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 Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 7:55 pm
"But I want today to be about us," Maia protested. "We came here as friends it's only fair we do something you like too."
"Oooh laptops?" she asked. "Do you think I have enough money for one? I could get one after I get a job. Then I'll have plenty of money." Bathroom things? She stared at Toby. "What?" she asked. "Why would I need anything like that?"
She glanced at Dari and shook her head. Men were weird!
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 7:59 pm
"Listen, my ex had a specific brand of scented shampoo that we had to have all the time." The poor man seemed slightly ruffled. "Come on, I'm not like that."
"No, I know," Dari reassured him, patting his back.
"Auh. Anyway. Maia, you have a good chunk left if you want to look at some laptops, or you could wait. It's up to you."
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 8:23 pm
"I never had to use shampoo before I moved here," Maia mused. "But I suppose I could look at those." Maybe there'd be an ocean scented one. Or an unscented one at the at the very least.
"Lets go look at laptops! You'll help me pick a good one?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 8:25 pm
"Sure. Dari knows more about them than I do," Toby admitted.
Dari smiled, closed-lipped. "It's because I'm several decades younger."
"Listen, you. I'll pop you right here."
"I'd like to see you try. Come," Dari nodded for the escalator, "Do you want to eat first or after?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 8:37 pm
"Don't worry, Toby. Lots of girls like older men," Maia teased. "He probably uses his more than you use yours." She took Toby's hand to keep the two from popping each other, whatever that meant.
"Do you want to eat first or look at laptops?" she asked Toby. She didn't have a preference, not really after hearing about defrosted hamburgers.
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 8:40 pm
"Let's eat first." It was an entirely unsurprising decision for anyone who knew the man. Besides, it was just about lunch time. They'd been here much longer than it had felt like. He wasn't sure what to do when Maia took his hand so he was simply ignoring it. She didn't know it wasn't appropriate. She would learn. "You can try something else new."
Dari glanced over at the clasped hands and his gaze lingered there a moment. Huh. That was interesting.
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 8:59 pm
"Alright, I wonder what they have." Maia smiled, releasing Toby's hand now that he was making no move to pop Dari. Instead she walked slightly in front of the two boys. "Down stairs, right?" She stepped onto the escalator.
"You'll help me set up my laptop when we get home, won't you Dari?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 9:04 pm
"Probably not pizza."
Dari nodded, then realized Maia couldn't see him and spoke. He always had to be careful in public. Too much tooth or profile shot and people would get suspicious. The rumors would fly. "Of course."
"Computers open up a whole new world," Toby agreed. He was unconsciously rubbing the hand Maia had held with the other. "Luckily I haven't fallen in with more people my age." Of course federal agents weren't generally urged to create Facebook pages, but that didn't mean he didn't know what it was!
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 9:26 pm
"Good. I want something new and I've already tried pizza," and while she was fond of pizza, she was sure there was some thing better. She turned to beam at Dari when he agreed to help her with her computer.
She noticed Toby and smirked before glancing away. Huh. So holding Toby's hand made him awkward. "Once I can read I'll be able to read up on legends. It'll be fascinating to read about selkies from a human perspective."
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 9:31 pm
"You know, all things considered, the legends aren't too far off," Toby offered, waiting for Maia to make it off of the escalator before continuing. He led the group off toward the restaurant, some American-style chain. "I mean, there are some things. There are always some things."
It was weird. You had to keep your true self secret, whatever you were, but talking about it in public made you just like any other weirdo. You could tell someone to their face what you were and they'd just laugh. You either believed the 'crazies' and were considered one of them or you would rather shoot your own hand off before considering that nature wasn't exactly what you believed it to be.
When they reached the hostess stand, Dari smiled and nodded. "Three, please."
"Of course, follow me!" the hostess chirped, and they followed her to their table.
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 10:01 pm
"I want to see those some things," Maia said. "Besides. I'm sure what's true for some selkies isn't true for all." She had climbed off the escalator and followed Toby. She fell silent as they reached the restaurant.
She took Toby's hand again as they were led to their table. "Have you been here before?" she asked. "Do you know any of the things on the menu?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 10:26 pm
There was no reason to burst Maia's bubble. Every species had its own constants, and while everyone liked to imagine they were unique there were some shared traits that fit them all. Personalities were unique. Minds were unique. Biology? Generally not by much. He remembered a certain selkie assuming he was hers because he had her pelt not very long ago.
They sat down and the waitress came to greet them and take their drink order. With that finished, attention turned to Maia.
"Not here in particular, no. We can go over the menu, though," Toby said. It was a comparatively small menu and they could skip over anything Maia didn't want.
"See if you can follow along," Dari suggested with a smile. Anything was good practice. He propped the menu open himself, even though he had no intention or ordering anything at all.
This little assurance reminded Toby that Maia was still learning, and so he pointed to the first heading on his menu. "So first is 'appetizers'. Appetizers are like little pre-meal dishes to get you interested... or get food to you faster, if you're me."
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 11:51 pm
Maia was of a similar opinion to Dari's. Anything she could learn with would be taken full advantage of. She looked over her own menu. "Appetizers," she echoed. Huh. Premeal food to make people hungrier. She nodded in understanding. "Do you see any thing you'd like to have?" she asked. She couldn't read, but maybe Toby saw something good on the menu?
They went through appetizers, and then the lunch menu. They were planning to get ice cream afterward so dessert wasn't suggested.
By the end of The menu, Maia still hadn't decided what she'd like. She looked to Toby for guidance.
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Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2015 10:35 am
Toby had already made his own decision while going over the menu with Maia, but the selkie seemed to be having some trouble. He tapped his chin with a finger and looked to her.
"Well. Sandwiches are kind of like burgers, as you can see." Had she never had a sandwich before? "What do you feel like? Beef or chicken or salad or what?"
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Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2015 11:10 am
"I'll try the turkey," Maia said. "I've had sandwiches before. Peanut butter and jelly seems to be a staple." She glanced over to Dari. "You'll have ice cream with ys, won't you? And then we can pick out my laptop."
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