Same Ol', Same Ol'

Glencoe Park

Glencoe Park isn't the largest in the area, but it's still fairly sizable. The grass is in a perpetually well-trimmed state, shining a healthy green year round. Near the southern entrance to the park is a playground cluster filled with swings, a merry-go-round, seesaws, huge forts, and a jungle-gym. Not too far from the playground are fields for both rugby and softball, enclosed by wire fences so that children don't run haphazardly onto the fields. Further into the park is a walking path through a small forested area./


It's Mischa's day off and for the most part he's been lazing around the house. But someone told him to get out more once and he's decided to heed their advice. The weather isn't as blazing hot as it has been and there's a cool breeze blowing through the trees as the evening settles in. Mischa can be found on a park bench with a paper bag full of bread crusts that he's throwing to a pack of ducks and geese who have decided to have an avian convention near his bench. The man seems to be deep in thought — looking at the birds without really looking at them — possibly a good thing considering his unique condition.

After leaving Ivan's new place, Chloe has had some time to kill before heading to the estate. She's about to stop in at the flower shop, when she decides instead to kill an hour in the park before grabbing dinner and heading over to see her… well whatever Will is. She's still a teensy bit miffed at him, though it's slowly dissipating.

Still dressed in her summery-suit from working at the library, she's going to use the time to consider the weird offer from Ivan. Make a pro's and con's list in her mind, and decide whether she wants to take him up on it.

So she wanders right by the bench without noticing Mischa at first, even though there's a niggle in the back of her mind that there's a shifter nearby.

It takes Mischa a few moments to realize that there's someone quite familiar nearby. He saw Chloe pass, but didn't really see her after all. When he does notice her, he ends up just leering like a creep. «How does this work? Do I ignore her? Approach? What if we end up fighting again…» Out of the static fuzz of Mischa's mind, Chloe is able to pick up these thoughts. The librarian however simply ends up leaning forward in his seat at the bench as he tosses the rest of the bread crumbs out to the gaggle of birds, letting them fight over the scraps.

The leering, thankfully, isn't noticed. Chloe, content to be walking along the path, doesn't immediately turn around when she hears the familiar voice in her mind. She does, however, stop walking. Now that her thoughts have been interrupted, she shakes out of them. Only slowly does she turn to give him a look. There wasn't any plan to tell Mischa what was going on, or that she's found a way to counter the accidental ribboning.

Closing the distance at a leisurely pace, she stops about three feet away from the bench, on the other side of the birds. "I spoke with Ivan today."

Mischa watches Chloe with some modicum of surprise as she approaches the bench, even at such a reserved gait. He eventually smiles at her hesitantly before just ending up looking rather puzzled. "You spoke with Ivan…?" He tries to remember — then it dawns on him — Fontane. He still doesn't actually know the man, but his name has been flying around quite a bit as of late. Seems like the guy is always in the tabloids. "Right… that guy. Well, did he have anything interesting to say?" Apparently if they've previously spoken about the love spell and Ivan in conjunction, it has completely slipped Mischa's mind all together.

When he seems to forget who Ivan is, Chloe has to keep herself from pointing him to the tabloids that are touting the pair as a couple. It's not true, but it would be hilarious to see the reaction. Still, she's behaving. She has a lot on her mind. "Mmhm. He had someone take a look at the other ribbons. Apparently advanced magic or something, and now instead of breaking the spell, it's going to be a counter-spell of some sort. Should be ready by the end of the week, so you can rest easy."

"A counter spell?" Mischa asks with some concern. "It's not going to have any unpleasant side effects, is it? I know I shouldn't really worry about it, but…" Well, the man has to have priorities. If a counter-spell is going to make his willy shrink or his hair fall out, then nooooo sir, do not want. "Whoever bound those ribbons must have had some… very strong magic working for them anyway. I hate to imagine how someone gets that powerful. I guess it'll be a relief though…" To have some control over his own thoughts and faculties regarding Chloe. «To figure out how I really feel about you once and for all and maybe talk you out of this bloody stupid idea… Damnit, Chloe.»

"Why does everyone think that my choice is stupid? You know, I'm getting awfully tired of hearing that. It's not like I'm some fangbanger just begging for it to happen. It's an informed decision." Chloe crosses her arms over her chest and gives him a slightly angered look. Then she shrugs. "I really don't know what the side effects are, or how it works. I know that I trust Ivan, and I trust that this is the best course of action without having to stand naked in some hoodoo circle while they work their magic."

Mischa makes no immediate comment upon why everyone thinks her choice is stupid. In fact, he tries to steer his thoughts away from such unpleasantness as best as he possibly can. «Chloe in a bikini. Chloe in a bikini. Chloe in a bikini. Chloe naked? Oh god what if she hears this. Stop it, Mischa, just have a normal thought. But you're a man, isn't this normal?» Chivalrous as Mischa tries to be, he is just a red-blooded catman type thing. "I never said you were a fangbanger." Mischa says after a moment of consideration before he nods to her. "Well, if you trust Ivan, I suppose that's good enough for me."

"…" There is a moment where Chloe looks absolutely horrified. Then she remembers the shower after the incident at the warehouse and just lets it drop all away. "Okay, whatever. We're in he middle of the park, I'm not in a bikini, I'm definitely not about to drop the suit and get naked… there are little kids around."

Then her entire body tenses, and she has to re-listen to what he's just said verbally a few times. Thankfully, it doesn't warrant a slap across the face, and she settles herself a bit. "Yeah, I trust Ivan. I wouldn't have before, but I do now. Maybe not with my life, but when it comes to this sort of stuff, I do."

The librarian turns beet red and clears his throat a little bit, unable to say anything for a few minutes. Though he does strategically rearrange his pants. It's debatable as to whether or not he's listening for a long few moments. "Yeah… well. If it works without any long term side effects or side effects at all, that would be wonderful. I guess I should thank you for talking to him about it, Chloe. It means a lot to me that you would do it… but I guess you're not enjoying this whole situation any better than I am."

Gracefully, Chloe turns to give him his moment of adjustment or control — whichever he needs the most. She focuses on a kite, a frisbee, a bird that flies by, and a flower. Trying to force out any and all thoughts he might be having. "All I know is that it's another ribbon that I have to wear until the effects of the spell wear off and it should counter it." Considering what her own feelings were? Of course she's not enjoying this. It's awkward.

"I'm not really trying to start something Chloe, but have you given any thought to what you're going to do if the spell does wear off and I still feel the same way?" Give the self-assured tone of voice, he still somewhere deep in his heart believes that he does feel his way about her — even if to himself he admitted that he's not sure just a few moments ago. "I… sorry, Chloe. I'm just so confused. And I know you are too. And I know you didn't mean for this to happen. But this has really made me think. I know you think that I don't want you to be turned for selfish reasons and I can't deny that." Mischa pauses, wetting his lips before he reaches out to attempt to put his hand on her shoulder. "You are one of the most important people in my life, in my whole world. It just makes me really sad to think of you as changing so drastically. I know you think that it'll be… the same, except you'll be a little more cold, a little less heart-beaty… but I don't think it's going to be that easy, Chloe."

"You won't," Chloe replies, sternly. Confident in the fact that he just thinks he feels this way due to the ribbon. They've been over it before, they've discussed it before, so that's as much as she's going to say on his feelings. "You're only confused because you broke up with your girlfriend around the same time I accidentally gave you that ribbon. You'll see. You'll likely actually hate me after this, and that's fine too." She can accept that, since this entire mess is her fault. "Geeze, you and Ivan would get along well. You both say the same things. I'll be me. What's there to change? So I may not be able to hear what you're thinking. Is that necessarily a bad thing?"

"Chloe, no matter what you ever do to me, I could never hate you. I'll always love you, even if it's just as a friend." He puts his hands in his pockets and leans back a little bit, sighing at her. "I'm not sure what else I can say to you. It's like I could talk until I'm blue in the face." He eyes her suit and then her. "Where were you? I thought I heard your name mentioned on the news the other day…" But he wasn't really paying attention. After all, some things do tend to take precedence over Chloe, even in his 'altered' state. Like the yogurt maker and a new recipe.

"I was at work. Wore the suit to impress the big boss. Trying to get him to keep the library open later in the summer." Not that it's going over all that well, but she'll eventually wear the man down. It's only a matter of time. After all, who can really say no to Chloe? Especially when if she concentrates hard enough she can generally pull up a secret or two. "Oh, the news. I went to a charity event. Ivan needed an escort, and his girlfriend wasn't feeling up to going, so I went with him. Got a pretty bracelet and free food for my trouble."

Mischa lets out a quiet snerk at Chloe's description of the event. "That's right, that must have been what I heard." He doesn't make any other comment on it besides that. He takes in a deep breath when he hears that Chloe went to see the boss and ask for an opening extension. She's certainly planning well for this proposed change of hers. "Will you come by or give me a call when Ivan does this… retroactive ribbon thing?"

"Sure." A simple, single word response. What else can she say? 'No I don't want you to know since it might cloud what you're thinking'? That wouldn't fly, and it's not honest. Chloe draws her lower lip between her teeth and chews on it briefly. "About work… I was offered a job today, and I'm not sure if I'm going to take it, but it would me no more working at the library if I did…"

This brings about a long pause from Mischa. What can he say to that? He licks his lips and looks off toward the few ducks and geese who have straggled behind from their friends. Eventually he turns back to Chloe. "Well, if it ends up being what you want to do, I'll be happy for you. It won't be the same not seeing you around…" Especially since she's giving up the apartment and life, essentially. The man's eyes mist for a very brief moment before he takes in a breath. "You just do whatever you want." Although he's fairly sure she'll do just that no matter what.

"Christ, Mischa, don't cry over it. I mean, I have to talk it over with Will anyhow, seeing as it's potentially in human politics and there's a huge conflict of interest there and…" She's sounding like a kept woman, but that's not it at all. It's mostly to have someone else weigh in on the offer, so that she doesn't just take it for the wrong reasons. "Besides, you and Doris can handle the library just fine without me. What do you need a walking, talking card catalog for when everything is computerized now?"

"I wasn't crying. My allergies are just riled because of all the… stupid dander." That's his big excuse. The whole situation, not just Chloe potentially switching jobs, has him pretty magnificently stressed out. "It's not so much that we need your skill so much as that we love having you around. I know that's a completely foreign and shocking concept to you, but it's true." He bites his lip and takes in a breath. "Will should be alright with whatever you want to do. I'm sure he will be. He seems… understanding." Of course, there's that slight jealousy. Envy. Definite envy.

"Liar," Chloe says to the excuse of allergies. "You can't hide it from me." Two fingers come up to tap at her temple, a silent reminder that she can hear what he's really thinking. "Doris doesn't want me around, and that's fine. Granted, I don't think Doris much likes being 'replaced' by a younger generation of librarians anyhow." Shrugging, she frowns at him. "Stop being so jealous, it's silly. I know he'll be alright with whatever I decide, because it's my decision, but I'd still like to know how it's going to muck with vampire politics. It's not something I want to be in the middle of."

Mischa blushes at her accusation before he reaches up to run his fingers through his hair, shaking his head. "Sorry. I know that I…nevermind. Anyway, let me know what's going on with all of it. I still want to be a part of your life…" Or unlife, or whatever the Hell she is doing with herself lately. He lets out a sigh before reaching up to run his fingers over his stubble. "I'd hug you, but it doesn't seem like a good idea. I should get going now though. Just remembered I have something cooling on my window sill, so to speak."

Well this has killed a bit of time, but Chloe nods. She'll let him be on his way before things can get any more awkward. "I'll call once Ivan calls." That's the best she can do on the front of the ribbon deal. "I've got somewhere to be in a little while anyhow, so I should probably go grab a bite." Beat. "Of dinner. Sushi maybe." Since it's actually really close. "It it's a strawberry rhubarb pie, you'd better leave a piece in the fridge at work for me tomorrow…" A threat? A request? Chloe's not at all certain, but she doesn't move too much in order to let him be on his way without getting in his way.

"It's a new recipe. You'll just have to see for yourself!" Mischa says helpfully before he starts in the other direction. «Just keep walking, do not look back. It's as hard on her as it is on you. Heh. Hard…» He snickers after this thought before shaking his head and continuing to walk away.

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