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Aurelio Menegi: Nervousness wasn't a familiar feeling for Aurelio but it was there nonetheless as he waited for Jack's arrival in front of the small hole-in-the-wall noodle joint not too far from his apartment that he had invited the Darkling to meet him at for dinner. The Torrent was dressed casually as was his wont, keeping an eye out for the other man's arrival as he waited.
Jack Martingale: The purr of a motorcycle announces Jack's arrival before the man himself is in view, and as he turns the corner onto the street and starts to look for parking, that familiar scent of blood and an oncoming rainstorm starts to drift through the air.
Jack's dressed casually as well, in tight grey jeans and a short sleeved dress shirt with pattern of little gold starbursts. He runs his fingers through his hair to ruffle it after he takes his helmet off, and looks down the street to where Aurelio stands. The man gets a smirk and an upnod, and when Jack's close enough, a small kiss on the cheek.
"Hey, handsome. This place looks great."
Aurelio Menegi: Aurelio smiled at the kiss, giving a small one back in kind before nodding. "Tried it for lunch recently and it was good. Thought you might like it as well."
Jack Martingale: "There's only one way to find out, yeah?" This close, a quiet chirping can be heard, like early morning birdsong. It becomes inaudible as Jack steps backward and moves to hold the door open for the other man.
"How've you been? Were you involved at all in the drama at the hotel the other night?"
Aurelio Menegi: Aurelio's head tilted a touch as he heard the birdsong, making note of the curious sound as he headed inside. "Doing well. Commissions have been going up thanks to some larger pieces selling and my name being spread, so I've been busy. Gave something more personal to Sigrun as well, in thanks for what happened at the wall, and she found it to her liking."
"I was not, no. What happened?"
Jack Martingale: "I'm glad all went well with Sigrun. The both of you do some stunning work, I gotta say. It uh..." Jack glances around the place. "A new member tried to explain things to his brother. Tried to show him, if you know what I mean? In a hotel room. Hell of a lotta cleanup all around..." He sighs and shakes his head.
Aurelio Menegi: "Ah hah." Aurelio nodded, frowning a touch as he moved to claim a table with the staff's blessing. "Imagine so...anything still needing to be done there?"
Jack Martingale: "There are some leads that could use following up on - one of the staff members I interacted with...seemed to know a little too much about what was really going on. Investigation of that variety isn't my strong suit, unfortunately, but there are others chasing those bits of information." Jack sinks down into the seat where he can most easily see the door.
Aurelio Menegi: "Not one of mine, either. May offer help if more physical back-up is needed, though." He settled into his own seat, having no qualms about Jack taking the view of the door. "I take it the new arrival has been...what is the phrase. Run through the ringer for his actions?"
Jack Martingale: "I would hope so. I don't even know who he is, I was just called in to make sure that our community is safe from prying eyes. Hence looking into the receptionist." Jack stretches in his seat, giving Aurelio and excellent view, before settling in to read the menu.
Aurelio Menegi: "Hope the lesson is learned, then." Aurelio did indeed enjoy the view, smirking as he went to look over the menu himself. "Had one of the bowls with the pork before, was very good."(edited)
Jack Martingale: "I hope so too. I kinda feel bad for the guy, it's not like he knew any better. I remember how rough it it, coming back. You know?" Jack eyes the menu with interest. "I could go for pork, maybe. Hm."
Aurelio Menegi: "I do. Was rough for me as well, for a number of reasons. Didn't really have anyone to tell, though."
Jack Martingale: "I knew well enough to keep it a secret. Let people come to their own conclusions." Jack shrugs. "The people I knew before...nearly all of them still don't know. The ones who do...we share this community in some way or another." He puts the menu aside, leaving little scribbly flowers where his fingers were. They fade quickly, but they were definitely there.
Someone's Mantle is climbing, apparently...
Aurelio Menegi: "Right...not a bad way to go about it." Aurelio nodded quietly. "Still deciding on telling the family here that they are such...haven't had a good time for it yet."
The flowers caught his attention, eyeing where they were for a moment before looking to Jack with a small smile. "Getting closer to the Verdant, no?"
Jack Martingale: "Mm?" Jack cocks his head, and follows Aurelio's gaze. A light scribbly blush crosses his cheeks when he realizes what the man is asking. "Ah...yeah, I uh...I dunno. Guess I'm doing okay at my job, or something." He shrugs. "How are you feeling, as the Summer comes to an end?"
Aurelio Menegi: "Seems like it." The smile remained as he set his menu down and sat back. "Well enough. Looking into ways to be more involved myself."
Jack Martingale: "Oh yeah?" Jack sits back with a nod. "How d'you wanna get more involved?"
Aurelio Menegi: "Still deciding. Been made aware of a position being tested for those who are not warriors first, but I need to talk with others involved about it."
Jack Martingale: "Ah. There seem to be a small collection of like-minded folx with the same seasonal affinity, yeah?"
Aurelio Menegi: "A few, yes." He nodded quietly. "Been taking part in some of the local patrols but it's not something I see focusing on, if you follow."
Jack Martingale: "I get it, yeah. I thought that's how it was gonna be for me, starting the job I've got, but...I've ended up liking it more'n I thought." Jack huffs in amusement.
Aurelio Menegi: "Not a bad thing, that." He gave another nod, accompanied by a small smirk. "It suits you well."
Jack Martingale: "Thanks." Jack grins. "Yeah, I've been trying. Got my eye on something a couple steps up, but I haven't convinced myself it's the right move, yet. Dunno if I've got everything I need to take it, either..."
Aurelio Menegi: "Best of luck if you do go for it."
Jack Martingale: "You'll have to tell me if you go for the job you're eyeing, too."
Aurelio Menegi: "Will do. It's more of a specialist position from what I know, bringing in knowledge outside of the normal range. Think it may be a good fit."
Jack Martingale: "If you think of yourself as 'outside the normal range', which it sounds like you do, then yeah. What led you to favor summer, if you don't mind me asking?"
Aurelio Menegi: "Coming to the defense of others, for the most part. Being a creator made to destroy weighed heavy for a long time, so being able to step in and help others remain whole spoke to me."
Jack Martingale: "So you'll be one of my knights in shining armor, should I need it?" Jack smirks at Aurelio. "In all seriousness though, that makes a lotta sense. That desire to protect - which, to be fair, is a very Spring way of saying shit..." His smirk widens.
Aurelio Menegi: "Of course. All you have to do is ask." He replied with a smile. "Suppose so...was taken in by the Spear at first when I got back, though."
Jack Martingale: "Oh yeah? I stumbled home right as winter started, I considered throwing in my lot with them, for a while. By the time I got my feet under me it didn't quite make sense anymore."
Aurelio Menegi: "Mmm. They never rang true with me either. Focusing on the loss wasn't good for me, at least; there was too much there, and looking forward was better."
Jack Martingale: "I don't think I lost enough to focus on it, honestly." Jack shrugs. "I was only gone for like a month and a half, didn't really age..."
Aurelio Menegi: Aurelio nodded quietly. "Neither did I on the second. The first...well, you know."
Jack Martingale: Jack stretches his leg out to rest against Aurelio's under the table. "Yeah. Honestly I feel a little guilty sometimes, that I managed to land basically where I left, when I left."
Aurelio Menegi: He smiled at that light touch, giving another small nod. "Time is a strange thing when it comes to such things. We get what we get, though, and work with it as we can."
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