Virtual candy corn for Donna8 and talkstoangels77. I decided to do that because we never did find out where the chair came from… just that RJ loved it beyond reason. This fanfic is more of a flow-of-consciousness than an actual one-shot. I think it'll be the only one like that, in case you dislike it.
Ten
Simplicity: Fran and RJ view each other as anything but simple
Most of the JKP's customers saw RJ as a bit of a goofball with a way in the kitchen. Fran felt almost… smug for knowing better. For knowing just how complex RJ was. How complex? She would swear she saw a new side of him each day.
Most people saw Fran as just a quirky bookworm with a love of good food. RJ was aware of that. But they didn't take the time to get to know her like he did. What was odd was how Fran seemed to have viewed herself as simple… until he had started to explore her psyche and illuminated just how amazing it was.
Fran felt as if there could be an entire encyclopedia dedicated to the various aspects of RJ. There was the relaxed and easy-going cook; the super-loyal friend; there was a playful puppy side of him that Fran was 99% sure that only she could lure out; the intense pro-nature advocate; and at least a dozen more, some of which Fran hadn't found yet. But she was going to. She knew it.
RJ watched Fran thoughtfully fiddle with her food at the counter. It was hard to tell what Fran was thinking about a lot of the time. But at the same time he could almost sense her emotions and thoughts better than his own. It was… interesting.
What was interesting about to RJ, or extra interesting to Fran anyway, was that he had ambition and she could tell he was applying it… just not to JKP. So what was he applying it to? It was almost hurtful at times- just when she thought she knew RJ as well as, or maybe better than, herself something popped up to prove there were hidden layers to him that he hadn't showed her yet. But she'd see them eventually… one way or another.
What versatility her face had kept surprising RJ. Usually it was in 'cutely awkward' mode, but when she wanted to she could be quite coy or imposing. Whether it was a good thing or a bad thing that she didn't want to very enough he didn't know. It was a good thing, for him, that secret happiness that he got from knowing he was the only person to see that part of Fran. But was it a good thing for Fran, sharing that deeper part of herself with only him?
Sometimes it worried Fran, while his life with her and the JKP was simulating enough, that RJ had no apparent life outside it. At least she had books. Then again, books, JKP, and RJ had become intertwined in the past few months. Uh-oh. Maybe she was in the same boat as RJ. Not an entirely unpleasant thought. That little smug voice started up, extra smug this time, so Fran shushed it so she could start reading.
Sometimes RJ just watched Fran read, as she was doing now. Watching the quiet quirks of her face to see what was going on in the book. Any barriers she put up went down when she read. Even the ones she maintained when around him. It was a private dream of his to have Fran be that emotionally open to him… if only so he could be just as emotionally open to her. Contrary to what his wolf spirit might think, they were only friends.
There was a bit of foreshadowing there… did you catch it?