4/16 Instance: Spider on the Menu

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Title: Damn Not Given
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4/16 Instance: Spider on the Menu

Post by Slarti » Wed Apr 17, 2013 3:12 am

Timelined after Close Encounters

<Shaw> The first thing Sebastian noticed when the door from the garage slid open was the smell, and he wondered if something was on fire. Realizing the smell was food he dropped his car keys onto a side table and started for the kitchen.

<Shaw> He stopped at the rarely-used dining room. The table was set, the lights out, and there were candles.

<Jessica> Jess heard him come in and wandered into the doorway of the dining room, "Hey, you're back!" she smiled, "Dinner's just about ready."

<Shaw> Bemused and more than a little surprised, he tried not to let it show, though he did smile. "I am." He gestured to the table. "What's all this?"

<Jessica> "Oh..." she looked between him and the table, "I was bored... so I cooked... is that okay?"

<Shaw> "You... cooked?" Now the surprise did show, and his smile broadened to a grin. "Well, aren't you full of surprises?"

<Jessica> She smiled, "Wash up," she kissed his cheek, "I'll be right in with dinner."

<Shaw> After a moment of just looking at her, he cupped her face with one hand and kissed her.

<Jessica> She returned the kiss, smiling again when they broke apart. "Come on, it'll get cold."

<Shaw> Loosening his tie, he went to his bedroom. Sebastian reappeared a few moments later without his tie and suit jacket, rolling up his shirtsleeves and heading into the kitchen. "While I may be more useless in this room than in any other, the least I can do in return for your gesture is to try. Is there anything I can help you with, my dear?"

<Jessica> "You can pick a wine?" She offered, "I can cook but that was a gap in my education there..." She smiled.

<Shaw> "Ah, something easy. Excellent." With a smirk, he looked over what she'd prepared and went to his wine rack. "Red would be traditional, but what do you prefer?"

<Jessica> "I don't have any preference," She gave him a grin, "Pick what you want."

<Shaw> Sebastian looked around, then decided to check the chiller. He could have sworn the bottle of Thieriot chardonnay had been near-full. Shrugging it off, he selected a bottle and searched for his corkscrew.

<Jessica> Jess finished preparing the plates and glanced over at him, "Ready?"

<Shaw> "Always." He took the open bottle and gestured for her to proceed him with a half bow and dirty grin.

<Jessica> She gave another smile and picked up the plates, carrying them to the table and setting them down at the places she'd set. "I wasn't sure how you liked your steak so.... I guessed."

<Shaw> Pouring the wine, he glanced over at her. "And your guess was?"

<Jessica> "I figured I'd go safe and picked medium-rare." She tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ear.

<Shaw> "My favorite." He smirked, moving behind her to pull out her chair.

<Jessica> "Excellent." she smiled, "Why, thank you." She kissed his cheek before taking her seat.

<Shaw> With Jessica seated, he took his own and looked over at her. "Well, I certainly know there was no food to speak of in my kitchen this morning, so you have been busy."

<Jessica> "Well... yeah... I did some shopping too... but I have all this time... so..." she gave a small shrug, picking up her napkin and putting it across her lap. "I thought I should make myself useful... it's the least I can do."

<Shaw> "You needn't do anything, Jessica, though..." he gestured at the plate, "It's most appreciated."

<Jessica> "You'll appreciate it more if you eat it," she picked up her own cutlery. "And it's fine... it's just busy work really..."

<Shaw> He smiled at her, then cut into his steak. It was as she said, and though he didn't mind it any number of ways, he was pleased by the cut. Taking a bite, he watched her.

<Jessica> She took a bite of her own steak, just enjoying the comfortable silence for a few moments. "So... how was your day?"

<Shaw> "Oh, fine." He finished another bite. "Still tying up a few loose ends from my death, of course." She had made vegetables as well. Lovely. "I wouldn't recommend dying, in case you wondered. Seems to be a rather difficult business to clear up."

<Shaw> "And how was your day? I see you did keep yourself busy, at least."

<Jessica> "Well it's not really on my 'to-do' list for a while so don't worry about that..." she took a sip of her wine to stall on answering his question. "It was okay... had kind of a surprise earlier though..."

<Shaw> "Oh?" Curiosity piqued, he took a sip of wine as well to wash down his food.

<Jessica> "Yeeeeah... I was here and watching tv and then I heard the door... and it was Monet... she came in, drank your wine, used your computer... then left." She frowned a little, taking another bit of food.

<Shaw> Sebastian took his time to finish his bite. "Ah, yes... I should have mentioned she might stop by, apparently. Though she must have a sixth sense to have done so this soon."

<Jessica> "She said she was in town shopping and wanted wine..." Jess paused and looked over at him, "How many more people have keys?"

<Shaw> Pretending to think about it, he stopped at her expression. "No one else, Jessica," he said, meeting her eyes.

<Jessica> She held his gaze for a moment then decided she believed him, "Okay..." she started back on her food.

<Shaw> He ate quietly for a while before he spoke. "While I might be legendary for my dalliances, they are kept to the club. Very few come here, and even fewer are afforded keys."

<Shaw> "Monet and I have... a unique relationship, I suppose you could say. Jason worked for me, from time to time, and she was - is - a hereditary member."

<Jessica> "So... she gets a key because you have to put up with her at the club and she's creepy?"
<Shaw> That made him snort. "Monet is most difficult to read, yes," he agreed.

<Jessica> "She's creepy. And bitchy." Jess sighed, "I'm sorry... you've known her longer than I have but... It's just jarring... and not healthy..."

<Shaw> "I'm sorry. I gather she was at her most charming for her visit then?" Taking another bite, he considered something.

<Jessica> "When is she not?" she shook her head, "Look it's fine... I'll get over it... it was just the whole... unexpectedness of it..."

<Shaw> Indeed, when was she not? "I suspect she was curious."

<Jessica> "Well... she said she was 'indifferent to my presence'... so that's unlikely..." Jess wrinkled her nose a little.

<Shaw> "Possibly more likely than you think," he said with a smirk. "In fact, likely she's curious why I haven't returned her calls recently."

<Jessica> "Well she said she wasn't even coming to see you... so I don't know... I don't know what the hell is up with her... I don't like her...."

<Shaw> "She is active in the Hellfire Club, and as her family is highly regarded and placed, so is she." He took another bite, finishing it before he continued. "Like hardly comes into the matter."

<Jessica> "Well I'm not active in the club.... well except with you but that hardly counts so I'm not going to play nice with her...."

<Shaw> "You're not expected to." He tilted his head, taking a sip of wine. "In fact, you're not even a member."

<Jessica> "Nope." She shook her head, "But it's okay... I know my place..." she picked up her glass for another sip of wine.

<Shaw> "Jessica, it was not meant as an insult," he said, watching her.

<Jessica> "No, I know..." she gave him a smile, "It's okay, really. I didn't take it as an insult... it's just sometimes difficult..."

<Shaw> "What is?"

<Jessica> She sighed, putting down her knife and fork and leaning back in her chair. "It's just... sometimes when we're at the club.... I see the way they look at me... I mean, I'm used to it... I get it a lot... but I don't always deal with it as well as I could...."

<Shaw> "You're used to..." Sebastian licked his lips and sat back as well. "No, I know what you mean."

<Jessica> "I think I'm just frustrated with it... It's like... I don't know... they all know exactly where they come from and how old their families are and blah blah... and I don't know anything like that..." she shook her head, shrugging a little, "It's hard to let go of that... especially lately."

<Shaw> "You know, I am not a hereditary member either," he said, taking a drink.

<Jessica> "No... but you have a respectable job and a massive company... and you know where you came from all the same."

<Shaw> "You know where you come from, correct? You know your parents?"

<Jessica> She shook her head, "Not really... I know their names... I know I lived in London before my mother died... but that's about it." She picked up her own glass of wine, "I asked my dad but he didn't like to answer a lot of questions..."

<Shaw> "That certainly explains your accent, at the very least." He smiled a little, taking a bite since he was hardly going to waste this opportunity.

<Shaw> Once he had finished it, he went on. "What were their names again?"

<Jessica> "Johnathan and Miriam Drew.... my middle name is Miriam after her... which is nice..."

<Shaw> "It's as lovely as you." Committing the names to memory, he nodded. "Would you like to see if I can find out anything about them?"

<Jessica> Jess blinked at him, "I-I-I... uh..." she took a breath and started again. "You could do that?"

<Shaw> "Well, I could certainly try." Sebastian watched her as he slowly took another bite.

<Jessica> Jess looked down at her plate for a moment and eventually nodding, "Yes... please..." she looked up and gave him a smile.

<Shaw> "I daresay I likely have access to resources you would not." He returned her smile with his own slight one and kept eating.

<Jessica> "Well... I don't have access to any so... yeah that's a given..." she picked up her glass for another sip. "It'd be really nice if you could find something out... there's so much stuff I want to know..."

<Shaw> "Birth and death records should be simple enough, though they would be in England, I assume. Your father died abroad, however, did he not?"

<Jessica> Jess nodded, "In Tokyo... I finally found out where they buried him last summer..."

<Shaw> "Just last summer." With a shake of his head, he finished his last bite and sat back to study her.

<Jessica> "It was the first time I'd been back... I was in a coma when they buried him..." she looked down at her plate again and sighed. "I still have no idea where my mother is buried..."

<Shaw> "If she died in England that should be easy enough to discover." He took a sip of wine and noticed she wasn't eating. "I didn't intend to spoil your appetite."

<Jessica> Jess shook her head, "It's not your fault... actually having an appetite is sort of a rare thing for me nowadays anyway...." she set her glass down and looked away across the room. "There are just so many unanswered questions... and I had kind of resigned myself to not getting answers... and now it's hard not to get my hopes up that I might actually manage that after all..."

<Shaw> Sebastian got up, taking his wine glass and snagging the bottle as well. He went over to her, tucking the bottle into the crook of his elbow to offer her his hand. "I can't promise you I'll find answers, but I will promise to try."

<Jessica> "Thank you... you don't have to do any of this..." She took his hand, getting to her feet. "But I appreciate it..."

<Shaw> "You didn't have to make us dinner, but I appreciate that as well." He nodded to her wine glass.

<Jessica> She picked up her glass again, "Well I told you... that was just busy work.... I was bored... though you're welcome..."

<Shaw> "It was delicious, and I'm sure the kitchen is in shock. It's not accustomed to being put to its intended use." He smirked, leading her into the living room.

<Jessica> She laughed a little, letting herself be led, "You should use it, it's much healthier than getting takeout all the time... I should throw all of those menus away for your own good."

<Shaw> "Don't you dare. It's taken me quite some time to amass such an extensive collection." Through the living room, they stopped on the far side of the study and he let go of her hand to open the balcony door for her.

<Jessica> She giggled, going out onto the balcony, "I wouldn't say it's something to be proud of..." she took a deep breath of the fresh air, closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling of the breeze. "But I suppose some would be impressed..."

<Shaw> "Perhaps I use it to garner sympathy from ladies who would like to take me home and feed me?" Sebastian grinned, setting down his glass and the bottle and taking a seat on the padded settee. It was quite nice outside, now that spring was finally here.

<Jessica> "Well obviously it's working because now you have an excellent cook practically living with you. Well done." She sat down beside him, patting his leg with an amused smile.

<Shaw> "I do indeed." Giving her a small smile, he slid his arm around her shoulders.

<Jessica> She leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "You can change your mind, you know... any time.... I won't mind.... well... a little bit... but I won't be offended..."

<Shaw> "Why would I do that?" He kissed her temple.

<Jessica> "Well I don't know... maybe you'll get a better offer?" she shrugged the shoulder that wasn't leaning against him.

<Shaw> He shook his head with a chuckle and leaned forward to see her face. After a moment, he kissed her.

<Jessica> She returned the kiss, turning more towards him and smiling against his lips. "Does that mean you'd miss me?" she asked, smirking a little in amusement as they broke apart.

<Shaw> Sebastian returned the smirk, raising his hand to brush her hair back from her face.

<Jessica> "Is that a yes?" she studied his face.

<Shaw> His lips curled up in a smile and he leaned back in to capture hers, his fingers tangling in her hair.

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