InsaneJournal

Who: Gabriel + Jane Foster
What: Meeting!
When: This week.
Where: The Park
Rating: Low
Status: Complete




Jane was in the park working hard on some equations, feeling the need for sunshine and fresh air instead of the cold stuffy lab. Her mind was focused on the paper in front of her that she didn’t see the man approaching her until he was standing in her light.

If he could be in her light, completely anyway. Gabe wasn’t one of particularly high stature as far as height went, but he was certain if he tried hard enough his smile might be enough to blind out even the sun.

“Hello,” he said, plopping down next to her, and half looking down at her papers before tilting his head to the side and smiling crookedly. “Have you seen my dog?”

"I..." Jane looked around in surprise as the man sat down next to her. "Excuse me?" she asked, as politely as she could considering that he had interrupted her mid-sentence.

“Have you seen my dog?” Gabe repeated, raising his eyebrows up and blinking golden hazel eyes at her innocently. “Because he is awesome.” He pointed at a little terrier that was chasing its’ tail nearby as if to prove the validity of his words.

“I…,” Jane looked between him and the dog before pointing at the animal with her pen. “If that’s your dog, why are you asking me about him?” she watched the dog chasing its own tail for a second, giving a little laugh.

"Because everyone deserves to see an awesome dog," Gabriel said, giving her a look that said really she should have known that already, eyebrow raised and all.

Jane stared up at him for a few seconds before laughing and putting her pen down. She rubbed her hands over her face as she let out a happy sigh. “I guess this is a sign I should take a break,” she remarked before looking back at him. “Tell me more about your dog,” she told him.

Gabriel sort of gave this delighted clap and hunkered down further on the bench, leaning down into a slouch and snapping his fingers until the little dog noticed and paid attention to him instead of chasing its tail. It hopped up by his legs and he smiled charmingly at the thing. “Everyone needs a break,” he agreed, like he hadn’t just completely bothered her into submission. “His name is Marco Polo, and he’s basically the best.”

“Marco Polo?” Jane asked as she looked at the dog by his side. “Unusual name, how did he come by that then?” She tentatively reached a hand halfway to the dog before stopping to ask, “May I?”

The dog answered for Gabe, jumping almost frantically on its’ hind legs so that he could properly be petted. Marco was a bit of a slut when it came to being pet, putting out for anyone who looked like they might even offer.

“Oh, you know,” Gabe said, shaking his head ruefully. “Like when you’re looking for someone in a crowd? Marco!” The dog barked twice, for its’ last two syllables.

Jane laughed as the dog pushed his head into her hand and she stroked him. "You've got him well trained," she smiled at him.

“Something has to listen to me,” Gabe said, as if that explained everything. “In my quest for ego stroking, a dog really did seem the only way to go.”

Jane laughed at that, still stroking the dog’s head. “Have a bit of trouble with that sort of thing in your people-life?” she asked with a smile.

“No,” Gabe said, a little blankly, like he didn’t quite understand the question. “It’s so that I don’t have to find that sort of person for my people-life.”

“Fair enough,” Jane shrugged. “So do you just randomly ask people to check out your amazing dog when you’re walking in the park?” she asked with a smile as the dog rubbed his cheek against her hand.

"Only when I'm flirting," Gabriel said honestly, if not more than a little perkily.

Jane stopped for a second and looked up at him with her mouth agape before breaking out into a shy smile and tucking her hair behind her ear, a flush colouring her cheeks. “Oh, umm...wow,” she stumbled nervously over her words. “How do I never see this kind of thing coming?” she asked herself aloud nervously.

“Yeah,” Gabe said, nearly sympathetically. “I couldn’t tell you, hon. I’m about as subtle as an oncoming freight train, so there’s really just no excuse.” Marco jumped up on his lap and he scritched behind the dog’s ears happily. “But now you know.”

Jane laughed even as she blushed. “I...well, thank you?” she giggled nervously, tucking her hair behind her ear again as she looked up at him.


Gabe just gave her a look, all lips tilted up in mirth and raised eyebrow before shrugging and pushing his dog back off of his lap and onto the grass again. "Oh. You're quite welcome," he said, standing up to rock back on the heels of his tennis shoes. "I'll have to do it again sometime."

“That would be nice,” Jane replied with a smile. “I like being complimented by handsome, funny men in the park,” she teased gently. Not being all that good at flirting, she hoped it was the right thing to say.

It certainly worked, by the way Gabe perked up a bit, looking both smug and pleased. "That works out well for the both of us then, doesn't it?" Marco, of course, saw fit to yip in agreement.

Jane giggled at that. “Well uh...if you’d like to get together again, here’s my number,” she wrote it down on a piece of paper, ripped it off and handed it to him. “Or not, whichever you’d like really,” she shrugged and pushed her hair behind her ear again as she spoke nervously.

Gabe took the number and winked at her -- smile just this short of wild. “No, I definitely will.” he said, and clearly meant it as he tucked the number away into the pockets of his jeans. “Expect a text. Seriously. All work and no play, after all…”

“Well I do work a lot...it’ll be nice to have someone remind me to play every so often,” Jane joked with a little shy shrug, trying to cover for the blush she could feel rising in her cheeks at his seemingly eager reply.

“Oh yeah. I’m sure me an’ Marco can manage that just fine.” He winked again, because really, he had absolutely no shame and then tilted his head over his shoulder a bit. “I’ll leave you to it for now. Don’t get used to the peace though.”

Jane giggled. Jane never giggled, but apparently when in the presence of this handsome man she did. “I’ll see you later,” she grinned, waving at him as he started to walk away. Putting her head in her hands to hide the grin, she couldn’t believe the last few minutes had happened. I need to tell Darcy, she thought to herself, picking up her phone and texting her best friend.