puppy love } { of first dates and future diplomats

[hereditare]

Parrish: [yup, and he is picking her up, dressed not like a deputy but a hot 22 year old]

Laura: [and she is dressed up herself, wearing a sundress and a leather jacket over the spaghetti straps. she slips out the door and makes her way down to his car] Right on time.

Parrish: That's me, Mr. Prompt. [and he will hold open the car door for her] You look beautiful.

Laura: Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself. [as she slides into the seat and gets comfortable]

Parrish: So, I promised you a good meal.

Laura: You promised me nachos.

Parrish: Nachos counts as a meal.

Laura: So long as there are nachos, then your promise is fulfilled.

Parrish: Alright. [and he will be taking them to this hole in the wall Mexican place that's halfway between the Hills and LA]

Laura: [which she has never been to before, looking around curiously as she makes her way in] It smells good in here.

Parrish: Wait until you taste is. I discovered this place as I was moving here.

Laura: Where did you move here from?

Parrish: Ojai.

Laura: Nice place. Why Beacon Hills?

Parrish: There was an opening on the force.

Laura: I'm sure there's openings on a lot of forces.

Parrish: Yeah, but it keeps me close to the coast. I like to surf on occasion.

Laura: Okay. [and she slides into the booth they're drawn too] Fair enough.

Parrish: So what are you studying?

Laura: Psychology. Clinical mostly.

Parrish: So head shrinking for fun or profit?

Laura: Hopefully for profit. Not messing with meds though, just behavior therapy.

Parrish: Think you can do your senior project on Stiles?

Laura: What's wrong with Stiles?

Parrish: Way too hyper for his own good.

Laura: He's not that bad. He's just a curious kid with a lot of energy to burn.

Parrish: Yeah who likes to go through my files.

Laura: He wants to learn. Be like his dad.

Parrish: Which is commendable, but he can be less of a pain.

Laura: He'll grow out of it.

Parrish: Hope so.

Laura: He will. And I think he'll surprise you. But from my estimation, for a teenage boy he's perfectly healthy.

Parrish: So what does your training say then about me?

Laura: Not sure. We haven't spent much time together yet.

Parrish: Well, if this day ends well, perhaps I can set up a standing weekly appointment?

Laura: [she tips her head to the side] Well, sadly I'm not going to be back and forth as much now that basketball season's over. But if this goes well, maybe this summer?

Parrish: I could be tempted to meet you halfway on the weekends.

Laura: Let's see how good these nachos are first.

Parrish: [and wouldn't you know, here they are now. covered in everything that was a nacho staple from farm fresh ingredients]

Laura: [she smiles as she looks things over, before starting to dig in] So tell me more about you.

Parrish: Well, I was in the Army before I entered law enforcement. Demolitions. Did two tours over in Afghanistan, Came home, went into the academy and when i came out there wasn't any good positions opened locally so I applied to join the force here.

Laura: What about pre-army? Any family?

Parrish: [licks his lips, then shakes his head] No family.

Laura: [her face softens] I'm sorry.

Parrish: [nods] I don't talk about it much. There was a fire one night. I was the only one who made it through.

Laura: That sounds awful. It must have been rough.

Parrish: It was, but I'm here, sitting and having nachos with a beautiful woman. Can't really say I'm in a bad place now, can I?

Laura: [her head ducks a bit as she smiles and she shakes her head] No, I guess not.

Parrish: So, let's eat.

Laura: [and they do, and do a fair amount of chatting and flirting as they go]

Parrish: [oh yeah, a lot of flirting and chatting, and nachos will turn into dessert and walking through this small town]

Laura: [and she will chat with the locals about stuff because she's a nerd]

Parrish: [and he will enjoy listening to her, licking his ice cream]

Laura: [and she will return to his side at one point and raise her eyebrows] What?

Parrish: You really like talking to people.

Laura: I like learning stuff.

Parrish: I can see that. You look really happy learning about people.

Laura: People interest me. And my mom's been teaching me to be a diplomat since I was a kid.

Parrish: Well, she's done a good job. You’re good at it.

Laura: [she nods] She's grooming me to be the next matriarch.

Parrish: Wow. That’s got to be a lot of pressure.

Laura: [she gives a small shrug] Hopefully I won't have to do it for a very long time.

Parrish: I hope so. [he does, since he knows that feeling]

Laura: My mom's really good at it though. She's a good person to learn from.

Parrish: I guess I'll have to meet her then.

Laura: Oh, you probably will, if you're going to be sticking around Beacon Hills.

Parrish: I was hoping more because I would be seeing you again.

Laura: I think that's a little fast for meeting the parents.

Parrish: I can wave as I pick you up?

Laura: That is an invitation for trouble.

Parrish: How so?

Laura: Because then she'll come over and say hi.

Parrish: I can say hello.

Laura: And then she'll sneakily interrogate you while my uncle glowers from the front porch.

Parrish: That sounds like a third date thing.

Laura: [she nods] She might even insist you come in for a cup of tea.