Log: Complete

[razrsharp.livejournal.com]

When; Aug. 25 (noonesque)
Rating; PG?
Characters; Lupe Salvatore tabloider, Nicholas Brocklehurst razrsharp
Summary; The switch from coffee to tea is a long hard journey best conducted under casual conversation.
Log;

Nicholas waited for her at the outdoor deck of Café Juliet. It had only occurred to him now he had never actually seen the reporter in person, not even during his daily rounds about the City. He had an idea whom to expect, just as he assumed she had already pegged him for the only blonde man at the establishment dressed in a completely pressed dark blue business suit with off-white shirt and a black and silver pin striped tie. A first time for everything he supposed, a perfect opportunity to talk and convert another to the taste of tea. His palate preferred it over coffee, especially the corporate home grown sort.

Brocklehurst's blue gaze kept an eye out just over the rim of his cup on the approaching individuals.

Comments

[razrsharp.livejournal.com]

Brocklehurst had a hard time keeping a straight face while hearing it. He'd been around for nearly two months now and somehow managed to talk of 'reapers' and 'angels' as if they were prime ministers and presidents.

"No dossier on this vampire's background prior to arrival," Nicholas asked, his tone having shifted from casual to professional.

[tabloider.livejournal.com]

"Mmm..." Lupe flipped through the notebook, found a page, and ran a finger down the text until she got to a cross-reference, then picked up another one, foud the right page, and flipped it open.

"Just a relation to a certain Divia."

[razrsharp.livejournal.com]

"A vampire as well," he asked again while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

A fucking riot that would have been. He could only imagine his superiors' reactions; have Brocklehurst take necessary leave or just throw him directly into psychiatric ward. Vampires, complete rubbish. He raised his cup for another sip. Lacroix had mentioned a daughter once, in a most disapproving tone.

"And not involved with that Hellsing-Millennium feud," Nicholas smirked. It would be a surprise to him for a man like Lacroix (fucking Macintyre) to not have at least one finger in that pie.

[tabloider.livejournal.com]

"Yes." Lupe leaned back and recrossed her legs, one ankle bobbing in time to her thoughts.

"Not openly, at least." She shrugged once more, readjusted the cuff of her jacket. "Different worlds."

But now, she was curious. What did this man want with him.

"And, why does Nicholas inquire?"

[razrsharp.livejournal.com]

"I've grown skeptical of his ethics," the blond offered another smile after a sip of tea.

Not entirely a bold faced lie. The answer was in the interpretation of his words.

[tabloider.livejournal.com]

"I think it's pretty obvious his club is hardly..." Lupe smirked, "The most reputable of places?" She lifted a shoulder, slipped her notebooks back in her purse, and took a long drink.

"The customers there are usually the mosre shady types, most not human, and I've seen the drink selection. I do believe blood can be obtained, if you ask, unless that vamp sitting next to me had a really bitter Bloody Mary."

[razrsharp.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't doubt it."

His smirk turned into a grin. Peddling blood for diamonds, an interesting twist that could have worked just as well in his own home world. Funny to think of it that way, Nicholas had thought it was the only world. His blue gaze flicked towards the crowd then back to Lupe. Fortunately he wasn't interested in blood or poorly made Bloody Marys. Lacroix would likely attack him on sight, or just throw his arse out into the street.

"Is there anything I could relay to you, Ms. Salvatore," Brocklehurst offered. His curriculum vitae was public, save for those ten missing years Christopher and Faye pointed out.

[tabloider.livejournal.com]

"Is there anything you're holding out?~" Lupe countered, leaning forward to prop her chin on her hands and size him up.

"You and the owner have a beef? Slighted? Business partner? Wrong side of the law?" She was deathly curious, by nature as well as profession, and she wasn't about to let it go without at least trying.

[razrsharp.livejournal.com]

"On the contrary I believe it may be he who is holding out on me," he countered Lupe's counter swiftly.

"The man knew my name, my colleague's name, and a bit of our background prior to arrival. I don't believe we hail from the same time and place," Nicholas chose his words carefully lest his own straight face crumble over the word dimension or parallel universe.

[tabloider.livejournal.com]

"Considered the possibility he may be from your world?" Lupe asked, completely serious.

"If it's one thing I've learned here, it's that, even in the worlds where humans think they're the only ones around, there always seems to be some sort of force in the backgrounds. I've seen demons, shinigami, arrancar, vampires... all who claim they've managed to remain hidden among humans."

[razrsharp.livejournal.com]

"Yes," that was his initial belief, "I did sometimes refer to the bastard as a bloody leech," Brocklehurst laughed briefly.

But the undead in his world? Vampires, demons, arrancar, werewolves, angels? He couldn't believe that. It wasn't any different than the comic books that explained Hitler used magic to keep Superman from stopping his war machine. It was all fantasy, something to give the idealists and optimists a reason to keep believing in the better. The Englishman set his now empty cup aside.

"Where I come from, people have more to fear from a ballot than they do a werewolf," he smiled, completely the opposite of patronizing. Lupe seemed like a lovely and sensible woman, he had no need to patronize her.

[tabloider.livejournal.com]

"Mm, keep it in mind."

At the mention of ballots, she laughed out loud, a short, barking short of noise belied by her delicate, quite female, appearance. She wasn't fond of politics.

"Election year?"

[razrsharp.livejournal.com]

He quirked a blond brow over that laugh. It brought a smile to his face, maybe Lupe was more familiar with his 2007 than he thought.

"Almost, November 4, 2008 isn't far. The new PM's already wringing his hands about getting in bed with a Democrat," Nicholas grinned.

[tabloider.livejournal.com]

"Heh." Lupe snorted rather unladylike, took a long drink and shook her head, sending her hair whipping about her face as she waved her hand dismissively.

"Politics." Another laugh. "It's always about getting into bed with someone."

[razrsharp.livejournal.com]

"Isn't that the truth," he said in agreement with her.

"You're from 2007 then? I wouldn't know what else to call it here. It's August for me now, following Tony's resignation," Nicholas nodded. He spoke lightly of the event, but truly he hadn't been fond of Mr. Blair.

[tabloider.livejournal.com]

"May, for me." Lupe nodded. "The hottest one L.A.'s seen in a long time, phew." She waved her hand in a parody of fanning herself.

"Tensions running high, gang violence, new stories, you know the drill."

[razrsharp.livejournal.com]

"Days after another anniversary for April 29, 1992," Nicholas remarked with a single nod.

Suffice it to say, he hadn't actually been in Los Angeles for that lovely demonstration of anarchy. He would have asked if she'd written about it, but Salvatore didn't look that old to him. Neither would he dare to ask; woman's prerogative.

[tabloider.livejournal.com]

"Ah, well." Lupe shrugged again, finishing off her tea with a dramatic flourish.

"Good news is, there is a coffee substitute out there, ah?"

[razrsharp.livejournal.com]

"Congratulations. You're officially British," he said to her with a feigned typically English stiff upper lip. "I suggest a black blend for high tea," offered the blond in good humor.

"My treat," Nicholas added, for the drink and the pastry, her company and her information.

[tabloider.livejournal.com]

Lupe giggled a bit, hiding it behind her hand as she stood and brushed off her knees, shaking her head a bit in a chuckle.

"And you've motivated me to go get my ass back in my apartment." She added. "Congratulations to you."

[razrsharp.livejournal.com]

He rose to his feet when she stood as well. A gentleman's habit, resulting from extensive grooming by MI6.

"The pleasure's all mine, Ms. Salvatore," Nicholas accepted with a smile. "If you require any help with that, ring me," he nodded to her, "have a good day."

[tabloider.livejournal.com]

"Lupe, please." She nodded as well, giving the man one last smile before she redonned her dark glasses and disappeared back into the crowds of the City.

She had a story to do.

[razrsharp.livejournal.com]

"Lupe," he obliged before reclaiming his seat and watching her depart through the crowds.

[ooc: Shall I label this a complete job X3?]

[tabloider.livejournal.com]

{ooc: if you would~! ♥}