New York City, Thursday

[suitably_heroic]

Sometimes mornings were nice. Time spent in the music room, after people had woken up, but before he needed to be anywhere. Jack let his fingers move over the keys, his ear fied on the sound of Dane's chords flowing from the phone recording - Em, G, Cmaj7, D... "Why do we always crave absolution? Why can't we put these ghosts to rest? Why won't we tell the dead to leave us alone? Why let the ghosts follow us home, to let our blood and leave us to roam? The dead should leave us alone--"

"I like the triplets and the duplets," Dane commented quietly from the doorway. "Very cute."

Jack let out a sigh as he looked up and away from the piano. "Well, we aren't all fancy assholes with pretty pieces of paper that say we're qualified to make music good."

"It is a nice thing to have." Dane lifted his cup of coffee with a small smile. "I like it, though. It's getting better."

There was still a quiet exhaustion in his face, and Jack knew it wasn't physical - Dane had slept just fine last night. He put the sheets with the notes down and rose from his seat. "Thanks," he said. "How are you holding up?"

One of Dane's shoulders slid up in a helpless shrug. "I'm okay--" he started. "Okay, no, that's bullshit. I'm sorry. I'm, I don't know. Stuck in some bad memories. I guess. It'll be fine."

Jack took a moment to roll his wrist, fiddling with the straps of his glove. Then he took a few steps, getting in closer, seeing the truth of that reflected in Dane's eyes. "Look, I know you're probably not eager to hear my Jedi zen therapy bullshit," he said. "But try and find a moment to sit with it for a while today, okay? Grab a break or something. Listen to the dulcet tones of cabs racing past, I don't know."

"Aye aye, Zen master," Dane said, a wry smile tugging on his mouth.

"And if you want, I can call the band, cancel our performance at the protest this weekend," Jack added casually. "Give you some time."

"And deprive you of a chance to yell 'fuck the system' in public?" Dane sipped his coffee. "I'm not that much of a monster."

Jack shook his head. He brushed a kiss against Dane's cheek before he passed him by. "Just think about it," he said.

"You tell Lana I said hi," Dane called over his shoulder.

"She agrees with me about the zen shit!" Jack called back.

He grabbed a thermos of coffee on his way out, shoving half a sandwich in his mouth. Lana was probably not going to be outside at 10 AM on the dot, right? He would be that lucky?

[[ for her ]]

Comments

[unusual_sith]

"Where's the fun in that?" Lana protested. "I wouldn't get to see your faces. Hm. Still not sure I shouldn't save Trent's for when I'm there in person. Unless you promise to take a picture."

[suitably_heroic]

Jack snorted. "Depends on how horrifying that one is," he said, hopping up the stairs.

[unusual_sith]

"I'll show you both and you can judge," Lana said. "How have he and Jill been?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Well, last time I spoke to him, he was fighting his landlord because he's trying to make kombucha in the basement of his building," Jack offered, "And Jill came within an inch of trying to jump Cade when he was here, so... I'm afraid to ask both of them?"

[unusual_sith]

Lana laughed. "To be fair, I came within a few inches myself when I met him. He's a mess, but he's a hot mess. Why is kombucha a problem?"

[suitably_heroic]

"What is it about Cade?" Jack asked, ignoring the latter question for the horrors of the former statement. "Is it the air of 'probably going to die soon'? The faint whiff of 'deathstick addict'? Does he emit some kind of sonic lure that screams 'I will be out of your bed five minutes after I'm done' to women?"

[unusual_sith]

"He's got nice muscles and good hair, and he's amusing on the surface," Lana answered, shrugging. "And he screams he'll be out of your bed five minutes after, so you won't have to care about anything else. Also Earth women aren't Force sensitive enough to sense just how much of a mess he is."

[suitably_heroic]

"He's throwing himself at danger with the same zealous dedication to getting himself killed I once did, except he doesn't even want to acknowledge to himself that he's doing it," Jack groused. "He also probably has like five STDs."

[unusual_sith]

"None of which can be seen at a glance," Lana pointed out. "Though that would certainly be an interesting way for Earth to find out about the existence of aliens." She could see it now - Earth's first exposure being alien STDs. "But you said she only came within an inch, which means she didn't, like a sensible person."

[suitably_heroic]

"Oh, please. He radiates that too," Jack grumbled, as they came up on his floor. "But no. Mainly because she didn't get the chance. He mostly wanted to bum around my apartment and drink, anyway."

[unusual_sith]

"If she's interested in aliens, I could bring her to Odessen," Lana said. "Or bring some people here. Does she go for big and beefy?" Lieutenant Pierce had that air of danger and good looks, but cleaner.

[suitably_heroic]

"Lana, I say this with all the respect in the world," Jack said, fishing around for his keys. "But if you want to get my drummer laid, please keep me out of it now and forever. I don't even want to hear a word about it afterward. Nothing."

[unusual_sith]

Lana laughed. "Duly noted. I'll talk to Jill later." Did she have her number? If she didn't, she could find a way to get it. She was a trained spy with another galaxy's technology.

Or she could probably just ask.

[suitably_heroic]

"Just never tell me," Jack repeated.

He unlocked the door. "Don't worry," he called. "It's just Lana, bearing gifts!"

[unusual_sith]

"Hello, Dane!" Lana called. "Maybe worry a little!"

[suitably_heroic]

"Are you also going to give me Jedi zen shit?" Dane asked. He was sitting on the sofa with a large bowl of cereal in his hands, hair tugged into a very chaotic ponytail.

Jack rolled his eyes and stepped into the room.

[unusual_sith]

"I think a Jedi would come and smite me if I tried," Lana answered, taking him in. Hm. "No, I have presents. My class has been visiting tourist traps this semester."

She sat on the sofa not too far away and sent Jack a questioning eyebrow. Should she say anything?

[suitably_heroic]

Jack looked at Dane, who matched his gaze with an even one of his own. Then he looked back at Lana, and said, "Ugh, fair warning, I'm pretty sure she did her best to make them horrifying."

"Well, at least I'm ditching for work in fifteen," Dane mused, lifting a spoonful of cereal. "So if it's especially bad, I'll let you deal with it."

"Gee, thanks."

[unusual_sith]

"Most of them are just for horrifying him." Lana nodded toward Jack. "But everybody got a little something."

She reached in her bag and shuffled things around. "Oh. I got something for Jill when we were in Ireland. I have no idea what she enjoys," except apparently Cade, "but I thought she might appreciate these.

[suitably_heroic]

"Well," Dane said, looking at the socks. "That'll save her ass next Saint Patrick's Day."

"The hell does pog me thoin mean?" Jack asked, frowning.

[unusual_sith]

"'Kiss my ass', apparently," Lana said, grinning.

[suitably_heroic]

"Oh, she'll like that," Dane said, smiling. He set the socks aside. "Thanks, Lana."

"Now break out the horrors already," Jack sighed. "We might as well get this over with."

[unusual_sith]

"Patience, Jedi," Lana teased. "We'll get there. This is for Trent."

It was sort of a horror? She wasn't sure if he'd love it or hate it, but it had to be done.

[suitably_heroic]

"Oh space," Jack said, reaching for it. "He's going to take this as a decoder beanie, you know that, right?"

[unusual_sith]

Lana passed it over. "I can always add some aurabesh inside if it'll help."