The View in New Orleans

La Vie en Rose

He watched from afar, often breathing in the soupy air of the swamps, sitting on the sullen mud below him, leaning back, taking in the scenery of the trees, biding his time while he waited. He eyed the waters, watching them disrupt each other, collapsing on top of each other as the time passed.

"Are you okay, Lalo?"

He squeezed Eden's hand. She sat next to him, watchful, and very concerned for him. This was abnormal, for him to sit at the water for this long. She knew why, but over the past few weeks,  he stayed longer, growing more and more on edge each day. He brushed over his mustache, his fingers grazing the hairs, as he thought, pondered upon the events of the past few weeks.

"I'm just making a decision, honey." He said, as his eyes grazed the glossy waters, the water sloshing up onto the mud-ridden banks, occasionally bumping into his shoes, the churning of the steam boats going up and down the long forgotten canal echoed, the ghostly waters stirring.

"Well, Lalo, its that time of night. You know, the partying. Its almost nightfall, my sweet. I wouldn't want to get caught in with the people of the dead."

"Mmm. I might have to though, I have to stay out here- you never know how these nights will end, my darling."

Eden sighed, while Lalo sat straighter in the chair, the air getting colder around the man, as he looked towards the banks, pondering his decisions. The pink haired girl still urked him, almost surviving the ordeal, and now, knowing that she was affiliated with Virgil and Brick? It made his gut churn.

"Maybe we should have a night to ourselves. You deserve to take a break, Laurence, especially after what happened." Eden coaxed, putting her head on his shoulder, gazing into his stern eyes as he thought.

"You're right. Come, with me, for a night. Just us two. We need a break from all this... mess. Would you come with me?" His brown eyes twinkled in the sunset, the pink reflecting off of his dark pupils.

Eden sat her hand on his, before nodding gingerly, allowing him to lead her. He pulled her close, then lead her off of the bank, towards a shore sided steamboat. It was a fancier one, usually going up and down the Mississippi river, making its rounds as a reminder of what used to be.

"What are we doing?" Eden questioned the man leading her

"Do you see that boat? The man who runs it is not a big fan of us. I say we 'have some fun' tonight."

He took her to the docks, before boarding the ship, the sound of a band playing faintly in the lower decks echoing through, the melodies of 1940s jazz seeping into their ears as they headed down. The ballroom was beautifully decorated, with dark, mahogany woods, accompanied by red detailing, with a band playing at the front of the room, playing old songs that were from once in the day.

The two stepped onto the dance floor, between all walks of people, the poor and the richer dancing together. Lalo gazed at Eden, before kneeling, and offering his hand.

"May I have this dance?"

"Yes."

She stepped toward the man, before letting herself seep into him, getting spun round and round as they melted together through the night, letting themselves get lost in the music, trusting the grounding nature of each other.

The night progressed on, as the pair waited, getting tipsy on fancy wines, giggling at jokes that were never funny (I'm looking at you, Lalo). The two stirred through the night until they blended in with the common folk.

"Are you ready?" He whispered into Eden's ear, his mustache grazing her ear, as she turned to face him, and nodded. A smile crept upon her face, as the two walked back up to the deck.

"It should be in through those doors." Lalo pointed, staring at the two upper-deck double doors, stained with age. The pair walked through them, before Lalo took a pistol out of his pocket. It was a nice, silvery gun, with a white marble handle, with a hand-painted image of a bear on the marble.

He loaded it with equally silver bullets- ones for killing werewolves. Some believed it was superstition, but the ones in power knew better, and the man they were eliminating tonight was one of those men, corrupted by the moon.

Eden got ready, slipping a pair of white silky gloves on, adjusting the fitting of them, as she grabbed her needles, attaching them to her hand, filling them with different liquids. Lalo led her to the door to the mans office, preparing her to break in.

The air was silent, before the two kicked down the door, Lalo pointing a gun at the man as Eden got closer, ready to attack.

"Bennedict. I should have known it was you after I heard that somebody had stolen my alcohol stash. But you are not wise for coming he-"

Eden stabbed the man, coming out of her hiding place, the needles entering his neck, as Lalo shot, the bullet crashing against his skull, blood rushing out of his cranium.

"I missed this for us, don't you Lalo? You know, it reminds me of years ago, us running around.. doing things like this..." She stepped towards him, before grabbing onto his tie, forcing him into a kiss.

The steamboat soon shut down, and all that could be heard that night was a couple in a clutching love.