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.

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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."

"Really."

She nudges her plate aside, away, and then rises with every intention of clearing her place - until he speaks again.

"There are a few potential plans at work."

"Feel like sharing any of them?" Jack asks, eating a little more of the eggs. His stomach's feeling a little more receptive now.

She drags her teeth over her lower lip, quickly musing.

"I'm considering it."