A friendship made of little contests Who: Tayne and Jane Where: Phonelands When: Afternoon
After coming home from the ranch pleasantly tired and generally content despite half-spooking a dozen horses, Tayne finally got around to reading the newspaper, which was probably a mistake, since the front page story was about someone killing a prominent, outed were who had been a member of the police force. A hunter, probably. It made Tayne feel a bit queasy-- given he was both hunter and were, now.
Ironically, though, it also reminded him he had yet to call Jane. So he put the story away lest it completely ruin the rest of his lunch, finished said lunch quickly, and hunted down his cell phone. Sure enough, there was her number, and he hit "dial" in the contact menu, and hoped she picked up.
Jane was still riding the excitement from her new job post. And yes, she was thinking about how fast risers usually fell harder, but she didn't think that would be the case; at least not when she had the example of the clingy PA who had mixed business with pleasure in some ways.
She, too, had read the paper and felt slightly bothered by the news, Usually she hunted supernatural creatures who went rogue and killed too much for no good reason, but she was now thinking that she would have no problem in hunting what seemed like a little bastard hunter with a 'racism' problem, if there were more. And that was when the phone rang unexpectedly. With a smile, Jane picked up quickly. "Hello?"
Woman's voice. It had been a few days, and with the were senses, he couldn't even guess if it was the right woman. But since she'd put the number in here, he assumed it had to be. "Hey, Jane? It's Tayne, that, er, hunter you met the other night." Last week sometime, hadn't it been? He'd definitely waited too long-- but being bitten kind of excused that, he supposed.
Also, he noticed with some ironic amusement, just a sliver, that their names rhymed. He hadn't picked up on that before.
Well, she hadn't been expecting that, since it had been a bunch of days since she'd met Tayne. But it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless. Could be worse. "Tayne, hi, how're you doin'?" And why was he calling, unless he wanted to grab a beer together which was perfectly plausible; and Jane could probably use one, too.
"Could be better, could be worse, so I guess I'm doin' okay," he answered with a wry smile. "How're you doin'? Still celebrating that new job, or are you pretty much settled into the routine yet?" See, he did remember a few things! Like her buying him another beer because she was celebrating. He didn't know what the job was... and he didn't remember if she'd told him what it was... but he could fudge that, right?
"Cool, if it could be worse that's always a good thing!" She joked back, also smiling. "I'm alright, actually, kind of got promoted. It's sort of a long story, but trust me when I say it seems like in this job the excitement never ends!" Jane hadn't told him what it was, but not because of secrecy. He probably hadn't asked, so Jane hadn't told. "Don't know if it's because I work for a vampire, or for a celebrity..." She mused, snickering.
"A vampire... celebrity?" Tayne repeated in surprise. "Okay, now I think I either really missed something the other night, or you need to do some explaining, because that sounded kinda out there." He laughed a little. "What exactly is it you do...?"
Jane let out a laugh, nodding as if he could see her. "You know that actor dude, Sebastian something?" She had to learn his name soon if she was going to be answering his calls. "He hired me as a bodyguard for his PA, but then he fired the PA and hired me as the new PA. Now the story behind the firing and hiring is fun, but it'd probably bore you to tears and it's not something you talk about on the phone, I don't think."
"Sebastian Van Cleve," Tayne corrected for her, surprised. Yeah, vampire actor, and pretty damn famous one. "I doubt it would bore me to tears to find out how a bodyguard turned into a PA," he continued, a bit mystified. "Aren't the qual-- qualif-- the stuff you do a whole lot of different, between body guard and PA? He must really like you. Or something."
"Uh-huh, that's the one." Jane snickered, a bit embarrassed that she didn't recall her employer's name off the top of her head. "Well, his PA had to get a bodyguard because apparently she's a bit reckless and quite fucking stupid in the self-preservation sense, if you know what I mean. But even with me there, you can take the girl out of the danger but not the danger out of the girl, and she got in trouble again, so he fired her." Snickering yet again, Jane shrugged. "I guess he does. He also said somethin' about appreciating people who weren't stupid and who knew to take care of themselves, which I'm proud to say I qualify as. Plus, it's not that hard, I watched the other broad doin' it, so I kind of learned."
"Wow," Tayne said first. "That's... pretty impressive a jump. But it makes sense-- someone who works for a famous, outed vampire? Hell. You've gotta be careful, and know how to look out for yourself.... I can just imagine the kind of death threats and stalkers a guy like that gets." He shook his head. "So when do you get time off from this new job of yours?"
"Tell me about it!" Jane said with a grin. Even she could hardly believe it at times, considering how crappy her life had been for such a long time. "Yeah, I know, but she didn't seem to share that view of things, really. I guess he's just relieved he won't have to worry about me trying to save homeless vampires. And he probably thinks it's a good thing I carry a gun with me and know how to use it, too." Jane didn't know how to answer his question, but she'd give it a shot. "I'm not sure, though I'm free now." She shrugged. "It's not a 24/7 thing, just a really early morning, really long day thing."
Saving homeless vampires...? To Tayne, that actually sounded like a kind sort of passtime. Maybe not the safest, he supposed, but something compassionate. He shook his head. "I was just thinking of when we could get together for that spar we talked about. Today might not be a great idea, I just went horseback riding for the first time in years, and I'm probably going to be stiff tomorrow." He might have been in good shape, but riding a horse required different muscles than the ones he normally worked.
It wasn't when you had no survival instinct whatsoever. Which, despite liking Cara somewhat, Jane knew she did not possess. "Oh, man, I'd love that. You know what, let me know your schedule, or whatever, and I'll give you a call when I know I'm free so we can set it up, how about?" It was the best she could do while still establishing herself as Sebastian's Personal Assistant. She knew Cara hardly had any time for her own things, but then again she had a level of devotion to the boss that Jane would never have. "Ha, horseback ridin'. Never been, is it fun?"
"I think it's fun," Tayne grinned. "I like horses. Hell, I like most animals, but horses-- they like to please, you know? And they're useful, even if not so much these days." He could remember reading about times when horses were as much a weapon as a sword or a gun, and more useful transportation than early cars. "Not to mention a good workout, heh. But schedule, yeah--" Back on track, Tayne. "I work weekdays from noon to six, I'm off on weekends. Tomorrow night I've got plans, but that's pretty much it."
"I see. I don't think I've ever even been near one, but riding one sounds like something I'd like to do." Which was true, it did. Maybe one day; Jane had heard about stables in Scarlet Oak. "Well alright, I'll call you and see if you're free when I am. And if we're not tired at all, of course." She snickered.
"Since your work as a PA is probably very tiring, I'm sure," Tayne snickered, himself. "I'll look forward to the call, Jane. And at some point, I might have to take you out to the stables. Everyone oughta experience riding a horse at least once."
"Hey. It tires out my most important muscle, if you care to know, and without it functioning at top condition I can't do anything right, so yeah it is tiring, smartass." It actually took a good deal of concentration and organization, so it wasn't to be taken lightly. "Alright, I'll call you when I can. And that'd be good, when you can walk again from the beating I'm givin' you next time we meet." She joked.
"Oooh, don't be so sure 'bout that," Tayne said with a grin that definitely showed through in his voice. "I might be the one giving you a beating. You never know." For him, after spending time exercising the brain-muscle, he'd probably welcome some sheer physical activity like a spar-- but then, he'd never been a PA and probably never will, so maybe it entailed more than he gave it credit for.
Jane gave a hearty laugh, actually throwing her head back. "Oh, I doubt it, but I hope you do give me a run for the money. If we're betting some." That wasn't a bad idea, actually. Well not anymore since she had some. And it was funny if Tayne actually thought she'd stopped training since becoming a Personal Assistant. If there was something Jane never overlooked was, as it had been thoroughly established, her survival. Therefore, staying fit and on top of her game was a must.
"You wanna bet on who wins?" Tayne asked, a little surprised and a little amused. "Whatcha wanna bet?" It hadn't occurred to him yet that, being a were now, he probably had the same increased speed and agility they had-- or he probably wouldn't have even considered the offer. He just wasn't that used to it yet.
"If you wanna. I'd say money, but if you don't agree you choose the stakes." She suggested, also amused. Even not knowing he was now a little 'upgraded' Jane was pretty sure she could take about anything in the right state of mind, so losing never occurred to her. And if she lost, well, at least he wouldn't kill her.
"Bah, money's boring, and not something friends really wager, is it?" Not unless it was poker, and it was something low, like twenty bucks for a whole pot. "Drinks?" he suggested instead. "I buy all your drinks for the night?"
"Hmm..Okay." Jane shrugged. Friends bet five to fifty bucks all the time if memory served her right. But drinks were good too. Although... "When you say all your drinks, it's like I'm some compulsive drinker! But yeah, alright, I'll take it."
"Well, I'm banking on you not being one to drink more than four or five before deciding you had enough," Tayne chuckled. And maybe he had a slightly different take on money and friends. "Otherwise I might be in trouble." Not entirely, but he still was going to have to be a little more careful with his money, until he knew for sure he was safe to hunt again.
"Man I have a car now. I'll have one beer and stay put for about two hours until it gets out of my system." Jane admitted, snickering. "Though you could buy them and bring them to me at my house, I'm sure my roommate wouldn't mind. And that way I could have four or five."
"Aww, I'd drive you home, no problem!" Tayne protested lightly. "Or walk. I do that a lot. The walking thing, even if I do drive." He went out and had four or five on a fairly regular basis, after all. He was a pro at this. "But if your place is what you'd rather, then your place it is. Unless, of course, you lose, in which case you buy all my drinks for the night and cart my drunk ass around."
"Have you had to walk while drunk? It's a real drag...Pun intended." She joked, with a snicker. "My place if I win, wherever you want if you win. But I should warn you I have very little patience for drunks, so try and keep it vertical or I might ditch you in a...well in a ditch." Joking again. Though in all honesty Jane wasn't above doing that if he became too annoying.
"Awright, awright," Tayne chuckled. "Though you didn't seem to annoyed with me the other night, and I was a little drunk then, too." He was trying not to do that too badly again, though. He had no idea what drinking did to weres, let alone brand new ones. What if it made it impossible to sort out all the senses? Or made him more temperamental? "Anyway... I guess gimme a call whenever you're free, and we'll do this thing."
"Then if you keep it like that, we'll have no problems, Tayne. You weren't an annoying drunk and that's commendable. Or it should be, I guess." Well, it should! Annoying asshole drunks were all the rage everywhere in the world and Jane simply hated them all. Those who managed to get drunk and remain remotely likable were rare and should be praised. "Will do, as soon as I can, alright?"
"Well, thanks," Tayne grinned. Being called a non-annoying drunk was pretty cool, he figured. It was entirely true, after all, that a lot of people could be complete dicks when drunk. "I'll look forward to this little contest. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing who wins. Talk to you soon, Jane."
"No problem, and me too." Jane needed some fun, some actual fun in her life. "Later, Tayne, thanks for calling." It had been nice of him, after all.