// the heart of it all

[maggie]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: dddddd; border: #cccccc solid 8px; width: 420px; padding: 15 5 15 5px;] WHERE WE ARE AGAIN The Words: 778 The Outfit: HERE The Notes tag: derek. restaurant here she was feeling like splurging today. ryan wasn't sure exactly why. maybe she just felt like there was something special in the air but either way she was heading out tonight alone. leo needed to fly off to somewhere for an interview and appearance kind of thing and told her she didn't need to go if she didn't want to. seeing as how he would be back real soon and how she didn't want to go through the hassle of finding someone to care for, or a place to board, titan she figured she was better off just hanging by herself for a few days. it wasn't that big of a deal. ryan was used to leo needing to leave for one reason of another. it was part of his job to get shipped to wherever someone needed him to be and ryan understood that. she knew he wasn't much of a fan of it but did it for the business and for his career. she would always support him in that but that didn't mean that she needed to go with him for something so minor. besides, they hadn't spent a lot of time apart recently and maybe the little breather would do well for them. ryan and leo were an odd couple in that way, their relationship still managed to survive when they took small little "breaks" from one another. it wasn't even a break in their relationship, it was just a continuing sense of security in the fact that even if they weren't right next to each other or right on top of each other, that they still loved one another and didn't want anyone else in this world. at least yet. ryan wasn't in any way looking for someone else. she was beyond happy with what she and leo had and she wasn't looking to change it though she was still a little awestruck that what they had had worked out so well for a first-time thing. maybe she was just a non-believer in the first place but she had been really skeptical that this relationship with leo was going to work out in the beginning. sure they had been really good friends but could they stand to actually be with one another? they'd done the random fling thing and that was nice but to see something actually long term? it seemed a little far fetched and yet here she was some many months later and she was still with him. more than that but she was still completely happy. they'd hit a rough patch or two but nothing had actually been detrimental to their relationship. ryan couldn't have ever predicted that what she felt now was possible but she couldn't have been more happy to be wrong. he had given her something that it seemed no one else ever could and that was what made leo special to her. she couldn't imagine being without him at this point and even though they weren't joined at the hip like some lovesick teenagers it didn't mean that she didn't care about him as much or more so. but tonight was all hers and she felt like a little treat. she took titan out and made sure he was fed before she changed and headed out for the night. she hadn't been to jules bistro in forever and she felt like she was craving it. the jazz band as entertainment wasn't that much of a deterrent either. ryan loved good music. she tended to be more into classic rock and alternative but she was a sucker for jazz as well. she'd tried jules' out a few times when she'd moved to new york and it seemed like ages since she'd been here. she was willing to go back and see if it tickled her fancy the way it used to. so once she was sure titan was all set she headed out, hailing a cab which dropped her off at jules bistro's front door. she headed inside and grabbed a table for one, sitting down with a menu she didn't need. ryan already knew what she was ordering. "hey ryan." she heard as she looked up from the menu with a smirk. of course they knew her by name. she was a little more "famous by association" because of her relationship but ryan had made her own presence a little memorable back then as well. "hey tammy. the angus strip, mid rare, and a glass of wine please. any pinot you got." she said as she handed back the menu, closing her eyes and just enjoying the sound of the jazz that filtered throughout the room. created by ADE! Pb-ified by WILL

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[derek]

[style=font-family: times; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #989898; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;]522 WORDS FOR RYAN DUBOIS sorry for the really, really long wait. D: DREAM [/style]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: #6d6d6d;] [style=padding: 10px; text-align: justify; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; height: 475px; overflow: auto; color: #1e1e1e;]Although Derek was a soul destined for the life a big city offered, New York was far from his norm. The streets that never completely hushed intimidated him, and too many Dateline episodes about the dark alleys of New York streets had definitely spooked him into watching his step. Defending himself probably wasn't too much of a concern. Working with a personal trainer four days a week equipped him with able biceps and fighting technique if anything went amiss. He'd never been attacked before, and for all that was holy, he prayed his luck would remain bright. His stay in the city turned out to be short-lived. Tomorrow morning called for his flight back to Los Angeles, California. His audition for Secret Safe took place earlier in the day. He'd risen from his plush hotel bed at around eight o'clock that morning, showered, dressed, and hailed a taxi early enough to arrive at the designated building with time to spare. He met with the Producer, Noah Davison, as well as the writers in order to see if he was the image they'd planned for "Kyle Manelo." Kyle was a supporting role. A man with an unsteady moralistic compass, he faced conflict between right and wrong. In addition, he was written to be shot during a drive-by shooting. Derek was confident in his presentation of the role, so he decided to treat himself to something slightly more appetizing than Cup of Noodles. Secret Safe wasn't the only project he was struggling to slip his fingers into. A television series called The Resurrection was also on his agenda. He played a decent role, too. His character, Ian, was not eligible to be discontinued due to his starring role status. The zombie apocalyptic show was supposedly his third breakthrough role on television following Gilmore Girls and Heroes. Even the producer of Secret Safe noticed Derek's superb acting capabilities. He slid into roles with effortless grace. He wasn’t always up to playing out his role as directed, but character development had never been a problem for the twenty-seven year old. Jules Bistro was his final destination. The Jazz restaurant stayed true to its origin upon opening the door. Saxophones and trumpets overwhelmed his ears. He’d never particularly liked Jazz. His father loved the stuff when they arrived in America. Derek, not so much. He’d never been at the restaurant before, so he took a seat at a table for one. He was perusing the menu when he heard the door open once again to reveal a pretty face. Ryan Dubois. Leo’s girlfriend. He was sure a lot of people knew her for that reason alone. Leo was a good guy, and she seemed like a sweet girl. For the most part. She sat down in a single table next to him, didn’t even look at the menu for very long before she was ordering. “The angus strip, mid rare, and a glass of wine please. any pinot you got.” Derek glanced at the menu and spoke up before the waitress retreated. “I’ll have what she’s having,” he called after her with a smile. [/style]

TABLE BY CALIFORNIA DREAMING @ CAUTION 2.0

[maggie]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: dddddd; border: #cccccc solid 8px; width: 420px; padding: 15 5 15 5px;] WHERE WE ARE AGAIN The Words: 629 The Outfit: HERE The Notes tag: derek. restaurant here ryan had a thing for jazz, really she had a thing for just about any music styling that didn't involve kiddie pop. she liked alternative music from the artic monkeys to the civil wars to classic rock from aerosmith to led zeppelin. she liked just about anything she could get her hands on that had a really decent beat, which was a far cry from the stuff she'd used to listen to not but a few months ago. ryan had partied hard back in those days and without a care in the world. she hadn't given two shits about the consequences of her actions and had no fears about staying out til the wee hours of the night at a club. back then she'd liked the techno babble or kiddie pop, stuff that was frequently played by dj's who couldn't seem to find a rhythm in the music and instead decided to throw in their own stuff until the song was over and everyone on the floor ended up with a headache. those days were long over. ryan was, in comparison to who she was back then, total unrecognizable. she wore a smile on her face now that was real in comparison to the fake one that had shown on her lips every time a man hit on her. she was relaxed for once instead of uptight and full of a need to satiate some kind of desire whether it be drinking, food, or otherwise. she was just a whole new person and all because of one of the worst experiences a person could ever dream of experiencing. not many people could say that being raped changed, and thereby saved, their life but ryan sure could. she could say that without a doubt. being raped by a man that she'd taken home from a club had been a rather radical way of shocking her into changing her ways. she had been glued to a hospital bed for a week or so after that and had learned that she could actually survive a night without going to the clubs, so she stopped going. she realized when people came to see her in the hospital that no matter how much she had pushed people away they still cared about her, so she became a little more accepting. she also became a little more daring. she decided to throw her misguided lifestyle choices and try something a little healthier for once. instead of running away screaming from relationships now she was in one with someone who, in every sense, was the perfect man for her. he didn't have to be perfect overall but everything about him was like it was specifically designed to mesh well with the way she wanted to live her life. and so only a half a year or so since it had all happened ryan was a totally different person. and all was well with the world. she couldn't have asked for more at this point except for her dinner. she was pretty hungry after all. it was nice to have a night to herself though. ryan always lied the little breaks she and leo seemed to take from one another. nothing big, just something that they used to not get sick of seeing one another. and it worked well. ryan never had to worry about leo getting bored and leo never had to worry that ryan was looking for something more. it was great. she heard a voice from the table beside her and looked over at the man. she cocked her head slightly to the side and smirked. she knew that face. she'd seen him time and time again on television. "derek right?" she "asked" even though she was pretty sure she had him pegged right. created by ADE! Pb-ified by WILL

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[derek]

[style=font-family: times; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #989898; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;]522 WORDS FOR RYAN DUBOIS reply uno. DREAM [/style]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: #6d6d6d;] [style=padding: 10px; text-align: justify; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; height: 475px; overflow: auto; color: #1e1e1e;]Derek was a decent dancer. When he visited dance clubs down in Los Angeles, he was the man who knew how to catch a beat no matter what was playing. Trying to decipher the way Jazz ticked, Derek was having difficulty. The tones were all very smooth. That's how the first jazz artists wanted their music to sound. The music originated in a time of hardship, so the light beats of the genre somehow projected hope into the lives of day to day citizens. So did baseball. Derek wasn't a fan of either, so he supposed he would have been unable to escape the depression that came with economic fail. Germany had been in a poor state during America's great depression. In debt from the war, things were just as bad, if not worse for the Germans. That's when Hitler came in and gave his country something to look forward to. He wasn't all that interested in the way Americans portrayed his people. Germans didn't have the utmost respect for Americans, either. In fact, there were many European countries who despised the country of the red, white, and blue star-spangled banner. Derek, in his own world, considered himself an ambassador. He neither hated Germany nor America. Germany was his homeland. America gave him a well-paying job and attention. The American authorities also deported his father, but what could he say? He won some battles and lost some battles. Everyone did. Everyone would. The struggles Derek had coped with over the years were only a few of the many he had to come. The waitress turned around and gave him an enthusiastic thumbs up in order to acknowledge his order. He glanced at Ryan, and he was surprised to find her eyes on him. "Derek, right?" she asked. She knew him. He wasn't sure why recognition continued to surprise him time and time again. People accusing him of "looking" like Derek Moschella amused him more than anything. There wasn't anything he could say to their comments. He didn't want to give away his identity. He preferred to live under the radar in order to dodge the paparazzi. His signature reply was, "I get that a lot." Considering Ryan was just as distinguishable as he, Derek decided to pull down his walls. "Guilty as charged," he said with a grin. Leo was a big dude. He'd rather not have the Supernatual star after him, so he refrained from blatantly flirting. Charm was something he couldn't help. People often misconstrued wit as making a move, too. Hell, talking to someone of the opposite gender classified as "dating" them in the eyes of the press. He'd had his fair share of false advertising. When he and Hailie had first met and spent time together on set, the paparazzi were already nicknaming them with a name fans soon used as well. Dailie. The "couple name" was a mash-up of Derek and Hailie. The name always made Derek laugh whenever anyone brought it up during interviews or on the red carpet. If he and Ryan were lucky, the gossip hounds would leave them alone for the night. "Ryan, right?" he fired back, a question, though he already knew the answer. [/style]

TABLE BY CALIFORNIA DREAMING @ CAUTION 2.0

[maggie]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: dddddd; border: #cccccc solid 8px; width: 420px; padding: 15 5 15 5px;] WHERE WE ARE AGAIN The Words: 623 The Outfit: HERE The Notes tag: derek. restaurant here ryan was pretty sure she'd pegged him right the moment she'd seen him. she'd watched television. she wasn't a stranger to it. of course back then when derek's face was a little more popular on the small screen had been back in her partying days but ryan had dvr. she'd been a fan of a few shows and for the first few seasons she had been a fan of heroes. it had kind of lost her somewhere along the way but the first few seasons were some of the best. it was a nice concept really and it had been fun to watch. ryan would have loved to work on a set like heroes. they worked a lot more with special effects and whatnot and she would have loved to get her hands on some of the action sequences. she really loved to show her makeup chops. it was more than just a really good smoky eye or fake bruise, ryan loved to play with prosthetics. she loved to make ugly gashes or turn a human face into an alien one. that was where she really got her kicks. it was fun to do more than just the ordinary, though she could paint on hell of a pretty face. things got boring after a while and sometimes a person just needed a little something new thrown into the mix to revitalize her work. that was the case from ryan from time to time. she was so used to just doing really nice makeup that it was like christmas to get an actress with a scene that was supposed to leave her a little bloody. she went nuts over the opportunity just because it was something different. it was a little sad that the job of applying one little scratch got ryan all hot and bothered. god forbid she end up on a set that turned all the actors into aliens. she might never go back. she chuckled when derek confirmed who she'd figured he was. there weren't a lot of people who looked like him with the crooked half-smile and whatnot so she figured he was easy to peg but everyone had times when they were just mistaken. she liked being right though. it often saved her from some really embarrassing situations. she was surprised though that he knew her. ryan wasn't much of a familiar face unless you were one of those tabloid-whores. she was often spotted around with leo but when he wasn't tagging along at her side she really wasn't that famous. she could go unnoticed in a crowd with no questions asked. leo was like the beacon, the neon sign, but she loved him so that didn't at all matter to her. besides, she didn't care about whether or not people recognized her. she cared about whether or not people knew all the little intimacies of her life. they could recognize her face, fine, but if they knew what she had for breakfast when she hadn't gone out to eat breakfast at a restaurant that morning, then it was a problem. "bingo." she said in response to him. "you can join me if you like." she offered to him. the table was big enough for two and it wasn't like she was coming on to him. it was all harmless. she simply didn't like talking across the room, or in this case having to raise her voice, just to keep a conversation going. ryan liked to keep her words private in most cases. the rest of the world didn't need to know what was going on in her life at every moment of every day. this was a way of keeping out nosy people. privacy, my friend, is key. created by ADE! Pb-ified by WILL

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[derek]

[style=font-family: times; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #989898; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;]518 WORDS FOR RYAN DUBOIS help me get my posts for derek? xD DREAM [/style]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: #6d6d6d;] [style=padding: 10px; text-align: justify; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; height: 475px; overflow: auto; color: #1e1e1e;]Back when Derek was growing up, they lived on the outskirts of Berlin. Everyone knew his dad because his dad had grown up there. He switched from job to job, and not to mention the Moschella family had been in Germany for generations. They couldn't go anywhere without someone recognizing him. Derek remembered sitting on shelves of local stores at great lengths while his father recapped a story that Derek heard dozens of times before. Catching up seemed like his favorite pass time. Meanwhile, Derek would much rather spend the time with his friends. Smoking had been a habit he'd picked up early on only to be forced to quit when they immigrated to America. Looking back on his father's run-ins with people he knew, Derek wished he'd been more receptive to their conversations. He didn't know what he'd pay to have his father back in his life regularly again. If only he'd gotten a visa like Derek asked... "Bingo," Ryan confirmed. Derek smiled knowingly. Of course she was who he'd guessed. He usually didn't notice people outside of his acting circle, but Ryan's face was one that was difficult to forget. She was beautiful. She had everything that Derek loved in a woman. Dark features, a sweet smile, and a lively sparkle in her eyes. Derek was a sucker for all of it, especially because most of his family were lighter complected. Derek's own dark features came from his mother's Italian heritage. She'd met his father during a trip his father went on to her hometown. Describing their story as "love at first sight" was too gooey for Derek's tastes. That didn't mean that his father thought the same. He swore by the excuse. Derek often wondered how love at first sight worked, though he supposed he would need to believe in it to experience it. He just didn't think love at first sight was probable, much less possible. Leo was a lucky man. That's all Derek would offer on that topic. Ryan offered to share her table with him. He hesitated. "Since you're offering," he said, "I'd love to." Derek stood from his seated position and took a whole two steps into a seat across from her. He knew what grounds she'd invited him on. Even if he didn't, Derek knew better than to try anything. Leo's angry face was on a constant loop in his mind. For a reckless guy, he knew when to stop and think. He'd job out of an airplane without a parachute. He'd agree to be trapped inside a lion's exhibit. Hell, he'd probably even swim with starved sharks. One thing Derek wouldn't do was screw around with a famous actor's girlfriend. His rep couldn't afford that. He was already dead to the media as it stood. "I'm going to assume you've been here before," Derek said slowly. There was no way she'd be so forward with the waitress if that wasn't the case. "You seem at ease here." Another observation pressing the truth. Essentially, "informed" guesses at the lifestyles of others helped him learn more about them. [/style]

TABLE BY CALIFORNIA DREAMING @ CAUTION 2.0

[maggie]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: dddddd; border: #cccccc solid 8px; width: 420px; padding: 15 5 15 5px;] WHERE WE ARE AGAIN The Words: 530 The Outfit: HERE The Notes tag: derek. lol you know it! ryan knew that it was sometimes a lot to ask for people, especially men, to hang out with her but their understanding of her relationship was next to none. ryan knew what she and leo were capable of and she knew how much faith he had in her. it was nice though, to have to freedom. if she wanted to go out with a couple of guy friends she could. leo didn't have a problem with it because he knew that when she came home, no matter how tired she was or whatnot, that she would curl up next to him at nice and happily kiss the only man she wanted to kiss. there weren't any worries of infidelity, certainly from ryan's end. she knew that she only had eyes for one person. she didn't even see men flirting with her anymore. she didn't want to. she was happily oblivious unless they were overly obvious in which ryan had to commend them for their stupidity and walk away. she didn't go out very often and when she did she didn't want to be harangued by men trying to pull celebrity couples apart for their two minutes of fame. some people these days, ryan didn't understand it. she didn't get how someone could look to ruin something for two people just in the hopes that they would become famous by association. if you wanted to be famous then go out, learn your trade, and work your way up. most people didn't have an easy way up by making a mix tape or ruining relationships and ryan had absolutely no respect for people like that. people with talent were the kinds to be respected. people who worked hard for little recognition were the kinds to be respected. she was happy when he'd decided to scoot over to her table though. it seemed a little silly to talk over such a distance when he could sit right across from her with no problem. she chuckled as he spoke up once again and nodded. "a time or two. they have amazing food and an even better atmosphere. you can't help but to come here and have a good time." he was good at stating the obvious, that much was for sure. ryan did like it here. every now and then when she didn't want a good meaty burger she would come to a place like this and indulge in something a little more refined. it didn't happen very often but when it did, it was usually jules bistro she came to. after the first time she'd tried the place out she had been hooked and every once in a while a craving just overwhelmed her and she couldn't help but to head over. she liked the atmosphere so much that the first time she'd attended she'd gotten to know all the staff, say hello to the chef, etc. she enjoyed it that much. "this place has that effect. stick around long enough and you should get what i mean." she said with a chuckle as the waitress arrived with their glasses of wine. "honestly, i hope you like it as much as i did." created by ADE! Pb-ified by WILL

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[derek]

[style=font-family: times; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #989898; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;]502 WORDS FOR RYAN DUBOIS ten moar. :3 DREAM [/style]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: #6d6d6d;] [style=padding: 10px; text-align: justify; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; height: 475px; overflow: auto; color: #1e1e1e;]Fine dining wasn't something Derek normally went for. Jules Bistro was pushing his eating habits. That's how casual his diet actually was. He'd be more than happy with a greasy burger from McDonald's. Many people couldn't stand the taste of the stuff. Derek thought he'd never be able to visit the fast food dining once he realized just how the animals that produced the meat were treated, but he was wrong. He enjoyed his food just as much as before, shameless. Cost wasn't an issue for Derek. He didn't settle for fast food because he had to. In fact, his time table gave him plenty of time to sit down and enjoy himself at some Los Angeles steakhouse. Honestly, that atmosphere just wasn't for him. He enjoyed an overpriced, greasy hot dog and fries from a ball game too much to give up for creme brulee. Derek looked to her when she answered his questions. Ryan was a lot shyer than he imagined she'd be. He supposed the rumors he'd heard circulating about her were just that. Rumors. If not, the facts were long-since stale. He couldn't see this woman partying anymore than the old lady swaying to the jazzy beat on the other side of the room. Ryan wasn't an old woman. She was far from one. She just seemed old at heart. Maybe she was reserving her true person for dessert. With strangers, Derek could never know. If Ryan were to judge him based on his actions in the past, say twenty minutes, she'd probably think he had an incredible taste in music and an odd way of ordering food. That was a rough estimate. Derek didn't actually know what people thought of him first off. That wasn't something that came up in conversations. "As I can see," he murmured over the music. The live band was swaying to the flow of their music. They looked like they were having a blast. Not a lot of places invested in live entertainment these days. Derek didn't know why. He thought that bands gave restaurants character. Originality, so to speak. Looking around, Ryan's claim seemed to be true for all of the diners. There were smiling faces everywhere he looked. Laughter spilled into the air in all directions. Their wine came, and Derek took a sip. Beer had priority over wine, at least in Derek's book. The bottle the waitress poured tasted light, and there was a reminiscent aroma of raspberry. Interesting. "Well, the night is still young," he mused. "I'll keep my mind open." And that, at least for the time being, was a promise. He could see where Ryan was coming from. He had yet to taste the food, but orders flying past their table sure did smell delectable. That's all that mattered, wasn't it? As long as something smelled good, there was a good chance the taste was just as desirable. "Do you always order the same stuff or do you switch it up?" he asked. [/style]

TABLE BY CALIFORNIA DREAMING @ CAUTION 2.0

[maggie]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: dddddd; border: #cccccc solid 8px; width: 420px; padding: 15 5 15 5px;] WHERE WE ARE AGAIN The Words: 624 The Outfit: HERE The Notes tag: derek. lol you know it! ryan liked a decent burger to, but she drew the line as to what she would eat fairly quickly. sure mcdonalds was cheap but that shit was awful. she would much prefer to help out a mom and pop kind of burger join where the same amount of money could get you a fat, juicy burger and some real fries. that was much more of the style that leo and ryan both liked. the stuff mcdonalds had to offer was flat, pre-frozen, dried under heat lamps, and then rehydrated with a series of fatty sauces that topped the burger before it hit the heat lamps once again. that wasn't food. that wasn't even suitable for pig slop and yet people bought it by the billions. why? because it was easy and because they didn't have to cook it. that wasn't a meal though. that wasn't real meat they were looking at before they bit into the salty, saucy heap. that was just a slice of over processed matter on top of another slice of over processed matter. no the food made by the mom and pop, hole in the wall kind of places were made out of 100% beef, usually from a decent meat market, butcher, etc. that was never frozen and made when you ordered it. burgers that you could smell cooking when you walked through the door, not the smell of the week-old grease used to cook your side of choice. if it wasn't obvious, ryan had a thing for supporting causes she believed was worthwhile. she wasn't by any means a finicky eater. she would eat just about anything as long as she knew that it wouldn't be as corrosive to her body. she would still eat a bacon cheeseburger without blinking an eye, but it needed to not be from a series of different places. she had calmed down a lot in her years but that didn't mean she was totally useless. ryan could still out-party the best if she ever wanted to. the thing was that the desire to do so was much less than the desire to just be happy and happiness, for her, came when she was with the one she cared about most in this world. she wasn't shy about saying that anymore. what she felt for leo trumped everything she felt for anyone else and she loved being able to say that. one of the reasons she'd been so addicted to partying and making public displays about how happy she was, was because she wasn't at all happy in reality. she had been the child of an abusive mother with an aunt who had given up everything just to be her stand-in mother and that didn't lead to a life of happiness for the longest time until she'd just let it all go. ryan didn't hold the animosity that she once had to her mother, to the situation, to anything. she let it all go and with that came a sense of relief that just washed away everything else and allowed the real ryan, the one she'd always been capable of being, to shine through. she wasn't in any way, shape, or form saddened about the fact that she didn't hold the top title anymore. happiness always won out. "you should."[/]b she said in reply to him. "the night just may surprise you." she said, offering a little mystery to the night. because nothing was ever as interesting if you figured that nothing but the usual would happen. "um, not really, but there are some things on the menu i just love and when i crave it there really is no other option. did you even look at the menu?" she asked with a smirk. created by ADE! Pb-ified by WILL

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[derek]

[style=font-family: times; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #989898; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;]506 WORDS FOR RYAN DUBOIS eight moar. :3 DREAM [/style]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: #6d6d6d;] [style=padding: 10px; text-align: justify; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; height: 475px; overflow: auto; color: #1e1e1e;]The last person who'd told him to open his mind was thousands of miles away. He was probably working somewhere. A shop, maybe, spreading his contagious missing-tooth smile. Derek's father pushed Derek to stay positive no matter what life served him. When his mother died, his father told him that she was finally where she belonged, floating among the other angels in which she was. His dad was a bit of a romantic, too. Obviously Derek didn't pick up on his techniques. Romanticism was something he rarely practiced. Honestly, he thought romance was a waste of time and money. Girls came and went. He had a difficult time imagining wasting his money and brainpower on cheap gifts and cute dates. There was a huge double standard. Guys were expected to provide limousines, expensive dinners, and bouquets of roses that would be dead in a week tops. What were the girls supposed to do? Be late because they couldn't choose an outfit? "I hope that's a good thing," he voiced skeptically. The night could surprise him in many ways. He could sit around with Ryan Dubois all night and obsess over what could happen, or he could ditch the scene, find a nice nightclub, and see some real action. The latter sounded great apart from the scandals that would no doubt arise. Paparazzi guarded night clubs like hounds. Low-key places like Jules Bistro didn't receive as much coverage. No one would peek into the windows of Jules, snap a pic of him and Ryan, and declare her his new love. At least, he hoped they wouldn't. The ever-constant reminder of Leonardo kept him at a distance. A virtue his mother long ago instilled in him was respect. He was brought up to respect himself, others, and especially relationships. No one wanted to be "the other guy." Derek couldn't say his career was at rock-bottom. He'd been simmering in failed attempts ever since Heroes, but his luck seemed to be changing. The Resurrection and Secret Safe were great rebounds for him. As the lead in one and the supporting in another, he had balance in his life. Nights in classy but low-key places like Jules was another method of managing everything he had going on. Granted, he hadn't intended on meeting a hollywood celebrity's girlfriend for a meal, but that was a day in the life of an actor. It was full of surprises. Derek listened to her reply to his question with half his mind. Everything she said made sense. Everyone went through strange food cravings, though Derek had a hunch girls experienced food cravings more often. He'd been with a few women who'd craved the most random foods. He'd been afraid a couple of them were pregnant at one point. They weren't-- Thank God-- just odd. Derek laughed when she asked if he'd even taken a look at the menu. "Of course I did," he told her. "Ordering what you ordered just seemed easier to say." He shrugged his shoulders and sipped his wine. [/style]

TABLE BY CALIFORNIA DREAMING @ CAUTION 2.0

[maggie]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: dddddd; border: #cccccc solid 8px; width: 420px; padding: 15 5 15 5px;] WHERE WE ARE AGAIN The Words: 818 The Outfit: HERE The Notes tag: derek. getting there! derek may not have given ryan a fright in the world but it wasn't necessary in the first place she knew where her heart lie. as far as she could see there wasn't a single temptation out there that could pull her away and she wasn't looking for one. that had to be the scariest part of it all, or the only thing to come about that really set her off balance. she didn't want to run. ryan was someone who had classically been a runner. though she hadn't admitted to it in any sense of the word the only person she had ever been attached to in a positive manner had been her aunt who had taken care of her and showed her that it wasn't such a bad idea to let a select group of people "in". of course ryan held her mother close to her too, but for all the wrong reasons. she knew it wasn't fair to anyone to hold on to the hate that she felt for her mother but this woman was someone she had recently run into. someone who, ryan knew, still hated her just as much as the day she'd first cracked her across the jaw the moment she saw the light go out from her husband's eyes. this was a woman who had blamed and hated ryan for reasons that no one could quite delineate. there simply hadn't been a reason behind it. yes her father had died, yes his dying words had been about his daughter and not about his wife, but in what way did that necessitate beating on your child, or even hating her in the first place. ryan's mother had always been cold and she'd always been more career-driven than parental but it still didn't make a lot of sense. it took such an incredible amount of effort to hate her too. she'd only been a child. it wasn't as though she had been an adult with a lifetime of screw-ups for her mother to use as fodder for her hate. ryan had been a child. an innocent. the biggest no-no she'd ever had in her life was probably dropping plates of baby food on the floor or something else that had absolutely no malice to it in the first place. but this woman had continued to hate her despite it all and ryan's gut instinct was just to hate her right back. her mother's hate wasn't justified. this was a woman who had always done ryan wrong. ryan had all the justification in the world. she had been a target for her mother's attacks. but hey, at least there was a big enough coast to separate the two. ryan's mother lived in miami and wasn't someone who ryan saw frequently. the story would have been different if her mother lived in new york or had lived in california. but the space between the two of them was enough so that ryan didn't have to think of that wretched bitch often and she didn't. aside from the moments that she was reminded of the hate in the world ryan didn't waste her time thinking about the woman who had haunted her for years after ryan had been taken from her care. but the mistrust that she had instilled in her daughter had been reason enough for ryan to have done what she did back then and keep away from serious situations that might involve her having to care about another human being. so after all she'd been through it was a big surprise that leo had turned it all around. it didn't scare ryan that she was with leo. ryan had accepted the fact that he made her happy and that she didn't want that streak of happiness to end. what scared her was that she never even thought of running which was something she did any time things got serious. and things couldn't be more serious between the two of them. ryan unconsciously spun the ring around her finger as she thought about it. things were incredibly serious now and yet she was putting roots instead of packing bags. she really had changed dramatically at this point. so there really was no risk with derek being around. he could jump onto the table before them both and strip down to his underwear to the tune of "i'm too sexy..." and ryan would have no reaction except to laugh at his ridiculousness. but it would change nothing. even if he made her smile and became her friend, it would change nothing. "oh good. i'd hate for you to order something without looking at the menu. there's some good pickin's there." she said with a chuckle, making a half-assed attempt at faking a mildly southern accent. "so what brings you here, since you don't seem to have come for the atmosphere." she observed with a smirk. created by ADE! Pb-ified by WILL

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[derek]

[style=font-family: times; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #989898; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;]602 WORDS FOR RYAN DUBOIS SEVEN :D DREAM [/style]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: #6d6d6d;] [style=padding: 10px; text-align: justify; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; height: 475px; overflow: auto; color: #1e1e1e;]Derek was one for choosing blindly in the dark. He'd never given much chance for contemplation. Life was too short, he believed. If he wasn't going to live his life on the edge, he might as well admit himself into a senior's center. Adrenaline drove Derek to the pinnacle. Breaks were scattered throughout his life, but even when they occurred, he wasn't what someone might classify as "tame." His only vehicle was a yellow BMW motorcycle that reached speeds of 170 mph. Sometimes he didn't even wear a helmet while driving at all. Of course, he needed to feel especially foolish in order to do so. Derek was reckless, but he was a long-shot away from stupid. Helmets saved lives. He'd never been in a terrible motorcycle accident. That didn't mean he was lucky. All that meant to him was that he'd been careful enough to dodge it. He noticed Ryan playing with a ring on her left hand. Three fingers in from the thumb. An engagement ring? Derek's eyebrows popped upward for a moment. Wow. He didn't realize she had been so serious with Leo. He gave the man props. He'd definitely caught a beauty, and Derek was positive the spunky woman was fun in all other respects. He withheld a question forming in his throat. Was he in the wrong for being a wee bit curious? Derek knew asking about pregnancies were huge no-no's. Engagements? He'd never heard any tales concerning offense. If anything, women loved to splurge on the story of how and when the engagement ring came to be. All women were terribly sentimental. Had Derek chalked up the balls to ask Hailie for her hand, she'd probably be the same way. Considering doing so these days tipped him off guard. Hailie was at least five girls prior. She always found a way to weasel into his mind. "I trusted your judgment," Derek explained. He shot her a charming smile. People were standing up to sway to the beat of the music while they waited for their meals. Derek wondered how long they'd be anticipating the steak Ryan had ordered. A few minutes, maybe? Her Southern accent was cute, Derek realized. Ryan was probably showing him a sign that many weren't treated to right off the bat. Derek knew humor wasn't one of the first aspects of him he showcased. Being a daredevil introduced the general public to his fearlessness first off. After awhile, he was coaxed into talking more than a few short-phrased sentences. Humor and wit made their debuts then, accomplices of charming smiles and sly winks. With a few more drinks, Ryan may as well be treated with the same attitude of another fling. He'd stop at one, he decided. One glass of wine was more than enough. Or two. Two was good luck, right? Derek shrugged his shoulders once more, answering his internal debate as well as Ryan. "Looked like a nice place," he replied lazily. "I'm actually starving, so I figured I'd eat out before heading to my hotel room." There was a long day of traveling ahead of him tomorrow. He couldn't wait to be squished between a squealing toddler and an overweight, snoring goof. Sarcasm noted. Coming around to his previous thoughts, Derek took another glance at the rock on her ring finger. "What about you?" he asked. His eyes shifted from the ring to Ryan's face. "Celebrating?" Possible. If so, Derek had to admit she had an interesting take on doing so. If he was a woman newly-engaged, he'd probably be rewarding himself somewhere more personal. Then again, that wasn't very classy, and as a woman, he'd hate to ruin any sentimentality of the occasion. [/style]

TABLE BY CALIFORNIA DREAMING @ CAUTION 2.0

[maggie]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: dddddd; border: #cccccc solid 8px; width: 420px; padding: 15 5 15 5px;] WHERE WE ARE AGAIN The Words: 794 The Outfit: HERE The Notes tag: derek. getting there! ryan considered herself lucky. aside from her recent, and relatively unwanted leap into the spotlight she was a regular unknown. ryan liked it that way. she liked to referred to her fame as underground. she was known amongst the right people and that was enough for her. actors, producers, writers, they were the people ryan wanted to know all about her, and they did. ryan was in the prime of her career and everyone knew that. she was famous from an industry standpoint and that was great. that was just the way she wanted to be. the way ryan didn't want to be famous had to do with everyone else. she didn't care if everyone from top producers to simple errand boys knew who she was, it was just everyone else who needed to have little to no knowledge of her. that wasn't much of the case anymore. it was funny to because ryan never considered leo famous. that was because she wasn't one to fangirl all over him like a hyperactive little child. she saw him as leo harrison, man, talented man, but man. she didn't treat him like a superstar by any means. she used it as a means to poke fun at him from time to time, all in good taste, but she never treated him like he was above her in any sense of the word simply because people knew his name. it didn't make you a better person, being famous, and leo had gotten himself up there in most cases by doing all the wrong things. but he was talented. he had a right to be proud of the fame that he'd earned, even if most of that fame was because of his previous penchant for bedding every woman he set his sights on. he stopped for her. he was willing and wanted to stop for her which was great, wonderful even because ryan was willing and wanted to stop for him. a lot of people didn't realize that ryan had been just not as bad, if not worse than, leo had been. ryan had been bedding members of both genders which tended to up the total significantly when there wasn't room to be overly picky, and she'd made a point to go out and party on a nightly basis back when she'd been living in california. it had been what she wanted though. it had been fun for her and whatnot which was why she had done it for so long. and it never stopped until ryan was ready for it which pretty much came on the footsteps of her rape. that had been incentive enough for her to stop what she was doing. she then began to realize that her actions had consequences and that she had invited what happened to happen when she'd let a stranger into her house. after that she'd grown a little wary and she'd definitely toned back her behavior a lot out of fear but also out of want for something new. she had moved to new york for work and though she'd only done so thinking she would have been there the year, the whole move changed everything so dramatically about her life that she couldn't imagine going back to what she'd previously had. it just didn't suit her needs anymore because they had changed so dramatically. and that was fine. ryan felt no remorse for that chapter being closed. it had been fun but that time of her life was over. "oh it is." ryan chimed in, letting him continue as she gave him a small smile. she felt a bit like jules' diner's cheerleader but she really was a fan of the place. "that's always a good idea." she agreed quietly. jules was definitely better than some burger joint, by far, and though she liked to indulge on burgers fairly often it was nice to get a real meal in your belly. ryan didn't realize that she'd been spinning the ring around her finger under she saw derek looking down at it. "oh." she said as she stopped twirling the thing. "i would say you're quite observant but i made it pretty easy for you didn't i?" she laughed as she raked her fingers through her long hair and out of her face. "i s'pose so, but that's kind of hard to do with your other half on a plane somewhere right?" she asked. "tonight's really all about me. but i'm sure we'll celebrate more when he comes back." ryan wondered if derek would think it strange that ryan didn't get all giggly and girly but that just wasn't her style, not unless she was around nix who brought out all the girl that ryan didn't thinks he possessed. created by ADE! Pb-ified by WILL

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[derek]

[style=font-family: times; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #989898; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;]602 WORDS FOR RYAN DUBOIS SEVEN :D DREAM [/style]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: #6d6d6d;] [style=padding: 10px; text-align: justify; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; height: 475px; overflow: auto; color: #1e1e1e;]Observant wasn't a word Derek would use to describe himself. He lived in the moment without a doubt, but that didn't necessarily mean he absorbed the make-up of the moment, too. He was mostly ignorant to sights, smells, and noises of the moment. All he could feel was the wrong adrenaline in his veins at any given moment. Instances of abundance leave a greater mark on his soul. Take, for example, his first fist fight. He'd never forget every move he'd made because his heart had been pounding as he reacted to anger and fear coursing through him. Skydiving for the first time gave him the same thrill, too, if not better. Relying solely on the density of the air was magnificent. He didn't trust many people, yet he had no problem at all trusting the air with his body. He knew that the ground was below. None of that mattered to him. In this moment, Derek's heart beat consistently. There weren't any erratic jumps or acceleration. All was calm. Derek would probably remember Jules Bistro in a few years from now. He'd come inside and remember who he'd talked to during his stay. Anything else would be nothing. An erased easel. He'd remember the time of day and place, but words spoken between them would be lost in the wormhole that his mind had become. Dementia, Derek joked with his friends. Memory loss wasn't a comical topic in the least. Derek knew using Dementia as a joke was wrong on his part. His friends validated his beliefs. That didn't mean he stopped. There was no other explanation for his forgetfulness. He'd been great at memorizing theorems and rules in high school. Somehow, all of that changed after his mother passed on. Mid-conversation, two plates of steaming hot steaks were brought to Ryan's table. Derek flashed the waitress a charming smile, thanked her, and took his fork and knife in his hands. Meanwhile, Ryan brought her hands through her hair. Derek thought the gesture was odd considering their food had been served. He cut his meat as she spoke. Her comment made him chuckle. "I'll take whatever I can get," he replied, good-humored. As aforementioned, Derek was far from observant, but he'd never confess to his flaws. If Ryan wanted to deem him observant so be it. The food was just as delicious as Ryan insisted. Derek took multiple bites before he broke the hungry silence that had spanned between them. "I wouldn't know," Derek replied honestly. "I guess that makes sense, though." Silently, he hoped Leonardo and Ryan the best. There were only so many happy couples these days. Derek had been apart of one of them. Nowadays, that wasn't the case. If he had a sweetheart, there was no chance he'd be eating at Jules Bistro alone. He'd tote them along and force them to stomach an entire steak. Again, he wasn't very romantic. Afterwards, they'd probably dance to the music until their legs grew tired. The thought sparked interested in even the darkest crevices of his mind. There were days when he wished for something genuine. Most of the time, he was more than happy with his bachelor life and preached to his friends about the benefits a life such as his provided. Tonight was one of those rare occasions where he questioned his way of life. If someone big and bad such as Leonardo could find love, who was there to say Derek Moschella couldn't? [/style]

TABLE BY CALIFORNIA DREAMING @ CAUTION 2.0

[maggie]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: dddddd; border: #cccccc solid 8px; width: 420px; padding: 15 5 15 5px;] WHERE WE ARE AGAIN The Words: 795 The Outfit: HERE The Notes tag: derek. getting there! she never would have figured that she and leo would have ended up an item had you asked her back when he'd introduced himself to her at a bar. back then he hadn't meant much to her. he'd just been some guy that she'd had a good time with without sleeping with, which was one of the only qualities that had made him stand out originally. it wasn't the prettiest way to say things. most people wanted to hear of love at first sight. they wanted to hear that ryan caught leo's eye from across the room, or visa versa, and that they couldn't fight the chemistry between them. like magnets they connected on the dance floor and just had to know every detail about one another's life. that wasn't the case by a long stretch. ryan had met leo back when he was dating honor so that across the room stuff was a total crock. since he'd been dating they had just talked and become friends. which was a first. ryan didn't make a lot of non-bedmate friends. pretty much all of the friends that she'd had back then had seen her naked and knew her intimately and that pretty much had only meant that they'd proved themselves the first night to be worthy of ryan seeing again. because if you weren't good in bed, you weren't worth her time. ryan had been with enough people to know what qualified as good in her books and she'd whiddled down the list of men from that point on. if you rocked her world and wanted more then she would actually chat you up and become friends. so it was safe to say that any old friends that she had from back in the day knew her inch to inch from head to toe. was ryan ashamed of it? hell no. she was smart about everything that she'd ever done. always protection, never video evidence. she usually took people back to her place where she knew everything was safe and she didn't leave anyone alone for more than a few minutes. and once she was done with people they were gone. they weren't allowed to linger. even her good friends had to scram after the deed was done and that was simply due to her fears. ryan, back then, hadn't wanted anyone to get attached. she hadn't wanted people to care about her in that way. they could care enough to be her friend but wanting to look out for her, showing up at her doorstep just to hang out and talk, it was all too intimate for her. that had happened with jordan right before ryan had agreed to date leo. he'd wanted sex to turn into something more but it was impossible to change ryan's mindset. for too long ryan had seen him as just a sexual partner and when he had wanted to change her whole perception of him, she'd told him no. she just couldn't see him as both and that was all on her part. it had nothing to do with jordan not portraying himself as such. the man had tried, desperately at times, but ryan just couldn't see him as more. he had always just been someone she would see for sex. it had happened pretty much any time they'd spent time together. leo had been different because she'd seen him in a different light. he wasn't just a bed warmer that turned into something more. he was someone she'd connected to on a much different level before they'd gotten together so everything about him had been different. hence why she'd said yes to him. ryan was happy to see the food arrive and watched for derek's first bite to see how it compared or measured up in his mind. she looked on with a smirk as he seemed to definitely enjoy it, the hungry silence taking over. ryan loved those kind of silences. it meant that the food had to be fantastic because you couldn't pull yourself away long enough to strike up a conversation. you simply wanted to eat and eat until there was nothing left. she shrugged as he spoke. ryan didn't talk about her relationship much. it was something between she and leo and she liked it to stay that way more often than not. it made her happy but it often felt like bragging to talk about just how happy she was. people could tell just by looking at her that she was different, and visibly happy, so why go on and on for days about it? just didn't seem necessary to her. "i take by the silence that you approve?" she asked as she reached out to her wine glass and took a sip. created by ADE! Pb-ified by WILL

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