Have the Courage to Be Kind

Where: Secret Realm

Diana's eyes were as wide as her grin as she rifled through some of the DVDs on the shelf. So many things were aging her considerably by now, but she’d slowly begun to embrace it. This extended to little habits, like her insistence to own beloved films on DVD if she could. There was a fondness for physical media that she knew she’d always have. 

She’d become so ensnared with the titles on the shelf that she didn’t realize she had gotten close to someone until their shoulders bumped. “Oh!” Diana chirped, jumping back a little, her doe eyes turning to the other, “I am so so sorry. I think I was just so lost in my browsing that I just kinda forgot my surroundings.”

Elric hummed not sure what to make of the human in front of him. “I see,” he commented. His furniture escapades would have to wait it seemed. Of course, he could just continue on his mission and see if Nik even noticed. “Perhaps, Oh it is nothing. I simply came by to get Nik’s opinion on furniture. Unless you’d like to give your opinion I am fine, although thank you for the offer.”

“I’ll try not to waste any more of your time,” Elric gave a smile brushing his hair out of the way. “Do take care, and if you do see Nik please let him know I was looking for him. I’m updating my furniture you see and he’ll have to see it every day so I would like his opinion.”

As Diana studied the other man further, there was something in her gut that seemed to pull and twist as if it were possessed. There was something about this man, something in him that resonated deeply with her...She knew him. This seemed impossible, of course, but she knew she knew him from somewhere. His presence, the way he carried himself, and his eyes...those eyes...

Diana snapped back to the present when he finished speaking, not even realizing that she’d zoned out so badly. “Wait!” she retorted a little to loudly and a little too quickly, causing her entire face to turn completely crimson underneath the mask. The sudden heat proved to be too much, and she cleared her throat as she took it off, revealing her full face. “Sorry, umm, I’d be happy to help on either front, the furniture hunting and telling Nik someone called upon him. I’m just afraid I don’t know who you are, sir.” she explained, taking her pink gloves off as she did so and shoving them in her pocket. 

“I’m Diana, Diana Jones. It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.” she continued, extending a delicate, pale hand towards the other with her signature southern politeness and bright white smile.

Where: The front door to Luka’s residence

Diana wringed her hands as yet another minute passed with her having not knocked on the door. She decided to get to Luka’s precisely ten minutes early so she’d have five minutes to wallow in her own anxiety in the car, then another five minutes to fret at his stoop. This would be the first time she’d seen her baby brother in, well...years, at least. Sure, she’d spoken with him on the phone and such, but things were different now. So much more different...Still, as she flashed up the time on her phone, she knew better than to be late.

“They’re an accessory fruit,” Col explained. “The ‘seeds’ outside the ‘fruit’ are the individual nuts, and the fleshy fruit bit is an accessory fruit, which isn’t a fruit at all.” He personally loved sharing cursed knowledge with people. “It’s designed for plant propogation, where the nuts begin to grow and they use the ‘fruit’ to feed from as they grow. It’s why that there’s a very common correlation with those with nut allergies and those with strawberry allergies.”

Col just grinned. “I haven’t done anything yet,” he promised. “But does it really hurt to plan ahead? One day, I’ll inevitably do something, and I can present my offering for immediate peace instead of neeeding to make a plan for a later time. I’d rather have a back-up plan than fly by the seat of my pants. I pay too much for nice trousers to risk them on such plans.”

Diana couldn’t begin to help the way her face fell, her jaw going slack as he talked about how strawberries were, in fact, actually nuts. Normally, her brain would be scrambling to figure out if he was just completely bullshitting her, but today? She didn’t care. Colman’s explanation was far more interesting than it just being a mere fruit. 

“I...I genuinely don’t know what to say to all of that except for this: How on earth did you come across this information? I’m getting closer to forty everyday and I’ve never heard something like this.” she proclaimed, genuinely curious as to how he came to acquire such a factoid.

Her shock didn’t waver when he explained his thought process for bringing fruit, and it was all she could do not to laugh out loud in sheer enjoyment. Instead, she resigned herself to a hearty chuckle, shaking her head in disbelief. “They are indeed nice trousers,” Diana agreed, glancing down at the garment in question before meeting his eyes, “Is it possible, Mister Dragoumis, that you are the single most interesting person I’ve ever met?”

“Ah, a shame,” Colman said, shrugging a little. He considered leaving the raspberries simply walking away, but Diana worked for Persephone and he figured she wouldn’t be particularly happy if she heard he was being rude to her employees. Besides, Diana wasn’t totally unbearable. He supposed he could socialise for a little bit, lest he turn into a hermit in one of his cabins.

Col shrugged. “I always bring fruit when I come to visit,” he explained. “Except when I bring strawberries. Because those are, in fact, nuts, but the sentiment is the same, I suppose.” He took a raspberry in hand and popped it into his mouth. “I bring them as a sort of peace offering, I suppose.”

“Wait, hang on...Strawberries are nuts? I’m afraid I don’t quite follow.” Diana was familiar with the whole tomato/fruit debacle, but this strawberry thing was something wholly new. She took another raspberry and ate it, mentally taking a note to pick some up on her way home tonight. 

His mention of a peace offering caused her dark brow to quirk in bemusement. “Peace offering? Goodness, what could you have done to make Miss Persephone so cross? This I simply must hear.”

"I have to pick only one?! That's so hard! I'm gonna have to go with All Night Long by Lionel Richie though. That song always makes me want to get up and dance."

"Oh gosh, umm...I wouldn't say so, no! While I'm not one to immediately discredit the possibility of something, there's something about most conspiracy theories that are just so...ick to me."

WHO: @darlingdianajones​ WHERE: Hollow Hill Mortuary

Elric had been obsessed recently with updating the house and to do that he needed his fledgling’s opinion. Most had already agreed with some added comments on if he was going to do the other houses. Still, he needed Nik’s opinion. Heading to the man’s place of work Elric figured he’d find the younger vampire there but was surprised when he walked in only seeing a human.

“Apologies I did not mean to intrude, I was searching for Nik. Do you know where he might be?” Elric asked looking at the woman in front of him.

While she enjoyed being social for the most part, there were days when Diana truly relished being able to just go through the funeral home as she pleased. Even if it was just her boss in, she always felt weird wearing any aspect of her ‘uniform’ around where the public might see it. Today’s outfit was particularly off-putting, as she was rocking what could only be described as a Doctor Frank-N-Furter lab cosplay: a teal colored lab coat complete with bright pink gloves (though instead of heels, a pair of white skechers sneakers donned her feet). Her hair was tied back in a neat bun, and she had a bright blue mask covering her nose and face.

She’d been asked to help embalm a body for a local funeral home a few miles away, as their shipment of supplies hadn’t gotten in just yet. More than willing to help, she had just started in when she realized she’d forgotten a box of product that came with the body in the office. She had just began walking past the front door when a man she didn’t recognize came inside. Diana jumped a little in spite of herself, hand flying to her chest.

“O-Oh goodness! No, umm, you’re quite alright! I’m afraid I haven’t seen Nik today. It’s just been me here today. Perhaps he has the day off?” she offered wearily, looking up at the towering man with a nervous smile still masked behind blue material. “Is there something I can help you with, sir?”

Location: Hollow Hills Mortuary Who: @darlingdianajones​

Col needed a break. He was working on an elaborate light fixture in his glass studio, but honestly, his fingers needed the break. Seph was always good for some conversation. Col made a stop at the store, browsing the fruit idly to see which looked best. He grabbed a basket of raspberries and went to the self-checkout before he drove out to Hollow Hills.

“Today, I come with an actual fruit,” Col said as he walked into the backroom. He didn’t register right away that the dark-haired woman wasn’t Persephone until he set the basket of raspberries on the table. “You are not the woman I was expecting,” he said flatly. “But seeing as I don’t see her, if you’d like some raspberries, please, help yourself.”

Diana hummed quietly to herself as Billy Joel crooned a familiar tune over the speaker in the back room. She’d just finished up her work on a specimen for the day when a familiar face came whirling into the room. A playful smile crossed her lips as she appraised the fruit on the table. “I’m afraid you’ve just missed her, Mister Dragoumis. She had to leave a bit early today, I don’t think she was feeling too well.” Diana explained, taking a raspberry and popping it into her mouth. A light moan vibrated through her throat as the juices exploded in her mouth...These were good raspberries. 

“I could sit here and eat these all day. Is there a particular reason why you’ve come bearing fruit? Something involving the fruit of your labors or something?”

Wanted Connections

“Who said that every wish Would be heard and answered When wished on the morning star Somebody thought of that And someone believed it Look what it's done so far”