2019-09-14 - Chilling and Chatting

The fact that Isolde was curled up with a newspaper, looking at job and housing ads totally had nothing to do with the fact that she'd woken up in the middle of the night multiple times this week with Alexander just staring at her. She understood that he was concerned about more people going missing, like his friend Violet. Or possibly getting Lost even. But with unsuccessful attempts thus far to get in touch with Dr. Glass, Isolde decided to try looking at other job possibilities.

Also she noticed little houses being built during one of her walks! And was hoping to find some more information about that project. Wouldn't it be so cute to live in something like that? Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, laying over her right shoulder and she was clad in a pair of black flannel pants and a white tank top.

Speaking of stalkers with the best intentions, Alexander comes back home. His clothing is the same as usual - a too-big army jacket that the weather is actually still too warm for, a battered t-shirt and jeans underneath. He does look different, though; he's gotten a more fashionable haircut, short at the sides and the back, although long enough up top to sweep back or flop forward, depending. Right now, he's been running his hands through it, so it's swept back and a little mussed.

He's muttering under his breath as he closes the door behind him; not angry, but thoughtful. Luigi flies from the cage to his shoulder, and he grins at the bird, reaching up to scratch his crest before his eyes find Isolde. A flicker of relief. She's there. "Hello, Isolde. Are you well?" He moves to the kitchen to chop up some veggies for the bird, but his eyes slip back to her, studying what she's reading.

Isolde peeked up when Alexander watched him. Studying him with that expression that says she knows something is different just not what. That gaze follows him to the kitchen. Then. "Oh! You have new hair." Isolde shifted, carefully folding up the classified section of the paper and standing up to join him, leaning in the doorway.

"I am okay. Just looking at jobs. I like your hair. Who did it?" Curious as she folded her arms loosely across her chest.

"Less hair, not necessarily new hair," Alexander says, but with a smile. He puts the chopped up fruits and veg in a small bowl, and picks out a bit of something to lift up to the bird. Luigi takes it politely in one foot and nibbles on it. Alexander picks up a bit of plum, next, and pops it into his mouth, before offering the bowl to Isolde as she joins him. "Isabella cut it. I'm glad you like it." He glances over at the classifieds, then back to her. "Anything look good, jobs-wise?"

Isolde picks out a piece of carrots. "She did a good job! Maybe she should cut mine..." Isolde lifted her long ponytail and then chuckled. "But I think I would miss it." She eats the carrots piece and looks towards the classifieds. "A couple things. Nothing as fun as the Lavender. But stable. I will get with Isabella soon! So we can shop for clothes and stuff. And I'll start applying." A beat of pause. "ID first though. State ID first." Nodding matter of factly.

Alexander considers her for a long moment. "I think it looks nice as it is," he muses, after some thought. "Although trying new things might feel good, too. So enjoy it, whatever you decide." He looks a little sheepish, though, at the good job remark, although he doesn't seem displeased. As she goes on, a smile appears. "Good. You should have something stable. Just stay away from the Firefly Club, okay? Even if they're looking for waitresses or whatever." Are they? He doesn't know. "ID'll be important. And shopping sounds fun. You seem pretty happy these days, Isolde." A smile, then.

"Stay away from Firefly Club. I will." Isolde promised with a nod. Idly toying with a few strands of hair before letting them fall away. "I think for now I will keep it. But maybe I will ask Isabella what she thinks. It's nice having friends." She smiles a touch. "You seem happier too Alexander. It is a good thing." She shifts to snag another piece of carrot. "Things are good here. Despite the bad things. And the voices trying to make me upset."

"It has its moments," Alexander says, with a shrug. But then his smile, faint as it is, fades away. "The voices?" There's no doubt there - voices are just another part of the world he lives in - but there's a careful concern in his voice. "What's going on?"

Isolde shrugs, still with that hint of a smile. "There's always voices. They never went away, it's just easier to ignore them. Usually." She furrowed her brow a moment. "But it's okay." Trying to reassure him. "If it gets bad I will tell you."

"Mm." Alexander continues to study her, even while Luigi - irritated that all this human talk has interrupted his ability to be fed treats - makes his way slowly down Alexander's arm, clinging to his jacket, until he can sit on his hand and access the bowl for himself. There's a flutter of wings at the indignity of having to feed himself like that. "All right. Just let me know if things escalate or anything." A breath out. Then, a sneaky sort of smile. "So. How are things with Itzhak? Or should I not ask?" Teasing, there, just gently.

Isodle couldn't help a soft chuckle as she watched Luigi travel down to the bowl. There's a faint hint of pink when he asked about Itzhak. "Things are good. I think." She offers up. "He has been staying with his....friend. Because of the Ghoul stuff." The way she says 'friend' is a little uncertain. Like she doesn't even know if that's the right word to use but she's not going to dwell on it. Shrugging. "We're going to be going on a date with August and Ellie soon! That will be fun. We need to figure out a time for our picnic stuff too with you and Isabella."

Another of those thoughtful noises from Alexander as he listens, and watches her face. "Good. And yeah. I hope we'll be able to resolve the Ghoul stuff, soon. I'm afraid Itzhak got sucked into it a bit more than I ever wanted, but..." he takes a deep breath. "It should work out okay. I think we're going to be able to put him down for good. Or at least for a long time. And then things should quiet down, and there'll be time for, uh, picnics." A rueful glance to the outdoors. "If we can find a time that isn't raining." He brightens. "I have a client. Like. Someone who is actually paying me. That's a nice change, after all of this. I'm going to try to focus more. On paying work."

"I'm sure there will be a day for picnics." Isolde gave a grin then, perfectly happy to move on from the Ghoul talk. "A paying job? I thought those didn't exist anymore." Teasing him gently, reacing out to carefully give Luigi a little scritch. "I'm glad to hear it though. What is the job?"

Luigi bobs upright as Isolde's hand approaches, but - unlike when she first arrived - the bird doesn't open his beak in a threatening display. Instead, he allows her to scritch the small, itchy feathers around his neck, moving his head this way and that to make sure she does it PROPERLY. Alexander watches with fond amusement. "Just looking into something," he says, a touch evasively. "It's better if you don't know the details. The whole thing might get a little delicate. But not 'undead serial killer ancestor' delicate, so is it weird that I'm actually looking forward to it?" A pause. "That is weird, isn't it? It's weird. Sorry."

Isolde cooed softly the to bird, a little French term of endearment. Then let her fingers fall away after a few extra moments after Alexander explained. "I understand."When he didn't want to give too many details. Then chuckled. "It might be weird, but it makes sense. I'm sure things lots of stuff is better than undead serial killer stuff!" She relaxed against the doorway again. "I might try to find work on the boardwalk. I like it out there."

"So many things are better than undead serial killer stuff," Alexander agrees, firmly. Luigi whistles back to Isolde's cooing, then just jumps into the bowl and starts stomping around in the veggies, picking through them for the tastiest bits. "Luigi, you're going to get your feet all sticky," Alexander chides. The bird does not care, and he sighs, glancing back up at her with a smile. "Not a bad idea. Especially if you don't mind the rain. Tourist season is about over, though, so I'd look now - you might be able to snag a job from one of the college students heading back to Hoaquim."

"Ohh maybe! That's a good idea.I will go look tomorrow maybe." Isolde nodded. "I like the rain. Sort of. Not when it thunders and lightnings but otherwise..." She also seems to remember something else as she brightens up again. "Did you like the cookies??" This was the first time they'd properly gotten to chat in a while, so Isolde hadn't gotten to ask him before - but did notice they were gone from the baking sheet at least.

Alexander snorts at Isolde's words. "The mark of the true Pacific Northwesterner," he claims, with a lazy sort of grin. He puts the bowl-and-bird on the counter, and Luigi seems content to be allowed to root through it on his own, although he gives them both a beady-eyed look before resuming. Alexander nods. "I did. You baked them beautifully." He doesn't ask about his last culinary experiment, which was definitely not a success, even if he dutifully ate his way through it over a couple of days. "Your baking is a good thing."

They both did! Because...well, to not was wasteful and they had A LOT of vegetables and stuff to work through and figure out what to do with. Isolde nearly beamed when he approved of them. The cookies had been average at best, but average was a great thing! "I'm glad you liked them! Maybe I will try other cookies sometime. I was glad to not burn anything." And that nothing had tried to burn her!

"Sure. You should. I like cookies," Alexander says, easily. "Never turn down someone offering to bake cookies for me." A playful waggle of his eyebrows, like that's the ooonly reason. "And I'll...get a little extinguisher. If we're gonna be cooking, probably good to have something around to be safe. Just in case." Because neither of them are that great at it, and it's Gray Harbor. Who the hell knows what they'll have to use that on, in the end. "State ID, you said. You looking to get something legal, or?" No judgment in his voice, just thoughtful. Although he does add, "I can always call Portland for you, see what you need to do to get them to send a copy of your birth certificate." So he probably does have a preference.

Isolde giggled a bit. "A fire extinguisher is a good idea." She looked thoughtful when he mentioned Portland. "I was thinking legal. Yes." Rubbing at the back of her neck. She had never made it on the back of milk cartons or anything but she wondered if people would recognize her name. Surely not after so long right?

She wondered about her parents who were definitely real. And briefly on the possibility she had a sibling or two maybe. Then Isolde realized she had been silent and cleared her throat. "Yes. If you can. Call . I'd appreciate it."

Alexander stares at her a bit. Does he look guilty? Just a little. He reaches out to stroke Luigi's wing, getting a twittery sound of protest from the bird, then ducks away, slipping around Isolde and heading into his office. He returns in only a few moments with a file folder, which is offered. He clears his throat. "I sort of already did. Here's all the applications, and what they'll need from you. I thought." A pause. "Just in case. When you were ready." He offers the folder to her.

Isolde watches Alexander curiously add he disappears into his office. Then those eyes go wide when he produces the folder. She hesitated briefly before finally taking the folder. "...thank you Alexander." Holding it her hands as if it was something that could break "....Why?" Finally looking back up at him.

Alexander shrugs. "Because you're my friend. And I want you to have the option to have whatever you want to have. I don't want to pressure you to take on anything you aren't ready for, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to have some of the legwork done, if you decided that you wanted," a gesture at the file folder, "to get an ID, and things. I couldn't get it for you, obviously, but I could remove some of the red tape."

Isolde nodded again, looking down to the folder once more. "You are a good friend." She drew in a soft breath and gripped the folder tighter. As if in affirmation. "I will look at this tonight. Maybe I will go to the library tomorrow and see Harper! And work on things." The library was a good, quiet place to do so. And maybe, if there was information about her parents...maybe get in touch.

"Not that good," Alexander says, quietly. But he smiles as she draws in that breath. "Good. I think Harper will be able to help you get anything you don't have." He comes close to study her with that flat, intense look he gets. "You feeling okay? About moving forward with things?"

Isolde looked up when he came closer, nodding a bit. Those clear blue eye staring right back. Most people likely got intimidated or uncomfortable but Isolde barely gave a second thought about the look. "I think so." She decided finally. "Moving on-forward is...good. This is all a good thing. Did you see the little houses they're building? Do you think those would be a good place to live maybe? When they're done?"

Alexander holds her gaze for a little longer, just doing the best he can to assess her feelings without reaching out for them. Eventually, he nods. "Good." He relaxes, and smiles. "I've walked past the construction. And yes, that's a decent part of town, and as long as the houses themselves are stable, it should be fine." He chuckles. "Bonus: with new construction, you shouldn't have to worry about a horrible ghost haunting. Do you think you'd like one?"

Isolde seems relatively fine! Trying to keep a positive outlook on things. She laughed softly. "That is a bonus. I would rather not live in a haunted house." Shifting a touch. "Maybe. I don't think I can afford renting a regular house yet. And I don't need a lot of room anyhow." Just enough for herself, and her future frogs! And space to have a couple people over here and there. "I am going to keep my eye on them."

Alexander grins. "Well. Keep saving up, and we'll see what we can do about it. It's a good thing to have your own space. And room for frogs." Yes, he knows what she wants the room for. "And a bed," he adds, entirely innocently. Yes. Entirely. Ignore the teasing glint in his eyes. Around then, his phone chimes at him, and he pulls it out, frowning down at it. "Now? Really?" He types back. "I...have to go take care of something, Isolde. Sorry. Don't die," he tells her, with more than the usual sternness, then heads for the door.

Isolde grins. Ignore the blushing. "Room for frogs and a bed." She agrees before moving back too the couch. "You don't die either."Isolde offers watching him leave and then slowly starting to open up the folder.