Tom's Diner

Aug 21st, 2011 07:04 PM

@Rory had sent Daysha the text asking about the time and place the day before. She didn’t know where this guy was going. She knew he had a lot to process, but Daysha also knew you can’t help those who don’t want to be helped. She had replied to Rory’s text with the address of a diner and changed the time to the evening. It was slower and less crowded then. I’m sure that didn’t make him happy. Her giving-a-shit factor had diminished a lot since the Spiral. Still, the only reason she kept with the hunt was for her family, namely Aaron. Although Rory may have had some issues coming to terms with things, maybe she could actually talk to him with some level of maturity. Unlike some people.

It was a hole in the wall diner where no one cared who you were, what you did or what you talked about. A leftover restaurant was from a few years ago where everyone tried to capitalize on nostalgia coming back. It was California and of course people here would try to keep up with the Joneses. The food was great; it just wasn’t fancy. Daysha’s dad and some of his cop buddies frequented the place. She was sure dad went there a lot because of the mirrors in the back corner where Daysha took a seat. She ordered black coffee and sat looking toward the door waiting for Rory. She forced pleasant look with a half smile on her face.

I probably shouldn’t assume what happened after Lexi and Rory left. But lately I don’t put much past Lexi right now.

The Diner

**Rory** · Aug 21st, 2011 09:44 PM

Rory arrived, coming from the University. Plain black glasses were stuck in a breast pocket, and his hair was swept up and to the side -- not styled, but from a day spent running a hand through it. His clothing was the mish-mash of someone who didn't have a clue about fashion: a brown and tan plaid covered with a V-necked sweater vest in a darker brown, and khakis. The sort of thing that looked like it might go together because of the similar colors, but... didn't.

In contrast, he was clean-shaven and bright eyed, and gave Daysha Jackson a genuine smile and wave as he entered.

"Wow, this is like... that first Tron movie," he said, looking around as he slid in to sit.

"How are you?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Aug 21st, 2011 10:16 PM

Daysha didn’t look much different than usual. Navy blue plain blouse with black slacks and her jacket laying next to her on the seat. She wasn’t a purse girl, so her jacket was her catch-all. Giving Rory a head nod as he walked in she surveyed his attire, which looked a bit like he may be color blind. But she wasn’t a fashion expert, nor did she really care. That was Lexi’s job. What she did notice was the beard was gone, and he didn’t reek of booze. Wow, he cleans up nice. Although there was nothing to allude she was impressed by this.

“I’m good, and you?” Daysha smiled back to Rory as he sat down. Glancing around for a moment to see if anyone else came in behind him.

Tilting her head with a questioned look on her face. “Tron movie?” Her eyes looked up as if she was scanning her memory looking for that snippet. I wonder if that’s what Aaron was yakking about when we came here before.

“Uh, I don’t think I’ve seen it. Although I think my ki… brother has talked about it.” It was very apparent she had stopped herself for some reason or another.

**Rory** · Aug 21st, 2011 10:40 PM

"Oh. Yeah, it's... old," Rory answered, too distracted with his own baggage to notice Daysha's slip. Piles of old VHS tapes at the Stanford Home that he hadn't known were decades obsolete until years later.

He wasn't sure why he was embarrassed about it, or why he even considered saying he'd only watched it to be ready for the new one.

"I'm good, too," he nodded, smiling again. "Getting used to my new job," he continued, eyes widening in wonder at university life and he shook his head slightly.

"It's... pretty different."

The smile faded, and he felt a cold ripple tighten his chest at the loss.

"But good, it's good."

Keep saying it.

He paused, then added, "I want to apologize for the other night. I was throwing myself a little pity party, and I'm sorry you saw me like that. I realize that must make me seem... very hypocritical."

Aug 21st, 2011 10:59 PM

Being that she didn’t watch many movies, she didn’t elaborate on the Tron thing.

“I suppose it’s like any job change. But then again, with your previous job, I’m guessing it may not be.” Daysha said a little gingerly since it was still a touchy subject. “But I’m glad you like it.” Or are you just saying that.

“Its okay. People do and say stupid things when they’re drunk.” Shrugging a little. Isn’t that right Lexi.

“How does that make you a hypocrite?” Her eyebrow rose slightly as she watched him for a response and she took a sip of her coffee.

**Rory** · Aug 21st, 2011 11:10 PM

Rory eyed the coffee, but didn't stop to order; for one, he didn't want coffee, and secondly, some topics felt so awkward that any reprieve made them just as hard to re-start.

"Mmmmmm, a lot of people, they expect us... they expect clergy... to be perfect. When they find out... that isn't the case, it's often anger and resentment that comes out. That," he stumbled again, trying to find a way around all the us and we and our and all the words that he no longer could use.

"That there is a perception of a holier-than-thou, how-dare-you, you're-no-better backlash. It's been compared to children finding out their parent's are only human."

He gestured as he spoke, and then brought the fingertips of his hand down on the table.

"Not that anyone is being called childish, it's just... a violation of trust. People trust that their agents of the divine are better than they are. And so they project that expectation as something we represented ourselves to be so that the feeling of anger and betrayal are hand in hand with accusations of hypocrisy."

Rory sighed, frowning.

"I'm sorry. Now I'm acting like I'm still at work or something."

"...Pontificating."

He grinned at the oh so bad joke.

Aug 22nd, 2011 12:00 AM

“Well, a lot of people expect cops and law enforcement to be perfect. Clearly I’m not.” Daysha was uncertain that their careers were comparable, but she kinda thought they were.

She was sincere when she looked at Rory and spoke. “Don’t apologize. I get that you’re going through a transition. I’m here to talk to with you about it. I may not entirely get it, but I’ll try.” Although the last time I tried to understand this God stuff you nearly made me crazy.

“I don’t feel that you violated me or anything. Considering that I only went to confession once and mass maybe a couple times.” And ducked in and out and skipped communion. “I guess I just see you as a man who believes in God more than most of us.” As the words left her lips she wondered if he’d find that offensive. She was at least being honest. Although she left out the part about a man who grabs women's breasts, plays coy and leaves with them; but that was beside the point.

**Rory** · Aug 22nd, 2011 01:40 AM

Rory raised his eyebrows and nodded.

"Maybe, that is, of course I do, but sometimes people have just forgotten they believe. And that's what it's all about. A choice. Just like you. However infrequently you made a point of coming, you turned to Him for guidance."

He gave a wry smile and shook his head. "You know, that's the other thing I need to get used to... that not everyone that talks to me now wants to talk about God and Faith. Or having friends that aren't clergy."

The words ended abruptly, as if he were going to say more, and after a pause he added, "Not that, you know, that isn't why you... or that we're, that we're not..."

Rory circled around the dichotomy of his expectations of Daysha, and decided to just confront it.

He sighed, and gave a small smile. "I feel very awkward with you, because you know... everything. At times, there's this level of intimacy at having all of that out there versus the reality of us really having just met, does that make sense?"

Aug 22nd, 2011 01:58 AM

Personal fucking hell. Why does this feel like a bad date, and this isn’t even a date!

“We’re not what?” Her face was puzzled in a not-so-pleasant manner.

“If you feel awkward with me, why did you show up? Would you rather talk about the weather or that the food here is really good?” Her hand was on the table flapping up and down for a moment. “What do you want to do?” Daysha lived her life being blunt, and tonight was no different.

She absent mindedly pulled her coat to herself under the table since it was seriously close to other situations she’s been in before.

**Rory** · Aug 22nd, 2011 11:49 AM

"Friends?" Rory supplied the word.

"Are we?" The question was sincere, and his face opened up in a mixture of curiosity and surprise.

"I just wasn't sure, because," he shrugged, "I don't really have any anymore, and most of them were ones I grew up with or worked with. But not any that weren't one of those. So, you'd be my first."

"I just didn't want to presume, that's all, because this might just be the whole... Van Helsing... thing for you."

He smiled, a wry thing that had tension lines from worrying he'd messed things up, and he gestured at her.

"I'd like us to be. I like you."

Tom's Diner

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