Gina Torrio: *she's puttering. Archie had finally settled down into a nap, the bulldog pup had dissappeared under the covers of her and joe's messy bed, and supper had long since gotten cold and been wrapped up for joe. With nothing left to do, she meanders around the sparsely furnished hell's kitchen flat, thoughts wandering*

Claudius: The knock on the door is light but firm, nothing remotely harsh or loud. The man even KNOCKS gentle and calm.

Gina Torrio: *she cocks her head, brown eyes sliding to the door as she puts down a basket of laundry. WElp.. she doubts the vampires would knock, and she ~knows~ the mad wolves wouldn't. Such is her reasoning as she checks archie over and trundles to the peephole* hallo?

Claudius: And there stands Claudius, in his typical Obfuscated form. "Good evening, my dear." He smiles a bit. "I thought perhaps I would stop by."

Gina Torrio: OH Loves! *she's quickly unbolting the door and ushering him in* Come in loves, we've missed you! Just a visit then?

Claudius: "Just a visit." He smiles and steps inside, hands clasped behind his back. "How are you?"

Gina Torrio: Alright reckon. *a crooked smile as she pushes frizzy blonde hair out of her face and shuts the door, wrapping around the tall iberian like a buxom lemur, legs and all* Archie's learning to get up on his feet.. won't be long before I've to buy him proper shoes..

Claudius: "Good, good..." He smiles and slips his arms around Ita to hug her. "You certainly do seem to be a bit better. It is good to see you smile again."

Gina Torrio: hmm. *she nods, humming against his shoulder as she adjusts herself after her mad scramble up the old man.* Reckon its good to do it, yeah? HVe you been painting loves? How're things what with the underground. How's Oster?

Claudius: "I have been painting, yes. I will have to bring you some of my new works to see...I could use a good critic's eyes. Oster is well, as always...and the underground is..." He pauses, to choose his words. "...busy."

Gina Torrio: *She leans off him somewhat and cocks her head* Busy loves? *a tone of worry in her soprano. NOt that she had anything to fear from the nosferatus.. but .. well.. *

Claudius: "Nothing for you to be concerned about, my dear." He gives her a reassuring smile, easily supporting the little Italian's weight. "Increased plans to eliminate a certain problem, nothing more."

Gina Torrio: oh wonderful peaches. Get all you're ducks in a row. Nosferatu are good folks. yeah? Reckon I've never met one of your folk what I've not got on with. *she offers a wide smile in exchange for his reassuring one, glad for good.*

Gina Torrio: *Got on with? or Got it on with.. really it could be argued any way*

Claudius: He smiles and nods...then pauses. "Well, except for my departed childe...but there are exceptions to the rule."

Gina Torrio: I don't count that tosser. He wasn't a real nossie anyhow. *a grin, even if the jab is a little postponed. Teach him to call her not a real vampire. Bah! She hugs the Skinny man tightly on impulse*

Claudius: He sighs a bit and hugs her back. "An unfortunate mistake...sorry as I am to have had to correct it, it had to be done."

Gina Torrio: I'm sorry peaches. *she kisses the side of his face and sighs* He was a baddie.

Claudius: "I am aware," he says with a nod. "Do not be sorry...the degradation of his morality was not your fault."

Gina Torrio: *She lets her legs dangle until she feels the carpet beneath barefeet. Standing under her own power again, she tugs the tall man from the entrance way to the hairy couch, eyes bright on him* I've missed you loves. Miss sleeping with you in the days.

Claudius: "I have missed you as well." He smiles and follows along, seating himself on the couch. "But you are doing well, yes?"

Gina Torrio: reckon I'm doing alright. *After circling 3 times she settles herself, glancing to where archie lays cashed out on a blanket. A hum in her throat, before she turns her head to claud* .. Reckon I was spending so much time hiding and trying to safe folks, I didn't get much chance to just be alive. The otherday I had cantalope again. *a soft warm smile*

Claudius: "Good for you." He nods a little bit and folds his hands in his lap. "I have been worried about that precise thing. You do not seem to have had a chance to enjoy your mortality all this time...it makes me happy to see that you are learning how to."

Gina Torrio: *Her feet press against his leg and she stretches* You've to catch up peaches. Reckon I cheated some, going cold turkey. But you've only 80 years or so to kick the habit the hard way if you figure you'd fancy a walk in the sun with me... yeah? *Her words are jesting, but her voice tinkles like little bells, high, soft, and impossibly hopeful*

Claudius: He chuckles some and nods, genuinely amused. "Yes, I supposes I do. Perhaps some day."

Claudius: ((Suppose, singuler. He's a Nosferatu, not Gollum.))

Gina Torrio: though reckon you wait 80 years and you might have to carry me, you'll be the young buck and I'll be a shrivelled old bitty. *she nudges him again with her toes, and pushes renegade frizz out of her face. A sigh* Reckon its a bit of a doubled edged bit of business, this. I'm not dead, but I'm dying a wee bit every day. No two ways to get away from that bloody "dead" thing..

Gina Torrio: ((*laughs* I'd liken him more to Yoda))

Claudius: "I suppose you're right," he says with a nod. He watches her for a moment, contemplative. "Do you still believe it was worth it?"

Gina Torrio: *She nods almost immediately, head turning to watch the sleeping form of her son* .. reckon so. Figure I didn't do much good dead... just muddled things up is all. *she changes position so she's leaning up against the thin mass of clau'd shoulder, warming cold flesh with her body heat* reckon if I can do right by archie, and set him up propers.. mayhaps he'll do the same... and once i'm dead and gone, there'll be enough good folk what'll be able to change things.. yeah?

Claudius: He nods with a smile, truly happy to see the woman doesn't regret it. "That makes me glad to hear, my dear. You deserved this chance, and I'm glad that it has not turned out to be something you didn't truly want."

Gina Torrio: *A hefty sigh puffs out of her as she nuzzles him with her head* Regret bits of it, but nothings ever all roses I reckon. *A few quiet moments pass before she raises up to kiss his cheek again* You're a good grandpa, you know?

Claudius: "I am attempting it, yes." He nods with a chuckle, leaning over to accept the kiss. "I am still getting used to it, but I find I am enjoying the time I spend with young Archibald."

Gina Torrio: *she grins and licks his cheek before settling back against his side, then starts and looks up at him* loves... reckon i can get sick from licking you?

Claudius: "No, I don't believe you can." He smiles a bit. "I do maintain my cleanliness before arriving...it wouldn't do for me to be smelling like my home as I made my way down the hall to the apartment."

Gina Torrio: well, no .. i- *a laugh, and her peculiar new complexion sports a bit of pink, before she prods at him with her head* Bollox.

Claudius: He manages a small grin...a rare expression from him...and looks at her. "Bollox, indeed. I dare say, my dear...if I did not do so, you would most surely notice the difference."

Gina Torrio: oh reckon I'm becoming an expert at recognizing all sorts of interesting bloody smells.. *she gestures to the baby, voice full of laughter* You're becoming a bit of a silly blighter.. *she crawls on his lap to face him, heedless of any perceived need for personal space* you know that?

Claudius: "I am aware." He nods a little bit with a chuckle, shifting slightly so his lap is more comfortable for her. "It occurs from time to time, I am told."

Gina Torrio: more often then not around this bloody house, reckon you've to be haft daft for to get through the door.. *a chuckle, teasing as she rubs her nose along his features*.. why you reckon you've not dropped your outside clothes peaches? Are you runnin low?

Claudius: He shrugs a little bit. "There is no direction of vitae in order to maintain my mask, my dear. I merely had...forgotten." He shrugs. "If you like I can drop the mask."

Gina Torrio: well reckon if you drop yours I'll drop mine.. 8a grin as she nuzzles her head into him once more*

Claudius: "Well...I will drop mine, at least." He smiles, and suddenly, he's the emaciated, unnaturally smooth Nosferatu.

Gina Torrio: reckon archie'll be used to you once he's old enough.. *her hands find his sandblasted face, smoothing wrinkles that aren't there*.. I just worry. *a pause as she concentrated*

Gina Torrio: d10: sta + animal ken: 4,8,9,9,5,3,

Claudius: He waits quietly as Ita concetrates, expression curious.

Gina Torrio: *A glance aroudn to be certain all is private, and she shakes out her hair into long brown, nose becoming more hawked, skin slightly more tanned, eyes wider, richer brown, eyebrows darkly arched. She's a familiar pikey again in an instant, warm smile crossing her lips as she continues* .. a bit worried about once he's in school. yeah? .. reckon he won't know enough to keep mum on what you look like..

Claudius: He smiles as she becomes the more familiar image, and nods to her words. "I understand. It will be something for us to take steps to protect against. I do not mind staying in my Masked form."

Gina Torrio: well reckon i don't want him to be afeared of you any loves, but mayhaps ..well. *she considers, shoulders rolling away a bit of tenseness that hadn't seemed present until just now. A sigh and she presses a soft kiss onto his smooth white forehead* .. reckon wee one's always have stories and imaginary friends, yeah? It shouldn't be too out of line what with what a normal lad might say, yeah?

Claudius: "Perhaps." He nods slightly. "However, there is no reason to risk such a thing when we can maintain the facade, and explain when he understands, yes?"

Gina Torrio: reckon so..*she sighs again, just above his ear. Her eyes close and she remains still against him for a time*

Claudius: He stays quiet, arms wrapped around her, and squeezes once, gently, before he starts to smooth her hair silently. Saying nothing...merely there for her.

Gina Torrio: *she lowers her head to his neck and rests* I can't figure on how to change my voice back.. *she whispers after a few long moments, sticky tears beginning to warm cold skin*

Claudius: "In time, my dear." he says calmly. "I'm sure you will figure it out in time."

Gina Torrio: I thought.. when I changed.. and once the mob ws out of it.. I started talking to mom again.. but they changed my voice claud.. I'd not have started again if I'd have known they were going to change my voice.. Its not fair to her. Its not. *its all one fast paced ramble as she slides down onto his shoulder, made more decipherable by the fact that it is,in fact, not her own voice blurting it out tearily, but a borrowed one*

Claudius: "Shh, my dear..." He says it softly, his long, spindly fingers brushing over her hair gently. "Shhh. Do not despair. There are ways. No, it is not fair. But we will find a way."

Gina Torrio: *a muffled wimp as she curls against him, mumbling thickly into his boney shoulder* M srry peaches..*A sniffle as she looks up with expressive milk chocolate eyes*.. I'm greiting about something so blooming small, what with everything.. but.. I just.. *she buries her head back into his body and swallows, breaking off*

Claudius: "Do not apologize." His voice is calm, soft, and very understanding. "I understand fully."

Gina Torrio: *small puppyish noises as she gets herself together, the same sort he knows her to make in her sleep, its a few minutes more before she draws back and wipes at her eyes*

Claudius: He smiles and watches her. "We will figure out a way to make your voice the way it once was, from time to time at least. It will merely take some time, yes?"

Gina Torrio: *she nods and sniffs, features melting back to what they once were as she moves to pick up archie. No need to confuse him any more, the thought of him not knowing what his mother truly looks like something that would likely bring her to tears another time, but fr now she's calmed down. The little boy small and warm in her arms as she moves back to sit in Claud's lap* How much time have you, until you've to go?

Claudius: "I have a fair amount of time...there is nothing tonight that requires my attention."

Gina Torrio: oh good.. *she sighs in releif, rousing the baby fom his sleep and squirming out of the oversized gym t-shirt of joe's she's wearing, so the drowsy tyke can feed, which he sets to doing without so much as opening his eyes, little hands curling against his mother's chest, as she leans against the ancient nosferatu* So what was happening in the underground again loves? You were getting rid.. OH! of the baddies? What are from jersey and all that?

Claudius: "Those would be the ones, yes. Nothing to worry yourself over, I do not believe. Everything will be in place soon enough, and we will strike."

Gina Torrio -> Claudius: d10: wp: 4,8,7,8,5,4,7,

Gina Torrio: oh good peaches. Rickys off and left the city, everything went to rubbish with the new cammie prat. *no.. she's not even going to cal him the prince. Her only concern the ex sabbie gangrel she'd muddled over. She rubs the nossie's sandblasted cheek* loves.. have you seen sula abouts? He dissappeared ages ago.. is he just off somewheres?

Claudius: "I have heard from Sula," he says with a nod. "He is well elsewhere. He makes contact through our networks."

Gina Torrio: oh splendid loves. *a niggling weight off her puny pikey mind, the woman catching up on all the gossip as she rests against him.* you'll be careful, yeah.. not get yourself killed? reckon you've a lifetime of birthdays and sooch you've commited your poor self to.. *she cocks her head and smiles up at him, soft*

Claudius: "I will be careful, my dear." He nods a little bit and smiles. "I have no plans whatsoever to make this war my last days."

Gina Torrio: good peaches. *she makes a yip as archie uses his teeth, looking shocked and blinking down at him* oh you little bugger, mind your pearlies now, or it'll be pablum it will.. *a sigh as she repositions him and covers her mouth for a yawn, head lolling into Claud* hmm.. reckon I'm going to fall asleep on you Claud darlin. Am right knackered I am.

Claudius: He chuckles a little bit and nods. "That is perfectly acceptable to me, as long as your young Joseph will not mind."

Gina Torrio: Joseph darlin? *she raises her face up, blinking muzzy eyes she hadn't realized were closed*

Claudius: "Joe, my dear."

Gina Torrio: oh.. well reckon he's out sluethin oor punchin holes in a bag.. *she yawns again*.. ye kain ah had to reinforce hes bag three times.. ee's recht strong ee es... *she mumbles, drifting into sleep with archie pulled close to her breast, safe and sound. She's asleep before ever realizing what she'd said, or more importantly, how she'd said it*

Claudius: He nods with a smile. "He's a good man." When she's asleep, he tilts his head, watching her for a long moment, before smiling and petting over her hair, holding mother and son close in a very paternal way. "A good man, indeed. Sleep well." And there he stays.

Gina Torrio: (ftb!)

Claudius: ((FAAAAADE))