WHO: Rimmer and Raven.
WHERE: Stark Tower at first, then a movie theater.
WHEN: Evening 10/5/09.
WARNINGS: Nah.
SUMMARY: Rimmer's in his happy place, so to celebrate he's taking Raven to the movies. Yeah. That's his idea of a celebration.
FORMAT: Whateva.
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Let's go see the staaaaaars! )
Her eyes were focused hard on the cellphone in her hand, thumb going a mile a minute as she worked at inputting data, replying to texts, anything to wrap up her day and get that last thing in. She was becoming more like Tony every day, it seemed.
However, in her peripheral vision, she saw the car approaching, and quickly went to send one more message out before tucking the cellphone into her bag.
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Raven held on until right when he would have to pull away to drive, and did even that slowly. Whenever someone hesitated like that, her natural reaction was to provide whatever comfort they needed - especially dear friends like Arnold. But, he needed both hands to drive properly.
She set her hand in her lap instead.
"I am curious though - on a scale of one to ten, how devastated will you be if you're returned back to your previous state?"
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He regretted the necessity that he had to have both hands free to drive, but accepted it as gracefully as he could. But when she asked that question, he tensed slightly, blowing a puff of air out through his lips.
"Hm. Eleven?" He sighed and shook his head. "I know, I know. I know it won't last. These little tricks the 'Porter plays never do. I'm just going to pretend it will, though."
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And that would be as morbid she would get for the rest of the night.
"... you know that I'll be here for you when that moment comes, correct?"
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"All right, that's one thing coming from me, but absolutely obscene coming from you. Don't you dare ever say that again. Understood?"
Consider that your flick to the forehead, Raven. Then he let go of her hand to continue the drive.
"You better be. I'll probably have a massive nervous breakdown when it does. But then again, I seem to have those once a month around here, so I'm sure you're used to it by now, correct?"
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Her eyes focused forward, and she finally speaks. "Used to it, yes. Happy about it, no. I don't like it when any of my friends are distressed, regardless of a predisposition to or not."
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"Tell you what. If and when it happens, I'll go to New Jersey to be miserable. That way I'll be out of your range and since it's New Jersey, nobody will notice." Then he glanced at her again. "Unless you don't have a range like that. Do you? Could you feel what I did if I were far away?"
He had a feeling he already knew the answer.
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"During my stay in Paris, I knew the exact moment that Tony and Peter had managed to blow up the project they were working on. Once the emotional bond is there with a person, distance isn't a factor for me."
She tucked some curls behind her ear as she watched him again with a light shrug. "To me, it feels comforting, even the negativity to some degree. It means they're always with me."
And she looks forward one more time. She didn't want him to see the look creeping into her irises.
"That is until their emotions go completely silent out of the blue. Dreamless sleep is one thing, however the abrupt halt either means they've been ported out, have passed out, or have died. Not the most pleasant experience I've ever had."
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"I know," he said huskily. And that was all he really needed to say. That was a topic covered more than adequately in prior conversations.
One more turn, and they were at the theater's car park. He killed the engine, leaving them in an echoing silence in the garage. That was one thing about a V-12 engine. It wasn't quiet. And, his ears still ringing with the rumble of that engine, he turned to her again and took both her hands.
"I'll try very hard not to make you miserable."
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She wouldn't wish most of these things on her worst enemy, after all.
But after that, she managed to look at him, raising an eyebrow up almost playfully.
"It's going to take you alot more effort than bad days to make me miserable, Arnold."
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As for talking to somebody who actually got it, that was a rarity in his life, too. Starscream understood a lot of what he, Rimmer, had gone through, but that former mech had the empathy of a squashed frog. Whereas Raven was infinitely easier on both the eyes and the spirit.
"Tell you what. When I have a really miserable day, I'll turn off my light bee and..."
He stopped himself.
"Ah. Well. No, I won't, will I? This is going to take some getting used to."
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"You will, I'm certain. Everything can be adjusted to with enough time and effort, yes?" with that she leans forward just enough to kiss his forehead, like she does to those she's closest with.
"I have no doubt in your ability to. Not that I would even want you to turn off anything in the first place. I don't mind your negativity, and it's usually cured by a stray beam of light in your life as it is."
With that she opens the passenger door and exits.
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Huh.
The grin that broke out on his face was slightly stunned and immensely goofy, as he exited the car as well and set the alarm.
"You are that stray beam of light," he said, letting the words out before he could throttle them back. "You've routed all my shadows."
Then his brain caught up with his lips and he winced slightly. UGH SO CORNY shut up Arn ugh.
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"You're such a dork at times. But... I'm glad I can be that for you. You deserve it."
It was cute though, she had to admit.
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He pulled his arm close to his body, coincidentally taking her hand with it, and then laid his other hand on top of hers again. He guided her out of the car park, toward the theater. There was a large crowd around, even for a Monday night. Couples and friends and families with small children. Life, thronging and talking and laughing and queueing up for a show. And, for the first time since he came to the City, he didn't feel like he was apart from it all. He felt like he belonged.
"And the fateful decision is upon us, m'dear. What shall we spend our hard-earned money and two hours of our lives on?"
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The smile on Raven's face only brightened as they neared the crowd - so much excitement, particularly in the children, all buzzing about the newest movie they wanted to see. They always seemed to catch her attention first, eyes following their joyful bouncing and dashing about - there was just something about the life they gave off that delighted her.
Perhaps it was because she never got to experience that herself.
"Most likely something we'll simply make fun of in the car on the way back."
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