The Fourth Sin--OPEN (Friday)

[jarodpretends.livejournal.com]

Jarod is again sitting at the desk. On his right, instead of jellybeans, there are jars filled only with maraschino cherry juice. In front of him are three unopened jars of maraschino cherries and one open jar, half full of cherries. To his left is a small pile of cherry stems--mostly straight, but a few are knotted.

He's determined to get this right, but the facial contortions while he's learning are priceless.

Comments

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

(([laughs maniacally]))

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

_*facepalm*

[serra-inara.livejournal.com]

Inara pauses on her way out to town and struggles not to laugh at Jarod's facial gymnastics. "Having reasonable success?"

[jarodpretends.livejournal.com]

"I'm getting better," he grinned, extracting a tied stem from his mouth and placing it on the napkin. "It's much more difficult to do than it sounds at first."

"On your way out?"

[serra-inara.livejournal.com]

"Only to town," she says. Her hand hovers over one of the cherries. "Mind if I have a go?"

[deadly_little]

On her rounds, Miho pauses by the desk to take a cherry. About ten seconds of serenity later, she pulls the knotted stem out of her mouth and places it on the desk, then goes on her way.

[jarodpretends.livejournal.com]

"Help yourself," he smiled.

[jarodpretends.livejournal.com]

Jarod notices the action and is suitably impressed.

[serra-inara.livejournal.com]

She likes the taste of maraschino cherries anyway, but tying the stems in knots was always a neat party trick.

It doesn't take her long. Inara's good with her tongue when she has to be, and after a few seconds, she produces the knotted stem.

"Are you in all day?"

[jarodpretends.livejournal.com]

"All night, too," he replied with a grin. "Turns out that while playing in the rain is lots of fun, there is a real reason that people don't do it much. I think I've caught a cold."

[serra-inara.livejournal.com]

She winces. "Not so good. Want me to go up and get anything for you at the clinic?"

[jarodpretends.livejournal.com]

"No, I'm okay," he replied as he ate another cherry off a stem. "It hasn't really hit me yet. Maybe I'll be lucky and all the cherries will give me vitamin C."

[serra-inara.livejournal.com]

Inara nabs another one on her way out the door. "Maybe," she laughs. "I'll see you later!"

[jarodpretends.livejournal.com]

"Have fun!" He waved as he stuck the cherry stem into his mouth.