A Music Venue in Brooklyn, Sunday Evening

[suitably_heroic]

Yes, Jack believed all the Force users in the multiverse could use a few lessons in doing normal people things more often. He had frequently coerced, wheedled, and poked several of them into it over the years. But this? Making Lana Beniko, ex-Sith spymaster, man the merch booth?

Had to be his greatest achievement.

It maybe gave a little extra oomph to his performance that evening.

It was also when, after they were done, one of the first things he did was haul his sweaty ass back to the merch stand. "Sooo," he said, grinning. "How are we doing?"

[[ for a lana ]]

Comments

[unusual_sith]

Lana shook her head at that grin. "Don't sweat on the merch." She cashed another fan out. "Sales are good, people are mostly happy, and I've only had to stop one person from swiping something. And I didn't even take off their arm."

Were you proud of her, Jack?

"If this is what all sales is like, I'm glad I don't do it more often." She smiled at the next person. At least years of being a Sith Spymaster gave her a talent for pretending.

[suitably_heroic]

"Aw, I really appreciate that restraint," Jack said, grinning smugly, as he leaned on the stand. "I know that's hard for you."

[unusual_sith]

Lana sold the fan a shirt and thanked them. "I'm good at restraint! I've never killed a single coworker." She swatted Jack off the stand. "Don't test me. Nobody's paying extra for your bodily fluids. Yet."

[suitably_heroic]

Jack pulled a face, his arms crossing as he leaned further back. "Thanks, I really needed that mental image in my head," he said. "Ew. Ew."

[unusual_sith]

Lana smirked. "You're welcome." She straightened the shirts on the table.

"I enjoyed the show, and I think it went well."

[suitably_heroic]

"Thanks," Jack said, glancing over quickly - to count how many shirts were left on the stack - and then back at the crowd. "People seem to like the new album. It's. It's nice."

[unusual_sith]

"That just means they've got taste," Lana said. "It's a good album. How was it on your end?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Good," Jack said, giving it some thought. "I mean, I definitely went off-key in a couple of places, and Trent had one of his fuck-around nights, but... the crowd didn't seem to mind."

He shrugged.

"It's getting easier," he said.

[unusual_sith]

"Things get easier with experience and confidence?" Lana feigned shock. "Imagine that!"

She raised an eyebrow at a person eyeing the merch. "Let me know if I can help you."

She turned back to Jack. "What's a Trent fuck-around night? Was that the improv parts?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Thaaaaat's the improv parts," Jack said. With a kind of tired resignation.

[unusual_sith]

Lana laughed. "Don't worry, they sounded fine. Isn't live music for experimentation?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Sure, but you should probably warn everyone else if you're feeling frisky," Jack groused, "Instead of going half a step down on the chorus without warning and making us clean up after."

He shook his head. "I mean, we're used to it now," he allowed, "and sometimes it's fun. But the first time, I was ready to strangle him."

[unusual_sith]

"That seems normal for Trent," Lana said. And for Jack's interactions with him. "Anyway, I certainly didn't notice anything off, so you recovered well. And speaking of performing well..."

She gestured at the cash box. "Have I done enough penance for being your friend?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Ehhh..."

Jack rubbed the back of his head, pretending to think about it.

"For tonight. I guess."

[unusual_sith]

"Thank you." She closed the cash box. "We did do well here too, though. I told you there was a market for more than my homemade shirt."

[suitably_heroic]

"Yeah, yeah, you and Summer," Jack sighed. He pushed away from the counter-- and then slid behind it, to start taking down t-shirts. "It's good that you're right, but you don't have to gloat about it."

[unusual_sith]

"I'll stop gloating about selling things when you stop gloating about me selling things," Lana shot back, helping to take them down. "Though I hope you know I don't mind. Not that I'm about to take this up for a living, of course."

[suitably_heroic]

"Aw," Jack said, folding a t-shirt. "Wouldn't surprise me if we sold some extra shirts just because you're hot." Beat. "Not that I think you're hot. Just. You know. You know."

[unusual_sith]

Lana grinned. "You didn't think I wore a tight shirt by accident, did you? I have been on Earth a while now."

She got out the box to pack things into and started doing that.

[suitably_heroic]

"I'm just saying, I respect you for more than your cheekbones and your sizable constellation of moons, but I appreciate you using your assets to our advantage," Jack said, putting a couple of t-shirts into a box himself.

Huh. There really weren't many.

[unusual_sith]

"You're very welcome." Lana bowed as she sealed up the rest of the pins into their bag and set it in the box.

She rolled her eyes, though. "'Sizeable constellations'? I've got the standard human number."

[suitably_heroic]

Jack shrugged merrily as he dropped the stickers on top of the shirts and closed up the box. "Your huge orbital space lasers?" he said. "Your bountiful battle droids?"

It was late and the energy drain had him feeling a little ridiculous, so sue him.

[unusual_sith]

Lana gave him a clearly unamused look. "They're not cybernetic, either. Give it up, Rand."

She took a last look around to make sure they had it all. "You promised me food for this."

[suitably_heroic]

"Oh, come on, find a sense of humor," Jack sighed.

He stacked one box onto the other. "But fine, fine. Now, post-show is usually greasy comfort food time, but if you want something fancier, we can do that."

[unusual_sith]

"I think I'm doing quite well with my humor," Lana said. "I haven't even threatened to disembowel you! Yet."

She shrugged. "Greasy comfort food is fine. I'd prefer it without the health code violations, but as long as it won't give me food poisoning, I'm game."

[suitably_heroic]

Jack nodded Very Sincerely. "Shawarma it is."

[unusual_sith]

"Are we waiting for the rest of the band?" Lana asked.

[suitably_heroic]

Jack shook his head. "Trent has an afterparty somewhere, Jill's brothers are here to visit, and Dane was saying something about an early night," he said. "I was thinking I could go say goodbye to him real quick and then we'll head out?"

[unusual_sith]

Lana nodded. "I'll wait outside. Give them my congratulations."

[suitably_heroic]

Jack snorted, but all he said was a, "Will do," before he vanished back through the door.

He came back about five minutes later, now wearing his jacket, a bag slung over his shoulder. "You can leave the boxes," he said. "Dane'll pick 'em up on the way out."

[unusual_sith]

"If you're sure." Lana was skeptical, but Jack knew this area better than she did.

"Which way to the shawarma?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Out the door," Jack said, amused. "Then take a left."

He was already moving.

[unusual_sith]

Lana followed. "So what kind of food is shawarma? Where is it from?" Earth had entirely too many cultures for such a tiny planet.

[suitably_heroic]

Yeah, and Jack kind of loved it for that. Not that he'd admit to being a nerd about it unless pressured.

"It's from the Middle East," he said, as he passed through the door and into the night. "Shaved meat, usually served in a wrap with salad and sauces."

[unusual_sith]

"Sounds good," Lana said. "Spicy?"

[suitably_heroic]

"As spicy as you want to make it," Jack said. Amused, he added: "What, scared?"

[unusual_sith]

"Just curious," Lana said. "I enjoy spicy food; I'm not a heathen."