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

[suitably_heroic]

Jack... squinted. And then scowled. And then squinted at Lana.

"Okay, one, that better mean your people have not wrecked my ship yet," he said, "And two, why would you do this to my Hawk?!"

[unusual_sith]

Lana rolled her eyes. "The Hawk is fine. And I wouldn't do anything to it. Any purely cosmetic changes I leave up to you. But if you bring it here, you'll be able to park it now!"

She was still grinning.

[suitably_heroic]

"You are so funny," Jack told her dryly. "Seriously. You should consider making this an act and traveling around the country."

[unusual_sith]

"I don't there are enough people from our galaxy to finance it," Lana answered. "But all right, I'll stop torturing you. Only one more thing."

And it was food, even! Specifically, chocolate cheese fudge.

[suitably_heroic]

"You're giving me food," Jack said, eyeing it. "... What's wrong with it?"

[unusual_sith]

"It's made from cheese whey and chocolate," Lana said. "I have no idea if it's any good."

[suitably_heroic]

"So possibly good, possibly might kill me," Jack said, taking it.

[unusual_sith]

"Unlikely to kill you. The place was seeing a lot of business, and apparently it sells well." Lana shrugged. "I make no promises, though."

[suitably_heroic]

"Yeah, until we find out it's specifically toxic to Alderaanians," Jack muttered.

He sighed, glancing from Lana to Dane and back. "But okay, horrible gift time is over," he said. "I'm going to take a leak before we head out."

And he turned for the bathroom.

[unusual_sith]

Lana sat back. "I'll stay here and interrogate Dane."

She would not. She liked Dane. But with a look like that, she had to say something.

[suitably_heroic]

"Oh boy," Dane said cheerfully. He reached for his cereal.

Jack rolled his eyes and paced towards the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

"The shirt was cute," Dane said, once he was out of earshot. "But, uh..."

He swallowed his bite.

[unusual_sith]

"Too much?" Lana said. "Don't worry, I won't be offended. If it makes a good present for Trent, or even a cleaning rag, that's fine."

[suitably_heroic]

"You know how he is," Dane said, studying his spoonful of cereal. "Doesn't like people acting like they own him. Misses his ship."

That sure was some good cereal. Look, he didn't like yelling at people. Even in the mildest of ways.

[unusual_sith]

Lana thought about it and nodded. "Cleaning rag it is. And I'll remind him he can have his ship whenever he wants it. But as much as he misses it, he stays here for reasons." She nudged him. "Good ones."

[suitably_heroic]

"I know," Dane said, mouth curving into a smile. "Just don't want him burying those two things under an avalanche of minor bitching."

[unusual_sith]

Lana laughed. "I'm fairly sure at this point that minor bitching is a hobby of his."

[suitably_heroic]

Dane's mouth twitched. "Defense mechanism, actually," he said. He swallowed a bite of his cereal. "But that one's definitely not on me to tell."

[unusual_sith]

"That, too," Lana agreed. "But one I'm used to seeing." Look, she was friends with Theron.

"What else can I interrogate you about then? Written any good songs lately?"

[suitably_heroic]

"You know, I think we're actually getting close to finishing a new record's worth?" Dane said. "Him and I were riffing something up that might wind up being our closer."

[unusual_sith]

"Wonderful!" Lana smiled. "I look forward to hearing it when it's done."

[suitably_heroic]

"I'd play it for you now, but he's been picking at the melody and the lyrics all morning," Dane said, a faint chuckle in his voice. "Probably murder me for it."

[unusual_sith]

"And you'd deserve it!" Lana protested. "I'll wait until it's done." It seemed way too personal to hear it as it was being created.

[suitably_heroic]

That laugh did manage to make its way out of Dane's throat, this time. "Wow," he said. "Actual reverence for the process."

[unusual_sith]

"Of course!" Lana shook her head. "Before it's done, it's just for you. Until you've figured out exactly what you want to say."

She smiled ruefully. "We had to go through heightened security checks a while back at home. The worst part was knowing someone else would be reading my unfinished poetry."

[suitably_heroic]

"You've never really told me about your poetry," Dane admitted, spooning up the last of his cereal. "Do you want to?"