Devil's Nest, Monday, 08/11

[bitten_notshy]

Jack had listened to radio exactly enough to realize he wasn't ever going to quite understand what had happened during the week he'd been ... preoccupied. It didn't matter, really: The island had come through it fine, and he was sure he'd someday get a chance to play the hero once again. That wasn't him being arrogant, though he was. That was a reality of island life.

Besides, he had more pressing concerns on his mind. Like the giant cotton candy machine now parked behind the bar. It was fascinating to watch, and the melting sugar smelled good, but he wasn't sure it fit in with the club's ambiance.

He took a handful of fresh cotton candy to nibble on and then started making calls to see who might be willing to take the machine off his hands.

[OOC: Open post, no OCD!]

Comments

[not_a_whiner]

Kaidan... definitely hoped he wasn't going to miss Jack by a hair, coming in here this late.

He figured they could both use a drink, was the thing, and they were out of beer at the house. So... there he was. Doorway. Devil's Nest.

[bitten_notshy]

Doorway. Devil's Nest. And Jack glancing up from the box of Scotch he was unpacking to give him a casual smile.

"Hey, how's it going?" he asked. "And do you like cotton candy?"

[not_a_whiner]

"Cotton candy?" Kaidan said, blinking. "Uh, after everything I've heard on radio-- I think I'll pass."

Right, getting out of the doorway: a thing. Which he did.

[bitten_notshy]

"Probably wise," Jack said, glancing to the machine as though it had done something wrong. "It got delivered to the bar while I was away. I'm trying to find someone to take it off my hands, but until then, we have candy."

[not_a_whiner]

"How about Tiny gets me a beer instead?" Kaidan said wryly. "I'll buy you one, too."

[bitten_notshy]

"Better idea," Jack nodded, and asked Tiny for two Canadian lagers. "I'm a bit sick of cotton candy anyhow."

Once the beers were ready, he passed one across to Kaidan. "Cheers."

[not_a_whiner]

"Thanks."

Kaidan took a swig of his beer. Sat there. Thought on it. "So, uh. Remember how I mentioned at the start of the summer that I might be... called in by the Alliance at some point?"

[bitten_notshy]

"Yes....?"

Jack had a feeling he knew what Kaidan was going to say next.

[not_a_whiner]

"They made me an offer. A while ago."

Kaidan took another swig of his beer. "I just told them yes. I'm sorry-- I'm leaving my share of the rent for next month, I promise."

[bitten_notshy]

"I don't give a fuck about the rent," Jack said, waving that part off. "I -- I'm not surprised, but I wish it wasn't happening. What kind of offer?"

[not_a_whiner]

Kaidan let out a sigh. Not the best thing to say to Jack, what he was about to say, but. "It's classified."

[bitten_notshy]

"Oh, that's not fair," Jack sighed. "I know loose lips sink ships, but there should be an exemption to let you tell a housemate who lives a few hundred years before your time. It's not as if I'm in a position to do anything with your answer."

He knew Kaidan probably wasn't going to tell him anyhow.

[not_a_whiner]

"Sorry," Kaidan said, his mouth twitching a little - with apologetic amusement. "I had to sign a lot of paperwork. None of it gave any exemptions for people a couple hundred years my senior."

[bitten_notshy]

"I won't rat you out," Jack said -- but his petulance had mellowed a bit. "Silly paperwork, anyhow. Can you at least tell me when you're going?"

[not_a_whiner]

"End of the week," Kaidan said. "I've left Anderson waiting for too long already."

He sipped his beer. "He really wants me for this position. Pretty badly."

[bitten_notshy]

"Must be something important," Jack said -- not probing (okay, a little) but observing. "Good luck with it, anyhow. Think you'l lbe able to be in touch?"

[not_a_whiner]

"I don't know," Kaidan admitted. He really didn't. Sometimes the Alliance kept these programs tight like a lid. "But I'll be in touch whenever I get the chance."

He smiled awkwardly. "I'm going to miss you, Jack."

[bitten_notshy]

"I'll miss you too," Jack told him, also awkwardly. "All right if we have Dean and Allie -- and whoever else you want to ask -- over for pizza before you go? Sort of a last hurrah for now."

[not_a_whiner]

"That'd be great," Kaidan said. Look, that smile got a touch less awkward. "I still need to tell them. Damn."

[bitten_notshy]

"There are always too many goodbyes around here," Jack said glumly. "They'll understand."

[not_a_whiner]

"I'm sorry," Kaidan said again, and quickly. "Look, if the circumstances were different-- I like it here."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack smiled sadly. "We aren't meant to stay here forever, Kaidan," he said. "I didn't plan to last so long, but it happened. At least you're going for a cause."

[not_a_whiner]

"It was gonna happen eventually," Kaidan agreed. "But, y'know."

[bitten_notshy]

"Sure," Jack agreed. "But it's still not any fun."

[not_a_whiner]

Kaidan blew out a breath. "Yeah," he said. "Look, all I'm trying to work myself up to is-- when I got here, I wasn't in the best frame of mind. You helped change that. So..."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack beamed briefly before assembling his face back into a more sober expression.

"Thank you, but if it hadn't been me, it would have been someone else," he said. "But I'm glad it was me, all the same."

[not_a_whiner]

"Maybe, maybe not," Kaidan said wryly. "I'm not that good at making friends. So I'm glad you were here."