Who: Wash, Kyu, Gale, & Leliana What: What would be considered a normal double date to their standards and being generally adorable When: Let's say tonight? Where: Burger joint with sticker decorations Rating/Warnings: Low, mentions of sex but nothing ~scandalous~ Status: Complete!
It wasn’t Gale and Leli’s first double date, but each was different and for this one, he sort of was going for something casual and decidedly low-stress. They’d had enough of that lately, especially with the migraine-inducing apocalypse, and no one wanted to talk about the state of their dreams either. At least, Gale really didn’t. Everytime he thought they couldn’t get worse, they did - he was still spiraling down and about to hit rock bottom, losing everything along the way, watching it all go up in flames as the Capitol burned and the oppression toppled. The dust hadn’t settled yet, but when Katniss killed President Coin that sent what was already a madhouse into a deeper pit of insanity. How the rebels would come back from that, how Panem would come back from that, he didn’t know. But he and Katniss weren’t coming back from anything at all. Not since Prim’s death.
He didn’t kill her, would never have hurt Katniss’s family in a million years (he loved them too) but he’d engineered the bomb that took Prim’s life in the end. Wrong place, wrong time, and they were both just so far gone from where they’d started. Katniss taught him how to swim, Gale had carried her home after she hurt her knee in the woods one day, he’d been there with her when she giddily bought the goat for Prim, they always hunted better in a pair. Now it was over. Who even was he? Hardened soldier, encased in titanium and death. That was all.
Tonight, he sat next to Leliana, snug and cozy in one of the best burger joints in the OC. It was located in Huntington Beach, the booths covered with surf and skate stickers - casual fine dining, right by the beach. They’d arranged to meet the other two here, and the side of one of those sticker-adorned booths was reserved for Wash and his pink-haired lady friend.
Gale swallowed hard, rubbing his forehead, attempting to blink back the fatigue from pale, wintry eyes. “You okay?” he asked Leliana, though perhaps he should be asking himself that. Normalcy. This was what he needed.
Yes, normalcy. Leliana supposed she could use a dose of it too. Even if she did feel a tad out of place in a ‘burger joint’ that used stickers as primary decor - but it had nothing to do with the ‘cute but classy’ style of dressing she fashioned tonight, with heels so sharp they could slice a throat and summery lavender blouse with frills down the middle. It all felt strangely surreal, eyes flickering across the room as if they detected some sort of suspicious movement every time someone stood. She assessed what parts of them would be best to conceal weaponry, what their physique was, if they would use strength or stealth when it came to blows.
Businesses shouldn’t be dragged out to social gatherings, but all she dreamt of her other self analyzing every word and every move like a game. Reading between the lines, decoding half truths, each gesture speaking hidden messages. They were in the middle of war back there, and here, well…
This was simply a place that served cooked cow meat between bread and, oh, their root beer floats seemed to be highly recommended!
“I don’t like flipflops,” she responded to his inquiry and yes, to add a bit of light humor in the situation, she was passing judgment to someone in those dreaded things dragging sand with them. Then she turned her attention to him with a ghost of a smile. “I am fine, though. Awake. More than I can say about you.”
Her fingers went to swipe under his eyes, like she was brushing the exhaustion away - and then the door opened, bell rung. “Is that them?”
The last time Wash had been on anything that had resembled a date had been his high school prom. The last time he’d been out with Kyu had been different, it had simply been two people meeting at a bar which, half-way through, had been declared a date. He hadn’t really had time to think about it. But he’d had time to think about this.
He liked Kyu. Liked her a lot. It shouldn’t have been confusing. Any normal individual would have acted on their feelings, at least said something to the other person. But what was normal anymore? Wash had no idea. Wash wasn’t even sure of who he was anymore. He wasn’t a Marine, but he didn’t exactly feel like a civilian. What was his purpose now? And his Dreams just complicated things further. Was he Washington or was he Director Church.
And then there was Allison. He had no idea how he felt about this woman he had seen once in a Dream. What he was supposed to feel about her. His Dream self loved her, her death had been devastating. Even now the occasional thought of her rose out of the darkness of his subconscious and made his chest ache. But...was she real? Was she a construct of a mentally unstable Marine, or was the Marine the result of an experiment an emotionally distraught doctor unable to continue on with a memory? Who was he?
However, when Kyu took his hand, or ran her fingers through his hair, when she smiled at him, said his name, everything changed. Everything seemed...alright. Better than alright. Good. Regardless if it was purely friendly and nothing more, it meant a lot to know that someone cared, even a little bit. He just wished he knew how to tell her, how to show her, how much that meant. Dinner seemed like a good place to start.
The little burger joint looked good. Comfortable. Homey. Kitchy even with the surf and skate stickers decorating the booths. It reminded Wash a bit of the burger places he and his friends would sometimes go to after an afternoon at the skatepark for burgers, fries and shakes. Killing time before curfew - procrastinating going home and whatever awaited him there.
Tonight would be a good night. No Dreams. No Apocalypse. No shit Just four friends and burgers. He was so ready for this.
He looked back at Kyu as he reached to open the door for her. “Ready?”
“Ready.” Kyu swallowed down nervousness. For a girl who’d only ever been on one date in her lifetime, going right to a double date seemed like going pro after playing baseball once. To continue the metaphor, she was just learning how to bat, damnit! But Kyu was nothing if not impulsive, so she’d agreed to the double date thing readily. Since he’d said casual, she’d made sure to wear nothing seethrough or too short, but Kyu’s definition of casual still erred on the side of cleavage and heels. Oh well. People could look at something else if they didn’t like it.
Once inside, Kyu threaded her fingers through Wash’s. Holding hands had always seemed kind of lame to Kyu, but of course, doing it with Wash made her heart beat double time and her cheeks go almost as pink as her hair. She was leaning into him without really realizing it. It would’ve been obvious from space that she liked him.
“I’m awake, I think,” Gale chuckled, taking Leliana’s hand and pressing his lips to the tips of her fingers. Four friends, burgers, root beer floats, blue walls, beachy vibe - this was something he wouldn’t have been able to do in Panem, where it was a struggle to even simply survive to the next day. Many hours of hunting and gathering to provide for his family, and even there were nights that he went to bed hungry - he’d been afraid, something he never told anyone, wanting to be strong every moment every day, that he’d lose them. That he’d fail. Here, he didn’t have to worry about providing for a family, nor did he have to struggle to survive - but there were other ways he could lose himself.
The sounds of rock music and people chattering animatedly wrenched him back to the present, along with the bell on the door. “That’s them,” he confirmed, and waved over the other couple. Gale was hard to miss anyway, and Leli was too - no one else was dressed for a business meeting, with murder-heels, but that was just her style. “Hey guys - “
Gale had plucked extra menus from the counter, and he slid them across the table. One of the best parts of this place? They served beer. “Hope you’re hungry.” He grinned at the both of them and added, “Nice to meet you in person, Kyu.” Though he wouldn’t take on I’ve heard so much about you, as it’d be likely to embarrass his Marine Corps buddy. “This is Leliana. Badass with a bow and arrow, and I’m sure she has pics on her phone of Schmooples for you to see, Wash.” If not, Gale definitely did!
Badass with a bow and arrow. What a charming title, really, though Leliana looked far from anything considered ‘badass’ - she always seemed more on the dainty side of things - but it was all part of the illusion, and she supposed it was a compliment from her darling lover. “I’m so pleased to know Schmooples has such a reputation,” she mused, words laced with that trace of Français, and offered them both a friendly handshake. It was the first time she met either of them, though she had exchanged a couple comments with Wash over the lovely invention of the internet. Kyu was entirely new. And don’t mind her gushing over her hair color, either! It was like cotton candy.
“I will be sure to captivate you with photos of my hairless pig bunnies in a minute,” she giggled, flipping open her menu. Her eyes immediately honed in on dessert. If she wanted something with a bit more sustenance, she’d pick off Gale’s plate like a bird. No need to ask permission at this point, they were well past that. “Should we get the ordering out of the way, that way we can properly chat up a storm?” Considering this place didn’t seem to be known for their vintage wine selections, she’d settle for something simple. Like a sweet beer.
It seemed as though Wash’s suggestion of dinner had either come at a perfect time or the worst. Despite the grin, Gale looked absolutely spent. Wash didn’t know if his friend was still recovering from the pseudo-apocalypse or if this had to do with the man’s Dreams. Given what little Gale had actually told him about his Dreams, Wash was willing to bet it was the latter. He felt bad for the guy, especially now.
Wash hoped this would help in someway. First round of drinks would be on him.
“Nice to finally meet you,” Wash greeted Leliana and accepted her offered handshake. “Yeah, I heard a bit about Schmooples and Lord Plucky and Bonbon at the bakery,” he told her as he let Kyu slide into the booth ahead of him. “It was an entertaining way to pass the time. I’m looking forward to see what they actually look like compared to the picture of them I have in my head” Before joining Kyu in the booth, he took the opportunity to quickly scan his eyes over the restaurant's dining room making quick mental note of where the kitchen door was, if there was a visible back door (there wasn’t), where the restrooms were and where all these were in relation to where they were sitting and the fact that his back wouldn’t be towards any of them.
He slid into the booth next to Kyu, perhaps a bit closer than was necessary and hopefully not too close.
He turned his eyes towards the menue slid in front of him. Once his eyes hit the burgers he realized just how hungry he was. It all looked fantastic.
Kyu grinned and shook Leliana’s hand. The girl was gorgeous, and Kyu had to admit that she and Gale were a really hot couple. “It’s nice to meet you too! What’s this about pig bunnies? That sounds adorable as hell.” Kyu’s manner of speaking was as coarse and to the point as Leliana’s was silky and diplomatic. But Kyu was observant too, in her own way; it probably came from being a love fairy. She smiled at Leliana as she snuggled into Wash.
“Your shoes are to die for,” she beamed. Kyu’s heels were more of the “fuck me” variety, where Leliana’s seemed to be more genteel, but they were no less gorgeous. Kyu scanned the menu with a grin. While she’d just “eaten” - she’d hung out on campus longer than she’d needed to after class, doing her homework there while soaking in the energy - she would never turn down a burger and a strawberry shake. Beer was just a bonus.
Gale didn’t know shit about shoes, but he too had to admit that Leliana’s were to die for. They were legit weapons of mass destruction too, so there was also that. He slid his arm across the back of the booth, not really around her, but he was close enough to her anyway that it could be considered restaurant booth-snuggling. And well, Wash and Kyu looked pretty cozy too - knowing what it was like to basically live with your mind constantly in a warzone, it was a big deal to even let people get that close in the first place. They were going to be happy together, he could tell.
He and Leli were happy together, after all, despite how both their dreamworlds seemed to be seeping into life in the OC, and acting as a slow poison. He’d even let her pick off his plate, naturally. No questions asked.
“The pig-bunnies are definitely adorable as hell,” he agreed. “I always tell people about them, I’m like a proud dad.” Yeah, he admitted it! But he had a special fondness for those ugly things, Schmooples especially.
Menu closed, he went with a pretty delicious, juicy cheeseburger - pickles, lettuce, tomato, onions, oh yeah, and don’t forget the ‘special sauce.’ And beer. Don’t forget that either (plus the fries). “The ravens too. I was all set to ask Baron Plucky to help carry messages during the end of the world.”
Oh, marvelous, she had quite the good eye when it came to footwear, didn’t she? They’d get along well, then! Leliana usually had an instant fondness when it came to someone showing actual taste in fashion, not just shoes. Might be somewhat of a prissy thing but everyone was allowed their quirky vices, weren’t they? “Likewise,” she giggled, the compliment returned. “I like you already. And you too, Wash - your shoes are lovely too, do not let anyone say otherwise.”
There, that way he wouldn’t be left out!
‘Sustenance’ wise, Leliana’s decision was a slice of blueberry pie alamode. And Gale’s fries, but he didn’t know that part just yet. “Anyway, they are a...gift, from the dreams. All of them. Some people get magical weapons and wings, I end up with a zoo.” Unexpected and certainly altered her everyday routine, but she worked around it. They were her babies, and she and Gale were the overprotective parents. Phone pulled out, she even had an album for her critters. The ravens looked intimidating more than anything (one could say they’ve seen some serious shit, and Baron Plucky was missing an eye), and the nugs were the eccentric looking dirt dwellers with little fingers, beady black eyes and awkward snouts.
And also very well adorned, considering Schmooples and Boulette fashioned the frilly bows and Schmooples II had a dapper bowtie. Leliana had very little shame.
Wash glanced down, sticking one boot from under the table as if to confirm that Leliana was in fact calling his combat boots ‘lovely’. He couldn’t help a soft chuckle. “Never heard anyone compliment combat boots like that, Leliana.” He tucked his foot back under the table and looked back up again, a half smile on his lips. “But thanks. I like them. They’re comfortable.”
He smiled listening to Gale and Leliana talk about the ravens and the pig bunnies. They really did look like two happy parents. They may as well been showing off pictures of their kids and, in a way, they kind of were.
Wash had seen ravens before, but none quite like the ones in the pictures Leliana was showing them now. These ravens looked as though they would kick - or peck - the eyes out of anyone who attempted to mess with them. Which made the frills and bow ties all the more amusing. He laughed softly. “I like the frills. And the bowtie is a nice touch,” he said. He handed the phone to Kyu so she could flip through the pictures herself. As she did, he moved his arm around her shoulders so she could snuggle up to him proper.
Having settled on a burger and fries, he rose his hand to get the waitresses attention so he could at least order the first round of beer for the table
“You said they came from your Dreams?” He asked. Living breathing creatures of pure badassness coming to their world from...someplace else...it was amazing.
Kyu leaned over to look at the nugs, cooing under her breath. “I got my wings and a weird stalking device. I’d trade the stalk-o-matic for the pig bunnies.” The ravens too made her eyes light up, and she beamed at Leliana. “Oh, I like these birds! Stealth badassery’s the best way to go, you know?”
Curled up against Wash, Kyu was aware of feeling normal for the first time in a long time. They could’ve been any two couples in the OC talking about pets and clothes. They weren’t - she was a fairy and Gale and Wash were badasses and Leliana was a badass dressed like a lady - but for a while they could forget all of that and just order food.
Which Kyu did. A burger and a shake for herself, if only because she didn’t really eat food much anymore. It was the first time in a week, and she kind of missed tasting things. “I hope I don’t bite my lip. I haven’t eaten in a while. I don’t need to anymore,” she explained. Gale knew, but Leliana might not.
“Yeah, it’s weird, sometimes stuff just appears,” Gale explained, or tried to, since he knew Wash was kind of new to the ‘dream experience.’ Whether it was a window to another universe, a glimpse of the past, or a ‘this could be you’ nugget of fortune telling, well, he didn’t really know for sure. He didn’t think anyone did - it was probably a combination of everything? They were difficult to ignore, and fuck knew he had tried to at first - ever the stubborn one. “Like, when you wake up, it’s there. Could be most anything, though I don’t think anyone’s reported actual people appearing?” he laughed. The bleedover effect seemed to draw the line at pets.
An amused glance at Kyu, after beers were dropped off at their table - a Newcastle for him, something sweet for Leliana (of course). “Or people get wings, or....stalking devices? I can’t imagine not requiring beer for sustenance.” Especially if sexual energy didn’t even taste like anything - at least, it should have a savoury flavor, shouldn’t it?
Well, hopefully this would be the last of dream gifts that were alive and breathing. Imagine her surprise when she awoke to Schmooples the first time, making cute little noises and pawing those eccentric human hands at her for attention. Then the second and third nug, then the birds that watched her with much intent until she stirred from her slumber. Any more of them and she would seriously have to contemplate finding a bigger place. Or expanding her current one.
But, yes, proud parents indeed!
Then, both of Leliana’s brows flared, intrigued. “Stalking device?” My, wasn’t that a handy thing? She picked up her beer - which was actually just alcoholic cider, but bottled - and brought it to her mouth. “You will have to share how that works.”
Wash wondered what, if anything, he might awake to find in his apartment. Aside from the confusing and conflicting tones and subjects of his Dreams, he hadn’t really learned a whole lot about the world his Dreams seemed to take place in. It had to do with space, he knew that much considering the last Dream he had had been aboard a large ship traveling through space. There was a war that was persistent through each version of his Dream selves although whether it was against an alien threat or against a group of people simply known as The Insurgents had yet to be determined.
Wash frowned slightly. He didn’t want to wake up to find an alien in his apartment. That would be much less cute than a rabbit pig.
When Kyu mentioned the stalking device she suddenly had all his attention. “A stalking device?” he repeated along with Leliana. Curiosity started to get the better of him. “Have you used it?”
Kyu giggled when everybody looked at her for information on the stalking device. “Oh, it doesn’t work here. But it totally worked in my dreams. I gave it to the guy I was helping, and it let him keep track of all the people he was laying the mack on. Or girl, I didn’t discriminate. But yeah, they could track the ladies, what they liked, stuff like that. In retrospect, it’s the creepiest thing ever.” She was really glad that she probably wouldn’t end up getting a live thing from her dreams; the closest thing she could think of was Momo, the cat girl, but that would be so weird.
Laying the mack on. Gale coughed, trying to hold back a laugh, but he wasn’t exactly successful. “That is the creepiest thing ever,” he agreed. “Like compiling statistics about the people you want to bump uglies with. Still, your dreams seem actually, marginally, kind of...fun?”
His definitely weren’t. But he’d take a world of love fairies and feeding off of sexual energy. Definitely that over dystopian America, with chunks of the states as we know it now having been broken off and lost to the ocean as the country reshaped itself after the first devastating war. “Do you help a lot of people get laid in this version of life?” he asked curiously, eyebrow quirking up, taking a sip of his beer. “I mean, obviously it’s probably different. But you should start a matchmaking service or something. And call it Kyu’s Arrows.” Like Cupid’s arrows? Yes, no? He glanced at Leliana, chuckling - she’d probably crinkle her nose in playful disdain.
Kyu’s Arrows. Maker’s Breath, yes, that did actually make Leliana wiggle her nose some, how could he ever know? Lucky Gale, he was adorable, and his dorkiness earned him a kiss to the cheek. Maybe the corner of his mouth too, when she grabbed his chin and turned his face some. “Well, I suppose we can’t deny that is a fitting title - and matchmaking services would be an interesting business to get into,” she chuckled, shaking her head. “Talks about a creepy device aside, Gale is right - your dreams do sound like fun.”
Leliana would love to play matchmaker for a job! Or dress people for their dates - she’s seen some trainwreck of ensembles and sometimes certain people really should not dress themselves. Alas, she knew she’d be better at spilling blood or making someone piss their pants.
It dawned on Wash that he didn’t know much about Kyu’s Dreams. Neither she nor he had ever talked much about them save for Kyu’s wings and feeding off sexual energy. At least with each other. This had been the first he’d heard about the Stalker-tron 3000, as Wash was now mentally referring to it. Granted, their conversations so far had been more the Getting-To-Know-You type mixed with awkward (on his end, more overt on hers) flirting, talk if glitter pills would make your poop hurt and OMG LET’S GET OUT OF THE STORM!! He looked at her carefully. He knew his Dreams made him feel uncomfortable and question himself, he wondered how helping a guy sex-up a bunch of chicks made Kyu feel. She had never really said one way or the other. Not that he’d ever asked. Pft. Nice Guy, suuuure.
Then Gale made the suggestion of starting a match-making business called ‘Kyu’s Arrows’ and Wash came crashing out of his own thoughts. He jerked his head around to avoid snorting beer into Kyu’s pink hair. “Really, man?” He raised a brow across the table at his friend. “Kyu’s Arrows? I don’t know if that’s the worst joke ever of all time or the most brilliant name for a business ever.”
At least Gale was making jokes. That was a good sign, right? Wash watched as Leliana kissed Gale’s cheek. The two of them looked so comfortable together, like two pieces made for one another. They reminded him a little of Carolina and York. Hm. Funny the kinds of people drawn to one another.
Bad puns aside, it was an interesting idea. He turned his attention back to his date. “What do you think? You could do the tattooing full time and run a little match-making service on the side. Help poor SOBs like me find cute badasses like you.”
Kyu grinned. “Oh, it’d just be a specific matchmaking service. I don’t make love matches per se, it’s more nookie matches.” She pantomimed a gun and shot it at Gale. “Like, the chick at the counter making the coffee? She’d totally be down with both you and Lelli, if you wanted. Just sayin’.” It was weird, being able to tell these things. And yes, that nickname was sticking. Kyu couldn’t ever help herself, she just really liked people and nicknames seemed an easy way of expressing that she liked someone.
Curling closer to Wash, she chuckled. “There’s only one of me, Wash. Lucky for you.” She looked up at him, leaning upward a bit to kiss him lightly on the mouth. She didn’t think he’d be cool with super open PDA, but a kiss wasn’t that big a deal as long as there wasn’t tongue. Hey, she could show restraint, kinda.
The chick at the whaaaaaat? Gale coughed, finding it difficult to now actually look at the counter - because he was blushing too hard. He rested his hand on Leliana’s knee, squeezing gently, a casual show of affection. “I’m not really a sharer,” he stated, though declined to mention that he’d heard about a lot of sharing in Leli’s dream world - apparently foursomes were all the rage there, when they weren’t involved in wars against demons or whatever. Still, he’d personally pass. His dream self was a hard-assed virgin who probably needed to get laid. Badly.
“Nookie matches though? Yeah, maybe just stick to the tattooing,” he had to laugh a little. “Because otherwise the whole intent behind your work could get misconstrued real fast.” Kyu the Pimp! Didn’t exactly have a good ring to it, no.
Oh, and good timing, here arrived the food. Now they could chow down - and as soon as Gale had his plate, he sort of nudged it in between him and Leli, mostly with the fries facing her. He was just astute like that.
“What? Really?” Curiosity had her peek around Gale to gaze upon the culprit that apparently wanted to bed her and her towering other half, and she was pretty. Leliana could be appreciative from afar. While she was also appreciative, up close, to Gale’s cherry-red face of embarrassment, awww! “We should take that as a compliment,” she impishly smiled, taking that large hand of his into hers for a reassuring squeeze. “No worries, I’m all yours.”
Well, yes, she’d been very sexually adventurous here and there, foursomes and threesomes (with a pirate and and an assassin elf, imagine that!) but she was quite happy just being a twosome. If Gale ever wanted to explore, she’d be fine with that. If not, she was also fine with that - they’d have each other no matter what.
“You’ve a gift, though - expand on it. I’m sure many people on the network would thank you.” Leliana was still a bit giggly, helping herself to Gale’s fries (she’d dig into her dessert soon, she wanted the ice cream to get a bit more melty). “It doubles as a forum for dream therapy and dating, I think.”
Before Wash could get a look at the chick at the counter who’d apparently be into having a three-way with Gale and Leliana, Kyu had abducted his lips with hers. Wash smiled into her kiss. She was a smart one. Open grandiose displays of affection were certainly not his style, but these smaller ones he could totally get used to, thank you very much. He gave her shoulders a light squeeze. “Lucky me,” he agreed softly when she’d released his lips again, and for the first time in a long time he just might actually believe it.
Dinner had been served and Wash relinquished Kyu’s shoulders so the two of them could eat. Now time for a little payback. He pointed a fry at Gale, “blushing a little hard there, buddy,” he said with a crooked smirk before sticking the fry in his mouth.
“Aww, Gaaaale,” Kyu singsonged. “That’s adorable. Don’t worry, she doesn’t know you know.” Kissing Wash was nice, but there was food so she made it fast. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to go into pimping. But I might have helped a few people on the network already.” She proceeded to try to take a swig from her strawberry shake, but it was on the thick side, so it took a while. Normal dates were sort of awesome; Kyu approved, and wouldn’t mind doing this more often.