Sounds Like A Spy Name

Participants:

delia_icon.gif delilah_icon.gif dirk_icon.gif russo_icon.gif

Scene Title Sounds Like A Spy Name
Synopsis Delilah finally gets a chance to make her delivery to Dorchester Towers and as happenstance would have it, is fortunate enough to meet Delia's babysitter. Dirk.
Date January 17, 2011

Dorchester Towers — Russo's Apartment


Cosmo, W, People, Star, US, Victoria's Secret; magazines splayed out on Russo's coffee table as the blond sitter flips through the pages one by one. Licking his fingers primly, he pauses at the top of one corner, sneering at the woman on the page. "God, you look like a whale. Lose some weight, Orca." It doesn't metter that she's already a size zero.

"Excuse me? Can I have some water?"

The yell from the opposite side of the apartment earns a rolls of the eyes and a very long sigh. "Get it yourself! I'm not your butler just your babysitter!" Turning the page, Dirk mumbles a little to himself before adding for the redhead's behalf, "And if you'll excuse me, I'm busy sitting!"

It's called… The last resort.

It was a busy week or so, for this lone kind of thing that Eileen asked of Delilah; maybe it fits, because while Delilah may not be much help raiding caravans or fighting robots, she remains one of very few associates that are able to move around freely without fear of repercussion because of lack of identification, a fugitive record, or any number of other things. That, and these less dangerous things tasked to a courier are good for simply getting her out. Walter too, but he really has no preferences. As long as he gets his feeding time and sleeping time, the world is a playground for him to observe from the carrier on his mother's chest. Dorchester Towers impresses Dee more than it does him, though.

It wasn't hard to find the place, and not a problem to convince anyone downstairs that she is here for something innocent. A lady with a baby, what could possibly go wrong? A zippered up bag over one shoulder, her coat is open and the baby bundled against her front peers after her hands as they move to ring the front bell. Walter gets the good seat for this one, he is facing outward today! What a treat.

If Dirk can't stand the size zeroes in Cosmo, Delilah's long skirt and plain blouse won't be much for his sense of taste. She does, by normal standards, look dressed up, with her hair in a clasp and some plain golden jewelry on her ears and collarbone.

In what most would call the walk of shame, Bradley Russo steps slowly down the hallways towards his apartment. He had never actually responded to the texts. Not really. He'd sent Dirk while he worked away on, well, work. And that whole business of not dying. Not dying is a good thing. Especially on a long weekend. Never die on a long weekend.

And there's a lady outside his house? Brad quirks an eyebrow as he steps next to her while holding out his key. "Uh… hi?" it's more of a question than a greeting, a simple turn-of-phrase to figure out who she is and what on earth she's doing at his apartment. He's been more leery of strangers lately than ever before. Especially now that his gun has been robbed of its clips. His gaze drifts to the ceiling as he makes a silent mental note to buy more.

Mental note made. His centres his vision squarely on her now while his hands turn to his pockets. "Can I help you?"

Delilah is listening too closely to the door to notice the presence at the end of the hallway, and she starts a little when Brad speaks up, pivoting her head around to look at him. She looks innocent enough too. Now, if she starts claiming that the ginger baby in blue winter garb is his, there will be a problem.

"Oh, wow." Brown eyes stare, unabashed, the few inches up to his face. "I think I need new knickers, you're way more handsome up close than on television." That is probably a compliment. Delilah offers him a wide, bright smile, and an outstretched hand. "I'm Delilah. A mutual acquaintance told me to come by."

There's a crack of a smile, more polite than not at the comment as Brad cranes his neck to peek down the hall. Did they let another crazy in the building?! This wouldn't be the first time it's happened— until. Oh. The smile eases into something far more genuine as the hand is taken into a firm handshake. "Uh. Nice to meet you. I'm Brad." He flashes her a slightly more awkward smile, but knowing full-well he's expecting her, he motions with his head towards the door with a slight nod.

Click. The door is unbolted and within seconds, he's stepping into his apartment. "Come on in— " there's an oddly foreign feeling as he comes back quite altered compared to how he'd left, but the emotion does quite register aside from the slight scowl he shoots Dirk. "I'm back now so… you can go.."

Quite eager to comply, Dirk gathers up his magazine and bundles them under his arm. "Good, just so you know she's been whining for the past few hours for water, something about going to the bathroom, and … " He clucks his tongue rapidly against the roof of his mouth almost a half dozen times before snapping his fingers. "Oh yeah… she's hungry."

Dirk's been here for more than six hours. His magazines barely lasted him.

Shooting a look between Delilah and the television host, a smarmy smile pastes itself on his face before he turns back up to Russo. "Steppin' down the ladder, I see? What— Oh what— is your fiance going to think~" Then, gliding directly in front of Delilah, the blonde man gives her a good once/twice/thrice over before jolting back at the sight of the baby on her front. "Oh god… it's like a ginger festival. DirkpleasedtomeetyouI'msuregottago~"

And he's gone before Russo can get a punch in.

From the bedroom there's no sound. After the last shut down, Delia's decided to just keep quiet. If Dirk was here, he might be singing the 'finally~' song. But he's not. Typing slowly on her iPad, a message bleeps on Russo's phone just a few seconds after she pushed the send key. It's great for letting him know that he's home, if anything.

"Brad? I— " she halts and then just falls silent. He probably doesn't want to hear from her right away. Not after the way they left things yesterday.

She doesn't need to say 'I know your name', he probably wouldn't even notice. Dee nods once anyway, putting one hand under the baby and holding on lightly as he allows her in after him. For the start of this little incident, Dee remains silent, squinting after Dirk as if she would like nothing more than to sock him in the eye. It only gets worse from there, and Delilah actually doubles back to stick her head out of the door after Dirk has vanished into the hallway.

"Next time I see you, Imma fuck your shit up like Gervais fucks up the Globes-" Delilah hollers this down the funnel that is the hallway, clearly bold enough to be yelling threats at other people's houses. Walter seems to think it is pretty damn funny.

"Gingers do it better, y'little blond wanker- Okay, um- where was I-" The redhead leans back in the door, closing it primly enough to rejoin the spot she had at Brad's side, smiling softly as if she didn't just want to fuck Dirk's shit up. A vague look goes towards the sound of the woman's voice, and Dee gives Russo a small gesturing nod. "Figure I should meet her too."

"You didn't freakin' give her water? Fu— " Brad actually scowls at Dirk as he catches himself. No swearing at the employee who can obviously blackmail him with more than he'd bargained for. Dirk is gone anyways, there's nothing for him to do. His eyes roll emphatically as he disappears into the kitchen and retrieves a glass with water in it, "I'm sorry Delilah, I've had a hell of a week." Not that he wants to talk about it. Don't mistake his meaning.

Once the glass is full he motions that she should follow him to Delia's room. "So. Dirk wasn't my best choice was he?" there's a frown as he passes the water glass to his sister. But there's something different in his eyes. Even as his lips frown, his eyes smile. "Delia, Delilah. Delilah— Delia."

Taking the glass in both hands, Delia gulps the water down like a camel too long in the desert. When it's finally all gone, she pulls the cup from her lips and pants for air, letting her shoulders sag. For a while, she stays just like that, then she lifts her blue eyes up to Delilah and gives her a small smile. She recognizes the woman, but not enough to actually place her. It's been practically a lifetime ago.

Slowly, the empty cup is placed down on the dresser and she lifts one shoulder in a shrug to her brother. "He… was here." It's all she'll say about the subject, at least in front of their visitor. Turning to focus on Delilah again, she gives a wane smile. "How're you? I— " The baby catches her eye and she stares at it for a very long time before reaching out toward it. "Can I?"

Too many Ds and Ls in the room all of a sudden. Delilah follows Brad as she is beckoned, inspecting rooms as she comes into them. She lifts a hand to wave fingers to Delia when they get to her, a small smile returned with a much larger one. The bag gets a small shrug so that it dislodges from its perch on her shoulder. Walter sticks his mitten towards his mouth, looking displeased at the dissonance provided by his trying to put his twee fingers into his mouth.

"Nice to meet you, Delia." She watches the reaction towards the baby, and can tell what is coming even before it is asked. Lots of people draw it out like that. "Absotively." With her bag leant somewhere against something or other, Delilah perches on the edge of the bed to pry Walter from the clutches of the carrier. From what she does know about Delia, there is nothing to really worry about as she takes him up and helps Delia do the same. It is a careful process. "His name is Walter, he's a little over two months now."

The glass is taken back and Brad disappears from the room for a moment only to return with another glass of water. He'd been gone longer than he'd intended. More than twenty-four hours. And still he doesn't try to give an explanation. Not yet, anyways. When he returns to the room the glass of water is passed to her again. "I'll get you some food in a bit," he quips easily. If he's still angry, he's suppressing it again; relegating it somewhere deep inside.

The baby is given a once-over, but having decided at Lina's death never to have children, it's regarded with little more than a warm smile and a shrug of his shoulders.

The mittens are pulled off the baby as soon as he's in Delia's arms. She lets him lay on her lap, crooking one arm under his head to lift him up and the other is used to tickle his widdle fingers. "Hi Walter~" she coos to the little man. "Aren't you jush the iddy bittiest teeny weeny guy I've ever seen~" The other glass of water is given a small shake of her head. No use wetting the bed when there's company, that's an indignity best saved for later.

"I uhm.. okay." Russo's offer of a meal later is given the stammer, a soft sigh, and a slight nod of submission. "You don't have to, I'll be okay." It's a passive aggressive statement, whether or not he catches it. Turning her focus back on Walter, she smiles a little brighter and begins tickling his fingers again, letting him grab her thin digit and stick it into his mouth.

It is a mix of the red hair and Delia's demeanor with him that gets a snigger out of the baby boy; he punts his feet while he gets to apparently taste Delia. D-licious. Or something like that. Though she is able to pick up on something awkward hanging around between the others, Delilah sees fit to go on with what she had come to do. She hums, leaning down to pick up her bag and rifle down into it for a matte black folder.

"Let's see here…" The folder, with golden sharpie, says 'RUSSO' over the front. Inside there are a few papers, but Delilah only takes out one thing- a plastic card, same size as a driver's license. But they all know what it is, in actuality. "Ah. Now, both of you listen up. This here-" She brandishes the card. "-is a temporary solution. We're working on something better, to see how we can help in the long term."

Delia is a little too busy feeding the baby her finger when the card is pulled out to actually reach for it. Instead, she wriggles the tip inside Walter's mouth, letting him gum her short nails. Watching his mother, she rocks the little thing back and forth, trying to make sure he doesn't start crying or something even more terrible… poop.

This redhead isn't in any shape to change a squirmy baby.

"Eileen said that it won't work at checkpoints… but I should pass just a random inspection, right?" Her eyebrows knit low over her eyebrows. Worry takes over her face and she glances up at her brother. "Would it be easier if I just… I don't know… turn myself in? You wouldn't have to worry about me any more."

"Nobody is better off like that, hon. I only got registered 'cause I got arrested at a riot." And that should say something about Dee, personally. She sounds very firm on Delia's not turning herself in, tone unyielding, making what the other woman said out to be a non-option. "This will do you fine in about ninety percent of situations. The other ten is government buildings and army checkpoints, like she said. But I am guessing, from one redhead to another, you are much too smart to dare." Delilah grins softly now.

"When I'm just moving around the city and what not, and I'm asked for this, they take a look at it and leave me right alone." And as an example, she even fishes her folding wallet from her bag, flicking it open. Her wallet gets sat down, and the ID of Delia's beside it, so she can compare. The visuals are the same; Delia's card has a birthdate of May 13th, 1991, under the name 'Robin Bristow'. "I thought that name reminds me of romance novels, like one of the heroines."

When Delilah cuts in an answer for her brother, Delia's attention is diverted for the moment. "Really? Why is being registered so bad? I mean, I'm half registered already. They know I'm evolved, I've been in thousands of heads around the city… I— " She cuts herself off and shrugs, lowering her head to look at the baby. "If I got registered, I could have a baby too. Without being registered, I can't work, I can't go to the hospital… Unless I moved country."

Letting loose a soft sigh, she stares at the ID card she's been presented and then glances up at the young mother with an uncertain expression. "Robin Bristow? I— " she looks down at the smiling face next to the name and then a smile tugs at one corner of her mouth. "I like the last name… The first name reminds me of Eileen."

"Things get worse before they get better." Delilah is reassuring, despite everything else. Walter wriggles around in the lapspace, seemingly fine with Delia whether or not she is legal. Everyone is awesome! So what. "Eileen has good taste, so if you need her to do something like this, or hell, ask her how your ass looks in a skirt, she'll be quite skilled at it."

"I knew a Robin once, but she was a bitch. I'm sure you'll give it justice though, I think it's lovely. Kinda makes me wish I could have some aliases. But knowing me, I'd pick something like Barbara Gordon." Dee snorts a little, and smirks.

"It sounds like a spy name," Brad interjects quietly with a flash of a smile. "Bristow. Just make sure you respond to it, Robin. Also, your hair is kind of like a robin's feathers. I think it's fitting." Not that his opinion matters terribly. His lips press together again as he silences himself. "And don't give yourself up it's not— it's not worth it."

"You'd name her after bat girl? Really?" his nose wrinkles distinctly.

"Robin Bristow," Delia repeats, sounding the name off her tongue as though giving it a little bit of a taste. "Hello, my name is Robin Bristow.." Her voice fades to silent for a half a moment, as she stares down at the card. "It's a nice name." The evaluation is made with a muted happiness, the woman herself doesn't meet the eyes of the two others in the room, only the little baby in her arms.

"Hello Walter, my name is Robin… I'm sure people will be gross and call me Robbie or something. I hope not." She lets loose a little laugh and pulls her finger from his mouth. Teasing her fingertip against his lips, she watches as he contorts his face and tries to wrestle it back into his mouth.

"Nah. I want to be Batgirl. She can be the girl Robin." Delilah makes breaking the law fun. "Walter can be Alfred, offering sage advice at all times." If gurgling can be taken as advice, anyway. She takes her wallet and tucks it back into her bag, sitting there to watch Delia with the baby. He likes her, as much as a baby can like strangers. "We frown on cannibalism in this society, Walter. I'm sure she tastes just delicious though."

Trading an empty hand for a small notepad from the bag, Delilah proceeds to write down a phone number. "I'll leave my spare number for you two. Certain hidden people should stay hidden, so if there is something you need, try letting me know first. This number always goes to voicemail."

"Thanks Delilah," Brad says quietly with a nod. "We appreciate it. Really we do. It's been a crazy… " there's a small frown, a tiny reveal as he manages a broad grin. "..crazy ride. That's just the way it is sometimes."

He shifts his weight and begins to walk to the door. "I'll see you out— "

Reluctantly, Delia passes the baby back to the woman and gives her another small smile. "Thanks, for the ID and letting me play with Walter. If— If you're not busy sometime, maybe the two of you could come swimming with me some afternoon?" Babies are supposed to be notoriously good swimmers, or something. Either way, she'd still be getting her exercise and she'd get to play with the baby at the same time.

Trading a baby for a piece of paper, now with two numbers on it. The second is labeled 'personal'. That is, her own phone, and not the business one. She hoists Walter up into her arms again, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You like her, huh? Yeah, me too." A pat onto his bottom and a smile at Delia later, the younger redhead is nodding a bit, smiling. "Being born in winter isn't good for swimming lessons, but if you know a good place for it, certainly. That would be wonderful."

Walter gets himself strapped back in with his mother, arms revolving around to try and say something or other. He looks like a jerky runway operator. "It was great to meet you." Zipping up her bag takes another moment before she is able to stand up and sling it over her arm.

Delia helps as much as she can, aiding in the gathering of bits and pieces. Little mittens are placed carefully back over Walter's flailing hands before the redhead tweaks his nose and leans forward to waggle her face in front of him. "Bye bye~ Bye bye Walter~" She won't call him Wally if he doesn't call her Robbie.

As Delilah starts for the door to follow Russo, Delia calls out after her. "There's a pool downstairs, here… you guys can come and you don't have to go outside. I can hold Walter while you push my chair." That is, assuming she's not walking by the time they make it over again.


Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License