Who: Dan and Liv What: Moving in When: June 2nd after this conversation Where:Liv'sTheir apartment Rating/Warnings: Low Status: Complete!
No one would ever accuse Dan Smith of not being well read. He had a massive collection of books, practically a library and he’d read every single one, many of them several times. They were his prized possessions. Moving in with Liv meant he had to decide which he wanted to take with him and which he would need to leave behind in the little apartment above the bar. He sure as hell couldn’t bring all of the books with him. Liv had room for one of his bookshelves and therefore maybe twenty of his books, but not much more.
It was a happy sacrifice Dan was willing to make. When Liv had asked him to move in with her, she had made him the happiest man in Orange County. Hell, he’d go so far as to say that he was the happiest man in California.
He was also nervous. Very nervous. He’d never lived with anyone before. Well, he’d grown up living in an apartment with his father, but that didn’t exactly count. He’d also spent time with Liv at her apartment before -- had spent the night, had even spent a couple of days. But this was different. This was the next step in their relationship and it was a very important step and Dan wanted to make sure everything he did was right.
Living with Dan was something that had been in the back of Liv’s mind for awhile. It made sense with how many nights they spent together. And with his dreams? She always wanted to make sure he was okay. She hadn’t meant for it to come out the way it did. But that hardly mattered anymore. Dan was moving in and Liv couldn’t be happier.
Now it was moving day. Liv helped him move the bookcase in. She was pretty strong after all. And now it was time for the books. “So,” Liv began. “Which ones are you bringing?” She wished she had enough room for all of them. But unfortunately she didn’t. Maybe someday. And in the meantime he owned the building his apartment full of books was in.
Maybe someday he and Liv would buy a house with a room set aside specifically for Dan’s books. It was something of a dream for Dan, but right at that moment he was satisfied with the little apartment. He helped her move the bookcase to the spot they had picked out earlier. “I got a box in the car,” he answered. He had carefully chosen his favorite books along with a few he had bought, but had not yet finished. “The rest are boxed up at the old apartment. Safe and sound.” He grinned at her happily. “Is it weird for me to say how excited I am?” He asked.
“Are you sure one bookcase is enough? Do you want to see if we can fit another?” She knew all of Dan’s book wouldn’t fit. But she also knew how important his books were to him. She wanted to fit as many in her - their apartment as she could.
“No,” Liv replied her own smile matching his. “I’m pretty excited too,” Liv admitted. Unlike Dan she had lived with boyfriends before. Her college boyfriend back in Seattle, and then the one she had gone to London with, though that was more like just staying in the same place until they broke up. But with Dan it was different. She was older now, this wasn’t a college sweetheart. And they weren’t living together simply because they had traveled across the world. Not to mention how much stronger her feelings for Dan were. “Like so excited this doesn’t even feel real. It feels more like a dream. But a good dream. Not the bad kind with a zombie military.”
Dan glanced at the bookcase then at the rest of the apartment. He would have loved to have another one of his bookcases there. They could probably fit another one if they did some serious reorganizing of furniture, but Dan was afraid that a second bookcase would make the apartment too cramped. He shook his head. “It’s alright, darlin’,” he said with an easy smile. “It’s not like I can’t jus’ go get one of my books outta the old place if I wanna read it again. I got my favorites and the ones I haven’t read yet right here anyway.” He tapped the top of the box. “These should last me at least a little while, yet.”
He stepped around the bookcase and over to Liv, drawing her close to him with his arms around her middle. “If this be a dream, I don’t ever wanna wake up,” he said. It was a cheesy line, but it was the truth. Dan hadn’t been this happy in a long time. He gave her a loving kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. “Why don’t we take a little break,” he suggested. “Are ye hungry at all?”
“Okay,” Liv agreed. “If you’re sure.” She wanted Dan to be happy. To have what he needed. “But if you change your mind, we can figure something out.” This was their place now after all. Not just hers. Dan deserved to have everything he wanted.
Liv returned the kiss, smiling into it. A wide smile still on her face as it broke. Cheesy or not, Dan always knew the perfect thing to say. “I could go for a snack,” she commented. “Or a drink,” she paused for a moment eyes lighting up as something donned on her. “I just realized! I’m living with my very own bartender now.”
Dan laughed. “Aye, that you are,” he said. “I can make you jalapeno margaritas any time you want.” And it would stand to reason that they would be well stocked with appropriate liquor. However, to be fair, since he and Liv had gotten together, Dan was drinking considerably less. He wasn’t sure if that was Liv’s influence or more the fact that he wasn’t doing such dangerous work anymore. Possibly a mixture of both.
With her hand in his, Dan made his way towards the kitchen. “What are ye in the mood for? D’you wanna meal or should we just have a snack.” It was funny, Dan had never considered himself to be a domestic sort of person, but here he was making house with a woman he was very much in love with, and it just seemed so natural. Dan’s only regret was that his father wasn’t alive to meet Liv. He was sure he would have adored her.
“I plan to take full advantage of that,” Liv teased. Who would have thought when she walked into the bar of a man who lied about his name, that they would end up here? Liv sure as hell didn’t. But she was really glad things had turned out this way.
“How about nachos?” Liv suggested. It could be either a meal or a snack. And she had most of the ingredients needed for it. Especially the salsa. “Unless you want something different?”
Dan shook his head. “Nachos sound excellent,” he said. A short time later nachos had been made. Dan had been more hungry than he’d realized since the plate of chips were heaped with meat, cheese, jalapenos and, of course, plenty of salsa and it looked delicious. Dan couldn’t wait to sit down to eat it properly and helped himself to a few of the laden chips even before they’d decided where to eat.
As he ate, though, he glanced at Liv carefully. Was standing in the kitchen and eating acceptable? Normally it wouldn’t have been something he’d even consider, but everything was different now. He gave her a sheepish sort of grin. “Sorry, darlin’,” he said. “I was hungrier than I thought. You wanna sit on the couch and eat?”
Liv couldn’t help but laugh. Dan suddenly seemed so concerned about where he was eating. “Here’s fine,” Liv replied popping a chip in her mouth. “This is your place now too,” she reminded him. “I want you to feel at home. You can eat wherever you want,” a brief pause. “Except maybe in the bathroom,” she said wrinkling her nose. “Because that’s just gross….and unsanitary.”
It was the first time either one of them had said out loud that the apartment was Dan’s home now too. It was strange to hear, but strange in a good way. It had been a long time since Dan could claim he had a home. Even the apartment above his bar -- with all of his books piled up on the floor and jammed into bookshelves -- where he lived and slept had never felt like home.
He laughed and shook his head. “I don’t eat in the bathroom,” he assured Liv. “My Da taught me not to shit where I eat.”
“Good,” Liv teased. “Because that might be a deal breaker for me.” Not really, she would still live with Dan, she just wouldn’t approve of his eating habits. But all in all it seemed like they were on the same page. Liv had a feeling this living together thing was going to be pretty great.
“I wouldn’t blame ye,” Dan laughed. “‘Cause that’s pretty disgusting.” Despite the books that had littered the floor of his last place (and his bad habit of not making his bed), Dan was actually a fairly neat person. Something else his father had raised him to be. His smile turned a little sad for a moment. “I wish ye coulga met him,” he said. “Me Da, I mean. I think he woulda liked you a lot, Liv.”
Dan didn’t need to clarify. Liv knew who he meant. She returned his frown with a sad smile of her own. “I know,” Liv replied softly. “I wish I could have too.” She knew how important Dan’s dad was to him. He had gone to extreme lengths to get revenge to his father’s death. But even without that, with the way Dan talked about him. Liv could just tell how much his father meant. “He raised a hell of a son,” Liv added trying to cheer her boyfriend up a bit.
Dan returned Liv’s smile. The effort -- that she cared so much for him -- meant a lot. “He did. I don’t think he woulda liked I what I turned into, but, I like to think he’d be happy for me now. Maybe even proud.” Dan wasn’t entirely certain about that. But it helped to think that way at least. Especially now.
Liv hadn’t exactly been a fan of Dan’s former career herself. But she understood how he got into it. And she was sure his father would have too. But then he probably wouldn’t have even gone down that path if his father had lived. “He would be,” Liv assured him. “Just like I am.” She paused to give him a kiss. “Now what do you say we put packing on hold and make use of our bedroom.”
Dan smiled into the kiss, the thought of nachos quickly leaving his mind. ”That sounds like a fantastic, idea.” He told her. </l-cut>