Opening Closed Doors
Who: Seth and Izumi Where: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History When: Wednesday night, 10.19.11 What: First date Warnings: Should be SFW. Probably some cursing, definitely flirting.
He really should have figured out a way to do this earlier, but things had been, well, hectic was a nice way to put it. Between finding out about Mona, coming back from Asia, getting settled with Pru and dealing with Johanna, Seth felt like the last four months had been one big hangover blur. He kept expecting to wake up in Thailand to go hack his way through the jungles with a machete, his camera and a great, big hope that nothing decided to try and eat him. Being able to turn into a mongoose was only helpful with certain predators. Talking to Umi online had been one a small, fortunate constant, though he was sort of surprised that the amount and breadth of "what the shit" events in his life hadn't scared her off. Hell, it was his life, and he sometimes didn't even know what to do with it. And if coincidence or whatever wanted to hand him the opportunity to actually date the girl he'd been talking to since before the crazy hit the fan, he wasn't going to pass it by.
In addition to agreeing to watching Pru for the night, Johanna had also given him a list of places he wasn't allowed to take first dates, which he had rolled his eyes at and then complained about but ended up following. Although his particular choice in destination wasn't on the list, either. So he'd compromised. Growing up with seven siblings had taught him that sometimes you had to know when to fold them, but sometimes you just had to know when to pull the rabbit out of the hat and take everyone by surprise. In actuality, he sort of lived by the second rule.
When he'd asked Umi to meet him on the steps of the Smithsonian at 8pm, a time when they were normally closed, she hadn't balked, which was a good sign. Seth had arrived way earlier in order to get everything settled with the curator and the security guards. Fifteen minutes till eight, he went outside and stretched himself along the steps. He had trimmed his facial hair and decided to wear the dark blue button up and the grey cargo pants that had been to Target instead of Peru. His sisters--except Yvette--would have told him to clean the fuck up when taking a girl out, but Seth always felt ridiculous in dress clothes. Besides it was only the Smithsonian.
The sound of a nearby footfall made him open his eyes and sit up, draping his arms over his knees. "Hey, Umi." He knew her instantly from the photos, but they didn't do her any justice whatsoever. "You look gorgeous."