Just me and my shadow... (RP for brave-soldier)

[little_leaf]

Chicken Little has flown the coop.

"Great." Jane sighed, hiking up her reading glasses to better see the text message she was reading. All of the triplets had condos in the same building, each of them on a different floor. It let them stay close, have privacy...and watch John.

Who didn't go out alone often, at least not outside of work. As a rule, he could be trusted on his own during cases he was deep into, otherwise he stayed home or at the office by choice. Now that he had a girlfriend, that would probably change...but John out alone and sans a case still felt like trouble.

Jane texted Jock back after a moment's thought.

Your problem tonight, not mine. I have a broken heart to nurse, bugger off.

Jane tossed her phone on the coffee table right after, vowing not to answer another text message for the rest of the night. She knew Jock would at least pretend she was still wounded by Bob's treachery, but she was pretty sure John had told him everything. After all: twins usually did. They all knew what she was really brooding about...at least Jock would preserve the gentle fiction, and her last scrap of dignity.

Men sucked.

That was her story, and she was sticking to it as she burrowed deeper into the cushions of her ratty old sofa with its threadbare maroon cushions, trying to make herself read the deposition for an eviction case she was taking to court in two weeks. She found herself scanning the same paragraph repeatedly, though, remembering the feel of stiff whiskers against her cheek, the sinewy back under her hand, the bright and adorable smile that made her forget everything and feel like she was something rare and amazing...

Why the hell did John have to be...John? She wouldn't blame Paul if he'd deleted her number the second she was out of sight. Bloke like that could have his pick, war hero with an irresistible accent and that lethal grin...

"I do not care." she muttered to herself, trying to make herself believe it and failing. "I don't care...didn't fancy him that much anyway. I can do much...oh, bollocking shitbags, someone just beat me unconscious and leave me to my fate..."

Comments

[little_leaf]

Jane met his gaze as he spoke, blinking a little, startled by the frank and gentle honesty of it...and just how hard her heart twisted with the shock of such simple, powerful understanding. She'd never felt that with anyone but her brothers before.

"...ballroom dancing."

She was saying it before she could think about it, the words coaxed from her with such forthright...care, by his interest and his determination to get what he wanted. Instantly, she was blushing and giggling again, covering her face with both hands.

"Jeez, I can't believe I just admitted to that." she giggled, face still covered.

[brave_soldier]

She giggled again. Paul's smile returned. It was much better to hear her giggle than to see her pout. He reached out then, curling his fingers around hers to gently ease her hand away from her face. "There's no reason to be shy about it. I'm afraid I'm a horrible dancer, though. I have no sense of musical coordination, from the admittedly limited experiences I've had on a dance floor."

He paused then, and cleared his throat a bit, shifting in his seat. He couldn't believe he was about to admit to this, but if it made her feel better, he'd admit to anything. "I knit. Sometimes. When I'm restless and need to calm down. Picked it up from my aunt."

[little_leaf]

When he gently pried her hand away from her face, it felt a little like he was tugging something else loose, something deeper, hiding her from sight. She found herself clinging to his fingers as he did, hesitantly looking up at him, then grinning at his own admission.

Shifting a little, she reached for his other hand, giving both a squeeze.

"Knitting hedgehog...definitely sexy." she replied, laughing softly. "How's this for a deal: teach me to knit a proper jumper? And I will teach you..." She paused, giving him her best mock smoldering, seductive stare.

"...to rumba."

[brave_soldier]

A bold laugh escaped him at her suggestive look, and he grinned in response. He could kill the waiter for arriving with their food just then, and Paul squeezed her fingers before withdrawing to let the man put the food in front of him.

He looked up at her apologetically and put the napkin on his lap before reaching for the lemon to douse the fish with, digging into the food a moment later. It really had been far too long since his last proper meal, and this fish was positively sinful. It was one thing he adored about Boston: their fish was the best in the world.

[little_leaf]

Jane was just as upset by the bad timing, because he was grinning at her again, and she loved it, the way his face seemed to shift and he was...just kind of incredible to look at.

Reaching for the malt vinegar, she doused her fish liberally, snapping her fingers at him when she wasn't satisfied with the speed at which he was eating.

"Tuck in...faster you eat, faster I kiss you." she teased through a bite of her fish, pausing to wash it down with a swig of beer. "And just so ya know? When I teach you to dance, you'll be wearing shoes with heels."

[brave_soldier]

He waved her off when she teased him about his speed. He was used to eating quick: years in the military had ingrained it in him. But the line about wearing heels through him completely for a loop, and he looked up, his confusion clear. "Wait what? Why are you making me Roger Daltrey?" Would she even know who the Who were? The comment had come out before he'd even thought about that.

[little_leaf]

Dissolving into yet another fit of giggling and grateful she'd just swallowed a bite of her chips, she let her head thunk onto the tabletop lightly as she tried to recover, shaking her head a little.

"No, I am not!" she insisted, collecting herself and carefully composing her face into the most serious lines she could manage.

"Everyone knows the Pinball Wizard had the best shoes."

[brave_soldier]

Paul's grin could not get any broader. She not only understood the reference, but she ran with it. Where had this woman been all his life?

"What, Elton? Yeah, I suppose those shoes were the best, but I was thinking about the Substitute," he quipped, the grin still in place. "Seriously though, why heels?" It clicked then, and he found himself chuckling softly. "Nevermind, I get it. You don't want to be taller than me."

[little_leaf]

"I know you were? But I really don't want to think about substituting you for my mom. Or vice versa. Ick." she teased, feeling wildly accomplished as his grin threatened to split his sweet face.

She leaned over to smack his arm, then as a punishment stole one of his chips (a very small one, he did need to eat).

"Dancing shoes, asshole." she giggled. "It's a low heel, but still a heel. Helps with foot placement...and yes, we both get to be taller. Shut up."

[brave_soldier]

"Hm, just what I've always wanted. To lord over the commoners of these territories like any proper Englishman should. In dance heels, I shall finally be the proper height to challenge any rebellion! So long as they leave the tea alone. I simply can't get on without a proper cuppa."

He looked at her then, grinning once again, before reaching out and stealing one of her chips in response to hers, amazed at how easygoing this conversation was turning out.

[little_leaf]

Jane once again hid her face in her hand, giggling mercilessly and finally visibly trying to catch her breath. Shaking a finger at him scoldingly, she took a bite of her fish to try and make herself stop.

"Okay, seriously? My face is starting to hurt." she only half-complained through chewing. "Please stop being adorable and hot for the five minutes I need to eat. And finish that plate, Sonic, or Princess Toadstool here's going back to Mario Land to kiss a plumber. Sega video games suck anyway."

[brave_soldier]

He brought a hand up and saluted her, chuckling as he turned his attention to his meal. "I'm inclined to agree. But I didn't give myself that particular nickname, that much is certain. It's all Randy's fault, actually. She saw me in a jumper once, a tan thing that my aunt had sent me, and declared I looked like a hedgehog." He shook his head, chuckling. "Never thought the kinder version of that nickname would stick. Then again, there are far worse things to call your commanding officer, so Sonic wasn't so bad in the end."

[little_leaf]

"Commanding officer." she drawled over a sip of her beer, pausing to pop another fry into her mouth with a smirk. Planting her chin in her hand, she regarded him with more open heat in her smile this time.

"I'm really sorry, but I'm a shallow twat...the whole military thing is really hot. Watching you snap that salute today..." She trailed off, rolling her eyes up and fanning herself.

[brave_soldier]

Paul chuckled softly. "It's okay. I won't hold it against you. I used the line about being a man in uniform, or some variant of it, more times than I care to admit to. I even have two uniforms I can wear," he added, the smile returning, referring to his military uniform and his police officer one.

He finished off the fish and picked up the beer, drinking it in satisfaction. Sleep, food, good beer and even better company. This was turning into a fantastic evening. "So, you like a man in uniform, I take it?"

[little_leaf]

She wrinkled her nose at him cutely, popping another chip into her mouth. "I actually avoided dating cops for a long time after I worked for the ADA's office, mostly 'cause Jock was a cop. Made it weird, ya know? Never really had a military kink, but..."

She trailed off, her smile sobering just a little, but not in a grim way as she tilted her head.

"The force, the service...you wear it so openly, and so well. It's part of how I knew you were a cop when we first met."

[brave_soldier]

"Well, it was my life for a very long time. 16 years, I served in the Royal Navy. I didn't get my own command, but that was by choice. I had a wonderful CO whose side I did not want to leave." Paul shrugged slightly. "It was only logical to go into the police force once I came here, as a result. It's no wonder you read my police work on my sleeve. I enjoy my work. If I didn't, there would be no way to be able to continue working the way that I do." With no one else in his life, it was easy to see what he was referring to. His life was his work, and he was the sort of dedicated employee that didn't mind putting in those sorts of crazy hours.

"I'm afraid I am one of those 'For Queen and Country' types. And I will freely admit to still being loyal to my native country. So I don't bother hiding it. I'm proud of my service." Frankly, he was proud to still be alive to tell the tale.

[little_leaf]

"Hey, I get it...Erin Go Bragh, I'm not a total Yank." she grinned. "It's almost more than that, though. You aren't just proud, you believe in it. Honor, loyalty, discipline...you're patriotic, you're proud, you're dedicated to your job, but you believe in all the things a cop and an officer in Her Majesty's Navy is supposed to be, and you'll drop dead before you let yourself any less. That's why you're not comfortable with...well, what I'm so good at. Slithering through holes in the system."

[brave_soldier]

Paul found himself grinning slightly at her analysis. "There's a reason my career in the military was so long. It's not for everyone. I didn't think it would be for me, really. But yes, I'm afraid I'm one of those honest Dudley Do-Right types. Loopholes are all well and done but I'd rather do the job right the first time." He shrugged a bit, knowing the made him out to be some sort of old-fashioned, old school, old *man*, but it was the truth.

"I like protecting people. Not everyone needs it, but I like to know that when they do, they're getting the help and protection they need. Granted, in my division, it's late for most of them but... It still applies."