Shopping Trip

Log Title: Shopping Trip

Characters: Marissa, Spike

Location: California/Nevada - North America

Date: November 09, 2012

Summary: Marissa and Spike run into town for supplies.

As logged by Marissa - Friday, November 09, 2012, 12:37 AM

California/Nevada - North America
She wears a tight black T-shirt with blue jeans tucked into black suede no-shine safety boots. Her military discipline gives her a no-nonsense attitude temped with optimistic, positive outlook on life. After Sparkplug moved in, Marissa is getting settled. Spike took the liberty of driving her out to the nearest grocery store that has a decent shot of having everything - as well as a Costco - both about 70 miles from Autobot City. Marissa's riding shotgun in Spike's pickup. Spike gets out and stretches. "As you can see - list-making is pretty critical - since you're looking at a 140-mile round-trip." Marissa climbs out of the truck, stretching as well. "I like your taste in music," she says, referring to Spike's playlist on the way. She nods as Spike's advice. "I can understand why the Autobots would want to build their base so far from human settlement, but it's not exactly convenient for us, is it?" Spike grins, "Thanks." He walks inside the vast store. "Obviously, you know what you're doing - but honestly - I just start at the beginning every day. What do you do - what do you use. One time I forgot toothpaste. We all needed it - so that was another 140 miles." Marissa says, "Oh, geez. You should really stock up on that stuff, and not wait 'til you're out. Storage space doesn't really seem to be a concern in the City, right?" Marissa has her smartphone out and is examining a list she has on it. Spike grins. "It's not that easy. It's more about remembering the details that typically make up your day and making sure you have your bases covered." Spike shakes his head. "No - space isn't a problem." He adds "By the way, feel free to bring your roommate or your family around - the Autobots actually encourage that!" Marissa says, "You should make a permanent list of everything your family needs and uses, and then reference that list before you leave, in case there's something you forgot to add - maybe mark it as things get low." Marissa pauses. "From the Academy? That would be interesting. I think she had a crush on me." Spike blinks, "Oh?" He adds "Was that awkward at all?" Marissa considers. "You know, I think I had that problem at the old academy as well. Not really... neither Mel nor Kelly were disrespectful about it. I don't know if Mel even realized it. We were pretty young." Spike grins and says casually "For what it's worth, I think my dad was sort of worried my brother was gay." He adds "Incessantly hung around my mom, showed little to no interest in sports or mechanics ... lots of therapy." Marissa says, "This is... Buster?" Spike nods. "Yup." Marissa nods. "Ah, stereotypical gender roles..." Spike picks up a cube of diapers. He grins, "You gotta understand, my dad was raised in the most inflexible gender-identity home you could imagine." Marissa says, "Well, it was a different time. I wasn't saying anything against your family." Spike shrugs. "Yeah - I guess." He looks at Marissa, "So, in your mind - shower, breakfast, recreational stuff - you got that covered?" Spike continues to walk down the aisles with Marissa. "Not telling you how to shop, obviously, but I usually think of every trip as I'm shopping for a disaster. NOTHING's happening now - but, you know - just in case Metroplex shuts down, locking you inside, a Decepticon assault - that kind of thing." Spike nods. "I definitely will take your advice though - I tend to not obsessively plan - but I need to change that." Marissa nods. "Well, you don't have to obsessively plan -- I mostly just mean making a master list once, so you don't have to go through it from scratch every week." Spike forces a smile, NOT liking how Marissa is pretty much ordering him around - he knows what it's like to live in AC! Still, in the spirit of diplomacy... "Understood. Anyway - not that it's a big deal, but Buster is the furthest thing from gay. He's been dating the same girl for...almost 20 years if you can believe it." Marissa flashes Spike a winning smile. "You've been married for a while, too, right?" Spike gets some basic shampoo for himself and that hipster 'Aveda' for Daniel. Spike nods. "Yup - since '93." He adds "Woah - sorry, '92 - Daniel was born in '93." Marissa chuckles. "I won't tell Carly. You Witwickys are a loyal bunch." Spike says, "Thanks!" He grins at Marissa, "So... you got this down pretty good! Again - I was just thinking everyone would be vulnerable to forget that "ONE" thing you use every day, but I guess I'm wrong - " Marissa grins. "I'm pretty organized. I'm trained to be ready to be packed and moved out at a moment's notice, so I keep pretty close track of my supplies." Spike picks up some garbage bags and paper towels. "Have you had to do that a lot? Leave at a moment's notice?" Marissa grins. "Eh, not really. Only during specific training missions. Mostly I just lived in a dorm." Spike reaches the checkout counter. The total comes to "$78.42". Spike summons a debit card and talk to Marissa as the routine checkout is completed. "Anything that you'd like changed in your living quarters?" Marissa says, "Eh, I'm pretty easy to please, but I'm sure I'll decorate eventually. The metal walls make me think of being on a ship, which is really where I thought I'd wind up anyway." Spike loads the haul in a grocery cart and wheels it to his pickup. "Yeah - again, Prime and the design crew REALLY tried to make Autobot City look, function and 'feel' like a human city." Marissa buys $200 worth of supplies, and wheels her own cart out as well. "Pretty good for a bunch of alien robots. Did you and your Dad have a hand in that?" Spike grins shyly "Kind of..." Marissa says, "I thought I saw some kind of picture of you at the construction site, with a hard hat, giving a thumbs up. Am I right?" She grins teasingly as she loads the truck. Spike blinks, thinking where the hell that photo was taken, "Uh...yeah." He studies Marissa "Where did you... " He shakes his head. "Never mind." Marissa says, "Some news article, I think. It's probably on your Wikipedia page." She climbs into the truck. Spike nods and frowns slightly "Oh yeah..." He looks at Marissa, "You know - the more you're involved with the 'bots, you probably are going to get your own page - and even a following." Marissa makes a face. "That's not good -- I hadn't really thought of that. My parents have top-secret jobs... it caused enough problems the few times Dad wound up on the news. Spike says, "Well - I can see if Crosscut and Blaster can shield you - but I guarantee - you WILL have a crisis that will force you out in the public, much as you'd prefer not to." Marissa nods. "I'll have to discuss it with my parents. I mean, it's not that Cobra doesn't know who they are at this point, but every time their names are released publicly, or family becomes a fresh target. It's probably good that we don't have a lot of family, although I do worry about my little brother DJ." She frowns a moment, thinking. Spike blinks and a conflicted look comes across his face as he merges onto the Interstate. "Again - we'll try like hell to protect you - but - it's probably something you need to think about." Marissa says, "Well, I'm not really worried about my well-being. I don't think even Cobra would be stupid enough to attack me in GiantRobotVille. You think... if my residence works out well..." She sighs, suddenly unusually hesitant. Spike blinks and looks at Marissa, "..yes?" Spike looks back on the road. Marissa says, "Ah, maybe my brother can come stay with me? He might get along with your kid..." Spike nods slowly. "Sure! How old is he? Daniel loves skateboard, video games, science and some comics."" Marissa says, "He's 10. Uh.. I don't really know what he's into. How old is your kid? Older than he looks, right?" She seems embarrassed to admit she barely knows her little brother. Spike wouldn't know what that's like. Spike grins. "Yup - He SHOULD be 19, but because of an...anomole, he's like 14." Marissa says, "Oh, geez, really? That's like, wow. Yeah. I went through something like that, but in reverse. I guess he'd be too old to hang out with my brother, then. Maybe that's not the best idea, then." Spike sees the sun set and is absolutely starving. He looks at Marissa and stammers slightly "Uh... look - we got about... an hour-and-a-half drive. Would you like...maybe... want...to.." Marissa says, "Grab food? That sounds like an EXCELLENT idea." Spike grins, "Yeah! I mean...just grab a bite - " Marissa says, "Sure. I had cereal for lunch, since I didn't get shopping 'til now. Sit down, or drive-thru? You're the one driving." Spike says, "As for hanging out - don't worry - Daniel has been helping babysit Megan. He'll love interacting with someone who can actually speak in full sentences." He shrugs. "I dunno - sit down...maybe." He adds "If that's cool! I mean - we don't' have to - if you have stuff do to." Marissa looks at Spike oddly. "Uh, we've shared meals together before, Spike. It's cool. I'm not going to think you're going to buy me dinner and want me to put out or anything." Marissa is, ah, direct. Spike doesn't gauge Marissa's look. He then coughs at Marissa's direct handling. "No! No! Hell no! Fuck no!" He grins, "So...maybe this Korean restaurant up ahead?" Marissa laughs merrily, with the lilting tone of her mom. Spike frowns as he pulls into the parking lot. "Jesus Christ, you ARE direct - "he says in a teasing tone. Marissa says, "I didn't get where I am today by beating around the bush." Marissa is her father's daughter after all. True that. Marissa hops out, and holds the door for Spike. Spike grins to Marissa. So cool talking to another member of the blue collar universe. The rest of the eve, Spike and Marissa will probably bullshit - and eat Korean. But in about 2 weeks, both will never want to look at a tentacle again.
 * Marissa