trigger_man | (no subject)

(no subject)

It's the pounding in his head that wakes him the following morning, and for a moment he has that stomach-roiling panic of where am I why does my head hurt--

That is, until he realizes the real reason his head feels like someone's tried to bash it in and it's not just panic making him feel close to puking. If there's one thing Jack's pretty familiar with, it's a hangover.

Even just the light coming through his eyelids gives him the sensation of an ice pick being stabbed into his brain, and so he slowly rolls away from the window, curling into a ball with a moan and wishing the rest of the world would just go away already.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Don't worry, I don't. Besides, it's not exactly a biography. There's only so much background he can fit in around the mystery."

Jack gives her a small smile over the rim of his coffee cup. "Though do you really like Pixar movies that much?"

For a beat, she doesn't say anything at all - and then, she stabs at her eggs.

"No comment."

"Yes, in other words. Not that I think that's a bad thing."

He'll deny it until the end of his days, but he got a little choked up watching Finding Nemo when he stumbled over it on TV a couple years after it came out.

She smiles slowly.

"You, too? Never would've guessed."

Jack gives her a look. "I've seen one or two. Both times when my daughter wanted to see them."

"Admit it."

The smile is starting to grow.

"You found yourself liking them too, towards the end."

Jack looks down at his plate, poking at his eggs again before finally raising a forkful to his lips. "No comment."

She won't press the subject, but she will get up to refresh her cup of coffee and then his, reaching across to pull the mug over so she isn't leaning over him.

"Oh, and unlike Nikki, I don't get into the habit of fighting bad guys without any clothes on."

"I should sure as hell hope not. At the very least, it's that much easier to get hurt."

Not that Jack hasn't had to do it before.

"You'd think."

She represses a small shudder at the mere idea.

"I mean, awkward aside, it would definitely give you the element of surprise."

"That depends why you were naked in the first place," Jack says, darkly. He hadn't had much of a choice, when he'd been trying to keep the chip that proved the Cyprus recording was fake a few years ago.

"You could say that being clothed would give an attacker other things to grab to try and hold you."

"You've clearly given this a lot of thought, haven't you?"

She's struggling to fight off a very obvious grin at this point; he's just so serious about the subject that it's easy for her to be anything but.

"Not a lot of thought." He hesitates for a moment before adding, "A little experience, maybe."

"Shut the front door," Beckett murmurs, the phrase slipping out by near-reflex.

"Well, that's - well."

That gets her a slightly wry smile. "I've surprised you into speechlessness. That's got to be an accomplishment."

"Enjoy it while it lasts, Bauer," she mutters, making a face.

"I'll find a way to turn the tables soon enough."

"It'll be fun to see you try at least."

"You don't want me to go there."

She stabs another forkful of eggs, taking a quick bite, her cheeks hurting from the effort to simultaneously chew and disguise her grin.

"Yeah? Why not?" Jack asks, knowing very well that he's goading her into trying.

"Because."

She prods at her food again, but doesn't lift the fork to her lips.

"I'd win."

Jack looks at her with mild interest, one eyebrow raised.

"Really. And what makes you so sure?"

Edited 2011-01-24 05:34 (UTC)

She leans forward, the prongs of her fork digging into her plate as she spins the other end between her fingers.

"Just a hunch."

"Not every hunch is a good one."

There's a slight headtilt, and she lets the fork drop with a quiet clatter.

"This one's got potential."

"Really." Jack doesn't sound too impressed. "I'd think a plan would be more important."