The familiar sound of Johnny's motorcycle could be heard pulling up in front of the diner where Liv was working the breakfast shift to help make ends meet. It had become something of a routine for him to drop her off and pick her up, since his first show at the Wonderplex didn't start until noon. He'd been thinking about buying her a car for a while now, but since she didn't drive, it seemed he should probably take care of that little detail first. Then there was their little money problem. Back home, money wasn't an issue, but here on Rhy'Din, things were different. His job at the Wonderplex helped keep the money coming in, but he wasn't getting rich anytime soon.
Recognizing the brunette standing outside the diner, Johnny honked the horn as he pulled to a halt in front of her, flipping the visor of his helmet back, revealing a pair of vibrant, blue eyes with long dark lashes, despite the blond hair on his head. "Going somewhere?" he asked, with a teasing tone of voice.
Liv utterly despised her new job. It was just to fill the time, to keep money coming in while she looked for something a little more to her taste, but the one thing both she and Johnny had learned in the last few weeks was that Olivia Broderick was not made to be a waitress. The one saving grace was Johnny's insistence on taking her to and from work every day ....especially the taking her away. He seemed to understand that the sooner she was away from the diner, the better she felt. She'd even grown used to travelling on the back of his godawful motorcycle.
As he drew up beside where she waited, she felt her lips curve into a relieved smile, tucking an escaping hank of chocolate hair back behind her ear. "Oh, I'm just waiting for a superhero to come and rescue me from my life of boredom and servitude," she replied, her soft voice laughingly fond as she moved forward, one finger outstretched to dip into his helmet and tweak the end of his nose.
He grinned up at her from behind the helmet, and though she couldn't see that grin, his blue eyes were smiling happily up at her, even as she tweaked his nose. "Well, then, I'm your man. Climb on, Princess, and I'll rescue you from your life of drudgery." He scooted a little bit forward, leaving plenty of room for her to settle herself behind him. He knew she wasn't all that fond of this form of transportation, but it was all he could afford at the moment, and he made sure to be extra cautious when she was on board. "Where to?"
At least she wasn't insisting on wearing the thickest layers she owned whenever she rode his bike now. The sparkle of his eyes brought the familiar sweetness of her own grin to her face as she drew her hands onto his shoulders, swinging her leg over the back of the bike. She let go for a brief moment to pin her skirt underneath her thighs in a slightly more modest display of leg, before scooting right up close to Johnny's back, wrapping her arms around his chest with the by now familiar loving trust she'd showed even the first time she'd ridden the contraption. "Second star to the right?" she suggested with a quiet laugh. "Anywhere."
"And straight on til morning," he replied, wondering if she had any idea that he'd been to the stars - sort of. He revved the bike's engine and took off, not like a bat out of hell like he'd like to, but carefully and cautiously, for her sake. He had a few hours to kill before he had to report to work, but he had a little surprise in store in the meantime. The bike pulled away from the curb, but instead of heading in the direction of their apartment, he was headed the other way.
Curled close against his back, Liv's grip tightened in its usual sporadic style as the motorcycle began to move. But now she could recognise when she was overcompensating, a quiet laugh escaping her as her arms relaxed just a little around him, her temple resting against the smooth curve of his helmet as the buildings swept by on either side of them. Liv was never going to be the adrenaline junkie her sister was, but thanks to Johnny, she was beginning to appreciate that not all risks were necessarily bad for her.
Before long it became obvious that they were headed in the direction of the Wonderplex and not toward the apartment, as was the usual daily routine, though he had made no mention of going there. He wove his way through traffic, resisting the urge to fly like a rocket toward his destination. He could have easily flown them both there, but he thought she'd prefer a more sensible form of transportation, though it was arguable whether a motorcycle was very sensible or safe.
It took Liv a while longer to realise which direction they were headed in. She'd been to see quite a few of the shows since Lelah had returned to Earth, her afternoons rather empty unless Lucy or Johnny were around to keep the quieter Broderick from going quietly insane with inactivity. Curiosity sparked up in her eyes as she flicked her hair out of her face. Wasn't it a little early in the day to be heading to the Wonderplex"
It was a bit early for him to be arriving, as far as work was concerned, but the park at opened for business at ten, as could be seen from the line of people waiting to get inside that had formed at the gates. But Johnny wasn't going that way. He steered the bike around to another entrance where the employees parked and entered, skipping past the crowds at the ticket counters and turnstiles. No longer using his own bike for performances, Johnny pulled into a spot marked "Reserved" and cut off the engine before kicking the stand down and pulling the helmet from his head.
As usual, almost as soon as the motorcycle rolled to a halt, Liv was off it, brushing her skirt straight as she twisted to get her first good look at her boyfriend's grinning face since he'd picked her up. "Well, look at that," she smiled sweetly, bending just enough to brush a kiss to his forehead. "My superhero just happens to be my boyfriend, too."
He beamed a smile up at her as she kissed him, his skin feeling almost feverish against her lips, though that was perfectly normal for him. "Lucky you," he replied as he climbed off the bike. "It's a two-fer." Meaning two for one. He slipped the helmet onto the handlebars and pocketed his keys. Over his uniform, he was looking very casual in a red and blue striped rugby shirt, jeans, and sneakers.
Stepping back to give him room to climb off the bike, Liv giggled quietly, glancing around at the quiet staff parking lot. "I got lucky as soon as you whizzed into my life," she pointed out, long since used to the odd layering of his clothing over his uniform. She was relieved he was no longer taking that risk by not wearing his uniform when he was around her, too; the time it took to get into his uniform could be life or death for someone, somewhere. "So, um ....why here, Johnny?"
Once he was finished getting the bike secured, he turned to face her, reaching for one hand, an almost shy smile on his face. "Promise you won't laugh?" he asked, looking a little uncertain.
Recognizing the brunette standing outside the diner, Johnny honked the horn as he pulled to a halt in front of her, flipping the visor of his helmet back, revealing a pair of vibrant, blue eyes with long dark lashes, despite the blond hair on his head. "Going somewhere?" he asked, with a teasing tone of voice.
Liv utterly despised her new job. It was just to fill the time, to keep money coming in while she looked for something a little more to her taste, but the one thing both she and Johnny had learned in the last few weeks was that Olivia Broderick was not made to be a waitress. The one saving grace was Johnny's insistence on taking her to and from work every day ....especially the taking her away. He seemed to understand that the sooner she was away from the diner, the better she felt. She'd even grown used to travelling on the back of his godawful motorcycle.
As he drew up beside where she waited, she felt her lips curve into a relieved smile, tucking an escaping hank of chocolate hair back behind her ear. "Oh, I'm just waiting for a superhero to come and rescue me from my life of boredom and servitude," she replied, her soft voice laughingly fond as she moved forward, one finger outstretched to dip into his helmet and tweak the end of his nose.
He grinned up at her from behind the helmet, and though she couldn't see that grin, his blue eyes were smiling happily up at her, even as she tweaked his nose. "Well, then, I'm your man. Climb on, Princess, and I'll rescue you from your life of drudgery." He scooted a little bit forward, leaving plenty of room for her to settle herself behind him. He knew she wasn't all that fond of this form of transportation, but it was all he could afford at the moment, and he made sure to be extra cautious when she was on board. "Where to?"
At least she wasn't insisting on wearing the thickest layers she owned whenever she rode his bike now. The sparkle of his eyes brought the familiar sweetness of her own grin to her face as she drew her hands onto his shoulders, swinging her leg over the back of the bike. She let go for a brief moment to pin her skirt underneath her thighs in a slightly more modest display of leg, before scooting right up close to Johnny's back, wrapping her arms around his chest with the by now familiar loving trust she'd showed even the first time she'd ridden the contraption. "Second star to the right?" she suggested with a quiet laugh. "Anywhere."
"And straight on til morning," he replied, wondering if she had any idea that he'd been to the stars - sort of. He revved the bike's engine and took off, not like a bat out of hell like he'd like to, but carefully and cautiously, for her sake. He had a few hours to kill before he had to report to work, but he had a little surprise in store in the meantime. The bike pulled away from the curb, but instead of heading in the direction of their apartment, he was headed the other way.
Curled close against his back, Liv's grip tightened in its usual sporadic style as the motorcycle began to move. But now she could recognise when she was overcompensating, a quiet laugh escaping her as her arms relaxed just a little around him, her temple resting against the smooth curve of his helmet as the buildings swept by on either side of them. Liv was never going to be the adrenaline junkie her sister was, but thanks to Johnny, she was beginning to appreciate that not all risks were necessarily bad for her.
Before long it became obvious that they were headed in the direction of the Wonderplex and not toward the apartment, as was the usual daily routine, though he had made no mention of going there. He wove his way through traffic, resisting the urge to fly like a rocket toward his destination. He could have easily flown them both there, but he thought she'd prefer a more sensible form of transportation, though it was arguable whether a motorcycle was very sensible or safe.
It took Liv a while longer to realise which direction they were headed in. She'd been to see quite a few of the shows since Lelah had returned to Earth, her afternoons rather empty unless Lucy or Johnny were around to keep the quieter Broderick from going quietly insane with inactivity. Curiosity sparked up in her eyes as she flicked her hair out of her face. Wasn't it a little early in the day to be heading to the Wonderplex"
It was a bit early for him to be arriving, as far as work was concerned, but the park at opened for business at ten, as could be seen from the line of people waiting to get inside that had formed at the gates. But Johnny wasn't going that way. He steered the bike around to another entrance where the employees parked and entered, skipping past the crowds at the ticket counters and turnstiles. No longer using his own bike for performances, Johnny pulled into a spot marked "Reserved" and cut off the engine before kicking the stand down and pulling the helmet from his head.
As usual, almost as soon as the motorcycle rolled to a halt, Liv was off it, brushing her skirt straight as she twisted to get her first good look at her boyfriend's grinning face since he'd picked her up. "Well, look at that," she smiled sweetly, bending just enough to brush a kiss to his forehead. "My superhero just happens to be my boyfriend, too."
He beamed a smile up at her as she kissed him, his skin feeling almost feverish against her lips, though that was perfectly normal for him. "Lucky you," he replied as he climbed off the bike. "It's a two-fer." Meaning two for one. He slipped the helmet onto the handlebars and pocketed his keys. Over his uniform, he was looking very casual in a red and blue striped rugby shirt, jeans, and sneakers.
Stepping back to give him room to climb off the bike, Liv giggled quietly, glancing around at the quiet staff parking lot. "I got lucky as soon as you whizzed into my life," she pointed out, long since used to the odd layering of his clothing over his uniform. She was relieved he was no longer taking that risk by not wearing his uniform when he was around her, too; the time it took to get into his uniform could be life or death for someone, somewhere. "So, um ....why here, Johnny?"
Once he was finished getting the bike secured, he turned to face her, reaching for one hand, an almost shy smile on his face. "Promise you won't laugh?" he asked, looking a little uncertain.