6.) [text.]

[ijustlivehere]

I hate the frakking friend zone, you know? No girl ever seems to see me as anything besides... I don't know, a kid. Or any guy, for that matter, but I'm so afraid of my own bicuriosity that I don't even want to admit it to myself. I'm not that young.
I haven't had a real date that didn't involve a mistaken identity or being used for some ulterior motive since high school, pretty much.
It just freaks me out sometimes, because I'm afraid I'm going to end up alone.

Comments

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[True to his word, Neil shouts, whistles, claps, and generally makes a big scene like he's seeing a hit band in concert or something. He definitely knows how to do the fan thing, and the alcohol and caffeine are giving his enthusiasm a boost.
When Lucy comes back, he high fives her.]

Nice one! I'm up.

[He heads for the stage. He addresses the bar, and all traces of his usual awkwardness seem to be gone with the drinks and the audience.]

Hard act to follow, eh folks? [He winks.] Let's bring it down a notch. Take a breather.

[He combs a hand through his hair and starts into a pretty faithful rendition of Penny on the Train Track (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHNYMaq8jp8), complete with a fake Southern American lilt to his voice. He really gets into it, too, seeming way more at home on the stage than he generally is in his day-to-day life.

When he's finished, he grins and bows.]

Thank you!

[mghtbconcussed.livejournal.com]

[Lucy does her part as fan, digging a lighter out of her purse and holding it up in front of the stage. She screams, whistles and considers throwing her bra on stage but it's a little too early in the evening for that. Don't worry, Neil. It'll come.

She meets him at the bottom of the steps with a mischievous grin. She wraps one arm around his neck and kisses him. On the lips. When she pulls away she laughs.]

You were amazing.

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[Neil is too amazed to respond for a moment, but when the initial shock fades, he gives her a shy smile.]

Thanks.

[mghtbconcussed.livejournal.com]

[The smile is adorable and likely to get him more kisses before the night is over.]

Now more drinks! Possibly dancing. Are you a dancer or a watcher?

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

Uh. I watch, mostly.

[He rubs at the back of his neck sheepishly.]

[mghtbconcussed.livejournal.com]

Totally valid choice. [She grabs his hand and starts winding her way back to the bar.] So I'll dance in a little while. You'll watch and then we'll sing more.

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[He grins. This is an appealing prospect. Also, hey, girl hand, and he's still kind of reeling from the kiss.]

Sounds good to me.

[mghtbconcussed.livejournal.com]

[Poor thing could never recover before the night is over.]

Another beer?

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

That would be awesome.

[mghtbconcussed.livejournal.com]

[She lets go of his hand long enough to slip slide through the people to the bar, orders two more beers and carries them over. She holds the Becks out to Neil.]

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[Neil takes it, and fixes Lucy with a suddenly serious expression.]

Y'know, you're... you're like, the coolest girl who's ever... forget 'gone out with me'-- coolest girl who's ever spent this much time with me, at all. Seriously, like, ever.

[mghtbconcussed.livejournal.com]

[Lucy smiles at him a little sadly and reaches out to run her fingers through his hair. She leans in and kisses him, hard and serious then pulls away.]

And you're probably the sweetest guy I've gone out with on a real date in...ever. [Which is true. The Master was a lot of things, unselfishly sweet wasn't one of them.]

Anytime you want to go out, just call.

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[Neil looks profoundly moved by this.]

Really? Y' mean it?

[mghtbconcussed.livejournal.com]

[He's really the cutest thing ever.]

Really. Besides, tonight has been fun so far.

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

It has? I mean, yeah, it has. 'S been really fun. [And we have grinning again. Nice one.]

[mghtbconcussed.livejournal.com]

[Oh she likes the grinning thing. It makes her grin back. She takes a sip of her beer and scoots close to Neil, resting her head on his shoulder.]

Choice time. We have A)More singing B)Watching Lucy dance C)More shots or D)All of the above in random order.

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[Neil raises a hand as if to do something-- it lingers there for a moment, and then he drops it again, indecisive.]
So many choices, and none of 'em bad. [He takes a contemplative swig of beer.] I vote D, with a possible priority on B?

[mghtbconcussed.livejournal.com]

[That makes her laugh a little, tucking her bottom lip between her teeth.] D it is then and we'll start with B. [She winks at him, leans in to kiss him and then sashays out to the dance floor. Yes there is sashaying.]

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[He touches his lips absentmindedly, still hardly believing how well this is going.

And where there is Lucy and sashaying, there is Neil and appreciative watching.]

[mghtbconcussed.livejournal.com]

[This is one of the really excellent things about Neil, at least in Lucy's opinion. She makes sure to stay on the edge of the dance floor where he can watch. After all, that's the point isn't it? There is dancing with other people but it's pretty clear that it's all a show and the other people just props. Lucy has no issues with the whole dating more than one person thing but if she's out on a date with one person, she's with that one person for the night. After a couple of songs, she comes back from the floor out of breath and a little sweaty. She grabs her beer and takes a long swig as she sits back down close to Neil.]

Enjoy the show?

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[Neil watches, fascinated, and firmly resolves to himself to learn how to dance-- although, the likelihood of his actually carrying through with said resolution is very much up in the air. Still, it seems like a good idea to him right now, at least. When Lucy comes back, he offers a smile, and then stares at his hands, wondering how enthusiastic he's allowed to be about this without being creepy.]

Yeah! I mean, yeah, that was really... you're-- yeah. [He coughs.] Having fun?

[mghtbconcussed.livejournal.com]

[She lived with the Master, creepy equals love, or something like that. She grins, puts a hand on his knee and nods.]

I am. It's the most fun I've had in a while.

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

Me too. I don't-- I mean, things aren't usually... like this. For me. With girls.

[He lifts his hand, hesitantly, and brushes a strand of hair back behind Lucy's ear. He looks away quickly,
and then glances back.]

[mghtbconcussed.livejournal.com]

[Lucy grins when he takes the initiative to touch her. She even tilts her head a bit into the touch.]

Why not? What's the big turn off? You seem like a great guy to me.

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

Dunno. Maybe it's the hair.

[The smile says he's joking.]