multiversallogs | A stranger I've just met, a woman who I hardly know at all and should forget [CLOSED]

Who: Mina and Castiel
What: Either a date or an exercise in poor decision-making
Where: A pub
When: The end of monster week (back-dated)
Notes: None
Warnings: None yet

Mina made it a point to arrive at the pub earlier, after doing a cursory job of tidying up a bit. She had managed to wash most of the blood off of her, but she was hardly as put-together as she usually liked. The sleeves of her purple button-down were rolled up, her collar unbuttoned, her tie untied. Normally, she liked to be meticulous with her appearance (perhaps due to so many years of having to hide certain parts of her body) but the onslaught outside had set Mina's priorities, if nothing else. Quite frankly, she hated the idea of leaving her first aid station, but she had to feed and meeting with Castiel gave her a reasonable alibi. Fortunately, she had found a few volunteers to mind the shop.

After quickly scanning the room, and making sure that she had arrived first, Mina sidled up to the bar, ordering herself a drink. She took whatever it was that passed for blood around here, having it mixed with copious amounts of alcohol to mask the smell and the texture. She'd call it a 'Bloody Mary' or something. Extra virgin. Although that would apparently offend the Hellsing people.

Taking a sip, she sat down, resting her elbows on the bar, watching the door. What new surprises lay in store tonight, she wondered. Castiel clearly had some kind of agenda. No man ever called her beautiful without having some kind of agenda. Furthermore, she wondered what he was. If he came from 2014, or whatever, and remembered the 20's, he was something other than Human. But what? He hadn't recognized her subtle hint about the Mekhet, so clearly not a Kindred.

If nothing else, it would be interesting...

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"No," Mina agreed. "I can't. I can only make judgments based on what's in front of me. And that is precisely what I am judging to be worthy of my attention." It was a bit of a line, but Mina figured that women were every bit as much entitled to lines as men. And anyway, she was being genuine for this rare moment.

"I sense that you've been brutally honest with me," she continued. "And I fear, I have not returned the favor."

Cas smiles again, dips his chin into his chest, and pulls that drink closer taking a deep swig and licking his lips before speaking.

"You don't owe me anything."

Mina watched him for a moment with her calculating eyes. "Of course I don't," she said. Mina didn't owe anyone anything. Not here. Not all that much back home either, for that matter. And she was always quite careful about repaying her boons as quickly as possible. "But I do believe in karma. I believe you get what you give." She shrugged. "Most of the time, anyway." The concept rarely applied to her.

"Karma is just about as cruel as fate," he remarked dryly over the rim of his cup. "Don't feel obligated to share anything, mystery, I think is what makes life stay interesting."

She gave him a bit of a dull look. This was hardly occasion to be speaking in metaphors. And she had a nagging suspicion, now, that perhaps he knew something. But what could he know? Unless, that is, he had some kind of extrasensory perception he wasn't letting on about. Auspex could be surprisingly useful.

"All I want to share," Mina said, "is that I won't be sleeping with you. Not tonight. We've only just met and I don't believe in love at first sight." She knew that the notion of needing love to go to bed with someone had been outdated since the 1920s, but she was old fashioned in that way. And she didn't care to analyze why. "However," she continued, clearing her throat, "if you're serious about some kind of...courtship, relationship, whatever you want to call it, I will give you something else."

Cas is surprised at that, it's been so long since anyone has protested or he's been read that well so after a pause of silence and a longer than usual drink he folded his arms over the table and raised his brow. "Should I ask what it is?" There was no denying his wishes and he'd long since stopped caring about decency when it came to the subject but he was still surprised at her being so casual and forthright about it, pleasantly so, and was willing to hear her out.

"My address," she replied. He would never quite know the weight that this carried. A Kindred was deathly secretive about her haven. Giving it out was occasionally tantamount to suicide. In all of her time in Chicago, Mina had only mustered up the courage to share it with one other person, and that had been her own niece. The very thought of giving it to Doyle or anyone else had been terrifying.

But that was the past. She had to consider the future now.

She leaned in, looking at Castiel, a glint of amusement in her eyes. "Don't sent chocolates. I'm deathly allergic. But I like tiger lilies and hibiscus." Anything but roses, really. She paused. "Purple foxglove too, but I doubt you'll find any here."

Cas doesn't know much about her, or her history but he can acknowledge just like anyone that this is a big deal so he only nods in response and drains the rest of his glass.

"I'll keep it in mind."

Mina leaned back, relaxing a little bit. Frankly, she had no idea what to expect at this point. She might never hear from him again. Admittedly, she knew she could be high maintenance, especially to someone who was just looking for a frantic tumble and a shy goodbye. She could only hope that there was a little bit more to Castiel than that.

She took her old prescription pad out of her pocket, pulling the pen out from the spiral binding. "This is just temporary," she said, scribbling down her address and room number. "Until I can find better accommodations. And as I said, I'm hoping to open my own clinic. The Mary Read Clinic, after my hospital in Chicago. I think it has a nice ring to it." She ripped the page from the binding, setting it face down and sliding it along the bar to him.

Cas picked the piece of paper up and looked at it before folding it and placing it in his pocket. He raised his drink to her, a small grin on his lips, and then drained the rest of the glass. "This evening has been productive," and not in the usual sense for him. "Thanks for having me out."

Mina couldn't really read his intentions. Not that it mattered, she supposed. Best case scenario, they might establish some kind of relationship for a good, long while. Worst case scenario, they never saw each other again and this had simply been a few hours she wouldn't get back again. Of course, she had an unlimited number, so it was no great loss.

"Thank you for inviting me," she said cheerfully.

"I think it was you that invited me," Cas said softly pushing the glass to the side and discarding it. "I should get back. People may be starting to wonder where I am."

"What can I say?" she said, standing up politely, taking off her hat. "I'm brazen that way." She bowed her head. "Have a lovely evening."

Cas bowed his own head in return, staying seated for her leave. "You as well."

A stranger I've just met, a woman who I hardly know at all and should forget [CLOSED]

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