Monday, April 9, 2012

Chapter 22: The Need for Violence


Because of it's prime location, Heather's house in Topanga Canyon sold for much more than the structure itself was worth, and with Ulises' savings added in, the couple were able to buy a new home in Mar Vista.

"It's perfect," Heather sighs, finally satisfied with the arrangement of chairs and couches.

"I'm glad you're happy," Ulises answers, taking her in his arms. "We've made a pretty big commitment here, sharing a house. I was thinking we should start talking about marriage..."


"It's just a piece of paper," Heather answers, "If the relationship is real, it doesn't need to be validated by the state."

"It's more than just paper, Heather," Ulises, "It comes with rights only the state can grant. If I ever got injured at work..."

"I don't want to think about that."

"But it could happen, and if we aren't married..."

"Are you asking me to marry you?" Heather asks.

"Well, I was getting there," Ulises smiles, "You aren't making it any easier."

"Just go for it," she answers, giving him an encouraging smile, "I won't say no."

"But you don't believe in marriage," he says.

"I believe in you."


"Will you marry me, Heather?" Ulises proposes, dropping to his knee and presenting the ring he'd spent an afternoon choosing.

Her surprise is feigned, but the love is real. "Of course I'll marry you," she says.


Ulises knew that Esparza wouldn't drop things so easily. So he wasn't completely surprised to come home to find the criminal waiting for him in his own driveway.


"I could take you in for trespassing," Ulises warns softly, knowing it's a bluff.

"Easy, cabron, I'm just here to welcome you to the neighborhood. Congratulations, you got a nice house here. Much easier to get to than that place in Topanga."

Esparza leaves quickly, having made his point; they know where he lives.


"I'd feel much better if we got you a gun," Ulises says. Heather had been out at the market with Laurel when Ulises encountered Esparza in their driveway. But if he had had to work late, it could just have easily been her, alone with the criminal.

"You know how I feel about guns. I just don't see the need for violence."

"You were attacked in your own home by a violent criminal," he reminds her, "How can you not want to defend yourself."

"But I'm not growing anymore," Heather says, "What could they want from me now?"

"You defied them," Ulises says. Trying to avoid telling her about about Esparza being on their property; he doesn't want to scare her, "And I beat Aaron Esparza up in a fist fight. They don't forget that kind of slight to their 'honor'."


Her face twists into a grimace, "It's my fault, I've put us all in danger," she cries.

Ulises lays back with her on the bed, holding her, "You didn't know what you were getting into," he soothes, "I want to protect you, but I can't be here all the time. I'd feel better, and you'd be safer, if you learned to shoot a gun.


"I'm here to see Dag," Coby says, coming into the Reaper Tech offics, the game company that Coby is going to license himself to.

"I'll tell Mr. Rosdahl you're here," the receptionist answers.


Moments later, Dag comes out to greet Coby, sitting with him in the reception lounge.

"We're very excited to have your name on this project," Dag says, "My associate will be out in a minute, and we can get the legal stuff out of the way."


"You," Coby exclaims, not at all pleased when Dag's associate joins them.


"Do you have a problem with me, Sheffield?" Rainier asks.


Coby gets up from his chair, ready to call this whole deal off, "Fuck yes, I have a problem with you. You screwed my girlfriend."

"Rainier, back down, now," Dag says, calling his associate to heel, "When are you going to learn to keep it in your pants?"


"If I had known we were going to be working with you, I would not have screwed your girlfriend," Rainier gives the best apology he can muster.

"You're still a dick," Coby says.


"Think what you want about me," Rainier says, "But don't let that ruin our deal. This game will be huge, not just for us, but for you. Your name is already well known in the surfing community; extend that out to gamers at large, and you'll be getting more sponsorships than ever before."

Coby is well aware of the opportunity before him. And he could get by just fine without it. But he made this deal with Dag, and he doesn't want to back out on him, even though the French asshole is part of the package. 

"Great," Dag sighs in relief when Coby announces his intention to go forward, "I'll get Nina to print out the contract for you."


Dag goes over to Nina's desk, leaving Coby alone with his arch-nemesis.

"I have to ask, how do you get her to shut up?" Rainier asks, "She talks all the time. It drives me crazy."

"Dude, I have no advice for you. Except this: hurt her and I will make sure you feel it." Coby isn't one to make threats, he's never been much of a fighter. But for Ti's sake, he would totally take this guy down.


"I have the paperwork ready for you Mr. Sheffield," Nina says.

"Just call me Coby," he says, going to her desk to sign where she tells him. 


"So, listen," he says, "You want to get drinks sometime?" He's going to need more than Hayley to get over Ti, and he needs to get back into his game.

"That would be great," Nina says, smiling flirtatiously, "Call me."


"Why don't we go out somewhere?" Hayley complains as soon as he gets into her apartment.

"I've had a hard day," Coby says, "I really just want to chill for awhile, if that's okay."


Hayley gives in easily enough, and Coby tries to let her distract him.


But he's got so much on his mind, with Heather's upcoming wedding to a cop, Ti and the French guy, the game he's going to be working on, and this Nina chick, he just kind of forgets where he is what he's doing.


"Earth to Coby," Hayley repeats, rolling off him, "Are you even in there?"

"What?" he says, "Oh, sorry, Hayley, I've just got a lot on my mind."

"You know there are guys out there that would kill to be with a girl like me," she points out, bitterly.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Coby says, "I'm not one of them."

"You know what? Fuck you, that's what!" Hayley shouts, "Get out!"

Coby gets his clothes on as fast as he can and heads up to his own apartment. He could, with some effort, patch things up with Hayley. Take her out, compliment her, make promises he knows he won't keep. But when it comes down to it, having Hayley isn't even worth that minimal effort. 

13 comments:

  1. Honestly Heather's life scares me, and I really hope she gets a gun. She and Ulises are the sweetest couple and I really don't want anything bad to happen to them.

    Coby coby coby... *Head -> Desk* I want to call him all sorts of rude things but I won't. Cause I would still tap that even knowing that he's a player. (Dammit Melissa, stop making the cute ones dogs!)

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    1. Heather's life scares me, too, mostly because I went in a different direction with it for this story than I did in the Sims 1 version, so now I have to think about where it's going from here. I have some ideas, I just need to flesh them out before committing.

      Coby, yeah. He's diving head first into the shit. You know, if you can't be with the one you love, fuck everything that moves....

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  2. I was hoping today's sexy time would be between Ulises and Aaron.

    j/k

    Best of luck, Hayley. You made the right choice.

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    1. Unlike most of the other guys in this story, Ulises is actually the faithful type. And I even respect him too much to make his sexy time scenes with Heather as graphic as the others. You won't see him without at least underwear on. It's in his contract.

      As for Hayley, I'm not done abusing her yet.

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  3. Aaaaand I'm caught up. I didn't think I could read it all in one sitting (minus the nap I took lol) - but I did. And I loved every moment of it.

    Anyway, Heather and Ulises are adorable; but I'm honestly frightened about where their story is going. I always tend to hope for the best, but expect the worst when it comes to sim stories. But fuck it - Heather and Ulises FOREVA'.

    I love your references to Reaper Tech and Dream from Sandman (I'm still reading that wonderful, wonderful series). Seriously, it makes me all giddy whenever you do that. <3<3<3

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    1. Yay, I'm surprised you got through it all in one sitting, too. Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.

      I realized that I never gave a name to Rainier's game company in my Sims 1 story, and I was having a hard time coming up with one. Then, I was playing ME3, doiing the Sanctuary mission. Shepard finds a bit of reaper tech and Garrus comments 'Nothing good ever comes from Reaper tech.' and that's how I picked the name.

      The Sandman thing is going to figure prominently in upcoming story lines. I just have to find the right costumes for the movie shooting scenes. I'll also have to reread some of the Sndman stuff to get a feel for it again. Fun!

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  4. I feel bad for Dag. I wouldn't want to be the one having to keep Rainier and Coby apart. Hopefully he knows what he's getting himself into...and hopefully the work will give Coby an outlet other than women for his frustrations...

    Yay, Heather and Ulises! I can't wait to see their wedding. And Coby in his waiter outfit. Hehe.

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    1. It's still not a total day job for Coby. He has to do voice acting and model for that face thing games do, so it's not like he'll have to hang in the office with Rainier everyday, or actually, like, work. I don't think he'd go for that, lol.

      I've totally changed the timelines for this story. In the original, Coby and Ti had their first kiss after Heather's wedding. And I have a lot of better options for formal wear for guys now, so the waiter suit may not make it after all. Though that was funny, and maybe worth bringing back for lulz. I'll have to see how hippified Heather wants her wedding to be this time around.

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    2. Coby do actual work? That would happen the same time Justin ate food he didn't cook himself...lol.

      Well, maybe it won't be a waiter outfit, but I suspect that Coby in anything formal would be pretty funny, since he normally wouldn't wear. I agree though, the formal options are much better for Sims 3, although the powder blue suit scares the living daylights out of me...

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    3. Yeah, Coby working a real job, I just laugh thinking about it.
      That powder blue suit is pretty scary. Too bad it's not the kind of thing Heather would make anyone wear, because that would be funny to see Coby squirming around in that.

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  5. Damn that was really harsh of Coby. I can understand his heart wasn't in it and she was just a booty call but damn. Your characters are all so horribly flawed and it makes this so intriguing to read LOL. I hate and love them at the same time. I want to slap Stina though, that's always. But then I get flip floppy on people like Coby...though I don't want to slap him. I blame Stina for this so she can get his asswhooping.

    I lol'd at Rainier HAHA "How do you get her to shut up?" HALOLOLLOLLLOL hilarious!

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  6. I do like to write flawed types, it makes them more interesting. Coby's behavior after Stina dumps him isn't all that stellar, using other girls just to try to get over her.

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  7. Wow, you just made me hate Coby and I don't hate anyone, well a few people. How mean.

    Coby and Stina deserve each other. I hope they get together soon. And quit this bullshit.

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