Tessa: BEEEEEEEP. BEEEEEEEP. BEEEEEP. ~SPARKLE~ Stupid alarm. Tessa was fumbling to hit it, swat it off the bedside table… anything. She hadn’t slept very well at all. The show had run so late and then she wasted a couple hours tossing and turning in bed knowing D was out there on her sofa. Half the time she thought about smothering him with a pillow, and the other half was wondering if he looked less like a jerk while he was sleeping. She never dared to go look. For now… she rolled out of bed, six in the morning, to make some coffee. She meant it when she said she was never late, and took great pains to make sure. -04:31 May 16
D: D was on his back the blanket half fallen off of him in the night and he was deep in sleep. The meeting wasn’t until nine and despite his appearenced he had a finely tuned internal clock. Unless woken up beforehand he would wake up at 7… wait there was a beeping… His eyes stayed closed as he listened. Alarm clock and someone getting up.. -04:37 May 16
Tessa: Tessa ignored him. Coffee first. Then she’d kick him out. Unfortunately for him, grumpy morning Tessa was also clumsy and noisy. She dropped her spoon twice and the coffee canister, and spent a bit of time grumbling about not having any cream and being out of sugar. But at least after a few sips of coffee she was ready to start thinking about breakfast. And a shower! Best to fight for a job when looking too awesome to be fired. -04:40 May 16
D: “Don’t you ever sleep?” he asked sitting up and placing his bare feet on the carpet. He looked out the window and shook his head, the sky was barely coloured by the sun and she was making enough noise to wake the dead. “Go and sit down. I’ve got breakfast.” first though.. the coffee pot was hot and he could see where the muges were hanging on hooks under the shelf. -04:44 May 16
Tessa: “Sometimes.” Tessa was eying him over her mug, obviously baffled that he was even -awake- before noon. But him taking care of breakfast made her wonder if he was just going to poor beer in to cereal and call it a morning. “You leave my kitchen alone. Coffee is okay, but then you need to leeeaaaaave, so I can prepare.” Her tone made it sound like she was preparing for something ominous, and knowing the Label it probably was. -04:48 May 16
D: He poared coffee for himself and then pulled a pan out of the drting rack and tossed it upwards letting it turn over in the air before catching the handle and putting it on the stove. “You make too much noise, take a seat.” he pulled open her fridge and frowned. There wasn’t much in the way of food in here. “You know I think you’re right.. Theres not enough here for a cat. We’re going out for breakfast.” -04:54 May 16
Tessa: Tessa rolled her eyes and groaned. Abandoning him AND the kitchen. “I don’t have time for this or for going out to breakfast. I’m taking a shower! You better not be here when I get out, or I’m going to get mad.” Probably the least threatening threat ever. She’d have to work on that. -04:55 May 16
D: He shook his head and moved to his jacket on the chair pulling out a fold of money taking a couple hundred dollar notes and put them under the cloth of her table. She would never know but the girl needed food one was or the other. For now he’d improvise. Vegetable onlettes and prilled cheese. He was missing a few ingredients and would really have like paprika but soon the kitchen was smelling good at least. -05:07 May 16
Tessa: Tessa spent a good hour getting showered and dressed. She wasn’t kidding about needing to look great for that meeting. No one was going to fire a manager who looked adorable. At least, she was HOPING she could appeal to the Label’s love of eye-candy to keep her job. It kinda sucked, but she was willing to do almost anything to keep it. For once, she really did LIKE this job. When she stepped out of her room, grumbling about where she left her shoes everything smelled like… real food! So she wasn’t sure what was more surprising. Him still being in her kitchen, or there actually -being- food in her kitchen. “….did you rob one of my neighbors?” -05:13 May 16
D: “You were in the shower long enough for me to do that but no, I just founf some stuff in your fridge and used it.” he pushed a plate into her hands “Eat.” he didn’t sit with her, instead he moved into the bathroom, to give himself a rinse off and get abck into the same clothes, he didn’t have anything to change into after all. -05:17 May 16
Tessa: She was a little dubious about trying it… but once he was out of site and wouldn’t see her cringe, she took a bite. ….Surprise! So he could cook? Better than she did… she could barely make scrambled eggs without something catching on fire. Tessa sat down to eat and drink her coffee, using those few moments to jot down a good list of all the reasons she -shouldn’t- get fired. Being prepared was important! …wait, what was he doing in HER shower?! Tessa glared over at the hall. -05:20 May 16
D: Befreshed, and little cleaned and ready to meet with his boss he put a couple of bills under her spare razor blades in her bathroom babinet where there were already a few dollars… of well. Then he was slipping out of the bathroom and stretching. “So boss.” he said “I need to see the boss so I’m going with you.” -05:25 May 16
Tessa: “What? Forget it! You’re not making ME late. You can show up on your own time.” What did he do in her private. That was her space… Tessa was finished eating, ate least. She could worry about dishes later. Checking her watch, she bumbled about looking for her shoes and her bag. “I’m walking the line of doom here because of you, the last thing I need is you showing up with me.” -05:35 May 16
D: “Trust me, showing up with me is the best thing you can do. And I won’t make you late since I’m going strait there. If you don’t want to go with me because you don’t liek me then fine but say that instead of somehtign else. ” he picked up his jacked and pulled it on followed by his guitar. “Though something tells me you’d be more cooperative if I said I was paying for the cab over.” -05:38 May 16
Tessa: “How I feel about you has nothing to do with me trying to keep my job.” she was scowling, slipping on her shoes in the process. A cab would definitely get her there faster, and if he was paying. “…Okay, if you’re getting a cab it makes sense to go together…” -05:43 May 16
D: “I said nothign about any feelings for me but I’m flettered.” he said walking out the door “And get better locks if I can pick then so can someone who does it for a living.” he was heading down the stairs without waiting for her. He would be recognised by few, he was no star just a nobidy who played for pittence. Bu then the music side of things was just a cover. -05:46 May 16
Tessa: “That’s not what I meant, you jerkwad!” Uuurrg, why did that even make her face red! Tessa stomped after him, glaring at his back and thinking about hitting him with her bag. It was a nice fantasy. Clonking him and shoving him in to the street to get ran over! She’d feel bad afterwards, but it would be satisfying. Once they were out on the street, she was trying to flag down a cab. “Quit breaking in to my apartment! There’s not even anything in there worth stealing.” she muttered. -05:51 May 16
D: There was a banket, a pillow, and the possibility of a cat.” he said “Cats a warm and furry and so long as you don’t mind you hand bleeding fun to play with.” he flagged a cab and Opened the door. “Get in.. and get a cat.” -06:18 May 16
Tessa: “I am not some crazy old hag that needs the company of cats.” she grumbled back at him, slipping in to the cab. Tessa crossed her arms and scowled out the side window. “Who the hell would steal a cat, anyway?” She turned to glare back at him again. “Do YOU have a cat?” -06:21 May 16
D: “Am I home enough to look after a cat?” he asked “Someone needs to feel them and play with them and would I have the time?” he got in with her and gave the address. “You just seem like a cat person.” -06:25 May 16
Tessa: Tessa just… didn’t know how he always came out of left field with these stupid things. Nor did she know why it always baffled her. “I don’t have the time or the money for a cat. …and you know, this entire conversation is distracting me!” Blast it, she was supposed to be preparing her ‘please don’t fire me!’ speech. Tessa dug around in her bag looking for her notes. Cuteness was not going to be enough. She needed firepower! -06:31 May 16
D: “You’ll be fine. Who can resist that sexy secretary look?” he said “Not going to open your legs to him are you?” he looked her outfit up and down “And if you wore somehtign like that backstage maybe I would dawdle to get there.” -06:34 May 16
Tessa: “What?! No.” Tessa face was red again and she was tugging her skirt down a bit. It wasn’t that short, but having him suggest she looked like a sexy secretary didn’t help. Like she would -ever- sleep with her boss to keep her job. Looking cute was one thing, but sleeping with another! “Quit looking at me! I wear plenty of cute clothes, and you’d notice if you showed up to practice! Not that I’m doing it for you and… Damnit.” Tessa was flustered, and debating whether or not she could get away with shoving him out of the cab in to traffic. -06:38 May 16
D: “So you wear them when you know I WON’T be there.” he said clossing his arms and leaning back. “Look instead of going to watch practive next time dress like that and come with me and you’ll see why I prefer not to go.” -06:42 May 16
Tessa: “No way. My job is serious business. I’m not running off to chase girls or sleep or bother dragons or whatever it is you do when you’re not making appointments.” Tessa could imagine all kinds of crazy things. None of them were the typical interests of rockstars either. She couldn’t see him boozing it up and picking up hookers. But she could definitely see him streaking through a park and chasing hobos just to be a weirdo. Tessa huffed. Maybe if she ignored him, she could finish her notes. She scribbled. -06:46 May 16
D: “Dear Mr. Bassman. Please don’t fire me. I shout at your lead singer when he in a cab comign to talk to you. I dress cute but don’t put out and I don’t have a cat. In conclusion.. we’re here.” he payed and opened the door getting out walkign around the cab towards the huge building. “Trust me you won’t need your notes. I’m here to vouch for you.” -06:49 May 16
Tessa: Tessa ended up writing down half of his stupid speech before she realized she was going it. “That is not reassuring in the least.” Yes, let the guy that always appeared late come and vouch for her… the continue to show up late. Tessa almost groaned as she followed. She hated meetings with the boss. They were always miserable, uncomfortable, and she was pretty sure he’d just as soon as eat her alive than pay her. She was really going to have to amp up her confidence to weasel her way out of this one. -06:53 May 16
D: They entered and were directed into the waiting room where D rested his guitar in his knee and began to strum a few cords the gutar mot makign buch noise without an amp. “You should learn to play something, it really helps with stress.” -06:57 May 16
Tessa: “I did up until someone told me how bad I was.” Tessa didn’t want to think about -that- failed career at the moment. In the waiting room she paced, checked her watch. They were a few minutes early. Lucky…! Maybe having D here on time is proof enough that it’s -possible- and one more chance wouldn’t hurt. Tessa flipped through her notes. “Cuteness, on time, speech. Backup plan: Groveling and fruit basket…” she scribbled that down. She wasn’t above bribes. Bribes were doable. -07:01 May 16
D: “Being good doesn’t matter but doing at and relaxing does. Look at me.. and look at you. Whose stressing out and whose calm?” the boss’ secretary appreared in the doorway and indicated for D to follow. “I guess thats me. Don’t worry I won’t take long.” -07:05 May 16
Tessa: “You aren’t the one he’s going to fire.” Tessa scowled. And he totally deserved to get fired. Tessa plopped in to a chair, scowling more at the floor. And of course he’d get to go first for HER appointment too! -07:09 May 16
D: He entered the office and the door closed, the boss was there and so was a stack of bills. “There were no problems?” the boss asked looking out of his office window over the city. “None, onr shot as always.” D plopped down on the chair and put his feet up on the besk grabbing the money and running a finger through the bills. “Though I have noticed you’ve set the girl up to fail. Telling her if I’m late again shes gone and then having me in taronto ont he date of our next show.” “What do you care?” “Shes easy to control. Talks a big game but does nothing. Do you really want to let her go?” “The decision has been made, your band will break up. She will be blamed adn fire. Its clean. We’re done here.” “Alright, you’re the boss, boss.” He stuffed his payment into his pocket and got up. I’ll send her in on my way out.” -07:18 May 16
Tessa: Tessa was near sliding out of her chair by the time D came out. Then she was straightening and standing up quickly, smoothing out her clothes. “And…? Wait, don’t tell me. I don’t want to freak out. Don’t say a word. Can I go in… Oh man, wait, where is my notebook.” -07:30 May 16
D: He looked at her and grinned “Hes in a better mood already. How I have a few erands to run, day job, groceries, takign my grandmother to the clinic. That kind og thing. I’ll see you tonight.” he put up his hand and started walking off. “By the way.. I don’t have a grandma.” but what he would to was by food and stuff her fridge, and get her a coat. No cat though. Cat would have to wait.” -07:34 May 16
Tessa: Tessa huffed at his back. Better mood was good. Tessa picked up her bag, took a deep breath and headed for the Boss’ door. Her knock was way more confident than she actually felt. So was the way she walked in to the room like she owned it. It just… sorta slowly faded the closer she got to the big desk. “Uhm…! About last night. It was only twenty minutes and popular stars these day are totally known for their lateness and…” There went her entire great speech. Tessa didn’t even remember to open up her notebook. -07:37 May 16
the boss turned and sat down behind his desk. “You star spoke to me telling me his lateness is his own fault and got to do with his day job. But hes your responsability. You need to ask his which job he values more because if you can’t keep your band in line they’re of no use to us. You’re not fined but you have one more chance. Or all of you are.” -D
Tessa: “R-right. Right! Of -course-, yes! Absolutely, not a problem. I will be on him and beat him to an inch of his life if he’s ever late again. I swear.” Tessa was already backing up, nearly tripping over a chair in her haste. “It’s not going to happen again. I swear on my life! Thank you, thank you!” Before he could change his mind, Tessa was rushing out of his office. Next time she ran in to D, she might have to put a leash on him. -07:59 May 16
D: D was already long gone, gone shopping and was picking her lock again with the groseries next to him as the door sweng back and he entered, throwing the warm boat onto Tessa’s bed and closing the door before heading over to pack the fridge. So what if she was angry when she found him on his back on her coutch again. If she kicked him out then.. well… she wouldn’t. -08:03 May 16
Tessa: Elated! The entire rest of her day would be flawless. She still had a job, and she would do the best damned job anyone ever saw. Before she went home though… Tessa had out her list of requests. The band needed better equiptment and there was no room in the budget for it. Again, she was pulling out her own cash. Made an order to have it shipped to her storage. Next step was… people at the venues. That she would do at home with her handy dandy phonebook. Tessa arrived at her apartment, unlocked the door, kicked off her shoes, tossed her bag to the side and…. screamed again out of reflex. “Whatareyoudoingonmycouch..!” she shouted. -08:08 May 16
D: “This again?” he asked “You’re a slow learned if you’re surprised the second time.” he said scratchign the underside fo his foot with his toe. “My eraands are done aren’t I allowed to relax?” he closed his eyes and sighed. “I sometimes wonder how you get through the day always tense.” -08:11 May 16
Tessa: “I have a right to be tense when some uninvited weirdo is on my couch!” Tessa moved to grab his legs. She had every intention of dragging him out. “-Luckily- I get to keep my job on the promise that I keep YOU in line and showing up to show dates.” -08:23 May 16
D: He bent his legs under himself. “Thats wha he said is it. Well you must be happy. In the meantime keep yur hands to yourself.” he crossed hsi legs on the coutch. “I’m going to make lunch in a minute.” -08:26 May 16
Tessa: “You don’t live here, D! This is my apartment and you have your own place!” Tessa huffed, shoving at him so he’d tilt over and then just giving in and grabbing his arm to start pulling. “I don’t have food to feed you and I have to hunt down advertisers for the next venue.” -08:32 May 16
D: He pulled his arm away from her twisting it and walked away from her backwards into the kitchen as he spoke. “Are you sure I have my own place, are you sure…. YOu must be sure your fridge is empty too. Hows this. You go do your thing and if I can’t cook somehting with whats in your kitches I’ll leave.” -08:35 May 16
Tessa: Tessa was advancing after him like some sort of jungle predator. But at the offer… she paused, clearly confident that there was no way he was going to be able to repeat something like breakfast. “Okay… fine! Better be more than just crackers and squeezie cheese. A real lunch. And I’m watching the door.” Tessa stepped away to snatch up her bag from the floor, then she was moving off to the messy looking desk set up in the corner. -08:38 May 16
D: He nodded and pulled a knife from her knife block. “More tha crackers and cheese. You got it boss.” he shook hsi head and opened the fridhge. Ke knew what he wanted to make even before she had arived. Salad with feta, olives, cherry tommato, onion, everyting he liked, in them basically, small fan-fried burger, and a slice of dragonfruit with a dash of lemonjuice. He hadn’r eaten like that in ages.. since he had last made lunch for himself really. It really seemed to fill a plate. Sinight would ne cheese break and pasta! -08:48 May 16
Tessa: Tessa had to dig through her paperwork to find her phonebook, but she had her phone out and was pretty organized when it came to making calls. She was also very good at charming advertisers for decent deals. All she needed was a few posters and a radio commercial! Prices had her wincing… but if she pulled this one off, she’d still have a job and would be able to make the shower after even better. It was quite a bit before she realized something in the kitchen actually smelled -good-. Tessa leaned, narrowing her eyes when she peered towards the kitchen. “You’re still in there, right?” She didn’t hear the door open for take-out. Hmm… -08:53 May 16
D: “Of couse I am.” he called back as the fan sizzled. “And we’re done in five minutes.” he shook his head, she he was cooking he wasn’t sure, too keep a place on her couch? Well someone had to make sure no one decided to off her. “Friday is not a good day by the way, book saterday.” -08:57 May 16
Tessa: “Saturday.” she made a note of it. All she’d have to do is make some more phonecalls to have the date changed. Nothing else was booked on saturday for the venue, so they wouldn’t have a problem with the switch. Tessa wrote down the new schedule and all the details. Tomorrow she’d be heading to places in person to make sure all of that was done. Tonight she would handle costuming, which meant cracking out her sewing machine and fixing stuff. …for now… Tessa got up, more than a little wary when she wandered over to the counter. “…this stuff wasn’t in my kitchen.” -09:00 May 16
D: “I told you I had erands to run.” he said pulling a place on the counter and pushing to towards her. “Or did you think I’d be happy with cracked and squeeze cheese?” he slid a work onto her plate and leaning against the counter and starting on his salad. “Never liked squeeze cheese.” -09:04 May 16
Tessa: “This is real food…” she responded, surprised. Tessa picked up a tomato and popped it in to her mouth. She tilted side to side in her seat. Real food! Still, she was eyeing him suspiciously. “What -kind- of errands? I’m serious, you don’t live here. This is nice and all but there is no more Mz Nice Tess.” Fork! She snatched up a fork. Real food was so nice…! She hadn’t realized he could actually make things… -09:16 May 16
D: “What people usually do. Buy food, look for appartments, take thier grandmothers for walks in the park.” he picked up his burger and took a large bite. “You look surprised, did you think I ate takeout for every meal?” -09:19 May 16
Tessa: “You said you didn’t have a grandmother.” she grumbled. Food was too good to argue it, though. “I did. Or maybe thought you lived on sandwiches or chips or something like most guys do.” Foooood, Tessa would roll on the floor from the happies if she wasn’t so busy -eating- it. “If you are looking for apartments I can find one for you at a good price.” -09:26 May 16
D: “And miss out on my cooking?” he said “I like your couch and Its not like I’ll forse you to sleep with me, I don’t do forsing. Also I can’t help but notice you don’t have any food.” he narrowed his eyes at her. “So unless you’re a vampire you were starving yourself. But I don’t judge.” -09:29 May 16
Tessa: “Jeeze, I’m not starving myself on purpose, I just don’t have a lot of cash.” He had her face red again. Tessa picked up her plate and turned around in her seat so her back was to him. No more narrowed eyed staring. “Still, this is my space here. Every time I get a roomate it goes horribly wrong, and you’re in the band so it would just be weird. So I will find you a place this afternoon.” -09:33 May 16
D: “There you go complicating things twhen they sould be so simple. With me where you could keep an eye on me you could make sure I went to things and did thinsg on time but if you really want to I guess the boss will understand. People need privacy after all.” -09:37 May 16
Tessa: …. That was true. She told the boss she’d leash D if she had to. If he stayed with her for awhile, she’d have him up and out on time cause he’d be in her way. …but then he would be in here way! “…Okay, maybe for a few days. Until after the next venue.” She turned back around setting her now empty plate on the counter, and was reaching for more food. It was definitely -not- by choice that she wasn’t eating at home. “Don’t mess with my desk, though, and I will beat the daylights out of you if you’re late to -anything-.” -09:41 May 16
D: “With you to remind me how can I be late.” he pushed his plate towards he and walked aorund the counter towards the couch. “And now its time for me to practice… Don’t eat too much cheese I need it for tonight.”” -09:44 May 16
Tessa: Tessa confiscated his plate, no problem eating what was left on there too. She still gave him suspicious glares, considering now he was actually going to practice… but for the moment, she just slipped out of her seat and got busy with washing up the dishes. “There’s cheese in there too, huh…” While cleaning up the dishes, Tessa eyed the fridge… and while drying and putting away dishes, she snooped through the cabinets. There was -stuff- in there! “…if this is your bribe to have a place to stay, it’s worked! But I better not regret it!” Juuuiiice! Tessa stole that immediately and ran off to her desk with it. -09:49 May 16
D: Back on his back on the couch he grinned to himself as he propped the guitar against his knee. “A home isn’t a home unless it’s cabinets are near bursting. Thats what my grandmother used to say.” he said before thinking of one of the singe that band would perform and staring to play, again the guitar makign hardly any sound but his voice was clear, even if he wasn’t singing at full volume. -09:53 May 16
Tessa: There was that grandmother thing again. But he was already singing, and despite him always being a pain in the ass, she really was a secret fan. Tessa sipped her juice and pulled out her notepad. Tomorrow, no more Mz Nice Tessa. She was going to manage the hell out of D! -09:58 May 16