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Alive
Apr 19, 2017 2:04:52 GMT -5
Post by Orfeo on Apr 19, 2017 2:04:52 GMT -5
(( Ventia)) Sadly, Reaver had to resort to this. Sad in his mind because he was never a fan of people that he couldn't verify at first glance. But the truth was that he had all but run out of options ever since his encounter with the lady-killer. Dead ends, false leads, and too many encounters where he arrived just a second too late for him to do anything even slightly meaningful. Frustration lead to desperation. Ren was the one that had to constantly remind him that this was, in fact, a good thing. Yes, she ignored the means of contact or the fact that the he had never met this anonymous source before. "Look to the future," she kept reminding him, albeit with an uncharacteristic amount of optimism with a smile. "You of all people should know that help comes from the least likely of places." Her smile would become sly and he, either out of frustration or because he had grown tired of her games, kicked her out of his apartment for the time being. He could not afford to have her as a distraction anyway, not at least for the next hour or so. That's how long he assumed this meeting would take place for if nothing went out of hand. He sighed, hating having to use his apartment as the meeting spot. That was partly his fault considering that he could afford to rent out a small office in some broken down building somewhere. A situation like this just hadn't crossed his path before. The lady, who didn't even introduce herself by name, was set to arrive anytime now. So he sat in silence, a cup of tea - now cold - in hand, and waited for the knock on his door. Of course a thousand different thoughts were going through his mind. As many doubts as he had about this informant, Ren did speak some form of truth. It could very well be that she could have information that would finally put him back on track. He wasn't looking for a miracle, rather he just wanted to see what she knew, and then some. For all he knew, the lady could be related to the killer. Why else would she have contacted him anonymously? Protection, and in that regard, he wondered why she hadn't gone to the police yet. Or perhaps she couldn't and he was the next best thing? "Argh, fuck me." Reaver frowned, rubbing at the back of his head as he finished off the last of his tea. He made his way over to the small dining table which he had set up so that it could at least have some resemblance to that of an office. Make it look very, well, official. As much as he could figure out what an official table would look like in an office. The room was cleaner than usual and he made sure to open the windows so fresh air could circulate around the room for a while. On the table he had a few of the folders opened up and a couple others closed, the ones opened pertaining to the current case. He had been reviewing all the information that he had just so that he'd be able to tell fresh if the lady had anything new to add to the investigation or not. The closed folders referred to other cases, but the one closest to where he was going to sit, which sat sealed on his desk, pertained to his investigation on the disappearance of Katie. It was a thin folder - he hardly had anything to go off besides the missing person's report that Ventia had filed and one picture from when she was still a child. Besides a couple extra handwritten notes from himself, nothing else added to her investigation. He still hadn't told Ventia that he was looking for her daughter, or more like, he was unable to bring himself to do it. Not until he was able to provide some solid information, be it good news or bad. Despite the sense of dread he felt whenever he looked at the folder, Reaver couldn't just turn away from it either. Stubbornness. He refused to stop. Reaver reached up and stretched out the collar of his shirt a little, gulped, and with a sigh he sat and waited for the woman to arrive, half expecting her to be a no-show.
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Alive
Apr 28, 2017 23:41:39 GMT -5
Post by Ventia on Apr 28, 2017 23:41:39 GMT -5
No one knew what Ivy was up to today. Matter of fact, no one knew what she's been up to for the past few days. Ivy intended to keep it that way. If Jaimie or Clara knew what she's been up to, they would have forbid her to even step one foot outside. Hell, they'd probably pack up and leave.
After all, having some detective hot on her heels wasn't something that anyone wanted.
But this was Reaver and whether she liked it or not, he was investigating her. Which meant, sooner or later, Clara would find out and try to eliminate him. Whether that was by erasing any memories he had of the killings or something far worst, Ivy wouldn't allow it to happen. After all, Reaver once had been her best friend.
She stared at the simple tattoo underneath a sea of more elaborate ones before pushing the red hair out of her face. He hadn't recognized her voice on the phone and she already slipped by him once on the street and he hadn't seen to notice, so Ivy was pretty certain that he didn't get a clear look at her in the alleyway.
Still, Ivy didn't know exactly what was going to happen in there. Her mother taught her to think of everything that could happened, of everything that wouldn't happened, and to always to ready for the unknown. Should she turn back? Ivy knew she couldn't.
It wasn't just her wanting to know how close he was to finding her out. It was also simply because Ivy wanted to see how his life was now. And to stand in front of him, without feeling that hatred that she had felt before. A weak spot, she knew. But nonetheless, Ivy knew herself far too much to know that she wouldn't be able to simply walk away.
His scent had changed, Ivy realized just behind the door. She frowned at that, not really knowing why it bugged her. After all, he couldn't always smell like blueberries and pain. Ivy blew out the air she held and knocked twice on the door.
She stepped back, pushing the thick red braid towards her left side and raising a eyebrow as she listened for his footsteps. She was dressed casually, with jeans, sneakers, and a tank top with a thin jacket over. She probably should have went differently, but fancy clothes made her too fidgety. So Ivy stayed with what she knew.
"Excuse me?" She asked, after the door was still close.
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Alive
Apr 29, 2017 1:54:58 GMT -5
Post by Orfeo on Apr 29, 2017 1:54:58 GMT -5
He quickly abandoned all form of thought for one second when he perked his head up at the knock on the door. Half knowing that there really was somebody outside and half expecting it to simply be his imagination, Reaver held himself still and fought the urge to run at the door and swing it open. Nevertheless he reached out with his hand and took a hold of his walking cane, biting at his lip anxiously as his foot tapped continuously against the hard wooden floor. It could be Ren playing him for a fool again, or just the manager asking for the rent he forgot to pay, or it could have been the person he was waiting for. Reaver looked up at a clock on the wall and noticed that, sure enough, it was around the time that the two had agreed to meet upon.
It was, at last, the unmistakeable voice that finally brought Reaver to his senses and caused him to get up with a quick and sudden start. "A minute!" He called out, stumbling out of his chair and cursing loudly as he hit his knee against the corner of the table. Reaver rushed to the door, cane clacking loudly against the wood, but stopped before he reached for the handle. At a nearby mirror he checked his face, opened his mouth to look inside, did his best to rub out some of the tired look in his eyes, and finally ran his hand over his hair at least a dozen times to make sure it looked alright, despite it ending looking just as messy as it had been before.
He couldn't explain the sudden need of perfection when it came to his appearance but he couldn't simply jump off this high either. A sense of excitement overtook the nerves in his body where before he could only feel pessimism and dread. First impressions mattered. Reaver knew that the better he presented himself the better things could go. It finally dawned on him, as she stood waiting outside his apartment, that he could finally learn something new.
"A second please!" He called out again as he patted down his loose-fitting black tee of any wrinkles and adjusted the waist of his jeans before finally checking that his mudstained boots were tied properly. At last Reaver made his way back to the door and without hesitation swung it open, cane tightly held in his left hand which he used as support while holding out his right hand for her to shake.
"I'm so sorry for the wait. Welcome." A natural smile overcame him. He couldn't help it. "My name is Reaver. Just Reaver. Not that I'm trying to be an asshole, but I really don't have a last name, you see? Ah but you already knew that. You called me and... uhm..." The smile now met a slight blush of shame as he realized he was talking nonsense. Nerves had clearly overtook him. He hadn't even taken the opportunity to get a better look at her, which he did quickly from her hair to her shoes. "Please come, come in. Welcome to my hom- Er, my office."
Facing into the apartment, directly to the right of the front door was the kitchen. Composed of an old white refrigerator, a stove, oven, and microwave, it was just tiny enough for one person to barely have room to move around. It was adorned with a countertop beside it holding an empty cup that once held tea. Directly ahead of the front door was the small four person dining table where he had everything set up, and farther ahead, the door to the bedroom. Finally, to the left, a television sitting atop a low standing table with an xbox propped up against its side. The walls had a tasteless white color he hated but wasn't allowed to change and besides the essentials he didn't decorate the room with anything more personal.
He stepped aside and waited until she came in to close the door. "Please take a seat. Can I offer some water? Maybe tea even. I've got a wide variety of them." Eyes glued to her. He did feel out of his comfort zone, not because he was talking to someone, but because she came to him. In all the time he'd been in this field of work, he was the one to go to people. This was a new experience.
"I've also got blueberries...?"
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Alive
May 23, 2017 11:54:01 GMT -5
Post by Ventia on May 23, 2017 11:54:01 GMT -5
At all the sounds that Reaver was making the moment she spoke was enough to cause Ivy to grow worried. What was that boy doing in there? Ivy frowned as she listened, wincing just at bit at the sound of bone hitting a hard surface. Ouch. Clumsy oaf.
Suddenly she was grinning. Dear lord, it had been a long time since she had called him a clumsy oaf. Hearing the unmistakable sound of someone being unnaturally clumsy had made her feel lighthearted. And the fact that his scent had changed didnt really bother her anymore-after all, he was very much so still clumsy. It was...nice to know.
Ivy forced the grin to fade away, but hearing his little shouts as he ran around (or what sounded like running) made it hard for Ivy to keep her face neutral. "Oh no, take your time." Ivy said, her voice hinting at humor. By the time he finally opened the door, she had calmed her grin into a pleasant smile. After all, it would be quite creepy if he opened the door to see a complete stranger grinning at him.
"No problem at all, I maybe should have called earlier to make sure you were still available." Ivy reached for his right hand, trying to not make a big deal out of it. Strangers always shook hands in forms of greetings. Just try to pretend he's just any other stranger. But he wasnt. He was Reaver. Her fingers trembled just a fraction at the first touch but she still them and shook his hand once and let go. The handshake wasnt special-it was as normal as any other handshake-just like it ought to.
Ivy couldnt really stop the urge to grin at his nervous word vomit so she laughed just a bit under her breath instead. "Please relax Reaver," Ivy smiled, "No need to be nervous around me. If anything, I should be the one nervous in front of you. After all, you're the detective. Not me. May I come in? Talking in front of a doorway is good and all but I really would enjoy sitting. It's been a long walk."
She smiled, "Thank you, I appreciate it." She eased past him, trying to not let it show how much his presence affected her. Her palms were clammy and her pulse had spike up a bit. She clamped her hands behind her back as she walked into his apartment. The apartment was familiar-how many apartments just like this had she herself stayed in? They were cheap and had all the essentials. Nothing fancy-plus it barely left a trail for someone to follow. After all, the owners didnt care who you were-most didnt even ask for identification. Just pay what they wanted-usually preferred cash-and they couldnt quite care who you were.
One could put Cupcake as their name and the owner wouldnt care as long as their paid. Yes, she was quite familiar with these apartments. Ivy moved towards the dining table where it was supposed to be a office table and took a seat on the chair that she supposed was meant for her.
She turned back to look at Reaver and shook her head, "I've never been a fan of tea. Well I like it alright but...it's quite alright." A surprised look definitely showed on her face at the mention of blueberries. She couldnt mask it-and when she realized it, it was already too late.
Instead of hiding it however, Ivy laughed. "Oh no, sorry," she covered her face with her right hand and hid the fact that her eyes had gotten slightly teary. After a second, she uncovered her face and was smiling widely. "I'm sorry, it's just that blueberries were the last thing I expected to come out of your mouth. It took me off guard and-" Ivy stopped another bout of laughter from taking over, "ah, I apologize. But no, I'm quite fine. Thank you for asking. Please, sit down detective." Ivy gestured to his chair in front of her.
"First of all, I want to thank you for agreeing to meet with me. I'm sure it must have been very strange to have gotten a call from someone you never met. I wasnt sure if I should even reach out to you, but you had given one of your cards to the bartenders and well Joseph talked me into reaching out. Oh forgive me, I totally forgot to introduce myself. My name is Ivy-and well I would like to retain from giving my last name out if you dont mind."
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Alive
May 25, 2017 22:17:26 GMT -5
Post by Orfeo on May 25, 2017 22:17:26 GMT -5
"Right, I'm the detective," commented Reaver out loud, more affirming it to himself than he was to her. Lately he hadn't really seen himself as that, but the comment almost made him want to smile. It helped to know that others saw him as that, even if his own methods were more unorthodox than those of a conventional detective employed by the police.
Even though she was already inside, Reaver was looking around to make sure everything was tidy. No point in cleaning now but he couldn't help himself. He almost gasped but then breathed with relief when he saw he had the curtains open and had the window pulled ajar just a little, enough to get some fresh air circulating around the room. The apartment had the unfortunate tendency to have a slight smell of mold if he didn't air it out. That wouldn't have gone down well for this first time meeting. His eyes narrowed and he almost frowned when she said she didn't like tea and was close, so close, to going off on a tangent on how tea was good for you and that there were hundreds of different combinations to choose from.
Almost. Professionalism. He had to remind himself more often than he should have. Nervousness, or maybe something else. He looked the woman over once more and relaxed his tense arms a little, dropping them to his sides so he could stop fiddling with his nails. He bit his lip, looked around one more time, reached over to get a small plastic bag filled with blueberries, and at her command he moved to sit on the chair at the other end of the table so that the two could be facing each other.
He blinked twice, thinking for a few moments, until it dawned on him. His eyes widened in some slight excitement and he almost grinned a toothy grin. "Oh, the cards!" He exclaimed a little too loudly. "To be honest I didn't think anyone would reach out to me through that." Especially since he had only really handed out cards to, like, four different people before giving up. The thought almost made him blush with shame again. Here he was, making up mock conspiracy theories as to how this woman - Ivy, as she introduced herself - had found him. He thought of more impossible situations than rational ones. Childish concepts of spies, of being followed and watched, or of otherworldly supernatural causes. Of course it would boil down to a simple white card smaller than the palm of his hand with a cliché eyeball printed on one side, and his name and contact information plastered on the other. Either information travelled far, or he just so happened to have handed that one specific card out to the right person.
"Ivy. That's a, well, a nice name. Rolls off the tongue easily." He smiled, doing his best to ease into the conversation as natural as she had seemed to have entered it. Not something that was normally a problem, but then again, he was usually the one prepared. "A call from a stranger doesn't happen often, but believe me," he let out a small laugh and rubbed the back of his head, "I've been through much stranger things." Memories of chasing Ren through other dimensions to apprehend her surface. He blinked them away quickly and focused his attention on Ivy. He gave her one last hard look, really focusing on details now, etching a face to the name, before he at last settled his gaze on her eyes, and refused to break contact by his own accord. "But at any rate, I should be the one thanking you to come and meet with me. I understand such a choice could be, well, tough. There's many factors at play. Your-" he hasitated for a second. Should he say it? "-trust is appreciated. But please, just call me Reaver. Detective is a little too... well, formal for me."
Was it even trust? He immediately regretted using that word and thought of three better sentences he could have said.
"Before we begin, Ivy, there are but a couple of things we need to go over. Important information that you should be aware of. First of all, there's a one hundred percent confidentiality agreement here. Nobody else will know that you are the one who gave me this information, not even the police. The safety of my clients - your safety, Ivy, is my number one priority above all else. I understand that there are also some things which you could say that may or may not incriminate you with some thing or the other. Not saying this is a fact, but I'm just covering all the bases here. But if such is the case, understand that I will not pursue to charge you nor arrest you, nor will I press you for information that does not pertain to the case at hand. Following on your safety being my number one priority, I want you to please keep this with you." He quickly grabbed a pen and began to jot down information on the page of a notepad. He took in a deep breath and slowly let it out as he felt himself ease back into the routine. Reaver ripped the page off and slowly slid it toward her. "It's all my contact information. Direct cell number. Email address. My name. Other means for you to contact me. Ivy, please, if anything shows up, if anything happens, if you ever feel endangered in any way, please contact me. You can almost always reach me, and I will do everything in my power to make sure that you are okay."
He took a moment to catch his breath and allow her to settle with the information he had provided.
At last, he continued, now scratching lightly behind his left ear, and then his right. Reaver sat up a little straighter and adjusted his shirt. "Secondly, I understand that my age could bring concern regarding my experience. I'm only twenty-two years old. A child, really, when compared to others. But I've handled dozens of different cases successfully, and have the scars to prove it as well." He realized how that sounded and quickly smiled it away as best he could. "What I'm basically trying to say is that I don't half-ass a job and I'm incredibly stubborn."
Reaver reached for a couple of blueberries and popped them into his mouth, chewing slowly as he stared at her eyes as best he could. Reaver relaxed more.
"Lastly, is that I feel the need to clarify on what exactly are the services that I provide. There have been, well, far too many people that come to me thinking I provide a hit service. That is incorrect. In fact, I'm quite the opposite. I hardly even know how to handle a gun properly, and do my best to not employ violence if it isn't necessary. Things change, of course, when a person's life is at risk. But I operate with a set of standards and morals." Finally, Reaver leaned back and closed his eyes for a couple of seconds.
"If anything I just said does not satisfy you in any way, you are free to go." He opened his eyes again. "You're not here against your own will. I will not force the information out of you. Please understand that I am incredibly thankful and in your debt for this opportunity. So thank you, Ivy."
Reaver smiled warmly as he chewed on two more blueberries, then leaned forward and pleased an elbow against the table. "Offhand comment. I like your tattoos. I wish I could get some for myself but," he shrugged, still smiling, "I gotta stay professional for the police."
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Alive
Jun 26, 2017 22:40:02 GMT -5
Post by Ventia on Jun 26, 2017 22:40:02 GMT -5
Ivy never quite liked the police. Whether that feeling had been passed down from her mother seeing as Ventia absoutely despise the police, or maybe it was because in her own personal experience-she found them to be rather vile. Some good-but the rest, rotten. To say she hadnt liked the idea of her one childhood friend being basically a cop-was a understatement of the year. She had hated it-even remembering her inital anger at him when they first met in that alleyway. Ivy scrunched up her nose at the memory but then slowly smiled secretly to herself.
Reaver always had a knack for surprising her. Either by his foolishness or sometimes dumb questions concerning how to work certain things in the past-or just not having enough confidence. Or her favorite-where they would randomly be at the lake and he'd go all deep on her, making her question everything in the whole universe and seeing things in a way that had never been seen before-and he wouldnt even know just how amazing he was for he would just be looking at the water with a still but tranquil face until a few moments later, he'd laugh and say something entirely ridicious.
This felt like one of those times, Ivy thought as she sat there trying to take it all in. The back of her eyes began to have a burning sensesation and she felt her lips lifting as she stared at him. Her red hair curled along one side of her face as she turned her head just a bit to the left to get a better look at him. He hadnt changed in that way.
That thought made the burning increase and she bowed her head, cupping her face to hide her eyes. She played it off though, or well, she hoped she did. "That's...a relief." Ivy wiped away the tears as she straighted her back, "To be honest, I was a bit scared. I mean, I'm pretty tough but all the rumors of whats been going on in other cases and what I witness...well it gets the best of us." Ivy slapped her face to get rid of the evergoing sensation of wanting to cry. God damn, she hated getting all emotional.
"Ah, that's better." Ivy laughed and turned back to face Reaver, her heart strangely warm in a way it hadnt been in a long time. "Thank you, Reaver. I really really appreciate it. I already feel like I'll be as safe as possible if you have anything to do with it." Ivy reached for the piece of paper, her eye looking at her outstretched wrist where she knew that there was a tattoo that was one of a pair with him but that no one could really see admiss all the other tattoos she had covering her skin.
She eased the piece of paper closed without really looking at it. If she saw that his number was still the same as always-she wasnt sure she would be able to stop herself from going into a sobbing mess. Ivy folded it once more before placing it in her pocket.
"I'll do my best to help." Hopefully not too good that you'll end up catching me. Ivy thought, but then again, wondered just what he would do if he ever truly found out the truth. Would he arrest her? Would he hate her? Would he try to see it from her angle? Ivy in a way, wanted to find out. In her own selfish way, she wanted to actually know what he would do if she just confessed everything to him this very second.
I'm Katie. I'm a killer. I'm the woman you're hunting. I'm your best friend.
But Ivy kept her lips gently shut, letting nothing show in her baby blue eyes. Letting no secret show to her past friend for she knew that Reaver was very good at noticing even the slightest thing in the room or about a person.
"No need to thank me, Reaver. Oh, we're around the same age so please dont feel that your age is of any problem. In fact, it makes me more comfortable to be around someone who's my age. Not that your age has anything to do with your profession-even a blind man could see you're the kind of man who gets things done. So yeah, all good with me."
Ivy glanced down at her arms and felt a little blush form at the back of her head. Dear lord, she didnt know how much she wanted someone's approval from the past. "Thank you, I really love each and every one of them." His words made her eye raise gently as if she didnt believe him because come on, she had her first tattoo with him. Adding a playful note to her voice, Ivy continued, "Oh come on, usually everyone has a tattoo nowadays. At least one or two. I bet you have one but its probably hidden...hmm,"
She pressed her fingers to her chin, "Maybe...in the back of your leg? Or a shoulder? Or...back? No, you seem like you'd like to look at a tattoo if you ever got one...maybe your chest? Or maybe your inner arm? Or maybe nowhere." Ivy smiled and then crossed over the desk again to take the paper and pen that he had been using.
She flipped to a empty page, leaned back, crossed her leg over the other, and started to write. On the first page she had the phone number she used to call him (just in case he never saved it) and a simple, 'Ivy' written below it. She flipped again and started to write the name of the bar that she had been in. 'Christy's' and the date that she had been there (both which were correct in case he decided to do some fact checking there) which had been nearly four days ago.
Then she gave the paper back to him, so that he could write since he was the detective. "There was a strange feel in the air that night." Ivy made a face, "I'm sensitive to these things. Like if a couple had just fought you can sense the tenseness coming between them or if you may, any sexual tension. Just examples, but on that night," she nodded to the notebook, "the air was really thick-as if time was just waiting for something to happen. I still not entirely sure why-so in that, I cant help you, but it wasnt just me who could feel the tightness. Joseph felt it too-some of my friends did as well but we didnt quite know what it was."
"One of my friends got freaked out by the rumors of the kidnappings and of people drugging girls at clubs that she didnt want to stay anymore. Then again, she was a bit drunk so I went to leave with her. I ended up forgetting my purse with Joseph at the bar but the line was a bit too long and because I hanged out so much with Joseph that I knew there was a backdoor and well it was closer."
Ivy let a tremble shake her body as she continued. "It was just a small alley, not more than a few feet. Joseph would joke around saying if I was ever scared that all I had to do was powerwalk and I'll be around people. So I wasnt afraid-I mean, usually alleyways need to be deeper for shit like that to happen right?" There was a little hysteria in her tone now. "There was blood and there was this person standing in the middle of it. I couldnt get a good look at it, the lamp was more towards the front of the club rather than the side, but I got the feeling that it was a she..."
Ivy shrugged, "I'm sorry. I kept my mouth shut when the police arrived because I didnt think that information would mean anything. Hell I'm not even sure if its even correct but I havent been able to get it out of my mind and Joseph said that maybe talking to you would help if not you, than at least me. So really, I'm here for my own selfish need to at least get this off my chest."
Ivy stared at her fingers as if she could see the man's blood on them. Hell, she remembered it good enough. "I dont know why but a part of me feels like I killed that man that night..." Ivy clenched her fingers into fists and then sighed.
"I'm sorry...even though I made a big fuss out of this, I'm not even sure if I would be of any use to you in any way. I'm sorry Detective. I realize that this now is just foolishness and doesnt even help your case."
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Alive
Jun 26, 2017 23:33:23 GMT -5
Post by Orfeo on Jun 26, 2017 23:33:23 GMT -5
Reaver couldn't help but watch with a soft smile, feeling glad that at the very least he was able to provide some kind of reassurance that indeed he would be able to help if need be. So many people would make these promises and leave them empty, always bailing when the time actually came to cash in on promised words. Reaver made a conscious effort to truly make sure everyone he worked with would not feel like they had been cheated or lied to. "I appreciate your kind words, Ivy," he replied in regards to his age as yet another blueberry was popped into his mouth. He chewed slowly and savored it for a few seconds before swallowing, all the meanwhile listening to her words, a smirk appearing on his face.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Everyone's got a tattoo now. Police just has all these rules and regulations." He sighed audibly and almost rolled his eyes as he leaned back against the chair he sat on. "So many rules and regulations it'll make your head spin. I kind of get some leeway though, since technically I'm not an actual police officer." He shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'oh well' before continuing. "And you're kind of right, actually. I do have one. Small thing, really." Reaver turned his hand over to reveal the roman numerals etched permanently on the skin of his wrist. "It hurt like a bitch, but I'm sure I don't have to explain that to you. Considering..." he stopped himself, not wanting to say anything that may sound insulting, "well, you know." He smiled.
Reaver observed, silently. It was clear on his face that he was thinking through what she was doing and what she was saying, nodding here and there, not wanting to make any comments just yet. He was afraid to break her train of thought, especially after it seemed as if she had gone on a tangent on the set of events that she had gone through. He carefully took the page and studied it as she spoke. He did recall the name of the bar but could not quite remember where it was. Reaver made a mental note to check up on that lead later.
His green and brown eyes, locked in a sudden chilled seriousness, fell on Ivy as she spoke of the events on the alley. He pictured it all as clearly as he could, a lone figure enveloped in shadows standing amidst blood as Ivy watched from a more lit up area. The walls seeming as if they were closing in around the two. Heart pounding. Adrenaline rushing. He put himself in her shoes - which was simple considering that he had been in this same situation before - and realized just how much fear must have been going through the girl's head at the moment.
"On the contrary," he spoke coolly, keeping his voice level and calm despite the slight tremble to his fingertips. "It's a helpful insight. Thank you." He paused for a moment to think. Ivy had been through a lot. "This girl, from my experience, has a knack for being... well..." he bit his lip, unsure if this should be a good word to use, "grizzly. I can only imagine what you managed to make out and, for a lack of better words, it must have been shitty. But it's good that you came to talk it out at least. Keeping such things within can be destructive in more ways than one could initially perceive." Something Reaver was all too familiar with.
Flashing a toothy smile that showed more fang than what he would have wanted to, Reaver looked down at his notepad and jotted down some of the thoughts that were going through his mind. "This woman doesn't target people like you. Not as of now, at least. From what I've gathered she's got a knack for dishing out justice in her own terms. I guess you could call her a, uhm, a vigilantly. Although I really do despise that word and don't think it fits this case very well. But it's the best way I can think of putting it now." Reaver looked up from his notepad. "Don't try to think too much about that man. We get strange feelings when we see something shocking. Feeling like you were the one that killed him is... normal. If it's any small comfort, you're doing something about it. Not many people can say that."
Reaver blinked, absentmindedly rubbing at the tattoo on his wrist as he thought to himself. "You've got good instincts, though." He smiled a little again. "So did you manage to catch anything else while you were there? Even the tiniest detail helps, no matter how insignificant it might seem."
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Alive
Jun 27, 2017 0:05:34 GMT -5
Post by Ventia on Jun 27, 2017 0:05:34 GMT -5
"You do?" Ivy asked, adding a little surprise note to her tone. She was about to ask if she could see it but then he was already twisting his wrist. She noted it instantly (just as she could spy it on her own skin instantly despite all the others) and the sight of it actually looking like hers made a true smile appear on her face.
"It's very pretty." She whispered and fought the urge to look down at her own wrist. "Must have been pretty special to endure all that pain," She laughed and made sure to glance down at her arm that didnt have the shared tattoo. "A bit painful but for me, its always worth it."
She leaned back against the chair as he spoke, crossing her hands under one knee while nodding just absentmindedly. "Thank you," she breathed in between his words, letting the emotion show in her eyes. "It feels better to hear someone else tell me to not let it bother me. Friends and family do it out of need but from a complete stranger...well its reassuring."
"I dont really know-looking back now its all hazy. As if to be honest-as if I were high and just following the motions. Not that I smoke or anything ha. Or maybe I do. Ha. I dont know what Im talking about anyway, it was like being hazy. Unclear now when I think back. I remember going back to Joseph and him telling me that I looked paler than usual," Ivy shook her head, "I dont know. All I remember is that figure, the blood, and the nightmares."
She rubbed her head, so many nightmares. "Ever since that night...well I'm sure you understand." She swallowed the saliva in her mouth and started to pick at the lint that was on her pants. "I'll try to rememember more. I havent really been going out to clubs as much as I had before-not that thats saying anything since its only been like two days since I last went clubbing." She laughed at herself a little loudly before sighing.
"If I ever do remember something, I'll be sure to let you know. Who knows...maybe we can take a walk through memory lane? I havent gone back to that alleyway. A bit too scared to honestly." Ivy was pushing it she knew-but she just couldnt leave here without not making plans to meet again.
"Not that I want to go back there but then again, I feel horrible for not being more of use. But knowing me, I doubt even going back to the alleyway will trigger anything." Ivy frowned at herself and then ran her fingers through her hair in slight frustration.
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Alive
Jun 27, 2017 0:37:51 GMT -5
Post by Orfeo on Jun 27, 2017 0:37:51 GMT -5
"Thanks," he replied almost cheerfully. "Yeah, it was pretty damn special." He smiled, almost sadly now, as he recalled memories never forgotten. Reaver bit his lip, knowing that he needed to focus on the here and now, yet for a couple of seconds his eyes seemed to wander somewhere else with a gaze that seemed to be lost in time. You'll find her, her reassured himself. Good or bad, it's better than not knowing.
He shook his head slightly and pulled himself out of that small trance, back to his reality, and turned his eyes to Ivy. "Dude, I don't care if you smoke or not." He almost grinned, feeling like she did indeed smoke but not wanting to make any assumptions. Her actions just screamed nervous. Around him or the situation she was thrust into? This was something of an unexpected set of circumstances to tell the truth. Again, he couldn't help but feel bad for Ivy. Reaver nodded. He did understand. Ivy didn't have to say much more in fact. He got some stuff that would set him thinking. No doubt he'd make some connections somewhere.
"I might go and have a talk with Joseph, if he doesn't mind giving me a minute of his time to answer some questions. Perhaps he could shed some more light as well." He pondered for a quick second and then continued. "If you really do want to go there again, take a look around, I'll gladly tag along. Might jog your memory, get something new out. Or maybe she slipped up and left me something to catch her scent with."
He looked at Ivy more carefully and frowned slightly. "Forgive me for prying, but have you been getting enough sleep? You seem, well, kind of tired to be honest." Reaver left it at that and slowly eased back into his chair. "If you want, you're free to go. You know where I live, you have my number too. You should be able to reach me some way or the other. Or if you want you can stay and chat a little longer. Doesn't have to be about the case. I like to get to know my clients a little better, if you understand." Reaver smiled. "I wouldn't mind getting to know you a little more. I guess you could say I want to pick at your brain."
His tone of voice had taken a much lighter approach and it was clear that he was joking slightly. He didn't want to leave things off at such as sour and ominous note. In fact he found himself wanting to distract Ivy from the thought of that night in the alley. Just his desire to help others overpowering most other thoughts once more. He would've cursed it had it not been the fact that he enjoyed it. "If that's okay with you."
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Alive
Jun 27, 2017 1:34:29 GMT -5
Post by Ventia on Jun 27, 2017 1:34:29 GMT -5
Her heart warmed and her eyes softened at the sight of her former best friend. At the fact that he said that it was special. To know that the memory of Katie-of her-was still a fond memory for him made Ivy want to run while laughing. Her eyes caught on his lip and whether it was because it had been a while or his experience with the government-well it was hard to read what Reaver was thinking. Still, she was glad that he hadnt laser removed the tattoo off and that he said it was special.
His 'dude' comment was enough to break the ice. Ivy couldnt hold back her laughter so she laughed. "Well you are a detective and everything and it's not completely legal just yet. Not that I'm admitting anything," playfully, and definitely very unprofessionally (she couldnt help it-this was Reav,) she stuck her tongue out at him. For a split second before she laughed it off.
"Sorry, I'm not that professional it seems."
At Joseph's name, Ivy let the fondness grow in her eyes. Joseph was indeed a real person and they were actually close friends and he had actually indeed given her Reaver's card. Of course, most of the events were true that she had just told to Reaver. Just she forgotten to add a few things. "Joseph is always ready to help anyone. He loves that club just as much as the Manager does. He actually got me my first job here, so I'm sure he'll be more than happy to talk to you."
"I'd like that." Ivy meant it. She enjoyed being in Reaver's presence. Sure. It was dangerous to have him poking his nose around. But she couldnt help it. There has always been a part of her that longed for her past. Her family. Her Pack. Her one and only best friend. Being around him now...well it was a breath of fresh air and she had missed this lightness.
"Catch her scent huh?" Ivy giggled as if that was a unheard idea. Even though he just may catch her scent. After all, he was still a shifter. No matter what he said or thought. He was as much of a shifter as she was...unless something else had occurred with him. She wiggled her nose. He did smell a bit different and she had smelled it sort of before but she couldnt quite put a name to it.
Ivy blinked at his question, a bit surprised he had noticed. She had used just a bit of concealer to rid the majority of the dark circles under her eyes and she had made sure to not really let it show in her voice. But then again, breaking out in tears in front of him probably told him a bit more than she wanted to. "Ah, guess makeup doesnt hide everything." Ivy rubbed her cheek and shook her head. "Sleep's always been hard for me. Even before the incident. Music would help sometimes, other time I would drink some pills or medicine. But I usually end up not sleeping. Which is why I would tire myself out at clubs and bars...well after the incident...its been even harder to get some shuteye."
It was true. Ivy barely slept most days. Catching a few hours in the high morning, or maybe some naps in the evening. It was hard to even clear her mind out most nigHts and then once she did sleep-dreams and nightmares drowned her until she didnt want to sleep no more.
"It's quite okay with me," More than okay.
Ivy glanced at the television and then down at the xbox. "So what kind of games do you play?" Ivy let her chin rest on her knee as she bought one leg up on the chair, curling her arms around her leg and glancing briefly back at Reaver before looking back at the xbox and the room in general.
If she closed her eyes...Ivy gently closed them...she let his scent wash over her, let his strange yet familiar voice ease into her mind...ah. It was as if she had been transported back to the past, being in his room, talking about his xbox and the stupid games he always liked to play.
Bittersweet. That was what it was.
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Alive
Jun 27, 2017 2:16:19 GMT -5
Post by Orfeo on Jun 27, 2017 2:16:19 GMT -5
"I mean, I'm hardly that much more professional either." Reaver almost laughed, fighting back the urge by hiding it under a small smirk which quickly grew into a grin. The familiarity of her actions eased Reaver a little. Enough for him to take a breath and sigh softly. Despite him not recognizing it, he could feel it somewhat. A routine he'd fallen into time and time again since early on in his life.
He listened intently, weaving his fingers into each other and setting his hands on his lap. He mostly let Ivy talk, answering when it became appropriate to answer. Her comment on sleep bothered him a little but he tried not to make much of a big deal out of it. It was her life. He was just a little curious but wasn't about to go and dictate how she should be living her own life. "Well, hopefully I'll get this woman, and you can feel a little after again afterward. Be able to go to a bar and take the night away." He smiled slightly. "I get the whole not being able to sleep. I go through moments like that from time to time. I feel ya."
Reaver leaned forward a little, a small smirk appearing on his face as he looked over at his xbox. "Oh, that thing?" He huffed and then shrugged his shoulders. "My only distraction in this busy crazy life I lead. I think I would've gone crazy by now if I didn't have that thing to ground me to some other reality. Fantasy mostly. Some shooters. Nothing too realistic, too like life here. If I need an escape I need a good one, and-" he paused and blinked before laughing, mostly to himself. "I'm ranting. It's my little slice of heaven in this crazy world. We all need one." He turned his gaze back to Ivy. "I mean, if it wasn't for stuff like that I think I would have really converted into a mons-"
What the hell was he thinking? His face flushed red suddenly with some shame as his tongue darted quickly across his teeth, carefully over his fangs, and then across the top of mouth. Too much, Reaver. He had to remind himself. "Just nonsense, really," he finished, clearly tripping up on his first word before finding the pace he had before. Reaver smiled away, turning to look the window.
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Alive
Jun 29, 2017 15:14:53 GMT -5
Post by Ventia on Jun 29, 2017 15:14:53 GMT -5
A sharp pain randomly stabbed through her chest, causing her air to get pushed out and her eyes to tightly shut. Then it was gone and Ivy blinked out a breath and then laughed at his words. "Yes, go and get that woman. Can't wait to take the night away." She pushed the randomly pain out of her head-tried to get the pain out of her heart-tried to not let it show in her eyes. SHe wasnt sure if she had succeded, but she cotinued on as if nothing had ever happen to begin with.
As Reaver spoke, the memory of the pain was just that-a memory. She had gotten comfortable sitting back in the chair doing nothing but listen to his ranting. It was like taking a walk through memory lane, just listening to him rant about his games. It was something she could have done with anyone else. She could have done this with Voss, could have done this with Killian or Ruby, or even her son-Jaimie and yet...yet it was never the same as to just kicking back and listening to Reaver rant about his games.
Why couldnt she had felt this deep peace with no one but this dork in front of her? Who was protecting the world from horrible people like herself one blueberry and stupid xbox game at a time.
"There's monsters in us all." She placed her head on her knee and there was this look to her face while she stared at him.
"You know," she started, licking her suddenly dry lips. "You remind me of a old friend of mine. We dont talk that much these days but maybe I'll give him a call tonight. You know, just to say hi and all." Ivy put her legs down and stretched her spine a little.
"Thank you." She half grinned, "and the ranting's fine. I rant a lot too. And you're right. Everyone needs a escape or two from reality." Ivy stood and held out her hand, "It was a pleasure to meet with you today, Reaver. Maybe if you're free later on tonight, we can check out Christy's together. If not, that's fine with me too."
"I have a little errand to run before it gets too late in the evening, you see. Otherwise I would have had to challenge you to a battle," she nodded at the xbox with a hidden smile on her lips.
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Alive
Jun 29, 2017 15:56:17 GMT -5
Post by Orfeo on Jun 29, 2017 15:56:17 GMT -5
He was glad he had her support. At the very least, that's how he always felt when dealing with cases. Reaver loved to work a case that involved people better than going for a cold case that nobody knew about. Support, mostly. Little things like 'yes, do it,' went a long way for encouragement. A breath of fresh air when he was activelly dunking his head in a sea of pain and suffering. And working with people gave him a reason to continue. It gave him the desire to make their lives better and make them feel as if they were safe again.
From an outsiders perspective, feeling safe when going out at night probably wasn't much. But with this short conversation he managed to tell that this meant something, for Ivy at the very least. It was her distraction and possibly her escape and it was taken away from her. If he could at least give that back to her, then he had reached some small level of success. No, he wasn't planning on letting her down anytime soon. Not when she had come to him for help.
Her stare and words caught him off guard. "Maybe," he replied shortly afterward. "I guess we all do have a monster inside of us." He stared at her, but not really at her either. Reaver bit his lip in thought, and a second later he continued. "Sometimes those monsters are more real than you'd ever imagine." He did his best not to betray the storm of emotions he felt with his face. It was hard. The edges of his lips quirked ever so slightly into a frown. Hardly noticeable, he figured, but it felt like a hot iron rod pressed against the skin - impossible not to be aware of it. Finally he focused his eyes, caught her gaze, and smiled a little at her. His mind cleared up enough that Reaver was able to push those thoughts aside for the moment when, once again, Ivy caught him off guard.
His response was quick. "You really should call him. It probably doesn't sound like much now but if you were good friends, then it's probably really going to make his day. Or... well, at the very lest, he's going to appreciate it. Point is, call him." He made a heavy, slow shrug, turning his hands upwards and raising them to his sides. "You've got nothing to lose."
Reaver stood slowly, a little slower than Ivy had, and reached for his cane as he overstretched his hand and warmly shook Ivy's hand. "Please, the pleasure has been all mine. You've been extremely helpful. A blessing, if you're into that sort of thing. Meeting up at Christy's, it'll be no problem. Like I said, I don't really do much beside, well be here. Guarantee I'll be free whenever you are. So give me a call when you're ready and we'll meet up."
He gazed toward his xbox and grinned. "I'll taje you up on that challenge any day, and then promptly kick your ass and brag about it mercilessly." Reaver made his way to the front door, escorting her out and holding the door open for Ivy. "You have a good day now. And don't forget my contact info. And stay safe!"
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