darpow

[darpow]

"Isn't some of it safe?" he asked as he turned just in time to see Rosie take a spoonful of dough into her mouth, doing his best to hold back a laugh. Growing up, his mother had always told him not to -- but she had made those cookies from scratch, he was sure that it was different. "Snickerdoodle," he answered without any hesitation, flipping the towel over his shoulder from where he had just dried off the bar. "They're the best."

who: ROSIE & DARRIUS. @darpow

where: their home.

when: early March.

"I know this isn't healthy because there's a slight chance at getting salmonella, but I can't resist some good cookie dough," Rosie admitted, while she grabbed a decent spoonful of dough and put it into her mouth. After a lengthy shift of non-stop working, Rosie decided she needed to get some baking in her system. As soon as possible. And she was glad Darrius was home to accompany her. "Should we start with the snickerdoodle or thumbprint cookies?"

[darpow]

They should come to you to learn how to be a little less boring! Maybe that's your calling, is making someone's life that much more exciting, you know? Somebody's got to be able to handle that. Exactly, there's like… a big, psychological term for it, I'm pretty sure? Has to do with feeling too pressured into a situation. Resistance something or other. But you are right about it being a learning experience! Excellent choice! Did you guys see any animals on the water? We fought off sirens and saw seals. One of those things is true.

There are! Boring people are just... there, and they need to chill a little bit. Well thanks! And I try to. I like being fun and cool. Hopefully it stays like that for the near or late future! I've experienced that too, about pushing people away because you try to convince them too much or something. It's not fun. But it's a learning experience. You're welcome! Oh nice, we were there too. It was super relaxing and we had a good time.

[darpow]

That's the kicker! I've never been in legal trouble in my life, I don't want to start now. I'm sure that no one with a good head on their shoulders does, though, right? But yeah, it is, I remember when I first started renting the house I'm in now, it was such a huge decision, I can't even imagine buying a house! So you're doing the Lord's work if you're helping those people out. No, I think spreadsheets are pretty much the worst of the worst when it comes to paperwork, right? Thanks, man! Now it's onward to Mardi Gras, I can't believe we're in March already.

That's the goal! We just want things to go as smooth as possible. And not to get into any legal trouble, you know? Because buying a house or any kind of property is always a big deal! I can only imagine grading papers gets so repetitive, having to read through all of that. But I'm sure there are some interesting ones too! Spreadsheets and all that? Not very exciting. Aww, glad to hear it! And that you had a good time. Now that's always exciting!

[darpow]

You know… the sad thing is, I know that's the truth, so I'm not going to argue it. I've just come to accept that. But you're right, I wouldn't dream of changing you as a person, I've known you long enough that I've just kind of come to accept that you are who you are, and that's not going to change. Fine… I'll give you that, but just that. Only that. I mean… ew, but. I won't say no.

Not being mean is as close to compliments from me as you're going to get, though. And you wouldn't want to change me as a person. Dare, bestie, I want you to be real and honest with me. Anything that's hair related, I'm going to win. Accept it and move on. Yeah, but only if I can give you a big, sloppy kiss on the cheek.

[darpow]

"Hot," he laughed, nodding his head. It both had and hadn't been the answer he had been expecting, but suddenly he did need to see the promised photo that she had, wanting to see what younger Noa looked like in bright, colorful leggings. "Do you still do that?" he asked curiously as she brought up the thrifting adventures. "I can see how it would be fun -- I thrift a lot. I don't make fun outfits like you did, don't get me wrong, but a lot of my teaching wardrobe has been thrifted here in town. You run into a lot of really nice jackets if you're looking in the right places." At least that was something they had in common -- they weren't afraid of a good thrift, even if for different reasons. "I'll be your stake," he said with a smile.

"Oh, without a doubt," he said with a shake of his head, "I'd be yelling all sorts of obscenities in support of you kicking that siren's ass, you don't have to worry about that." Didn't matter what kind of song they tried to sing, he wasn't going to side with no slimy ocean creature over his girl. No way, no how. But his eyes lit up a little bit as she talked about the seal, leaning closer to see. "… ah, so he ate the siren?" he asked, looking back over his shoulder at Noa with a grin on his face.

"Blue leopard print." Noa's head tipped back as the memory reeled in her mind. "I have a photo at mine. I'll show you. We made a game sometimes when I was little of making the most atrocious outfits. We'd go thrifting and clash patterns - spots and stripes - it was fun." A good memory, one that sustained her between all the less than fun aspects of her childhood. She smiled softly. "I know all the basics. The rules to the game. I just needed a stake. If it makes you happy. . ." than it made her happy.

But she let that sentence wander off. Let herself laugh and nod at his question. "It's giving machismo, but I'll allow it. Mostly because I know who you'd be rooting for." With her eyes still on the water she said, "Seal. Harbor seal maybe. Cute little things. Enjoying an evening meal, I guess."

[darpow]

happy birthday, @monixoconnor!

Alright, I am not cool enough to make donuts, obviously. But I am cool enough to get you a candle that smells like glazed donuts! That should count for something. And the mugs are just kind of a cute little thing for you to drink out of while having donuts, maybe...? I got two, so you can split with your little one! And then the blanket is just because. It sort of felt whimsical and fantastical, which is perfect for a movie night (maybe drinking from those mugs). Hope you have a great birthday!

-- Dare

[darpow]

"Finished product, yes, mermaid milk…" he shook his head, pulling a face at the sound of it. Didn't really matter how many times they said it, shot the phrase back and forth, it still just wasn't going to sound good, or wholesome, or like anything that he wanted on his face. Darrius's face softened when Noa talked about cheering on her mother's 5K, finding himself drawn to her whenever she talked about those moments, tidbits into her past, recent or far away, information about her family. "We talking cool leggings?" he asked with a lopsided smile, "fun prints?" Although if they were matching, he really couldn't imagine anything else. "I'll take you to the high school football games next season. Warm you up, make a football fan out of you yet."

Darrius's eyes widened as Noa began to talk about the siren -- threaten the siren? That might have been a better way to word it. "Is this the part where you tell me it's a little too red blooded male of me to admit that it'd be hot to see you fight a siren?" But he saw what she saw, heard what she heard, and found himself leaning forward, and then sliding a little closer to the edge of the boat, looking down into the water. "I saw it, what was it? You'd know better than me."

"No, you just want the finished product on your plate." She smiled, teasing. "Or your face with that good old mermaid milk." She laughed softly, still inwardly processing that naming scheme. As Darrius described the football games, she couldn't help imagining herself in one of those seats. Maybe they'd go one day. Maybe she'd get to know the streets and parks and maybe they would feel familiar already because they were the shape of all things that had created Darrius. It felt a little too presumptuous to mention couple's trips this early though. "The closest I got to that was cheering my mother's 5k one year. We wore matching leggings."

She shook her head at his joke. "Oh, hell no, I'm not losing you to a siren this early on. She comes near here and I'm going to be beefing with a mythical creature." The sound came again though, and this time she caught, in the soft glow a seal's tail slipping under the water. "You catch that?"

[darpow]

"At least you can admit it," he looked over at Natasha with a wide grin. There was nothing wrong with admitting that you needed a little bit of encouragement, or that something was just not for you, he could agree. "Shaking like a leaf?" Darrius asked, not even wanting to think about hat he would be like if he were in that position. To be responsible -- at least partially -- for determining the outcome of someone's life… it seemed like a lot. But it had obviously worked out in her favor, now. She seemed to love doing what she did, and was very good at it, from what he had heard. "It's great… until you start wanting iced tea and lemonade and lunch meat sandwiches, you know? That urge for spring kicks in strong."

"I absolutely am a chicken," she nodded and agreed with Darrius. At least when it came to public speaking, other things maybe not so much. "We each have our strengths," she smiled, "and the first time I was in a court room on my own, it was not pretty at all." She shook her head and her eyes got wide before chuckling, it was some time ago not quite a decade ago but close to it. "Exactly. But yeah preparation and practice does absolutely help!" The sighing she nodded again, "there is something cozy about hot drinks and soups though, can't say I'm complaining about it tbh."

[darpow]

"Don't get me wrong, I love eating the fish or the lobsters or whatever it is that someone's dragging out of the ocean," he gestured over the edge of the ship, "which sounds bad when we're out here floating on the water, admiring her beauty, but. I just don't want to be the one making the food. Those people who catch a fish and then… gut it and skin it? Could not be me," he shook his head adamantly. But the food that Noa was describing almost made him wish that it could, if it wasn't readily available elsewhere, of course. "Yeah," he smiled, the expression lighting up his face, "not a lot, we couldn't afford those tickets often, you know? But once a season, my dad would save up to take the boys, make a day of it. I had the hat, the coat, gloves, screamed as loud ad could be."

Darrius kept his eyes peeled in the darkness, desperately wanting to see a glint, a shine, something in the ocean that caught his attention and made him see what she was hearing. "Or a siren," he teased, looking back down at her, "think that it's trying to lure you out to sea, singing you a song? Or maybe coming after our ship captain, and we're in a whole world of trouble if he suddenly jumps ship."

"We'll leave that to the experts then," Noa said. "I never grew to enjoy it either. Worms on hooks and the fish themselves just flopping around. Everything looks ten times better in a sushi roll or dressed up with some warm butter on the side." And talking about it, had they not just had dinner, was almost making her mouth water. She laughed softly. "Did you used to go to games as a kid? At Soldier field? A little Darrius all decked out in Bears gear and screaming from the stadium with all your siblings?"

It was a good image in her head, the kind she would have wished for her own childhood. As an only child (at least in practice) she was always searching for that companionship. But she was looking out over the water now, squeezing Dare's hand. "It could be anything really. A fish or a seal, maybe a little porpoise. I just thought I heard something disturbing the water."

[darpow]

I'm not really sure that 'not being mean' really counts the same way that compliments do, though…? It feels a bit like you want credit for doing something that you're not doing. Hm. We could have a beard off, but I don't want you to start to cry once you realize that yours doesn't stack up at all next to mine. I'll make it up to you and take goofy photos with you in the Mardi Gras photo booth?

First of all, I compliment your muscles all the time. Or at least I am not mean about them most of the time. Second of all, my beard is better, that's why! I'm not complimenting an inferior beard. Listen, the fact that you didn't hold my hand did lose you some points, but you're almost forgiven. Almost.

[darpow]

happy birthday, @xalecjacobs!

This gift is a little themed, but I feel like that's okay, right? The wallet is actually a guitar accessories wallet, I know that means you'll have to carry two around with you, but I think you can handle it! Then there's a little coaster set, made to look like a vinyl record player, and I got the hoodie just because. You can never have too many of those, right? Happy birthday, man, I hope it's a great one!

-- Dare

[darpow]

Alright, but what is chroma nail polish? I know what skinny jeans are, obviously! But I can't say that I have a whole lot of experience with nail polish. But either way, I just don't think that anyone should ever tell someone that they should or should not enjoy something, this world's big enough for everyone to love what they love, right? I knew that it would be, Kendrick's one of the best to ever do it, you know? As hyped as I always am to watch football, I was just as excited to see the show! I'm not sure if patches have come back around yet… but it might be worth a shot! Sounds like you guys had a good time, too! It was nice to see everyone out and about and so happy, you know?

That's because those youngun's think we don't know what's up. I'll tell them what's up. I ain't giving up my skinny jeans and side part and chroma nail polish. Yeah, see, that was cool! So I was all for that. So that halftime show was awesome. I'll admit it. He made flared jeans look good. I don't know if I'm just ready to dig my bellbottoms back out yet. The pair I have has those patches on them? So maybe it should stay in my closet forever after. They tell it as it is. I guess that's just what we ask for, though. Aww, that sounds so nice! I'm glad you two had a good time! Stelly and I hung out down town, and it was really fun.

[darpow]

You should be, there are too many stodgy, boring people in the world, it's something to be proud of when you can say that you're a fun guy that brings a lot to the world. Or something like that! If you try to push too much, you're going to end up pushing them away, and that's not good. What does that do, right? Thanks! I try. It was really nice, Noa and I did the coastal package, spent lots of time out on the water, especially. How about you and Tasha?

Aww, thanks! I’m glad you think so! I’m proud of myself! Oh yeah, pushing people into learning probably won’t end well. They have to do it on their own terms and you gotta meet them halfway, right? Or they meet you halfway but either way, it’s a two-way street. It does! And hey, you do a good job so you should be proud too. How’d your Valentine’s weekend go?

[darpow]

You're smart, it's better to wait a bit than have to undo all of the work that you did, that would end up being pretty stressful to have to deal with. Bonus points if they've all been pretty reasonable, though! That's definitely a good thing. I get tired of having to grade papers or take my own notes on things, I can imagine that the amount of paperwork you have to do is pretty exhausting. Thanks! It was great, perfect first holiday together, you know?

It’s happened… maybe once or twice. That’s why I like to wait twenty-four hours before filing anything just in case something does come up. Most of the time it doesn’t, so thankfully, I’ve worked with mostly responsible people. Yeah, it is! We just want to get the paperwork moving. It’s a lot of paperwork and it takes a while for it to process. Oh yeah, definitely! Nice! I’m glad you two had a good time together.

[darpow]

"Yeah, true," he said with a laugh. "I have a few nieces and nephews, and they're always a riot." Even if he didn't see them as often as he would have liked, every time that he did, they always had a good time. And had a lot of funny things to say, although they were all growing up, now. The downside of life, he supposed: kids didn't stay kids forever. Eventually, they grew up to become the college students he dealt with every day. "Maybe," he laughed, shrugging his shoulders. But Darrius couldn't say that he would be spending much time these days working on school projects. And even a nerd like him was grateful for it. As he listened to Briggs talk about being adopted, ids being in the house, he smiled to himself, and then shook his head, "no, that's true -- never lonely. There was always someone else around. Even now, they're just a phone call away. Are you close to your family, still?"

“There is never a boring minute.” Briggs definitely didn’t have his own kids but he had small kids in his extended family and with all the time he spent around them because of his job or community work, it never failed to amuse him. The innocence and big imaginations was a part of what made him love doing what he did. When there were so many reasons for kids to go to dark places, they were so resilient. Things were so different from when he was a kid. He didn’t know how they managed to do it. He was endlessly impressed by it all honestly. “I think the only thing that is different is the years between there and now.” At the end of the day, that was just how it was for them though. “I was adopted but there was definitely other kids in the house always. They did what they could. The youngest literally always gets them when they’re tired but your folks were probably really tired after six. At least, you never have to worry about being lonely though with that many siblings.”

[darpow]

"You know… there are worse things," he relented with a laugh. Even a city kid like Darrius could be persuaded to come to the salty sea air side with the right food and fun promised to him. And if he had the added bonus of having Noa there in the sleepy little seaside down, then wasn't that all the more reason to give up his Chicago roots and become a Mainer at heart? "Although I don't think that I'll ever quite get into fishing. I get it. The marina's fun, but the smell…?" he pulled a face, shaking his head. He'd just eat the fish when it was served to him in a restaurant.

"That's one hundred percent what I do want, actually, yes," he grinned. "I'm going to get you your very first Bears jersey, too." She'd have one that she could wear when she came over on Sundays to watch a game, or when they met up at Touchback to enjoy a beer and camaraderie with fellow sports fans. The good stuff. Darrius was about to say more about the Bears -- when was he not -- when he paused at her question, sitting up a little bit more, and turning his head to the side, "what am I listening for?"

"Oh definitely. Few more lobster rolls, some summer oysters and we'll have you hooked for life." The ocean was both the most romantic and the most indeterminable thing about Merrock. As much a neighbor to her as the inland fields. Hearing something slick in the distance her gaze drew back out over the water, but there was nothing there but the gentle waves, and the likelihood it was a fish.

She was smiling though, chucking under her breath as he spoke. "Next season I'll make sure I'm their biggest fan. I'll yell at the refs if you want. I'll even wear one of their jerseys." One of yours she thought, and there was a warm bit of pleasure in imaging herself in Dare's clothes. She was about to tell him he had a lot of moments, or rather a lot that worked on her, when she heard that slick displacement of water again. "Okay, tell me you hear that."

[darpow]

"I really don't mind it -- sharing the refrigerator, I mean. I lived in my own space before this, just me and the dogs, and I've found that I'd trade having my own fridge for having friends to watch the game with or someone who might occasionally fold my laundry and leave it on my bed for me," he laughed at that thought, knowing that it did happen now and then, although that normally came from him leaving something in the dryer for a little too long. He got busy, laundry wasn't always on the top of his priority pile. It got done eventually. As Travis argued back that he was taught wrong about what the right and wrong kind of pizza was, he couldn't help but to let out a laugh, even more so as he said that he was an attorney, that he wasn't going to win, he shook his head, shooting him a grin. "You realize I don't care that you're an attorney, right?" but there was a jovial tone as he said it. "You can be God or Brian Urlacher, for all I care, you're still not changing my mind." It would be like waking up one morning and hating The Bean or disowning The Bears, saying Chicago wasn't a good band. It wasn't going to happen to the guy from Illinois. "Alright, I think this dude is done," he nodded his head, popping a piece of pepperoni in his mouth. "You ready to get yours in the oven?"

"Leftovers are a great thing." he pointed out, in fact, he loved them, and lived off them far too much. Usually enjoying them more often than the day he ate the original food. "I have plenty of space in my fridge though, it's just me, so if there's going to be extra leftovers, that's okay." He admitted, for him, that was a win for him. When he said that was his opinion, he was going to agree with him, until he said it was wrong, and ill-informed, "See that's where you're wrong, it's hardly ill-informed, just because you were taught from birth what is the wrong kind of pizza and made to believe that is the right pizza, doesn't mean we should give you too hard of a time. You can't help what you grew up around and what you were given, as a child you don't get to make those choices, so not as many points off for the wrong answer." he said, "You do realize I'm an attorney right? You're not winning with me." Even if he was losing, he wasn't going to win." As he reached over putting the cheese down and spread it around and added some slices of fresh mozzerella before grabbing some bacon to top.