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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2016 20:13:19 GMT
Riku watched the roads go by, mentally cataloging each one in his mind. He knew they weren’t on duty but he still liked knowing where they were. When they got to Magnolia Road, he tilted his head. When they stopped outside of a little worn looking ma and pop diner he blinked. He hadn’t mentioned this to Aqua but he sort of had no experience eating at places like this. Growing up his family had considered little places like this beneath them or something. So this made him a little nervous. He turned to Aqua. “You and your old partner came here often, then?” He wouldn’t betray his nervousness and he wouldn’t insult the old tradition. He was going to be nice and polite.
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Post by skyeknight on May 22, 2016 20:41:43 GMT
"Yeah," Aqua said quietly.
Being there again filled her with mixed feelings. She was happy because it was something she knew, reminded her of good times and solved cases. But she was saddened to let go of it because she used to come with her old partner. The wait staff used to know her and her partner by name. Their orders were the same every single time. They only stopped in after benchmark cases or special dates, but it was still frequent enough. She stopped her car once she found a parking spot close to the entrance. Her hand was shaking a little when she removed the keys from the ignition.
"Would you mind getting the door when we go in?" she asked. "It's an iron handle."
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2016 20:49:16 GMT
He looked at her quietly. She seemed so sad whenever her partner or her past came up. Or having to deal with a new partner. Riku wondered if something bad happened and if Aqua would ever be comfortable in sharing the story with him. "Hm? Oh no problem" He shook his head. "Is there anything else iron we need to look out for? I just want to be prepared to help you should it come up" He wanted to be accepted by Aqua .He wanted her to trust him. So he was going to do everything in his power to make every effort needed for Aqua to want to trust him. The diner was a big thing and he really appreciated that, but he wanted to be more than just a partner. He wanted to be a friend.
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Post by skyeknight on May 22, 2016 20:57:21 GMT
"What?" Aqua asked in surprise. "Uh, no. I just can't touch the door handle. That's all. Let's get inside. I've got a milkshake with my name on it!"
She climbed out of the car. She actually did want all of her usual order but now that she was here, with Riku and not Terra, things felt weird. She took a deep breath, trying to reassure herself this was a good thing that she was moving on, or at least trying to. She hadn't been back in nearly 6 months - the day after she broke up with Terra. The day after he disappeared from the precinct, their apartment and her life.
"I'll let you know if we come across anything else, okay?"
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2016 21:16:37 GMT
"Oh, okay" he shrugged and got out of the car. "I've, uh, never had a milkshake" He admitted sheepishly. "Never seemed worth my time" But maybe he would have one tonight. Maybe he would like the milkshake. "You going to be okay? You look a little ill" He said, looking over at her in concern. Was this a good idea? Maybe it was too soon. "If you want we can go somewhere else. I honestly don't care" He was just hungry and up for pretty much anything.
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Post by skyeknight on May 22, 2016 21:30:34 GMT
"What?" Aqua asked.
She looked at him with a smile, this time a little more natural. Terra had insisted this place was the best in the entire city to have a milkshake. Riku's first might as well as be one of the best. She stepped around the front of the car, trying to coax him along. Her own past aside, she knew they had to at least introduce Riku to the 'joys of fast food'.
"We can't leave now! You have to have a milkshake! You're a lifetime overdue!" she said.
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2016 21:48:49 GMT
He laughed and put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay! We'll stay and I'll give the milkshake thing a try" She was smiling more naturally now which relieved him quite a bit. He stepped towards the door. "Shall we then?"
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Post by skyeknight on May 22, 2016 22:02:03 GMT
Aqua nodded and walked towards the door. Once he opened it, she stepped inside. The place hadn't changed a bit in 6 months. She motioned for Riku to follow her into a booth nearby. The diner wasn't too busy. It never typically was. Just the handful of regulars. A few people looked over at her, as if in recognition so Aqua ducked her head and sat in her booth quickly.
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2016 22:08:40 GMT
Riku walked towards the door and opened it for Aqua and walked inside after her. The place wasn't as dingy as he had expected it to be, really. Just old. He followed Aqua to the booth she chose out and sat across from her at it. "Thanks for taking me here" He said. It wasn't as bad as he had thought it might be, and the smell of food smelled pretty good to him so that was a plus. "Is there anything specific besides the milkshake I should get?"
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Post by skyeknight on May 22, 2016 22:20:18 GMT
"My old partner and I used to get the garlic fries," Aqua said. "To share..."
It was still hard to say his name. She knew Riku had questions. Some of them, she probably wasn't ready to answer, but he had to realize that she was trying, right? She picked up a menu, briefly checking if her usual was still a part of the menu. It was. So she passed the menu over to Riku instead. He didn't have a usual order here.
"But you get what you want." Aqua added.
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2016 0:41:26 GMT
"We can get garlic fries if you want..." He said hesitantly. He wasn't sure if that was a good idea or not but maybe it would make her feel better. He hid behind his menu and scanned it. He had no idea what to get, everything was fast food and half of it he had never tried before. Some of it sounded good but some of it just sounded weird to him. Then again, one of his favorite foods was frog legs. "Hmm...I think I'll get the steak omelette and the apple pie" He mused.
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Post by skyeknight on May 23, 2016 0:52:39 GMT
Aqua's smile faded a little. She should have known Riku probably didn't like the same things that Terra or his old partner used to. She sank a little in her seat, wondering if this wasn't a bad idea or not. Maybe this place should have stayed just hers and Terra's. Riku didn't seem comfortable there.
"Aqua? Is that you? Sugar, it's been too long! Here I thought you and Terra forgot about this place!" a waitress exclaimed, hurrying over to their table, "Oh! But this isn't Terra! Hun, the name is Emma, what can I do you for?"
"Just the usual for me," Aqua said meekly.
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2016 2:24:03 GMT
He looked at her. Had he said something wrong? He felt a little like she was trying to box him into what her old partner was like quite suddenly. He sighed and put down his menu. "Could you please talk to me? I feel like I'm trying to take the place of a ghost" He told her seriously. "And it sucks" He started when the waitress showed up and smiled winningly. "Hello Emma. I'm Riku. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'll have the steak omelette and a...strawberry milkshake, please?"
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Post by skyeknight on May 23, 2016 2:41:42 GMT
Emma nodded and left after their order was taken. Aqua waited until Emma realized they needed space to try and meet Riku's eyes. It was almost tangible how much she could feel her old partner's disapproval for her actions towards Riku. She could just imagine him scowling at her and firmly shaking his head in disappointment. Riku was right. He deserved equal footing here. Comparing him to Terra wasn't fair, not to Aqua and not to Riku.
"It's..." Aqua paused before she gave a heavy sigh. "I guess I'm just as big of a screw up as he was."
Terra had been scared of her because his last partner died. She had been scared of Riku because of what Terra did, or what others said he did. She had no actual proof he did those things. Her hands clenched underneath the tabletop, hidden in her lap. It seemed there wasn't any mroe tip toeing around this one since she was quite literally backed into a corner.
"I don't know what I'm doing," she said, "With this whole partner thing. Let's just say my last partner... Things didn't end well. I trusted him and he threw it in my face."
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2016 18:59:43 GMT
"I'm new here Aqua. I don't know who 'he' is" Riku pressed. He felt frustrated but finally she seemed to be leveling with him so that was good. "I don't want to be a burden to you...I can ask for a transfer if you want" A transfer so soon after he had become a partner? The chief would be able to tell something was up for sure. And Riku didn't really feel like admitting to anyone that maybe this partnership wouldn't work out but he didn't know what else to do.
"Aqua I just want to do well! And part of that is being the best partner I can be to you while we're partners. I won't misuse your trust I promise" He just wanted to get along with her and had been trying so hard.
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