ArchivedLogs:Moonlight and Smoke

Moonlight and Smoke
Dramatis Personae Gabriel, Isra
In Absentia	2013-08-20 A slightly awkward breath of fresh air.
Location <NYC> Village Lofts - Rooftop - East Village
It tends to be windy, up here, but the presence of plastic table and folding chairs suggests that nevertheless building residents occasionally make their way out to this rooftop. With a good view of Tompkins Square Park less than a block away it's a good spot for city-watching. There's a railing around the edge, though it might be possible (if /unwise/) to climb over it to the narrow concrete ledges beyond and from there to the fire escape. Centrally, someone has broken down crates and constructed a small raised-bed garden up here, barren in winter but filled in three other seasons with a small assortment of herbs and vegetables. The concrete wall that rings the roof has been decorated, painted in vivid bright shades by some artistic hand to add colourful cheer to the rooftop. The mural shifts in terrain One wall sports a beach, flecked with grass and seashells and driftwood and shore birds. Beach transitions into meadow, colourful with wildflowers and butterflies and dragonflies; meadow shifts into snow-capped mountains, subsides into piedmont and sprouts into a verdant forest on the fourth, alive with animals. It's a late Tuesday night, around 9:30. The moon is out in the sky, and is full tonight, glistening beautifully. Gabriel is outside, admiring it himself, leaning over the balcony smoking a cigarette. Dressed in a gray denim jacket, long blue jeans, and tennis shoes. In the hand not holding the cigarette, the young Latino male is texting on a cellphone. He takes a quick drag of the cigarette, before speaking to himself. "Sure is a lovely night.." The door to the stairwell opens and Isra emerges, leathery wings folded in close until she has cleared the threshold. The moonlight lends her gray skin a silver sheen and glint off of the ivory horns spiraling back from her temples. She wears a black crop top that looks like little more than two loops of fabric crossed over her chest and between her wings, and a black pleated skirt that just barely covers her knees. Her digitgrade legs end in long, taloned feet wrapped in black fabric tape, and a tapered tail sways behind her. Seeing Gabriel, she hesitates a beat before closing the door behind her. A few gliding steps take her to the wall, but she gives the young man his space, her own eyes intent on the moon, so vivid it looks unreal against the light pollution in the City sky. As the door goes thunk, Gabriel turns his head around. He immediately spots Isra, and her wings second. He waves, smiling. "I don't think I've seen you around here, do you live here? I'm Gabriel, 302.". Gabriel stretches out, taking another drag, careful not to puff it towards her. "It's quite a beautiful night, don't you think?". Isra turns to face Gabriel. There is something predatory in the way she bursts from stillness into sudden motion before lapsing back. The way her eyes glow green at this angle from the moon only reinforces that impression. "I do not live here, but I visit...not infrequently." Her pointed ears press back and her tail lashes the air a few times before she notices and reins it in. "There is a party, but I needed a bit of air. Isra." She pauses a beat, then adds. "That is my name." Gabriel sighs, still smiling. "Isra, eh? I like your eyes, quite a nice color.". He continues to smoke the cigarette, rapidly texting with the other hand. "A party? I didn't, or don't hear any music. What kind of party is that?". He laughs a small bit, eyes sparking slowly, as he turns to her and then back away. "I also noticed your wings. They remind me of Dusk's. Wait, sorry, mumbling again. Anyways, nice wings as well." "It is a board game party, which /can/ get raucous in my limited experience, but is not tonight." Isra shrugs more with her wings than her shoulders. "Thank you. I am learning to appreciate their benefits." Her eyes turn up toward the moon, then flick back to Gabriel. "You are acquainted with Dusk?" The tail speeds up again, just a touch. Quickly, Gabriel's gaze flips around. "Board games? Like..monopoly?". He takes another drag, continuing. "Dusk? Well, we met in the laundry room the other day, and talked about male strippers, my cool abilities, and roommates. So, I /think/ we hit it off pretty well?". He smiles, chuckling a bit. "Also, fetishes. That was the creepy part." "More like Settlers of Catan and Cards Against Humanity. My proficiency at these games leaves much to be desired." Isra folds her wings down over her shoulders so that they drape over her body like a living cape. Her eyes track sidewise to Gabriel, gleaming catlike in the moonlit darkness, then flick away. "Ah, I see. May I ask..." She trails off, tail lashing the air furiously. "Excuse me, I really ought to get back." So saying, she makes for the stairs, lingering only long enough at the threshold to append, "Nice to meet you, Gabriel." Gabriel waves to Isra, putting out his cigarette. "Nice to meet you as well. Maybe you could ask your question another time.". He smiles, leaning against the balcony. "Goodbye, Isra.". He shuts his phone off, before turning for the doorway as well.