[prp] gtfo — jack/chel (fin)

[chiickadee]

"I didn't mean literally." She had, but it wasn't her secret to reveal, least of all to Jack.

The second comment had her steeled across the table, sternly picking at her napkin like it had done wrong. "He don't want you dead. Those weren't stuff that was real." Because if Chris had wanted him dead in one, then that meant she wanted Stormy dead, and Chel didn't want to think herself that heartless.

(Even if the truth was blurrier).

"You suck d**k at dinner talk," she said more airily.  

[medigel]

Maybe she was right, but Jack wasn't that optimistic. The vision might have been tainted by Vengeance, but it wasn't that hard to imagine Chris wanting him dead—he certainly didn't mind grievously injured and left to bleed. Still, it wasn't good dinner talk like Chel said, and so he pushed on.

"Yeah. I don't think I ever really learned how to," he said with a wry smile. "I was picky with who I dated, but it still ended up being either a questionnaire or boring when I tried to be conversational. Deus hasn't exactly sharpened those skills." He leaned forward. "I'll stare into your eyes if that's what you want, babe~"  

[chiickadee]

"Well I never even been on proper dates 'fore you-"

(A minor addendum that technically Dawson held that title.)

"-So we're in the same boat." If it wasn't work or deus it was hard to pretend to be two normal people on a date. It wasn't that they didn't have anything to talk about, but more that such a high pressure environment had ironed out sentimental relaxation.

She pinched at the napkin before saying, "Well I guess since we ******** up normal s**t- I got a mission to talk to you about anyways. The one I came back from scouting yeah?"

There was a sly smile. "Unless that's too borin' conversation for ya."  

[medigel]

"For better or for worse, you're never boring," he deadpanned in a strangely affectionate way. "That's the one about the cave, right? Go ahead. What did you find?"

Well, first he had to taste the wine that he had ordered, swirling the glass around before sipping and giving the waiter the okay to pour one for Chel as well.

"Well, actually, first we should toast to something. Suggestions?"  

[chiickadee]

"To our engagement," she deadpanned back, raising her glass in a "hear, hear" kind of way. She said it somewhat loudly to purposefully confuse and alert the people around her.

Her eyes said your move, Hawthorn with a lazy kind of amusement on her face.  

[medigel]

Speaking of never boring. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Jack raised his glass. "To our eventual engagement," he intoned seriously as he clinked his glass against Chel's, his expression as straight as ever and his volume matching hers. For a beat the confusion made eavesdroppers pause (there was no ring, they looked strange, he wasn't on one knee, "eventual"?), and then a scattered applause began to pick up until their surrounding area was celebrating the (probably) good news.

His eyes didn't leave hers throughout. At some point his mouth curled into a half-smile, and with a slight tilt of his glass--to you--he drank.
 

[chiickadee]

Eventual was better than later. Chel always found things to work with. It had been a one night stand after all. Don't be weird. The applause felt oddly fitting for background noise between their interlocked eyes; he was all she saw and heard anyways.

She tipped her glass back and swallowed the entire thing, looking every bit out of place (nobody told her you weren't supposed to down it).

The moment died and she set the glass down, leaning back on her chair with one arm. "I got Shun and his little minions- oh sorry, mentees lookin' into the area but we're gonna do a second dive. I want you there." That was natural, inferred even. The second part wasn't. "And Chris too."  

[medigel]

Jack gave a low whistle as she downed the whole glass in one go but didn't try to stop her. He almost did when she brought up Shun--old habits died hard. It was mentioning Chris that pulled out the stop signs, starting with his furrowed brow.

"He's a decent Moon, but the last time I went on a mission with him, he wouldn't shut the ******** up about me being there," he said. "I don't like the idea of turning my back on him while we're underwater. Can't we find someone else?"
 

[chiickadee]

"There's no moon that'd take me down without more people and I don't want a big entourage." Chel's scowl deepened; she'd expected it from Chris but at least Chris was overt about his dislike. "Chris ain't gonna kill you. He knows how much you mean to me. Maybe back then he would've, but not now." Jack was like arguing with a mafiosa; side deals and loopholes.

"Either you both come or I go alone." That was final.

And dangerous.

She poured herself another glass.  

[medigel]

Naturally she wasn't going alone, but Jack still held the silence out of spite for a few seconds longer. "Don't pull that ultimatum bullshit with me," he eventually said, taking another gulp of wine. "I was just expressing my opinion. What did you find down there that's so interesting?"
 

[chiickadee]

Chel's eyes narrowed with the silence. He knew she hated that. "I'll pull whatever bullshit I have to to get y'all to stop bickerin' for five seconds when I ********' need help." She followed his gulp with a heady silence of her own before speaking up and answering the second question.

"I don't actually know," she admitted. "S'why I asked for help from the other side. Don't actually think they're gonna come up with anythin' since they seem pretty human world sheltered." Shun didn't evem know who batman was. "But I figure it's worth a try."

The waiter came back for their food orders and Chel haulted the conversation to play Chauncey for the moment; once he was done away with she came back to the subject. "It's dumb but it's my first project ... I just wanna do a good job with people I trust which is why I need you both." There was something very defeated in her voice already; the two of them actually working together in harmony was becoming more and more of a pipe dream the longer she talked to them.  

[medigel]

His exchange with the waiter was curt, but at least he could vent that annoyance out. "It's not dumb. Your cousin is the one who's dumb."

Then Jack sighed through his nose and out his hand out halfway across the table as a peace offering. "But I can compartmentalize. I won't be a d**k to him on purpose if it means helping you."  

[chiickadee]

Chel took the hand, because there would never be a time when she didn't.

"How am I s'posed t'be the immature one when y'all are doin' it for me? Stop takin' my limelight," she joked, features relaxed by the bigger fingers overlapping hers. Before she forgot to say it, she added, "Thanks though."

There was a quiet awkwardness before she piped up, "So how am I doin' at this fancy stuff? Worth kickin' my a** for?"  

[medigel]

"Of course. All yours again." His fingers curled over hers.

"Disagreement aside, this was very worth it," Jack assured her with a smile. "You say you like seeing different sides of me; it's a nice change that I get to see a different one of you. And now you can't b***h at me for not trying to take you on a romantic fancy dinner date," he added, like he hadn't had the idea for a while. "How do you feel so far, Chauncey?"
 

[chiickadee]

Chel liked the way all yours sounded.

"Well Chauncey thinks this place is a little low quality for her standards and that you could've found somewhere even more expensive." Chel upturned her nose and dramatically swirled what was left of her wine before setting it down and giggling.

His hand was slightly squeezed, just barely. "I'm just glad we're off that ********' island. Y'know on top of bein' with you or whatever." Chel would always be the queen of eloquence. "I like the stars..." She trailed off, looking up at the ceiling for the third time. "I feel sorta like a clown with all this makeup and costumin' on but I guess f'it means I get dates with you why not yeah?"

Chel could smile freely at that statement, assured in its sentiment. She would always be greedy for more time with Jack, even if it meant having to change herself completely.