Aubrey found the card that Samir had given her and sent him a text.
Aubrey
Hey, this is Aubrey, My car has been acting up and I was wondering if you could take a look at it. Bethany has offered to keep the dogs occupied and out of our way, anything you could do would be really helpful.
While she waited for a response she cleaned up the apartment a little and changed into jeans and a tank top and French braided her hair back so that it would be out of the way. She then talked to her sisters about their school day. She then heard her phone go off.
Samir
I'm off work at six on Thursday, if that's not too late? IF you bring snacks, I'll be happy to give it a look over.
Aubrey
if it hasn't exploded on me yet it probably won't by then, any snack preferences?
Samir
Anything is good for me! Drive safe, let me know if you need a tow
Aubrey
Sounds good, I'll see you then.
Aubrey told her sisters about the plan and then got dinner ready.
-
The next day rolled around and Aubrey made her way to pick up her sisters and then head over to the Junk yard. Kerrigan told her that she would just work on her homework in the office and Bethany was chattering non stop about how much fun she would have with the dogs. Aubrey smiled at them and glanced at the basket she brought that had chips along with sandwiches she made.
Aubrey pulled up to the gate and honked the horn twice and waited, listening to her car squeaking and shuddering.
The junkyard looked like it could have been deserted, were it not for two oversized lights shining down. There was a small shed near the gate but the windows were boarded shut. It wasn't even obvious that Samir had been waiting inside until the door swung open and he stepped out. He looked like he'd been working on something messy already; grease was staining his jeans and tanktop, and he was wearing scruffy gloves and boots when he waved her to drive the car in. Two dogs promptly ran out after him—Leon, the large dog from earlier, and a much scruffier, much smaller creature that a keen eye might be able to identify as an Affenpinscher.
Samir ignored the dogs as best he could as they bounded around him. He was grinning already, a mixture of politeness and amusement at the poor car's noises.
Unsure if she could hear him, he just waved her in and gestured for her to follow him. The path was little more than off-color dirt, but he began walking around the small shed he'd been in. A building, much larger, was just around the corner. It looked like it was little more than a warehouse, but one wall had been carved out like a makeshift garage. Samir walked over here and gestured for her to park the car inside. There were a few other cars in the warehouse that looked like they were in various states of repair—and decay—and a fair share of tools scattered about. Though the light of the setting sun was enough to see, he flipped on the lights in the warehouse. Leon, and the second dog, began to run around the warehouse, acting as if it were the first time they'd ever explored it. They stayed out of Aubrey's way, but it was clear that they were there to stay.
Aubrey drove carefully to make sure she didn't run over any dogs and parked the car when he told her to. Gratefully she shut the engine off and it rattled a moment more before blissfully falling silent. Bethany had the door open the moment the car stopped moving with a cry of "PUPPIES!!!" as she bounded after Leon.
Aubrey slid out of the drivers seat and then leaned against the frame a moment as she watched Samir with a small smile. "Thanks for agreeing to help me, I'm pretty useless when it comes to cars." She told him with a shrug as she reached into the car and pulled out the basket.
"I have sustenance to keep us going, a sister to occupy your dogs, another one to work on homework so she can keep her perfect GPA, and two hands that are ready to help however I can." Aubrey added as she set the basket on the roof of the car, out of the reach of the dogs.
Samir just laughed and gestured to a half clean desk. There were stacks of papers and a box of small parts. "I hope that's a decent work station?"
It would probably have been enough for homework, he assumed, smiling as Bethany ran after the dogs. Though the smaller one continued at his own pace, Leon's ears perked up and he ran towards Bethany, immediately slobbering all over her.
For a moment, Samir watched, and then he grinned back at Aubrey. "Before I get started, you'll have to tell me two things—First, what snacks you brought, and second, what your car's been doing."
Kerrigan simply muttered a thanks as she grabbed her back pack and went to the desk to start working on her homework, putting in ear phones to drown out everyone else.
Bethany squealed in delight as the dog slobbered on her and rubbed his ears vigorously while proclaiming him a very good dog.
Aubrey watched Samir for a moment then smiled when he looked at her. "Well, I brought some sandwiches; turkey clubs, and chicken salad, along with some rice crispies that Bethany insisted on me making, chips and there were some strawberries, but SOMEBODY decided to eat them all on the way over." she said raising her voice at the last part as she glared at Bethany who giggled but otherwise ignored her sister.
"as for the car, it has been stalling out on occasion, and has been making some weird clanking noises and has been racing at rest. Honestly I'm not really sure what is wrong with it, I just know I can't afford a new car." Aubrey added with a sigh as she pat the hood of the car before handing Samir the basket.
Samir raised his brows and cooed a pleasant, "Oh, well that sounds just pleasant." He placed his hand over his heart and sighed dramatically. "Those poor strawberries, though. They're just about my favorite."
He didn't seem to have any hard feelings and smiled though; he set the basket on a cabinet next to him, intent to at least look like he was doing some work. "I'll do what I can and let's keep our fingers crossed that it's an easy fix. We'll have a celebratory snack after I've got the good news, right?" he asked; it was semi rhetoric and he stuck his head under the hood and began poking around.
"Sans car trouble, is life treating you well?" he asked—a pleasantry, certainly, but he seemed to enjoy the idea of conversation while he worked.
Aubrey grinned at Samir's theatrics and nodded. "That sounds like a good plan, assuming there will be good news." She added with a small sigh.
Bethany was straddling Leon and began shouting. "Sammy! Sammy! Look I'm riding Leon into battle!!" she shouted dramatically raising her fists into the air before the dog shook her off and began licking her face instead while she giggled.
Aubrey shot a brief smile at her sister with a shake of her head before glancing at Samir as she leaned back against the desk. "I guess life is going okay, it's a little stressful right now, I'm trying to get a new job and home life is... complicated." She sighed and glanced up at the ceiling for a moment to steady herself. "But it's fine."
Samir turned, a bit surprised with the sudden nickname. He seemed to recognize it as his nickname, but there was still an obvious novelty to it. His face split into a kind grin and he laughed. "Aw, Bethatny! I'm jealous! He won't let me ride him! You must be a fierce battle master to have tamed such a powerful beast!"
He was still smiling, watching as the dog licked at the girl. Leon's tail didn't stop wagging.
Samir just shook his head before returning his attention to Aubrey. "It doesn't sound fine. But it sounds like you are strong enough not to give up just because things are rough. That is very respectable. I cannot offer much in the way of aide, but I can tell you that if what I think is wrong with your car is the only thing wrong with your car, I can probably fix it for less than the price of the taxi you'll need to take here and back home while I work on it tonight."
He was still fishing around in the car but seemed to have found something that he didn't like quickly enough. "There are a few things I'm seeing that could use a little tune up, but I've got the pieces here. I hope a working car might ease some of your stress?"
"We shall defeat many enemies and win great glory for our clan!!!" Bethany called back in delight as she giggled as she was licked.
Aubrey shrugged slightly at his comments and let out a soft sigh. "I'll manage in any case." she responded softly before her eyes lit up with the good news.
"You have no idea how much that would help. I just got a new job that's no longer in walking distance so it would be nice to have a working car, not to mention the girls can do some after school activities now." She added with a grin. While Aubrey could use the short cuts that being Dark Mirror allowed her to take advantage of, it did not exactly help with grocery shopping.
Samir still wore a small smile, still working and taking note of what he could in the car. "Good. Then, I'll get this working as soon as possible. Most of it seems in pretty good shape. I can see a few potential problem areas, but--you know what? If your car is giving you any more trouble, just means I'll already know where to look. I'll tell you what, though. Is it creepy if I offer to give you a ride home? It'll save a bit of cash, but I understand entirely if you want to take a taxi."
He reached for another tool and started fishing around at something else, testing a few things as he continued his general assessment.
"We can eat these snacks, give the girls a little more time to finish homework--or win glory for their clan. You three seem like an interesting set and I confess, there's something about you that I can't stop thinking about. I think it's your eyes. I've never gotten lost in a pair before."
He offered a smile and spoke easily; he was definitely flirting but there was an undeniably honest truth in the way he spoke about her.
Aubrey considered the offer seriously, however she felt that he was a trustworthy individual and nodded with a smile. "That would be great, if it's not too much trouble I would appreciate a ride back home." She responded easily, as if she accepted rides from near strangers all the time. In reality he was less of a stranger than a taxi driver would be, and probably less sketchy.
"I will admit to being excited for the snacks, I haven't eaten yet so I'm pretty hungry." she responded before she heard the compliment which brought a blush to her cheeks. She could hear the truth in his words and it warmed her to hear them. Smiling at him she nodded. "We are interesting alright, though I'm not sure if my eyes have anything to do with it." She replied trying to wave off the compliment.
Aubrey could hear Kerrigan snicker from her corner and shot her sister a dirty look which she did not see. Firmly ignoring her sister Aubrey lightly placed her hand over his and met his gaze with a smile. "Thanks a lot for doing all this, I really do appreciate it."
”Whaaat?” Samir asked, immediately making a face. “You haven’t eaten?”
He shook his head and gestured toward the food. “Go, help yourself, I’ll wash my hands. You strike me as the type of person who cares more for those around her than herself. Do you need someone around to remind you to take care of yourself?”
He stood straight and squirted some hand sanitizer into his palm, rubbing his hands together quickly shortly after.
He didn’t seem put off by Kerrigan’s snicker; in fact, he just seemed amused. “I don’t mind helping. In fact,” he confessed, “I think I’m enjoying it. But I won’t go on and embarrass you in front of your sisters--now, you must eat!”
He laughed, smile still stuck to his face. He left the car as it was, momentarily forgotten at the prospect of food--and making sure Aubrey was fed.
Aubrey blinked at him for a moment, caught off guard by the genuine air of care he seemed to carry. She had always been the one to take care of her siblings, made sure they were fed, cared for, that they did their homework and stayed out of trouble. She didn't have anyone to do that for herself, not since Jared died, the mantle of responsibility had been passed down, and Aubrey had shouldered it without complaint.
"I can take care of myself just fine... After they are taken care of." Aubrey added a little quieter, gesturing towards her sisters. Kerrigan was moving her books into a pile to make room for food and Bethany was skipping over, already muddy and covered in saliva. She would never admit to needing anyone else, she always told people that she could handle the responsibility, that she was worthy to be a parent not just a sister, that she could do it all on her own.
Aubrey pushed these thoughts back as she started laying out the food on the table. She snagged a turkey club sandwich for herself and bit into it with a hum of satisfaction. Nothing satisfied like a sandwich.
Bethany and Kerrigan also began digging into the food, though with less fervor as they had eaten at school.
Samir seemed the least picky of anything; he waited until the girls had found something they wanted to eat and then simply took whatever was closest to him.
It was clear, immediately, how much he enjoyed the food.
He held it as though it were a secret artifact and let out a noise of pure happiness after he took his first bite.
He chewed cautiously but quickly shoved the food to one side of his mouth so he could talk.
“--And you made this? Forgive me, and I hope this doesn’t come out the wrong way, but I hope your car breaks often. This is delicious.”
Aubrey grinned happily at him when he complimented her food. "I don't hope my car breaks, but I don't see any reason not to bring some food by with me if Bethany wants to play with the dogs." She pointed out gesturing towards her sister, who was shoving half of her sandwich in her mouth while casually trying to sneak the other half to Leon.
"Cooking is something I enjoy doing, especially when I have the time to put some real effort into my dishes... Maybe you could come by for dinner some time." she said casually, though her stomach clenched momentarily, hoping she wasn't being too forward.
Samir's eyes seemed to flash with excitement and his grin split a little wider across his face. "Well then, I have to say I like that idea a lot more."
Leon seemed to as well; he was laying on the ground, tail thumping loudly as he stared up at Bethany. His mouth was parted into what resembled a grin as well, though his tongue was hanging out of his mouth and he seemed to be drooling as he stared at the food. He was not-so-discretely accepting her offering.
Samir seemed to have mellowed out a bit and was pretending not to notice Leon gorging himself. "If you'd have me for dinner, I'd be a very happy guest. And, I promise not to show up covered in grease."
Aubrey answered his grin with a pleases smile of her own. She gave Bethany a look, but if Samir wasn't objecting then Aubrey wouldn't either.
At his other comment Aubrey looked Samir up an down critically for a moment then smiled. "I'm sure you clean up nicely." She added with pleases grin. "Though I look forward to seeing the change."
Samir laughed and shrugged. “You caught me in the workplace, I’m afraid it’s a dirty job. My father taught me how to get dirty, my mother taught me how to clean up. Of course, she isn’t around to nag at me, so I admit,” he paused and wiped his hands on his pants quickly.
“Perhaps I’ve gotten a little sloppy. But I can make a good impression.”
He looked up and locked eyes with her. For a second, he just looked into her eyes, and then he smiled. “When I want to.”
Aubrey shrugged, "It's not a bad look on you, you can pull off the whole grease monkey thing." she responded with a grin as her eyes briefly darted down and then up, admiring the view.
When their eyes locked, Aubrey felt her heart flip flop for a moment and a slight blush rose in her cheeks, she didn't quite understand how he effected her so much but she was interesting in learning why.
"You've already made a great impression." she added with an answering grin.
Samir's smile softened, like the words she shared with him had really meant something to him. He let it sink in for a moment, admiring her grin, her blush. He was lost, in that moment. He knew he should say something, but he felt like he was looking at some ancient artwork--some masterpiece.
Eventually he had to tear his eyes from her.
"Come on, you eat up. We ought to get you and your sisters home. You seem like you work yourself too hard, you should be resting. And not worrying about this any more," he said, patting the car affectionately.
The seconds slowed between them as their eyes held and it felt like the world narrowed to that moment, when Samir finally broke the contact Aubrey felt lost for a few moments before his words broke through her distractions.
"Oh... Yeah, I don't normally stop moving, you know the whole I'll sleep when I'm dead thing." she shrugged and took another bite of her sandwich rather than making a bigger fool of herself.
Her gaze drifted to Kerrigan who met her eyes with a raised eyebrow and a quick glance to Samir, Aubrey subtly shifted her head indicating she didn't want to talk about it now but she would later, Kerrigan went back to her homework, her sandwich eaten and occasionally munched on a chip.
"Well, at least I know that my car is in good hands, it is certainly making it easier to relax." Aubrey pointed out with a shrug and then finished her sandwich.
Samir retained a faint smile, oblivious to anything that might have seemed awkward. It all felt natural, to him, in a way that he hadn't really experienced before. There was no tenseness, no awkwardness. In fact, he was enjoying it--and probably not just because she had prepared the best sandwich he'd had in ages. He finished it in only a few bites and then brushed his hands off on his pants.
"Sleep when you're dead is a good motto, but you have to enjoy the ride. But," he flashed another grin now that he was certain his teeth weren't full of bread, "It's always a better ride with someone else tagging along. And, if you're making dinner for me some time, it means I have to plan the entertainment."
Seriously, almost, he told her, "It's only fair. Destiny City holds many secret treasures. I'd love to show you them, sometime."
Aubrey smiled as she met his gaze. "I would think the food would be fair trade for the help you are giving me, but I wouldn't be opposed to seeing some of these... secrets" she responded grinning up at him.
Kerrigan finished with her homework and packed all of her books and papers in her bookbag and looked over at her sister. "If you two are done flirting can we go home soon? School comes early you know." Kerrigan stated in a dry tone.
"Don't be such a drag Kerri" Bethany called from her spot by the dogs.
Aubrey winced and then glanced over at Samir. "Well, the 4.0 student has spoken, if there isn't anything else that needs to be done tonight it might be a good idea to head home soon, if you are sure about that offer."
Samir couldn't help but seem a bit surprised at Kerrigan's words, but he laughed warmly. He looked from her to Aubrey and winked. "Next time, then. We'll pick up where we left off."
Maybe when her sisters weren't around; Samir enjoyed their presence but figured it must have been a bit more awkward for Aubrey.
"Come," he gestured for them to follow as he went to get his keys. "I'll take you home now, and get to work on your car."
He wanted to impress Aubrey, so he had a lot to get done tonight.
He was looking forward to it--and, more than that, spending more time with her.
