Coffee and Conversations - Tag Vel

[Ivan Avlang]

There weren't a lot of things that could convince Ivan to leave the comforts of Eva's bed but a meet up with an old friend was definitely something that could.

Old friends were far and few in between. Some...well most were dead. So the ones he had left, he felt like he should keep close.

Valentia de la Torres could be classified as his close old friend. They didn't talk much but when they did, he woud feel like it wasn't enough. He was grateful to have been reacquainted with her.

The coffeeshop seemed to be the perfect place for them to meet so while he waited for the Chilean to appear, he ordered a cup of black coffee and chose a seat in a back corner booth. Briefly, he wondered what prompted this little meet up.

[Valentia de la Torres]

If anyone were to look at things from an outsiders perspective, one would likely assume that Valentia's connection with Ivan stemmed from their relationship to a mutual party; Anastasia. Certainly, being the friend of your friend's life partner - because of course Valentia was aware they'd never be with anyone but each other - was beneficial.

But it wasn't the case. She known Ivan for far longer than she'd known Anastasia. She'd known Ivan for longer than Anastasia had. They just never connected as true friends until, well...

Until circumstances changed. The world gave them equal footing; an even playing field.

As the trainer passed through the doorway, she already had her eyes on him; she didn't need to look for him to know where he was. He had a unique energy reading and she recognised it instantly - like a beacon flagged on a radar. It's what made her realise that either she had been late, or he had been early. Not that it really mattered.

Valentia bypassed the counter only briefly to order herself a simply black coffee before she proceeded to the corner booth, thankful that he'd picked such a place to sit.

"Ivan," The Chilean-born Russian greeted with a small nod and the hint of a smile as she sat across the table from him. Smiles were a rarity.

[Ivan Avlang]

Just as Valentia had felt his energy, Ivan didn't have to look up to know she had arrived.

As she approached the table, Ivan grunted with a small grimace and nodded. "Valentia. You look well." Ivan slid in further into the booth and accepted the cup of coffee handed to him by the waiter who appeared after the powers trainer.

"Have you ordered?"

[Valentia de la Torres]

Valentia felt oddly sentimental about his grimace. Such a thing most others would be put off by. "As do you."

She replied to his question with a simple nod, knowing patience was a virtue.

Despite the way it might have looked, she didn't feel awkward or uncomfortable in his presence. He was quiet. She was quiet.

"How is she?" Valentia asked, never absently. The end of the year for an educational employee was always busy. And as such, she found herself unintentionally neglecting those most important to her. "And yourself, of course."

[Ivan Avlang]

The small talk between the two Odarennyi graduates was a little tedious but he supposed it was necessary; made them look normal. Sometimes, he wished he had telepathy instead of his abilities so that he didn't have to even use his voice. And he could get straight to the point of this meet without actually having to meet up. Not that he minded meeting Valentia. She was one of the people he tolerated. More than tolerated, really. But there was no use getting too much into that.

Valentia's question put a twitch of a smile on Ivan's face before nodding. "Getting better." He responded, implying that she had been ill before. Briefly, he wondered whether the two had met up before he came back from Russia.

"Actually just got back from Russia a few weeks ago." He added before sipping at his coffee. It was terrible so he pushed it to the side and looked at the Chilean. "You are here for reason. What is it?" Were it anybody else, his tone would have seemed cold but he knew Valentia understood.

[Valentia de la Torres]

Small talk was indeed tedious. It was why Valentia only asked about the necessary things; himself, and his counterpart. She didn't ask for specifics, knowing he'd only share what was deemed necessary for her to know. She appreciated that.

"Was it worth it?" Valentia asked. She'd never ask if he enjoyed a trip to Russia. It didn't seem right.

And oddly enough, she was grateful for the push of topic. "It does not concern my last trip there." She explained, refusing the waiter eye contact as he settled the glass down before her. She kept her dark eyes steady on him, instead. Anything less was just rude. Her 'trip' in August had been anything but a trip, really. The assignment was classified, but she held very little from the two of them. "You know of my sister."

Her eyes flashed a glimpse of concern. Valentia spoke rarely of her adoptive family; it was likely that she'd never even mentioned her by name. Rather, she opted to call her nothing more than her adoptive sister. Now, the former word was dropped. "She is like you."

[Ivan Avlang]

Valentia’s questions had always been direct and necessary, Ivan had grown to understand. Which was why he didn’t flinch when she asked the question. “It was necessary.” He answered in a clipped tone. The nature of his business back home had unsettled even him. But he knew Valentia would have been briefed somehow. Nothing was really secret. Not between them. If she didn’t know, it wasn’t because he hid it from her.

Grunting at her response, he waited until the actual answer was given. The Russian noted the look on his ex-schoolmate but didn’t remark on it. Instead, he let her continue. What she said next brought a frown on his face. “Where are they now?” he asked. It was important that her family was not in Russia or under Russian jurisdiction. He didn’t know much about her adoptive family but they did not deserve to be subjected to Odarennyi at any rate.

[Valentia de la Torres]

Valentia only responded with a nod. She acknowledged what he said and left it as it was.

The muscles in her face tensed slightly at his question, her lips pressing into a hardened line. Briefly, she broke eye contact to glance down at the drink she'd been given. She knew at a glance it was going to be horrible, but its placement was primarily for the normality of things.

She didn't want it.

"Moscow." Valentia replied. The place she was supposedly from. The place they lived. "To my understanding, she has not been recruited." It meant that at least for now, she was flying under the radar. But that didn't last long. "She... Is important." It was as desperate sounding as the military-bound trainer could be.

[Ivan Avlang]

His jaw tensed at Valentia’s answer, almost immediately. He found that he knew that was the answer before she responded. It didn’t make it any less of an unwanted answer. It meant the girl would have to go to Odarennyi.

Ivan didn’t have to understand a relationship to know how important something is to someone. Clearly, Valentia needed this girl safe. People like them need at least one anchor in their life and if that gets ripped away from them, it wasn’t safe for anybody else around them.

“Have you made arrangement with anyone?” He asked in his broken English.

[Valentia de la Torres]

It was true, she knew she didn't have to explain herself to him. Valentia's dedication to Odarennyi's program extended far, but she never condoned the way in which they treated their students as proverbial punching bags. She had the capacity to reflect past the pain she once inflicted on Ivan for the sake of her educational development. Though it was a regrettable training program, the goal justified the means - the path.

But when she met Ivan - really met him - she grew to understood the detrimental effect it had on another. She couldn't have that happen again. From what little she knew, she at least knew that her sister was a fragile being.

"I have not." This conversation was the first step. He was the first step. "Thoughts?"

[Ivan Avlang]

He hadn't really thought much of what had happened to him during his time in Odarennyi. Especially what had happened in the hands of the woman sitting in front of him. He knew she hadn't done it on purpose.

That did not matter. What mattered was making sure Valentia's sister did not have to end up on either end of that mortifying stick.

"Did you ask Eva?" He asked.

[Valentia de la Torres]

At the mention of Anastasia, Valentia pondered for a short time. She no longer cared to spare a glance for the cups between them.

"No." Valentia replied after a small pause. Truthfully, she had thought of the matter. But she also knew it was a tender subject for her friend. Her stance against Odarennyi was justified - the trainer understood this.

But Anastasia was by no means a woman to shelter. She lowered her head slightly, denoting a simple fact through the silence; she would want to help.

[Ivan Avlang]

Ivan nodded at Valentia's answer. Expected, but he had hoped. What a silly feeling.

"Ask." He said, looking at Valentia pointedly. He didn't mind being the middle person but it would be better if this were coming from her. Anastasia was a generous woman and if Valentia asked, Ivan had no doubt she would say yes.

[Valentia de la Torres]

"I will." Valentia replied with out a second thought.

She new Anastasia would be there. She knew the woman would care for the girl and place her under her own protection. She thought the same of him, too.

"If I went to get her," Valentia tried again, though she didn't seem uncomfortable or awkward. The emotions simply didn't suit a woman of her strength. "Would you be there?"

Precisely depicting Ivan's response was a skill suited to a singular woman. A woman she wasn't - and never wanted to be.

[Ivan Avlang]

Ivan showed no outward appearance of approving Valentia's answer but he appreciated her for being open-minded to asking for help. Although now that he thought about it, them being here was already a sign that she was asking.

Her next question, one he hadn't anticipated, brought out a raised eyebrow before he finally nodded. Though he knew Valentia was more than capable of taking down a Russian army, - yes, it was important to make that distinction - it would be a better idea to have two capable people. And if Eva were to come as well, they would be unstoppable. If it went that far.

"Yes."

There was no hesitation.