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 Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 8:22 pm
The hallway was thankfully empty. That had to be a good sign for the night.
There were several sharp raps at Lucky's door exactly four seconds before the hour, after having waited the previous 56 for just this moment. "Oy, it's me. Are you ready yet? It's--" Jack looked down at his runic watch just as the third hand hit 12. Perfect execution, ******** yeah. "--exactly 6:15, as I told you I'd be here by."
It was a rhetorical question, honestly. He knew Lucky well enough to know that the man was most likely doing one of two things: single-mindedly working on a project, or dressing for a different type of occasion. Either way, they were going to be at the very least fashionably late, which was . . . acceptable, he supposed, though he had hoped to end the new year on the right foot. Which meant good attendance.
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:26 pm
"Coming!" There were a few metallic clatters and a thump before Jack could hear someone on the other side of the door pulling it open. The good news was, Lucky was actually dressed. The bad news was, he was dressed like this."Lost track of the time, I guess," he half-lied, trying to hide the array of metal parts on his desk from immediate view. Lucky ran a few gloved fingers along the collar of Jack's coat, smiling up at him coyly. "You're looking sharp."
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:52 pm
Having anticipated the excuse, Jack was already opening his mouth to cut him off--and then he saw what Lucky was wearing.
Oh . . . Oh, Lucky, no, just--
His expression turned wryly affectionate, he pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "I do my best." The look, the metal parts, the reasoning. Just . . . naturally.
< < You all appear the same to me. The outerwear barely makes a difference. > >
Are there a few neurons left to rub together in your thick skull? Of course it matters.
"Let's try again." Jack glanced around once more before letting himself in, taking Lucky's wrist as he shut the door behind him. Then he turned and studied his soon to be project of the night. "You did very well this time; you remembered how you dressed when we were in New York. But." His mouth twisted in thought. "This is a ball, Lucky. Think formal. You should be looking your best."
He paused, then leaned down and close. "For what it's worth, though . . ." Letting go of Lucky's wrist, he snatched the hat off, grinned, and let it sit on his head. "You still look good," he went on to say, straightening back up. "But 'good' isn't what we're looking for here. Amazing is. So, go ahead and tell me how you ruined another suit, because that's the only reason I can think of for you not going to that first."
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Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 2:00 am
Lucky could see the look of exasperation on Jack's face, and his own smile faded a bit. All the same, when Jack took his wrist and let himself in, Lucky stood aside and wrapped his hand around Jack's wrist in turn. "But this is more comfortable! We're going to be setting off the fireworks tonight, remember? You, and me, and Quinn. Though if Quinn's having too much fun tonight, I wouldn't be opposed to it being just you and me..."
He might have moved just a little bit closer when Jack leaned down. Hopeful?
"Hey-!" And there went his hat. On Jack's head it was as good as gone. Lucky pouted a little and placed his hands on his hips. He wanted to argue for his far more practical outfit, but there were more important things at stake tonight. He just had to remember that. It was easy to get sidetracked. "Okay, okay, the suit. It's in my closet somewhere. Intact," he added.
Defeated, Lucky slowly unraveled the scarf from around his neck. "Well, Mr. Amazing, what do you want to do first? Y'know, at the ball?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 6:48 pm
"Mm, social functions aren't about being comfortable," he joked. "More like trying not to make an a** out of yourself while attempting to have a decent time. But good, so the fireworks are still a go . . ." That was what he was looking forward to the most, honestly. Well, next to the great (and more importantly free) food. Food and cool explosions. "Assuming we can trust Quinn with even one, at least . . ."
Jack was just about to see for himself if the suit was intact, but froze at the question. Then his smile fell. "Ah . . . We've been over this before." Maybe not specifically this event, but all the other social functions had had the same set of rules. He had hoped by now it was a safe assumption, because as firm as he was on the stance of secrecy, it didn't mean he enjoyed having to keep denying his--friend? partner? There wasn't a damn word for this because he sure as hell wasn't using "lover".
He turned to face him and touched the hat, looking a little uncomfortable. "No . . . close contact," he made a face at the phrase, "throughout the evening. There'll be other people there--hell, I'm sure you could bother Sam some more, that could take up several hours at least." He wasn't the woman's biggest fan, but a cover was a cover. "Just like the other events, remember?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 7:39 pm
"I think it's silly," he remarked matter-of-factly, trying to smooth down his uneven hair a little. He'd suffered a recent loss of length to the left side, thanks to an explosive prototype. It was starting to look a little punk-ish. The hairdressers on the island had been making a killing off of him ever since Jack started protesting the 'deranged mad scientist' look.
He had already shrugged off his jacket at this point, and was removing the rest of the offending outfit with a practiced, clinical sort of speed. There wasn't a lot of time to fool around right now, or he could have made a better and longer show of it.
"No close contact. No touching. No kissing. No hugging. No 'call me' gestures. And no undressing you with my eyes from across the room." He rattled off the list from memory, his expression wry and eyes halfway to rolling. He still smiled though, at least for a time. Jack always made it up to him later, even if it was only ever behind closed doors or out on leave far from prying eyes. But his expression grew uncertain. He had to ask.
"Jack, is it because you're embarrassed by me?" He had to ask right now, even if right now he was standing there almost completely nude save for his novelty circuitboard boxers.
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Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 8:12 pm
A corner of his mouth lifted at the last item on the list--he might tor might not have been guilty of breaking rule that from time to time, from obscure corners or through other pretenses. "Necessary," Jack insisted, tracing the scars along Lucky's body unabashedly while he still could. Later, he told himself. Later he would make up for it, as he always did. A little under six hours later, yes, which was . . . longer than usual, but not anything to get upset about.
He was used to Lucky voicing complaints, and he was used to reminding him exactly what this sort of arrangement entailed from the beginning, the guidelines they had agreed upon: secret until he decided otherwise. And if Jack was very honest with himself--the sort of honest he could only be when on the verge of alcohol poisoning and damn near out of his mind--the clandestine part of it was, well . . . hot. That was clearly the aspect of this relationship driving him to keep going, nothing deeper. Hell, he was pretty sure if he did this with any of his flings, he'd get just as much of a high.
That's what he kept telling himself, at least: that he had yet to meet the right woman who he could bother putting that energy into rather than just, well, his junk. Who was he kidding, though? The women on the island came into three categories: sluts, morons, or fags that needed to get screwed to see the error of their ways. Just like he was doing. That's all this was, temporary. An anomaly that would be solved at his leisure without outside pressure.
The unforeseen question still made his chest tighten, though, and God did he hate it that Lucky had that power. Jack caught himself lingering too long on the boxers, cleared his throat, and tried not to show how annoyed he was that a few words could set him off inside. "No," he replied patiently. Sighing, he took the hat off and fixed his hair, prodding Lucky's side with the brim in an attempt to cheer him up, turn his attention away from that constant but small issue. "You know, I can't take this discussion seriously when you're almost in your birthday suit," he added with a little grin. "No more heavy talk, Polack, not when we're supposed to be celebrating. Less chatting, more dressing--unless you need me to do that, too?"
His grin turned devious.
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Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 12:32 am
His response seemed to come a little later than it ought to have, but the momentary concern clouding his features had relented. He smiled in relief. "Okay."
"Nothing you haven't seen before," he teased. Lucky got his chance to snatch the hat back, only to toss it on the nearest piece of furniture as a measure of protection against losing it to Jack's gargantuan height a second time. He pointed at a gnarly new slash-scar on one arm in the form of an afterthought. "Well, except for this, this is new."
Jack's question was met with an equally devious grin back.
"I'd rather you undress..." His green eyes shifted toward his mess of a wardrobe. "But I wouldn't mind some help if you're offering."
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Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 1:09 am
"Nothing I wouldn't mind seeing again later either," Jack replied smoothly, egging Lucky on with a bigger smirk. "You should be more careful, though. Scars are sexy, but only up to a point."
Just another step, a little extra something to keep him quiet: like watering the plant to make sure it kept surviving. Some days Jack would be frigid in his loathing about the situation, while other days his grasp was inescapable. In either extreme, however, he always blamed Lucky; hell, Lucky was the problem and the enigma he'd stumbled across--and hopefully just useful enough to be the means towards a solution as well for all those problems he had unknowingly raised. Just a means. Just a tool he happened to be fond of.
He kept telling himself.
"Be good, and maybe I'll take it into consideration~" Jack purred, moving past him towards the closet.
< < 6:27. You have grown soft. > >
Compromises are required here and there to keep what you want.
< < And what is it that you want? > >
For you to shut up, mostly.
The dracolich rattled in his form of sardonic laughter, brittle clacks and a hissing breath that irritated him like a fly's buzz in his ears.
Digging through Lucky's wardrobe took a little longer than expected--God damn it, he'd have to reorganize again--but the guy hadn't been lying; the suit was, in fact, clean and ready for use. Jack was actually impressed and considered this another sign that the night was capable of miracles.
"Now, let's see if I can't make you presentable again before your balls freeze off from the cold."
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