CALL ME OUT

[bootyhunter]

CALL ME OUT:

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Currently writing Dandy (Space Dandy) / Rex Splode (Invincible) / and Simon Laurent (Infinity Train)

bootyhunter / himbomb / incelligent



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*Note: Sakamoto Tatsuma (Gintama) kaihentai and Asher Millstone (How to Get Away With Murder) moneyballer available on request



Also voicetesting Mike Wazowski (Monsters Inc) googlybear / Eddy (Ed, Edd, n' Eddy) edboy / Reagan Ridley (Inside Job) madcryentist / Abdul Ali (Squid Game) aitbaar / Portia Davenport (Search Party) portialain / Elliot Goss (Search Party) confabulous / Fleabag (Fleabag) feminitwit / Johnny Bravo (Johny Bravo) pretteh / and Joel Hammond (Santa Clarita Diet) screechy

Comments

[bootyhunter]

[Dandy should be dressed to the nines, and in all fairness, he is the sort of man who shaves, showers, and generally makes sure he cleans up nicely before a date... Even if he always shows up in the same outfit, unless instructed otherwise. Today, he's apparently landed two victories: the crew of the Aloha Oe managed to nab their alien of the week, and he's managed some alone time with the elusive Faye Valentine, the only woman in recent memory who's been on the ship (*without turning into a giant, man-eating titty monster)...

And slept over.

This nightclub, located on a planet with a title that loosely translates to "I Love Rock n' Roll" in the native language, is infested with a hoard of leather-clad, flashy musician types. Tonight, Dandy is no exception, donning a messier variation of his usual pompadour, the curl at the front looser in nature, a few curly ends sprawling over his forehead. His eyes are coated in an excess of black face paint and glitter, an essential disguise for catching his recent target unaware. In fact, it was so recent that Dandy didn't even have a chance to freshen up before he got here. His attempt to wash off the inky mask in the restroom failed spectacularly, only making the color ruddier and more smudged.

Dandy has downed more than a few drinks, sent over by god knows who, in nervous anticipation of her arrival. He swirls his current one before taking a swig and slapping a passerby with his freehand, then pointing to a wall at the side of the bar.]

Hey, you! Guy-o boy.

Is that wall actually made of sparkles, or have I just got a buttload of glitter in my eye?

[It's the first! Constructed from sparkly tile.

The random clubgoer simply shoots Dandy a dirty look before shrugging him off. Dandy wobbles and turns away, sighing loudly.]

Geez. Tough crowd.

[He leans against the back of a barstool, watching sweaty bodies move amidst pulsating music and flashing lights.]

...Shit. Why was I here again? Oh, yeah! A date, hot date. 'Cept I had one too many shots of vodka, and, uh- [cue a loud belch] also kind of look like an oil spill. Hmmm.

Maybe she likes 'em greasy. Yeah! Maybe she loves herself a good ol' slippery slide.

[on2 that dick? don't ask me what he is referring to, i don't know]

Or maybe she just ain't comin'.

[bountyhead]

[ in a parallel universe, faye would probably be bailing on the date, let's be real. but this time is different! she's putting the effort in to look the part, to 'dress to the nines' in some aspects.

her dress is nothing elegant or flashy. something a little more simple but sexy. amazingly enough, it manages to cover more than her usual outfit would—only difference is that it could be undone with just one little tug of a string. how flirty! she pins her hair up with a few loose strands framing her face, ditches the headband, and sports a darker red lip to match her dress. in place of the jacket she spewed on during their last encounter, she dons a cheap faux-leather jacket that she bought in tijuana last year. it’s all on purpose; she’s done the research and is trying for that 'musician's girlfriend' look, though it might be giving off more groupie vibes...

faye is hardly ever on time but she’s close by... ten minutes? welp. she's not in any rush when she enters the establishment anyway, greeted by the thrumming music and sea of dancing bodies. she lingers on the outskirts of the crowd at first before pushing her way through, deciding two seconds in that this was not how she was planning to find dandy. in fact, a drink sounds really good about now...

ahead of her is the bar. she eases her way in between writhing bodies to reach it, but just as she's escaping the movement of the crowd, someone's foot catches the heel of her shoe and she stumbles a little, saving herself from an embarrassing fall. heated, she whips her head around and yells WATCH IT! but her voice is deafened by the heavy bass of the song currently playing.

faye brushes herself off with a look of annoyance, not yet realizing that she's happened upon her date until her eyes trail over and she sees that messy pompadour, the messy makeup, the bare chest peaking out of black leather. she almost doesn't recognize him. ]

... Dandy??

[bootyhunter]

[His hand moves before his mind reacts, as is typically the case, catching hold of her arm in a hasty fashion. He wobbles too, the alcohol consumption affecting his balance, but he does his best to sober up and flash Faye a debonair grin, the confidence reading as a lot less phony this time around. Although... Dandy doesn't speak before giving her an obvious once-over, the jackass. She's decked out in an outfit that could be described as Dandy's version of Kryptonite, second only to a teeny-tiny polka dot bikini, and of course, a birthday suit.]

In the flesh! Aaaaand some dead animal skin.

[For some reason, he's neglecting to mention the glitter and eye make-up. That reason is his fragile masculinity.]

Don't sweat the funky-ass fit, baby. I was on a job! If I wanted to make it on time, I had to high-tail it on outta there. And what kinda guy would I be if I kept ya waitin', huh?

[They're close enough so for his voice to still register as faintly audible, despite the loud untz-untz-untzing of the background music.]

You look nice.

[And it's true, she looks gorgeous. He can't help but feel more than a little flattered that she got all dolled up this time around, although he suppresses an uncomfortable thought, a masculine urge, if you will. He's haunted by the image of her dabbing her cheek with one of his towels, her eyes a little puffy from a long night. Lipstick, mascara, it all looks good once it's on, and he'd never object to any form of self care or glamorous presentation that a girl would gravitate naturally towards, but he likes that for a few minutes, there were no walls.

No masks. No pretending.]

You thirsty?

[bountyhead]

[ faye does a lot of tentative staring at first, and he probably notices her eyes dart from his mouth, to his eyes, to his hair, and back again while he speaks. they're close enough but she's compelled to lean even further into his personal space to hear him. for the most part, she's registering what he's saying, even answers his question with: ]

Yeah, some water? And, um, whiskey.

[ but to be fair, she's a little distracted... in a good way! he seems to fit right in which means he knows how to dress the part if the job calls for it. something about that charms her. ]

You look nice too.

[ she manages to add, right before the collective roar of the crowd over the next song threatens to drown out her voice. her attention temporarily deviates to watch the sea of bodies twist and jive before settling on him again. her brows lift and she smiles at him in a jovial, that looks fun kind of way.

it's too loud for lengthy conversation so she tries to keep it short, to be heard without having to scream. ]

Sorry I'm late. Lost track of time.

[ which is the truth! surprisingly. she did actually try to make it on time for once. ]

Hope you weren't waiting long.

[bootyhunter]

Nah! I haven't been here too long. Not yet, anyway.

[He meets her gaze, steeling himself to look confidently into those striking green eyes of hers. The subtle admiration is enough to help him to toss any regrets from their last encounter aside. Thankfully, the slightly reddish hue tinging his cheeks is somewhat obscured by the makeup and flashing lights.]

Ooh.

[i hate that i heard that with ian sinclair's weird OOH reverb in the voice??? u kno with the over-animated mouth/lip movements??? anyway]

You must be really into leather.

[Dandy leans against the bar, raising two fingers and an arm to get the current staff member's attention.]

Hey, bartender!

Can we get a whiskey and a water for the lady? Yeah, that's right, two drinks.

[Dandy is so quick to turn on his heels, you'd think that somebody slapped him. He can't help it. He's too excited to finally have her here.]

Don't worry, Faye.

I know we're here to dance. I just got one question for ya.

[bountyhead]

[ while he's turned away, faye shrugs off her jacket, revealing the tightly wrapped crushed velvet underneath. she drapes it over the bar counter and then proceeds to smooth her hands over her dress, self-soothing going into effect. it isn't nerves—or maybe it is nerves and she wants to convince herself it's not. it's important she has fun. doesn't think too much about anything.

no scamming.

no pretending.

the way he spins back around makes her jump ever so slightly. she's still smiling though! a small, coy little smile. ]

Oh? And what's the question?

[bootyhunter]

[Dandy distracts himself with the sheen of her dress, indulging in the admiration of her curvaceous silhouette for just a moment, not realizing that this is a pattern. That women, not even in the tangible sense, fill an emotional space for him. As ideas, beautiful objects. The girls at Boobies or in magazines are precious things to look at, sort of like jewelry or shiny vases, and certainly aren't the type that drive him crazy.

There is a part of him deep down that wants to be pushed to the brink of madness. He does love adventure, after all.

His perky facade falls momentarily, brow creasing together in time while he hesitates to speak. Dandy loathes the way he knows he'll sound, stupid and needy, not at all like the confident and carefree alien hunter he sees himself as.]

Are we on a real date this time?

[bountyhead]

[ dandy is free to admire—she didn’t dress this way for nothing. something that would answer his question if he knew her a little better. but she's okay to provide some assurance. to be fair, it was faye that claimed it to be a date in the first place.

she gives him a nod and reaches a hand out to touch his arm. not one, but two forms of confirmation for him to absorb. there’s almost a third, where she moves in and purrs in his ear, what do i need to do to convince you? but the bartender interrupts with her drinks and she slips her hand away to grab the glass of whiskey—

—and proceeds to knock the entire thing back effortlessly. she then trades the empty glass for her water and takes a drink of that. doesn’t even smudge her lipstick! what a pro... well, that is, until some of the residual liquid decides to travel down her windpipe and she almost starts violently coughing. she catches herself and turns away quickly, letting out a solid HACK! to clear things out. it's all played down by the loud music so faye is able to achieve a smooth recovery, turning around and daintily swabbing the corners of her mouth with the pad of her thumb.

no, sir, she didn't just almost choke to death! ]

Sorry. Just wanted to catch up.

[ she claims with an embarrassed chuckle-turned-cough. it was meant more to iron out her nerves but seeing as that backfired in her face.... faye's decided that now is the time to dance! the song starts transitioning to something a little more night at the roxbury and she abandons her jacket to move towards the dance floor. she swivels around to look at her dance partner, encouraging him to follow suit with the wag of her finger. ]

You ready to show me what you got?

1/?

[bootyhunter]

[Those two beats of confirmation are enough for Dandy to go by, and definitely more than enough to make him lose to a wave of shame, crashing over and around his psyche. There's been a crack in his devil-may-care attitude, his seemingly relaxed and come-what-may vibe, and he can't say that he enjoys it.

It almost feels as though the rift is larger than that. Like it's dividing the universe, somehow.

That cocky shell of his is ruptured further after he reaches a hand out to stabilize Faye amidst her little eruption, face contorting into a quiet, concerned expression, although he doesn't touch her. His fingers get just close enough before she's upright again.

Damn. Was he moving slowly? Was the everything in his immediate vicinity moving in slow motion, just now? If only for a second?

He decides to ignore the seeming encroachment of impending doom, pointing all too exaggeratedly at the dance floor, and yelling out-]

YEAAAAAH! LET'S DO THIS LIKE-

2/2 LAST jokey tag before steamy things

[bootyhunter]

[Dandy deflates mid-sentence, his chronic bouts of amnesia getting a hold of his consciousness again. He rubs his chin, pondering stupidly. Nearly everything he does is stupid.]

Was it Brutus, or Judas? I've got my money on Boob-us, but I'm not one-hundred percent sure that's the right answer.

Maybe it was Gluteus Maximus! Yeah. That sounds more like it. That's totally the name of a dude who was a G to the Max.

[dandy that's a butt muscle]

But, shoot, weren't they just... Old, dead guys? What the hell do senior citizens know about throwin' a pumpin-ass party? Unless they partied so hard that they died! Which, if so, sheesh.

Talk about depressing.

what about jokey N steamy

[bountyhead]

[ faye stops when dandy stops. thinks, what is this idiot doing—

oh, he's saying something

but

she's staring so hard, and maybe that will magically enhance her hearing? because what the hell is he saying??? ]

WHA... DID YOU SAY DEAD GUYS?

[ sorry, that's all she manages to catch. he's witness to the few scattered and befuddled looks of those dancing behind her but she hasn't a clue. too busy looking at him. deciding at that moment that whatever he's saying is unimportant. marches back over to grab him by the lapels of his jacket and tug him with her towards the dance floor through force. no aggression. she also brings him down to her level so that he can hear her better. ]

I understand if you're a little nervous but I promise not to show off too much.

[ said with a grin, and it looks as though there's a twinkle in her eye when she glances at him. could be many things: the whiskey, the atmosphere, the growth of attraction?? whatever it was, her smile is luminous from it. faye continues to guide them until they're within a space big enough for the both of them. she then releases him and spins around, letting the music find her immediately. her hips sway and the rest of her body moves in tandem, sleek and confident. she watches dandy closely, her grin dissolving into a smirk. ]

Come on! Don't be shy.

[bootyhunter]

[Of course.

She couldn't hear him clearly- A blessing in disguise. Maybe his mouth won't get him in trouble this time.

Night clubs and dive bars are not places for idle chit-chat or intimate conversations. They're merely establishments that create the illusion of getting to know one another, all the flashing lights and loud noises a smokescreen for the empty clamor of drunken flings and bad decisions. He's had his fair share of them in the past, although as always, he can't remember any specifics.

And yet Dandy still sports a befuddled expression after being pulled into closer to Faye's tiny body. Their foreheads almost touch. The air from her mouth and nose ghosts over his features, a spectacular sensation amidst an abundance of unpleasant ones. Rowdy club-goers and a clear lack of personal space don't seem to bother him. He almost loses himself to time and space watching her dance, feeling the very tethers of his essence slip away, slowly disintegrating bit by bit...

Until she speaks to him once more.

At that, he cracks a sly grin.]

Shy? Quit yankin' my shiny chain, Faye!

[Dandy takes her hand, twirling her around and into his grasp. That is, if she'll let him.]

You know that's not the Dandy way!

[bountyhead]

[ they say dancing creates social bonding and a blurring of self. perhaps that's why she likes it. most of the time she's alone when she hits the dance clubs. drinks alone, dances alone, goes home alone. she indulges in that single iota of connection, of shared heat and expression. and then she leaves; every blue moon she leaves with someone. but she's always gone by morning, like some kind of phantom.

well. maybe not always.

she allows her mind to wander and her body to get lost in song. afraid she might overthink if she doesn't do exactly that. when dandy takes her hand, she twirls into his grasp without a fight. the smile on her face is telling: she's enjoying herself. ]

Are you gonna show me more of this "Dandy way"?

[ unintentionally(?) suggestive. her free hand skates up the length of his arm and stops to rest on his shoulder, unreserved. as if they've done this before. she exchanges a flirty look while their bodies align in rhythm, following his lead for the time being. she happens to glance down at their joined hands when realization emerges. ]

Oh, hey, your hand. Looks like it healed up nicely.

[ she brushes fingertips over the scabs of his knuckles just to feel. doesn't look half-bad. although she does feel the need to mention (playfully): ]

You need some lotion though.

[bootyhunter]

[He winces, not from pain but discomfort, when Faye bridges the gap. She has, through no fault of her own, unknowingly opened a gate between a few dozen worlds, only the portal is through Dandy himself. A chasm of emotions has erupted from within him, somewhere between his right and left ear. It hurts, oh, how it aches, throbbing and pulsating in a fashion that resembles an actual headache.

Must've had too much booze. Too much booze and not enough booty. Damn!

Dandy isn't one to ponder his own loneliness very often, as it does not suit him to be uncomfortable. His emotions are sometimes as much of a mystery to himself as they can be to others, and when it comes to the particularly awful sort, he doesn't often engage with them. Faye's hand in his and their bodies jiving in what is apparently three-four time, gets his heart beating in-]

You think?

[A way that makes him feel alive.]

I don't know a whole lot about all of that girly stuff.

[All lies. He absolutely moisturizes, and obsessively, too.

Dandy wonders if Catherine had ever done something of the sort for him. He can't seem to remember.

Then again, she was never that type of girl.]

You might have to show me sometime.

[bountyhead]

Ha! I think you're more well-versed in the stuff than you let on.

[ the hair, the seemingly clear skin, has nice teeth, he smells better than most men she knows, even his fingernails were clean. she's an observant lady but it's not hard to put two and two together. apart from the dry texture of the scabs, the rest of his hand felt notably soft. no callouses on his fingertips.

she goes for another twirl and ends up breaking from his clasp, drawing out a small distance between them. before the crowd could take over, their bodies will find one another like charges in a magnetic field. and that's when her hands find his chest. palm flush against bare skin, and it's just as soft as she thought.

her hands travel lower, and lower, stopping no further than his navel. a case of curiosity. that's all. she watches dandy's face the entire time; the gesture lasting but a few beats, and yet the moment seems to last just long enough for her to soak up every note of surprise that washes over his face. ]

But if it’s a spa day you’re talking about, then count me in.

[ and just like that, her touch lifts, and her entire body drifts out of his orbit, swiveling around and exposing the back-less part of her dress. her limber body sways from left and right, hands smoothing over her hips and back up again. while it might seem like she wants space, it's really more of an invitation—will dandy take it? ]

[bootyhunter]

[It's clear from his hair, body, and perhaps overall physique that Dandy is not what you would consider a working man. In fact, since he spends a good portion of his time hardly working, it's no wonder that he and his two weird little buddies are shit at the their job.

They're dancing and so are her hands, making their way all over his exposed skin, exploring his body and traversing paths that haven't been traveled in years. The physical contact alone earns Faye a shiver. In a sliver of desperation, Dandy laughs, his cheeks going red and his hopeful brown eyes shutting tightly.

He's forgetting that on some days or some nights, he can get pretty ticklish.

What he doesn't know is that it's because of how his pyonium molecules react to certain frequencies. Of light, of sound, and sometimes even fate itself.

This is dangerous.]

Haha...

[He's breathless, sheepish, you name it. This is embarrassing, despite the fact that he's enjoying every second of it.]

I guess you caught me! Guilty aaaas charged, baby.

[Even so, he takes this opportunity to catch up with her and close the gap between them, wrapping his arms around her waist once more. This time, he's going for a full-on embrace, and bends over to press his nose into her shoulder. Oops, he's not quite following the music anymore...

She may or may not notice, especially since they're so damn close, that...

Dandy doesn't have what you would call a heartbeat. Not a human one, anyway.]

And now I've caught you! Whoopsie-daisy.

[bountyhead]

[ faye doesn’t remember the last time she was embraced like this. maybe when she was a little girl... but there’s no real recollection to grasp onto that’s anymore recent than that. so the sensation feels practically new and untried and she’s confused by the fluttering in her stomach when dandy wraps his arms around her. he makes a silly remark and she begins to laugh—was it because of him, or is she just that nervous? now she, too, is no longer dancing with the music. she can’t; her heartbeat is so deafening that for a second she thinks the music has stopped. ]

I guess you did. Does this mean you're turning me in?

[ in her head, her voice sounds muffled, not quite reaching him. she takes a deep breath to calm the building urgency. to pull away, to force distance, to stop. the music then returns to drown out the thumping in her chest and she’s back in the heat of the crowd, in dandy’s arms, and the urge dissipates. now the craving kicks in, constant and always present, making it hard for her to tap out.

... she's fine. this is fine.

his nose presses to her shoulder and she feels herself give a little more, sinking into him until her back is nearly flush with his front, her head tilting to glance at him. she places her hands over his and that's when she starts to dance again, using her body to direct him into motion.

somehow, she finds her voice, and her footing. ]

I was hoping we could dance a little longer before that.

[ and the strength to joke??? idk ]

[bootyhunter]

[He can sense Faye's hesitation, why, she's pressed against him, for goodness sake. Her muscles freeze, stiffening up in a manner that seems so fearful and strange, a strong cry from the pistol-slinging firecracker that she usually is. So this is what she's afraid of.

Dandy is a hopeless romantic at heart, although, it should be stated that there's huge emphasis on the hopeless bit... His own weird-sciencey insides churn with excitement as she leans on him in such a demure manner, and when she shoots him that glance, he tilts his head in response, sporting a lop-sided grin. As much as he drones about the female form, going on and on about curves in all the right places, simply put? This is Dandy's favorite thing. The universe is a lonely place, and while some pockets of it may seem crowded, the truth is that for the most part, it is isolating and terrifying. It gives him so much peace to be there for some of its living, breathing shooting stars when he has he chance to pass them by.]

And share you with a buncha pot-bellied cops? No way!

[She's making light of something awful.

Dandy doesn't remember much, but this is a fact he knows. It stands out to him. In the moment, he tries not to make a big deal of it.]

I guess that makes you my prisoner tonight.

Kinky.

[Dandy chuckles softly, interlacing their fingers together, ebbing and flowing not so much with the music, but instead relying on Faye's gentle lead.]

Have you ever tried warping? To, y'know.

Get out of it.

[bountyhead]

[ no chance it's the alcohol making her face feel warm this time. there's too much light distortion for him to tell how red she was. for that, she's thankful. the timidity in her smile is obvious though. she doesn't even have the graciousness of her hair to hide that away for her. it's okay. she's not completely exposed. this is vulnerability at a manageable level. she could always dip out if it became too much. there will always be that option. ]

It's kinkier if you decide to tie me up.

[ yeah, she said that, she knows exactly what she's implying with that. one of her kinks LET'S BE REAL HERE!! the intertwining of their fingers distracts her for a beat. the affection behind such a gesture, how it triggers the flutters in her belly to grow stronger, threatening to render her weightless lest she keeps herself grounded. couldn't run the risk of doing something she may regret—like letting him really see her. no, that's too dangerous.

faye believes she understands dandy's question. proceeds to answer as such. ]

Warping? Like, warp gates? Sure I have. Best way to travel between planets, and to shake debt collectors off your tail.

[ ... or whoever one might be on the run from! what other warping was there? ]

[bootyhunter]

[At that saucy, flirtatious remark, Dandy maintains his cool demeanor of whimsy, thinking that for the most part, Faye is joking. There's no guarantee that the two of them will get that far, and surprisingly, Dandy couldn't say he's anticipating it either.

This is all good, harmless fun.

Right?]

Maybe I will!

[He's so distracted by the blush he thinks he sees on her face, he almost forgets to answer. She's so rough and tough all the time that it's special to catch a glimpse of that hidden girlishness.

It must be a shame, to have learned to hide it so well.]

They've got gates for that now? Holy shitballs! Or more like, "Holy shit, you're gonna be bald!" Everybody knows warping makes your hair fall out.

Is that why yours is so short?

[bountyhead]

You promise?

[ faye doesn't anticipate anything more than perfectly harmless fun either, but that won't stop her from dipping her toe in to test the waters. contrary to what dandy believes, faye is being genuine in her flirtiness, not that anyone could blame him for thinking she wasn't. is it really much different from her faux-flirtiness? at first glance, maybe second. they share more than a glance at one point, does it show in her eyes? the way her fingers relax and curl into his for the moment? how she presses against him like he's the safest place on this planet?

is it still the same? ]

What? No!

[ in this episode of space "nonsensical" dandy... ]

It's short because I like it that way.

[ faye lets go of his hands suddenly and turns around to face him, encouraging him to keep his arms around her waist as her arms come up to drape over his shoulders. ]

What do you mean your hair falls out... where did you hear that?

[bootyhunter]

I didn't just hear about it, it's somethin' I know! Warping's the ever-lovin' worst, and I hate doin' it.

[Dandy, if he were to think long and hard about it (which, let's be real, when does he ever), should be able to tell the difference. This isn't polite chit-chat at a chain establishment where the waitresses are forced to act a certain way. The girls at Boobies bat their lashes and let clothing straps fall in the hope of earning a decent tip, and Faye is here of her own free will.]

I promise.

[Her arms are around his shoulders, and suddenly everything feels right again. He fingers don't itch with the urge to turn the pages of a titillating magazine, and his energy isn't being devoted to planning for his next goose chase... But perhaps the most surprising thing is that he isn't thinking about Honey, or pink uniforms, or any other girls at all.]

What, are you scared that I'm gonna rat ya out? I may have got big hair, but do you see whiskers on this handsome face? No siree, boob!

[It's no siree... bob... anyway]

It sounds like you've had some pretty bad luck when it comes to guys.

aggressively bows GOMEN!!!!

[bountyhead]

Are you saying my hair looks bad?

[ there’s a subtle glare though she is smirking. ]

I’ve been cutting it for three years now. I’ve nearly perfected it. And I know it looks good, thank you very much.

[ she would never tell anyone about her hair. why she keeps it that length. that same style. never lets it grow longer. never dyes it. maybe change is hard for her like it can be for most. maybe she’s just too lazy to deal with long hair. it’s not unheard of. maybe it’s the one thing that keeps her linked to her past self, so when she looks in a mirror she feels a small connection to that person, to the faye before, and not hopelessly unfettered and temporary.

thankfully, getting the sads wasn't even a blip on her radar, because her radar is just dandy’s whole ass face right now, and her eyes have yet to peel away. this is the closest she's (willingly, not reluctantly) been with someone in a very long time. the first time she's danced with someone in just as long of time. it's uncomfortably intimate in most cases, but this time there's no force. she's here because she wants to be.

a phantom itch brings her hand to his face. she flattens her palm gently across his cheek and glides it down his jaw. ]

Huh. Guess you're right. Very smooth.

[ the itch is gone, and so she lingers just a few beats longer, brushes her thumb near the corner of his mouth only to dip down to trace beneath his bottom lip. all for a feel! her eyes follow the movement until she pulls her hand away and refocuses her gaze on his. ]

I’ve had pretty terrible luck with one guy. I haven't been very active in the dating scene. I just don't care enough to bother. This is probably the first date I'd even call a date. All the others were just—[ ways for you to scam doomed men out of their wallets ]—duds. [ a beat ] Hey, I don't remember you mentioning anything about any past girlfriends. Too painful to talk about, or are you just as unlucky in love as I am?

[bootyhunter]

No.

[He says quickly, although it's sincere.]

No, it's cute.

[Dandy shakes his head, or well, he begins to. His head freezes in place mid-shake, and for a significant amount of time, he's savoring the sensation of her hands on his sweaty face. The alien hunter's eyes follow her finger, acknowledging Faye's gesture with a kind of subtlety he doesn't typically exhibit.

In some ways, they aren't that different. Faye can't remember much about her childhood and neither can Dandy, in part because he never really was a child to begin with. He has no mother nor father, no sisters nor brothers, and while he may appear human, this is the only age he can and will ever be.

For now and forever.]

Yeah, uh.

[Dandy doesn't like to talk about the darker moments of his past, but tonight perhaps the alcohol is to blame-]

She left me for some other guy- Paul.

[The last word is punctuated with a wrinkle of the nose.]

Ugh! See? Ya say the name out loud, and you just know that dude's a dud. "Paul" is a shit name!

[is it]

Well, tch! whatever.

He was pretty one-dimensional anyways.

[bountyhead]

[ she encourages without missing a beat: ]

You know what? Paul is a shit name. It's boring, unsatisfying, and who hasn’t met a Paul before that wasn't one or both?

[ but maybe they don't share a similar revulsion to the name, and maybe faye is just saying that to make him feel better. it doesn't have to be known. ]

For what it’s worth, you're the first person I've known to have a name like yours.

[ a unique albeit bizarre name. it's extremely appropriate for a man like him. ]

Faye, on the other hand, is terribly common. Valentine too.

[ she takes comfort knowing that valentine wasn't her real last name, though that's about the only comfort she takes. she may never regain that memory. and whether she likes it or not, faye valentine was her name now. she shrugs. ]

But hey, her loss, right? She’ll never know another Dandy, let alone one like you.

[ that’s…. suspiciously sweet coming from the likes of faye. and she smiles at him as if to reassure him. to think she's only had one drink?? ]