Realistic or Modern The Love Experiment (currently closed)

[lost_girl]

On one of the busiest streets in New York, Amber weaved between people in a frenzy to get wherever they were going. The sidewalks were crowded and loud conversations overlapped each other but Amber was immune to it all. Her headphones were clamped tightly over her ears and instead of the sounds of people going about their day, she heard Lana Del Rey crooning 'Brooklyn Baby'. You could say she was slightly upset. The train that was supposed to take her to where she was supposed to be had stopped running, which meant she had no choice but to walk there. She loved the bustle of New York most of the time, but at crowded times like this, she was glad for her noise-canceling headphones and Lana Del Ray, which made her blissfully unaware of the craziness around her.
Which was probably why she missed the streetlight change and stepped one foot out into the street. But before anything could happen, she was yanked back by her hoodie just as a cab sped by, blaring its horn. She turned to see the person who'd saved her life and caught her breath. They were quite attractive.
"Ummm" It took her a moment to put her thoughts together and catch her breath as she took off her headphones and looked at her savior. "Thanks. I could've died, but I guess I didn't so thanks."
She mentally kicked herself. Come on, Amber get it together. You sound like you're thinking with one singular brain cell.
"I mean, can I get a do-over? I'm Amber. Could I maybe interest you in a coffee to repay you for saving my life?"

 

[Hrainh]

Elliot raises a brow at the girl. They were just trying to enjoy a peaceful, or as peaceful as it could get in New York, walk downtown to take their mind off things. Then, of course, they see this drop-dead gorgeous lady who's about to get hit by a car. So logically, Elliot saves her.

"Ummm" Elliot watches with bated amusement as this person tries to comprehend what just happened. "Thanks. I could've died, but I guess I didn't so thanks."

Elliot has to physically hold back to keep from laughing at the awkward attempt at thanking them.

"I mean, can I get a do-over? I'm Amber. Could I maybe interest you in a coffee to repay you for saving my life?" Well, that was unexpected.

"Amber, huh? I'm Elliot, or just Ellie. And you could absolutely interest me in a cup of coffee, darling."

 

[lost_girl]

Amber's complexion pinked slightly at the word 'darling' for a few seconds before she could get it under control again. She was pleasantly surprised by Elliot (Or Ellie? They'd just met, she wasn't sure if it was too soon to call them by their nickname or not...)'s ready agreement to her offer. She thought, with how her day had been going before with the canceled train, her luck would've run out by now, but getting saved by someone as attractive as them AND getting a date (Was it a date?) out of it was definitely a lot of good luck. Maybe the universe felt bad for her after the train incident?
But now that they were down for coffee, she couldn't just take them somewhere basic like the starbucks down the street. She wasn't sure what it was about them, but something made her want to impress them. That was when the idea dawned on her.
"Okay. Have you heard of Cool Beanz? We'll have to take the subway to get there but it's worth it, I promise."

 

[Hrainh]

Elliot bites back a sly grin at Amber's blush. Who would've thought taking advice from their therapist would lead to a date? (This was totally a date.)

They nod in response to Amber's question. "That place is to die for!" They swoon dramatically. "Who cares how long it takes to get there when you're with a gorgeous woman with the promise of good coffee?"

Elliot grabs Amber's hand, they really couldn't care less about the personal space of others, and runs in the general direction of the subway. Something about this girl made Elliot feel giddy inside. At that moment, running through the crowded streets of New York with Amber attached to their hand, Elliot decided this was not going to be a fling. They would make this work. They had to make this work.

 

[lost_girl]

((Oh my gosh they just met and they're already too sweet together. Giving me diabetes lol. Also wow Ellie has some confidence dang))
Amber couldn't help laughing at Elliot's dramatic swoon and blushing again at being called gorgeous. Gosh dang this person and their sweetly-intended but flustering compliments. Suddenly, Elliot grabbed her hand and Amber found that though it had startled her at first because she wasn't used to openly showing affection, something about the feeling felt right somehow, like her hand was made to fit into theirs. As she practically sprinted to keep up with Elliot, that was the thought that scared her. She was not usually this person. This person that got too attached too fast. For Pete's sake, they'd just met. She loosened her grip on Elliot's hand and fished around in her backpack's pocket for her metrocard as she caught her breath, hoping less contact would help her mind slow down and think again instead of falling blindly head-over-heels for this person she'd just met.
When they were finally on the subway and on their way to Cool Beanz, Amber tried to sit as casually as possible in one of the few free seats, pretending like every nerve ending in her body wasn't trying to convince her to hold Elliot's hand again. To distract herself, she pulled out her notebook and started sketching. It was just random people at first: this lady on her phone, that man telling his kid to be on their best behavior. Then, without realizing it, she'd started to sketch Elliot, with the light glinting off their dark hair and freckles making their already warm smile shine even brighter...She sighed when she realized what she was doing and flipped her notebook shut.
"So before becoming a part-time superhero, what were you doing with your day?" she asked, genuinely curious about what Elliot's plans had been before they'd run into each other.
((Don't ask me why but I think the hopeless romantic x the person who doesn't want to fall but ends up falling harder than they ever thought they could combo is adorable to me. : ) ))

 

[Hrainh]

((They are!! Istg they're going to kill me lmao. Ellie's whole persona is the confident a**hole who has all those securities underneath..))

Elliot turned their attention to Amber, eyes quickly flicking towards the notebook. "Well for starters, I am anything but a hero." The was a dark pause where, for the first time since the two had met, Elliot shifted around awkwardly. "Anyway! I was actually on my way to another coffee shop! Isn't that ironic? I would've taken the bus, but my therapist seems to think I need more fresh air." Elliot looks up at Amber, carefully studying her face. They traced the trail of freckles lining Amber's face and briefly paused to study her lips. "What were you up to, gem?"

 

[lost_girl]

Amber noticed Elliot's (not so discrete) glances at her notebook and decided to stuff it in her backpack for safekeeping. She frowned, confused at Elliot's insistence on not being a hero.
"I may not know what you think it means to be a hero, but I think a hero is a person whose heart is in the right place and genuinely just wants to make people's lives better. Saving my life earlier definitely counts as a point toward you being a hero in my book," she said with a small smile. She could tell by Elliot's pause that they probably had a hard time seeing themself in the kind of light Amber did, but she couldn't understand why when it was so easy to see.
"Sorry, that was a super corny thing to say," she said.
"What. I don't believe you, there's no way. The number of coincidences I've experienced to meet you," Amber marveled. "Well, in any case, it's always fun to meet a fellow caffeine bean addict. And your therapist is right. Buses are overrated. Probably the safer option compared to almost getting run over by a car while walking on the sidewalk, but definitely the more boring option."
Amber couldn't help smiling at Elliot's new addition to the collection of nicknames they'd called her since they'd met. "So now I'm a sparkly rock. Are you just going to keep trying out new nicknames until one sticks?," she teased just as much to avoid the question as to hide the fact that she was turning a slight shade of pink (for, what, the six-millionth time since they'd met?) at the feeling of Elliot's gaze passing over her face.
She quickly looked out the window (too much tension) and noticed the train was slowing.
"I guess this is us."
She reached out her hand reflexively to grab ahold of Elliot's before hesitating and grabbing her backpack instead.
"Ready for the best cup of coffee of your life?"

 

[Hrainh]

Elliot looks away with a downcast gaze as Amber praises their heretics. They had felt so confident about this earlier.. What happened?

When Elliot returned to reality to hear Amber talking about the growing pile of tested nicknames. "-Are you just going to keep trying out new nicknames until one sticks?"

Elliot smiles to themself and mutters under their breath that, "There are not any nicknames I could possibly come up with that would live up to your legacy, love."

At the screech of the train slowing, Elliot, completely oblivious to Amber's hesitance to hold their hand, grabs the one not ahold of the backpack.

"Ready for the best cup of coffee of your life?"

Elliot plasters on their confident smirk, despite previous feelings. "You know it."

 

[lost_girl]

Amber sucked in a quick, startled breath at the sudden pressure of Elliot's hand holding hers but eventually tried to relax and ignore the sparks the touch seemed to be sending up her arm. She noticed Elliot's change in demeanor once more to the confident, smirking version she'd seen more of and decided not to pry too much into their change of mood. Even though she felt the absurd urge to wrap her arms around them and tell them how wonderful they were until they believed it. "Okay, superhero. Let's go then."
As they walked down the street that intersected the one Cool Beanz was situated on, Amber took a deep breath of fresh air. It was just a tad chilly and she shivered for a bit before they pushed open the door to the coffee shop.
The place was all mahogany and dark wood furniture and smelled strongly of fresh coffee beans and sugary syrup. It was also just slightly over-the-top, with several oil paintings of single coffee beans hanging on the wall. Who knew coffee-bean portraiture was a thing? But the music selection was nothing to snub your nose at and the sitting area was littered with bean bags and other comfy places to sit, including a hanging swing chair in the far corner of the shop.
Amber ordered a drink with plenty of caramel syrup and left Elliot with enough cash to pay for the drinks so she could scope out a spot for them to sit. She spotted a cozy-looking beanbag in a corner of the shop and made a bee-line for it. She dropped her backpack on the floor as she sat cross-legged on the soft cushion and settled in with her notebook to sketch for a bit before their drinks were ready. She was close to finishing the sketch she'd started earlier of Elliot when her phone buzzed.
Amber, I got a call saying you missed the meeting. Is everything okay, sweetie? If you need to reschedule I can call the office but you know this is important even if...
Amber sighed and closed the message from her mother. She understood she worried out of love but it was Amber's life, not her mom's. Her phone buzzed again and Amber was about to dismiss another text when she realized it was a New York Times notification. Needing a distraction, she clicked and scrolled through the article. It referenced psychology research by someone named Arthur Aron and was actually kind of interesting, if misguided. The man was chasing something that didn't exist. Relationships were mostly based on lust and then friendship with mutual self-interest for the benefit of society and the next generation. It was an interesting thought though and Amber couldn't help but admire the guy's positivity.

 

[Hrainh]

Elliot watched Amber walk away before turning back to the barista. "I'll just have a latte, please." The barista (Lucy? That's what her nametag said..) nodded and typed something into the register.
"Will that be everything?" With a quick glance at the menu, Elliot decided it wouldn't hurt to try a pastry.
"Two cronuts as well." Lucy popped her gum, which was accompanied by an eye roll.
"Is that all?" Elliot nodded, raising a brow.
"$18.94."
Elliot grumbles and pays before going to wait for the order by the counter.

What were they doing? They had practically just met this woman and were making assumptions about her. What if she didn't like cronuts so they'd have to eat both of them on their own? (Not that they're complaining, cronuts are a godsend.)

"Number six!"

Snapping out of their crazed thoughts, Elliot walked over to grab the drinks, and cronuts, from a second barista (Cindy?)

"Six is the number of love! I wish you luck."

Elliot, who narrowly avoids dropping the drinks, stampers out a quick 'Thank you!' before speed-walking (then remembering to pay, so returning to the front to do that) over to Amber.


Elliot dramatically plops next to Amber. "The employees here are something else!" They pass her the caramel concoction and the bag with the cronuts. "I got a little something extra, hope you don't mind! Anyway...Whatcha reading about?"

 

[lost_girl]

((CRONUTSSSS!!))
"Six is the number of love! I wish you luck."
Amber could barely hold in her laughter at the comment making Elliot stammer. As they dramatically plopped down next to her and proceeded to declare "The employees here are something else!", much to Amber's amusement, she took one of the cronuts with an elated smile. "No way!! They seem to always be out of cronuts when I come here. That's it, I'm only grabbing coffee if you're with me from now on. You're my good luck charm," she smiled at Elliot before taking a bite of the fried sweet. Her eyes fluttered closed in pure bliss as she tasted the fluffy dough and sweet filling.
"...Whatcha reading about?"
Amber's eyes popped open again at the question. "Oh, right. It's this New York Times article about this dude Arthur Aron, a psychology professor at Stony Brook University. Here," she handed her phone to Elliot as she turned her attention to enjoying the cronut. "It's interesting but misguided. Gotta admire the positivity though."

 

[Hrainh]

(CRONUTS!!!!)
Elliot skims through the article. "We should try it! See if it actually works." They smile at Amber as they pass the phone back. "I'm glad you like cronuts! I was a little worried you wouldn't, so that turned out well."

 

[lost_girl]

Amber furrowed her brows, confused. "Wait, you actually think it could work? It's an interesting experiment don't get me wrong, but the man is chasing something that doesn't exist. Relationships are mostly based on physical attraction and then friendship with mutual self-interest for the benefit of society and the next generation. There's really no such thing as love. Friendship and attraction to someone, sure. But not romantic love," she explained before taking a sip of her sugar-loaded drink.

 

[Hrainh]

Elliot whipped their gaze over to Amber. "You don't believe in love?" They exhaled in a silent shock. "Love is the basis of all society! If love isn't real, then why is there marriage? Why would you ever want to have sex with someone you don't love? How would you describe the emotion that you get when you really, really care about somebody? That's love." There was a pause where Elliot furiously sipped at their latte. "Sorry, got went on a bit of a tangent..." Elliot rested their head on their hand, any hopes that this would work derailing with a simple opinion. Don't get them wrong, you can have opinions! Just...they were sure love was real.

 

[lost_girl]

Amber smiled slightly at how invested Elliot was in the concept of love.
"If love isn't real, then why is there marriage? Why would you ever want to have sex with someone you don't love? How would you describe the emotion that you get when you really, really care about somebody? That's love."
"Please. You're just proving my point," she grinned, enjoying this surprisingly philosophical conversation. She couldn't help but think that Elliot's frustrated facial expression was cute.
"Marriage is a mutually beneficial contract, you literally agree to combine your assets. As for sex, people are wired to crave it, no matter who it's with. Endorphins and oxytocin released while you're intimate with someone make sure of that. And there are many other things that actually exist that caring for someone can entail. For example: family, close friends. People just want to believe. Otherwise, they would have to admit that life is just a random series of good and bad things that happen until one day you die," she explained, spreading her arms wide in a gesture that teasingly conveyed "Come at me. I dare you".
"You know what, why not settle this the scientific way. Let's do what you suggested, try the experiment. If it works, you're right and true love exists. If the experiment doesn't work, then you have to agree I'm right. Deal?" she asked, holding out her hand to Elliot to seal the deal.

 

[Hrainh]

"You know what, why not settle this the scientific way. Let's do what you suggested, try the experiment. If it works, you're right and true love exists. If the experiment doesn't work, then you have to agree I'm right. Deal?" After a moment of hesitation, Elliot grabbed Amber's hand with a hubris smirk.

"Deal."

They yanked Amber's phone from her.

"Okay..Question One! Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest? Do you need me to go first, or are you scared I'm right?"

 

[lost_girl]

"Good," Amber grinned teasingly. "Hope you're prepared to lose."
"Hey!" she protested when Elliot stole her phone. But she was excited they were so into the idea. This could be interesting.
"I have nothing to be scared of so I'll go first."
She thought for a minute before deciding. "Hmmm. Yeah, definitely Zendaya Coleman. Who would you want as a guest?"
She hoped Elliot would have to think about their answer for a while as she reached around them to grab a bit of their cronut while they weren't looking.

 

[Hrainh]

Elliot leaned back with a soft smile. "My mom. She died when I was pretty little. Kinda wish I had known her..well, better, at least." They glanced over to Amber, lazily tossing back the phone. "Next question's yours!"

 

[lost_girl]

"Aww. Ok I think your answer was better than mine," Amber conceded reluctantly. It was a sweet answer and she got the urge to ask Elliot more about their mother. But she didn't want to pry, so she just stole a small piece of Elliot's cronut and took a thoughtful bite.
She caught her phone in the hand that wasn't holding the piece of stolen cronut and stuck her tongue out at Ellot as she read the next question. "Butthole. You didn't have to steal my phone," she said in mock anger. She rolled her eyes.
"Okay, question 2. Would you like to be famous and in what way? Let me guess your answer. I think...you'd want to be famous...for...playing the banjo. Kidding. Unless?"

 

[Hrainh]

Elliot shrugged at Amber's statement. "Hey! Zendaya's awesome too!"

"Eh-I guess not. Sorry."

"Um..Well, you were right about the first part, I would like to be famous! Not for playing the banjo, per se, not that I don't it, of course! I..this might sound a little weird..I want to be a bigshot therapist! My own has inspired me a lot, and well-" There was a short pause where Elliot touched their neck. "I have a little experience with these things."

Elliot paused for another second. "I think..hmm..Okay, well, I think you probably wouldn't want to be famous."

 

[lost_girl]

"Dang, I really thought I had you pegged as a famous banjo player," Amber joked. "That doesn't sound weird at all, that sounds really nice. I think it's cool that you want to use your experience to help others," she said with a soft smile. Her eyes followed Elliot's hand on their neck for a second before snapping back to their face.
"Reason number 174 why I think you would make a good superhero: you want to help people. Anyway, how can you think...Well actually, now that I think about it...I think it's a hassle to be famous. You'd constantly have all eyes on you, never a moment to yourself to just live life, you know? So I guess I'd rather just be me."
"We're gonna skip the question about planning out what you're gonna say on the phone because only crazy people don't think before they call someone. Okay so what would constitute a perfect day for you? I guess just any day that I'm happy. Well actually I've always wanted to go on a picnic. I think that would be a pretty good day. What would your perfect day consist of, Elliot?"
She passed her phone back to Elliot as she stole another piece of cronut. Now it was a game of seeing how many pieces she could get away with stealing before Elliot noticed. Her count thus far was three.

 

[Hrainh]

"Okay...That was a lot. What are the other 173 reasons I would make a good superhero?"
Elliot nudged Amber with their shoulder. "Guess I'm crazy then, huh?"

"You've never been on a picnic? Geez, your life is sadder than mine!" Elliot shook their head dramatically.

"My perfect day? I haven't really thought about that much...I guess a fishing trip with my dad would be nice. We used to do those as a family a lot before.."

A drawn-out silence. Elliot clears their throat.

"Question number 5. When was the last time you sang to yourself? To someone else?"

 

[lost_girl]

"Well your heart's in the right place. You like helping others. You're brave. You're optimistic...If I had to list all the reasons we'd be here all day," Amber said with a smile.
She did a double-take at Elliot's nudge. "Wait, you don't? Well then yes, you're crazy. Why would you ever just pick up the phone with no idea of what you're going to say?" she shook her head.
She shrugged at Elliot's surprise that she'd never been on a picnic. "I don't get a lot of chances to explore much." She didn't really want to get into detail.
She got the urge again to ask about their family but held back.
Amber thought for a moment. "Hmm. I guess I was singing yesterday when I was cleaning my apartment. But I don't remember the last time I sang in front of someone else. I don't know, that'd just make me feel weird, self-conscious. Do you sing?"

 

[Hrainh]

"Oh, please, do go on!" Elliot returned Amber's smile.

"I've noticed I tend to overthink things, so improve it is!"

"Wow. I have got to take you on a picnic sometime.." Elliot blew out a breath.

"I'm sure you sing like an angel...huh. Angel." Elliot pauses for a second, a grin spreading across their face. "Yeah! I actually went to karaoke with some friends last week! As to myself? Uh..Does getting a song stuck in my head count?"