cuddlecity | all my friends know the low rider (open)

Entry tags:

all my friends know the low rider (open)

CHARACTERS: Robbie Reyes and You
LOCATIONS: The Garage and Elsewhere in Town
WARNINGS: None at the moment but should that change, I will edit.
SUMMARY: An Open Catch All Log. Closed Starters in the Comments. If you would like a closed starter, or if you want to run something by me, as always, I'm available on plurk or discord (heatwave#1853)

[maybe you've seen the flyers up around town advertising the 19.95 cuddlebuck oil change special or heard the ecclectic mix of music from somewhere down the road. perhaps you need a new battery or maybe you're interested in some custom work — lights, exhaust, body work, or paint. whatever your reason for making your way to the garage today, you'll most likely find a shirtless robbie reyes with his head under the hood of some car. even though summer is quickly coming to a close, cadelle's warm weather hasn't let up, and the air conditioner is sadly out of commission.

maybe it's all that time spent with his roommate, but robbie's likely humming or quietly singing along as he's focused on diagnosing a problem. if he doesn't immediately notice your arrival, just give a shout. he'll be with you before long.

just... give him at minute to grab a rag and clean off his hands. no one wants a greasy handshake, right?]

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Me too. [that reassurance is all he needs to breathe a sigh of relief.

while everything between them had started off completely casual, a game of oneupsmanship between two strangers just looking for a good time, over the weeks since they'd come to this place, something genuine had developed between the two of them.

something that made him want to see her and keep seeing her. something that made it so important that this date (and the next and the one after that) go well. the fact that he was even thinking of more than one date should've been a clear indicator that things had shifted from their original course long ago.

she settles beside him just as before, thigh to thigh as he takes them down the stretch of road back to the main part of town.

he shakes his head in reply to her question. it's not that far of a drive. robbie isn't ready to reveal the location just yet.]

You'll see soon enough.

[he continues to drive, makes a few deliberate wrong turns just so he can watch her out of the corner of his eye, but not so long that she becomes suspicious. finally, after he's circled the block about three times and kim swats his arm, realizing that he's actually just buying time, he pulls into the well-lit parking lot for lucky lanes.

a minute or so later they're parked and he's opening her door and giving her a helping hand out. if she grabs hold of his arm again, he's certainly not going to complain.]

We're here. Bowling seemed like a safe bet for something we could do without me being tempted to make out with you the whole time.

( does she grab his arm? well, maybe, but only for a moment; as they meander through the parking lot and into the warm glow of the lobby, kimberly lets her hand slide down the warm expanse of skin until her palm brushes against his own. it's only natural, then, for her fingers to slot between his, tangling them together with a soft squeeze, a gesture that's something far different than any other she'd given him the first time she'd slipped into the front seat of his car. but then, this is something far different too. a desire for something she hadn't expected, something she hadn't thought this place would offer. )

You say that like it's a bad thing, ( but she's smiling, a wide grin that betrays any pretense of seriousness in her tone, shaking her head in mock protest. it wouldn't be such a bad thing, really. it's not as if he's bad at it. but the middle of a bowling alley might not be the best location. ) I'll warn you, though: I can't remember the last time I've actually been bowling.

( she wasn't sure, in all honesty, if angel grove even still had a bowling alley. it wasn't the sort of place hip teens went for after-school hangouts, anyway, and kimberly's parents hadn't exactly been the 'family evenings out on the town' type. she'd been once or twice, for grade school birthday parties or summer camp field trips, but beyond a slight sense of nostalgia, this would be fairly new for her.

they get fitted for shoes and the required neon colored bowling balls, and a painfully cheerful employee shows them over to a lane on the far side of the building. she's glad to note that it's quieter on this side, with lanes on either side of them remaining empty for the time being. it gives her opportunity to be terrible without being too embarrassed. )

You have to promise not to laugh if I'm absolutely terrible, okay?

No. Not a bad thing, just not very helpful when I want to take you out.

[maybe kim notices the deliberate use of the word when over the word if. maybe she doesn't. regardless, he definitely wants to take her out, wants to show her the world in all it's shining glory, because she's one of the few things he's seen in the recent past that is worth slowing down for.

she says she can't recall the last time she's been bowling, and honestly, neither can he. but if cheesy first date ideas make her smile at him like he's done something right are what he gets in response, well, he'll gladly take her bowling, or to a trampoline place, or to play mini golf until she asks for something else.

they get placed well away from the more crowded lanes, as if the chipper staff knows that he's a dude with an attitude and that she's as rusty as he is and that it won't do well if they're both terrible and also have an audience.

bless them, really, he thinks.]

It's funny how you think that you're gonna be the terrible one. I tried on three pairs and I swear that this one is still a little too tight, but the next size is too loose.

[robbie sits down at the terminal to type up their names on the screen. kimberly gets entered in as 'sweet ride' and while he enters 'hot rod' for his own. after he finishes, he grins as he looks back at her for a reaction. when one doesn't immediately come, he responds with a wave of his hand as he offers her a ball.] Ladies first.

Shoe problems aren't going to ruin your game, Cinderella.

( kimberly tries not to comment on the names he's chosen, because if she thinks about them too much she just starts to laugh, and laughing makes it nearly impossible to do anything but. she tries not to comment, really she does, but glancing up at the monitor only devolves her into a fit of giggles. better just to walk away, still laughing, and head towards the pins.

to her surprise, there are guide rails up on the sides, preventing the ball from rolling immediately into the gutter. it's especially helpful, considering she manages to send the ball flying a little too hard down the lane, where it bounces back and forth against the guard rails with a few choice thuds. whoops.

when she finally cracks her eyes open to peek at the damage, she's pleasantly surprised by the results. no broken lane, most importantly, and even a few pins down, an empty space in the corner where three or four had stood proudly just a few minutes before. )

Not terrible for a first try, right? ( okay, so she could probably do with a lesson or two, but it wasn't entirely embarrassing. )

You don't know that!

[he calls out as she saunters away, trying her damnedest to not laugh only to break out into another fit of giggles. he watches carefully — okay so perhaps watching isn't the right word here, given that his eyes are firmly glued to her backside. robbie looks up just once, mouths a silent thanks to the man upstairs before actually paying attention to kim's first attempt. he cringes a little as the ball bounces back and forth along the rails before taking a few pins out at the corner.]

Not at all. But it might help a little if you keep your eyes open, babe. [the teasing is light, as he stands and grabs her ball from the ball return, handing it back to her. he settles behind her, even though he's honestly not much better than she is at the game, and offers his assistance.] Can I give you a hand?

Oh, you mean, like keeping my eyes on the game instead of the competition?

( a grin over her shoulder, the implication clear as day. of course she knows he's staring. he's always staring. that had sort of been the whole point of wearing a skirt that was barely long enough to cover the tops of her thighs, after all. as he adjusts her form — which was, as expected, entirely terrible and totally wrong — kimberly shifts her weight from side to side, peeking over at him with occasional sidelong glances. )

I guess giving me a hand's more appropriate for a first date, huh?

( okay, well, now she's really giving him a hard time. ba dum tsch. hard time. she'll stop now. she'll think about stopping, anyway. soon. maybe. )

I don't know what you're talking about.

[he says in protest, like he doesn't know that she knows that he was ~~maybe~~ ~~possibly~~ okay definitely checking her out. it's not a new thing that he finds her attractive. but the skirt is one he hasn't seen before and it showcases her legs in a way that makes him glad that he's not pressed tightly against her, or it'd be incredibly obvious.

but if knowing arch of her eyebrow and the tone of her voice are anything to go by, she probably already knows that too.]

I think I gave you more than just a hand the first time. [he smiles as he leans in closer, until his mouth is right by her ear. he whispers as his eyes dart down toward her hands as she follows through with the toss, a slow roll right down the middle of the lane.] You know, you're getting good at handling these balls.

I don't think the first time really counted as a date.

( or the second time. or the third. or... well, any of it, for that matter, up until now. up until now, it might have been fair to think of things between them as entirely casual, just two people who happened to find mutual convenience in the other. repeated, extremely enjoyable convenience, but that was all it really was. that's all she was willing to admit it was, at least. just because she thought of him first when her bed was cold, just because the garage was the place she inevitably wandered to in the late mornings with an extra bagel in hand — it hadn't meant anything. just convenience.

but adding a date, a real one with invitations and flowers and surprise destinations, into the mix? that changed things. the fact that kimberly knew without any hesitation that she wanted this to be a first date, first implying more than one? well, that was a little bit scarier. she didn't know exactly what this date made them, but she knew it made them something. a little more than friends, a little more than just people who occasionally slid between the sheets together. more than cuddle buddies or friends with benefits, even.

if the way he lingers just close enough for her to feel the heat rolling off his body (but just far enough to avoid anything too... well, pressing) is any indication, kimberly thinks it may be safe to assume that he might not be too disappointed with her thought process. )

Yeah? ( it was, admittedly, a much better second attempt. ) I have a pretty good teacher, you know. Very hands-on.

No, I don't think it did.

[not that he hadn't wanted to go out that first time. or at least a few of the times after that. she was just incredibly tempting dressed in her workout gear or in those tiny shorts and tank tops she was so fond of.

but he's happy that they're actually on a date for once, that she's laughing and having a good time and that it's not just about him keeping her bed warm. that doesn't define what they are, or what they're becoming, rather, but robbie definitely likes the direction that they're heading toward.]

Yeah. You're a pretty good student. [he spins her around, smiles softly, and throws his arms around her neck.] Very good listening comprehension.

( this is a little more familiar. the feeling of his arms draped around her, pulling her in a little more closely, is something she knows very well. it's not exactly conducive to bowling, but she's not complaining. )

What was that about not being tempted again?

( because with the warm smile he's sharing in her direction and the snug wrap of his embrace, she's having a hard time considering anything but the very tempting option of kissing him again. but one usually leads to another, which often leads to something else altogether, and he did say this was supposed to be less tempting.

whoops? )

[was it a tactical error on his part to wrap his arms around her and have her lips so temptingly close? most assuredly.

because he's trying to not be tempted, trying to behave in the middle of this bowling alley, but she's cute and warm and if he just leans in he could be kissing her. he runs a thumb along her cheek, and this too feels strangely familiar and simultaneously different. feels more intimate despite the setting.]

I must really like you if I'm tempted even right now.

( if she thinks about it rationally, it's almost laughable. they're standing on slick wooden floors in the middle of a bowling alley, the soft whirr of the ball return and the distant thuds of balls hitting pins a muted soundtrack in the background, and all kimberly can think about is the fact that she very much would like to close the distance between them and feel the warmth of his mouth on her own.

but she doesn't, for some reason; her feet feel rooted to the spot, stuck in place, and moving anywhere that would disrupt the gentle brush of his fingertips against her skin is decidedly out of the question right now.

no, instead, she just lingers, peers up at him, and lets the weight of his words rest on her conscious. ) Do you? ( because she is, and she does, even if she hasn't been quite ready to say so yet. hasn't wanted to come off as clingy and pushy and needy quite yet. )

[they've been carefully avoiding any sort of conversations about feelings or deeper meaning behind their actions thus far. but it seems unavoidable right now, under the florescent lamps in the least romantic place he can think of.

robbie nods, biting his lip as he looks at her eyes.]

Yeah. I do.

( those three syllables aren't a lot. they're just a few words. they shouldn't encourage her heart to leap in her chest, or make her feel like there's butterflies doing zumba between her ribs, but they do.

they leave her a little dazed, distracted; eventually, as the surprise of how nice those words are ebbs away, she realizes just how intently he's looking at her, teeth worrying his bottom lip as if to hold back something else. as if he can't tell her reaction just from looking at her. )

Me too. ( as if there was any question of that. ) I thought that was pretty obvious...

Maybe I just want to hear you say it.

[knowing and hearing it spoken out loud are two very different things. while he knows that she likes him, it's still nice hearing it spoken, getting that confirmation, that reassurance.

robbie lets out a breath he'd been holding and closes the gap between them with a kiss.

his heart races the entire time.]

( she doesn't protest. it's equally nice to actually say it, to have that mutual admission that whatever is developing between them, there's something beyond just physical attraction on both sides.

a pleased hum against his lips, and kimberly pulls back after a moment, murmuring, ) You could have just asked. ( she could have asked, too. there's no bite in her tone, just teasing, softened by the smile that pulls up the corners of her mouth. )

But... ( a bit of a laugh, another press of her lips to the corner of his mouth as she continues, ) just because I like you doesn't mean I'm going to let you win tonight.

You didn't have to wait for me to say it first.

[he gives her a knowing look, eyes her lips again before chuckling in response to her commitment to beating him, face pressed against her cheek.]

I'm gonna beat you. No need for you to throw the game.

Maybe I was trying not to distract you...

( you know, from the very serious game of bowling they've elected to play. or not play, currently. he probably will beat her, if he's got any practice at all behind his words, but it won't stop her from being a little competitive. )

You sound real confident about that, babe. Want to put your money where your mouth is?

Everything about you is distracting...

[especially from their very serious game that they're currently not playing. that he will very likely beat her in, not that he's in any hurry to start it up just yet.]

Depends on what we're betting for. Name your price, Kim.

( it's a good thing this place doesn't charge by the hour. at this rate, they won't finish even three full frames before the hour's up. not that she's complaining. this is kind of nice, after all. maybe a little more than kind of. )

My price? ( way to put her on the spot. ) You first, since you're so sure you'll beat me.

[hey. she's the one who brought up betting. robbie would've been happy to just play a friendly game and maybe possibly console her at the end with a drink and possibly some more quality smooch time.

this? is pretty nice too, feels a lot like the kind of banter they had the first time they'd met, tempered by affection.]

You're the one who mentioned something about quote putting my money where my mouth was unquote.

Mm-mm, nope. I'm pretty sure I know where your mouth has been, and that doesn't seem much like a bet to me.

( surely there's something he'd like to earn with a few well-timed flicks of his wrist. while he thinks about it, she'll push him backwards, a gentle nudge to his shoulders until he releases his embrace and heads back towards the ball return. )

Go on, hot shot, show me your skills.

Let me think about it.

[there is one thing that he'd like to ask her to do, but he's not sure how likely it would be that she would agree.

robbie grabs his ball from the return, lines up his throw and lets the ball fly right down the middle. it curves just at the end though, so he only manages 6 pins.

he waits for the machine to reset the remaining pins and turns to kim, smile wide as he winks at her.]

If I win, I get to ruin you on your couch. That'd be a real sweet ride, don't you think?

( well, that's not exactly a very fair thing to ask of her, is it? considering that's the one place she's been quite insistent on not getting carried away... unless, of course, he's willing to play fair in return. )

You're terrible. ( but she's not saying no, either. ) Only if the house is going to be empty for a while, and if you give up the pool table if I win.

( that's how this works, right? give and take? )

[he'd known that the minute he'd made that suggestion that she would bring up the pool table. it wasn't even that he didn't want to bend her over the edge of the table, right smack dab in the center of their foyer where anyone might stumble upon the sight of them. it wasn't for lack of wanting, but rather a very firmly held promise that was keeping him from doing it.

robbie sighs, shaking his head.]

You know that I can't. [if he looks an awful lot like a kid who has had his favorite toy taken away from him, it's because he knows that this bet isn't going to work without his agreement to the terms.

there's only so much that he can give or take and this is one thing that as much as he wants to he is unable to give.] Name something else, babe.

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