[For John]

[robin_sparkles]

Robin had made sure she was looking absolutely rocking and that she had brought it for the date, not even going home to change so much as ducking from the Clinic to the washroom and putting on a thin-strapped red number before heading to the kitchen to meet up with her date. And okay, yes, she was a bit late and it was because she was reading porn with Barney, but come on, who needed to know that.

She sidled into the room, hopping into a pair of sandals and beaming. "Hi, sorry I'm late, had to get ready. We're good? Ready to go?"

Comments

[andsadofeye.livejournal.com]

His suit jacket discarded on the back of a nearby chair, John was making pasta and meatballs, having promised the little blond woman that he would clean up after himself. Her accent had almost reminded him of home.

"We're at our marks," he said, looking over his shoulder at Robin. "Wow. With that dress, you're gonna make me feel under-dressed."

The clothes box had seen fit to give him a vest, which he was wearing with his suit pants from home, a clean white shirt, a black tie.

It was a start.

[robin-sparkles.livejournal.com]

"Well, I have to admit, you're looking pretty good there," she said, pleased to feel that thrill in her stomach, the one she usually got on the first date with an incredibly hot man and John seemed to check all the boxes when it came to having positives. "So do I just sit or are we going to be moving somewhere once your mastery chefery is complete?" she asked warmly.

[andsadofeye.livejournal.com]

"Doing my best," said John, his attention mostly on the pans in front of him as he cooked.

"I figured we could eat here and then see where the night leaves us?" He glanced over his shoulder. "Unless you feel like toting meatballs down to the beach. In which case, be my guest."

[robin-sparkles.livejournal.com]

Robin pushed herself up to her feet, unstrapping the shoes to loosen them slightly as she wandered closer with a relaxed smile on her face. "That works for me. Okay, put me to work. What needs being done?" She could so get a little bit dirty, after all.

[andsadofeye.livejournal.com]

"Don't even think about it," said John, with a little spark of mischief in his eyes. "The most work you're allowed to do is pour the wine. Wine for you. Water for me."

Palm wine was definitely an acquired taste, but it was better than nothing.

[robin-sparkles.livejournal.com]

"Cutting back, never liked, or liked too much?" she asked smoothly, picking up a couple of glasses for them and filling one up with water, purely for him and setting it down at his elbow as she made sure she had some wine available.

[andsadofeye.livejournal.com]

"You got me," said John, managing several pans at once with grace. "Liked it a little too much for anybodies good."

[robin-sparkles.livejournal.com]

Robin had been to a couple of those meetings and not just because she'd scouted them out for other people's problems. Not hers. She just happened on them when they were going on. Plus, there was Lily's shopping thing, which...wow.

"I have a friend who's an addict. Not for a substance, but it's still pretty serious when it comes to consequences," she related, leaning on the counter to watch him.

[andsadofeye.livejournal.com]

"Not the prettiest thing in the world," said John, with a roll of his shoulders. "I've been in A.A for a long time. Does a man good to be aware of this failings."

He grinned at her.

"Fun dinner conversation, huh?"

[robin-sparkles.livejournal.com]

"We're really banging out the serious stuff," she agreed with an awkward laugh, brushing her fingers through her hair and not giving away all of Lily's most personal and intimate issues. "We could talk about shallow stuff? Like you looking incredible?"

[andsadofeye.livejournal.com]

"Flattering the cook will get you everywhere," said John, leaving the pans for a moment to reach out for his glass of water. "And you don't look too shabby yourself, Robin. That's some dress."

[robin-sparkles.livejournal.com]

Robin grinned broadly as she slowly slid into a chair and crossed her legs. "What? This pretty smoking thing?" she teased, tugging on the fabric. "Compliment definitely accepted. Even if I was going for something a bit less slutty, but hey, I guess it works, right?" she added with a grin.

[andsadofeye.livejournal.com]

"Nothing wrong with slutty," said John. He grinned in between sips of water. "Not that you look slutty. You carry it off. It looks good on you."

[robin-sparkles.livejournal.com]

"I'd allow slutty considering the limited lack of apparel choices around here," Robin was quick to promise, just settling and keeping an eye on the door in the event she needed to do any defensive 'no, my hot Dutchman' plays right about then.

[andsadofeye.livejournal.com]

"Believe me. It's far from the worst thing I've seen a woman wearing in my time."

John followed Robin's eye-line to the door and raised an eyebrow.

"Waiting on someone?"

[robin-sparkles.livejournal.com]

"Just kinda paranoid," Robin promised with a broad grin on her lips. "Public place. Anyone could just happen by and start...you know, making comments." Or informing John about her past history as a pop singer.

[andsadofeye.livejournal.com]

"People talk."

John rolled his shoulders in a broad shrug.

"It's one of their faults."

[robin-sparkles.livejournal.com]

"I just don't want them talking about me. Or my faults. I'm pretty sure you're supposed to leave that for like, the third date," Robin smoothly joked, still watching John as she adjusted her dress over her thighs.

[andsadofeye.livejournal.com]

"You've got faults?" John raised an eyebrow, glancing over at her as he moved to set up plates.

"In a dress like that, I don't believe it for a second."

[robin-sparkles.livejournal.com]

"See, now you're just a charmer," Robin said with a grin, her whole face lighting up while she found them cutlery and napkins, maybe lifting her shoulders slightly with pride. "But yes, I have faults. Like I said, third date material if we get there."

[andsadofeye.livejournal.com]

"Third date," said John, nodding, as he started to plate up some food, glancing over at her.

"I'll keep that in mind."

[robin-sparkles.livejournal.com]

Robin glanced down to hide her secretive little smile. "So, what's one of your first date secrets? You know," she idly and casually said. "The stuff you can tell me that's secretly a praising feature even though you phrase it to make it sound damning?"

[goingtodorking.livejournal.com]

Karen knows what she's supposed to do. Barney told her lots of times. The man looks like he's about to say something, but Karen runs through the door before he's got a chance.

"Mommy?"

[robin-sparkles.livejournal.com]

Robin's eyes go wide with a kind of horror and she scoffed at the kid, giving her a discomfited and really wary look. "Uh, no," she replied dubiously. "Try next door, kid." Because she was in the middle of her date and wanted to seal this deal and kids running in would so not help.

[goingtodorking.livejournal.com]

Karen pauses for a moment.

"Yes! You're my mommy! I'm...um..." Karen tries to remember the exact words that Barny told her to say. "Your baby. Future baby!"

[robin-sparkles.livejournal.com]

Robin just stared at the kid warily, a panicky look in John's direction before she scoffed. "Then why are you British?" she asked, ready to argue this out with a child if she had to. "Seeing as I definitely have no kids and no plans for kids, either."

[goingtodorking.livejournal.com]

"Because..." Karen thinks on her feet, bouncing a little on her toes. "You lost me! But! I'm here now!"

[robin-sparkles.livejournal.com]

Robin was so not buying this and she just crossed her arms, giving her a dubious look. "Then what's your last name?" she countered, not really aiming to sound so superior, but she can't exactly help it.