Mouse: Looks like Leon needed the weekend off for a family thing, so guess who will be spinning on Saturday? That's right, this gal.
Ripper (to Mouse): Oh, that's great! I was not looking forward to deejaying by myself on Saturday.
Mouse (to Ripper): Yeah, now that I have some distance & another job, I'm missing the the club a bit more... Sasha wants me to do a monthly gig. Actually he wants me back regularly, but he's willing to let me do monthly or twice a month. We'll see.
Ripper (to Mouse): Well, we do all miss you. But, I understand the whole needing a change of pace. Oh, sorry to skip out on sparring last night, I had company & then, we sort of lost track of time.
Mouse (to Ripper): No worries, speaking of time, I just got to work & need to go. See you later!
An hour or so later:
Eep: Christ. I got fired from the Yog Hut like what, a week ago? Already used to sleeping in past 10. Guess I'm not really a morning person.
Wanda (to Eep): Hey roomie o' mine, nice to see you out and about!
Robert (to Eep): Well, look who's bringing down the property value again.
Eep (to Wanda & Robert): Bwuh! Uh... hi.
Wanda (to Eep): Heehee. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.
Eep (to Wanda): No. It's, uh, it's fine. I'm just... I'm not awake yet.
Wanda (to Eep & Robert): Well, I hate to scare you & run, but I've got to get to a class. See you two, later!
Eep (to Wanda): Yeah. Later.
Robert (to Eep): So, now that Ms Nosey Britches is gone, can I ask you a serious question?
Eep (to Robert): Uh, yeah. I guess. Don't expect my answer to make any sense. I haven't had coffee yet.
Robert (to Eep): Is there a good reason you won't take the plunge and move in Mouse, or are you just being a wuss?
Eep (to Robert): Oh... Jesus! That's...uh, that's a really loaded fucking question. I, uh, I... wow. I, uh, I don't know.
Robert (to Eep): Fair enough. I'm sorry to ambush you before your first cup of coffee. Do me a favor, though, and think about it.
Eep (to Robert): Yeah. Right. Later.
Robert (to Eep): See you later.
An hour later:
Eep: I just got a call from The Malcontent. Guess saying people are two stupid to be trusted gets you a second interview? Today is gonna be a weird one. I can already tell.
Poppy (to Eep): Well honey, for most of your life, fate has been cruel to you in almost every way. So... maybe this time fate stepped back, took a good look at you & said, "You know what? Enough already." I hope you get the job!
Eep (to Poppy): Oh. Uhhhhhh, thank you. Are you feeling, OK?
Poppy (to Eep): Sorry, I'm feeling a little off my game this morning, honey. I just had to have one of the most awkward conversations ever.
Eep (to Poppy): Oh. Uh, sorry.
Poppy (to Eep): You have a good heart, Eep. I hope you're in a car accident so that I can have it. Oh... thank you, honey. I feel so much better… You're better than a shot of espresso... oh, and now I'm sad again because I have to find a new place to get coffee for awhile. Anyway, I just stopped by to return this book to Mouse. Can you make sure she gets it?
Eep (to Poppy): Jesus Christ! I should have guessed something was wrong when you were being nice.
Poppy (to Eep): Sorry... I'm going to continue my job hunting.
Eep (to Poppy): Yeah. Good luck. Oh, I asked Mouse about the reference thing. She said that's fine.
Poppy (to Eep): Wonderful, honey. Thank you. And, I did mean it when I said good luck with the job.
Eep (to Poppy): Thanks. I'll probably need it.
Several hours later:
Mouse (to Eep): Hey sexy man, it looks like I'll be home early today.
Eep (to Mouse): Oh yeah? Everything OK?
Mouse (to Eep): Oh yeah, it's fine. We just got done a little earlier than usual. I think I'm getting the hang of it. I'll see you shortly.
Eep (to Mouse): Cool.
Twenty minutes later:
Eep (to Mouse): Now that you've had a coupla days, how do you like it?
Mouse (to Eep): I think I like it, it's still a little soon to tell. But, it's hard work & I'm learning a lot. Oh, and on the last Sunday of the month, they do a staff dinner for everyone & their families. So, if you want to go with me next month… you can meet everyone.
Eep (to Mouse): Oh, um, yeah. Sure. Oh! I forgot. I got a second interview at The Malcontent.
Mouse (to Eep): Oh, that's fantastic!
Eep (to Mouse): We'll have to see. Honestly, I can't imagine I'll get the job. I don't know anything about the shit they sell in there.
Mouse (to Eep): It's a specialty bookstore, all you have to do is sit there & scowl & judge the people who walk in. I think you could handle it. :-P
Eep (to Mouse): Ha ha ha! Yeah, I think I could handle that.
Mouse (to Eep): So, I think I'm going to fix myself a drink, sit on the porch, smoke & possibly read a book. Wanna join me or are you busy?
Eep (to Mouse): Hell yeah. I'm not doing anything interesting. I was just cleaning some shit up.
Mouse (to Eep): Want me to grab you a beer?
Eep (to Mouse): That would be awesome. Thank you!
Mouse (to Eep): Here you go... Did you have a good day? Anything else interesting happen beside the callback?
Eep (to Mouse): Nah. I cleaned the bathroom, did the dishes... Oh. There's soup simmering on the stove too. I was, uh, feeling restless today.
Mouse (to Eep): You cleaned the bathroom? Wow. I'd ask you to marry me... if I hadn't already done that. :-P
Eep (to Mouse): Heh. Yeah, yeah. Oh! I didn't tell you the weirdest part of my day. I ran into Poppy, and she was being nice. It was odd. REALLY odd.
Mouse (to Eep): You know, she's actually not that bad... If you wouldn't let her get to you so much, she'd probably stop. I think she's mean to you, because you react to it, which just encourages her.
Eep (to Mouse): Probably. I mean, she annoys the shit out of me, but I can handle her. I spent all those years dealing with Vincent after all.
Mouse (to Eep): What did she want, anyway?
Eep (to Mouse): I have no idea. She just kinda wandered over after being at the cafe, I think. She said something nice, something nasty, something nice again, and wandered away. At least with Robot Poppy, I always knew what to expect.
Mouse (to Eep): I kinda feel bad for the little moppet. She's starting a new life in a place where she already has history but it wasn't her. It's gotta be a little weird for her... Plus, I think she's been crashing with Vincent.
Eep (to Mouse): Oh Jesus... THAT'S not complicated at all.
Mouse (to Eep): It makes me feel quite thankful that I have you, though. At least, we can deal with crazy crap together... She's kinda on her own, even if it's mostly her own doing because she acts horrible to everyone.
Eep (to Mouse): Yeah... She kinda reminds me of Vincent that way. Uh, not the "act horrible" way. Just the act. You know.
Mouse (to Eep): Maybe, I should invite her for a girl day with me & Wanda?
Eep (to Mouse): Do you think she'd do a "girl day" with you and Wanda? I mean, Wanda'd probably be thrilled. I think she has a crush on Poppy.
Mouse (to Eep): Really? Oh, there's a vindictive part of me that now wants to see that, just to see which one would be more flustered. And, yeah, she does remind me a little of Vincent & maybe, that's why I put up with her. Can I ask a weird question?
Eep (to Mouse): Sure. What's up?
Mouse (to Eep): Uh, did Robert by any chance ask you about our living situation? He asked me about it the other day & I didn't really know what to tell him. So, he said he'd just talk to you.
Eep (to Mouse): Oh. Uh, yeah. He did. Like first thing this fucking morning. He wanted to know why I'm being such a wuss.
Mouse (to Eep): Oh, are you being a wuss?
Eep (to Mouse): Uhhhh, yeah. Pretty much. I told him I didn't know why I was being dumb, and he told me to think about it.
Mouse (to Eep): Oh... I don't know what to say...
Eep (to Mouse): Heh. Well, that makes two of us, I guess. Really... I just, um, I dunno. Guess I'm just waiting for the "BUT," you know? Which is just SO stupid. I don't even know how to explain or defend myself.
Mouse (to Eep): I had a feeling that's what you were doing...
Eep (to Mouse): I'm an idiot. I have no excuse for myself. I already know how you're gonna answer, but do me a favor and humor me... You sure you wanna make moving in together permanent?
Mouse (to Eep): Well, I assumed that's what it meant when I agreed to marry you, so yes I'd like it if you moved in with me. But if you're not ready, just say so. I honestly, don't mind if you need a safety net for a little while.
Eep (to Mouse): I've been thinking about it, and I do want the safety net, cause, you know... That's how I'd normally approach the whole thing. BUT, normally I wouldn't have run off with someone I barely knew like we did. Normally, I wouldn't have alternative-dimension married you, or regular-dimension agreed to marry you, so, you know... I've been thinking about it. Fuck what I'd normally do.
Mouse (to Eep): So, what does that mean?
Eep (to Mouse): Oh. Uh... That I'd like to move in with you permanently. Um, that's if I haven't managed to make you think it's a shitty idea.
Mouse (to Eep): Sweetie, our whole relationship has pretty much been the antithesis of 'what you'd normally do' and just because you needed some time to think about it, isn't going to scare me off. After everything I've gone through in the last few months, living with you just seems the right thing to do. Or do you want to be one of those weird couples that are married, but never spend any time together? I mean, I think we actually like each other, so that would be kind of terrible.
Eep (to Mouse): Ha ha ha! Yeah, you're right. I'm pretty much just being a total idiot.
Mouse (to Eep): Well, do you regret anything that we've done since we've met? Are you happy?
Eep (to Mouse): No. Kinda the opposite in fact. I'm, like, stupidly happy. Heh. I think that's why I'm suspicious.
