"Well," as the doors dinged open, "you're going to drink more water than you think you need, and take some aspirin, and tuck you into bed. Which is where I should've been an hour or more ago anyway."
She wouldn't have pegged him for an apologetic drunk, but then this seemed to be unusual circumstances.
"Strangely enough, this whole 'dating' thing tends to come with downs, too. So shush and come in."
Her apartment was eclecticly decorated, but put together for all that. Candles were the dominant form of lighting, and the fireplace actually looked like it got used. The whole place gave off a comfortable, lived-in, yet neat air. Except for the stacks of papers on Marie's desk that she'd been going over when Ali showed up.
[ooc: I cannot wait for them to start talking and her to be all "well at least you haven't SET ANYONE ON FIRE RECENTLY" and him to go "whuthuh?"]