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[invisibilitea]

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ANNIE CLARE SAWYER

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[humanistic]

[Dates are not normal, Mitchell might tell her--not for him. Dates never end normally. His recent attempts have ended up as crime scenes or bloodbaths, one way or another. Dates are associated with sex, with feeding, with giving over to urges he'd rather not think of. He can have a drink with a girl, but even while he's being charming and sipping at his pint and laughing at her stories, and her jokes, he's got one eye on her throat and his hands clenched in fists, trying to hold himself back, and that's not even good enough, most times.

That's not who anyone wants to date--what anyone wants to date. He thinks of Lucy, the paleness of her bare skin in a darkened room. Is he thinking about the night at her place, or the night at the facility? The memories seem almost intertwined.

But when he looks at Annie's smile, something in him thaws, a little. How can he kill that in her? She would be happy. God, he wants her to be happy.]

What would, uh. What would we do?

[invisibilitea]

[She remembers dates differently. She remembers that catch when Owen laughed, that smile. Dates were happy, because dates were before he ever hurt her, before she was ever just slightly afraid of him.

Not that she would ever admit that.

She just wants something normal for them. Something that isn't ghosts and vampires and werewolves.]

I don't know. I could ask around and find someone who has an idea. Maybe we could go to that bar.

[humanistic]

[Quickly:]

No, we could-- work out on our own what t' do. We're both, y'know. We've... done dates before, we know what they're about.

[He pushes his hair back from his face with his free hand, distractedly.]

We could. Do that. If you wanted. The space pub, or-- whatever you thought up.

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It could be fun! We could go out and I could tease you about how I'm not wearing underwear, and you could...well, actually, I hadn't thought about what you would do.

[At least she admits that much.]

[humanistic]

....Oh my God.

[a n n i e
you can't just say

right just give him a second not to choke on absolutely nothing at all]

Where d'you come up with these things?

[invisibilitea]

[She looks affronted for a moment, gosh Mitchell-]

Don't tell me you've never had someone say that to you before! Lean in during the middle of dinner and whisper it in your ear, I refuse to believe some girl hasn't tried that with you already-

[Well that's upsetting she doesn't want to think about another girl hitting on Mitchell, that's just offensive-]

Anyway, we both know it's not true.

[humanistic]

No-- I mean, yeah, but--

[It never ended well, for starters. And anyways, this is Annie, if she's going to start going on about--

Well, it's not that it's bad. It's a good thought. Definitely good. But--]

'Cause-- you're permanently wearing it? [That's what she means by 'not true', right?]

[invisibilitea]

Yeah, but - that's what girls do, you know, when a man looks like you do-

[Pause. Well, except for the heroin chic thing]

And yes. Unfortunately.

[humanistic]

[GIRLS LIKE THE HEROIN CHIC jesus christ

Anyway. There's a beat; he looks down at their hands and, after a second, squeezes at her hand.]

We could just... do the date, thing. Worry about ghost panties later. Right?

[invisibilitea]

[No, Mitchell. They don't.

Okay maybe they do.]

Yes! Real dating. Like real people.

[humanistic]

Like real people.

[He gives her that smile again, the one nearly reserved for her and her alone. And he isn't sure about this, really, but-- it's Annie, isn't it. He's eaten dinners with Annie (so to speak), he's watched movies, he's sat right beside her on a sofa. How different can it be?]

You just-- tell me when.

[invisibilitea]

[She beams, it's spectacular for a minute there.]

All right, it's a deal!

[humanistic]

[Really, he ought to tell her what he was going to tell her: about Lucy Jaggat, about keeping George away from her away from George--it's not like he's forgotten all of that, but-- he can't ruin this right now.

He'll tell her. Just not yet. Instead, he squeezes her hand again, gently.]

But, uh, let's not tell George about this first one. He'll make it weird.

[invisibilitea]

I don't know what kind of dates you've been on, Mitchell, but best mates are not usually invited.

[Oh, oh, she just leans over to kiss him on the corner of the mouth. Don't be silly, Mitchell.]

[humanistic]

Not that I was inviting him, I meant--

[Well, that's the best distraction there ever was, so he cuts off with that reply and with that thought entirely, actually, with a grin--and then quickly turns so he can at least get a fast kiss in before she pulls back, a real one, none of this corners-of-the-mouth business.]

[invisibilitea]

It's not too cold, is it?

[She asks because it's a legitimate concern for her.]

[humanistic]

No, it's-- kinda nice.

[He's still leaning in quite close to her; he flicks his gaze up to hers, with a little smile.]

It's just different, y'know? Tingly.

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[Her smile is softer, warmer. She just nudges in and kisses him again]

You weren't just coming here for this, were you?

[humanistic]

[--a kiss which he ruins by laughing a little.]

Uh-- for your company as well, yeah, but--the kissing is nice--

[invisibilitea]

I should very much hope it's nice, I'm a terrific kisser, thank you, better than I am a tea-maker I should say, although really, I made some earlier-

[She may be babbling a little]

[humanistic]

[He laughs, pulling away a little so he can meet her eyes.]

Annie.

[invisibilitea]

What?

[That hushed her up a little.]

[humanistic]

You don't need t' convince me of your tea skills or your kissing skills, y'know. I've had experience with both. I know.

[And he leans in quick again, just-- for a fast kiss, barely more than brushing his lips against hers.]

[invisibilitea]

Maybe I should work on convincing George.

[humanistic]

On the tea thing only, I'm hoping, 'cause he and I are mates, yeah, but...