Who: Christie McCawley & Alak Tarr What: A walk on the beach. When: Sunday, 10/18 Where: Little Corona Beach Rating/Warnings: Status: Completed GDoc
~*~
The weather was perfect for a few hours at the beach. It was warm, but not too hot to enjoy the day. Christie's schedule hadn't been forgiving this past week, between classes, work and family she hadn't had any time to spend with Alak. Although she made it a point to text him, or call him every single day.
Sunday, however, she was off work and she'd set aside the day specifically for him. No family, no cell phone on her part, no nothing else but time for the two of them.
The beach had been an easy choice, there weren't too many people out this time of year, and again the weather was perfect for it. The drive had been uneventful, filled with a little talk and music playing over the stereo. Once they made it to the beach, Christie hopped out, straightening the light sweater she wore before looking over the roof of the car at Alak.
"Maybe after we get done here we should go grab some pumpkins to carve. It's not too much longer until it's Halloween after all."
~*~
Beautiful days were always something to look forward to in Alak's opinion. He felt lucky to live in California even if Orange County was its own kind of world. There was still plenty of sun to go around and it was never Russia. It helped his accent was almost nonexistent except when he was really angry. He could pass with Christie with him. The two of them could go out and just be some American couple enjoying a day on the beach and that was perfect to him.
"Pumpkin carving? Sure. I could go for that. I can get some LED lights that pulse to the beat to put in them, set up a sound system. We could have our own rave."
He liked any reason at all to get Christie to dance with him. Sure, she wasn't trained like the girls he'd grown up with back in his parents' homeland. That didn't matter to him. Alak loved Christie because she wasn't like his parents. She came from good, honest people who worked hard the right way to get ahead in life. It mattered to him she was different from the cutthroat world he'd been born into.
Sometimes Alak wondered if he was really a Tarr son at all. There were days he felt it was more likely he'd been switched at birth.
Walking around the car, Alak took Christie's hand and tugged her toward the beach, "C'mon. Tell me what you wanna be for Halloween. I have to start my track list now if I'm going to have one ready."
~*~
A bright smile tugged up the corners of Christie's lips, "I like that idea. We could have a lot of fun with that." She'd put making any plans on hold until they'd had a chance to discuss things. Christie had thought that they would spend the holiday together, she had already put in to be off work. Her brothers would likely do their own thing while their dad handed out candy to some of the neighborhood kids.
"Hm," Christie followed after Alak as they made their way to the beach, "I was thinking of being a fortune teller, though I'm open to suggestions." She glanced over at Alak with a small smile, and lifted a shoulder.
Christie didn't want to do anything too over the top or one of those stupid sexy costumes that so many girls opted for. That wasn't to say that she looked down on people that wanted to wear them, it just wasn't her.
"What about you? Have you thought about what you're going to be?"
~*~
"I'm thinking I'll show up as The Wolfman. Very wild and howling at the moon. I got some clear contacts I can put in to make my eyes look like they glow. What do you think? You see it in my future?"
He teased her when he could. Alak didn't push too hard with Christie because there was something reticent about her. She wasn't so much shy as she was someone who had never been given enough positive encouragement. Her family took her for granted in his estimation; his own wasn't very thrilled with his relationship with her because they didn't share the same heritage. Alak mostly wanted her to know he appreciated her exactly as she came.
Christie had been the first girl he'd dated who had both been younger than him as well as someone his parents didn't approve of which made her more than a little special.
She captured the eyes with her tan skin and bright smile. Christie gave him a sense of warmth and welcome he couldn't get in the cold of his family's home or their ways. The Old Country was especially old when he compared it to how fresh and new and different Christie McCawley's world was in America. Alak felt proud to have become an American citizen when he was with her. It was worth it to be able to say they shared something in common. Her father didn't necessarily think so, but Alak was working on Rafe.
"C'mon, tell me the truth: could you dig a guy with wild hair and freaky eyes?"
~*~
Letting out a sigh, Christie shook her head. "Unfortunately I am lacking a crystal ball. That's how it works right?" She nudged Alak gently with her shoulder, and then laughed. It was all in good fun, and she always felt relaxed in Alak's presence. "Or I could read your palm. That might work. Do you have the mark?" She asked, her eyes a little wide after her question.
Pursing her lips in thought, Christie studied Alak's features for a few silent moments. He was handsome, and so much more than Christie believed she deserved. She was thankful that she'd taken the chance to speak with him that night at the club.
Even if their parents didn't agree with their relationship for whatever reasons, Christie was happy with the choices that she'd made.
She loved Alak more and more every day, and she hoped that they would continue to share that love for a long time to come.
"Oh yeah," she nodded with a large smile on her face, "I could definitely dig a guy with wild hair and freaky eyes. Especially if that guy is you." Christie only had eyes for Alak. That had been the case since he'd come into her life, and she doubted it would change anytime soon despite the fact people often said that she was too young to be thinking about forever.
Christie didn't listen to them. They didn't know what they were talking about.
"Are you going to do period time clothes or modern?"
~*~
Alak was accustomed to people scrutinizing his appearance. It was common with a job working with the public in addition to having been raised by a family where appearance could be everything. His mother decided on outfits days or even weeks in advance of public outings while his father used his clothes to show how far he'd come in life. Alak much preferred Christie looking him over to either one of his parents.
They were vipers; Christie was an angel in comparison.
"I'm glad I pass inspection. Hate to think I'd lose my date over a bad costume choice."
She posed a good question. Alak thought on what he already had in his wardrobe. A smile spread across his face as he realized he had the perfect thing in mind for a period costume. It did help he'd once lived in what was called 'The Old Country.' Some of his traditional suits would be perfect if he mixed them up into a costume. It wasn't as if they were going to get any wear otherwise with his line of work.
"Period," Alak stated firmly, "I've got some suits from 'The Old Country'. My parents would kill me if they saw what I had planned for them. That makes it all the better. You want me to see if I can come up with a crystal ball for you? Who knows what the Hell is sitting around at my mother's place---I wouldn't be surprised if I found one with her need to control everything."
It would mean actually going to visit his mother, but Alak would risk it for Christie.
~*~
"Nah, you'd never lose your date regardless of what you dressed up as." Christie moved her free hand to rest in the crook of his elbow, giving a gentle squeeze. It was just a holiday meant for fun, and nothing more. Christie figured that everyone deserved a chance to let loose, and just enjoy the holiday.
She removed her hand from the crook of his elbow, reaching up to push her hair back out of her face as the wind off the ocean blew it around.
Christie laughed at his response. Leave it to Alak to want to horrify his parents by ruining a suit that they'd brought from their home country. "No," she shook her head still laughing softly, "that's alright. I think I have an idea for one, and it shouldn't be too hard." Christie had gotten pretty good with DIY costumes over the years, so she figured she could get something together.
Besides, she didn't want him to get into any trouble or anything like that. "I can't wait to see what you come up with though. We'll definitely be a pair; the gypsy and the wolfman." She grinned over at him and then looked out over the ocean.
"When's your next show?"
~*~
"Depends on what you mean by 'show.' I have a thing at the Open Artist Market on Friday the 23rd. It's pretty much me playing modified classical music for culture snobs. The place pays me regular which is the only reason I keep it on my calendar."
Other than the natural light of the market, but Alak figured Christie didn't need to hear him wax prosaic about the windows in the place. He was already a strange guy with his music and his art fixation. Christie came from hard-working people who were the salt of the earth type. Alak didn't want to give her any more reasons to think they were different if he didn't have to so he tried to keep anything too suspect under his hat.
Christie deserved him to man up for her.
"I have a party I'm supposed to host for the following week. Friday before Halloween. It should pay enough to make our own Halloween festivities very, very fun."
He thought they made a striking couple no matter what they were wearing. Alak would be lying if he tried to say he didn't want to see Christie in her costume. She was always feminine to him, but in a real skirt or dress? All he wanted to do was spin her in circles until she was laughing, out of breath, unaware of anyone else in the world except the two of them. That wasn't too much to ask out of life, was it?
"I'm looking forward to seeing your rendition of a Romani. You're wearing a skirt? Or a dress? Give me a hint."
~*~
"That should be interesting anyway." Christie replied in regards to the thing he had at the Open Artist Market. Christie knew the terms in regards to his gigs, and shows, but sometimes she failed to use the proper terms.
Grinning over at him, Christie gave a nod, "That's great. If you want me to swing by after I get off work, just let me know." Christie didn't mind a good party with good music and Alak was a great DJ. Of course, Christie might've been a little bit biased in her opinion of him, but she would sing his praises all day long.
Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Christie was quiet for a few moments as they continued to walk down the beach. She turned to look at him, her lips curving back up into a smile. She'd actually already thought that over, and she had something that she thought would work well tucked away in her closet. Of course, she'd have to go out and purchase a few more items to go with it, but it shouldn't be that hard.
Several scarves, a peasant shirt and lots of fake jewelry would do the trick. "A skirt. I have a really pretty royal purple peasant style skirt that I never wear. I think it'll do the trick nicely." She nodded as she looked over at him, "I'll have to buy a few more things to go with it, but not too much you know?"
She canted her head to the side as she looked over at him, "Do you think that'll work?"
~*~
Purple would look amazing, royal even, on Christie's tan skin. Alak could imagine the jewelry making her seem to glow in the light. She would catch eyes everywhere. He'd be lucky if he managed to get her out of a party without starting a fight. There was something about Christie which brought out the animal in him. Alak couldn't say why he wanted to keep her all to himself. It could have been a primal urge or it could simply have been his old insecurities cropping up.
His parents had spent most of his childhood going over and over his inadequacies as a son. Alak was surprised he had the confidence he had these days. Some of it came from the work he was doing as well as being able to hold his own. No money came from his mom or dad to help pay for his space or his equipment. Alak worked hard to be his own man. He'd hoped to be able to prove that to Rafe McCawley, but, so far, that hadn't happened.
"You'll be beautiful. I'll have to fight the men off you with a sword. I promise to only use a wooden one."
Alak was not a violent man. Teasing was as close to real violence as he ever got.
"I'm hoping I look enough like a wild wolfman to pass for people. Nothing worse than being asked continuously, 'What are you supposed to be?' when you're at a costume party."
~*~
Christie rolled her eyes at him, although she stepped a little closer to him, her hand going back into the crook of his arm. "You know I'll only have eyes for you, Wolfman." She grinned up at him. It was the truth, she really would only have eyes for him. Christie would talk to other people, and sometimes people would tell her that others had been flirting with her but she'd dismissed it as them being friendly.
The idea of ever flirting with another guy, or anything else never crossed Christie's mind. Although, she couldn't say the same for guys out there.
"I'm sure you'll look fantastic. I can come over and help you with your costume, or better yet, I can come spend the night on Friday." It'd been awhile since Christie had actually stayed over at Alak's place. She wasn't opposed to it at all, but most of the time she had to get up early to either go to work or to school.
There was nothing scheduled for her on Saturday outside of what they'd just planned. "Or do you want our costumes to be a surprise?"
~*~
"As much as I love surprises-" Alak didn't love surprises, honestly he hated them, "-I think I'll take you staying over Friday so we can get dressed together. We'll be the stars of the show. Our very own Ricky and Lucy."
Christie would be the one looking fantastic. Alak was rather plain for a man with his heritage. His mother might have protested, but he wasn't sure. They had a strained relationship at best. Datak, his father, was the kind of man a woman like his mother married for his position or power rather than his looks. Alak was the result of that conspiracy of a union. He wasn't sure some days it was even a good thing he'd been born.
All he would likely wind up was a disappointment.
Music and Christie were what kept those feelings at bay on the worst of his days. Having her over at night? It was it's own kind of Heaven. Alak would keep her around all the time if he had the choice. She was his sunshine. She acted as if she could hear the music he believed his soul made; Alak wasn't crazy when he was with Christie. She understood the power of dreams and doing what one loved over doing one's duty.
"I can't wait. This is going to be a great Halloween. We'll spook up the town together, I'll make a little money, and then we can scare the neighbors when we get home. Couldn't ask for anything more."
Neither of them could as far as Alak knew. They were lucky to have each other.