[Sodium_noir] At the Temple

[Jennie Teakle]

JOINT POST - Liz & Jennie

Jack, Christine
Spirit Entity, Orphan Mage
Temple of the Five Dragons
Late evening

Christine grins ruefully. "Heh! Not proud of myself. But at least now  
I know I'm really not cut out for the superhero gig!"

“As for Aurora...” Jack pauses, his smile fading a bit.  “If she can  
zero in on what I am then, yeah, I think she should give it a go.  If  
it turns out to be bad news, it’d be best to find out now, don’t you  
think?”

Christine shakes her head, silently, not looking directly at Jack.

"I don't know," she says. "It depends on what you were planning to do  
with your freedom."

She looks up. "So . . . what are your plans, now?"

Jack shrugs, feeling a bit sheepish. “Don’t know, never been free.  I  
suppose...”  He pauses, his next thought bordering on  
presumptuousness, he speaks it aloud anyway.  “I suppose I could ask  
you the same thing.  Now that you... aren’t tied to anyone... and can  
do what you want, what are you going to do?  Somehow, I can’t see  
office work in your future and we know we both suck at being  
superheroes.”

He’s aware that his fingers are still holding Christine’s.  Another  
presumption.  Jack smiles, a bit awkwardly, and withdraws his hand.

The Seer doesn't have any idea what the future holds for her; no   
plans; no purpose. The irony. Christine realises that clinging onto   
Jack's hand has been more for own benefit than his and feels a  
little  bereft. She doesn't say anything. He's still sick and he's  
adrift  like her. Last thing he needs right now is Christine getting  
all  needy on him. She'll just have to deal on her own.

"What am I going to do?" she asks, keeping her tone flippant. "No   
clue. Suggestions?"

“Well, as soon as I’m up and about, a smoke and a drink are tops on   
my agenda," says Jack.  "After that, well... guess that’s as far as   
my plans go.”

Christine smiles faintly. "Good plan. Gets my vote," she says. "If   
you got space in your social calendar, maybe we could go to Raindogs   
in Neon City one night? Great place to get shitfaced."

She falls silent again, fiddling with the vodka bottle. It's still   
empty.


Jack smiles broadly.  “I’d really love to get shitfaced with you.   
Whenever you want - just say the word.”

There follows a few moments of uncomfortable silence, as he tries to  
avoid suggesting the obvious. Finally, he gives in.  “Uhm... I  
suppose I’m keeping you from your party.  You should probably go.  At  
least they’ll probably have booze there, yeah?”  Jack tries to be  
enthusiastic about the idea.  In truth, he doesn’t want Christine to  
go.  “I should get some sleep anyway.  You go on then.”

Christine shifts restlessly. "I should go, yeah," she says. "I should  
be there to  . . . for Aurora. See, I think maybe something will  
happen at the party," Christine realises she's gabbling, defensive.  
"Or maybe to Mara. I don't know but I Saw the three of us there. And  
someone else." Christine has a sudden vivid flash of the girl from  
her vision - glossy red lips blowing wicked kisses; apricot curls  
arranged in an artful riot.  Game for anything, any devilment.  
Christine shivers slightly and she fumbles the vodka bottle, watches  
it roll drunkenly away. "And yeah. I could use a drink." She looks up  
at Jack briefly. "And you do look like you should rest. Heal."

She gets to her feet, scoops up the bottle, straightens and regards  
Jack, hesitating to say goodbye. Though she now knows a lot more  
about him, so much is still hidden, mysterious. All the same, she  
feels a definite connection -  threads of Fate snagged together,  
maybe. And like calling to like, too. He's a fellow stray, slipped  
though the cracks.

"Is it okay to tell Aurora and Mara about the warehouse thing?"  
Christine asks. "And Aurora about your origins?"

"Sure, no worries."

Jack makes a big show of yawning, not wanting to keep Christine any  
longer.... or to let on as to how much she'll be missed.  "Yeah,  
well...have a great time.  Drink something blindingly potent for  
me."  He winks at her, scrunches down under the blanket, and closes  
his eyes.

He tags on a small and thoroughly wicked smile.  "No need to tuck me  
in."

Christine, still loitering indecisively, smiles at that.

"You wish!" she retorts, teasing. "Kidding! Sleep. Get well. Because,  
I intend to collect on that date at Raindogs. Don't forget."

Christine begins to back out of the door, leaving Jack to rest.

She narrowly avoids colliding with the newcomers who have arrived  
ghost quiet outside Jack's room. Christine stares owlishly at a  
gorgeous, willowy blonde, and her dark, looming companion, a man who  
seems to fill the corridor, green eyes glowing luminously in the  
night lit gloom.  It's too dark to see Shang Mio following behind the  
charismatic couple that fill Christine's attention.

As 'who the bloody hell are you and what are you doing here?' seems  
like a poor opening gambit, Christine remains silent.




Tag Jack/ST
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