Booker DeWitt isn't father of the year (dewitt) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2015-02-17 20:21:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, anna marie (rogue), booker dewitt, naga the white serpent |
I have great friends who know when I need to relax a bit.
Who: Booker DeWitt, Rogue, Naga the Serpent
What: Lunch, then chatting and movies
When: recently
Where: First Rogue's business, then home
Status: complete
Rating: PG-13
Naga made her way into the building, inhaling at the smell of food. It made her stomach rumble, though most people wouldn’t look at her stomach, all things considered. She walked up to the counter and sat down. She rubbed at her chin. “Hello!!” Then she laughed, and it was the most obnoxious, boob jiggling laugh in the history of laughs. She actually covered her mouth after.
It was only that bad in the dreams. First the magic, now this? Oh dear.
Rogue looked tired. Haggard. She’d been running all over the city working. Which she loved, so she didn’t complain. The stuff that’d been given to her helped her look unbruised and broken, but man she ached. But she smiled as someone came in and sat down. Obnoxious but she’s had worse customers.
“Welcome to A Taste of Home” she said, sliding a menu over to her. “We have a few specials today, if you’d like to hear them?” she asked, head tilted a bit.
“I certainly would,” the woman said, leaning forward until she threatened to spill out of her tank top. “Got anything spicy?”
“We have a spicy cajun blackened catfish, cajun chili, a spicy cajun shrimp or classic jambalaya.” Rogue rattled off a few dishes and smiled. She flipped the menu open and tapped a few other dishes that were spicy, from all over the country too.
“I’ll take the catfish,” Naga said, leaning forward until it looked like she was going to spill out of her top. Her accent almost slipped back to her Georgian roots. “Reminds me a bit of back home.”
Rogue was pretty much immune to boobs. She lived with Lina. And you know. Everyone else around her. Boobs were boobs. She leaned forward a touch “May want to stuff those girls back in a lil better, sugah” she grinned before going to the pos to punch in the order. “What can I get you to drink?”
“They’ll stay put,” Naga promised. “Just a water is fine!”
Booker chose that moment to walk in and take a seat himself. “Got anythin’ with beef?” He grinned at Rogue, then glanced to his left and his eyes nearly left his sockets. To his credit, he recovered and steadfastly looked forward.
She nodded and slid a glass of water to the woman before she looked to Booker. “Of course I have stuff with beef, what do you take me for? A heathen?” she grinned as she watched his eyeballs fall out of his head. Then heaved a heavy sigh. “Men.” she punched in an order for Booker too.
"Well, you could be a heathen," Booker replied. He huffed, and hunched ever, leaning on the counter.
Naga lifted the water to her lips, eyes darting between the man and the woman. She wondered if there was history together. She wondered if she could have fun with that.
Rogue grinned at Booker. “Yeah okay, me a heathen. You keep living in that little world of yours, darlin’” she rolled her eyes. “Drink?” she asked before she’d disappear into the kitchen to pull the orders for another table. She had staff to do this but it felt good to move. She delivered the noms then leaned back on the counter, waiting for their orders to come up. “So what have you been up to?” she asked, Booker, before smiling to the woman. She didn’t know her.
“The usual,” Booker ordered. He watched Rogue disappear into the back, then turned his eyes to the other woman. “I’m Booker.”
“Naga.” She reached out to delicately shake his hand.
Booker turned back to Rogue before he could express his surprise at that name. Wasn’t that the name of the bitch that screwed over Lina? He wasn’t sure, and he wasn’t sure how to check.
“Ain’t been up to much. Jus’ gettin’ by.” Been spending some time with Laura too but he wasn’t about to say that.
“You lead such an exciting life, Booker, I swear.” she said with a smirk before she filled a glass of water for herself and got Booker his usual, sliding it over with a smile. She’d be downright curious if she knew about that. Probably a good idea or else she’d be the nosy bitch that everyone was to her (she loved them so it was okay).
“Orders’ll be up in a few minutes.” she said to both of them before sitting on her stool behind the counter with her water and practically hugging it like she needed it. Rogue felt like she had a hangover. She wished it was from drinking.
He did kind of want to talk to someone about it but not in front of Tits McGee. he lifted his drink to his lips and took a sip. “You okay? You seem kinda out of it.”
She’d have to drag him elsewhere, then. Rogue was good like that. “Long nights. Pulling doubles really.” a quiet smile. “Been helping some friends out with their stuff. So I work here then go do whatever they need help with, go to bed, repeat.” she tucked her feet under the stool. “Really kind of exhausting”
“I’m exhausted just hearing it,” Naga said, before laughing. It was such a high pitched and boisterous laugh that a nearby glass threatened to break and Booker was suddenly glad he didn’t have Logan’s super hearing. Still, his ears rang a little. The only positive part of that laugh was the accompanying jiggle, but he was pretty sure Lina would murder him in his sleep if she ever found out he’d made a move on Naga.
“Jesus,” Booker muttered.
Rogue cringed a little. Her headache was only getting worse. "I really wouldn't do itany different honest." She looked to Booker before going to get their meals. She set them down before them then perched on her stool. She gave Booker a pained look.
Naga’s laugh died down to a chuckle, then she dug into her food with a gusto that reminded Booker of LIna.
“Wanna do somethin’ after I eat?” Booker asked, scooting away from Naga. He was still debating the merits of hitting on her.
"I could use a break, sure" she smiled at him and watched Naga eat. It really was like watching Lina eat. ... oh that probably wasn't good. She looked back to Booker. "Just let me know"
He was pretty sure that Rogue could use a nap. “We could just go back home an’ watch a movie. You’re workin’ yourself too fuckin’ hard.”
“OooooOOOoo,” Naga hummed. “Cuddle date!” She winked at them.
Rogue had the urge to punch the woman in the face. But she merely smiled. “I have great friends who know when I need to relax a bit.” she shrugged idly. Whatever it was, it wasn’t that woman’s business.
Then she looked to Booker. “I am. I really am. I even hired extra staff but it’s hard to let go of this just a little.” she laughed gently “I at least stopped pounding red bulls like they were candy.” she grinned.
“Yeah..” Booker jerked his thumb. “Pack this to go. Lets blow this joint.”
Was Naga winking at him? He felt suddenly hot under the collar.
Rogue moved to pack the meal up to go, shaking her head a bit. “You know I could just whip something up at the house.” she laughed but she handed him the box in a little paper bag with handles and smiled to Naga. “Enjoy the rest of your meal, Silvia will take care of you from here on out. It was a pleasure.”
Naga nodded at her. “Thank you. I think I’ll have to come back!” She threw her head back, and out erupted that hideous laugh again. Booker was sure he was bleeding from his ears, and he got up quickly. “I’ll drive.” Then he grabbed Rogue’s hand to escape the laughter.
She let Booker drag her out, she was sure her ears were bleeding too. The voices in her head didn't seem to like the laughter either. "Careful!" She was clinging to control, she didn't want anyone else in her brain. She'd been practicing. ;"I'm a bit tender!" , but she was laughing softly.
Booker shifted his grip on Rogue’s arm. She didn’t need his thoughts. He never thought well of himself. She didn’t need to know who he was sleeping with or his conflicted feelings on it or that part of him still loved Neena (even after all of these years) and part of him had fallen for Lina and how he’d drawn back from both of them to help himself get over it. Which is why the thing with Laura was dangerous because apparently Booker got strings and it was a miracle it hadn’t happened with Rogue.
“Want me to pick you up an’ carry you?”
“Oh jeez I’m not that broken just tender.” she grinned at him. Things didn’t happen, not like that with her. She severed ties and fled if they got too involved. She’d pushed him away, and everyone else she’d ever been involved with, until the other person had moved on. She liked Booker, and was glad things were more relaxed between them. Of course she’d never tell him once he looked at her friends she went the other way to protect herself. And them. She liked to keep everyone happy.
It was a good thing no one got her thoughts.
“But I’d laugh if you tried.” she teased.
Booker shrugged, then tried!
Rogue wasn’t heavy. Well she was heavier than she looked. And she laughed at him. “I’m no waif, Booker! Don’t drop me!” she grinned. She trusted her friends. She also trusted them to know if she got dropped she’d smack them for it.
"I've lifted heavier." He put her down in front of his car. "Maybe we should stop by...well okay blockbuster don't exist no more, but one of them red box things might have a nice movie."
He just wanted to get her to relax. And get himself to relax, and maybe shut up all the headweasels dancing in his head. The ones that told him he didn't matter, that told him he was still Comstock and he should just disappear. Preferable with concrete shoes in a river.
She smiled at him and nodded. “Redbox it is. I kind of miss Blockbuster, actually.” she shook her head and smiled. “I feel old saying that. I know there are plenty of new ones out, I’m sure Redbox’ll have something.” she moved to slip into his car.
“If you pick a chick-flick, though, we’re done.” she teased as she got comfortable. He mattered. She’d remind him that well an entire house full of people needed him around. She’d even make popcorn for tonight, make it a real movie night. He was right, she needed to relax.
"You ain't even old enough for Blockbuster," Booker countered. He put the car in gear and peeled out recklessly. Sometimes he wished he could zip around on suspended beams like he did in his dreams. It was handy.
Reckless was kind of becoming her middle name so his driving didn’t even get her to bat a lash. “Am too, shut up, I ain’t that young.” she rolled her eyes at him.
“Sure you are.” A beat. “How old are you anyway?”
“Well still younger than you.” she said after a moment’s thought. “But I craftily managed to get everyone to forget my birthday this year, but I turned 29. So I’m not really old just not as young as I look.”
Booker actually felt relieved. At least he hadn’t robbed the cradle with her. “You look ten years younger’n that.”
Nope he hadn't. "I know. It's handy" she said laughing as she looked over to him. "Clean living you know" barely said with a straight face
He rolled his eyes, and pulled into a convenience store. “You know, I was out the other day an’ I passed an adult store and the had an adult ‘red light’ box.”
"Are you kidding me?!" She said laughing. "Oh my god that is just too funny..I suppose it was inevitable!"
“Only slightly less discrete than mail order,” Booker quipped. “I can imagine a line of men waitin’ to rent the latest Tits and Asses.”
She smirked. "I'm not even sure who has enough confidence or lack of concern about who sees them to rent from there." She still was laughing as they grabbed a movie.
“I’d do it for ten bucks.”
"You're cheap"
Booker laughed. “I’d do it on a bet, that’s it. That’s what the internet is for, damn it.”
Rogue smiled. "So they tell me. I'm not one to go looking " she grinned wickedly. "Don't have to, got plenty of memories up here from people." She tapped her forehead.
“Least that’s almost as good as actually doin’ it yourself,” Booker pointed out. He pulled up to the house, and shut down the engine.
"It's not as fun. Especially not when you know the people as friends. It's a little ooky." She just smiled, though. "Still at least it is more entertaining."
“How are you doing with that, anyway?” Booker didn’t entirely mean sex. He knew there was even a certain level of companionship you couldn’t have when you couldn’t touch.
Rogue stiffened then shrugged. "I work. I work. I occasionally allow a friend to hug me. But right now it's a Bitch. I've got a few too many voices in the head space, so I'm avoiding contact until they settle."
“An’ there’s no way to just push them out? Maybe some cogantive realignment?”
"Oh they're slowly being compartmentalized but i had a pretty big influx the other day, thanks to work, so it'll be a bit. I've figured out how to shunt them into sections, they get quieter and most of these will vanish eventually."'
“Maybe I should buy you some gloves or somethin’” He leered. “Or a latex body suit.”
She met his leer with a grin. "I have gloves.But those people I had to touch. They were going to hurt a couple people i know. I needed more info. Fastest way." Then a grin. "That would be fun!" In regards to the latex.
Booker thought about it. There were a couple ten ways someone could touch Rogue if she wanted to try. “A latex body suit would be h fun? That’s just a cruel thought.”
"Ha, that's right.you've never seen me in one of my uniforms from my dreams." She got a wicked little grin and a glint in her eye.
“I ...what?” Booker shook his head and got out of the car. “Uniforms?”
She slid out and headed for the door. "Yep, skin tight, pretty awesome stuff actually. I've got a couple."
"I probably shouldn't say this but I kinda wanna see," Booker replied, grabbing the food and movie and following her.
Rogue laughed as she kicked her shoes.off.once she got inside. "Probably not But they're right up stairs,"
Booker went to the fridge to put the food away, pulling out a couple beers for them. Belatedly he took off his shoes - he always forgot to do that, then plopped onto the couch. He felt like he’d dodged a bullet with Naga.
She settled down on the couch and stretched out. “I almost want to go grab one and see your eyes bug out.” she mused.
He smirked at her. “I wouldn’t say no. Unless you’re scared.”
"Scared of what?"' Stare.
“Of squeezing into one of those costumes,” Booker countered.
"You are second person to not so subtly call me fat" she tossed popcorn at him before heading upstairs. She came back down in her second favorite one. The red one from xtreme, all skin tight and fitted.
“Jesus.” Booker twisted around on the couch and stared. It didn’t leave much to the imagination, but it did cover all of her skin. His hands itched to touch. That was probably bad, he was thoroughly friend-zoned and mostly okay with that idea.
"You need a towel for that drool?" She laughed then sat down and held out a leg. " go on. I know that look. I'm covered and safe!" And even she'd admit a little sexy feeling.
Booker pulled her leg into his lap and ran his fingers up her shin, and just past her knee to her thigh. Probably a bad idea. He DID have a date for Valentine’s Day, but that was just a … thing. Mostly.
Rogue got comfy. She didn't mind, not that much. After all, she'd gone home with him after knowing him for ten minutes. She could handle a little flirting and teasing.
“An’ you actually fight in this getup?” He wasn’t sure how the men around her could think straight.
"Yes sir I do!" She smiled at him. It was easy. People like Emma in her dreams showed more flesh. People often stared at the exposed boob first.
Booker snerked. “Everyone in your dreams unbelievably hot?” Between her and Neena and Clarice...
"Compared to most of them, I feel like I lost the good looks pool, honestly. Half run around in less!" She shrugged. Even here, she'd never been a fan of showing too much skin.
“You’re definitely in the top of the pool.” Booker shook his head, his fingers dancing dangerously up a seam. “Don’t have to have your tits hangin’ out to look good.”
Toes curled lazily as she stretched her leg under his fingers. Being safe behind her uniform's material left her feeling a little more comfortable than normal. Usually she'd be on other side of house by now. "You say that because you have only met some us" she laughed softly.
“I say that and I mean that,” Booker pointed out. And that was after bringing home emma a stripper once.
She gave him a rare smile, a quiet thoughtful one before she nodded. "You aren't one to sugar coat, so I'll believe ya" it's okay, Booker, everyone had a moment like that in their closest.
He patted her thigh again, then inched his hand away before he did something they’d regret. “Lets turn on that movie.”
She pulled her legs off and popped in the movie, tucking herself up on the couch. It was amazing how small she could make herself..
Booker looked at her a moment, then reached over and pulled her over so he could put an arm around her and she could rest her head on his shoulder or chest. She seemed so small and sad and he didn’t know at all how to help with that. Plus Booker and relationship advice was a bad idea..
She stiffened for a moment, then relaxed. There wasn't much skin for him to touch so it was easier to relax. Rogue had tried to explain how it felt day in and day out to either not touch people or focus so hard on not hurting them she couldn't enjoy even the most casual touch. But it wasn't that easy to explain. She usually stuffed it down and didn't care. But she had her bad days too. She laid her head on his shoulder, legs tucked up neatly.
“Just relax, kid,” Booker said. He rubbed at her shoulder. “You’re not gonna zap me if I touch you. Not while you’re wearin’ that.” He snorted. “Probably a lot you could do in that.”
She smiled a bit. "Old habit, you know how often I even accept hugs?" She leaned on him. "Even fully covered, rarely. Cindy loves to grab me for one anyways."-she arched a brow. "Oh yeah?"
“Kind of like how we’d met,” Booker pointed out, laughing. He rested his head against her hair, thinking maybe she just needed contact.
Rogue smirked, blushed then laughed. She never regretted it, thankfully. "Between you and me, I still can't believe I did that. Not regretting, just stunned at myself." Contact helped. Many who knew were wary. Others she'd never tell. But she craved it. It felt good to feel the warmth from another person, that weight. It was one reason she wasn't always afraid of tackling Logan, or enjoying Lina and Cindy's hugs. They knew the risk and tried to give her some of that comfort. Even if some days she didn't want them to risk it.
"Kinda glad you did, an' not just because it was a lot of fun." It was good to let loose once in awhile, but Booker had very few friends and typically he wasn't with people he'd fooled around with.
Rogue tilted her head to look up at him. "I am too. Never know what a random meeting will lead to" she said with an honest smile. "I know we really haven't hung out much, between well, the crazy that is this town, but we should fix it. I don't really keep close friends, I can count them on one hand."
“I’d like that.” Booker shifted a bit, exhaling. He’d need a cold shower later, but this’ll do.
Sorry not sorry. You Started it, Booker. Rogue smiled and laughed a bit. "Good. " another smirk. "I can put on real clothes again, if you need me too" she wasn't dumb, he was male who thought she looked good. She could do the math.
“Don’t even think about it.” He poked her shoulder. “Because then I’d be you wouldn’t be as comfortable like this.”
She nudged back. "Nope, I really don't have regular clothes that protect me this well. " to make his point for him she wiggled a bit to get extra comfy.
Booker shot her a look, then turned back to the TV. “Just get comfy and watch the damn movie.”
She laughed then got comfy, a smile stuck in place. She Hadn't laughed so much in a long time.