Life in the City (mature... male, please)

He looked up from the menu. "I mean I wonder why you were turned down. You seem honest, and a hard worker...", he said with a sincere smile. He looked up at the waiter, and politely asked for the crab legs entree, which was snow crab. He watched the waiter walk off, after taking their menus. "So other than doing a car wash... what else do you do?", he asked as he rested his chin on his hands while he watched her. even in the dim light of the restaraunt, his piercing yellow eyes seemed to gaze out intently, but not in a menacing way.

She shrugged. Who knew why she was denied a steady job. "Perhaps because I really have no documentation. I don't even have a mailing address." She lived underground... what postman would go there? Haha... then the image of Bugs Bunny's hole with his mailbox next to it popped in her head... and all the carrot butts around the hole. She started to giggle.
The server asked for her order and she indeed ordered the sampler appetizers... along with the lobster and steak entree.
His next question brought her back to serious reality. "It depends, sometimes. Sometimes, I can do little performances of my agility in the park for spare change. On rainy days, I often spend mornings in the public library. In the afternoon, I help at a soup kitchen and I get food for that."
She looked back at him. His gaze seemed like he was trying to see what made her tick. It wasn't something she was used to. No one cared about her. No one would miss her if she was gone. That's what she believed anyway.
So, in that quiet moment, she looked down from his gaze... staring at the cloth that covered their table.

He raised an eyebrow. "Underground?", he asked curiously. His expression got even more curious as he heard her giggle. "What kind of performances?", he asked as he continued to rest his chin on his hands. His kept on her, watching her every move and expression, as if a camera, catching every little detail. "You are struggling, aren't you?", he blurted out, not really thinking as he said, but not a single flicker of surprise or remorse appeared in his face afterwards. "You are barely able to survive...", he muttered outloud, still keeping his gaze on her, seeing her gaze down at the table cloth. A gentle smile appeared on his face as his gaze shifted from her, and to the waiter whom was now bringing their glasses of milk.

She shrugged. "Juggling acts, acrobatics, and stuff like that. It's not much but it's okay sometimes.
Then it was kinda quiet after her answer. She wondered what he was thinking and she snuck a peek up at him. Then came his conclusion. She was struggling. Of course, she was.
Barely able? And with that she really looked up at him. "You say that like I'm completely helpless. I have my two hands and then some. I use what I have. I have good days and bad days. Who doesn't? I just earn what I get."
She looked at the milk as the server brought it. She took hold of the glass and drank deeply. Her ears twitched as she did. Whole milk. The glass was almost empty before she put it down and looked at him.
"How about after dinner, I show you a bit of my world? Maybe I'll even show you where I live," she said.

He looked at her again for a moment. "Don't take it the wrong way, I am just.. making quiet observations...", he said, trying to blow it off. "It just seems that, well.. you aren't doing as well as a girl like you should be...", he mumbled, instantly wishing he hadn't said it. He looked down at the glass of milk before looking up and seeing hers almost gone. He gave a small shrug. "Sure if you feel up to dealing with me...", he said softly. After that, he wasn't so sure if she would really want to. He was curious about her, and wanted to know more. Right now, he was just rambling, and observing what he could. "Sorry... I didn't mean it that way, but sure, if you want to deal with me, I will go with you..."

She looked away from him a bit. She wasn't sure what to say to him at that moment. Deal with him? That sounded rather ominous.
She was still curious about him. Of course she was... but she hoped he didn't look down on her just because she wasn't priviledged like he was.
"A girl like me... and you barely even know me... and nothing of my background," she said quietly. "I will tell you once we leave here... why it's harder than you think it is."

He saw her look away from him and he sighed. He didn't want to be a burden to her. He just wanted to get to know her. "Sorry, I am just saying things from what I am seeing so far...", he mumbled, pushing the milk away from him for the moment. "I am sure it's harder than I think it is... but I kill lycans for a living... Sure my parents help out, but my life isn't cake either...", he retorted, not liking how things were going so far. He wasn't some prissy little shit who had his parents waiting hand and foot on him all the time. They pressured him in school, and he has had many jobs, but now he kills cruel and horrifying things to keep himself going.

Hotaru said, "It's... okay, I guess. I don't kill lycans but I have my own demons to face."
She looked at him then. "Why do you hunt lycans?" she asked. "Did one ever wrong you?"

He looked into her eyes intently. "I had 5 other adopted siblings, and a clan of lycans, whom used their power and ability to shift wrongly, intentionally killing whomever they pleased, slowly killed off my other siblings one by one. The last one got changed, and became a member of this pack, and turned against our parents...", he said, going almost into a daydream state as he remembered the battle against Terry. A huge drooling, growling hairy beast running for his parents. His parents, which had taught him and freed him from slavery. There was blood everywhere after it was over. He had killed him with several whacks to the neck with a meat cleaver.

Hotaru looked away. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

He looked at her for a moment. "I am not upset about it anymore, don't b e sorry...", he said softly. "It was just.... difficult.", he said softly. "Going back to that memory is like having to go through a video, watching it again...", he whispered softly, watching the waiter bringing them their food. "Finally... some food...", he said as he shifted his gaze to the glass of milk which he still hadn't touched. "Look, I am not trying to be mean or anything like that, As I said, I am just observing so far, and from everything you have told me, you are barely making ends meet. You have no address, you are being hassles by perverse assholes, and you barely have enough to eat.", he mumbled, trying to explain himself as the waiter sat down their food in front of them.

Hotaru was thin... maybe even a tad underweight. He ate when she could but it was tough. She looked at him. She knew what he meant by watching a video. She still had nightmares about the night she lost her mother.
When the food arrived, she cordially thanked their server. The food smelled delicious. Yet, even as underfed as she was... she still took the time to unfold and place her napkin in her lap and pick up the knife and fork. She cut into the steak first. She'd asked for it rare. When she put the first bite in her mouth it almost melted it was so good. She chewed politely. She didn't gulp.
"I have no address but I have a place to live. And the assholes... well I'm sure that's not unique to this town," she said between bites.

David looked up, thanking the waiter right after Hotaru did. He looked at the crab legs which had steam rising from them and a decently large cup of melted butter on the side. "How can you have a place to live b ut no address?", he asked curiously, watching her place the napkin on her lap. Even as refined as he seemed to be, he never did that. He never saw much reason or logic behind it, but did it all the same to not seem out of place before he began to crack one of the crablegs. "Yes, I know the assholes aren't unique to this town, but just from the observations I am seeing so far, it is just seeming difficult for you..."

"I will show you later," she answered. For one thing, she wasn't about to advertise in a restaurant full of patrons where she lived. She'd already caught some of the stares from others.
She tried her steamed lobster tail... heavenly. The sampler was also good and she invited David to share the sampler platter with her. There was plenty of food to go around. The shrimp from the platter was good, too.

He raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Ok...", he replied as he dipped some of the crab meat into the b utter and ate at it, loving the flavour. He tried some of the shrimp and calamari from the platter, loving the fried calamari. He gave a look around, seeing the stares from the patrons, and he glared back at them, doing his best to ensure that she would feel comfortable. "So I guess that's what we're doing when we leave here, then, huh?", he asked as he crushed another crab leg and began to pull out the meat.

Hotaru shrugged. She ate quickly, though politely. She easily ate her share of the platter. Her entree didn't stand a chance at leftovers. Even the sides were eaten. When Hotaru was finished, there was hardly anything left on her plate except the lobster tail shell. She was full. She washed it down with the rest of her milk.
She looked at him while he ate his crab.... watching patiently. "Is there something else you want to do then?" she asked.

He ate quickly too, finding that crab legs was a food that you had to work for after paying for it as he was trying his best to get all of the meat from the legs. He took a few sips from his milk, but never really taking a decent drink from it. "No, I was just not sure.", he said with a shrug as he took another bite of butter dipped meat, before finishing off the last of the calamari. He liked that the best from the sampler platter. He finished off his crab legs shortly after, feeling full and well satisfied. He asked the waiter for the check, and he quickly payed it, and covered the tip. "Well... ready to go?", he asked.

Hotaru wasn't even going to consider dessert. She waited for him to finish and once the bill was paid, she got to her feet. "Yes, I'm ready to go," she said. She snuck looks at the other patrons. She worried a little that the large meal might make her sluggish if trouble arose.

He stood up, and began to walk out, looking at the patrons who were looking at her. "Why are those people looking at you?", he asked softly as they neared the front door of the restaraunt. He thought it strange for people, assumably strangers to be looking at her that way. He walked out into the sun, taking in a breath for a moment before turning to Hotaru. "So... where to?", he asked with a smile. He was curious as to how a girl could have no address, but have a place to live... He was just curious about her all together, but still not entirely sure why he was staying around her. She seemed like she was very reluctant at first to let him know anything...

"Many in this town are not neko friendly. Don't kid yourself. They're looking at both of us be me more than you. You they don't know. But many know me as the one who washes cars. Underpriviledged... shouldn't be in a nice restaurant," she answered.
There should be no sun at this time, since it was evening. The sun had been setting when the three stooges tried to get fresh with her.
She looked around then... cautious. "If you truly wish to know then follow me. I will show you. If not then I understand," she said.
She started to walk away further into the city... away from the wharfs.

He looked outside for a moment, seeing the streetlights on. He raised an eyebrow for a moment and began to follow her. He wasn't just about to let her walk away, even if they were already beginning to disagree. "Of course I will follow you...", he stated as he followed her closely. His ears gave a brief twitch as he heard some cats fighting nearby. He was curious as to how long of a walk they would have. The wind was blowing, and it had gotten a little chilly outside. He crossed his arms, in an effort to keep himself warm for the moment.

Hotaru looked back to see that he was following. She ignored the cold... just like any other weather. Cold, rain, snow...
Further into town was a large park and it was here Hotaru led her companion. There was an way to her home from here. Through a concreted storm drain... really like a giant culvert, there was a hidden passage away from where the water would flow. It was down here that she led him.
"I discovered this several years ago. Kinda by accident. As you can see, it's hard to list your mailing address as 'Underground below the park'," she said. She lead him through a warren of tunnels. It was very dark but her senses were keen. When it was too dark for even feline eyes, she went by touch. It was maze down here. "Stay close," she said. "It's easy to get lost."
It took more than fifteen minutes to navigate through, going ever further down. Until she reached where she was going. It was then, one could hear her fumbling with something and a spotlight came on. She was drawing power from and old car battery.
"I can't keep this on long... but you wanted to SEE where i lived," she said.
This was a semi-large chamber with all sorts of nicknacks she'd collected. On the walls was a collage of places she's never seen. Eiffel Tower, Mt. Rushmore, maps... dingy. And there were pictures of other things... horses, houses, boats... whatever had caught her attention.
In one corner was a pile of blankets and old mattresses that she used for a bed.
On the ceiling were stickers and she now pointed the light on them... they were stickers of planets, galaxies, moons, stars... the stars were everywhere on the ceiling.
Then when she turned the light off, the stickers had a weak glow since the light wasn't on them all that long.
"This is my home," came her voice from the dark.

He was definetely curious as he saw the storm drain. He was beginning to see what she meant by having a place to live, but not having an address. He knealed his way through the passages, trying his best to keep with her, even in the utter darkness. He had never been where there wasn't even a small amount of light before. Usually there was the moon, or at least something to light the dark. He stopped when he heard her fumbling, assuming she had slipped or fallen or something, but squinting in reaction to the spotlight. He tried to force his eyes to adjust as quick as they could so he could get a good look at the area. He looked at her bed, the cieling, and then the collage of pictures, before seeing her switch the light off, seeing the faint glow from the stars above. He was stunned. He had never known anyone to live like this, or to have even found a place like this. "You know... down here, you could probably find a line from the power to get a permanent source for that light...", he mumbled, trying to think of something semi-intelligent to say.

"We are below the level of the subways. I don't know that power goes this deep. But on the flip side, no one else knows about this either. We're directly under the park here... but these tunnels comb the city."
She sat on her 'nest', although she didn't know he could see well enough. "I feel safe down here... it's quiet. But it's... pretty empty. There's no heat. But no one can bother me here. It's asshole free."

"I am sure there is a powerline that traces one of these tunnels at least...", he mumbled, as he stood in what he figured to be the doorway. He heard her sit down on her bed, but still couldn't really see well just yet. "I bet it is difficult in the winter...", he said softly as he shuffled a little, side to side. He wasn't sure to sit, stand or lay down somewhere. "So... why don't you live in a house, per sey?", he asked curiously. He figured it was because she didn't make enough but he wasn't going to say so, he didn't want her to think he was insulting her again.