( what a strange illusion it is to suppose that beauty is goodness )

[rhinemaid]

Who: Ilde Decima and Isobel Saltzman. SPECIAL GUEST STAR: Cinderella.
What: Walk of shame, breakfast, HEY YOU WITH THE FACE. Texting Cindy.
Where: Queequeg's.
When: Sukkardi morning.
Notes: Two separate threads!
Warnings: Stay tuned, I'll edit if necessary.

A vampire's kitchen is not exactly ... well, it's useless, to put not too fine a point on it. Ilde drinks a glass of water while she finds all of her clothes, debating cafés - she can stop somewhere before she catches a train back to Raven's Gate, probably - then jumps in the shower, changes her bandage, and is already on her way out the door and thinking about texting Cindy when she gets Isobel's message, which slightly alters her plans. Queequeg's means a light breakfast, but it was already going to be light and they do have orange juice, in amongst the obscene number of coffee variants.

(Most of which are a little too much for her system, unfairly.)

She walks most of the way, catches the El briefly and texts Cindy while she's at it (Is it a walk of shame if I'm pleased with myself?), and she's up on the deck with orange juice and a sandwich by mid-morning.

This conversation is going to be interesting, she thinks; she's just not sure what kind, yet.

Comments

[vampiringly.livejournal.com]

Once Katherine makes her move plain, Isobel rises to hug her as well, breathing an inward sigh of relief. It seems to be going well, better than Isobel could have hoped for back in Mystic Falls.

Isobel answers Katherine's question with a smile and a shake of her head, body language undeniably also happy to see Katherine. "It's never a crowd with you, Katherine." It's mostly true from Isobel's perspective, but it's also simply her laying on the flattery. She knows how to play this game. "It's been a while since we've seen each other. You know I wouldn't turn down your company."

[rhinemaid]

"As well one shouldn't." Ilde waves her lightly into a third seat, sinking back down into her own as they greet each other. Katherine's presence sets her at ease in a way that's telling of her particular defense mechanisms; she'd seemed serene more than stiff, placid and patient, but the difference is palpable when she settles enough to emote. "Isobel caught me on my way home. Light breakfast."

[manipulativni.livejournal.com]

"Mm, and how did that go?" Katherine asks once she's seated, smirking playfully at Ilde from behind her coffee cup. The flattery is appreciated, and she turns to Isobel with a slightly warmer smile once she sets her cup on the surface of the table. "It's really been too long - not that there was much that could be done about it."

She sits back a bit, glancing back and forth between the two identical women. "So how have you two been getting on?"

[vampiringly.livejournal.com]

Ilde may have relaxed enough in Katherine's company, but Isobel's body language remains the same. The black-haired vampire has never been much of one to show emotions she's feeling at any given time unless doing so will net her something in return. She has tight control over what she expresses and that doesn't change, no matter who she's with. Not even Katherine.

Isobel patiently waits her turn to speak, glancing at Ilde and tilting her head a little before she returns her attention to Katherine. "Quite well," she answers, with a smile. "Ilde has been telling me about the city. It's quite the interesting place."

And she's got a vampire-specific question for Katherine later on that she's not particularly keen on asking in front of Ilde. Make that two, actually.

[rhinemaid]

Katherine's query about the night before gets a quick, sharp smile; suffice to say, evidently, it went well. The last time Katherine smelled blood on her, she'd been considerably less pleased about how it happened.

"We had a little misunderstanding," she adds, of how she and Isobel have been getting along, "but I think we've cleared it up." For now.

[manipulativni.livejournal.com]

Katherine chuckles, though she's curious about what Ilde means by 'misunderstanding'. Knowing Isobel, it's possible that she tried something, but she won't question it for now. She can ask either about what happened later.

"That would be the understatement of the century," she says before nibbling on her chocolate croissant. She follows the bite with a swallow of coffee, then brushes her fingers off as she glances between them again. "I'm glad to hear it. I'd been hoping for the best."

[vampiringly.livejournal.com]

Isobel has no intention of telling Katherine what went on between her and Ilde - at least not right now. If Katherine asks later, she'll answer, perhaps honestly, but for now, she prefers to leave that topic completely alone.

"We seem to be adjusting to the situation." Meaning the whole doppelganger thing. Which... is also something Isobel needs to find out. "And I hope the day has been treating you well, Katherine."

[rhinemaid]

Ilde will tell Sonja, later at home, and Katherine if she asks, but it's not casual breakfast conversation and she's just as content to leave it at 'misunderstanding' for the time being. These things happen, and all that...

"Usually I'm just supposed to look a bit like my grandmother*," she remarks, of their uncanny similarity.




* Pictured.