[Closed - Faye and Smoker]

[myfayevalentine]

Who: Faye and Smoker
What: Pizza Dinner
Where: Sycamore Cycles
When: After the virus did its thing.
Warnings: Definitely language. Probably sexy flirting. And maybe then some. Who knows?

 Luck had never been so good to Faye: a chance meeting at the masquerade, a virus that sent a message to the wrong intended person but, in the end, the right one. Now, Faye was on her way to Genessia to visit Smoker for pizza that he was actually even making himself. It was a date, and she was all too excited for it.

Of course, Faye arrived by bike. Why not, when she knows that's a thing he likes? Her leather jacket and biker boots were of a higher, and prettier, standard than what she wore on the day to day. She'd stop for a crate of some good bottled beer closer to Smoker's. And a cheesecake too. That was the polite thing to do when invited for dinner, no? Bring drinks and some kind of dessert? When she arrived, Faye parked her bike, unzipped her jacket, and looked for a surface to check her full appearance.

The trouble was, when they last met it was the masquerade ball. She'd been beautifully made up and wore a stunning gown. For this event, Faye had gone for casual, but pretty. She wore a pair of tight black skinny jeans, and a delicate cream vest top. The outfit was designed to show off her curves without revealing them. Not too much, anyway. But there was a chance he wouldn't like that. Maybe he only wanted her the way she had appeared at the ball and the spell would be broken when he looked at her like this and he'd think, "Oh. Is that it?" But she couldn't let nerves get the better of her.

So after another check of her soft lipstick and of her hair, Faye took a breath and finally approached Smoker's door to be let in. While she silently reminded herself not to fuck things up, she was excited to see what the night might have in store for them.

Comments

[justicereigns]

He dashed back downstairs at the sound of the bike, the dogs barking and following along, like it was some game now. And it might as well be, he usually had someone man the shop while he did bike repairs or customized upgrades, so it wasn't like anyone on a bike usually rode it to his shop for repairs, or to get another, but he was a little on edge waiting for her. Which meant pretty much every motorcycle he heard he was jumping down the stairs, just in case, for the last couple of hours, in case she was early, or someone did stop in the shop. Or whatever. The dogs, at least, were enjoying this new game, puzzlement aside.

Smoker wasn't sure about setting the pizza to be on in advance of her arrival, in case he missed the timing, and she was late or early, or something came up. And there was only so much he could keep an eye on the dogs not to jump the ingredients. So it was in the oven, just waiting to go on. Since cooking it in front of her was probably weird, and having her help was just... no. Fuck no.

Lalala... he opened the door with a grin and held the dogs back with a leg. A samoyed and Tibetan Mastiff, they were both pretty big and since Smoker didn't let them run around the shop, they were always shocked and excited to meet more people.

"Faye," a grin. And he looked over, suddenly worried about the usual lack of his clothes. She'd last seen him dressed up and played with the tie... was his usual self -- eh well she could just. Say so then. Fuck it. "Come on in," he grabbed both dogs by the scruff so they couldn't overwhelm her. "Ash, Sami, heel," he growled, as the dogs sulked, but calmed down enough he could set them down without them misbehaving. Back to grinning, "I was right, you definitely look better out of the dress," he teased.

[myfayevalentine]

Dogs. Of course they were the first to hear hee arrival. Dogs loved Faye, always eager for her attention, but she never would reciprocate. Or so she will tell you.

"Hi," she said simply, her smile giving away something of how pleased she was to be there. "Thank ypu." Faye entered and walked past the dogs - at least he had them well trained. Still, she carried the crate of beer and the box of cheesecake aloft just in case. Faye couldn't playfully hit him as she was carrying so much, so instead she had to nudge at him with her hip. "Flattery will get you nowhere." Lies.

[justicereigns]

"Yeah? I'll just have to try harder then," Smoker smirked and tucked the dogs away so Faye could grab a seat in peace. "I wasn't sure about how fast you'd get here so..." Smoker turned the oven on to let the rest finish. "Hope you don't mind a little wait."

Oh God. Smalltalk. His worst enemy. How's the weather? How was the drive? "How's the bike holding up?"

He has interests outside of work.... just not many.

[myfayevalentine]

Faye took a seat and shrugged off her jacket, looking around the place as she put down the items she had brought. "Did I turn up too early?" Oops. She shook her head, because she didn't mind the wait. "I brought the beers. And cheesecake. I don't even know if that's a thing you like but, well, it's here now."

Faye watched as he got things prepared, "Yeah, it's good. Haven't had any real faults with it in a while. Though she doesn't like the cold weather." In a few days or a week's time, suddenly there will be something wrong with it. It will require her visiting his shop quite frequently. "How's the shop doing?"

[justicereigns]

"Nah, you're right on time, I was a bit eager." Who cares that he's not supposed to admit that? "I fucking love cheesecake. One of my biggest vices. Don't tell," he waved a hand, trying to make her laugh a little.

"Yeah?" His ears perked like a dog's. "Maybe I should look at the ignition with winter coming. Wouldn't want you to get stranded." A beat, "Again." Secretly, he was of two minds about it since that was how he started falling harder for her, and wouldn't mind the excuse to rescue her, but no no, safety first.

He rubbed his chin in thought. "Business actually slowed a little, I was hoping it'd pick up enough I could go back to policing or hunting..." a shrug. "Maybe everyone's just waiting for Christmas."

[myfayevalentine]

Excuse her while she smiled to herself at the idea of him being eager. But that only grew brighter at his comments about cheesecake; she was feeling pretty pleased with herself for the decision, and she made a mental note. "I won't tell a soul." She held a finger to her lips and winked at him.

"Thanks. I'd appreciate that. Definitely don't wanna get stranded if it gets as cold as last year." Her bike probably needed new tyres too, but that would happen on a separate occasion - just an excuse to see him multiple times.

"Oh, really?" Faye sounded sympathetic about the shop. "Policing and hunting? As a job...?"

[justicereigns]

A distracted grin back at the wink. It was a good thing no one else was around to catch this or they could have blown him away with a feather.

"Yeah, stay warm, or you can always stop by for hot chocolate." That sounded less stupid in his head.

"Mm right yeah," he jerked a thumb to the red writing on the back of his jacket. The kanji for justice. "Back in my world, that's all I did. Hunt pirates and other criminals for justice. I've just been slacking here ever since I arrived, but if things are going to keep heating up, I can't sit by idly and do nothing."

[myfayevalentine]

This was fun, just observing how he reacted to her smiles and winks. But not just because his reactions amused her, but because they seemed to warm her somehow too. Speaking of, Faye tilted her head at his hot chocolate suggestion and smiled in her amusement. "With little marshmallows too? If there are marshmallows, I might take you up on that offer."

"Mhm. I get that." Faye reached into her jacket locket to fetch her keys on which, of course, there was a keychain bottle opener. She took a couple of beers from the small crate, glad they were still quite cold, and popped open a couple. "That's why I quit the casino. You know I'm a deputy guardian now, right...?" Faye held a beer out to him but was watching his face, unsure of what his reaction to that might be.

[justicereigns]

"Yeah, you can't have hot chocolate without the marshmallows," thank you Portgas, Adela, and Tashigi for that one, because Smoker was more the type to prefer coffee with whiskey. Just add caramel if he needs sweet. This the hot cocoa has been largely unused for awhile.

"Yeah," he grinned, and apologetically rubbed the back of his neck. Even he knew it was probably a bit weird and possibly uncomfortable that he kept tabs 9n everything without saying anything. "I try to pay attention to such things. Gotta admit, you were hot before, but that skyrocketed it for me. How are you finding it so far?"

[myfayevalentine]

If he offered her coffee and whiskey, there is no way she would say no to that one either. As it was, she listened and, when he was done, she smiled at him and slowly shook her head - how could someone so big and strong and hot also be so adorable, standing around talking about hot cocoa and marshmallows?

Faye drew her bottle of beer close, holding it for the sake of holding onto something. She didn't know what he thought of her career change, but worried that he wouldn't like it. But she was not prepared for what he said, her eyes widening and cheeks flaring. She took a small but very slow sip of beer, hoping that it would give her cheeks time to be less pink. "Hm? Oh. I like it. A lot. It's a good job and I feel more...useful now, I guess."

[justicereigns]

"Good!" more grins.

He debated whether to tell her of his idea. Not even a fully formed ambition yet. If he didn't have conviction behind it...

No, that wasn't true. His conviction was strong, but so was his desire not to get in the way. "I've been thinking... rather than just being a police, maybe if things keep heating up I should run in Genessia." He grabbed one of her beers, and a seat across the table from her, keeping an eye on the oven and an ear for the timer. "I'm not really good with people though," a wry grin all the same. "Up to now it seems like everyone always had things under control, but fighting explosions and criminal underground rings is literally all I've done for decades. All I ever thought I would be doing. There's not much else to do in my world. You've met Namur. Most pirates aren't like his family, they're more like the slavers that fucked up Fishman Island." A shrug. "Not that all marines are better. A lot of them can be brutally psycho and even the best look the other way for the sake of planet. Or so they say."

[myfayevalentine]

When he started speaking, Faye understood what he meant about that increase of hotness. Maybe it was his desire for justice, his conviction, his ambition, maybe all of it. But she was taking him seriously too, listening carefully and nodding in response to his explanation. "Then you should run. Absolutely. And you're a lot better with people than you think you are..." She winked at him, proof herself of that. "But really...if that's what you're concerned about, then just make sure your deputies have got that covered."

[justicereigns]

His ears reddened at her faith in him. Pssh.

"I haven't even figured out who I'd have as deputies," he admitted with a slight tsuntsun scoff. "Mostly just want to run open interviews. That way if criminals do try to take position under me, then I'll be able to spot them, maybe even turn them around. It's what I did with G5. It's got the reputation in my world for being the worst. Basically where the marines send all their problem children like me. But I'll admit, it was a lot easier with Tashigi there. I don't think anyone worth two berri is ever at odds with her." A quiet hum. "When did Gale ask you on board?"

[myfayevalentine]

"Interviews sounds like a good solid way of recruiting. You've got to know you can always rely on your deputies, after all. Just like you said." As for her own selection as a deputy, Faye bowed her head and looked at her bottle, lightly tapping her nails against the glass. "That was very recent. Can't even be months ago, really... He knew I was...at a loose end." Which really meant that she had been slowly falling apart. "Then he suggested that he had the post open. And that I had what he needed for a deputy." She shrugged though because she knew fine well that she would probably never have that chance if it weren't for the fact they were roommates and good friends.

[justicereigns]

"Does that mean I could steal you to my side?" he half-teased. Half of it was definitely sincere. Depending on her answer. Among other things.

[myfayevalentine]

Faye looked back up at him, her lips in a half smile, "Maybe..." She took another sip of beer, holding his gaze while she does so, "If you're sure that you'd want me..."

[justicereigns]

Smoker arched both eyebrows in amusement and scoffed, "I even wanted to hire you for front desk here just to have you around more, and that was what -- April? Way before the last elections." He snorted quietly. "Haven't gotten you out of my mind since then."

[myfayevalentine]

Faye just continued to look at him, examining him in closer detail. April felt like such a long time ago. There had been a lot of hurt in that time, and she couldn't help but wonder how different things might have been. She flushed to think he had wanted to see more of her even then, that he'd been thinking of her since then. Could that even be true? When she spoke again, her voice was much softer. "Why...didn't you say something? Why didn't you ask...?"

[justicereigns]

He gave her a soft sad grin. "I wasn't the same person back then." A quiet snort. "Pretty much everyone I liked here left. 7 people from my world, a couple idiots that kept barging into my life. Adopted daughter. The big dog I call Bear, just for the look on people's faces, that's hers. When she came back, she didn't even recognize him." He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back. "I kept thinking... why am I still here? What's the point? My turn will be up any day now. So anytime anyone else gave it a go..." he shrugged, "I figured leave it to them. See how it plays out. They'll probably do better than me." Another shrug, "That's pretty much been my attitude about being a Guardian here too."

Two names and faces were especially significant. Portgas and Augustine. Even Smoker didn't realize how long it'd taken him to get over Ace. If he even was. If he wanted to be. But then, the pirate was dead. So of course he haunted Smoker. And Augustine...

Well, Aizawa too.

"I've had maybe five friends in the marines that I always truly knew I could count on. I got spoiled in my early days with some of them being here. If they'd still been here, then yeah," a grin, "They'd have kicked my ass and told me to try." Ace and Namur too probably. "But I spent my whole life married to my job." A headshake. "There's very little I pursued without a sense of finality to the encounter. Nothing so open-ended."

[myfayevalentine]

Faye played with the label on the bottle as he explained. She herself had just drifted along, like she didn't matter to anyone or for anything. Faye had things she'd had to work out too, so maybe back then hadn't been the best time for them anyway. "I'm sorry that things have been shitty for you..." Faye drank from her bottle again as she continued to listen, looking at him thoughtfully. "But now, you might give the Guardian thing a try? And...I'm here." She smiled slightly and extended her foot under the table to gently tap his. "If that makes a difference."

[justicereigns]

He got up and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "It counts for a lot. And things haven't been that bad. There's always a good turn around if you wait it out."

He gently covered her fidgety hands in his big ones -- and the pizza dinged.

[myfayevalentine]

Faye beamed up at him when he kissed her cheek. "I'm beginning to think you might be right..." Between that and his words and his hands on hers, her heart felt suddenly very big in her chest. Faye looked over at the oven as it dinged, "Pizza smells good."

[justicereigns]

"Yeah?" Smoker forgot he hadn't really explained his devil fruit power to her, so he didn't even think about it, just turned an arm into smoke to pull the pizza directly out of the oven and onto a giant platter before bringing it over to the table with smoke arm.

At the heightened smell, the dogs both ran to the gate and barked and drooled. Smoker rolled his eyes and pulled himsef away from Faye. "I fed you two already," he growled arching an eyebrow at them, but like the softie he is, toss them both some pepperoni. "Don't overdo it," he chided them.

[myfayevalentine]

When he just stuck his arm in the oven like that, Faye sat up with a gasp of warning. But no, his arm seemed to be make of smoke. Or something. That was...different. Faye turned to watch the dogs and their reaction, then eyes on Smoker as he gave them some pepperoni. And there was that smile again - what a cutie. "It looks great too."

[justicereigns]

"Great," he grinned at her, "Dig in!" A beat, and he rubbed the back of his neck. "Right. I should probably slice it... It's been awhile..." Eh so it's a knife not a pizza roller, but it'll do.