Fifth Floor Common Room [Wednesday afternoon]

[unburnt-queen.livejournal.com]

It wasn't that Daenerys hadn't been thrilled when the raven had arrived bearing Ser Jorah's acceptance of her invitation to visit this weekend. She was happy, even if none of her bloodriders would be accompanying him -- someone had to stay with what was left of the khalasar, after all.

No, her sudden feeling of dread stemmed from the message she'd retrieved from her voice...thing, once she'd gotten it to work. The Imp had promised to keep his brother away from her, but now she needed to maintain distance between Ser Jorah and not just an easily-lost halfman, but the Kingslayer himself. It was a far less easy task, and Dany was left to fret as to how to manage it.

For now, though, she had taken the dragons out to her common area, tucking her legs up beside her on the couch as the three found places on the floor to entertain themselves. She kept an eye on them -- she really didn't want to have to put out any fires -- but meanwhile took to learning how to operate the large device in the room. She knew it was like a small play on a screen, having seen others use it, but the question of making it work was daunting. After pressing a few of the small protrusions on the box, she managed to make it come to hissing, grainy life. Then there were waving lines, with another press. Then a screen of simple blue.

Dany sat before the television, holding the little black rectangle in her hand, and began to try to read what the different buttons meant. Maybe she was missing something simple.

[ah, ye olde 'figuring out the tv' common room. open like crazy, save me from boredom and Dany from static, pls.]

Comments

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Whoa. Whoa. Whoa," Jack said holding up his hand. "Sorry. Bit of extreme definition there. My bad. It just tends to have a mind of it's own."

Especially when Bruce is around.

"Mostly it just shows bad programming."

[unburnt-queen.livejournal.com]

Daenerys still cast a wary eye at the box, since she was still fairly mystified by it. "What do you mean by bad programming?" she wondered, since she had no idea what that last word meant, anyway.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Um. Okay," Jack said trying to think of a good explanation. "Okay. Ever been to the theater? It's like that in a box with lots of different plays going inside of it at the same time. Oh! And sporting events. And reality tv. And a lot of it is bad."

Jack paused and realized he was pretty bad at this explainey thing.

"They really need to have this in a manual someplace."

[unburnt-queen.livejournal.com]

"I would read it eagerly," Daenerys said with a soft smile. "Thank you. What is this thing called, though? I can't seem to make the...small theatrical productions work, and I'd like to know its proper name for when I begin to swear at it."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Television," Jack answered. "The arrows on the one side is to make it louder and quieter. The arrows on the other changes the channel... Or to different entertainment programs. And the numbers below allow you to go directly to channel like..."

And then Jack rattled off the number for ESPN. His favorite goto channel.

[unburnt-queen.livejournal.com]

"There are that many choices?" Dany asked, eyes going round. "Who controls them all?"

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"I..."

Brief pause for Jack trying to come up with an answer.

"-have no clue," he admitted. "It's just kind of there. And sometimes it's good sometimes it's bad and sometimes you can tear your eyes away from the trainwreck that is humanity."

[unburnt-queen.livejournal.com]

"Why would it be shown if it's so awful?" she wondered. And then answered her own question, recalling her horror at the Dothraki entertainment at her wedding. "Different cultures? Different tastes?"

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Annnnnd sometimes we're just not that smart," Jack admitted. "I once got sucked into a show called the Real World. I... I'm not proud."

[unburnt-queen.livejournal.com]

"...with a name like that, why wouldn't you just watch life around you?" Dany remarked.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Jack paused again. Mostly to reflect on his own intelligence or lack thereof for watching the show.

"Because watching it on TV seemed so much better?" he offered with a catch in his voice.

Yeah, he really has no excuse. He watched it and liked it. And is ashamed.

[unburnt-queen.livejournal.com]

"In case someone else's life was more interesting?" Dany suggested with a little smile.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Well to be fair? It was before I came here," Jack said lamely. "Because back then my life was so less interesting."

[unburnt-queen.livejournal.com]

"I find the opposite," Dany remarked. "I was sent here to recouperate from my overly exciting life. I'm not sure it's proving effective."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Really?" Jack asked incredously, "Your life at home was crazier than your life here?"

And then with complete and utter sincerity:

"I am SO sorry."

[unburnt-queen.livejournal.com]

"It was...well, I have dragons," Dany offered, gesturing to the three on the floor. "They're only the beginning."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Jack, who had been standing in the kitchen the entire time, stepped to the side to see the dragons on the floor.

His jaw dropped. There was some gibberish spilling from his mouth before he said something like:

"That's... who? What? Dragons? ... Seriously?!"

[unburnt-queen.livejournal.com]

"They're only babies," she offered, like that made it better.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Jack flailed. Literally. Then tried to regain his composure.

"Well. That's makes it all... different. Then."

...

"Really?"

[unburnt-queen.livejournal.com]

"Their names are Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion," Dany said, trying not to laugh now. "They're real. Would you like to hold one?"

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Again there was Jack trying to maintain composure because, seriously. Freaking dragons.

"Okay! Sure. Why not," Jack said slowly but cautiously edging towards the dragons. "They won't... I don't know. Eat me?"

Little small for that at the moment, Jack.

[unburnt-queen.livejournal.com]

"They won't even bite," she assured him, plucking Rhaegal off the floor. "Here, he's very gentle," she added, running a finger down the dragon's scales to soothe him before holding it out to Jack.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Jack oh-so-slowly took hold of Rhaegal in a hold that might be somewhere between holding a baby or a puppy. "Hey there," Jack almost cooed. "Good... dragon. Nice dragon."

...

"Holy crap. I'm holding a dragon."

[unburnt-queen.livejournal.com]

Rhaegal chirped in a happy sort of way, keeping still in Jack's arms. "He likes you, I think," Dany offered with a smile.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Jack cracked a grin and tried to give Rhaegal a little neck scritch. "Oh, my. You're pretty adorable. For something scaly."