Chance Meeting of Fate {Willow}

[Delilah Pryce]

The Hammel Institute had taught Delilah many things in her short time spent learning and living there. Had it not been for the school and those who sacrificed their time to teach her, Delilah might have never learned the full scope of her powers nor how to properly train herself to use them. At first glance, her powers seemed rather straight forward, but in reality they required just as much training as any other. In order to properly mimic the movements of others, Delilah had to keep her body in top physical shape. This was accomplished by a strict daily exercise routine which included a daily yoga class. Usually Delilah followed her own routine she had set forth years ago, but when she was afforded the chance to attend a yoga class, she did so. Finding a class of women wasn't too hard but every now and again she had to put up with some guy who was there looking for an easy and cheap lay. It was sort of pathetic but then again in Delilah's eyes, just about every man was pathetic for some reason or another.

The class she had been taking as of late was small but consisted of all women and this suited Delilah. It had been sometime since she socialized with any real people and while a few of the women here were flakes, there were a few which caught her eye. She had given them all more than one thought but hadn't carried through on any of those thoughts yet. Despite her aggressive attitude which broke through from time to time, Delilah was rather introverted and antisocial. She didn't make friends easily and to be honest she never had the intention. Her troubled past warped her view of the world and humanity in general and so as a result, Delilah believed allowing someone to get close only meant they would hurt you more.

Any other day of the week, Delilah would gather her things together after class and be on her way. She never lingered around to chat and giggle like the rest of the women did, choosing instead to leave the class with her head down and her mouth shut. She would be seen as the odd little woman with no social skills or as a stuck up bitch who thought herself better than everyone else. Truth be told, both assumptions weren't all that far off. Delilah was a loner and had been since childhood, but every now and again, she would crave company. Today it seemed that craving was delaying her desire to flee the group after class ended. She gathered her things a bit slower and found herself staring back to one woman in particular. She didn't know the woman's name and for some, the woman's appearance might have been less than desirable. For Delilah though, something about this woman intrigued her. Like Delilah, this woman showed an affinity for yoga and from the way she looked at the others in class, it was clear she had a bit of an attitude.

Zipping up her gym bag, Delilah sighed and stood up, leaving her bag on the floor, unsure of what she was about to do. Approaching someone in this setting wasn't quite the setting Delilah was used to performing in. Dark bars were far more relaxing plus they had plenty of liquid courage to help you along if you began to feel some fear. Out here in the daylight in normal society, things were different. The light left everything to be seen and Delilah didn't like letting much of herself be seen by anyone. However, everyone had to take chances one in a while and so, with a deep breath, Delilah rubbed the back of her neck and turned, making her way over toward Willow. She had no idea of what she was going to say or how she was even going to play this game and that just made her stomach knot up even more. It was too late by the time Delilah realized this though as she was no doubt seen and obviously too far into the room to just turn around and leave. So with an uneasy breath and soft voice, Delilah spoke, giving out a meek, "Hey." She clasped her hands together, feeling like that young girl at her prom all over again.

[Willow Kovacs]

Willow loved the feeling of tired muscles. She loved the feeling of strained tendons and rushing blood. Of the slick perspiration covering tight skin, and heart thumping wildly against the chest cavity, almost feeling like it wanted to escape. These things caused a small smile to form on Willow's lips as she ran a hand through her short hair. The yoga class had ended, the workout session always leaving the woman with a feeling of at easement. She had always been prone to healthiness, being vegan and working out regularly. She thinks that being unhealthy is just an excuse for being obscenely lazy and the people that are deserve the medical problems that came with the state of being overweight. Cruel? Quite, but that's how the woman's mind worked.

The catty women that joined her every week for the intense yoga session were chatting up their friends, barking out loud laughter, and obnoxiously whispering the latest gossip to each other with not-so-hidden smirks. Willow did what she usually did in this sort of situation - promptly ignored everything they were saying and made her way for a fast exit. She wasn't social, even rarely speaking to people at the school because of her prideful personality. Even though she acted like she was above so many of the women there, she did feel slightly left out when no one came up and spoke to her. Willow rolled up her mat, pushing it into the carrying bag with swift, accurate motions. She wanted to go home, maybe drink a cup of tea (or something stronger), and perhaps watch an old movie she hadn't seen in a while. Fiddling with the bracelets around her wrist momentarily in thought, scanning through her head to find a good film to watch, she hadn't even noticed the skittish woman approaching her. The raven nearly jumped when she heard the tentative greeting, turning in confusion to look at the slightly shorter adult standing appropriately distanced from herself. Blinking in confusion, she glanced behind her, then focused back on the woman. Willow had seen her here before, she had attended the classes for the past couple weeks. "... Hello," she said with uncertainty, as if asking a question.

Now, Willow knew she was had to approach. She gave off an air of confidence and always looked like she was judging the other person. Being used to solitude, she rarely went out and looked for people to speak with. Which explained her surprise as the most shy looking person in the room seemed to approach her. Glancing off, she looked to a group of four women, speaking among themselves - why hadn't she gone to them? They're much more chatty, and would probably be warmer toward her than the raven could be. Crossing her arms under her chest, feeling the slickness of sweat on her bare stomach, she pursed her lips. After a moment, she spoke, "I'm... Willow, and you are..?" Her speech was choppy and awkward, but her normal demeanor had begun to come through, showing her arrogance. Though she felt something was off with this woman, as if she needed to be a little on guard around her. As if there was something about her that was... different.

---

Outfit!: Clicky

[Delilah Pryce]

The greeting which Delilah received in return from Willow wasn't too far from what she expected. The few weeks Delilah had been taking the class had afforded her some time to study certain individuals. People watching was more than a hobby for someone of Delilah's abilities, it was a job. She learned by watching and thus became stronger in the end. Picking up moves in a yoga class was sort of dangerous seeing how some of the more serious stances took years of practice and extreme flexibility. Sure, Delilah could perform any move after seeing it once, but that didn't mean she could perform it without some consequence. Mimicking a concert pianist was safe and required little to no training but mimicking someone who could pull their leg up behind their head required flexibility so she did not hurt herself. Willow was one of the key players in class which Delilah had been watching as the woman showed advanced skill in the class and as a result, had elevated Delilah now as well. However, after watching Willow for a while, Delilah had sort of developed an infatuation with her, finding her interesting. Unlike the other women, Willow seemed more like Delilah, rather antisocial.

Standing here face to face with Willow now, both of them sweaty and obviously strained physically, the moment seemed questionable. It wasn't like the studio offered showers to their clients and to be honest, who really decided to go out right after a class. What did Delilah think was going to happen? That both she and Willow were going to magically stop being sweaty and out of breath? That Willow would want to grab a bite to eat looking like this? Too bad Delilah wasn't able to bend the flow of time for if she was, she could have went back and stopped herself before she made this mistake. There wasn't much point in dwelling on that problem currently as there wasn't any other option but to move forward and see where the path took them. So, with a deep breath and somewhat nervous smile, Delilah introduced herself. "Sorry....Guess its a bit less awkward if you introduce yourself first," she said, glancing down for a brief second before looking back up to Willow with another nervous smile. "I'm Delilah," she said, introducing herself like she should have the first time, "I know this might seem odd, but I'm not really a local and I don't know anyone here in town just yet," she went on, sort of getting into a ramble, "and I was just looking for someone who might want to grab a drink later, maybe fill me in on the town," she continued, still smiling nervously as she rubbed her own upper arm.

Whether Delilah was truly nervous or not was a mystery, as she usually was a tad more controlling. This only applied when men were around of course as Delilah didn't want to show any sort of weakness around them for fear of being assaulted again. With women, she found it easier to be herself, the real her and not the creature her father had made her. "I know, odd request from a total stranger and even odder considering we're both still sweaty and what not, but nothing ever gets done by putting it off," she added, letting out a little laugh now, trying to play her nervous nature off. Willow would no doubt blow her off, hell, anyone in their right mind should and would. Who comes up right after a workout like this and asks to go out for drinks? A freak or a pervert....that's who and while Delilah was both behind closed doors, she really wasn't like that out in the open.

[Willow Kovacs]

Willow listened carefully, eyebrows raised, lips slightly parted, completely immersed in what the unfamiliar woman was saying. She patted a white town along her neck, soaking up some of the sweat. This was... unusual, by all of the woman's standards. A person, a complete stranger, approaching her. Out of all the cheery, sociable women in the room, she picked the too-smart-for-her-own-good social reject? Very few times in her life had Willow been without words; one time when her only considerable companion had ended up on her doorstep at four in the morning, drunk and clad only in a faux fur coat, another time when she met the only person she considered smarter than herself at college, and few other choice moments in her life. This would have to be added to the list, because after the shaky introduction, the raven could only continue looking at the woman with full interest.

Her tongue darted out, running along her top lip nervously before retreating back within her mouth. Humming, she finally broke eye contact, pointing out the corners of the room and the strange Buddha figurine that seemed to be laughing at her. ".. Hi, Delilah," finally broke away from her throat, sounding a bit foreign to her ears; she cleared her throat. To be truthful, Willow did find it exceedingly odd that this stranger would walk up and want to go out like good friends, but honestly she couldn't blame her. New places, unfamiliar, no one to name as a friend. She'd been there. "Well..." She looked off to the side, "Mm... Yes, sure." The slight hint of a smile pulled at the corners of her mouth, but not quite enough to be considered a genuine smile. Rarely did she find reasons to express joy, which made for a dreary lifestyle.

Running the towel over the exposed flesh below her collar bone, a short chuckle escaping from the back of her throat, "It really doesn't make much sense, does it?" Pausing, she glanced toward the door. Humming, "Well... if you'd like to go somewhere now, you could come over and use my shower. Or, is that weird?" Socially challenged.

[Delilah Pryce]

As for what was and wasn't weird in Delilah Pryce's book of oddities, sharing the shower of a complete stranger was a worthy footnote, however when you had seen people split themselves into separate persons and even seen others walk on water...well...sharing a stranger's shower really wasn't all that weird. It wasn't like everything up until now in Delilah's life had been normal anyway so why not another strange moment in her roller coaster lifestyle. The fact Willow was intriguing and seemed none too bothered by Delilah's presence to offer her immediate use of her shower forced Delilah to accept the offer if only out of curiosity now. What sort of person did something like that? For all Willow knew, Delilah could have been a raging sociopath hell bent on stacking up the highest body count the country had ever seen. Of course, the rarity of female serial killers lessened that odd what if considerably. If Delilah did have malicious intentions for Willow it would have been more likely to be because she was a desperate drug addict looking for a quick and easy mark to rob for her quick fix. Then again, there were easier ways to rob people instead of getting so chatty with them. Of course, maybe Willow was the local nympho or street whore thinking Delilah was another client or fresh face to add to her list? Whatever the reason behind this odd moment, the offer was out there now and Delilah was going to take the bait. It wasn't like Willow could really get the better of Delilah....unless she had some hardcore ability which would trump Delilah's countless lists of stolen abilities.

Laughing with more of a genuine feel this time, Delilah felt her body relax as best it could and she rocked forward on her toes for a second, "Weird?...Yes," she said, rocking back once again, "but I happen to like weird," she added, glancing over her shoulder casually, "I'll grab my stuff then." The moment had certainly not went in the direction Delilah had expected, but it was moving in the the direction she was hoping. She had expected to maybe meet up with Willow later, at a local bar or restaurant, not go home with her...Well, not right away at least. Most of Delilah's dates, when she had them, were spur of the moment things, like now and if they went well, they usually ended in a small fling or one night stand. She never was one for letting a relationship linger or develop beyond the physical for letting others get close wasn't exactly her forte. To her fragile and abused mind, those close to you only hurt you in the end. She had seen too much abuse in her short life and was damaged beyond anyone's help.

Turning on her heel with grace and perfect coordination, Delilah quickly walked over to where she had left her bag sitting. She bit her bottom lip with a small smile of sorts and couldn't really believe this was happening. She knew there wasn't any invitation for anything out there yet, but just going home with a complete stranger to use their shower left all sorts of doors open. Delilah knew it was a huge risk to be taking but Willow wasn't a man and so, Delilah's usual wall of safety wasn't up. It was if she were two people instead of one sometimes. Around men, Delilah was rude, protective and cautious. Always watching them for any sign of fast movement or harsh words which would always come from them. However, around women, Delilah was more herself. She was playful and more relaxed, looking for a fun time and not as poised to pounce. Around the right woman, Delilah sort of let her problems melt away for a while, even if she couldn't forget them. Willow didn't exactly calm her completely, but the way she just opened her home up like this made the moment fun and interesting.

Grabbing her bag and throwing it over her shoulder, Delilah turned back to face Willow. She cleared her throat and made her way back over, smiling once again. "I appreciate this....letting me use your shower and all," she said with a bit of a nervous tone and smile, "I guess that's the joy of a small close town eh?," she asked, memories of the small town she grew up in racing to the front of her mind. The town she remembered wasn't as nice as this one and the people there were very different, but the feel was still there none the less. "I'm ready if you are," she added, shifting her weight as she adjusted the back over her shoulder.

[Willow Kovacs]

Willow scratched the back of her head, quirking an eyebrow and watching the woman shuffle off toward her own possessions. "What a queer person." She said thoughtfully, turning back to her own items. The yoga mat was rolled up and secured in the green carrying bag. The towel that was used to wipe her sweat away was placed around her neck, the flip flops going back on her feet and keys dug out of the pocket on the yoga mat bag. Her apartment was a few blocks away, it really wasn't that strange for her to walk here and there - driving would be so useless. Her car sat in parking lots for days a time. She only ever had to commute to the airport for her missions, and she lived so near to the school...

A jacket going around her shoulders and she reached the door at the same time as the shorter woman. The makings of a smile tugged on the corners of her lips, but never quite reached a point of seeming happiness. Willow was reserved, mostly, generally the only emotion she let show through all the rest was her anger. Which was plentiful - her obvious annoyance and fed up attitude toward most situations was not unknown to the public. Willow was a bitch, to put it simply. Which is why she found it so bizarre that she was not quite... thinking this one through. As they exited the building and emerged in the slightly humid air of spring, the raven kind of sighed. Being a reptile, she found joy in the heat, it made her feel more... awake.

"Oh," She tittered nervously, "No problem." She glanced off, leading Delilah toward her apartment. "Hospitality... Or I've gone mad, either one." She shrugged with these thoughts, forcing them away. An slightly uncomfortable silence fell over the two as they walked, the sound of shoes slapping against the concrete of the sidewalk.

"Delilah," Willow said almost suddenly, then immediately made a weird face as if wondering what had possessed her to say that, "Er... Why are you.. in town?" She asked awkwardly, the speech almost choppy in her awkwardness as they walked on the toasty early summer day.

[Delilah Pryce]

The contrast of the warm humid air to the cool circulated air of the building inside hit Delilah hard in the chest, making it feel as if a weight rested on her for a brief moment. Delilah had never been one for hot or humid conditions but it wasn't anything worth getting worked up over. The summers back home could be brutal with the fall and winter months being almost frigid. That was just life in the mountains and something one got used to over time. The weather here in Vermont wasn't too much different and the view of things was about the same to be honest. Things were quiet in their own right and the town of Pilot Ridge was just big enough to not be boring. The town had grown some since Delilah had been here last but nothing more than was expected. A few new shops and an addition or two to the local mall, but that was about it.

Falling in beside Willow as the door to the building which housed the yoga class closed behind her, Delilah smiled and brushed a small loose strand of hair back behind her ear. She readjusted the bag slung across her shoulder and walked a bit faster to keep up with Willow. Delilah's eyes fell to her feet as she almost retreated into herself, but her curiosity with Willow forced her to stay in the moment. She needed to stay alert and in the conversation so as not to look any stranger than she already did. Of course, strange in the town of Pilot Ridge wasn't exactly what was strange anywhere else. Meta-humans weren't a secret here and while the students at Hammel were whispered about, no one really spoke of them out loud. The tolerance here was a tad higher than most other places in the nation but even here there were bigots. Of course, none of that really registered with Delilah as her view on subject didn't even register and brief thought. Humans were humans, no matter which way you looked at them. Suffering came in all shapes and sizes and to Delilah, hatred of meta-humans was just another way to make someone like her suffer.

Looking to Willow quickly at the mention of her name, Delilah snapped back into reality. The question which followed was perfectly natural, especially since Willow was taking in a total stranger like this. The moment of silence which followed was due to the fact that Delilah really didn't know the answer herself. She sort of had a reason for coming back to Pilot Ridge, or so she thought. No real reason had ever crossed her mind on the car ride here and thinking back on the matter, she couldn't remember the moment when she had made the decision to come back. She just had been driving and then here she was, back to town full of ghosts and memories. Biting her bottom lip, Delilah looked ahead of herself once again and sighed. "I'm not sure....Memories maybe?," she replied, her question and rhetorical one. "I attended school here years ago," she added, smiling at the thoughts of the good times she had at Hammel. The school had been her real home and while her problems never went away, the teachers there did do their best to help Delilah with her problems and taught her how to keep her abilities in check enough to live some sort of normal life. Of course, Delilah kept Hammel's name out of the conversation, not wanting to spook Willow any. Delilah was unsure if Willow as a meta or not or even if the idea of a meta meant anything to her, but she wasn't taking any chances. It wasn't everyday someone just offered to let you use their shower and share a drink or two with you.

Glancing back to Willow, Delilah took quick note of the confidence which rested on the young woman's strong face. Every detail and aspect of Willow as already memorized and forever etched in Delilah's memory, just as everyone she had ever seen or met. Usually, something like this was a curse, but seeing how Willow had shown nothing but hospitality to her, Delilah was glad she would remember this kind soul. However, when one was as jaded and harsh as Delilah was, they could spot another like themselves in an instant. The way Willow spoke and the way she just looked at things gave Delilah the assumption the young woman might have had a reputation for being...well......forward and harsh. Not that it mattered to Delilah, Willow was being nice to her so that was all that mattered. "So, what about you Willow? You do anything special around here? I mean besides letting total strangers use your shower?," she asked, laughing some at the last question, trying to keep the mood light.

[Willow Kovacs]

Willows mind was reeling - Delilah had caught her attention for some reason. As they walked, the raven silently studied her composure. She was tensed, her shoulders and neck, as if bracing herself for some blow that could come at any moment. She looked at her feet when she walked, an introvert. Her arms were carried in front of herself, a sure sign of a defensive stature. Brown eyes flickered back to the sidewalk stretched before them, switching around to studying the people walking by. Familiar faces - it was a small town. A few students from the school were wandering about that morning; no classes, she hoped. They would nod silently in her direction in greeting and go about their antics. The raven looked back over at the shorter woman as she spoke.

Memories... School? Hammel. That's what this feeling was, Delilah was a meta, just like herself. The hint of a smile tweaked at her lips as she listened to the tentative voice spill from the woman's lips. She put thought into her words. They rounded a corner, avoiding a chatty couple that nearly ran into them. "Well, it is kind of nice here, I suppose." She said lamely, trying to find the right words to say. "Quiet, you know?" That's exactly what the school needed - a place where they wouldn't be noticed. Not a huge city, no. A small town with one police department and very few locals to fear the meta-humans that attended school there. Of course, there were the few psychopaths that went a bit mad when they saw children with... abilities moving into town. That was a fun bit of time.

She glanced over at Delilah as she questioned her own reason for being there. Immediately, Willow's mind flipped into a reasoning - To mention the school or not? She was nearly positive that this woman had attended the Institute from her previous statement, but she still needed to remain on guard in cause anything was brewing about. She hummed, "I travel a lot in my job, and I wanted a quieter place to stay in my downtime. This was a good match." She said, readjusting the green strap on her shoulder. Another nervous sort of laugh, "Well, yeah, I don't regularly invite people into my home... Not very inviting place, I'm afraid." It was true. The whole apartment was quite plain, the only thing of interest was the large collection of books lining the walls.

Willow unlocked the front door to the apartment complex, glancing over at the receptionist who stared at her desk with little interest, only glancing up at the two women momentarily before looking back to the computer screen. The building was only four stories tall, with Willow being on the third floor. Pushing open the door, her eyes did a sweep of the room, noting it's lack of anything out of place. Or anything at all, really. Willow didn't like eccentric things, and decorating was just a bother. Books were on shelves and in stacks on the floor. "I... like to read," She said awkward, scratching at the back of her neck again, moving aside to let the woman through and into her small apartment.

---

Sort of overview of the apartment: clicky

[Delilah Pryce]

Willow's rather strong persona and attitude spilled over and covered the rather silent and retreating one of Delilah's. Instinctively, Delilah sort of just fell into Willow's shadow, finding some sort of odd solace in the others presence. She had been classed as having problems with authority and to be honest, that wasn't always true. That diagnosis was the result of some hasty fool who thought too much of himself to take the time to really study Delilah. Authority was never a problem with Delilah, hell, she preferred not to be in charge herself as it brought too much stress. The problem she had was men, especially those in any sort of authority position. In her fragile and cracked mind, Delilah automatically put her father's image in place of any male authority figure. It was a fear reaction and one which she had been unable to conquer. The medicine she took, both prescribed and recreational, seemed to help keep her calmed some when in public or when dealing with men in general but even then it was a fragile peace. For the most part, as long as no one invaded her personal space, she could deal with her problems. The authority Willow exhibited was sort of soothing, as it gave Delilah a sense of protection, even if she didn't need it.

The words Willow used were words of caution and it didn't take a genius to see that. No doubt the other sensed the concern in Delilah and now was unsure of who she was dealing with. Delilah's gut told her this Willow knew more about the secret of Pilot Ridge than she was letting on about. Hammel was perfectly known and its students rather common knowledge, but the town sort of pretended it didn't exist. The old 'Elephant in the Room' saying as it were. The people here chose to forget about the meta-human population of the town and live a life of simplicity. Really, it was nice but Delilah had always wondered if that chosen ignorance was out of respect or fear for the monsters lurking the streets. Hatred was a natural human emotion and hatred for the things they did not understand would always surface. How understanding would the people of this town be if it were only one or two meta families living here? The bigger question though, was just which side was Willow on?

Delilah nodded simply as Willow spoke cryptically about her job, letting out only small bits of information. She traveled frequently, which could mean a few things. Willow might have been some executive for a large company, but down time didn't come with that position. High level executives lived for their job and sacrificed every moment of their life for the better of the company and while Willow certainly looked the part, it was highly unlikely. Traveling sales person crossed Delilah's mind and while breaks between clients was rare, it could fit. The last idea which came to mind wasn't all that different from the previous one. A representative of sorts. All companies had a person who traveled here and there on behalf of the company to discuss problems and other situations with customers. However, the sort of representative which surfaced in Delilah's mind was the one which found her over a decade ago. Hammel had an entire staff which searched out meta-children every waking hour of the day and it could have just been the moment and the paranoia, but this idea felt like the right one. Of course, Delilah's memories and feeling sometimes led to poor decision making and this feeling could just be bunk.

Willow's last comment gave way to another smile from Delilah as it revealed just a hint of comedy from the otherwise stoic Willow. She seemed to guard her emotions well, but at the same time projecting such a commanding presence. Her eyes were sharp and her body movements precise. Much thought was put into every movement and if Delilah had been better at reading people, she might have surmised a sharp intellect in her companion for the moment. A quick glance up as the two stopped in front of a four story building and then inside behind Willow. The front foyer of the building wasn't too much different from others of its kind. A women sat at a desk at the entrance and gave the two of them a brief glance before turning back to whatever was holding her attention just moments before. Continuing on up the stairs, Delilah silently counted the number of steps, out of habit and caution. She had learned that in quick escapes, sometimes unexpected things happened, like the power going out and leaving you in the dark. Should this unlikely even happen, at least Delilah could count the steps she was taking in order to mount a small chance of escape.

The third floor was the final destination and as she stood at the front door, Delilah looked around the hall, noting any other escape routes. With her photographic memory, she know had a rough blueprint of the building. Willow pushed the door to her apartment open and looked around quickly before letting Delilah inside. No doubt she was worried about the state of things but fortunately for her, Delilah wasn't really a prude about how neat things were. As Delilah entered, she saw what Willow meant by her place not being very inviting. Nothing really stood out and the decoration was very plain. However, growing up in the mountains of Virginia in a small two room house with one bathroom meant this apartment was a mansion for Delilah. It was simple and while some would call it boring, Delilah thought it more centered and calm. The one thing which Willow had in abundance was books, and they were everywhere. Stacks of them all over the floor and tables, not to mention the shelves of them on the walls. Delilah dropped her bag absently onto the floor and began to navigate the room of books, running a finger over the covers here and there. Many of the books she knew and could recite by heart. "Your an intellectual," Delilah said with a crooked smile as she bit her bottom lip, turning around to face Willow. "Traveling and all this reading....I bet that leave very little time for more pleasurable things. So I imagine taking a stranger up on an offer of drinks and then letting her use your shower must be a great bestowed privilege?," she asked, still smiling.

[Willow Kovacs]

Her hand was at her neck again, rubbing the soft hairs that lined the tanned skin. Her eyes shifted, going to a few, choice books with particularly appealing covers - bright colours, fancy writing, bigger spines. There were plenty, a few leatherbounds in unusual colours that she had picked up years ago. She had read every one of these books, but still kept them close. When Delilah spoke with the ghost of a smile, Willow shrugged. Secretly, she loved being thought of like that - an intellect. She liked to be known for her intelligence, for her passion for knowledge. A small smile pulled on the corners of her lips, "I suppose you could say that." Her eyes did another sweep of the room before she walked further into the small apartment and rounded the corner.

Opening the door to the closet, she paused, leaning back to study the contents momentarily. She grabbed a stack of towels, a large blue, a beige hand towel, and a striped washcloth, and swiftly swerved on her heel, exiting the hallway to reenter the living space. The raven gave the woman a quizzical look when she claimed it how it must be hard to find time for pleasure in her career. A small chuckle as she handed over the towels, "Perhaps, but reading is a pleasure." Now it was a grin on her face - a rarity, indeed. She led the shorter woman through her bedroom - neat and bland, but comfortable enough; she showed her to the bathroom. Willow glanced off as the woman joked about the honour of being invited in, and again, she shrugged. She hadn't put much thought to it, but people rarely came into her apartment. She didn't even think that Nina, the only person she really could consider a companion, had been in her living space more than once or twice. A nervous laugh. "Well, better make the best of it, then."

She closed the door behind the other woman, pausing with her hand on the knob. Her head tilted down, eyes slitted in thought. She was... quite standoffish. Again, the wonder of why Delilah had chosen to speak with her, rather than the other, more sociable women in the class - it was baffling. She shivered, straightening up suddenly, running her hands down her arms. A look of discontent came over her features - she felt sticky, the sweat dried on her dark skin. Willow turned, slightly disgruntled because the other woman was in the shower with her sudden feeling of disgust and discomfort. She pulled the sports bra off, shifting through her dresser to find casual clothes to wear. She didn't own many, the majority of her wardrobe very professional. But that must look odd to another woman who was just over for drinks.

[Delilah Pryce]

Willow's apartment matched her personality and her appearance well. Often intellectual people are very tidy and organized with no need or space for trinkets or other baubles. This might have made them a bit stand offish to some but Delilah sort of understood the lifestyle. She herself owned very few personal items and while it was due mainly in fact to her vagabond lifestyle, she still just wasn't the sort to pick up trinkets or space consuming junk. Delilah did have a few small things she had gathered in her travels and one or two things from her time spent at Hammel, but even they were few and far between. The rather clean and organized look of Willow's apartment put a small feeling of security in Delilah, putting her choice of people to pick up in a very positive direction.

Willow's body language had been changing on the walk over and it was changing again. The first time Delilah had noticed Willow, she was cold and not sociable at all. While the other ladies of the yoga class all gathered together after class and talked of various things, Willow stood alone and gathered her things quickly and quietly. There wasn't any look of want in her eyes to join the crowd of trophy wives to cluck about like some farm hen. Willow always looked as if she had more important business to take care of and now with all these books stacked about, Delilah began to see just what things Willow preferred. On the walk over and since Delilah had instigated the conversation in general, Willow's attitude and personality was shifting. She had not opened up in any real way mind you, but she was giving some insight into just who and what Willow Kovacs was. Nothing major had slipped out about Willow as she was as good as Delilah at choosing her words. Breaking through the walls Willow had up around her would only take time and judging by the small smile on her face at the moment, Delilah was doing a fair job of finding a way past all those defenses.

Taking advantage of the tiny moment while Willow disappeared to fetch Delilah a towel, Delilah scanned the room a bit better this time around. There wasn't really anything at all besides the books which Delilah would call personal objects and she surmised that not many had ever graced Willow's inner sanctum so to speak. For a moment she felt privileged to be allowed such insight into this stranger's life and whether Delilah knew it or not, she was developing an infatuation of sorts with miss Kovacs. It really didn't take much though for Delilah to begin to feel something for others, despite her rough outward social interactions. She trusted very few and did her best to avoid situations were long lasting bonds could be formed, but deep down, Delilah was just a lonely girl looking for someone to give her the positive attention she did not get as a child. It might have sounded cliched and stupid, but it wasn't that far from the truth. Willow had invited her in to her home and was opening herself up to Delilah, who mind you, was a total stranger. This act, maybe not much to Willow, spoke volumes to Delilah though.

Snapping back to attention as Willow returned to the living room, Delilah smiled and took the towels offered to her. "Thank you," she said softly, scrunching up her fingers in the soft linen. A small deep breath allowed Delilah to smell the hint of some fabric softener and gave her a feeling of Willow's home for just a second. Grabbing her gym bag and falling in line behind Willow as the other led her through the hallway and into the bedroom, Delilah let her eyes do what they did best. She took in everything around her, committing it to memory for future reference. It was just something which came natural anymore and something which Delilah did without even realizing. No real pictures of people to fill in the gaps of Willow's life hung anywhere and this told Delilah Willow was a very private person indeed. So the act of letting Delilah use her shower and invade her living space stood out brilliantly. This moment with Willow would not be wasted, not by any means.

Emerging into Willow's bedroom, Delilah felt her heartbeat increase some and she swallowed hard. The bedroom was perhaps the most private of all rooms in a home and really told the story of those who lived in them. In Willow's case, it was as organized as the rest of the apartment, yet the feeling in here was much more overwhelming. It seemed more quiet in here, more private and forbidden. Delilah's eyes darted about in some nervous fashion, unsure of what to really do or say at the moment. It wasn't as if Willow was going to take advantage of her....Not that Delilah would mind though. It had been a while since she had shared herself with another but moments like that would and could wait for better opportune times. Right now, Delilah needed to clean up and think of just what she and Willow would be talking about over drinks. Smiling nervously again, Delilah looked to the bathroom and nodded to Willow. "Thanks again," she said, pausing just before she stepped inside the bathroom.

The bathroom door closed behind Delilah and she dropped her gym bag to the floor, looking around the bathroom. It took, was neat and very organized with nothing out of place and no senseless objects to be found. Delilah set the towels down on the sink and sighed, reaching up to her hair and pulling out the hair band which held her hair back out of her face. Her long dark hair fell about her shoulders and Delilah ran her fingers through it, massaging her scalp. She then slipped her shoes off, first holding the heel of one with her other foot and then repeating the movement again for the other. She pushed her shoes aside with her right foot and then proceeded to take off her black tights, tossing them onto her gym bag before removing her shirt. Delilah had been unaware just how sticky with sweat she had become up until this point and hoped she had not offended Willow any, even if the other was more than likely just as sweaty. At this point, Delilah realized she was putting Willow out at the moment as no doubt the other would like to take a shower right now as well. Delilah could offer Willow the opportunity to take a shower with her and a rather large and devious smile spread across Delilah's face at the thought. She had even turned, ready to act on the thought, stopping just as her hand touched the doorknob. Closing her eyes, Delilah sighed again and stopped herself from making what more than likely would be an embarrassing mistake. She had no idea if Willow even swung her way, much less if Willow found her attractive. Turning back around, Delilah removed her sports bra and seeing how she wore no other undergarments, proceeded to the shower.

She tuned the cold water on first and then adjusted the hot water dial to keep the water from being freezing. Stepping inside, Delilah pulled the shower curtain tightly closed and closed her eyes, putting her face underneath the falling water. The feel of the cool water and its noise calmed Delilah's mind and feelings after a moment or two and then she leaned back, running her hand across her face. Opening her eyes, she looked around the small space inside the shower. A large rack of sorts held various shower supplies. Seeing how she didn't have any of her own with her, Delilah was going to have to use Willow's and figured Willow really wouldn't mind. After all, Willow had been the one to offer the use of her apartment and shower in the first place. Taking the small wash cloth Willow had given her, Delilah applied an adequate amount of liquid soap and began to scrub herself down. She took her time so as to make herself as clean as possible for Willow, should any special moments decide to present themselves. Another devious smile crept across Delilah's face as her mind wandered in that direction yet again. Rinsing off, Delilah hung the wash cloth across the curtain rod and picked up the shampoo, squirting a medium amount in her small hand. She turned around, her back to the falling water now and lathered up her hair, massaging her scalp again before rinsing off.

For a moment, Delilah just stood there in the shower, collecting herself and calling her decision of following Willow home into question. Just what was she doing? What was she hoping to accomplish here? It wasn't like she had picked Willow up in some bar, with the intent of what was going to happen very apparent to both parties involved. "Your an idiot Delilah," she muttered to herself as she reached down and turned the water off. Pulling her hair around her shoulder to one side, Delilah squeezed some water from it and then slid the shower curtain back. She carefully reached out of the shower and grabbed the large towel, drying off with it vigorously. Delilah's hair was always gave her a fit to dry, but she had learned to be patient with it over years and took her time as usual. Finally satisfied with her hair, Delilah wrapped the towel around herself and stepped out of the shower and toward her gym bag on the floor by the door.

Squatting down, Delilah unzipped the medium sized bag and pulled out her extra set of clothes. She always came prepared, a life lesson learned from years of spending time on the run. She always kept an extra outfit with her along with another pair of sensible shoes. With the outfit, also came a bit of extra protection in the form of a 9mm handgun with extra clip and a combat knife. Delilah was far from being an assassin, but she was good enough to be a soldier for hire of sorts. Her many stolen skills gave her the advantage to be a great choice for private security and other less glamorous jobs. Sometimes she hired herself out to big companies as an infiltrator and broke into rival labs or industries to steal plans and other various ideas which meant very little to her. It was an odd lifestyle choice but one which allowed her to put her skills to very good use and one which was very profitable.

Tossing her workout clothes into the rather empty bag now, Delilah stood and placed her new clothes on the bathroom sink. She had packed a pair of light brown cargo pants with a dark brown cotton tee shirt and dark brown boots. It wasn't very feminine but when she had packed the outfit, she wasn't expecting to be using it so lightly. Usually whenever she had to resort to using these outfits it was in less than desirable situations where practicality took priority. Changing into her new outfit, Delilah borrowed some of Willow deodorant and then looked herself over in the mirror. Doing what she could with her hair, Delilah shook her head and felt satisfied with leaving her hair down. "Alright girl....just be cool," she told herself with a forced smile, turning from the mirror to tidy up her mess. She draped her towel over the curtain rod of the shower as well and then looked around one last time to make sure she had disturbed Willow's bathroom anymore than necessary. Pulling a breath mint from her pocket, Delilah popped the candy and then grabbed her gym bag, opening the bathroom door and stepping back out into the bedroom, looking for Willow.

[Willow Kovacs]

A long breath exhaled, the hope of tensions leaving with the carbon dioxide that mingled in the cooled temperature of the room. The long, skinny fingers of the raven kneaded at the strained muscles on her neck. Brown eyes flickered to stare at the crevasse where the dark blue of the wall met the stark white of the ceiling. She stared past it, not studying the colours or the geography of the mass, but into the confines of her mind where a reeling had begun. Shifting through thoughts and equations and theories and all the obscure, unusual things that fell into place in the mind of the intellect. Willow hummed, the sound of the shower finally starting, muffled by the white door that stood between her and the strange woman. Her eyebrow twitched as she stared at the plain door handle, willing it to answer her question;

Why had she brought Delilah back here?

It was so completely... out of character for her. She rarely let people into her apartment, and never let strangers into her personal life. She had played it safe - kept her words trained and cautious, making sure to not openly admit that she was a recruiter for the Institute filled with bizarre children with even bizarrer habits. The woman's words were also trained - she hadn't let any information out that would lead to assumptions. It was a bit unnerving, that she watched her words so. In a small town, usually everyone was quite open with each other. It lead the reptilian to think maybe Delilah was hiding... something...

A sharp huff, she pushed herself off the bed and snatched another towel out of the cabinet. The sweat was mostly dry on her bare skin, but she still scrubbed at the epidermis roughly, attempting to remove the stickiness that resulted from the intense yoga. She made a face, but sighed in reluctant defeat, tossing the towel into the hamper and venturing through her closet for something... casual. Mostly, all of her clothes were business attire. Her job required her to look professional, or at least in her mind it did. And casual clothes weren't really her... style. Willow stepped back, finally pulling out a flowy blouse and literally the only pair of denim jeans she owned. She took a glance back at the door, pausing to hear the water running from the bathroom. Her eyes closed, the blouse in hand, as she listened. Straining her ears in their regular, human form, lacking the enhancement that she gained with her other form. A low exhale, the sound of pounding water from the shower head, the subtle changes in streaming from the woman's movements. Willow startled suddenly, taking a step back, though she was standing nowhere near the actual bathroom. Awkwardly, she fiddled with the shirt in her hands, eyes going all around the room.

She had honestly just pictured the woman she had met not more than an hour ago, stark in the shower. Shaking her head vigorously, she roughly pulled the blouse over her head and straightened it. Nearly toppling over as she yanked on the jeans roughly, tossing her workout clothes into the hamper and sulking off into the kitchen. The raven wasn't one for... relationships. No one liked her. She'd accepted it. Attraction... was rare for her, mainly because she couldn't ever stop thinking about the other person's flaws long enough to look at their advantages. She was too technical... But there had been... experiences. In college, curiosity getting the best of her. Willow scratched the back of her neck again, opening the refrigerator and studying the contents. A bottle of vodka was in the door, next to the jug of milk. That would suffice as a drink. And if not, there was sake lurking somewhere in the kitchen, maybe even a bottle of red wine. Grabbing two glasses out of the cupboard, pausing with the subtle change in sound. The woman was out of the shower. There was a long bout of silence where Willow remained standing by the counter, two glasses in hand. The muffled shifting in the other room heard intently in her ears. There was another pause, but eventually the sound of the lock popping and the door opening. "I'm in the kitchen, Delilah," Her name rolled off her tongue, a tone even the woman herself didn't recognize. "Odd," She muttered, waiting until she heard the sound of padding footsteps.

"What's your poison?" She asked, a light twitch in her eyebrow, the subdued smirk on her face as she held the two glasses, one in each hand.

[Delilah Pryce]

Willow's hearing was sharp....either that or she was intently listening for Delilah to emerge from the bathroom. This of course didn't classify Willow as a meta-human, but Delilah still had her assumptions. Too many secrets remained about Willow and her very closely guarded answers were far too familiar for Delilah's tastes. Like herself, Willow had not divulged anymore than was necessary about who she was and what she did for a living. Small towns like Pilot Ridge were hard to keep secrets in sometimes, that is unless it was for the good of the entire town. Keeping Hammel secret had been working so far, but that was a different matter. Large programs like Hammel brought immense power and influence and as such it was easier to manipulate the events of the town. Smaller secrets like those of a lone individual tended to be swarmed and then drug to the light for everyone to mock and throw stones at. Willow was hiding something from Delilah, just as Delilah herself was hiding her own past from Willow. A slight devious smile tugged at one side of Delilah's mouth as she wondered which stranger would lose their secrets first.

Running her hands through her hair to shake it out and try to dry it a bit more, Delilah took a few uncertain steps toward the hall outside of Willow's bedroom. She gripped her gym bag tighter now, as if it would keep her centered in the world. Forcing herself to breath in a methodical slow rhythm, Delilah tried to remain calm. She had had several one night stands before, but those were very different. Usually, those she picked up were from the local bar and while Delilah had been the one to approach Willow, it seemed like Willow had picked Delilah up instead of the other way around. The feelings and thoughts in her head were almost maddening, but in an odd way, those thoughts and feelings had pushed away the usual bad ones which plagued Delilah. She had not thought of her father once while in Willow's company and the trend was continuing. Willow and the moment occupied Delilah's mind currently and just what was going to happen between them topped the list.

Turning down the small hallway, Delilah moved toward the kitchen and Willow's voice. Delilah's emotion filled eyes scanned the walls of the hallway and noticed no pictures decorated them. An odd thing, empty hallways and what not. People usually cluttered places like this up with odd trinkets and pictures, but not Willow. Her sterile lifestyle began to stand out more and more for Delilah now. What sort of people did not collect personal items? People like Delilah, that's who. People who were constantly running from someone or something and could not be tied down by anything. What sort of monsters was Willow running from and what did she do for a living exactly. A frown and furrow of her brows put Delilah into a look of deep thought and as she entered into the kitchen, her look changed quickly. Not because anything here looked different, but because of the greeting which awaited her. Willow had changed clothes and looked to eagerly be awaiting on Delilah. She had two glasses and a hinting look on her face.

Setting her bag down beside the kitchen doorway, Delilah smiled at Willow's odd facial expression. A hint of something devious rested in the others eyes and Delilah enjoyed that. This stranger was by any means innocent and those feelings Delilah had been feeling back in the shower seemed to find themselves climbing back to reality. Her own devious smile returning as well, Delilah began to slowly move across the room, her mimicry falling into effect. Her feet were bare and seemed to barely lift off the floor as she gracefully stepped here and there. It was almost a dancer's gait and one Delilah was unaware of she moved with. She had met may dancers here and there and like all dancers, each moved with a certain air of grace. No doubt Delilah had picked those movements up without knowing it and now exerted those same skills in her movements. Stopping just short of Willow, inches to be exact, Delilah narrowed her eyes and searched Willow's face. "I'd say its a safe assumption to say you've got some vodka lurking here somewhere," she said with a smile now, stepping up on her tip toes to put her face closer to Willow's, but just for a second, before falling back flat footed and stepping back. "You've just got that attitude. A strong drink for a strong woman," Delilah said with a laugh before putting her hands behind her back, a move which spoke volumes. To feel safe enough and relaxed enough to leave herself open like this, meant Delilah was genuinely happy to be here with Willow, sharing drinks.

[Willow Kovacs]

Willow's mind sped up, calculations being lost in this unusual feeling that now twisted through her tired muscles and organs. She was... flirting? This was something completely and totally unusual to the woman, who very rarely showed any emotion other than general distaste or anger. She, of course, was well behaved during work and each of her recruits, never once snapping at a student unless truly needed - which had happened a few times. She would smile tightly and speak softly, the curt attitude put on a low while she worked. But outside of those missions, she held her mouth in a tight line and her eyebrows generally drawn, not enough to crease her forehead, but enough to show a look of intimidation. So her expression now was... out of place in her usual array of emotions. Eyebrows raised, the small hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her slightly opened mouth. The way Delilah responded to the strange tone in her voice was more than reassuring, it was an outright acceptance to the silent request that was made. A light titter escaped her lips as the woman stepped carefully away, her unusual compliment making its way into the room. "Vodka it is," She said, raising her eyebrows in satisfaction - it wasn't a surprise that Delilah wanted such a strong drink. As she had said, a strong woman deserves a strong drink, and Delilah was definitely a strong woman.

Turning, the raven grabbed the mostly full bottle of clear alcohol from the refrigerator and poured each glass half full (or half empty, depending on perception). "You move like a dancer," Willow said offhandedly, pushing one of the glasses toward the shorter woman, "Have you ever taken a ballet class? Or perhaps something a bit more cultural?" She questioned, leaning back against the counter and taking a sip of the cool vodka. A refreshing sting that lasted down her throat was welcomed fully by the recruiter - she loved that feeling. Her fingers tapped against the side of the glass her eyes scanned over the woman's stature again, drinking in her presence. She definitely held herself carefully, but in a heavy way. Her stature had changed ever so slightly since being outside; while walking outside, she had held herself in a way that suggested she didn't want to be close to anyone. Now her appearance had changed ever so slightly into a more inviting, yet still very strong position. Willow hummed, taking another sip of the alcohol before turning away and glancing over her room.

"Tell me," She began, looking through slitted eyes at the shorter woman, a peaked curiosity about her now that they stood in her kitchen sipping on vodka, "Why is it that your voice is so laced with mysteries?" That sounded far too poetic for the woman's tastes as she made an odd expression at her own words. Willow wasn't very good at the whole... communicating normally thing, so this whole experience was way out of her league. "That was weird, sorry," The confused look still on her face, the raven looked over at the other woman with a sort of scrunched expression, still distasted by her previous statement. Her fingers traced around the rim of the glass cup, "It just seems that you speak with caution." Raising her eyebrows to emphasis her sentence.

---

Well this sucked, I honestly couldn't think of what to write... Sorry love. :/

[Delilah Pryce]

Being around women had always been far easier for Delilah and while she wasn't exactly a social butterfly, flirting was something which just seemed to come naturally. She could be friendly and quite open when the world allowed her to be and while Delilah tried to play the part of the rebel bad ass, it just really wasn't her. The tough girl routine was all an act and had been since day one back at Hammel. Going on the defensive was Delilah's way of ensuring she could never be hurt by anyone ever again. The pain inflicted upon her as a child and young woman had left more than just physical scars, it had created the monster which now stood before Willow. However, every once in a while, someone came along which lulled Delilah into a secure moment and allowed her to become whom she really was meant to be, but unfortunately, that time wasn't now. The relaxed state which Willow was being treated to was nothing more than the product of too many lonely nights and a bottle of muscle relaxers.

The closeness which Delilah was forcing upon Willow didn't seem to bother the other, well....not in any threatening manner. A hint of nervousness tinted Willow's voice and her facial expressions, but just barely. It was always the same in these situations, even Delilah was feeling a bit nervous but the vodka would soon remedy that problem. As Willow turned and was pouring the clear strong drink for her and Delilah, Delilah tilted her head to the side and looked Willow over, smiling all the while. It had indeed been a long time since Delilah had shared herself with another. She wasn't a whore by any means, but she had been around and wasn't a stranger to one night stands. Heck, if Willow was open minded enough, this might turn into one of those rare instances where a friends with benefits scenario could be established. Delilah had a few contacts here and there within the States which served no other purpose other than giving her some pleasure whenever she rolled into their town.

Coming back to reality as Willow commented on the way Delilah move, made Delilah pause and think for a moment. She had been totally unaware of the way her body had been moving previously. It wasn't hard to figure out where she had picked up such movements as the woman from whom the skill set was stolen entered her mind. Back in Boston, Delilah had had the luck of sharing a cab with a small petite young lady by the name of Anastasia who just happened to be a ballet instructor. Oh the nights those two spent together.........Anywho, snapping back to reality once again at the offer of vodka, Delilah cleared her throat and took the glass offered by Willow. "Classes?," she asked rhetorically with a coy smile, "No....Its just something I've picked up along the way," Delilah added, not really thinking about what she said. Letting the cat out of the bag didn't matter anymore as Willow had opened up herself enough to ease some of the worry Delilah had about her. That sense of security could prove fatal down the road though, but Delilah wasn't really looking that far ahead.

Raising the glass of vodka to her lips, Delilah paused for a moment, watching Willow over the rim of the glass. Willow drank her vodka without hesitation and so Delilah followed suit. Call it paranoia or gut feeling, but in the profession which Delilah made a living, you never drank first but always waited to see if your partner drank from the same source. It was a life lesson learned the hard way and a rule which never went unbroken now. Parting her lips, Delilah tilted her glass and poured the thick strong liquid into her mouth, her tongue tasting the all too familiar flavor. She didn't wince as some do when drinking such strong drink and acted as if she were drinking water. Much like her father, Delilah had become enraptured with the bottle but for very different reasons.

When Delilah lowered her glass, it was almost empty, however before she could make her next move on Willow, another question came from the dark haired one. It was very straight forward and Delilah liked that. Willow jumped straight to the point of things it seemed and while tact was often a good choice, sometimes the game of cat and mouse was just too annoying. Silence followed for a second or two but then Delilah answered, deciding her host deserved an answer. Willow had been more than gracious enough to bring Delilah into her home and allow her to use her things. Normally, Delilah would blow the question off, but that tougher and more rebellious side was taking a vacation. "Sorry about that," Delilah finally said with a smile, looking down at the glass in her hand before looking back up to Willow again, "My job sort of leaves some odd quirks about you after a while," she added, being somewhat honest with her host. "I work as a.....security specialist I guess you could say. Rich people have enemies and so, they need someone to help keep them safe. That's where I come into play," Delilah spoke, moving toward Willow again.

Downing what was left of her drink, Delilah sat her glass down on the counter next to Willow and now stood toe to toe with her prey. Delilah bit at her bottom lip and took a slow deep breath. Reaching out with one small hand, Delilah traced a finger down Willow's stomach and then ran her hand back across the woman's side, resting her hand on Willow's hip. "You seem a bit tense precious," Delilah said softly with a smile, leaning in closer now to Willow, her hand slipping down a bit more off of Willow's hip and closer to her thigh, "How about I draw you a nice hot bath and then we'll see if I can help you work out some of that hidden stress?," Delilah asked as her other hand moved to top of Willow's jeans, a finger slipping over and hooking the rim playfully.