From: first_coyote	Date: 02/02/2007 11:12:17

"Does that eyebrow trick really work?" she asks with a smiling sneer-smirk thing on her lips as she leans her crossed arms on the bar.

	From: brian_kinnetic	Date: 02/02/2007 12:05:58

"Every time," he says as the guy starts to make his way over, and Brian turns his back on him to turn to Lil. "But it's not the eyebrow thing. It's just me."

	From: first_coyote	Date: 02/02/2007 16:37:03

"So're you not interested in that one? Or is he just coming on too strong for ya?"

	From: brian_kinnetic	Date: 02/02/2007 16:39:26

"Not interested."

The guy comes up behind him, and just as The Eyebrow Thing draws them in, it also serves to push him away.

"How's business?"

Not that he cares, particularly. He's just waiting for another cute guy to pass on by.

	From: first_coyote	Date: 02/02/2007 16:49:25

She gives a shrug.

"It's business, baby."

	From: brian_kinnetic	Date: 02/02/2007 16:58:25

"So I've been told."

He takes a sip of his drink.

"I'm doing better than I thought I would, to tell the truth. Never thought Chicago would be a big town for advertising. Thought I could make it one. And maybe I still will."

	From: first_coyote	Date: 02/02/2007 20:35:05

She laughs.

"Honey, this town is big enough for damn near anything you can imagine."

	From: brian_kinnetic	Date: 02/03/2007 07:26:21

"New York-Paris-" he pauses and gives her a signifcant look, "Chicago. You can see my predicament."

	From: first_coyote	Date: 02/03/2007 16:23:16

"So move to New York," she gives him a sneer. "Or Paris." She slides the shot she just poured down the bar to the customer who ordered it. "If you don't like it here - leave. O'Hare's international. Go wherever-the-hell you want."

	From: brian_kinnetic	Date: 02/03/2007 16:57:00

He grins.

"That's why I'm here. I don't want New York or Paris. They're has-beens. I only deal in upcomings."

He looks at the guy down the bar who ordered the shot.

"And something just... came up. I'll see you later -"

No, he can't remember her name if he ever knew it to begin with.

	From: first_coyote	Date: 02/03/2007 17:00:27

She rolls her eyes and shakes her head and does a shot of her own.

Boys and their toys.

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/25/2007 23:47:50

Harry should appreciate Rosa's visit all the more, obviously, because she's wrapped in double layers of thick white wool and carrying a large thermos and a smaller one.

The frantic knocking may be because she's afraid her hand might fall off if it's held too far from her body for too long.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/25/2007 23:57:53

Knocking? Only person crazy enough to be out here in this weather is Rosa. Unless Michael has something, but he's certain Michael would call first.

I tug the door open, taking the wards down, and wave her in. "Hurry up. It's freezing." And the Chicago winter wind is getting in.

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:00:22

"Si, very cold." She slid in quickly and closed the door behind her with a bit of awkward maneuvering.

Then she's walking over to the stove and staring at the canned-soup-in-a-pot with some disdain.

Ew. "That," she points to the soup on the stove, "Is not healthy at all." Not that the hot chocolate she had in the smaller container was healthy, really, but it was still milk ... and that was good for you, mostly.

She proceeds to look for a bowl and a cup. There's a spicy potato-and-beef soup in the bowl and hot chocolate in the cup a few moments later...and an apple-cheeked Rosa peeling out of a layer of wooly clothing.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 00:04:22

"Hey, it's better than the Spaghettio's I'll be having tomorrow night."

Sometimes I have tomato soup, but the only thing left today was chicken and stars. And when the hell did I buy chicken and stars?

Whatever she just poured into the bowl smells absolutely amazing.

"Your dinner looks a bit more appealing."

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:07:02

"Well, that would be why I brought it over. And there is enough for tomorrow too." If she doesn't have any, which is perfectly fine with her. She won't watch him while he eats or anything odd like that.

"But the hot chocolate's the best if you finish it the first day, because warming it up is a bit of a hassle."

She smiles a little and rummages for a spoon before glancing at him expectantly.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 00:09:11

"You're not going to make me eat alone are you?"

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:10:37

"I'd rather you have some for tomorrow. I'll have hot chocolate."

She doesn't look like she's going to take an arguement. Or she hopes she won't have to.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 00:12:42

I give her a look.

"You can't make more?"

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:13:31

She gives one back.

It's ... pouty, at best.

"Then I'd have to go back outside to get more groceries." Heck no that was not going to happen!

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 00:15:00

"There might be something here you can turn into food. I just don't know how to cook."

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:15:42

"Forgive me if I am doubtful, Harry. Your soup's going to get cold."

She shivers a little, for effect.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 00:19:20

"Hey! I said 'might'. You can look."

The soup's still sitting where she poured it. "I'm not eating unless you do."

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:20:19

She frowns.

"Fine." There's reluctant pouring of the soup into another bowl. She still only takes a small portion, however.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 00:23:23

"Rosa, I do okay. I've been living on my own for a long time. I do take care of myself."

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:24:20

"That doesn't mean you should have to, all of the time."

It isn't her fault she has a mothering complex ... not really. Besides, maybe she's been trying to keep herself occupied a little more than usual lately.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 00:28:29

I shrug and pick up the bowls of soup before making my way over to the fireplace. It's too damned cold to sit anywhere else.

"Come on."

I sit down to eat.

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:29:26

And too cold to sit anything but quite close together.

She's quieter than usual, Harry might notice. She eats her soup rather slowly.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 00:30:42

"You okay?"

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:31:37

There's shrugging.

"Tired, lately." Not because she's not getting enough sleep or anything, she's just been ... drained.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 00:33:26

"Everything okay? With school and family stuff?"

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:34:04

Another shrug.

"Clara levitated Mama's best china into the wall." Not so surprising, but.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 00:36:12

"And this is cause for great distress?" I mean, yeah, the china, but is it something to get all worked up over?

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:37:00

"I wonder if I shouldn't be at home with her. Nobody else there really ... pays attention to her."

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 00:38:34

"But don't you want to finish school and not marry that Emlio guy?"

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:39:04

"I'd rather make sure that Clara's all right."

Which is perhaps not entirely true, but she feels guilty.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 00:40:21

"Did you call?" I sip more soup. "Talk to her?"

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:41:23

"Either she doesn't say anything, or Papa only pretends to give her the phone. He wants me to come home and marry Esteban."

She really doesn't want that last bit.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 00:45:31

"Have you written to her? Letters?"

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:46:44

"I write to her nearly every day, but the letters take ages to get there."

She sounds a little sad. Part of the reason she cooks so often for Harry is because it had been her 'job' at home ... at least she'd had a reason to do it there. Here ... well, her only real reason to cook was Harry. So she used him as an excuse, she supposed.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 00:52:17

"Does she write back?"

I know better than to ask if they have electronic messaging or whatever.

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:53:19

"Of course. She keeps telling me that I shouldn't worry, because she's the one who's supposed to marry Esteban."

It's an unsettling thought.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 00:54:26

We've talked about this before, somehow, I don't think that's all.

"Is there anything else bothering you?"

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 00:57:58

"Not that I can think of."

She shrugs again.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 01:02:51

I push the soup bowl away and curl an arm around her shoulders. "Come on. Talk to me."

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 01:05:55

She frowns, leaning into him and shifting to rest her cheek against his chest.

"I'm not sure." It takes a couple of tries before the next sentence comes out in English rather than Spanish, "I feel guilty about leaving Clara alone, but it's ... more than that. I just feel ... unsettled. Skiddish." Which is something, because she tries not to get upset about things easily.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 16:24:43

"Why?" I let my arm fall down her side, holding her against me, if for no other reason than it's a hell of a lot warmer that way.

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 20:09:14

"I'm ... not sure." Not something she can put her finger on easily.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 20:19:07

"You're not getting premonitions now, are you?"

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 20:23:19

She arches a brow.

"No."

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 20:49:04

"Okay. So -" I shrug. "Sorry. I don't have a clue."

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 21:57:34

Rosa nods.

"I know. But it's nice to at least ... tell someone I don't have a clue, either."

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 22:23:42

"Don't let anyone know that you know, but most people don't have a clue."

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 22:24:48

She laughs just a bit.

"I guess."

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 22:27:37

I shrug. "You don't have to take my word for it."

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 22:32:26

Rosa smiles.

"Oh, I believe you."

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 22:37:23

I grin and curl my arm around her a bit more.

"You can stay here tonight if you'd rather not venture back out into the cold."

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 22:38:26

If Rosa didn't know better, she'd guess he was angling to get her to stay with him to do something untoward.

"I'd much rather stay here than go out into the cold again."

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 22:40:17

[one part of harry's sinister mind might be doing exactly that - the other parts aren't]


"Wouldn't want you to catch something. Pneumonia or the flu."

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 22:41:00

"Because then I wouldn't be able to cook for you?"

She's teasing, but ... well, it's a good reason.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 22:49:19

I laugh. "Good a reason as any."

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 22:50:07

Rosa is, as she admitted earlier, rather tired.

Thus, she's already starting to slouch against Harry.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 22:52:30

Hey Mouse - go get the pillows and blankets. I don't want to have to carry her somewhere.

"You're gonna fall asleep on me, aren't you?"

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 22:53:33

Unfortunately for Harry, she's already snuggled against his side ... completely silent.

Rosa does not snore. And come on, Harry ... she's light.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 23:01:22

I sigh and pick her up to carry her to the bedroom and tuck her under the mountain of blankets. Guess I get to spend time on the couch again. Good thing I have more blankets.

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 23:09:54

She might make a slightly distressed noise when he picks her up and cracks an eye open to murmur quietly, "Don't want you to sleep on the couch."

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 23:12:39

"What?"

Sleepy-mumbles. I don't speak half-passed-out-grumble.

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 23:16:14

She opens both eyes and looks at him with glossy eyes.

"Don't sleep on the couch."

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 23:19:09

"Then where should I sleep?"

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 23:21:05

Rosa doesn't laugh, but...it's close.

"Where do you normally sleep?"

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 23:22:13

"Here." I point to the bed. "But you're there."

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 23:23:00

"There is enough room for you too."

Duh, Harry.

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 23:27:40

I gotta think about this for a second - oh, to hell with it. I'd probably fight harder if it wasn't so damned cold.

I nod and crawl in under the covers. Hey, modesty's still there, I'm still fully clothed. If I sleep on top of the covers I'll freeze.

A couple seconds later, I notice Mister jump up and curl up on my feet.

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 23:31:19

Mister!

Rosa slides comfortably against him and manoevers herself until her cheek is resting on his chest.

"Goodnight, Harry."

	From: wizard_dresden	Date: 02/26/2007 23:33:51

"Mmmmhmmmm." Almost asleep....

	From: mightbeamermaid	Date: 02/26/2007 23:34:36

She's already out.