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 Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:17 pm
Tony was not nervous. At least, he told himself that. He didn't want to be nervous, at the very least. But he was. He was very, very nervous, to the point where he was running through things in his mind, imagining every bad outcome. First, what if he didn't find the building?
He did find it, right where she said it would be. He was allowed inside and he wandered up the stairs. A regrettable choice, but he hadn't wanted to stand around waiting for the elevator with all his anxiety flaring up.
What if he knocked on the wrong door?
This one he hadn't tested yet. He was looking for her number, having written it down in case he forgot. He hadn't, the number in his mind without looking down at the paper, but at least he was thorough and careful. He went to the door and hesitated. Frowning, he made sure his clothes were smooth and tidy, his tie in place, the present unmussed from the travel. He fixed the bow on it, then took a deep, stabilizing breath.
What if she didn't like the gift?
He lifted his hand and knocked lightly on the door, then noticed the bell and thought he should have rang that and did so, then cursed himself for doing both and sounding impatient.
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Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 10:18 pm
Suri was a practical sort of woman when it came to dates: she knew that her date was expected at six o'clock, and so she had ensured that she herself was ready by five forty-five. She'd gotten home from her lab at four and taken a prompt shower, blow-dried her hair, and to the tunes of old familiar black and white faces she surveyed her wardrobe. She considered one of her black pencil-skirts--very professional, after all--but the longer she listened to a rather dated love song, the more she felt like she was taking this way too much like a job interview. She needed to relax, get in tune with her inner naive poodle-skirted schoolgirl, like the picture that decorated her nightstand. With close-pursed lips, she rummaged through the skirt section of her closet. No poodle skirts. But, after further search, she found a well-worn pair of jeans that hugged her waist, and decided to take a more casual approach. She paired them with a brown belt, her favorite blue button-up blouse and some matching heels, and once she felt suitably ready (it took two trips to the bathroom mirror to powder her nose), she waited patiently in her living room, petting her cat and listening to the sweet, sweet sounds of Johnny Cash.
Maverick's ears flattened a moment before there was a knock at the door, and instantly Suri rose from her seat, dumping the Siberian to the floor below. She paused, wondering why on earth she was feeling so jittery, then shrugged it off, repinning a side-part under a copper crescent-moon and opening the door. From within the apartment, a low "Mrowwwwwww" emanated. Ignoring Maverick's assessment of the visitor, Suri's expression nevertheless brightened and she made way for the man to come through, her eyes homing in on the present but her manners far too well-groomed to inquire upon it immediately.
"Come on in. I'm glad you found the place without too much trouble."
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Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 10:35 pm
Tony swallowed hard when the door opened. He looked like a deer in headlights, though how he could possibly have thought the door wasn't going to open, when he had been invited there, was anyone's guess. He just stared at her for a long moment, then smiled and realized she was letting him in.
"No, not too much trouble. I did stop and ask for directions three times, and knocked on four incorrect doors," he could only joke about it because, though it had been one of his fears, he had successfully navigated himself here.
He looked at the animal that already didn't seem to like him, though he wasn't surprised, curiously before he smiled at Suri again and offered her the present her eyes had fallen on.
"I... uhm. I got you this. I probably should have brought flowers, too, shouldn't I? That's... that's usually. Well, anyway, here's this for you. Next time... er I'll remember the flowers." He smiled at her dopily.
He couldn't help but take a look around the place, just wanting to see what she lived like. The area seemed nice enough, better than the one he lived in, anyway, though it wasn't really difficult to be better than that dump and he knew it.
His eyes settled on her, though, and the butterflies in his stomach seemed to calm for a moment.
"You look nice."
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 4:15 pm
The living room they walked into was lightly decorated in tans and soft pastels, the dark wood furniture sparse but surprisingly not barren with little accents like a large circular rug in the center of the floor and dozens of posters and picture frames lining the walls, some of her with what looked like her parents, her graduation, a trip to a tropical place, others of old faded pictures of men with guitars and long-forgotten record labels. For a woman who was typically prim and proper, there was definitely a country feel to the place if you looked for it, most notably the cow-hide that stretched across the cushions of her tan leather couch. Sprawled across the hide was a large grey cat that appraised the man with narrow eyes, clawing at the animal skin with malicious intent and making a noise that seemed to be both a growl and a purr.
Suri, for the large part, ignored the animal, instead smiling softly at the mention of a gift. "No, you didn't have to get me anything...this is really sweet of you." She wondered if it would be too forward to give him an appreciative kiss on the cheek as she reached for the present, and finally decided to err on the side of caution and instead wrapped her arms around his in a light hug before setting the parcel down on the table and crossing to the mini-kitchen. If she seemed somewhat distant as she poured two glasses of water from an old-fashioned pitcher, her expression seemed to get a little brighter when he mentioned the way she looked. "Why, thank you," she responded with a light tuck at her hair, "though I'm feeling a bit underdressed, considering you've got such a nice tie on and everything." Suri entered the living room once again, handed him a clear glass of water, then nudged Maverick to a distant couch cushion to give the two of them space. With a stoic nod, she took a quick sip of her water and then set it on a coaster, pulling the present to her lap and untying the ribbon. What could he have possibly gotten her?
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 12:03 am
Tony certainly picked up on the country accent to the room, smiling vaguely at the discovery. He did not know if he was surprised by this taste in decoration or not: he hadn't really made any assumptions on what she might like, so he could hardly pass judgment on what he saw now. Anyway, he liked what he saw, and he felt oddly charmed.
Or maybe that had more to do with the company than the setting.
His eyes fell on the cat and he tried not to frown at it. Couldn't they sense fear and other emotions? It already seemed to be cross with him, and he didn't want to push his luck further by giving off bad vibes. Though the cat was giving off an air of its own, making Tony feel fairly threatened. It would probably be best if the two remained at great distances from one another, so no one had to have their faces scratched off.
Though, only one of them had claws, and it wasn't Tony, so he wasn't going to take his chances there.
When she hugged him he blushed and returned it, smiling dumbly. "Well, I just thought I, ah... well, you deserved something... uh... I hope you like it." He flushed again, clearing his throat as he watched her pour the water from the pitcher. He laughed, instinctively putting his hand to his tie and shaking his head.
"No, no, not underdressed. You look very lovely, really you do," he tugged at his tie awkwardly, half debating taking it off to be a bit more casual. What was he thinking, wearing a tie? He was such a lame nerd, and he sighed at his own expense.
"Oh, thank you," he said, taking the glass and following her, watching as she made to open the present. She would find a blue sweater, similar to the one he had ruined though not exactly a match, waiting for her under the wrapping. He felt so bad for getting coffee on her that he had to make up for it, and replace what he had ruined. And anyway, he was sure she would look pretty in the color, and he was almost feeling confident about his choice. Or he had been, until that moment, then all his doubts and worries slammed into him, and he fretted silently over what to say if she looked disappointed, or eyed him for his poor choice of present. No one brought someone clothes on a second date!
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Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 12:09 am
Suri had an eye for detail; her hands were gentle and deft as she peeled away the paper, and for a moment she wondered if he himself had been the one to place the wrapping, or if he'd had some department store clerk do it for him. It was difficult to tell, but Suri was more inclined to believe the latter story, considering that it was easier to do and that the gift was from a man (albeit a charming, intelligent, handsome one, but she was getting off-track with her line of thinking as she glanced up shyly at him). Her fingers then met soft fabric, and with a curious glance she dug deeper through the packaging, holding up the sweater by its shoulders, as if to examine it in the light.
For a nerve-wracking moment, she seemed confused.
And then, with a high peal of laughter, she held the sweater to her chest, her face all smiles in a way that it hadn't been since before she'd graduated college. "Oh, you didn't have to get me a new one, the coffee came out just fine," she retorted in an attempt to be stubborn, but it was clear by the way she blushed that she truly was flattered by the gesture, and with one quick motion she pulled the garment over her head and slid her arms through, pulling the bottom of the hem down to her waist and adjusting accordingly to ensure that it fit.
Maverick, in the meanwhile, seemed to wait until Suri seemed suitably distracted, then pawed at the ribbon and paper in her lap, dragging it down to his lair under the coffee table. From the dark abyss came the sounds of paper shredding and purrs.
"It seems I'm no longer overdressed," Suri said in a pleased tone, looking from herself to the man. "Thank you, this is beautiful." Sub-consciously, one of her feet nudged under the table, which caused an annoyed yowl, but at least the paper-shredding stopped. Tucking her hair back into place, she stood, taking her glass of water with her.
"So the place you said we were going...I've never heard of it," she added, bending down to recover the tattered pieces of wrapping from under her furniture. "Is it nice?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 12:22 am
Tony was always a surprise, it seemed. Though he couldn't read her mind, he did notice the way she was taking care unwrapping the present. He was almost glad for it, as he had taken similar care in wrapping it himself. If only because he felt too awkward to ask anyone at the store about wrapping it, and hadn't thought of it until he was in the car, heading back home. He had gift paper, at least, and had taken extreme precautions not to rip or wrinkle the paper as he wrapped the gift. Of course, it had gotten a little battered on the trip over, and his gripping it nervously at the door.
Still, it was the thought that counted, right?
There was a tense moment as Tony debated apologizing for the sweater. Did she not like it? Was it a stupid idea to bring it to her on the second date? She looked confused and maybe upset, or was he being paranoid? Did she still have bad memories and unshared resentment for him ruining her sweater at the coffee escapade? What if it had been her favorite, and had sentimental value, and he was just rubbing it in her face by getting her this one?
Tony had the ability to worry about a very many things in an instant, every awkward impulse and concern crashing about his head in unison. His heart was in his throat and he was lucky for it, in the end, as it prevented him from uttering the stupid apology he wanted to eep out before she started to laugh. The sound, the look on her face, made him relax almost instantly. He was captivated by it, in fact, as he had never seen her smile quite that brightly, and certainly hadn't heard such a genuine laugh before. On their first date, though he had tried to be funny, he knew she was placating him sometimes, or nervous herself.
He found himself smiling, looking exactly as relieved as he felt.
"Well, now you have two sweaters you look very pretty in," he commented with a chuckle as he watched her pull it on, moving to help her adjust her collar under it. He hesitated and drew his hands back, noticing her had gotten them within a few inches of her face by adjusting her collar, and that, it seemed, was dangerous territory for him. He blushed slightly, though his manly will was now kicking him in the back of his head, trying to order him to stop acting like a wuss and nut up.
"A-and it seems your cat's got a present from it, as well," he laughed, though he didn't dare try and look for the thing. Anyway, by the sound it gave when Suri stood he wasn't sure it would be in the mood for his attempts to befriend it.
"No, it's awful," Tony said, half sounding serious. He stammered and grinned, though, "I think it's very nice. I hope you like it. Ah. Should we head out? They'll hold the reservation. It's not... it's not incredibly fancy, I have to admit, but I think it's... uhm..." He wasn't selling it very well.
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Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 12:49 am
Suri's eyes darted up the instant his hands touched her collar, and time seemed to stop as she took a moment to assess the situation, resisting the instinct to tense up with something so close to her neck. Nevertheless, the adrenaline sparkle in her amber eyes was not one caused by shock or the sense of danger, but rather a piqued curiosity, and it showed in the funny little way that her mouth curled up into a smile. She made no mention of the action as she put her dishes away and tucked the paper out of Maverick's reach, but there was something to her walk that whispered that it had been noted and subsequently acknowledged, for better or worse.
The way she glanced back at him after checking her reflection in the mirror suggested that it was for the better, though there was no way to be sure.
"I'm ready to go if you are," she replied, scooping up Maverick and pulling one last shred of ribbon from between his teeth. He did not seem amused. To placate him in the meantime, she set the fluffy grey Siberian next to a scratching post and pulled on one of the off-shooting coils, which provided enough movement for the temperamental cat to be suitably distracted. Then, she could focus all of her energies on Tony, and with a subtle but firm clasp she curled her fingers around his hand. The previous challenge he had issued had been met and raised: it was now his turn.
"Even if they hold the reservation, I wouldn't want to keep them waiting." Suri had nothing if not punctuality, after all.
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Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 1:08 am
Tony couldn't help but watch her as she moved to collect the paper and put the dishes away. He couldn't remember if he had finished his drink or not, but then he supposed it didn't matter. He hadn't remember where he had put the cup, until she picked it up for him.
He didn't miss her glance back at him, and he felt something in his chest either implode dangerously or flutter happily. He couldn't quite tell which yet, or if there was a difference, in the end. He smiled at her in the reflection of the mirror, hands in his pockets.
He might have scuffed his shoe on the floor awkwardly, if he hadn't been concerned about leaving a mark.
He watched the cat cautiously when she picked it up, hoping it wasn't spring loaded and didn't come tearing at his face from her arms abruptly. He heard that animals could get jealous if someone came to try and take their owners from them, or they felt threatened as far as the focus of their affection was concerned. But Tony thought the cat would just have to learn how to share.
The he blushed slightly at the thought and was glad he hadn't been drinking that water at the time, or he would have sputtered out of no where and she would have thought him strange. If she didn't already, anyway. He smiled quickly enough, though, when she took his hand. It wasn't difficult for him to let his fingers close around hers, looking at her in wonder. Not unhappy, to boot.
It seemed he had stumbled into a game of some sort, or a battle. Maybe he could bide his time, to figure out the rules. If there were any.
"I wouldn't want to keep them waiting, either," Tony, as well, liked to be punctual. He moved to the door, not letting go of her hand just yet, opening the door for her and watching so the cat didn't get out. He doubted she would take an apology cat quite as readily as an apology sweater.
And it wouldn't be half as endearing.
Once they were all sorted and the apartment was left behind them, he opted to hook his arm with hers as they walked to the car, releasing her hand only to take it again once he had their arms linked. It felt a bit juvenile, like 50's highschool sweethearts, but he rather liked it. His attention was drawn from how pleasant he found the walk, though, when they approached his worn, beaten, 'new'-ish used car.
"I uh... arranged a limo, but it... broke down."
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Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 1:42 am
Tony had, in fact, stumbled into a game, albeit one that Suri had neither played nor knew the rules for entirely. All the same, the instinct came naturally enough for Suri as she followed his lead. She, too, was making the 50s connection, and for the sake of keeping up appearances she made herself seem more demure, slightly leaning in to him as they walked. There would have been a sort of funny irony in her willing submission, considering that all it would take is a moment's shift and his starseed could be hers, but since Suri knew, deep down, that he had to be an agent like herself, the balance of power felt sufficiently weighted to her.
It gave her a certain coy pleasure knowing that she had somehow figured out his secret first. Then again, studying his glances, she couldn't be entirely sure that he hadn't figured things out on his own. There were too many elements that she couldn't quite read, and somehow, it intrigued her all the more.
When she approached the car, she almost began to laugh because she thought he was purposefully going to one of the older cars in the parking lot (most of the cars were of newer model and much nicer make in this neighborhood, so it was fairly easy to get outclassed), but as she saw him reach for his keys she quickly morphed it into a quick laugh about the limousine comment. "I'll try not to act too heartbroken," she teased, waiting at his side. Instinct was to round the front of the car and go ahead and take her seat, but now that the game was being played, she was going to allow him to be a gentleman at every turn, the wheels in her head turning as she thought of newer, more subtle ways to test his chivalrous nature.
This had all gotten rather interesting indeed.
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Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 2:10 am
Tony very much liked this part of the game, at the very least. Her leaning on him, her arm in his, hands interlocked. He could get very used to this, indeed. It was like revisiting a step in his life that he had completely skipped. When he was younger he had no time for sweet or slow moments like this, for bringing a lady a present, or getting to know her because he wanted to. And he wanted to with her, wanted to take the time to get to know her, to learn what she liked and how to make her laugh like he had in her apartment, mostly by accident there.
Of course, he was completely oblivious to her being anything but a regular person like him. It still didn't occur to him to suspect everyone around him of being a negaverser or a senshi. After all, as far as he knew, they were all kids.
He did, however, catch that her laughing was not because of his quip.
Unlocking the passenger door, he opened it for her, though it stuck once before he got it open. He cleared his throat and closed the door once she was in, going around to the other side as well. He hadn't even realized he was being tested, however, his instincts just telling him to do the polite thing and hold the door open for her.
Sitting at the wheel, he turned the key in the engine and almost looked relieved that it started up. It didn't normally have engine trouble, but if it was ever going to break down he supposed today would be the day for it. He pulled out of the lot successfully and began the fairly short drive toward the restaurant, glancing at her every now and then and straining to think of something funny or interesting to say.
"At least it's not cold this evening," he managed. Nice. Weather. Now what were they going to talk about at dinner? He parked the car blessedly soon, though the quiet had stretched a bit. He once again went around the car to open the door for her. They were at a nice looking restaurant. Small, but in a quaint way. Warm, probably homey once they got inside. It seemed just the kind of place Tony would pick, of course.
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Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 9:11 pm
This was nice.
Suri couldn't place how or why, but there was something inherently "nice" about sitting in the passenger's seat of a suitor's car, catching his furtive glances every so often, her hair done just right and her hands folded one over the other rather primly in her lap. This is how things were meant to be on an evening off: nothing but the whirrs of an older vehicle and the promising thoughts of the night ahead. At some point, she made eye contact with Tony to indicate that she'd caught him peeking, and as a reward she offered him yet another coy smile.
It was official. Suri was enjoying this game, very much indeed.
"Cool enough for a sweater, though," she remarked softly, though there was a hint of a tease hidden in there somewhere if he cared to look for it. Her head tilted upwards in regard for him as she stepped lightly out of the car, adjusting her collar accordingly with an eye to the place he'd just taken her. Suri was admittedly used to going on outings where there were ice sculptures and fake laughter echoing on marble pillars, but this seemed so much more enjoyable in comparison, considering that it had a Tony sort of feel to it. In context, she imagined that she would have felt somewhat embarrassed if the situation had been in reverse and she'd taken him to one of her usual haunts. There was something much more earthy and alive about this place anyways.
Now that she was standing, she reached for Tony's elbow again, tilting her head upwards to make eye contact. "Lead the way?" It seemed like a question and a command all at once.
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Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 9:28 pm
Tony was trying his best not to spend the entire evening beet red. He would have to loosen up at some point, right? And it wasn't that he was tense, exactly. The kind of nerves he was now feeling had nothing to do with the fear of doing something wrong, or ruining the date. Right now, all he was thinking about was the fact that he, the boring librarian who worked too much and had very few social contacts, was actually, officially, on a date. It was very strange for him to stop and think about it, about how long it had been since he had taken time with anyone, or anyone had taken time with him.
And of course, all that thinking brought him right back to worrying about the things he hadn't been worrying about. He really, really didn't want to mess things up.
No, no, he had to relax.
"That is a good thing," he said, laughing a bit. He found himself most at ease when he wasn't inside his own head. Maybe that was the key. To just focus on her, and not all the variables. Take things as they came, and see how things went. After all, it wasn't like much was in his control, anyway. He couldn't control the food or the service, even the conversation and the way they clicked. Everything was up in the air now, and he just had to let things fall as they may. And something told him, as he hooked his arm in hers again, that things would be just fine.
He nodded his head, taking it as a command more than the question option, guiding her into the restaurant and getting them a table from one of the servers. The young man, probably an actor, asked for their drinks and if they wanted anything to start, then gave them some time to look at the menu. It was not, as Tony had indicated, the most fancy of places, but the home-y food and the serene setting played well for romance. It was intimate, sweet, and Tony smiled as he looked at her from over his menu.
"Any idea what you might like? I ah... can't help myself, and I think I'm going to be getting the ribs. Packed lunches and mircowaved meals have me missing more... robust food."
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Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 11:32 pm
The waiter could have been an actor, or a model, or any number of things, but to Suri, he was simply the wait staff, and with a short but polite murmur she ordered her water without so much as eye contact. After all, it's not like the server was people, and she had more important things to be figuring out: namely, the exact shade of green that Tony's eyes were.
Oh, right, there was a menu, too. She glanced over names and descriptions, but it all sounded equally appetizing, and words on a page were worth far less than food on her lips. "I'm not sure. Anything you would recommend?" Suri had made it plain that she hadn't been to the place before, and here she found she could place another of her little tests. Would he be so bold as to make a decision for her, the typical film noir type of man, or would he try to skirt the issue entirely? Frankly, even she wasn't sure which type of response she preferred.
It was a trap of sorts: a question with no clear answer, a challenge with no solution. Now that she'd put forth the query, she looked back from above her menu almost like it was the edge of a fan. The curious look on her face was a genuine one: how would he escape this puzzle?
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Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 11:53 pm
Tony was the complete opposite in thought, it seemed. He knew how hard it could be, dealing with people, and that some were not as nice as others. His life was made very difficult by people who were absolutely certain they had not returned their books late, and demanded their late fees be dropped. He was as nice and patient as he could be with the server, or any person in customer service, because of those hard learned lessons.
Plus, he was just too nice a guy for his own good sometimes.
Tony was quickly distracted watching her, however, noticing that she seemed to be looking him in the eye and not sure if it would be polite to stare or look away. The quandary was solved for him, though, when she looked down at the menu. He frowned when she asked him what he might recommend.
"Uhm... the... uh... ribs?"
It seemed that was the only thing he had ever ordered in this place.
He smiled at her, though, taking a sip of his water before speaking again. "I don't come out too often, but I do enjoy the food and the atmosphere. I would go so far as to be confident that anything on the menu is good." He grinned cheekily, thinking he handled that quite suavely. The waiter returned a bit later, with the offer to take their orders if they were ready.
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