The weather shifted from freezing to unseasonably warm and back again, and on the sunnier days, between rolling under cars and clearing away other people's half-eaten food, Theo considered redecorating his apartment. It was a strange impulse, one he never would have had time to entertain before the world had changed, but now that his life had 74% less worry in it, he found he had nothing better to do.
Bekki had suggested that he try the Salvation Army, and since he and his ex were playing friends in this reality, it was the first place he went. For the most part it was just his speed, though now that he was here, he had spent more time in clothing than housewares. He did eventually make it there though, a pair of boots he didn't need in one hand and a star-spangled mug in the other.
"God bless America," he muttered, putting it down as far away from himself as he could manage without dropping it on the floor. He shook his head, struck with the thought that his parents would probably hate him being in here. It was a good thing he was... you know... a grown-a** man.
demon_pachabel
Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 7:36 pm
She probably should have stopped eating all of her meals out of plastic trays. Cass looked at her empty drawers and empty cabinets, quietly recalling where her previous set of dishes had gone. Donation drive? Abandoned in her apartment for the next tenant? She really couldn't remember. If she still had them, a single glance at her still unpacked boxes and Cass knew with some certainty that she didn't want to hunt through them for her needs.
So it was off in her barely-running-sometimes 89' Geo Prism that had definitely seen better days and probably needed an oil change. Cass actually glanced at the sticker and made a mental note that she was 500 miles overdue. Whoops.
It was good enough to at least get her to the Salvation Army that she'd seen while running a few errands.
Cassandra had forgotten that thrift stores had a way of...a way of... "So...full of people..." she muttered to herself, but she was determined to pick up at least a washable set of dishes. Well, maybe one of each thing. She hadn't really been paying attention to Theo himself as he put down the mug, but Cass had definitely noticed the mug itself, picking it up with a small smile.
"Look at this thing. I wonder if they have any better looking mugs than this here," she said as she began to sift through the rest of the mugs on the shelf before picking up one and very LOUDLY announcing: "OH my gOD. This is a thing of beauty"
Which meant she had to pick which one she was getting now.
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 12:56 pm
He watched her like he might a television: holding his breath with a slightly sour expression squishing his features. It wasn't the mugs themselves that made him uncomfortable—though he couldn't fathom wanting any of them in his apartment—it was her sheer excitement over her finds. Theo didn't think he'd ever been that excited about anything.
"There are a few more like that over there too," he said, glancing back at the patriotic eyesore's original shelf. "If you're looking for a set."
demon_pachabel
Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 1:23 pm
"Oh no," Cass held up a hand at the mention of a set. There was a thing about a set that implied everything needed to be kept together. Not that she'd ever kept anything together. Carefully, she set the patriotic mug back down. "Don't want to split up the family. Don't want my dishware being too friendly with each other." as she said this, she pushed the mug a little farther away from herself, then nodded at Theo.
"I appreciate the heads up. I'm sure someone else can love that set. I just..." she held up the hideous mug still in her hand. "Just need one of anything. They don't need to match." Cass held up her ugly mug. "Easier to part with if I don't love it if I have to."
And she actually thought it was majestic.
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Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2017 6:53 pm
"That's... interesting," Theo replied, his attention returning to the painfully American mug for a second. He felt vaguely guilty for outing it like that, as if he'd deprived it of a forever home for reasons it couldn't control. Maybe he would give it a chance. Take it home himself. Nobody had to know he had an eyesore in his kitchen, especially since hardly anyone ever saw his kitchen anyway.
What in the hell was he thinking?
Theo shook his head faintly. Now he was just being ridiculous.
"Have you been forced to part with a lot of dishware?" Had this been anyone else he would have already nodded politely and moved on, but this woman seemed as much a part of the store as the mug in her hand. Like if she tried to leave, she would poof out of existence just outside the door. He wondered if he had crossed over into the other world somehow and this was some sort of test.
demon_pachabel
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2017 7:18 pm
it could have been described as a smile, but it had a strained sort of tug around the edges. A lace of bittersweetness.
"I've been forced to part with a lot of things, dishware isn't exclusive." she turned the mug over in her hand, then looked up at Theo, expression brightening. "So I just come prepared, that's all." The mug turned in her hand, her fingers tracing the edges of it's erratic edges. She looked to the patriotic mug again.
"I'm sure there's someone in this town who would appreciate a nice matching set of dishware anyways. Maybe someone who needs more than 5 pieces of flatware to their living situation." she shrugged as she continued to sort through the dishes, comparing pieces with some invisible chart in her mind. A blue plate was chosen over a green one. A bowl with a bear on it was slid faaaarrr away. A small pair of salt and pepper shakers in the shape of unicorns were held onto with great consideration, their horns both broken at the tip.
She set them both down.
"I wonder what good things came into their lives to make them get thrown away?" she pondered aloud.
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Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2017 9:40 pm
"Maybe people moved?" Theo pushed his lips together, still regretting the conversation slightly but not enough to end it. He too abandoned the mug, but he did pick up the green plate in her stead. "I mean, you don't seem like you've been here for long." Judging that as a little presumptuous, he added, "I haven't either. Well, a year now, but..."
He had just gone out and purchased matching silverware and plates from a regular store when he'd arrived in Ashdown. Did that make him gross? Some sort of nasty hipster? Theo found himself thinking of his moms again, how they might not approve of the person he had become since things had changed. Then he rolled his eyes and dismissed it all. It was just a couple of plates. And he was making up for it now by getting this one, right?
demon_pachabeI
Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2017 9:51 pm
"Maybe. I hope for good reasons," she looked up at Theo again. "Oh no. Not at all. Couple of weeks. Figured it was about time to at least pretend what I have is home for a while." Her tone wasn't exactly depressed, but she glazed over the word 'home' as though it felt funny in her mouth.
"A year now? Well happy anniversary!" Cassandra said - and she sounded as though she genuinely meant it. "Where from, if I may ask?"
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2017 7:21 pm
"Thank you." He looked at her curiously, this girl who wished sour-faced, cup-spurning strangers happy anniversary, and then his face wasn't quite so sour anymore. Theo smiled, just a little.
"Seattle area. Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland. We moved around." When he'd finally grown old enough to wonder why, all he'd received as a reason was, Because it's fun, sweetpea. He supposed it was as good an answer as any.
"I wish you the best here. I hope you like it." Personally, he thought Ashdown was the strangest place he'd ever been, but he wasn't about to urge her to move on when she seemed so ambivalent already.
demon_pachabel
sorry i lost my ability to theo when i realized his whole backstory needed to change after the last meta but now it is done and i am back we can keep going or just wrap this if you want and do something else <3333
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2017 1:45 pm
"Oh! An elusive smile!" she brightened up immediately. "Mmm, a Washington man? I can't say I've been. Hear it's beautiful. What brought you all the way across country?"
Cass thought about that question for a moment, "I mean, I can't blame a little wanderlust. I certainly have my own share of it." If she began listing the cities she herself had lived in, it would have been a much, much longer list than Theo's had been.
"It should be nice, even if just for a bit." there were nice strangers to chat up in thrift stores, after all.
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You're fine! I know how that is :> <33
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Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 7:05 am
He nodded. "It's a nice state. I miss it sometimes. Most of the time, really." Answering her question was a little tougher after that, mostly because he still had no idea why he was here himself.
"I followed... a friend." The thing was, he and Bekki were not friends. They hadn't been anything since well before the divorce. "We don't talk much anymore, but I'm still here. It's an interesting place." Alternate universe movie theaters. Ferrety magic instructors. Hamsters that tried to kill you. Party invitations that smelled of death and secrets.
"I guess my only recommendation would be to get some friends and keep them close." He'd had a lot of trouble with that, but at least he was trying now. "Ashdown's 'interesting' is another town's 'weird' sometimes."
demon_pachabel
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 8:03 am
"Well, it isn't always easy to step back after you make large step forwards, so I don't blame you for still hanging out around here. May as well make some good of it." Which was what Cass did at every landing point, so for her, it was an easy enough adjustment.
"Yeah? I shouldn't try to wing it solo?" she smiled, adjusting her chosen dishware in her arms before extending a hand to Theo. "I'm Cassandra, by the by." she introduced with the same brightness as her excitement about the smile. "I've met some pretty weird, so we'll see where this stands on the winner's podium, I guess."
She was born in one of the most haunted cities in the United States. Maybe it had just come with her.
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Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2017 9:58 pm
"Theo." He shook the woman's hand, buoyed by her near-ridiculous cheeriness, at least from his perspective. It was a frequent complaint from the people he knew, that he didn't talk or share or smile, but that was how he had always been. He didn't think he could change now.
"I hope it ranks low for all of our sakes. But you're already doing better than I was, so I'm sure things will be fine." He gestured at her mug with his plate. "Your new friend can protect you." He shook his head faintly. Well, now he just sounded idiotic. That's what happened when he tried to be personable.
demon_pachabel
Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:35 am
"Well nice to meet you, Theo." she said as she shook his hand.
"Oh, I wouldn't mind it being too high up on the 'weird' scale. If it edges into 'freaky' territory then I may, but for now..." she trailed off, then glanced down at the mug she'd determined was a thing of beauty to keep as he motioned to it. Then, she laughed. "Of course he can. I'll take him and Ted on all my adventures." except Ted was a roomba and never left her apartment. Not much to rely on there.
She arranged her small stack of dishes now so they were easier to handle (biggest on the bottom, the mug of disaster on top). "Seems I've found everything I needed from this trip. Am I keeping you?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:15 am
"Technically not, but I shouldn't stick around or I'll end up with a lot of things I don't need." That was technically why he was here, but now that he was faced with the reality of this place, he thought it might be best to get out before he was overtaken by the power of the second hand. Theo kept his plate close and took a few steps toward the cashier.
"I wish you well. And it was nice to meet you too. I'll see you around, I suppose?"
