Log; On-going

[glock30.livejournal.com]

When; December 24, evening (backlogged a bit)
Rating; PG - PG-13, only because, well, Faye's mouth.
Characters; Jet Black ( pa1nt_itblack) & Faye Valentine (glock30)
Summary; The stockings weren't hung by any chimneys with care: mostly because there's nothing there to fill them yet. Faye. Jet. Christmas shopping. Snarking. With a curse. You know it's bound to be awkward.
Log;

She'd thought--maybe, if the universe had decided to bless her with some favorable sort of fortune this year--that her Christmas could've been relatively normal for once. Well... as normal as Christmas could get when you regularly hung out with dead people and were under the employ of someone actually worthy of your respect. The way the world worked these days, really.

But, of course, as it usually was come holidays and traditions, the notion of having anything remotely normal was beyond the level of expectation. In all actuality, she was at least pleased that she wasn't spending this year back on that tin can. One holiday there had been enough--she didn't need any reminders, thank you. That didn't change the fact, however, that once Christmas had rolled around this year, on that tin can or not she was still behind in shopping. Faye had thought that she'd managed to get everyone on her list, only to realize that Edward's name wasn't checked off.

The last thing she wanted to deal with was all Ed and no presents, which explained her current predicament: trudging through the snow. Cold. Smoking. Tired. With Jet Black. Of all the living people in the City, he was the one that she had to get stuck with. Talk about luck. This just wasn't living up to be her twenty-four hours.

She tapped ash off the end of her cigarette with all of this in mind, tugging a black glove down as she did. "What did she say she wanted? Cowboy boots?" she asked, not bothering to look up.

Comments

[pa1nt-itblack.livejournal.com]

Time in the City and out of it hadn't moved at the same speed; Jet had left the Bebop spinning helplessly through space with several months before Christmas and had ended up trapped in the City with less than a week before the holiday. Subtract a few days to get used to the City again, and suddenly it was Christmas Eve and he had nothing in the way of presents.

Having spent so little time in the City so far this time around meant he didn't have to bother with the possibility of new acquaintances, but he'd have to get Ed and Faye something. Edward was easy. Give her just about anything and she'd be bouncing off the walls with glee. Ein was easier yet. Buy a box of dog treats and be done with it. But Faye was going to take some thought--or the ability to sidle inconspicuously into the beauty section of a drugstore and make a hasty grab at the first thing he saw.

Whatever he did about her, it'd have to be at the very last minute. Faye was too sharp-eyed for him to try and get her something while they were out looking for stuff for Ed. And he wanted to make this particular trip as short as he possibly could.

"Yeah. And a hat." He scratched the back of his neck as they walked down the snowy street. "You know anyplace that sells cowboy gear?"

[glock30.livejournal.com]

Faye field stripped her cigarette under her boot heel, but the ashes just blended in with the City's muck and grim. Fabulous. Her boots would need a wash and a shine before the night was over. Though their being dirty would give her an excuse to wear the shoes Brocklehurst had gotten her and--oh, Jet was talking to her.

It wasn't that she didn't feel like paying attention. Rather it was the fact that this whole holiday business felt awkward--spending it with him felt no less awkward. What were they, married? The thought made her want to laugh and puke at the same time, considering the state of things the last time he'd been here. But that was another matter. They were focusing on Christmas presents here. She didn't need to get side-tracked.

"Why the hell would I know if anywhere around here sells cowboy stuff?" she replied, and this time she did look up at him, to give him a skeptical look. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm less cowboy and more corporate girl now."

Her tone was a little outrageous--anyone who knew Faye would take one look at her and call her bluff on that hand--but at least she had the outfit to match the part. It was too cold for hotpants, and that was that. Jet was probably crying about it right now.

"My guess is to just check out some of the clothing stores," she went on. "Cowboy boots are in this year, so finding them shouldn't be all that hard. Not to mention that you can find one of those stupid hats anywhere. Just look at that moron Andy."

[pa1nt-itblack.livejournal.com]

"Hey, you've been here longer than me," he answered, raising his hands palms-up in a shrug at the glance she gave him. She did enough shopping back on the Bebop that Jet couldn't imagine there was much difference in the City, and he wanted to get this trip done as quickly as possible. Therefore, she'd have to be the one leading them through the City shops on a mad search for boots and a hat for Ed.

He didn't bother to hide his snort at her comment about being a corporate girl, but also didn't say anything in reply. As far as he could tell, she was the same old Faye, whether she admitted it or not. Like a leopard with its spots--leaving the world of bountyheads and empty fridges hadn't changed a thing about the way she acted.

"Shouldn't take too long, huh?" Jet asked, mind circling back vaguely toward the question of what the hell he was going to buy her once Ed and Ein were out of the way. Might be better off just wrapping up some of the coins floating around the City and letting her buy her own present... He paused in his steps, beneath a bit of greenery hanging from an awning. "Sounds like we can probably get both in one store and we're done."

[glock30.livejournal.com]

"Ugh, don't remind me," she replied, narrowing her eyes and almost wincing. If she had to be reminded of being stuck here for so long without so much as a vacation--because her trip back home had not been a vacation--then the possibility of holiday-induced stomach cramps would be unavoidable.

But Jet had a point, not that she'd ever admit it out loud. She was freezing, and she wanted to get this over with before something went wrong. Things went wrong in the City everyday, and she'd already fallen victim to that mistletoe bullshit twice now. She really, really didn't want the third time to be a charm. Especially since Jet was the only company she had at the moment and--

Jet had moved, and Faye had to look up to be speaking directly to him--or rather, at him, because when Faye talked she tended to dominate and blab--and then she saw it. She saw it.

No.

Oh, hell no.

No.

Mistletoe.

"Mistletoe," she said, meaning every bit of the implied helplessness and despair that her tone conveyed.

[pa1nt-itblack.livejournal.com]

His expression became a frown of confusion for a half-second, until he followed her glance up to the plant dangling above them. It couldn't have been more taunting if it had been able to speak.

Jet cursed under his breath, frown melting into a look of dread. He tried to walk away--more like tried to run like hell, really--but his feet stayed put.

Tried to keep his hands shoved in the pockets of his overcoat, but one was reaching out for Faye without consulting him.

Made the best attempt he could to stay rigidly upright and instead found himself leaning down, pushing his winter hat back with his free hand, trying to pull her closer and press his lips to hers.

[glock30.livejournal.com]

She had a feeling this was going to be one of those fundamentally horrifying things--those things that never leave you alone no matter how far down you push them, no matter how hard you attempt to forget them and block them out.

Faye knew this, she knew all of this, but she could not move. Whether it was the utter fear and shock paralyzing her from the neck down or the fact that she had been hit by a curse and turned into a statue, her entire body went rigid as a street light, though she didn't feel quite as lit up as one.

Snapping her eyes shut, Faye prayed this would be over before it began. She balled her fingers into fists, sealed her mouth shut--at least these vital muscles still worked--and waited and waited and--

For a moment, she was convinced that she had thrown up. Holy shit this was Jet. This was Jet. She did not--oh, Jesus Christ if Spike ever found--no, stomp on that thought. If anyone ever found out--this was Jet. Her backbone, her friend, her--

And then it was over. Thank God. In through your nose, out through your mouth, Faye, she told herself. That was the key to not vomiting all over your boots.