xp_logs | Tandy & Julian: Unpacking

Tandy discovers Julian unpacking from a trip-not-taken, deep conversation and shenanigans ensue.

"Were you going somewhere?" She had let herself into his suite and found herself watching him put away his clothing. Either he had come back from a trip and didn't have time to put away his clothing or he had canceled a trip. Was it because she was back? Sitting on his bed and looked at the luggage. "Seemed like you have clothes to last days."

The duffle bag was nearly empty, just socks and a leather journal were left inside. Julian was putting a shirt back on a hanger as she came in, he looked like a deer cut in the headlights of an 18-wheeler. "Um, nowhere. Or..." he hung the shirt in his closet. "I was supposed to go on a trip, but, I don't want to leave you alone."

Tan smirked at his expression, "I am not going to judge you." She picked up his sock and tossed it at him. "You canceled the trip because I am back? I hope it wasn't anything terribly important. I would hate to be the reason if it was."

"No, not...important, per se," he shrugged and sat down on the bed beside her. Reaching into his luggage he brought out the battered, brown, leather journal and undid the thong wrapped around it. Pausing to look into her eyes, he held it out to Tandy.

She lifted an eyebrow and she grabbed the journal. "Letting me read your diary? You sure?" She moved to cross her legs in front of her.

Julian scoffed, "Oh please, like I'd actually keep a diary. This was my journal from my time in China." He turned the cover over, revealing a hand drawn image of a phoenix on the first page, "Lessons learned, quotes from Sifu Paris and the other masters...and a day-to-day account, but it's not a diary."

"And by journal you mean diary." She winked at Julian before looking back down at the cover. "You must really liked China." She gently traced the image of the bird before turning the page again, wondering what exactly she would find in the book.

Julian looked down at his hands, "I feel like I learned more about my telekinesis in my six months there than I did in years here." Looking back to Tandy, he waited for her reaction.

"Is it because there are so many distractions here?" She knew some of his past but not everything. For him to show her this, it must be pretty important and that he trusted her. She turned a page after reading it but soon she was pulled into his writing and ended up laying down, belly first on his bed as she continued to read. Every so often she would nod or say, "Interesting."

Putting away the last of his socks, he mulled over her question, finally answering with, "I was just able to focus there- and Sifu Paris was an incredible teacher- kind of like Nathan, but with different techniques." He slid his empty luggage under the bed and took a seat next to Tandy's head, bending his neck slightly to give her a brief kiss on her cheek. "What's so fascinating?"

Tandy nodded at his answer as she kept reading. HIs diary was pretty good read. "Your day to day accounts while there. Better than meetings." She turned another page as she looked up at him. "Looks like you did learn a lot there."

"I couldn't fly before I went there," Julian scoffed and looked out a nearby window. "Now, I just can't land, but I'm getting better. We should go skydiving again sometime...I'll see about getting us new kit."

"You'll land it. Kind of jealous you can fly." She mumbled as she closed the journal and moved so she was sitting on her knees. "I will never say no to skydiving."

"I was always," he bent his head back to look up at her, "always, jealous of everyone else who could fly. My powers should have allowed me to. I ended up tossing myself off the flier's platform a few dozen times trying to get the hang of it." Julian suddenly floated up into the air, spinning himself around so he never broke eye contact until he was inches above the bed. Letting go, he fell into the soft mattress with only a bit of flailing.

"Says the person who can fly now..." She watched as she floated up before falling. "Did you break bones? Falling from the flier's platform doesn't seem smart. And it is high. Believe me I spent many hours up there after Dweller." It was the spot where she first met Julian.

Julian shook his head, "Telekinetic shields always kicked in right before I hit the ground- probably why I never learned how to from doing that. Felt too safe." He scooted closer to her on the bed, they had been much more physical since her return. Tandy seemed less nervous about being close to him, "Have I mentioned that you look wonderful today, Bow?" he smirked as his hands met hers.

"Fail safe. Of course. I'll stick with parachutes." She welcomed his closeness with snuggling up to him. "I didn't do anything different, but the compliment is welcoming. You smell good."

"Wouldn't anyone smell good after spending three years with hairy, sweaty norse-men?" Julian closed his eyes and preempted her reply with a kiss.

Tan was about to respond to his question but found herself distracted by a kiss. Not that she was going to complained as she closed her eyes and kissed him back. This one felt a little more heated than their usual kisses.

Julian was the first to break it, his eyes closed and forehead resting against her's. While they had been more physical since her return from the dead, they still hadn't gone all the way, yet. "You okay with this?" he asked, opening one eye slightly.

"Yes. Unless you are chickening out." She poked him in the side.

Her boyfriend chuckled, "No, no- not at all, Bow...I just, you...I don't want to rush you."

"If there is anything you would do that I don't like, I will let you know. Mista J." She defaulted to her Harley Quinn voice.

"If you want to make out with a crazy clown, you're out of luck. If you want to do some things you'll be embarrassed to tell Adrienne about...well," with that he began to tickle her, and the door to the common area closed with an abrupt slam, giving them some privacy for a little while.

"Damn, and here I was hoping." Tan laughed a bit which ended with giving Julian a mischievous grin. "If she finds out." Her head turned to the door that was just slammed before looking back at him. "Oh my."