Disclaimer: I own:
Susana, a psychotic Gateway computer with dust in it, several bags of baby
carrots, the made-up club Susana and Jono go to, the hostess at the restaurant,
and Adam the blond waiter. Marvel owns:
Generation X, and lots of other stuff besides.
I'm sure they own good computers, and they can buy their own carrots if
they need the beta-carotene (or whatever is in carrots.) I also don't own the Outback Steakhouse
chain, Foster's Australian Lager(yech) or the Lee Ann Womack song "I Hope You
Dance", but neither does Marvel so NYAH!!!!
I apologize, but there's
just no way to split this up into more manageably sized chapters.
A/N: Underage drinking is
bad, don't do it...err...yeah. Just
don't do it.
Notes:
sound
*thought*
} telepathic conversation {
Setting:
The next evening. Jono and Susana's
respective rooms, the mansion foyer, the car, an Outback Steakhouse, and The(notorious
and oft-mentioned) Boot. 6:45 PM-12:00 AM.
Susana
stood in front of her vanity mirror and scrutinized her appearance. She was wearing the previously agreed upon
black suede pants and red shirt, but had added a lace-edged camisole underneath
the unbuttoned shirt, to soften the combined effect of the red and black, and
was in the process of applying champagne colored eyeshadow, black kohl eyeliner,
and black mascara. Stepping back, she
tilted her head to make sure her liner was appropriately smudged, then stepped
back against the couch to put on her boots.
Pulling them on and tugging her pants legs down over the tops, she
paused for a few deep breaths.
*Ok,
Susana, you can do this...for God's sake, it's just dinner. Not even a real date. You. Can. Do. This.* The butterflies in her stomach didn't seem
to agree. *Really, you can.* Leaning back towards the mirror, she ran a
brush through her hair to curl the ends under, slicked on a coat of transparent
red lip gloss, and, after one last glance at the mirror, she grabbed her purse
and descended the stairs.
Meanwhile,
in the basement, Jono was performing the guy's version of the same activity. *Think, Starsmore. Have you forgotten anything?
You've got money, you brushed your hair, you're properly
dressed...leather pants and a black dress shirt are ok for wearing to dinner
and a club, right? You told her at
dinner to dress for somewhere nice, but casual, so you should be ok. Don't have to brush yer teeth, so that's one
less thing t'worry about. You've got
yer image inducer for when you get to the restaurant and the club...Yeah,
you're set. Now go already.* Stopping on the way to check his appearance
in the bathroom mirror, he headed for the Mansion's foyer, arriving just in
time to see Susana glide effortlessly down the stairs.
}Hey,
gel, you ready to go? Y'look very
nice.{ *Trying for the understatement
of the year award, are we, Starsmore?
She looks completely fantastic and she probably knows it.*
Susana
smiled at the compliment. "Why thank
you. You look wonderful yourself. I'm likin' the pants quite a lot. So, where exactly are we going?"
}Well,
I can't quite decide what I want, and since you're the one who's actually going
to be eating, I figure you have a big say.
Do you like steak or Chinese food better?{
"Under
normal circumstances, I'd say Chinese.
But I haven't had steak since I got here, and I'm craving one."
}"Right
then, steak it is. Do you want to
drive, or do you want me to?{
"I'll
drive, since I'm used to driving on this side of the road, and you can
navigate, since you know where we're going.
But I call stereo control."
}Fair
enough. Just no N*Sync, ok?{
"I
think I can deal with that. Shall we
go? I got keys to one of the Jeeps
earlier, when I saw Ms. Frost."
}Nice...we
get to ride in style.{ The corners of
his eyes crinkled in the distinctive manner that she'd noticed indicated he was
smiling.
"Would
we settle for anything less? I don't
think so. What's the image inducer
going to make ya look like while we're there?
Just so I don't get too surprised when I look at you."
He
tapped a button on the image inducer at his side, and she almost gasped. *Wow.
I knew he was hot, but...* "I'm
assuming that's what you'd look like if your powers hadn't manifested?"
}Yes,
indeed. You're looking at the guy who
could've been the frontman for the new Oasis.{
"Never
much liked the original..."
}Wot? You don't like Oasis? You're obviously a raving heretic...but oh
well. I guess this makes us even-you
don't like Oasis, I don't like pop...it evens out eventually, I'm sure.{
"You
quite done?"
}Yes,
ma'am. Trying this again- Shall we
go?{ He stepped to the door and held it
open for her, then followed her down the walkway to the garage.
~10
minutes later, in the car on the way to town~
Susana
rested her right hand on top of the wheel, weaving her left hand up and down
out the window. "I love cars like
this...it's such an outdoors, top-off kind of car."
}Well
now...don't let me crimp your style or anything.{ At her puzzled sidelong glance, he explained. }You said it was a top-off kind of car,
didn't you?{
Pulling
her left hand back in, she took over the wheel with that hand and reached
across the car to slap him on the arm.
"That was sooo not necessary.
Here I was thinking you're a nice guy, and you're making dirty jokes
about a completely innocent comment I made. You know exactly what I meant."
}But
pretending not to is a lot more fun,{ he shot back.
"Point
granted. So, what restaurant are we
going to?"
}I
thought Outback Steakhouse, if that's ok with you. I like their commercials, and I've heard they serve pretty good
food. You ever eaten there?{
"Yeah,
I have once...back in Louisiana. It was
good. Wonderful choice, sir."
}I
don't suppose you'll tell me what club we're going to, will ya?{
"It's
new, you probably haven't heard of it.
It's called The Boot."
}Sounds
familiar, but I don't remember what kind of place it is. Am I allowed to know?{
"Nope,
you're not. You'll see when we get
there." Seeing the neon sign for the
Outback, she hit the turn signal, then slowed and eased into the lot. Steering the Jeep into a space at the edge
of the lot, she switched off the ignition, then turned to Jono. "Well, fire up that little image thingy, and
let's go. I'm hungry." She slid out of the seat onto the pavement,
then waited for Jono to turn on the inducer and get out of his seat. Locking the door, she patted her pocket to
make sure she had the keys, then slammed it shut and ambled around the back of
the Jeep.
He
held out his hand to her, saying }We are on a date, after all...{ *and what would I be if I missed a chance to
touch you?* }Do you mind asking about
our reservation? I would, but...well, I
may look average with the inducer, but the voice is still a bit off. It's ok for quick conversations, but I don't
want to say more than I have to.{
"Sure,
no problem. And you definitely look
better than average." She snuck a
glance at him, and giggled at the blush covering his image's cheeks. "Are you actually blushing under there?"
}Yes,
I am. There a problem with that?{ He raised an eyebrow inquiringly.
"No,
it's cute. Thanks," she said, nodding
in gratitude as he pushed the door open in front of her. She stepped up to the hostess' podium to ask
about the reservation, and was told that the table was being cleared and they'd
be seated momentarily. The hostess, a
girl about her own age, made no attempt to hide the admiring glances she was
sending Jono's way. Rather than trying
to ignore the girl, Susana simply wrapped her arm securely through his,
effectively staking a claim. Meeting
the girl's eyes, she communicated the sentiment "He's mine." without uttering a
word. She smiled when the girl's stare
faltered, then started slightly and looked up as she heard Jono's voice in her
mind.
}Wot's
all that about?{ Deep brown eyes stared
down at her with a tinge of puzzlement in them.
}Girl
stuff, don't worry 'bout it. She needs
a few lessons in discretion.{ She
smiled beatifically, a picture of innocence.
He looked at her skeptically.
}What? If she's going to check
out the customers, she needs to be a bit less obvious. I could've made a big scene-I've seen it done
at some of the restaurants I worked at back home.{
}I'll
take your word for that.{ He looked up
and stepped towards the hostess, who was holding two menus and studiously
avoiding looking at him. }I think our
table's ready now, if you're willing to leave the battle for alpha female
status.{
}It's
over, actually. I won...now let's go.{
Once
they were safely ensconced in a tiny corner booth, the hostess dropped the
menus on the table and mumbled something about a server who would be right with
them. They both began to peruse the
menus, until Susana looked up and said "You know, why don't we just order one
thing...we'd both order steak, I'm not too picky about what cut we get, and
it'd be a waste for both of us to order something. What were you thinking of ordering?" He pointed to a medium-sized steak featured on the menu, and she
nodded her assent. "Sounds good. Now, if our server would just get over
here." Almost as soon as she spoke, an
attractive blond man, about a year or two older than them, walked up.
"G'day,
mates, my name's Adam, and I'll be your server. Can I get you two something to drink?"
"I'll
have a Diet Coke, please," said Susana, at the same time as Jono requested a
Foster's. The server wrote both drinks
down, then looked at Jono as if to decide whether to ask for an ID. Jono concentrated on him briefly, then
smirked as he walked off without asking.
"You
rat..." Susana shook her head and laughed.
"You better really appreciate this.
I don't like lagers. And
I somehow doubt that's what Ms. Frost means by the great potential your powers
give you."
}Don't
worry, I'll appreciate it.{ His image
smiled at her across the corner of the table.
They sat in companionable silence until Adam returned with the drinks.
"Are
you ready to order, miss?" The waiter's
smile warmed considerably as he looked at her.
She smiled up at him even as she telepathically instructed Jono to go
ahead and order their shared meal. She
gave the waiter one last smile, then bent her head to sip her drink.
"Yeah,
we're going to share this." Jono pointed to the steak platter they'd agreed
on.
"How
d'you want that?"
"I
dunno...How'd you like it, luv?" He
faced Susana, reaching across the table's edge to squeeze her free hand. Squeezing back, she turned and beamed at the
waiter.
"Medium
rare, please. Is that ok with you,
Snookums?"
He
mumbled assent, then was quietly sullen until the waiter left. }Was "Snookums" really necessary?{
"Nope. But it was lots of fun" She grinned at
him. "Besides, you called me 'Luv'."
}Yes,
but that's...well, not Snookums.{
"Sorry...I
promise not to do it again." She
squeezed his hand again, then shivered.
}You
cold, gel?{
"A
little," she admitted, pinching her fingers together to indicate a very small
amount.
}Slide
over here...I'm very warm. Psionic
energy's good for something, you know.{
He released her hand and lifted his arm for her to scoot towards him,
then settled it over her shoulders.
Cuddling into his side, she sniffed appreciatively, then smiled.
"Now
you smell good."
}Yeah,
well...I remember Gayle always liked when I wore cologne. It seemed like a good date preparation
activity."
"It
was." Almost unconsciously, she reached
up to tuck a stray bit of hair behind his ear before sliding her fingertips
down the side of his face. He tensed at
the contact with his bandages. Lifting
her hand, she tapped the end of his nose lightly with the tip of her index
finger, then smiled at the look on his image's face. They were still looking at each other when Adam interrupted with
their steak. Seeing that she was
entirely occupied by her date, he deposited the plate on the table with a
halfhearted exhortation to enjoy the meal, then returned to the kitchen to tell
the cook more about the hot chick at table 20.
"Well,
shall we eat?" asked Susana with exaggerated enthusiasm. "Wow...this is bigger than it sounded on the
menu. I see carryout boxes in our
future." With that, she slid a little
bit away from Jono, freed her hand, and began to cut the steak into small
bites. That done, she dropped her hand
back into his, then looked down at their joined hands and frowned. "I'm not too good at doing stuff with my
left hand. I'd give it a try,
but...well, I'd end up looking none too presentable, and we're going out after
this. Guess what you get to do?"
}I'll
take "feed my date her entire meal" for a thousand, Alex.{
"Smartass." She glared at him.
}You
know, you smell good too. I'm sure you
wouldn't particularly like it if you suddenly...I don't know...smelled like
steak, would you now?{
"You
wouldn't."
}Want
to try me?{ He picked up his fork and
skewered a bite of steak, then held it menacingly in front of her.
"NOO! I'm sorry, you're not a smartass. You're a complete dumbass..."
}Walked
right into that one, didn't I?{ He
smiled at her again. }You know, if I
were watching us, I'd be sick right about now.{
"So
would I...isn't it fun?" She grinned,
and her dimple made another appearance.
}Woman,
I thought you were hungry...{ He held
the steak-laden fork in front of her mouth, taunting her, until she grabbed his
hand and pulled it close enough for her to get the steak.
}I
AM!{ she shouted telepathically, then began chewing happily. }'Nother bite, please. I'll share this time.{
}Right
then. Who am I to keep you from the
meal?{ He picked up another piece of
steak and held it in front of her lips.
She took it, then closed her eyes, chewed, and sent the sensation to him
through their joined hands and telepathic link. }Yep, I've definitely missed steak. Can I have some of my beer now?{
Opening
her eyes, she made a face at the beer mug.
"I suppose...but you definitely have to hold that. The idea is to come out of the club
smelling like beer. Going in like that
is a bit of an overachievement...and it's dumb besides."
After
they finished the steak, some of the beer, and her diet coke, which he made
faces at, they summoned Adam and paid the check. Heading out to the Jeep, he stopped her for a moment. }You sure you're ok to drive?{
"Yeah,
of course. I mean, we didn't even have
the whole beer between us." He eyed her
flushed cheeks suspiciously, but when he checked her mind it was completely
clear, so he acquiesced. She hopped
into the driver's seat and started the Jeep, turning up the stereo as she
waited for him to climb in. When he got
in, she was singing along to Sinatra's version of "I've Got the World On a
String" and tapping impatiently on the steering wheel. "C'mon, let's go! It's 9:00, the Boot's probably packed already."
As
soon as he was in his seat with a seatbelt in place, she backed the Jeep out of
its space, then, putting it in drive, she hurried out of the parking lot. 10 minutes later, they arrived at a brightly
lit parking lot across from a fairly large building situated on the edge of an
empty field. Sliding back out of her
seat, Susana touched up her lip gloss, then dropped the gloss in her purse and
the keys and an ID into her pocket.
Sliding the purse under her seat, she locked the door and shut it
tightly. Walking around the end of the
vehicle, she nearly fell into Jono, who was standing stock-still and looking at
the building.
}This
is The Boot?{ He gave her a stricken
look.
"Yes
sir it is. See the sign up there?" She gestured to one of the higher signs on
the building's side.
}Susana,
this's...it's...a..{
"C'mon,
spit it out. I know you can."
}This
is a country bar.{
"And
you promised we could go here. Come on,
I swear it won't kill you." She
leaned behind him to lock and close the door, then grabbed his hand and pulled
him across the street. Making sparing
use of her powers, she managed to get herself and the still-shocked Jono inside
the bar, where the smell of cigarettes, whiskey, and beer was strong and the
sound of a jukebox made normal conversation difficult. As they entered, the song switched over to a
recent top-10 country hit, and she began to rock her hips in time with the beat
of the music. Arriving at a slightly
less packed area, she turned back to Jono and grasped both of his hands,
sending him an entreaty to at least give the place a chance before deciding he
hated it.
With
a resigned shrug, he agreed. }Alright,
I'll try. Can't promise any more than
that, but I'll try.{ He looked down at
her hips, which were moving almost unconsciously, and thought to himself *Mebbe
this won't be so bad after all.* Giving
him a delighted smile, she turned, intending to try and worm her way further through
the crowd. He stopped her. }Let me, I'm bigger...harder t'lose sight
of. Just keep a hand over my image
inducer, will ya? Wouldn't do for that
to get knocked off me.{
He
turned, then nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt one hand go over the
image inducer and the index and middle finger of the other hand slip into the
waistband of his pants. He threw a
mildly shocked look over his shoulder, to which she responded with a
mischievous grin and a slight wiggle of her fingers. Cursing to himself, he concentrated on getting through the crowd
and ignoring her presence at his back.
Eventually they reached a clearer area on the edge of the dance floor,
where he was able to stop and turn around.
}I'm supposed to be having fun here?{
"Yes,
you're supposed to be having fun. And
if you aren't, I'm sure we can work something out." She raised an eyebrow, then placed her palms on his shoulders and
began swaying to the beat. The difference in their respective heights meant she
ended up considerably closer than any junior high principal would approve
of. With a mental sigh, he lifted his
arms to hold her sides and began to follow her lead in dancing. The bar's DJ played several fast songs, then
a slow song. When the opening notes of
the slow tune sounded, she visibly paled and hurriedly suggested that they get
something to drink. He grasped her hand
and pushed his way through the crowd around the dance floor, not stopping until
she was pressed to the bar with him behind her. She ordered another Diet Coke, and they waited as the harried bartender
poured shots and mixed drinks for the preceding customers.
}You
ok there, gel? You look upset.{
"I'm
fine, I'll explain later." Her drink
arrived, and she drank half of it almost in one gulp. Giving him a small smile, she patted her forehead with the cool
napkin and sipped the rest of the beverage.
Leaving the empty glass on the bar, she pushed him to turn around and
get away from the bar. Knowing he would
more than likely miss any verbal commands, she sent him a telepathic
message. }Go over there by the side of
the dance floor, I just saw some people get up from their table.{ Arriving at the still empty table, she sank
gratefully into one of the chairs. He
sat in the empty seat beside her and rubbed the back of her hand, feeling
useless. When the song changed, she
seemed to feel better immediately.
Reminding himself that she'd promised to explain later, he didn't push
the issue. When another slow song came
on, he tensed, then relaxed when she had no visible reaction.
A
few songs later, she stood and pulled him back onto the dance floor. He was more than a little surprised when she
wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his shirt, over the
bandages. He gingerly slid an arm
around her shoulders, pulling her to him.
Squeezing his waist once more, she looked up at him and mouthed
"Thanks". He was musing about how
content he was just holding her when she reached down and picked up his
hand. Pulling it up to the level of her
face, she dropped a light kiss on the center of his palm.
He
was about to say something to her, when the opening notes of an older slow song
began echoing through the club. He
stepped farther out onto the dance floor, then stopped and held out a hand to
her. }May I have this dance?{
She
stepped toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck, little thoughts of
thankfulness and appreciation slipping through her telepathic shields. They stood and swayed together through the
first verse.
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give fate the fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
At
the chorus, he held his hand over her head and spun her lightly. She giggled quietly, then listened to the
lyrics of the second verse.
I hope you never fear those mountains in the
distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances but they're worth taking
Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth making
Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or
dance
I hope you dance
Sighing, she leaned against Jono. }Hey, Jono?{
}Yes, luv?{
}Think you're up to driving home now?{
}Sure, gel. As soon
as this song's over, ok?{
}Sounds good. Want
to go for a walk when we get back? I'll
explain why I freaked out then.{
}Only if you want to.
I can wait for an explanation if you're not up to it tonight.{
}No, I think I can deal.
And you deserve an explanation of some sort.{
They continued swaying until the music ended, then he
wrapped an arm around her and led her out to the car. Digging the keys out of her pocket, she handed them to him, with
a weak admonition to remember what side of the road to stick to. After helping her into her seat, he closed
the door, got in on his side, and started the car. She fell asleep on the way home.
