Seahorse steps: Wednesday Late Afternoon (after workshops)

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack was stretched out on the grass near the steps, basking in the afternoon heat -- shirtless, of course - he was back in Seawhorse, after all.

Oddly enough, he was also reading a book he'd handwavily picked up after his workshop. It wasn't as battered as Sam's copy, but the cover was the same.

There was a box of J,Gob's savoury muffins near his elbow, which he'd happily share, and a bottle of sunscreen, which he'd more than happily rub on share with anyone who wanted to join him in shirtlessness.

[As open as a thing that it is bounded neither by time nor space!]

Comments

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack may have flinched slightly when he saw who was blocking his sun, but he folded the corner of his page, and sat up. "Hey, Molly. What's up?"

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"What exactly did you say to Cam in class on Monday?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Exactly? I'm not sure I can remember exactly." Jack tried out an innocent smile. "What did he say I said?"

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"He asked me when I'd gotten so close to you," Molly said. "Which, seeing as how we've had one real conversation, I found kind of confusing."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Ahh." Jack looked slightly guilty. "That may be my fault. I never said we were close, though."

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"You implied it on purpose?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"No!" Jack ran a hand through his hair, then sighed. "Maybe. That wasn't my intention, though. Look, will you sit down for a minute? I'll try and explain."

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly dropped her hands to her sides with a sigh and sat down. "Okay, explain please," she said.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Thank you. Apparently Cam and I don't get along, though I'm damned if I remember why. We might have been giving voice to that in class on Monday." Jack hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "He said that everything about me was fake, and it pissed me off."

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly sighed again. "Yeah, I can see how that would make you want to get back at him," she said. "I don't know why exactly he doesn't like you because it happened before I came here, but I think it may have to do with Vala. He doesn't talk about it though so I'm just guessing from what I've overheard."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Parker said something similar." Jack paused, then said, "I wasn't trying to get back at him, not really. All I said was that you didn't think I was a fake. Not because I wanted him to think we had something going on, just because I thought he might take your opinion more seriously than someone else's."

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"Heh. He didn't hit you, so he didn't really believe that there was anything going on, but he gets a bit overprotective of his female friends," Molly said.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I can understand why." Jack smiled. "I'm sorry I brought you into it."

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"It's not that big a deal really," Molly said quietly. "I just wanted to know what you said in case you really did need your ass kicked," she added with a smirk.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Glad to hear I don't," Jack laughed. "But if I did, I'd want you to kick my ass. And if you want me to explain to Cameron that I hardly know you, I will."

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"Nah." Molly looked down and shook her head. "All things considered, it's probably just better to let it drop."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Consider it dropped." Jack touched her on the knee to get her attention. "Thanks for giving me a chance to explain."

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"You're welcome," she said when she looked back up. "Just... please, if you have to antagonize Cam again, don't use me to do it."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"I won't," he said seriously. "You have my word. But that's really not what I was trying to do."

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"Okay," Molly said. "I believe you. I just hope..." she sighed and shook her head. "I hope Cam can quit letting things get to him so much and that your workshop goes better."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Me too. I like Jarod, but I'm pretty sure he'll give us detention if it happens again." Jack plucked a blade of grass, spinning it between his fingers. "Tell you what. I'll do my absolute best not to antagonise him, or fight with him. Think that'll help?"

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"Maybe. A lot depends on him though and there's not a lot I can do about that."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"True. Hopefully it'll work itself out." He hesitated, then said, "He can't be the easiest person to be involved with."

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"Oh, we're back to just being friends," Molly said. "The timing was wrong, so we took a step back." Look, she said that in a completely normal tone of voice. Really.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Jack really wsn't sure what to say to that. "Sorry?"