Eliane Casuana

Seeker streetear who makes a very good cup of coffee.

[spannerboop]

“Decaf me? I wonder what your boss is going to think when I write a ridiculously long and mostly incoherent handwritten complaint about the traumatizing barista abuse I receive from you, and the subsequent economic crash of all caramel and banana bread sales.”

[elianecasuana]

      "Oh I'm pretty sure he'll be on my side," Eliane said with a grin. Topping off the caramel on the drink, she affected a solemn and pious tone. "Decaffing difficult customers is a sacred tradition amongst we noble baristas. Everyone knows that straw assaulting the person making your drink is grounds for losing your caf. I might be new around here, but the barista bond is strong." 

      She capped the drink off and handed it across the counter. "Of course, seeing as I'm the difficult one in this friendship, I probably made it right for you. Maybe."

[freelxncer-blog-blog]

Jace grumped at her point. It was maybe doing the exact opposite of killing him. But Nigel was definitely different and all interactions should be kept to a minimum. At least one of them had to stay true to the tru grump. 

He’d like to scope you out. Jace turned his attention to the boxes, rummaging through them for essentials. “Just be careful.”

[elianecasuana]

     She slipped through the haphazardly constructed towers of cardboard to steal a quick kiss off of him. Already, her months on the run – indeed everything involving Dier – was starting to skip at in to a comfortably distant past. Perhaps she shouldn’t be okay with everything that had happened. It had been a lot. 

      But Jace made everything start to feel okay. 

      “I always am, Jace,” she said once she pulled away. “I’ll burn a bit of bronze, see what their deployment of active Allomancers is, and go from there.” She started to head back into the kitchen to keep organizing. “So how did you and Malia meet? And how did she get you working such high profile jobs?”

[freelxncer-blog-blog]

Jace scoffed, watching his stupid little cat flop. No. Nigel was definitely just lazy. Which worked out well, really. Jace didn’t need to worry a lot about the little guy running off. “I think it’d kill him.”

[elianecasuana]

      “Oh I don’t know, it hasn’t killed you yet, has it?” 

      She laughed, deciding she’d leave carrying in the last of the boxes to Jace, while she started unpacking some of them. Kitchen organization was first on the list. Utensils, cookware, dishes; it all needed a place to belong. 

      “I really am feeling serious about this Seeking thing though. Maybe I’ll drop by Spikes later in the week. Just scope the place out, you know?”

[spannerboop]

Ema laughed, curling into a make-shift ball to protect herself as the deadly straw wrapper came to deliver her death. It bounced harmlessly onto the floor. “I’m not complaining! I think I like being greeted with marriage proposals.” 

She followed Eliane and leaned over the counter, grinning, “Can’t argue that. I had withdrawal symptoms the last two months. No one can get my fix quite right.” 

She reached over and grabbed a straw, pulling the wrapper down halfway and taking aim at Eliane, blowing through the straw. Wrapper incoming.

[elianecasuana]

      Focused as she was on making the drink, Eliane didnt see the attack inbound until it was too late. The paper projectile nailed her right between the eyes, causing her to give a little yelp of surprise.  With her hands full of Em’s cup and a bottle of caramel drizzle, she wasn’t exactly in a position to retaliate. 

      “You know,” she said, mock threateningly, holding the drizzle bottle poised over the cup, “one would think that attacking the barista holding the caramel would be a course of action to steer clear of. If you wanted the right amount, that is. You know what we do with problem customers, don’t you? I will decaf you, Emalyn Lekal.”

[freelxncer-blog-blog]

Jace allowed the other two to run freely, the beginnings of a smile forming as he watched, crossing arms over his chest. They looked just as happy to be in the new place as he was. 

“It’s your cats that make a mess. Mine’s too lazy to bother.”

[elianecasuana]

     Sure enough, the little one had immediately wandered out of his kennel and found a place on the floor to flop down and sprawl out. Eliane knelt down, scratching him behind the ears. He stretched obligingly, eyes closed, and a low rumble started up beneath her hands. There was nothing quite like petting a sleepy, purring kitten to make a place feel like a home.

      “Maybe he’s just grumpy, like you.” She threw a grin in Jace’s direction. “Maybe he just needs someone to break him out of his shell. Some energetic friend to come and give him a spark again.”

[spannerboop]

Was she upset? A little. But Emalyn knew herself well enough to know she’d be more upset by the idea of Eliane being cut out of her life completely. 

Despite her best efforts, a shy grin broke out. That was the sappiest friendship proposal she had ever heard in her life. She tried not to laugh, she really did.  This was serious stuff. But…it was just…it belonged in the sappiest romance movie possible. Something like The Journal or Mareover Street. A little giggle broke out, one that she quickly cleared her throat to cover.

“I’m not entirely certain if that was a marriage proposal or not, but…I’d like to keep you around. At least until you forget how to make these.” She lifted her drink up, frowning as she realised it was a lot more empty than she originally thought. 

[elianecasuana]

      Eliane balled up Em’s straw wrapper and threw it across the table. “Oh shut up, you know what I meant. I think I mentioned that I’m not great at all this friend stuff? But hey, I’m getting better. And you’re helping with that a lot.” 

      She picked up Emalyn’s empty cup and slipped behind the counter. “And you’ll be stuck with me a while if you’re waiting on me to lose my skills. Everyone knows I’m the best barista in Elendel. Possibly in the entire basin!” 

      This new store was smaller than Northern Park had been, a little cozier instead of clean and modern. It didn’t feel like hers yet, but she thought it might get there. The owner was away from the store a lot, but after she’d seen Eliane’s experience, she’d been willing to bring her on in a leadership position. It was just another change, and she’d get used to it soon. A new store, a new life. 

       The same Em, though. And the same egregious amount of caramel.

[spannerboop]

Ema blinked a few times, trying to process that in a way that didn’t sound like Eliane had planned on leaving her from the beginning.  Maybe she was just reading way too much into it, or maybe she was just so frustrated she couldn’t see a different, more plausible answer. Ugh. She’s usually so much more collected than this. 

She forced herself to calm down, running a hand over her face, “I don’t think you’re grasping this best friend thing very well.” Ema bit at her lower lip, frowning slightly, “I get that you don’t want to hurt me, and I get that being your friend I probably will be, but…” Well, really it’s not like she can be hurt anymore. She already has one dead family member out of the whole thing. It’s not like it can get much worse than that.

Emalyn sighed, sitting back, “It’s dangerous, I get it, and doing secret agent things is your thing. But secret agents need friends too, right? And I need someone to make my diabetes in a cup, right?”

[elianecasuana]

      “I...” Eliane struggled to find words. She didn’t deserve to have a friend like Emalyn. The longer she spent with the girl, the more she was convinced no one could deserve Emalyn. She was truly unique in all the world.

      “I guess I never was a very good best friend, was I? Keeping secrets, putting your family in danger, disappearing without warning. Em, I just don’t want to hurt you any more. I love you, Em, and  I just want you to be happy. I just want you to be safe. 

      She wrapped her hands around her cup, tapping the sides in a small pattern. Why did it feel selfish to stay friends with Emalyn? Why did she feel like she was being weak by not being able to sever ties? She knew, right now, if something else happened, this was going to be the moment she would regret. The moment she hadn’t walked away. 

      She was going for it anyway.

     “But... I’m here now and you’re a part of my life. After I dropped off the grid, I thought you might only be upset to see me again after all I’d done. I shouldn’t have done that, though. It was wrong, and selfish, and you deserve better. If you’re... not sick of me, I’ll try again. 

      “I don’t want to make promises I can’t keep. I don’t know what my life’s going to look like from here on out. I don’t know that I might not ever have to disappear again, but I will promise you this: I won’t ever try to cut you out again. If you ever decide it’s too dangerous, then I’ll walk away, but for now, I’m here as long as you want me, and I’ll make sure I’m doing everything in my power to keep things that way.”

[prxncess-powerful]

   ❝In the back!❞

Malia lifted a hand into the air and waved above the fauna, hoping Eliane could see her signal,  before turning back to her original task.  A big,  beautiful outdoor vase.  That was ten  times  her  size  and  weighed  as  many  tons…    and needed to be moved.   She’d been trying very hard to keep her pewter use to a minimum ever since… well ever since thirteen  years  of  abusing  it  finally  caught  up to her and she’d almost died.   Still…  for something this little it would be alright                                                                        right?

She drunk down a small vial of pewter and began burning it low.  Wrapping her arms around the vase, she attempted to lift it, but even with the pewter, it was still to heavy.  

                                   ❝Damn.❞

She burned harder until she managed to lift the giant thing off the ground,  and with an awkward waddle,  managed to move it into the far corner where it could look pretty without being in the way.       With a grunt,     she set it down and stepped back, dusting off her hands with a satisfied smile.

[elianecasuana]

      The pulses  started  up from the back and,  on instinct, Eliane froze.  She  wanted  to curse for not having  figured it out earlier. A girl like Malia taking bodyguard jobs? That really only made sense in one condition.  Still,  Jace prob- ably could have warned her. 

      In a  moment,   the  pulses  redoubled  as Malia flared. Yes,  that  was definitely pewter.  She  was starting to get better at recognizing pulse patterns,  at least for the more common  metals,  but  it  still  took  concentration.  Malia   was an Allomancer. That... wasn’t a problem. Right?

     She was still a bit shell-shocked when Malia emerged, carrying a vase  much  too  large  for  someone  her  size. Eliane was  sure  she  looked  like  a  deer  in  headlights, heart racing and eyes wide. She liked to think she had her reactions under control,   but  unexpected  Allomancy still got to her, even after everything. 

     She’s an ally and she helped  Jace.  No  one’s  going to hurt you, and it’s all going to be just fine. Breathe and calm  down.  Just pewter.  At least it’s not brass or zinc.  You’re fine, El. You’ll be alright. 

      Still  she  was  rattled  when  she  finally  tried to speak.  “Y-you’re a Thug.”  She realized how that sounded a mom- ent  after   it   was  out  and  immediately  shook  her  head, trying  to  clear  her  thoughts.   “I... I mean,   a  Pewterarm. S-sorry.”

[elianecasuana]

[ heartlikeiron​ ]

    CLUBS were not usually Eliane’s haunt of choice, but neither was she entirely a stranger to the scene. A part of her couldn't quite believe she was here, in Spikes, the center of Yomen power. She didn't know any details of the Yomen operation -- that had been too risky a take for too little reward -- but anyone on the streets at least knew the basics. The Yomens were powerful and dangerous. People stayed away if they didn't want to get hurt.

      And here she was, walking in, checking out the scene.

      Perhaps she wouldn't go through with it. Perhaps she wouldn't even find anyone to talk with in terms of employment. She could be here for no reason, and she couldn't quite bring herself to be unhappy about that possibility.

      Still, she wasn't leaving yet. Jace was right. This was a place where Seekers were in demand, and even if she wasn't selling information at the moment, she couldn't quite keep herself from learning what she could. Intel kept people alive, and making connections was what she did. 

      For now, she’d bide her time, keep an eye out, and see if she could manage to make the connection. Couldn’t hurt to try. Keeping an eye out, she started burning, and picked up on another set of bronze pulses across the room. The other Seeker found her immediately, and they locked eyes. She gave him a small, polite nod, trying to show that she wasn’t a threat. 

      They knew she was here, at least.

[elianecasuana]

[ kelsienharms ]

    THESE cats were going to be the death of her. 

      Perhaps that was the trouble of a new apartment. There were always kinks that needed to be worked out in a new living situation. Adapting to a fresh environment always brought its challenges. Sorting belongings, organizing a new space, trying to carve a comfortable familiar out of a still foreign unfamiliar. Really, this was all just to be expected.

      The fact that Hazekiller had picked up a knack for slipping right out the front door and out to the street every time the door opened was not one of the more easily solved issues, however.

      "Haze!" she called, giving a quick, beckoning whistle. "Haze, where'd you go?"

[elianecasuana]

[ coinshot​ ]

    THERE was a small, awed pause as Eliane stepped through the doors of the chapel. Sunlight outside shattered into colors as it passed through the stained glass windows. The building wasn’t excessively large, but there was a stately, regal air to the place, almost a weight that hung in the air between the intricate archetecture.

      She had to stop herself from absently twirling her earring. The last thing she wanted to do was stand out. Well, more than she already probably did.

      Pathians didn't really have churches, and growing up, her family had never been religious. This was a rather new experience for her, and she couldn't help but feel out of place. Pathism was an individualistic religion, more focused on meditation and individual progress than any sort of gathering or creed. It felt comfortable to her, but she also knew that she should probably be familiar with things outside of her comfort zone. 

      Harmony had said there was value in all religions, and Eliane thought that just about everyone she knew was a Survivorist. She at least wanted to know a little bit of the faith.

[elianecasuana]

spannerboop:

That silence was more than enough for Emalyn to get more aggressive than is probably healthy with her banana bread picking. The answer was enough to make her stop altogether.

Ow. 

Never. That translated to never. And that left her feeling completely empty on the inside. Somehow, that hurt more than everything Eliane had done before combined. 

The fact Eliane thought it was for the greater good made Ema frustrated and angry with the whole situation, and maybe a little lots with Eliane too, “That’s not for you to decide!” Ema exhaled harshly, not even sure where to begin with this, “I think I deserve a little bit of warning if you’re planning on ending us, El. At least something to let me know you’re still alive. Or is that too much?” 

      Eliane found a rising frustration within her, but she thought it was more at the situation in general than it was at herself or Emalyn specifically. She hated that she put people in danger by associating with them, but it was a fact of the life she lived. She hadn’t liked doing this, but it had felt like the right thing to do.

      “I wasn’t just going to drop off the map for no reason, but Dier forced my hand! By the time I came out on the other side, I’d already broken my promise by disappearing and... I thought you might not want to see me again after something like that.”

      She brushed a hand back through her hair. “I thought it might be Harmonysent or something. That I’d never be strong enough to just leave you be for your own good, so Harmony gave me a situation where I had to, for other reasons. I thought it’d be for the best, even if it hurt like hell.”

[elianecasuana]

freelxncer:

He nodded, confirming all of the above, “I think the drinks are good.” 

Jace disappeared for a quick second, bringing in the last of the boxes. Why was there so much.  He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he shut the door behind him, “I don’t know anyone besides clubs that hire Seekers.” 

He yawned, walking over to a set of kettles set off to the side. He opened each of the kettles, three cats bounding out and running around the new apartment. He figured it was safe enough for them to run around for now. 

      Eliane knelt, a smile splitting her face as she scooped up one of the the furry little troublemakers. How was it that they'd already gotten so big? Only a few months since she and Jace had rescued these and they looked less like kittens and more like cats everyday.

      "Cats in an apartment filled with cardboard boxes. This must be perfect for them.“

[elianecasuana]

spannerboop:

Emalyn sipped at her diabetes quietly, taking extra effort to not let any emotion show on her face. She supposed potentially being murdered was a good excuse. And she supposed this had to mean Dier was dead, if Eliane was sitting here having coffee without any anxiety. She couldn’t quite hide the sting the mention of Dier left. It’s been months since her father’s death, but it hasn’t really quite ever stopped hurting.

She let her gaze drop, moving to pick at some of the banana bread. It was good Eliane hadn’t done it to protect her, though. That already sent half her resentment away. But Ema also wasn’t stupid. If Eliane was this okay over what happened, then it must have been weeks ago. And if it was weeks ago….

“So, how long until you were going to find me?”

      Eliane dropped her eyes, not quite able to come up with a response to that. She wanted to lie and say she'd been on her way over, or that she'd been planning to soon, but if there was one thing Emalyn deserved, it was the truth.

      The only problem was that the truth was "never" and that was a little difficult to say. She should have realized her guilty silence sounded just as bad, if not worse.

      "I... I thought maybe I had done enough to you, Em.“

[elianecasuana]

spannerboop:

Ema crossed her arms as Eliane’s hand came up, but she managed to bite her tongue long enough for Eliane to say her part. It was a needed talk, and she supposed a coffee shop was a little better than the middle of the walkway. And it’d give her a moment to calm herself down. 

“It better have enough caramel to put your caramel fraps to shame.” She shifted, a small pause, “And come with banana bread.” 

      “Of course,” Eliane said quickly, glad that Emalyn was at least giving her a chance. "It's right this way. Thanks. And, I'm sorry, again."

      Eliane wrapped her hands around her cup, as though somehow she might be able to draw strength from the warmth of her coffee alone. The caramel and banana bread had been acquired, in the requested exorbitant quantities.

      This wasn't going to be easy, and she knew it, but it needed to be done. It would have been best if she and Em had never met up again, she thought, but now that they were here, she'd make the best of it.

      "I want you to know," she started slowly, not quite able to look her friend in the eye, "that I didn't have a choice. I know I promised I wasn't going to disappear again, but this time it was life or death. I wasn't just trying to keep you out of the loop to try to protect you or anything like that."

      At first, at least.

      "Dier came after me and the only way to keep him at bay was to go dark. I couldn't contact anyone, or he'd find me. I know I promised, but it was the only way. If I'd tried to tell you what happened, I'd be dead right now. Or you would be. Or both."

[elianecasuana]

freelxncer:

Jace was taking no breaks. He continued wheeling boxes in like it was no big deal. He didn’t think he had this much stuff. Or maybe a lot of it was just Eliane’s. Either way, there was a lot more boxes than he expected. 

He glanced at her, placing a box down and shrugging, “I know Spike’s has them crawling around everywhere. Can’t be too careful, I guess.” 

      "Spikes?" Eliane raised an eyebrow, stepping over to take one of the smaller boxes from the top of his stack. "Isn't that one of the Yomen clubs?"

      This apartment truly was nice, though it was difficult to find otherwise in the First Octant. She really did have to thank Malia for setting Jace up with such a lucrative hit. She was definitely looking for a way to pay her back.

      "Me, working for the Yomens? Sounds like trouble. My brother used to work for people like that, though I never did find out who his employer was. Somehow I don't know if I'd really fit in with that kind of group."

      She set the box down... on top of another stack of boxes. Surely, they didn't own this much stuff between the two of them. Why was it that it looked like so much when it was all packed away like this.

      "Then again, maybe it's worth a shot. I'm not really selling at the moment, but it never hurts to keep my ears open, I suppose. Lots of important people in clubs like that. What do you think?"

[elianecasuana]

[ freelxncer​ ]

    ❝ I DON'T KNOW, JACE, ❞ Eliane said, taking a quick break from unloading boxes. "Maybe I ought to look into some way to use my bronze for something."

     She leaned down against the new counter, pulling a strand of hair through her fingers. "I mean, I hadn't really thought about it before now, but there must be someone out there looking for a Seeker to hire. Maybe I could make money with it. I haven't been an Allomancer very long, true, but I'm getting better. I can at least point in the right direction for an Allomancer, right? That's useful."