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Rapunzel ([info]obscurityfalls) wrote in [info]paxletalelogs,
@ 2011-11-08 22:24:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:loki, nephthys

I've Gotta be Me
Who: Richard and Vanessa
What: Vanessa and Richard run into each other at Trader Joe's for the first time since their date.
Where: Trader Joe's
When: November 3rd, 2011, 11:00 pmish, maybe?
Warnings: None as of yet



Halloween had been absolutely insane, to say the least, but what happened after Halloween had been just plain frustrating. The day after the party, Vanessa woke up some time around 3:00, p.m. with a dreadful headache and sense of complete confusion that went well passed the normal hangover. It wasn't until she had started a pot of coffee and dared to pour herself a bowl of cereal that she realized something, she was supposed to be at work HOURS ago. When she called the hair salon to try and explain, she was treated like a crazy person. They had apparently called her when she was a half hour late, and she had answered calmly and very awake and told them exactly why she was never coming back to work. Vanessa cringed as the receptionist chewed her a new one, and all she could do was cringe. She hadn't been the one to quit, but there had been no point in arguing it, so she cursed herself and shook her head as she poured more cereal into her bowl, debating whether or not to use jack instead of milk in her cheerios. After what she had said to the salon, the only salon that would hire her now would be super cuts.

So that was it, she really had to decide what to do now, did she try and open up her own shop? If so would it be a hair salon or a vintage clothing store? Did she even really want a shop of her own at all? She found that she would miss Muldoons and the nightlife terribly. So Vanessa decided to wait it out and see what she should do, but she was thoroughly enjoying having more time to herself.

On this particular day, Vanessa was at Trader Joe's with a cart full of tortilla chips, salsa, homemade rye bread, chocolate bars with raspberry insides, and more than a few bottles of their famous 2 buck chuck wine. It wasn't exactly her usual, but it wasn't all that bad really. Dressed in a pair of blue jeans, green flats, and a scoop neck kelly green blouse, Vanessa continued her shopping, listening to her i-pod as she did so.


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[info]atrickstertype
2011-11-12 11:07 pm UTC (link)
Ah, the third glorious day in the unemployment line. This called for a stiff drink.

Well, technically Richard supposed it was only the second day. While blowing off two days of work had been the final straw as far as his bosses were concerned, he hadn't actually received the news until showing up to work on the second. Trying to explain himself had seemed both stupid and dangerous, so he had merely taken the tiny cardboard box of his things that the secretary had given him and left. It was, without a doubt, the shortest job he had ever held.

At least things seemed to have calmed down since then. Two days of relative peace probably shouldn't feel like such an achievement. Meanwhile, he was trying not to think about the radio gig. There hadn't been any real news about it for a while, and worrying too much felt like jinxing it. Just one more thing that he was getting particularly good at avoiding in his thoughts.

Still, he now had lots of excess free time. Which meant he was going to need to stock up the apartment, since his excuses for eating fast had just disappeared. As he wheeled through the store his basket filled accordingly- a whole lot of baking things, raw meat, half a dozen boxes of those tiny frozen pizzas, and some very nice whiskey. He was standing in the cereal isle, wondering whether to give in to the temptation of fried chicken and cornflakes, when who should roll around the corner than Vanessa. She looked preoccupied, probably caught up in the music in her head. But maybe she was just what the doctor ordered. Richard waved, hoping to catch her eye.

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-11-13 04:56 am UTC (link)
Vanessa had been reaching for a box of Kashi cereal when she saw Richard wave. Going to Trader Joe's and eating cereal like Kashi at times was her idea of eating healthy. She turned off her i-pod and put it away in her bag, smiling his way. Normally she would've been really bothered by the fact that they hadn't talked since their night of fun, but it had been such a crazy month for her that she really hadn't thought about it. Of course as she saw him now, she wondered if what they had shared was a one time thing or more. "Hey, how have you been?" It was good to see him.

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[info]atrickstertype
2011-11-13 07:19 pm UTC (link)
The last time he had seen Vanessa, he had been trying to crawl out of her bed and back to his own apartment without waking her. The process had been considerably more difficult due to the massive mental thunderstorm that had resulted from a combination of a wine hangover and a full-blown migraine, so he hadn't exactly stopped to chat. It wasn't the strangest or most awkward place he had ever woken up. Shit, it wasn't the most awkward place he had woken up in the last week, if he counted that groggy morning in James's car (which he did). Still, it made running into her again slightly uncomfortable. Some girls took it entirely the wrong way if they woke up alone, a lesson he had learned first hand.

Thankfully, she didn't seem to be one of them. He smiled a little and wheeled his cart towards hers. "Not at my best, honestly. Better, now that I've seen a friendly face. Yourself?"

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-11-13 08:13 pm UTC (link)
Vanessa shrugged, because her life was now pretty confusing. She didn't miss cutting hair at all, but she did miss the money it had brought in, and she wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to put all of her money into a gamble like a store that could completely flop. "I would have to say that I feel pretty much exactly the same." It was good to see him, even though she was very very curious as to what they were. Had it been just a one night thing? She liked Richard though, so she was willing to wait and find out. "It's good to see you again. What do you say we catch up over lunch?"

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[info]atrickstertype
2011-11-18 06:04 am UTC (link)
"I have a feeling our meetings will always revolve around food," Richard joked, leaning back against the wall of Krispie Puffs with his arms folded. Their last dinner had been a lot of fun, and the drinks afterward even more so. While he wasn't sure if he wanted to 'catch up' on his life's most recent events, a lunch sounded exactly like what the doctor ordered. "What are you suggesting? I'm not sure if..." he glanced down at her cart and smirked, "rye bread and two dollar wine will make a good meal. If we mix the chocolate and the tortillas we might be onto something, though." His grin invited her to share the joke, even though it came at her expense.

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-11-18 01:12 pm UTC (link)
"I have a feeling that our meetings will always at least revolve around alcohol with food as an afterthought. I was thinking that since I can't cook, we could go to the little cafe near our apartment." Vanessa laughed as she looked in her cart, it was a rather silly thought if you imagined all of the food in her cart put together in a meal. "You mean you don't like warmed up chocolate spread over toasted rye bread, served with a side of Kashi cereal?" Sadly that sounded pretty delicious to her. "You really have absolutely NO taste Richard, none at all, you midwesterners have such a lack of culture." She picked up a bottle of the finest wine $2 can get you and laughed. "You're just jealous that I bought the last bottle, admit it."

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[info]atrickstertype
2011-11-19 06:55 pm UTC (link)
"Oh, I am so jealous," Richard laughed, leaning in to take a better look at the wine. He couldn't remember the last time he had tasted a beer under two dollars, much less a wine, but it didn't hurt to play along. "The rest of it... not so much. But you're right, it's probably just the uncouth hick in me. I've never learned to appreciate the finer things in life." It was hard to give his sigh the proper gravitas while he was grinning, but he gave it a good go. Then, with a bit less laughter in his voice, he went on. "I do like the Voltage, though, I admit it. But I would never have dreamed you can't cook." He briefly thought over the things in his cart and then offered, "I can cook, you know. A little. If you like, I could whip us up something and save us the indignities of ordering alcohol this early in the day."

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-11-19 09:54 pm UTC (link)
"Oh I'm never ashamed to order alcohol in the afternoon, but I suppose there should be shame in ordering multiple alcoholic drinks in the afternoon." Vanessa briefly peeked into Richard's own cart and it became obvious that yes, the man clearly could cook. Maybe he could teach her a thing or two, and she could do more than make toast. "The last time I tried to make macaroni and cheese I wound up having to go to the emergency room, so yes, how about you do the cooking today?" She laughed and finally put her i-pod away properly, grabbing one last thing she needed from a nearby shelf. "Then let's agree to meet at your apartment in say, a half hour. I'll bring GOOD liquor, don't worry."

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[info]atrickstertype
2011-12-02 10:23 pm UTC (link)
The plan seemed to form without him, and Richard knew enough to just grin and hold on for the ride. "That sounds great. Good liquor, good company, something that isn't macaroni and cheese. Got it. Exactly what were you thinking for lunch? I want to make sure I have what it takes while I'm here." He surveyed the contents of his cart and pushed things around a little, considering. "I can do several things, depending on how hungry you are. I specialize in home-baked bread, though that takes a while to bake." His smile was a little wry at that, knowing it wasn't a very manly thing to be so good at. "My roasts are dinner meals, my fried chicken requires cornflakes... anyway, what's your pleasure?" The question came with a raised eyebrow and a grin that left it open to interpretation.

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-12-04 03:30 am UTC (link)
Vanessa laughed, and of course she took the last comment to a very dirty place, especially since it was coming from Richard who she had been with, and would love to be with again. There was something unpredictable about him that drew her to him, although the fact that he was drop dead gorgeous certainly didn't hurt. "You know what my pleasure is, but anything you cook will be a great consolation prize, pick anything. I'm not a picky eater."

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[info]atrickstertype
2011-12-10 06:25 pm UTC (link)
Richard chuckled, feeling himself fall into the old pattern of flirtation. Vanessa was good fun, and he had enjoyed their night together, but he made a mental note not to let this go the way of the assignations he had pursued with people in his company. Nobody needed to get their feelings hurt for this to be a good time. Still...

"I hope I don't know all of what your pleasure is," he said with a wicked grin. "That would be a shame, so early on. I like surprises." And then, as if the past few sentences hadn't happened, he shot her a cheery smile and said, "Anyway, I'd better get shopping. See you soon!" With that, he pushed his cart on down the aisle.

When he said that he could cook, it might have been a bit kind. He could make the standard college fair of reheated frozen vegetables and rice with some variety of meat, but nothing that was going to impress a guest. It took him a moment to come up with a plan, but then he was off across the store to gather his ingredients. He would have to get home and cook quickly.

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-12-11 04:06 pm UTC (link)
Vanessa waved to Richard as he pushed his cart down the aisle, and she headed back to the organic soda aisle to buy some ginger soda. She knew what she was getting into and thought about it now. Something told her that this was probably never going to go anywhere serious, they weren't dating or exclusive, and unless the matter was pushed, she somehow doubted that was ever going to be the case. At first this had upset her, but quickly she thought about all of her past relationships and how absolutely dreadful they had been, how hurt she had gotten. This was a chance to be with good company and have some pretty delightful evenings every so often. If nothing ever came from it but that, it was okay with her, and it was definitely a good change. She thought a bit about all that had happened at Halloween and was starting to wonder if these recent crazy developments, maybe were actually working out for the better.

Once Vanessa was done grocery shopping, she headed home, pleased at her new resolve to just LIVE and what happened, happened.

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[info]atrickstertype
2011-12-11 09:05 pm UTC (link)
Once home, Richard tossed down his shopping bags and sprang into action, slicing and chopping and heating like his life depended on it. He hadn't cooked for anyone else in a long time, but the recipe his phone had provided seemed simple enough. Going through the motions of food preparation took some concentration, but it also gave him some time to think. What was Vanessa's take on all of this? They hadn't exactly discussed their first night out and the grocery store just now hadn't seemed the place to bring it up. It was probably going to come up over lunch, though, and he tried to come up with a plan. Several scenarios ran through his head, but the fact of the matter was that he simply didn't know Vanessa well enough yet. Any one of them might backfire, depending on how she reacted, and he wasn't sure exactly how that would be. Wondering, trying to extrapolate from what he did know, he set the table with gusto and waited for her to arrive.

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-12-11 09:30 pm UTC (link)
Normally Vanessa would change and get herself ready for a lunch out with a man, but it seemed rather foolish since he had just seen her, besides, what she was wearing was definitely good enough. So Vanessa put her groceries away, relaxed a bit, and headed to Richard's apartment with a bottle of good wine, not the cheap wine she had bought from Trader Joe's. She knocked lightly on Richard's door, holding her keys and the wine bottle in the same hand.

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[info]atrickstertype
2011-12-11 10:05 pm UTC (link)
Richard threw open the door in a much splattered apron that read 'Do you want a tooter-fish popkin?' in black lettering across the chest. "Welcome to my humble abode!" he said, stepping aside to welcome her in. There had been a few moments of frantic cleaning, throwing all of his things into the linen closet and generally de-bacheloring the apartment. It looked better now, at least good enough for hosting a small lunch.

"I have the bottle openers and things in here," he called back as he walked into the kitchen, where his concoctions were almost done. The Campbell's tomato soup (slightly altered with basil and cloves) was boiling happily, and the second of the grilled cheese sandwiches was almost done. They were fancy for what they were, using a mix of Havarti, Gruyere, Pepperjack, and Cheddar for the ultimate in cheesy deliciousness: but they were still grilled cheese. He flipped the one currently on the griddle and grinned back at Vanessa. "Lunch is almost ready."

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-12-13 04:18 pm UTC (link)
Vanessa walked into the apartment once Richard stepped aside, and instantly took a look at his apron, raising an eyebrow. She searched her memory to double check that she really didn't know what a tooter-fish popkin was. "Is there a story behind that apron, or am I just missing something?"

Her keys were set down somewhere near the door on the closest table to ensure that she wouldn't forget them. Once she entered the kitchen to look for the bottle opener, she took a look at what he was cooking, and she was impressed and jealous at the same time. It was fairly obvious that it was more than she could do, especially at almost no notice. "Everything smells very good." The bottle opener was fairly easy to find, and Vanessa quickly opened the bottle, adept at opening a bottle no matter what kind of opener Richard may have owned. "So I have to state the obvious, you're home during the day time just like me, currently jobless?"

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[info]atrickstertype
2012-01-06 07:41 am UTC (link)
"Oh." Richard smiled, waving a hand. "It's just a reference to a book. I own it in the hope that someone will one day recognize it and we will be forever joined in our nerdiness." He grinned and spatula'd the last grilled cheese onto a plate, carrying it over to the table.

At her question, he looked up and shrugged. "I'm afraid so. October... didn't agree with me, and that didn't agree with my employer. You in the same boat?" The sandwiches were followed by two large mugs of tomato soup, and then two wine glasses for Vanessa's addition to the party. It seemed like too much of a coincidence for someone else to be in the same situation as he was, but he supposed stranger things had happened. Though that thought alone started a line of reasoning that made him really want a drink.

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