Zero and Peter's Apartment, LA, Monday Evening

[swerval_zero]

So there was a show about models. Normally Zero ignored those, because the stupid hurt her brain and she'd gotten enough of it that one time she'd volunteered to help out at Claude's show, anyway, but this show about models was different. This show about models had someone she knew in it. A former bandmate, even. So Zero was camped out on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn in her lap and Fish perched on one shoulder, cheering Chad on.

She just hoped being around other models didn't somehow leach his brains.

((Open for phone, e-mail, or either person named Parker who is not a blonde))

Comments

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"I need a job," Parker said, coming into the apartment from the mailbox, sorting through flyers and advertisements, then looking up. "What the hell are you watching?"

[swerval_zero]

"Chad's on TV!" Zero said excitedly.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Holy crap. That is Chad." Parker found one envelope addressed, Maureen NoName and started absently opening it as she stared at the screen. "Is this what I think it is? And did that judge just diss his name?"

[swerval_zero]

"They're fashion people. They say stupid things," Zero said dismissively. "Like apparently that girl? Is plus-sized."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"That girl?" Parker said, pointing to the screen. "The one on the right? Are they nuts? She doesn't look like she needs to eat a cheeseburger, but plus-sized?" She blinked at the contents of the envelope. "Hunh. Jarod's sent me a new fake ID."

[swerval_zero]

"They all need to eat a cheeseburger. According to Claude 'plus-sized' is depressing modelspeakese for 'has breasts.'" Zero gestured at the TV screen. "Case in point."

Awk, case in point, case in point. Are you my mummy?

Zero held a piece of popcorn up for Fish to nibble and said to Parker, "Swerval. C'n I see?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Claude's a genius at more than clothes," Parker said absently, shaking her head at what she saw on-screen. "Christ, by their standards, I'd have to be at ulcer-weight to get work..." She shuddered as Fish asked his perennial question. "He never stops creeping me out with that."

She handed over the ID, which had her face (and a not-terrible picture) on a California Driver's License, with the name "Parker Weston" on it. The attached note said:

There's a girl who looks a lot like you in the SAG database. Easy to fake the documents from that, but don't go to New York for a while, okay?

[swerval_zero]

"Well, there you go," Zero said as she gave Fish a skritch behind his crest. "You're not in New York."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Or in London, where the paid impostor is." Parker cocked her head. "This might work out well. And now I can be an over-educated barista somewhere in the L.A. area," she said grimly. "Or something else--oh, for crying out loud," she said at the screen. "His name is a joke. About tea. How stupid are you?"

Chad's expression seemed to be asking the same thing.

[swerval_zero]

Zero raised her hand and said, "Uh, I missed the joke about tea."

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

After work, patrol, and a swing session back to the roof of their building, Peter made his way down the stairs to the apartment. "Hello, dear. You too, Zero."

Ah, humor.

[swerval_zero]

"I knew you loved Fish more," Zero said, sounding completely unfazed. "Look look Chad's on TV!"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Sado looks like 'tea' in Japanese characters, and 'cha' is tea, so, his name in Japanese is Tea-o Tea. Like he said, it's just a name, not an attempt to become American. They're trying to find hooks and significance where none exist." Parker glared at the judge. "If this weren't filming in New York, someone would be getting a talking-to on the subway."

[swerval_zero]

"Well that's just stupid," Zero said. "Did I ever tell you I was a model once for about five minutes? Also, French."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Is this a Fandom thing? And I missed it? Are there photos?" Parker frowned, feeling deprived.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Fish was pining," Parker told him, eyes still on the television, mostly in disbelief. "How's saving the world going today?"

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"You just can't argue with that kind of plumage," Peter said. "Why is Chad on TV?"

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"Not too well," Peter said. "The world's too big. Saving the kitten from the tree was very good today, though."

[swerval_zero]

"Pre-Fandom. But it's in my film school app movie, so you could watch that," Zero offered. "The DVD's in the case for House of Paraffin because like I actually own that."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"I'm all for that," Parker said soberly. "Kittens from trees. Rabbits from drainages. Dolphins from... whatever. Though that's outside your jurisdiction, I suppose." She tilted her head, and said, "Do you ever get discouraged? Or is it always reward enough that the kitten's happy?"

[swerval_zero]

"He's tryin' to be Ameri-- So you wanna--" Zero held up one finger and said, "Wait, I'll get it." She slowly enunciated, "So You Want to be the Nation's Next Top Model. I think. Chad, not Fish." Fish preened.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker snorted. "When this show is over, I'm so pulling that out. Was Claude to blame for that?" She shook her head as a huge catfight started on-screen. "Okay, Chad has way more class than these two idiots. He better win." She gave the show a meditative look. "I could come up with something better than this. This is just promotional success, that's it. People tune in hoping for a disaster."

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"Why would I be discouraged?" Peter asked. "The cat's safe, a little girl is happy, I got to hang around in a tree for a couple minutes, and I couldn't find anyone else who needed help even though I searched for a few hours. That's a great day."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker considered that, then admitted, "It does sound like a good day. But if I were doing the caped vigilante thing, I'd be pissed off every day I didn't bring down a major crime ring. But that's why you don't have an ulcer, I guess." She pointed at the screen. "On the other hand, I could be these poor people. Aside from Chad, who is still awesome."

[swerval_zero]

"No, Rat," Zero said with a shake of her head. Then she reconsidered and said, "Okay, some skinheads. And Rat. Oh squalling squall, they can't fight for balls. Pullin' hair has its place but this is sad. But then there's Chad, so, clearly they have some taste."