First floor lobby: early Friday morning

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Barefoot, Jack trotted down the stairs, shoes and socks in one hand, feeling strangely energetic for this hour of the morning. He was going to go for a run, figuring the cold and occasional smattering of rain would be excellent motivation to move quickly.

He flopped onto one of the couches to pull on his shoes. After several minutes he was still sitting there.

The couches were awfully comfortable -- maybe he could just stay here.

[ooc: Jack's primarily here for Parker, but post is open!]

Comments

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker had already been outside, feeling virtuous (slightly) for finally having gotten the Teal Dear posters up. So she grinned when she saw Jack. "Hey, Jack O' Hearts. You're looking ready to run. Kind of."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Looking? Yes. Feeling like it?" He grinned up at her and waved a lazy hand at the couch. "Not so much now. What are you doing awake this early? Up to something fun?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Posters for Teal Dear. Brace yourself, contest winner. You are going with us to La La's Voo Doo Lounge in Wheeling, West Virginia, next week." She grinned and took the spot next to him, curling up to get warm, rubbing her hands on her face. "And tonight's appearance at Caritas is the last for this semester."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"I'd forgotten about that. Me and three people, on the road with Teal Deer. In Dave." He snickered as he put an arm around her and rubbed her back. "You need to me to do roadie duties tonight?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"That would be much appreciated," Parker said, smiling back. "Since it's our last show here. And Nadia's got a broken wing, so a little more help would be good." She leaned into his hand, and purred a little, looking happy.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"In that case I solemnly swear I'll be there. Word of honour." Grinning at her reaction, he kept up the rubbing. "You're in a good mood this morning - I take it the trip went well?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Very successful." Parker tilted her head. "No problems. We'll see how useful it was after there's been some analysis." She smirked. "Plus, I got to scare the life out of Ben while I was at his Inn. Always fun." She stretched out her neck. "And I managed to avoid any difficulties with the guy my father was trying to set me up with. All worked out."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Excellent, excellent. When I didn't hear from you, I figured you were okay," he explained, shifting his hand to her neck, digging fingers and thumb lightly into the muscles of her neck. "What about things working out with guys you set

yourself

up with?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"I left you the message about Gun Club," Parker pointed out, but then added, "And I should've been more specific. Sorry." Her eyes drifted shut, then snapped open about his question about her dating. "Um. Hmm. Well.... fifty-fifty?" She rolled her eyes. "I just had my second date with Booth last night."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"I got it, it wasn't a problem. I can take it whenever you want. And I meant hear from you about the reason for the trip." Jack gave her a little shake, then smoothed his thumb down her spine. "And how did your date with Mr Booth go? He still in one piece?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

She bit her lip, leaning back into his hands, and said, "Reconnaisance, really. And to prove to myself that I could do it." She looked down at her hands. "I wasn't sure I had the nerve." Parker snorted. "And he's still in one piece, just mildly bruised. Idiot," she added, her tone affectionate but very exasperated.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack nodded as she spoke, understanding perfectly the need to prove something to yourself, then snickered. "Oh this I have to hear," he said. "Share, Parker." His hand paused, slipped down to settle unmoving in the small of her back. "Full disclosure, or I'll stop."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Rolling her eyes, Parker gave him a pout, and said with some derision, "Awww. C'mon. Aren't I hot enough that you'd just do this for me anyway?"

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

Blair had gotten up for Yoga and found he couldn't concentrate. Which led to wandering which led to finding Jack on a couch.

"Hey, man."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack had been staring out the doors, trying to decide if he really wanted to go for a run, so he hadn't noticed Blair. "Hey. You're up early."

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. Yoga." Blair looked at Jack for a moment. "You kissed River?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack raised an eyebrow at the unexpected directness. "She asked if she could kiss me. I said yes," he said mildly.

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"You were respectful, right?" Blair asked and then shook his head. "Never mind, it's you. Of course you were. Sorry."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Since Jack had been expecting at least mildly angry words, the compliment left him staring at Blair for a moment. "Don't worry about it. Look, Blair," he ran a hand through his hair, "she told me why she wanted to kiss me. You kissed some guy whose name I can't remember."

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I did. Sorta on accident, but yeah." Blair shook his head. "I don't really understand River kissing you."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"You don't kiss people by accident." Jack pulled himself straighter, studying Blair. "What don't you get?" he asked, then waved a hand at the couch, smiling slightly. "Sit down, will you? I promise not to kiss you. Or let you kiss me."

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"Wasn't really worried about that, man." Blair smiled and took a seat next to Jack.

"I was just hugging Jude and then it felt...I don't know...different than a hug and then we kissed. I didn't plan on it or mean to. I didn't even know that I liked guys or anything!" Blair shook his head. "I apologized to River and explained to her and I don't really get why if she was upset with me kissing someone she went out and kissed someone too."

"Or why she stole my fish."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack muttered something that sounded like quaint little categories and shook his head. "Guys, girls, it doesn't matter. It's the person. And that's not an accident, it's just...unplanned."

Laughing under his breath at the fish-stealing, he propped his head on his hand. "You hurt her. She stole your fish. Makes perfect sense - it was something you couldn't control that would have an emotional impact on you. Probably all she could think of right then."

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"Alright, that explains the fish stealing." Blair said, although his tone was still displaying a 'not really' vibe. "Not so much with the kissing of you though."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"This is just speculation," he warned, but he was confident he had it right. "I think mostly? She wanted to see if kissing someone else changed her feelings for you. There might have been a bit of wanting to get back at you, maybe, but you hurt her. And you confused her." Jack leaned forward. "So she did what she could to make it stop."