"Is that really all your luggage? Darling you do realise we are going for a week don't you?"

I managed to lift my Ray Bans long enough to eye what appeared to be one rather medium sized suitcase trailing behind Kat, blue gold eyes turning to glance towards my own collection of no less than eleven piled up beside the baggage check-in area as several staff members attempted to organise it. What? I need things. Evidently lots of things, after all, this look simply does not just happen and I can hardly go to another country without half of my wardrobe. How on earth Kat managed just one suitcase however is a source of utter bewilderment in this moment as I allowed the Ray Bans to fall back into place, strolling the short distance that remained between us before pausing to examine the actual bag itself as if attempting to find some sort of secret compartment. She had either packed ridiculously lightly else every possession she owned had a collapsible function.

"You did bring clothing didn't you?"

I suppose I would hardly complain if she didn't, although I am a little unwilling to share my....girlfriend, I can use that word right? I suppose we never discussed labels and really, I suppose I don't truly mind- neither of us really are experienced in the relationship area. Either way, I was hardly willing to share what was entirely mine with the whole of Paris, clothing an essentially item at this point although how she had managed to fit it into one bag I have no idea. In fact I had simply asked Kat to meet me at the airport for the fact I had rather expected her to be late. I've flown with women before, they are eternally late when it comes to airport runs and I had every belief I was going to be required to hold a plane for her. Hmm, perhaps I should have factored in the assassin and her evidently excellent sense of time. If anything I'm rather surprised I made it, although given my obsessive need for order, packing was hardly a difficult task- merely somewhat arduous given that I had to re-fold several items that had looked not nearly neat enough. It had also taken at least 15 minutes to pay enough airport staff to unload my bags for me. What? I'm manly enough to do it, I just don't see the need when other people will willingly do it for me. I moved to offer Kat a grin all the same, gesturing loosely to the check in. The lady behind the counter seeming rather thrilled Kat possessed only one bag, my eyes rolling slightly at the somewhat disdainful look she offered me. It was merely unfortunate she was not 20 years younger and offering her a grin was unlikely to make her blush. I wonder if this is her whole job. Her parents must be so proud.

I was polite either way, leaving her a rather decent tip all the same that seemed to change her attitude towards me entirely before waiting for Kat to finish and making our way towards security. I never was a fan of having to remove my shoes and jacket, standing merely in my socks, jeans and t-shirt with the rest of my outfit held in my arms- honestly I feel only half dressed. One hand lifted to run fingers though the golden brown of my hair, content to leave my Ray Bans in place until the last possible moment lest I anything....let's say....disagreeable, attention returning briefly to Kat behind me.

"You're not armed are you? I hardly think it would be enjoyable if he tried to find your concealed weapons."

I chuckled lightly, head nodding towards the overly muscular security guard standing nearby, the man at least several pounds overweight and looking utterly unamused by everything around him. I had given up any real hope that Kat would neglect to bring any weapons and yet where she hid them I will honestly never know. I could have asked her I suppose, although truthfully, I suppose I don't really want to know. I suppose I was still determined to ignore this....Hunter business for as long as possible, even if I had dedicated a portion of this trip to working on such things to a certain extent. The plane itself was at least decent enough, although Business Class often is, on leg folding easily over the other as I waited for Kat to sit beside me. I wonder if she ever has flown in anything other than economy before? She had the money of course, yet why she rarely ever saw the need to spend any of it I will never know. Hmm, perhaps it is something better not mentioned- like her lack of furniture, a constant source of argument between us. The sudden appearance of a hostess several minutes after take-off took me entirely by surprise, the woman offering...something towards me, the hostess assuring me it was...whatever food I had ordered, one eye lifting slightly as I attempted to assure her that I certainly hadn't before she reluctantly left, attention returned to Kat once more.

"I didn't book these tickets, Etienne did. He knows that I do not....partake of aeroplane food and he seems to think he's funny sending it to me."

My own lip quirked slightly upward in amusement all the same. I really don't do aeroplane food, no matter what it is. The flight is seven hours or so, I am entirely assured I can survive that long without eating. Heaven only knows where that food has been prepare. I pushed the thought away for now, one hand lifting to lift my Ray Bans aside, content enough that a plane was reasonably safe in that regard, hooking them effortlessly to my shirt before reclining back. I have been on so many planes that the entire process is simply second nature. Even as a child my parents spent a good degree of time flying my sister and I about wherever they went. It...reminded me of them, I suppose, flights perhaps the one thing we did as a family even if it involved my mother drinking far to much and my Father constantly yelling at my sister and I to sit down and stop bothering him. I frowned slightly before pushing that particularly memory aside. There was a more pertinent topic of discussion to be had one I was...uneasy about bringing up if only because it was something of a sensitive issue I suppose. Don't get me wrong, I am thoroughly pleased to have Kat's company- but I never have brought a girl home before, at least not in the traditional sense that involves an actual introduction to my parents instead of merely coming through the back door and ushering her upstairs to my bedroom. Not that Kat can meet my parents, they are dead after all- but Elena, well, she was about as close to it as I could come and some part of myself was....unusually anxious about such a thing- for more then one reason.

"My friends that we are staying with this week, Etienne and his wife Elena- the...situation is a little delicate."

I let the blue gold of my gaze find her own for a moment, assuring I had her attention before continuing. Maybe I should have told her these things before, but like I said, this whole relationship thing isn't exactly my strength. I'm still...learning. Women after all, are highly confusing creatures when it comes to emotions I have no desire to even pretend to understand.

"After my parents died when I was eighteen I spent some time living with Elena in Paris, she was a business associate of my Father and close to our family, she runs a fashion house of sorts in Paris, anyway, she invited me to stay with her for awhile, she helped me with some things, became a Mother of sorts I suppose. I was friends with her boyfriend at the time, Etienne, he was only a year older then myself- it gives a whole new meaning to the word toy boy I know, the age difference between them is at least thirty years but they have married since then and by all reports are quite happy even if he is twenty seven and she is near sixty now."

I frowned slightly even at the memory of my mother-figure holding relationship with what had essentially been my best friend at the time, even if I had simply chosen not to question it years ago despite it's seeming abnormality. They were happy and I suppose that was all the mattered, I merely felt the need to actually prepare Kat for that before she met them.

"Elena can be a little...er....lets go with intense, you will see, a little protective I suppose if not a little more judgemental then she should be. They don't know about the....Hunter thing, I haven't told them, to be honest I don't feel Elena would handle my...essential death very well and I don't see the need to upset either of them with information like that. I'd rather they didn't know."

That I had essentially died, or nearly died and become some sort of demon assassin was not entirely information I wanted to share, especially not with the woman whom had nearly gone into cardiac arrest the day I had burned my finger on the oven. I sighed slightly, evidently entirely uncomfortable with this conversation. Meaningful talks really aren't my thing.

"I will have to tell them one day, I know, I'm not going to age am I? They are going to notice eventually I just don't really know how to...bring that topic up. I've never had to tell anyone about the time I died and became Van Helsing."

Hell, I hadn't even told Kat about that night.





k o h l
so you want to play with magic?