At the Perk - Early Thursday afternoon [locked to geoff_chaucer

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

Shane enters the Perk, once again thankful to be out of the chilly air, and orders herself a cup of coffee. Books tucked under her arm, she chooses to sit at a table towards the back but near one of the windows so that she can feel the warmth of the sun as it shines through the windows. Opening her Quantum Physics book and her notebook, she pulls out a pen and starts jotting down some notes.

Comments

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Spotting precisely the person he's been trying to track down for two days through the coffee shop window, Geoff halts in his tracks and then goes quickly inside.

"Shane! God, I've been looking all over for you." He grins and turns a chair backwards to sit down, looking far more rested than he had the last time they met. "How are you?"

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

Shane looks up from her books, briefly startled by the flurry of movement and sudden onslaught of sound, but calms as she sees who's joined her.

After a moment, though, her brows crease. "You're... talking to me?" She asks, giving him a bewildered and faintly disbelieving look. There are still the faintest smudges of gray beneath her eyes.

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

He gives her a puzzled frown. "Why wouldn't I be? Have you been spreading vicious lies about me or something?" As he asks the second question, he gives Shane a roguish grin.

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

"No," Shane says, shaking her head, her look stricken. "I wouldn't do that." Putting her pen down, she takes a deep breath, confused by his high spirits. "Di-- didn't you get my message?"

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

"About you meeting up with Paige, right?" He nods. "She mentioned it too. She said that you'd threatened her. I told her to stay away from you until everyone has had a chance to cool off, and then she wouldn't have to worry about it." Shrugging, he moves his chair closer to Shane's. "Have you been avoiding me because you think I'm angry?"

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

"I -- I didn't think you'd wanna see me," she says quietly with a shrug, her voice suspiciously hoarse as she looks away.

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Geoff places a hand on Shane's shoulder. "Of course I would, Shane. You're my best friend. I care more about you than...any of these people."

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

As Geoff's hand settles on Shane's shoulders, they slump just slightly as though there's a much greater weight on them than there is. Swallowing around the stubborn knot in her throat, she looks over at him. "You're not -- I thought you'd be mad," she murmurs, giving him a pained look.

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Shaking his head, Geoff wraps his around her shoulders. "I'm not mad. It means a lot to me that you'd care enough to get that angry."

He smiles, and gives her a light kiss on the cheek.

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

Shane leans into him instinctively. "She told you what I said?" She asks quietly, not looking at all proud of herself.

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Geoff decides he doesn't want to get into a deep discussion on what Paige said the other day. "She said you wanted to see her dead. And, as I said, I told her to stay away from you for a while.

"It's all right, Shane, really. What you said to Paige, and vice versa, is between the two of you."

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

Nodding, Shane takes a breath and lets it out in a quiet sigh. After a moment, she makes a face and reaches up to rub at a spot between her eyebrows. "I told you, too, didn't I? The other day, when I left that message," she murmurs. "Sorry. Fuck. Everything's just... everything's just blurring together."

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Concerned, Geoff gives Shane's shoulders a squeeze. "No more worrying about me, okay? I'm good. Things are...settling down pretty well. Okay?"

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

"Okay," Shane says, nodding. Lowering her hand, she gives him a curious look. "You're really okay?"

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

"Yes. Really okay. Want to hear about all of the really okay things I've been doing?" He grins, and steals a sip of her drink.

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

"Sure," she says, returning the grin, though mostly because that was Black Death in her mug, which was her usual.

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Geoff coughs, then peers into Shane's mug. "What the hell are you drinking?" He pulls a face. "Sorry, where was I? Right, the okay things. Let's see...I went to the bonfire and had a talk with CJ. Then she and Ten invited me over for tea inside that impossible blue box they live in. We planned a party, CJ offered to patronize me, I made a couple of new friends at the pub, and I had a very enjoyable first poetry class."

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

Shane's shoulders shake with silent laughter. "Black Death. Strongest thing they make around here. I have to have a couple double-shots for it to really do any good in the morning," she says with a grin.

"Why would you want CJ to ... oh, wait, you mean the other kind of -- ohhh, right, like, she'd pay you to write stuff for her?"

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Geoff nods happily. "Exactly. $600 a month, for me to write one installment each month on a long poem, a tale of some sorts. Subject matter at my discretion." He grins at Shane. "Can you believe it?"

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

"Wow," Shane says, giving him a stunned look. "That's incredible, Geoff." She beams at him. "Congratulations."

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

"Yeah?" She asks, left eyebrow arching slightly. After a moment, she gives him a knowing grin. "Becky, huh."

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

"Yes, Becky. We're going to the theater." He smiles. "I'm taking things slow this time, though, Shane. Just friendly courting."

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

Nodding, Shane gives him an understanding look. "I like her," she says. "She's a really cool person, Geoff."

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

"I'm glad you approve, then. I enjoy being with her." He picks up Shane's mug again, sniffs at it and makes a face, and sets it back down.

"Did I tell you I was teaching Ten to write poetry?"