Weekly Interaction {Jayne}

[eryn]

'Played to my advantage, my ass Jayne. Don't be a sore loser. And pick your next challenge of choice.' He did, of course, with a smile on his face. She always had a good time with this man, and part of it was because there were no expectations from Jayne for her to be anything but herself. He was part of the upper echelon of Manuka, but he didn't judge her for being a middle-class, well, upper-middle-class, professor at the college. If anything, he seemed to respect her for it. And she appreciated that. She hadn't come from any sort of prestigious beginnings, true, but she'd come from love, and she felt that was a better badge of honor. Even though that love was on hold for the moment... Her mom had died, a long time ago now, but Eryn- and Eryn's father, for that matter- refused to give up the hope that they would find her again. See, they believed in reincarnation. Why would the Fates be so cruel as to gift them each other, for such a short span of time, only to take them away forever? It didn't make any sense. And so they waited, and hoped. Maybe this time, her mom would come around in a form that was as long-lived as they were, and they could be happy together for the long haul this time. It was a happy thought. One worth holding on to. In reality, what else did they have? The cold, heart-wrenching thought that they would just have to survive on the memory of Coral forever? 'Through the cold, dark wasteland of eternity?' That was from a movie she'd watched forever ago... What was it? Oh, she couldn't remember... And oh crap, Jayne was beating her. And that was what happened when Eryn got distracted. Honestly, you'd think she'd know better by now.

'Hmmm. Tie-break, huh? Tell you what, we'll pick the hardest song on the playlist, play on the hard setting, and see who can last the longest. 'Cause I don't know about you, but even though I'm good, I'm not yet that good.' It seemed fair enough, and she set it up, even going so far as to change Judy's outfit for this round, since it was special. The notes were a blur. Doubles and triples of every combination just raced down the frets on the screen, and they burned a ton of calories, just whipping their fingers back and forth over the plastic buttons in their basic colors. Clickety-clickety-click-click-click. Whammy bar. Star power. It was a battle, true to its reputation. She glanced over, but for one moment of time, to look at her competition, and lost her fingering. Jayne was pretty when he was concentrating, and she hadn't noticed before now... Dammit. It was over then, and she knew it. But she played up to the end of the song, trying to make up for lost time. Too late, too late. Sigh. Ah well. Perhaps he wouldn't make her do anything too terrible. Not that she had a choice, since she'd agreed.

'You'd suppose right. But I'm pretty sure I lost, you cheater. Pulled some kind of whammy, made me lose my fingering halfway through the song... What'd you do to me faerie prince? Hmm? What'd you do?' She was, of course, teasing him. Jayne was not one to cheat. So her hip bump was appropriate as she giggled and unstrapped herself from the controller. 'I bet I'd have better luck at this at my house... It's comfier there, and I've got better snacks.' She was grumbling at this point, making silly little excuses that were really just to be ridiculous. 'Alright, alright. I conceded defeat. Now, as per our arrangement, what would you have me do, fair prince?' She cocked a hip and an eyebrow and crossed her arms. If it was something terrible, he was gonna pay for it... Somehow.

[JAYNE LANCEL ASTOR]

Eryn had been distracted. Distracted, for the slightest of moments, on the most difficult song the machine could boast, and Jayne had taken a lead. He'd heard her falter, because he hadn't looked away from the screen even for a second to glance at their difference in score, because that might cause him to have the same stumble, maybe at a moment where he had more to lose, because he hadn't missed a note so far. It could be a killer streak, and maybe he could afford to miss one note, or two, but not more than that. He was an Astor, and they always strove for perfection when it was within their grasp. Jayne was dedicated, determined, and he could hear Eryn's rhythmic click-clacking on her guitar controller match up to his in perfect synchronicity again, so he couldn't afford a stumble.

Jayne pressed forward, past the final chorus and to the final chords, and the song was over. His hands dropped from the plastic guitar, as did Eryn's, and he shook out his fingers a little, feeling the tips of them starting to feel abused and overworked, and his joints stiffen even so slightly. "Well, good game." Sure, the stakes were high, but he didn't think Eryn would do anything too devious to him if she won. Just like he'd pick a minor task for her to accomplish if he won. Then, the scores were up, and Jayne grinned, but decided against gloating. Eryn, however, was not a very gracious winner. She accused him of cheating, of using some sort of 'whammy' on her, and Jayne just sighed and shook his head.

"I assure you, I'd rather savor my victories through honest win. You've been bested; it happens, even to the great and powerful Professor Swiftpaw." Jayne said, then patted her on the shoulder, not allowing his touch to linger for too long, because he knew that he was capable of putting the 'whammy' on someone, so to speak. Just because she was a hybrid didn't mean she was immune to his form of magic. Faeries could affect supernaturals just like they could anyone else, but the affects of what they could do was usually far more potent in humans, and some supernaturals were less susceptible to it than others. "Now, what shall be your penance?" His attentive eyes darted around the arcade, looking for something to inspire him.

There was a group of young, college age boys surrounding a racing game, where one had to sit on one of the fake motorcycles and drive it. Jayne knew that Eryn was excellent at these sorts of games, but that wasn't the point. The point of a dare was to make things interesting... and the faerie prince just found a way to make this very interested.

"Do you know any of the young men over there?" Jayne asked, then pointed. Eryn replied that she didn't, and he knew when she was lying, so he continued. "As of right now, you have never played a racing game in your life. You're completely oblivious to the controls, the rules, how to even get on that machine, and you're going to need them to teach you."

He wasn't cruel, so he did put a caveat on it. "If any of them get out of hand, and I can tell you're uncomfortable, I'll come help you out of it, and you only have to play one game. Whether or not you lose is, naturally, up to you, but you have to be nice and convincing. Those are the terms." Jayne wasn't sure why he would enjoy this dare so much. A part of him figured that it might be because Eryn, even when she was letting loose, still kept a tight grip on her control. She liked to be good at things, successful, and her drive was one of the facets of her personality that Jayne admired the most. But she never sat back and let anyone help her; this would be a chance for the faerie to see her out of her element where she wasn't a teacher, and wasn't an amazing 'gamer,' but a lost, humble student.

"Oh, don't look so put off. I shudder to think what you would have had me do if you'd won," Jayne said when she looked particularly affronted, and took a step back. "I could make it worse and have you flirt with them like some cheap floozy, but I wouldn't have my best friend, who I adore, stoop to that. You're too intelligent, and, let's be honest, too gorgeous to be remotely in their league."

Jayne patted her on the shoulders again and grinned smugly, leaning against a pinball machine and giving a glance over to the segment where all the racing games lived. "Well, go on. Don't be shy. Ask the nice young men how to play the game." It took everything in him not to laugh, but, surprisingly enough, Eryn went along with his dare. A true sport, to the end. Jayne just hoped that she wouldn't punish him for this in some creative, unexpected way much later. Although perhaps he'd deserve it.

[/justify]

[eryn]

He knew when she was kidding, generally speaking. And she'd been kidding about him cheating.

'Honestly Jayney, you'd think you'd know me by now. I know you. I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't cheat. Let me pick on you every now and then without getting so defensive, silly prince. Not everybody's out to impugn your honor.' She smiled at him, light and friendly, to let him know she wasn't terribly serious. 'And besides, we both know I'm not that powerful. I'm only a goddess to my students Sprout, not you. Which is why you beat me. So, I'm at your mercy, young faerie.' She sighed and counted the rest of their tokens, clinking out their cool metal discs between her fingers. Her companion glanced around, looking for a way to punish her further for her electronic transgression. As if the shame wasn't bad enough. She was being overly dramatic on purpose, hoping to garner some favor so that he wouldn't force her into doing anything tooterrible. Because, as per their arrangement, she would do whatever he asked, but she probably wouldn't like it. 'Penance,' indeed.

Apparently, he'd finally found a source of inspiration. A group of guys who'd wandered in a few minutes ago. Four or... five of them, maybe? Jayne asked if she knew any of them. They looked college-y, but none of them were hers. She shook her head lightly.

'No dear. None of them belong to me. Nor have they. They might eventually, but who knows? Why?' A wicked glimmer entered those eyes when she looked back at him, and suddenly- though only for a second- she was unsure about this whole thing. He was going to make her do something involving those children, wasn’t he? The idea held next-to-no appeal. Really, she’d rather drop one of these arcade consoles on her foot. She’d heal, and then it would be over. But oh no, of course not. He was clever. He picked a torture that had the potential to last a while. ’But I- I’m very good at-‘ she started, before she understood what it was he meant. He wanted her to play dumb, almost. At least to feign ignorance. For those boys. The thought was unpleasant, and made her lip curl. Really? Really now? Oh Jayne, you wicked creature. Fine. Fine. But she’d do it the way she’d normally- No, you know what? He wanted her to play it that way, she’d go all out. She’d milk it to the point of pain. But her eyes were murderous. ’Fine. But you’re buyin’. And don’t try to wiggle your way out with compliments Sprout. Even though I appreciate them.’ She could do this. She’d been ogled by worse, in her day. One foot in front of the other, she straightened her spine and made her way over to the handful of guys- four, now that she was closer; the other one hadn’t been a member of their little group- with a sigh. They noticed her standing there a few moments later, quizzical looks on their faces.

’Hey,’ she started with a little wave and a smile, ’you guys any good at this thing?’ She patted the seat of one the bikes they were on. Unanimously, they assured her that they were. ’You sure?’ Her grin was teasing as she ran a hand across the back ‘lights’ of the motorcycle. ’Well then, maybe you could help me out. See, I have this little running bet with a friend of mine- Helen- about the arcade games here. Every week we play a different one. And she keeps beating me. Next week is this thing and… I could use a competitive advantage, if you guys don’t mind?’ Her brown eyes were large and doe-like as she pleaded with them, waiting for them to do that silent guy-code version of what passed for communication before consenting to ‘teach’ her. She stuck her hand out once she’d gotten the go-ahead. ’I’m Eryn, by the way.’ She received warm- and one slightly chilled- handshake from the four guys, Eric, Tom, Jason, and Malik. ’Nice. So, who wants to help me on this thing?’ It was chaos and giggles after that. Getting on the bike proved near impossible with the pencil skirt she had on, until they had the brilliant idea to hike it up a few inches- she’d known when she’d gone over there that she’d have to do that. She had to give them credit, they didn’t touch her too much, and were surprisingly respectful, and even funny. Eryn had to roll her sleeves up so she could lean over the bike without popping the wrist buttons, and settled into place. ’Now, I know I look ridiculous-‘ They cut her off with a chorus of ‘no’s’ and visual assessments, which she waved off with a smile. ’Yeah, yeah, one of you just get up here and help me with the controls.’ Turned out that they tag-teamed, two on either side of her, explaining the throttle and the brake, the lean and the gear shifts. Poor boys had to get just a little more handsy with her then, which she suspected didn’t really bother them in the slightest. Especially the leaning, during which Jason put his hand on her lower back to ease her in one direction versus the other.

She played her first race, feigning inability, and they got very animated, wanting to help her every time she squeaked or ran into a rock or off a cliff or into a wall. It really was quite entertaining, if she didn’t say so herself, and not as bad as she’d imagined. Initially, they didn’t touch her, but they got so… worked up, that each pitched in to help her. Jason took the leans again, same as before; Malik took the throttle, keeping her hand in place so that she could ‘tell the difference’; Tom took the gear shift, and, copying Malik, kept her hand in place too. So there she was, racing in the Arizona desert, with these guys all over her. Oh, she cracked herself up. Thanks to them, she actually hit third place. Which, as far as they were concerned, was a mighty victory. The next one she did by herself, carefully landing herself in fourth place- couldn’t do as well without them, now could she?- and thanking them all with high-fives.

’You guys should teach this stuff for real. Thank you! Helen has not one little bitty chance now, I’m sure.’ She smiled at them, genuinely warm, and dismounted from the motorcycle, replacing her skirt where it should’ve been. Her long legs carried her back to where Jayne was hiding, giving the boys a little wave and blowing a couple kisses before she arched an eyebrow at her friend, haughty and maybe a touch smug. ’Well? Did I complete my task to your satisfaction Sprout?’

[JAYNE LANCEL ASTOR]

Just as he'd expected, Eryn seemed reluctant and possibly uncomfortable with his little dare. That had been the plan, but he didn't want to overstep his boundaries and make her feel awful. Jayne knew that Eryn was a woman of repute, and her convictions were strong. She was rarely about the feminine wiles, though she was aesthetically very appealing, and stuck to more of a “woman power” mentality that Jayne admired. In a way, it reminded him of his sister, Daphne, who could have drafted the mousy gene from their gene pool (or their mother), and ended up more like Karson, who he hoped would get stronger and braver as time passed. He also wondered about Neely and how she fared, but she hardly spoke two words for him, and when she did, it was never enough for him to get any sort of grasp on her budding personality, but she had some darknesses in her past that probably still dictated certain behaviors that she couldn't curb. Because of all the madness in his family, Jayne was pleased about his friendship with Eryn, because the only one he could spend any sort of lengthy time with was Daphne, and sometimes even she wanted him to leave her alone. The eldest Astor didn't think of himself as much of a social creature, but he didn't wish to be alone all the time, either. There were activities he enjoyed, and some of those activities were a team effort, or just more enjoyable with another person taking part.

Eryn went over to the group of young men and started a conversation that he couldn't hear. She did well at playing awkwardly around the bike and the game, and they seemed more than excited that such a lovely woman was seeking out a chance to spend time with them. However, Jayne did give them credit for being respectful, shaking her hand in turn and not allowing their eyes to linger on certain parts of her body for more than a brief glimpse that was totally a human, and male, impulse. Even Jayne, who respected women endlessly and considered himself a chivalrous gentleman had done the cursory glance once or twice on all women he met, if they were attractive enough. The trick was not to make it obvious, and not to be disrespectful. The faerie watched the young men help her onto her bike, and saw her hike her skirt up a little. Suddenly, his collar felt a little tight, and he adjusted it slightly, making his breathing become more even again. Hands were on her, but politely, and they walked her through how to use the controls.

His friend was doing well to feign innocence and frustration with the game, and he wasn't sure what excuse she had given them as to why she couldn't play, but they had totally fallen for it. No longer did she seem uncomfortable, but like she was genuinely having a good time. Their hands were on her, but still in a respectful way, and Jayne watched carefully for any small sign of discomfort, but there wasn't any. Somehow, that disturbed him a little, and he grumbled under his breath. The emotion he was feeling was new, and he didn't know quite how to classify it, and it didn't make sense to call it 'jealousy,' because she wasn't romantically attached to him in any way. There was no reason why other men couldn't touch her, if they wanted and she allowed it. Which she did, because she was allowing it to happen, and that wasn't part of the dare. Jayne's breathing picked up again, and his eyes narrowed a bit. He'd never been that bold as to rest his hand on her lower back for prolonged periods of time. When he was being polite, he'd do it for a brief second before pulling a chair out for her or something, and occasionally, his hands would touch her skin when he removed her jacket, but it was nothing too physical.

There was louder talking and direction coming from the game, but then, it was over, and she was headed back in his direction. Jayne straightened his posture and tried to look unaffected, but couldn't help himself completely. She asked if she had completed the dare to his satisfaction and Jayne struggled with the answer. He couldn't very well tell the truth that she had done almost too well, and bothered him in the process. The dare hadn't been meant to make him uncomfortable, and yet, it had. The irony was not lost on him that he was unsettled by his own poor decision, and now felt lost as to how he was really feeling about his best friend. ”I didn't see you falter even once. Bravo,” Jayne said, trying to be his normal self instead of the conflicted, struggling mess he was on the inside. ”You seemed to be enjoying yourself very much. They were nice boys?” Part of him was relieved that he'd chosen to send her in the way of men who would be nice and respectful to her instead of lecherous and rude. That would have certainly made him step in and defend her honor. But why? Eryn doesn't need you to be her white knight, Jayne, and why would you even want to be?

[/color]

He was more than ready to move on to something else and stop thinking about his little dare and how it, to him at least, had backfired. To her, it had been a grand old time, and the thought that she had enjoyed being touched and lavished with attention by the younger men. Perhaps she's into the younger men... which seems strange, since she teaches them for a living.[/color] Jayne questioned for a moment whether or not to ask a question that bordered on personal, but every now and then, despite his preference to keep things most professional, even with his friends, Jayne couldn't keep his wandering thoughts at bay. ”So, what men do you choose to date? I'm surprised one of those boys didn't ask you out after they were done fondling you.” Jayne said, but tried to curb the fact that he sounded mildly jealous by continuing a little. ”Either way, it was amusing for me to watch. Better than television.” His inflection was a slow drawl, and he chuckled slightly, because until it had been uncomfortable, it was amusing. Then, he walked toward the dancing game that he was good at and figured it might be a way to relax him, or at least silence his mind temporarily. ”Will you put two tokens in the machine for me, please? Unless you'd like to join me and lose a second time.” He didn't expect her to join him; from his past experience, she seemed to just enjoy watching him play. Besides, this relief from his mind wasn't about her... or maybe it sort of was.[/blockquote][/justify]

[eryn]

Alright, Eryn was no faerie. She wasn't an empath, she couldn't read emotions, but Jayne's aura was distinctly agitated when she returned to his side. She couldn't puzzle out why, except maybe... Well, maybe he was just annoyed that she hadn't actually hated his dare as she was supposed to. He should've known though, really, that she would spin the thing to her advantage, instead of meekly accepting her 'punishment.' Poor baby. He looked positively... Green? Or was that red? He was swirling, that was certain. He was most displeased. Though his tone wouldn't have betrayed him, really.

'I didn't see you falter even once. Bravo.' Was that sarcasm she detected in his voice? She repressed the urge to giggle. Ah well, the best-laid plans occasionally went belly-up. That was the way of things. He would have to take this little defeat in stride, as she had. 'You seemed to be enjoying yourself very much. They were nice boys?' She smiled at him and nodded.

'Of course they were. Very sweet. I can't fault your taste in men Jayney. Spot on.' Eryn gave him a victorious little thumbs-up, teasing him mercilessly. But it seemed that her question had piqued his curiosity about her own actual tastes in the opposite gender, which caught her off guard, making her brow furrow in confusion before she understood the 'why' of the question. It was a good follow-up, she had to admit. And something they'd never actually discussed. Well, why not? Except... Was that derision in his tone? A note of judgment? From Jayne? What hell was this? 'Ahem. Well, I'm glad to have amused you so well. Mission accomplished, I suppose. Beside which, those boys were bound to know I wasn't interested in them, and I seem to... intimidate men, in general. Especially boys. As to your question, Sprout,' she said, clearing her throat lightly to get back on topic, and away from the inflection that would spiral her into something rude, if she continued to pay attention to it. 'Men I choose to date... Well, I don't have a particular type, if that's what you mean. I like the ones who are smart, can make me laugh, do nice things for me. I want somebody I can complain to about the same crap every day, and still has the patience to put up with me. Somebody I can love on in public, or not. Somebody who appreciates the nerdy, silly me, and the driven, intelligent me, both, without being intimidated or put off by either one. Someone who thinks I'm ridiculously gorgeous too, wouldn't hurt.' She giggled lightly at the last, as she followed him to a different section of the arcade. And then proceeded to put the tokens in the machine as he'd asked, continuing her little speech, which was exactly what it'd turned into. He seemed content to just let her talk, since he looked to be working on his own mental issue, whatever it was. And perhaps it was for the best that he wasn't entirely focused on her words, as she was talking entirely too much. 'I, well, I have to be honest, that doesn't just apply to the men I would choose to date. It would go for the ladies too.' Oh lordy, she had just rambled herself to death. And she was fairly certain she had never professed to being bisexual in front of Jayne either. Odd, yes, but it had just never come up, in the history of them knowing each other. She'd never dated anybody in that time, which may have been unusual for some, but just wasn't for Eryn. She was... particular, with her choice of potential and legitimate relationships. And she had eternity, barring any complications, so she used that time to figure out what she wanted. Perhaps that was a flaw, to want perfection out of her partner... But that wasn't really accurate either. She didn't want perfection, she just wanted her lightning bolt. The rest of it, she would let fall into place. Fate would not be so cruel as to hand her a soulmate that wouldn't fit her, when it came right down to it.

She leaned against the other DDR machine and let Jayne do his thing, still amused that he was so light on his feet, and so talented at a game that she had been unsure- in the beginning- that he'd even enjoy.

'What kind of women do you like, Sprout?' She asked the question out of courtesy, kind of, but mostly because she really was curious, now that she'd talked her mouth off.

[JAYNE LANCEL ASTOR]

His irritation was slightly fading as he listened to Eryn talk about, of all things, her taste in men. It seemed like a trivial thing for them to discuss, really, because normally their conversations fell into one of two categories, and subcategories of those. The basic categories were silly, goofy fun or serious, insightful chatter. Either way the conversation went, he enjoyed it, because the faerie prince found that he sincerely enjoyed just talking to her. They could sit at a table for hours and squawk at one another, and at the end of the day, he'd be extremely content, and have a brain full of ideas that their conversation had sparked. Even when they were being goofy and silly they managed to be thought-provoking, and that was why she was his dearest friend. He listened intently, as he always did, and learned quite a bit about her: mostly that she didn't just look for men romantically, but women, too. Although it wasn't something he was familiar with, and didn't understand it completely, as a man who liked women, he could certainly see the appeal in women.

”All those options, Swiftpaw, and you're still single?” Jayne teased lightly, but knew that she wouldn't take offense. He was trying to tread carefully, though, and not disclose too much of what was going on in his head. Because he couldn't make sense of it, even as well as he knew himself. There were... feelings that spiraled through him that confused him, because he thought he already was interested, and rather seriously, in Jyli, but at the sight of his best friend semi-flirting with a group of men, and discussing the type of person that would steal her heart away, he felt confused. Surely, this was just him being protective. Or so he hoped. Eryn helped him out with the tokens, kind thing that she was, and he started to play. First, he selected “Sandstorm,” because even though the music in this game wasn't his style, it was one of the ones he could stand, and it was a good song to warm-up with. Eryn watched him as he moved skilfully around the arrows, barely using the bar for support as he performed more intricate maneuvers than were necessary for the song.

Mostly, he was trying to get his mind off his little dare that had gone wrong, but he convinced himself that this was fun, exciting, a good time. Am I showing off for her? Is that what this is? How... male of you, Jayne.

[/color] The song finished, and the faerie turned around to his companion, realizing that she'd ask a question. ”Did you want to play?” For some reason, he was entirely hesitant about this question, but when she commented on his withholding information, Jayne sighed and placed his hands on the plastic bar that was behind the machine, for support. Thankfully, this one wasn't metallic, as some he'd seen in arcades were. ”I never took much time to think about it, really,” Jayne said, and his answer was honest. Love wasn't something he ever expected, even though he hoped for it. His parents had married out of convenience, because it was the best match for them and the Court, for the good of the family. But they had gotten to be fond of one another throughout the years, and perhaps they loved one another now. Jayne wasn't really sure. But, he hoped that he'd be able to a choose a woman for himself, and not wait so long that his father would have to select a match in his stead. That, to Jayne, would feel like failure that he couldn't make a woman interested enough in him to want to marry. Surely there were good, interesting fae women that he could stand. But, his desires did exist, he just never spoke them aloud for fear that doing so would make him want more.

”I suppose... well, a gorgeous woman is certainly eye-catching, so she'd have to be lovely. A faerie, of course.” That was what his family would want, and how could he rule without following their laws to the letter? ”I'd want a woman who was able to challenge me mentally, who would care for me, and take an interest in my life. She'd have to be strong-willed and independent, but not too independent that she wouldn't allow me to care for her and do nice things, just because.” Jayne gave a little half-smile, then said the part that he was most confused by, because to most, love was a wild, passionate thing, but to him, it meant something different. ”I'd want to marry someone who could double as a dear friend, someone I could trust, and who knew me... all of me, just like she knew herself.” Then, Jayne laughed, realizing how ridiculous his little laundry list probably sounded, and looked at Eryn, who had a strange expression on her face.

”I know, I know – 'good luck finding all that, Sprout' is what you're going to say, aren't you?” It was a long list, and very specific, but he had always had ambition. Surely, there would be a woman out there for him who could even fit ninety percent of that; because relationships, from what he understood, always needed space for compromise. If he had to bend on a few of his desires for a woman that suited him better than some stuffy stranger his father would probably choose for him, he'd be more than happy to accept. The woman of his dreams needed to be at least full of life, with passions that could match the ones that he kept secret in order to maintain his position as a strong, capable leader that wouldn't be bogged down by childish hopes and dreams. Jayne looked into Eryn's eyes, finding life in them, and smiling. ”You'll find your prince or princess charming one day, though. You're a catch, Eryn,” Jayne confessed. Perhaps, if things had been different, he'd be willing to step outside his box, if she was at all interested. But, his family needed a leader, and to lead the Astors, one had to be willing to act with the interest of the whole in mind, and put selfish desires aside for the strength of his family, which was where his loyalty would always lie. Love would have to play second fiddle.[/blockquote][/justify]

[eryn]

’Way to dodge Sprout. Maybe I’ll play later. But come on, it’s me. Just talk. Don’t keep it to yourself.’ Eryn knew him better than most, and she knew that he was avoiding her question by offering her a chance to play. Why, she hadn’t the foggiest idea. Why wouldn’t he want to tell her about what he found attractive in a mate? Well, maybe he had some weird desires… Her giggle was charming, as he decided to try and dodge again. ‘I haven’t thought about it,’ her ass. ’Jayney, everybody thinks about it a little, at some point. Even future kings can dream of the people they find appealing and worth loving, even if they can’t have it. Spiiiill.’ His mildly bashful smile was cute, and she stared up at him with pleading puppy eyes, just to mess with him. Finally relenting, he started to tell her what he wanted. Color her surprised that the shallow things were the first to come out of his mouth. She’d never taken Jayne for a shallow soul. ‘Gorgeous faerie’ were his first factors. Her brow furrowed, a bit confused. She’d never been one to be totally about the surface. ‘Shallow’ just wasn’t in her repertoire. Don’t get confused, she could appreciate the beautiful people, the hotties with bodies from beyond, but just because they were pretty didn’t mean much to her. The next words out of his mouth made more sense to her, on a relatable level.

A mental challenge, a caring soul, somebody who really wanted to know Jayne. Strong and independent, but appreciative of his protective streak and sweet side. Somebody who could turn him on and calm him down, and be his confidante. Eryn chewed the inside of her cheek, considering his list. She wondered if she knew anybody like that… She had a few friends, but no ladies that really fit that particular description. Maybe the puzzled look on her face gave some of that away, because he chuckled, self-deprecating, and explained that he knew how ridiculous his list sounded.

’No Sprout, that’s not what I was gonna say. It sounds like a good list. A wonderful woman. See? You do know what you want. Can you find such an exotic creature on your time frame though? I mean… What with your parents and stuff?’ The question seemed to both frustrate and sadden him, which wasn’t her intention, but it called to light the truth. Jayne had to operate on a limited schedule, just because of who he was. It wasn’t fair, but it was true. The prince of the Astors only had so many viable options before his parents stepped in and made some rules. Maybe this Jyli he was beginning to see was his shot at not being strapped to a woman he hated. ’Maybe you can find those things in Jyli? I mean, she seems like one of the first people you’ve ever been actually… invested in? Invested is the wrong word, but you know what I mean.’ Her companion appeared comforted by the idea, and translated that comfort into a pacification of his own. ‘Prince Charming,’ huh? She didn’t want Prince Charming. She wanted… Oh, what did she want? She wanted her lightning bolt. That was the way she always described it in her head, because that’s what her parents had always told her their first kiss had been like. ‘It was a lightning bolt that knocked some sense into me, baby,’ her daddy had told her once. From that moment, he’d been irrevocably tied to her mother, and vice versa. Despite everything, she still didn’t know all the details about her father’s life before her mom, but she suspected some less-than-savory enterprises had been his pastimes. Someday, she’d learn it all. She had eternity, after all.

’I expect I will, eventually. I’ve got nothing but time to figure it out, after all.’ A gentle shrug accompanied her words, and she stepped up onto the playing level for DDR. ’Alright Sprout, scootch. Let’s see if I can beat you at this game, shall we?’ Her long fingers inserted the correct amount of tokens, and Jayne moved over to his side, preparing to amaze. Since she was the challenger, she got to pick the song, courtesy of the prince. ‘1, 2, Step,’ was her choice, since it was groovy and funky and made her feel kinda gangster. She wasn’t the greatest dancer ever, but she could do a passable job at the game, and that was really all that was required of her at this point, since she knew Jayne was probably going to win anyways. So her only goal was to have fun.

The bass started thumping, the music started flowing, and their feet started moving, hitting the arrows as they came up on the screen. ‘Let me see you 1, 2, step,’ played from the speakers, competing with everything else on the noise scale in the arcade. But she knew the song, so she sang along a little, having a good time, shaking her hips, and waving her hands in the air. When the round was over, she laughed, pulse pounding just the littlest bit. He beat her, of course. Jayne was the superstar.

’Way to play, Sprout. Dang. Why’re you so good at this game? I know I’ve asked before… but seriously, why?’ Her eyes twinkled as she asked, thoroughly amused.

[JAYNE LANCEL ASTOR]

Eryn always had the ability to get information out of him. Even the information he was trying to hide, or didn't deem to be appropriate for conversation, even though he could tell Eryn basically anything. If ever I did something wrong, and the Court needed me to 'talk,' this would be the woman they'd use against me.

[/color] So, he spilled his guts, with only a little prompting from Eryn. She was a fabulous listener, and seemed to hang on his every word, which he appreciated. Jayne also was a good listener, and appreciated other people to do the same. He knew life wasn't fair, but he almost expected people to match him in conversation, and put forth the same amount of effort into any given task as he did. Jayne felt that nobody deserved unequal treatment if they were in a position where society or expectations put them as equals. In his friendship with Eryn, he felt they worked because they did act as equals. She was just as smart as he was, just as capable of doing just about any task to the same level as he could, and they played well off one another in a number of different categories. Sure, she was a hybrid, and Jayne normally thought less of them, but he tried not to let those thoughts and breeding that had ingrained faerie superiority into his head stand in the way of their excellent friendship.

Jayne valued her, and enjoyed her company more than he enjoyed the company of most. Even some of the other faeries that he'd been forced to interact with to please the Council and make a good showing for his own branch of the great Astor family. It was just one of many things that he had to do in order to please his father, the other Astors, and the Council at the Onyx Castle. But, as he did with all his other duties, Jayne faced it head-on and took it in stride, because it was just another part of being the next in line, which was a position he was happy to keep. If he was being truthful, he was looking forward to leading the family soon, and knew that he'd be an excellent leader. Even if it would mean having to make some tough decisions, and watching who he interacted with... if his family members saw him making nice with a hybrid like Eryn or an Ellis, they might not take him as seriously. Once he became in charge, he'd certainly have to be more careful.

When he finished naming off the traits he looked for in his ideal woman, he saw Eryn contemplating what he'd said and raising an eyebrow. Just what is she thinking? The list wasn't exactly philosophical or something to contemplate.[/color] Then, as if on cue, she answered, but it wasn't what he'd expected. She'd questioned his time frame to even find the proper woman, and Jayne sighed: she certainly had a point. But, in true Eryn form, she found a solution before he could even address the problem. That might have been her mathematical brain kicking in, he wasn't sure, but he definitely appreciated what she said. About Jyli. The mention of the fae woman's name made him grin, and he responded in kind. ”Invested, hmm? Must you make every little bit of passion in my life sound like some dreadful business deal?” Jayne teased. ”Ah, but you do bring up a good point. Perhaps my meeting her now was perfect timing; if I don't find a suitable mate for myself, my parents will saddle me up with someone, and while their marriage isn't entirely loveless, at least, I don't feel it is, I wouldn't want their kind of marriage for myself.” It was certainly too soon for him to be talking about marriage, or even thinking about it, but few people in his family actually married for love. Yet, love was something he truly wanted, and when Eryn told him stories about her parents, he felt a twinge of longing: that was the kind of love he'd wanted one day. The “lightning bolt” that Eryn spoke of so fondly.

”You'll find your perfect match one day, Eryn,” Jayne said, placing his hand on her shoulder gently, but careful not to leave it there for too long, lest she be dosed with faerie juju. ”You're magnificent, and the fact that you've lived longer than me and haven't had a slew of men attempting to beat down your door to court you is beyond my realm of comprehension,” he paused, then added a playful little finishing remark. ”Unless you've been keeping secrets from me.”

Nothing but time. That's what she had, and that's what she said. Jayne wished he had nothing but time, and wished that his parents would give him more time to find love on his own, since it was something he really wanted. If he was to marry and woman and bring children into the world with her, as was expected, he needed to love her. For him, there really was no other way that wouldn't strip him of all his happiness. But, the string of sad thoughts didn't last long, as Eryn challenged him to the next game, which was one he was quite certain he'd win, unlike “Guitar Hero,” which had a more even playing field between the two competitors. She chose the song, and they played. She played the game like a player... moves and strategy and timing. He played like a dancer. Even though his parents had insisted he take lessons so he could go to balls and charm ladies in a princely fashion, he found that he rather enjoyed dancing. Ballroom in particular, which was a genre he was quite skilled in. Latin was another strength, but could be tedious, and he'd never attempted any of the other more modern or contemporary dances. So, when the song was over, Jayne emerged the victor, and Eryn questioned how he was so good at the game.

The prince grinned wickedly. ”Now, do you promise not to laugh at me or have what I'm about to tell you spoil my reputation?” When she said something that put him at ease, he continued. ”My parents enrolled me in ballroom and other formal dance when I was a young boy. Neely, my sister, is a very talented ballerina, but they wanted me to learn it so I could go to balls and other formal events and sweep the ladies off their feet. And I found that not only am I very good at it, I enjoy doing it, too.” Jayne tried to gauge his friend's reaction, but fell short. ”You could attend lessons with me sometime, if you'd like. I have a private instructor, but could borrow the studio for an afternoon to teach you one-on-one. If you'd like,” Jayne said.

He started up a new song, and before it started, he looked over his shoulder at Eryn and added a little facet that might make her more interested. ”It'd probably improve your abilities at this game. You approach it from a gaming standpoint, you need to approach it like a dance.”

A thought crossed Jayne's mind, and he didn't know how she'd react to the suggestion he was about to make. ”Come up here, stand in front of me. Let me show you what I mean.” He'd have to keep his faerie powers to a minimum, because he didn't want her to be influenced by him in a way that was inorganic, but he did want to help his friend, who was so into video games and winning. Jayne took a step back off the arrows and waited for her to join him, unless she thought he was completely insane for making such an offer. It wasn't like they'd really be dancing, after all.[/blockquote][/justify]

[eryn]

Business wasn’t Eryn’s strong suit. And it wasn’t because she couldn’t do it, or she wasn’t logical enough- she was. She was logical and analytical to the point where it could cause others’ eyes to bug out of their heads and their eyebrows to hit their hairlines. Eryn was beyond intelligent enough for that. But she didn’t like it because she didn’t care for the coldness of it. The way it stripped everything that held the potential to be kind or nice or emotional down to the bare-bones of ‘return on investment.’ And she hated to see Jayne’s love life reduced to that. But it was. He could avoid it all he wanted, and actually court ladies and date women, invest himself in relationships that he actually enjoyed, but the hard truth of the matter was that his marriage- if he couldn’t fulfill the requirements to his parents’ satisfaction- was going to be a business deal. Who could provide the best return on investment to the Astor family? Maybe it would be this woman that Jayne actually liked. If he was lucky.

’You know that’s not my intention Jayney. You know me and love have a thing. But for you, let’s be real. You have to add that ‘analysis’ side to it. What can your potential lady offer to your parents? Your family? Will she shame you? It’s that kind of thing. And you know I hate that for you, but ‘passion’ is not the only thing you get to be concerned with. Sad but true. Not only is it a business deal, it’s one with an expiration date.’ A sad little shrug accompanied her words. This wasn’t something Jayne liked discussing, she could tell, but she wasn’t about to start pulling punches with him. From the beginning, she’d been nothing but honest and real with the prince. She cared not one bit for his station or his family, she cared for him and his character. That’s what made her different from the other people he had to surround himself with on a daily basis. It made her an outsider, yes, and probably biased, but it also made her a valuable companion- in her own humble opinion- because she gave him a dose of reality, whether it was a warm cup of tea or a kick in the teeth. And he seemed to appreciate that. He must’ve, since he’d put up with her this long. Ha. ‘Put up with.’ That’s what his parents did to each other. Jayne and Eryn, they were friends, and good ones. There were moments that they had to suffer the other’s quirks, but mostly, they were happy with each other. ’I don’t know how your parents can do that, everyday. Be with somebody they didn’t pick. And they don’t do it well, it seems to me. I hope you can avoid that, if at all possible. I mean, who wants to get what they didn’t ask for? It’s like opening presents on Christmas and realizing that one gift you really wanted isn’t under the tree.’ It was the best analogy Eryn could come up with, but it seemed to fit, at the moment. Still, him thinking about marriage to this woman so early in their relationship bugged her. He didn’t even know Jyli. Still, he had to think long-term with everything. Everything. His life dictated it. She wondered, sometimes, if he ever thought about leaving it all behind. Maybe, in passing. He’d never actually do it though. He loved his family too much, especially his sisters. So he’d have to make do with what he had, in the time he had. Unlike Eryn, who had a decent chunk of forever to wait. And wait she would.

’’One day’ could be a damn long time, Sprout. But I’m willing to wait.’ She arched an eyebrow at his next comment and giggled. ’Ha! Your realm must be damn small then, honey. I am not that fabulous. Don’t misunderstand, I’m great, but I’m just…’ Eryn shrugged, actually unsure what she was. ’I don’t really know. I’m me. And you know I wouldn’t keep secrets from you. I’ve got no reason to.’ She actually didn’t. Except one… And while Jayne wouldn’t use whatever secrets he gleaned against her- it was why he knew most of them- she still didn’t feel the need to tell him about her former career. It’d never come up, and if she had her way, it never would. Because if the question came up, straight out, she couldn’t lie to him. She just couldn’t. So it was time to get off the subject of secrets and on to something a little less heavy and a little more fun. Like DDR. A perfect distraction, in her opinion. She was too busy laughing at herself to be worried about much of anything. And besides, this was Jayne she was with- she didn’t worry about much with him anyway. Except losing. Gosh dangit! She’d never beat him at this, she never would. And why?

Because he had taken ballroom dance classes, apparently. Ballroom. Dance. She was surprisingly unsurprised by that. Of course the faerie prince would have dance classes under his belt. Of course. Why not? And his sister was a ballerina. There was something very… ‘old-world charm’ about the whole thing. So she grinned, to set him at ease. Because clearly, he was prepared for ridicule. Eryn wasn’t about to insult a man for his ability to dance though, why would she? It was a fun skill that she didn’t really possess- at least, not in the ballroom sense. She could wiggle it adequately in a club or something, but that wasn’t about skill, that was just about having enough rhythm to stay with the beat of the song. Real dancing? Hip-hop, ballroom, or otherwise, was just a talent she hadn’t ever bothered to pick up.

’Um, I don’t know. I’ve never tried to learn to dance… I mean, why not? Sure Sprout, sign me up. I could bother to learn something new. Something not math-related. Although… dancing is all numbers and patterns.’ She grinned at him, genuinely amused. ’So maybe I’ll have some natural aptitude. That’s why I’m good at most games…’ He took that opportunity to offer her assistance with this one, since he kept kicking her ass at it anyways. The offer he made was unusual, but what could it hurt? Didn’t stop her from arching an eyebrow as she moved over to his dance pad though, placing herself in front of him, as the gesture implied. ’Alright guru, teach away.’ She looked over her shoulder at him, brows arched inquisitively, and held her hands out to the sides, awaiting further instruction. ’Can at I least pick the song you educate me to?’

[JAYNE LANCEL ASTOR]

Business deals. Jayne understood those; it was just another thing he'd been trained and molded to understand. Jayne had a very good mind for business, for numbers, for logic and things that were supposed to make sense because they went together smoothly in an uninterrupted, co-mingling fashion. Everything to it's place, and all that jazz. But, perhaps he was selfish for thinking so, but Jayne had never wanted passion to fall into another filing cabinet of Astor family affairs in which to meddle endlessly. Eryn's words were true; he had to think about everything, analyze everything to death, especially if he wanted any say in his own love life. It was tragic, because even though he was supposed to remain cold and unfeeling to all the outsiders looking in on the next in line, Malcolm Astor's prized son, he felt that deep down, he had so much love to give a woman. Secretly, Jayne treasured romance and passion. Secretly, he wanted a heart full of love and a life full of song. He wanted the beautiful parts of life that his parents had never experienced, and sometimes he wondered if his father would be a different man if he had gotten to marry a woman of his choice; a woman he loved. He wondered, but knew that he couldn't dwell on it, because that would be living in the past, and that was just as dangerous as dreaming too much.

”Maybe I'll get lucky and find the woman of my dreams before my parents pick a random 'eligible' bachelorette for me,” Jayne said quietly, wondering if hope was too much. His parents were already scouring the kingdom for a suitable woman with good genetics and a proper family for him to make beautiful Astor heirs with. That was what had happened with his parents, and he and his sisters were the end result. They were all beautiful, brilliant, sharp in their own way, and certainly Astors. But only his mother loved them.

Eryn started talking about his parents, and he nodded. Well, she certainly had them pegged. Every glaringly tragic detail of their relationship, she understood, and it was just so different than what she had grown up experiencing that it almost made him feel ashamed. And he was seldom ashamed of his family, even his parents and their awful relationship. ”They do it because they have to; it's all about appearances, didn't you know?” It was a cruel truth that he made out to sound like a joke, but Eryn was blunt and good at reading him, so she'd know exactly what he was trying to say. Even the words he tried to hide, the feelings he kept buried, she found them eventually. And for some reason, she was the only one that could get away with it, because Jayne truly did value her friendship over almost everything else. She mentioned Christmas, and it made him smile a pained smile: they always got what they wanted for Christmas present-wise. Their parents spared no expense, but there wasn't any cheer, any family closeness... they didn't open presents together, the presents were rarely ever wrapped, and they never had a tree. But they always got what they wanted, except the things they couldn't tell their parents that they secretly wished for. Once, when he was a boy, Jayne had asked his father why they couldn't spend Christmas as a family, and Malcolm had replied: “There's too much work to do, and I haven't time to fuck around pretending to enjoy a Christian holiday just to make you happy, Jayne.”

Jayne had never asked for that kind of present again. But the subject changed, thankfully, to Eryn's soulmate, and how he (or she) was out there. Eryn truly did have all the time in the world to find true love, which was probably why she was so patient to wait. ”Well, if it's while I'm around, I'll be very picky about who you choose. He or she has to be perfect for you, after all, and I know you won't, but I certainly won't allow you to settle.” Eryn was close enough to him, that he honestly wanted the best for her. Especially because there was a chance that he couldn't have his real true love. Time was running out, and he could practically feel the tick of the clock reverberating in his bones. But Eryn... Eryn could wait as long as she needed to, until she found the one, and Jayne wanted to know with certainty that she was happy, at the very least. Because she had been so good to him, and because she was such a good person. He hoped for the same thing for his sisters, that they'd all find something that made them feel complete and happy. Although, he couldn't exactly say he saw Eryn as a sister... there was something else there. Something different, as far as connections went. Something he couldn't quite pin down definitively.

Whatever it was in Eryn that brought them together in a solid friendship, Jayne trusted her. He trusted her completely, with all of his secrets. Including his ballroom dancing lessons, which he was pleased to say she didn't mock him for. She actually agreed to take a lesson with him, and the prince grinned widely when she did so. ”I'm a terrific dance partner; you'll be in very good hands. I'll let my instructor know that I'll be bringing a friend along to my next lesson. How do you feel about waltzing?” Even though he knew and agreed that dancing had a lot to do with patterns, he didn't want her over-thinking while they were taking their lesson. So, he chose waltz because it was one that was less patterned. It would be interesting to just see her stop thinking and move. For him, it was a bit of a release, because it allowed him to get out of his own head.

It seemed they would be dancing sooner than expected, because she agreed to let him give her a quick lesson in the artful way of Dance Dance Revolution. Jayne stood behind her, and willed himself not to use too much of his magical influence, since he did need to touch her to teach her, just like he'd need to during their lesson. The song selection screen came up, and Eryn requested that she choose. ”Oh, by all means,” Jayne said, and after she'd made her choice, Jayne moved back a little, then waited for the ready screen to start.

”So, first things first; don't think about the arrows. It's not quite like Guitar Hero. You want to listen to the natural rhythm of the music. The arrows are only good for telling you which one you want to step on,” Jayne said, then placed his hands on her hips when the song actually started. ”You just have to dance, Eryn,” he said, his voice a little lower than usual. Carefully, he guided her hips through the motions, helping her feet move, and occasionally counting off beats.

She got a perfect score. ”See? You've got it,” Jayne said, finally removing his hands from her hips. There was a strange tingle in his fingers, and he felt a little woozy, which was curious indeed, since she was the one who he thought would be more likely to feel the effects of being touched by him, though he'd tried not to dose her, even the smallest of amounts. Jayne looked at her when he stepped back from the platform, and there was a strange expression on her face that made him want to read her emotions, but he knew better. Some lines, you just couldn't cross. ”So, what did you want to do now?”

[/justify]

[eryn]

Eryn really hoped that she didn’t offend her companion. She knew, pretty much, what would set him off by now. And sometimes his family was a sore subject. His parents, his sisters, his clan. Any one of those things could be used to upset Jayne, if approached in the correct way. But her intent was not to irritate or bother him with her words- her perception of these people she really didn’t know- it was… well, what was it? She was trying to call his attention to some facts. Maybe harden up reality a little bit so he wouldn’t be horribly disappointed if a dream came crashing down around his ears. Eryn didn’t want to hurt him, but in an odd way, it was the gesture she used to try and protect him. She just wanted the best for Jayne, really, even though it wasn’t necessarily something he thought he could have. See, in her opinion, he was more than capable of ditching his family for what he really wanted, if he was given the right opportunity and the right motivation. But it would never happen, because he was responsible and kind. So she tried to protect him for those dreams of his, those hopes that would just make him sad if they died. Apparently though, she was just succeeding in making him a bit bitter, and a touch… ashamed? Poor baby. She could honestly say she’d never been ashamed of her parents. But he was, just a little. Just enough that her comment stung in a way that echoed in his words. She gave him a level glance, a touch more serious than his words implied, and answered him.

’Appearances only matter to a certain set of people Sprout. And those are the ones who are weak and ashamed of their real selves, and you know it.’ She shrugged off the serious comment with a smile, continuing. ’When you’re happy to be you, you’re not going to be embarrassed about it.’ An eyebrow wiggle followed, and they switched it up to a lighter topic. Well, maybe lighter was the wrong word… But certainly less incendiary. It did pull out Jayne’s protective streak though- which, because he was addressing her, his elder, struck her as cute and funny- as he claimed that he would settle for no less than the best for her. She couldn’t help the smile that it caused. ’You know me Sprout, when fate hands me my spark, I’ll make the rest of it work. And since it’s fate, it’ll account for my protective friend too, I should hope. My protective, dancing friend,’ she said with a grin. They spiraled then, back into the lightness of the arcade atmosphere, falling back into the natural pattern of teasing each other and giggling like happy hyenas- at least, she was related to the hyena. Her giggles ceased when he offered her a spot as his accompaniment to a dance lesson though. She’d never been to a real lesson, preferring- or just not caring enough to do otherwise- to let the music take her where it would. The hybrid liked to think she did alright, considering. Conveniently enough, she’d never had to echo a line she’d heard in a movie: ‘the music moves me, but it moves me ugly.’ Natural rhythm had let her escape such a fate. So the idea of a real class was intriguing, and she accepted. Which, believe it or not, seemed to be the best news he’d heard all night. She didn’t know if it was the fact that she’d said yes, or the fact that she hadn’t mocked him that made him happier, but she gratefully took both before stepping up onto the platform in front of him.

’Well, I’m sure I’ll be fine. DDR has already proven that you’re a capable dancer. And if you can do this with ease, I’m certain legitimate dancing without arrows will prove to be child’s play. Even when you’ve got a partner like me, who doesn’t really know what she’s doing in a ballroom atmosphere. So any dance will be foreign.Waltz, foxtrot, tango, it doesn’t matter. I will be the… ugly duckling of dance, so to speak.’ And it was true. Eryn’s current skill was only in free-form dancing where there were no real skills required, merely an ass and a groove. Now, she’d have to remember shit. Well, probably. Supposedly, if one had a good enough lead, one only needed to be close to the man in question, and she would flow. Eryn snorted internally. Yeah, right. She was a bit too much of a self-contained control-freak for that. Still, it’d be a fun experience. And it’d be interesting to see Jayne in an element that was more his than hers. Generally- out of his courtesy- they stuck to the things that she knew well. That’s why the arcade had become one of their pastimes, after all. Even though he had a propensity to beat her at a few of them, now. Perhaps with his little bit of instruction, she’d learn his secret and beat him. Who knew?

The song commenced and she moved to behave as she usually did, watching the screen more than her feet and only listening to the song to keep time. Apparently, she was doing it wrong. His hands graced her hips, their warmth heating her from the inside out as he gently but firmly instructed her in the proper way to attack this abstract concept. His presence behind her was somehow comforting and… though it confused her to think it, exciting. He was taller than her, warm and solid, and smelled good. It was boggling her brain, and maybe that teenie lack of concentration led her to actually behave the right way, tapping the arrows in a perfect pattern, achieving the one hundred percent accuracy with ease. Eryn was just slightly out of breath and a touch… fuzzy. Like, warm and fuzzy, sort of titillated. It was strange, but very pleasant. It never once occurred to her that it was because he was a faerie. Hindsight would only occur to her later. But for now, she was just a mite confused. But pleased, because hey, she’d kicked DDR’s ass. Her smile was wide and bright and she about-faced and kissed him on the cheek.

’Thanks Sprout! That was fun, actually. I imagine it’d be less-so if it was a song I didn’t like…’ Her face scrunched a little in thought, considering the validity of the statement. It seemed entirely plausible to her. Like the idea that her lips were tingling now because they were both warm and he had just a touch of stubble to prickle her. There was no other valid explanation, right? And what did she want to do now? Her lip got pulled between her teeth and nibbled upon as she thought. Hmm. ’I…. Ooo! I wanna go rollerskating! Rollerskate with me Jayney?’ She knew of a rink that was close to the arcade- duh!- and she hadn’t been skating in a long while. Her big brown eyes were pleading and puppy dog-esque. She didn’t quite mean to, but she couldn’t help it. Besides, he had a tendency to give her what she wanted when she pulled that face, especially when she did it on accident. But, that was yet to be seen. He could say no… Pft. Her grin was luminous as she anticipated the rolling around in circles. It was a good day. Days with Jayne always were.

[JAYNE LANCEL ASTOR]

Eryn's candor never got old. Jayne was fortunate that he had a friend in his life that he could always trust to be honest with him. While she was a supernatural, and knew plenty about his family, she didn't see their standing, position, power, or history to be any reason to favor him or pull any punches. So long, people had all but bowed down to him just because he was Malcolm's son – he could only take so much of it. Granted, some of it was out of respect, but some people just did it to pretend, so that he would favor them or consider them to be allies of his family. Jayne would much prefer people say what they really felt instead of lying just to earn position with a more powerful family or group. Even if their opinion was something that would offend him, or make them out to be enemies, Jayne would respect it for being honesty. Although Eryn had no animosity with him, her honesty was always manifested in the best advice he'd ever gotten. Most of the time, he didn't need direction, because he tried to see ten steps ahead of himself at all times. However, in the few occasions where he did need to be pointed along the proper path, he knew that Eryn was just a call or message away, or during their weekly interactions, he could spill his guts and get nothing but solid feedback in response.

Even when she mentioned appearances, Jayne knew she had his family pegged. He just hoped that he didn't come across as the same, shallow type of person who would rather morph themselves into some different creature just to get along. If he did that, then he was no better than the people who bowed at his feet falsely so that he'd look on them with some form of approval. ”I think we have so much to be proud of already that the pomp and circumstance is unnecessary. When I get to take the lead, I'll prove to the world that we're a force to be reckoned with, but I won't lie and kiss people's asses to do it.” His words were strong, and a fire was in his eyes. Even if his father kept giving him the run-around, Jayne was one of his most valuable assets, and he knew that Malcolm knew it. Ever since he'd started being trained to take the lead position, the eldest Astor had started making plans and changes in his head, and figuring out the best way to do them so people wouldn't riot. But, like with all things, he wondered what Eryn thought. ”I know I talk to you a lot about this – it's one of the most prominent thoughts on my mind. Do you think I'll do well when my father finally hands over control? Leadership it... it's complicated. There are many factors to consider in what exactly would make a proper monarch, of sorts. And while we're living in the modern world, my family still acts like we're in the Dark Ages sometimes. I have to respect our traditions.” Whatever answer she gave would be the one he'd listen to, above all others, and Eryn knew that, which was why she wouldn't take her answer lightly.

Eventually, they started talking about Eryn getting on her dancing shoes for a lesson, and Jayne was definitely excited. It would be interesting to see the Professor out of her own element and into his for a moment. Usually, Jayne was more than content doing activities that spoke to her comfort levels and interests, but in this situation, he wanted to change things up a bit, and shake things up a bit. Literally. ”My instructor is under the impression that women have natural rhythm. Genetics or something. You'll be fine. I'm an excellent partner,” Jayne said, straightening his spine a little and giving her a flawless (and rare) smile. ”This will warm you up a bit, and we'll see about that 'natural rhythm', hmm?”

DDR went more smoothly than Jayne would have expected, and Eryn was actually pretty good. Granted, he led a little bit with his verbal instructions and hands on her hips. But, regardless of what he did, Jayne made sure to be wary of the faerie mojo he passed on to her, and knew that he'd successfully seen her to a perfect score in DDR without dosing her very heavily at all. When she won, her excitement was infectious, and Jayne hugged her and cleared his throat when she placed a very unexpected kiss against his cheek. ”I'll admit – that was mostly you. I barely helped at all. Congratulations.” Her excitement flew through the roof to the point where she was seemingly on Cloud Nine and suggested roller skating as their next activity. Usually Eryn could stay in the arcade for hours, and he was used to watching her play (and win) at almost every game they had to offer. ”Finished with these games already?” Jayne wasn't opposed to roller skating. Ice skating was his preference, even though he had to be extremely careful to avoid the blades on the skates themselves, and wore extra protection for his feet because usually the blades never fit him properly, but this would be different (and he wasn't terrible at roller skating).

”You can roller skate?” Jayne asked, eyebrow raised. He wasn't surprised, because it seemed like the kind of carefree, fun activity that Eryn would enjoy. ”I didn't know that you liked it, but if you do, we should go ice skating sometime, too. I'm more familiar with ice.” Jayne could be described as being full of surprises in a number of ways, because there were many hobbies and activities that he enjoyed that people wouldn't normally think of when they thought of him in all his stoic, icy exterior that seemed to keep people at much more than an arm's length distance. Eryn, however, was really good at making him loosen up. So, he agreed, and allowed her to drag him to the roller skating rink that was playing some music that was... certainly interesting. It was an eclectic mix of 70's and 80's hits (a lot of disco) and some modern tunes thrown in. Jayne wasn't completely surprised, because it wasn't like they'd play music he enjoyed – people probably wouldn't be comfortable roller skating to classical or jazz.

”If I start to get into this music, you're not allowed to laugh. I already felt like John Travolta when I was walking in here,” Jayne said with a sly smile. They went to the counter to rent their skates, and Jayne paid, then led Eryn to a table so they could lace up and get out there. It wasn't very crowded, and the rink was quite large, which meant that they'd have plenty of room even with the ten or so other skaters that were out there, having quite a good time. The tall faerie stood up and got his bearings, which was easy on carpet, but wouldn't be so easy out there on the rink, and started to slowly make his way toward the rink. He looked over his shoulder. ”Well, come on, Eryn. Or do I need to hold your hand?” It wasn't teasing, just a statement because if she needed help, he was more than happy to oblige. Just in case, he extended his hand, hoping that if there was contact, he'd be able to control it so the influence he ended up having would be minimal.

[/justify]

[eryn]

Sometimes, speaking her mind got her in trouble. Sometimes, it landed her in hot water because she was quite opinionated and people didn’t always agree with her. Eryn didn’t care. She was a strong woman with a brilliant mind, and she was not afraid to show it. Her brain was her main asset nowadays, and she used it. Luckily, that particular habit had never bother Jayne. He took her words at face value, and even read between the lines a bit to discover what she meant- even deriving purpose she hadn’t known she’d implied- and appreciated it. He’d never gotten mad at her for her opinion, or her advice. They’d had a few moments of mutual annoyance, but never any legitimate fights to speak of. Thing was, Eryn wasn’t certain why he valued her thoughts so much. The hybrid knew that she was smart and clever and reasonable, but why this prince- who had so many in the way of advisors and instructors- would want the ideas of a math professor, and actually use them, was beyond her. Still, because Jayne did respect what she said on a serious note, she tried to as helpful and honest as possible. He seemed to understand that. It may have been why he always considered her a good confidant. A good vessel in which to place his worries and in doing so, soothe them.

’Sprout, you know I think you’ll be a good leader. Just, unbiased as possible, and ready to help them change things. But I also think that you may be so ready for change and how to get it, you might… unintentionally step on some toes. And those toes could be important to their owner.’ Eryn nibbled her own lip for a moment, attempting to proceed in the best way, to help him the most. ’You want to make things better, you be careful. But you have to tread that fine line between brilliantly daring and a dangerous upstart. I think you’ll navigate those shark-infested waters quite well. Just don’t… thrash.’ She grinned, enjoying her shark reference and the way it’d tied into their conversation. Everybody knew that the sharks were attracted to the big, wave-causing actions. That, and blood. To avoid their negative attention, you made steady progress, and avoided hurting yourself. It seemed simple enough, but then, that was just a metaphor. Such a practice, in real life, out of the water, was not so simple. Not so easy. Maybe it gave him something to percolate on, because a few moments later, they were talking about dancing. They always smoothly flowed in their conversation directional changes, first one subject, then another, then another, like one wave over many smooth rocks. But sometimes, Jayne would change subjects to let him think about the deeper one while talking about the lighter one. It was a way of processing that still let her have her friend. It was an exceptional talent, this one. One she envied. Eryn could hold things to herself, but it was a touch difficult to think about one thing- a complicated, deep thing, anyways- and discuss another. She did her thinking by herself, in the privacy of her home. She could do something- game, watch TV, even read- and think, but talk? No. Both required a level of focus and engagement that couldn’t be equally divided. So she happily went along with the topic switch, even though she was quite certain that Jayne wasn’t done thinking about the future of his little… kingdom, so to speak.

’Well, thank you Jayney. Looks like your instructor might not be wrong about the rhythm of women after all, hmm? Which I’m glad to note, since I’ve agreed to this- possibly ridiculous- class in dancing. Still, enough DDR for me.’ Actually, enough arcade for her. She loved it here, really, and all of the employees knew her by name, and all of the games were her well-worn friends, but she needed some change. Just a little. A little down the road, actually! Roller skating was perfect. So she just grinned when Jayne asked her if she was finished. Well, clearly. Silly man. Eryn wouldn’t’ve asked for a change in entertainment if she’d been ready to continue participating in this particular version. ’Now honey, do you really think I’d ask if I couldn’t? Besides, I lived through the 70s when they were super-popular. Everybody learned how to roller skate. I’m less familiar with the ice… But if you want to go sometime, we certainly can.’ With that, they moved on, out of the building, and down the street to the roller rink.

He paid, chivalrous thing that he was, and that was nice. They got to a table and she quickly tied up her skates as he talked about the music, making her giggle and shake her head. But she didn’t reply, as whatever she said wouldn’t have fit. If he got all ‘Saturday Night Fever’ on her, she was very likely to, at the least, giggle copiously. Could he blame her for that? No, but he might not like it. Still, he’d forgive her because he’d forewarned her, which meant he was aware of the silly factor of it. Too bad he wasn’t aware of the silly factor when asking if she need to hold his hand… Eryn glanced up at him from her place at the table and smiled. No, she didn’t need it, but she might as well. He was being teasingly polite. She could be teasingly inept. ’Oh yes Jayne, please help little me get to the floor. Whatever would I do without you?’ She grinned as her hand slid into his own, warm and strong. She always tried to brace herself for the tiny jolt that touching him caused. She was less affected than say, a human, but every species felt that electrical burn that was touching a faerie. Supposedly, the sensation was different to every person, but it was always wickedly delightful, designed to be turned into a craving one couldn’t otherwise assuage. She was lucky, she mused, that Jayne had no malicious intent towards her, and that her own supernatural blood granted her some resistance. Still, it was quite lovely, as it always was. He led her out onto the floor with a vaguely amused, but mostly sarcastic, grin, and they took to rolling around like pinwheels with no breaks. Round and round and round they went, giggling and dancing a little. Eryn was thrilled. ’I must say,’ she called, next to him, ’that I will never cease to be amazed by that innate grace.’ She cocked her head, watching him skate beside her for a moment, noting the truth of her own comment. Maybe it was a faerie thing, that predatory slickness. She didn’t know, but she knew she didn’t have it.

[JAYNE LANCEL ASTOR]

The transition from arcade to roller skating was seamless, and Jayne was looking forward to going, even though he knew that he'd likely be a bit out of his element. Not just the general aura of the place, because it was a bit too retro for his tastes, and not the classic kind of retro that he enjoyed either. His taste was more vintage, classic, and something about this roller skating rink was just a touch tacky, but in a way that made the entire adventure seem more amusing, and fun. Eryn was much older than him, Jayne knew, even though she didn't look it, and for a moment, he considered her in bell bottom pants and paisley patterns along with horrible '80s hair and couldn't help but laugh a little bit. It wasn't really a laugh, but a giggle, and wasn't very princely or like him at all. The air was contagious, he was convinced. It also gave him another window of opportunity to tease his friend, which really did happen quite rarely. While Eryn was open to fun of all kinds, she was still very reserved in some ways. Almost... closed-off, like there were parts of her past that she kept hidden, even from him, who she told basically everything to. Jayne wasn't the type to press, however, because he figured that one, it wasn't his business, and two, she'd tell him when and if she was ever ready to do so. For now, he could mock her age in the odd little environment that really did look like it would promise a good rest of their afternoon.

”Are you trying to tell me, Professor Swiftpaw, that you strapped on the skates and did a bit of disco out on the floor way back when? Showed off your 'sweet' dance moves?” Jayne teased, a bright smile on his face while he did so. So much for him turning into John Travolta; things might end up being the other way around. ”I think you'd look good in an all white suit with lots of patent leather.” Maybe that was pushing it, just a little. Eryn had a great sense of humor, though, even if it was at her own expense, which was something that Jayne really appreciated about his friend. There were lots of facets of Eryn that he appreciated, though. Especially her advice, which had been solid, and was something he was still mulling over in the back of his head. Jayne desperately wanted to keep the focus on fun activities, and have an enjoyable day out with his friend instead of continuously thinking about and worrying about familial politics. He could think about that later. Now, he wanted to roller skate, and not be terrible at it, with any luck.

Eryn seemed to appreciate him paying for the skate rental, but he didn't make a big deal about it. Jayne was chivalrous, and it was just part of his nature. Although he wasn't always the nicest man, he did try to make an effort with the people that mattered to him, and having a somewhat decent image wouldn't be terrible when he did take position as a leader. The others couldn't see him as some sort of war-mongering neanderthal, it just wouldn't be fitting.

For a minute, he felt like a child again, riding his bike without training wheels for the first time. Jayne didn't like the uneasy feeling of slowly sliding across the carpet for a moment, knowing that as soon as he got out on the slicker floor, he'd pick up speed extremely easily. Eryn seemed to be confident, until she stood up and wobbled, ever so slightly. Even though she probably was at a much more advanced skill level than him, it did take some time to get used to again. ”How long has it been since you've been skating? Not since the '70s, I hope.” Jayne asked, and then slid a little bit further, and closer to the rink where a handful of people were enjoying themselves. His need to be playful in order to boost his confidence found him asking to hold her hand, an attempt to be helpful, and she played right along into it, pretending to be extremely inept and asking for his help. It was a giant joke, he knew, but he grabbed her hand anyway, and led them out to the rink. When their skates touched the smooth floor, they wobbled a little, finding their center of gravity and balance before moving a little. Jayne squeezed her hand a little, and wiggled his hips to the music playfully.

”Are you going to 'shake your groove thing' or what?” Jayne asked, feeling bold enough to twirl Eryn a little, since she was handling herself quite well on the skates. They were going faster, feeling more confident, and the music actually wasn't terrible. Jayne even found Eryn complimenting him on his 'innate grace.' It made him feel a little tingly on the inside, which was normally a feeling that people attributed to being touched by faeries, but this was different, and he knew that very well, because he couldn't exactly influence himself. There had been a couple times that Jayne wondered why Eryn was able to make him feel things that he couldn't recall feeling before. Mostly, he assumed it was because he'd never had many friends outside of his family members, nor lovers that stuck around. Jayne had been more or less on his own for many years, and had gotten used to the feeling of being self-sufficient and independent. With Eryn, he couldn't say he was a weaker man, but he was a nicer man, and he was able to let go of some trivial things that were on constant rotation in his head.

When he got a chance to feel the taste of freedom, Jayne tried to embrace it. Weekly meetings with Eryn were his chance to escape and spend time with someone that he really felt appreciated him for everything he was, and never expected him to be anything he wasn't. Daphne accepted him, but it was easy enough to find her locked in her own world. Eryn was more than happy to just take the time to listen to him, to give him little fun outlets where he didn't have to be the heir to the Astor family and the son that he worried his father was only somewhat proud of. The faerie tried skating backwards for a second, keeping his eyes on Eryn the whole time, and actually found that he was pretty solid. Graceful, even. Eryn did a little quick turn, and stumbled. Just a little, but enough that Jayne could tell she was losing her balance, and he didn't want her to fall. Skating quickly, he made it the few feet over to her and caught her just before she hit the ground. His hands caught her around the waist, and he pulled upward so she was extremely close to him, though that wasn't on purpose. In fact, their lips were mere inches from one another, and Jayne could feel an odd pull... like he wanted to kiss her. But this was Eryn. Do I really want to kiss Eryn? She's beautiful, but she's my friend... my dear friend...

[/color] Jayne cleared his throat, then skated backward, just a little, breaking up the brief distance that was between them.

”Guess my 'innate grace' saves the day, huh?” It was a little less smooth than he was used to, but the situation was still... odd. Jayne could feel his heart racing, and he didn't know why.[/blockquote][/justify]

[eryn]

Her friend really thought he wanted to play this game with her. Jayne wanted to tease the older woman about her age. How… rude. Okay, not rude. He was teasing. And so was she. But still, if he wanted to do play the age card, she would make him completely uncomfortable in retaliation. The things she could tell him about her life, and her age. Things that would make the young prince blush from the roots of his hair to the tips of his toes. She didn’t though, and probably never would. Those were more intimate details than her faerie friend needed to know about her. Jayne would always respect her, she thought, but that really wasn’t something she wanted to push the limits of. For now though, a little pushing would teach him a thing or two about messing with the elder, devious hybrid.

’I’ll have you know, sir, that my dance moves were well above and beyond ‘sweet.’ The whole building would practically drool with envy. And that had much to do with the fact that I could pull off white patent leather. Ever seen Dagger’s outfit?’ His slightly blank look was well-worth the nerdy reference. She rarely slipped on her supremely nerdy face when she was with Jayne, as she didn’t need to, and he didn’t seem to care about it particularly much anyways. ’Cloak and Dagger Jayney, comic-book crime-fighting duo. Cloak is a beautiful black man with a vortex to the Netherworld hidden in the folds of his cloak, and Dagger is a blonde bombshell who wields daggers of purifying light. Anyways, she wears a shiny, skin-tight white suit with a Vee that plunges all the way down to here,’ she said, pointing to a spot just above her belly-button, drawing his eyes to the location of her index finger. A saucy grin made its way to her lips before she spoke again, certain she had his attention. ’Mine was better.’ And that was all she said. Let him stew on that imagery for a minute, make himself just the tiniest bit awkward, if she knew him as well as she thought she did. Her pretty brown eyes blinked slowly, and she watched his aura shimmer, causing a smile the curve her mouth as she stood up from the small table. When the moment had passed, he kindly offered her a hand, which she made a silly show of accepting. Still, the warm pulse that tingled through her palm as he escorted her was as pleasant as ever, and the help was not unappreciated. It had been a while since she’d been skating, though not as long as he was implying.

’No dear, not anywhere near that long, but it has been a few years. Hopefully, I haven’t lost my touch on eight wheels…’ Her initial strides were careful, as she was very concerned with falling. She knew how much that crap hurt, and the sting to her butt and her pride would be just as bad now as it had been the first time she’d ever done it, maybe worse, since her fae friend was here, and she had the smallest bit to prove. His question pricked that pride, and she grinned, attempting some things she’d long since thought she’d forgotten. A little spin, some sultry hip swaying in time with the music, wavey maneuvers on the slick floor, and even a little twirl that Jayne assisted her with. ’I swear Sprout, sometimes you sound older than me,’ she said, a touch loudly, to be heard over the music. ’But I think my groove thing has been sufficiently shaken. Much like yours, hmm? Not that that’s any reason to stop.’ Her long legs carried her just a touch faster, gliding her around a corner like Apollo Ohno, or so she pretended. When they got to a straighter stretch, her friend slid out in front of her and spun around, skating backwards, hunching slightly forward to keep his balance. She smiled, amused. Lookit the fun you cause him Eryn. Look at how happy he looks, and more carefree than normal. That, almost more than the other aspects, was one of the most rewarding parts about their weekly adventures. Jayne got to be free and happy, unburdened by the stupidity his life sometimes handed him. And Eryn got to count herself lucky to provide and experience that feeling with him. Maybe it was the mental ramblings of that nature, or maybe it was the way she was chuckling, or maybe it was a newfound touch of overconfidence, but whatever the case, something caused her ankle to wobble the tiniest bit. It morphed into a potential fall, her eyes widening in shock, her mouth opening a sliver to let in the smallest of gasps, and her hands sticking out to attempt to right herself before the unthinkable happened. But the fall never came, because Jayne slowed his roll, sliding in close to her, grasping her hips, and providing a support that she hadn’t thought she’d needed.

Their torsos were pressed close together, his warmth easing into her, and her chocolate eyes meeting his. She could swear that her breath slowed and her skin tingled as he looked at her, the intent to kiss her practically palpable in the air. She swallowed, unsure what she wanted. Her heart thudded, torn between nervous and excited. But the moment never came, and she never had to decide. He pulled away from her and kept skating, making a light joke about his grace that she’d commented on earlier. Sweet Lunar Phases and Multiplication Tables, I did not imagine that. Eryn’s stomach practically ached, knotted with as many feelings as it was. He’d almost kissed her, and a chunk of her had wanted him to. She didn’t know what that meant… Didn’t want to know. Hoped, desperately, that it was the faerie magic just working its lure into her head. She couldn’t be attracted to Jayne. Not only because he was her friend, but because his bias and his family wouldn’t allow him to feel anything for her in return. She would smile, shrug this off, and let it go, even if her spine still tingled and her fingertips were still pulsing. ’Evidently Sprout. Though we don’t know that I needed the help, now do we?’ Her grin was sweet and teasing, while she blushed the tiniest bit. That could be played off as embarrassment, and it wasn’t a stretch, because she really was embarrassed. ’But, um, thank you. Either way. I think, with that, maybe I should get my quickly clumsy-ing self off the floor for a minute. Get a soda or something. You want?’ The rink exit was close, and it was a convenient moment to escape, er, briefly depart and accomplish her new goal of liquid refreshment. She hoped that the sojourn to retrieve the beverage would give her heart time to slow and her stomach time to disentangle itself. With a deep breath, she rolled to the counter and ordered, pulling out her wallet to pay.

[JAYNE LANCEL ASTOR]

One of the things Jayne enjoyed most about Eryn was her sense of humor. Although sometimes, what started as playful teasing turned into her being rather serious about some hidden ability or skill that Jayne would have never suspected. Now that she had nearly resorted to bragging about her dance moves, the faerie was intrigued and couldn't wait to see what she could do. His friend had a habit of surprising him, and that was one of the things that he liked most about her, as he wasn't used to being kept on his toes. In most situations, being kept on the bubble and unsure of what was going to happen usually made him extremely uncomfortable, but there was a feeling of innate safety whenever he was with Eryn. Jayne didn't like to dwell on his feelings much, because typically, he had to be a beacon of stoicism and rational thought; that was part of Eryn's appeal – she allowed him to let loose without giving him reason to think that he'd be ridiculed or looked down on for doing so.

Now she was talking about some dynamic comic book duo that he'd never heard of. While he knew that comic books were popular, and perhaps increasingly so, they were never something that he'd been drawn to. However, he knew that his dear friend could be considered a “nerd” in many ways, and it was sort of endearing. ”I can't say that I have heard of them, but I'm not surprised that you've gone some dancing abilities.” Her explanation of 'Cloak and Dagger' was certainly interesting, and mostly because of the outfit she described. White patent leather wasn't usually attractive, but when worn in that fashion... well. Jayne tried not to blush, but failed somewhat. Normally, he wasn't the blushing type, but the imagery that was devised from her words... he was still a man, and really couldn't help himself. Whether he chose to think about it actively or not, he knew that Eryn was a beautiful woman, and also knew that she was just a friend. Besides, to her, he was basically a boy – she had much more worldly experience in her extended age than he did, and most of the time, Jayne felt flattered that she continued to want him around.

Jayne bit his bottom lip and tried to center himself, because now that the imagery had passed, he was still feeling a bit awkward and lost in thoughts that weren't entirely appropriate to be thinking about one's close friend. Surely Eryn had to know the effect she had on him with that remark, as he caught a look that was almost smug on her face. So, in the tiniest bit of childishness, Jayne resorted to teasing, commenting first on her age, and using a 'retro' term to describe what they were doing. Skating was rather fun, and since he wasn't terrible at it (he had rather good balance), Jayne found himself letting loose and having a very good time. Eryn's comment about his age made him feel a surge of pride, because it let him know that she really didn't view him as a child. Jayne was an old soul, deep down, and had been forced to grow up too quickly because of his father's wishes and his grooming to be next-in-line.

”We're just a couple of elderly folks letting loose like adolescents,” Jayne teased. Even though he really was only twenty-four, he knew that Eryn would understand his joke, since she certainly didn't look her age, and one wouldn't know his mental age unless they engaged in conversation. Eryn was smiling brightly, and Jayne got caught again in thinking about how remarkable she was: smart, funny, kind, and so beautiful that sometimes he couldn't help but notice. No matter who she ends up with, I only hope she finds someone worthy of her. Someone even half as amazing as she is. The prince didn't frequently get sentimental, especially in thought, but sometimes with Eryn, he just couldn't help himself.

After a while, he found that he even wanted to show off a little and impress her. Even though he certainly wasn't skilled at roller skating, he actually wasn't terrible, and even managed to skate backwards for a moment. They were both having a really good time, and then suddenly tripped, leaving Jayne to come to her rescue. He didn't know why that was his immediate instinct, but he was glad that he spared her from any embarrassment if she had fallen on her ass. His hands gripped her hips, and his breath was on her lips – they were so close that he could watch her pupils dilate, and noticed that just for a moment, she seemed to struggle just as he was.

But he didn't kiss her. Although he may have wanted to, Jayne was conflicted. Eryn was such a good friend, and he might have been close to starting something with Jyli. Mostly, he didn't want to ruin the friendship. They parted ways and their bodies had distance from one another, and for another brief moment, Jayne found that he actually missed the feeling of her body pressed against his. They barely hugged, barely had physical contact with one another, and now that he reflected back on the state of their being friends without too much physicality, he decided that it was probably for the best. If she could make him burn like that, even for a second, more than most women could over a much longer, more intimate period of time, then he was probably smart to keep his distance. ”I just didn't want you to get hurt,” Jayne said, even though he knew she was teasing. Sometimes he knew that he could be a bit too serious, but he wanted her to know that he cared. He hoped that she knew already, but there was nothing wrong with reiterating every now and again. ”Besides, how embarrassing would it have been if you shook it so hard that you broke it?” Eryn seemed to want the distance between them as well, and even suggested that she go get something to drink. Jayne hoped that she wasn't upset, or found being that close to him to be repulsive or something. He tried to invite himself, see how she'd take that, at the very least.

”I could use a drink myself, if you don't mind the additional company,,” Jayne said, getting off the rink and back to the much smoother carpet where they couldn't pick up enough speed to really get anywhere. For a moment, Jayne considered the metaphor, and wondered if he had made a mistake not to take the opportunity when he had it. Life could really be so unpredictable, and maybe in his passing up something good, he had missed a chance to get off the ground and on his way to something much better than he'd ever expected. Jayne came up behind Eryn, who was pulling out her wallet to pay, and grabbed a few dollars from his pocket.

”I'll have what she's having,” the faerie said to the employee at the counter, and pushed his money forward first to pay for both drinks. Then, he smiled at Eryn and waited to get thanked or chewed out... he just wanted some kind of reaction to gauge where they would go from there.

[/justify]