hebeimmortalized | (no subject)

Paul is, Jillie is quite certain, some kind of actual living saint. She knows how he'd woken up when they'd shared her bed, and he'd actually excused himself. And, sure, part of Jillie wishes she hadn't — mostly the southern part of her — but she appreciates that he did, anyway.

But this is something entirely new. Jillie hasn't been on a date in . . . years. Even before she'd gotten sick, she hadn't so much dated as she had . . . gotten around. At least a little bit. It's nice to actually get to know the guy. And they are getting to know each other. They talk a lot. Almost as much as she and Jack talk. Almost as much as she and her therapist talk.

And today, they're going on a date. A real date.

It takes her hours to pick out an outfit. She makes Girl help. She sends pictures to Jack to double check. She's nervous and terrified and excited.

But she can do this.

She's got her hair braided up off her neck, and silver jewelry to accent her dress. Her shoes match her makeup and she's got a small clutch with her phone, keys, and cigarettes. Paul is picking her up. She feels like a princess.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

hebeimmortalized

"I won't even ask," she assures, and she looks out the window at the restaurant as they stop. It looks nice, classy, and she's glad she chose the dress she had. She allows Paul to exit the cab and slides to the edge of the seat so she can get her feet under her properly, then follows him out.

"Wow. You weren't kidding."

From:

arrowofthegod

"Absolutely not," he says, and he offers her hand instead of his arm. "You look absolutely beautiful," he says. "I'm not sure if I told you that."

From:

hebeimmortalized

"It's okay if you did," she says with a faint blush. She slides her fingers against his palm and lets her thumb brush his skin. "I like hearing it."

From:

arrowofthegod

"I'll remember that," he says, smiling, pushing open the door and holding it for Jillie to step through ahead of him. He greets the hostess.

"I've got a table booked under Schafer?" he says, smiling when she confirms. "Ladies first." He gestures for Jillie to walk ahead of him.

From:

hebeimmortalized

She feels exhilarated as she follows the hostess to their table. Nobody looking at her would ever guess that she's damaged, that she's got issues. She's just a beautiful girl having dinner with a beautiful man in a beautiful restaurant, and there's a part of her that might actually cry about this. Tears of happiness, or relief, maybe. Not yet, though. She doesn't want to smudge her makeup.

From:

arrowofthegod

Jack pulls her chair out for her to sit before he walks around to his own seat and slides into it. He shrugs out of his jacket, draping it over the back of his chair.

"You really do," he says.

From:

hebeimmortalized

She settles into her seat, scooping her skirt under her so it sits flat and doesn't ride up.

"I really do what?" she asks. She places her clutch in her lap and looks at him from under her lashes.

From:

arrowofthegod

"Look beautiful," says Paul, flushing faintly as he reaches out for a menu, glancing up at her through his lashes.

From:

hebeimmortalized

She huffs a soft laugh and struggles not to fidget. "I didn't think I said that out loud."

From:

arrowofthegod

He laughs softly, pushing his hand back through his hair.

"Tell me something true about you and Jack."

From:

hebeimmortalized

A few thoughts pass through her mind at that, and she settles with, "When we were really little, we used to wear each other's clothes, to throw our parents off. We looked enough alike, without all the hormones changing our bodies, y'know? It was . . . actually a lot of fun, if I'm remembering right."

From:

arrowofthegod

He can picture it, he thinks. It's a delightful image.

"I bet they loved that," he says. "Now tell me something that's true of just you."

From:

hebeimmortalized

"Just me?" She considers that, too, because there's so much she could tell him. She looks at him for a moment, holding his gaze. "I'm really scared of the feelings I'm starting to feel for you."

From:

arrowofthegod

There is, he knows, something happening between them. He hasn't put a name to it yet, hasn't examined it too closely for fear that it might be fragile, but he knows that it's there.

He nods.

"A true thing for me, too," he says.

From:

hebeimmortalized

She blushes a little and nods, looking down at the menu for a quiet moment. Then she looks up at him again, curiously this time. "What is it about me?" she asks. "This isn't . . . I'm not looking for compliments. I'm curious. What was it about me that drew you back?"

From:

arrowofthegod

He wants to tell her that it would be alright even if she was fishing for compliments, but he doesn't. He looks up.

"Aside from the fact that you're beautiful? Every inch of you?" He includes the scars, the weight he knows she doesn't love carrying, every part of it. "For a long time I've been...terrified of letting anyone close to me. But when its you, I find that I don't think about that at all."

From:

hebeimmortalized

She recalls that he'd told her once that it's easy to be around her. That still baffles her, just a little. She nods, though. "I guess that's a good thing, huh? That I don't scare you."

From:

arrowofthegod

"I didn't say that," he says. "You terrify me. Just...not in the way that I'd expect." He smiles. "What about you? Why keep coming back to me?"

From:

hebeimmortalized

"There are a lot of reasons," she admits. "Some are more shallow than others. But, I think . . . because you make me feel safe?" She feels vulnerable to even admit it, but it's still the truth.

From:

arrowofthegod

He smiles at that, feeling it for the high praise that he thinks it is.

"I'm sorry that everything's moving so slowly."

From:

hebeimmortalized

"Don't be," she says, even as a part of her wants to say 'me too.' She knows it's not because of any lack of attraction, and she's pretty sure there's plenty of chemistry. The pace is set for a good reason, for both of them, and she likes it. "I think it's good, like this."

From:

arrowofthegod

He nods, his cheeks flushed as the waitress arrives at their table. Paul orders and then glances up at Jillie, waiting for her to decide, distracted for a moment how beautiful she is.

From:

hebeimmortalized

She places her order as well, and offers the menu over so they're not in the way. She can feel Paul watching her, and only very slowly brings her eyes to his after the waitress leaves again.

"I am . . . really digging the suit, by the way," she says.