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 Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 11:12 pm
Nodding, Lex passed Ami the bottle of champagne to he could open the cooler and spread the blanket out on the rock, making sure it was nice and flat with not bunching or wrinkles. Sloppiness just wouldn't look good, not at all. When she'd sat down with him, he smiled and replied to her initial question.
"Ah, yeah. My mother has owned a few night clubs in Las Vegas, and she always had me manage them - it wasn't because I'm her son, she just knew she could trust me to do everything the way she wanted. Plus, if I ever messed up? I was no more than a few rooms away, until I moved out. Even then, she demanded a spare key to my house." He chuckled, but it wasn't an easy one; more awkward and a little forced. He and his mother had strenuous relationship more often than not.
"Oh, your dad works for Disney? What did he do?" Moving on from the topic of his home life. "And where in Europe?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 11:32 pm
Ami waited patiently as Lex set out the blanket. A new daunting task had been set before her as Lex sat down. Did she sit next to him? Was that too close? Did she sit far away- would that come off as rude?
She settled on across the blanket. If Lex wanted to be closer, he could make the effort to do so. The last thing Ami wanted to do was come off too strong. After all, this was just a date. They weren't ... anything.
That sounds miserable, came to mind, but she didn't say it. It would've been rude and Ami always thought before she spoke. She didn't know Lex's situation with his mother, so it was rude to assume, but to Ami? That sounded like a horrible living situation. No wonder he ran to Deus Ex.
As he spoke, Ami began setting out their meal- nothing particularly fancy. Half of a baguette cut into small disks that they could spread hummus and cheeses (namely brie and cheddar- Deus Ex wasn't really a culinary wonder, after all), and small sandwiches put together meticulously. It wasn't much, but there wasn't a lot you could do when you only had an hour. She snapped the tupperware closed, wrapping it back up in the pink scarf she'd brought it in.
"Ah ... all sorts of things? He helped design the maleficent dragon at Disneyworld, worked on some of the musicals- he did some work on the Chinese olympics I think. I'm not quite sure- we didn't talk much." She waved her hands, "Nothing bad though. I just got my ... independence from him. We liked our distance." From the cooler she procured two glasses, considering- as she suspected- Lex had forgotten. Ami was always about 5000 steps ahead of everything.
She leaned back on her arms, gesturing that he should be the one to pour. "Mostly around France, but sometimes Italy. Once Germany. My favorite was always when we got to visit Paris. I suppose it's tacky, but I always wanted to ..." Her expression flickered for a moment. "Explore the museums."
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 12:37 am
It was miserable, but he hadn't left to Deus because of his home life. He'd left because he was tired of seeing the things in the bars, in the clubs, in his room at times. He left because he had some foolish thought that maybe his father had found Deus Ex when he'd left because of mother's affair. He'd left because he wanted to do something good for humanity.
Oh, what did we have here. Hummus, cheese, baguette rounds, and little sandwiches - a good spread, considering where they were. Her preparation was immaculate, attention to detail precise. Either she was just a perfectionist, or she was just as excited about this date as he was.
Actually, probably a little of both, knowing her work ethic. He smiled as she pulled out the glasses - he knew she'd bring them - and uncorked the champagne, letting it settle before he poured the drink, filling each glass half way.
"Wow, what a way to live." Lex smiled, waiting for Ami to take the first bite, giving the hummus and brie a good look. "How are museums tacky? That's culture, Ami, high class society. Tacky would be going to France for the sole purpose of seeing the Eiffel Tower."
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 12:50 am
Ami drew her legs up towards her body, wrapping her arms around her shins and setting her head on her knees. "Ah sorry- tacky wasn't the right word. It's ... tourist-y, I guess." Her nose wrinkled at the mention of the Eiffel Tower. "That hunk of metal has nothing on Delacroix," she mused.
She sipped from her glass, staring out at the ocean as waves broke along the rocks farther below them, "Strange isn't it? How we've been detached from that world but we still remember so many miniscule details." She turned to Lex and continued, "Yet while we're here, we never bother to question each other about such details?"
The wine glass was set down. "I mean ... I had no idea what to put in our little-" She gave a smile here. "Picnic basket. I don't know what foods you like, what places you've been ..." By this point it almost seemed like she was talking to herself. "Beyond the fact that you're a crack shot, I honestly don't know much at all." She shook her head and returned the conversation back to Lex. "Don't you think that's weird?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 2:23 am
Where Ami was taking a more reserved seating position, Lex had taken a more relaxed and casual one, one leg bent and one sticking out, arms behind him as he looked towards the ocean as well, smiling at Ami's commentary. She was right, they really didn't know anything about each other. He knew Wilson, Eva, and even Kat to an extent - but he'd never really asked about Ami, Marcus, Madeline...
Why was that? "It's very odd. Though good call on the hummus - I like hummus." He smiled, dolloping the Mediterranean spread on a baguette round, topping it with a slice of brie. "It's more than likely because, in the back of our minds, we know that we have short life spans. Thus, our minds tell us 'hey, don't form bonds or else you'll get hurt.' We listen because we know it's true." He bit into the bread, savoring the taste before he swallowed and shrugged. "Or, that's what I've picked up from psychology sections in some of the texts I've been studying. I guess we just need to push past primal instinct, if we're to have a functioning and healthy relationship." He meant that for any person with any person, but it could be interpreted other ways. It certainly held true to he and Ami.
"This seems like a step in that direction, though."
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 2:28 am
"Hmmm," Ami hummed, leaning forward to take another sip of her wine. "I myself am a brie person," she said with a light smile. It was good to find these little facts, at least, for Ami. It made her feel more stable.
The way Lex talked casually about a relationship gave her hope, but her innate pessimism pushed it away. He meant relationship as friends. Right. "Well ... what else? What stores do you like? Where did you go to school?"
She put her chin in her hand. "To be honest, I've never really wanted to know anything about anyone," she added quietly. "It didn't seem like there was a point."
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 2:52 pm
Lex's smile faded a little, completely understanding what Ami meant. He only ever wanted to know enough about a person to get something from them - be it entertainment, company, free drinks, or what have you. Before Deus, he'd never held actual friends, just relatively close relations.
A sip of wine, a brighter smile. "I went to school at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for a Bachelor's in Business." His mother had paid for it, so he couldn't complain. "As for shops...I'm a fan of Guess, Forever 21 Men, Macy's, Men's Warehouse, Bass... basically if GQ says it's good, I'm usually a fan." He chuckled, shaking his head at that. She could call him a sheep if she wanted. "Except for puffy vests, those things are garbage."
He picked up a sandwich and began to nibble on it. "What about you? Where did you shop and go to school?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 3:23 pm
"This feels like twenty questions," Ami commented, picking up a disk and spreading hummus across it. "I was attending Sarah Lawrence in New York. I didn't really like attaching myself to any one major ... I was undergoing a more Oscar Wilde approach and taking as many literature classes as I could before I had to settle down and pick one." Adam had always joked that she was too hipster for the system.
She relaxed enough to stretch her legs out in front of her, looking upwards with a squint as the sun hit her face. She'd forgotten how nice a beach could be when it wasn't attached to rigorous training. "I fancied the same shops I do now. Urban outfitters, Forever 21 ..." She frowned and said, "I suppose it's a bit expensive for the salary we get paid now." Then again, her job as a barista hadn't been much weightier. She'd just had more options.
"So you're telling me Marcus didn't invite you to the wedding?" she asked. Honestly she wasn't terribly surprised- she didn't think of Marcus and Lex as good chums or anything, but it did seem strange to her that Marcus wouldn't invite a myriad of people to his wedding. Then again, she supposed, it was all his choice. His wedding, his choices.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 4:39 pm
Lex let out a little sound when she mentioned salary; Lex's pay had been significantly cut. Working for his mother may have been hellish, but she paid extremely well - and she gave him overtime. Great boss, awful mother.
"Yeah, I've only really met with Marcus once or twice. He forced me to play Jenga with him, and I challenged him for a rematch. I won the second time, thankfully." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck where the dart had landed countless times. Life really wasn't too easy of a division, when you dug a little deeper.
"You and Marcus seem to have a special bond." He remarked, finishing off the little sandwich. Not like the bond he and Eva shared, but something special still. "I thought you didn't connect to people?" He teased, smirk of confidence tweaking his lips.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 4:44 pm
Ami preened a little, blankly stating, "It wasn't that hard. It took me two tries even when I was still a moon." Was she proud of that? She was a little proud of that.
A hand went to her cheek as she munched on another slice of bread with brie. "I never said I didn't, I said I didn't like to. Marcus and I we ... I don't think we're friends, honestly. I'm not sure what to make of him." It was more sibling than anything, each one trying to get gains on the other while simultaneously depending on the other for help. Mostly Ami on Marcus.
A sinister grin crossed her face. "Well ... I can't go to a wedding without a date, can I?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 5:43 pm
Lex raised a brow at Ami - was she actually gloating? A subtle smile sneaked its way onto his lips, still enthralled to see Ami with more positive emotions. The little turtle was maturing, it would seem.
Both of his brows raised at her invitation. Really? She wanted him to escort her to the wedding of her good not friend Marcus? Well, that was a little bit of a shock. Lex thought this would maybe have been a one time event, but Ami was already asking for a second date.
It may have just been just to fit social graces, it may have been just because she was enjoying herself. Either way, Lex's face took on a more genuine smile as he drained the little bit of champagne left in his glass, before giving a resounding "I'd love to."
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 5:51 pm
Ami's gentle smile fell as she realized she was getting carried away. What she'd intended as a joke had been given a serious response, one that she-quite frankly- couldn't believe.
"Really?" she asked quietly. That had been way too forward and way too soon, she realized now. She occupied her mouth with her wine glass, taking her drink much slower than Lex had been. The casual comfort she felt with Lex had swept her up, making her forget her reserved trepidation. "You don't have to, if you don't want to. It was rash, I'm sorry."
She was giving him a way out, because she fully expected him to take it.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 6:09 pm
One corner of Lex's smile tweaked upward a little further, trying to contain a bit of a laugh. Of course he was going to take up her offer, and why not? The woman couldn't show up to a marriage alone, and she was actually a fun person to be around when not being grumpy.
He opted instead to pour another glass of wine, and pick up another disc and hummus. "I said I'd love to, Ami. It sounds like fun."
He had to wonder, why was she so hesitant about this sort of thing. Wilson had happened long enough ago for Ami to let go of it - maybe she'd just been off the dating scene for a while?
Wait, why was he even concerned? Dating was just dating, it never meant much to the man. For some reason, Marcus' words kept coming back to him, about wanting something more stable, and having a love you could rely on.
Right, more champagne.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 6:14 pm
"I'm kind of scared," she admitted. "I don't really ... do well with weddings." Her stare looked somewhere far beyond the horizon, but she shook her head and said, "Ah- I mean all the people and mingling. It's not really my scene, you know?" A light smile in Lex's direction. "It'll be nice to have a friend"
The last of her wine disappeared down her throat. She set the wine glass down next to the nearly-empty plate. "That went a lot faster than I thought it would," she said. "Ah- I mean that in a good way." Her hands fumbled forward for the dishes, packing them away slowly, taking her sweet time with it. "Do you want to go for a walk? We can leave the cooler here and come back for it after." A pause. "If you want."
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 6:34 pm
Lex's smile softened a bit as he touched Ami's hand, trying to give her a bit of reassurance. This was good, actually, very good. She was being incredibly open with him, making bonds. He was proud of her, and a little voice in the back of his head was calling him a hypocrite for not doing the same. "Don't be too afraid now; we don't want to fight some kind of actual Bridezilla monster later on." He joked, giving off a contagious grin.
Looking at the finished nosh, Lex shrugged a little. It really had gone by fast, but it had definitely been enjoyable. "I'd enjoy a walk - do you want to keep playing twenty questions?"
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