A Hotel, London, Early Sunday Evening

[icecoldfrost]

The nice part about being in the 'future' was that Emma could stay overnight, sleep in tomorrow, and still catch a portal back to Fandom in time for her class without getting sleep-deprived. Timezones were wonderful things.

"I don't think I can walk another inch," she announced, opening the door and walking into the room to fall dramatically on her bed. "I think you dragged me to every corner of London and then some, Jack."

[OOC: For that one!]

Comments

[bitten_notshy]

"You wanted to see it," Jack argued, a laugh in his voice. "And admit it, the view from the London Eye is worth the walk. And I wasn't the one who insisted on going into every single shop."

Only half of them.

[icecoldfrost]

"Only half of them," she sulked objected. "I'm not saying it wasn't worth it, but I think I've been over every sidewalk. Twice. Now I'm going to need new shoes, since I swear I've worn holes in these."

She had not, and she'd already bought five or six pairs of shoes today alone. Emma was just having too much fun to be serious.

[bitten_notshy]

"You can stop and buy some before you catch your portal tomorrow," Jack suggested, and lay down on the bed with his arms folded behind his head. "... I don't suppose I could talk you into skipping class to stay another day."

He didn't think he could; he wasn't even seriously trying.

[icecoldfrost]

"And get my butt handed to me by Kerrigan? Especially when I'm hoping she'll agree to give me lessons? Sorry, darling, but I have to be on time for tactics tomorrow," Emma replied. "Besides, I have assignments to work on for my college-prep courses. Accounting waits for no woman!"

Maybe she could cheat off Bobby...it would save some time at least.

"What shall we do for dinner? I'm tempted to order us room-service, eventually. When I can be bothered to go for the phone."

[bitten_notshy]

"I want room service," Jack said. "Something fried. Or breakfast for dinner, if they'll serve that. And I can forgive you for not wanting to cross Kerrigan, but I hope you realize this means I'll be visiting you during my next holiday break."

[icecoldfrost]

"Breakfast for dinner sounds marvelous," she agreed. "But I don't have anywhere for you to visit me, Jack. It's just going to be an empty campus, what fun is that?"

[bitten_notshy]

"Poor lonely Emma," Jack said drowsily, as he reached for the phone. "Well, where would you like to go? You're welcome here again, I just didn't want to steal you away from any other plans."

[icecoldfrost]

"Let's just say that we'll see and leave it at that," she said, stretching out her arms above her head. "It's ages away, weeks and weeks, and before then, I need to throw myself a lovely party. Eighteen at last!"

[bitten_notshy]

"I haven't even given my birthday a thought," Jack said, surprised to realize it was just over a week away. "But it is all downhill once you reach eighteen. I might just stay here."

He punched the digits for room service, ordering waffles, coffee, eggs and fruit before giving Emma a questioning look to see if he'd forgotten anything.

[icecoldfrost]

"Orange juice and a bottle of champagne," Emma offered in a stage-whisper. "We'll treat ourselves to mimosas."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack repeated the order and hung up.

"What are we celebrating?" he asked. "The pleasure of each other's company, or is there something more?"

[icecoldfrost]

"To good friends, good company, and a good weekend. What else?" she asked, kicking off her shoes. "Although we can save the toasting for when the drink actually arrives."

[bitten_notshy]

"I have nothing else to add," Jack said, which was even mostly true, and leaned closer to kiss her.

They had to stay busy until the food arrived; he was merely providing distraction.

[icecoldfrost]

Oh.

Emma hadn't exactly been listening in on Jack, since he was right here, so the kiss caught her by surprise. Well, she had expected kissing eventually - it had happened a few times this weekend - but somehow it was still a shock.

It took a moment to process what was happening, but once she regained her wits, Emma kissed him back. It was nice. Distracting. And a good way to make everything from Bon Temps and Kaeleer and Parent Weekend get buried under new, more pleasant memories.

[bitten_notshy]

How long had it been since they'd had time together where nothing was going wrong, where they weren't arguing about something pointless or recovering from trauma? Far, far too bloody long, in Jack's opinion. Dimly, he supposed they should talk about their recent experiences, but it was hard to want to do that when Emma's skin was warm and her lips were soft and he was letting himself feel how much he'd missed her.

He pulled his lips away, amused by her reaction. "I surprised you." If he sounded triumphant, it was only because he rarely got to do that.

[icecoldfrost]

"Don't gloat, or I'll start spending more time in that brain of yours," she threatened, tapping a finger against his temple. "For shame, Jack. Taking advantage of an unsuspecting girl like this."

[bitten_notshy]

"This is the unsuspecting girl who invited me to her hotel room and let me lie on her bed next to her?" Jack asked, running a hand over her hair. "Because I think that girl suspected exactly what was going on."

[icecoldfrost]

"Since when have I ever 'let' you do anything?" she asked dryly, tilting her head to get a better look at him.

[bitten_notshy]

"You think I'd be here if you didn't want me here?"

Mmmm, answering a question with a question.

[icecoldfrost]

"You think I'd be here if you didn't want me here?" she parroted back at him with a smirk. If Jack wanted to play the Question Game, Emma would be happy to oblige him.

[bitten_notshy]

Jack returned the smirk, a bit lopsidedly. "Do you think I think either of us does much of anything we don't want to do?"

Now he was just being a brat.

[icecoldfrost]

"What do you think your sister would say if I asked her?" Emma retorted, nudging him with a foot.

He was being a brat, so Emma was going to be a brat back.

[bitten_notshy]

Jack stiffened. It was a sore point, and not one he expected Emma to know about, but coming to 2010 for good meant giving up regular contact with Rivka and he hadn't been able to trace any descendants.

"Oh, she'd probably call me horribly spoiled," he said lightly, trying to keep up the mood. "Which doesn't go against my point, you know."

[icecoldfrost]

Emma felt his muscles tense under his skin at the same time she mentioned Rivka. Dammit, how did she always manage to say the wrong thing?

"Hideously spoiled, and even proud of it," she drawled, reaching up a hand to tousle his curls. "Which is not my fault. It's no fun to just let you get away with things; I like making you put some effort into our adventures."

[bitten_notshy]

It was all right; the tension (which tasted like shame that he couldn't fix everything) would pass. He was determined not to pick a fight.

Even if he didn't think his life was nearly so easy as Emma seemed to think it was. Still, it was the version of him she needed right now, and there was enough truth there that he could play the part.

"So dragging you around two-thirds of London meant with your approval?" Jack checked, and tried to kiss her again. "That was my goal, you know."