Room 308, Friday Morning

[bitten_notshy]

Jack hadn't really slept after getting back from his date with Emma. He'd taken a token nap, but in the end the excitement got to him. By seven, he was dressed and his possessions had been boxed neatly. (He had no idea how he'd acquired so many things in just over a year, but he had.)

He had a few hours before his portal left, so he rested on his bare mattress, reading the book Ms. Cabot had given him as a way of focusing his mind away from his nerves. He'd have Sebastien in his new world; nothing could go too far wrong.

The door to the room was open.

[OOC: Last post in Fandom! If you think he would have told you when he was leaving, he did.]

Comments

[bitten_notshy]

Jack snorted lightly. "I certainly don't trust Emma to keep me up to date. Not unless she wants me here to fuss over her every other week."

[glacial_queen]

"And since she has no problems using the threat of fussing on me, I don't see how I'm obliged to play any differently," Karla said, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Fair is fair, after all."

[bitten_notshy]

"Fair's definitely fair," Jack agreed, and reached for a hug. "I'll miss you, Karla."

[glacial_queen]

"I'll miss you too, Jack," Karla said, wrapping her arms around him tightly. She was totally not sniffling, dammit. "So damn much. You tell Sebastian that he'd better watch out because as soon as I'm old enough, I'm so going to try to poach you for my Court. Because you're not just Court--you're family."

A bit muddled there, but Karla wasn't trying to win any eloquence awards today.

[bitten_notshy]

Jack's eyes were going moist, even as he tried to blink it back. He mentally kicked himself for being such an idiot. "You can try," he said. "I should warn you, I'm a rather demanding employee, even for family."

[glacial_queen]

"Pish-tosh," Karla said, surreptitiously rubbing at her eyes before letting go of the hug. "You can't possibly be any worse than Emma and I'm going to kidnap her, too."

She gave him a wobbly smile. "I won't even make you wear that kind of Ring. Promise."

[bitten_notshy]

He smiled back, weakly. "You might even be able to talk me into it, if anyone could."

[glacial_queen]

"I promise to only use my powers for good," Karla said. "...And funny."

That part was important!

[bitten_notshy]

"So if I hear quacking and reach up to suddenly find a duck on my head, that'd be you?" Jack teased.

It didn't make much sense, but it kept him from going all wibbly.

[glacial_queen]

"Unless you only think you hear quacking," Karla replied solemnly. "Then it's Emma. So before you go blaming, make sure to ask someone if there really is a duck on your head."

Absurd, yes, but keeping them from tears was only for the good.

[bitten_notshy]

"I'll take a representative survey," Jack said, equally solemn. "Just in case Emma's bewitched the people closest to me, too."

[glacial_queen]

"Wise male," Karla nodded approvingly. "Though there's always the chance we've joined forces and there's an illusory duck only some people can see, too. Then you're just doomed."

It's possible that didn't even make sense.

[bitten_notshy]

"Doomed by a duck," Jack said gravely, as if it made perfect sense. "You've cursed me, Karla. It's almost time for my portal -- do you want to walk me to the causeway so we can look for evil water fowl?"

[glacial_queen]

Karla wanted to say no, to dig her heels in and refuse to let Jack leave. But that would only delay the inevitable, and so she nodded and stood up.

"Of course," she said, offering him her hand. "Though I'm willing to bet the real evil water fowl are the flamingos rather than the ducks."