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Post by skyeknight on Mar 13, 2017 0:15:29 GMT
Axel arrived promptly at Anna's house with a bottle of wine in hand - the good stuff. He wasn't about to give a bottle of the cheap stuff to one of his regulars. Plus, he was told it was rude to show up to someone's house without a gift of sorts (especially in the case of dinners). Flowers just seemed a little too strange. Though, he did bring a jar of cherries for Pascal. The little lizard was lucky he hadn't been around when Anna had been attacked.
He smoothed back his unruly hair and knocked. He wasn't sure what to do in this case. Was he supposed to dress nicely? Was it a casual sort of thing. He had settled on a button up and black pants, forgoing a tie but he still felt a little ridiculous and a lot out of place. The whole situation was strange. But Anna was always the unexpected human. It was something he liked about her. She was spontaneous and mostly carefree.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Mar 13, 2017 3:38:39 GMT
Anna looked up from where she had been setting the table, a smile quickly spreading across her lips when she heard the knocking. It could only be Axel. Pascal, who had been sitting on her shoulder, also looked up before giving a somewhat curious squeak.
"Don't worry, Pascal! That must be Axel here for dinner."
She quickly set down the last of the dishes on the table before wiping her hands on the apron she was wearing and walking over to her front door. She was wearing a forest green dress with mid-length sleeves and a black belt with matching ballerina flats. A black headband rested on her head while her hair rested in a French braid down her back. As she reached the door and grabbed the handle, she looked down at the chameleon with a slightly more serious expression.
"Now remember, be polite. This dinner is a thank you to him so none of your tricks. Ok?"
Pascal responded with a nod of his scaly head. Anna nodded in approval as she opened the door, the grin on her face widened as her eyes landed on Axel. He was standing on the front step looking somewhat uncertain with a wine bottle in one hand. She didn't know why, but seeing him made her already chipper mood even better.
"Well hello there stranger! You're right on time! Come on in and find out what your mystery meal for the night is."
Still smiling, Anna left the door open and turned back into her apartment.
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Post by skyeknight on Mar 13, 2017 13:54:25 GMT
Well, this was happening.
Anna opened the door before flouncing off back into her apartment. The demon didn't know why he was anxious about this. Perhaps it was because Anna was one of his patrons and he normally didn't see his patrons outside of the bar? Anna had quite literally gotten him out of his element twice in less than a week. Though the first time shouldn't technically count because it was more or less him, trying to save her from the thugs (who were luckily arrested) but that was before the prison break. Regardless, Axel followed Anna inside, shutting the door behind him.
Seeing her wearing something nice made him feel relieved he had at least put a little effort into his appearance. Even though he had literally gone out that day and bought the button up because he didn't own one. He never had a need to own one. Now he had a shirt he was likely to never wear again. His bar was the casual sort of place where club clothes and business formal mixed. It was the sort of place where no one looked twice if the bartender was just wearing a t-shirt and jeans.
"Mystery meal. Am I going to regret asking what is inside of it?" he teased.
He doubted that was the case. He knew she was more or less referencing the fact he didn't know what she had made. Though, it did peek Axel's interest. He knew her drink preferences quite well, but he didn't know her taste in foods. It was bound to be something unexpected if her drink choices were anything to go by. He did smile despite himself. She seemed rather proud of herself.
"I brought wine. Don't know if it will pair with whatever you made but I wasn't sure what else to bring."
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Mar 14, 2017 3:43:50 GMT
"Only if you're a vegetarian!"
Anna said this over her shoulder as she stepped into her small, open-air kitchen when a timer began to ring. Her apartment wasn't particularly large but extremely pleasant, clearly displaying Anna's own unique tastes while still retaining a style that appeared to be a mixture between French and country.
She immediately went over to the oven and slipped on a pair of cupcake shaped oven mitts before pulling open the oven. Immediately the mouthwatering scent of garlic and herbs filled the apartment as she pulled out a sizzling tray of lamb racks. She quickly placed the tray on a cooling rack, closing the oven with a small bump from her hip as she removed the oven mitts.
When Axel then mentioned that he had brought a bottle of wine, she leaned over the low wall that separated the kitchen from the dining room and took it from him. She glanced down at the label before giving him a large grin.
"Brining your work with you, I see. Well, you're in luck! This Cabernet Sauvignon will go perfect with the meal I've made. Why don't you take a seat while I put the finishing touches on this?"
She gestured to the small table set for two before turning her attention back to finishing the dishes. She worked with a dedicated passion, quickly lifting the warm lamb racks onto a serving dish while simultaneously grilling asparagus. The sounds of chopping, sizzling and mixing filled the small apartment along with an assortment of delicious scents.
In next to no time, Anna came out of the kitchen with a series of plates that she set down on the table. Pascal, who had been sitting on her shoulder this whole time, quickly ran down her arm and took his own place at the table as she placed the last dishes on the table.
She wiped at her forehead but gave a happy nod at the spread.
"Tada!"
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Post by skyeknight on Mar 14, 2017 13:48:45 GMT
"Then no problem at all." Axel said.
He followed her into the dining room, mostly for a lack of anything better to do. It seemed she was pulling out all the stops for some thank you dinner. The food smelled absolutely divine. Certainly not something he would make for himself on an ordinary occasion, mostly because he was quite tied to his work and the days he did have off, he didn't like to spend attached to the kitchen. His meals were mostly quick, easy and kind of bland. But he supposed that was the life of someone who lived on their own like he did.
"It would have been rude if I turned up empty handed." he shrugged.
He didn't necessarily feel comfortable letting Anna do all of the work, but he also didn't know her kitchen or what she had planned. He would likely just get in her way if he even tried. Which neither of them would appreciate. Reluctantly, he handed over the bottle and took a seat as requested. But he did watch as she worked. She worked as she did everything else - with a smile on her face.
"My compliments to the chef. This looks great," he said.
An understatement. It looked better than the things you got at a restaurant.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Mar 16, 2017 7:53:40 GMT
"Well, I just hope it tastes as good as it looks."
Anna felt a small blush come to her cheeks at Axel's compliment, his words lifting her already light spirits even higher. On the table before them was set herb-encrusted lamb racks, mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and a small loaf of French bread. She had taken a great deal of pleasure preparing this meal, knowing it would be a good way to thank Axel for what he had done for her.
She was about to say something else when Pascal began to make small grumbling sounds before looking up at her expectantly.
"Oh don't worry, Pascal. I would never forget you!"
With that said, Anna pushed a small bowl filled with a variety of minced fruit over to the chameleon. Pascal gave a happy chirp before immediately starting to eat, using his tongue to grab pieces of fruit and pull them into his mouth. Anna looked down with love and affection to the small reptile before picking up a bottle opener and screwing it into the top if the wine.
"I'll just poor some of this out and we can eat!"
However, it became clear very quickly that she wasn't having much luck with the cork. She tugged and pulled at the wine opener for nearly a minute, biting into the bottom of her lip as she struggled to open the bottle.
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Post by skyeknight on Mar 16, 2017 15:34:00 GMT
"It'll be fine, Anna." he reassured her.
This was coming from the guy who lived on take out and greasy spoon diners. He sincerely felt like Anna had pulled out all the stops but he felt he didn't really deserve it. All he had done was lose his temper, which he was already known for and literally blow smoke at a bunch of thugs. Nothing too heroic.
"Brought the little guy a jar of cherries." he chuckled.
He set the cherry bottle on the counter. However, Anna was struggling with the bottle. He could have laughed and watched her fight with a it a bit more, but he honestly didn't want to make her suffer like that. The food would get cold, meaning all of her hard work would be for nothing. He stepped forward, placing his hands on hers with a light smile. Guest or not, he was not without his manners. He wouldn't make her suffer like that.
"Here, let me?" he requested.
He took the bottle, easing it away from her hands and easily popped the cork with practiced ease.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Mar 18, 2017 19:48:35 GMT
"Oh, thanks."
Anna handed the bottle over to Axel, a somewhat embarrassed smile on her face. He quickly and easily popped it open and poured out the wine while she took a seat across the table from him.
"Guess I'm just a little overexcited and all. I mean, you're the first new person I've cooked for in a long time."
While she did cook often and frequently for her coworkers, she had been doing that for as long as she had known them. In fact, Axel was the first new friend she had gotten really close to in quite some time. She was always friendly, upbeat and kind to everyone she met but most people still found her a bit too strange for their liking.
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Post by skyeknight on Mar 18, 2017 20:07:24 GMT
Axel smiled before he poured their glasses, setting them down at the designated seats. The bottle was then set on the table for when they would go for a second glass. If they decided on seconds. He pulled out a chair for Anna. She had to have been working on it for a while to have everything ready by the time he got there. He felt it was the least he could do to be a little polite.
"I'd be a sad bartender if I couldn't open a stubborn bottle of wine," he chuckled.
He was flattered that she was making such a big deal over him having dinner with her, but he also didn't want her to overexert herself on his behalf. Yet, with Anna around, he felt insanely calm, like he couldn't even touch the anger that he had exposed a few days ago. Anna just had a way about her that made him want her to only be able to think the best of him, not some hotheaded pyromaniac.
"It's okay. Just treat this like I'm anyone else."
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Mar 18, 2017 20:13:59 GMT
"Okey-dokey, artichokie."
She gave a small giggle at her somewhat silly response but appreciated Axel's words all the same. He might be a fire Demon who wasn't afraid to threaten would be assailants with physical harm, but she knew beyond a doubt that he was also a good person. One thing that working at the BPD had taught her was that sometimes goodness could be found even in the most unlikely of places.
As she settled into her seat and unfolded her napkin, she decided now would also be the perfect chance to learn a little bit more about him. They might have made polite talk while at the bar, but this was a chance to get past that banter and into deeper stuff.
"So Axel, what made you decide to open a bar in a city like Bellerouge?"
She looked at him with frank curiosity as she picked up her wine glass and sipped the red liquid. It was excellence.
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Post by skyeknight on Mar 18, 2017 21:02:50 GMT
Axel took a seat across from her. He paused when she placed her napkin in her lap before he did the same. One of those sorts of meals it seemed. His mother would have been laughing at him if she ever found out. Axel and manners went as well as gasoline and matches only less explosive. He was a street brat through and through. He hadn't had time or reason to do the whole manners thing or politeness. During the war, it was rough on all sides and Axel had done things to survive that he was not proud of.
"I'm a demon. It's hard to get a job anywhere." he explained. "So I went into business for myself. Bellerouge is just more accepting of people like me."
When he had tried to interview for jobs he was turned away, told no or offered low pay for horrible work. This way, he was his own boss. He set his own hours (minus the fact he had been all but married to the job until Anna asked him to dinner).
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Mar 18, 2017 21:13:45 GMT
Anna's expression turned more sympathetic as Axel spoke, revealing his reasons for opening a bar because so few other jobs would accept and hire a demon. It wasn't that surprising, what with all the issues Bellerouge was having with demons and the simple fact that most people associated them with the Biblical kind of demon. Most people simply assumed they were evil and some undoubtably were, but she knew from personal experience that there were also good ones as well.
"Yeah. I have a coworker at the BPD who's a demon. I remember when he first tried to join the BPD, how people reacted. Some got scared, others angry, and some even threatened to quit if the Commissioner allowed him to become an investigator."
Anna paused to sip at her wine again and take a few small bites of the food.
"In the end the Commissioner said anyone who wanted to quit because of it had better pack up and get out. Needless to say, no one did and we got our first Demon in the Others Unit."
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Post by skyeknight on Mar 18, 2017 22:18:50 GMT
"That was pretty big of your commissioner." Axel said.
He carefully cut into the lamb. It was absolutely delicious. Cooked to perfection. He chewed slowly to savor the taste. Anna went to all that effort for just him. It was actually very sweet of her. Very telling of her nature. She seemed to be a people pleaser, trying to make sure the people closest to her were happy and well taken care of. It was an endearing trait of hers.
"Not a lot of people see past the species." he said.
Once people found out he was a demon, there were often one of two reactions, casual indifference or earth shattering fear. Anna had actually just blown it off completely, so he supposed a new category was starting to appear.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Mar 20, 2017 1:52:57 GMT
"Yeah, it was something of a shock to the entire unit. The Commissioner is more accepting of differences then a lot of people and that's one reason the Others Unit was founded, but it was still really unusual."
Anna cut into her asparagus as she spoke, pausing in her talk only to eat here and there as she tried to learn more about Axel as a person while also being open with him in turn. Not that this was exactly hard for the young medical examiner. There were few if any topics she was uncomfortable discussing.
"And when people inevitably started asking questions as to why Pitch had been allowed to join the force, the Commissioner just said that he had all the proof he needed to trust him."
As she chewed thoughtfully on a cut of lamb and Pascal gorged himself on fruit, she couldn't help but wonder what it was that had won the Commissioner over. He was a fair man but very hard. It would have needed to be something very big to win him over.
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Post by skyeknight on Mar 20, 2017 2:25:40 GMT
"Maybe he's trying to lead by example? Can't say for sure. Never met the guy myself." Axel said.
Axel shrugged. Just because one person was open minded, there would be another two that were still just as doubtful, just as frightened of the creatures that lurked in the dark of the night. Human history (and sometimes demons themselves) hadn't given the demon race a very kind reputation. But like with everything else, there were those like Axel and now this Pitch guy who were trying to clear their names. It was nice to know.
"Still... A demon in the police force. Never thought I'd live to see the day."
He took a sip of the wine. Which actually paired nicely considering he hadn't know what she was making. He was very pleased with that. Anna had no complaints with it. Seems he could do his job both in and out of the bar.
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