RO > call me out; a forever open RP post, version 2

[midvalley]

NEW OPEN RP POST

Comments

[enraptored]

[ He watches her carefully, then turns back to the pantry, pulling down a box of spaghetti, a couple cans of tomatoes, and other spices he might need. He makes a point to lighten his tone when he speaks again. ]

I'm guessing the jokes I made about instant ramen earlier weren't too far off the mark, as far as your kitchen skills go.

[ex_micromanage449]

[ She's thankful that he's not judging her for being a workaholic. For neglecting her family. For a dozen other things she's kicked herself for thanks to recent events ]

I can barely boil water.

[enraptored]

[ He chuckles at that, arching an eyebrow at her. ]

Okay. That I find hard to believe.

[ He waves her over, and with a few quick questions -- which cupboard has pots and pans? plates? utensils? -- he gets everything ready. Evidently this is more of a lesson than a date. ]

Cooking is two parts timing, one part tasting. Pretty sure you can manage at least the scheduling part.

[ex_micromanage449]

Are you seriously going to teach me how to make spaghetti?

[ She sounds partially incredulous, but mostly amused. Hey, this can be a date and a lesson. ]

[enraptored]

[ He has a challenging smirk on his face. ]

What, you worried you can't handle it?

[ex_micromanage449]

I think I'm more than capable of handling a simple pasta dish, Owen.

[enraptored]

Big words, coming from someone who said they couldn't boil water.

How many pots have you burned?

[ex_micromanage449]

[ She puts her hands on her hips, managing to look indignant ] What makes you think I've burned any?

[enraptored]

Call it a hunch.

I'm going to guess-- five? Six?

[ex_micromanage449]

[ Now she really manages to look indignant ]

Two.

I was smart enough to stop trying after that.

[enraptored]

[ He allows himself a snort, before he's moving to the sink -- first to wash his hands, careful to clean the cuts and scrapes on his knuckles. ]

We'll see if we can at least get you heating up water like a pro, before the night's over.

[ex_micromanage449]

One step at a time, I suppose.

Just give me a second.

[ Before they get too far into this, there's something she needs to do. She moves back out to the living room area, to wherever she dropped her purse when she angrily swept into the apartment, and fishes out her phone.

And then she does the unthinkable.

Claire Dearing puts her cell phone on silent. ]

[enraptored]

[ He watches her go, wondering if maybe there's a call she needs to make or something. He nearly sighs when he sees the phone in her hand, but-- well, she does have a lot of shit to take care of, and it was obvious her career meant a lot to her.

But when she drops it back into her purse and returns, he frowns at her, confused. ]

Did you just--? Did you turn your phone off?

[ex_micromanage449]

... Just the sound.

[ Baby steps, Owen. Baby steps. ]

[enraptored]

[ Hey man, he'll take it. If his pleasantly surprised smile is any indication. ]

I'm guessing that's something you haven't done since you started this job, either.

[ex_micromanage449]

Not really.

But there are special circumstances here. [ And, if she's being completely honest, she does not want to have some Masrani rep call her and ream her about "damage control" right now. She just doesn't. ]

[enraptored]

[ He chuckles quietly. If there's anything he should read into her statement, it's lost on him. ]

Yeah. Spaghetti sure counts as a special circumstance.

[ He nods her over. ] Come on. Wash your hands and we can get started.

[ex_micromanage449]

If you were to ask my mother, she'd tell you it should count as momentous.

[ She comes over to the sink as directed to wash her hands ] Let me guess, we start by putting water in the pot?

[enraptored]

[ He favors her with a bright smile as he's opening the cans of tomatoes, crooked though it is. ]

Got it in one.

See? You're a natural. You won't even need my help by the time we're done here.

[ex_micromanage449]

[ She’s really starting to think she’d like to see that smile more often, and offers a grin of her own in return. She doesn’t smile much, these days, but with Owen, in the quiet of her apartment, it’s oddly easy. ]

Well, I do like to think I at least know how to put water in a pan.

[enraptored]

[ Another victory, and-- ]

So the infamous Tyrannosaurus Whisperer can still smile. Good to know.

[ex_micromanage449]

The infamous what? People don't really call me that, do they?

[enraptored]

[ A beat, then, ] Quick tip -- maybe don't look up any memes they've made with that security cam footage.

[ex_micromanage449]

[ in response, he gets the blankest of blank stares ] What's a "meem"?

[enraptored]

[ hoo boy. ]

I'll tell you when you're older. Let's just go one lesson at a time, for now.