Jin had succeeded in contacting one more person with command. Bao would take the warning and exercise a bit more caution, but he had his own work to do. He couldn't spend his nights in hiding because of one twisted killer.
He'd not expected Claire to leave like that and frowned a bit as she left. It was, odd, abrupt and he suspected she might have something up her sleeve. He might have let her go if it hadn't been for Mara's subtle hint. Apparently the appropriate thing to do was to follow her.
This actually worked out as he had no intention of staying with just Jin and Mara, he had more than learned his lesson on that point.. Gathering his telescope he gave a small bow.
"And I, should you need additional assistance. But if you will excuse me?"
Claire had already gotten too far ahead for him to easily follow, but it would be easy enough to find her. The staff was efficient.
((OOC... Bao out))
One Step at a Time
Mara had not ventured far from the Manor since the attack in the alley, save for her meeting with Sorcha and a brief journey out here and there to feed herself, after which she scurried back to the Manor in a heart-thumping panic. She had to get over that. Even running around as a cat didn't help; everyone who might want to harm her knew exactly what she looked like and there was only one silver and black mau roaming the Nachton streets as far as she knew.
She didn't want to go to Shades'; she was vexed with her great-grandfather for tipping of Mai, who had in turn brought Amir into it which was exactly what Mara had been trying to avoid. It did give her a warm little feeling of comfort, however she tried to deny it, to know that he had had his say. She knew why he was trying to distance himself from her but she loved him and missed him. She had forgotten that that went both ways... and he was still looking out for her. As for Shades, when Mara had expressed her displeasure to him he'd ruffled her hair, laughed, and told her she was welcome to take her concerns to the Elder of the Hunt. Hrmph. Jerk.
Mara knew the Manor wasn't entirely safe either; vampires allied with Subira could move here freely but she doubted any of them would be foolish enough to try anything here. She wasn't fooling herself though; she stayed close to the Manor because Amir was here, and because Jin was here. She knew she was being a little bit dependent but she couldn't help it. She would get over it eventually.
Tonight, however, was a quiet night. It was unseasonably warm so she had ventured outside, as a cat so she would remain warm, and now lay upon one of the benches in the gardens with her paws tucked up underneath her. She was mostly watching the sky and tracing constellations but every now and then her eyes drifted halfway closed like a real cat's would, as her thoughts wandered here and there for a minute or three.
Bao
13 years ago
Jin
13 years ago
Jin watched Claire stand up to leave. Their conversation had obviously left her anxious. Normally he'd feel obligated to follow her and make certain she was okay. However it was apparent that she preferred Bao's company to his and would probably find Mara's brother more comforting.
"Good Night, Claire."
He glanced at Mara, noticing her subtle hint to Bao with veiled amusement. Jin buried his face in her shoulder to hide his smile. The man stood and left rather quickly, either to follow after Claire or to escape being alone with the two of them. Which reason, he was not certain.
"Of course, Thank you."
Turning to Mara once they were both gone, he chuckled softly. "Did we miss something during the snow ball fight?"
"Good Night, Claire."
He glanced at Mara, noticing her subtle hint to Bao with veiled amusement. Jin buried his face in her shoulder to hide his smile. The man stood and left rather quickly, either to follow after Claire or to escape being alone with the two of them. Which reason, he was not certain.
"Of course, Thank you."
Turning to Mara once they were both gone, he chuckled softly. "Did we miss something during the snow ball fight?"
Mara
13 years ago
"Good night Bao," Mara said as her brother took his leave. She was hoping he intended to go find Claire. For whatever reason the woman was obviously interested in Bao. Mara hoped he was able to provide some comfort.
She turned sideways on the arm of the bench and leaned up against Jin, wrapping her arms around his neck and looking slightly up at him. "I don't know," she said with a soft laugh. "I thought they'd actually been making snowballs. Maybe I was wrong."
She nuzzled her nose into Jin's neck and lightly kissed him there. "You know, I meant it Jin," she said softly. "If you're short on time, I can help you. With whatever you need."
Unless he didn't want her help for some reason. Mara wouldn't like it much but she'd understand if Jin wanted to keep his love interest separate from his work. That might cause trouble in the future, being from the same Order, but Mara suspected they would work quite well together if he accepted her offer. Mostly she wanted to help. What he was doing now was bound to be stressful and if she could ease that burden somehow, on multiple levels, she'd gladly do so.
She turned sideways on the arm of the bench and leaned up against Jin, wrapping her arms around his neck and looking slightly up at him. "I don't know," she said with a soft laugh. "I thought they'd actually been making snowballs. Maybe I was wrong."
She nuzzled her nose into Jin's neck and lightly kissed him there. "You know, I meant it Jin," she said softly. "If you're short on time, I can help you. With whatever you need."
Unless he didn't want her help for some reason. Mara wouldn't like it much but she'd understand if Jin wanted to keep his love interest separate from his work. That might cause trouble in the future, being from the same Order, but Mara suspected they would work quite well together if he accepted her offer. Mostly she wanted to help. What he was doing now was bound to be stressful and if she could ease that burden somehow, on multiple levels, she'd gladly do so.
Jin
13 years ago
"Huh, that's what I thought too." Jin looked after the recently departed clan mates. "I guess we will never know...unless we manage to ferret the information out of one of them."
"Does your brother drink?" He played at innocently interested for half a second more chuckling and admitting "If he does then he would probably end up with more of my secrets than the other way around."
Jin staggered around drunkenly before landing on the seat of the bench. He pulled her gently down into his lap nad wrapped his arms around her. He said. "There are the results of some door openings that I might not want to reveal."
Mara offered to help with his search and he smiled. "I would love you help. So long as you have nothing more pressing. I don't wish to take you away from your own matters or that of the Night if they have you involved in something else."
Though he did not see any information that would suggest that was the case. In truth he could use her help. Another part of his mind believed that it would be a good distraction from whatever Amir was facing. The Huntsman was pretty insistent that Jin do everything in his power to keep Mara away from that situation. Obviously the man didn't understand. You don't herd cats.
"Does your brother drink?" He played at innocently interested for half a second more chuckling and admitting "If he does then he would probably end up with more of my secrets than the other way around."
Jin staggered around drunkenly before landing on the seat of the bench. He pulled her gently down into his lap nad wrapped his arms around her. He said. "There are the results of some door openings that I might not want to reveal."
Mara offered to help with his search and he smiled. "I would love you help. So long as you have nothing more pressing. I don't wish to take you away from your own matters or that of the Night if they have you involved in something else."
Though he did not see any information that would suggest that was the case. In truth he could use her help. Another part of his mind believed that it would be a good distraction from whatever Amir was facing. The Huntsman was pretty insistent that Jin do everything in his power to keep Mara away from that situation. Obviously the man didn't understand. You don't herd cats.
Mara
13 years ago
"I have to admit I'm willing to watch from the sidelines on this one," Mara said seriously to Jin. She laughed softly while he chewed on this new mystery. It seemed any mystery would work for Jin. She could almost agree... almost.
She shook her head. "Not often." She had never seen Bao drink very much so that was her best guess. All speculation about her flew out the window, however, when Jin staggered around like a drunken mummy. She was surprised he didn't add "Imhotep" to it, and covered her mouth with her hand as she laughed at him.
And then he had sat down on the seat and she was being drawn gently down from the arm of the bench and onto his lap. Mara cuddled against him, curled happily up in her new position, and lifted one hand to toy idly with his long hair. "Mmmhmm," she agreed. "I can think of a few I'd rather keep between us."
She beamed at him when he accepted her offer. "I have nothing to do for the Night," she said. "If you think it would be acceptable I'll do that."
Mara was always more comfortable working either alone or with someone she trusted; she imagined that was a large part of the reason she had not been given a task recently; the people she would partner with were not numerous.
"Thank you, Jin," she said happily, glad to have a task and glad that she could be of help to him somehow. She kissed him softly on the lips, her smile not diminishing.
"And thank you for explaining things to Claire," she added. "I didn't know all the details. I'm glad you showed up when you did."
She shook her head. "Not often." She had never seen Bao drink very much so that was her best guess. All speculation about her flew out the window, however, when Jin staggered around like a drunken mummy. She was surprised he didn't add "Imhotep" to it, and covered her mouth with her hand as she laughed at him.
And then he had sat down on the seat and she was being drawn gently down from the arm of the bench and onto his lap. Mara cuddled against him, curled happily up in her new position, and lifted one hand to toy idly with his long hair. "Mmmhmm," she agreed. "I can think of a few I'd rather keep between us."
She beamed at him when he accepted her offer. "I have nothing to do for the Night," she said. "If you think it would be acceptable I'll do that."
Mara was always more comfortable working either alone or with someone she trusted; she imagined that was a large part of the reason she had not been given a task recently; the people she would partner with were not numerous.
"Thank you, Jin," she said happily, glad to have a task and glad that she could be of help to him somehow. She kissed him softly on the lips, her smile not diminishing.
"And thank you for explaining things to Claire," she added. "I didn't know all the details. I'm glad you showed up when you did."
Jin
13 years ago
Jin laughed at finding a mystery that Mara did not care to know the solution to. He figured that she could sufficiently distract him from discovering the answer to the question easily enough. Perhaps in time they would have to worry about walking in on Claire and Bao, though Jin suspected that both of them were far too proper to leave any doors open.
He smiled at her, happy to have an excuse to work with her some more, not to mention the extra help in tracking down this murderer.
"Thank You, Mara."
Jin shrugged. "I am sure you were doing very well. It was very kind of you to want to explain what happened to Sofia to her." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. Mara probably would have done a better job of explaining the situation to Claire more gently.
He looked first one way and then the other before grinning and raising his eyebrows at Mara. "It seems we have been abandoned. I know this wonderful little room in the Manor...." He grinned playfully.
Picking her up, Jin carried her back inside, serenading her with Chinese love songs along the way.
((OOC: Both Out ))
He smiled at her, happy to have an excuse to work with her some more, not to mention the extra help in tracking down this murderer.
"Thank You, Mara."
Jin shrugged. "I am sure you were doing very well. It was very kind of you to want to explain what happened to Sofia to her." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. Mara probably would have done a better job of explaining the situation to Claire more gently.
He looked first one way and then the other before grinning and raising his eyebrows at Mara. "It seems we have been abandoned. I know this wonderful little room in the Manor...." He grinned playfully.
Picking her up, Jin carried her back inside, serenading her with Chinese love songs along the way.
((OOC: Both Out ))