Truth

[Verity] The house is very, very arcane - she'd warned Thomas that it would be difficult to find, and that because of that, she'd be outside to meet him at the mailbox. So, that's where she stands now, all bare feet, plaid boxer-style shorts and a tank top proclaiming some local private school's track and cross country team on the front, and her captain on the back, along with 'Your Honor' as a prominent nickname.

She's patient - she doesn't particularly stand out, but she doesn't disappear either. A bit better looking than the average (as far as most people are concerned), she's not easy [or impossible] to forget. The house behind her, though? It stands as a blur, hard to focus upon unless one looks just right.

[Thomas Taylor] He said he be round fast, so he actual takes his own transport, he did not often take his bike mainly because petrol was not free and he liked to drink. It took him a little while to find it but Morgan see’s someone in black leather on an old beaten up sports bike pull up...

The engine cuts it whine (It sounds like it was ready to give up anyway as gloved hands come up and remove the helmet to show the face of Thomas. He gets off his bike biting at his gloves to pull them off “You want jokin’ was you Le Fay, like a needle in a haystack”

[Verity] "I guess my roommate inherited it from his great-grandfather or something," she answers with a shrug. "Here, park and you can come inside. Once you're close enough to the house, your bike will kind of blend in with the rest - or at least my car does, so I assume it will." She points at her car, which she can see when he indicates it, but hadn't noticed before; clearly, this house is more than just a house. Equally clearly, it's not hers, though stepping inside makes it obvious that she's the only one home and has been for awhile.

"Kitchen's this way." And he's led straight there; she doesn't invite people over because this place still doesn't feel like hers, after months of living here. Sleeping on Ashley's couch had been more home-like, though she certainly doesn't say. "Here. I already ate, but I made you a sandwich." The bread is obviously home made and appears to have cheese and herbs involved, and the meat on it isn't deli meat, but something made for dinner or similar - the kitchen is still hot from cooking. "Make yourself comfortable, okay? I'm only going to tell the short version of the story, but still."

[Thomas Taylor] He nods as she speaks, he was familiar with the arcane not that it helped when presented with it. He wheels his bike next to her car and kicks out the stand walking in with her as he proceeds to unzip his jacket and of course takes off his boots at the door.

It seemed like a big place for someone to be living alone he thought to himself. He looks to the sandwich and smiles “Cheers Le Fay...” He takes a seat/stool whatever he can sit on as he pulls the sandwich closer looking up to her, listening intently.

“Pet, you know, wat I said the other day ‘bout the past bein’ the past an new starts, it want bullshit, you don’t ‘ave to tell me nuthin’, swear down.” He puts a hand on his chest then squirms a little as he takes off his jacket revealing a tight and slightly sweaty black vest. He looks around for a place to put the jacket and settles with folding it (as best he can) and placing it on the table. His tone was a touch more sombre than usual, he realised that for Morgan this was something serious and he wanted to reflect he understood.

[Verity] ".....I know. And I'm not going to tell you everything, but there are a couple things you should know. First is . . ." She sighs, and makes herself busy getting two beers from the fridge - very nice beer, and never mind that she and her roommate are both under age. She drinks seldom at best, so Solomon's stash remains largely untouched in his absense. And it's while she's turned away that she says this first bit. "I, um. I've never done casual dating; there's this guy who was my boyfriend all the way from seventh grade until last Halloween, when I Awakened."

She's very matter of fact in tone, but avoids looking at him; she's in no hurry to see the look on his face as she's telling this. "I went to a party with him and our mutual best friend - we had some drinks and got separated. I caught them kissing and . . ." Pause, swallow, turn to set beers on table but still don't look at Thomas. "I killed them. I don't remember exactly what happened, not all of it. Just the before and then waking up on the couch at home to my dad looking down at me, telling me about this freakish accident at the party and asking if I was okay. It took awhile to . . . I don't know, accept it, I guess."

[Thomas Taylor] He takes a bite out of the sandwich, chewing on it as he watches her go to the fridge, he listens as his chews grow slower and slower as she tells her tale then with a final gulp he swallows. He guessed she did the long haul, she had told him that much before but the rest....

He was not sure what he was meant to do, he wanted to reach out and hug her, to tell her he understood but she hated touching. Eyes wander over Morgan, not judgemental but understanding as he pushes the sandwich away and stands moving over next to her and very slowly reaching out and puts a hand on her shoulder. He gives it a firm press to let her know he was there and still he struggled with the words.

He concentrates ensuring he spoke without slang, just the cockney accent which he could never suppress “I cannot understand ‘ow this made you feel Morgan, an really anythin’ I say might sound bad, but I am very sorry for yer loss, I understand, that ain’t shit I do, when my awakening happened voices told me to move just before another firm attacked us in the stand...some people died...” It would not lessen her pain and this was not about him but he understood guilt, he knew it well.

“Wat ‘appened ‘appened an thats the fact, am sorry for yer loss, really I’am”

[Verity] There's a bit of tension when he touches her, even with his intent obvious; it's hardly that she hates it. In fact, like most people, she craves a certain amount of tactility, even if she doesn't often indulge this craving - because to let someone touch her, she has to let said someone close. Bad things happen when people are close to her, whether those bad things are to her, or to the other person. It's certainly enough to make one paranoid.

Regardless, it's momentary, the stiffness. Then, she relaxes and leans against him, just lightly. "That's the thing I actually did. I don't think I could do it again, at least not with my current skill set. The other thing is . . . my mom? She's one of the bad guys. And, um. She'd like me to be one too. I don't think she can find me after the work some locals did to make me disappear, but she and her cabal - amalgam? Whatever - aren't very happy with me. And they're close enough, the other members, that I grew up calling them aunt and uncle. So, I don't know how much risk there is inherent in being my friend anymore, but there may be some. When Austin and I were in China in December and January, they tried to . . . I don't know. Get us on their side, I guess. Austin was almost dead and I would have given in, if Uncle Zeke hadn't let us out. So we came back, and I got a new name. I haven't seen my dad since coming back - no, that's not true. I saw him once, and he saw me, but not long enough to talk. I don't want Mama to be able to get anything from him, and I wouldn't be able to explain why he couldn't tell her anything. He's just a Sleeper."

[Thomas Taylor] He knew she would stiffen up he knew now why she did... when she leans slightly against him he rubs at her back lightly nothing over bearing, nothing to forceful of a full on hug.

Then of course she carries on, and he thought he had it bad with his parents, bad guys can mean a lot of things, and the term amalgam does not mean much to Thomas at the moment. He keeps rubbing her back, even if he did not understand everything he knew it meant something to her, he could feel it in her voice.

“...yeah...” He licks his lips. Poor, poor Morgan. “...Le Fay...I cannot understand that, an for me to say otherwise wud take away from that...wow, am surprised yer sane at all that’s awful.” Thomas looks down, normally he would have fled already or changed conversation, Thomas was not one for getting too deep with people but if he wanted friends, real friends that would have to change on some levels. He might as well start now. “Yer very brave Morgan, braver than most folks, am tryin’ to think of sumthin’ to say but nuthin’ seems robin e’nuff to give wat you went through meanin’...”

[Verity] "I'm not looking for it to be given meaning - I'm a firm believer in trial by fire, and when I come across something I can't manage . . ." She shrugs - survival of the fittest, or however one wants to put it. That bit's easy, and the rest gets hesitation before clarification.

"Mama's . . . Syndicate, I think. Either that or New World Order, but I'm pretty sure it's the former. Technocracy, in either case." Because of course he deserves to know - anyone who wants to be close to her does. Better to make an informed decision than to go into things blind, and possibly end up in trouble.

[Thomas Taylor] The Men in Black...” That makes more sense to him, he nods mouth comes together and the bottom lip goes over the top one for a moment or two. He pats her back “Well lucky you got Tommy onside now pet...” He looks to her his smile weak more for respect of what she has told him. “Well I got sum robin news, it’s scary yeah but ain’t changed nuthin’, ain’t changed you, in fact if anythin’ it explains sum things, ‘elps me understand you a bit better an for that thanks pet.”

He leans in and with a friendly gesture kisses her forehead “Never fear, Tommy’s ere.” What else could he say, the cockney was lost for words, and honestly Morgan had been through the wars.

[Verity] She sighs, and it's a shuddering thing - she still hasn't pulled away from him, despite her usual aversion to tactility. It's a matter of trust, that, as he'd know now; it's not that she doesn't like being touched, or anything like it. The kiss on her forehead gets a hint of a smile, in fact, and she wraps her arms around his waist, looking up at him now, curious. Studying.

"That's what I told James that not many people know. That's the last time we really talked, that night . . . or rather, the morning after. He spent the night and I made breakfast." She doesn't say when exactly that was, but there's a weight that says it's been more than a day or two. "The first bit, most people know. At least, most who were around when it happened, or shortly after. I don't like it, but it's not . . . I don't know. People don't avoid me because of it, not really. They just look at me a bit funny sometimes."

[Thomas Taylor] She studies him, she might notice the now very faded yellow around his right eye, but he was giving her a reassuring smile, a friendly smile. Tom has always been supportive but more in a business sense, or to get his own way sense not like this, he like to think he had a reassuring presence for Morgan but he did not really know.

She talks about James and he nods the smile fading but only a touch the rubbing on her back slows down but keeps going. “Well the ones that judge you on yer mystical awakenin’ are fools pet, blind fools, I ‘ave to say thought you don’t ‘elp yerself, you act very aloof, I dare say if it ain’t been for the club am not sure you an me wud even be considerin’ friendship it ain’t like you an me wud normally work in the same circles” Ah Thomas, always blunt and honest. But it did happen and he was glad for it.

“We ‘ad this convo over the dog so no need to go into it again, like I said talk to James.” His eyes wander past her now (As they did when he did not want to look someone in the eye, it was in his nature) taking in the house, how big it was...how nice it was...

[Verity] "And I said you're way too good of a guy, at least in this." Her head ducks down and turns so she can rest it on his chest for a moment, and then she's letting go - independent, but not as distant as she usually seems. Not so much aloof as reserved, watchful, wary (and generally untrusting, though that seems to have been put aside for Thomas' sake, at least tonight).

The house is not hers - she'd mentioned a roommate who inherited it - but her own place was no less nice in its own way; an apartment in the Gold Coast area is hardly something to sneeze at, especially a dual level, three bedroom affair in a building with a doorman. This is a different sort of nice than where she spent her childhood, but she fits here none the less; she's had friends with similar houses, or with penthouse condos in far nicer sections of town, even. She's a posh totty, indeed.

"I guess I will. Eat your sandwich, yeah? That's what I'm thinking about for Wednesday. I didn't put any horseradish on it because I didn't know if you'd like it, but the sauce is right there. I made it, too." And that's the serious portion of their conversation done, apparently; she's given him the information she thinks he needs, and he hasn't run away. This means she's a lot more relaxed, and a little freer with the touching. "Let me know if you want anything to go with it. The fridge is well stocked."

[Thomas Taylor] She lets go he lets go and goes to sit back down, at the mention of horseradish he is already opening it as she speaks, lifting the sandwich top and layering it on. “’bout the James thing, I didn’t mean to be the one to tell ya ‘onest, but just trend steady, there more than you an James in this, Nat involved too pet...” He sighs, the little midget seemed really happy that day and Thomas scowls a moment. Robin people getting hurt. “It all cums out in the wash I guess...” He liked Morgan, he liked her a lot but something had been hit home for him. It was going to be friendship this one, he knew this now...he would not be second fiddle again, and this was a new start.

“Le Fay the sandwich is to die for pet, real robin.” He holds it up as he takes another bite bringing the beer over and looking at it before having a sip “Just the one for me pet, I got me bike to ride back to me pope.” He tries to take small bites but his hunger does get the better and there is the occasional big mouthful he snatches. Minding his manners enough not to talk when chewing. The sandwich is eaten in record time as he wipes at his lips with his thumb.

“Thanks Le Fay, for the grub an the truth, cross me ‘eart won’t tell another soul.” He moves his fingers over his heart in a cross. He resists lighting up, not only would it be rude but he might not find the house again if he went outside.

[Verity] "It's alright. What if I told you I don't think I'm going to say what you think I'm going to?"

Not that she knows for sure what he thinks she's going to say, of course, but she can read resignation when it's fairly obvious, as it seems to be in Thomas. She hesitates for a moment, picks up the beer she'd gotten for herself to shuffle between her two hands before taking a substantial swig and setting it back down. Then, she's moving to stand next to Thomas, to look at him before bending to kiss his cheek, at the corner of his lips.

"There are a lot of things I'll fight for," she murmurs, then stands back up. "Maybe one day, I'll find a relationship that's one of those things - goodness knows, I have friendships that are. But a relationship with someone I don't know that well isn't one of them. So yeah, I'll talk to him. And I'll say what I need to say. But I want him to be happy, just like I want you and my other friends to be. So, you know. If he's happy with Natyana, good for both of them."

[Thomas Taylor] He looks to her, no he had no idea what she would say, so it all news to him. She kisses his cheek at the corner of his lip, if she is lucky he might not have got on all the horseradish off and might have a slight after taste, or maybe he got it all off. He tilts his head listening to her. It might be resignation but in its own ways it was also release. He never really had that kind of wanting for a girl; he will put it down to being in a new country, growing pains.

He smiles “Pet, you’ll find it, like you say after yer a big shot judge, just don’t date a lawyer, and can only imagine the small talk...” His eyebrows raise as he laughs a little, she needed cheering up, that was a sad tale one that would grind you down if you let it and it was impressive Morgan had not let it.

“Pet the worlds a dark place, we all can only do our best to be ‘appy in it...” He winks reaching into his jacket “you focus on yerself pet, if anyone needs sum ‘appiness it wud be you, but am fairly sure school will bring ya that an the cross country...Yer honour...” He stands and does a mock bow “Permission to smoke yer honour”

[Verity] "I'm not really much good at small talk," she answers with a smirk. "It's usually either something that matters, or quiet. So I guess I'll see someday, yeah?" And this is true; there's a reason she seems so aloof, and it's not (all) Hermetic snobbery. She's not particularly shy, but she's never mastered the art of small talk, of meaningless nothings that have nothing to do with anything.

"Yeah. I'll stand with you. Make sure you don't get lost, if you want to come back in."

She doesn't assume he does - friends or not, she knows he's a guy who's interested in her (or thinks she does), and who's spent a decent part of a phone conversation and the last few minutes encouraging her to work it out with another guy. Which could well mean she's completely wrong, except for the part where he's flat out said that he's interested. Boys and relationships are complicated, a distraction, and not for the first time, Morgan considers a vow of celibacy at least until she's done with undergrad. This doesn't stop her from leading the way outside, and finding a comfy place (upwind) to sit companionably while he has his smoke. "Thanks for listening and being supportive - I don't say stuff like that often enough. It means a lot."

[Thomas Taylor] He nods and gets led outside, lighting up the smoke when she is comfortable (and upwind) as he takes a few drags and sighs contently, he was full, with Morgan and smoking, at the moment that ranked high on his happy list. Thomas was a master of the small talk, if need be he could go on for hours having a conversation that has nothing to do with nothing.

He looks to her when there outside and she speaks. “Don’t fret Le Fay, wat are friends for right if not to be there wen the shit hits the fan?” Those eyebrows rise as he says it smirking. Yes, he did pretty much push her to another guy but he knew he was second fiddle, and to be second best was not Thomas style anymore, he settled for that in England but here he could be different, here he could remake himself.

“I ain’t goin’ just yet pet, still got me beer to finish an all me gears inside, that is unless yer callin’ it a night, you look like yer ready for the sack, an it is late...” He looks to his wrist where his watch was as he taps it twice then puts it to his ear cursing “Damn thing...” He takes a few more drags from the smoke looking out to the sky “So were is yer roommate pet, this place is like a crypt...no offense.”

[Verity] "Oh, I have no idea where he is. He wandered off, so I'm caretaking for now, I guess. There were grand plans for this to be a chapter house, but then . . . well. There's only Ashley, Basil and me, now. So I guess there's not really much need for it, you know?" She shrugs, and some of this is lost on her - she understands the politics and what a chapterhouse is, sure, but she's an apprentice. Not all of it makes sense. "And I'm not calling it a night. I might not like getting close to people, but that doesn't mean I like being all alone in a huge, creepy house all the time."

And the house is a bit on the creepy side, with it's arcane and the weight of goodness knows how much Hermeticism in the air. It's not a Morgan kind of home, despite how naturally she fits into its rich setting.

"So if you're not careful, I may keep you to myself all night."

[Thomas Taylor] A potter house, and a creepy one at that. As she talks he looks back to it, it was a FAR step up from his place but still it was...creepy. He looks back to Morgan “I think a chapter house is were everyone gathers to use there mojo, chat politics an host swinger parties.” He is joking with the last one...well mostly.

Then she says that as he drops the cigarette underfoot and stomps it out the smoke blown from his mouth like dragon fire...women were complex, more complex than he gave crdit for...especially ones that he wanted to be friends with (a strange occurrence) and one he liked, and there she was taunting him or flirting with him. Eyes half close as he regards her “Pet, you tryin’ to seduce me eh?” It was playful, but he had that look about him.

[Verity] "I don't know, is it working?" She's not doing either, intentionally, but she smirks and teases back easily enough despite the bit of blush that rises to her cheeks. Then, "Mostly, I meant there are movies and a couch and popcorn. And if you get tired and need to crash, goodness knows there's plenty of room. You know, if you don't have other plans."

She is, for the most part, a confident [arrogant] young woman; she knows she's pretty, that she's smart, and so on. This doesn't stop her from being uncertain with a boy she'd thought was interested, and now doesn't trust her opinions on the matter, even if it were fair to expect something from him after the James mess and whatever's up with that.

"Though, you know how I feel about the other, more or less." Which is to say, there's potential for anything. And it's not James she asked here tonight.

[Thomas Taylor] A hand comes to his face as he rubs it...just when you’re out your right back in again confusing, yes he was too. He stands up. “Come on pet, it’s gettin’ nippy out ‘ere on yer in yer jimjams!” He smirks about to walk back as he stops turning towards her “Am sick of second guessin’ this shit pet, an of bein’ the better man. cum on lets watch a movie see wat ‘appens, it’s the monkey’s out ‘ere.” He laughs a relieved laugh really, head shaking slightly at the absurdity of it all, chuckling as he holds a hand out for her that she may or may not take.

No one was after a relationship here so what was the problem, it was only a bit of fun, young people being young people. So Tom stands there, leather pants still on, barefooted, black vest hand outstretched for hers. “Pet, if I ‘ad plans trust me, they can wait...”

[Verity] If there's hesitation there, it's indiscernable before he finds her hand in the one he offers; it's softer, smaller. She's worked, sure, but she's never had to, exactly, other than if she wanted things above and beyond - her car, for instance, and the things that go with it. Anything she could possibly need and most things she might want have been provided for her for all of her life, which makes her current life all the more difficult. She has her college fund, sure, and it's been arranged so that she has most of the same financial aid she would have had if things had gone normally (plus a couple loans), but that's not really enough to live on, not in the manner to which she's become accustomed.

"I'm . . . sorry it's so complicated," she says and then it's in to her room (which is very red) to set up a movie. "Floor or bed?" And whichever he chooses, she doesn't push for anything further than companionship, not really. Other than in the way her hand stays in his much of the time, and her head comes to rest on his shoulder - it's First Knight that they're watching, and it's the cinematic version of comfort food to her, apparently.

"I told you my dad's a mythology professor, yeah? Arthurian stuff's kind of his thing. That's why Morgan Lake, respect for him." Pause, and then, "It's not my real name. My real one is Arthurian too, but not as obviously so."

[Thomas Taylor] His hand was rough and strong, a life time of work, fighting and some theft. He grew up in the lowest slums of England fighting everyday for money, or a job, for his education if it had not been for his brother he might have been swallowed by that lifestyle. This lifestyle for him was the adventure, he is doing things he could never do in England, it was amazing.

He leads her in “Life complex Le Fay....” He really had nothing else to add that wouldn’t come out needy, rude, or misunderstood so he goes quiet...ah yes red (She did look good in it) and could be worse could be pink. He chooses the bed of course, a real bed not just a mattress a rare treat. The last time he slept on a bed...well they were both there for that as well.

Hand holding, head resting he is comfortable though he had never seen First Knight before, it was kind of funny. He tilts his head to her (Since her head was on his shoulder and very close anyway) “Yeah you told me ‘bout yer dad, thats sum real interestin’ stuff.” He pauses also “An pet I guessed, Geint or sumthin’ like that right, makes sense to me now like with wat you told me, there is no evil twin is there?” The last said in a lot more of a lighter tone.

[Verity] "Geraint. Enid's my first name, but shh, that's just between us. And no, there's no evil twin that I know of, though I suppose stranger things have happened." She hasn't even told James her real name - it really is just between the two of them, almost. Them, and the people she knew before she became Morgan Lake. "We had to make it harder for Mama to find me if she came looking."

But her daddy's still important to her. And from there, it's movie and cuddling until . . . something else happens, whatever that something else may be.

[Thomas Taylor] He winks to her "Of course pet, hush hush wink wink." He smiles, some one was trusting him on a deeper level he had to admit the sensation was both strange and alluring. "Pet, you need me 'elp for anythin' am 'ere right just give me a bell on the dog..." And of course there so close he would steal a kiss, hopefully one she would give back...

And if there is cuddling later then he would hope more kissing, but nothing more, not just yet...it had been a revealing night and Tom had had a busy day