L.A. Duet

"I did notice. Ever been? Don't tell the Colonel, but I think they do his fried chicken better over here than back home. And I didn't know that about Japanese Christmas, but I'm pretty sure they've got the right idea; fried foods are the best. I should show you this tempura place a friend of mine and I found a while back. Food of the gods."

Amy was a little disappointed that Drake dead ended so quickly, but she was not disheartened. Her quest for authentic Mexican cuisine in Japan continued. But her disappointment melted away with Drake's offer. She craned her neck and fanned herself with a hand. "My word. First flowers, now burgers? You really know how to sweep a girl off her feet." Then she stopped and grinned. Did she want anything other than Mexican now that the thought was stuck in her mind? "Thanks, Drake. That's actually really sweet, and I appreciate it. I'm not feeling anything right now, so rain check?" Amy thought a bit. "Like, maybe when you come back to visit me again in a couple of days, you could bring me a thing of yogurt."

"Have I ever been to KFC?," asks Drake with that same skeptical look cast on her. "I'm not an alien or anything. Of course I have! But not since coming here. I sort've thought it'd be weird." His head tilts, a few stray wisps of those obsidian bangs trailing further over his right eye. "It's better? Blasphemy. That's all the reason I need to beat ya senseless in the ring. For the Colonel."

He turns in a decidedly dramatic manner.

"We go way back."

...

He turns to her again with a goofy smile. "Raincheck. Yogurt. And if I'm not mistaken, you have a thing for the pudding-alternative. Favorite food, maybe?" The smile spreads. "Aaand it sounds like you wanna see me again. Even before we square off. I'm flattered. And I'm glad I came to see ya. This has been... nice."

Amy could do drama. She narrowed her eyes, and her voice fell to a regretful growl. "I'm sorry our friendship had to end like this, but it doesn't sound like we're ever going to see eye to eye. The Colonel killed my father in cold, deep-fried, battered blood, and I'm not going to let an ally of his get away unpunished." Then, once Drake was back to his goofy self, she reverted too, matching his expression and normalizing her voice. "I'm a pretty big fan of the froyo, you got me. And yeah, totally, this was fun. Thanks for stopping by." She gestured wildly behind her. "And thanks for the flowers! And shit, thanks for the wrestling tips, they were super helpful. Text me before you come back, yeah?"

"Or! I might come back just to see how you look when you're all frumpy," Drake teases. He glances past her to the flowers, then again to her face with a smile. "You've got a nice smile. It's my pleasure to bring it out." He reaches down to her to tap a knuckle gently under her chin.

"A couple days, then. Get well soon, okay?"

He steps back, and unless interrupted, takes his leave of the room.

What an unexpected way to spend the day.

"Psh, please, I'm pure sex all the time." But her hands pulled lightly at her ponytail. She'd have to get Nathan to bring her some of her clothes.

Domino's tap to her chin set off another smile. After all of his sweet talk, how could it not? "Thanks, Skip. See you around."

She watched Drake leave before falling back against her pillows. After a moment, she groaned and pulled herself back upright. "I've got an email to write."