Rocky Bits, Thursday Night

[bitten_notshy]

After a few hours at Sookie's party, Jack took Emma by the hand and tugged her off to a secluded cove where he'd stashed a few supplies behind a rock. His heart was somewhere in his stomach and acid kept washing over it and into his lungs, but he was determined to make this last date (for that was what it had to be, unless she said something that truly stunned him) as perfect as he could.

"Do you think we'll be missed?" he asked the girl. He meant at the birthday celebration, really.

Emma	"How could they not miss us?" Emma quipped, her cheerful tone somewhat undermined by her giving his hand a nervous squeeze. "But they'll just have to deal with the disappointment."
Jack	"Maybe Karla will teach people to fly to distract them from wailing," Jack said, squeezing her hand back. They were almost to the spot; he'd have to let go to spread out the blanket. "But -- I thought we deserved another date before I leave."
Emma	"We should get everything we deserve," she agreed, glossing over the second part of what Jack had said. Emma knew that he had to leave tomorrow. That didn't mean they had to talk about it right now, did it?
Jack	Good and bad?" he asked, in a teasing tone even though he was at least half-serious about the question. They'd reached the spot, a secluded bit of rocks that gave them some privacy despite the warm summer air around them. "Hang on," Jack said, and went to unfurl a blanket over the sand.
Emma	"Who says we deserve anything bad? They're simply spiteful," she decided, leaning against a rock to wait while Jack completed the set-up. "I've had enough of horrible things, I think so have you." The smile she gave him was bright and unreserved. "Only beautiful, wonderful surprises from now on. I've decided."
Jack	She really was even more beautiful -- almost in an unearthly way -- when she smiled like that, and Jack's heart cracked even as he returned the grin. For a smile like that, he'd almost throw over Sebastien and his university acceptance and stay in Fandom an extra year. Almost. It wouldn't end up being right for either of them; it would be slapping a cage around Emma. Jack loved her too much for that. "Beautiful, wonderful surprises," he echoed. "Well, I have champagne and the ocean is ours -- will that do for tonight?"
Emma	"For tonight," Emma agreed, reaching down to slip off her sandals before going to sit on the blanket. "I can't think of anything better for tonight, to be honest."
Jack	"Nothing we could afford or find on the island, anyhow," Jack said, with one raised eyebrow. He took his own shoes off, cuffing his trousers as he did. "I am going to miss this beach."
Emma	"Well if you aren't completely buried in your studies come time for Homecoming, maybe you can remember that the rest of us are here, and come enjoy our beach," she teased, leaning back to look at the stars. "Although I suppose the water might be a bit chillier by then. Not quite warm enough for wading at night."
Jack	"I think we could keep each other warm," Jack flirted, without thinking, and winced at his own presumption. "I hope I'd see you before then, anyhow."
Emma	"Well, a lady doesn't like to presume," Emma drawled, giving him a sideways smirk. "For all I know, you're in a boys-only dormitory, and cannot have visitors of the feminine persuasion."
Jack	He smiled at her. "I'll have slightly more congenial accommodations." He'd be living with Sebastien, but why bring up that unpleasantness? Running fingertips over her lower leg, he added, "Is that what we're doing? Visiting?" She could likely hear his uncertainty.
Emma	"Well I should hope we would be visiting, since if all I get is an email once a semester to verify that you're alive and your professors haven't worked you to death yet, I shall be most put out," she quipped, avoiding his eyes. Avoid, Emma, Avoid.
Jack	Avoid. Well, he could avoid -- for a few hours, at least. He laughed softly, in his throat, and reached down further to massage one of her feet. "Pour us some champagne, would you? The future will wait."
Emma	"Don't be silly, Jack, the future never arrives, it's always waiting." But Emma obliged him, pouring a flute for each of them. She held hers out for a toast. "To a thousand bright and sparkling futures?"
Jack	"To a million of them, glinting before us like gold," Jack agreed, taking his glass with his free hand and raising it for the toast. "May they not descend upon us until we're ready."
Emma	"And may none of it be Fool's Gold," she laughed, clinking her glass against his. "I hope you don't plan to be up early tomorrow, because I think we should drink every last drop of this tonight, for luck."
Jack	"I'm not the one who got a hangover from a few beers," Jack protested. "Yes. I think the champagne will be very offended if we don't drink it all -- as will I." He downed half his glass, by way of a start.
Emma	"It was substandard evil beer," Emma insisted. "It would have made anyone with any taste at all ill." She knocked back half her glass, now stubbornly determined to match Jack. "I refuse to give in so easily."
Jack	If she was drinking half in one, he had to finish his in two and reach for a refill. It was simply how things worked. "I'd rather get through it without a headache than have taste, in that case," Jack needled.
Emma	"Tacky, Mr. Priest," she chided, holding out her glass for more. "Here I thought you enjoyed the finer things in life."
Jack	Jack refilled them both, frowning at the champagne bottle. He should have gotten more than one. "Well," he said, lazily, "I do have a fondness for you. Does that count?"
Emma	"Of course it does. I'm not cheap beer," she pointed out gleefully. "I'm more like a rare vintage that's an acquired taste."
Jack	"And not at all pretentious about it," Jack volleyed. "Which is a refreshing quality."
Emma	"I'm simply honest," Emma demurred. "But I'm glad you approve."
Jack	Jack chuckled, low in his throat. He had no appetite for the banter just then. Instead, he sipped at his champagne and looked toward the horizon. "Call me anytime and I'll prop you up," he promised.
Emma	"You realize that I'm going to call you at wretched times until I get the timezones correct?" she asked, looking over at him. "I'll be a dreadful nuisance."
Jack	"Miss Frost," Jack said, looking at her from under his lashes, "you say that as if I'd ever think you were a nuisance. Call anytime you get the urge." He couldn't guarantee he'd answer his phone, though.
Emma	"Fine. But I won't take the blame when your professors get miffed at your phone ringing in the middle of class," Emma laughed, poking at his leg with her foot. "You already absolved me of being a nuisance." She simply was not going to think about any other reason he might not answer his phone. That would be too morbid and depressing. "So are you excited?"
Jack	Was he excited? That was a harder question than it sounded. He was excited about the future, but he'd miss people so very much. "I'm looking forward to being out of the colonies," Jack said, mostly to yank her chain. "The school bit ... we'll see, won't we?"

[OOC: Preplayed with icecoldfrost due to availability; will be continued in comments. NSFW in comments.]

Comments

[icecoldfrost]

"Colonies?" Emma scoffed. "That makes you sound old, Jack. You might get away with that at school in England, but over here, we like to pretend we're a country. Shocking, I know."

[bitten_notshy]

"And over here it is a country," Jack pointed out. "At home -- 1900 home -- it's got most of a decade to go before the Irish press the issue." He shook his head. "National politics. I'd rather not bore you with them."

[icecoldfrost]

"I like politics," she objected, but held her half-full glass out for another refill instead of pressing the issue.

"College. I'm a little jealous, if you must know. You'll be off learning important and scholarly things and I'll be..." Emma swept her hand to encompass the beach. "Here. Turning in to an ermine and twiddling my thumbs instead of being in academic classes."

[bitten_notshy]

"I do too," Jack said. "It's interesting, actually. I spent some time in Baltimore getting to know those on the Irish side of things. It just seemed like an odd time for the conversation."

He added, as he poured champagne into her glass, "But only for a year, and then you'll be off to conquer the world. And you can handle academics on the computer until then, can't you?"

[icecoldfrost]

"You're still getting a head start," she complained. "Just watch, I'll end up in pottery or something this session."

She'd send him allllllll her lumpy cups and bowls if that happened.

[bitten_notshy]

Jack debated for a second, but: "I hear doing pottery is supposed to be soothing?" he offered. "Like meditation."

From the twist of his lips, it was fairly obvious he did not, entirely, mean this.

[icecoldfrost]

"Cruel and wicked," Emma decided, nudging him with her foot again. "Do I seem like the type to indulge in meditation? I have other, better, hobbies, than sitting around staring at nothing."

[bitten_notshy]

"You do have ways of making your time interesting," Jack had to agree, as his hand crept higher on her leg.

He was desperately curious what she was planning to do, in terms of (ahem) hobbies, after he left. But he wasn't sure how to ask.

[icecoldfrost]

"What are you going to do for entertainment without me?" she sighed, shifting her position so that his hand could easily slip slightly higher. "I suppose I'll have to write you with our merry misadventures, to keep you from feeling disconnected. Real letters, mind, not email."

[bitten_notshy]

"If you do that I'll haunt the post office," Jack promised, letting those fingers move up. "And write you every day. That will be my entertainment -- finding time to do things to fill the letters."

[icecoldfrost]

"Every day?" Emma shook her head. "Don't go getting my hopes up and promising things you can't fulfill, Jack."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack was silent for a moment. Then: "But I'm not sure what I can promise, Emma. Beyond staying your friend -- or trying to."

[icecoldfrost]

Emma's eyes narrowed slightly. "If you don't stay my friend, I am going to show up on your doorstep and make you think you're a pretty pretty princess named Sparklerina and leave you that way for a week. Or until your Sebastien is ready to throttle us both. Whichever one amuses me more."

[bitten_notshy]

"We are friends," Jack quoted at her, "And we will continue friends apart.' No need to make me Sparklerina."

[icecoldfrost]

"'Friends apart,'" she agreed, reaching out her fingers to grab his collar, tug him closer so she could kiss him.

"And when we're together... we'll see."

He was going to have his Sebastien back. Emma wasn't stupid, and she wasn't going to set herself up for more heartbreak.

[bitten_notshy]

"We'll see," he agreed, returning the kiss, hard and fast and passionate. "No waiting for each other, nothing maudlin like that?"

[icecoldfrost]

"If I waited, you wouldn't find me half as interesting," Emma pointed out between kisses. "But I will save you one dance at Homecoming."

[bitten_notshy]

"And I'll make the most of that one dance," he said.

And then there was less talking, but more kissing.

[icecoldfrost]

He tasted of champagne as she kissed him back. Champagne and Jack and every other wonderful thing in the world, until Emma was feeling quite giddy from it all. She kissed him back passionately, deliberately putting from her mind any acknowledgment that this might be the last time they were ever like this.

"One promise," she managed to get out, tearing her lips away from his to tease at his ear, trailing her mouth slowly up his neck. "I want flowers for my birthday next year. Dahlias."

[bitten_notshy]

"Dahlias," he repeated. It took him a second to remember the significance, between the kissing and the champagne. She was rewarded with a nip at her neck when he did. "Of course, dahlias. I shan't forget."

It was strange, how much life could happen in fourteen months.

[icecoldfrost]

Fourteen months ago, Emma had been a frighteningly skinny ball of anger and loathing, disdainful of the mere idea of going back to school. If you'd told her that in a year she'd have kissed a boy and would be kissing him back, hard, while trying to get his shirt off, she would have laughed at you.

She moaned at the nip, higher brain functions fleeing in favor kissing him more, touching him more. Needing him more right this moment, wanting just Jack and Emma, and nothing else mattered.

Things could be different tomorrow. Right now, she was going to skirt along the edges of his outer thoughts with her power, letting him feel her mental touch like trailing fingers. This was theirs.

[bitten_notshy]

Fourteen months ago, Jack had sneered at the colonies, at teenagers, at almost everything that wasn't Sebastien.

He'd learned a lot of things -- vampires, love, America itself -- were not nearly so simple as he'd thought when he was on his way to the colonies. Emma had taught him much of it.

He moaned against her mouth, not thinking of much of anything beyond the physical and mental feel of her, and gave himself over to the kissing.

[icecoldfrost]

It wasn't fair; here she was in a cute little bikini and sarong, and Jack had on all these clothes.

Kissing. Lots more kissing, and Emma slid her hands up the back of his shirt so she could feel his skin under her fingers. They had all night, so she was going to take her time and enjoy every single kiss.

[bitten_notshy]

A t-shirt and swimtrunks were not that much clothing. Though maybe --- yes, he'd make a little whimpering noise in hopes that might encourage her to lift his shirt the rest of the way. He didn't do more than make the noise, because that would mean breaking a chain of kisses going down from her lips, over her throat, to the border of her bikini.

[icecoldfrost]

Oh. That was. Emma gave a happy sigh, squirming just slightly in encouragement and anticipation while she did her best to tug his shirt off.

Thank goodness Jack had brought a nice, big blanket, or they would end up with sand in uncomfortable places.