WHO: Dean and Susan (grewupquickly) WHEN: Recent WHERE: Store WHAT: Grocery shopping RATING: Low, brief low thoughts and conversation/mild language probably STATUS: completed
To say Dean hadn’t been eating seemed way too extreme. He had, but he had been having issues with eating. His brain was either operating on ‘I’m not hungry’ or ‘I need to feed Sam’ and it was going poorly. He was forcing the food down, making sure he had just enough to keep going. Someone had once told him that he went through the motions. He figured that was true. He knew what he needed to do, and it was getting better, but it all still felt new and raw in a way. He’d lost a lot, and he had a feeling everyone here had as well. Why else would they be here?
As much as Dean wanted to enjoy eating out and living some kind of belated bachelor life, it was starting to remind him all too much of his time spent as a demon. He still had mixed feelings about that. He knew he needed something other than beer in the fridge, though, if he was going to hope for some kind of lunch this coming week at work. Sadly, he needed at least a sandwich on the off chance he had to move parts and needed that little boost in strength. He was strong, but he couldn’t exactly go on forever without getting himself in order.
He found himself in the little local grocery convenience type store. He didn’t normally go to these kinds of places, but he figured it was better than hunting through a gas station. He’d grabbed some bread and ham, and was wondering if he wanted eggs or peanut butter when he noticed the thin brunette down the aisle. Something about her was definitely familiar, but he just figured it was the way her hair fell that brought a little hint of a smile to his lips. That could be something normal. Normal sounded good.
“Hey,” he greeted, from a few good steps away, just to avoid coming off as a giant creep. He had to think fast, but he was usually pretty good at that and he grabbed one of the jars from the shelf and held it up, flashing her a smile. “I don’t recognize these brands...you buy this stuff and got a recommendation for a guy who needs a clue?”
While she had been in Preya for nearly two months and had shopped for groceries several times, the store itself was still a little overwhelming for Susan. Having come from a life of living through ration tickets, the abundance of food here had been something of a shock, and she was still adjusting to all of the various products and packaging that was offered. At the moment, she was studying the label of a jar of peach preserves, marveling inwardly at the fact that there were so many different varieties, when a voice spoke up nearby.
She glanced over at the man, automatically returning the friendly smile before her dark blue eyes lowered to the jar of peanut butter in his hand. “This is all still fairly new to me,” she admitted, her accent easily betraying her Londonian roots, but she absently put the jar she held in the basket she carried over one arm, then stepped over to study the product a little closer.
“I haven’t tried that one, but…” She trailed off while looking at the shelf, then pointed to a different brand. “That one is very good. It has honey, but it isn’t so sweet that it overpowers the peanuts.”
The accent was a bit of a surprise for Dean. He’d dealt with only a handful of people with that accent, and needless to say, they weren’t awesome. Her smile was a lot more soft, though, and disarming in what was probably the dangerous sort of way. He found himself smiling a little bit more in its wake, especially after she made an approach. That was a good sign.
His eyes dropped, following the line of her arm and hand, turning himself a little more toward the shelf and putting himself closer to her in the process. “Honey and peanuts. Sounds like a pretty good combo. They make the honey roasted for a reason, right?” Whether she actually knew about that was up in the air, given she said this was new to her. Though, maybe it was just peanut butter in general.
“I’ll give this one a shot.” He gave a firm nod, dropping off the random jar he’d picked up to trade for the one she suggested and drop it in his basket. Seemed good enough for him. “So…,” he started looking at the little jar she’d dropped in her basket. “You like peaches?” He smiled some, letting his basket drop down by his leg. “Had some peach pie once in Georgia. It was awesome. You ever have that?”
He had the greenest eyes she'd seen in some time, but Susan had grown up twice, and knew better than to be drawn in easily by a pair of pretty eyes. He seemed friendly at the moment, so she didn't step away when he drew closer - and in fact, she barely noticed the move as she pushed a few stray long dark strands back behind one ear.
"I like it," she admitted. "But that doesn't mean it's to everyone's tastes. I hope you enjoy it." Once he'd picked up the jar, Susan had intended on moving on, when he spoke again. The brunette stopped and looked at him curiously, waiting patiently for him to continue. The first question was a little odd, though given he wouldn't know if she'd chosen the preserves for someone else, she decided it made sense after all, and Su gave a nod. At his next question, she shook her head.
"Back home, the only pies I've ever had were meat pies. I've seen fruit pies here, though I haven't tried them yet. I generally stick to tarts or scones. A bake shop opened just recently that carries both, called Sweet and Tart. The proprietor may be convinced to stock pies if you speak with her."
“I’m sure it’s good.” Growing up on the road meant Dean wasn’t a picky eater. As a kid, he’d just be happy if there was enough food for him and his little brother without having to think about it too much. So, he just gave a half shrug and a smile. He knew he’d eat it either way. Plus, it was probably pretty hard to screw up peanut butter.
“Wait...meat pies?” That was something Dean couldn’t say he’d indulged on before. Then again, he wasn’t sure he’d ever even ate a meat pie...unless. “Like a pot pie?” Her next words made him have the feeling she wouldn’t know what a pot pie even was. She sounded like she was from the other side of the world, if even from his world. After the portal, he’d believe anything. “Yeah? I definitely need to do that.” He nodded, taking in a deep breath. “I love some pie.”
It was an afterthought that he should probably introduce himself, and after switching his basket and wiping his hand off on his jeans he offered it. “I’m Dean, by the way.” He smiled again, looking her over before back up to her eyes. He maybe had a thing for blue eyes. “See. Now we’re not strangers.”
“I’m...not certain, I’m sorry. The crust was typically made from flour and mashed potatoes, and the meat, well, it was either mince or spam,” she said somewhat wryly, giving a small shake of her head. When he said he'd visit the shop she recommended, Su smiled. “I hope you enjoy it.”
She took the hand when it was offered, meeting his eyes again. “My name is Susan. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dean,” she said politely. She was tall, nearly taller than him, but that left them at just the right height so as to be on equal footing, at least.
“Not strangers in name, no. I take it that you haven’t been in Preya very long? I arrived nearly two months ago, myself.”
“I hope it’s not weird to say...but that sounds really weird.” He couldn’t help but grin, though. Definitely not something he could remember eating, but that didn’t stop him from wondering what it might be like. Spam and mashed potatoes didn’t sound bad, assuming his version of spam was the same as hers.
“Pleasure is all mine.” With a nod of his head, he gave her hand a little shake, nothing too aggressive. At least, he hoped not. He gave a little half shrug, letting his hand go back down to his side. Last thing he needed was to come off creepy by lingering. “Less than a month, I think. Spent probably about a week in the back seat of my car before realizing I needed to get my act together.”
He tried to laugh it off, but it hadn’t exactly been a good time in any sense of the phrase. “I guess you’re in the same boat as the rest of us, then. Got the message and came here?” He thought about it for a moment before lifting a hand in some sort of surrendering show. “Not gonna ask about it, don’t worry.”
Susan grinned at that. “It’s difficult to describe if you haven’t experienced it. Meat pies, and Spam, in particular, were one of the the few things that weren’t rationed in London after the war. Some other items still are.” She didn’t think to explain that they likely came from very different time frames, instead studying him as he spoke.
“Well, I’m certain you’re glad you did. Living in a car doesn’t sound pleasant at all.” The question had her pausing just a moment, before Su nodded. “I did. And thank you, I appreciate it. I think the nice thing about this land is the idea that it gives us the opportunity to move on from our pasts.” And continuing to talk about it didn’t help in that particular venture.
“Are you enjoying your time here, aside from when you were in your vehicle?”
“So, you’re from London?” That was...interesting. Still, she seemed radically different from those other people, so it was fine. She seemed really nice. Nice was something he was starting to really appreciate here in this world, whatever it was. “You got a recipe? Maybe I can figure out how to make one sometime.”
“It wasn’t too bad. It was sort of comforting, too. I used to practically live out of that car between places. Getting used to a house was harder than living in my car.” He gave another little shrug, trying for a grin that came a little bit easier this time. Baby, he could handle talking about. That car never cared what he did and he never got hurt by it. “Yeah. It’s really nice, actually. It makes me realize how hectic and crazy my life was before I came here.”
He nodded. “Yeah. Weather’s good. People seem pretty nice. There’s a diner not too far from my house that has milkshakes. I can’t complain. I’ve got everything I need, I guess.” He have a half shrug, glancing at his basket and wondering if he needed anything else. It didn’t seem too important when he could chat a little while longer. “I guess you’ve already settled in completely by now?”
Susan nodded. “I am, yes. There are some parts here that remind me of it, but overall it’s very different.” Which was what she’d been looking for, after all - right? “I may be able to just tell you how to make it, though I can’t promise it’ll be exceptionally good. Perhaps with ingredients available in Preya, it might. At home, it was just mostly for sustenance.”
She gave a small smile when his obvious affection for the vehicle came through, and while she wasn’t sure she could understand that completely, Susan could at least appreciate the sentiment. “I wish I could tell you that things here are always calm, but - well, the rebels seem to want to stir up trouble. About ten days after my own arrival, there was an explosion in Ravenmoore - at the Welcome Center. I’m not certain if they ever caught who specifically was responsible.” But she’d lived through bombings before and was determined to not let fear dictate her actions.
“Most people here do seem very nice, yes. Are milkshakes very good here? It’s been some time since I had one myself.” At his question, Su gave her own small shrug, but followed it up with a smile. “I suppose, though I think I’m still adjusting really. It hasn’t been difficult, at least.”
Dean nodded. He had no real comparison to work with in that area. It was still nice to hear that someone wasn’t miserably homesick here, especially a pretty girl. He always had a soft spot for those, too. “I’m always up to try some new stuff. Even if it sucks, I’ll know for next time.” He nodded, then his eyes lit up a little. “Hey. We could get the stuff now. I can try it today.”
Her words made him take pause, though. A bomb? Really? That seemed surprising, then again, there was bound to be someone here who pouted because their evil plans didn’t go right or something. “What? I haven’t heard anything about the rebels.” Maybe he just needed to get out more. “That’s gotta suck, though. People who get mad and ruin things for others...not cool. Was anyone hurt?”
“The milkshakes were really good.” He nodded, somewhat glad that there was good here, cause if he’d came and the food was awful, that would have been the worst. “Maybe I could buy you one sometime? Show you a little wonder of the new world even if you have been here longer than me.” He laughed a little, taking a deep breath. “I think you’ll really love it once you’ve had a milkshake and some warm pie.”
“Oh, well -” Susan considered it a moment, then gave a small shrug. “Alright, if you really like. It isn’t difficult, really.” She started to lead the way down the aisle, since the ingredients he would need were certainly on other aisles. As they walked and talked, she looked over at him.
“I’m surprised. They...well, they want to leave Preya. They don’t like that we can’t, and they’re trying to find a way. After Centurion Square was bombed, the police were questioning a lot of people about it.” Even Su herself had been questioned, since she had newly arrived and had been near the area at the time. “About a dozen people were injured, though no one died thankfully.” She’d had nightmares for weeks afterwards.
When Dean offered to buy her the milkshake sometime, she smiled at him, but declined politely. “Thank you, but that really isn’t necessary. I’ll try them eventually, I’m sure.”
“Something not being difficult sounds about on my level, actually.” Dean admitted. He was a fairly decent cook, but that didn’t mean he was overly adventurous in a kitchen setting. He definitely hadn’t been since he arrived. He was pretty happy to follow along. Maybe it’d be something he’d grow to like and would keep well enough in the fridge.
He took a moment to look confused. It didn’t really make sense why people wanted to leave. After all, they had signed up to come along knowing the details. “What makes them want to leave, though? Place seems pretty nice to me.” He gave a half shrug, not even sure if she caught it before letting out a breath. “That’s...kind of good, at least. It could have been a lot worse.” He’d seen worse done before, and not with a bomb. Hell, he’d done worse before.
“Too bad…” He smiled at her. “You seem like a good one.”
She pointed out a few of the ingredients as they moved through the store, looking over at him as he asked about the rebels. “Honestly, I think they may not have believed that Preya wasn’t a place where one stayed, or perhaps they grew restless after being here? I’m not really sure. I just know that if they’re planting bombs and hurting people, it means that their intentions are certainly not in the best interests of all, only themselves.” A haunted look entered her gaze at what Dean said next, and Susan nodded. “I have, too. It could have been a lot worse. I’ve been trying not to expect more explosions at any given moment, but it’s difficult not to on occasion.”
One eyebrow arched and her smile turned a tad wry while she met his gaze. “A good one...what? Pie tester?” In truth, she was used to male attentions and while Dean seemed very nice, she wasn’t sure that she was ready to meet him in that sort of setting just yet, particularly when her thoughts lately were generally of a very different man she had gotten to know.
Dean was only partly paying attention to the food list. No doubt he’d have to scrape his memory later to remember what he had to do. He did make sure to grab everything as she pointed it out, though. Pretty much everything he needed. “I guess.” He looked back to her, curious, but nodded. “Sounds that way. There’s no excuse for hurting people, if it can be avoided. There’s always a choice.” He took a pause then, just watching her quietly. He weighed whether he should do something more, but ultimately decided against it. He didn’t know her, and people tended to react extremely in some cases. “Bad things stick with you. I’d say it gets better, but where I come from, there’s always something new that pops up.”
He gave a little laugh, the sound surprisingly soft even to himself, but it didn’t quite meet his eyes. “Milkshake tester I guess.” He gave a half shrug, smiling again. “Girl. Though. I don’t always meet or get to hang around those too often. Wasn’t exactly in the best place to keep them around even when I did.”
“If you want to know more, the Council would probably be your best bet for finding out,” she offered. “I’ve been assured that Preya is safe, but that doesn’t mean that some of us are still, well, nervous, I suppose.” Susan nodded a little when he said bad things stick with a person. She knew how true that was, and she’d had more than her share of “bad things” happen in the past, though she wasn’t going to discuss that with a stranger...except she had once already.
But the middle of a market wasn’t the place for such talk.
The laugh caused a grin. “Milkshake tester, oh well if that’s it then.” Shaking her head a little, Susan pointed out the final ingredient and came to a stop. “I’m not sure where you go that you don’t see women very often, but alright. Maybe another time?” Su made the offer, at least, even though he didn’t seem the sort to wait around too often.
He gave a small nod. Maybe he’d have to give that blonde another call. “I don’t know if anywhere is completely safe. People didn’t know one percent of the shit that happened in my world.” He tried for a little shrug, to make light of it, even if it wasn’t actually possible. There was always going to be crap in the world, you just had to find a reason to get out of bed in the morning, whatever that may be.
Maybe he’d find someone to make up stupid philosophies with someday. That weren’t over the potatoes.
“Well, I see plenty of women, but it’s not exactly the kind of women you care to keep around.” That was something he honestly believed. The few he had met, well, he hadn’t been able to actually keep them. “I’ll take you up on that sometime.” He gave a little smile, glancing down. “If I give you my number, promise to send me an actual recipe and not toss it as soon as you’re out of eyesight?”
“Yes, that’s true.” She hesitated, bright blue eyes shifting to glance down at her basket for a long moment, before she looked back at Dean. “Safety is difficult to find, and, well, fragile when it is found. I just think that I was surprised things happened so quickly, here. But there’s been nothing like that explosion since, and for that I’m grateful.” She nodded her understanding about the things that had happened in his world, though she wasn’t sure exactly what events had happened, and didn’t want to darken the mood further by asking.
Her smile was warm at his question, and she nodded. “I will, I promise. And you have to remember to tell me what you think of the meat pie when you try it.” Her smile turned wry. “I’ll admit that years of having them may mean I like them, but I’m personally tired of them in general. Since coming to Preya, I’ve discovered a fondness for Chinese food, actually.”
It was generally sad that other people had to go through extremes to make them come here. It wasn't surprising, though. His world had been full of it, and the only other world he'd seen had been worse off than his own, if you didn't count the various other things he'd been shown. "Yeah. Even somewhere you think is safe, can turn into somewhere you're cornered." He'd learned all about that at the bunker. "That's good. I hadn't heard about anything happening really since I got here. So, at least, it's not really a regular thing."
He grinned a little bit more, nodding some before before pulling out his wallet for something to write on, finding an old receipt to put his number on. "Aha. I mean, food is good, but I think everyone wants something different sometimes. I love burgers, but I don't want to eat them every day." He looked up before handing her over the slip. "Yeah? It's pretty good for a change. We don't-I don't eat it too often."
Susan knew that as well, and looked over at him. She wanted to ask what he’d gone through that had made him that way but really, it wasn’t any of her business, and she wouldn’t want him asking her about her own experiences. Plus, the middle of a market was hardly the place for two strangers to share painful events. “It’s not, I believe, which makes me glad. I hope that they found whoever was responsible and it isn’t anything we’ll have to worry about again.”
Smiling as she watched him right down the number, she gave a nod. “I can understand that. My sister was sick once and was forced to eat nothing but cabbage soup for five days straight - and afterwards she swore off for three months.” Her face softened at the memory, eyes shining before she met his gaze again and took the slip. “It’s interesting, certainly. I think I’m going to try ‘Mexican’ food next, and see what that’s like.” Tucking the receipt into a pocket, Susan gave him another smile and held out her hand.
“It was very nice to meet you, Dean, but I think I should be going now.”
Dean wasn’t about to pry. He knew it wasn’t his place, but he also knew that everyone came here for a reason. “I’m sure they did.” He smiled at her. If the cops here were like the ones where he was from, well, he wasn’t sure he put much faith in them. From what he knew this place seemed okay, though, at least where he was.
“Cabbage soup doesn’t sound very great to begin with.” He gave a half shrug, not too sure he wanted to try it, but he could see Sam willing to eat it. Didn’t mean he was going to make it. “Oh. That’s pretty good but eat with caution.” He nodded, thinking that maybe he shouldn’t go down the road his brain originally went. “Spicy.”
He reached for her hand, giving it a small shake. “Me, too. Better get this stuff in the ‘fridge. It was good meeting you.