Grinds and Crumbles

[rettop]

Listless, and tired, Giselle sat outside on the iron cafe chair, watching each passerby. Her dry hands cupped around her coffee drink; rich and dark. The chocolate brownie sat beside her hands, untouched. She was jealous of the people walking about. How their lives were so normal. She felt alien. The picture on the drivers license was someone else, not her. That person was like an old dear friend, a friend that disappeared... or died.

No matter how hard she tried to focus on it, she couldn't feel the sunlight kissing her skin, it's teasing warmth. Something inside her shut out all senses. Even the aroma of her coffee drink couldn't seep into her nose.

A strange sense came over her. As if she was being watched. She ignored the feelings and continued to sip her tasteless coffee. She eyed her brownie with longing, remembering how much she loved chocolate... and that seemed to have died with her Turning. Giselle sighed and watched a mother and daughter arguing. She missed her family. There was no going home, to her uttermost grief. It's possible that they would still accept her, but Giselle found herself as a threat, and didn't wish to jeopardize nor harm her family.

Caving into the hunger that growled in her tummy, she took a small bite of her brownie; not paying attention to the fluffy texture, nor the rich taste. She continued to dwell on the sense of someone spying on her.

[ronin]

<sup>//black as night yet bright as day,
say those words you used to say//

And spying he was, though not for the reason most would expect. He was about a block from the cafe where the red-haired vamp sat, tucked into the shade of a building. He could see her well, despite the distance. Instead of the infatuation you'd normally find when someone was just staring at another, all you could see in Christopher's eyes was curiosity. He folded his arms against his chest, the corners of his mouth pulled down in a small frown. She sat there alone, drinking coffee and... a brownie. 'Ugh,' he thought, grimacing. He hadn't eaten human food 1814, when he'd still been trying for the human appearance. Even then it had been hell, like eating sawdust. He much preferred the taste of blood, human or animal. Maybe he was just weird, and not all vampires tasted food that way. He'd never really spent much time with his own kind, so he really wouldn't know.

Still struggling with his own thoughts, he barely notices as he pushed away from the wall and began walking toward her. When he finally did notice his own actions, he just continued. She'd notice him their anyway, and he was intrigued. He wasn't about to just leave. Shoving his hands into his jean pockets, he settled into a casual stance. Even casual, though, you could see the small tenseness to his movements, as if he was waiting for someone to attack him from around the corner. He kind of was. As lethargic as the woman looked now, she could very well be dangerous when alert. He walked right up to her table, standing beside it and looking down at her. From where he now stood, she looked older than him. Physically anyway, and not by too much. He placed one hand on the small, circular table, a half-smile on his lips. "You look rather bored," he commented, amused. His voice was soft, but there was a hint of a laugh behind it.

Maybe she'd just tell him to go away. Maybe not. When his curiosity was piqued, though, it was quite hard to shake him. So she really didn't have a choice. He could either be a huge annoyance or someone pleasant to talk to. But he'd stick around until he was satisfied.

//a grudging companion you may be
but there's more to me than you can see//</sup>