Description: This episode of Benimaru Nikaido's "Layover": having been put on the wrong plane and ending up in Romania, Benimaru uses the time to go clubbing. He meets a lovely lady with very strange colored eyes and a love for music.
There was just one thing wrong with airplanes. Sometimes one gets on the wrong one. But then again that's less a problem with the airplane and more a human problem. It seems Benimaru's found himself in that situation. He was supposed to be heading to Barcelona to negotiate a modeling contract, but flight numbers got bungled, and he ended up going WAAAAY off-course. Specifically ROMANIA! How someone got THAT confused he'll never know.
Regardless, the issue had been corrected, mostly. but the soonest flight he could get into Spain wasn't for a couple days. So he needed to kill some time. What did one do in Romania besides go poke old ruins of national heroes? Apparently they went clubbing.
It was a bit of a surprise when Benimaru found a pretty nice club in Bucharest. So he was spending the evening there! He wouldn't be able to sleep until stupidly late anyway, to avoid being jetlagged when he got to Barcelona, so he might as well have some fun!
On the bright side, Benimaru almost always looks like he's ready to go clubbing. His cropped, sleeveless tops and fingerless gloves, with the long pierced earrings he was so fond of tended to give that effect. He's dressed in a black top and his trademark white pants here, black, low-heeled dress shoes on his feet. He'd swapped out the fingerless gloves for... well, LONGER fingerless gloves. And of course, silver earrings.
Marilda had been rather at home lately. Once she'd learned where and how things were since her sleep, she frequented the nightlife whenever she could. Finding places that her unhealthily pale complexion and choice of clothing weren't outlandish. Even so, at night or indoors, she still wears her sunglasses to conceal her eyes. But without the sun, her hood is down and her hair is free.
Currently she's sitting at the bar, quiet and staring into a glass of water with her cithara balanced on her lap. Rather still, it hardly even seems she's breathing. Or conscious, if she didn't occasionally take a few sips.
Benimaru's just arrived himself, and he's checking out the area. And some of the locals, too! The local flora and fauna, so to speak. What kind of wildlife can he find here? Looking at him, one can almost see the 'y helo thar' expression as he catches sight of Marilda. His brows raise and a smirk pulls at one corner of his mouth. And of course, he heads in her direction. Moth to flame.
"Hello 'beibi'," he offers. "Interesting to find out I could stargaze inside-- but there's a heavenly body right here." Yeah. He's gonna go RIGHT THERE immediately. Let's hope this 'moth' doesn't get TOO burned.
Clad in black from her neck down, Marilda leaves most of her figure to the imagination. The statement made towards her barely register, and she isn't usually one to be picked out as such. So she has no idea it is, infact, her being spoken to. As she has been thusfar, she just sips at her water and maintains her hidden gaze to the glass. But she does adjust her sunglasses, setting them higher on her nose.
Benimaru waits for a response.
And waits.
And waits.
...Huh.
Well. Maybe she didn't hear him. He steps a little closer, though he's not rude enough to invade her personal space JUST yet. "Herro?" Dat Engrish! The girls like it, though. Now he has less a smug smirk on his face and more an attempt at a cute 'notice me sempai~' look.
Marilda slowly turns her head to the stranger, raising her brow. "Yes, sir?" she asks. "May I help you?" and straightens up, pulling her glass closer and keeping that broow quirked.
Benimaru gives a pleased smile when she finally turns to look at him. Even if that slow turn of the head looks a little odd. "There you are~," he notes. Maybe she didn't like the pick-up line tack. So he tries a different one. "I was saying hello. Seems I'm stuck far away from home for a while~! Mind a foreigner's company for a little while?"
Marilda's confused expression continues. "Well, hello to you too. And, I suppose I have some time to spare. Why, did you need anything?" she asks, turning to fully gaze at him, glancing up from her seat at the bar while her brow settles.
To his credit Benimaru does wait until she made it known she wasn't adverse to company before he sits down at the seat next to her. He looks immensely pleased by her agreement, too. "Conversation? That's always a good place to start. We can wing it from there, ne?"
The woman's face follows him, but through her glasses it's impossible to determine where she's looking exactly. Conversation, hm? "Well, how did you wind up here of all places? And why are you, 'stuck' here?" she asks, taking another quiet sip from her water. "I'm listening, don't worry."
He chuckles and bit, and turns towards her, leaning his elbow on the bar. "Flight mixup, believe it or not. I don't know how they managed to misread this badly. And the soonest I could get a flight was Thursday morning. The redeye, of course. Ugh." A dramatic eyeroll. But then he realizes, "Oh, I haven't introduced myself." He puts his a hand on his chest, dipping his head respectfully. "Benimaru Nikaido."
She quietly listens and stays still, save for the occasional sip of water. The water level was at less than a fifth in the glass. "I hear those things happen from time to time, but I haven't travelled by air before." she states, following his rolling eyes with her face. But, she brightens up when he seems to remember his manners. "Well, Benimaru, it is certainly interesting to know the name behind my current company. I am Marida Barbat." she also hopes he isn't very savvy on Romanian history.
Apparently he isn't, since Benimaru just accepts the name with a nod. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Barbat." He straightens. "Ah, if you get the chance you definitely should try a flight. It's wonderful to see the ocean stretch out below the window, with ribbons of sunlight dancing and sparkling on the surface."
Miss Barbat. A frown comes on her face. "Barbat is the name of my late husband's family." she explains briefly. "Maybe I will-" she begins to comment as he mentions flying, but she pauses and seems to retract at the mention of sunlight. "I will give it consideration." she states.
Benimaru isn't completely without sympathy. When she mentions her 'late' husband, he frowns. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. 'Marida', then?" he asks. He wisely avoids asking about that subject-- dead spouses are NEVER a kosher thing to talk about on a first meeting. He instead turns his attention to the views from the plane window. "Oh and at night, a city looks like a tiny little galaxy, with all the lights lit up like little stars. Reminds one how small one is."
Marilda smiles. "It was long enough ago that it is okay." she states. "But, a night view from above I can only imagine to be breathtaking. Maybe my company could treat me to one at some point in the future." she teases.
"That is definitely possible," Benimaru teases right back, the smirk coming back ever so slightly. "Barcelona is beautiful in the winter, from above or on the ground. Perhaps you'd like to see it sometime?"
She finishes off her water. "Perhaps I would. It'd be nice to travel somewhere new." she states. "Yes, somewhere new. But, I hope my company isn't just leading a widow on. Such would be a horrible crime." she muses, trickling melodramady into the last sentence.
Benimaru places the heel of one hand to his forehead and tilts his head back a little. "Goodness me, I'm wounded~!" he drawls. Returning his arm to his side, he notes, "I would be a horrible cad for doing such a thing. Fortunately for us both, though I am indeed many things, I am not a horrible cad, and would never lead a widow on." His smile remains in place, but it's a nonthreatening smile. Not the predatory smirk that might be associated with 'zeroing in' on a desirable woman.
Marilda nods and offers a small, content smile. "Good. Meanwhile, I could offer you a stay in the guest bedroom at my home, if you would desire." she muses. "Just let me know if you are ready to go. The night is still young, but I have the feeling you are an early riser."
THAT is far more than Benimaru expected! But he does have a hotel room booked for the time. Besides that, he doesn't want to appear desperate to get in her house. She doesn't know him. And on the other hand HE doesn't really know HER. He doesn't know what she'd try to do when he was on her turf. However, he shows none of this. Instead he gives an easy smile and replies, "My agent booked a hotel room for my stay, and it's already paid up for the whole time. Besides, he'd have a heart attack if I didn't come back to the hotel." Nonetheless he does dip his head respectfully once again, noting, "The offer is very much appreciated though. I wouldn't have expected such kindness from someone who'd just met me."
Rather understandably, Marilda nods her head. "Well, then that's one less thing for me to worry about. I hadn't realized you were affluent enough to have such support already in place." she muses. She adjusts her glasses once again, "Do you mind me asking what you do for a living?"
"I do appreciate the kindness," Benimaru says once again. "Though yes, I'm luckily able to get by until I can catch my flight." The question of what he does gets a smile. "I'm a professional shootfighter. Though I'm a model on the side. That's where I was going, actually-- negotiating a contract for a photo shoot. I don't like to leave all the details up to my agent."
Marilda's expression is mostly hidden by her glasses, or she was unphased. "Well, now I'm curious why such a marketable young man had decided to talk to myself out of the available persons present." she murmurs.
"Why not?" Benimaru counters easily. "There's nothing about you that particularly strikes me as unappealing or offputting." Then again a lot of her is hidden, so who's to know? But this is does not say. Instead, "Besides, some of the most beautiful flowers grow in shaded alcoves." there is most definitely a sensual tone there. This one's a flatterer! He also adds, in a more normal tone of voice, "I was also curious about this instrument. I Don't think I've ever seen one like it. Is it a... lyre, that's right. Is it a lyre?"
Perhaps the first genuine smile comes to her face. But, now she's going to break the ice. "In the shade, hm." she reaches up with her left hand and slowly pulls off her sunglasses, revealing an aristocratic, evenly pale face with piercing, yellow irises probably being the reason she wore them. "It is a cithara." she states. "Through innovation, the modern equivalent is a guitar." or so she's been told.
Oh. Wow.
The piercing quality of her eyes strikes Benimaru speechless for a moment. It's also a very unusual color for eyes to be. Then again, he's not exactly normal either, so he's not put off by their color. The look on his face isn't one of fear or disgust either.
It takes her words to break him from the reverie. Which he finds odd, truthfully. But he turns his attention to her words, and listens. "Cithara, guitar... I can see that. The words are similar enough to have the same parents." Pause, he looks to the instrument. "What does it sound like?"
Marilda maintains her smile at him staying his ground. "Indeed, I wasn't too surprised either." but then he asks for a demonstration and she shifts her position, holding it up with her left arm and readying her right hand at the strings. She just plucks out three notes, sounding similar to a guitar, yet missing the metallic, tinny crackling of the metal strings. "The pitch can be adjusted if desired."
Benimaru listens to the notes played, nodding slowly. "It does sound a little like a guitar," he agrees. "Like a classical guitar." He knows a little about guitars; a pick would damage a classical guitar.
Suddenly he claps his hand over his mouth; he's obviously stifling a yawn. "Oh goodness, I'm so sorry. This staying up late business is starting to get to me. Do you mind if I give you my number so we can talk again?" As he says this, he pulls a card from his pocket. It's got his name, a website URL, and an e-mail address.
However, he turns it over, and starts writing on it. What he's writing on the back of the card is his personal number. And just in case a phone can't go that far, his e-mail address! And then he offers the card to Marilda.
Marilda nods to Benimaru and shifts her instrument back to its resting place. At which point she smiles. "Early riser, I knew it." she muses and accepts the card. "I suspect such contact information is rare of you, Benimaru. I will contact you at some point. Thursday you said your flight is?"
Benimaru nods. "Very late Wednesday night, actually. Hopefully I can sleep on the plane, otherwise I do NOT envy my agent that morning." He chuckles. And he can't help but add as he stands, "I look forward to hearing your beautiful voice again, Miss Marida." Complete with a graceful bow!
Marilda nods her head and dons her glasses again. "As will I of yours, mister Benimaru. Have a safe trip home." she replies, ordering another glass from the bartender.
Log created on 01:21:36 11/18/2014 by Benimaru, and last modified on 06:47:34 11/18/2014.