fandomtownies | Dite's Decadent Delights, Tuesday afternoon

Well, he'd said that he was going to stop by, hadn't he?

//Hello, luv.//

It was entirely possible that Jono was just a horrible person, and he'd decided to take a break from his own work just so that he could stop by and see how long it took to make Raven blush. At least he'd packed the kitten up and stuffed her down the front of his partly-zipped jacket, in order to soften the awkwardness some, right?

Edited 2010-11-23 14:06 (UTC)

That would be about half a second after he came in before her cheeks turned pink, a new record!

She started to duck her head but caught herself and smiled at Jono instead, despite the blushing. "Hello, Jono," she said, pleased to see him despite the awkwardness of it being at work.

Well, if she could visit him at work, what was the difference, really? After all, Jono was the sort who thought of music as being just about as intimate as chocolate-flavoured condoms and wax that melted at low temperatures. It all evened out.

Generally.

//Having a good day, I hope? I thought I might stop by, save you th'trip across town, since you'd seemed so keen on the idea of visiting.//

He was being thoughtful!

"It has been pleasant enough," Raven said, "but even more so now that you are here." Among the handcuffs and edible body paints and feathers, yes. But she was trying hard not to look at those.

Hercules jumped up on the counter, alert and staring intently at Jono and Joni, tail swishing.

Jono, of course, was making little effort to avoid looking at the wares. The front of the shop looked relatively clean. He supposed the more... interesting things were kept in the back. It made sense, really, if they were in the habit of employing high school students here, and all.

//Yer certain about that, are you?// He glanced back toward her, taking in her expression and trying not to smirk. //I'm not interrupting anything, I hope?//

Oooh, other kitty! Joni stretched her little head as far out of Jonothon's jacket as she could manage, sniffing at the air as her tail fluffed up, somewhere underneath all of that leather. Are you a good cat, or a bad cat?

Raven very rarely went into the back room unless she had good reason. She might spontaneously combust.

"You are not," she said, setting aside her book. "It is usually very quiet in here when I work, so I merely read or meditate." Or surf for Rumor Gal fanfic, shhh. "It is very nice to have a visitor to make the day more interesting."

Hercules was a very good cat, but he wasn't used to invaders in his territory. He moved to the edge of the counter, reaching out a paw toward Joni's nose.

Naturally, Joni did the sensible thing and sneezed at it. That was a proper kitty greeting, right? At least, when there were paws poking at your nose, anyhow.

//I think I can manage being interesting,// Jonothon decided, unzipping his jacket and relocating Joni to the countertop. //Particularly when I'm being interesting in good company. Is th'book any good, at least?//

Hercules shook his paw in the air, frowning as only a kitty could. He backed away from Joni when Jono set her down, then crept forth again, going nose to nose with the intruder.

"It is the first book of the series called A Ballad of Frost and Flame," Raven said, showing him the book. "I enjoyed the books you recommended for me before and thought I would try these ones. They are very violent, however." Oh, just wait until you got to the end, Raven.

//Hm... I haven't had a chance to read those ones just yet,// Jono mused. //They must be fairly new, I suppose.//

And by 'fairly new,' he meant, 'published after 1995.'

Joni, who still looked something like a puffball wearing a tuxedo, sniffed right on back, tail twitching behind her, fur on end. And then, mostly just to see what would happen, she reached out her own paw, fully intent on giving Hercules an experimental bop on the nose.

"The writing is very rich and detailed, and the characters engrossing," Raven said. "But I am afraid terrible things are going to happen to them, which will be distressing." Oh, she had no idea.

Hercules was bopped and jumped backwards with a soft hiss. But he had figured out "girl cat!" at least, so he wasn't about to erupted into furry violence or slink away. So instead he sat and licked his paw and smoothed it over his head. Act casual, that was the plan.

//In that case, I might have to take a copy out of th'library when I'm in next. It's more fantasy, then, if it's like th'ones I recommended?"

Just so that he knew where to start looking for them, of course.

Oooh. Herc's nonchalance was impressive, to wee kitties like Joni! This meant, of course, that she was going to have to duck her head low and slink in to investigate the situation more closely.

Raven hopped off the stool she was sitting on behind the counter and came out around front. "There is a heavy mystical element, yes," she said, "though I believe they would be described as more 'gritty' than 'high fantasy.' But there are dragons."

Herc paused in his grooming to eye Joni as she came closer. He bumped his head against hers as a gesture of "Hey, what's up?"

//Dragons are an easy sell,// Jonothon decided. //In that case, I'll be certain to pick up th'first book sometime. Shouldn't be difficult to make time for it, maybe over th'next few days.//

Holidays. Bah. American holidays, even worse. He was entirely too far out of his element with this 'Thanksgiving' thing going on.

Joni, on the other hand, was totally in her element! Headbonking! Hi! Her fluffed-up tail could totally relax now, and she could even offer up a purr in greeting. Headbonks were friendly, which clearly meant that she was making a friend, now!

"The next few days will be very quiet," Raven agreed. "I know many people will leave the island to celebrate the holiday, but as it is not one I am accustomed to celebrating, I will remain here as well. Perhaps we could do something together?" She dropped her gaze shyly but did lift a hand to brush her fingertips against his arm.

Encouraged by the purring, Herc swiped a tongue across Joni's fuzzy forehead, his own throat starting to rumble happily.

//I wouldn't want to get in th'way of yer participating in the festivities,// Jono replied, turning his gaze toward the hand near his arm. //I heard they were having a meal, for th'students who aren't heading home for th'holiday. I don't think I'll be bothering with that.//

Really, what would he do there? Make longing half-faces at the turkey?

At least Joni was having a good time now! She'd made a friend! There was licking! She was going to take this as encouragement, and lick whatever part of Herc she could get her little tongue at! So, mostly his chest and chin.

"I have no real plans to attend," Raven said. "And I would find spending time with you to be much more pleasing." But for Christmas when Sookie invited her to Bon Temps, she'd do her best to drag Jono along. Resistance would be futile.

Her blush had nothing to do with the store when she added, "I had a very enjoyable time Friday night."

//Gotham doesn't seem like a terrible city, at least at a glance,// Jono replied, which was his concession that he'd enjoyed their date, as well. //Th'buskers aren't terrible, at least.//

High praise, coming from him, really.

But best of luck getting him to be anything resembling pleasant once Christmas rolled around.

"Dinah warned me of what areas to stay away from," Raven said. "Her Gotham is not exactly the same as mine, but they are very similar. And I was happy nothing like the Church of Blood attempted to interrupt us." Or the Brotherhood of Evil. Or the Fearsome Five.

And don't challenge the empath, Jono.

//Mmm, that would have made for an interesting evening,// Jono replied, in that tone that suggested that he wasn't terribly concerned about being ambushed by whatever cult of the day happened to show their ugly heads.

It was his date, damn it, and if anyone thought they were going to get in the way of that, he'd light their behinds on fire without a second thought. Even he had limits, after all.

//I suppose th'next one is for me to plan, then?//

"I would not wish Sebastian to meet you," Raven said, shaking her head. "I know he would attempt to do you harm, though I would never allow that if it were at all in my power."

Had she mentioned her possessive vampire would-be fiancé to Jono? She'd have to bring that up at some point, but there were more pleasant topics at hand. "And yes, if you would like," she murmured in response to planning a date. Because she would very much like.

Sebastian, hm? Jonothon suspected that she wasn't talking about Ariel's music teacher, no.

//I think I would like,// Jono replied, because date-conversation was far more pleasant. It was difficult to dig for the business talk when there were cats purring and bumping heads with one another nearby. Or something. //Did anything ever come of yer plans to go to London, by any chance?//

"No, we never finished making plans," Raven said. "I think we were interrupted by the fall trip to Vail, and I have not spoken to Jaime since then. But I would still very much like to go there someday. Especially if you would be my guide. I am certain there are many interesting things you can show me."

She didn't mean it that way.

Maybe.

Well, either way, Jono wouldn't be opposed to it.

//If we went... It wouldn't be my London we go to,// he said, after a moment's pause for consideration.

There was too much, buried in the London that he knew. There were some things he wasn't keen on digging up again, at least so soon after his leaving in the first place.

"Wherever you would be most comfortable," Raven said, picking up on that, drawing her hand up his arm in a comforting gesture. "It is the company that makes the visit special. "Though perhaps it would be wise not to pick a London at random. I think the portals have as much of a sense of humor as Fandom sometimes."

//Th'one over th'causeway, then. Whatever version of Earth that is, it doesn't know... anything about th'reasons I left. That's good enough for me.//

He leaned into her hand a little.

Comfort, he'd take.

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