Priest-De Ulloa Residence, London, 12/14

[bitten_notshy]

Enough word had handwavily filtered back from Fandom that Jack was dimly aware everything had worked out once again. He still wanted the whole story, but for the moment he'd settle for knowing everything was all right.

Besides, he'd been a tiny bit distracted with matters on the homefront. He hadn't been around long enough to do any organizing, but it was always a good time to watch, listen, and figure out who people were and what they wanted.

He hadn't precisely forgotten that today was his nineteenth birthday. But he'd never made much of a fuss over them, save the one in Fandom that marked his passage into adulthood. When the man you lived with was in his second millenium, the details of anything in the human lifespan seemed a bit silly.

He made himself some tea and a sandwich and settled in to work on a final paper.

[OOC: Open for calls, texts, surprise guests, etc.]

Comments

[icecoldfrost]

"Afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted again, are we, Mr. Priest?" Emma teased. "Shocking, truly."

"As for me, I haven't planned anything yet. Mostly I'm studying up for my actual academic finals, and wishing that I didn't have to wait so long to hear back from colleges."

[bitten_notshy]

"As ever," Jack confirmed, then considered her mention of college applications. "Your applications are in, then? Where did you want to go?"

He expected New York to be the answer. Maybe California, if she wanted to get as far from Boston as she could without leaving the U.S. Not near him, much as he'd like it.

But, then, he hadn't applied anywhere in the states, either. It was fair.

[icecoldfrost]

"Empire State University, for my top choice," she admitted. "Columbia University, and MIT. But I did apply to UCLA for their psychology program, in case I decide I'm sick of snow." Not that it was likely to happen; for Emma, New York was the world.

[bitten_notshy]

"I had an idea you'd stay in New York," Jack said, nodding even though she couldn't see him. "It's right for you, and you for it."

'Friends apart' could last a few more years.

"How are you otherwise? Dinah mentioned there was some trouble on the island last week, but the phones were down."

[icecoldfrost]

"Emma Frost, Queen of New York?" she laughed. "Maybe in a few years, once I've got society under my spell. I'm going to be eighteen, Jack!" Yes, that was a girlish squee at the end of that. Only while most American teenagers celebrated it as the mark of being able to vote, Jack knew Emma's reasons for her excitement over her birthday.

[bitten_notshy]

"I've already ordered the brass band," Jack said, mock solemnly. "They were a little reluctant to go to the dorms, but after they saw what I was willing to pay..."

Of course, now he had to actually book a brass band, or something equivalently impressive. Hrrrm.

"Congratulations, anyhow." He would have asked if she'd heard from her sister, but why spoil a good girlish mood with that?

[icecoldfrost]

"Mmmm....I'm almost tempted to take out a full-page ad in Winston's local paper, 'Frost Heiress Declares Adulthood, Transfers to Exclusive Private School on Scholarship,'" she mused. "The coronary would be worth the cost."

See Emma easily deflect away from anything Dinah might have mentioned. Stupid bird.

[bitten_notshy]

Jack choked a laugh. "I think you should wait until you make your first million, then take out the announcement," he said. "No point poking the tiger before then."

Jack noticed the deflecting, but was biding his time.

[icecoldfrost]

"I've heard it's very therapeutic?" Emma tried, doing her best to keep a straight face even though Jack couldn't see her. "But I'll be good, darling, and not tempt the crocodile nest. Cross my heart."

[bitten_notshy]

"Hooray, it's a winter holiday miracle," Jack said lightly. "I suppose I couldn't ask for a second, and have you tell me about whatever went wrong on the island..."

[icecoldfrost]

"Some ego-maniac with pants far too tight to be good for his health decided to make the island his winter retreat, complete with small minions of the goblin-type that were more comedic than dangerous," Emma quipped. "He was vanquished, and all is well with the world again."

See, Jack? EVERYTHING WAS FINE.

[bitten_notshy]

Somehow, Jack suspected that wasn't the whole story -- not with the almost defensive edge to Emma's voice -- but, in another holiday miracle, he decided not to pry. She hadn't quizzed him about what went wrong in Bristol, after all.

"It can't have been too frightening if you had time to notice his trousers," he said. "I'm glad the usual suspects saved the day. Anyone hurt?"

[icecoldfrost]

"Nothing that won't heal," she promised. "And you can stop fishing, Mr. Priest. I won't tell you a single thing more until after your finals. Consider it a bribe to do your best."

Emma didn't want him fussing when they both had work to do.

[bitten_notshy]

"And that was me trying not to pry," Jack said, resigned. "All right, all right. I'm done."

He tugged on that lock of hair again and, remembering his conversation with Rose over homecoming -- and she'd been right, it was foolish of Jack to have an opinion about Emma's dates if he wasn't offering an alternative -- asked, "To talk of something pleasanter, if the school has a New Year's event again, may I be your escort? Or shall I settle for a dance?"

[icecoldfrost]

"I haven't made plans, yet, to even know if I'll be on the island. But at the very least, I'll save you a dance," Emma promised, "and I'll let you know once I know where I'll be."

[bitten_notshy]

"I haven't plans either, beyond seeing what the school is doing and staying here if there's nothing," Jack said, glad she couldn't read his mind through the phone line. He didn't like the neediness creeping into his thoughts -- as if he thought he'd lose her if they spent the New Year apart. As if she'd ever really been his, or the reverse.

Jack hated emotions.

"But if I see you, I'll be delighted to dance and keep your champagne full."

[icecoldfrost]

"You don't need to wait for the New Year if you want a dance, Jack," Emma decided. "Rather than put your birthday present in the mail, I can stop by for a day to deliver it after finals, if you don't mind it being a tiny bit late."

There. Then she would tell him about her last week, and let him fuss for a day or two before she headed back. Emma was hardly going to lie to her best friend, but she just wasn't able to deal with talking about - that - yet.

[bitten_notshy]

"I'm not chained here, either," Jack said, wishing he didn't sound relieved. "I assumed you'd want to be with other people who actually celebrate Christmas next week, and your break isn't as long as mine. That's why I suggested the New Year. But I'm not going to turn down your company, whenever or wherever it comes."

"Besides," he added with a bit of a laugh, "I don't want to think about how much you'd have to pay for rush delivery in London this late at night. My present would never be on time."