InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I full-on Swazyed that mother!"

It's Brittany, Bitch | Ερις (eristic) wrote in paxletalelogs,
@ 2011-10-18 22:24:00

Entry tags:

erebos, eris

bit by bit i've realized
Who: Elias & Charlie
What: A run-in while out shopping!
Where: Macy's
When: Later in the day, say, 7:08-ish.
Warnings: With Charlie in the picture, swearing is most likely. Everything else is TBA.

Almost everything (and yet nothing) had changed dramatically for Charlie. Just the simple act of shifting her relationship with Rylee made everything seem...not as bad. Her job was no longer the bane of her existence, not with random text messages from her now boyfriend (the word still something she couldn't quite get over) and the surety of going home to see him at the end of every shift making patrolling uppity malls a less difficult thing. She was still having a ball here and there with torturing a mall patron - she might be getting laid but that didn't take away the need to keep things interesting. But for the moment, Charlie found herself dressed casually and doing some shopping of her own.

It was one thing that had struck her, in the new developments in the relationship with her best friend, was that she didn't really have anything for the bedroom. All of her under garments were practical and straight forward, usually a single, dark color without any embellishments like bows or lace. Even though most of the time would be spent toward just taking these things off, Charlie had the money and decided that a little splurging wouldn't hurt anyone, especially not when she would get a particular kind of look on Rylee's face that put butterflies in her stomach and did other things to her body. Thus she was just exiting the ladies' personals section of a department store, stomach growling (wasn't it always?) and intending on finding some food, when she noticed a familiar figure who she hadn't seen in quite some time.

At first Charlie was unsure about approaching Elias, since their relationship was shallow at best. Whenever she was around him, there was a familiar sensation of recognition, the same she got around people like Cat and Sam. To really put a label on it, something about the feeling reminded her of how she felt around her father: a slight mix of trepidation, desire to earn approval, and safety, even though the first was the only thing that had really ever been given proof by her relationship with her biological male parent. And why she should be feeling any of these things with Elias was beyond her, but she had to be grateful to him for taking Dov in when she'd treated her half-brother so unkindly. Maybe it would be a good idea to approach Elias, ask him how he was, see if he was interested in getting food with her. Those were the normal social niceties that were generally expected in such a situation, and Charlie was rarely one to fit into conventions.

So instead, hopefully before Elias noticed her, she tried to hide in a nearby clothing rack.

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(no worries! drink juice, get lots of sleep!)

eristic
2011-11-05 08:30 pm UTC (link)

Moving toward the order counter, Charlie let her eyes rove over the board. Each meal was essentially the same, with a few variations: a plain burger, a burger with barbeque sauce, a burger with chicken, so on and so forth.

The main thing that she liked about fast food was that it was, well, fast, and she didn't have to do any of the cooking. The unhealthy diet proved to be no hurdle for her metabolism, as she retained her stick like figure throughout the years, potentially bordering on looking anorexic; in the military she'd gained more muscle, but out of it she hadn't thought to maintain such vigorous exercise. Crossing her arms over her chest, she sank teeth into one lip as she considered her options.

"Well, the nuggets are pretty good...I think I'm gonna just get a whopper, myself. Yeah, that's what I'm gonna do," she replied, and stepped forward to relate such a request to the cashier, who looked bored to even be there. Then Charlie turned to look at Elias, brows raised to inquire what he wanted. "I promise none of it will kill yah. At least, not quickly," she added, a smirk edging around her mouth.

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the__dark__one
2011-11-10 02:11 am UTC (link)

"Right."

The Whopper. Elias had considered ordering a salad or one of the grilled chicken offerings, for the sake of his health. But some half-forgotten instinct told him it would be an error. It was her smirk, tossed casually over her shoulder, that settled his mind.

"I'll have the same," he said, presenting his card to the cashier. It was natural to him to buy her dinner - and the cost was so small that it seemed too insignificant to discuss beforehand. He simply did it, and thought nothing else on the matter. When the cashier shoved two stacked paper cups over the counter at him, he passed Charlie's to her, then headed toward the drink fountain with her.

"Thank you for saving me from Macy's," he said, his expression softened by a touch of mirth. "I disdain shopping. No offense against the fairer sex, but I will never understand the drive for it. Although..." He gave her a speculative look while he filled his cup with ice, gave his cup to her to use, then took her empty one and shoved it against the ice dispenser, "I imagine you're not the manic shopper type, either. Am I right?"

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eristic
2011-11-10 05:10 am UTC (link)

Her eyes watched his plastic card exchange hands, though she said not a word against him paying for her meal. Generally Charlie would make a stink about anyone paying for anything of hers - it wasn't necessarily a feminist ideology that drove her actions, just that she didn't need anyone sticking up for her. She disliked charity in any and all forms, whether it was giving to others or receiving it on her own. Never had she liked the label "poor" being applied to her, but in this case, it wasn't so much that she let Elias' kind gesture slide as that it seemed almost natural to let him provide for her.

But those thoughts were pushed to the side as they both reached the drink fountain, Charlie instantly opting to fill her cup to the brim with ice-cold Dr. Pepper, though no ice accompanied the soda. She took a deep drink and then refilled the cup, searching out the appropriate fitting lid before craning her neck in Elias' direction and shaking her head somewhat vigorously. "Naw, only went there 'cause of...necessities." Most wouldn't write off buying new lingerie as a 'necessity' per se, but for Charlie, there was no other reason for her to have been there. She wasn't an impulse shopper, let alone someone to buy gifts for others.

"So who were yah buyin' the gift fer?" Natural curiosity took over, seeking to fill in more of the conversation, and if memory served, it was good to show interest in the tasks of others, even if one normally didn't give a shit. Part of her wondered if it was for Cat, and that thought both made her excited and completely confused at its conception. Why she would want Cat and Elias to get along was beyond her.

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the__dark__one
2011-11-13 03:03 am UTC (link)

Again, he found himself making a selection he wouldn't typically have chosen for the sake of Charlie's comfort. Water would have been his beverage, had the girl not gone straight for the Dr. Pepper. He chose the next cola, then, uncaring of what it was, and smoothed the lid over the wax-covered paper lip. The straw went next. He probably wasn't going to have more than a few sips, if that -- but as long as Charlie felt comfortable, he was satisfied with the syrupy mess.

Glancing over at Charlie when she asked her question, he frowned. He didn't want to keep the truth from her, but he also didn't want to ruin the surprise for her, either. And there was the little notion that she might try to stop him if he told her that he was shopping for her. Rylee had said she didn't like a lot of fuss... But he couldn't lie to Charlie. He didn't want to. At last, he told her the absolute truth:

"I prefer not to say," he said, and although there was a strength to the words that defied challenge, he also said it more gently than he normally would have. "The lady is...." He shook his head, at a loss as to how to describe the situation. "She's living at Pax as well, and she prefers not to have a big to-do about her. Were I to mention my plans for her, I'm sure she wouldn't prefer it. Please don't take offense."

A counter check revealed their order on a tray and waiting. He fetched it quickly, then nodded to the dining room. "Table or booth? You pick, Charlie."

And while she was picking their places, he was going to think of something easy and clever to talk about. Never mind that he was absolute shite at doing that sort of thing.

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eristic
2011-11-14 12:58 am UTC (link)

Elias' deft maneuvering in getting away from the subject of gift shopping was both welcome and allowed to happen without so much as a batting of the lashes by Charlie. She was crap at anything even remotely conversational - once he'd gotten the tray with their burgers, she quickly selected a table in the corner, near a window that gave a view of the street and shopping center they'd just left.

Taking one of the seats bolted to the floor, setting her bag on the seat first and then settling herself in front of it, Charlie let herself swivel on the chair a little. Then she grabbed two fries from the tray, shoving them in her mouth, and then helping herself to one burger-in-a-box. She flipped it open, picking up the bun as though to preview the contents (or maybe just making sure no one had spit in it), grabbed more fries and then looked up, as though searching for something.

"Shi-...I mean, they didn't give us any ketchup. Be right back." She retrieved small packets of the condiment from near the soda dispensers, and then rejoined Elias at the table. Her bag, however, decided to topple over just as she was returning to her seat, falling to spread its contents all over the floor - a light blue bra made of a satiny fabric followed by a pair of underwear made completely out of lace were first to hit the potentially scum-encrusted tiles of the Burger King restaurant floor, along with a black bra embellished with a ribbon along the edges, with a matching thong, finally accompanied by a red bra and matching lace under garment; underwear, surprisingly, was expensive, so Charlie hadn't gone crazy.

"Oh fuck," she cursed, her eyes going wide as the contents spilled to the floor, and she dropped the ketchup packets in favor of grabbing the fallen purchased items.

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the__dark__one
2011-11-14 04:40 am UTC (link)

The proper thing to do was to help the lady with her things, and as he stood, that was his intention -- but when Elias realized just exactly what it was that was in her shopping bag, he went around Charlie instead. As she dipped to collect her purchases, Elias stood between Charlie and the rest of the dining room, strategically removing his suit jacket and then shaking it out and leisurely folding it in such a way so that the few people in the room with them could not catch glance of the things on the floor behind him. It was tricky, and Elias wasn't convinced that it was entirely successful -- but it was the best he could do to shield Charlie's dignity. More would have been even more ridiculous, would have been even more of a spectacle, and he was certain neither of them wanted that.

When they both were seated again, the creeping awkwardness settled between them. Elias wanted to object. He wanted to tell her to use protection, because God knew where Rylee had been while in the service. He wanted to tell her that he didn't deserve her, that she should make him wait until he proposed, that he should really work for it. He couldn't even tell her what he thought of her choice in Rylee. The truth was that he knew neither of them well enough to make any judgments whatsoever. All he had was his instinct about the two of them. He frowned.

"He seems very taken with you," Elias finally said, depositing fries from their "Frypod" container and into the top of the brown box of his burger. "I never asked you why you favor him -- but Rylee mentioned that you two were very close, and had been for some time."

He let the silence after the sentence invite her to say her mind about the boy -- or volunteer a different topic.

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eristic
2011-11-14 09:09 pm UTC (link)

Crouching down, Charlie swept up the delicates and stuffed them back into the bag with quick motions, silently thankful for Elias and his wall. Once everything was back and hidden away, she set the bag on its side on the seat of the chair next to hers; this time hopefully it wouldn't move, wouldn't dare to try that again. Tucking hair anxiously behind her ears, she grabbed more fries and shoved them into her mouth, giving her anything to calm the anger that was quickly emerging due to the small accident. Charlie glanced up at Elias' words, her jaw slowing in its chewing as her eyes darted to the side and then back to the other man's face. She had never in her life had the opportunity - or misfortune? - of bringing a boyfriend home to meet her father. Not that she would ever want anyone to meet Steven, but there were just some things she had missed out on. So why did it feel as though Elias were filling in that missing memory when she had nothing to compare it to?

"Fifteen years an' countin'," she replied, picking up her burger to take a huge bite that messily filled her mouth. "He's always had a crush on me, ever since high school. I was...never sure I felt the same. It's all a really long story." The words were malformed through her chewing; Charlie was never one to give too many details, but the sense that she wanted approval was lingering in the back of her mind, no matter how much she tried to swat it away. She knew that she would most definitely like it if Rylee and Elias got along, almost in the same manner as she'd wanted Cat to like Rylee. Even though Rylee was the one she'd known for far longer. Charlie swallowed her bite and took another, unsure if she should continue - Rylee had had to work for every morsel of information from her, but something in her gut wanted to talk to Elias, even if it was only on this one subject.

"He's my best friend. Always has been."

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(Apparently, notifs were ending up as spam?! I'm sorry - shoulda checked sooner. Fixed now!)

the__dark__one
2011-11-20 10:55 pm UTC (link)

Fifteen years. Almost double as long as he'd been with Brigetta. Elias picked up his burger. It dripped a strange pinkish, greasy liquid into its brown box as he held it. He stoically bit into the burger and chewed carefully. Fifteen years. And Rylee had loved her all through it, without wavering. His respect for the boy grew greater.

"And this is why," he said, "It's so quickly become as serious as it seems to be. You've known each other for so very long - and he's loved you for years."

No wonder. He would be perfect for her - if that's what she wanted, of course. Elias found more and more that he could not bring himself to object. He could wish for more for Charlie, could wish for a stronger man -- but more and more, he found that there was a strength in Rylee that wasn't immediately visible, a strength that went beyond muscles and confidence. And it was this strength that would carry him (and her) through the harder parts of life.

It was this strength that Brigetta never possessed. Elias winced at the fries in front of him. It stung to admit this to himself, even years after the dissolution of their relationship. But it was truth. He would not shy from it.

"It sounds like you guys might be very good together. Are you happy?"

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(eek! glad you got it fixed!)

eristic
2011-11-23 05:31 am UTC (link)

Taking another bite of her somewhat soggy burger, Charlie gave a slow nod. Had it all happened that quickly? Perhaps it had. She was usually an all-or-nothing sort of person, and demanding such of Rylee had been her answer to their predicament. Not that she was complaining, at all.

"Yeah," she replied, swallowing her food. The beginnings of a little smile worked over her face, memories of waking up before Rylee, watching him sleep. Simpler things, like hearing his voice or seeing him smile; having him come home from work and instantly light up when he saw her. For four years she'd denied herself that, went overboard and exploded without any reason (or so it had seemed, at first) only to walk out and away from the one person that honestly made her life worth living.

"He's...he's a good guy. I know he can kinda seem like...like a pansy, but that's just how he is," she continued, using the word as long as Rylee wasn't within earshot. She was speaking of the same man who would climb up on a chair at the sight of a spider the size of a dime, leaving Charlie to deal with the terrifying monstrosity. But she didn't need some asshole pushing her around, telling her what she should and shouldn't be doing. Maybe that was why things had always worked between her and Rylee: the fact that he let her take charge, make decisions, and then picked her up afterward was better than someone who tried to control her.

She tossed her head, hair flipping over one shoulder. "Anyway, it's done. We're datin', which is what he always wanted. Things are good, an' I don't see any point in fixin' what ain't broke." It almost sounded like she hadn't had a choice in deciding the fact of their relationship, when it couldn't have been further from the truth. Charlie was just bad with emotions, and descriptions. She took another bite of her burger, quickly devouring it.

"An' I'm pretty sure he won't do anythin' to screw it up, neither," she finished, as though to assure Elias that Rylee meant her no harm.

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the__dark__one
2011-11-24 05:21 am UTC (link)

Underneath the gruffness of how she described their relationship, Elias could see the pleasure she did her best to outwardly stifle. He himself had worked hard to perfect the eradication of outward emotional expression. As such, it was perhaps easier for him to see the markers of someone who tried to hide their true feelings. He knew, because he did much the same thing - only with a greater degree of success.

There was something more to her dodging of emotional expression -- but he would not press her about it. Not now. Not ever. Protecting oneself from emotional repercussions was a sign of someone who was hurt. He knew that, too. And he would not ever seek to open wounds she was clearly trying to mend on her own.

With a regretful swallow, Elias set his burger down once he made it half-way through. Charlie was thankfully nearly finished with her own. He wiped his hands on the logo-stamped napkin, then folded the used napkin into smaller squares and set it inside the burger box. He had not yet touched his fries.

"From what I've heard and seen," Elias offered carefully, "I think you're right. I am... pleased. I'm pleased for the both of you."

More than that, he thought, would have been inappropriate. But the more the girl talked about Rylee, the easier it was for Elias to see her happiness about their relationship. And that, more than anything else, was what won him over.

It was a good thing indeed.

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