2019-07-19 - Smoke and Mirrors

Lilith definitely keeps busy when she's down on the shop floor. It's around eight in the evening, give or take, and she's been at it with a certain amount of fixation and general alertness all day by outside appearances. But inside her mind is in two places. One place is reality. One place is delusion. Does it seem that way, though? No. It really doesn't. At least not for now.

There are variables, of course, that hint to things being a little different today. But they're the small things that aren't readily noticed. Her shotgun under the counter, for instance, is in a much easier to grab place. But really, the woman is just sitting there looking busy and rather lovely. Especially considering a certain expected party hasn't much had a chance to see her with makeup and hair at effort. She's still wearing jeans and a pair of black and white flowered sneakers, even though the black tanktop she's wearing is low cut between the breasts in semi-snazzy fashion. And she must have a bit of a chill in the shop because she's pulled on a gray sweater cardigan about herself with pockets and buttons, undone and open.

She has music on a moderate level to occupy the noise space and she's working on about three things at once, it seems-- there's a pile of broken jewelry on cloths spread out on the glass case in front of her. Behind her with spin of chair into table space where the computer is, there's piles of shipping labels for trim down. And on the floor, there's some packed, open boxes in lines and small stacks, awaiting double check and labeling, it seems.

Like a clock, Mike shows up with the requested pizza almost the moment the clock hits eight. Like he'd said in one of their last texts maybe half an hour earlier. He's wearing his uniform, complete with vest, belt and all that, and he walks with confidence into the pawnshop like he walks most places, confidently. Walking the length of the counter, he sets the pizza on it, not disturbing her things, but a bit down and out of the way, his eyes turning towards her as he fishes his thermos out of his pocket.

"So, I went with the margherita pizza, because you said you liked it, and I haven't had that here," he mentions as he looks her over in person. His eyes lingering over her as he leans across the counter to fully appraise her outfit.

As he leans across the counter, he notices visibly that the shotgun has moved, because well, that's his job. But as one might expect of Mike, he doesn't say anything.

Instead he gestures for her to come a bit closer so that he can kiss her.

"You can come back here, I have another office chair, just have to pull the box off of it and move some labels and... we'll have a kind of table." Apparently eating with Lilith is going to be a paper towels and hover slice situation one by one, because she hasn't pre-thought to bring down plates and can't be bothered at the moment, it seems. When the bell goes off, she stops what she's doing with grin and spins to shift the stacks of labels to clear her flat workspace behind the case.

Then Mike is at the counter and leaning just as she spins back around from clearing, so she rises up after letting him study her with tiny pose in her seat for flair. After mashing on a kiss that's a little rough and playful and quick, she beckons him around with the pizza, "You have special shop owner permission. People are going to think I got a hot security guard."

Looking at his GHPD uniform, Mike says, "Or that you're about to take a ride in hand cuffs, or that I'm a stripper," he speculates and swings around the counter to help her, looking things over. Her kiss is hurried, and he snags her waist for a moment during it. Like he noticed something off, just a little inkling in her behavior. But he doesn't say anything about that either, mostly because it could be any of a hundred things, and he doesn't automatically assume anything outrageous.

Setting the pizza between them, he flops open the cover of the box and grabs himself a slice, mindful of the pizza sauce, since he hasn't had one from this place before and some places are drippy.

"Do you know what all of this makes me think?" he asks, with a smirk, gesturing to her piles of things all arranged so systematically.

Is Lilith being brisk on purpose or is she being brisk because she seems so buzzed with efficiency and work mode? It is a little tricky to figure. But maybe that's nothing and something just feels a little different about the general state of her. She looks so damn together, quick-witted even, and smiling to boot. Is it possible that Lilith is too perfectly fine? Maybe. He's never quite seen her like that either out in the open.

Lilith does lean into the snag around her with that strong arm bidding her during the kiss, though, then when he counter hops and they settle, she breaks into a sudden laugh of delight, "I'm entirely telling everyone you're a stripper when you're in uniform from now on. Won't they be excited when you pull them over?"

After pulling out paper towels to hover and eat with, she gives one to Mike while flitting her eyes between all the things going on, "What? It's too neat? I'm not messy in -all- facets of life."

Okay, it's not that neat. It's lots of stuff dragged out at once. But it's organized!

"Oh, I'm sure that won't get around at all," Mike mentions with a laugh, joining her. He takes the paper towel from her and actually snags the roll from her so that he can make a bit of a lap-protector out of a layer as well, not just one in hand. He continues to eat, watching her with a smile. He laughs at her explanation and nods his head at that as well, not the least bit perturbed, just observant. Always observant. His eyes are always on her, on the pertinent details. Like he spent years watching for bombs, and now spends all his time watching for criminals.

"No, it looks like you've had a bit of speed," or something else, but he doesn't get all explanatory. "Or mania," he adds, neither said in an accusatory way, but like he's just noticing it. He'd undoubtedly support her and be his usual calming influence, in either case, trying to help her get her head straight. Either way.

"If I did a bump of coke I'd probably just tell you anyway to see what it's like to get cuffed by you. Then I can daydream about you being a stripper while you give me pamphlets about addiction and it will be a Lifetime movie from there." Lilith is literally never going to let Michael live the offer of pamphlets in the hospital down. He might as well get used to it. Her pupils might be a little widened and mania might actually be a decent descriptor, with context, but... hell, maybe she's legitimately something along the lines of bipolar, at this point, in his eyes. It's probably not drugs, anyway.

After Lilith has had a bite of pizza and laid on the harmless barbing wit, though, she halfway rises up from seated to put a kiss at the tip of his nose when she's finished chewing, then settles back down to sit and have a look around, "I just... felt really behind. I wanted everything caught up. I've also had a lot of coffee to stay alert."

"You wouldn't be doing anything illegal at that point, unless you mentioned it while still carrying some, but I'd probably put you in cuffs and spank you with a stack of pamphlets," Mike mentions, probably meaning it very literally exactly as he said. His eyes dwelling on her as she talks, as if still measuring her in a smiling way, on her side. When she gets up to give him a kiss, he reaches up to cup at her chin and strokes her cheek with a couple of fingers. "I'm glad you're feeling motivated. I get the same way sometimes--super motivated. When I moved here, I loaded the moving truck in one afternoon. I just wanted it done," he explains.

He continues to eat at a lax pace, having a full union mandated hour. So he can really relax here.

"So, if you ever get a good shotgun like a.." and he goes on to list a series of types of shotguns, "I'd buy it from you. I'd like one for home."

The shotgun in question would be slightly more exotic than the pheasant hunting variety here.

"Good. To. Know." Lilith says to Michael quite thoughtfully for show while cutting her lashes at his threat of return concerning cuffs, drugs, and pamphlets. That sounds less like a Lifetime movie and more like Cinemax, she might be into that. Then her lips slant to betray a hint of smile with that studious look back at him that sweeps in up and down over his general frame. She nods knowingly to the moving bit and just wanting things done.

She eats. She listens to the list. She's admittedly federally licensed, as required, so it's not like this is a trap or anything. Then suddenly she laughs at one of Mike's model requests, apparently familiar, "What do I look like, a Columbian Arms Dealer? Most firearms I get are antique or defunct show models or movie props made for blanks. Is this a trap? Are we still trying to find excuses to cuff me?" She clicks her tongue a few times and spins a little in her chair with flourish to grab for her water bottle behind off of the case to drink from, more serious, "But I'll keep an eye out on the online market for good deals. Some dealers I work with are in other states or specialize."

Then she gets an idea, "You should take me to range sometime. Been a while."

Like a good attentive budding boyfriend, Mike is aware of Lilith's mannerisms, and smirks at her reaction to his mention of cuffing and spanking her. He'd have to do that whether she confessed to something or not. "I mean, it's the sort of thing I can get anyway, I just want one for my house, and buying one brand new seems stupid since it's really just a slightly complicated tube with a trigger mechanism," he says, being deliberately basic, clearly having a bit of a piss, but not too much. He's sorta serious too.

"Do I need excuses to cuff you?" he asks, leaning forward to stroke her leg from hip to knee, cupping underneath it. But he has work to get back to, so he's mostly just being intimate.

"We can go to the range soon too. That's three dates we have planned then. Movie, hike and range, I suppose we could do them all in one day if you can get a day off on my day off," he mentions.

Lilith wipes her hand after finishing up one slice and bites into another one after pulling it out and free from the box with hover over paper towel, giving Michael an all-too-knowing expression, "Buying a new gun is like buying a brand new car. Why? Someone touches one for a month, you get the same car or gun, much cheaper." Her eyes roll upward before she takes another bite and makes a noise of recollection, "Mm. Car lot. Should work on that research-a-model-and-ride thing too in my downtime. Ducks slowly in order."

After adding to the list, roundabouts, by mentioning car, Lilith wipes her hands off on a paper towel, puts her half-eaten second slice down, then leans back in her chair, "Four things." Her eyes then drop to his hand at her leg and she smiles some with dropping tickle of fingertips over his knuckles, "Three could probably be done in one day, though, yes. In fact, we go out far enough, we can just shoot while hiking or something, right?"

"That's about right, the only thing I'll buy retail brand new for certain is safety gear," Mike mentions, he probably isn't thinking of something else he'd buy. He suddenly nods when she mentions the car lot, he hadn't forgotten that entirely, but they'd been putting it off long enough that he sort of let it slip his mind--though he doesn't admit it. "Car lot too," he confirms and gets up when she finishes her slice and gives her a kiss when her hands and mouth aren't otherwise occupied. Then grabs himself a third slice and starts wolfing it down.

"Absolutely, but I'll have to check with the DNR and figure out where the sweet spots are as far as rec. shooting goes," he mentions, being a good cop. "Though shooting at a range might be better if you need to practice," he does add.

"There a reason you moved your shotgun, by the way?" he asks, perhaps getting back to a circle of questioning he'd sort of been hedging toward, and indicates her shotgun with a little glance.

Lilith looks a tinge amused there for a moment after the kiss, tipping her face up some to catch it when Michael hovers, probably due to the official plans to check up on where shooting things is okay. In her eyes, far enough out not to shoot someone else or get caught is generally kind of a guideline, but she's not about to -say- that. Ranges are admittedly better. And she considers that visibly after the tinge of amusement fades, ticking her head a bit after the comparative suggestion.

The woman's eyes then swap to look right at the gun where it is, pushing her tongue against the point of one of her eyeteeth before she sighs a little bit and reminds, "Mm. Because I wasn't asking about how restraining orders for giggles." There may be other reasons, but that's a real decent and true one.

"You should also find me proper wall art," he adds, not that she's very good at decorating if the upstairs is any indication, but that might have been from a lack of effort, not from a lack of ability. He can't be sure yet. Eating his pizza and drinking from his thermos, he glances over at the gun again when she mentions her restraining order again, and simply nods his head. He'd said his piece about that, and she knows he is respecting her choices, and not even questioning her too much about it. He has that energy that says he feels like he knows what he wants to do, but also respects her and will honor her decisions.

"Sure you can't lock the door for ten?" he suddenly asks, slice, licking his teeth, not the least bit suggestively. Sip.

"Okay, so. You remember you asked that. And whatever I find for you goes on the walls. It's a game now." Lilith tells Michael with a sudden quiet half-laugh, eyes pulling away from the shotgun to blink a few times with clearing of thoughts quite visibly. It's a bit as if she refuses to dwell on the subject herself, so it's probably a good thing he's not asking much about it. That's probably how he knows it might be an actual concern and probably not dramatics. She generally alludes as necessary, then clams.

But Lilith? It's just a blink or two. She's still perfectly fine. After a tiny and dismissive hitch of her shoulders once she's looked at the gun again, she reaches back for her previously abandoned, half-eaten slice to finish in short order, leaving the crust behind before she goes for a drink of water to wash it all down, speculating on the guy's request. "Ten minutes, huh?" Her lips lopside into a sudden smile before she takes to looking around the shop, at her projects, at his uniform, and all the while she's nursing the water bottle in hand, other hand slipping casually to sweater pocket as she leans back in the chair to consider.

Then she says something very adult after the pause that seems tempted, "It's... a bad day for that. Carver has a key, could come in at any time down here, I go upstairs, I lose momentum for the night." She pauses, looking at Mike with her darling made up eyes a little too sober to match perfectly fine all of a sudden, "I might not be having as good of a day as I indicated."

"That's what that means to you? You know what, I'll bite, just to see what Gacy Clown Painting you conjure for me," Mike says and laughs at her, and while he seems to observe when she clams, when she dwells, he is as always supportive. His eyes on hers as she seems to be ruminating. He watches her think about the ten minutes, and can tell, in a positive way, that she's interested and might take him up on it in different circumstances. That's good for his confidence if nothing else.

"Text him and tell him not to walk in?" he proposes and laughs a little, but doesn't push it, he seems to appreciate her answer for what it is--but then she says she isn't having a good day, and he sets his slice aside on that paper towel.

"Tell me."

Lilith sits very still for a moment with the water bottle in one hand, keeping up casual lean in the chair with hand in her sweater pocket, looking at Michael, then she drops her lashes to look at her denim-clad knees. Her head drifts a touch, as if considering how or what to explain, then she pulls her hand from pocket and puts the drink down. With shift of place forward to lean with her forearms against her lap, she delicately says, "Some days, I feel like everything and everyone is out to get me. It makes sense after what I went through last week. You don't know how bad it actually was. But I think you saw the fallout enough to gather..."

The woman puffs some air over her lips and hitches her shoulders inward a tiny bit to hold while looking back up at Michael with a slight smile, "It's hard to explain, isn't it? The way something can just take over inside. I don't know if you've ever felt like that boxing or while deployed or..." Her breath intakes shallow, then she shakes her head a smidge dismisslvely.

"Anyway. I knew you coming by would make me feel better. It's not like you want anything from me. It's centering, I guess."

As she begins to explain, he sits forward with her as well and gently puts both hands on her knees. Not sexual in any way, just listening attentively. That look of utter attention on his face, he searches her face as she explains and gently strokes under her chin as she finishes, but doesn't go in for a kiss, just offers that comforting touch. He'd probably hug her, if he weren't half covered in paper towels with pizza grease on them.

"No, I can't say that I did. I sometimes felt like the universe had a bit of a boner for fucking me. You know, shit happens in threes? That sorta thing. Carburetor goes bad, girlfriend dumps me, and I miss a college assignment deadline," he says softly, trying to talk it out with her.

"And of course, that I understand," he confirms when she says that he centers her. He's glad to hear it and he has a very genuine smile on his face. "I like you too, Lil."

Lilith looks up a bit more evenly with the stroking touch under her chin while she tries to explain, then after looking at Michael looking at her like that, she straightens her posture out of lean against her forearms, knocking a hand back through her hair. She's not all soft and thoughtful and vulnerable anymore after that, flashing him a return smile, "Being understood as 'messy' is kind of neat. Look at you slay, guy. Going to make me blush."

After drawing in a breath, she reaches for her water again to drain it, then mimics that thing Mike does with his own trash to make fun and be cute-- she says "Kobe" before throwing it toward the trash to sink. She's done with whatever that little mood blip was and her quick toss is pretty flawless, despite the trash being under the ledge of the counter at a bit of a distance.

"That said, if you really feel a bit paranoid, you know you can always stay at my place. It's unlisted unless you tell people where it is. Not to say it's impossible to find out, but I have your back," Mike tells her and reaches out to stroke her hair a bit from her forehead before he settles back and picks up his pizza again, resuming his wolf-impression. Chasing that with a sip from the thermos. His eyes on hers, he sits and idly eats for a few minutes.

He watches her throw and gives her a nod of approval. She might think she's giving him shit. He just thinks it's cute and the look he gives her is enamored.

He checks his watch then and thinks a bit.

"Tsk. I can't do that whole 'facing the music' and 'acclimating' thing if I go hiding from it at your place on the regular when I feel bad, now can I? Honestly, I'm busy, it makes me better to be busy too. And I have to do this again first thing in the morning before the delivery and pickup man gets here, I'm expecting things I need to sign for, including that lamp I was telling you about. And it's just... tch." Lilith might sound like she was full of excuses if she wasn't so accommodating on other fronts. Because she knows what it all sounds like. But she can be a bit notably stubborn about these things, he may have noticed prior.

"Besides. I like it better when I'm at your place not feeling like a refugee." Accomodating. Receptive. Suddenly she's pushing up into a stand to snatch the paper towels off of him as a shield to keep his uniform neat, "Dork. Just get dirty. Hug. Haven't gotten one yet."

Someone's getting a Tide Pen delivered to the station with a bow tomorrow.

"I understand," Mike confirms and watches her as she explains, and feels a touch like she's not mentioning something. "Just know that you can call me any time, you can come over to my place at any time, even when I'm not at home, just text me," he mentions and reaches out for her as she stands, as if he might take her hands, but then she snatches away the paper towels and starts to pull him up into a hug.

Standing with her, he wraps his arms around her waist and cups her ass, staring at her and then lifts one hand to cup the back of her head and pull her into a nice warm embrace.

"You're not a refugee, you're just going to where the backup is. That's sound tactical thinking," he reasons softly against the side of the top of her head, and leans back a touch to scoop her chin for a kiss.

When he hugs her, she feels a bunch of stuff on his belt and below his belt against her.

"Oh. Well. In that case, I guess I am kind of tactical." Isn't she just so. "I sure played hideout. I guess I can stop feeling like a wuss about it with military thinking. But seriously. When we're less time-odds and entrenched, we'll do the play catch up thing." Lilith speaks up to Michael with her smile flashing on full and bright and uninhibited instead of one of those twitchy or slanted measures she tends to dole out more normally, stepping into the hold. She melds there, nevermind that his hand is on her ass and that there's all that junk on and below his belt.

She reaches back to put her hand back atop his at the curve of her backside. It's not just because he's built like a brick house and those kinds of man hands are good. It's not just because he's been pretty good at managing her unorthodox troublesome ass. It means his hand isn't feeling elsewhere to make her bristle with the paranoia that's been creeping the longer she's been around him, separate from everything he sees.

Then she kisses the ungodly hell out of him before giving a shove against his frame with roughness that she knows he can take, "Shoo."

"Okay okay," Mike confirms on his way out the door, leaving her to clean up her shop. He gives her a wink as he walks past on the other side of the counter, and would clearly enjoy staying longer, but he has a job to do. As he walks out the door he turns up the volume on his radio and signals that he's back on duty and off his lunch break. "Keep texting cutie," he adds on his way out the door and pauses there for a second before the sound of him starting the cruiser and rolling off can be heard.

The woman (Lilith? Not quite...) breathes a sigh of relief when the man is gone and studies the door for a long moment before going to lock up, despite her claims of being unable to do just that any time soon. Company can be a delightful distraction, but not today. Cops are convenient, but not immune to suspicion. As Michael leaves, Lilith is very aware of a few things while she packs up the items and projects she pulled out simply to appear busier than she actually is. Her mind is for one thing, and has been most of the day. But you don't let people know that, now do you? You keep the status quo.

The woman (Lily? Used to be...) thinks about how she sacrificed a little pride to appear vulnerable. His ego wouldn't be wounded if she gave him that in lieu of physical attention which would require stripping down and leaving something very precious unattended. She thinks about how she wanted people to notice a squad car parked outside. It would ward the others off for a while. She thinks about how she wanted his hand on her ass because she didn't want him to feel what was in her sweater pocket.

At some point she pauses and pulls a vodka bottle from a file drawer. The brunette (Lilypad? Come back...) takes a huge swig and thinks about these things as her other hand goes right back to that pocket it was so casually placed in earlier. Her fingers curl around a decorative box and she pulls it out to nudge her nose to with brushing murmur of lips, "Gone." Is she talking to it now? It goes back into her pocket just in case. Having it out isn't safe. And Lilith (not Lilith) considers where to stay the night.