[I won't be going home tonight] My generation will put it right (rp for its-phoenetic)

[magic_fratboy]

NOTE: Bendy time to next Saturday. :)

Maybe it was like being home twice over that made the hotel one of his favorites, but just walking over the fake cobblestones and manhole covers, staring at a miniature Times Square looming before him eased a knot between his shoulderblades that he didn't realize was there. It had gone away in Brooklyn, too, at least as soon as he'd left Bess's graveside...

Avoiding darker thoughts, Tommy absently reached up to remove his baseball cap, rolling it up and shoving it in the back pocket of his jeans. Absently, he noted they were looser than usual...his workout routine hadn't changed in nearly three months, but even his mom had commented on it: he looked like he was training for the Olympics or something. Dad had brought the truth to light when they finally sat down and discussed his power: as his magic grew stronger, his body would follow.

He still couldn't believe his dad had been hiding from the Fraternity all these years. Real magic at his fingertips, and he'd given it up for love. It was kind of romantic, actually.

Letting it slip from his thoughts, Tommy amused himself by trying to get the sound right under his feet...the shuffle-clack of stone under his boots as he walked, getting it with a triumphant laugh only when he'd reached the restaurant, and spotted a girl standing out front in just the spot they'd agreed to meet at.

Walking up to her, Tommy cleared his throat twice before he could get his voice to work. "Uh...hey. Listen, are you Dee?"

Comments

[magic-fratboy.livejournal.com]

Tommy smiled then, only it wasn't shy or sweet...it was a rare and brash smile of pure mischief. Reaching out, he unrolled his silverware from the napkin with a deft flick of his wrist, then along with the napkin he picked up a butter knife and waved it lightly between his fingers.

"Houdini's Favorite Trick." Was the only warning her gave her before he flagged down their waiter, and within ten seconds had three servers at their table.

He ran down the trick with all the charisma and skill of a pro...how he and his associate, whom he'd just met for the first time today and was discussing a job offer, then explained that a conversation about the late master had brought about discussion of Houdini's favorite magic trick.

Draping the napkin over the knife, he encouraged each of the three servers to check underneath and see that it was still there. Reaching Dee, he leaned across the table and brought the napkin down over her lap, allowing the knife to fall away and into her waiting lap under cover of reaching to give her better access.

"Fair so far?" he asked with a smile. "Knife's still under there?"

[its-phonetic.livejournal.com]

Dimitra didn't even think, reaching out to feel the knife she knew wasn't there even as she willed knife to fall into limbo before it even touched her skirts. It would wait for her there until she called it back. It was something she had realized was rather handy, in case some skeptics -- and boy were there many -- thought she was in on the act. As the assistant she naturally was, but skeptics were skeptics and after the first person who knew the trick called her and Costas on it, it had become second nature to think it away until she could conjure it back. She actually got more of a kick out of it when people did call her on it. With no knife on her... well, it was a neat trick.

"Still there," she stated with the same casual curiosity as the others watching. "But really, should you be bringing up knife play already? We barely know each other." She smiled sweetly at Tommy, praying the gentle banter wasn't too much. The whole job thing? She needed it.

[magic-fratboy.livejournal.com]

Tommy laughed as the other waiters did, surprisingly cool without a hint of a blush in his cheeks. It was easier to play the part, be more secure when he was performing because it was just that: an act.

"Well I'm buyin' you lunch!" he mock protested, grinning all the while. "Besides, It's cool, check this out..."

Trailing off, he hesitated, then tossed up the empty napkin to the amazement of their servers and his lunch companion. Once congratulations had been shared and the waiters left, Tommy took his seat again and flashed Dee a smile.

"Okay...that was pretty fuckin' great." he grinned. "For a trial run, anyway. I'd like to walk the Strip a little, see how you do in a bigger crowd? But that was good stuff, babe."

[its-phonetic.livejournal.com]

"Thanks, I'd curtsy, but I'm rather comfortable sitting." Wrinkling her nose, she tugged at one of her earrings with the tinest hint of embarassment, lowering her voice to nearly a whisper.. "And I took my sneakers off and restuarants tend to stick to the no shirt, no shoes, no service policy."

"Oh! Your knife." Pushing back her sleeves so her arms were bare, she laid her hand on the table. With a sly grin and a less than subtle wink, she picked up her hand after a moment and folded her hands together in her lap. Tommy's knife lay exactly where her hand had been.

[magic-fratboy.livejournal.com]

He watched for the move, but didn't see a thing. Once the knife was back, he looked up at her with a broad grin, shaking his head in amazement. So she did magic on her own, and near as he could tell? Her close up was on par with Ben's, if she wasn't using actual magic herself...

Deciding to play it safe and treat it as if it were straight legerdemain, he reached out and picked up the knife in amazement.

"I...didn't even see that..." he laughed, referring to the key move. "Shit, I'm tempted to hire you on the strength of your magic alone. You didn't tell me you had your own act!"

[its-phonetic.livejournal.com]

"It was nothing," she shrugged, ducking her head and reaching for another piece of bread to focus on. The praise was lovely, to be sure, but Dimitra was not wired to accept it; she'd learned it from her mother -- assistants merely assited. "Just a little show for the showman. An assistant needs to know enough to make it look real. Thank you though."

[magic-fratboy.livejournal.com]

"Don't blow smoke in my face, that's real talent." Tommy insisted honestly, nodding. "You could definitely make your own way if you wanted...hell, maybe you can after a while, Lord knows I can put you in touch with the right people."

He fell quiet for a few moments, reaching for a piece of bread and tearing off a chunk, dipping it in the olive oil before popping it in his mouth. By then, he'd come to a decision.

"I'll be in Vegas for about five days." he decided aloud. "I wanna work with you on a few street routines. If they play out well before I head home? I want you to come to LA with me. Translation: you're pretty much hired, so..."

[its-phonetic.livejournal.com]

"Are you serious?" For the second time, she looked at him with a look that possibly looked like she thought he was a little crazy, but so darn sincere. "Holy Seth Cohen, you are serious. Huh."

Breathing out a whispered Greek swear, the disbelieve slowly turned into a bright smile. To be perfectly honest, she never wanted to be her own act, she was far too shy for that -- she would pass out if everyone's attention was strictly on her. Teddy had to feed her Tums to calm her down before big shows that's how bad her stage fright was. But who ever heard of a magician's assistant being afraid of the limelight? One person was fine, even the waiters because their attention was still on Tommy... an entire audience with their eyes on her? Just the thought made her nervous.

"Thank you."

[magic-fratboy.livejournal.com]

Grinning, Tommy shrugged it off good-naturedly, blushing all the while. She was so simple, so sincere in her gratitude that it was more than a little overwhelming. And the way she talked...he had to wonder where she'd learned English from.

"Now I do have a day job, and along with this gig? If you want, I can get you work in LA, too...also working for me." he went on with a laugh. "I'm a graphic designer, and I've been asking my boss about a personal assistant for a while. Pay is good, hours are pretty flexible, and the environment's really laid back. So there's that side note, if you're interested. Ya know, when we're between gigs and shit."

[its-phonetic.livejournal.com]

Dipping her head forward, Dimitra's long hair tumbled out of its knot and fell across her shoulders, hiding most of her face. Steepling her fingers and pressing them together until her palms touched, she took a deep breath, her thin shoulders rising and falling heavily. As her eyes fell shut, she pursed her lips and said a silent prayer of thanks. She hadn't done anything spectacular to warrant this kind of kindness, it had to be a gift, and she was more than grateful for it.

After a moment she opened her eyes. Brushing her her hair back, she looked back up at Tommy, the same gratitude in her eyes. "And they say chivalry is dead. Efharistó."

[magic-fratboy.livejournal.com]

He barely heard her words, the look on her face and the energy that radiated from her said so much, with such volume that it stole his breath for just a moment. With a smile, he reached across the table and offered her his hand to seal the deal with a handshake, and in a gesture of friendship.

"Hope springs eternal." he replied quietly, his smile growing to a grin. "Working for me, you'll learn that it's absolutely true."

[its-phonetic.livejournal.com]

With a soft peal of laughter, Dimitra took the too big ring from her thumb and held it out to Tommy. It was simple, just a slightly raised silver band -- her father's wedding ring -- but the inside was engraved, a soft time-worn cursive that she'd memorized when she was a child. While there's life, there's hope.

"I already know."

[magic-fratboy.livejournal.com]

Leaning over, Tommy looked at the ring, reading the inscription with a slow-spreading smile. It almost sounded like something he'd hear from Martin, or something he might have even said his last time around the block...

"Just outta curiosity, you don't have any tattoos, do you?" he asked after a beat. He just couldn't resist asking, and it was the easiest way to find out if she was actually a Fraternity sister...

[its-phonetic.livejournal.com]

Curls bobbing, Dimitra shook her head. "I am of the legion of uninked. We are few, but many." She nodded sagely, biting back a giggle as she toyed with her silverware.

"Besides, you can't ask a lady something like that."

[magic-fratboy.livejournal.com]

Tommy smiled, then discreetly pushed the band of his watch back enough on his left wrist to expose one of the two sets of handcuffs tattooed there...namely, his most recent one, the modern set, leaving the antique pair covered by his watch. He'd show that later, if it came down to it...but for now, he wanted to remain as anonymous as he could.

"Depends on the kind of ink we're talking about." he replied simply.