Thread: The Only Rules That Matter: Bloodlines (Corsair&Madam Mim)

May 22, 1968 Baltimore, MD The breeze gently blew the gauzy curtains through the open windows. It was a relief to finally be able to open the windows and get some fresh air again after the long, dreary winter. Down in the street a cop car went by with its sirens on, but that wasn't cause for alarm since it continued on its way. The upstairs neighbors shouted and May winced when someone through something that smashed, but nothing fell past her window to the pavement below. The windows in the bottom floors of 374 North Gay Street had finally been replaced, and the residents of the three-story apartment building above the shop simply expressed gratitude that they'd been too high for the rioters to reach. Mrs. Williams had had a rock thrown through her window, just above the machine shop, and it had taken all of them going to the landlord's private residence to get it replaced. Not that they had exactly marched there or anything, but arrived in twos and threes so no one would think the Negros were getting uppity again. May had been at Dr. King's memorial, but had left early and didn't understand how a peaceful gathering had devolved into the violence he had spent his life working against. There was a knock on the door just as she was moving the last batch of cookies from the pan to a plate. Without bothering to put a shirt on under the vest which made her technically not topless, May opened the door after sliding back the three locks on the door. This part of town was dangerous, but it was all she could afford. After she had settled in and the neighbors' natural mistrust subsided she had come to rely upon some of them, but realized that locks were still necessary. Still, she knew she should probably break herself of the habit of opening the door without looking through the peep hole. Can I help you? Her smile had faltered a little once the door was fully open. She had been caught off-guard, and her eyes flitted nervously over the body of the man at her door. She didn't trust people like him. But then her eyes fell on the name tag on his uniform and the smile reappeared. I guess you're Jack. They'd spoken on the phone and his last name was familiar. She tugged absently on a lock of her frizzy hair and giggled self-consciously. Sorry, you just surprised me was all. I didn't know...you didn't say...I mean, woulda been nice to know that you were...y'know... May shifted uncomfortably and paused for an awkward amount of time, then leaned in and lowered her tone, in the military. She looked around as if trying to keep a secret, then stood aside. Well, I guess it's alright if you left all that back in the jungle. I mean, you had to get here in peace somehow, right? Don't want any trouble, y'know? Come on in, don't be shy. I made cookies! She smiled brightly, as if proud of herself. The apartment was small, but tidy. Indeed the smell of cookies pervaded the flat. The living room was furnished with a small coffee table in front of a dilapidated couch which looked like it had had one too many run-ins with a cat's claws, and two bean bag chairs. A large, full book shelf was on the far wall next to an entry way that led to a kitchen where a plate of cookies waited on the small table, still warm. On the wall to the right was a window next to which stood a record player and a stack of vinyls. May led John to the left just before the kitchen, however, and they were faced with a short hallway. That's the bathroom, she pointed to the door at the end of the hallway, my room's on the right, yours is on the left. While the bathroom still had an actual door, the ones to the bedrooms had been taken away and both replaced with bead curtains. The curtain to May's room was currently tied back with a gauzy pink ribbon. My last roommate got drafted, so I guess I don't gotta worry about that with you. So yeah, that room's yours, but if you ever get lonely or anything I'm just right across the hall, you can come on in. I like snuggling, I'm a snuggle monster. She bit her lip and grinned. Sooo...is this all your stuff? I mean, do ya need help moving in or do you want something to eat? I've got sandwich stuff. Or are cookies good for now?