callmeemily | (Backdated! Mini post for Joel. Closed.)

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(Backdated! Mini post for Joel. Closed.)

She's sort of early for dinner, and Raleigh knows that, but Genevieve finished her hair and had to go get herself ready, and it wasn't like she was going to just sit there, now was she? Exploring was sort of secondary to just getting out of the freaking room, so she wandered the halls - and she'd done something else.

She was experimenting, because she'd done something else, she'd taken one of the potions she'd carefully kept. Joel thought she'd taken them all, but she'd stopped after the second one; yes, she'd been in a lot of pain, but she'd kept them in case of emergency, she'd kept them unless the pain got to the point she couldn't function... but right now? Right now she'd just decided.

She'd have tonight. She'd have tonight, and so she twirled in the empty hallway, her dress swirling around her, and she truly felt like a princess. The one thing she didn't expect - not at all, not in the slightest -was that she'd turn the corner and nearly run into Joel, who looked...... very, very normal, holding an ice bucket. Clearly, he was skipping dinner. "Hi!" Does she look surprised? Yes. But that was more because she'd nearly taken him out with how fast she'd gone around the corner - she knows that big social events aren't really their things.

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He and Spencer have decided to skip the cocktail dinner, not only because they want to be alone -- although they do -- but because Joel only has one suit and he certainly hadn't thought to bring it on the cruise. He's sure there's probably somewhere on this massive, sprawling ship where he could buy something appropriate, but he can't really afford it and he and Spencer have learned long ago how out of place they feel at gatherings like that. It's not something they enjoy, so they're going to spend the evening in their room, though Joel has been trying to convince that getting drunk and going for a swim is a good idea, too.

For some reason, he doesn't expect Raleigh to come around the corner, especially not as fast as she does and he laughs, shifting the bucket so it's under one arm and reaching out with one hand to steady himself. "Hi," he says. Then, "Wow."

His reaction is... well. Gratifying, and she can't stop the smile that slowly spreads on her face as she looks down at herself. "Pretty cool, huh?" She turns in a circle, not caring that they're standing in the hallway. "It's like I'm a real adult and everything." She laughs at that - she knows that this is far from the norm, about as far from the norm as you can get. "Do you think it looks okay? I mean... like- Like it fits?"

She's a little worried that it's too much, like somebody who wears a slinky cocktail dress to a housewarming party, or like she looks like she's playing dress up instead of actually going to dinner. She'd actually tried on a dress that had a fluffy sort of skirt, and that was the exact problem - she felt like she looked like she was playing dress up, that's why she went with this one, instead.

"You look perfect," he tells her with a smile and he can tell she's nervous. He wonders if there's a man involved, someone taking her to this dinner he thinks he might need to check out at some point. She'd mentioned Jason at one point, just briefly, but he hasn't heard the name brought up since then and assumes Jason has maybe left town. They'd only met once and he'd told Joel he was a drifter, which implies he might not stay anywhere for long.

If she has a date, though, he thinks he'll keep his protective tendencies to himself. At least for tonight.

"You're moving easily, too," he notes. He's been doing research on what he can do to help her, but he's concerned about complications. It's not as easy as giving her a potion or laying his hands on her and healing a cut or a bruise. Either way, he's not ready to bring it up with her just yet.

She huffs out a breath in relief. That's exactly what she'd needed to hear, you look perfect, and she's beaming up at him. He notes how she's moving, and she pauses, hoping he's not mad, or... or thinks she's selfish, for keeping those potions, for holding them back. They've saved her a day or two, when she's overdone it and could barely walk, but this is purely a frivolous thing.

"I... uh. You're to thank for that," she said after a second, and she does look guilty, mostly since she sort of... feels it. "I... uh. Kept a lot of the potions you made - the pink ones? Because- I mean, it hurt, but I could handle it, and I just thought that sometimes it might be worse, and normally I only use it when it's that bad, but... I just wanted to be okay, right now?" The words all come out in a rush, and she's looking at him like she's not sure if he's going to be upset. "I know it's silly," she said after just a second. "I just... wanted to be normal, I don't normally do this sort of thing, I promise I save them for when I can't walk." Which is something she's never told him, although she probably should have.

"It's not silly," he says, shaking his head. "And you don't have to keep them or set them aside. I can make more." They're not difficult at all; in fact, the potions he's given Raleigh, the ones that seem to work so well at killing the pain in her leg, they're some of the simplest he makes. He's crafted them now specifically with her in mind instead of Spencer, like the first time he'd given her, and he'd adjusted the ingredients to her size, adjusted the taste to something he hopes she likes. They're safe, too, not strong enough to cause any adverse effects and he's more than happy to make more for her any time she might need them.

"You don't have to explain it to me," he adds. "They're to stop the pain for whatever reason you might want." He smiles then, shifting the bucket under his arm. "Do you have a date?"

"I just- I know it's work," she says with a shrug, not realising just how simple they were to put together. "I just- I tried not to use them for things that weren't... important, and I mean, this is... This isn't really important, you know? I mean, not for... other people." It was important to her, but maybe that's something she thinks is silly, too. "Anyway," she said when she took a breath, flashing a smile. ".... Thank you. Thank you, a lot." She shrugs, but she definitely means it. She owes him one - or way more than one, but if nothing else, he's made this night... a thing. A possible thing, where she doesn't have to worry. She's got an extra couple in the clutch purse she's got, just in case.

And then he asks if she's got a date, and it's surprising that she blushes so quick and so fast. "What? No, it's not- I mean, it's not a date, but I'm- I'm sort of having dinner with- Coop just sort of asked me - the vet? He just asked- I mean, it didn't make sense to do it alone, right? But we're friends. Just... friends." She babbles that even faster than she'd explained about the potion, and she's bright red, because--

Hell, she doesn't even know why she's bright red, just that she is. "I don't even know why he asked, but it's just- If I hadn't had anyone to go with, I don't think I would have even gone, you know?"

It's hard not to react because while Joel generally likes Coop, he also knows that he has something of a reputation. He flirts with Joel nearly every time they meet and while Joel is sure at least part of that is due to how embarrassed he gets, it worries him a little. Coop is a nice guy, he knows that, and he doesn't seem to ever lie or hide who he is and Joel can appreciate that honesty, but at the same time he worries. It's probably unreasonable, it's not as though he and Raleigh have ever talked about what she wants, if she's even looking for a relationship, but he worries all the same.

"I'm sure you'll have a great time," he settles on saying and it's these moments where he knows he's lucky he kept to himself for so long. Anything he might be worrying about, it's not present in his voice at all, just a genuine wish for her to have a good evening. And he really does want her to have a good time. "You can tell Coop Balto started to eat again. He asked me to keep him updated on her."

Grinning broadly, Raleigh actually nods in agreement, unable to stop the way she plays with the fabric of her skirt, the way she swishes it so that it plays against her legs. "I... That's the goal. I mean, this sort of stuff doesn't happen every day, right?" Smiling up at him, she bounces a bit up to the tips of her toes, tugging her lower lip between her teeth.

"I'll let him know about Balto - that's great, by the way! I'm really glad that she's eating."

She realises just then that he's still holding the ice bucket, and her eyebrows shoot up. "Do you- I mean, this sounds weird, but I think your ice is melting."

Joel glances down at the bucket, almost as if he's forgotten it, but then he smiles and nods and he's glad that she looks happy, that she's going to have a good time. That she's free of pain.

"I should get back," he agrees. "Spencer and I decided to skip it. I didn't exactly bring the appropriate attire." But it's not that either. They want to spend time alone, especially after everything they've been talking, all the things they want to do. "You have an amazing time, okay?"

Raleigh grinned with a nod. "Tell Spencer I said hi," she said, and she just impulsively hugged him, leaning up on her toes. "Thank you. For the stuff you've done," It's broad, but it's genuine, her thanks. "I'll see you later, and you have an amazing night too, okay?" She smiles wider, and she pulls back and just like that, she's gone.

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(Backdated! Mini post for Joel. Closed.)

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