InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "PAUSE"

Jack Heart (i_chasehearts) wrote in we_coexist,
@ 2011-08-30 20:37:00

Entry tags:

jack heart, winifred burkle

I'm late, I'm late for a very important date! (Jack/Fred, to be continued in comments)
It had certainly been an interesting day. The more Jack thought about it, the more he was certain that he would put his name in the ring for the mayoral election come tomorrow. Something about Gaius Baltar had rubbed him the wrong way and he wasn’t sure he trusted the other man with running the City.

Despite it still being daytime when he went to pick up Fred, he had learned his lesson about wandering around the City unarmed. So his sword hung from his belt as he made his way to her apartment. He passed a flower shop on the way and ducked inside to pick up a small bouquet for her.

He took Jareth’s advice about the City and tried not to think too hard about his destination, hoping that he would be able to find Fred’s place quickly.

Unfortunately, that method didn’t seem to work very well. So when he did show up, he was half an hour late and extremely irritated with the City. Not to mention that he was concerned that Fred might just as well slam the door in his face for keeping her waiting.

The flowers that were meant to be a gesture to show her he was glad to be taking her out were now more and more seeming like a gesture of apology for being late. Jack sighed and knocked on the door to Angel Investigations.

----

Fred was starting to think that he wasn’t going to show. Either he wasn’t going to show or he had been caught by something and was in trouble. That thought was enough to get her downstairs and into more combat friendly clothing. Sure, it was only thirty minutes, but thirty minutes was enough to kill someone. Actually thirty seconds was enough to kill someone; Fred was trying hard not to think about that. Sure, he was late, but given their last two meetings had been in conjunction with a bit of violence, she was putting the odds on more violence had befallen her would be knight in designer armor.

She headed up the stairs, a taser in one hand and a stake in the other. Her jacket was folded over her arm. She was just about to put down her weapons to yank on the jacket when she heard the knock at the door. Holding the taser close, at the ready, she walked to the front door. Her brow furrowed a little at what she saw.

“Jack?” She opened the door to peek at him. He had a sword and brought flowers. This was...”You’re late.” She opened the door more, so that he could probably see the taser in her other hand and the stake on the desk close by. “I thought something might have gotten you.”

----

Jack looked Fred over, his eyes lingering on the taser in her hand. He brought his gaze back up to meet hers and held out the flowers.

“Well, I’m glad you weren’t planning on using that on me for being late.” He grimaced in apology. “Sorry about that. I left early in hopes that I could avoid this, but I’m still figuring out how to get around the City and how to deal with streets that seem to have a mind of their own.”

Jack waited for Fred to accept the flowers, an eyebrow raised. She wasn’t exactly dressed in the way most women he knew would dress for a date, but then again, he’d never dated in the City. He had certainly been surprised by the fashions in New York after living in Wonderland all his life.

“Assuming you’re still up for going out, are you ready to go?”

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i_figure
2011-09-06 05:48 am UTC (link)

"They looked nothing like you. Trust me. You're prettier." Fred nodded. "And, you're only technically in two places at once. The City tends to rewrite or completely ignore the laws of physics. You see, you are here, but then you become another you. You're not the you you were because you're now a you you are. The you you were continues on and remains that you, not this you." Fred's brows furrowed as even she wondered if that made sense.

The resturant certainly did create a distraction. Fred loved talking about the City, even though it frustrated her. She liked trying to explain her theories about it, and she was more than happy to find someone who'd listen, even if he may not have been overly interested in it. She'd ask him about Wonderland, so as to avoid dominating the conversation, which she could be very good at.

With dinner over, even the little bit of dessert, the pair were now on their way back to Fred's place.

"You know, you didn't have to walk me. Though I do have your sword, and you should probably get that. Who knows when you'll be able to get it next." She didn't want him to think that he had to go out on another date with her.

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	i_chasehearts 2011-09-06 05:13 pm UTC (link)
	Jack smiled down at Fred and took her hand in his with a gentle squeeze. "Has it occurred to you that perhaps I wanted to walk you home?" As they reached the building where Fred's office and apartment was, Jack slowed, waiting for her to let them in. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

i_figure
2011-09-06 11:50 pm UTC (link)

"Well, of course, you wanted to walk me home. Carrying me on your back isn't something a would-be king would do. It's not dignified." Fred was trying to flirt, teasing him just a little. Her hand returned the squeeze.

"This night went by quick, didn't it?" She peeked up at him before looking away. Right, they were at her door, so she supposed she should let them in. She put her finger up asking for a moment, and tiptoed pointlessly really to Harry's office door. She just tried to peek in, but didn't see anything. With a shrug she walked back. "I know it's not right to worry about someone when you're on a date. Certainly not someone who's a guy when you're out with a guy. But, he just broke up with his girlfriend. i think they broke up. Wanted to make sure he's okay - I haven't seen him since everyone went to the asylum to get Jake out. Then again, I didn't really see him then."

She leaned lightly against Jack before stepping away to unlock the door. She left it open once she stepped inside, inviting him in. He had to get his sword after all.

"I could make coffee if you'd like to stay a little longer." She looked over her shoulder at him.

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i_chasehearts
2011-09-07 02:19 am UTC (link)

Jack didn't quite follow the whole ramble. He wasn't sure what she meant by asylum, or who Jake was, and he wasn't even sure where to begin when asking for clarification there. So instead, he fixated on the information she had actually meant to convey-at least, he was pretty sure that's what she meant.

"So, a friend of yours?" he frowned thoughtfully. "If he's like most guys I know, he might just need time to himself to recuperate after the break-up. Don't know many men who want their female friends seeing them torn up over a girl. Or he's already out and busy enjoying the single life," he said with what was hopefully a comforting smile.

He wasn't really sure what to think about her worrying about a newly single male friend while on a date, though he did his best to shove aside any potential jealousy and instead just followed her into the apartment.

At the offer for coffee, he grinned.

"Coffee would be great. Assuming you don't need to get up early in the morning, that is."

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i_figure
2011-09-07 03:51 am UTC (link)

"Yes, a friend of mine. He may be." Fred shrugged. "I haven't seen him in a while. Actually I should probably check on the rest of them. Dean, Sam, Jesse...I'd say Batman, but I don't think Batman is someone you check up on. Wouldn't even know how. Do you know who Batman is? I got to talk to him. Which probably isn't as exciting if you don't know who that is."

She led the way down to the basement apartment, letting him in before she started getting out the usual bits and pieces for coffee.

"I'm not the one with a normal job. Do you need to get up early?" She smiled at him. "You could stay, sleep on the couch again." She blushed a little at that. "Do you like cream or milk in your coffee?"

She started the pot and got out a couple of mugs along with a box from a bakery. She moved around the kitchen which had never really been used until recently, as far as she knew. She wasn't sure how much the human Angel used it when he was around.

"Oh." It finally hit her. "I have a lot of guy friends. Or acquaintances. I know a lot of guys. I hope that isn't a problem. I do know some women, but I know more guys. It's kinda weird."

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i_chasehearts
2011-09-07 05:01 am UTC (link)

Jack frowned at the announcement that Fred had a lot of guy friends. It wasn't that it bothered him so much as that he wasn't sure why she felt the need to tell him about it. Then again, he'd never had many friends of the opposite gender-or many friends at all to speak of. Growing up in the palace, he'd been rather isolated.

As for romantic relationships, he'd been betrothed to the Duchess and then of course his mission in New York had been to find Alice and convince her to come save Wonderland. So he was rather limited in those experiences as well. Not to mention that neither relationship had been exactly typical.

"I don't see why that would be a problem, unless you and I have very different definitions of what might be considered friendship," he said with a small smile. "And I'll take my coffee black with one sugar please."

He wasn't ignoring the invitation to stay over. He was just mulling it over. When it came down to it, sleeping on the couch after a first date was just an awkward proposition. Not to mention that he wouldn't have any of his clothes or toiletries in the morning. Now if it was, say, a few dates in and the invitation wasn't for the couch, that would have been a different story. But all the same, he'd prefer to plan for an occasion like that if he had to work in the morning.

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i_figure
2011-09-07 05:11 am UTC (link)

Fred wasn't sure how these sort of things went. It'd been a while, and she had noticed a strange bit of tension between Wesley and Sam, more on Wesley's part than Sam's. She laughed.

"I don't think we do. Though, would you fight demons and almost die on a regular basis for your friends? If you think that's a bit much, then we may have a very different understanding, and we should probably discuss it. Which sounds really grown up, doesn't it?" She smiled, nodding at hos he wanted his coffee. She filled the two mugs, pouring one sugar packet into one and a few packets into the other. Leaving the spoons in, she walked the mugs over to the couch and sat down.

"So, what do you do at City Hall exactly? I know you work there, but what do you do?" She'd never really known someone nice who worked for the government, except her mother who was a bus driver for the local school board. She didn't think her mother counted as a government official, not exactly. Plus, she could actually trust her mother; she wasn't sure how much she could trust other government types.

"Is it a job that you do really have to get up early and go in like clockwork?" She set his mug down on the coffee table before curling up a little in the corner of the couch, holding her cup in her lap.

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i_chasehearts
2011-09-07 06:01 am UTC (link)

Jack settled into the couch next to Fred and took a sip of his coffee.

"I'm a clerk, which really just means I'm responsible for a whole hodgepodge of things-accepting applications for all sorts of licenses, completing paperwork regarding new laws, that sort of thing." He made an apologetic face. "Not quite as exciting as solving crimes and fighting demons, I'm afraid. And I do have to be there relatively early, though there's a bit of allowance for being late due to the City and its changing streets."

He tried not to show his distaste for that too much.

"It's a little hard to keep anything on a set schedule here, really."

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i_figure
2011-09-07 06:07 am UTC (link)

"Do you like it? Your job? And I don't fight demons and solve crimes all the time. I haven't even gotten paid for it, so I'm not sure it's really a job so much as something I do to keep busy. It's not exactly a hobby, though hobbies can be dangerous if you're an adrenaline junkie, but I'm not." Fred took a sip of coffee, taking the moment to think.

"Yeah, I've never really worried about time, though I guess I did a little tonight because I was nervous. What if you didn't show up, what if you didn't want to. I know you did, or you wouldn't have come unless you felt obligated. But you're here, and it was fun. I think it was fun anyway. I haven't been on a date in a while. I'm a little nervous still." She gave a weak smile and took another sip of coffee to keep from babbling anymore.

She was going to have to find Eric. The blood helped, and she was having a harder time being the new Fred lately. She could do it, but the blood helped. Taking another sip of coffee, she started to wonder if this wasn't a sign of a problem.

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i_chasehearts
2011-09-07 06:33 pm UTC (link)

The woman who had kissed him the first time she'd met him was nervous? Jack looked over at Fred in surprised. Sure, the babbling had tipped him off that maybe she wasn't as comfortable as she could have been, but given the confidence she'd had when they'd first met, it was surprising to find that she was nervous around him.

"And I had fun tonight too."

Jack looked over at her and realized there was one way to hopefully reassure her that he was here because he wanted to be. He leaned in and gently kissed her.

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i_figure
2011-09-08 12:07 am UTC (link)

Fred blinked. She wanted to be the new Fred, but the old Fred had peeked out. She hoped that he'd kiss her, and yet she was still a little surprised when he did. She smiled a little against his lips before she leaned in to return the kiss.

Her coffee forgotten for a moment, and if they weren't careful, they'd both be reminded that she was holding a rather warm liquid. She leaned a little closer, hoping to continue the kiss.

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i_chasehearts
2011-09-08 01:23 am UTC (link)

There was a little swell of relief as Fred kissed him back and leaned into him. Jack's hand reached up to brush her hair back and his fingers ran through her hair as he gently pulled her a little bit closer.

He probably should have headed for home by now, but he really didn't care at the moment. Kissing her was different-better-tonight. Perhaps because it felt more real or maybe just because he'd had more time to get to know her.

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i_figure
2011-09-08 03:00 am UTC (link)

Fred had completely forgotten the coffee now as the kiss turned from a gentle reassurance to something more. She tried to move closer, and both of them were rewarded with a bit of very warm liquid.

Fred jumped back, which meant even more coffee everywhere. Her mug clattered to the floor if neither of them caught it from its fall. This was not at all how new Fred would reaction, but then again, it was hard to be new Fred when one was tipping coffee all over the pretty fellow who was kissing one. Wasn't it?

"Oh, shit. Sorry."

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