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#Post#: 1827--------------------------------------------------
[10] BEN
By: Zellaphone Date: July 8, 2021, 1:51 pm
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Ben was expecting to have a nice, peaceful, undisturbed jog in
which he forgot all about yesterday and all of his stressors for
a while. However, as he had learned time and time again, life
didn't always go the way you planned. Right as he started to
approach a corner he was going to turn down, a familiar figure
came around that same corner, coming right towards him. It was
Rey, of all people, and he couldn't figure out how he was
managing to run into her in a city with over eight million
people. However, he didn't view it as an entirely a bad thing.
The view was more than satisfactory, he had to admit. If he had
been questioning his attraction to her yesterday, which he
hadn't, then he definitely wasn't now. She looked incredible
with her toned abs and glistening skin. Fuck he wanted nothing
more than to kiss and lick his way up her whole body. He slowed,
panting lightly as they stared at one another until they came to
a full stop. She spoke first, and he met her eyes when she did,
listening as she asked if he had always been running this route
and she had just never noticed. So this was a regular route for
her then? He had just been going down random streets. With a
smirk, he quickly assured her that he wasn't stalking her, just
in case she was thinking that. Their meeting was just an odd
coincidence. He explained that he lived in the area, which Rey
thought made sense since Koko Java wasn't too far from where
they were. He agreed, further explaining that the coffee shop
was on his way to work, so she'd have to anticipate seeing him
more. His smirk grew at that, but she didn't look as impressed,
sarcastically thanking him for the warning. He took a moment to
try and fix his hair, running a hand through it to get it to
stay back and out of his face as he spoke with her, an action he
didn't fail to notice her watching. Seeing an opportunity, he
began to flirt with her again, saying that he would have noticed
her if they had passed one another before. She blushed, which
had been one of his goals, stammering as she simply accepted the
flirtatious remark. God, she looked so lovely when she blushed
like that. He wanted to see it more. He glanced down at her body
again, his eyes drawn to it in their current circumstance of
being dressed in nothing but minimal athletic wear. Almost
immediately, she crossed her arms over herself, clearly
uncomfortable by the way he was looking at her, so he stopped,
meeting her eyes again. In an effort to make her feel less
nervous, he nodded towards her sports bra, complementing the
color and how it looked on her. She dropped her hands again
after that, which he was glad to see, accepting the compliment
and mentioning that green was her favorite color. He didn't know
why he found that interesting, but he did, and he might have
unknowingly decided to hold on to that detail. Continuing to
flirt, he told her that the color brought out the pretty green
in her eyes, and to his delight, her blush deepened. She
stammered a bit again, asking him if he thought her eyes were
pretty as if it was rare for her to receive such compliments.
She did have a boyfriend, didn't she? "Not just your eyes," he
purred, tempted to step closer to her but refraining. He didn't
want her to feel trapped or threatened in any way, and he wasn't
supposed to be making any real advances towards her. Not unless
she was suddenly single. She softly thanked him, seeming so
awkward about it as she rubbed the back of her neck and bit her
lip. He watched that action with interest, briefly thinking that
he wished that he could bite her lip. "You're welcome," he told
her quietly. "But I'm sure your boyfriend tells you these sorts
of things all the time," he added, fishing for information,
curious to hear her answer. He took a sip of water from his
water bottle, the heat from New York's summer sun showing no
mercy today. He then made the assumption that Rey had to live
around this area as well, basing that assumption off of how she
had insinuated that she took their route often. She confirmed
his assumption, also letting him know that she lived in a dorm,
meaning she had to be a student, probably one at NYU, and that
it was near public safety. He wanted to roll his eyes at that
but didn't. Normally when a woman included a detail like that,
it meant that she feared being followed home, which he didn't
plan on doing unless invited. He didn't make much of a comment
about where she lived, not wanting to seem interested at all
since he wasn't really. Her details just allowed him to get a
better guess of how old she had to be. He was about to say his
farewells to her and move on with his day, but that was when Rey
sighed, asking him about the note he had left her yesterday. The
one he had scribbled down on a napkin like an idiot. She wanted
to know if the signature on the note was supposed to be funny,
or if he had been being an asshole, which was a fair assumption.
She quickly added that she was asking because she didn't want to
make any quick judgments since she had already made many and
didn't want to repeat her mistakes. That surprised him. Was she
admitting that she had been wrong about him? That she had
perhaps judged his character a bit too quickly? He hadn't been
expecting that. Honestly, she seemed like a stubborn girl, so
receiving a somewhat apology had not been something he had been
expecting. Then again, he was a stubborn man and he had
apologized to her. He admitted that the signature was meant to
be humourous, and she let out a sigh, clearly relieved by that
statement. He then found himself asking if his attempt at being
funny had made her laugh and watched as her expression went
blank before she told him that she never laughed, looking
completely serious. He blinked, a bit taken aback by her sudden
shift, but then she broke, snickering and smiling and making his
stomach flutter for some reason. She told him that she was
kidding, confessing that the signature had made her chortle. He
let out a short, breathy chuckle, a very small, but genuine
smile gracing his features for a brief moment. His guard was
dropping from this conversation. "Good," he said. "I wish I
could have heard it," he added without really thinking, unsure
if that statement was completely genuine or not or if he was
still just being flirty. Fuck. After that, he quickly tried to
regain his composure, straightening up a little more before
deciding to ask something he had been wondering since they had
met, but especially after he had caught her staring at him
today. "Do you find me attractive?" he asked her seriously, not
a bit of hesitation in his voice. He was almost certain that he
already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it from her lips,
especially since he had made it pretty obvious that he found her
attractive.[/center]
#Post#: 1832--------------------------------------------------
REY [11]
By: winterssmary Date: July 10, 2021, 12:33 am
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Was Rey expecting to run into Ben while she was supposed to be
enjoying a peaceful run? No. But was she disappointed? Not
really. It could have been much worse. Overall, he was being..
friendly. And not even in the creepy way this time. Just normal,
thought a little flirtatious. She could handle that though, as
long as it was no longer uncomfortable. Besides, she was trying
to give him the benefit of the doubt and trying to be less
judgmental toward him. After the note she got from him, she felt
that she owed that to him. She asked about him being on this
route, guessing she just hadn't noticed him in the past. Ben
admitted that he just lived in the area, that Koko Java was on
his way to work and that this was just normal for his running
route. She should have guessed, saying as much. He, however,
took this as an opportunity to be flirty again. Nothing to
risque, luckily, but she still felt a little uncomfortable with
all the flattery. Getting compliments was odd enough, something
she wasn't used to, but it was especially strange to hear this
compliments from someone so attractive. It caused her to blush
and she thanked him. He then looked her over, which caused her
to grow significantly more uncomfortable under his gaze,
particularly when she noticed that he was staring a lot at her
breasts. She crossed her arms over her chest to cover herself up
and, instantly, as if he could sense her discomfort, he averted
her gaze. And he commented on the color of her bra. That wasn't
that scary and she calmed down afterward. She uncrossed her arms
after a moment, thanking him once again and noting,
off-handedly, that green was her favorite color. He added that
he thought it brought out the pretty green in her eyes, which
also caught her off-guard. Her blushed deepened and she suddenly
became very nervous, a fluttering in her stomach. She thanked
him again, genuinely shocked by the compliment. Anything beyond
you look good or nice ass or something like that was foreign to
her. Saying she had pretty eyes was just nice. She questioned it
but he affirmed it quickly, adding that it wasn't only her eyes.
But he was calling her pretty. It felt more genuine somehow.
"Oh... uh.... t-thank you. That's really nice of you," she said,
tucking her hair behind her ear. He shrugged off her thanks, all
of his words coming out like an easy purr. She had to remind
herself that this was easy for him. And even though he might not
be a bad person like she thought, he was still a womanizing
flirt and she knew that he wouldn't want anything with her.
Nothing more than sex, anyway. He added that he was sure her
boyfriend told her things like this all the time. She felt a
slight chill at that. "N-not really. I mean - we actually broke
things off. But even when we were together, we were more
friendly with each other than... you know... romantic, I guess,"
she admitted, not thinking it through before she just started
speaking. Her eyes went wide after that, worried that Ben might
take it as an invitation to start being more aggressive. "But
that doesn't mean I want to jump into anything new right now,"
she added quickly as a precaution. He made the assumption that
she lived in Greenwich Village too, which she confirmed, adding
that her dorm was right by public safety. He didn't add anything
to that, which was good. She then opened her mouth again, asking
about the note that he left for her, wanting to make sure she
wasn't misjudging him. He admitted that the signature was a
joke, or an attempt at one, which was a relief. He then asked if
she laughed. The question caught her off-guard, but she was
rather alright with it. Her face went completely blank, claiming
that she's never laughed. Ever. He blinked before she broke,
snickering to herself and admitting that she was kidding. She
then confessed that she chortled when reading his signature and
she watched as he let out a very short and small chuckle, a
genuine smile coming to his lips. It was small, but it was
breathtaking and she was enamored for a second. She nearly froze
entirely. She hated how beautiful this man was and she hated how
her heart sped up when she saw his bright, stunning smile. He
said that it was good that she laughed, that he wished he could
have heard it. "Trust me, it probably wasn't anything worth
listening for. Rather unremarkable," she assured him with a
small laugh. Then, out of nowhere the attractive man asks if she
found him attractive. She blinked, immediately taken aback by
that. "Do I - what kind of question is that?" she asked,
laughing uncomfortably, another blush rushing to her cheeks that
she wished would go away. She rubbed the back of her neck
nervously, averting her gaze and starting at a particularly
uninteresting streetlight instead. After a moment of stammering
like an idiot, she looked back at him, hesitant and nervous.
"Uhm... yes? I mean, I can admit that someone is attractive
without being attracted to them, right?" she said, though she
was definitely lying. She was very attracted to him, almost
unbearably so. But she didn't want him to think he had the
greenlight to start making graphic comments toward her or being
aggressive in any way. Ben didn't do relationships. He made that
clear at the shop yesterday. He was interested in meaningless
sex with beautiful women. And her, of course, for some reason.
She couldn't be involved in that, even if she had briefly
considered just giving into her base desires while ignoring her
own needs for intimacy and connection. [/center]
#Post#: 1833--------------------------------------------------
[11] BEN
By: Zellaphone Date: July 10, 2021, 9:07 pm
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Ben was doing his best to not make Rey feel uncomfortable or to
start any more unnecessary fights. The apology he had left her
the day before had been genuine, and he wanted to prove that he
wasn't a total asshole like she thought. He could be nice. He
was nice when he wanted to be. But, he was also flirty, and that
wasn't going to change unless Rey flat out asked him to stop.
However, he was trying to limit his flirting to less sexual
comments and more to just genuine compliments, or sweet
compliments. Those were harmless. Still effective, but harmless.
He complimented the color of Rey's sports bra, not wanting her
to think that he had been gawking at her boobs. He had done that
earlier. She had seemed uncomfortable at first, crossing her
arms over her chest, but after he met her eyes again and said
his compliment, she thankfully seemed more at ease. She dropped
her arms, thanking him and telling him that green was her
favorite color. It wasn't something that he needed to know, but
he, for some reason, took interest in that detail anyway. He
told her that it brought out the pretty green in her eyes, the
words coming to and from him easily, and he was pleased to see
how her blush deepened with each new compliment. She questioned
his statement, but he stood by it, purring that it wasn't only
her eyes that were pretty. She stammered, thanking him again and
saying that it was nice of him to compliment her in such a way,
tucking her hair behind her ear. He followed the action,
wondering if her hair was as silky and as smooth as it looked.
He brushed off her thanks, fishing for information by adding
that he was sure that her boyfriend gave her similar compliments
all the time. It was strange to see her so visibly affected by
his comments if she had no interest in him and had a boyfriend
that's head was screwed on straight. He may have just been
looking for sex, but his compliments were genuine, and he
couldn't imagine anyone being in a relationship with her and not
taking every opportunity possible to let her know just how
gorgeous she was. However, apparently, her boyfriend didn't
compliment her, but then Rey quickly explained they had broken
things off... meaning that she was single. Meaning that he could
make advances now if he wanted to and he wouldn't be interfering
with a relationship. She said that even when she and her
boyfriend had been together, they had been more friendly with
one another than romantic. "I'm sorry to hear that," he told
her, referring to the breakup. Even if it did possibly now work
to his advantage, he wasn't happy that her relationship didn't
work out. Breakups were hard, he knew. He was about to make a
comment about how he could always tell him if she ever felt
lonely, obviously inviting her to bed with him again, but her
eyes suddenly widened. Swiftly, she added that she wasn't
looking for anything new at the moment, clearly anticipating his
advances before he could even make them. Hm, too bad. "Right, of
course," he said with a short nod, accepting her declaration
that she didn't want anything he was willing to offer her. For
now, at least. Taking a sip of water, he made the assumption
that she lived in the area as well, which she apparently did.
She said she lived in a dorm, meaning she had to be a college
student, and one at NYU if she lived in Greenwich Village. She
also added that her dorm was by public safety, which meant
nothing to him. It wasn’t like he was going to try and follow
her home. He didn’t really make much of a comment on where she
lived, feeling as though their conversation was now at an end.
He was going to say his goodbyes, but it was then that Rey
suddenly brought up the note he had left her yesterday. He felt
nervous at the mention of his napkin apology, for some reason,
but all she wanted to know was if the signature he had put on it
had meant to be a joke or a jab. He explained that it had been
his attempt at humor, wanting her to know that the apology was
completely sincere and that he hadn’t been mocking her in any
way. He then, without really thinking, asked her if it had made
her laugh. She went deadpanned at that, and he worried for a
moment if he had said something wrong. She said that she never
laughed, and her sudden change in demeanor caught him off-guard
before she broke into a smile, snickering. There was a strange
feeling in his chest for a moment, seeing her smile and hearing
her close to laughter. She said that she was joking, admitting
that she had chortled at his attempt at humor. His guard down,
he let out a short, nearly breathless chuckle, a small smile
gracing his features. He had been worried there for a moment,
but he was glad that he had managed to make her chuckle. Trying
not to think too much about whether he meant it or not, he told
her that he wished he could have heard it, but she said it
wasn't anything worth listening for, calling it unremarkable.
However, she let out a small laugh at her won words, and he had
to disagree. It was beautiful, just like the rest of her, and he
found himself staring at her dimples and the laughter lines on
her face that appeared. “If it's anything like the rest of you,
then I doubt that,” he told her, feeling like his flirting might
perhaps be getting a bit too... romantic? That wasn't his
intention. He was saying too much without thinking, and he
needed to stop. However, he did have a question for her that had
been on his mind since they had met. Straightening back up a
little, he asked her after a beat of silence if she found him
attractive, already knowing the answer, but wanting to hear it
from her lips. She blinked, obviously surprised by the sudden
question. Stammering, she asked him what kind of question that
was, laughing a bit and blushing once again. “A reasonable one
to ask, in my opinion. After all, it's no secret that I find you
attractive,” he stated as she rubbed her neck and looked away
from him. She was definitely attracted to him just based on her
behavior, and he smirked slightly. She stammered for a moment,
just making her feelings even more obvious before she looked at
him and admitted that she did find him attractive, but only
before she asked that she could admit that someone was
attractive without being attracted to them. She was lying, and
he knew it. She certainly knew it as well, but that was fine. It
was clear to him that she didn't want to give him any openings,
so he wasn't going to get anywhere with any of this today. "I
suppose so," he said, trying not to sound bothered by her
defiance, because he wasn't. A few more beats of silence passed,
and he decided that it was time for them to part ways since he
couldn't really think of anything else to say to her. “Well, I
should be going, but I'm certain that I will see you around,
Rey," he said with a less-genuine smile, giving her a short and
somewhat awkward wave before continuing his jog and going past
her. He glanced over his shoulder once, just out of curiosity,
taking note of how good her ass looked in her jogger shorts, and
with that, he went about the rest of his day with Rey only
invading his mind once or twice.
A couple of weeks passed and Ben didn't run into Rey while
running again. Instead, he just saw her occasionally in the
mornings at Koko Java as he had expected. They had a bit of a
routine with one another now, it seemed. He'd come in, Rey would
already know his order, he'd flirt, they'd both be sarcastic,
he'd still get the wrong name on his cup depending on how much
of an ass she thought he had been, and he'd leave her ten-dollar
tip. Without really realizing it, she had suddenly become a part
of his weekly life, and on days where she wasn't working, he
found himself wishing that she was. He liked their
back-and-forth. He loved thinking of new things he could say to
make her blush or try and get her to laugh, and he loved her
quick-wit and seeing what sort of handpainted article of
clothing she'd be wearing. He still had yet to ask if she
painted it all herself, and he told himself it was because he
didn't really care. She was just the girl he'd occasionally see
at the coffee shop he frequented. He had, however, learned just
from observing that the busboy was either her ex or that he was
just a friend who had a crush on her, and the girl who usually
made his coffee that he had decided a while back not to try and
sleep with due to the fact he was sure she’d kick him was named
Rose and that she and Rey were good friends. Why he had decided
to pay such close attention to Rey’s interactions, he had no
idea, but he often found his eyes wandering over to her
direction when he came to do work in the mornings. As for work,
he had managed to give David the win he had promised, dismissing
any domestic violence allegations and giving him shared custody
with his ex-wife over their son. It was honestly the best
outcome for the son, in his opinion, and he had loved seeing
Holdo lose. And, of course, he had loved seeing his client so
happy and relieved after the stressful month he had had. The
case he was dealing with now, however, was much, much worse.
Currently, he was representing a young nine-year-old girl in a
child abuse case, which were the cases that were the most
difficult for him just because of the subject matter. This case
though, was even more difficult since he was having to work with
the girl’s aunt on everything to try and give him evidence of
abuse since the girl only lived with her father who was the one
abusing her. It wasn’t easy, seeing as how the aunt didn’t live
with the girl and couldn’t film or record evidence very easily,
and when the claim was made and investigators arrived at the
house, they saw no physical signs of abuse at the time. However,
there had been enough evidence to bring the case to court. It
was a messy situation, but one he was determined to stick with.
Today had been his first day in court for this case, and only
the second time he had met the girl he was representing. He had
to sit there while the girl tried to tell the court all the
awful things her father did to her, but now that the father was
aware of what was going on, he was clearly being careful about
how he hurt the child. So far, nothing could be proved enough to
where anyone could be prosecuted, and it was disgusting and
frustrating to see. He walked to Koko Java that night, exhausted
and needing a little pick-me-up in order to keep himself awake.
He still had a lot of work to do, especially since the next
court date was tomorrow. Thankfully, the place was still open
despite the hour, and he slowly walked in, wishing that he could
just throw himself into his bed instead. He felt terrible and
stressed, and to make matters worse, he knew he had a new email
from his mother sitting in his inbox waiting to be answered as
well. He never answered the last one, and he wasn't sure he
would answer this one either, but then that meant that she'd
just keep pestering him. Approaching the register, he looked up
and blinked, surprised to see Rey standing there. He hadn't seen
her that morning, but he didn't think that she worked late
shifts. Nonetheless, he certainly wasn't unhappy to see her,
but, at the moment, he was a bit too overtaxed to try and flirt
with her. "You're working late today," he commented with a
tired, half-hearted smile instead of ordering, knowing that Rey
already knew what he wanted. He went ahead and pulled out his
wallet, giving her the exact change that she needed. "Trying to
avoid me?" he asked, meaning for the question to come off as a
joke, but he wasn't sure if it came out that way or
not.[/center]
#Post#: 1838--------------------------------------------------
REY [12]
By: winterssmary Date: July 12, 2021, 4:13 am
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After their run, the handsome stranger became the handsome
not-so-stranger. In fact, Ben became a pretty regular part of
her routine. She saw him several times a week, always in the
morning for a little while as he clicked away at his keyboard
and sipped his coffee. He ordered the same thing every time, not
that she minded. She didn't care as long as he was here. She'd
be lying if she said he wasn't one of her favorite customers,
since he always talked to her and tipped well. She didn't
necessarily need big tips in order to have a good time, but the
money helped. However, the biggest draw was just the
back-and-forth they'd developed. His compliments and flirting
never stopped, but it felt more genuine and almost sweet than
predatory, as she originally thought. Finn didn't like him
though and Rose hated the man. But they didn't have to like Ben.
Hell, Rey wasn't even convinced that she liked Ben. She enjoyed
his brief company and liked their banter. She liked how he
smiled and constantly threw out something to try and catch her
off-guard. She liked his wit and charm, even if she knew it was
used for bad reasons. She liked how pretty he was too. That
never changed. She'd hoped her attraction to him would fade over
time, but it seemed to be having the opposite effect. The more
she watched him, the more intrigued she was. But he wasn't
exactly the type to let her in, nor did she feel the need to
pry. She couldn't let herself, knowing that he would never want
what she did. Her infatuation with him would ultimately destroy
her if she chose to follow it, so she fought her instincts. But
being his friend was fun, if you could call it a friendship. He
wasn't as much of an ass anymore, typically keeping his comments
safe and seemingly genuine, though she couldn't be sure. Every
now and again, he crossed a line and she reminded him by writing
the wrong name on his cup, but that was the most she did. They
didn't fight or bicker. Their relationship had blossomed into
something different. They didn't know each other, but they
didn't hate each other. And she would genuinely be upset if
something happened to him, which was a step up. That evening,
she was working the late shift, which was unusual for her. But
circumstances called for it every now and again. Luckily,
working at a coffee place at night tends to be pretty laid back.
It was mostly NYU students who wanted a place to work on their
homework. Sometimes, they didn't even order anything, which was
the best. It left her with more downtime than usual, giving her
time to talk to Finn and Rose in between customers. She was
wearing a pair of jeans that she painted additions onto herself,
vines and flowers all over the back pocket and tennis shoes,
also hand painted. Almost all of her shoes had been customized
and painted in some fashion. Today, it just happened to be
butterflies. She wore a lightweight, long-sleeved t-shirt,
oversized so that the neckline draped off of one of her
shoulders while the excess at the bottom was tucked into her
jeans. She also didn't have her hair as neat as before, knowing
that a half-up look with a simple bun would do since she
wouldn't be rushing as much. She was getting rather bored, Finn
having to clean up a rather large table and Rose seemingly lost
in thought in the back. That was when someone else approached
the register. Her eyes went wide when they met Ben's dark brown
ones. She knew he came every morning, but had no idea he stopped
by at night too. Or maybe this was a rarity and he just felt
like it? Who was she to judge? "Hey Ben," she said with a soft,
genuine smile and a small wave. She went ahead and typed in his
usual order, not even having to ask him or read his total for
him to give her exact change for his drink. She gazed up at him,
noting how disheveled he looked. His hair wasn't as neat as
normal and there were bags under his eyes from stress, and a
probable lack of sleep. His expression was more exasperated than
usual, as if he'd just gotten through trying to explain rocket
science to a kindergartener for the twelfth time that evening.
She instantly felt bad, knowing that he must be struggling.
She'd learned that he was an attorney and that he had a rough
job. He was busy a lot, since he was so respected in his field,
and his cases were often stressful and difficult. She wanted to
make him feel better somehow. He commented on how late she was
working and she nodded. "Yeah, it is unusual isn't it?" she
said, avoiding the obvious I could say the same for you, remark.
He asked if she was avoiding him and she let out a short laugh.
"Always," she said sarcastically. She shook her head after a
moment. "No, Veronica's little girl had a ballet recital
tonight, so I traded shifts with her so she could go," she
explained. She printed his ticket, writing his name on his cup
after collecting his money. "Do you always look this beaten up
at night or was it a rough day at the office?" she asked, both a
light-hearted quip and a serious question. She wanted to know
that he was alright. "You're usual table is empty. Go ahead and
sit down if you want. I'll bring your order out to you as soon
as it's ready," she said gently. [/center]
#Post#: 1839--------------------------------------------------
[12] BEN
By: Zellaphone Date: July 12, 2021, 5:38 pm
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To say that his day had been long would be a major
understatement. He got hardly any sleep the night before
worrying about this new case he was on, woke up earlier than
usual to make sure that he had everything prepared for the first
day of the trial, didn't see Rey at Koko Java, then spent hours
listening to his nine-year-old client, Julie, and her aunt try
and convince the jury that she was being physically and
emotionally abused by her father with very little evidence. He
also had to spend hours listening to the father lie through his
disgusting teeth and have people seem to believe him. It was a
horrible situation, and now there was another court date set for
tomorrow to continue the trial, and there was no way to get
enough evidence to convict the father by then. He could already
tell this case was going to drag on forever, and just from
sitting through one day he already couldn't guarantee that he
wouldn't lunge at the father and beat the ever-living fuck out
of him. In other words, if this all went on for too much longer,
he would end up in jail. And to make the day worse, he had yet
another email from his mother sitting in his inbox now. He
decided to go back to Koko Java instead of back home that night,
needing some caffeine in his system in order to stay awake so
that he could prepare for court again tomorrow. It was also just
one of those nights where he really didn't want to go home to an
empty apartment but didn't feel like sleeping with a stranger.
He wanted something he refused to have... just for one night,
but, of course, that was entirely unrealistic. Really, he
supposed he just wanted to have someone to talk to, but he
didn't have anyone, which was his own fault. He entered Koko
Java, his body feeling twenty pounds heavier than usual as he
approached the register. He was expecting to be greeted by some
random server or possibly one of the few employees he had slept
with before, but when he lifted his gaze, he was met with
familiar brown-green eyes and freckled skin. Rey's eyes went
wide and he blinked, the both of them obviously surprised to see
the other. She greeted him softly, smiling sweetly at him and
giving him a little wave. Just from that alone, he wanted to ask
her to come home with him again, but he refrained. Not only was
he not entirely sure what he wanted to do with her if he took
her home, but he also knew that it would just be a waste of
breath. She would refuse him and he would hate himself for
showing such vulnerability in front of someone who wasn't quite
a stranger anymore... but also wasn't anyone close to him. He
didn't have people like that in his life. He was also just too
tired to flirt tonight. At least, for now. "Rey," he greeted her
with a nod. He commented on how late she was working, smiling at
her tiredly as she punched in his usual order, already knowing
what he wanted. She nodded, commenting that it was unusual. He
jokingly asked if she was trying to avoid him, and she
thankfully laughed, sarcastically stating that she was always
trying to avoid him. He managed a small grin, loving the sound
of her laugh as he took notice of what she was wearing today.
She was wearing jeans today and an oversized shirt, one that
draped off of one of her shoulders, and his eyes lingered on the
exposed skin for a moment as she explained that a co-worker,
Veronica had to take her daughter to ballet practice, so they
switched shifts. Veronica sounded familiar, but he couldn't
recall if he had slept with her or not or just taken notice of
her. All he knew is that he felt as though he'd do just about
anything to attach his lips to Rey's neck right now. Fuck, he
was exhausted and stressed. It was fucking with his head. "I
see. That was nice of you," he commented briefly as his ticket
printed and he passed Rey the exact change that she needed. It
was then that Rey pointed out how beaten up he looked, asking if
he always looked this way at night or if it was a rough day at
the office. "I look that bad, huh?" he asked, running a hand
through his hair. He hadn't looked in a mirror recently, but he
didn't doubt that he looked like shit. "Not surprising," he said
mostly to himself before vaguely answering her question. “It was
a court day today for a difficult trial, and tomorrow is the
second round,” he told her, wanting to rant about his day, but
knowing better than to do so. He and Rey didn't really know each
other, and he didn't want to overwhelm her with depressing talk
about his work. It was days like today where he really just
wanted a drink. She let him know that his usual table was empty,
asking him to go ahead and take a seat if he wanted and that
she'd bring his order to him when it was ready. Her voice was so
gentle, and he couldn't help but smile, even if it wasn't very
bright at all. "Thank you," he said quietly, doing as she had
suggested and going over to his usual table by the window. He
unbuttoned his suit, taking his seat and slowly taking all of
his things out of his bag, setting up camp. Once that was out of
the way, he went ahead and got Rey's usual ten-dollar tip out,
setting it at the edge of the table for her before loosening his
tie until it slid off of him. He was desperate to get more
comfortable tonight. He needed it. He dropped his tie into his
bag and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt before
rolling up his sleeves to his elbows, feeling a bit better
already. Then, he opened up his laptop, about to get to work
before he was reminded of the one new email sitting in his
inbox. He groaned quietly, running a hand through his hair again
as he stared at the unopened email from his mother. She was no
doubt still trying to invite him out for dinner after he ignored
her last email, and he didn't know whether it would be best to
continue to ignore her and be pestered to death or give her what
she wanted and have to spend an hour being insulted at a
five-star restaurant before he got angry and stormed out. That
was usually how things went, and he was getting rather tired of
causing scenes in nice restaurants because his mother didn't
know how to be an actual mother and not treat him like he was
nothing but a disappointment despite the fact that he was one of
the most respected lawyers in the state. He decided to put the
email off for a little longer, switching over to his work and
furrowing his brow in concentration, and placing his hand
against his lips.[/center]
#Post#: 1844--------------------------------------------------
REY [13]
By: winterssmary Date: July 13, 2021, 7:49 am
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Rey had spent most of the day at school, relieved that she
didn't have to wake up as early for a morning shift at Koko
Java. She had talked to Veronica, an older coworker, a few days
prior and switched shifts so that she could see her daughter's
ballet performance that night. She'd only met her daughter,
Caroline, twice in her whole life, but the four-year-old was
adorable. Rey would be lying if she said she didn't want to see
her ballet recital. But, that wasn't an option and it was
important that she did this favor for a coworker, she thought.
She was tired from all her classwork throughout the day, having
to work on a massive robotics group project earlier in the
evening. But, at the moment, at least the store wasn't too
crowded. There were only three customers in the store at the
time, most of them students with their laptops at the ready.
This was fine, since it gave Rey time to relax a bit and to talk
to her friends. She approached the register again when she
noticed someone entering the line, eyes going wide when she was
met with dark brown eyes and long black hair. What was Ben doing
here in the evening? She greeted him with a smile and a wave,
having liked their little repertoire that they had developed.
She genuinely looked forward to seeing him in the mornings and
the handsome douchebag had become one of her favorite customers,
just a normal part of her routine at this point. She wasn't
expecting him in the evening though. He greeted her, explaining
that it was a little late for her to be here. She could have
said the same for him, but just commented on how odd it was.
Maybe Ben actually frequented the shop during the evenings as
well and she was just never here to see it. Part of her
wondered, if that was true, which waitress did he hit on at
night without Rey being there for him to annoy? Or maybe he
didn't have to have a special flirty waitress and, for some
twisted reason, Rey was just special. She absentmindedly typed
in his usual order, having it completely memorized at this point
and Ben already getting out the exact amount needed to cover it.
He asked if she was avoiding him and she replied that she was
always try to, obviously sarcastic. She answered legitimately
after a moment, telling him about Veronica's predicament. He
said that was nice of her to help, but Rey just shrugged. "Eh.
I'd hope someone would do the same for me," she said truthfully.
His ticket printed and she passed it to the back, writing his
name on his cup. She casually commented on how exhausted he
looked, noting the bags under his eyes, the dead, tired
expression on his face and the overall slumping of his body. Was
that normal for him? She knew he was a lawyer, which had to be a
tough job, especially in New York City. It made him look so...
sad. Or stressed. Or both. It was probably both. He asked if he
looked that bad and she laughed a bit. "Maybe bad isn't the
right word, but definitely... tired," she said, trying not to
add insult to injury, if he was having a rough day. She was fine
with teasing him and making sarcastic comments, but she didn't
want to risk upsetting or hurting him further if he was already
having a difficult time. She wasn't that type of person. He
explained that today was a court day during a difficult trial,
which caused her lips to part slightly in understanding. "Oh."
He was a family lawyer, if she remembered correctly. She
remembered working with one of those when she was thirteen. They
accompanied her caseworker when she started finally making
complaints about Mr. Plutt, but they weren't much help. She
didn't know exactly what difficult cases were for Ben, knowing
that he dealt a lot with divorces. But for him to look this
disheveled, she couldn't help but wonder if it was something a
little more... familiar to Rey. She wanted to know more. Maybe
she could help somehow. "I'm sorry about that. Is it a really...
bad case? Like, um... like... is it... um," she began, trying to
find the right words without asking for too many details. She
wasn't about to dive into his client's personal life, whatever
that might entail. "Sorry I don't really know how to ask what I
want to ask," she said after a moment. "I don't mean to pry, but
is it a dangerous case?" she asked, wanting to know if his
client might be in a dangerous place. Gently, she told him that
his usual table was open, suggesting he sit down and she just
bring his order out to him. He thanked her, a tired smile on his
face, one that didn't reach his eyes. "Of course. I hope your
night gets better," she said sincerely.
He went to his table and she went to the back, letting Rose
prepare his order while she rummaged through the bakery section.
He seemed so... she didn't know. Solemn? Yeah, that was the
right word. Solemn. She didn't like to see it. She had gotten so
used to his wit and natural flirtations that it was almost
shocking that he didn't say anything obnoxious to her when he
first arrived. He truly must be affected by this trial and,
while she knew he did good work, she hated that it was impacting
him so much. But that might have been why he was so good at his
job. A quick Google search proved to her that he was extremely
well-respected and had an excellent reputation in his field. She
could only guess that it was because he was so passionate about
his job, that he took every case extremely seriously and that he
was invested in all of this. Most lawyers are sleazy and
selfish, according to the stereotype. But she'd seen the
opposite in Ben. Sure he was a slut -- which was his personal
choice so she didn't care too much about it -- and he was a bit
of an annoying, frat-boy-level charmer, but he had good
intentions aside from all of that. She could tell. That Google
search also taught her that he slept with super models, just an
obnoxious side note that made her feel all twisted and
disgusting inside. It also made her feel... ugly somehow, but
she didn't know why. She had no idea why it bothered her or why
the detail even stuck out to her. She didn't care. Obviously,
she could sleep with him if she wanted to so it wasn't like she
was jealous. She shook these thoughts from her head, not sure
exactly what Ben might like from the bakery, but knowing that he
needed something to make him smile and she wouldn't rest until
she found it. She grabbed two chocolate chip cookies, knowing
they were a crowd favorite, so he was bound to like them. Right?
And if he didn't, she would try something else. Rose finished
his order and she took it from her, walking out that way. When
she approached his table, Rey noticed that Ben had truly set up
camp, having unbuttoned his suit a bit, taken his tie off, and
rolled his sleeves up to reveal his massive forearms. Of course,
she'd seen his forearms before. She saw his bare chest before.
And most of his legs. And she might have caught a glimpse at a
bulge in his pants. But something about the nice shirt being
rolled up just enough on his forearms made her feel all fluttery
and nervous. Why was the disheveled lawyer aesthetic so goddamn
hot? "Oh wow, you've certainly made yourself at home," she
commented, approaching him and setting his order down in front
of him. "Here," she said, noting how concentrated on his work he
looked until she broke the silence. "And a little something for
your rough day, on the house," she said gently. She set down the
cookies -- wrapped in a little paper sleeve -- next with a
smile. [/center]
#Post#: 1845--------------------------------------------------
[13] BEN
By: Zellaphone Date: July 13, 2021, 3:12 pm
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Ben was surprised to see Rey working so late, and Rey looked
just as surprised to see him at Koko Java so late. Her eyes
widened and he blinked when their eyes met. She hadn’t been at
the coffee shop that morning, but he had just assumed that meant
that she wasn’t working today. Clearly, he had been wrong, and a
part of him actually felt relieved to see her. Did she always
work evening shifts when she didn’t work in the mornings, or was
this just a rarity? And even if she did work a lot of evenings…
why did it matter to him? He was so worn thin he wasn’t thinking
straight. It was just one of those nights after an exhausting
day. It was one of those nights where he wanted a drink, but
wouldn’t allow it, and wanted to go home to someone familiar,
but didn’t have that option. He was just tired and stressed and
as much as he wanted to unwind somehow, he still had lots of
work to do. He couldn't lose this case. He wouldn't lose this
case, so if that meant pulling an all-nighter, well, then so be
it. There was a little girl's well-being on the line, here. Rey
greeted him, smiling and waving in a way he found to be both
sweet and adorable. Already, she was a breath of fresh air
compared to the rest of his day. He greeted her back, giving her
a short nod and managing a small, tired smile before commenting
on how late she was working. She agreed, saying how odd it was
as she punched in his usual order. He opened his wallet, pulling
out the exact change he knew that he needed as he tried being
playful with her like he usually was, even if his heart wasn't
as into it. He asked her if she was trying to avoid him, to
which she laughed, sarcastically saying that she always was. He
grinned a bit, but then Rey went on to give him the real reason
as to why she was working so late, saying that she had switched
shifts with a co-worker so that she could go to her daughter's
ballet recital. He commented briefly on that, saying that had
been nice of her as he absentmindedly stared at neck and
shoulder, the shirt she was wearing today draping off it. He
really wanted to kiss her there, he thought, and drag his tongue
along her collarbone. Fuck, he needed sleep. It wasn't as if he
hadn't seen her mostly naked not that long ago while jogging.
She shrugged, being modest and saying that she just hoped that
someone would do the same for her. He hummed in acknowledgment,
his body feeling heavy from exhaustion as he stood there idly.
His ticket printed and he watched as she signed his name on his
cup, getting it right this time, of course. He had managed to go
through a whole interaction with her without saying one stupid
thing, but he blamed that on the fact that he really didn't feel
all that up to flirting at the moment. Not when he knew that it
would lead nowhere. Rey then brought up disheveled he looked,
asking him if he always looked so beaten up in the evenings or
if it had just been a rough day at the office. With a slight
smile, he asked if he looked that bad, running a hand through
his hair. He knew that he had to, though he hadn't seen himself
in a while. It had been an overly long day. She laughed, saying
that she wouldn't say that he looked bad, but definitely tired.
He nodded, saying that wasn't surprising. "I'm exhausted," he
confessed, feeling a little more open to talking probably due to
how strained he was. He explained that he had gone to court
today for a difficult trial, and that tomorrow would be round
two of said trial, still keeping things rather vague. She didn't
need to know all of the details, and he assumed that she didn't
want to. Why would she really care anyway? This was his life,
not hers. Her lips parted as she let out an oh, and he thought
that would be the end of that conversation, but, apparently, she
was interested in the case. She apologized to him about it,
trying to ask a question but struggling to get the right words
out. He waited patiently, figuring she'd find the words
eventually. She apologized again, admitting that she didn't know
how to ask what she wanted to ask and that she didn't mean to
pry, but asked if the case he was working on was dangerous.
"Yes..." he said a bit hesitantly, knowing that there was no
point in lying to her, but still not getting into any of the
details. They'd just depress her. They depressed him, but the
only thing that kept him going was knowing that he had ways of
helping this girl. Gently, Rey told him that his usual seat was
available -- the one by the window -- saying that he could go
ahead and sit down and she'd bring him his order. He smiled at
the tone of her voice, though it didn't quite reach his eyes,
sincerely thanking her. She brushed off his thanks, telling him
that she hoped his night would get better. "We'll see," he said
wearily, doubting that it really would since he had so much work
to do.
He dragged his way over to his usual table, setting down his bag
and unbuttoning his suit jacket, sliding it off and over the
back of his chair before taking a seat. Pulling out everything
he needed for work, he also pulled out his wallet again, going
ahead and setting out Rey's tip for her before going about
making himself a little more comfortable. As much as he didn't
mind wearing suits nearly every day and dressing nice, there
came a point in which he felt a bit too stuffy. He loosened his
tie, sliding it off his neck and into his bag, wanting to get
more comfortable. He then unbuttoned the two top buttons of his
shirt, rolling his sleeves up to his elbows in order to get some
air. He knew he was going to be here for a while until he
actually felt like going home, so he might as well loosen up a
little. Turning on his laptop and ready to get to work, he was
greeted by his email's inbox, the one unread email from his
mother sitting at the very top. He let out a small groan, having
almost forgotten all about his mother for a moment. Running his
hand through his hair again, he decided to continue to ignore
the email for now and get some work done. He could worry about
his mother and her desire to dine with him while insulting him
later before he went home. Chances were, he was just going to
continue to ignore her. He had too much going on in his life to
worry about her and her wants when she never once considered his
own. He focused back on work, only glancing at his email two
more times before Rey came over. She commented on how he had
made himself at home, and he suddenly felt a bit guilty about
that. “You’re not closing anytime soon, are you?” he asked,
looking up at her and thinking that he should have asked that
question as soon as he had come in. It was getting rather late,
and most coffee shops didn't stay open past eight or nine. He
glanced down, noticing her painted shoes, as he usually did.
Today's pair had butterflies on them, and he once again felt
inclined to ask her if she painted her clothes herself. He liked
her clothes. There was always a simplicity to what she wore, and
yet, a uniqueness as well that he assumed came from her. Who
else would be painting her clothes? However, before he could
ask, she set his order in front of him, along with something
extra. She said it was something for him for the rough day he
had been having and that it was on the house, which he had been
around long enough to know that that really meant on her.
Employees couldn't just give things away without asking. He
raised a brow before carefully lifting up a corner of the paper
sleeve to see what was inside. His expression softened as he saw
that it was two chocolate chip cookies, a smile starting to
creep onto his face. "You didn't-" he began before looking back
up at Rey and seeing her smile. No, she didn't have to, but he
had come to learn that this was just who she was. He remembered
her doing something similar for his past client, David, when he
had brought him in here. She was kind. She cared about people,
and he couldn't remember the last time someone had done
something for him just to be nice. "Thank you," he said quietly,
staring at her in thought. She was so different from most people
he had met in his life, and he still hardly knew anything about
her. He wanted to know more about her, as dangerous as that
seemed to him. He usually didn't allow himself to get close to
most people, especially someone like her who he knew that he was
very attracted to. "Here," he said, pulling out one of the
cookies and holding it out to her as well as her tip. "On me, if
you’re allowed to snack on the clock," he offered.[/center]
#Post#: 1850--------------------------------------------------
REY [14]
By: winterssmary Date: July 14, 2021, 2:39 am
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Rey was glad she wore long sleeves when working the night shift,
feeling more comfortable since she was more covered and knowing
that Jared, the night manager, tended to keep the store cooler
than she normally liked. Her heathered charcoal shirt fell of of
her shoulder in a way that she thought was cute -- hence her
wearing a lot of oversized shirts -- but still fit her well
enough that it looked normal. And it kept her from getting
goosebumps along her arms, which was always a plus. The cool,
September breeze wafted through the store every time someone
opened the door, which was the thing that always alerted her to
a new customer. She followed her instincts when she felt the
very breeze that night, but was surprised when she found that
Ben was the customer who just came in. She knew he was a
regular, but she assumed he only came in before work in the
morning. Why would he be here at night? But, based on the
deep-set shadows beneath his eyes, the lack of expression over
all and the slight slump to his posture, she knew the answer.
She needed caffeine to keep going and he likely had a lot on his
mind. They greeted one another, a mutual friendliness this time,
since they'd gotten more comfortable with one another and
learned how to navigate around each other. Ben knew his limits
when it came to flirting -- mostly -- and Rey knew better than
to immediately jump to the worst possible conclusion over a man
she barely knew. Honestly, it had gotten to the point that she
liked seeing him every morning. He added a playful flair to the
dreadful morning shift, making her feel like she had a
connection, no matter how superficial or stupid. If they could
make fun of each other openly, she felt more like a person and
less like a servant while working in customer service. They each
commented on how odd it was to see each other this late, Rey
sarcastically responding to his playful question that she was
always avoiding him. She explained, afterward, that this was an
oddity, but she only took a night shift so that her coworker
could see her daughter's ballet performance, which Ben seemed to
think was nice of her. She shrugged it off though, effortlessly
punching in his order and printing his ticket, able to do it all
from muscle memory at this point. She asked if he always looked
this disheveled or if he had a particularly rough day and he
wondered if he looked that bad. He didn't look bad in the
slightest, but he did looked tired. He affirmed that, specifying
that he was exhausted. Her shoulders slumped a bit at that,
expression soft but concerned. "I can tell. Well, I'm sorry to
hear that," she said. He explained that it was a court day today
for a tough case and he had to be back again in the morning.
That explained all of it. Though, she was curious about this
case. He seemed really invested and, given his life as a family
lawyer, it made her wonder if there was a child involved.
Divorce cases rarely cause this much stress, she would think.
She had her fair share of experiences with people in his field,
but the ones she dealt with after her first allegations surfaced
about Mr. Plutt were incompetent. Ben was the opposite. It made
her want to help, if she could. She asked, hesitantly and after
a lot of thought, if the case had any danger to it, which he
confirmed hesitantly. Her eyes went wide. That explained so
much. It was a child abuse case, wasn't it? "You poor thing. I'm
so sorry. Is there something I can do to make you feel better?"
she asked genuinely, but thinking it through and immediately
adding "You know, within reason." He didn't seem to be in the
mood to ask for sex again, but she wanted to cover her bases.
She told him that his usual table was empty, prompting him to go
ahead and make himself comfortable. He thanked her and she
wished him a better evening, though he didn't seem to have much
hope for that.
She went into the back, Rose getting to work on his coffee as
Rey perused the bakery. Desserts always made her feel better and
while she didn't know if they did the same for him, she wanted
to try. She hated seeing people upset or stressed. She wanted
them to be happy and at ease around her. It was something that
she constantly tried to accomplish, though it didn't always
work. She knew it worked with David, his last client. She looked
through what they had at the moment, trying to remember what few
details she knew about Ben that might help her pick out a
dessert for him. Something about David just screamed cupcake a
few weeks ago, but she wasn't having the same experience with
Ben. She couldn't tell if he was a bland, uptight guy in a
monkey suit who wanted something with raisins -- like some sort
of sociopath -- or if he had a secret sweet tooth, much like she
did. In the end, she decided to go with a crowd favorite:
chocolate chip cookies. She plucked two from the rack, wrapping
them in a little paper slip as Rose handed her Ben's order. She
moved out onto the floor again, finding that Ben had truly set
up camp tonight. He had his laptop out, which was normal, but
she noticed how he'd really made himself comfortable. He'd
unbuttoned his suit, rolling up his sleeves to his elbows on his
shirt, something she found insanely attractive. He'd taken his
tie off and tossed it to the side, which somehow made him look
more attractive? She hated how he looked so damn good while
being disheveled and stressed. It was less about the stress to
her though and more about how domestic it felt. Something about
him getting comfortable, looking less put-together and more like
a real person only made her significantly more attracted to him.
She had a lot of thoughts of things she could do to ease his
stress and put him in a better mood, but she was no fool. She
pushed those thoughts aside, knowing that she was just being a
stupid girl who was infatuated with the hot lawyer who
frequented her workplace. Besides, he might have been a guy with
a good heart, but she knew that her attraction was purely
superficial at the moment, entirely based on just how beautiful
he was. And his attraction to her was entirely sexual. She
didn't want that. She commented on how he'd made himself at
home, noting how his voice sounded sincere and almost apologetic
as he asked if they were closing any time soon. She laughed a
bit. "Oh, no. Not for a few more hours. We're open late during
the school year for the college kids with last minute
assignments," she explained, dismissing his worries immediately.
A lot of coffee shops, particularly the ones that weren't
Starbucks, closed relatively early. But Koko Java wanted to
compete with the big chains and, given their proximity to NYU,
it usually worked out for them. It was one of the things Rey
hated about the night shift though. She liked to go to bed
early, but the store didn't close until midnight and she still
had to take a shower when she got back to her dorm. "There's no
rush. Feel free to take a load off for a while. I know how tired
you are," she said sympathetically. She set his order down in
front of him, including the cookies to the side. She said the
cookies were for his rough day, that they were on the house. Of
course, she had to pay for them, but it was a small price to pay
to help someone have a better day, she thought. Besides, Ben
always tipped really well, so he was basically paying for them
himself anyway. He looked into the packaging, his expression
softening as a small smile creeped onto his face at the sight.
That instantly made her feel good, knowing that she could give
him that stunning smile. God, he was so gorgeous. He spoke up,
about to tell her that she didn't have to do that, but she
wasn't about to let that happen. He seemed to know that, cutting
himself off as he looked back up at her bright smile. He thanked
her and she nodded. "Of course. I know desserts don't make life
easier, but they have a way of cheering people up," she
explained. She was about to turn away, but he spoke again,
holding out one of the cookies and her tip, another ten dollars.
She was about to brush it off, to tell him that those were his,
but she knew that he was about as stubborn as she was, so there
was no sense in making a scene in the middle of the store. He
said it was on him, if she was allowed to snack on the clock.
She was truly caught off-guard by this, having not expected him
to offer her something like this. She smiled softly, taking the
cookie from him and slipping the money into her pocket. "Oh, uh,
thank you." she said softly. "We're technically not supposed to,
but the night manager is too high to care so I feel like I can
get away with it," she said with a small laugh, biting into the
cookie. She loved how chewy it was, how the chocolate was still
warm from the oven and it melted in her mouth. She couldn't
remember the last time she actually ate something from the
bakery here, since it was usually a little too pricey for her.
She pulled out the chair across from him, taking a seat after a
moment, wanting to address something from before. "Uhm, so,
listen, I'm not in school for law or anything, but I know a
little about the system," she began, keeping it vague, since he
didn't need to know at the moment that her foster father
regularly beat the shit out of her growing up and touched her
and that she dealt with a child abuse case herself that failed
miserably to go anywhere. "I don't know exactly what your case
is dealing with but uhm... I-...," she was struggling to figure
out how to say this. She didn't know how or if she even should
offer her help. She didn't think it would do any good and she
didn't want to undermine his work and his skill, since he was
apparently very well-respected in his career and an extremely
good attorney. But she wanted to help. She wanted to ease his
worries and save a child from going through what she did. "I
guess, what I'm trying to say is, maybe I can help with
something?" she said hesitantly, prepared for him to snap at her
or something in response. Maybe all he needed was to rant -- as
vaguely as possible -- or maybe there was something he was
missing. "Or not. I don't want you to think I'm nosy or
anything. I just want to help ease your mind if I can," she
said, but there was no pressure. She wanted him to know that she
really wasn't trying to pry and that she was perfectly
comfortable with him rejecting her. It was his career. Not
hers.[/center]
#Post#: 1851--------------------------------------------------
[14] BEN
By: Zellaphone Date: July 14, 2021, 4:23 pm
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Ben wanted his suit off. He wanted his shoes and socks off. He
wanted to throw on some fleece pajama pants, an old t-shirt, and
fall into bed and sleep until the week was over. However, home
wasn't where he was going. He had too much work to do, and he
honestly didn't exactly feel like being alone tonight after such
a stressful day, but he also didn't feel like hitting up an old
booty-call either. What he wanted was a familiar face he could
rant to a bit, possibly lie his head in their lap as they ran
his fingers through his hair. That sounded nice, but it was
something that he couldn't have, and he himself had made sure of
that because things like that were never real for him, nor could
they be, he believed. So maybe he just wanted a drink, but that
was something he wouldn't allow either. Not unless it was a cup
of coffee or two, which was exactly what he was on his way to
get right now. He knew Rey wouldn't be there since she only ever
seemed to work mornings despite not being there that morning,
but he didn't care all that much. Or, at least, that's what he
told himself. He was just going to the coffee shop to get some
much-needed caffeine while he worked. He stepped into Koko Java,
not standing as tall as he usually did, his body heavy with
exhaustion, and he approached the register, not paying all that
much attention. However, when he looked up, he was met with a
familiar, beautiful freckled face and a pair of gorgeous eyes.
Rey. She looked just as surprised to see him as he did her
before she broke out into a familiar, stunning smile, greeting
him and giving him a little wave. The greeting was one he was
rather acquainted with now, and he preferred it much more than
the unlively, repulsed greetings she used to give him when they
had first met. He greeted her in return, though perhaps he
didn't sound as enthusiastic as usual. That wasn't from his lack
of being pleasantly surprised to see her, however. He commented
on how strange it was for her to be working such late hours, and
she agreed before he jokingly asked if she was avoiding him, to
which she sarcastically said that she was. Afterward, she
explained that she had taken a coworker's shift so that she
could see her daughter's ballet recital, which he thought was
nice, and he said as much. Rey brushed it off, however, punching
in his usual order before he said anything and printing out his
ticket as he slid over the exact change to her. She asked if he
always looked so worn out or if he had just had a rough day, and
he asked if he looked that bad, though it wouldn't surprise him
if he did. He hadn't exactly slept well last night, and court
cases like the one he was dealing with now could be extremely
draining. She explained that he didn’t look bad just… tired,
which also wasn’t surprising. He confessed that he was
exhausted, and she assured him that she could tell, saying that
she was sorry to hear that. Quickly, he shook his head and waved
a hand. He hadn’t been looking for sympathy. He was just tired.
“It happens,” he assured her, brushing off her concern. He
explained that today had been a court day for a difficult case,
adding that tomorrow would be another day spent in court. He
expected the conversation to be left at that, but then, after
hesitating and struggling to find the right words, Rey asked if
the case was dangerous. He considered her question for a moment,
already knowing the answer but not sure how much he wanted to
disclose with her. She didn’t need to know all of the details.
They’d likely just upset her, but he did, hesitantly, confirm
that the situation was rather dangerous. There was a young
girl’s well-being on the line here, and he had no idea what was
happening to her or if her father was being properly
investigated while the court wasted their time. Rey’s eyes went
wide as if she knew exactly what was going on, and maybe she
did, somewhat. She showed him more sympathy, talking to him as
if he were someone she truly cared about before asking if there
was anything she could do to make him feel better Come home with
me, was his first thought, and he wasn’t sure if there was any
sexual intention behind it or not, which somewhat unnerved him.
Swiftly, she added the within reason, and he laughed a bit
humorlessly at his own, tired thoughts. “No, I'll manage, thank
you,” he insisted, wishing that days like this didn't make him
so aware of how fucking lonely he was. Gently, she told him that
his usual table was available and that she'd bring his order to
him. He sincerely thanked her, and she wished him a better
evening, but he said that they'd have to see about that.
He took his seat, but not before pulling off his suit jacket and
draping it over his chair. Once seated, he set up everything he
needed for work and went about removing his tie, unbuttoning a
couple of buttons on his white dress shirt, and rolling up its
sleeves to his elbows to make himself feel a little more
comfortable. Already, he knew that he was going to be here for a
while. He wanted to get as much work done as possible, and he
needed the caffeine to do it, and while he had a coffee machine
at home, it was never as good as getting it here. Opening his
laptop, he was reminded of his mother's email and took a few
moments to consider whether he should answer her or not.
Usually, he'd just blow her off and tell her that he was too
busy, which he was, or he'd just give in and accept, but he
didn't feel like speaking to her at all these days. All she ever
wanted to talk about the few times she saw him a year was how he
was ruining her campaign and how he needed to get his act
together. It was always I sent you to one of the most
prestigious schools in the country, you should have turned out
better, or I thought military school would have screwed your
head on straight, but it was never, I'm sorry that I, your
mother never actually raised you, Ben. He was always to blame,
while she was never at fault for anything, and it was always his
life that was a mess, never hers even though she was the one
married to a sleazeball that she never saw. He was fine. He had
a system and a way of living, and it worked for him. It wasn't
his fault that she wasn't satisfied with how he turned out.
Running a hand through his hair, he continued to ignore the
email, for now, focusing on work as originally planned instead.
It didn't take him long to get into a state of deep
concentration, leaning in close to his laptop, brow furrowed,
hand against his lips. However, his mind was once again pulled
away from work when Rey approached him, commenting on how he had
made himself at home. He felt a little embarrassed about that,
and a bit guilty, asking if she was closing up anytime soon. He
should have checked the shop's hours before coming in. He didn't
want to hold anyone up or be an inconvenience. But Rey laughed,
assuring him that they didn't close for a few more hours, which
was a relief. She explained that Koko Java stayed open late
during the school year so that students could work, which made
him feel slightly more embarrassed, seeing as how he was a
twenty-nine-year-old man with a perfectly good apartment waiting
for him, but he nodded. "Good," he said quietly. Caringly, she
told him that there wasn't any rush and to feel free to relax
for a while, adding that she knew how tired he was. He gazed up
at her, wondering for a moment if she treated everyone like this
or if maybe... he was special. He quickly cleared his head of
those thoughts. "Thank you," he told her, watching as she set
his coffee down. He was about to reach out for it, but then she
set something else down as well wrapped inside a paper sleeve.
She said it was on the house since he was having a rough day.
Curious, he raised a brow, slowly taking a peek inside the
wrapper to find two chocolate chip cookies, which was a simple
favorite of his. His expression softened immediately at the
sight, touched by her kindness, a smile forming on his face. He
was about to tell her that she didn't have to get him anything,
knowing that the cookies had to be coming out of her pocket, but
he stopped mid-sentence once he looked back up at her, seeing
her beautiful smile. God, she was gorgeous, and her smile made
her look like the embodiment of sunshine itself. Nearly
everything about her made her seem that way. Everything down to
her painted shoes with butterflies. Softly, he thanked her,
unable to remember the last time someone had been kind to him
without expecting anything in return. Did she expect something?
Maybe a tip that was even larger than usual? No, surely not. He
remembered her doing this for his past client, David, as well,
and he didn't get the idea that she had expected anything from
him either except maybe a smile. She shrugged off his thanks,
saying that while she knew that desserts didn't tend to make
people's lives easier, they did have a way of cheering people
up. He nodded, a soft smile still planted firmly on his lips
before he reached into the paper sleeve, pulling out one of the
cookies and grabbing Rey's tip as well, holding them both out to
her before she turned away. He told her that the cookie was on
him, if she was allowed to eat it while working. He knew she had
gotten them for him, but it felt a little wrong to accept two
things from her. She smiled, thanking him as she slid the ten
into her pocket, taking the cookie. He nodded. She explained
that they technically weren't allowed to eat on the clock, but
her night manager was apparently too high to take notice. He
chuckled at that, watching as she bit into the cookie. He
expected her to go back to the register after that, but then,
suddenly, she pulled out the chair across from him, sitting
down. His eyes widened in surprise, though he found that he
didn't really mind her sitting with him. It was probably just
until she finished her cookie. He pinched off a section of his
own, popping it into his mouth and smiling a tad at how warm it
still has as she spoke up again. She stated that she wasn't in
school for law, which he had gathered, but she did, apparently,
know a little about the system. He quirked a brow at that,
looking over at her. Did she use to be in the foster care
system? Or maybe she just knew a bit about it. Or maybe she was
studying something like sociology. He listened as she went on,
saying that she didn't really know the details of his case, her
sentence drifting off as she seemingly once again struggled to
find the right words. He waited, and when she eventually figured
out what she was trying to say, she hesitantly offered to help
him. He leaned back in his chair slightly, crossing his arms as
he looked at her, thinking. Now, why would she want to help him?
Did she think he needed the help? Probably not... She was likely
just being nice. Again. She added that she didn't have to help,
saying that she didn't want him thinking that she was being
nosy, just wanting to ease his mind. So she was just being kind
again. He didn't understand this girl, but he never thought that
she was being nosy. However, he wasn't exactly legally obliged
to disclose any of the details about the case with anyone, not
that he felt like he needed to. He knew that he could get
through this case with or without Rey's help, as much as he
appreciated the offer. “There’s honestly not much that can be
done without gaining more evidence for the case, and the
likelihood of enough evidence coming forward between now and
tomorrow seems unlikely," he told her honestly, trying not to
sound too bitter about that statement. The court thinking they
could gain enough evidence to convict a man in just a matter of
hours was ridiculous, especially since he didn't even know if
anyone was searching for evidence. The girl's aunt wasn't
exactly being welcomed into the house with open arms at the
moment. “But I do have a few connections at my disposal," he
added, not wanting to sound as though he was at a complete loss.
Thankfully, he knew the judge presiding over the case fairly
well and could possibly talk him into an extension. He also knew
Phasma, an old friend of Hux's that happened to be a cop. He
could always ask her to fake a disturbance of the peace call and
have her investigate the house. Was that legal? Not entirely,
but it could be done. "I appreciate your offer, though," he
added, wanting her to know that he was grateful even though he
had turned her offer down. Then, he had another thought,
switching the tabs on his computer back to his inbox. “Perhaps
there’s something else you could help me with instead…” he
mused, his mouse hovering over the unread email sent from his
mother. “Hypothetically, would you accept a dinner invite from
someone who you actively try to avoid, or allow them to continue
to pester you until you feel you’re backed into a corner?” he
asked, growing increasingly frustrated every time the thought of
his mother invaded his mind. “And I’m not referring to myself
asking you to dinner in this hypothetical, just to be clear," he
added quickly, knowing that could be a valid assumption for Rey
to draw given his usual flirtatious behavior and their jokes
about avoiding one another. He didn't want her thinking that he
was about to ask her on a date.[/center]
#Post#: 1856--------------------------------------------------
REY [15]
By: winterssmary Date: July 16, 2021, 1:12 am
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Ben seemed rather relieved that the store wasn't closing any
time soon, which was interesting. He was apparently planning on
staying a while, possibly until they closed in the evening. Not
that Rey really minded. She liked having Ben around, just for
the basic familiarity. She enjoyed chatting with him and felt
more comfortable working late at night if she knew that someone
she knew -- sorta -- was in the restaurant with her, out in the
open so they could keep an eye on one another. Sometimes, late
nights brought in the absolute crazies and she didn't have the
energy for that, nor did she have the patience tonight. She felt
safer with Ben near, for some reason. Maybe it was because she
finally understood that he was a genuinely good man with decent
intentions. She felt like, if something went wrong, he'd be
there to help. Maybe. Or maybe he'd run full speed out the doors
and never come back. She couldn't be sure. Either way, she was
content with him sticking around. It gave her the chance to
cheer him up, which would certainly put her in a better mood.
She placed his order and his cookies in front of him, insisting
that the cookies were on the house to make him feel better. He
thanked her, a genuine smile on his face that she was obsessed
with. She wished she could look at his smile forever. She wished
she could widen it. It filled her heart with immense pride that
she'd been able to bring that reaction out of him. And all it
cost her was a couple of cookies? Totally worth it. She was
about to turn back on her heel when Ben reached out to her,
holding out one of the cookies and a ten dollar bill for a tip.
He said that this was on him, if she was allowed to eat on the
clock. She wasn't which she admitted after thanking him. But the
night manager was too high to care. Jard didn't give two shits
about what they did, so long as he didn't get in trouble. She
bit into the cookie, sliding out the chair and taking a seat
across from him for a moment. There were no other customers in
the store. She had some time to kill. He seemed shocked by her
decision. "Oh, I'm sorry. Is this alright?" she asked. Once it
was established that this was fine, she took a moment, watching
him smile at the taste of his cookie, which brought a grin to
her face as well. She spoke slowly, struggling for the words as
she said that she wasn't necessarily a legal expert, but that
she knew a little about the system he worked in. She was
offering her advice or her help or something, even if all he
wanted was to rant. But she added, quickly, that she just wanted
to ease his mind, not that she didn't think he was capable on
his own or that she was being too nosy. She just wanted to help.
He didn't seem angry, which was a relief. He said that there
wasn't much anyone could do without somehow gathering more
evidence between now and tomorrow. "Oh," she breathed. He said
that he had a few resources he could call on. She knew what that
was like. Her own case took a similar turn, but she didn't have
a good enough attorney to help her. She had a court-appointed
lawyer that her case worker managed to get for her. And no real
adult to help. It's the whole reason she went back to Mr.
Plutt's to begin with. If only - "Have someone check the kid's
scalp," she suggested softly. "Cops don't usually think to look,
but when an adult can tell that they're in trouble they start
being more careful," she explained, though he already knew that.
Obviously. She just wanted to explain herself. "But the
hair-pulling never stops. It sometimes gets worse," she said
quietly, absent-mindedly feeling through her own scalp, running
her fingers over her own scars. "Check for bald spots, dried
blood, cuts and bruises underneath the hair," she added, shaking
her head, shaking the memories away. Or trying to, anyway. He
said that he appreciated the offer for her help, but he
obviously didn't want it. It was a good point and she should
have kept her mouth shut. "Right. Sorry, again. I'm not a
lawyer. I can't really be much help, but I hope you find your
evidence. Or convince your jury that you have more evidence,"
she said. After a brief moment though, he spoke up, saying there
might be something else she could help him with. She perked up
at that, taking another bite of her cookie. He asked if,
hypothetically, she would go to dinner with someone she was
avoiding or if she would rather continue to let them pester you
until you were backed into a corner. She quirked a brow,
assuming he was about to ask her out again. But, if he was
asking her to dinner and not to his bedroom, she probably would
have said yes. Admittedly. But then he clarified that he didn't
mean that. He wasn't referring to the two of them. She couldn't
help but be a little disappointed at that, even if she hated
herself for that. "Oh. Good," she said. "That would have been
awkward," she added quickly. That would have been nice, she
actually thought. "Anyway, um, I think it depends on who was
reaching out to me and how actively I'm avoiding them," she said
honestly. She didn't know the context and she didn't know who
was trying to talk to him. An ex-girlfriend? Then she'd say no.
But an old friend or a relative or an old enemy, even? Maybe?
She didn't know. "Sometimes, it's easier to just deal with the
dinner so that they can't bother you about it anymore," she said
with a small shrug, trying to be smart about it. A dinner
couldn't be that bad, right? "But I don't know who would be so
desperate as to reach out to you for company," she said
playfully, trying to add some humor to the
conversation.[/center]
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