you can look (but you better not touch), -kiiiitty-

[mouse]

Diane is beginning to think she's terminally unemployable.

She has run through about fifteen jobs in the past year. Mostly it's been her own part. Loblaws, for instance. Throwing a case of tangerines at her manager's head was, retrospectively, bad judgment. And setting fire to Mrs Peterson's cat. That was an accident, though. And it deserved it. And she had to quit at the bar because she was sick of her sleazy manager and at McDonald's because the smell made her nauseous and... Well, the list goes on.

Which is why, on a freezing cold Saturday evening, she's at the mall.

The mall is warm, for starters. Tatters is out partying his sorry ass off, which means his flat is freezing and Diane doesn't want to turn on the heat. He's not exactly made of money either.

So because she's feeling sorry for herself and it's not like there's work to go to, she's indulging in a little hypothetical retail therapy. Not that she has any money, but that's what they made window shopping for.

She stands in front of the Lord and Taylor's, eying the display. There is a delicious dress in the window, slippery insinuating grey silk tied under the waist with a black bow that just says "unwrap this" and Diane thinks she'd like to be a present.

Her own reflection is in the glass, laid over the mannequin. She looks pale, her lips a dark smudge, her hair matte and black, and catching her own glance she almost wants to run back out into the cold.

It's been one of those days.

[K-Squared]

Hugh is shopping, not for himself today though. There are Valentine's gifts that need to be sent out to his 'friends'. There's a list in his PDA, the new little black book. He's busy checking off his list and getting ready to head into the very shop Diane is in front of. He doesn't see her and bumps right into her.

[mouse]

Diane startles, because her mind was somewhere else.

"Oh my gawd," she says, and then because she's Canadian she apologises, even though he ran into her. "I'm so sorry."

Nothing seems to have been dropped or spilled, so they're safe from any really bad cliches for now.

[K-Squared]

"My fault. I was too busy playing with gadgets." He apologizes. "Are you alright?"

[mouse]

She's noticed by now that he's not hard on her eyes. He's about as tall as she is, mind, and if she was wearing heels instead of snow boots that could be something of a problem.

"Yeah, I'm fine thanks," she says. She smiles winningly. Her lipstick is dark burgundy, a shade off purple.

[K-Squared]

"You sure?" she doesn't appear to be having the best day. "Can I do anything to make it up to you?"

[mouse]

Diane narrows her eyes. She's wearing rather a lot of mascara and her eyelashes make her vision go fuzzy. Fuzzier than normal that is, because she's not wearing her glasses. Because she sat on them and they snapped and what does that say about her weight...

One one level this guy's being a bit dodgy, because it was only a little bump after all.

On another level, she might be sad and unemployed but she looks okay so perhaps it's not that suspicious.

"Wouldn't say no to a drink," she concedes.

[K-Squared]

Hugh may be on the unfaithful side in love, but he isn't out of habit rude and inattentive. He does feel bad about bumping into her. He nods at her suggestion of a drink. There's a nice little place just across the street that serves drinks and hot appetizers, so he suggests it.

[mouse]

Well, score.

"Okay," Diane says. She grins and offers him her arm. She's wearing her battered old trench coat which isn't a thing of beauty these days but whatever. She's no lady. "I'm Diane," she tells him, because if he's buying it's only polite he know who for.

[K-Squared]

"Hugh." He tells her amicably. It seems he's always buying, but sometimes it's better to give then recieve.

[mouse]

It's not like there aren't women with money. But if Hugh wanted one of those he should have gone inside the store.

"My pleasure," Diane says, sounding very much like it is. "I guess I interrupted your shopping, sorry about that." Her smile says 'I'm much more fun than clothes, aren't I?' "Were you looking for anything fabulous?"

[K-Squared]

"Oh, nothing major. A gift for a co-worker. I can shop later." he assures her. If he misses a few girls he can always make it up to them later, make up sex can be fun.

[mouse]

"All right then," Diane says. His answer is acceptable if unexciting.

Outside the mall the cold night air hits her face. She's under dressed for the weather as usual, thick wool tights and a trench don't do much against the cutting wind.

[K-Squared]

"My car isn't far." he tells her.

[mouse]

"When you say just across the street do you actually mean 'just across the street' or is it more of a 'a couple blocks down the way' when a couple is in fact upwards of four? 'Cause I'm all right to cross the street."