Topic: Realizations During a Food Fight

Daniel Brooks

Date: 2012-10-17 20:47 EST
Another night brought another visit to the bar to see Alys. Danny understood that this wasn?t just about a nightly patrol any longer, or about protecting Alys (although that was part of the reason he visited); this was about his own desire to see her and to be in her company... even if that company was fleeting. When he was around her he had even started to forget he was wearing a mask. It was so natural and he was so comfortable in her presence that he felt like himself -- like how they were years ago when they were alone with each other and momentarily had escaped from the crushing weight of the world around them.

When he approached the bar, Danny caught sight of the back door which was propped open. Maybe it was nothing, or maybe it could have been a sign of a possible attempt at a break in or at least a vulnerability that could possibly be exploited. Either way, this wasn?t something he was going to let go. Danny silently and stealthily dropped from the rooftops to the back door, first checking out the surrounding area to make sure there were no possible burglars in the area. Once sure the back alley was secure, Danny slid his fingers between the slightly ajar door and quietly pulled it open enough to poke his head through.

Alystelle had left that door ajar for this very purpose. How did she know he would be the one to find the door propped open? Because he had made it a habit of being there at the same time each night and checking everything over for her. How could she have been certain that someone else hadn?t exploited that easy opening into the lucrative establishment? She wasn?t certain at all, but Danny was only a few minutes away from his arrival and anything that went amiss would quickly be solved by him. That was the faith she had in him.

The last stragglers were being ushered out of the front exit then Alys locked the door and set the deadbolt in place. The same was done to the side door and then she began turning out all of the neon signs and lights, closing down for the night. Finally.

Peering at her watch, she actually grinned; it was time. She gave the bar one final swipe with the bar rag and then made her way into the kitchen, trying not to look as eager as she felt.

There wasn?t a sign of any person at first, and the kitchen was quiet. Of course it was, he thought, it was past closing time and they?d likely have shut it down at least an hour ago so everyone could leave on time. It was difficult to hear, although he could make out the voices of various patrons on the opposite side of the establishment. Nothing sounded amiss, but he was certainly not going to leave until he was certain Alys was not in any danger... and he wasn?t going to leave until he at least said hello to her, and caught one of her smiles, and looked into her eyes...

He gave a light tap to the side of his head to regain his focus. It was enough that he couldn?t stop thinking about her throughout the day, but when he was most likely within shouting distance and seconds from her -- and in an establishment owned by a slimeball with a gun who lurked about -- he should really pay more attention to his surroundings. Danny quietly closed the door behind him to insure nobody would sneak up that way without some sound to warn him and moved further into the kitchen. When he heard footsteps approaching the kitchen he flattened himself against the wall and dipped into a few shadows.

His heart pounded hard against his ribcage as the first thing he saw was the honey blonde color of her hair that seemed to shine in the darkened room. He felt a grin tugging the corners of his lips upwards, taking one moment to just study Alys in full. It wasn?t a leer, or anything that could be misconstrued as lustful; he was simply taking in how beautiful she looked, even in this setting after having worked for who knows how long. She was a natural beauty, and never failed to take his breath away.

Danny cleared his throat after a second to announce his presence before stepping out from his hiding spot. ?Hey, Alys. The door was open so I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. Um, is it? Or do you need me for anything?? He lifted his brows in hope, which would still be noticeable even with the mask on, and moved over toward that familiar island.

Daniel Brooks

Date: 2012-10-17 20:48 EST
Alys still jumped a little as she saw Danny step from the shadows. One hand pressed to her chest and she giggled a little. ?You scared the bejesus out of me, Frank!? Her other hand immediately began to smooth over somewhat unruly hair then fidget with the neckline of her shirt. After that, her hands were clasped behind her to still their nervous movements.

?Yeah, the door was left open for you...I thought you might wanna come inside for something to eat or drink or whatever...something besides just checkin? up on me...? She ended that statement with a little clearing of her throat and looked down to inspect the floor that she suddenly decided needed to be mopped again. ?Unless you gotta go again? In that case, I will just make you up a doggy bag or somethin?.? Either way, she was feeding him; it didn?t matter if it was now or later. She still felt that she owed him for his nightly rounds to see that she was safe. Who knew what he did during the day and when he had a chance to eat.

She began to nibble at the inside of her lower lip, hoping he wouldn?t say he had to go again.
?Is it weird to try to feed a guardian angel?? She mused this quietly as a hint of a grin played across her lips.

It was funny how well she knew his situation -- how similar theirs were -- without even really knowing. Danny had money problems of his own and barely ate during the day, so he would not turn down a free meal. But first, he wore an apologetic smile as he ran a hand back and forth over the smooth cap of his mask. ?Oh, I?m sorry. Didn?t mean to scare you. Maybe I need to call you ahead of time or something.? It was an off-the-cuff suggestion, but as he rolled the idea around in his head, he thought it wasn?t too bad at all.

?I would love something to eat,? admitting with a laugh. ?But you have to sit with me too, okay? So I think feeding a guardian angel is appropriate just so long as you eat with them.? He nodded to encourage her into following his line of reasoning. And suddenly he was transfixed with her lip as she nibbled on it, even if it wasn?t one of those full blown lip nibbles he enjoyed seeing so much.

Okay, he was staring now. Danny realized this and gave another nervous laugh. ?I, uh, thank you for the offer. But I hope you don?t feel obligated or anything. I... I do this because I want to.?

?You can call if you want to or I can just leave the door open...either way.? She smiled a little more and brushed a hand through her hair once more. ?If you call early enough I can make you something you like. This isn?t a typical bar kitchen, yanno. I make real food here which is why we have such an excellent customer base. Get a lot of the graveyard shift workers on their lunch break, so it isn?t ever any sort of burden or anything.?

If he thought back to when they were younger, he should be able to remember how much she loved to cook or bake something when she knew he would be around. Apparently some things hadn?t changed even if she didn?t know it was him.

?Sure, I?ll sit with ya.? She tried --and failed-- to wipe the silly schoolgirl grin from her face. ?Let?s go into the bar area, though. It?s more comfortable. First, let me see what we have in the fridge.? She walked away from him and opened the industrial sized refrigerator and began to dig around, calling out with her head stuck inside of it.

?We got fried chicken and potato salad. Stuff for sandwiches. Uhh...some sort of mystery whatever that I sure didn?t cook. Hamburgers. There?s chips in one of the cabinets. Apple pie and cherry cobbler. That?s it.? She said that as she pulled her head from the refrigerator and turned to give him an apologetic look. ?Any of that sound alright? Or I can just put all of it out on the bar and you can pretend it?s a buffet or somethin?...?

She laughed a little then began to fidget again. ?Oh I do feel obligated to do somethin? for you but this is somethin? I want to do...would like to keep doin? if you don?t have anything else planned.?

Daniel Brooks

Date: 2012-10-17 20:49 EST
?Apple pie sounds delicious,? he almost cooed. It had been a long time since he treated himself to anything sweet as he couldn?t afford it and it wasn?t really part of his diet. But there was no way he was going to pass up sharing a piece with her. He wiped away what he imagined was some saliva from his mouth and walked toward her and the refrigerator.

?Really, don?t feel obligated. But if you want to keep doing this... maybe we can make it a date each night, huh?? He wore a hopeful smile once he reached her, his turn to draw his bottom lip under his top teeth. ?I would love to spend more time with you, Alys. So if this can accomplish it, then I would be more than happy to keep doing this.?

He stepped from one foot to the next, looking over the kitchen for a moment before returning his gaze to her. ?Um, by the way, I had a real good time going out with you. Not like it was ?going out? out, but... well, yeah. I wanted to ask you if you?d like to do that again sometime.? What he really wanted was to see her during the day, to take her on a real date and spend an entire day with her. Hard to do as a wanted masked vigilante, though.

?So, just pie and no food? Are you sure?? She walked over to the oven and pulled out the warming drawer which held both desserts. The apple pie was removed and placed on the counter before she was back to the refrigerator for the freshly made whipped cream and a small tub of vanilla ice cream. Both were held up for his inspection.

Of course she just stood still once she heard him mention making each night date night. She finally broke the silence with a little laugh. ?We might as well...protecting me from violence is getting old for a date theme, anyway.?

Two forks were pulled from a silverware holder on the counter and everything was brought back to the island. She kept her hands on the whipped cream and ice cream just so she wouldn?t fidget again. ?Last night was wonderful...we should do that again, definitely. Though, don?t think you always have to perform tricks to keep me happy. I...I just enjoy your company. Just you, whomever you are under that mask. You don?t always have to be a hero to be my hero.? Her face began to burn as she realized she had really just spoken those words to him. She felt incredibly awkward being so forward.

Clearing her throat to push past her embarrassment, Alys finally spoke again. ?Are you sure you won?t eat anything besides pie?? She had to change the subject or she was certain the floor would open up and swallow her whole.

?Yeah, just pie. And whipped cream. And ice cream. For now. Maybe something after, but I have to keep my figure.? He patted his firm stomach, grinning at her. The grin threatening to split his face in two as she blushed so furiously. It was funny how she could bring him to such heights just through small words and actions.

?I really enjoy your company too, Alys and...? he touched his mask, the grin faltering for a moment as he tried to explain to himself his reasons for keeping his identity a secret before he could explain to her. ?I want to tell you who I am, but I?m afraid what might happen if I do.? And he was. It was the truth, even if it didn?t tell the full story. Danny was still afraid what would happen, especially now that she had grown closer to him during this time together. How could he explain the decision to not tell her? And the longer he waited, the more he feared coming clean.

?And it wasn?t a trick to keep you happy. I just wanted to give you a flower,? wanting to change the subject just as much as she was, but for different reasons. ?Yeah, that?s fine for now. I mean, the food is gonna be nice, but I really only want to spend time with you right now. And um, do you need a hand with anything?? Seeing that she had her hands full, just trying to make himself feel useful right now since she was being so polite and thoughtful, and he was just being a nervous dope.

Daniel Brooks

Date: 2012-10-17 20:50 EST
She handed him the bowl of whipped cream and container of ice cream then picked up the pie and forks. There were no plates because eating pie right from the pan was much more relaxed...the pie might even taste better that way. Hopefully he wouldn?t be too offended with her lack of proper manners. Besides, she planned on making him eat the majority of that pie. The way he lit up at the mention of apple pie and then wanting whipped cream and ice cream both...she had decided he was sugar deprived and that was quite a terrible state to be in.

?Jack, you don?t have to be afraid of me...not ever. I?m a harmless little thing.? She grinned a little over her shoulder as she walked ahead of him. ?I understand the need for privacy, however. I?m not pushin? for you to take that off. Not until you are ready. It just reminds me of how mysterious you are and I am a curious kinda girl that likes to puzzle things out.?

She?d heard the seriousness of that tone and noted the abrupt change of subject, so she was making this as much of a non-issue as possible. She wanted him to be as comfortable around her as possible. ?You won?t be missing out on sleep or crime fightin? or whatever you do after you leave here, will you? I don?t wanna be too selfish and keep you all to myself.?

Placing the pie and forks on the bartop, she slipped behind it to the cooler and pulled out a small jug of milk. ?Want this straight up or a mixed drink?? Her other hand was jiggling a bottle of chocolate syrup. Chocolate milk might not really go with apple pie but it went with vanilla ice cream. She was on a mission to overload him on sugar, apparently.

A sugar overload would probably have him bouncing off the walls. He never had much of it, so this plan of hers might end up to be very, very entertaining for her until he had the inevitable sugar crash. Following after, he set the ice cream and whipped cream on the bartop as he slid into a seat. ?I?m not afraid of you, Alystelle. I trust you. Just... I?m not ready and it might be dangerous to unmask. There are things I have to work out first, but please don?t think it?s because of you. I like you... I trust you.?

With that said, he nodded as an exclamation point. ?Missing crime fighting? No, not at all. I?ve cleaned up a lot of the area so this is nice,? he grinned over to her. ?And if it?s all the same, I want you to be selfish. I certainly am.?

His head turned like a curious puppy as she held up the milk and chocolate syrup. Oh, she was too good to be true! He adored mixing syrup in milk, but she knew that about him. Or at least, she knew that about Danny. He wondered if maybe she didn?t know more about his identity than she let on... but that thought was quickly pushed aside. He trusted her, and if she did piece it together he was sure she?d tell him as much in one way or another.

?Mixed, please! Thank you!?

?You just take all the time you need. There is seriously no rush,? she said as she grabbed up the largest glass she could find and began mixing up a very chocolatey glass of milk for him. Maybe she wasn?t ready for him to be a normal guy yet. Things were great the way they were; she didn?t feel pressured to move any faster than her snail?s pace at getting close. So, his mask was something that she considered a plus at this point. They -were- growing closer but it was far slower than most people moved. Danny would know the reasons behind her caution (though she did trust him to a certain degree) even if she didn?t know that he knew. His patience with her, not pushing her to move faster, was one of the things that made her trust him more.

The glass was pushed across the bar for him and she began to make her own glass of chocolate milk. ?So, this isn?t boring for you? For the man that can leap buildings and make things come to life...? It still amazed her that he would want to spend his time with her, in a closed bar, just talking and eating.

She walked back around the bar and slid onto a barstool next to him and reached over for her glass of chocolate milk. It was held out for a toast. ?To mysteriously masked men!?

Fingers wrapped around the glass as it was slid across to him, but he was going to wait for her before drinking. ?Boring? No, not at all. Trust me, some of the stuff I?ve been through or seen?? Danny shook his head, dropping his gaze to the floor for a moment before looking back up to her. ?I would rather spend all of my nights or days sitting and talking and laughing and playing board games or reading or... whatever.? He smiled as he finished speaking, his words filled with sincerity.

Once she was settled he lifted the glass, tapping it to hers. ?To mysteriously masked men and sweet southern belles!?

Daniel Brooks

Date: 2012-10-17 20:51 EST
?Do you have any board games at home? We should bring some...? Her cheeks began to pink up a little. ?Yanno...for date nights. I mean...if you want. You said you like board games...so..? She shrugged a little, feeling awkward again.

The glass of chocolate milk was clinked against his and she laughed a little. ?If you wanna call me that, go right on ahead but I don?t think there is much sweet about me and I am certainly no belle!? He was one of the few people that had been close enough to Alys to know just how low her self esteem was.

Changing the subject again, she laughed. ?I forgot an ice cream scoop and spoons. Can you eat ice cream with a fork??

?Oh yeah, I got a a lot of games. I would love to play some with you!? He nearly bounced on his seat; it was something so simple but sounded so fun. ?I think I like these date nights already. Though I knew I would. You could like, read the menu to me and I?d love spending time with you.

?Alys, you are certainly sweet and a beautiful belle. You meet the criteria!? Danny grinned and drank his milk... all at one time. Loudly gasping as he finished, licking his lips and sighing in content. ?Boy, that?s good. Hit the spot. Oh! I don?t know if you can eat ice cream with a fork but I do know you can do this!?

Danny reached for a fork while popping the lid from the ice cream. He then dug out a scoop of ice cream with the fork and turned it upwards with the fork between his thumb and forefinger. Using his left hand to pull the fork back like a catapult, he flung the small scoop of ice cream in Alys? direction. All the while he was snickering like a teenager playing what he thought was the funniest practical joke ever.

Alys just stared at him in shock after the ice cream smacked her between the eyes and slid down her nose. Luckily she caught the glob as it slid off. She deposited it upon the bar then calmly removed the plastic wrap from the bowl of fresh whipped cream. Not even bothering to grab a fork; she stuck two fingers into it, scooped up a big glob, and flung it at Danny.

Then she smiled.

?The date nights are definitely sounding fun. We can play games, eat, listen to the jukebox. Do you like music at all?? She adored music and he would know that about her even if she didn?t know he did. She asked this as dignified as one could with ice cream still between her eyes and on her nose.

He could have dodged the whipped cream. He was a ninja, it?s what he did. But he was sort of shocked at the calmness of her reaction and how ruthless the counterattack was. The whipped cream splattered on his face, from his cheek across his mouth to his chin. Danny tried to play it off cooly, only licking the area around his lips clean and ignoring the rest.

?I do like music! And dancing,? adding that part in there even if she didn?t ask the question. He finally slid his fingers across his chin to gather the whipped cream and plopped it down across the apple pie before cutting a piece with his fork and chewing. She couldn?t see it, but mirth was clear in his eyes as he planned his next volley in the food fight.

?So, Alys, is there anything you wanna know about me besides the obvious?? He asked as he reached for the syrup, trying to hide a playful grin and completely failing to do so. ?I want you to just kinda see me as a normal person, if that makes sense. I mean, I have a life outside of this and everything. Do you wanna know how old I am or can you tell?? He was curious how much he gave away of himself with the mask. But as he finished the questions, he aimed the bottle toward her and gave the bottle a little squirt, aiming the syrup for her shirt.

Daniel Brooks

Date: 2012-10-17 20:52 EST
Score!, she thought to herself as the whipped cream splattered across his face. She found herself snickering mirthfully as he licked it away and then began eating. She thought that might be a good plan, so she picked up her fork and cut a bite of the pie for herself.

Pausing to answer his questions, she was completely unaware of his plan regarding the chocolate syrup though she did find it odd to add chocolate to apple pie. ?Sure, I see you as a normal person, I guess. That mask is so much a part of you, in my mind, that I hardly notice it really. Half of your head might as well be dark green or somethin?.? She grinned a little and was just answering the second question, ?I think in your twenties maybe? You have a young face, the part I can s....OH MY LORD!? She stared down at her chest and shirt and then back up at him before doing something that would shock her once she thought about it later.

She ported behind the bar, grabbed one of the soda nozzles and just began spraying; something she would never have thought herself capable of doing. It was just so...rude. She did realize, somewhere in the back of her mind, that he could easily dodge but she hoped she caught him at least a little. It all happened so rapidly that she didn?t have time to register that she had been able to use her power without the usual closing of her eyes and picturing where she wanted to be. Another wonderment for later.

?I would like to know what color eyes you have.? Spoken calmly as she put the soda nozzle back where it went and then blinked out only to reappear upon her barstool. One leg was crossed calmly over the other and she lifted her forkful of pie and took the bite, all while just staring at him.

Now he was just dripping with soda! At least she didn?t get any in the food; that would have just ruined it. As the liquid dripped down his head and face, mixing with the whipped cream, he took another bite of his pie. He wasn?t really expecting her to ask a personal identifier, and used the time it took to chew the dessert to decide if he should tell her the truth. It wasn?t much of a decision.

?Green,? said after swallowing. ?I like the color green, so it shouldn?t be much of a surprise.? He couldn?t just lie to her, and green is fairly common. Surely she wouldn?t really start to think it was anything but coincidence. He cut out another piece of pie, but instead offered the fork out to her. Seems like he was conceding the food fight for the moment.

?You ever consider using that power to go out and fight crime?? It was something of a question asked in jest with a light tone, though maybe he was probing to see if she?d be open for another date night activity.

She accepted his surrender by leaning over to take the offered bite as well as to elbow him lightly in the ribs. After chewing and swallowing she smiled as she sat up. ?I dunno what somebody like me could do. It?d be kinda cool to be able to help somebody out, though...? She had a soft spot for victimized people, after all. ?Why do you ask??

He just grinned as she took the offered bite and gave a light ?oof? as she elbowed him. For that, the fight was back on! It was his turn to dip his finger in the whipped cream, and he placed the tuft right on the tip of her nose before giving a juvenile snicker. ?You?re about right with the age, too.?

Now back to eating, this time actually succeeding in eating a scoop of ice cream with a fork. He had to slow down though, as it almost gave him a brain freeze; he hadn?t had ice cream in a long, long time. ?Are you kidding? You can ?port behind people and hit them on the head with a bat!? Nodding his head to her, in case she forgot how they met.

?Well, I was thinking maybe you could also come out with me more. I can carry you around rooftops, you can teleport me, I can do flips with you... impress you with my moves, all that jazz.? And more nodding, along with a wide encouraging grin.

Daniel Brooks

Date: 2012-10-17 20:52 EST
Since his nose was covered by his mask, she had to be satisfied with smearing more whipped cream across his lips; it wasn?t the meanest thing she could do but satisfying nonetheless.

?You aren?t gonna ever let me live that down are ya?? She gave a light tap to his lower lip before moving her hand down to fidget with her fork.

Thank God for subject changes. ?That sounds like it would be a lot of fun but what do I do if somebody tries to hit me and you are otherwise occupied? I doubt I can punch as hard as you can...? Her gaze fell to his arm muscles to prove a point. She was far less muscular than he was. This was, of course, a good thing; though not for crime fighting!

All right, so somewhere along the line -- probably when she was touching his lips -- he sort of lost track of the fact this was a food fight and was more trying to control the shiver that was threatening to quake his spine. He sucked in his bottom lip, not so much to take in the whipped cream, but to steady himself. ?Oh, I?m sure I will. Someday. When the bump goes away.?

Calming his nerves, he caught her looking to his arms. He was a showoff, always had been, so he couldn?t resist lifting his arm in a sideways ?L? shape and flexing. Danny was far from a bodybuilder type, instead he had a lean athletic form, but he also did wear a form fitting shirt that was good for showing off his toned muscles. ?Oh, what? You mean punching with these guns?? Flex. ?Honestly, Alys, it?s more about technique than power. I could teach you some things, if you?d like. That way you can not feel unprepared if you wanna go.?

?That bump has gone away...that was weeks ago!? She sounded a little hopeful that it had actually gone away, she?d feel bad if it hadn?t. A hand reached up to try to rub across the mask covered back of his head to find out for herself. A bold move for someone so normally reserved. She was full of surprises tonight, at least for herself. All she could attribute it to was the fact that she was utterly relaxed with him, which was a very odd thing, indeed. She hadn?t been this relaxed with someone since...Stop it, stop it, stop it, Alys. Her smile died for a brief moment before she could get control over her mind again and stop the train of thought before it derailed and ruined the entire night.

She cleared her throat and laughed as he flexed his bicep and called it a gun. ?You are such a goof!? The way she said it made the word sound like it was the greatest thing in the world to be. She nodded a little as he offered to teach her how to properly lay someone out. ?Yeah, I?d like that. It would be real useful around here. A bat doesn?t always do the trick...might have to get real mean one night and show someone I mean business...? Her turn to flex an arm and it wasn?t too shabby of a sight, either.

A small sigh left his whipped-cream covered mouth as her hand rubbed his head. Even if he was wearing a mask and full cap, he still enjoyed the feeling more than he could express. It made him want to feel her fingers run through his hair, along his scalp. She would be able to tell there was no bump remaining if she was really looking for one.

?I would love to see you beat up some unruly drunks some night,? he grinned, her laugh bringing him back to the moment. Then his lips made a little ?o? shape as she flexed. He reached out with both his hands to feel her arm on the top and the bottom, feeling bicep and tricep. ?Alys, you got yourself a real nice arm there. I bet you could knock people out easy!? His fingertips took a bit of liberty, sliding along her upper arm near her shoulder before he pulled his hands back.

?You just be around any night of the week and you?ll get to see me have to get a lil feisty with ?em. Some of the nicest guys you could ever meet until they get one too many then I have to remind them of their manners.? It was almost comical at times to see a woman as short as her handle some rather large and loud drunks. Her body contained a far bigger voice than most would think.

She giggled a little when he pronounced her arm as fit for duty. ?Thanks, comes from wielding a baseball bat on a regular basis...? Her voice trailed off as his hand slid up her arm to her shoulder; she just watched his face, not saying anything as she stared. Finally she broke the awkward silence and smiled a little shyly. ?We should probably eat what we want of this ice cream before it turns into vanilla soup...? With that said, she busied her hands with the container and fork before one or both reached out to touch his face.

?Oh, right. Yeah, nobody likes warm ice cream!? He beamed, quickly looking around for his fork. It was very much right in front of his face, but he seemed very flustered and the moment and continually overlooked it. ?Maybe I can sneak in one night and watch! Not that I?d just be watching you. I mean, I like watching you but not in a weird stalker way. Like, when we woke up the other morning I didn?t watch you sleep or anything. Um, well, what I mean is I think you?re very beautiful and it was nice being so close to you and seeing how pretty you are while you sleep. And oh God where is the fork oh there it is!? And mercifully he found it in time to stuff his mouth with the closest thing, which so happened to be a mouthful of whipped cream by itself.

Danny kept very focused on that tub of whipped cream, even going in for seconds just to keep his mouth from talking any more. He wasn?t even sure what he was saying anymore, it was like listening to the radio without a power button or the ability to change channels. He didn?t even think how weird it must seem to eat straight whipped cream. Alys was most certainly succeeding in giving him quite the dosage of sugar tonight.

Daniel Brooks

Date: 2012-10-17 20:56 EST
?So you don?t watch me...and you didn?t watch me sleep but you saw how pretty I am when I sleep? That sorta sounds like you mighta been watchin? me, Jack...? She feigned a serious expression and stared at him, lowering her chin so that she was looking up through a golden fan of lashes.

?So were you or weren?t you watching me sleep...because if you weren?t then I am not sure that I can ever believe you if you ever tell me I am pretty again. Because if you weren?t watching me sleep then you made up the part about me being pretty when I was asleep which obviously means you would be lying if you said it again because...well, you don?t watch me. How can you know how something looks if you don?t watch it??

She pointed at his fork with her own. ?Oh hey, how ?bout that...it was right there the whole time.? Was she seriously teasing him or was this some sort of accidental harrassment? The answer would be in the depths of those cerulean blue eyes...mischief and mirth.

He had already eaten nearly half the tub of whipped cream since he was doing anything to keep from answering for as long as he could. He then noticed that this probably looked weird -- that and he felt like he wanted to bounce off the walls -- and set his fork down. Her logic had his mind running around in circles so all he did was nod lazily. ?Well...? drawing that out for as long as possible.

His gaze turned back to Alys, and though he saw the playfulness in her eyes and realized she was simply having fun, he wanted to state the truth. ?Okay, so, I woke up a little bit before you and was sorta surprised and before I tried to wake you up I just sort of watched for a little bit but not long and I really do think you?re pretty but just not when you?re asleep but all the time and I do tend to watch you but more like watching out for you but wow you know that your eyes are really, really pretty too??

He didn?t take a breath until after the question was asked. It was rhetorical and just what came out because he couldn?t help but stare into her eyes as they felt like they were looking right through the mask. Danny then gave a lopsided grin to her and shrugged one broad shoulder. ?So that?s the truth!?

Alys snickered as he spoke then looked up from her awkward staring position so that she was gazing straight ahead now. ?So...you admit to watching me a little but not too much. That sounds like an acceptable amount of watching. And you are here every night watching me as well, or just watching out for me. No, there isn?t anything stalkerish about that at all. Nuh uh. Nope. Nada.?

She cut off a small bite of pie and dipped it right into the bowl of whipped cream then paused before taking the bite. ?Have to get some of this before you eat all of it. Tell me, Sam...am I gonna be cleaning off the walls and ceiling from where you hit because you are gonna be on a serious sugar high in a lil while.? Her head was tilted a little as she looked at him then laughed. ?This is gonna be so fun to watch.?

That bite of pie was given a look before she pushed it towards him, hovering a few inches from his mouth. ?Here...have this too so we can get this show on the road!? She was a terrible woman for instigating this but she couldn?t help it. She was having more fun sitting here having a food fight and chit-chatting than she had in so long. She was comfortable around him and he made her laugh. Of course she would be adding fuel to that fire...or sugar to the rush.

?Are you saying you don?t want me to stalk you anymore? He placed a hand over his heart as if the suggestion hurt, and yes, he did use the word ?stalk? in a light tone. Danny then grinned at the offered piece of pie and allowed her to feed his sugar high. The bite was devoured in short order, and Danny just felt like he had to stand up to get some of this pent up energy out.

His feet hit the floor and his hand went atop one of Alys? thighs as the raised from his seat; the touch was likely meant to both make both of them more comfortable with contact between each other, and to just make sure he didn?t fall from standing too quick. ?Whoa,? he chuckled as he wobbled. Danny never drank and rarely ever had sweets, but never anything like so much so quick. It was a little telling he seemed to be acting a little funny.

?You want me to run up the walls? I can do that, you know! I can run up walls!? He beamed a cheery and bright grin at her as he starting to do a little in place jog with his feet. ?I?ll help clean if I make a mess! Or,? his head canted to one side before he noticed he still had his hand against her leg, ?we can take another run around the city and I can escort you home??

Daniel Brooks

Date: 2012-10-17 20:57 EST
?I?m saying no such thing. You may feel free to stalk me if you wish to waste your time doing so.? She snickered a little as he took the bite and jumped up. Of course, that grin upon her face died away at the touch to her leg; she didn?t frown, her face was just a blank slate for the entirety his hand remained there. She looked like she had seen a ghost but was too shocked to appear afraid yet. Not that he had really done anything wrong; Alys was just very iffy about being touched in certain places, even innocent places, when she wasn?t expecting it. Sometimes she was fine, other times not so much.

She licked at her suddenly dry lips and made herself smile. God, stop being such a weirdo, Alys. He isn?t doing anything wrong... ?I bet it would be funny to see you do that. You can do whatever you want since you just assured me you would clean up after yourself.?

She finally turned on that barstool so that his hand slid off of her leg and she couldn?t help but breathe a soft sigh of relief. She wasn?t at all upset with him, she was just...her usual weird self. ?Why don?t I just go ahead and clean up here and we can call it a night? I sorta have the safest way home possible...teleporting directly there tends to save a woman from the terrible people that lurk in the night...? She laughed a little, hoping she hadn?t weirded him out too much; her social skills left a lot to be desired when it came to the opposite sex.

As she stood, she touched his shoulder briefly as she looked up at him. ?Maybe tomorrow night we can do that? You can call ahead to place your food order and then we can go do whatever...? Her tone sounded hopeful and she was fully smiling again.

His grin went just a little flat as the magic words were said. Calling it a night when it really felt like it should just have started. But then he thought that this might have been for the best. What was he thinking, anyway? He?s pretending to be someone else and allowing her to think that he?s still dead all while trying to stay close to her. For a moment, Danny hated himself and how selfish and thoughtless this was.

?No, yeah, right. You can get right home. I forgot. Don?t really need an escort. Duh,? he forced a chuckle and popped the front of his head with the palm of a hand. ?No, I won?t make a mess then. I?ll just head on out and go be productive and hope I make it back home before the sugar crash hits me.?

When she placed her hand on his shoulder, it drew his eyes that way. Then came the offer of tomorrow night, and he just felt even more guilty for not having the strength to come clean. His face quickly lifted and went back to hers and he tried to stretch the grin out. ?Oh! Sure, tomorrow, yeah. But we don?t have phones so I don?t think I can call, but I?ll be here as usual.? And he would be. No matter how much he was starting to hate himself for continuing this, he wouldn?t ever abandon Alys. ?So, um, do you need a hand with anything before I get outta here and find some people to beat up??

?No, don?t need one but maybe sometime I might want one. Will the offer still be there?? Her voice was so soft, he might have to strain to hear it; she was really outside of her comfort zone at the moment, but this was worth it to her.

?Alright, tomorrow then. What should I make?? Her offer to feed him each night had been a serious one; it was the only thing she could think to do to make up for all he had been doing for her. Besides, she realized that she liked him and enjoyed just sitting here with him...even if she had gone weird suddenly.

?Uhm...you don?t have to help cleanup. I wouldn?t mind you doing a little of your stalk-watching, though.? She offered a bit of a crooked grin, hoping it made up for the abrupt change of plans only moments earlier.

?Alys, the offer will always be there. Even if you?ll never need it,? smiling toward her, though he did doubt it was something that he would ever be taken up on. Teleporting or letting a masked stranger carry you home? Tough choice.

?And sorry, I wouldn?t feel right just watching. It wouldn?t be proper or show very good manners, would it?? His brows lifted, though they were hidden. He began to assist in the cleanup, putting the lids back on the tub of whipped cream and ice cream. Her grin did a lot to make up for the change of plans, but did little to ease his mind about what he was doing.

?I really never know what I want to eat. You don?t have to cook. Just whatever is around will be fine,? nodded to her as he started to take the two tubs back toward the kitchen. ?Oh, and feel free to stalk-watch me if you want to instead!? Putting a bit of levity back into the situation to cover his disappointment that he would soon be out of her presence.

Daniel Brooks

Date: 2012-10-17 20:57 EST
?So, you save damsels in distress and clean up. Jack, I think you might just be the perfect man.? She giggled a little to cover her sudden embarrassment regarding those words. She was surely surprising herself tonight; over and over. She watched him put the lids on containers and move off towards the kitchen as a huge smile slid itself into place along her lips; not that she would -ever- admit to what had made her grin like such a fiend.

?Alright, liver and onions with neckbone soup it is!? She wasn?t serious, just teasing him again; something she was finding that she enjoyed doing immensely. She grabbed the forks in one hand and the half empty pie tin in the other and followed him into the kitchen. ?Looks like I am stalkin? ya right here and now. I?m not as stealthy as you, however. Maybe you should teach me some moves.?

She tossed the forks into the sink and covered the pie, leaving it upon the island. ?So how does one stalk-watch another person when they don?t know where that person is from one moment to the next?? She fidgeted with the aluminum foil that covered the pie and peeked up at him from beneath those lashes, shy again.

Then to maybe take the attention from the fact that she had just shown some interest in that stalk-watching, she pushed the pie towards him. ?Take this with you or I will have to toss it into the trash.? Which was sort of a fib, but she wanted him to take it and figured he would protest. She was already finding ways to get what she wanted. He should beware!

?I?m hardly perfect, Alys,? he admitted with a casual shrug. ?I just have manners and was raised right.? He almost winced at that, the last thing he wanted to do was get her to ask questions about where or how he was raised. Time to change the subject!

?You know, I don?t know exactly how to stalk-watch in situations like that. Luckily, you happen to be in the same place at the same time... and I?ll be in the same place at the same time because of that, so that works out pretty well!? Finishing his part in cleaning, Danny turned back just in time to be hit with those flutter of lashes. ?I like the idea of you stalk-watching me, you know.?

The apple pie was then pushed toward him with the threat of it being tossed out. Danny would have taken it either way, but was grateful for the way out of having to deny it on principle. Seems like Alystelle knew him better than even she might suspect. ?Well, if it?s gonna get thrown out...? he smiled gratefully as he curled his fingers around the pie, only briefly touching hers. Again with the surreptitious touch!

?But what if I want to stalk-watch you more than just in the wee hours of the night in this bar?? It was a legitimate question even if it did cause a slight blush to spread along her cheeks. ?Maybe I could rescue you from things such as you endured the other night if I was stalking you properly.? A hint of a smile was given then spread a little further as he took the pie. ?Yep, just gonna have to throw it out. Health codes and all that...?

?You know this is just going to ruin my figure!? Danny gave an exasperated sigh before he broke out in a fit of snickers, unable to even keep up that joke. But she seemed happy he was taking the pie, and thinking it might be rude to joke when she?s being so nice and kind. ?No, thank you for this, Alys. It was good pie and I really think I need a treat at home.?

He pulled the dessert back toward him, shrugging at her question but taking note of the blush. ?Well, maybe we could get those phones. I?d love to see you more outside of this too,? he was going to add ?but? to the end, but instead left the sentence as is. It was the truth, after all.

?Yeah, I?m pretty sure nothing can do that...? Alys trailed off before she could say anything else incriminating that proved she had checked him out. A few times. She waved away his thanks and smiled sweetly. ?No thanks needed, Jack. I should be the one thanking you for rescuing me...from boredom. The night was a lot better with you around.? She coughed a little and looked down at her hands which had nothing to busy them from their fidgeting.

?I have a phone at my apartment and there is a phone here. I?m not usually anywhere else but the market. I can write down the numbers if you think you might want to call sometime. You wouldn?t have to get a phone...could like...use a payphone or something?? Even as she was speaking, she had been digging around in her jeans pocket for a pen and the notepad she used to take food orders. She likely looked overeager and that little voice in the back of her head said it wasn?t proper to offer her number to the opposite sex; she pushed that voice back out of her head as she neatly printed the numbers on the paper with the words ?home? and ?bar? next to their respective numbers.

?Don?t worry ?bout it being weird times to call or nothin?...I don?t sleep much and you are definitely a better distraction than thinking or reading...?

Danny didn?t really notice if he was being checked out or not, instead he just kept going about his business with setting everything away and taking the offered treat. He gave a small laugh at hearing what he had rescued her from tonight. ?Oh, well, trust me. I?m usually not that exciting. Some nights are busy and some aren?t, but I do like being around you. It?s fun even if you?re pushing stuff that?s gonna rot my teeth on me.? And he flashed those pearly whites to show it was all good-natured fun.

Fingers reached across looking to snag the piece of paper. He didn?t have any pockets so he?d have to stuff it between the tape of his hands, and along those lines: ?I?ll have to try to find a place to carry quarters on me. Maybe I need to sew pockets someplace, with a zipper.? Lips pursed as he thought about how the jingling of change probably wasn?t going to be good for the whole ninja thing, but he shrugged that off. Might as well figure that out later!

?You don?t sleep much?? Said with a surprised tone, his head moving to one side. ?But you?re always so upbeat and look amazing. Um, what I mean is, okay! I might call you during the morning or day sometime, then spend way too long talking to you.? Nodding, because he knew that would likely be what would happen.

Daniel Brooks

Date: 2012-10-17 20:59 EST
?Well, you are a far sight more exciting than any ordinary night before you came along and made me bust your head up with my bat. See? That right there shows how exciting you are. I mean, how often do I get to take a Louisville Slugger to someone?s head like that?? A momentary pause followed another one before she spoke a little sheepishly. ?Okay. Don?t answer that. That is not important to this argument anyway. I haven?t had a food fight in several years, though! So, see?? Alys wore a self-satisfied smirk at gaining victory in this discussion. Not that they had been debating or anything.

?It occurs to me that if you spent more time in my company, you would need to make less frequent phone calls. If you make fewer calls then you need fewer quarters.? She nodded a little and tried not to blush at her own forwardness.

She wasn?t entirely sure she hadn?t lost her mind at some point over the past couple of months since he started coming around. Something was definitely different, however; she never would have spoken or behaved this way before. There had been plenty of opportunities to go out on dates as she was being hit on pretty frequently; you didn?t work in a bar and not have that happen. She had always politely refused and hadn?t thought twice about accepting. Then some masked vigilante shows up and she hit on him...literally. The rest was history; Alys was already too far gone so there wasn?t really any point in not speaking what came to mind.

?So, yeah...more in person time equals less money spent plus no alterations to your uniform. I?m pretty good with math so I?d say this is a good equation. But no, I don?t sleep much. Haven?t since I was a young girl really. Probably why I seem okay with only a few hours...I?m just used to it.? She stood from her lean against the island and walked over to the sink to pretend to busy herself so he wouldn?t start asking questions as to why she hadn?t ever really slept much. Memory lane was somewhere she preferred to avoid as much as possible.

He might have guessed at why she didn?t, but he likely knew and wasn?t going to really say much more about that. When she spoke her mind, part of him wanted to break out into a dance because she obviously wanted to spend more time with him; but the other part reminded himself it was this masked persona and not the person underneath, the person who was still in love with her. But of course, he couldn?t argue with her logic. Again with the logic! It was clear he had better never enter any arguments with her.

?Yeah, I?m not too good at math so I?ll defer to your expert knowledge. So I think you?re right. And,? he hesitated, the next few words were going to determine if he was going to keep things as they were or try to distance himself from her as this masked guardian, ?I would love to spend more time around you, Alys. Absolutely. But, are you okay with this? With me in a mask? We can?t do anything normal, like a movie or dinner. And I... I sort of want to do normal things. With you.?

His head dropped as he was trying to avoid her gaze for right now. This was him being forward in return to her earlier words. He refrained from adding he wanted to do all of this without wearing the mask, but the implication would certainly be easy enough for her to decode. Maybe he was just overthinking everything. Maybe he shouldn?t worry, and deal with the consequences as they came. All he knew right now was each word was the truth; Danny wanted to spend as much time with her as possible.

?Yes, you should just defer to my expert knowledge, mhm.? She grinned a little then grew serious once more as he asked her that question. ?Well, Jack...we have managed to get to this point with you in a mask and me not trying to get you out of it.? Her cheeks were aflame nearly as soon as she spoke those words because it sounded far too much like trying to get someone out of their clothes. Or it did to her...so maybe there was something wrong with her, maybe she was just perverted or something. Oh God, Alys...stop overanalyzin? everything all the time and just act like a normal human being for once.

?I like spending time with you so for now, the mask isn?t an issue. We can cross that bridge if we ever come to it. Not that I wouldn?t like to go do normal things with you but really...what exactly does normal entail? Isn?t it normal to hang out and play games or listen to music and dance or just sit on a couch and watch movies? That seems pretty normal to me. You wear your mask and I?ll wear socks and there...that can be our normal?? She felt like facepalming over that last bit but what was said was said.

She stopped washing dishes and grabbed a dishtowel off of the counter before turning around to finally look at him. ?I know it should bother me more but for now it just doesn?t. I mean, I hope someday you will trust me enough with your identity to remove it.? A hand lifted as if to forestall him from speaking. ?Don?t say that you trust me now...because that would sound really empty at this point. We?ve only known one another for a couple of months, I don?t expect ya to trust me with everything yet, Frank. Someday is good enough for me.?

Daniel Brooks

Date: 2012-10-17 21:01 EST
She let him off the hook for now, although he couldn?t help but hear that nagging sound at the back of his mind telling him that continuing to stall would just make matters worse in the future. It was a futile sense of reason, however, since Danny knew he wouldn?t be able to stay away from Alys. He smiled in thanks to her for at least understanding and not wanting to demand anything of him. ?All right. Yeah, someday I?d like to tell you so we can possibly be more than this,? hand motioning between the two of them and around the kitchen. ?But for now, we can have our own normal.?

He seemed a bit shy now, a slight reversal of their normal roles. ?I?m sorry, that was kinda putting it out there, wasn?t it? ?More than this?. Um, I hope that doesn?t scare you off. The mask didn?t so that?s good but... yeah.? Now time for a stupid grin. He really had no idea what he was saying at the moment. His worries had evaporated and been replaced by excitement. She wants to spend time with you, dummy! And the realization of that dawned and, combined with the sugar high, he started to bounce on the balls of his feet.

?So, tomorrow night? I?ll bring the game, you bring the food... and I?ll try not to call you immediately after I get home?? Flashing what he hoped was a cute grin; maybe he was looking for permission to call tonight? Now that he had her number, he honestly felt he might end up spending much of his downtime calling her.

At this point, Alys was just glad he was verbally tripping over himself because he maybe wouldn?t notice how red her face had just become. She couldn?t help the thousand butterflies in her stomach that suddenly decided to all flutter at once. She didn?t understand why she felt this way but she knew it was there and she couldn?t deny it. Something more than this? She hadn?t even thought about what ?this? was yet but now she was considering it. Was she scared away? Not so much. She was curious as to how they had gotten to the point of thinking about when he finally took the mask off and about what more they could be...without her even realizing it was happening. I like him. A lot. The realization, though it shouldn?t be a surprise, hit her like a ton of bricks.

Alys shook out of her thoughts as he spoke again and nodded without having heard more than a couple of words that he said. She frowned a little. ?I?m sorry...what? Tomorrow night? Yeah, sounds great! I?ll be looking forward to it. But, if the offer is still open...could you maybe walk me home?? She was suddenly very shy again, and the last few words were so soft they may have been missed. Her hands were jammed into her pockets to stop their nearly constant fidgeting.

Even if her words were barely audible, they still carried to Danny?s ears. He blinked a few times and his eyebrows went up -- not that she?d be able to see all of that -- but she would see the megawatt smile that brightened his face. ?What? Yeah! Yeah, sure it?s still open! It?s as open as open can be! I would love to walk you home!? Anything to stay with you, he ended the thought in his mind.

?You?ll just have to hold on to the pie, because I?m going to have my hands full with you,? he grinned, then his mind recoiled in horror at the possible implications of that statement. ?I mean! I?m going to have you in my arms! Which is where I like you, by the way. But you?re not a handful! You?re like, perfect. Perfect for me to carry! Um, I?m just going to stop talking before I end up saying something stupider.? Yeah, because nothing says intelligent like using the word ?stupider?, he thought with a cringe.

Alys smiled more widely at his exuberance. ?Good. Thanks I mean...? That smile faltered a bit but was quickly back in place as she listened to him chase himself in circles. She started to laugh then pulled a hand from her pocket to touch his shoulder. ?It?s okay, I don?t think you are sayin? anything stupid. But I was kinda hopin? we could actually walk. I know it?s quicker to teleport or for you to run really fast but that was sorta the point...to take our time.? She didn?t want the night to end even though she knew she would be seeing him the following night. Her earlier trepidation over being touched had vanished at some point and she was no longer feeling such an urge for them to part.

Her touch brought his eyes down to his shoulder, that same arm lifting and his hand covered hers. Covered green eyes gazed back upon her cerulean blues and Danny?s whole body relaxed from its usual tense state. ?Thanks. For thinking I?m not saying anything dumb. And yeah, we can walk. I?d like that.?

She wasn?t alone in feeling like the following night was eons away. If he could have this night bleed right into the next he would, and this seemed like the best way to attempt to make that fantasy a reality. ?Taking our time is good. But I hope you don?t mind if I hold your hand? If that?s not too fast,? his head nodded toward his hand laying atop of hers, a hopeful grin on his lips.

Her index finger lifted from his shoulder to rub against where his hand rested upon hers. It took nearly every bit of restraint but she managed to not look away, instead keeping her gaze locked on his masked one. The mask didn?t matter at the moment, she knew he was gazing back at her. ?I?d...like that. Walkin? and holdin? hands go together, after all.?

Alys slid her hand from beneath his but reached out with it to lightly grasp his other hand. Fingers were curled around his as she smiled. ?I?m ready to go when you are...?

He could feel his body tingling with excitement and his heart threatening to beat right out of his chest as their fingers entwined. Danny gave an imperceptible nod to Alys as he gave a light squeeze to her hand in acknowledgement of her words. ?I?m ready,? he said through a dry mouth while his free hand gathered the apple pie before he completely forgot it existed.

?Just be ready to have some excuse in mind in case people see you walking with me, okay? I don?t want them to think I?m kidnapping you or anything,? quirking a grin toward her before he began to escort her toward the door. He might have had some misgivings earlier, but they had all but disappeared thanks to her. He hadn?t been this at ease or comfortable since he had been holding her hand in a walk home years and years ago.