i'm running away from me
Mar. 17th, 2012 09:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
little_leafBob was a cheating bastard. Big deal. Jane ought to have known better...that was the part that was killing her.
Jane knew she ought not to be beating herself up so hard over it, after all: she wasn't John. Then again, that was the problem, wasn't it?
It was still cold out, but Jane was out for her morning run in shorts and a tank top, relishing the bite of cold air on bare skin in the early hours of first light, when everything was still pale and dim and quiet. It was just her, the asphalt against her feet, and the sound of her own breathing.
Jane liked to run because Jock and John didn't.
Her brothers had more trouble overidentifying, being twins, but more often than not Jane simply felt as though she was being quietly swallowed up by the unit that they were...the odd one out, the little dangling leaf of the Shamrock. They'd earned the nickname early on, the three of them, and Jane liked it. Hell, she loved it. She loved being one third of the great, massive, wildly loving thing that was being a triplet, and she loved her brothers, probably John most of all because he was so broken and so gifted and sought her approval so often.
Under the slap slap slap of her shoes on pavement, Jane tried not to feel her broken heart beating just a little out of rhythm.
Bob had been a nice guy. He'd also been way younger than anyone else Jane had ever dated, she always gravitated towards older men. Jock called her a golddigger, loving and playful, John accused her of having daddy issues...not playful, not loving, he said it because Jock mentioned it once, thinking he was being funny.
In truth, nobody looked at Jane very often. Not her brothers, not men her age...she was married to her family in some ways, and a lot of younger guys didn't like it. They wanted to be everything, didn't want to share...didn't want to work at becoming part of the family. Older men...they were a little more open. They understood the dynamic a little better, but even they left in the end, unable to compete with her brothers.
With John the genius and Jock the Big Brother In Residence.
Bob was too okay with all of it...that should have tipped Jane off right away. It should have.
In the end, Jane liked her early morning runs because it was what she was good at.
At the start of the day, at the end...no matter how close she kept her brothers, she always ended up alone.
Jane knew she ought not to be beating herself up so hard over it, after all: she wasn't John. Then again, that was the problem, wasn't it?
It was still cold out, but Jane was out for her morning run in shorts and a tank top, relishing the bite of cold air on bare skin in the early hours of first light, when everything was still pale and dim and quiet. It was just her, the asphalt against her feet, and the sound of her own breathing.
Jane liked to run because Jock and John didn't.
Her brothers had more trouble overidentifying, being twins, but more often than not Jane simply felt as though she was being quietly swallowed up by the unit that they were...the odd one out, the little dangling leaf of the Shamrock. They'd earned the nickname early on, the three of them, and Jane liked it. Hell, she loved it. She loved being one third of the great, massive, wildly loving thing that was being a triplet, and she loved her brothers, probably John most of all because he was so broken and so gifted and sought her approval so often.
Under the slap slap slap of her shoes on pavement, Jane tried not to feel her broken heart beating just a little out of rhythm.
Bob had been a nice guy. He'd also been way younger than anyone else Jane had ever dated, she always gravitated towards older men. Jock called her a golddigger, loving and playful, John accused her of having daddy issues...not playful, not loving, he said it because Jock mentioned it once, thinking he was being funny.
In truth, nobody looked at Jane very often. Not her brothers, not men her age...she was married to her family in some ways, and a lot of younger guys didn't like it. They wanted to be everything, didn't want to share...didn't want to work at becoming part of the family. Older men...they were a little more open. They understood the dynamic a little better, but even they left in the end, unable to compete with her brothers.
With John the genius and Jock the Big Brother In Residence.
Bob was too okay with all of it...that should have tipped Jane off right away. It should have.
In the end, Jane liked her early morning runs because it was what she was good at.
At the start of the day, at the end...no matter how close she kept her brothers, she always ended up alone.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-19 01:45 am (UTC)When she answered that she had a semi-useless law degree, he figured it was because of the economy. He'd heard the story too many times, as of late. But when she went on to explain that she had left her occupation to work with her brothers, he was surprised. "Oh, I see. I, uh, I left England about... six years ago now." If she'd left the law career that long ago, she was either much older than she looked, or much brighter than anticipated. Either was very interesting. He was about to follow up with another question when his phone rang.
His face lost his humor and he stopped jogging, reaching for his phone. "Grant, what is it, I'm---" Whoever was on the other side of the line interrupted him then and Paul winced. "Right. Give me a few minutes to come in, you caught me in my mid-morning jog. Yes, yes, I'll be right in." Hanging up, he looked over at Jane, who much to his surprise had reverted back to jogging in place while he was on the phone. "I'm sorry, but that was my partner. Rather... grisly case." He found himself smiling softly, wishing he had the courage to ask her for her number. He cleared his throat a bit, deciding it was worth it. If she rejected him, she'd be like all the other women who had. If she didn't... Well. The risk was worthwhile. "Do you think, well, we can meet up again sometime? Maybe for another morning jog?"
no subject
Date: 2012-03-19 01:56 am (UTC)Grinning as she jogged in place, she pulled her iPod back out...iPhone, in fact, and opened up a new contact listing for him.
"Give me your number, I'll send you a text right now so you have mine." she assured him, then lifted her gaze with a slower smile.
"And just so we're clear: you're not as rubbish a flirt as you think you are, and I love salty blondes." she added.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-19 02:16 am (UTC)When the words left her lips, it took him a moment to let her intended meeting sink in. Salty blonds? As in the beach? Then recalled his own self, and the tufts of white hair he pained to see growing on his head. Somehow, only this woman would make him feel good about it. "It's the accent. Lets me get away with a good deal more than I should," he deadpanned, smiling softly, his smile turning honest as he continued. "It's been a pleasure, Jane. Hopefully I'll see you soon." He waved then, turning around to jog off in the opposite direction, his head in the clouds. Well, this certainly was a lovely way to start the day. He knew that would all change the moment he got to work, but for now... for now, he could enjoy the look of pretty green eyes and a pretty freckled face.
Yes, this was a good morning, indeed.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-19 02:27 am (UTC)Giggling, she started texting him, and a couple moments later, his phone alerted him with an unfamiliar number...
Next time, no jogging. Dinner & a pint. <3 -J