tried it. Drinking, drugs, risky sex, picturesque brooding, all that crap. And when you get all the way to the end of it?" That one-shouldered shrug she was so fond of; something inherently Latin in it and in fact she got it straight from her hidalgo stepfather. "I'd rather be happy."
"I like things that are funny instead of cool. I like sleeping in a comfortable bed at night. I like waking up in the morning and thinking, 'Hey, I've got something fun to do today.' I like pretty clothes and meeting new people and the kind of sex where you roll back and forth on the bed and laugh between kisses."
She reached out to Apollo, no hesitation about it, no expectation that he wouldn't let her touch him. Soft hot fingertips, warmed by his magic and her blood, touching his lips like she was shushing him. "Sure, I wear masks. Wear 'em all the time. It's the only way to keep yourself whole in this world. But the truth is? Dig down under all the masks and the teasing and the games with sex and twirly dresses and what you'll find is that I like to be happy and I don't think that I owe anyone any apologies for that."
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APOLLO
DEITY
GREEK GOD OF LIGHT, MUSIC, AND KNOWLEDGE
What's life without enjoying the simple things?
Posts: 61
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Post by APOLLO on Jun 7, 2011 16:42:35 GMT -5
It must be relieving to have that kind of confidence as a human. Even though they were a fragile lot some of them were such fighters. Those were the ones that lasted and really managed to get to the core of life and pleasure. “You are quite intriguing, Rin. I don’t think I’ve met a girl with such inner strength like that.” It was an honest reply to an honest answer and he truly pondered through all his ideas. Though his answer was not quite as articulate he felt it was well-thought through.
“Happiness. That has been something that has eluded me for some time but I’m a drifter. Sometimes I can’t quite help myself.” He let out a wink but he really was being honest despite his cheeky quirks.
Apollo’s eyes widened briefly with something akin to surprise before his smile melted into something very warm and his eyes were glowing. “You have a respect for yourself that I rarely see.” What an amazing light of will surrounding her. “So how do you go about with these masks? What is your goal in life?”
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Post by RIN COOPER on Jun 7, 2011 17:49:10 GMT -5
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She kept her fingertips against his lips long enough to feel them start to move, but pulled them away and went back to her meal. Though most of her focus stayed on him as she said, "I'm good at being happy. It's a skill, I think, one that the world doesn't value enough."
When he asked about her goal in life she frowned slightly, not displeased but thoughtful. "That's hard to put in words. Saying 'being happy' doesn't really cut it, even if it's true. But I don't entirely know how else to say it. I want to live a life with more good in it than bad. I want to have people that I love and who want me." She shook her head, smiling with a gentle inward look to her that was probably who she was without those masks they were discussing. "I'm not a person who's going to change the world, and I don't particularly want to be. All I want is a life where I do more good than harm and have plenty of chances to laugh."
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APOLLO
DEITY
GREEK GOD OF LIGHT, MUSIC, AND KNOWLEDGE
What's life without enjoying the simple things?
Posts: 61
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Post by APOLLO on Jun 8, 2011 17:20:41 GMT -5
Apollo leaned closer, keeping enough space between them so that Rin wouldn’t feel uncomfortable but enough that it was obvious he enjoyed her company. This light, almost innocent flirtation kept him on his toes and really intrigued him. She was just living her life the way she wanted even with the masks. “So what is your recipe for a happy life then?” He then laughed. “Let me buy you a drink.”
It was nice to just relax and not have any expectations with a conversation. Most of the time Apollo gave and took: he’d give something to get something for an equal exchange and a nice even partnership with whoever he was dealing with. This conversation flowed freely like some wild river and he was relaxed by that. Spontaneity was something that wasn’t easy to encounter on the roads he traveled. “Why do you travel so much? Are you looking for something?”
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Post by RIN COOPER on Jun 8, 2011 20:08:01 GMT -5
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She smiled at him, "Sure, I'll have a Mike's Lemonade?" Rin liked beer only at the end of a long day. She and her Dad would have a beer after a day of working on the car or weeding her mother's immense vegetable and herb garden or any other ongoing manual labor. Now she didn't like it when she was just having a drink, beer was something that you earned with sweat and aching muscles.
"And I think I'm traveling to find the recipe for a happy life. I--" she pursed her lips, considering whether to answer honestly or give some light reply. In the end she told the truth if only because she couldn't see any harm in doing so and because she preferred truth to lies. "My Mom had me when she was sixteen. She gave up being young to be a mother, to provide for us. And now she has a good life, she's happy, and we spent a lot of time talking about stuff, I'm over any guilt about ruining her life. But because she didn't get to enjoy being young and free, I want to make sure I really do. So I travel, meet a million people, try a little of everything. The way I figure it I'm learning more than I would in college, just a different sort of curriculum."
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APOLLO
DEITY
GREEK GOD OF LIGHT, MUSIC, AND KNOWLEDGE
What's life without enjoying the simple things?
Posts: 61
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Post by APOLLO on Jun 9, 2011 21:30:16 GMT -5
Apollo held out his hand to signal the waitress, giving her some sweet soft flirty words before ordering a Mike’s Hard Lemonade for Rin and just a glass of water this time himself. It wasn’t surprising. Humans had so many different tastes when it came not only to alcohol but food and fashion as well. He let his eyes lazily trail back up Rin for a second time. So young and yet he couldn’t quite help himself at least taking a look. It wasn’t a crime to watch such a beauty. Only to touch one.
“The truth? How surprising.” Apollo crossed his arms and leaned against the counter since he was almost done with his food anyway. Apollo gave her a wink and a smile to let her know he was just teasing. He wouldn’t waste it but he wasn’t in the mood to finish it up during their conversation. “Knowledge of the world is definitely more useful in some cases and you’ll be able to fill in the blanks everywhere else. “How do you provide for yourself?” He leaned on his arm in the next moment, shifting again to find more comfort. “And you must run into problems traveling by yourself? Not to say you can’t handle yourself but as you know…humans aren’t the only beings that walk the earth.”
Though he had his encounters with demons and all sorts of creatures he didn’t always approve of their actions. Humans were fragile compared to the immortal and he wanted to take care of as many as possible. Death was something he truly detested.
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Post by RIN COOPER on Jun 9, 2011 23:11:47 GMT -5
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"The truth is easy when you're neither afraid nor ashamed." She tossed it off lightly, later when she thought back over this conversation Rin would catch on that phrase and spend some time turning it over in her mind. Testing it for strength, for truth, nd would eventually decide that it was probably pretty accurate. Later, much later, when Rin grew up a little more than she was right now, she'd get a little drunk one night as she reflected that life had taught her the value of lying, made her afraid and ashamed both.
But tonight Rin was still a girl, still bright and happy and brave the way you are when you don't yet know how much you can actually use. And so she smiled at the ancient godling and recrossed her legs just to see if she could make him look and said, "I wait tables. Raised in a restaurant, I was taking orders as practice for my ABCs and busing tables before I could see over the top of them. I roll into town, if it looks interesting I give it a week or so to see if I can find a job serving, or as a prep cook if I have to. If I can, I stick around until I get bored. If not, I move on and try somewhere else." She took a sip of the lemonade, the sweet-acid of it almost, but not entirely, overwhelming the malty fake-beer taste at the back. "I spent some time saving up before I started this trip, to give myself a cushion. I'm down to about half of what I started with, after two years on the road. If I ever burn all the way through it, I'll probably settle down. Either go back home, or start fresh somewhere new but plan for it to be long-term."
When he asked about other not-humans she laughed a little. "I deal with them the same way anybody else who isn't a fighter does. Keep my head down, take a few precautions, and try not to get on anyone's bad side if I can help it. What else is there to do?"
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APOLLO
DEITY
GREEK GOD OF LIGHT, MUSIC, AND KNOWLEDGE
What's life without enjoying the simple things?
Posts: 61
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Post by APOLLO on Jun 10, 2011 23:02:37 GMT -5
Apollo pondered all this for a moment before eyeing Rin with even more interest. She was an intriguing girl. “Life has been hard on you but that has made you strong, hasn’t it?” And the happiness, that was surprising. Most he met, such as the hunters, who had hard lives were bitter or in some way messed up. This girl might have inner problems but to be so nonchalant about life and just living it to her fullest was both surprising and almost heartwarming. Apollo wished he could meet more people like this girl in the future. Just full of light despite the masks they wore for protection.
He almost laughed when she recrossed her legs but didn’t look despite the temptation. The sound was enough to stir up his interest again. “That’s a hard way of life. Rewarding but lots of work. You must have lots of discipline. Learn that from your folks?” Not many young girls or boys Apollo had seen in the past fifty years had really been mature at this age but here Rin was proving his theory that the young were ungrateful wrong. Life had been more of a struggle back when he was worshiped in Greece so the young were usually as tough and diligent as their parents from an early age but so many humans were spoiled nowadays.
Another loud, happy laugh. If it hadn’t been so melodious Apollo was sure that it would get old quickly but he was the god of music and it tinted his words and actions in his favor. “Seduce them? Though your plan is much less messy and is faster.”
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Post by RIN COOPER on Jun 11, 2011 23:09:36 GMT -5
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"There are people in this world who've had it easier," she had to admit. "But plenty of people who've had it worse, too. I try not to get all hung up in comparing my pain to other people's, turning it into some kind of messed-up competition of who's hurt the most. What's the point of that? Pain is pain, it hurts and it messes you up and you get over it at your own pace. I don't figure that my pain is anybody else's business, and I don't see that I've got any rights to judge other people's."
She smiled at Apollo and dragged half a french fry through the last of her ranch dressing, ate it and then pushed the plate away. "And I suppose I learned from my parents that if I want something, I need to do something about it instead of hanging around waiting for it to drop into my lap. Or spending so much time waiting for the perfect moment that I never move at all."
Picking up her drink again, "So how about you? Besides searching high and low for worshippers, what are you looking for? What do you want?" Such a loaded question, and the challenging tilt to her smile said she knew it well.
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