2145ic

So... you can get yourself invited to parties, right? How would you feel about playing hero? JJ

Who: Jamie and Jess
Setting: Their place

Once JJ was gone longer than two hours, Jess was pretty sure she had a guess as to what he was up to. She flicked over to his contact but he was shut down, which just meant even more. She’d continued to work, but her scowl was deeper.

Then she went home to wait. And wait. And wait.

( And wait. And wait. )

Who: Jamie and Cody
Setting: Cody's apartment

Jamie had no idea what he was doing. He was clearly insane. Sensible insane - he’d sent a message to his sister to let her know where he was going and who was going to be there, resending the picture of Cody and the detail that he had about the guy. Plus, he’d turned on his active location so she’d be able to track him if necessary. Still, rationally, Jamie knew that he should be running a mile from this guy, but instead he was giddily excited. His heart was racing and he couldn’t stop smiling and he’d made sure that the clothes he was wearing were the nice ones - those jeans that he’d worn at New Years, plus a fitted white t-shirt that highlighted his broad, swimmers shoulders and tiny waist. Of course, then he’d felt self-conscious and thrown the heavy, chunky knit that served as his winter coat over the top and pulled a ratty blue beanie over his hair.

( A twitchy, ansty, nervous ball of wool )

[address info included]

I'm scrubbed four ways to Tuesday and chilling in my tub. Come by whenever you want. If you want.

...You didn't want me to just come over and listen to your music, did you?

Who: Jess and Jamie
Setting: their apartment, morning after the fireworks

Jess leaned off the side of her hammock, looking over where JJ was in his . “Well, at the very least...his music isn’t terrible.” They’d looked up Cody, comparing his current photo with the ones from his heyday, when he was popular. They’d listened to his music. She was still pretty sure he wasn’t the kind of guy that Jamie should be hanging out with, but she hadn’t said that. Not yet. She was kind of giving him space to figure that out on his own.

Jamie had one leg hanging out of his hammock, which he used to push against the wall every now and then, keeping him swinging gently. He had his eyes closed, flicking through the images they’d talked about earlier and which played against the inside of his eyelids. He had one arm under his head, cradling it against his pillow - a hand-embroidered cushion he’d traded three days dancing for last summer. It had been a lot of work, but the cushion was a work of art and the girl had no credits to actually pay him with. “I like it,” he said dreamily, after a moment, humming along to the music. He was still trying to work out what last night had been. He wasn’t used to attention like that and he wasn’t entirely sure how to handle it.

( come JJ think about it )

Who: Jamie and Cody
Setting: Central Park, night

Jamie and his twin sister, Jess, had been late to the party, arriving well after midnight. He'd had a job earlier that evening and they'd walked the couple of miles up from Southside after he'd gotten home and changed into the warm dark red sweater and dark pants he was now wearing against the cold chill of the night. It wasn't the layers he'd normally wear at this time of year, but he was hoping the mass of bodies and everything else that was going on in the park would make it warmer than usual.

He'd become separated from his sister a while back, but knew she wouldn't be far away. She was probably more aware of him than he was of her. He knew that she tended to keep an eye on him and honestly, he was fine with that. They were a team, they looked after each other, but she was far more streetwise than he could ever claim to be.

Hefting a handful of little stone carved charms in his hand, he headed for an old woman who had settled herself under one of the trees in the park and who was giving out what appeared to be cups of liquor, hoping that she'd want to trade. There were other people milling around her also, clearly trying to tempt her with their offerings.

Who: Jamie and Jess
Setting: Their place, then walking to Central Park

The dark canvas bag slung over Jamie’s shoulder was almost as big as he was - not that that was saying much, given his petite frame - but he lugged it back to the apartment he shared with his sister without complaint. It was all in a day’s work. And evening’s work. Vocabulary was as moveable as their routine. Case in point - the ‘apartment’. The word sounded grander than the reality. A space they’d carved out and repurposed from the back corner of a larger building. It was secure - they’d worked hard to make it so - but you didn’t have to look too hard to see that it hadn’t started life as a residential block.

He dropped the bag in an alcove just inside the door. He knew he should get straight on to unpacking - the contents would be still wet, even though his short dark hair had dried on the walk home, leaving an unstyled mess that was halfway between spiky and fluffy. Any other night, that would be the plan. Tonight, though, was no ordinary night. He’d been booked for a party by someone who could afford his full act, but negotiated to finish at midnight. Early enough to get home, get changed and head straight back out again. Early enough to enjoy the celebrations for himself.

( You look nice tonight... )