fandomtownies | The Devil's Nest

Before he could bring himself to settle in with his poetry, Neil carefully cleaned and polished every last inch of the bar till the wood gleamed, the brass sparkled and the bottles behind the bar caught the light like so many diamonds.

Then, he settled in to read and enjoy some Myron.

Jack escorted River into the Nest, one hand resting lightly on her back. "So," he said, smiling down at her. "A drink first, or do you want to get right to the dancing?"

River smiled back at him. "A drink. Not alcohol though. Makes me sleep." And that didn't go well with the dancing.

"No. No alcohol." His resistance to River was low enough. No point tempting fate by adding alcohol. "Dancing won't be any fun if it's just me waltzing around while you snore in my arms. Not that that doesn't have it's own appeal."

"Don't snore." Which was a lie, Simon had teased her about it. But the idea of sleeping in his arms was far too attractive, and was better turned into a joke.

River slipped her arm around Jack's and grinned. "Still want a colourful drink. With umbrellas and fruit in."

"We can do that," he promised. "Colourful, fruity, and with just a hint of umbrella." Jack took her hand, sliding his fingers through hers as he le them both to the bar.

Rather than disturb Neil - and Jack grinned, because he'd seemed a lot taller on Sunday - he ordered two virgin fruity concoctions, with umbrellas, from the woman behind the bar. For a minute or two, he didn't think she'd give him the umbrellas, but she grudgingly added them before sliding the drinks across the bar.

"Fruity concoctions, as ordered," he told River, offering her one.

River perched herself on a stool next to the bar, and stirred the drink with the umbrella. "Perfect." She meant both the drink and the whole situation. "I'm happy."

"Good." Jack sat next to her, watching her in preference to drinking his drink, and lightly ran his hand own her arm. "Very good. That's the whole point, you being happy. I'm glad it's going so well."

River chuckled and leaned her head against his shoulder, while still managing to sip her drink. "Tell me something, Jack. Anything."

"Anything, huh?" He sipped his drink, grimaced at its sweetness, and discretely set it back on the bar. River was far more interesting, anyway. "I liked being a mouse better than being a fox," he offered as he slipped his arm around her waist.

"Why?" River sighed happily, listening to his words but more to his mind and emotions. She enjoyed the sweetness of the drink, and picked up a piece of pineapple out of it and put it in her mouth.

"I'm not sure. Part of it's that mice practically have hands. Foxes really don't. I got to ride around in pockets and palms, and on shoulders." Jack frowned, absently runnning his fingers through River's hair while he thought. "I got more attention as a mouse," he laughed. "And, unlike foxes, this island has other mice."

"You met other mice? Were they friendly?" River sounded curious. "I should have learnt to speak Mouse."

And she always liked having her hair touched. It felt comforting and made her smile. She picked up another piece of fruit from the drink.

"They were, mostly. I warned them about Berthold, told them they could come and visit me, but I doubt they will." He sounded almost disappointed about that, but he covered it by fishing the cherry out of his drink and offering it to River. "Mice are actually very complex little creatures. And you want to know the weirdest thing about being a mouse?"

"Of course," River said, carefully picking up the cherry between her teeth. "Tell me."

She placed her empty glass behind her.

"No nipples," he said seriously, but his eyes were glinting with mirth as he barely held back laughter.

River looked perplexed. "Would never have anticipated that," she said. "On the other hand they are quite sensitive areas of the body."

Perhaps surprisingly, River said this looking perfectly serious.

"Very sensitive," he agreed, laughing a little. "So you can understand why I missed them."

River actually blushed at that. "But you had a tail instead," she commented.

"True," he said, both arms going around her at the blush, and he gave her a quick squeeze. "And long whiskers. Both of which were very senstitive. But it wasn't quite the same."

River reached up and gently ran her fingers across his cheek. "No. Not the same," she said, smiling.

"No," he agreed, leaning into her touch for a moment. "It's not." Glancing at her empty glass, he gestured towards the dance floor. "You're done with your drink. Are you ready to dance?"

"Ready." She jumped down from the stool and grabbed Jack's hand, pulling him towards the dance floor.

After carefully tending to the velvet on the pool tables, Neil cleaned and bussed the rest of the lounge to within an inch of it's life.

If the master of the Nest was about, Neil was careful not to disturb him.

All neatly polished and ready to go. There is an incredible wide range of music to be enjoyed, get your groove on!

Jack didn't recognise the song, but as soon as he heard the first few notes, he swept River onto the dance floor.

And River was happy to follow. She placed a hand on his shoulder, head cocked to one side. "Lead me?"

"Anywhere," he told her, settling his hand at the small of her back, sliding his other down her arm to grasp her hand. The song was slow enough that he could hold her close while they moved.

Laughing quietly River replied: "Across the dance floor is good for now." Then she fell silent, closed her eyes and just listened to the music, his mind and where his body was leading her.

Jack wasn't as careful as he'd normally be with a new partner, because he knew River could follow where he led, she'd know where he was taking them. "Dancing's the best place to start," he murmured, almost under his breath, and moved them both to the beat, sliding his feet, and leading her into a slow spin.

Adding her own hand movements to the spin, River couldn't stop herself from laughing again. "Start what?"

"Anything, everything. Dancing lets you get to know someone. How they move, if they'll relax and follow your lead." And it was also a hell of a way to see how'd they'd respond in more intimate situations, but he was trying not to think about that. "If they'll trust you," and he slipped his hand higher on River's back and dipped her.

And River trusted him perfectly to do that. She leaned back, and strands of her hair coming loose touched the floor. "Yes," she said, for a moment observing the world upside down. "And I'd trust you in more than dancing," she said.

She was beautiful from this angle, and he smiled as he very slowly guided her upright, all his attention focused on what she'd just said. "Anything specific you had in mind?" he asked mildly, fingers trailing down her back to her waist.

"Yes," she said, her weight once more on her feet. She returned her hand to his shoulder and looked up at him, smiling.

He touched his forehead to hers, lips quirked in a half-smile. "Going to tell me what it is?" Though he suspected he knew exactly what it was. "You're the only mind reader here."

River hesitated for a moment. "Before you leave. Make love with me? If you want."

Yes. Absolutely, definitely, yes. Now. Tonight. With an effort, he stomped on his immediate reaction, because it wasn't just him anymore, and he doubted either of them would understand. "There's no question of want. See for yourself." Jack stopped trying to hide his attraction for River, and it bubbled up through him like champagne, nearly overwhelming. "I can't say yes, not right now." He stopped, lifting his hands to touch her face, holding it between his palms. "But I'm not saying no either."

His feelings rushed through River's mind and made her smile and made her shiver. She looked up at him. "Know that," she said, letting her hands rest on his shoulders. "If it happens it will be a good memory." She was in no doubt about that.

"Yes," he said with absolute certainty. "It will." Jack let his hands fall, took a small step back, taking a deep breath, then another, settling himself, before holding out his arms to her again. "Dance with me some more?"

River took his hands, grinning. "That's what we're here for." She stepped closer again and returned her hand on to his shoulder.

"Yeah," he breathed, leading her in a complex pattern across the floor, feet stepping to the beat. "And making you happy."

"Yes. And you." River smiled up at him, following effortlessly.

...

The Devil's Nest - Thursday 3/1

The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

Re: The Bar 3/1

The Lounge 3/1

The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

Re: The Dance Floor 3/1

OOC - 3/1