I poured two mugs of hot chocolate and glanced at this strange guy sitting cross-legged on my window-seat. I squeezed into the space and handed him the mug.

"You do realize that that entire story makes you sound fucking insane, right?"

He grinned as he sipped the cocoa. "Yes, but the important thing is that you know I'm telling the truth."

I sighed. For some reason, I did feel like he was telling the truth. At least now I had company that wouldn't try to rape me.

He broke the silence. "Well, you know my story, and why I want to lay low and relax for a

while. What's your story, Eira?"

"Hmm." I mused as I sipped the sweet, warm chocolate. "I'm not as interesting as you. There really isn't much to tell. I was raised my my older brother and sister, I go to New York University during the spring and summer studying music and music theory, but I lay low and work/relax in the fall and winter. Other than that, I just cook and read."

"That's pretty interesting to me." He smiled, "Where do you work?"

"I instruct rhythmic gymnastics downtown during the fall, to help with competition preparation."

"That sounds pretty fun."

"It is, for the most part. What the hell do you do for fun, anyway?"

"I throw snowballs at people and watch them wonder where the hell they came from." He said it so seriously, with such a straight face, that my only response was laughter.

"So do you do anything else? Just for fun, or whatever reason?" he inquired.

"Eh. Jack of all trades, master of none. I sing at parties occasionally, usually when someone doesn't feel like booking big entertainment. I like sketching. Painting too, but I'm well shit at it." I giggled.

He chuckled with me as I took off my sweater and scarf. "What's all that on your arms?"

"Oh, tattoos. They're over most of my legs, back and sides too. They inject ink into you tiny bits at a time to create images into your skin. Some people think it's just cool, but mine actually mean something."

He nodded as he observed my arms, and he cautiously traced the music notes circling my bicep. "Do they hurt?"

"Eh, it's different for everyone. They hurt when you get them and for a few days afterwards while the broken skin heals, but everyone has a different tolerance for pain."

His hands were freezing as he twisted my arm this way and that to observe the tattoos. my bicep was the first several measures of Mendelssohn's Concerto in E minor. The last staff measure turned into a single line, wrapping around my elbow and going into a prism, for Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album. The rainbow faded into the skin of my outer wrist and back of my hand. On my inner forearm was the quadratic equation, dedicated to my friend Tim.

"Could I see the other ones?" He asked while still observing the rainbow. "These are fascinating."

"Heh, thanks. And sure, let me go change into something less stuffy so you can see the rest of them." I smiled and set my empty cup on the table and jogged to my bedroom. Jeez, I'm a messy person. Doctor Who, Disney and various artworks from myself and friends coated the walls, along with rock posters and puns painted on the wall. I found a clean beatles croptop and a pair of plain grey sweatshorts that would have to do. Certainly felt better than a zillion layers of every material known to man.

"And now for the artwork!" I exclaimed. I turned my back to him and lifted my shirt to reveal my prized tattoo; my entire back done as a double bass, the strings starting at my hairline and ending at my lower back, the bridge just below my waistline. I jumped slightly when i felt his fingertips tracing the strings; I hadn't expected that. After that, I pulled the shorts up to my hip to expose my entire right leg; dedicated to my favourite Disney films. Starting at my ankle to about halfway up my calf was the sea, with ariel swimming around. Pocahontas on the cliff extended from the sea. A tree growing from the cliff turned into earth and ground about ΒΌ of the way up my thigh, and there were the aristocats and Lady & the Tramp playing around, with Cinderella dressed casually with Belle.

I idly wondered how it would look if someone walked in on a strange guy caressing the tattoos on my thigh. "Hah," I thought to myself, "only slightly sexual."

"What's written on your ribs?" He said, lifting the edge of my shirt.

That time, I really jumped. I'm not self conscious, but jeez, does he have any boundaries?

At least he looked genuinely confused.. "Uhh, not an appropriate area to lift a woman's clothing. In fact, if you're going to crash here, just don't lift women's clothing without permission.

He blinked. "Well I've never had to lift clothing other than my own, so I just assumed it was okay. Sorry, I suppose."

I laughed at the innocence. "It's fine." I lifted the shirt to my ribs. "When all you've got to keep is strong, and even when your hope is gone, move along. It's a summary from a song that keeps me going when I'm sad." I smiled just reading it aloud.

He looked up at me and smiled before getting to his feet. "I like it. Actually, I like all of your tattoos. They flatter you and reflect your personality nicely."

I stammered at the smoothness of the complement. "Uh, thanks. Do you, uh, wanna go get something to eat?" I glanced out the window. It was about 10 o'clock, there would be a few of the more high-end restaurants open.

"Sounds delightful." He grinned. Christ, it was contagious.

"Ugh, I have to layer myself again." For the first time, i noticed what he was wearing. A blue and white sweatshirts, and cropped pants, tied mid-calf. "I have some formals of my brother's that would fit you, although they'll be a bit loose."

"Oh. Thank you. I guess this ensemble isn't normal for the area?"

"Not at all." I smiled as I handed him Navy pants, a white button down, black shoes and socks, and a belt. "I'm just going to assume you don't want a jacket?"

He laughed. "Your assumption is right. I love the cold."

I shook my head as I closed my door to change. Walking barefoot in New York... in November. Crazy. I slipped into a strapless, knee length black dress. It was made of that soft, clingy stuff that moves with your waist and doesn't stick to your legs. I found a black faux-fur coat and purple heels that semi-matched my hair, a rewrapped my scarf around my neck. My makeup would just have to suffer. I open the door as Jack was clearly in mental anguish at the confusion of buttons.

I couldn't stop laughing as I helped him button a shirt properly and told him how to tuck it in. The entire situation must have sounded comical.

We walked out of the lobby and past the little coffee shop, onto one of my favourite streets. It was several blocks of restaurants and the entire street would play songs on the radio. I would hang out here so often and perform that most of the owners and managers knew me.

"Eira! Eira!"

I looked this way and that for the voice, only to see a stout young lady barrelling towards me.

"Christ Rosette, you'll give me an aneurysm like that. What's up?"

"My entertainment cancelled! All of my patrons will be bored within the hour if I don't find someone to perform!"

"Well my violin is at my apartment..." I said sadly.

"Sing! I have plenty of songs on disc without the lead singers voice in the back room." She grabbed my wrist and lead me down to her restaurant, a dark but modern room with dim, romantic lighting but sleek and modern seating and artwork. She usually had classic rock-esque performers or classical music on sunday evenings. Tonight's crowd looked to be mostly around my own age, but it's impossible to tell what kind of music someone will like. So, I tapped the nearest patron on the shoulder and asked what she would like to hear.

"Hmm.." she mused to herself. "Something by Panic at the Disco. I love them!"

"Panic at the Disco... Alright, thanks miss!" I dashed to the back to find the one Panic song that I knew. I glanced over to the door to see what looked like Rosette chastising Jack. Whatever he had done this time was probably hilarious. "Found it!" I raised my hand in triumph with the disc and handed it to Rosette.

"Oh goody! I'll slip this in when you get on stage, dear." She bustled away with the likeness of someone who knew what they wanted but didn't know how to reach it.

I giggled. "What was Rosette fussing about?"

"Something about how I should treat you well. I haven't been rude at all, have I?" He asked worriedly.

My face turned bright red as I realized that he didn't know what Rosette had meant, but I did. "You've been perfectly wonderful." His smile brightened my mood even more. "Rosette worries about me, is all. Ugh, I'll be back in a few minutes." I said as I forced myself to walk to three steps onto the stage large enough only for a few instruments and a singer and waited for the first few chords of "Mona Lisa".

JACK POV:

How warm could it get in here? It was incredibly stuffy as I loosened a scarf that Eira had forced on me, and rolled up the sleeves on a heavy shirt. However, I still smiled as I listened to Eira sing a song entirely unfamiliar to myself. Her voice had a heavy quality unlike any I had heard before. Her voice wasn't masculine by any means, but it wasn't high above everyone's head with femininity. It was like the difference between whipped cream and cream cheese. The airy sweetness of most women versus the dense, sweet genuity of Eira.

Loud bouts of clapping brought me from my thoughts as I observed Eira step from the stage and wave slightly. By the time it had registered that I should be clapping, she was already in front of me again. I smiled brightly down at her. Even in the weird shoes she wore, she was several inches shorter than I.

She grinned back at me as the stout woman bustled back over to us. "Two meals on the house tonight, Eira! You gave me just enough time to find a replacement for the entire evening, but you certainly saved me from losing customers and tip money!" The woman hugged Eira fiercely.

Eira laughed. It was a nice sound. "It's no problem, Rosette. Really. And you can call me any time, you know my anywhere-anytime schedule. But if you don't mind, I'm starving."

Rosette patted Eira's cheek. "Alright, dear. There's a booth in the corner back there, I'll send Casey to take your order. Remember, on the house! And yes, for you too, pretty-boy." She pointed at me with furrowed brows before walking away. What?