The Fourth Sin - Thursday Night

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Becky was sitting behind the desk and flipping through a religious romance novel her mother had sent her.

Every few minutes she burst into giggles at the heroine, who was forced to become a prostitute and would ergo never be worthy of the hero's love.

Comments

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

GOB walked into the Sin carrying a birdcage. "Good evening, Becky," he said as he walked to the desk with a grin on his face.

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Becky stared.

"I think Dally might be into the cage, but I don't think any of the others would be."

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

"It's for you, actually. It's a gift. An antique birdcage." The grin remained.

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

"Thanks?" Becky said, still looking wary. "It's, um, nice."

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

"You're welcome. So how are you tonight?" GOB asked.

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

"Fine," Becky said, still looking confused.

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

"That's good to hear," GOB said. He was enjoying himself to an unhealthy degree, really. "So, are you doing anything special for Valentine's Day?"

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

"No," Becky said, darkening and picking up her book again. "Probably working."

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

"Oh, no, that's what I meant," GOB said seriously. "Seems like a good day for business. I was wondering what the Sin was doing. Any sales or anything?"

"What did you think I meant?"

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

"That's what I thought," Becky said, annoyed. "No sales. There might be themes. I don't know yet."

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

"Sure it was," GOB said. The grin was now a smirk. "Well, I really just wanted to stop by, say hello, and give you a gift. I should probably be on my way."

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

"Right."

Becky was definitely very annoyed now.

"Have a nice night. Whatever."

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

GOB started to walk towards the door, then stopped just before leaving the lobby. "Before I go, I have something else." GOB turned around opened his hands with a blast of smoke.

A white dove holding a rose in its beak flew across the lobby and landed inside the cage.

Closer inspection would reveal that a rubber band was somehow holding the rose in place in the dove's beak. It had probably taken a couple of hours to get that right.

"For you," GOB said.

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Becky might have smiled kind of stupidly.

She definitely did not make any cooing noises.

Nor did she say hello to the dove. Really.

What she did say to GOB, and ever so eloquently, was, "Um."

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

"Have a good night, Becky," GOB said as he walked out the door, smirking.

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Becky beamed at the dove once GOB was gone.

"Hey, you," she murmured, moving to peer closer into the cage. "You're a pretty birdie. I think I'll call you...Jack. Or Jackie, since I don't know if you're a boy or girl. And I like the name."

She carried the cage into the kitchen and distracted the dove with a little bit of bread. She gently took the rose from its beak, carefully avoiding getting pecked. She set it in a glass with some water, and considered it thoughtfully before taking Jackie's cage out to the lobby again.

[likeguidelines.livejournal.com]

Huh. Look. A chocolate cream pie (http://community.livejournal.com/fandomtownies/616658.html?thread=24084690#t24084690) on the steps of the Sin.

With a note that says, "Fer the Ninja" on it.

And a shrub hopping away.

Fandom sure is strange, huh?

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

If a monochromatic hooker picks up a pie for her ninja friend and says "Aww," upon reading the note, and no one is around to hear her, did it really happen?

[deadly_little]

And if a tiny ninja comes downstairs, the pie had better still be in one piece.

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Naturally. Monochromatic hookers aren't stupid.

[deadly_little]

And now the tiny ninja in question actually does come downstairs and arch one eyebrow questioningly at the box.

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

"I got a bird!" Becky said happily, pointing to the cage.

[deadly_little]

Miho looked at the bird. She hoped M didn't decide it looked tasty or anything.

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

"Its name is Jackie. Oh, a plant brought you some pie," she said, poking a cracker through the bars of the cage to the dove.

[deadly_little]

Miho perked up. She had a suspicion she knew who that plant was.

And then she absconded with the pie.

[jarodpretends.livejournal.com]

Jarod held the door open for Darla. "You can have Inara's room."

[vampire-darla.livejournal.com]

Darla paused for a moment, then stepped inside. "Thank you for welcoming me to your home."

[jarodpretends.livejournal.com]

The Sin was a public place, so he didn't think he could keep her out, but Jarod knew that it was the thought that counted. "You're welcome. Do you want something to eat or drink?"

[vampire-darla.livejournal.com]

She offered him a wry smile. "Do you have fresh blood on hand." She shook her head. "I'm fine. I mean, I'm not... hungry. Much."

[jarodpretends.livejournal.com]

"No, of course not." Jarod flushed, having completely forgotten that Darla wouldn't eat solid food when he made the automatic offer. "I'll see what I can do tomorrow, though. There must be a butcher in town."

"Inara's room is upstairs. Do you need help getting there or taking care of your scratches, or would you prefer to be left alone?"

[vampire-darla.livejournal.com]

Darla raised one hand to touch one of the scratchs on her face. The same marks scored her arms as well. "They'll heal. If you tell me where to go, I'll go clean up."

[jarodpretends.livejournal.com]

"Up the stairs, second door on the left. Bathroom's down the hall on the right," he pointed, "but be careful you don't go into the wrong room--Vivian's room is next door and she's really touchy about that."

[vampire-darla.livejournal.com]

Darla nodded. "I'll be careful. Jarod... thank you."

[jarodpretends.livejournal.com]

"You're welcome. Try to sleep, and we'll work this out tomorrow."