Return to Urbadelphia [Open] [Completed]

[Namine Joy LeBeau]

"Yeah, I know about that," Namine had made sure she knew all about the Network's success. Flaunted it in her face for a few days even. But with that aside she listens to the rest of his story, her eyes going wide for a moment before she fixes him with a strong expression, not quite sympathy, but still full of emotion. "That... That must of been hard." Of course she believes him, why wouldn't she?

"You guys... Took care of that place, right?"

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

His shoulders slumped with relief as she believed what he had to say, all the tension seeming to drain from his body. Noctis nodded to confirm her statement, both that it had been difficult and that they had taken care of it. "Yeah. Hopefully it means that he won't be hunting me anymore but I wouldn't put it past him to have escaped somehow. Needless to say, I'm not too fond of doctors anymore." The corner of Noctis' mouth quirked up at the corner at the last part in an attempt to inject some levity into the situation. The expression on her face... He had to admit that he appreciated it. It was clear that she didn't pity him, something that he would have quite disliked, but it also showed that she wasn't unaffected by the news that he had once been little more than something to poke and prod at for a madman's amusement.

"What's your story? You don't have to talk if you don't want to, of course, but I'm willing to lend an ear too." He told her. Since she had so willingly accepted his own story when most would have been skeptical then he figured that he should return the favour at the very least. He wouldn't have been surprised if she had some things that she needed to get off her chest as well.

[Namine Joy LeBeau]

Darla listened closely, but suddenly finds herself floored.

No one.

And I mean no one has ever asked her about herself before, not like that at least. People may have asked what she felt like or what had happened to her recently. But...

She looks down, her gaze finding her hands as they rest on her lap now, "Well... To put it shortly... I grew up in Namine's shadow, always being told I need to be better, that I can't match up to even the most useless member of the family. Even my own mother didn't really pay too much heed to me except when the scold me..." She frowns to herself, but after a moment she pulls on her trademark smirk, hiding her feelings. She leans back in her seat, throwing her arms behind her and lacing her fingers together so her head has a place to rest. "Tch. Not that all that really matters, I mean... Look at me, I ain't too bad off. I have a roof over my head and occasionally I can hold down a job for a month or two... Not to mention I'm pretty strong for a chick." But its all a well played act... A very well played act.

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

Noctis listened intently and patiently to what she had to say. It certainly did sound difficult growing up as he felt that he could sympathize only slightly. Obviously he hadn't been treated by his family as she had, but he knew what she meant in regards of expectations. His father had been a successful businessman after all and he was the eldest son, groomed to take over when his father would eventually retire. He wasn't about to draw a comparison however. As quickly as she had opened up it had disappeared, thrown behind a wall. Whether it was an act or not, that was something he didn't know. Whether or not it was a wall, he decided not to push it. He knew very well that most people didn't appreciate being pushed into talking about something they didn't want to.

He smiled as well and straightened up so that he wasn't leaning forward with his arms braced against his knees. "Yes, you certainly are strong. Maybe you should try applying over at the Veil?" He offered before shrugging slightly. "As far as I know I haven't been fired for being away for months on end so I think Tifa's pretty forgiving when it comes to most things. Especially since Lea's on staff and his temper can get a bit...heated." Needless to say, the remark about Lea had been quite the understatement. After all, the halfer was the reason there was a scorch mark on his ceiling.

[Namine Joy LeBeau]

She jerks forward and then smiles, "Yeah... Maybe I will." After a moment she catches the joke and then blinks and points to the ceiling. "Lea I take it?"

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

Noctis nodded to confirm that the scorch mark was definitely Lea's doing. "Yeah, he walked in on my neighbour and I having an argument and wasn't too pleased about it. I scrubbed at that thing for hours but it never came off." It was refreshing to be able to laugh again, to genuinely enjoy himself. Sure, he'd had that to a degree with some of the others but at the moment he felt that he could just relax. Likely he could just have attributed it to the setting, the fact that Hojo was gone for now and that hopefully he was free of Izaya for at least a little while. He laughed quietly however at the memory of the argument. "I'm lucky we didn't come to blows. I may be pretty handy with a sword but that's hardly effective against fire."

[Namine Joy LeBeau]

Darla laughs and smiles brightly, "Yeah... I'm guess it wouldn't be." She then shifts around to get more relaxed. Sighing. "Sooooo... When are you gonna head back to Veil? Tomorrow? We can go together... I mean..."

She shrugs, "I'm planning on crashing with Nam tonight anyways, she promised to visit more often and since then she hasn't reared her head." Although in reality she wants to talk with her more about the mark on her arm.

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

"Yeah, I'm planning on heading back tomorrow. My shift usually starts around noon so we can go then if you want." He offered before she spoke of sleeping at Namine's place that night even though Namine herself hadn't been around. "Alright. If you ever need any other place to sleep then you're welcome here." He told her with a light shrug of his own. He was used to others sometimes crashing in his apartment, though it was primarily Aya when she'd had too much to drink and forgot where her apartment was again. "I take it she's been too preoccupied with Neku to follow through on what she promised?" He was being careful about his questions, after all it was hardly a secret that she didn't have the best relationship with Namine. How she'd spoken about her relative earlier had showed that much.

[Namine Joy LeBeau]

"Alright," She agrees and then blinks confusedly. "I have a place to stay... its Namine's old house on Main Street... She left me to take care of it..."

She then pauses and frowns, "Yeah.... Busy with Neku for sure, I swear, those two are sickening... But I do miss her."

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

He laughed quietly at her remark about Namine and Neku, leaning back comfortably in his chair. "I can't argue with you there. I'm avoiding Aya for the moment since, if she's back, the chances are she's with Lea and the last thing I need is more mental scarring." He shook his lead lightly before sighing thinking back to only a few moments before when she said that she missed Namine. "Mental scarring aside, maybe you should seek her out? I mean, if she's not coming to you on her own and all that." He was hardly expecting her to take the suggestion seriously since that's all it was, a suggestion. Yet at the same time he did want to help her just as he would want to help any other friend. Especially since friends were few and far between for someone as paranoid as he. After all, he had roughly four different locks on his door.

[Namine Joy LeBeau]

She smiles at him, happy somewhat, and then he makes his suggestion. After a moment Darla replies to that, "I will.......... later....... I mean, I am enjoying our time right now." This is the happiest she's been in months.

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

Noctis nodded in acceptance, after all he could hardly fault her for her trepidation. He'd be just as hesitant in her shoes. Heck, he'd perfected the art of avoiding unpleasant situations during his year on the run. "Yeah, I am too." He replied before trying to steer the conversation away from sensitive territory. "Darla, you're an Otherborn, right? Since you know about the Network and all." He guessed that she was but he wouldn't have been surprised if she was human. While humans weren't supposed to know about the Network it wasn't surprising that they would discover it every now and then, mostly those related to Otherborn. He hoped that he wasn't straying into more sensitive territory, especially since he was an Otherborn himself. He was more than a bit nervous about possibly revealing his ability if they got into such a discussion. Most people didn't react well the possibility that someone could see their past.

[Namine Joy LeBeau]

She nods, "Yep born one, raised one, living as one... ya know, hiding from humans and stuff." A pause. "I... I can play with peoples emotional ties with each other..." Might as well bring that out of that bag, better to say it now before she's asked.

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

An expression of interest made its way onto Noctis' face but he certainly didn't react negatively. "I'll bet that can come in handy." He told her before he decided to tell her about his own. After all, she'd certainly been open enough about hers and it was similar to his own in terms of how people might take it. "I can see into people's pasts but I have to touch them in order to do so." He told her before once again trying to lighten the mood since she still seemed nervous. "So I hope you don't mind if I don't shake your hand."

[Namine Joy LeBeau]

She nods before laughing, "Don't worry. I can understand the need not want to snoop." Her powers allow her to tell EVERYONE'S connections: The good, the bad, and the ugly.