[Relationship] My Name Is On My Back

[Tereza Rozanov]

"It may start to itch, but don't scratch. And the more work I have to do in an area, the more it may hurt." A couple of time there's some reverse pressure, which actually does hurt a little before it returns to the other sensation. "Sorry about that. Had to fix something. Ink can be a little unpredictable sometimes."

[Samantha McManus]

"I'll live," she says with a small nod.

[Tereza Rozanov]

The work goes on for a while and through several different songs, all pretty heavily rock based. "Okay, we'll give you a break," Brand says as Sam picks up Tereza approaching with thoughts of food in her head.

[Samantha McManus]

"Good timing," she says as she sits up, "she's almost here."

[Tereza Rozanov]

The front door opens, "Alfie said you were lucky. He just happened to have the colors your were looking for. He said you owe him." The scent of Chinese takeaway wafts through the apartment.

"That's what he thinks. Last time he drove his rust bucket by, I could hear his exhaust making bad noises. He'll have to collect soon if he wants to pass his next emissions test."

Tereza chuckles, "Well, come on and get some food or I'll just eat it all myself."

[Samantha McManus]

"And she will, believe me," she says as she walks over, not bothering to put her shirt back on yet.

[Tereza Rozanov]

Tereza was pulling containers out of a bag and setting them on the table, tossing utensils, a small glut of sauce packets, and several fortune cookies out onto the table with them. She gets distracted by Sam's lack of attire. "So how's it going?"

[Samantha McManus]

"Pretty good, she's got good hands," she says while turning around to show Tereza the progress.

[Tereza Rozanov]

"That's pretty cool." She grabs something that looks like beef and starts picking at it with a fork.

Brand picks up another small bag and takes out the ink bottles, looking at them. "Yeah, I think these will do. We can definitely get this filled in before you two have to go back to Maldon."

[Samantha McManus]

"Have something special in mind?" She asks as she eyes the bottles. "I don't want to be any trouble, and I know Tereza was getting some work too."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Oh, colors that'll work for silver isn't something I usually keep around. People always want gold. And I need to shade the raven a bit, so that's this," she says, holding up a bottle of darker ink.

"My work's a bit simpler," Tereza says, her brain refusing to elaborate.

[Samantha McManus]

"She's been pretty mysterious about it," she chuckles, scooping up a couple of things onto her plate.

[Tereza Rozanov]

"She's sworn me to secrecy," Brand chuckles, grabbing some food for herself. "Soon as we're done eating here, I'll get to work on hers and then, depending on time, we'll either come back to you, Sam, or go out for a bit."

[Samantha McManus]

"If we go out I have to put a shirt on and I can't make Tereza walk into walls anymore."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Hey, if you want to stay in and get a little drunk, I've no objections."

"Drunk Sam might be an adventure," Tereza chuckles.

[Samantha McManus]

"I can hold my liquor, I just might get dreadfully pagan."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"No judgment in this flat."

"I think I might be okay with a little pagan."

[Samantha McManus]

"I'm not about to turn Brand's flat into a holy site unless the night goes really well."

[Tereza Rozanov]

Brand raises an eyebrow and Tereza just shrugs, "Long story."

"Well, if we're going to drink here... Sam, you want to retrieve the drink while I work on Tereza's ink? There's a liquor store a few streets over."

[Samantha McManus]

"Sure thing," she nods, slipping her shirt back on.

[Tereza Rozanov]

Brand and Tereza both toss her some money. "You know what I like to drink," Tereza says.

"And I'm a simple kind of woman," Brand adds, "Whatever will be fine."

As she prepares to leave the apartment, Tereza strips off her own shirt. "Just giving you something to think about while you're walking," she teases.

[Samantha McManus]

"Well, I was just going to wander off and leave you wondering, but change of plans."

She shakes her head and chuckles as she walks out onto the street.

[Narrator]

As Sam walks down the street, it's still a pretty lively place, but rolling over from daytime bustle to evening life. She feels an itch on her back that, oddly enough, begins to work its way down her spine.

[Samantha McManus]

Careful not to disturb Brand's work up-top, Sam scratches the small of her back for a moment before heading on to cross the street.

[Narrator]

That seems to satisfy the itch for the moment, but once she's a bit further down the street, she starting to feel a small tugging, kind of like the sensation she had when Erica used her assistance to make Vivienne's bracelet.

[Samantha McManus]

She quirks a brow, looking over her shoulder in the general direction of Brand's flat. She's tempted to draw on the link, but decides not to spoil the surprise for now.

[Narrator]

The sensation continues, not unpleasant, but persistent. The liquor store isn't terribly difficult to find. It's got a decent flow of customers at this hour. A few people give the Sam second glances, but it seems like most people are fixated on their own business.

[Samantha McManus]

Sam ponders some vodka and then gets a smirk. She grabs a wine cooler and a vodka miniature, as well as a six-pack of beer. She heads up to the counter to pay.

[Narrator]

The attendant, a young man with hair that looks more like leaves, looks her over, "Can I see some ID?"

[Samantha McManus]

"Sure," she nods, putting her ID on the counter.

[Narrator]

He picks it up and looks at it and then at her and enters something into the register. "Haven't seen you around here. You just move to the area?"

[Samantha McManus]

"Here visiting a friend," she shrugs.

[Narrator]

"Ah," he said, handing her ID back and scanning the items and giving her her total. "I could swear I've seen you somewhere before."

[Samantha McManus]

"I get around, I guess." She says, sliding the money across the counter.

[Narrator]

"May do," he says, bagging up her purchase. "Well, you have a good evening," he says, handing it to her with that puzzled almost-recognition still percolating in his brain.

[Samantha McManus]

"You too," she says as she tucks away her ID and change and heads back out onto the street.

[Narrator]

That warm sensation is still there and the number of people walking the sidewalks is picking up. A few of them give her additional glances, but for the most part, out here, she seems to be just another person.

[Samantha McManus]

Since it's a pleasant night, Sam decides to walk back on the opposite side of the street to look around a bit.

[Narrator]

Lambeth obviously hasn't been invested in and she can definitely see and feel why it's called Mutant Town. Everywhere she looks she usually sees someone with an obvious physical mutation. Here and there are posters from X-Corp offering assistance and support, though some of them are very weathered. By the time she gets back to the building Brand's flat is in, she almost feels like she's at home in a weird sort of way.

[Samantha McManus]

She smiles a bit to herself, and makes her way up to the flat.