7. Laboratory
Most of the clothes in Victor's closet were collared shirts, jackets, coats, ties and slacks. It would've been perfectly acceptable to wear such things when Liza came over, but he rejected all of them. He would just feel like he was at work if he put on such an ensemble. Finally he settled on something and stood waiting in the driveway for Liza to arrive.
Her red convertible pulled up next to his car. She checked out his vehicle curiously before turning her attention on him. Her eyebrows shot up.
"Wow," she breathed as she drew closer. "Just how many buttons are on that thing?"
"A lot," he answered, chuckling. The way she was looking at him made his pulse quicken. Victor played with one of said buttons. "You like it?"
"You look good no matter what you wear," Liza answered, shrugging. She ran her hands over his chest, slowly sliding them up to his shoulders so she could pull him down for a kiss. He was very glad he hadn't put his gloves on yet so he could feel her hair while he combed through it. Liza was the one to break away.
"Okay, enough stalling. Let me see your lab already."
Victor complied by pushing the button for the garage door to open. It was nowhere near as good as his laboratory back in his home world, but it was a pretty decent one. One long table supported his beakers and test tubes. Chemicals were already stored in some of the tubes, waiting to be put under the Bunsen burner. Another desk was set to the side for his notes and technical drawings. His bookshelf housed only a few volumes for now; he intended to fill it with more, along with compilations of his notes. A plasma ball lamp was set up as well, currently off.
Liza took her time in walking the space. She paused when she got to the desk. A few sketchpads were lying there along with pencils and charcoal. "I didn't know you drew," she noted. "May I have a look?" Victor didn't hesitate in giving her the go-ahead. Aside from his mother and Gerhardt, no one ever really showed much interest in his drawings before.
While she was busy looking through the drawings, Victor went to get them drinks. When he came back Liza still wasn't at the end of the sketchpad. She had made herself comfortable in the single chair that was in the lab; Victor made a mental note to get more chairs later. He set her drink on the desk, glancing over her shoulder to see which sketch she was on. It was the horse galloping. Victor could remember the day he sketched that, and his scribbled notes reflected his observations at the time on the animal's speed and power.
"These are amazing," Liza declared. "If being a doctor hadn't worked out for you, at least you had a back-up as a talented artist."
"Like Leonardo da Vinci?" Victor suggested, lip lifting in a smile.
"Actually... yeah. He was a scientist, with all his inventions. He grave-robbed too, didn't he?" Victor's smile grew a bit wider. Most people knew da Vinci for his art, but not many even thought of his inventions. "Pretty ahead of his time. I bet the two of you would've gotten along."
"Maybe," Victor agreed. He hadn't even heard of da Vinci until coming to this world, of course, and once Victor's memories were back he became a great admirer of the man's work. Liza carefully set down the sketchpad to take a swig of her drink.
"Iced tea?"
"I took a wild guess that you would like it," Victor explained. "Is that okay?" Liza pursed her lips in playful thought, taking another sip of tea.
"Pretty good," she decided. She slid from her chair and headed over to the refrigerator. Victor was quick to intercept her.
"That, ah, isn't really for food."
The humor died from Liza's eyes. "What do you mean? What's in there?" Victor opened the door so she could see for herself. Liza perused the contents silently for a few minutes. She already knew so much of Victor's unpleasant history, but it was still nerve-racking to wait on her reaction to this. She finally turned away and closed the door.
"I was expecting more body parts."
"There aren't that many dead in Storybrooke," Victor admitted. He let out a breath he hadn't meant to hold. "I'm glad it doesn't bother you?"
"Why would it?" Liza countered. "I ate people, Victor. Most of them weren't on accident."
"Speaking of which, what are your plans for the next Wolf's Time?" He hadn't meant to ask her this until they had a few more dates between them, but they had already opened up to each other so much. She hadn't flinched at his macabre interests; he wanted to prove that he wouldn't flinch, either.
"Probably just go out into the woods for the night."
"I would like to join you."
As expected, the statement stunned her. "You do remember what I told you happened to my last boyfriend during Wolf's Time, right?"
"That was before you had control. I know you won't hurt me, Liza." He stepped closer, and though she looked unsure, she accepted his touch on her cheek. "I've shown you mine, now you show me yours. Monster to monster, right?" That got her to smile and she tilted her head to nuzzle against his hand.
"Right. But we're bringing the cloak just in case."
Victor agreed to that, then pulled her closer for another kiss. He felt her fingers glide over the buttons on his lab coat as she responded. There really were far too many of them.