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 Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 11:04 pm
"Night rides sound good! That would be good." She thought about her father and the way he lingered after hours at the shop. When she could sneak away from Chase and just...
Not worry about being beaten so badly. Or...Or stressing about money. She played with the studs under bottom lip before sighing.
"It's yours?" She blinked and then walked towards it, "I'm not ready for driving, if you are selling it." She laughed and it was a small clear as a bell sound. Rare and frighteningly beautiful, to herself even.
"You own a coffeeshop, throw money like its paper and ride Hermes like a demon of the night." She looked over at him, "You are quite the mysterious man, Alex." She wandered back over. "Why are you taking care of me?" She asked now, her heart thudding at the mention of being 'taken care' of, even if it was herself.
"Besides my work, what else are you after?"
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Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 9:32 am
"Don't worry, I'm not selling but - " he stopped because she was still talking and coming back to him. For the first time in a long while, Chase looked utterly confused, like he couldn't comprehend the words coming out of Regan's mouth.
You own a coffeeshop, throw money around like it's paper.
For some reason that one stung and he jerked back, looking like he'd been slapped across the face. She wasn't wrong, he did throw money around like it was paper, because it'd never been an issue for him, because it would never be an issue for him - Samuel had made sure of that - and why be reserved when it could do things for other people who probably needed it more than he did.
He'd always been carelessly generous, Chase knew that, but he'd never had it used against him.
"I didn't - I don't - " he stopped, unable to form a proper sentence because how did he respond to a question like that? Whiskey eyes dropped to the white painted lines of the parking spot, boot toeing along the line. "...I don't know. I'm not - " he stopped to inhale sharply, gaze snapping up to meet Regan's eyes. "I'm not after anything."
How did he say, I understand. I understand what it's like to go through what you do, when he had all this money and luxurious life that she wouldn't think she could relate to? How did he tell her, I'm just creating a safe space, without implying that she didn't have safe spaces or that she needed to trust him.
He didn't need or want her to do anything she didn't. "But..." he said slowly, swallowing dryly, "if I was trying to take care of you, would you even let me?"
He was sure he knew the answer.
Chase sighed, pulled his fingers through the pink tuff of his hair. "Look - Regan, I'm not after anything. I'm just - I'm just existing and I seem to like existing around you but, if you want. I'll back off, only come by when I need a mechanic."
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Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 9:44 am
She had, in her own sort of way, had not meant to insult him but state a simple fact. She knew he thought he could relate to her, but she was never sure why. Something in his eyes was just as much kin to her troubles. But she watched him carefully, because she was still careful and men like Fritz and Chase just didn't pop into her life.
Good men like them didn't just become friends with her.
His eyes dropped and she crossed her arms, unrelenting in her stare. Her need to know that she wasn't a charity case was important, but it was that she didn't want to owe him. She already did.
"No." She cocked her head, "You'd have to be pretty sneaky to take care of me." but it also implied that she might have been open to the idea of a friend. Thats what friends did.
She let a finger find one of her longer hair strands and quieted. He was troubled by it and perhaps it was because he might be use to people just taking what he offered. Again, not a bad thing, but she didn't know much about him either.
She wanted too though.
"If I don't see you race, then how else am I suppose to fix your bike?" She tilted her head. Her way of say no, you could still hang around, it's cool. She was just being...her.
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Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 10:26 am
If Chase knew that Regan thought of him as a good man he would have laughed because he was anything but.
He had so much red in his ledger there wasn't a single chance he could ever expunge it. But Regan didn't know about the other half of him, the other side that was perpetually in control, who was constantly calculating and who'd almost surfaced when Paul showed up drunk and threatening. The only good thing about the tall man with two-toned hair was that when he decided someone was his, when they became part of the people that interested him, that he cared about, he protected them. There was little he wouldn't do for those that he'd become fond of.
Regan, and their kindred spirits, had become one of them quicker than he'd ever expected. He hadn't connected with someone in such a fashion since Kaia--Alkaid or maybe Zircon. (He didn't count Naomi or Dustin, they weren't his-- he ******** that up.)
"I don't know -- I'm pretty sneaky," he offered, hints of a wry grin slipping across his lips. He was incredibly stealthy, always had been even before chaos came to live in him.
He knew a hidden meaning when he heard it and he came around Hermes and stuck his hand out towards her. "Okay. I'll make sure to bring you to all the races from now on." It would probably be good for business too and if he kept her out late enough for her father to keep missing her -- well it was an ulterior motive he didn't have to admit. "What about those night rides?" He cocked a brow, looking like he expected to hear a resounding yes or I still want them.
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Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 10:36 am
"Yes, I am starting to realize that I am becoming friends with a super secret agent man." She rubbed her temple and a small chuckle escaped after that. "A coffee shop, Midnight rider and busy night life. How do you keep up with it..." She mostly mumbled to herself and looked at his hand.
She didn't bother hesitating this time and took it, firmly holding it. "That's a deal. I like to know what I am getting into." She smiled again, shyly now because smiling was still new to her. Having something to look forward to, that was something new.
Something she shouldn't have allowed but her heart said otherwise. She wanted to ride again, and feel wind whip up at her and go to those races and cheer him on. Didn't she deserve that? Just a little bit?
Her eyes narrowed and she let go, waving her hand back and forth. "Maybe. If work doesn't carry over, I'll let you know when I can't go..." She paused, "That's for sure." She looked over at the coffee shop, "Can I come here too, when its open?"
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Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 11:09 am
I am becoming friends was all Chase heard and his heart seemed to stutter, expression falling blank like he didn't understand. Friend was not a title he'd extended to anyone in a long while. Not since he was a young captain who was still bright-eyed and bushy tailed. When Iris had messed with his starseed he'd stopped trying with his civilian life.
It was just starting back up again and he couldn't shake the idea that this was nice. It made him worry, a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that said this won't last. Guys like him weren't meant to have good or nice things.
Still, he figured he'd grab a hold of the moment and try not to let it slip through the cracks in his fingers. He could allow himself this one small thing, he hoped.
"Yeah, of course." He didn't expect to get to monopolize all of her free time. "Any time, I'm usually not there if I don't have to be," he admitted thinking of the capable people he'd hired to take care of things when he wasn't needed. "But shoot me a text and I'll be there. It's open pretty late into the night, specifically for those night owls." It was open now, with someone wandering out with a bag slung across their shoulder. "You're welcome whenever."
He, and his places, were safe spaces for Regan.
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Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2016 9:45 pm
The same worry that Chase had, was nagging back at Regan.
Two kids, same things.
"That's not a bad thing?" She cocked her head, "I'll know better-oh." She blinked as someone did in fact come out and watched them thoughtfully and then tilted her head.
"That's nice." She didn't like large shops, but small coffee shops, with quiet corners were nice sometimes. Sometimes she used them to escape the girls at her school.
Or her father. It'd be nice to have a place she could always go to.
"Okay!" She shoved the helmet on and there was a muffled, "Better get me home. I got homework and stuff."
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Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2016 9:59 pm
"Yeah of course," Chase replied, fishing into his jacket to pull out the envelope with the prize money and handed to Regan. "Consider this an early payment for all the work I'm gonna need you to do." He didn't needed it and he knew that money was tighter for her.
Besides it could potentially give her the funds to come in and buy coffee since he had the strong suspicion that she wouldn't let him just give her it for free. She was strong willed and stubborn like that, he respected it.
"Alright, let's get you back," he agreed pulling his own helmet on over his pink-and-black hair before sliding onto Hermes. Once certain Regan was securely behind him, he peeled out of the parking lot.
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