Season One
Episode 3- Contemplation Couch
By: Jaclenia
[email protected]
Insert Usual Disclaimer.
Every Episode Is A Story In It's Own.
Just Like a TV Show!!
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Darien was shuffling from room to room searching for his work clothes
while Serena just stared at him, there but not really *there*.
Her mind was wandering on the kind of thoughts that people of her age thought
of. Would she get married, would she have kids, the kind of panicky questions
that come when one reaches the beginning of the middle ages. Well, okay, maybe
her age of twenty-six wasn't middle aged but hey! What would you be thinking
when you were like she was.
She rose from her counter seat and went into the bedroom where he was
hopping around on one foot while trying to get the other to into an expensive
looking pair of leather shoes. He glanced up at her and gave a small smile
before hopping into the bedroom wall and falling with a disturbing thump on the
floor.
"I'm okay," he moaned with one arm held defensively in the air.
Shaking her head she went into closet and looked through her expanse of
clothing. They were all at the peak of style, each and everyone being designed
by her for any occasion that ranged from everyday to meeting the president. Like
that would happen.
Serena decided on a pair of loose-fitting black slacks with a matching
blue tank top that sparkled different shades of the color in the light. It was
one of her favorites. Grapping a black feather duster, she tied the rest of her
hair up with a black ponytail that had been around her wrist and stared at the
head of her fallen roommate.
"Do you need help?"
He glared at her before sighing in both embarrassment and exasperation at
the fact that he did need help. Outstretching the arm that had claimed the
opposite only a few minutes before, she took it while bringing him back to his
feet.
"There. Now, your briefcase is next to the door, your cell is in that ugly
green jackets pocket," she paused as he gave out a cry of outrage at the insult,
listened to him whine about it being a gift from Andrew, and then continued.
"And I made you lunch," she beamed with pride that was dissipated by the
slight mumble that had been said a little too loud.
"I hope it's not like your pasta."
Swiping on the side of the head, she grabbed a pair of heels from her
closet and mumbled her own phrases as he left. The door slammed and she plopped
on the bed, her glasses putting a little bit of pressure behind her ears.
The ceiling had begun to flake a little like the paint job on her car that
she'd been forced to give up when she'd moved from home. It'd been her first and
favorite car and she still mourned her little beetle, the way it's silver color
would gleam when the sun would hit it just right...
Sighing, she rose to her feet and after a few more appearance checks she
walked straight up to the mirror and stared straight into her face. 'Why do I
even bother? It's not like anyone notices the way I look. I suppose the ugliness
does give off a kind of 'look at me' glow, though.'
Grabbing her purse and looking around one more time she went down the
stairs to the first floor and hailed a taxi, intent on working away all her
worriers of the morning in her designs.
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The streets of New York were as busy as always and Serena fretted for the
third time this taxi ride that she'd be late for work. She hadn't seen Satsuma
since the party on Monday night and a part of her was afraid that there would be
some tension between them that were result in an uncomfortable working
atmosphere.
"Lady, we're here."
She gave him a blank stare and just gave him a wad of money out of habit.
Inside of her head her mother was scolding her about wasting money.
The little ding of entrance at Sak's knocked out these thoughts and she
didn't greet anyone as she used to and headed to her desk with her eyes gazing
downward. She could hear the newer sellers whispering to the others at her rude
behavior. They, always faithful, said that she was just having a bad day.
She went through the employee door and walked up the steps to the third
floor, deciding against the elevator because it held too much potential for a
confrontation with Setsuna. Maybe it would be better to just to get it over
with. Nahh....
Opening the third floor door, Serena walked out and bumped right into the
person she'd been working so hard to avoid. Setsuna, always professional in a
stylish green business suit kneeled along with her employee and helped her to
pick up the fallen numbers from the weekends sales.
"Sorry Setsuna. I wasn't watching where I was going," she rushed out, her
mannerisms and attitude more forced than the usual casual tone she used.
Something was wrong and Setsuna wasn't going to let it pass.
"Is there something wrong Serena?"
Looking up from beneath a pair of un-naturally long eyelashes, she smiled
a meek smile and got to her feet, her eyes level with the older woman's nose.
"I'm fine. It's just... never mind. It doesn't matter anyway. I've got to
finish up a few designs I started yesterday at the caf�. See you later."
Turning in surprising smooth motions she scurried down the hall to her
desk and set to immersing herself in her work.
Setsuna watched the retreating figure in contemplation. Something was
still wrong and it seemed bigger than Monday's occurrences even though it had to
be some part of it. Closing her briefcase she went to Serena's desk and sat in
the seat used for cliental.
"Serena, something is wrong and I'm not moving until you tell me what it
is."
No reaction came from the blonde, minus a few mumblings about color and
pattern coordination. Her blue pencil shaded in a few things and her eyes
followed every motion.
Getting impatient, Setsuna did the one thing she could do. Standing to her
feet she took of her shoe and whacked the designer on the side of the head, then
replaced it.
"OOOOOWWWWW!! What did you do that for?!" she screamed at the crazed
woman, piercing blue eyes glaring in an accusing way. A chill swept through the
back of the older woman's back.
"I wouldn't have had to do it if you had answered my question instead of
ignoring me. Just answer the question so I can work today day without concern
hanging over my head. It's an annoying emotion."
Sighing in defeat, Serena slumped in her chair and tossed her glasses on
the table then rubbed the bare area.
"Fine. I'm afraid I'm going nowhere. I mean, I haven't dated any serious
guy for god knows how long, I live in an apartment with someone that's gay,
though it's not as bad as I make it sound, and my high school reunion is coming
up and I'm afraid that I won't have anything to show for it."
"I think your over-reacting. It can't be that bad."
"I guess not but still. I'm not going anywhere with anything or anyone.
I'm a soldier ant who's only objective is preserving the economy."
Setsuna laughed to lighten the mood and it helped it some ways. Serena was
glad she had such a caring boss. Most wouldn't give a damn.
"That comment you made about not going anywhere with anyone isn't true you
know. In fact, Mr. Williams sounded quite keen on you when I talked to him
yesterday morning."
This caught Serena's ear and she looked up from her work to look into
Setsuna's eyes.
"He did?"
Setsuna nodded and walked away to her office, leaving Serena to question
her liability. From the end of the hall, the older woman's head sneaked out from
the corner and caught Serena's attention.
"NOW GET BACK TO WORK!!"
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'God, when Sets wants you to work she's not kidding,' Serena muttered in
her mind as she walked down the street to the nearby Subway. She was flexing
each of her fingers that had become cramped from the four hours straight of
sketching she'd done.
Blue from one of her charcoal colored pencils was streaked across the
expanse of hand since she'd used that a bit more than the other colors on a
particular outfit. Yet another fashion show was being planned and this time she
only had a month to plan instead of two. That may seem like plenty of time but
not when you're expected to make enough outfits to last three hours worth of
runway time. Where were they going to get enough models anyway? The same ones
get boring after awhile.
A stranger brushed by her and muttered a few curses under his breath that
she didn't care to hear. Turning around she grabbed the guy by his shoulder and
slammed him into a nearby building.
"Listen buddy. I don't know WHO you think your are... but just for calling
me that your gonna wish you were someone famous so I could semi-regret kicking
you in the balls." With that said she pulled back her knee and brought it
forward.
The man crumpled before her and she smiled a little with satisfaction
until she heard him mutter her name.
"You pack one hell of a kick Serena." She peered closer at his face and
stumbled back a few steps as she recognized him as the dentist from two nights
before.
"Oh my god!! Jake?"
"Yeah. Can I have some help please?"
She didn't reply but reached down to pull him to his feet. She got half
way there when the distinct sound of ripping material and a brush of cold air
caused her to shoot straight up and back up against the building wall.
"Thanks," he said with a hint of sarcasm as he used a nearby parking meter
to help him up. It was not until he turned to face her that he realized
something was wrong.
"Serena, are you okay?"
'Oh shit, this is bad. Quick girl!!! Say something and don't-'
"It's okay, my bra just un-snapped."
'-say something stupid.'
He gave her another flash of his white teeth and came towards her. She
smiled back while at the same time trying to unsnap the back of her bra without
him noticing. Once he was a few feet in front of her she gave the stretchy
material a tug and it let loose. His face was only a few inches from hers as he
reached around her small body to re-snap the clasp.
From the dim glow the streetlight illuminated, she saw his eyes were a
brown-golden color she'd never seen before. His gaze stayed with hers the entire
time he re-snapped it and even after when he still hadn't removed himself from
her "personal bubble."
His hands slid down a little bit to the small of her back and a slight
shiver ran up and down her spine. The pressure put her that much closer to him
and she stared at him with surprise. He gave her a small smile before closing
the space between them and feeling her full lips for the first time. The contact
was brief and it seemed only a little less chaste than kissing her mother. It
didn't live up to her expectations but what could she have thought their first
kiss would be like?
Serena pulled away from him a bit and then cursed out loud as it slid his
hand lower and right into the gap that was in her back pocket.
'SSSHHHIIITTTT!!'
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The pair reached her apartment door after walking the twenty blocks to her
house with him holding his hand over the area of her pocket the entire time. It
had been awkward for her, a half an hour in heaven for him. Let's face it; the
girl had a good set of buns.
She leaned back against the front door and thanked him once again for
doing her something she assumed had been awkward for him too.
"Don't worry about it. Give me a call sometime okay?" he asked her while
handing over a dark blue card with all of his numbers written
on the back. She accepted it even though he had given her the number a few days
ago at the party.
"Count on it."
He placed a hand beside her head and leaned in for a kiss when the door
was opened and Serena fell backwards onto Darien.
"Geez, Sere. What do you weight, like a hundred pounds?"
"Shut up. It was *your* flab that prevented any permanent damage to
myself."
"Whatever. So who's your friend," he questioned, pointing to the dentist
who was having a problem suppressing laughter at the moment.
"Jake Williams, this is Darien, my roommate."
Jake gave a slight smile and turned around to leave. She just stared at
his back before he went into the elevator.
"So..." he said while they sat on the couch once again. An empty ice cream
carton lay on the table in front of them, which also held their propped up feet.
"Darien, do you think you'll ever get married?"
He looked at her for a second thinking she was joking but her face was
solemn and her gaze flat. Darien realized what was going on and pulled her
closer to him.
"Ah, sweetheart. I'm sure you'll get married someday. If not some kids
lost the best parent they never had."
Serena couldn't help but smile against his chest. He was right. There was
nothing to worry about yet.
"Thank's Darien. I needed that. Goodnight."
"Night."
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Darien was knocked out of his pleasant dream involving him and Andrew by a
hacking cough caused by the small female body that was lying next to him, her
hair covering his face and chest.
"Sere? You okay."
Another fit of coughs was his answer. She looked up at him and he gasped
at the red veins that were so obvious through those puffy eyes. Her skin was a
little pale and when he went to touch her forehead it was burning with a fever.
His fingers were cool against her skin as they ran along her jaw line and rested
on her shoulder.
"Don't feel good huh?"
Shaking her head no, she pulled the sheet to her nose and coughed a few
more times.
"Can you call Sak's and tell them I can't come in today?"
"Yep. You rest here," he commanded getting out of bed and pulling on a
flowered pink robe.
"You know your wearing my robe right?"
Looking down, he saw she was right and proceeded to tie it with as little
dignity as he had left.
"Of course I do. Pink happens to be my favorite color."
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Darien entered the bedroom fifteen minutes later with a washcloth and a
decent robe on. The fluffy pink slippers on his feet ruined this ensemble.
"Do all gay men dress like that?"
"No. I'm the only one with good taste."
She snorted and pulled the sheets over her head so he couldn't put the
warm cloth to her head. Her body temperature had been rising and falling during
the duration of time he'd been gone and at the moment she was as hot as a turkey
in the oven.
He pulled down the sheets from her face a little forcefully, but she was
so tired she didn't notice. Applying it to her head made her body feel cooler
and she felt more relaxed and snuggled into the bed. His warm spot was still
there so she inched her way over.
"Mmm. Thank you," she whispered half-awake. He smiled and brushed a wet
strand of hair from her eyes before standing again. Only half of his words came
across to her and even then she was at a loss for them.
"I'll be back in a bit. I'll rent a movie and get us some food okay?
OKAY?! Usagi are you listening to me?"
She dismissed him with a wave of her hand and rolled over onto her
stomach, drenching the pillow in water excess.
"Fine. I'll be going then."
"You do that," was almost missed by him as he closed the bedroom door.
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The sun beat down on Darien's back as he walked from his apartment to a
store six blocks away. Their prices were cheaper than most and they carried
almost every type of food or medicine known to man. It was very convenient.
The traffic was moving inch by inch, making him glad that he'd decided
against driving here. The day was nice enough anyway without adding more
pollution to the air. A few women standing outside a boutique looked him up and
down giving him flirtatious smiles and winks. Every time one of them did it made
him glad that he was gay and didn't have to put up with that kind of thing.
A few more looks were sent his way as he finished the distance and the
small store came into view. Entering, the little bells on it jingled and a
handsome brown-haired man stood up from behind the front counter. He smiled in
return and went down the third aisle containing the medicines.
"There's so many. How the heck are you supposed to know what you need?" he
questioned no one in particular. Lifting an interesting looking jar. He read the
label and grimaced in disgust at the fact it contained pickled frog liver. 'How
the heck is that supposed to help someone? Wait, they could use it as ipecac. I
know that would make me throw up.'
Replacing the bottle he continued down the row, pausing here and there to
gaze and yet another exotic medicine.
"Did you need some help?"
Looking up, the brown-haired guy was standing near him leaning against the
beam, his apron perfect in appearance as if he'd taken special care for it.
"Yes. My friend is sick and-"
"What are her symptoms?"
His eyes shot up in surprise at two things. One- the guy knew she was a
girl and two- that he'd interrupted him. Shaking it away he counted off in his
head the things he'd noticed.
"Well, she has a fever, coughing fits-"
"Pale skin and blood-shot eyes. Don't be surprised. Just give her two of
these with food and she'll be fine by the morning," he said with confidence
while handing him a rainbow colored bottle.
"Thanks."
The man nodded and went back to the counter leaving Darien to finish the
rest of his shopping.
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Darien checked over the items as he placed them on the counter top,
checking them off out loud.
"Milk, eggs, medicine..."
"Old habits die hard, huh, Dare."
His body tensed as soon as the words and voice were processed. Turning, he
came face to face with Andrew and he could see Mina's head of blond hair in an
aisle down aways.
"Hello Andrew."
"Glad to see me huh? I don't see why we still can't be friends. I mean, we
couldn't compare how are relationships are going..."
Darien stopped listening after that as he formulated a plan in his mind.
It might just work.
"I hate to interrupt you Andrew but we could in fact exchange relationship
problems. My girlfriend is really great and I love to talk about her."
This stopped Andrew dead. He stared at Darien as though you would a
specimen and then he let out a snort.
"Funny Darien."
"I'm not kidding. It's Serena."
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Darien creeped into the apartment making as little noise as possible. He
could hear her feminine whimpers through the cracked door and he prepared some
oatmeal with her medicine with it.
"Seerrenaa. I've got some food for yoouu," he sang to her while he placed
the tray on her lap.
"I don't feel like eating right now Darien."
"I think you should take some of this medicine Serena. I don't like
watching you so... ugly."
She spit a piece of oatmeal in his face and almost choked at the face he
gave.
"I'll let that go since your brain is more foggy than usual right now.
Anyway, I need you to get better by Friday night."
"Why?" she asked with her suspicious instincts rising.
"IkindatoldAndrewthatyouweremygirlfriendandheinvitedmetoa
astraightcouplegettogetheronFridaynight."
(Translation, "I kinda told Andrew that you were my girlfriend and he
invited me to a straight couple get together on Friday night.)
"WHATT?????!!!!"