Mia Dearden thinks your facial hair is silly (speediest) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2012-08-30 22:27:00 |
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Entry tags: | charlie pace, mia dearden (speedy) |
Who: Mia Dearden and Charlie Pace
What: Random meeting, shopping
When: Last Monday
Where: Near the beach
Ratings/Warnings: PG for brooding
Status: Complete.
Things were getting a little busier for Mia. Classes had started back up, but she hadn’t decided whether or not she wanted to quit the lifeguarding spot. She could still do it on the weekends, and a few afternoons during the week. Add in her workouts, her archery practice with Ollie, and she was hardly spending any time at home this past week. She’d probably have to give up the beach soon, but she hated giving up the sun and the sand.
Her shift was over, so she pulled on her little jacket and flip flops and headed up to the little strip of stores near the beach. She had a few things she needed to pick up, and her brain wasn’t quite ready to start homework yet.
The fact that Charlie was out shopping was unreasonable on every count. His funds had dropped considerably since losing his job at the restaurant. Taking in the fact that his new position as a carpenter’s assistant paid quite a lot more, it stood to reason that the depletion of his bank account had more to do with the fact that he was showing up for work less and less.
He didn’t give a damn. After all, he was a dead man. Might as well be selfish with whatever time he had left. Might as well by things he didn’t need. Currently, he was at the music store, and there was a new record player in his hands, along with twenty LPs, several of which he already owned in CD form.
His eyes were vacant and trimmed with purple from sleepless nights.
Mia spotted Charlie as she passed the music shop. She wasn't in a rush, and her agenda for the day wasn't really set. Sure, she didn't typically spend a lot of time (or any, really) in music stores, but she could always start.
"Hey," she said, walking up to Charlie. "What's up?"
He turned with a start at the sound of her familiar voice, because it broke through his hangover-like haze like a chair through a glass window. Scared him, actually. The stack of LPs in his hands nearly crashed to the floor. “Hey...” he said, once he had caught his breath. He tried to seem as normal as possible. “Nothing. Nothing’s really up. Just... buying out the store. What’s up with you?”
Mia reached out to help him catch the records. "Sorry!" she said, realizing she'd startled him a little. She shrugged. "Just got off work and needed to run a couple errands." One of which she'd prefer not having to explain to Bronn and Tyrion.
"Kicking it old school?" She commented, looking at the record player.
Charlie looked down at the pile in his hands, feeling a little like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He suddenly found what he was doing very embarrassing. “Something like that,” he said. “Looking for a particular album, or...?”
"Uh," she shrugged. Now she felt like she was the person that had been caught. Not that it was a big deal to go into a store without purpose. "Not really. Haven't been in here before, actually. Checking it out, I guess."
Oh. So she had just popped in to say hello. Even in his exhausted state, a tiny smile registered. “Oh yeah?” he said. It was a hip little shop, privately owned, the kind with a limited but worthy selection. “Well, you should check it out more often. First, let me check out.”
Charlie turned to the register and a few minutes later everything he had been holding in his hands was in two shopping bags with the store’s logo printed on them. “So, no pants today?” he asked, nodding to her bare legs.
Mia shrugged, looking around the store. “I wouldn’t know where to start, honestly. You should give me some recommendations sometime, or something.”
She laughed, shrugging. “Who needs pants? Totally overrated.” Mia leaned in to bump into his arm, gently. “Hey. Wanna go shoe shopping with me again?”
Charlie was willing to admit that running into Mia had raised his mood, but it was more of a spike than a true lift. He was certain all he wanted to do was go home, get very drunk, possibly very high, and listen to his records. But he found himself nodding anyway. Why? Anyone’s guess would have been as good as his.
He sighed and tried to make it sound as pleasant as possible. “Why not, right?”
He didn’t look great, and Mia found herself wondering when the last time Charlie had slept was. In some ways, it was hard to believe this was the same guy she’d met playing his guitar in the park. She probably had at least kind of an idea, given the things he’d told her last time they’d talked.
She probably shouldn’t even bring it up, but Mia wasn’t always good at keeping her mouth shut. “I’m guessing your dreams aren’t getting any better, huh?” she asked as they walked to the shoe store.
Charlie looked down at pavement. His eyes glazed a little as the stones ticked by one after the other. He shook his head and raised his hollow eyes back to Mia. “I don’t want to talk about it,” he said softly, not abrasively. He was just sad.
Mia frowned a little. She wished she knew how to help him. She wasn't a hugger, even remotely, but she felt this awkward sort-of need to.. pat his shoulder, or something. She didn't, though. She was trying to keep a certain distance from people, to protect herself. Still, she felt for Charlie. "Sorry."
"No sandals this time. I need to get some of those foot support things," she said as they walked into the shoe store. "Won't be long." Wouldn't be a hard decision. She needed the best, so she'd just get the most expensive ones. Fighting crime in boots was a stupid idea.
He followed her in and wondered about the practice of shop owners restricting service to those with shirts and shoes, but apparently having no qualms about a lack of pants. The thought made him smile in spite of himself. “Fallen arches?” he asked.
Mia shook her head. “New boots.” She wouldn’t mention that the boots were from the dreams. The ‘D’ word seemed to be off limits for now. “Still breaking them in.” She picked out the support that looked like it was in her size. “Women’s shoes aren’t made to be comfortable. Seriously, look at this.” She picked up a pair of heels that had to be four inches high. “Can you imagine wearing this thing?”
“No, I can’t, but I can and am imagining you wearing them right now.” He grinned, as if he was not able to help himself.
"Oh brother," Mia rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling. At least he was grinning. She shook her head, smirking. "Tell you what. I will if you will." She grabbed one of the bigger pairs of the same shoe and held it out for Charlie.
There were a lot of different kinds of smiles going around, like something contagious. Charlies turned into something a little too eager. “Oh, I totally will, if you dare me. And if you keep up your end of the bargain.”
Mia laughed. "I dare you," she said, pleased by Charlie's willingness. She took one of the heels her own size, balancing deftly on one foot to slip on the first shoe without sitting down.
Charlie set his bags on floor and took a seat on a small bench. He picked up the giant heels Mia had found and placed them beside him as he started to undo his sneakers. “This really wasn’t on my bucket list, but what the hell, right?” And frankly, he was starting to wonder what he wouldn’t be willing to do if Mia asked.
Even in the largest size, the shoes were tight. At least, they were very narrow, and he had big feet. He was a little shaky, but he managed to not immediately snap his ankles. He took a few steps down the aisle. “I will haunt your dreams.”
Mia laughed at his declaration. "You're a natural," she said, grinning. She glanced down at her own feet. "I think they look better on you. So now you feel my pain, huh?"
“Not sure I want to be a natural,” he said, wincing a little. “My god, why do you women do these kinds of things to yourself?”
"So boys think we're pretty, duh," Mia said with considerable sarcasm. It was a load of crap, as far as Mia was concerned. She'd given up on boys.
"They're called f--" okay, maybe she wouldn't finish that thought. A little too awkward. She shook her head a little.
Charlie lifted an eyebrow. He chose to ignore the words she cut short, but it registered on his face. “I think boys are more impressed when you can walk a few blocks without complaining about your feet,” he said, taking the damn heels off before his toes lost consciousness. “Got you... support thingamabobs?”
"Gosh, you must have had some sweet boyfriends." Maybe she had some pretty negative thoughts about men. Somehow Charlie didn't get the brunt of those. Neither did Bronn or Tyrion. Maybe she knew more good guys than bad.
She laughed. "Done already?" She took hers off, too, putting them away. "Yeah, I'm ready to go."
“Well, Mum told me you’ve got to have standards,” he replied, picking his bags back up. He followed Mia to the register and then moved to wait by the door. There was a smile on his face now and he looked a little less weary.
Mia finished checking out and joined Charlie at the door. "All done," she said, holding up the bag. She kinda wanted to keep hanging out with him, but she'd finished her thing..
Charlie pushed the door open with his back and held it until she was outside. It drifted shut behind them and they started back down the sidewalk. Frankly, he wasn’t sure where they were headed now. His car was in the opposite direction, and his bags were getting heavy.
He sighed. “Hey, I’m sorry I jumped on you earlier, about the whole dreams thing.”
Mia shrugged. “You didn’t jump. It’s fine, touchy subject, I know. You just looked like you hadn’t slept in a while,” she said, biting her lower lip. He didn’t seem okay. She didn’t like that he didn’t seem okay.
“Well, you know how your brain won’t let you die in your dreams. I wake up every hour.” He continued walking in the wrong direction.
Mia wasn’t particularly sure where she was walking, either. She didn’t have any other errands in mind, but she didn’t want to say goodbye, either. Mia frowned. “That sucks.” He was having the same dream, then, over and over. Mia had some of those that kept coming back. “It’s never the fun ones that get stuck on repeat,” she said with a sigh. “I’ve had a couple decent ones lately.”
“Oh yeah,” Charlie said. “Well, I wouldn’t mind hearing something decent.”
Mia smiled a little. She wasn’t sure how ‘fun’ it would sound to other people. “Well, I dreamed I was living on this tropical island for, like, a year. And I was training with all these.. trainers.” ‘Master assassins’ gave the wrong impression.
Charlie scowled, but tried to hide it. It couldn’t have possibly have been the same island. “Training you for what?” he asked.
“Well, um.” She ran a hand through her hair, assuming his look was just related to the vagueness. “Like, working out and martial arts and swords and stuff. I’m pretty awesome with a katana, apparently.”
That was something Charlie probably would have paid to see. Good money. “Sounds hot,” he said. It kind of slipped out with a breath.
Mia raised an eyebrow. “And here I thought you were just impressed with my walking skills.” She couldn’t hide a smile, though. It was a little confusing. Honest was good, and he surprisingly didn’t sound like a perv. Still... it was kind of awkward being flirted with. If Kevin had said something like that, she would’ve kicked him in the shins. Charlie’s shins would be okay, though.
“What can I say? You’re an impressive person.” He wasn’t saying it just for the sake of flirting, although more and more frequently the thought of kissing her was popping into his head. She was pretty young, though, he reminded himself. But Mia was impressive in how she had been able to bring him back to life, if only temporarily.
Charlie sighed. He tilted his head down the street in the opposite direction. “I should probably head back to my car... back that way...”
Jeez. She wasn’t really sure what to say, so she just tugged awkwardly at a lock of her blond hair. “Um.” Mia would completely deny having any kissing-related thoughts, but that wouldn’t be entirely true. When he gestured back at his car, Mia briefly considered asking if he was hungry. Everybody had to eat, right? Why was it that anything food-related got thrown into the category of ‘date-like’?
“Maybe we’ll run into each other again soon,” she said, shrugging in what hopefully passed for a casual manner. She was in this area a lot, and she still ran through the park where she’d first met him.
“Or we could hang out on purpose,” he suggested. It was a notch below asking her out.
“Um. Like a da--” Way to be a spaz, Mia. But she should probably be up front with him. “After all the dreams, I don’t really.. It’s not personal, just.. right now I could really use a friend more than a boyfriend, you know?” She shrugged, looking a little sad. “I’d like to hang out, though, if you still do.” She wouldn’t be that surprised if he didn’t.
A pang of regret shook him. Charlie felt a little like he had put his foot in his mouth. He took a moment to shake it off. “Hey, hanging out is fine,” he said. He meant it. Meant it enough, anyway.
Mia bit her lower lip. She was feeling pretty unsure about this. Charlie was great, and she had been thinking about kissing him. But if they did that, it would probably be for all the wrong reasons. Still, if he showed up with another girl, she’d probably be ridiculously jealous, even though she knew that wasn’t fair.
She nodded, though. “Cool. So.. maybe something other than shoe shopping?”
He chuckled. “Maybe you can help me listen to all these damn records I just bought.”
Mia smiled, nodding. “That sounds good. Maybe you could give me a guitar lesson, or something, too.”
He lit up. Like a light bulb. “Hey, yeah. Sure. If you like. That would be fun. Yeah.” He was babbling a little. Charlie looked down at the bags in his hands. He couldn’t hug her or even wave. All he could do was nod his farewell. “Well, I’ll see you on that internet... thing.”
“Yeah, we can work out details there,” Mia said, smiling and waving. “This weekend, though? Maybe?” She was relieved to see him smiling again.