child_of_lions (child_of_lions) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2015-08-12 13:05:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, jonathan harker, myrcella baratheon |
Who: Jonathan and Myrcella
When: Early August
Where: Myrcella's house
What: Hairdressing with a friend
Rating/Warnings: Low/None
Status: Complete
Myrcella was looking forward to seeing Jonathan and meeting Felix, she’d done most of the prep work and even had time to do a little baking too so there were cookies for them to eat while she worked her magic on his hair. She had thought it would be about due for a touch up but she wanted to see how it was holding onto the rest of it and if he needed it cut at the same time. She could easily trim it for him as well.
Hearing the doorbell ring she smiled and made her way, telling Dragon to sit and stay so he didn’t scare Jonathan’s dog. Opening the door she smiled, “Hello, come on in”
Jonathan was prepared this time. Rather than rely on Myrcella’s collection of reading material to keep himself entertained while the dye was soaking in his hair (though likely he just needed a touchup this time and it wasn’t tackling a distinctly ‘English lawyer’ sort of problem), he brought along a few study guides and books to get some bar exam practice in. Cosmopolitan and Good Housekeeping were fascinating periodicals and everything, but since he had the time now, a little extra studying wouldn’t hurt.
As for Felix, the chub was on his leash and wiggling excitedly - not stopping from when he got in the car to when they arrived at Myrcella’s doorstep. Luckily he’d taken care of business first so he wouldn’t risk peeing on Jonathan’s friends things. That would just be embarrassing. He’d knocked on the door politely, and when she answered he tossed her a charming smile - almost as charming as Felix’s ‘tongue out of mouth’ cuteness.
“How are you? Thanks again for having me over,” he said, with Felix behaving himself and padding on fat paws into the house without much fuss. It was always polite to thank hosts and hostesses, his mother taught him manners, and Myrcella was doing him a great service by helping him not look like an old man. “Oh, and....of course, this is Felix.”
“I’m good thanks” she told him as she moved aside to let him in, “And you’re welcome anytime” she added with a smile. Her mother had also brought her up to be polite which was really why she almost always had cookies and things ready for guests. It just seemed the right thing to do.
“Hello Felix” she said, bending to make a fuss of the dog, “Aren’t you beautiful? Yes, you are” she told him as the dog enjoyed the attention. “I can see how you fell under his spell” she grinned looking at Jonathan, before turning her head. “Dragon, here. Slowly” she added before he could come bounding in and scare the puppy.
Felix just loved attention - he reveled in it, even rolled over to expose his belly for rubbing because that, in addition to butt scratches by the stump of his tail, were his favorite things ever. He was going to put Myrcella under his spell too, mwahahahahahahaha. It made Jonathan chuckle, as he observed the puppy being such a ham.
“It’s pretty easy, isn’t it?” he admitted, adjusting the bag of books on his shoulder. “He’s still kind of stubborn about sleeping in his dog bed but I guess that’s the age.” And Jonathan had read about it (of course), and about how dogs were pack animals and sleeping in the same room with ‘family members’ encouraged bonding but really. He was fine in his own doggie quarters just outside the room - it was a good enough compromise.
Ah, yes, and here came Dragon and the ritual consisting of dogs getting acquainted by sniffing the posterior of the other. Very fascinating. Felix seemed interested; Jonathan wanted him to be social and used to other dogs anyway. “They’re definitely going to end up as best friends.”
Belly rubbing was something Myrcella had discovered most dogs loved, Dragon did too. And she indulged him more than she should, though she had a feeling Jeremy and Irisa did too when she wasn’t around. She knew her best friend chatted to him when she thought nobody else was around.
“He just likes being close to you” Myrcella said, “Don’t you baby” she said to Felix who really was too adorable. Dragon liked to sleep outside Jeremy and Myrcella’s room too.
“Oh they are” she nodded as they got to know each other as dogs do, “We’re going to have to arrange regular play dates for them” she smiled.
Playdates, that Jonathan could certainly do. He knew a few people with dogs who were interested in such a thing - and it was nice for Felix to run around with his ‘peers,’ so to speak. “Sounds good,” he grinned, easygoing and relaxed. “Especially when you live on the beach. I assume Dragon likes frolicking in the ocean too.”
He unclipped the leash from Felix’s collar then, stuffing it away into his bag for the time being. The puppy was relatively well behaved, and he could just have free fun with his new friend - without breaking anything. “Well,” Jonathan glanced around, “Where do you want me? And are those cookies I smell?” Kind of a bloodhound himself, in that regard.
Myrcella nodded, “Oh yes he loves it. I’ve closed the back gate today so they can only access the garden but we could take them for a walk on the beach later if you have time” she suggested, she wasn’t sure if Felix had tried sand yet or how well he walked. Dragon could walk off the lead fine but he was older and had more training.
“Come through to the dining room, I’ve set everything up in there including the cookies” she told him, “I see you brought reading material this time and here I was thinking you were a new Cosmo fan” she teased as they moved to the room where Myrcella had everything waiting.
To the dining room it was; that had been where he was last time, right? “I’ve got time,” Jonathan said, following Myrcella to the laboratory of hair goodies. He had worn jeans again, which he rarely ever did, and a t-shirt that he wasn’t particularly attached to. Better to wear clothes like that anyway, whenever dye was involved. “A walk on the beach sounds good.” Felix would probably need the leash still, but introducing him to the sand and the water would be an interesting experience.
He laughed a little, setting down his bag and taking out one of the workbooks, then finding a good chair to park his bum in. “As great as Cosmo is...” he teased. “Especially at providing a glimpse into the feminine mystique, I just get very confused and should probably stick to law.”
Yes, the dining room had been where they’d been before. It was the easiest room in the house to set everything up. “Great, it’s a beautiful day and I think Felix will enjoy it too” she smiled, Dragon adored the beach which was a good thing since they lived on it.
Myrcella laughed, “I think that’s fair enough, I’d get very confused by your law books I’m sure” she grinned at him indicating he should take a seat and moving the plate of cookies closer to him.
Cookies. Jonathan couldn’t resist them - he took one, of course. Two, actually. But he’d just start with these two and then would probably continue to nom on them while the dye set in his hair. Kind of a pain, to have to worry about going stark white, but he couldn’t change it and just considered it a lovely ‘gift’ from the dreams.
He crossed his legs - more like ankle on the knee, and balanced the book in his lap so he could flip through it. Though he could multitask pretty well. “Are we supposed to gossip?” he asked. “Have anything good to share?” That was what you did when you got your hair tended to, wasn’t it?
Myrcella started to brush through his hair, pleased to see the dye was still strong on the ends of the hair, it just seemed to be the roots. She had been hoping that would be the case. She’d gone with a dye with very good reviews, it was more expensive but it had obviously been worth it. She was very pleased.
She began applying the dye to his roots, after placing a towel around his neck. “Well usually the hairdresser asks where you’re going on your holidays, at least in the UK” she teased with a chuckle, “But hmmm general gossip, let me think...oh not so much gossip but my housemate, Irisa, is having her first ever birthday party soon, you should come along, bring Felix too” she suggested.
Oh, well, then! At least Jonathan had an answer for that. “Back to Madison for Thanksgiving,” he laughed a little. “Then to Eastern Europe later, probably in the spring. And also England during that trip as well.” The trip to see his parents would be...mind-numbing, but it also had to be done. He couldn’t just keep Vlad hidden from them, and at the heart of it, he wanted them all to get along. Or at least tolerate each other enough for holiday gatherings.
“First ever birthday party, that’s something,” he whistled under his breath, pen making notes on the page of his book. In shorthand, his own special scribble that likely no one else could read. “I’d love to come, and I’ll bring Felix. Just let me know what sort of gift would be appropriate.”
“Oh well that will be lovely. You’ll have to wave at my home for me” she grinned, “Is your partner going with you?” she asked him, “Oh and if you need a dog sitter at any point then just let me know” she added, knowing it was sometimes the hardest part of holidaying.
“I know. She was adopted so she’s only just found out her true birthdate and her adoptive father wasn’t the sort to give her a party so she’s never done all the usual things like pass the parcel and all that kind of thing” Myrcella was very much looking forward to organising it all, “I’ll let you know. She’s difficult to buy for because she never really tells you she wants anything”
Plane tickets to Madison had been booked (first class and a night flight, so Snobcula could be somewhat comfortable trapped in metal death tube), and Jonathan had bit the bullet and told his parents about his...tastes in romantic interests these days. They took it better than he expected. Mostly. Probably because it hadn’t sunk in fully yet and his mother was still convinced that ‘partner’ was a business thing and didn’t actually mean her only child was sleeping with a man. “Partner’s going with me,” he tried to keep still while his roots were being expertly touched up. “The whole idea is so he can meet my family. Then I’ll meet his later, when we’re overseas. And I’ll certainly let you know about puppysitting. Obviously we can’t take him with us, and it’s hard to be separated.”
He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to grow up without any semblance of a birthday party, but he was confident he could find something good for a gift for the very first attempt at it. “She’s about your age, yes?” he asked Myrcella. “I’ll ask a friend of mine, who is better at this sort of thing. Get some expert advice.” Zelda would have girly gift suggestions, he was sure of it.
“Oh how lovely” Myrcella said, “I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time. And it must be exciting yet nerve wracking meeting each others parents. Even before we were properly together Jeremy was practically interrogated by my mother, I knew he was a keeper when he didn’t run away after that” she joked, “Oh it will be but at least if you know he’s well looked after it may be a weight from your mind”
Myrcella was determined to give her best friend a wonderful day, “Yes she is, though not as girly as me. She trains in martial arts and combat with a very skilled instructor”
Slightly nervewracking, even with Vlad’s insistence that his parents would like Jonathan. But he supposed that it was natural to feel nervous since it was kind of a big deal. “There will be no running, I’m sure,” he smirked. “We’ve faced worse.” And would probably continue to, since that was just...how it went here. How their lives were.
And he’d make sure to consult the experts for ‘trains in martial arts, knows combat skills’ when it came to birthday presents. Intelligent person he was, he was sure he could figure something out; he even made a note, written down, to take care of that. “I don’t have any other interesting gossip, I’m afraid, at least when it comes to myself,” Jonathan added. “But thank you for doing this, again. I might have to arrange for another romantic night out for you and your beau.” And that could be gossip for next time!
It was definitely natural to feel some nerves, after all it was an important meeting. But she had no doubt they’d both find acceptance. She hoped so anyway. “Then you have nothing to worry about” she smiled.
“Well you are studying for an extremely important and difficult exam so gossip won’t be a high priority” she smiled, “And you are very welcome. Thank you for the practice, the more I do these things the better it’ll make me. That was very sweet of you, we did have a wonderful time. But you honestly don’t need to do anything”
Yes, the two-day beast. Exams and multiple choice. By this point, Jonathan just wanted to get it over with - he’d already devoted too much of his life to studying for that thing. At least once he was licensed it would be a huge milestone, and he wouldn’t have to worry about it again. “You’re definitely talented, and I trust you with my hair completely,” he grinned. “No awkward disasters we’d have to cover up with more dye.” Like turning his hair orange - it wouldn’t be a good look for him.
Not to mention having your hair messed with was pleasant, especially for men. They were like big cats. Just bring out the brush and he was happy - maybe not so much when there was goopy dye in it, but alas.
Even if the whole pale hair experience had come about because of the twisted events of his dreams, he’d made a good friend out of it here so it couldn’t be all bad. He’d definitely figure out something else nice to do for Myrcella again, because he would probably always be a person who believed in paying it forward.