A Break In The Choas, (Derek & Larka :))

[brooklynn maria audino]

It had been a very long day. Brooklynn was making her way through the mall with Tristan, her nanny/assistant Angela, and the rest of the people of Brisbane. It was after all a busy Saturday. at the Hampshire Mall. Weaving her way through the crowds was not an easy feat, but she managed okay. Luckily Angela was right behind her and followed the trail that she was making. Tristian thankfully had fallen asleep in his stroller, and was oblivious to it all.

As time ticked away Brooklynn became hungry. She figured that Angela was as well so she found a sign that pointed in the direction of the food court. She sighed with relief. Her arms were becoming a bit tired. Flipping her long brown hair behind her shoulder she geared up for finding an empty table. Angela scouted the area and soon found them a table. Brooklynn followed her and parked her wheelchair as Angela made room for them all.

Peering down at her sleeping son, Brooklynn carefully adjusted his head so that his neck was not at an odd angle. He looked like an angel, and it brought a smile to Brooklynn's face. He was the most important thing in her life, and she loved him more than he would ever know. Lightly she stroked his cheek and watched as he puckered his lips. Suppressing a giggle Brooklynn left her son alone so he could finish his nap.

Pulling herself and Tristan closer to the table she scanned the crowds. Brooklynn couldn't believe the amount of people that had crowed their way into this space. As her stomach growled Angela returned from the bathroom. Brooklynn told her what she wanted to eat, and Anglea headed off to get their lunch. Moments later she returned.

"Why don't you take Tristan home and I'll be their soon. There's enought money on that card for a taxi ride. I don't want him to wake up here."

Angela agreed and ate her lunch. While Brooklynn ate she pondered her next move. There were a few things she still needed to buy for Tristan's room, and some other finishing touches for the house itself as well. She didn't want him to have to be dragged around for the second half of the day. He was already getting cranky before he fell asleep.

After finishing their lunches Brooklynn kissed Tristan on the head. He continued to sleep, and Brooklynn smiled at Angela and headed out of the food court and back into the lanes of people traffic.

[derek leisure bliss]

Shopping. The most irritating of all chores. And somehow this was seen as a pleasurable past time for women. And they were all around him. Even in the men's section. I mean, really? Did men not buy their own clothes anymore? Derek glanced at a woman that held up a large pair of jeans. Then another scuttling through the clearance rack. He was lost in all this. Clothes....frivolous things. It would be easier if people accepted one another's nakedness. Then this whole shopping ritual could be ignored.

And all he wanted was a tie...just a bloody tie. If it were his choice, he'd take the first one he grabbed. But the first one he touched was a wacky rabbit one. Not something a businessman should wear. It was extremely awkward though to rummage through a rack of ties when his fingertips grazed a female's hand every so often. I mean, women were even going through the tie section. He dare not shop for briefs or boxers. Was it just a wife thing? That they became motherly and decided to buy all clothing for their men? Or was it them trying to be controlling? A chill ran down his spine. How lovely. He was surrounded by controlling women.

Bliss took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling slowly. Just calm down. He picked two ties. One red with a diagonal stripe pattern and then another that was navy blue with some sort of diamond pattern in them. He blinked, nothing thinking that any of them looked particularly welcoming. Perhaps he should ask one of the women? He peered through the rack, and saw a hefty bust that made him blink twice. Nevermind...

Plus he had already deemed all the women in the men's section as control-freaks. Perhaps he should ask a man. But...you don't ask men about clothes. That sends you in the feminine section. He brandished a smirk, clutching the two ties, and peering through the crowd outside. Perhaps one of those women would know the answer.

"Excuse me," he started, speaking a young brunnete. Oblivious to the two wheels she was on. But fixated on his task. Which tie? "I'm having trouble choosing a tie," he added, meeting her gaze momentarily before letting it shift somewhere else. Oddly embarrassed about the question. How unmasculine. "And the finals of randomness have selected these two. Think either one is alright?" he inquired, letting his gaze snap back to her. Brow lifted.

All malls could go to hell...and their bloody ties too.

[brooklynn maria audino]

Brooklynn was on a one woman mission to get what she needed and get out of this god forsaken mall. She truly despised shopping, but she had to get the few things she had left on her list. Making her way to the clothing store she had spotted was a bit more than she bargained for, but she finally entered and headed in the direction of the toddler section. The store was full of shoppers, mostly women running here or there holding up various items for sale. Brooklynn sighed. This was just not her cup of tea.

Passing through the men's section she went around the corner. A man stepped out into the aisle blocking her way. He held ties in each hand. She looked up at him and took him in. He was an attractive guy, who appeared to be clean cut. Brooklynn slowed her wheelchair to a stop as he addressed her.

"Excuse me,. which tie?" "I'm having trouble choosing a tie," and the finals of randomness have selected these two. Think either one is alright?"

Brooklynn scrutinized each that he held up before making her way over to the tie display. He appeared to have an olive complexion, and with his blue-green eyes, those two would not do. Running her fingers delicately over each one until one caught her eye she stopped slipped it out of the pile and held it up. It was creamy silk,. with swirls of blue and green running around it. Turning to face him again.

Those two are all wrong for you. This one matches your eyes perfectly, so I would go with it.

Smiling Brooklynn held out the tie she had selected in her hands to the man. This little experience reminded her of something she had once did with Bobby. Inside her mood became sad, but her outward facial expression never faltered. Brooklynn had become good at putting on a mask to shield how she was really feeling.

[jayden tiberius fletcher]

He needed a tie. At least that’s the impression he had gotten from the Christmas ball. Somehow the bowtie just hadn’t worked out, but that was mostly because he didn’t have a clue how to tie the damn thing. Maybe he’d be able to find a few tolerable clip-on ties. At least he’d be able to get the damn things on then. Clip-ons were acceptable for a co-owner of a casino, weren’t they? Like who in their right mind would be checking out his tie anyways. No one worth his time for sure. He’d prefer to go without a tie anyways, but apparently professionalism hinged on having a useless string of fabric hanging from your neck. Still, at least it wasn’t a dinky bowtie. Damn suits. The thought made him smile a bit and he turned down the aisle for the men’s wear. He weaved easily between the mess of female shoppers, while offering a charming smile when he happened to catch the eye of anyone. It struck him an amusing that he would stumble across Bliss in this chaos. But then chaos seemed to be Bliss’s element so he shouldn’t have been too surprised. Silently Jay surveyed the stacks of ties, his expression overwhelmed as he tried to distinguish the clip-on ties from the regular ones. How did anyone shop in this mess? Then he noticed Bliss’s good fortune of having a woman’s council. He grinned impishly and approached the pair. “Excuse me, you seem to have an eye for fashion. Perhaps you could help me as well, madame?” He stood to Bliss’s right, casting him a playful smirk before looking back at the woman who might come to his rescue.

[brooklynn maria audino]

There she sat, holding the tie she had picked out. Her focus was on the man, and she had let everything that was going on around her fall to the wayside. She wondered what occasion the tie was needed for. If the man had a wife, or girlfriend that he was dressing up for, or was it just for work purposes. Thoughts flowed through her mind as she waited to see what he thought of her selection.

“Excuse me, you seem to have an eye for fashion. Perhaps you could help me as well, madame?”

Brooklynn's green eyes flicked over to where the new voice had come from. Looking up at the man she gave him a quizzical look. Did she have a sign painted on the back of her wheelchair that said here to help? Truthfully she didn't mind, but she was ready to go h0me after being at the mall most of the day. Brooklynn nearly snapped at the man, but thought better of it and kept herself in check. Instead she nodded and looked the man over. He had deepset brown eyes, brown hair, and tan skin. This should be interesting.

Laying the first gentleman's tie in her lap she turned once again to face the tie display. She took just as much time as she did with the first one, and finally settled on one she thought would look the best on him. The tie was a unique shade of blue silk with squares of equal size covering it. The squares were lined in blue and outlined in brown, and the very center of each square was a tiny golden fleur de lis. Brooklynn ran her fingers over the tie and felt the detail of each square with her fingertips. She turned once again to face both of them now and manuvered herself so that she was directly in front of both of them.

So boys what do you think?

Brooklynn's eyes went for one to the other as she now held both ties up for each one of them to inspect. Her mind wandered as she looked past the gentleman and caught a glimpse of the toddler boys section just ahead of them. She hadn't even started her own shopping yet, but this was holding her attention for now.

[derek leisure bliss]

Twitch.

The sound of Jay's voice finding his ear sent a thrill of annoyance through his body. It took quite abit of his restraint not to slam a fist into his companion. Not that Jay would know why. But that didn't really matter. The alarming siren of jealousy echoed within the confines of his mind, but on the surface a hearty chuckle was given. "Oh, we are a lovely pair of unskilled men," he teased, letting his gaze wander back toward the woman. A wink given.

"Ah Grazie, bella." he murmured, as he crouched, running the thin fabric between his fingers. Now how was he suppose to know that this creamy silk would match his features? The blue and green to compliment his oceanic hues. Women...perhaps they just had these kind of eyes. Because the other ties looked just as appealing on his body. It was even odder that most women knew how to tie ties. While a man would fumble through a woman's attire. Even if they seemingly gained skill when the clothing fell into the lusts of passion.

Bah.

So boys what do you think?

Twitch.

Boy? Perhaps everything was irritating him. But the title of an adolescent barely matched a man near thirty. And then the woman glanced past them both, and he followed her gaze. Toward the....toddler section? He gulped. So this woman either had a child or was looking to make one. A calmed smirk fell over his features. Brow lifted in a challenge.

"Oh did we intrude on your shopping expedition?" he inquired, laying the tie across his shoulder. Not feeling the rush to escape this situation. Even if he had to avoid Jay's glance, and clothing. The odd thought of Jay's clothing fitting another woman insanely irritated him, and he banished the image from his mind. "We'll have to make it up to you," he added offhandedly, swift movements made so that he was behind the woman. Gingerly wrapping his fingers around the wheelchair's handles.

"Mind if I?

[brooklynn maria audino]

Of all things to happen to Brooklynn on that day she did not think that she would find herself before two rather handsome men holding up ties for each. She had planned on making a few more quick stops before heading home to her family. Even with all of her planning and checklists nothing had went the way she had intended it too.

"Ah Grazie, bella."

Siete benvenuto, signore.

Brooklynn responded. Looking at the man who now crouched before her as he fingered her selection prior to placing it on his shoulder. He looked at her now with a curious expression before following her gaze to the toddler section. Brooklynn quickly looked away, and caught another glimpse of the now silent man that had also requested her help. Brooklynn wondered what he was thinking, but was unable to ask him because out of no where the first gentleman was beht down in fonrt of her her asking if they had interrupted her shopping expedition.

No, not really. I hadn't really gotten a chance to get started when you stopped me.

"We'll have to make it up to you,"

Raising her eyebrows, Brooklynn's mind swirled with thoughts of just what he meant by making it up to her. Before she could ask he was behind her asking if it was okay for him to push her. She rarely let people do that, and she thought first of telling him no that she was perfectly capable of doing it herself, but instead she looked up at him as he now stood behind her.

I mind, but for you I'll make an exception. Go right ahead.