xp_logs | Moira and Jake, Friday Night

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Moira paused before knocking on the door to Jake's suit. She knew she wasn't exactly looking her best. Amanda had just forced her to go and get something to eat, stretch her legs, take a *break* for once. When she'd tried to think of where to go, she'd remembered that Jake had told her she was welcome to come and get some crème brulee. It would be something for her stomach *and* company. She hoped Jake wouldn't mind ragged Moira coming to visit.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, typing on the iBook. He was replying to emails, mostly, while running a News search on King T'Challa. Jake could have got the Infonet researchers to do it, but that would have made it all a little too much on the side of work for his taste. Besides, it was useful to do his own searches. He pushed his bangs out of his eyes and absently considered more food. He'd intended to wait for either Amanda or Moira, but it didn't look like any of them were showing...

She realized she'd been staring at his door and knocked sheepishly. Talk about mind wandering on you, she thought irritably.

Jake looked up at the knock. Or maybe, if he was lucky... "Come in, door's open."

Moira poked her head in and smiled tiredly. "Nay interruptin' anythin', am I?" There was a pause and then she opened the door fully as she stared at him. Him, not her..."Well, I'll be damned," she muttered, "ye usin' those icons werenae jus' wishful thinkin'..."

Jake heard her and grinned, amused. At least she hadn't gone for the 'but you’re a guy' line which some of the kids had done. He closed the laptop and set it aside. "Thanks, I think. Here for your creme brulee, are you? Was just going to have some myself. Close the door after you, would you?"

"God, yes. I could use a break right now." The door closed behind her with a gentle click. "I take it congratulations are in order?" Moira smiled, glad that someone was having things work out for them right now.

Jake unfolded his jeans clad legs and swung them over the side of the bed, standing up and stretching, worn green sweater riding up his stomach, before smiling back. "Yeah, I'm all good now. I think it was the shapeshifter version of a burn out, or something." He frowned briefly, then shrugged, dismissing it in favor of a more pleasant topic. "Have a seat... Wherever, really, and I'll get desserts."

Had she known Jake a little better, she might have gently pressed the issue. But they hadn't had much chance to interact before so she left it alone. Nothing like ruining good conversation if you go where you're not wanted. Moira sat down on the edge of the bed with a sigh. "Desserts probably goin' ta do wonders for me right now."

"Yeah?" Jake said, backing out of the fridge, balancing two bowls with a sugar crust in his hands. He turned around, looking her over as he padded back. She looked tired. Tired and worried. "Food cures all ills," he agreed, handing her a bowl and going back to the kitchenette for spoons.

"I keep tryin' ta tell meself tha', especially crème brulee." The bowl was heavy and cold, and the smell made her mouth water a little. "Coffee *should* cure all ills but since I'm on me..." The number nearly escaped her. "...tent' cup today, I'm a wee disappointed in me brew." When he came back, she took the offered spoon. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Jake sat down beside her, cracking a piece of the crust off with a focused look on his face. "Ten cups of your brew? That's a frightening thought."

"Why does everyone think tha'?" Moira muttered. "'Tis more than me usual but 'tis a good thin'. Really." She made an appreciative noise at the first bite. Wherever Jake had gotten this from, the place knew how to make its deserts.

Jake grinned briefly, before closing his eyes and making a happy little noise as he tasted the creme brulee. He opened his eyes again, glancing over at her with a puzzled frown. "Hey, aren't you supposed to have just returned from a vacation?"

She glanced over at him and blinked at the question. "Aye, got back on Monday...why?"

"Aren't vacations supposed to make people look shiny and new, not worn and -- wow, that sentence turned out a lot worse out loud than it did in my head."

A snicker came out before she could stop it. "An' old, I believe ye were goin' ta say?" Moira shook her head, bemused, but frowned a second later. "It did, I was bloody well relaxed when Nathan an' I got back." She jabbed at the creme brulee. "Tha' was before life reminded us tha' it still liked t' kick people around, especially when they get their 'opes up."

"Life's a bitch and then you die," Jake nodded. He ran the spoon around the edges of the bowl, making a face. "You get used to it. I'm going to enjoy my respite from the inherent evilness of things while I can, however. I like to think I've fucking -- sorry -- earned it by now."

Moira tilted her head at him, wincing slightly at the "die" part of the statement. She waved the spoon at him. "Dinnae apologize, God only knows I've 'ad ta watch me mout' like a bloody 'awk since comin' 'ere. An' yer right 'bout tha', ye've earned it. In spades, even."

Jake nodded firmly. Ten months as a woman, two months as a guidance counselor... He was sure it could have been worse, but he wasn't going contemplate how. He was going to sit here, eat this delicious desert and be happy. Yeah. Out loud he said, smiling a little. "It's almost so I start believing in karma."

"Well, ye can 'ave karma, I'll jus' tell it ta go jump out a fuckin' window," Moira remarked, dryly, concentrating on her creme brulee. She was actually rather happy for Jake but the stress from last night, the lack of sleep and upset stomach, kept her spirits from going up.

"I don't think it's an entity," Jake said thoughtfully. "Could be, I suppose."

"At this point, I wouldnae be surprised if it was." She thought for a second. "I've seen weirder thin's in me time, after all."

"True. Warren told me there's a cloud girl around here now." He tilted his head. "Unless I misunderstood him. I think cloud girls are stranger than karmic entities."

"Cloud...oh! Aye, Jane." Which reminded her that she needed to go and talk to Samson. They'd yet to sit down and talk about how to work and help each other out. Too hectic as of late. "Nay've met 'er yet, though I 'ear she's a sweet'eart. Yer right, though, cloud girls *are* stranger than karmic entities." Though if she had her choice, she'd like to meet a karmic entity. Just to be able to tell it to go fuck itself and die.

"Haven't met her either." Jake waved his spoon around. "I'm leaving again on Sunday, and it'd be just confusing, you know? Hi, bye, sort of thing." He put the spoon in the desert again. "Which reminds me, does Pete still do the whole counselling thing? Or are the kids without a counselor?"

"Ye off again?" The question gave her pause. "I...dinnae know, I was jus' 'bout ta ask if ye were still counselin'?"

"Yeah, passover starts on monday, and if I'm not there, the aunts will have me disowned or something." Jake shook the hair out of his eyes and smiled broadly. "And I talked Ross into letting me come with him to Wakanda, so I'm heading directly thataways afterwards. But to answer your question, I have no idea. I suppose I am, technically, but I doubt I'll be of much use while I'm gone."

With a start, Moira realized she'd forgotten Easter was coming up. She blamed it on the whole "not talking to God until he apologizes" thing. But at least this meant good chocolate next week. "Wakanda? Tha's one 'ell o' a place ta go. 'ope ye 'ave fun." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Would ye be up ta comin' back ta it when ye get back, though, t' bein' a councilor, I mean?"

Jake hesitated, replying slowly. "I haven't really thought about it. I don't know if you're noticed, but I'm not particularly good at it..."

She smiled down at her food. "Jake, bein' a councilor t' these kids...Samson an' I 'ave all the medical an' professional thin's covered. An' since I live 'ere, I'm more involved than normal. But there are times when I cannae be 'round an' they need someone ta talk t'." With another smile, she waved the food at him. "Considerin' I feel better now than I did fifteen minutes ago an' ye dinnae even ask me why I was in such a bad mood, I'd say ye'd do a fairly good job."

Arching his eyebrows in startled surprise -- I must look ridiculous -- , it took him a moment before he could say anything. "I... Um. Well, you're a grown up. Obviously. I mean... The kids are different. I keep remembering what I was like, you know? When I was their age, and it's all..." He shook his head. "I have no idea what I'm talking about."

Moira couldn't help but laugh at him. "Ye think I do? Besides me degrees, obviously. Jake, th' listenin' thin' doesna take a degree. Th' kids need someone who's nay a doctor who they like ta talk t'." She reached over and patted him on the knee. "They remind me o' meself when I was younger...especially Amanda, God 'elp me..."

"Always did figure you for a hellion," Jake grinned. "Look, I don't know. Dad's expecting me to go back to couriering after Wakanda, Ross threatened to stalk me if I stayed away too long... but there's Warren and, other people... I guess I'll think about it?"

"Good enough fer me," Moira replied, grinning back. The stress and tension were still there but coming here had down her wonders. "It'd be a shame ta lose ye...we need ta get used ta this side o' ye."

Jake ducked his head, laughing quietly. "It's stupid, but I keep forgetting what I look like now. Keep getting surprised when people react... Hell, I keep getting surprised whenever I look in a mirror!"

"I can only imagine." She smirked. "Ye've got ta stick around lon' enough ta at least give some o' th' girls someone new t' swoon over."

"...That's not actually something that's going to make me want to stay," Jake pointed out, shuddering faintly.

"Aww, ye dinnae want t' be th' new 'eartthrob 'round 'ere?" Moira teased.

Jake gave her a horrified look.

"I take it tha's a nay?" She laughed, shaking her head. "Nay any screamin' gobs o' gels fer ye, then?"

"I prefer it when they're closer to my own age, thank you." He paused, tilting his head in consideration. "What if I told everyone I'm really, incredibly gay?"

Moira paused and smirked slightly. "Th' girls would be disappointed an' then ye'd 'ave some o' th' boys after ye." She was evil.

Jake eyed her for a moment, then grinned, scooping up the remains of his creme brulee. "Damn my gorgeous self."