The Boards, Saturday, All Day

[furnaceface]

There was a dance on the island tonight, wasn't there? Something celebrating the moon landing, or some such thing. Really, if you asked Jonothon, an excuse to see old friends... wouldn't go remiss, fine. But getting all dressed up only to go stand in a corner trying not to be seen wasn't exactly his idea of an evening well spent.

It was a dilemma. One that Jonothon was going to mull over while rummaging around for the jam session posters that he'd made months ago and never got around to actually hanging. But then, he figured he already had his mind made up. When the choice essentially boiled down to showing his face in public or being utterly antisocial, it was something of a no-brainer, for Jono.

Besides, he had paperwork to do. Which couldn't possibly wait until later. Truly.

[Open, OCD-Free! Will be AFK for a bit while I drag glacial_witch around Halifax for foods and things!]

Comments

[trigons_child]

Raven had come back to the island a day early for her library shift because she had a specific mission. She was a day early, but she wasn't sure she'd see Jono at all tomorrow, so.

She had an envelope in her hand as she walked inside the Boards and looked around for Jono.

[furnaceface]

Jono was in his office by the time Raven came around, staring at his jam session posters and wondering what to do with them. Should he rearrange the day of the week on it to better work with the days he usually set aside for the New Warriors? He could probably manage Friday evenings, or just hold them on Saturdays when he was in anyhow, or perhaps Sundays...

He glanced up for a moment to think, and noticed that he wasn't actually alone. And he smiled a little.

"In here, luv."

[trigons_child]

She followed the sound of his voice to the office and gave him a warm smile as she stepped inside. "Hello, Jono," she said. "I hope I am not disturbing you."

[furnaceface]

"Not at all," Jono replied, with a shrug of his shoulders and a small shake of his head. "I was just looking at some old posters that I never did get around to hanging. They're very..."

... Outdated.

And unused?

"... I might be able to make use of them. How are you, luv?"

[trigons_child]

"I am well," Raven said. "And I am glad you are here. I know it is a day early, but I was uncertain if I would see you tomorrow at all, and I wanted to wish you a happy birthday."

She had no idea what the date was back in his world, but Fandom's date was what counted.

[furnaceface]

It counted well enough for Jonothon, who managed to not make a face at the reminder that he was gong to be twenty-six years old tomorrow.

Most people considered that young.

"It's that time again, isn't it?" Jono's smile went a bit wry. "The birthday wishes are appreciated, luv, thank you."

[trigons_child]

"Yes, tomorrow is July 22nd," Raven said, nodding.

"And I have a present for you as well," she said, just a touch shyly. "I hope that you like it."

She held out the envelope she was carrying.

[furnaceface]

And see, this was how Jonothon knew that you loved him, Raven. He did mutter a sort of wry, "You didn't have to get me anything," while he took the envelope, but after he opened it and stared for a moment, a little grin crossed his face.

"Christ, it's like you've met me."

Beer! The gift that keeps on giving!

[trigons_child]

Her own smile grew wider. "The first shipment should arrive at the beginning of August," she said, "and then automatically at the beginning of each month that follows for a year. I would told they would be good ones and not 'cheap American excuses for beer,' though I have little basis of comparison and of course have not tried them myself."

[furnaceface]

"Of course," Jono replied, grinning a little bit more as he read over the contents of the envelope. "You know, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I might actually be looking forward to trying something American brewed."

Was he going to have to relinquish his British citizenship over this?

[trigons_child]

Surely they couldn't find fault with a little experimentation. If he decided he favored one of them, however, that might be a different matter.

"I am glad that you like it then," Raven said. "You will have to tell me how you find the brews when they are delivered."

[furnaceface]

"I'll definitely let you know what I think of them," Jonothon replied, because he was just that kind. You're welcome, Raven. "Thank you for this, luv. Lord knows I'll enjoy it."

And these beer club things were not inexpensive. Jono was going to enjoy it slowly, and with great relish.

[trigons_child]

"You are very welcome," Raven said. "I wanted to give you something you could truly enjoy. You deserve it, after all."

And more, but she was starting small. Well, small for Raven.

[glacial_queen]

There was a Karla on the island. That meant that Jono was going to get a very loud and exuberant visitor.

You're welcome, Jono.

"Kiss kiss!" Karla believed in announce her presence with a yell. "Jooooonoooo, where arrrre yooooou?"

[furnaceface]

"Hiding," came Jonothon's prompt reply. "In plain view, in my office."

The office in which he worked.

[glacial_queen]

Oh, Jono. You would soon wish you had been.

Karla came bounding into the room. "All ready for the dance tonight?" she asked, already knowing his answer.

[furnaceface]

"Oh, there's a dance tonight?"

See, Jono was innocent. Innocent and ignorant, and he couldn't be expected to know about every little dance that they threw around here, could he?

Even if he got the invite, just like everyone else.

[glacial_queen]

"Oh yes," Karla said, not buying his show of ignorance for a moment. "That's why Warren and I are here for the weekend. I'm surprised you hadn't heard!"

Yup. Boggled.

"I'm glad I stopped in, then! It would have been awful if you'd missed it because you hadn't heard."

[furnaceface]

"Lucky me." Jonothon shook his head a little bit, drumming his fingers on the top of his desk. "Though, sadly, I don't seem to have a single thing to wear. I appear to have outgrown my old suits over th'past few years, luv."

Pity.

[glacial_queen]

"Oh, that's fine, Jono," Karla said, batting her eyes at him. Innocent worked both ways, boyo. "Your birthday's tomorrow! I think getting you a new suit would be an excellent present; don't you agree?"

[furnaceface]

Well, that went and backfired spectacularly, didn't it?

"Er... When would we go about doing that exactly?"

He was at work! See him working? At his place of employment and everything?

[glacial_queen]

Why were you still surprised by that, Jono? Why?

"I'm sure there'll be time this afternoon," Karla pointed out sweetly. "I checked into, uhh...Demon Marcus?...today and they seem to carry plenty of sizes. I'm sure we can find something to fit!"

[furnaceface]

... Bugger. And he couldn't even veto the place on the grounds that he avoided anything with 'pixie' in the name on principle. What was this world coming to?

"I... you did?"

[glacial_queen]

"I did," Karla announced airily. "Call it a hunch that it might have been necessary. Probably a Black Widow thing."

Oooor she'd, y'know, MET Jono a few times. And knew much the way his mind worked.

[furnaceface]

Damn you, tricksy Black Widow. Damn you.

"I couldn't possibly have you pay for something I'm only liable to wear once," he attempted. Because that seemed like a reasonable argument, didn't it?