Olympics

[kissmeandstopme]

Brandon had won so far. Mandy had felt bad for that poor French guy. He hadn't known what hit him. And then he'd beaten that fellow with the very pretty flag. And now here he was, up against a British guy. Home turf advantage, as it were, so the girls had just tried to be all the more supportive.

The Englishman was fast for such a big guy, and honestly, Mandy was having a hard time keeping track of who was winning.

Until it was clear that Brandon hadn't. Her heart sank a little for him. Still, Bronze was a lovely medal.

Comments

[olivia_queen]

"We should let B' get ready I guess, we can meet you outside. Mandy knows all the best places around here I swear, she's better than a map!"

[bfg]

"And if not, the rings have the original GPS and all. Going to feel kind of weird, putting it back on." He's kept it with him, but can't wear it under gloves, which have been nigh constant when awake.

"I'll be right out."

[kissmeandstopme]

And Mandy will smile with a "Thank you!" At Liv's remarks, and then wait with her outside."

[olivia_queen]

"Trust me, the rings might be able to guide you to a particular spot, but Mandy knows all the best places to find stuff. I don't think I've shopped this much ever in my life." She had to laugh as shopping was a decidedly unLiv thing to do, but with Mandy it had actually been fun.

She nodded and almost left, turning around for a quick kiss to Brandon's cheek before she hurried out with Mandy to wait for their champion outside.

[bfg]

The intent may have been quick. He's neglected her - even if she's been part of his life, he knows they haven't been able to do much. So when she turns, he kisses her properly - if relatively briefly - then lets her go to wait while he works on finishing the clean up, showering, and getting dressed to meet them.

[kissmeandstopme]

Mandy grins at Liv like a.... well, like a Star Sapphire. "I'd say that was a kick in the hand," she says quietly as they stand waiting. "But really, you two leave it on high all the time, so it's hard to tell anymore."

And then he's out, and she's happy to start leading them to a place with burgers of Moderate Grease.

[olivia_queen]

"Sorry." Liv blushed just a bit and grinned like a fool. She hadn't expected that but..it was so totally worth it.

She was still grinning by the time B' joined them outside and Mandy lead out to their burgerfest. The scent of grilled burgers and french fries greeted them at the door and Liv's stomach had announced itself. She had been keeping herself to most of the same diet Brandon had, out of support. She was just as glad for this night out as he was, well almost anyway.

[bfg]

He knows he'll probably pay for this indulgence a bit, and that he'll need to wean himself down to a more human workout schedule and diet over the next few weeks - but this is totally going to be worth it in general.

"Ok, that smells amazing. Good choice, Mandy."

[kissmeandstopme]

"Thanks." And Mandy will happily dig in... relatively. While she's eaten a good bit with Brandon and Liv and even fixed plenty of hummus, fish, etc., she'd always done much more of the 'everything in moderation' thing, so she had less splurging to do.

[olivia_queen]

Her burger was loaded, stuffed fat with tomatoes, onions, cheese and lettuce. She jumped in with gusto letting a long low groan as she chewed that first bite with a slow savoring.

"Ok this? This is the best burger I have ever had."

[bfg]

Despite his protest, he sticks with just trusting the place isn't too greasy - and otherwise keeps it pretty simple. Two double burgers, cheese, onions, pickles, and condiments. He's had enough lettuce and tomatoes and other salad fixings for a while.

"Yeah." he agrees, after finishing the first huge mouthful. "This is the burger I've been dreaming about for weeks."

[kissmeandstopme]

"Good," Mandy says over her rather veggieful cheeseburger. "You've earned it, both of you."

[olivia_queen]

"All three of us." Liv grinned around a mouthful of burger and a smear of ketchup on her lip.

She laughed and grabbed a napkin to clean up and gave a thoughtful, as much as one could with a face full of hamburger, look to them.

"You know, I think we make a pretty good team. The three of us, I mean."

[bfg]

"I may be the one with the face that'll look like hamburger for a couple weeks... but I'd never have made it near here without both of you. You're damned right we make a good team."

[kissmeandstopme]

Mandy giggled. "Yeah, I guess we do. So... next, you wanna help teach Brandon how to right his name on a chalkboard? If I can do it, he can."

[olivia_queen]

"Not sure how much help I can be, but I'm willing ti try. Maybe it will help me understand how you guys work with the rings."

She was willing to try and overcome that fear, that sense of not being quite as good because she wasn't like them. I might not work, but she felt safe and comfortable with both of them, safe enough to try.

[bfg]

Brandon has always worked better with Liv around. She knows how to direct his focus, making the ring partway hers as far as he's concerned anyway. "Sounds good to me. Let's give it a couple days though. I'm ready to take a bit of a break from work in general."

[kissmeandstopme]

"Oh yes. No rush. Let's take our time. Eat. Movie. And when I do go get that business done, you two should have some long conversations. Seriously Liv, long conversations, or I'm getting out the catalog benefitting disease eradication in Southeast Asia," she mutters, blushing. Yes, that's a bit embarrassing, and totally inappropriate for someone who might have dated Brandon to say to her in front of him, but if Liv could laugh about it, it'd be way better for her and Brandon's relationship in the long term.

[olivia_queen]

"Well we can talk with you...oh. Right. Umm.." Liv cleared her throat and nodded silently. She took a giant bite of her burger to stop her from saying something stupid. Just a nod and the awkwardness of not knowing what she could even say back to that.

[bfg]

Brandon lifts a brow, then shrugs it off. He'll find out, he's sure. Right now, burgers are a good thing, yes.

[kissmeandstopme]

"Cool," Mandy says, with the closest thing to a cruel smile she will ever unleash upon a close friend, and immediately goes back to eating chips. "The whole vinegar thing? Really works for me, I gotta say. The mayonaisse thing, too. There are more valid options for garnishing fried salted potatoes than are dreamt of in American philosophies."

[olivia_queen]

"Still getting used to the chips versus fries thing, sometimes I forget the little cultural differences."

But just what the heck was that look about Mandy? Liv blinked and swallowed and tried not too think too much on it.

[bfg]

"Yeah, call me too-American, or whatever, but after trying the other options here, I think I'll stick with ketchup. I like the fri... chips, whatever though."

[kissmeandstopme]

The look had simply been the assurance that she'd do it, and Liv had better not doubt her. Learn to communicate, or learn to .... well, to do other things. "That you are immutably American is totally not a surprise, Brandon. You're lucky you're not one of the civilized rings, where you'd've had to get used to a whole different planet's food."

[olivia_queen]

"All I have to get used to is dad's chilli." Liv had gotten out of it lucky all things considered. Sure she didn't have the powers they had, but she had friends who did and she had her own talents. So all in all yeah, pretty damned lucky.

She beamed a giant smile, which seemed to come from nowhere, and devoured some fries.