talentedscavenger | Closed to toomanyevans

[You'll be fine. It'll be fine, Rey told herself, taking in a deep breath as she headed into the quaint coffee shop, The Dark Side of the Mug. There was a steam punk vibe to the décor. A way for the shop to stand out among the many independent coffee breweries in Los Angeles. Rey appreciated the unique style of the place, and the puns they placed in their coffee names.

She pushed a strand of chestnut hair away from her face. She was tempted to gather her hair and place it in a messy bun, but that might give the impression was she more uptight. Which, on a given work day, she didn't care how others perceived her. Today though? She wanted to make a good impression on a cute guy from Tinder. So that meant styling her hair a little, wear a good pair of jeans that hugged her hips just right and a sweater that was comfy and cute. Practical, comfy, and it wouldn't send the poor guy running for the hills.

From their text conversations, Buck seemed sweet, and smart given his line of work. They seemed to vibe well in the digital space. Hopefully they would in the real world too.

In an effort to calm her nerves, Rey got in line to grab a small cup of coffee and waited for Buck at a two top table.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only | Expand All

From:

toomanyevans

[ The coffee shop is close enough to Buck's condo - only about a ten minute drive - so he manages to be on time. He parks the jeep and takes a breath, just centering himself and making sure that he's in the right headspace to meet someone new. They've met virtually, of course, but it's very different to meet in person.

That, and he still doesn't know all that much about Rey. Buck is looking forward to learning more, though.

He checks himself over one last time, nice jeans, tshirt that shows off his muscles, hair styled loosely. He looks good, perfect for a date, so he locks up the jeep and heads in.

They'd seen each others' photos on the app, so Buck waves when he spots Rey and heads over to the table. ]

Hey, good to meet you. I'm Buck.

$talentedscavenger: (Modern\\Shy grin)$

From:

talentedscavenger

[Our of the corner of her eye, Rey could see someone was coming towards her. She looked up from her cup of coffee to see him. He certainly was handsome, and matched his profile pic. Hell, he probably was on one of those charity calendars for the LA area. Probably posed with kittens or puppies.

No, no, she had to focus and pretend she wasn’t unsure of what she was doing. Why did I let Finn talk me into Tinder? ]

Hey, I’m Rey. It’s nice to meet you too. [ A flash of a smile, warm and nervous, but still there. And, well, there was that English accent of hers. She didn’t disclose she was from overseas. The young woman wasn’t used to talking about herself. ]

Feeling well rested?

From:

toomanyevans

[ Nodding, Buck sits in the chair across from her and grabs the coffee. Rey looks great, pretty face, dark hair curling around her shoulders in soft waves. The accent shocks him a bit, but then, they'd never spoken about where they're from, or how they got to LA. ]

Yeah, I think I slept thirteen hours, [ he chuckles. ] So I'm guessing that you're not from LA? [ He's curious, and he wants to know more about Rey. Hopefully they hit it off just vas well in person as they did texting. ]

$talentedscavenger: (Modern\\Computer Glasses)$

From:

talentedscavenger

[Did Buck pick out a shirt that shows off his body just right? Or was that just a natural consequence of being a firefighter that everything looked good on him? And he had tattoos too, which just added to the overall mystery of him. There was also an air of confidence too. Which added to Rey's nerves, but she did her best to not show for it.

She lets out a soft chuckle too. He must've been dead to the world to have slept that long. Long nights were never fun, and the crash always took a toll on the body.]

Don't blame you for that. I think the longest I stayed up for was...maybe 34 hours? Not by choice.

[Two projects that were due, plus two part time jobs that needed her attention. Her uni days were pretty rough.

Rey nodded her head.]

Yeah, from the UK. Went to Uni in the states and got a job in LA about...two, maybe three years ago? [Wow, saying that out loud was weird. Still felt like she just started her current job just yesterday.] Time flies if you're not paying attention.

What about you? Have you lived in LA all your life? [Rey asked and then took a small sip of her coffee.]

Edited Date: 2025-03-01 10:52 am (UTC)

From:

toomanyevans

[ Sorry Rey, that's just what he looks like. He can't help it. If she looks closely though, she will see some flaws, bags under his eyes despite the long sleep, a scar on his right cheek, slightly crooked teeth. Buck might look good overall, but he's certainly not perfect. No one is.

He sips his coffee like it's a lifeline and nods in agreement. ]

We do a lot of twenty four hour shifts, and most of the time, we can catch a few hours of sleep throughout but it was too busy last night. We'd just settle in and there would be another call to answer.

[ And a few of them had been all hands on deck, so they had to really focus and work with other teams, follow the lead of different captains. Buck's not good with authority, and having to defer to someone that's not Bobby is hard for him. ]

So you got here and just decided to stay. Nice. [ Buck grins.

Then, ] No, I'm actually from PA - Pennsylvania. I traveled a lot before ending up here, lots of odd jobs. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted.

Did you know? Like, right away?

From:

talentedscavenger

[No one is perfect, true, but Buck seems to be pretty close to it. He's tall, handsome, seems nice with a good heart...and probably saved kittens from trees. She can see those dark circles under his eyes, they match her own. Long nights of studying for years on end, and endless hours at the office does a number to one's skin. Sure, there were those beauty masks that she could try, but that was a bit beyond her realm of expertise.

She let out a soft wince of empathy.]

Those moments aren't the best--just as you're falling asleep, you're forced to stay up. [She also knew that pain all too well. At least they had coffee as their own lifelines of sorts.] Sorry that you had a rough night, or a rough end towards your shift. [Was that weird to say? Apologize for something out of her control, but it felt like the right thing to do.]

Well...[Her gaze lowered down to her cup then back up to meet his.] More like, the pay was worth it. Plus, less snow than New York.

[The snow was nice but after a while it really tanked her mood. Plus the cold felt like it seeped into her bones more than anything.

She nodded her head a little, intrigued by the fact that he's not from LA. Her brain tried to come up with things connected to Pennsylvania, but it was coming up short. Thankfully, the question allowed her to switch gears.]

Yes, and no? [And now comes the delicate dance of explaining her past without revealing too much.] I was good at figuring out puzzles, and how pieces fit together. I used to work on cars, and thought maybe I should look into mechanical engineering, but that didn't work out. I sort of...fell into where I am, if that makes sense. Though, to get here I did have a lot of odd jobs to help make ends meet.

[That was an honest(ish) version of her background. He didn't need to know the minor details--that would only earn her sympatric looks and kill the mood completely. She reached for her coffee again to take another sip.]

Did you enjoy traveling around?

From:

toomanyevans

I do love my job, but sometimes it's just so exhausting. One time, we drove like, eighteen hours to go help out with some wildfires in Texas. That was a wild ride. [ As much as this past shift was absolutely terrible, Buck would never ever give it up. He loves helping people, loves rescuing them, loves saving lives. It's who he is and he doesn't think he could love any other profession as much. ]

Less snow is nice, [ Buck agrees with a chuckle. ] The weather here is great. And so is having a good pay.

[ He listens to her intently as she explains how she ended up doing what she does. He's always been interested about how people land where they land. He's curious about some of the stuff Rey is leaving out but they can dig deeper in the future, if they decide to keep seeing each other. ]

Yeah, it was really cool for a while, but I'm glad I settled here. My sister is here too now, and it just feels good to have so many people have my back.

$talentedscavenger: (Modern\\Computer Glasses)$

From:

talentedscavenger

[Rey blinked a few times, trying to recall just how big of a state Texas was. It took hours to drive up and down California alone, but Texas? That was a different beast all together.]

I can only imagine. The drive alone sounds exhausting.

[It's clear he loves his job by how he talks about it. Upbeat, positive, and not in a show-off kind of way. He likes helping people whereas Rey...she liked a challenge and having a damn good paycheck certainly helped.

She raised her cup of coffee in agreement.] The weather is much better. I do miss seeing the seasons change--the colors of leaves on the trees, or seeing some snow but not a full blizzard. I do not recommend trudging through snow, it's not pleasant.

[There's a slight tilt of her head, and she leans in ever so slightly. Rey's curiosity was peaked, and she was really enjoying the conversation they were having. Hopefully, it wasn't one-sided.]

That's nice--to have family nearby. People you can lean on and be yourself around. I have a few close friends, but that's about it.

From:

toomanyevans

I- [ He pauses, looking a little bashful for a moment, ] I slept mot of the way there. Like when I wasn't driving the rig.

[ Which ended up being a good thing, since he had been able to help TK and the 126 stage a search and rescue for his dad and Hen. He's glad, otherwise they could have been toast. ]

I'm not sure I really miss the snow. We got some in PA but after I left, I tended to travel toward the warmer places. Haven't really seen a winter in years now. [ The weather in LA definitely doesn't fit the definition of winter in his mind, though technically they do have all four seasons. ]

I-I mean, family is who you choose, right? I'm glad Maddie's here, but the 118 became my family long before she showed up.

From:

talentedscavenger

[The bashful look on Buck's face is endearing and sweet. Rey grins at him.]

I don't blame you. I probably would've slept on the way too. Car rides, I can fall asleep, but not on airplanes.

[A small shrug. She didn't know if that made her weird or not. On a plane though, she could read for pleasure and not have to worry about motion sickness. So small wins there.

Rey lets out a thoughtful hum, bringing up her coffee cup to take another sip.] The UK is cold and gloomy, and I left that for a life of...cold and snow, but yeah it's much better here. Where else have you traveled?

[The warmth and sunshine of LA does not compete with anything else that Rey has experienced. But, she did miss those quiet winter days where the snow was falling, she had her blankets and a comfy bed to sleep in.

Rey nods her head and gives Buck an understanding smile. Might as well rip off that band aid.]

Yeah, I'm really glad I have my friends now. I didn't grow up in the best of circumstances, but turned out okay for the most part--I think. [A nervous chuckle. Hopefully, she wasn't messing this up because he seemed really nice and she was greatly out of her comfort zone.]

But, uh, did you want something like food from here? Their bakery section is pretty good, but there are a few other places around too. Coffee is essential, but so is actual food.

From:

toomanyevans

[ Obviously Rey's taken planes, since she's from a wholly different part of the world, but Buck really hasn't. All of his travels had happened in the Jeep Maddie gave him before running off to Boston with Doug. He still has that Jeep, and he'd never considered abandoning it to fly somewhere. ] I haven't even been on a plane. I did get to ride in a helicopter once though, but that was to rescue my captain and his wife from a sinking cruise ship.

[ Sometimes Buck doesn't realise how wild his life is until he says something like this out loud. But it had happened, and Rey already knows that he saves people for a living. ]

I've been almost everywhere in the US. For a while, I was trying to get into the navy but then decided that killing people wasn't something I wanted for myself. [ He's much better at saving them.

Nodding, he smiles. ] I could eat. Let me get it though, since you got the coffee. Any requests?

From:

talentedscavenger

[Rey has to blink multiple times because the phrase 'sinking ship' is hardly used in the literal sense. ]

Did...the coast guard help at all in that situation? [He'll have to forgive her for thinking him and his squad somehow commandeered a helicopter to go save their captain. But, yeah this all sounds pretty wild. The craziest thing that's happened at her work place was someone losing this shit, throwing paper everywhere and outright quitting.

A brave soul they were--leaving like that.]

Traveling by plane is nice, but getting through security can be a bit bothersome if you're running late.

[Wow, he's really traveled a lot all by car. Not many people can say they've done that.]

Ahh, I had the same thought. Not with the US Navy but with the Royal Airforce. That was more of a last resort. I might've pursued it if I didn't get into Uni.

[Rey was prepared to stand up and order for them, but Buck was willing to cover it.]

Are you sure? I don't mind. I did invite you out here. [Technically, he suggested they meet up so it's 50/50 at this point. But, she eventually relented.]

Alright...I'll take a croissant if they have any left.

From:

toomanyevans

The situation was complicated. The Coast Guard was busy with other things because there was a hurricane hitting the area at the time. So we had to make do with a small crew.

[ He nods, standing up. ] Croissant it is.

[ Buck heads toward the counter and gets her croissant, then adds a salad for himself with chicken and cashews. He'd eaten about an hour before arriving, so he just wants something light. When he has both of their food, he goes back to their table. ]

So you live close to here?

$talentedscavenger: (Modern\\Shy grin)$

From:

talentedscavenger

[Complicated is the understatement of the moment. More questions arose in her mind than anything else, but all she could do was nod along. She'll have to check to see if there were any news articles on a hurricane and a cruise ship sinking--and come to think of it, hasn't LA had some weird natural disasters lately?]

Ah, thank you again. [She watches him get up from the table to the line. She's trying to keep herself level headed. He was as bit as enthusiastic and nice as he had been online. So far this little date was going well.

Rey probably should've ordered something more filling than a croissant, but nerves got the better of her.]

Mmmhmm. Like about twenty minutes away? It's a loft style of an apartment. Managed to turn the downstairs area into a work station. I really like the amenities, and it's not that far from my work. What about you?

From:

toomanyevans

[ Buck sits down and digs into his salad, listening to Rey as she describes her place. It sounds oddly familiar, and the location tracks too. ] Huh. [ Taking another bite, he arches an eyebrow at her. He asks her if she lives at his address, because it really sounds like his building. ]

Yeah, those places are really nice. Expensive, but nice. [ Buck loves his loft. It's the perfect size for him, and the occasional stray he ends up taking in, and he's sure that Rey feels the same. ] The downstairs would be great as a work station. It took me like, a year, to buy my own couch, so there's definitely room for that.

From:

talentedscavenger

Hm? [There was an inquisitive tone to his voice, and the raised eyebrow kind of solidifies that.] I probably described a lot of similar apartment buildings. [A nervous chuckle.] It's a convenient location at least.

[There's a puzzled expression on Rey's face as she confirms she lives around that area.] ...are you my neighbor?

[She ends up breaking apart her croissant and taking a small piece to eat.]

Yeah, it took me a while to buy furniture too. [She wipes her hands on a napkin.] I was fine with spending money on things like, my monitors, my desk, and a nice bed, but when it came to furniture, I just kind of froze.

[Rey ducked her head a little, taking a sip of her coffee.] I knew it was something I had to do, but it was weird. Like I had a mental block of sorts--but, I do have a couch that doubles as a bed if I can't make it upstairs.

Edited Date: 2025-03-15 02:39 am (UTC)

From:

toomanyevans

It really does sound like we live in the same building, yeah, [ Buck replies. He lives on one of the upper floors even though he can barely afford it. One of his exes had wanted him to find his own place and well, Buck's not good at saying no when a beautiful woman is trying to convince him to do something. ]

I'm the worst, honestly, the couches I had before belonged to the girlfriends I had at the time. When they moved out, they took their couches with them.

[ It's kind of embarrassing how long it took him to buy his own couch honestly, but he's better at being an adult now. At least, he hopes he is. ]

From:

talentedscavenger

Huh. [There's a surprised look on Rey's face. Funny, she's lived there for the past few years and had never bumped into him. Then again, she wasn't one to go out of her way to meet people, not unless there was a reason. Such as a mail mix up, or to ask if a package was misdelivered.] Small world, then. I'm on the upper floor, but towards the back of the building.

[There's a soft wince from her.] Depending on how comfy the couch is, I do not blame them. [Her couch is a life saver some days, when she was exhausted and needed a place to crash. Going up a flight of stairs after a long day of coding only added to the exhaustion.]

But, you have a couch now, and that's not going anywhere. Completely yours. [They can both bond over how long it took them to buy a vital piece of furniture for their homes. It's okay.

There was a question lingering in Rey's mind. Buck seemed like a good, genuine guy. So why was he single? Was it too soon to ask that question?]

I can't say I've had to share furniture before. Never moved in with a boyfriend or partner before. Never had a roommate either. [She ducked her head for a moment, feeling a bit embarrassed. Did that paint her in a bad light?] I have had to borrow movies from friends and those I do try to return in a reasonable amount of time.

From:

toomanyevans

Completely mine. [ And it's a nice couch too. Maddie helped him pick it out, and she has good taste. Sometimes he's just too tired after a shift to make it up the stairs, so it's a good alternative. ]

I've lived with most of mine, actually. [ He hadn't exactly lived with Ali, but she stayed with him when she was in LA, and Taylor moved in just before they broke up. Tommy broke up with him when he asked him to move in, so maybe that's the common thread there. ] Except Tommy. I asked him, though. He thought I was moving too fast. [ He has a bad habit of doing that. ]

Oh man, I've had so many roommates! I don't think I've really ever lived alone until now, actually.

From:

talentedscavenger

[Rey let out a soft laugh, hearing the pride Buck had in his voice for owning a couch.

She reached forward for her croissant, tearing off another piece. The bread still felt warm to her fingertips.

It was funny, their lives seemed to be completely opposites of one another. He lived with roommates until recently. He had family nearby (one he was born into and one he found) and she...sort of had family nearby. And lived on her own for the majority of her life--no, no, she shouldn't let her mind go down that path.]

I bet it's a weird feeling? Going from having a space with another person and then its just...you. [Rey popped the piece of bread into her mouth, enjoying the buttery flavor.]

I think I have the opposite problem. I didn't realize I was dating someone until weeks later, and then it was off and on--and in the end, we weren't good for each other.

From:

toomanyevans

[ Buck bites his lip and gives a slight nod. He's never done that well on his own but he's also made some pretty bad decisions in his romantic life as well. He's trying to do better, and that's why he's here now. ] Yeah, it's a little weird. I miss like, having someone there when I get home even just to talk about my day. And their day.

[ He cocks his head to the side and a small smile plays on his mouth. ] You didn't know you were dating? How?

[ Buck's been with a lot of people, but he's only dated a few. Those few had definitely known that they were dating him, and the others knew that they were just having fun. He doesn't like leading people on and he doesn't like for there to be questions. ]

From:

talentedscavenger

[Rey listened, nodding her head at Buck’s words. Her heart ached for him then, having shared in the same feeling more times than she could count. ]

Yeah, I get and it’s something that’s so natural—wanting to share with someone a few moments to connect and talk. Hard to do when you’re by yourself and you don’t want to call friends because you don’t want to bug them…

[Or inconvenience them. That was always something that lingered in the back of Rey’s mind. If she was being a bother to the people she held close to her. Of course, they would tell her that she wasn’t, but that was still a concern.]

Or, at least that’s what I worry about. I didn’t realize how much I’d want something like that until I moved for Uni. Wanting someone to talk to—especially when I was in new country.

[As for how she didn’t know she was someone, Rey had to shyly duck her head. When she looked up, she saw Buck’s smile on his face. An embarrassed smile tugged on the corners of her mouth. ]

I didn’t date in high school or much in Uni. I was so focused on getting my degree and working that I didn’t realize my ex liked me, and that I liked him. There were subtle hints, but they went over my head until we were arguing with each other—both of us were extremely stubborn—and blurted out to each other that we liked one another and had been “dating” without realizing it. Everyone else picked up on it but us.

From:

toomanyevans

[ Buck cocks his head to the side, listening to Rey express the loneliness that he shares as well. Buck is over thirty, and he definitely thought he would have found that someone to settle down with, have a life, have kids even. It feels like he might be starting to run out of time.

The conversation is getting deep now, but Buck doesn't mind. At this point in their lives, they need to be having these types of conversations on the first date. ]

It must have been tough, when you first got here. I mean, I'm American and it was still tough to move away from everything I knew back in PA. It's tough, but I think you're brave for staying, even if it was for a job.

[ Buck can't say that he's ever had that kind of laser focus on anything. He has a history of being distracted b y a pretty face and a willing body, but he's gotten better as he gets older. ]

Can't say that's ever happened to me, but it is funny. Don't worry, if we start dating, I'll be very clear about it.

[ He finishes off his salad and then pulls his coffee back toward himself. ] So. I know we've just met, but... what do you see for your future?

From:

talentedscavenger

It was tough at first, setting up a bank account, and finding a place that fit my budget—and trying to figure out the paper work for any job I had.

[Was it brave to have stayed for this long? Maybe.

There a soft chuckle from Rey, opting to finish the last piece of her pastry. ]

Yeah, one of my other friends said I should make it clear to whoever I date next that they really have to let me know.

[A bit of a quirk, albeit an embarrassing one. But, better to be clear and concise than vague. Rey also failed to realize she could’ve teased or flirted with Buck—asking him how he’d tell her or show her they were dating.

She wasn’t kidding when she said some things (like romance) flew over her head. Her mind was going over the new question he posed. ]

That…is a good question.

[It was probably for the best to be up front about what either of them wanted in a relationship. The hard part was, Rey didn’t know exactly what she wanted—a house, a kid, or both or nothing. She was so used to surviving that the idea of thriving was a foreign concept. ]

I want to do well with my job and grow in my career, and I’m more than likely staying in the States unless I have a compelling reason to head back to the UK. Maybe travel—for fun and not for work.

[Another pause as she tucked her hair behind an ear. ]

I’m 27, technically still in my 20s, and I think I have time to figure out what else I’d want in life. [Beat. ] what about you?

Edited Date: 2025-03-23 06:20 pm (UTC)

From:

toomanyevans

Travelling is good, [ Buck agrees. He likes to travel and experience new things. He hasn't gotten the chance for thew last little while but he loves his job, so that's okay. ]

I think that I'd like to take the Lieutenant test sometime soon. There's not at a spot for Lieutenant at the 118, which is why I haven't yet. But I think I want that.

[ He hadn't really pictured it when he started firefighting but now he's sure that this is the career he wants to excel at. ]

And you know, I've had my fun. I've been looking for something more serious for the past few years, it just hasn't worked out. So yeah, marriage, maybe a dog, maybe kids but I'm not sold on that yet.