Room 222 | Tuesday Morning

[pursuedthestars]

His mother wanted to come to graduation.

Jim had gotten the letter a few days ago and hadn't opened it till right now. Hey, he'd been busy and the weekend had been warm so he'd just left the letter on his desk. Now, while he was laying in bed, doing absolutely nothing, he'd taken the time to open the letter.

Jim was actually impressed that she'd managed to keep track of the time differences between her world and his. How she'd done it, he didn't really know, but she'd done it. And she'd left the choice of attending up to him, which was nice. Of course, he knew saying no would hurt her feelings even if she wouldn't say so. Saying yes would be emotionally difficult but she'd be happy.

Jim groaned and let the letter drop down next to him on his bed. He didn't know what he was going to do. Graduation was becoming a headache.

[Door cracked/post open]

Comments

[whenshewasnice]

Did he think a cat might somehow help him with this potential future headache? Because getting one (for a bit) was likely to be the end result of this phone call.

Ring ring, Jim.

[pursuedthestars]

"Hello?" Jim asked, having absently picked his phone up and stuck it against his ear. He still didn't check the caller ID all that often, no.

[whenshewasnice]

"I think you have something against caller ID."

Good greeting, Nat.

"Hey. It's me."

[pursuedthestars]

"Pretty sure my greeting to you would have been the same if I had checked the caller ID," Jim pointed out. "Morning."

[whenshewasnice]

"I don't get a personalized greeting?" she deadpanned. "How sad."

It wasn't, really. She'd just missed him. Snark was her way of showing it.

[pursuedthestars]

"It's early," Jim pointed out. "No one gets personalized greetings from me this early. I'm still in bed."

[whenshewasnice]

"Jealous," she sighed. "I don't remember the last morning I didn't get up immediately after waking up."

The ones where Nathan had really struggled to get out of bed didn't count.

[pursuedthestars]

"That sounds like such a sad existence," Jim said, sighing at her. "You could come here and climb in bed with me, you know."

[whenshewasnice]

"I don't think they let non-students into the dorms."

But that didn't mean she didn't sound tempted. Because it sounded like a beautiful and enticing thing to her right now.

[pursuedthestars]

"So what?" Jim shrugged. "Like they really pay that close attention? You'd be in here and in bed with me and no one would care."

[whenshewasnice]

"I'd care, I'm rule-oriented." That part was actually true. "Stop tempting me, Kirk."

[pursuedthestars]

"You're no fun," he sighed, shaking his head. "I'm so alone here in my bed."

[whenshewasnice]

"Shhhh."

That would help, sure.

[pursuedthestars]

"So alone and lonely and no one here to enjoy my bed with or the rain hitting the window or anything," he sighed.

[whenshewasnice]

"Shut up." That was only not a whine because this was Natalie, and Natalie didn't whine. "Jim."

[pursuedthestars]

"What?" Jim asked, frowning. "I'm not doing anything."

[whenshewasnice]

"No, but I miss you and I can't come over." She sighed. "And I'm finding I'd really like to."

[pursuedthestars]

"Why can't you come over?" Jim wondered. "I wouldn't keep you long."

[whenshewasnice]

"We're pretty busy." And had a first class psychopath working for them, probably just waiting to screw them over, but she wasn't going to say that.

Which brought her original reason for calling back to her mind.

"But, there was something I was supposed to ask you about."

[pursuedthestars]

"What are you calling to ask me about?" Jim wondered, sighing. "Something good?"

[whenshewasnice]

"Depends. Do you like waking up to a cat butt in your face?"

Or his roommate hating something in their room.

[pursuedthestars]

"What's going on that you need a Moxy sitter for?" Jim asked. "I can, no problem, but is something wrong?"

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie was quiet for a second as she decided on how to word whatever she wanted to say.

"Things are just hectic," she settled on. "It'd be better if Moxy got a little more attention than what I can give him somewhere else for a bit."

[pursuedthestars]

"Does Moxy really require that much attention?" He didn't believe you, Natalie. He figured something else was going on. "He's pretty independent."

[whenshewasnice]

Sigh, Jim. "He requires more of it than I expect to be able to give him for a bit."

[pursuedthestars]

"Is everything okay?" he asked. "I've got graduation in like two weeks time, you know. You gonna be able to come for that?"

[whenshewasnice]

"I should," she assured him. She was even about... ninety percent sure that she'd make it.

Getting Mr. Moxy out of Ribeirao Preto was just a precaution for her peace of mind.

[pursuedthestars]

"Didn't answer the first part of that question," Jim pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

[whenshewasnice]

"Everything's fine, Jim," Natalie replied, mildly. "Well, Peter's convinced it is."

So, it was the official truth, at least.

[pursuedthestars]

"Uh huh." He would have been fine if you'd left that last statement off, Natalie! "You can drop Moxy off whenever you have a moment or I'll come get him. It's fine."

[whenshewasnice]

"You should come get him," Natalie told him, a little softer than before. "And spend a while in my bed."

A pause, and she added, "I can explain what's going on then." She just didn't feel comfortable getting into it over the phone.

[pursuedthestars]

"I can do that," he said, softening his tone a little himself. He nodded. "And I just wanna know you're not in any danger. That's all."

[whenshewasnice]

"I'm not in danger."

That sounded pretty convincing because she honestly believed that.

"It'll just ease my mind to get Mox somewhere else, because I really do have a ton of work."

[pursuedthestars]

"Then, I'll be there," Jim promised, nodding. "And I'll spend some time in your bed, looking beautiful, before I take Moxy off your hands for awhile."

[whenshewasnice]

"Good," she sighed. "Especially the beautiful part." See, she was cracking jokes, everything was fine. "I might even play you a song I've been working on."

[pursuedthestars]

"Good. I'm done with classes for the week if you want me to hop a portal tomorrow," Jim offered. "I could be there by the afternoon."

[whenshewasnice]

"Good."

God, was she still just bouncing back from the Nathan incident? Because she'd been just going full steam ahead since the last time Jim had visited.

Only now realizing she really needed another visit. Really. really needed it.

"I'll be waiting."

While working, but. You know.

[pursuedthestars]

"Just remember to let the security guys know," he reminded her. "I know I'll need an escort and all but I don't wanna answer questions about the nature of my visit."

[whenshewasnice]

"Don't you want to tell them you're here to look pretty?" Natalie quipped wryly. "I'll notify them as soon as I'm off the phone with you. Don't worry. Your escort won't pry."

[pursuedthestars]

"They'll know I'm there to look pretty just by being there," he said. "I spread beauty wherever I go so that goes without saying."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie snorted. So, at least he was funny. But pretty too. She'd give him that.

"Okay, Jim."

[pursuedthestars]

"Okay, Natalie," he parroted. "I'll see you tomorrow. Please try and get some sleep tonight."

Which meant stop working at some point, dear.

[whenshewasnice]

"Aye aye."

She did not call him captain because she remembered how the last time had gone.

"I'd tell you the same except you'll have no problem with that anyway. So. I'll just tell you I miss and that I look forward to seeing you." A beat. "Oh, and bring candy."

[pursuedthestars]

"All that goes for me too," he said, nodding. "I'll bring candy. See you tomorrow."

He waited just for a second long before he hung up the phone and smiled.