Keeping The Edge

The silence was awkward. Yes Dia was often quiet at times but right now was way too quiet. Okay he had broken the nerdy girl. Time to fix it. Tenzin looked over at Dia while driving and gave a smile before focusing on traffic.

"So what did you think of my apartment? Kinda nice huh? I am really trying to give myself a nice homey feel with it. I often enjoy my "me time" and I want to be able to be left alone if need be. However I am not done furnishing the place. It was pretty easy thankfully thus far. Scott has helped me out a lot which saved me money and time. Though the furniture and personal touches have to be all me. Not sure what to put on those walls. I don't have a lot of pictures of family or anything."

Tenzin slightly grimaced at the question of family. His eye green eyes glancing at her before looking ahead. She asked a lot of questions involving family it seemed. Guess to some, the idea of being used to not seeing them was alien at best. How to word the answer properly. She had already assumed earlier that he had just up and abandoned family for some stupid reason. Not even close to being accurate but regardless...

"Well you see it's kind of like this. My family was small and I had to leave in a hurry after my first change. It was a bit bloody when I first turned. I'm sure you can relate. Well the people I had um used as chew toys, lack of a better word. Well they were somewhere they shouldn't be and somewhere I was known to be. So my changing was a bit problematic and I had to leave right away. Thankfully things were cleaned up but I was sent away to train in the ways of the Garou. Who then turned around sent me here when she was done teaching me. Fun times right? Anyway long story short is that I have a single photo of my family and that is in my wallet. Have to enjoy that bit. I suppose I could go get more but we're back to an earlier conversation about people safer when they're not nearby."

Traffic was picking it up it looked like. Well it was a Friday and soon every teenager or twenty something was going to be on the road. Well it was a date night for most people. Lucky ignorant bastards and their whimsical world. They went to work and fought with annoying managers while dealing with annoying customers. Tenzin got to deal with people who couldn't follow the rules while fighting monsters that want to eat his soul. Life was cruel. Where was a vampire? He could use a chew toy. He cleared his throat.

"So how about you Dia? Got a thousand or so photos of home and family?"

"Our lives have never been for the faint of heart. Seems like all we get is glorious battle and hopefully a child or two before the end. Love is something that is rare and if you get it then you're lucky." Tenzin says with a somewhat colder tone. It was nothing something he was particularly fond of. The fact that they did not get to enjoy their lives much if at all. It's rather depressing to be honest. Eventually he saw a street up on the right and he turned in. This was her street right. Tenzin checked the GPS. Yup she would be up the street a little bit and voila, she could go get her outfit. Easiest trip he's had thus far.

To explore too deeply would be rude but surely the living room was fair game. He meandered around the room. Observing everything in detail, he started to try and put together the puzzle that was Dia. There was no photos of the three of them together with the exception of the drawing. So her mother was dead? That was saddening. Based off of how young the girl was then how long ago had the mother passed on? It was obviously a long time ago. The Philodox moved on through the room. A picture of the woman in the sketch. Wow she looked just like her daughter. Obviously Dia took after her mother and she was definitely going to make some kinfolk a very luck man. With a smirk he set the picture back down before looking over at the incense. How very Eastern of them. It almost made him chuckle but the loss of family was never fun and honoring one's lost ones was important. What was her last name again? Oh yes it was Halliwell.

He moved towards the window when noticed something was different. Were those, those were protection charms. Pagan or Wiccan in origin maybe? Tenzin wasn't sure. Did these actually work? Well the building wasn't on fire so guess it was a start. Around this time he thought he heard a noise and turned to see if little miss Dia had emerged from her room yet. Heh, cute sign.

Such a diligent and support child. Definitely made him look bad back when he was a teenager. Was? He was only eighteen. Wow it seemed like an eternity away. Tenzin gave her a nod and opened the door for her politely. So this was the home of Dia, definitely explained her concerns with his own living accommodations. Though his own arrangements looked to be slightly larger. Such was life. After the little Theurge had stepped through the door he quickly followed. He shut the door behind him before it dawned on him that she needed to lock the door. Tenzin gave an embarrassed smile before slipping away to his car while she dealt with that.

The Gazer climbed into his car and turned it on. The cold was rolling in and he turned on the heat, mostly for her benefit. The cold never seemed to really bother him but rage was what he blamed for that. Seemed like his blood was always ready for the rush to get going. Garou life was so much fun in that way. Once she had joined him in the car, he would drive off into the night. A left, then a right, a merge onto the highway for a few short miles before getting off of it to the mall. Maybe a ten minute drive to get there followed by an equal amount of time trying to find a good parking spot. Tenzin looked ready to rip someone's head off when some car tried to steal the spot he was taking. Only stopping it was obvious they would hit him in the process. Tenzin calmly got out of his car but the look on the other drivers face when confronted with that much rage in front of him, you would've thought Tenzin was going to rip his head off. The driver quickly apologized, slightly pale in the face before throwing it in reverse and getting out of his way and driving off a little too quickly. The Philodox climbed back into the car and finished parking with the words "fucking idiots" being muttered. Even the Garou were not immune to having to deal with the average fool.

"So we're here. Guess it's time to do some shopping! I wonder if they have a GNC here. Be nice to get some of those protein bars they sell. You'd think with how good they tasted that they were actually bad for you. Sort of surprising with how good they are." Tenzin stepped out from the car before stretching. "Ahhh good day to explore."

Tenzin thought about it. Go straight to Sears or something and get the clothes he wanted. Or he could wonder the mall for fun for a little bit. He compared the benefits of both things before looking at Dia seriously.

"What do you want for dinner? I'm buying." He asked in friendly tune. "I figure we wonder the mall but it's well past dinner time and I bet you haven't eaten since about noon with the way I remember school lunches working. So what do you want for dinner?" His stomach rumbled at the end of the last sentence. He had some ideas for dinner but he didn't care either way. He sort off drummed his finger tips over the top of his car. Eventually it sounded kind of like jeopardym

"Eh let's explore. I've been pent up in that Sept for a bit too long. I'm glad to be off my shift for the night. So let's just go enjoy it." Chuckling Tenzin shuts his door and locks it before walking around the car to join her. "So let's go see what there is to see!"

Tenzin looked excited to see what was there. His eyes flicked around to take in each sight. There were a lot of stores to pick from. Most were what you would expect from a mall Hot Topic, Spencers, JC Penneys and all the rest. There also those that he had not seen before and would have to investigate later. However he took a step back to let Dia lead the way.

"Uhhh until recently I mostly stayed in the hotel.  Not knowing the area and such I focused on the job.  Some days it'd wear me out till I had to pass out when I reached my room or else I'd go hit the gym and work out.  Gotta keep the body in shape and all that.  Uh video games?  I play on my computer sometimes.  I might not have gotten into the industry but I still enjoying playing Skyrim or Rainbow Six Siege.  You know, stuff like that.  To be honest, I have found myself in love with Minecraft. The game is fun and is casual enough that I can do it when I'm just not feeling energetic."  Tenzin grinned.  "I built a pretty cool base the other day on the edge of a Village.  Spent 2 or 3 "days" in the game making sure nothing could spawn in the village or get into it so that the villagers would be safe.  Now I'm building permanent walls which is easy but the hard part is making it so I am willing to look at them when I'm done.  That whole 'looking good' part of building."

He kept an eye out for some where to go eat.  The food court had the usual arrangement but he wasn't sure if he was feeling up for fast food.  Maybe they had something better on the edge of the mall.  He was really hungry and wanted good food.  Had to love it when had to hunt for his meal.

"Yeah it's true. There are zombies, creepers and stuff like that. The only ones that actually destroy things is the creepers who try to suicide bomb you but they're easy enough to thwart if you build your defenses right. I usually make a wall or a ditch so they can't actually get near the house then finish them off with a bow in the morning. Creepers are one of the few enemies that can stick around during the day. Makes them a constant worry. Never know when one spawned and finally wondered their way close to spot you."

They passed various food places and finally looked at Dia. She hadn't said anything yet and he was growing worried. He gave a comforting smile.

"Hey what you want to do for food? Let me guess Italian?" Italian was like the stereotype for girls right? Why Italian he had no idea. Maybe it was the whole Roma thing or something. Maybe it was the language? Maybe it was the wine? It made no sense to be honest. You would think it would be French food but then again the French seemed to have some really weird tastes in food. No one in their right mind wants to go eat a snail. That had to be it. The French were too disgusting to have the most romantic food in the world, just the most romantic language. Also the French charged way too much. Good job France, ruined their own food to the point that their legacy was the french fry and that wasn't even french. Finally he spotted a directory and he gestured towards it and started reading off the restaurants in the mall.

"Looks like there are places in a small village thing outside..."

"Well to be fair, I feel like they emphasis way too much on the noodles and not enough on the flavor. I feel like it's often too bland and requires something to actually get some umph into the meal. I think the Alfredo is one of the few sauces that I enjoy from them. The base tomato stuff is boring and I don't like it. However it's something I'm trying to get into more." Tenzin smiled when he finished speaking. That was the most spine that Dia had ever shown to him. Guess she liked her Italian food and took it rather seriously. "Soooo Bravo is outside... wanna go?"

"Well you see the thing with that is that there was peppers and beans under the rice. It's a rather spicy meal that is purely nutrients and the jackass ruined my meal. I hate when people have to fight and show how big they are just to do so. Meh, it's truly sad." Tenzin shrugs. "Personally... I want something tasty. I want a nice meal to sit down to and enjoy some good food. Food Court isn't calling my name..."

The Stargazer looks at her for a moment then nods. Welp Italian didn't sound horrible today and he said he was trying to like it more. Chicken Alfredo was going to be the meal of the day and he was going to enjoy it. Hopefully. Chuckling he looks at the map again and set out the course.

"Bravo it is..."

"Uh... no not really. That's people over twenty one. People our age are showing up for..." Tenzin froze mid sentence as the word came to his lips. An endless stream of swears and panicked mutters tore threw his mind like a storm as he realized just what they looked like to the outside world. This was very much something they should not be looking like. If a Garou saw them then~ What? A voice spoke calmly in his head. You are panicking and this is helping nothing. The Litany says clearly what you can't do. There is no law against two Garou spending time together. None. In fact they were pack based animals and the two of them were packless. It made sense they'd spend time together. That and they were similar age. There was no foul here no matter how he spent it. It could be questioned yes but it was nothing wrong.

Tenzin jerked himself back to the present and smiled.

"There will be people but I'm sure we'll still be seated quickly. I am hungry. I hope they have something heartier than Spaghetti and Meatballs. I could eat an Elk."

"I'll live with Chicken Alfredo or something. I'm sure it'll be just fine." Tenzin chuckled and guided her in. It was what he expected. Something distinctively Italian themed. He supposed that atmosphere was everything but who was he to talk? His entire apartment had been laid out to create the perfect flow for living. He walked up to the Hostess and requested seating for two. It'd be a moment before their table would be ready. Tenzin turned to see how happy or excited that Dia might be. Sounded like she loved Italian but maybe he was just reading too much into it. Oh well that was the story of his life most times.

"Well at least the place smells good"