Neena Thurman pours drinks, kicks ass. (fallsinplace) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-03-18 00:11:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, !musical, nathan summers (cable), neena thurman (domino) |
Who: Neena and Nate
Where: out at an ice cream shoppe
What: Neena and Nate go for ice cream and talk
When: 3/18, morning
Warnings/Rating: PG-13 for weirdness
Status complete
Nate was tired. It had been a week since they had come home. He had gone back to life, started preparing for college, been adopted by Scott and Emma, and was Nathan Summers for real now. He had mourned, had weird dreams, and truly, and utterly, managed to keep acting like life would be okay.
And yet sometimes he felt like it never would be the same. He’d dream-lived until he was 18, and then been sent back to being ten. He’d lived to be about 70 years old, and he had lived a full life. And now, again, he was ten. How did you act like you were a normal kid of ten years when you were something like 90 in your head?
He sighed and just shook his head.
But today he had asked Neena to take him for a shake at an old timey ice cream shoppe for fun and for her birthday
Neena pulled up to Nathan’s new home, whistling a little when she saw the place. It made her house look tiny. Which it was. She got out of the car, and sincerely hoped Scott was at work. The only way this meeting could be more weird was if Scott was there when she picked Nate up.
She knocked on the door, taking a deep breath. This would be fine. He was a pretty balanced kid, they could still be friendly. It was not going to get weird. Despite their conversation on the Internet. He’d understand that she was still adjusting herself.
She hoped.
Nate answered the door and hugged her, then smiled a little tiredly. “Hey. How goes?” He felt tired, and achy, but he was glad to see her. “Ready to go?” He held out a package for her, wrapped neatly. Inside, carefully preserved and acquired, was a priceless bottle of regal vodka, one of the oldest and strongest alcohols in the world. “Happy Birthday.”
Neena nodded. “Yeah. Are you sure you want to go? You look like hell.” She figured she was allowed to fuss over him a little. Thank God their future baby (who likely no longer existed), hadn’t looked much like Nate. It would only make things more awkward. The gift made her smile, despite herself. “I’ll open this after we get settled at the ice cream shop. It’s pretty heavy, did you get me a brick?”
“I do. Just readjusting to this time and place and the things that had happened when I was gone, well, it’s taking some time.” And he had a lot to try to adjust to with just what had happened from the future, and now... he was ten and short again. 3’ 8” of Nate stared up at her and thought, with a sigh, that the universe somehow had to hate him.
“I definitely need to go out and do more. Since I got home, it’s been medical visits, a massage for therapy, several visit with friends, studying for my tests for graduation and college entrance exams, and nothing else. The house gets... quiet. Even with the net out there.” He made a face. “And no, no bricks. You’ll see when you open it.”
"I know that feeling." Neena said with a nod. "It's been hard to readjust." She offered him her hand. "Ice cream won't help, but it might make you feel better." Her life sucked, but she felt very bad for Nate. "What college do you want to attend?"
Nathan took her hand and held it, grinning. “UC Irvine for now. Most of the rest need special tests, so I’ll be meeting with a counselor to test and check them out over the next year. And I will transfer in the Summer.” He grinned. “I think Ice Cream will be a good step.”
“Sounds like a good plan.” She smiled at him, and led the way to her truck. “I know just the place, it has one of the old time jukeboxes and everything.”
Nate squeezed her hand and followed. “Good! Soda and shake and maybe some food, too! Wooohooo!” He slid into the truck and buckled in, grinning.
Neena laughed at him, shaking her head. “You’re so cute I can’t stand it.” She ruffled his hair when she got into the truck. “They have the best onion rings in creation.”
He stuck out his tongue at her. “I am not cute. I am Nate.” He nodded. “Really? Sounds like fun.” He smiled a little as he settled and as she drove. “Thanks for agreeing to do this.”
“I wasn’t sure I would at first.” Neena admitted. “I’m glad you’re out of that future, and safe, but it’s a little hard to adjust. I’m sure you’re having a hard time too, which is why I decided to do it.” She didn’t want him to think she was only interested in him as a romantic partner. He mattered more to her than that.
Nate nodded. “It is. I feel old and I am very, very young. How do you adjust to age 10 when your brain insists, albeit weirdly, that you are 90-something?” He sighed and grumbled. “I’m sorry things are weird for you.”
“I’m sorry they’re weird for you, too.” Neena said with a sigh. “You’ll grow into it. I just hope puberty’s easy on you. This’ll be, what, the third time around?”
Nate nodded sadly. “Yup. With the way my life works, I’m sure there will be more times.” He blew out air and shook his head. What a freaking life. “Are you adjusting to the life here okay?”
Neena squeezed his shoulder in an attempt to be comforting. “It’s been weird. I have a hard time, sometimes. Just believing it’s over, trying to get on with my life. Things are just so strange. How’s Scott doing? I bet he’s been just sickening with Emma.” She chuckled a little. Good for him if he was.
“It’s awesome. weird, but awesome. My room is soundproofed.” He snickered. “I predict they will regret that someday.” He chuckled. “For now, I am just studying, and pondering emancipation to make college easier, and to make it easier to deal with the crazy. I’d still live with them, though.” He nodded.
Neena laughed. “After the stuff you’ve been through, you’ll probably need one of those deli number things outside your bedroom door.” Was that a weird thing to say? Probably. The whole situation was weird. “It makes sense. You’re obviously able to care for yourself.” She approved of it, because sometimes family could be a big distraction.
He snerked and choked for a moment. “Hardly.” He shook his head. “Not for a long time and even then... hardly.” He stuck out his tongue at her.
“You’re going to have a better life here, now, I hope. I hope things come together for you.”
Neena shrugged. “I think I fit in better in the post-apocalypse. It’s weird running a bar again. I feel like I forgot how to do it.” She shook her head. It was messing with her a little.
Nate nodded.
“Have you considered doing something else? Merc work, Or military?” He wanted her to be happy.
She chuckled. “Nothing gets by you, huh? I went on a job with Wade. It was interesting. But not the same.” It felt dirty, somehow. Fighting for money instead of need seemed like a perversion to her now. “I miss a lot of people from the future.” It was a lie, she only missed two.
Nate chuckled. “A lot does, but it makes sense,you know?” he smiled a little. “I miss a few of them, myself.” Even though he had Emma here, he missed old Emma, and even old him, and Rachel and Chris. It felt weird to miss having a kid who he had seen to the point where he had kids of his own and still be ten, but he did.
“Are you handling it all okay? Are you happy?” Neena hoped he was. She wasn’t sure if she was, but maybe it was just the shock of so much change.
Nate sighed. “Some? But not completely. How could I be?” He smiled. “I’m hoping it I fake it long enough I will get to the point where I am.”
“Me too.” Neena admitted as they pulled into the diner’s parking lot. “I guess that’s just life. Come on, let’s get you sugared up so you can annoy your parents.”
Nate laughed and hugged her and hopped out.
“Yay~! Now there’s something to make me feel younger.” he chuckled.
Neena laughed with him, and took his hand as they went into the diner. Just because. They were shown to a booth, and she slid in, opening the menu when Nate was settled. She made a small humming noise under her breath, until their waitress arrived. She was an adorable redhead with bright green eyes, and a caring smile. “Hi, I’m Lisa. What would you like to drink?”
Nate squeezed her hand and he hmmed. When he heard the voice, he choked, and then looked up, eyes wide and mouth falling open. “Holy Moley...” He swallowed. “I’d like...” He had to clear his throat. “I’d like a chocolate shake, please, extra chocolate?” His mind snapped to Neena’s. Not her. Dunno how, but not her, just... maybe an ancestor-ish. Astonishment was in his mind’s voice.
Fuuuuuuuuck was all Neena could reply with. “Uh, I’d like a double cheeseburger and a strawberry shake.” She did her best not to act weird, but she couldn’t help staring at this young woman.
Lisa laughed nervously and took their orders down. “Okay, then.” She left quickly, and Neena facepalmed. “It’s too early in the day to drink, right?”
“Way too early. Way, way too early. And I’m way too young. Man... what the---?” He facepalmed. “We are so not going to tell Dad about this.” He shook his head.
“Not in a million years.” Neena said with a nod. “Tell him they have rats here or something.”
Nate smiled and shook his head. “Something like that.” He squeezed one of her hands. “Here we go again.”
Neena laughed, squeezing his hand back. “We stopped? I didn’t even notice.” The food here better be excellent, she was going to need a good meal in her.
Nate laughed then, and knew that, somehow, it was going to be okay. “Darn it, I’m going to order food now. I’m hungry.” Then he laughed again. “I have a feeling I’ll need it.”
“No kidding.” Neena said with a snicker. “Always order a cheeseburger when you can. That’s one of my rules to live by, and it’s served me well.” She shook her head. “Do you have time to go mini-golfing or something after this?” Just like that, she knew she could deal with this. Tiny or not, Nate was still Nate, and they would be fine.
“Yeah. That sounds like a plan. Let’s do that.” It could work. Somehow, as friends.
Now that they’d sorted that out, Neena turned her attention to Nate’s gift. “Alright, so what did you get me?” She picked the box up, trying to guess what it might be from the size.
“Open it and find out, silly.” He grinned and waited, curious to see her reaction. Inside the box, carefully preserved and acquired in ways better not asked of a ten year old, was a priceless bottle of regal vodka, one of the oldest and strongest alcohols in the world. To most, it was a myth, but Nate had found it, in a rather odd little adventure.
Neena unwrapped the package, and at first she laughed, because of course he’d given her alcohol. He fed all her bad habits. When she examined the bottle, it became clear this wasn’t some fancy Grey Goose, this was something special. “How did you get this?”
He smirked at her. “ I went on a quest, actually. “
“Yeah?” Neena chuckled. “What kind of quest?”
"A weird one, but a fun one. “ He nodded. “ I'll tell you about it another day. "
Neena laughed and closed the box back up. Then she got up and gave Nate a hug. “Thanks, Nate. I appreciate it.”
He hugged her, then smiled. “You’re welcome.” It was weird, and awkward, but he was surviving this. so it could maybe be okay. “Now eat your ice cream.”
Neena stuck her tongue out at him. and sat down again. “Cheeseburger first. When it gets here.” Served by Lisa. That was just bizarre.
Nate nodded. Life was weird, but it was life. He sighed. “It’ll get...” And there it was. “There, see. That wasn’t so bad.” The burger was served in a whirl of serving and ‘Anything else I can get you?’ before they were alone again. “This place is a little busy, huh?”
“Good food brings people in.” Neena shrugged and started to eat. It was a really good burger. She devoted her entire attention to it for a few moments. Sometimes it was hard to eat, but right now she wasn’t having any trouble at all.
Nate sat back and just rested, closing his eyes for a moment. “This is good.” The words were soft, and he grinned. “I’m glad we did this.” He nodded.
“Me too.” She smiled at him. “I’ve been letting stuff get to me a lot since we came back. I’m sorry I didn’t check up on you earlier.”
Nate shook his head. “It’s okay. You have a lot on your plate. I’ve been pretty crazy busy, too.” her poked her. “I think it’ll be okay, though.” He nodded. He didn’t know about himself, really, but for her, he hoped it would be okay.
She nodded. “We’ll all be okay eventually. It’s just hard right now, but,”
She stood, and for a moment looked resigned, before breaking into a mercifully brief musical number, with backup singing and dancing provided by the other patron and waitresses.
“I've got to admit it's getting better (Better)
It's a little better all the time (It can't get no worse)
I have to admit it's getting better (better)
It's getting better
Since you've been mine”
And Nate opened his mouth to say something, then facepalmed and sang...
“When the night has come and the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we see
No, I won't be afraid, oh, I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
So darling, darling, stand by me,
oh, stand by me
Oh, stand, stand by me, stand by me”
He snerked as the music faded.
Neena laughed and sat down again. “I think we’re stuck with each other.” She grabbed her shake and held it out to him. “But I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be stuck with.”
he blinked at her then shrugged and took it, and sipped, and handed her his. Why not? “Sounds like a weird and fun plan.” They could be friends! This could work!
“Eww, now I’m going to have your germs.” She chuckled, and took a sip of his drink. “I meant to toast, Nate.”
Nate shrugged. “You handed a ten year old a perfectly good shake. What did you think i would think?” He stuck out his tongue, then handed hers back. “Wheee.”
“To us. Friends across the ages. Or something.”