He took another step forward, and Alicia braced herself for something she didn't even know how to expect. A dark hand suddenly darted out, and the barback had reached out and grabbed his arm. He stopped moving, turning his head just barely enough to eye the other woman.
"Don't," she said in a quiet, no-nonsense tone. "We'll talk later."
He growled something at her, the words to soft for Alicia to actually overhear, and the other woman just nodded wearily. The man shrugged her hand away, and stalked towards Alicia. Past Alicia. She almost fell over as she turned to watch him leave, his hands shoved deep into jean pockets.
The sudden move caused her world to spin, and she suddenly realized the alcohol and adrenalin that was rushing through her system. It was too much, and she'd barely staggered to the side of the alley before her gut wrenched and she was throwing up all the drinks and bar nachos she had consumed earlier.
It took her a moment to realize there were cool hands on her, pulling Alicia's hair back. One gently rested between her shoulder blades, so light she kept forgetting it was there until the pressure would change.
Once her stomach finally decided she had nothing left to give, she turned her head to one side to view the woman beside her. "Thanks," Alicia croaked, staring into dark eyes that seemed so full of emotion and so closed off at the same time.
"Don't mention it," the woman responded, and there were dual meanings in her words that Alicia implicitly understood.
The barback helped Alicia stand up right again, steadying her as a heel caught on a stray piece of gravel. "Are you okay?" the woman asked quietly.
"Water," Alicia managed to get out. "Bed. Greasy food in the morning. I'll be fine."
The smallest trace of a smile graced the woman's dark features. "You have friends inside the bar? To take you home?"
Alicia nodded. "Fiancé." She slowly started walking towards the street, hoping Peter wouldn't be hard to find inside the bar. She wanted to go home. "Boyfriend?" she asked the other woman. She understood, but it had been Alicia instead of her brother Owen who had brought strays home as a kid, and there was no way she wasn't going to mention it.
For a moment Alicia thought she was going to be ignored, but then a small sigh escaped her companion. "Husband."
Alicia winced. "Oh." She glanced at the barback, but didn't see any physical marks. "He doesn't..."
"No." The tone was firm, and a small spark in the eyes Alicia couldn't help looking at made Alicia believe her.
"Okay." They reached the door to the bar, and the other woman pulled it open. She gestured for Alicia to go in first, and somehow it seemed so gentlemanly it broke Alicia's heart. She always got sentimental when drunk, too. Without thinking about it, she reached out and pulled the other woman into a hug. Startled, the door slipped from the barback's hand and slammed shut again. "Okay."
After a moment, Alicia realized she could feel how awkward the barback was feeling, and she released her. The look that greeted her was one of surprise, and a small thrill ran down Alicia's spine at finally being able to recognize something on that enigmatic face. "Thanks," Alicia blurted out again, not sure what she was thanking her for.
Before the other woman could move away, a flash of inspiration ran through Alicia. "Hold on!" she said excitedly, reaching into her purse and rummaging around. After a moment's panic, she found what she was looking for, and drew out a business card. Alicia had just picked up an internship for the summer at Crozier, Abrams and Abbott, and had gotten the cards from Will as a congratulations. She triumphantly presented it to the other woman.
After a moment's hesitation, it was accepted. "I'm not..." A pause. "Leaving. Him, I mean."
"Oh!" Alicia exclaimed. "No, no. I just wanted you to have it. If you want to get together or something. For drinks." She swayed. "Or something. It has my house phone on it, if I don't answer you can just leave a message on the machine or with one of my roommates."
This time the look she was given was one of amusement. "I work at a bar."
Alicia laughed, throwing her head back as the humor of her comment hit her. "I know that. I just..." She shrugged slightly. "I feel like you need a friend, and I kind of feel like I just volunteered." She smiled brightly. "I don't mind volunteering."
The woman seemed stunned as she stared at Alicia. "Okay," she said quietly, her dark eyes wide. "Sure."
Alicia's smile grew bigger. "Great!" She reached for the door, pulling it open.
"Don't you want to know my name?" the woman asked, her tone suddenly soft and warm and drawing Alicia in.
The door slipped from Alicia's hand, and shut them out in the fresh night air. "Yes," Alicia responded, her tone suddenly desperately earnest.
The barback gave her an ineffable smile. "You can call me Kalinda." A pause. "All my friends do."
Re: Stray PT 4mickaela82July 10 2012, 08:58:41 UTC
The beginning of "Kalinda". Absolutely amazing! And seeing Alicia babble and Kalinda being stunned, like..."who is this crazy person and why am I letting her get to me?" That's just...made of win!
Re: Stray PT 4hotladykissesJuly 10 2012, 16:01:04 UTC
OMG, this is awesome! It’s like witnessing Batman and Robin’s first meeting! ;-)
Seriously, I love the way Kalinda looks too young to drink (and to be married already), and the way Alicia still has a bit of her teenage awkwardness, and how both were bound to meet and rescue each other and be fascinated by one another on their first encounter! Thanks for writing this fic, I just know this is the beginning of a long and beautiful relationship! :-D
Oh my god, I love this. Of course Alicia's the girl people are always goading to drink. Of course her eye-rolls are famous. Of course she'd bound right into the middle of Leela's business like an overenthusiastic puppy. (And oh god, baby!Kalinda the barback killed me. KILLED ME.)
How're Alicia's eye-rolls ever NOT famous? I mean, have you seen those things? She does your average teenager proud, it's almost obnoxious it's so awesome. I'm glad you liked it, I had fun writing it!
That is a destined relationship if you can get past thrown up nachos as a first impression. ;)
This was great. Feel free to continue this. I really, really want newly christened Kalinda to throw a wrench in that engagement of one Ms. Cavanaugh. It's like going back in time to kill baby Hitler! lol
Man, I've had the idea for a follow-on bouncing in my head for a while, but every time I sit down to write it it comes out full of angst, and that's not what I want for a sequel. I'm working on it - if I can ever get it to work, I'll make sure and post it to the lj group page!
Re: Stray PT 4sweetjamieleeJuly 20 2012, 01:55:58 UTC
This is my favorite prompt I ever prompted, I swear. I've seen many different incarnations of Georgetown!Alicia and typically enjoy them, but the idea of baby Kalinda, and baby Alicia MEETING baby Kalinda, just... gah. THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED.
I love how protective Alicia was right off the bat here -- blindly, maybe naively, but somehow seeming to like this stranger more than she likes her law student compatriots at the bar. And Kalinda's cautiousness, but inability to resist Alicia's drunken charms (puking aside!), feels right on. It really makes me want to know more... about Kalinda's mysterious marriage, but mostly about what comes next in this unlikely friendship. What are the chances of goading you into continuing??
I usually stay away from Georgetown!Alicia because it means Georgetown!Will, and while I like him I don't want him anywhere near my Kalicia ^.^
I saw your prompt, and I just knew instantly what would happen. It didn't seem at all likely that they would be at school together, in my head. And living in the DC metro area, I can tell you that the Georgetown set are whole different beasts from the rest of DC - I mean, they don't have a metro stop because they want to keep the "vagrants" away - although that's not so much the students as those who live there, the mindset is pervasive. So then the idea of a bar, and having Kalinda work there... it just fell into place.
I want to write a continuation, but each time I try it gets all angsty and I want them to have fun first. So I'll keep working on it, and if I ever hammer it into a shape I like I'll be sure and post it on the lj group.
"Don't," she said in a quiet, no-nonsense tone. "We'll talk later."
He growled something at her, the words to soft for Alicia to actually overhear, and the other woman just nodded wearily. The man shrugged her hand away, and stalked towards Alicia. Past Alicia. She almost fell over as she turned to watch him leave, his hands shoved deep into jean pockets.
The sudden move caused her world to spin, and she suddenly realized the alcohol and adrenalin that was rushing through her system. It was too much, and she'd barely staggered to the side of the alley before her gut wrenched and she was throwing up all the drinks and bar nachos she had consumed earlier.
It took her a moment to realize there were cool hands on her, pulling Alicia's hair back. One gently rested between her shoulder blades, so light she kept forgetting it was there until the pressure would change.
Once her stomach finally decided she had nothing left to give, she turned her head to one side to view the woman beside her. "Thanks," Alicia croaked, staring into dark eyes that seemed so full of emotion and so closed off at the same time.
"Don't mention it," the woman responded, and there were dual meanings in her words that Alicia implicitly understood.
The barback helped Alicia stand up right again, steadying her as a heel caught on a stray piece of gravel. "Are you okay?" the woman asked quietly.
"Water," Alicia managed to get out. "Bed. Greasy food in the morning. I'll be fine."
The smallest trace of a smile graced the woman's dark features. "You have friends inside the bar? To take you home?"
Alicia nodded. "Fiancé." She slowly started walking towards the street, hoping Peter wouldn't be hard to find inside the bar. She wanted to go home. "Boyfriend?" she asked the other woman. She understood, but it had been Alicia instead of her brother Owen who had brought strays home as a kid, and there was no way she wasn't going to mention it.
For a moment Alicia thought she was going to be ignored, but then a small sigh escaped her companion. "Husband."
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"No." The tone was firm, and a small spark in the eyes Alicia couldn't help looking at made Alicia believe her.
"Okay." They reached the door to the bar, and the other woman pulled it open. She gestured for Alicia to go in first, and somehow it seemed so gentlemanly it broke Alicia's heart. She always got sentimental when drunk, too. Without thinking about it, she reached out and pulled the other woman into a hug. Startled, the door slipped from the barback's hand and slammed shut again. "Okay."
After a moment, Alicia realized she could feel how awkward the barback was feeling, and she released her. The look that greeted her was one of surprise, and a small thrill ran down Alicia's spine at finally being able to recognize something on that enigmatic face. "Thanks," Alicia blurted out again, not sure what she was thanking her for.
Before the other woman could move away, a flash of inspiration ran through Alicia. "Hold on!" she said excitedly, reaching into her purse and rummaging around. After a moment's panic, she found what she was looking for, and drew out a business card. Alicia had just picked up an internship for the summer at Crozier, Abrams and Abbott, and had gotten the cards from Will as a congratulations. She triumphantly presented it to the other woman.
After a moment's hesitation, it was accepted. "I'm not..." A pause. "Leaving. Him, I mean."
"Oh!" Alicia exclaimed. "No, no. I just wanted you to have it. If you want to get together or something. For drinks." She swayed. "Or something. It has my house phone on it, if I don't answer you can just leave a message on the machine or with one of my roommates."
This time the look she was given was one of amusement. "I work at a bar."
Alicia laughed, throwing her head back as the humor of her comment hit her. "I know that. I just..." She shrugged slightly. "I feel like you need a friend, and I kind of feel like I just volunteered." She smiled brightly. "I don't mind volunteering."
The woman seemed stunned as she stared at Alicia. "Okay," she said quietly, her dark eyes wide. "Sure."
Alicia's smile grew bigger. "Great!" She reached for the door, pulling it open.
"Don't you want to know my name?" the woman asked, her tone suddenly soft and warm and drawing Alicia in.
The door slipped from Alicia's hand, and shut them out in the fresh night air. "Yes," Alicia responded, her tone suddenly desperately earnest.
The barback gave her an ineffable smile. "You can call me Kalinda." A pause. "All my friends do."
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Seriously, I love the way Kalinda looks too young to drink (and to be married already), and the way Alicia still has a bit of her teenage awkwardness, and how both were bound to meet and rescue each other and be fascinated by one another on their first encounter! Thanks for writing this fic, I just know this is the beginning of a long and beautiful relationship! :-D
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I'm glad you liked it - I had fun writing it!
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That is a destined relationship if you can get past thrown up nachos as a first impression. ;)
This was great. Feel free to continue this. I really, really want newly christened Kalinda to throw a wrench in that engagement of one Ms. Cavanaugh. It's like going back in time to kill baby Hitler! lol
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I love how protective Alicia was right off the bat here -- blindly, maybe naively, but somehow seeming to like this stranger more than she likes her law student compatriots at the bar. And Kalinda's cautiousness, but inability to resist Alicia's drunken charms (puking aside!), feels right on. It really makes me want to know more... about Kalinda's mysterious marriage, but mostly about what comes next in this unlikely friendship. What are the chances of goading you into continuing??
In any case, SO enjoyed this. Thank you for it!
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I saw your prompt, and I just knew instantly what would happen. It didn't seem at all likely that they would be at school together, in my head. And living in the DC metro area, I can tell you that the Georgetown set are whole different beasts from the rest of DC - I mean, they don't have a metro stop because they want to keep the "vagrants" away - although that's not so much the students as those who live there, the mindset is pervasive. So then the idea of a bar, and having Kalinda work there... it just fell into place.
I want to write a continuation, but each time I try it gets all angsty and I want them to have fun first. So I'll keep working on it, and if I ever hammer it into a shape I like I'll be sure and post it on the lj group.
So glad you liked it!
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