milliways_bar | (no subject)

(no subject)

It's very sudden. Atton just gets up from where he is sitting, drinking something surprisingly non-alcoholic and leaves the bar.

A couple of moments later, he enters again. Except he looks much younger. Thirteen years younger, in fact, or thereabouts. And very hungover.

"Oh, kriff, not again - ..." Eighteen-year-old-Atton-who-is-not-yet-called-Atton breaks off into a stream of curses, but runs out of them before long. So he goes and looks broody in a booth.

It seemed a good idea at the time.

((Mun may have to go in forty minutes or, at the most, two hours, so slowtime may be necessary.))

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A few microts later, Aeryn entered from the main door (never mind that she didn't technically leave) dragging a very heavy black trunk. She spotted who she assumed was Atton and was far too busy to actually look twice.

"Are you going to help, or just stand there watching?"

"Huh?" Jaq blinks, looking from Aeryn to the trunk. "Aeryn, was it? I just sort of remember you as the crazy woman. Not that you are crazy, of course." He adds quickly.

Eyes narrowing, she looked up, directly at him.

The frell.

"Oh, it's you." The only thing worse than having Atton around was having one of them who could make her say things she didn't mean to.

"That's shrewd," Jaq says. "Very shrewd. I take it you need a hand with that?" He stands up, heading towards the trunk.

"Where's Atton?"

No doubt he's somewhere else, getting himself shot up. She nodded, just the barest hint of hesitation.

"If you can handle it." There were five good sized weapons in there, not including the explosives. Aeryn bent down to lift her own end, bracing herself against the weight.

"Sadly, I don't have the ability to foresee the distant future," Jaq says drily. "However, if I do suddenly gain it, you'll be the first to know what he - I - us - whatever, is doing. Alright?" Yep, he's a bit irritated.

He looks at the trunk for a moment.
"'Course I can handle it." He bends down, placing his hands where he could lift his own end.

"Be very careful. No-one knows you even exist. I might just decide to kill you."

Evidently, Aeryn hasn't been having the best day ever. Don't listen to what people say, it's nothing to do with female problems. Rather, the imminent doom and her own decision to go on an obviously suicidal mission.

Moving the crate several feet, she set it down by the stairs.

Jaq's eyebrows may move up just slightly at that.
"But, you wouldn't do that," He pauses. "Right?"

"I might."

She folded her arms, leaning against the wall.

"I'm very unpredictable."

"So am I," Jaq says. "And this morning, I woke up with the visage of the Supreme Chancellor on the right of my chest, so I am not in the best of moods."

"Then perhaps it would be better to kill you."

All trace of amusement is hidden so well, it was impossible to be sure she was joking.

"Put you out of your suffering."

"I'm not suffering that much. Or at least, I won't be if it can be washed off."

Her smile finally arrived. Better late than never.

"We could always slice it off."

"Oh, no. No, no, no. No," Jaq shakes his head. "No, no."

"Is that a no?"

Grinning,

"I'll buy you a drink." Directly after taping a note to the top of the crate that says 'DO NOT KICK. EXPLOSIVE CONTENTS'.

"That's a no. I could do with a drink, though." Jaq grins crookedly at her, raising an eyebrow.

"Anything in particular?" She asked, ordering herself a glass of water.

"As long as it's very non-alcoholic, I'm fine. I don't think I have enough tastebuds left to care what it is."

"That's not like you." She tapped Bar, waiting until a very strong mug of coffee appeared, then slid it over to him.

Watching him for a bit, she sat on the edge of a stool. He looked younger than she remembered. Or maybe she just felt older.

"I'm fairly certain the worst way to deal with a hangover is to drink more." Jaq replies, shrugging and sitting down.

Surveying him over the top of her glass, the words drop into the air strangely. A sort of caring where there should be none. Aeryn's found that she cares for everything more these days.

"Have you been...well?"

"Well enough. You?"

Can Jaq detect shifty eyes as well as Atton? Only time will tell!

"Acceptable."

Jaq tilts his head slightly.
"Acceptable?"

"Acceptable." Aeryn repeated, giving absolutely no leverage.

"In general."