2020-01-13 - A Real Date With Real Questions

A plan was made, and at the appointed hour, there's a knock on Mariah's door. When she opens it, it will reveal Lalo, looking like he's ready for a date night -- even though he's also wearing a very heavy jacket, as one does, and even with that it looks as though he's pretty cold. But he's still here and smiling, and ready!

There's the sound of some rushing behind the door after Lalo knocks and Mariah is hopping on one foot trying to get her other stiletto on. Which is impressive given she opens the door while she's straightening out her shoe. "Hi there." she grins to him. And from what the man can see she cleans up VERY well.

Her blonde hair has been tamed into a loose chignon and she's wearing a little black dress that shows off quite a bit of leg for the cold. She's wearing her coat though and the bracelet that he gave her. She steps out and presses a kiss to his cheek, "Hi there." she smiles to that.

"Hey," Lalo replies, the kiss on the cheek eliciting a wider smile. "You look good," he says, taking a step back to take her all in. "I think we're gonna be the best dressed couple in the restaurant, 'cause I don't know anything fancier than Thai Table. For a town with a lot of crazy shit happening, you'd think you all'd have more upscale restaurants." His tone is amused, though, and he tips his head to the car that's waiting outside her place as he offers her his hand.

Mariah takes a moment to look him over and there's a warm smile, "You're looking mighty handsome yourself this evening." she tells him as she tugs her coat around her and ties it at the waist. "And nothing wrong with getting a bit dolled up now and then. I don't really do it at the bar, too many drunks get to talking about my ass if I do that." she muses. Then she takes his hand and starts for the car with him, "How was work last night?" she asks him.

"I'll take it," Lalo replies as they start toward the car. "I have way more scrubs than I have nice clothes, but luckily the other clothes last longer since I almost never wear 'em." He opens the door for her with a little chuckle, gesturing for her to enter with a little bow and a flourish. It's exaggeratedly gallant, but it's at least a little bit serious. "It was all right," he says as he straightens up. "Not too busy for once. Plenty of downtime. There were a couple admits but some nights there are, like, twenty or thirty people coming through the ER. So it was nice. How was your night?"

Mariah gives a grin, "Maybe in the Spring I can take you up to Seattle or something for a small vacation and go somewhere really nice." she tells him as she looks to him. Then there's a soft smile at his flourish and she dips her head to him, sliding into the car while making sure her dress doesn't ride up. When he gets in there's a smile to him, "Downtime isn't so bad. Lets you get paperwork done. Or return texts to your girlfriend." she teases him. "The night was alright. We've had a lot of weird come in these last few days. People angry about stuff." she frowns. "Tired of breaking up fights really." she admits.

"Seattle, huh? I don't know, that's a pretty major trip." But Lalo's tone is still teasing, and he's smiling as he heads to the other side to get in and start off toward the restaurant, so he's probably joking. Especially since Seattle isn't actually that far away or any sort of major trip. His eyebrows raise at her use of the word 'girlfriend,' but he doesn't correct her, and it doesn't seem to be something he dislikes, either, judging by his expression. "Silver linings," he agrees with a nod as they start toward the restaurant. The smile does fade when she goes on, though. "Angry about stuff?" he echoes. "Like what kind of stuff?"

Mariah blushes a little at the teasing, "Hey, I didn't suggest Vegas, so need to get all worried." she tells him with a wink. She did use the word girlfriend, but she wasn't sure if he was okay with that term. "Yeah, definitely silver linings." she agrees. Then there's a shake of her head, "No idea really. Just feels like there's something heavy in the town. More than usual." she explains.

"Yeah, Vegas comes a lot later and a lot drunker," Lalo replies as he glances over at her, a little laugh escaping him. "Then you wake up and get the annulment. Not that I have any experience with that." He's probably joking, though. Presumably, anyway. The mention of 'more than usual' doesn't get argument from him, either, though he does look over at her again briefly. "Yeah," he says slowly, letting out a little exhalation that's not quite a sigh. "I kind of get that. Had a weird thing happen to me the other day. Turned out okay, but it was definitely not normal. Ended up in some weird fake version of Grease."

Mariah gives a laugh, "Yeah, maybe down the line and way way drunk." she nods to that. "You sure you've not had experience with that?" she teases him gently. "I mean...if you have been married that's not anything that's going to weird me out." she adds. Then there's a look to him, "You were in a Dream...weren't you?" she asks him with a concerned look. "Were you hurt?" she adds the question.

Lalo shakes his head with a snort, replying, "God no. I'd have to be way more hammered than I remember being in my life to do that." It's said without thinking, though as soon as he does say it he seems to think better of it, or at least realize how it sounds, as he cuts another glance toward her. However, he doesn't address it further, and instead shakes his head. "Nah," he says, "I was fine. No one got really hurt. There were a couple other people there, and there was a fight but it was kind of...like an Archie comic, you know? Milkshakes getting thrown around and shit."

Mariah gives a look over to him at the comment on marriage and there's a mental note made, but nothing said in response to it. She gives him a half smile, "I'm glad you were not hurt. Dreams can be very dangerous sometimes." she admits. "I haven't been in one in awhile. I try not to be on the radar really." she explains.

Lalo seems perfectly happy to let what might have been a slight faux-pas go, and instead focuses on the latter part. The part with the Dream. "Yeah," he says. "I mean, I don't know much about it. I doubt I'm gonna have to worry about it too much. I don't think I'd have much to get me on the radar."

He pulls up to the restaurant then, getting out and going around so that he can open the door for her. Unless she opens it first, in which case, he'll just offer her an arm to help her out. Not that she needs help -- it's probably more the principle of the thing.

Mariah wasn't going to poke him about marriages. It wasn't her business. She gives a look to him, "Do you...use your powers a lot? Or do you try not to use them?" she asks him. Apparently she knew what was going on. And she was a local.

Then they are getting to the restaurant and Mariah smiles to him, "We could talk about powers and such later. I don't want anyone to look at you crazy." she admits. She lets him get the door, allowing him to be a gentlemen. "Thanks." she murmurs to him as she gives his arm a squeeze.

"Thanks," Lalo replies, "but people might look at me crazy anyway, so I don't mind." He grins, but he does get a little bit quieter, and waits to speak until they are led to their table and he's seated. He leans forward a little bit, resting his forearms on the table. "I don't have a lot of powers," he admits, "so I don't use 'em much at all. No reason to, and it wouldn't do much if I tried." He doesn't seem bothered by it, though.

Mariah gives a soft smile to him as they are lead to the table, not going into things at the moment. She takes a seat across from him and watches him as he does finally speak. "I have a decent amount." she admits quietly. "I try not to use them though do to...well...I don't want people I know or love being targets." she states. "We should probably talk on it later. In case things." she murmurs.

"Mm." Lalo doesn't argue with her assessment, though, and instead picks up a menu to order. "Did you enter that snowman contest?" he asks instead as he peruses the offerings. "There was some funny shit on that FriendZone thread. I was pretty bummed we didn't win, but I can't complain too much about it." He grins, looking back up at her, "I never got to play in the snow as a kid so I'm gonna play in it now."

Mariah gives a soft smile to him, "I did not enter the contest. I think Hank and the others would be trying to mold dicks and stuff and it wouldn't be kid safe at that point." she sighs with a chuckle. Then she's looking to the menu as he speaks, "I will have to look at the thread, I didn't get too much into it sadly." she tells him. "And anytime you'd like company to play in the snow you just let me know." she grins.

Lalo snorts, replying, "There was some stuff that wasn't really kid safe, but nothing too bad. Mostly just horror." He sets the menu aside, apparently having decided on what he's going to order. He laughs then, though, and nods in acknowledgment as he says, "I'll keep that in mind. I used to wish for snow when I was little, but not that I'm actually getting it it does kind of get old fast."

Mariah settles the menu down and there's a smile to him, "I'm glad we didn't add to it then." she grins to that. She gives a chuckle, "I think that I'll invest in some warmer gloves before then." she winks at him. "So what are you getting?" she asks him with a little smile.

"Good call," Lalo replies as his grin widens, and he settles back as he looks at her. "Pad thai," he replies. "I always get the same thing when I get Thai food. Matias used to make fun of me for it. Said I was a boring American. Asshole." It's said fondly, though, and he shrugs. "I just know what I like. Never gonna be disappointed with it. You?" He cranes his neck a little bit to look at her menu as well, as though it has something different written on it, before he looks back to her.

"I was thinking the Pad Thai as well, haven't had it in a while." Mariah admits. "And nothing wrong with going with what you know. Sometimes branching out just isn't a good thing." she shrugs to that. "How is your brother doing?" she asks him since he is mentioned. "Is the menu different?" she asks him with a grin.

"Yeah, that's what you get when you're old," Lalo says with a very sage nod. "You know what you like and you don't like change." This is accompanied by a wink of his own, again exaggerated, as he tends to do. He becomes a little more serious when she asks about his brother, but the smile doesn't fade completely, so it's probably nothing too horrible. "He's doing okay," he says. "Seems like things are a little better. They got him on some different meds, so we'll see." As for the question, he nods again. "Yeah, yours is better."

Mariah gives a laugh to his words, "Old? Seriously you aren't old." she shakes her head at that. "I just...I guess when you have to grow up real early in life you just have routines and things you know you want and like." she shrugs. She listens to his talk of his brother with a smile, "Well, I'm glad he's doing better. Hopefully the medications will bring more good news." she states. Then she slides her menu over to him, "Wanna look at it?" she teases gently.

Lalo nods, leaning forward again to rest his forearms on the table and clasp his hands together. "Yeah," he says, "I get that. Makes sense." And he's not joking now, though he is still smiling. He doesn't often seem to not smile, actually, or at least not that she's seen. "Thanks," he adds after her next words, "I appreciate it. We're feeling good about it." As for whether he wants to see her menu, he continues, "I kind of do." He takes it, making a show of looking it over before he gives it back, because he can't be too serious all the time.

Mariah gives a look to him and she smiles as he speaks and looks over things. "Lalo, do you mind if I ask you something?" She asks. "Its not anything bad." She assures him.

Lalo looks up from his feigned perusal of her menu, and that smile that's on his face all the time tips a little bit wryly. "Oh, shit," he says, setting the other one aside. "I've heard that before." It's sort of a joke, though obviously not completely one, even though he nods readily. "Sure," he says, "of course. Go for it."

"What do you want out of life?" Mariah asks him. It might be a dreaded question, but it's honest. "Do you have any dream trips you want to take? Places you want to see?" She asks him with a smile.

It may not have been a question that Lalo was expecting -- at least, his eyebrows raise, and he sits back, taking a moment to study her before he answers. And then another moment to really consider the question. "What I want out of life," he repeats, as though making sure he has it right, though obviously he hasn't misheard her.

"I guess I kinda have everything I want," he admits after a moment. "I'm not looking for anything else, I guess. I wouldn't mind going places but I'm not dying to do it. I'm not looking to get married. I don't want kids." It might not be the best conversation to have with one's girlfriend, but this time he doesn't shy away from it. He certainly doesn't say it meanly -- just truthfully. "I got kind of a small life, I guess. But I don't mind it." His smile softens a little bit, possibly realizing how this all must sound. He does, however, say, "How about you?"

Mariah watches him as he speaks and there's a bit of a moment to take everything in. She gives him a bit of a smile, "I've never found myself as a person having kids. I love them. But this place...and my line of work aren't conducive to child rearing." She admits.

"I would like to get married eventually. Unless I find a guy I like a lot and I'm fine with long term and no marriage. If he's really not wanting it. Not like I have family to invite to a wedding or anything like that." She shrugs. "I don't go looking for other people if I have someone." She tells him.

"None of that is terrifying is it?" She asks him.

Lalo doesn't interrupt her, leaning a little bit forward as she answers, and what she says doesn't seem to bother him in any way. It isn't that far from what he'd said, of course. "I just don't want you to feel like I wasted your time or something," he says after a moment. "I'm just at where I'm at, you know? I like spending time with you. But things could change with Matias, we could move for another treatment. Stuff could happen. And I like how things are. But that doesn't mean I don't want to make some space in my life for you, too."