Of All The Gin Joints...

[GameMaker†]

((Private, as its happening in Mike's car...))

You've got this new head filled up with smoke
I've got my veins all tangled close
To the jukebox bars you frequent
The safest place to hide
A long night spent with your most obvious weaknesses
You start shaking at the thought
You are everything I want
'Cause you are everything I'm not

Taking Back Sunday was fucking amazing. Mike grabbed the volume knob on his car radio, and turned it up. He wanted to blast that shit. There were cars speeding past him- he was on the highway, going to downtown St. Paul.

Small Chinese store there. They'd sell to almost anyone, provided you had an ID. Any ID. Fake or real, it didn't quite matter. You could get beer, liquor, even some wine there. And right now, Mike was going to be buying a lot.

Mike drove a Ford Expedition- nice big comfortable car, fine for just one and fine for bringing a lot of people with you. There was only two people in it right now, though. Him, and Riley. She was a good friend to have... always willing to help him out, always willing to be there for him. And fantastic in bed, if Mike did say so himself.

Mike looked over at Riley and smiled. She was like him, in a lot of ways- kind. Outgoing. Independent. And of course, both of them were fun people. If anyone could make him laugh, it was her.

"Riley, don't get carried away by the song." Mike said, grinning mischievously at her. He winked. "I love you, Riley- but I don't love you." Mike stuck his tongue out at Riley, and started laughing. She really was fun to be around.

[DetectiveArcher†]

Lounging in the passenger seat, Riley sang with the stereo. A great song by a great band. Mike always did have good taste in music. Strawberry strands danced as the wind whipped through the window and Riley's hair. Passing headlights lit up the car as the two students made their way across St. Paul, music and laughter spilling from the car. The night was turning out better than expected.

Mike had been volunteered for a booze run. Being the helpful, close friend (who happened to want to have her pick of the drinks), Riley decided to tag along for the ride. Looking over at her companion, Riley felt a smile pull at her lips. She liked spending time with Mike. He was a fun guy, could make her smile, and didn't really care about the shit that most people got hung up on.

He made some quip about her singing, before sticking his tongue out at her. She chuckled, smiling as she raised her middle finger. "You don't love me? Sir, you wound me! Of course, you seem to forget that I was to one to grace you with my presence. You could be making this trip all alone, without my songbird's voice. You should thank your stars you've got me, Mike Jeffries." They shared a laugh as the song changed. That was part of the fun with hanging with Mike. Whatever was said could be brushed off and everything would still be ok. The thought was comforting.

"So, what's the score? How much have you got to spend and what's your poison? Of course, you're picking up this tab." Flicking her hair, she grinned. "I'm just here to look good. One of us has to."

[GameMaker†]

Hehe... Ah, Riley gives it just as well as she takes it. Mike kept one hand on the wheel, and with the other he reached into his pocket. He felt his cell phone, his iPod- ah, there it was. A large wad of bills- mostly 20s and 10s, but there were a few 5s. It was folded, of course. Mike always kept that kind of stuff organized.

"Riley, here's what I've got to spend." he said, handing it to her. "Should be about a hundred-eighty right there. My poison- flask of Jack. I'd offer some to you, but I know you'd want a more... womanly drink."

He laughed, and she laughed with him. "Plus, it would all go straight to your thighs. If you're here to look good, we want you to stay looking good. God knows I couldn't take over that role- not with my ugly mug."

As Mike took the exit off of the highway, he looked over at Riley and smiled. He was watching the light of the cars dance off of her hair. That was the one thing that has always fascinated him about her, even when both of them were just kids- her colorful, vibrant red hair. It was the perfect hair for someone like Riley.

"Seriously, though, could you count that? Just make sure all the money's there that should be- I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on getting drunk." said Mike. "We all know the morals of America's youth are going to hell, and if I can do anything to make it go a little quicker, I'm going to go right ahead and do it."

He laughed. "Especially if I can make a few bucks off of it."

[DetectiveArcher†]

Snatching the wad of bills quickly, Riley flashed a quick grin. Thumbing through the wad of cash she counted in her head. Mumbling aloud as she flipped each individual bill back, she tallied up $180. Oh, yes, plenty for what they were looking for, with extra for the trouble. Her smile quickly disappeared as Mike mentioned his preference of drink.

Wrinkling her freckled nose, Riley stuck out her tongue as she laughed with Mike. Allowing her giggles to subside, she launched into the rehearsed argument they both knew so well. "Oh, gross. I don't get you. 'It's a man's drink.' Sure is, but it doesn't stop it from tasting like piss strained through a gym sock. And, just because Baileys is delicious doesn't make it 'womanly.' The fact that I drink it does."

Waving off Mike's warning of the liquor "going to her thighs," she ran a hand down her midsection. "Oh please," she began, her voice going to that huskey place that carried a tangible sex appeal, "like anything could ever ruin this work of art. Our image is safe, for now and always. Until we get fucking sick of each other, at least." Waiting a moment, she bubbled with laughter as she playfully punched Mike's shoulder.

At her partner's request, the redhead flicked through the stack of bills. "Yeah, yeah, I got it. It's all here. So, our Bonnie and Clyde life of crime shall continue as planned," she said with a grin, "but let's be honest. America's youth? With morals? The very idea is laughable. Very few of us are at all moral. Like me, of course."

"Watch, as I take the moral high ground, to look down on my peers," she declared loudly, striking a super heroic pose as best she could in her seat. "And yes. Extra cash is always a blessing." The drive was quiet for a short time, filled with guitar and drums. Watching the headlights pass in brilliant rivers, Riley let her thoughts wander. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she voiced her question aloud, not turning away from the passing flashes of light and steel.

"You going to prom with anyone?"

[GameMaker†]

Mike smiled as he heard Riley get into her little rant about alcohol. 'Piss strained through a gym sock'? Oh, please. The stuff she drank was basically ice cream with a little bit of alcohol poured over the top. Jack's, on the other hand- when you drank it, you know you were drinking alcohol.

Riley hit Mike playfully, and Mike let out an exaggerated cry of pain in response. It was their own way of fooling around with each other. Fooling around as in joking around, Mike meant. Not... well, Mike didn't need to go into the details.

"You going to prom with anyone?" Shoot... this conversation took a pretty sharp turn pretty fast. Mike looked over at Riley, and studied the look she was giving her. Her smile was gone, and her bright green eyes gazed up into Mike's pale blues. The look somehow managed to make Riley look both intimidating and vulnerable at the same time.

Mike took the exit that would take him to the liquor store, looking around at the scenery. It made him uneasy. There was the construction site that seemed to have never gotten any farther along in whatever it was building, and broken bottles on the streets- one of them with an accompanying man next to it. And then, Mike looked back to Riley. Her face was warm, inviting, and fun. But most of all, it was beautiful.

"You know, Riley." Mike said, turning the radio off. "I was thinking about it. The problem, though, is there's no one I can find who can match me. Nobody as funny as me, as attractive as me, as athletic as me- I mean, when you're as awesome of a guy as me, it's hard to find someone who's your equal." Mike smiled a goofy grin at Riley.

"I guess, with those circumstances in mind- you might just have to do." And, in a spur of the moment thought, Mike leaned over and kissed Riley. It was short, but not chaste. Mike didn't know why he did it... it just felt right. "Or, in other words- Riley Flynn, do you want to go to prom with me?"

[DetectiveArcher†]

Mike didn't say anything. Breaking away from her gaze, he indicated as he slipped off the highway and onto the backstreets. Leaving the intermittent streaks of headlights behind, the Expedition lit and dimmed as it passed beneath the streetlamps that dotted the slightly unsavory neighborhood. Looking out at the miserable, grubby streets, filled with miserable, grubby people, Riley fought down the urge to flip the switch that would slam home the car's locks. Turning away from the scenery, she set her eyes back on her companion.

The radio switched off as Mike's attention returned to her. He ran off at the mouth, just like usual. The mock superiority he put on display with such gusto broke her stern exterior. He always could make her smile, the big oaf. "I guess, with those circumstances in mind- you might just have to do," he concluded.

Her grin twisting to become a smirk, she readied a scathing retort. The sudden pressure against her lips stopped the remark dead in its tracks. It wasn't like most of their other kisses. It wasn't delivered with lust fueling its fire or as a simple display of affection. This was something different. It just felt...right.

"Or, in other words-" Mike began, as he ended the kiss, "Riley Flynn, do you want to go to prom with me?" Her heart crashed deafeningly in her ears. She'd expected him to ask her to go; it was the whole reason she'd brought the point up at all. She just hadn't expected...that. Heat flushed her cheeks, caught off guard by the sudden tenderness. Seconds ticked by as she struggled to spit out something, anything, to recover from the shock and not look like a total dumbstruck cow.

Turning away, she crossed her arms, hoping the affronted facade held. "Oh, so you think you're worthy of me, do you?" Nonchalantly flicking her wrist, she adopted the overly cocky tone she reserved for her playful jabs. "High aspirations, I must say. Of course, I can't turn down a request like that can I? It would just be...too mean."

Flashing a deviously attractive smile, she reached out to place her hand on his. "Yeah, I'll go with you. Assuming I can put up with you for that long."

[GameMaker†]

She's too cute... Mike smiled as he watched Riley's reaction to his question. First it was utter surprise, her mouth gaping wide in an expression usually reserved for Sunday morning cartoons. Then she blushed, closing her mouth and looking away from Mike. Mike felt the seconds tick by, but he was happy to just sit there smiling.

When Riley turned back to him, Mike saw that she had composed herself enough to put on another face of mock arrogance. He had expected something like that- it was part of what made her so fun. Her response was quick, and to someone who didn't know Riley too well, they would have thought it was the same voice she had used for her former remarks. But Mike knew Riley very well, and he could detect the nervousness and happiness underneath that voice. "Oh, so you think you're worthy of me, do you?"

Mike put his eyes back on the road, his smile turning to a smirk as he pulled into the liquor store parking lot. "High aspirations, I must say. Of course, I can't turn down a request like that can I? It would just be...too mean." Mike parked the car, and turned back to Riley, waiting for her to finish up her rant act.

"Yeah, I'll go with you. Assuming I can put up with you for that long." Mike's smile became a full grin, and he felt Riley's soft hand rest on top of his. Mike gently grasped her hand, and with his free hand he brushed her hair out of her face.

"Riley, you just made me the happiest man alive!" Mike kissed Riley, and this time, he let his passion flow into it. He wanted to remember this moment for a long while; the two of them in the car, both as happy as could be and without a care in the world. For then, Mike could care less about whether they were boyfriend and girlfriend, friends with benefits, just friends, whatever. Because in that moment, they were neither. They were just one very happy boy and one very happy young girl.

"Though... I might be happier once I get my liquor." Mike broke the kiss, grabbing the money off of Riley's seat. He gave Riley a quick smile, then opened the door and began to step out. "We can save the rest for later."

((Mike Jeffries continued in Requiem for Lost Sanctuary - in E-minor))

[DetectiveArcher†]

"Riley, you just made me the happiest man alive!" The kiss was a surprise that set Riley on edge. A moment later, the tension flooded from her body as she pressed forward, returning the display of affection in kind. She was happy, far happier than she thought she would be. After all, Mike had to say yes, didn't he?

The two of them had known each other for so long, had learned to tolerate from each other what they never would from others. They weren't in love -oh God, no- but it was something special. Something more than the casual sex between friends that had started the change in their relationship. Of course it didn't hurt matters that the sex was really good.

Mike broke the kiss, allowing Riley to take in a deep breath. She beamed contentedly at the boy next to her. "I'm glad you're so enthusiastic. It makes going with you that much more bearable." With a stifled giggle, she leaned close to him once more and planted a quick peck on the lips. Looking at her hand resting on top his his, she felt herself beginning to flush with excitement.

The door to the truck opened and the hand disappeared. "Though," Mike said as he hopped out of the car, "I might be happier once I get my liquor. We can save the rest for later." Clearing her throat and composing herself once more, Riley popped open her own door, joining Mike in the parking lot. "So, let's get this done. People won't be stumbling over themselves and puking in shrubbery if we don't do our jobs."

[DetectiveArcher†]

((Double post to free up Riley for use))

The romantic portion of the trip over and done with, the rest of the excursion was all business. A quick flash of Mike's fake ID, followed by pulling bills from the gathered wad of cash and an annoying trip with three full bags of liquor to the car and the two were on their way.

((Riley Flynn continued in We've Got Spirit, Yes We Do))