Stark Industries, Wednesday

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

If it had taken Jessica a little longer to realize something was going on than most people, you'd have to forgive her. By nature of her powers, she usually had more energy than she needed. And by nature of her choices and general confusion with... things, she was generally good at suppressing certain urges.

But then she kissed Loki and everything was a lot harder to ignore. And she couldn't even blame it on Loki himself, because, for one thing, she was the one who went for it. For another, whatever it was that motivated her to go for it also explained the thoughts and urges she was having earlier in the week.

Fortunately, she had work today and she could throw herself into that as a distraction to help her ignore everything. Unfortunately, she found herself having to post a sign at the door 30 minutes after opening:

We will not be fixing any more 'personal massagers' today. Sorry for the inconvenience.

So yeah. Today was kind of terrible all around. And it involved a lot of Purell, because who knew where those massagers had been?

Comments

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

"Do I even want to ask?" Cade, well, asked, staring at the sign.

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"No. And I don't want to answer," Jessica said. "All I know is that there are some very frustrated people around here today."

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

"Including you?" Cade wondered, smiling slightly.

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"Frustrated? Nope. I'm the same as always," Jessica lied. "Maybe a little peckish, but that's why we have vending machines." Keep rambling, Jess.

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

"Well, don't say you're peckish around that Derek guy or he'll start tossing dead animals at your window too," Cade complained.

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"... I'll keep that in mind," Jessica said. "If I'm ever hungry, I won't discuss the issue with teachers whose class I'm not even in. Why?"

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

"I think he has a crush on my roommate," Cade decided, "and is showing it in the karking weirdest way possible."

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"It could be worse," Jessica said. "At least it's not dead cows or something."

"... They are smaller animals, right? Not cows?"

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

"So far it's been a duck and a rabbit," Cade said. "Oh, and karking Cheetos that Stiles ate off the window sill. I'm kind of afraid of tomorrow."

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

Jessica couldn't help but laugh. "Hearing about this has completely changed how I look at romance," Jessica said. "If someone can't be dedicated enough to leave extremely weird gifts for me, they're just not trying very hard."

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

"Well, if you're under our window tomorrow, you can have whatever we end up dropping off of it," Cade offered magnanimously. "The concussion would just make extra special."

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"Hey, no regifting," Jessica warned. "I want my own extremely creepy gifts. You know, something personal that says, 'I was thinking about you, and also I should seek professional help.' Somebody else's dead rabbit just isn't going to cut it."

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

Cade laughed. "I have to put some thought into this? Kark."

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"If you're going to give me dead animals, you'd better put a lot of thought into it," Jessica said.

And then the laughter tailed off as it dawned on her what he said. "Um. Were you planning on giving me creepy gifts? Or non-creepy gifts?"

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

Cade looked a little embarrassed. "No?"

Was that the right answer?

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"Good," Jessica said, sounding a little unsure. "I'm out of shelf space anyway. Still, the attention would be kind of nice."

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

"Well, attention's free," Cade said with a grin, moving slightly closer. "I'm good with free."

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"And it is the thought that counts, anyway," Jessica said, leaning over the counter while trying desperately not to think about it. "So, you know, keep thinking some good thoughts. Or something. I'm sorry, it's a little warm in here so I'm probably a little... extra rambley?"

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

"I don't mind," Cade said, leaning onto the counter as well. It was probably a terrible idea, but "Cade" and "terrible idea" were best friends.

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"You're a trooper, Cade," Jessica said, closing the gap a little more by getting up on her toes. "Thanks for putting up with my wackiness."

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

Well, Cade knew an invitation when he saw one (or thought he saw one), so he leaned in for a kiss.

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

Against all reason, it was, in fact, an invitation. She wanted to say that she appreciated the unique way he had of saying 'You're welcome,' but it came out as, "Mmmm," and a hand reaching up to touch his face as they kissed instead. Really, that was nowhere near what she meant to say.

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

Face touching was nice, and a little unexpected. Cade's experience tended toward the "random hook-up in a bar bathroom" and less toward...sweet.

He let out a soft sigh and kept kissing her.

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

Yeah, buck up, honey, because anything happening here was going to be really frickin' sweet.

... Even if it did involve her climbing onto the counter and sitting on it without breaking the kiss, just to get in closer. Apparently she was flexible and had good balance to pull that off.

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

"Impressive," Cade murmured, sliding her even closer so his hands could roam along her back.

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"All that yoga pays off," Jessica said as she started to run her hands through his hair.

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

"Oooh, bendy," Cade said between kisses. "That's handy."

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"You don't know the half of it," Jessica managed to say when her lips weren't too preoccupied.

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

"Really," Cade said, moving down to nip at her neck. "I'm anxious to learn--"

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"Oh geez," Jessica said, surprised by the change of tactics. "You have no idea how much I want to teach you..."

"...but I'm at work," Jessica said, that realization finally hitting her. "We're in public." She was also realizing that this just made it hotter, because apparently that's where she was with things right now.

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

"There's a back room," Cade suggested.

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"There is..." Jessica said. She was trying to reason things out, the pros and cons, whether or not she could actually do anything like that in a room where Topher had presumably spent some time, whether or not she was even ready....

"Let's go," she said. As it turned out, she really worked best being spontaneous and going with her gut. And the butterflies in her gut were pretty anxious about doing things right now.

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

Well, Cade would be very grateful to those butterflies! Since he had the arms for it, he just picked her up and headed toward the back.