Arms Room *Handwavey*, Monday night.

[bitten_notshy]

Jack came back for Emma, of course.

Emma was shiny.

And seemed bizarrely unconcerned by that fact.

Jack didn't give her time to explain or talk him out of it; he was back in Fandom on the first portal. He didn't want to think about what it had cost -- whatever it was, it was worth it.

He texted Emma and settled in front of the minibar to wait.

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[icecoldfrost]

Emma had contemplated simply not coming, but in the end, called for a rickshaw and went in to town.

Of course, she'd made him wait, showing up about an hour after he'd sent the text saying he'd arrived.

She lifted one hand and rapped sharply for admittance, mildly amused by the sound her hand made against the door.

[bitten_notshy]

It sounded like someone was tapping his hotel room door with a drinking glass; Jack didn't realize it could be anything else, let alone a sound he should respond to, for several moments.

"Emma?" he said, incredulous, after he finally opened the door. "The photographs didn't lie. Are you all right?"

Of course she'd made him wait, but that didn't necessarily mean anything, with Emma.

[icecoldfrost]

"I solemnly swear that I am perfectly fine," she sighed, breezing past him into the room and doing a small spin so he could see for himself. "Was coming out here absolutely necessary, Jack?"

[bitten_notshy]

Probably not, if he was honest. He'd missed her.

"Given how often you seem to be getting in trouble since I left?" Jack said, closing the door. "Yes. You're lucky I'm not threatening to transfer to a college in Baltimore so I could live on the island."

He gave her a thorough once-over. "What happened?"

[icecoldfrost]

"Cliff notes version? Fandom had another identity crisis, I ended up on a world where there were giant-crab-creatures and radiation, and a building fell on Alex and me," she replied. "Don't worry, he's fine too. But not shiny, I'm the only one who got that particular quirk."

[bitten_notshy]

"... a building fell on Alex?" Emma's face was almost as gray as Jack's at that particular cliff note. "Well. You certainly seem to be taking all of it well."

He reached out a hand. "Can I touch you?"

[icecoldfrost]

"You know, I think you're the first person that's actually asked that question," she mused, holding out a hand. "Of course, darling. I won't shock you or anything."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack reached out and took her hand, slowly, reverently. There was little passion in it; it was a scientific investigation.

"You're like a glass sculpture," he said, lifting the hand closer to his eyes to inspect it. "Like crystal. Can you change back?"

[icecoldfrost]

"Not yet," she confessed. "But when my telepathy first manifested, I couldn't just summon it whenever I wanted. It was sporadic and unpredictable; I have a sneaking suspicion that this will be the same way."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack let go of her hand and sat down, gesturing for her to do the same if she wanted. His eyes were bright with thought.

"You're terribly calm about it," he said. "It's a bit unsettling. Do you think you might still be in shock from all of it?"

[icecoldfrost]

"I've never been in shock." Emma frowned thoughtfully. "I would think the clinic would have kept me overnight if that were an issue. I don't feel numb, simply calm."

[bitten_notshy]

"But that's why I'm worried," Jack frowned. "A building fell on you. You were attacked by monsters. Alex could have died. You could have died. And it seems like the biggest thing on your mind is -- how shiny you are. If this is a brave face, Miss Frost, don't shut me out that way. Please."

[icecoldfrost]

"But he didn't die, and neither did I," she argued. "I even sicced the Skywalker boy on him to make sure he got treatment of some sort. Would you prefer I was weeping and wailing and tearing at my hair?"

"And the biggest thing on my mind is annoyance I can't change, vexation about not being able to use my telepathy, and wondering why everyone is making such a big deal out of this. Our classmates fly and have dragons. Am I really that strange?"

"I'm not shutting you out, Jack. I just don't feel the urgency about it, when so many others are clearly in worse shape. I can wait."

[bitten_notshy]

"You can wait," Jack repeated. "And no, you aren't strange. That isn't what bothers me. You fit right in around here, this way."

He squinted at her some more. "You just -- it's like someone turned off part of you, when you lost your telepathy. But if you say it's nothing, it's nothing, and you can tell me I'm being silly."

[icecoldfrost]

...was he calling her a liar?

"You are being ridiculous," she said flatly. "No one has turned off any part of me. I am very much still me, but you'll forgive me if I'm not leaping into your arms right after getting tossed about the universe. I'm not exactly thrilled that you felt the need to inspect me, without so much as asking permission."

[bitten_notshy]

"You sent me the photo, Emma," Jack pointed out, satisfied. He'd take any emotion, as long as he was certain she wasn't completely repressing everything.

... he wasn't sure when he'd lost his Victorian appreciation for repression, but it seemed to be thoroughly gone, at least when it came to people he cared about.

"Most people would consider getting in touch with me abotu this the start of a dialogue. And I wasn't asking you to leap into my arms. I'm not even certain you're interested in mere mortals at the moment."

[icecoldfrost]

"I sent you the picture because I knew if you heard it from someone else, you'd be upset. I was attempting to be considerate," she retorted. "And what is that supposed to mean, 'not interested in mere mortals?'"

It wasn't like she was chasing off after that Thor-fellow she met saving Bobby that one time.

[bitten_notshy]

"Nothing!" Jack said, coloring a bit. He hadn't meant to blurt that; he just hated knowing he'd never, ever have powers.

"Just -- I'm angry at myself. I've barely been gone a month and things keep happening to you and I can't do anything until after the fact. It bothers me."

[icecoldfrost]

Emma's eyes widened in surprise. "You're jealous!" she exclaimed, getting just a trickle of the emotion she would normally be feeling.

"Jealous and ridiculous. I wasn't made for a quiet life, Jack, no more than you are. Even if I wasn't a mutant, things would always happen."

[bitten_notshy]

"I've managed to go a very long time without almost getting myself killed. It's not the same at all," Jack protested. "And I am not jealous."

[icecoldfrost]

"Bullshit. You flirt with death every single night," Emma pointed out, her tone slightly sharper. "If you ask the wrong question during an investigation sometime, am I ever even going to find out?"

Because Emma was totally talking about Jack's knack for adventure and intrigue, and not his taste in vampires.

[bitten_notshy]

Jack knew exactly what Emma was talking about, which was why he stiffened. He knew, and Emma knew he knew, why he couldn't say Sebastien would never... the way he would have a year ago.

"I would hope so," he said coolly. "Sebastien has a list of people to contact. You're on it. Besides, that's ordinary danger. You have a way of finding extraordinary kinds."

[icecoldfrost]

"Jack, you could not do anything in an ordinary fashion if your life depended on it." Ordinary people were boring. Emma never would have fallen in with him, if he hadn't been extraordinary in his own way.

[bitten_notshy]

Flattery, as it so often did, worked its magic on Jack. "All right," he said slowly. "And thank you. But -- call me? If you ever stop being calm about all of this."

[icecoldfrost]

"You'll be one of the first I call," she promised. Not the first, because if she started freaking out badly, she might need Karla or Sookie to help keep her telepathy under control, but Jack was definately near the top of the list.

"But see? I am completely fine." She poked at her own arm to demonstrate. "I haven't been cold or sleepy or even hungry since I changed."

[bitten_notshy]

"What about angry?" Jack asked skeptically. "Sad? Afraid? Lustful, even?"

He still thought something was more wrong than Emma was letting on.

[icecoldfrost]

Emma gave him a Look. "Lustful? No, I can't say that I have. Mostly the whole running from things that wanted to kill me prevented any of that sort of thing."

"Angry, yes. Annoyed and cranky when people stare."

[bitten_notshy]

"Having any normal human drives," Jack clarified, rolling his eyes. She'd dragged him into bed in the wake of danger a time or two, he was certain of it. "Cranky over being looked at might suffice."

He didn't quite believe so, but arguing with her was making about as much headway as arguing with the rock she resembled would.

[icecoldfrost]

Right. She had dragged him to bed. Emma would most likely argue that it was equal-opportunity pouncing, when it came to the two of them.

"I'm most likely simply over-stressed, and this will clear itself up in a day or two."

[bitten_notshy]

Equal-opportunity, yes. The point was: There had been pouncing. And she hadn't even tried to kiss him when he came in.

(Not that he'd given her a kiss either, but he wasn't the giant diamond. He was following her lead this time.)

"I hope so," Jack said -- then, flippantly, added, "And if it doesn't, perhaps you can find yourself a lovely career as a paperweight, or doing that street performance living sculpture thing."

[icecoldfrost]

"I am not going to become a mime!" Oh look, Jack had just earned himself a look of complete horror. There was some emotion in that hard, sparkly case somewhere.

[bitten_notshy]

"Really?" Oh, Jack was going to take advantage of this opportunity to laugh. "All right. You could ... rent yourself out as a very high-class window alternative."

He was helping! Really!

[icecoldfrost]

Emma picked up one of the pillows off the bed and threw it at him. "You are a horrible, loathsome boy, and I have no idea why I like you."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack was happy to have gotten a reaction. He dodged the power.

"Because no houses fall on you when I'm around, Miss Frost," he teased. "I'm your good luck charm, aren't I?"

[icecoldfrost]

"More like a bad penny," she retorted. "Always showing up and causing trouble."

[bitten_notshy]

"Which is why," Jack said, flirting outrageously, "you're so desperately in love with me, darling."

He wasn't sure why he was poking at Emma. It was better than the nothing he got when he tried to be serious.

[icecoldfrost]

"First you're fussy, now you're being deliberately absurd," Emma scolded, teasing him back. "Perhaps I ought to check you for signs of a head-injury, with how changeable you are."

[bitten_notshy]

"Perhaps your brilliant beauty has dazzled me to the point where I don't know what I'm saying," Jack said. "Besides, I thought you weren't enjoying the fussing. You 'can wait', remember?"