Empire Records; Monday [ 01/15 ]

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

The Ostrich Complex was an interesting thing, and Chad seemed to have a problem with it. If you couldn't see what was bothering you, it wasn't as much of a problem, and he hadn't seen Jude since... And the perfect embarrassment of cheerleading practise did have him feeling properly put in his place. He was by no means in a good mood; he just didn't seem like he was ready to smash anything that came near him into a wall anymore. Which was a lot of progress. He didn't feel like doing much, though, just leaning on the counter (carefully), staring up at the ceiling while listening to a lot of Spanish music.


[[ empire's open ]]

Comments

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

Pippi flounces down to Empire with her drumsticks.

"Hi Chad!" she chimes as she enters the shop some time after lunch.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad shifted his eyes from where he was counting spots on the ceiling to give Pippi a dull look from behind his hair. Flouncing wouldn't help her now. Oh, no. Not after cheerleading.


"...Pippi."

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"S'up?"

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad pointed up. "Ceiling."

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

Pippi chuckled at that.

"Yes and it's a good thing too. Otherwise the wind my blow through here and knock stuff over!"

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad nodded. "And then I'd have to keep picking it back up."

He sighed, concluding that it really was impossible to stay cranky around her. Why couldn't she have been the one poking him at the bar Friday night instead of Nadia?

"What brings ya here today, Pippi?"

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"I'm done with my classes for today and I thought maybe we could jam?" She said holding up her drumsticks hopefully.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"Didn't bring my guitar today, Pippi, I'm sorry," Chad admitted a little sadly. "Not really in the mood, either."

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

One of these days she'll get him to actually tell her what's eating him.

"You sure? I could do get it for you if ya like?"

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. M'sure," Chad nodded.

He looked at Pippi for a bit. "...How bad was it? Tell me honestly, Pippi."

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"... How bad is what? I don't understand."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"The try-out. How bad was it?"

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"Oh! Not at all bad! Everybody was very impressed. You were wonderful!"

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad grunted. His forehead thunked against the counter. "That's what I was afraid of."

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

Pippi rested her head on the counter so she had a chance of catching Chad's eye, she also reached over and put her hand on his head.

"What do you mean 'that's what you were afraid of'? You were great. As per usual. Why afraid of that?"

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"That was embarrassing, Pippi," Chad admitted, shifting his head to look over at her. "If I did good, then I gotta do it again."

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"Since when are amazing feats of strength and agility embarrassing?" she asked petting his hair.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

The petting was pretty nice.

"I almost fell," Chad reminded her.

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"Nobody's perfect." Pippi said, still petting his hair. "That's why we practice."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"Wasn't good at the cheer part, either," he continued. If he complained more, the petting would probably continue. "Cute little redheads like you should be doin' that. It just feels weird when I do it."

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

So far the tactic is working. Complementing her didn't hurt either.

"You did great. As I said."

*pet pet*

"And practice'll help with that too... Or we could work something out with Buffy."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad closed his eyes to better enjoy the pets. "Okay," he acquiesced, and sighed a little. Pippi was the best.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy stopped by the store after class and after Pippi left, mentally kicking himself for not seeing Chad sooner than this.

"Hey."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

The Ostrich complex was working pretty well when it came to Teddy, too, but not anymore, clearly. Chad straightened up from where he was leaning against the counter (carefully). "Hey, Ted..."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy looked around the store to see if anyone else was there. "What's up?"

That was casual right? Nothing too pushy about that.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad shrugged. "Not much. Working." Without, y'know, so much of the working part.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"Sorry I didn't stop by this weekend," Teddy said. "Ranma came by and...yeah, I wasn't in the mood to see anyone after that."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad arched an eyebrow at that; he could only imagine what sort of unwittingly jackass thing Ranma'd gone and done now. He sighed. "S'okay. Wasn't really up do doing much anyway." Except try-out for cheerleading. Chad grunted. He'd never been so glad for a Monday before in his life.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy leaned his hips against the counter, hands in his jacket pockets. "You sure? I had this whole apology planned out and everything."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Frowning slightly, Chad leaned back on the counter (carefully). "Apology for what?"

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"I told you I'd stop by and I didn't."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad had actually forgotten that Teddy said he would do. He felt bad for forgetting, but the fact that Teddy still wanted to apologize despite the fact that he didn't even remember made Chad smile a little. "Don't worry about it."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy leaned closer toward Chad over the counter. "Don't you even want to know what kind of apology I had planned?"

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

That stopped Chad for a moment, as it hit him that Teddy probably wouldn't say anything more about it if it were just a regular old 'I'm sorry' apology. The prospect of possibilies was definately enough to push through the guilt of thinking them.

"...What kind of apology did you have planned, Ted?" he asked, tossing his head just slightly to get the hair out of his eyes to see Teddy better.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"It was just a rough plan, nothing was really set in stone, but..." Teddy said, biting his lip. "The majority involved kissing and the kind of cuddling that wouldn't go over well while you're at work."

And yes, that would be a small blush on Teddy's cheeks as he spoke. Thinking about this and saying it out loud were two totally different things.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad grinned a little; he liked it when he was able to peg something right like that, especially when it involved the kind of cuddling that wouldn't go over while while he was at work.

There was some comfort in the fact that he was able to think like that again. He was starting to get worried that the emo had killed it entirely. But looking at Teddy with his little blush, paradoxal to his words, confirmed that it was definately not a problem.

"Ya better go do something," Chad said. "Can't let an apology like that go to waste."

Or an opprotunity for a kiss, which Chad look now, leaning in to kiss Teddy from over the counter.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy just was happy that he didn't get laughed at for his attempt at seduction. The fact that Chad was responding so well was a pretty big ego boost.

He stood up on his toes and returned the kiss.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad kissed Teddy for a little long, hand softly brushing against his cheek. He'd missed this; he'd missed Teddy. When he pulled away, he lightly set his forehead against Teddy's as he asked, "What're you doing later tonight?"

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy opened his eyes after the kiss ended. That was... really really nice.

"I was thinking about going to this one really cute Mexican guy's room, but I wasn't sure if he had plans already," He said, an impish gleam in his eyes.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"Hold on," Chad told him, and went over to the phone, picking it up, punching in a number real quick. "Yeah, Deb? Come in for me tonight...Yeah, I know....I know....So do you.....Not the vinyl!...uh-huh...*grunt*...uh-huh...yeah....okay, fine."

He hung up the phone and leaned back on the counter.

"Nope. No plans."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy leaned close again, putting his hands on Chad's shoulders before sliding them up to brush against where his hair met his neck. "That's cool for you leave early?" Teddy asked. "I don't want you to get in trouble or anything."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad nodded. "I've shut down the shop early for a concert and didn't even get anyone to cover. Should definately be cool if Deb comes in for me."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"Good." Teddy grinned and pushed up again for a kiss.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad was definately willing to give Teddy another kiss, lingering, and then another, and another.

"You wanna wait with me here until Deb gets here, or ya wanna just meet me later?"

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"How long will that be?" Teddy asked between kisses.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"Said she'd try to be here in ten, fifteen minutes."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy seemed to consider that. "Well I suppose I could stay then. I just hope things won't get too boring while we wait," He teased.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure we could find...something to help pass the time," Chad said, leaning in.