8/9 Instance: Terrible But Honest

[Ferguson]

Timelined: The evening of the 14th

<Jessica> Jess chewed her lip as they were led through the restaurant to their table and prayed none of the waiters recognised her. Seriously! What were the chances?! Oh crap, were they being seated at the same table?! Oh Goooooood..... Of course, Fabian would be oblivious that there was any kind of an issue because she was all smiles. Fake. So fake. But she was good at it. No one spotted the difference.

<@Fabian> Fabian, for his part, was pretty oblivious to any discomfort that his date was having which he would be very disappointed by as he was usually decent enough at figuring such things out in this kind of a setting. He was quite at home here despite being the only person on the date who hadn't been to this particular restaurant. "Well, a nice enough place, wouldn't you say?" he asked, pulling her chair out.

<Jessica> She nodded, giving a smile and a thank you as she sat down. "The view is good..." she nodded to the window they were seated at.

<@Fabian> "So it is." Fabian agreed as he took his own seat. "I assume you are okay with Thai food, yes? I suppose that was something I really should have asked on the way over."

<Jessica> She nodded again, "I'm fine with mosts kinds of food... you get used to it when you move around a lot." she offered another smile and folded her hands in her lap so she wouldn't fiddle with anything and give herself away.

<@Fabian> "That's right, I had forgotten about that. So where all have you been?" Fabian liked travel well enough, after all, surely they would hit on a few places they had in common.

<Jessica> "It'd probably be a shorter answer to say where I haven't...." she laughed it off even though it was a sore point. "Dad made sure I learned a lot of languages in the process too... I'm probably cheating a little bit with the italian course but I'm a little rusty anyway..." she gave a small shrug. "I've been pretty much all over Europe and Asia though."

<@Fabian> "I'll admit to the exact same thing when it comes to our Italian class. But a little refresher course is all fine and good though, yes?" He chuckled a bit as well. "Any favourite places or are you more of a wherever you are at the time is best?"

<Jessica> "I didn't really enjoy a lot of it... there wasn't a lot of time for sightseeing, not that it would have been on his agenda anyway." she frowned a little, "I think I would have liked Japan but... it didn't go so well..." she wrinkled her nose.

<@Fabian> Okaaay, so that was a dead end there then. It didn't sound like there was a turn either way that would take Fabian to a nice topic she'd actually enjoy talking about but, thankfully, they were interrupted by the first round of food. Now this was the true purpose of an appetizer. "So, does your culinary expertise expand over to this particular cuisine?"

<Jessica> "Can I cook it? Of course I can," she gave a grin, "At least not everything fun was off the list. If I was good I got to go to the markets with him too. They were good days." Jess handled her chopsticks like a pro.

<@Fabian> "Well, you'll have to let me know if you can make it better, that way we can count this place off of our list, hmm?" He chuckled, taking to his own chopsticks as well. "Markets are a nice place to see anywhere you are, really, more interesting than any of the sight-seeing excursions."

<Jessica> "Well I wouldn't know about that but there were some interesting smells that's for sure." She nodded sagely, "It was nice to see real people once in a while though and hear the languages spoken in the real world."

<@Fabian> "I always felt you learned much more about what it was to live in such a place by being around those kind of places more than being taken on some pre-planned tour to see what their ancestors had been doing some thousand years ago. Not that that isn't interesting as well but it doesn't tell too much about what a place is now."

<Jessica> "Well yeah that makes sense, a lot changes over time..." At least this was nicer conversation than the last time she was here...

<@Fabian> "So what made you decide to stay here? I'm still a bit mystified about how I got talked into it and found myself back so I'm afraid I'm fairly curious as to why others stick around as well."

<Jessica> She gave a small shrug, "I don't really have anywhere else to go... I don't have any family that I know of and I have no friends except for the people I know here... It's not a great reason to stay but maybe a better one'll pop up..."

<@Fabian> "Huh, well, we're not in the same boat exactly but I'd say it's pretty similar there." A smirk went across his face as he raised his glass to drink to that.

<Jessica> She smiled a little and raised her own glass to his, "It's an okay reason to be getting along with anyway. Everything else can just take its time... I think I rushed things before maybe... I don't know. But it's a fresh start now."

<@Fabian> "I hope it is for both of us in that case." He settled back into his seat and drank, putting thoughts about what he was starting over from aside.

<Jessica> Jess was also trying hard not to focus on her past. Particularly her past involving this restaurant. She looked away out of the window when the waiter that had served her and Danny wandered by and resisted the urge to sink lower in her seat.

<@Fabian> Fabian followed her eyes for a moment, slightly confused. The confusion faded, however, as a new wave of pheremones started to roll over from Jess's uncomfortablenss and all eyes were right back on her again.

<Jessica> She cast around for a subject change but it was difficult when she didn't know what was appropriate conversation on a date. She was fairly sure she couldn't use her date with Danny as an example because that had been awful. "So, um... how was your first week?"

<@Fabian> "Well, in comparison to my time here before I would say it has improved by leaps and bounds." Fabian found himself leaning in more, wishing the table were just a bit smaller or their chairs a bit closer together. "I've had no reasons to complain and I dare say I actually enjoy the courses. Plus the company is quite nice."

<Jessica> She smiled a little, "Well I'm glad you're enjoying it so far, less chances of you changing your mind then."

<@Fabian> "I definitely think I won't be changing my mind anytime soon." He could scoot chairs. After all, that's why they weren't bolted to the ground, right? Fabian set about doing just that.

<Jessica> Jess raised an eyebrow at the scooting. Then eyerolled at herself. Of course. Pheromones. What else? She sighed a little. Well nevermind... "That's good to hear... I really am glad you decided to come back - and Lukas too."

<@Fabian> "Somehow we've become a package deal. I'm not really sure when that happened but I just hope people don't decide to return us somehow."

<Jessica> She laughed a little, "You should be careful - people might mistake you for a couple."

<@Fabian> "...I'll admit, it wouldn't be the first time." Fabian snorted, rolling his eyes slightly. "And you know he encourages it...actually I encourage it for a lark just to see how uncomfortable we can make people escalating the joke but still."

<@Fabian> "...I swear we're not, even when he's more Luka than Lukas."

<Jessica> She laughed again, patting his arm, "Sure, I believe you. It's okay, I won't tell anyone."

<@Fabian> "However, I hope you understand our love." Fabian deadpanned, smirking wider.

<Jessica> "Oh of course, I've seen some very odd couples in my time. You two are positively normal." She nodded, giving him a grin.

<@Fabian> "I'm just glad that doesn't interfer with our date here." He shook his head, letting the joke drop with a laugh. "That would be very disappointing."

<Jessica> "Well judging by my observations you two have something of an open relationship, so I think it's okay," she wasn't willing to let that point go just yet because it was still funny.

<@Fabian> "Would you like to join us in our polyamorous sexy parties?" He offered, arms held out wide and drink still in hand.

<Jessica> She laughed again, "Wow you really don't hold back anything, huh?"

<@Fabian> "Not really, no." His head shook at the very honest answer. "It would be completely against my nature if I started to, as well. You should be worried if you catch me at such behavior."

<Jessica> "I'll make sure to remember that," she smirked a little, "Incidentally. What would you have done if I said 'yes' to that question just now?"

<@Fabian> "Made up some very convincing lie about how Lukas simply couldn't join us for this evening's polyamorous sexy party."

<Jessica> She giggled and shook her head, "You are terrible. But you're honest. I like that."

<@Fabian> He gave a little mock bow as graciously as he could manage. "I do try to be....both terrible and honest, that is."

<Jessica> She smiled, "Well you're doing fine so keep it up."

<@Fabian> "You best be careful," he warned, leaning in as he gestured with his chopsticks. "It's statements like that that lead to public indecency."

<Jessica> She laughed again and gave him a playful shove. "Terrible."

<@Fabian> "But honest!" He flopped an arm onto her shoulders.

<Jessica> She nodded, "Yes..." she eyed the arm now around her shoulders, "Are you going to carry on being honest or terrible?"

<@Fabian> "Well," Fabian pretended to really consider the question, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I've managed it through most of my life. Yes, I think I'll continue being both. It seems to work for me."

<Jessica> She laughed a little, "I meant just for this evening but I suppose the same applies?"

<@Fabian> "Well, how would you have me be?" He asked, curious to hear what she would say to that.

<Jessica> "I would have you be however you want to be."

<@Fabian> "Well then, I'm doing well on that then." He grinned perhaps a bit too smugly. "You're making things easy on me, must say."

<Jessica> She raised an eyebrow, "I am? How so?"

<@Fabian> "You could have your dates jumping through hoops, or is that for after the dinner? Should I be checking that you aren't going to light any hoops on fire?"

<Jessica> She laughed, "I could do that I suppose, but I feel like that would be cruel."

<@Fabian> "And I, for one, am grateful yet again for your mercy and kindness. First it got me cake in prison, now this evening."

<Jessica> "Oh well, my agreeing to this was for slightly more selfish motives..."

<@Fabian> "Ooh?" Fabian feighned innocence and ignorance? "And what would those reasons be?" He asked, propping his elbows on the table and putting his chin into his hands.

<Jessica> Jess wasn't falling for that at all, "Oh you can't guess? That's disappointing."

<@Fabian> "I could possibly guess a few senarios but I'm hoping for one that doesn't involve 'I've decided to date the short ginger to make my 6'5 bulky ex-boyfriend jealous to the point of sidewalk pounding'."

<Jessica> She wrinkled her nose at the mention of Danny, "I can promise that jealousy won't be an issue. I'm sure he's forgotten all about me anyway..."

<@Fabian> Fabian hadn't actually realized there was a chance of a 6'5 bulky ex but he had ways around such things anyway. "Plus, I like to think that I'm good enough company we needent think about such things anyway."

<Jessica> She smiled, "Actually you're doing a very good job of taking my mind off things."

<@Fabian> "Maybe I can continue doing so for a while then." Fabian figured the invitation was blatant enough.

<Jessica> "I was hoping you'd feel that way." She she smirked a little.

<@Fabian> "Well, to a very enjoyable evening, then." He lifted his glass for that, the smug look coming back over his face.

<Jessica> She picked up her own glass to return the toast and ignored that voice in the back of her mind that wondered if it was the pheromones talking again.

[puppygirl]

Oh dear, Fabian, oh dear ...