Not Your World

  • Thread starter DisreputableCharles
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"You seem awfully sure of yourself, Mr. Ixom." Only upon speaking it did Persephone realize how few options his name lent itself to. It would be most natural to just use the name by itself, but somehow that felt crude and invasive, given the brief amount of time she'd known him. 'Mr.' would have to do for now.

"And I'd hardly consider myself a lady, though the flattery is appreciated." Locking her right leg, she leaned back a bit and slipped her hands into her jeans' pockets, getting a feel for the back-and-forth banter this conversation was becoming. "If I were you, though, I'd think twice about the suit. I may just use my choice of establishment to make a fool of you in a casual setting." A playful smirk crossed her lips. "That plan's a work in progress, though, since you still haven't completely persuaded me."
 
Ixom went right on grinning. He hadn't anticipated this confounding, willful, and infuriatingly magically resilient woman would have the head for wit. He allowed a silence to stretch after her words as he took another measure of the humbly clad woman. "A fool is a fool no matter where he goes. I will be the first to admit that I'm a fool for a pair of pretty eyes. If you'd like to make me look the fool, I would all too happily play the part." He plucked from his pocket a surprisingly unbent card, and offered it to the woman on the stoop.

"I have a firm set of priorities in mind you see. As it stands I think I've done all the convincing I need to do. The secret my dear, is curiosity. Why, you might ask yourself, have I chosen you? Followed you? Given you my quaint, and relatively expensively-printed business card? The last -of course- is a hypothetical until you actually take the card, but that's semantics. I've taken up enough of your evening, and I've made the sort of impression that won't easily be forgotten."

His arm dropped as his speech finished, whether or not Persephone had taken his card. "You have little ones waiting on you, I think. And I have business to attend to. My card will be available when your curiosity becomes unbearable. My number's on the back. Don't be a stranger." He let his grin subside into a more subtle smile. "It has been an adventure. The first of many, I think."
 
Persephone as well sustained her smug expression as she reached forward to accept his card, not averting her gaze for even a fraction of a second. Coming from a young man who'd just mildly stalked her, she hadn't been expecting this sort of intrigue. Strange, how it happened to occur on this most ordinary of days.

"I have to admire your self-confidence, though someone else might just label you a presumptuous flirt." Evening out her stance, she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as her smile shone through her eyes. "Fortunately that's not the case with me, otherwise you'd have just wasted fifteen minutes of awfully witty conversation." Her gaze finally broke when she tucked the card into her pocket and glanced behind herself for only a moment.

"Like you said, I'm keeping the little ones waiting. I await further encounters, good sir." With a subtle wink, Persephone turned on her heel and opened the door to the house.
 
Ixom went right back to beaming at the amusingly confident young woman. "Oh don't let my confidence fool you. A presumptuous flirt I am. But for these past fifteen minutes, I've been <i>your</i> presumptuous flirt." He took a step back, as the woman retrieved his card, one hand returning to his pocket. "Ah, but the tired lines of parting I could conjure... For now, farewell will have to suffice." He lifted the other to his head, to tip a hat that wasn't there as the woman re-entered her house.

Humming a merry tune, he spun on his heel and traipsed right out into the street before disappearing into an alley across the way. Oh yes, this had been an eventful day at the very least. He was going to get to the bottom of this wicked little scheme to undermine his influence on the squishy mortals.

"And I've weaseled a date out of a pretty girl on the way. Not bad, Ixom'Hael. Not bad at all." To any onlooker who's chanced a glance at the young demon, it would appear as if the very shadows of the alley themselves had coalesced to conceal Ixom. When they dispersed, he was nowhere to be seen.
 
"Just a moment, I might be able to get you exact change..." Much to the chagrin of those in line behind her, Persephone dug through her pockets for the coins she knew were there somewhere when her hand brushed a small piece of smooth construction paper. Furrowing her brow, she pulled it (along with about forty-three cents) out of the front pocket of her bomber jacket and knew then exactly what it was: the business card.

For the past week, she'd switched it to the pocket of whatever outerwear she happened to snag on her way out the door, for fear of misplacing it somehow. True, there had been a genuine intent to call at some point, but then everyday life got in the way, as it had the irksome tendency to do.

"Ma'am? The line is backing up." Stern words from the middle-aged woman at the cash register shook Persephone from her thoughts and she mumbled an apology, just handing over a dollar as she had no time to waste rummaging through her clothes for change. That was embarrassing.

As soon as she'd left the store, bag of new clothes in hand (this was the first splurge she'd been able to afford in a while), Persephone pulled out the card again and flipped it over, staring at the number on the back and wondering whether or not she should make the call.
 
Ixom had very little to occupy his time, on his vacation to the mortal realm. Apart from playing his pranks upon unsuspecting victims, and observing the business of the human day, he was utterly and completely unoccupied. Which usually meant playing sleuth, and checking up -subtly- on Persephone. It had been nearly a week since he'd given her his card, and although he was a patient man, he saw no reason <i>not</i> to approach her. She was, -after all- staring at his card. He'd tagged it with some on-the-go magic when he'd handed it over that would make it obviously non-mundane to anybody with enough magical attunement.

True to his word, he was wearing a fine three piece suit. He had a black coat on, with a black vest beneath, as well as black slacks. His undershirt was a bold shade of celebratory red, to match his red silk tie. The only thing out of place with his appearance, was the pair of slightly-battered red-and-white sneakers encapsulating his feet. He carried a briefcase, sleek and black in one hand as he glided through the parking lot of the store, to the woman presently staring at his card.

"Hello, miss Persephone. I heard you calling." He said, grinning toothily. Of course he <i>hadn't</i> heard her calling. He'd been watching her until he was positive that she was intent on the card. "It's a bit early for dinner I know," He said, rolling his eyes. "But since you didn't actually use a phone, I was under the impression that you'd rather keep our date 'till you're more certain I'm not a mad sociopath intent on destruction."
 
"Somehow," Persephone said casually, not looking up at him until she'd pocketed the business card and prepared her mischievous smile, "I find myself stunningly unsurprised by your sudden appearance in a department store parking lot." Looking him up and down, she added, "And obviously you weren't joking about the suit. Nice choice." Though she spoke with the same languid sarcasm as their last conversation, she found herself suddenly feeling under-dressed in jeans, a graphic tee covered by her bomber jacket, and the same Chucks she'd been wearing at their last meeting. Still, she dared not let it show.

"Well obviously you can't blame a girl for being cautious; you did follow me home, after all." A smirk pulled at her lips and the corners of her eyes crinkled in amusement, as though she enjoyed toying with him (which was more or less true). "However, if I've at all wounded your pride, perhaps I may now ease the pain by letting you know I've evaluated the situation..." Persephone left a tantalizing pause before continuing, "and it would appear that my evening is free of obligations."
 
Grinning like he'd won the lottery, -or the demonic equivalent at the very least- Ixom eyed Persephone up and down. He found that he rather approved of her casual attire. Her pause had him holding his breath despite himself. She'd be quite difficult to examine if she was bound and determined to avoid him. "Stunningly unsurprised? Either I am becoming more predictable than I'd like, or you are a very difficult woman to catch off guard. This should prove to be amusing, I think."

"And," He went on, "Although I <i>could</i> blame a girl for caution, it would hardly be the gentlemanly thing to do. Especially if I intended to ply her for information with my charms and wit." His brows waggled playfully once again, before he plucked that free hand from his pocket, gesture towards one of the nearer parking spaces. "I've a vehicle, if you'd rather drop off your acquisitions before the date. I could see why you might be hesitant to get into a strange suitor's car however. Alternatively, I could pick you up when you've finished squaring away your things. Have you decided on a restaraunt?"
 
It'd been a good long while since Persephone had last found herself being courted, and even then not with the persistence that Ixom seemed to swear by. Intriguing, to say the least, and just like he'd said (though she would never in a thousand years admit it), she was irked by a feeling of curiosity as to why he would put in so much effort on her behalf. But it had caught her attention, at any rate.

"Smokey Tomato Cafe, corner of Third and Woodstock Avenue." She shifted her stance again, leaning back on one leg, and hooked the shopping bag over her shoulder. "However, while I appreciate the chivalrous offer, I'll walk myself home for now." That subtle smirk of hers became a little more apparent as she lifted her arm and pushed back her sleeve to check a simple silver wristwatch. "Let's say...seven thirty?"
 
"Smokey Tomato Cafe," Mused the demon, his icy blues dancing with mirth. "Very well. I'll see to it that I know the place." He checked his own vacant wrist once again. Seven thirty gave him more than enough time to give the place a once-over. He doubted sincerely that Persephone was setting him up to fulfill some ulterior motive, although stranger things had happened.

Suit clad and happy, Ixom dipped his head in a nod. "Seven thirty," He agreed, sweeping another formal bow. He straightened again, and took a pair of steps before beginning to glide once more. "It's a date!" He called over his shoulder, as he coasted towards his vehicle. He drove -as it turned out- a 1937 Model Ford Convertible with a chromatic black paint job, and upholstery of the same shade as his tie.

He vaulted over the driver side door with a wave, and anybody with an eye for detail would see the secret to his glide. The demon with an insanely expensive suit, and an even more expensive -if stylishly classic- car wore Heelys. The engine rumbled to life, and Ixom began to pull out, before a thought occurred to him. He turned the vehicle about, and called over the noise of the engine, "Am I meeting you at the cafe, or picking you up?"
 
"You'll be picking me up, sir, since you're already acquainted with the address." There was always something like a secret in those green eyes, like Persephone was reveling in some forgotten inside joke. She added, then, with a bit more volume due to the din created by the car, "Besides, if the handsome young man is offering, then I see no reason not to accept."

Mimicking his sweeping bows, she---in complete disregard of her attire---made a sort of curtsy herself, to keep up the flirtatious formalities. It was refreshing to meet someone who could keep up with her, let alone challenge her own wit. "Seven thirty, don't be late." The parting words were called over her shoulder, accompanied by a distinctly Queen Elizabeth-esque wave as she turned to take her usual twisting path back to the house.
 
Ixom drove away grinning. Although he'd begun pursuing the woman due to her strange effect on his admittedly muted powers, the demon was beginning to grow earnestly fond of the woman. He began to hum a tune as he rumbled on down the road, taking a moment to reconfigure his briefcase on the seat beside him, rather than in the foot-space below the passenger seat.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

The car rumbled up to the sidewalk in front of the boarding house at seven thirty-five, and the rumbling purr of the engine cut out shortly thereafter. Ixom had managed to master his hair, and it swept back from his face and out of his eyes. How long it would last was anyone's guess. He still wore that fine suit. He also still wore those ridiculous shoes.

He stepped out of the car easily, and swept around the front to wait beside the passenger-side door. His mouth quirked amusedly into that wry little half-smile of his.

What must the little ones think of their Persephone, I wonder.
 
"Why aren't we allowed to see your boyfriend, Sephie?" Weyman, the shorter of the twins, trailed after his senior down the hall to the foyer that preceded the door. As she made her choice of coat, Persephone answered swiftly,

"First, don't call me that; second, he's not my boyfriend; third, because siccing a herd of small people on him would pretty much put the proverbial kibosh on my plans for the evening." Her gaze didn't move towards the child until she'd finished speaking, having selected her same bomber jacket. "Look," she said, crouching in front of Weyman, "while I'm gone, Avery is in charge. I shouldn't be back too late. Now go find Marcus." After shooing him back down the hall, Persephone stood up and took a moment to give herself a once-over in the mirror beside the coat rack.

As a result of financial restriction she didn't own much formalwear, and the Smokey Tomato was indeed a more casual choice, but considering the circumstances she saw nothing wrong with getting at least a little dressed up. Her dress was navy blue and of a modest just-above-the-knee length, with bits of lace lining the short sleeves and hemline. As a matter of habit she didn't feel entirely comfortable in such girly attire, so she balanced it out with the other pair of Converse she owned, dark grey and ankle lace-up.

Here we go. Persephone slipped her house keys into her pocket and opened the door to see her suitor leaned oh-so-casually against his vehicle, the sight of which elicited another little smirk as she walked down from the stoop.

"You look awfully pleased with yourself."
 
Ixom took stock of his date when she stepped out of the boarding house and onto the stoop. His eyes didn't linger inappropriately anywhere they ought not to be, although her converse earned a second glance. And a nod of approval. He pushed off from the car and sketched a brief bow of greeting to Persephone.

"I am most pleased with myself," He confirmed, straightening. Humble just wasn't in Ixom's resume. "After all, I have an expensive suit, a nice car, and -most importantly- a date with a pretty girl who may or may not make me look the fool before evening's end." He half-turned to slip his fingers into the handle of the door, and he pulled it open for Persephone. He was the picture of a perfect gentleman. Or he would be, but for those damnable sneakers.

"I think I'll be a bit overdressed, but my pride should survive I think." He rolled his eyes expressively. "Of course, I could try to play the part of the surly embittered old man, but you'll have to wait quite some time for the wrinkles. If we intend to eat tonight however, I think you'll have to deal with my overconfidence, bluster, and inflated sense of self-worth. You look stunning, by the by."
 
"Your pride, it seems, hardly requires protection. I'm beginning to wonder if there's anything that could rein you in." Persephone's look of appraisal coupled with the unwavering curve of her lips was a sure sign that she was already enjoying herself. "I guess you think you really know how to sweep a girl off her feet, eh?" She stopped about three feet short of the vehicle and crossed her arms, re-using the sort of posture that she'd so often assumed during these conversations. "Well," she said, suddenly relaxing her position, "I'd say you're doing a fairly good job of it, even with the excessive flattery."

She drew a few steps closer and said, lowering her voice, "You don't look too bad yourself, Monsieur excès de confiance." Her smile widened just a little when she slipped into the car, her hand brushing over his as she leaned on the door.
 
Ixom's brows rose faintly at the hand-to-hand contact as Persephone slipped into the car. The expression was the briefest sort of surprise, and it was gone as quickly as it had come. He'd <i>touched</i> a human. Interesting. When he was sure that all of Persephone's limbs and articles of clothing were clear of the door, he closed it after her. He vaulted his own door again, to settle in the driver's seat. The key was already in the ignition. "Excessive? My dear, I've barely begun to dote on you. Of course, I'll have to find time for it between bouts of glorifying my virtues, and singing my own praises, but I should think I can handle it."

The car rumbled to life, and they were off. Ixom didn't deign to buckle his seatbelt. Now and again he'd break his eyes away from the road briefly to check on his companion. "Off to the Smokey Tomato." He said, merrily. "Adventure, romance, and death-defying feats of bravery!" The wind was beginning to get at his hair, and it was clear that the neatly combed look was going to give way to the attractive sprawl of pin-straight black hair again in no time flat.
 
"Oh me, however can I resist?" His self-glorification made her tone playfully sarcastic as Persephone settled herself in the seat, crossing her legs in an uncharacteristically ladylike manner. She found herself inadvertently making periodic glances over at her date, whose bold nature was simultaneously humorous, admirable, and just the slightest bit cocky. Strangely, it was never bothersome.

As the vehicle roared forward, she positioned her elbow atop the door and leaned her head on her hand, paying no mind to the wind that tangled her hair quite expertly. At his declaration, she laughed a little and felt the need to reply, "I can't exactly say any of that is unexpected, except perhaps what feats you would attempt to impress me!" Her voice rose to clarity over the howling of the breeze.
 
Ixom's grin broadened as his hair whipped in the wind. "You're expecting romance?" He called, as they pulled to a stoplight. "Well if I'd known <i>that</i> was what you were after I'd have worn nicer shoes." For now at least, their voices only had to compete with the rumbling purr of the engine. "As to the feats of daring, I'm sure I could come up with something. A place like the Smokey Tomato is bound to have ravenous beasts to tame, or burly sweat-soaked men to fight in your honor. Failing that, I suppose I'd have to rely on my considerable acrobatic skills to wow and inspire you."

The light turned green, and they were off again, not that that would stop the demon from his braggadocio. "Of course then I might have to beat away other aspiring lovers with a stick, which is hardly the sort of thing that a gentleman treats a lady to on their first date." He shrugged one shoulder pleasantly. "I'm sure we can find something with which we can entertain ourselves." As of yet, Ixom had managed to keep a conversation going without prying too heavily. Or at all, really.

At this rate, it wouldn't take them long to arrive at the cafe.
 
"I suppose it's not on my list of requirements, but from what I've seen of you thus far it wouldn't be too much of a surprise." Keeping up the mood, Persephone held a hand in front of her mouth in a caricature of shock. "Oh dear, could I have just implied that you were somehow predictable?" The feigned expression faded into a chuckle and she shifted slightly in her seat, making an attempt to smooth the wrinkled skirt of her dress.

Her gaze drifted along the sights to her right, catching on the neon glows of storefronts. She spoke again, a bit quieter, though still audible over the din, "Though I suppose you're predictable in that I know you're unpredictable." Persephone subconsciously noted Ixom's influence on her as she raised a hand to gesticulate, "Your use of the phrase 'aspiring lovers', for example."
 
Ixom managed to ease into a parking space none too far from the Smokey Tomato. "You have a list of requirements?" He said, fighting back the grin he'd been wearing very nearly since Persephone had begun speaking. It wasn't working very well. Much to his surprise, Ixom was genuinely pleased with the human's company. "I suppose I ought to adhere to them if I desire to retain your companionship for the duration of our meal. Adherence is so... Sticky though." He let the engine die, and he clambered out of the car with more grace than his foolishness suggested. If Persephone waited for him, he'd open her door for her before offering his arm. If not, he'd simply sweep up beside her to offer the arm.

"Ah, I'm predictably unpredictable then. I've never been called a paradox on a first date before. I'll consider it a compliment then, lady Persephone. You have a head for words." He observed. "Has your tongue always been as quick, and your mind as sharp? Don't mistake me; they are qualities that I quite appreciate in a woman. And-" He paused. "You caught the lovers bit, did you? I suppose I won't be able to slip one by you." Said the demon, winking one cool blue eye merrily.
 
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