Participants:
Scene Title | Easy Street is a Blind Alley |
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Synopsis | Claire catches up with Eve for reasons both selfish and social. |
Date | March 25, 2009 |
The Orchid Lounge, owned by the mother of Senator Nathan Petrelli, is an Asian-inspired martini bar lit by candlelight and the soft glow of wall sconces spaced evenly throughout the room. Although there aren't any employees at the door to check for identification, it's unusual to find anyone in the college-aged crowd at the Lounge, which caters to young professionals with plenty of extra money to burn. During the day, the plush burgundy drapes affixed to the windows are used to filter out the sounds of traffic and at night are drawn back to allow passersby a glimpse inside.
Seating is simple: clusters of rectangular tables fashioned from white marble, each with two leather benches parallel to the longest sides. Silk pillows in varying shades of red, brown, yellow and orange lend a splash of colour to the Lounge, vivid against the pale walls and black-painted cement floor. On one wall is a giant mirror with an intricately carved frame that reflects almost everything in the room and makes the space appear twice as large as it really is. Clearly, the proprietor of this establishment wanted to get her money's worth - real estate in this part of town isn't cheap!
This night the Lounge isn't as full as usual. And that's good for Eve, because she has just now finished with telling her bosses she is going on hiatus for a little bit. Eve is dressed in a long dark red dress and high black boots. Her long dark hair swings free and she is now exiting the place. The wind blows in her hair a bit and she looks up to the night sky as she walks down the street. Humming a sweet tune.
Claire is hoping to kill two birds with one stone tonight, though she certainly isn't holding her breath. She approaches the Orchid Lounge when she spots one of those birds. "Hey," she calls out to Eve, careful not to announce her name as she steps from the alley she cut through for her shortcut. "My grandmother isn't in there by any chance, is she?" She jerks her head toward the entrance to the Lounge, though she's already falling into step with Eve quickly.
"Your grandmother?" Eve tilts her head. Eve still doesn't know that Angela is actually the mother of Nathan and Peter, and the grandmother of Claire. "Your grandmother works here?"
"Next time you choose to go M.I.A., let me know? Missed you." Eve admits and smiles at the woman. Her Miracle Girl.
Claire wraps her arms around one of Eve's to squeeze it briefly, not pursuing questions of Angela any further. If she didn't hear about her Petrelli connections from the others, then it's probably best that she stay in the dark on that subject. "Sorry. Good to see you. I figured you'd be the first to know if something bad happened. I take your "special insight" for granted sometimes." She at least has the grace to look sheepish as she walks with Eve. "Do you mind if we take back streets?" Despite the hour, Claire slips a pair of large sunglasses out of the pouch of her fading red sweatshirt and puts them on before pulling up her hood.
"Of course I don't mind." Eve says and begins to turn into a alleyway. "Ha, I have seen things about you. Just like to see my family in person, ya know?" she does in fact still consider Claire her family. "What's with the glasses? HomeSec after you too?" Eve tilts her head and tosses her hair back behind her. "What have you been up to?"
"So I'm told," Claire confirms for Eve. "The less you know about what I've been up to, the better off you are. But I'll share the unimportant stuff." She flashes a small smile to her companion. "West and I broke up. He went back to Costa Verde, but I hear rumours that he's back in town. I don't know how to take that." She stares decidedly at the walls the pass by, following grime and graffiti with her eyes. "I met somebody new. Or, at least I got close to somebody I wasn't that close to before. But he's not exactly in my life right now."
"West always seemed like the flighty type." Eve jokes and gives Claire a soft smile. "Good for you.. where is he? On vacation?" Eve looks up as the two walk. "You know.. I found someone actually too.. but he's gone from me now too." She smiles up to the sky. "After the weirdness that was Teo and I for a little bit."
"You and Teo? That is weird." Claire finds herself grateful for something to shift focus to. She may have brought it up, but she doesn't exactly want to explain that her crush is stuck in Moab. She doesn't even know if he feels the same. It's complicated. Like all things Bennet. "So who's the special someone now?"
"His name is Darius, a.. cop of all things. But I haven't seen him in a bit." Eve admits and shrugs her shoulders lightly. "Yeah, things with Teo were weird.. I have to admit that I still have feelings for him." another shrug. Eve sighs and looks at Claire. "Are you going with them to rescue Hel and the others?"
"You took up with a cop? Goodness, Eve." Claire can't help but chuckle a bit. When the rescue mission is brought up, she gives her full attention to the other woman, keeping her voice low. "Planning on it. Hiro and I are going to convince Peter to come with us."
"I know.. he was very.. handsome though." Eve adds with a slight grin. Claire always seems to bring out.. the more.. wild side of Eve. When the subject is changed, Eve looks back down to look Claire in the eyes with her grey ones. "About time, he needs to forgive himself." Eve nods to herself, then looks down the alley. Some old papers fly by from the wind. "Give him a good pinch on the arm and then a hug from me?"
The seer also decides to add this: "Be very careful. I don't want to have to come and get you from there." She says and grins at the other woman. "I've met Hiro, he's a good guy. I suppose."
"Peter trusts Hiro, so I trust Hiro." And in Claire's experience, Peter doesn't trust much of anyone anymore, so there must be some good reason there. Knowing that little is enough for her. "I'll be sure to slug Peter in the arm on your behalf. He'll know why he deserves it."
"Good." Eve states and rubs her arm. "Yes, it's time he comes back." Eve doesn't say anything else about that. "You have a place to stay?" she asks with a bit of concern. "I assume that it is not very safe for you on the streets. Plus, the streets are dirty as fuck." Eve adds with a chuckle.
"I'm staying with family," Claire assures. "But I appreciate the offer. I might come crash every now and then when I need some space, if you're all right with that?"
"Take the key." Eve takes the key to her apartment and gives it to Claire. "I'm going to be away for a while. Just don't trash the place." She says and grins. The wind blows her hair into her face and Eve quickly brushes it out of her eyes.
"Promise." Claire puts the key into the pocket of her jeans. "Thanks for this. It's nice to know I have somewhere else to go if I need to." She walks along in companionable silence for a few moments before she asks, "Have you seen anything recently that I should be aware of?"
"No problem." Eve says and gives Claire a light hug. "God, it's good to see you." Eve says again and stands back. She shakes her head. "No, nothing as of yet. I've had my eyes.. /both/ sets peeled." Eve says and then looks to Claire. "Things are in the work, but I have to analyze my dreams and paintings more to figure it out. It's almost clear.."
Claire nods slowly. The way Eve's special sort of vision works has always been a mystery to her, and will probably remain so, but it's something she's come to appreciate. "You can keep me up to date if you see anything, then." She smiles and returns the earlier hug. "I should probably get moving again. I have a few other people I'm trying to catch up with. Will you be okay? I could walk you home…" Not that Eve needs protecting, but there's always safety in numbers.
"Don't worry about it." Eve says and nods her head. "I'll let you know what I find out." She grins at Claire. "I'll get home safe, you go and do what you need to do." Eve begins to walk away and hum to herself. Before she can leave the other side of the alley, she turns. "Oh! And I'm very proud of you." She says softly but the wind seems to carry her words to Claire. "Stay safe."
Claire offers a genuine smile and a wave before heading off in her own direction. "You too, Eve."
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