Iowa | Monday FT

[pursuedthestars]

It was Jim's birthday.

"And on January 4th, my mother birthed the beautiful, gifted, charming, amazing man you see before you!" Jim shouted while standing on the counter of some bar he'd found. In his hand, he held a drink high, looking out over the patrons of the bar. He knew none of them but he didn't care. "So, on this illustrious day, I say we drink. To me!"

Any excuse to drink seemed to satisfy the denizens of the bar so Jim knocked his shot back and everyone else did too. He raised his fist up in victory before jumping down and getting another drink. He grinned and leaned against the bar, chatting up the nearest pretty girl.

"I think you should sing to me," he told her breezily. "The birthday song. You know it?"

She did and so she sang it. A few people around her joined in, some in drunken, slurring voices and some a little clearer. Jim loved it either way!

"Best birthday ever!"

Spent around strangers. Yeah, he was faking it but he was still having fun.

[NFB but open for all the usual things. Slowing time down a bit in Jim's world to get this post in since I missed it on the exact date. Yay canonical birthdays.]

Comments

[whenshewasnice]

"I don't understand what you want."

What a familiar feeling. It was making her pretty sad, not that she'd acknowledge or admit that.

[pursuedthestars]

"I was trying to talk to you about stuff but you don't wanna do that," Jim told her. "And then you put this stupidity on me for not inviting you here. I'm not a fan of that."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie's tone was a little dry. "Or I was suggesting I miss you and would rather be around you than far away and dealing with sudden personal questions." She wasn't a fan on those. But, ugh. She knew she'd been stupid. She sighed, and her tone shifted to something... vaguely, mildly softer. "Is your night thoroughly ruined yet? Maybe you should get back to it."

Because she hadn't called to ruin anything, promise.

[pursuedthestars]

"No, my night's not ruined," he told her, shaking his head. "Takes more than that to ruin it. If you want to come out here, you can. But when I hear you're working and I try and get you to stop and you resist, I'm not going to invite you out here and take you away from something."

[whenshewasnice]

"I'm always working, and I always resist," Natalie retorted, as mildly as ever. "But I still called you."

[pursuedthestars]

"I know. And I'd love for you to come out here," he told her. "If you're busy, you don't have to, though. I might not much like politics but I respect your work."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie could have argued with that last bit, but she didn't. It wasn't worth it.

"Send me the coordinates."

And then she hung up.

[pursuedthestars]

"Coordinates?"

Sure, she wasn't there but still. It actually took Jim some time figure out the coordinates but he did eventually get them sent to her.

[whenshewasnice]

It didn't matter. Natalie needed time to get ready, anyway. Get her hair presentable and some makeup on.

Travel took its own time, too, but eventually? Someone in a sleek little black dress and the boots once given her walked into the bar.

[pursuedthestars]

Jim was chatting with the bartender when she walked in. He caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye and raised an eyebrow. Then, he waved her over, ordering a drink for her as he did.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie made her way over without any rushing, and tilted her head at him once she had.

"Hello."

[pursuedthestars]

"Hey," he returned, passing her a drink. "You look good. Got a little dressed up, huh?"

[whenshewasnice]

"This is my type of evil." It'd be a while before either of them would grasp how true and accurate that was. She took the drink. "I hear that was supposed to be a thing today."

[pursuedthestars]

"You trying to look for any specific reason?" Jim asked, taking a drink and watching her over his glass. "Or just had that lying around to wear?"

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie shrugged one bare shoulder and took a sip. "Bought the dress for a cocktail party thing at an embassy, haven't really had a chance to wear it since. Your birthday seems like enough of an occasion."

[pursuedthestars]

"Well, don't look now but I think my friend, the bartender, has the hots for you," Jim pointed out, nodding at the bartender at the end of the bar. He was indeed sneaking glances at Natalie. "He's liking what he sees."

[whenshewasnice]

"I know." Well, she wasn't entirely clueless as to what she looked like. Didn't sneak a glance back, though. Yet, anyway. "I'm not unattractive."

[pursuedthestars]

"No, you're not," he told her, watching her quietly. "You look good. Very good."

[whenshewasnice]

"So I guess you're liking what you see, too."

But that was no surprise after two years of them sleeping together.

[pursuedthestars]

"Duh," Jim said, raising an eyebrow. "You know I like how you look. I spent awhile telling you that."

[whenshewasnice]

"I don't usually look like this, though," Natalie retorted idly, examining her drink before another sip. "So at least there's a slight difference."

[pursuedthestars]

"Not by much," Jim argued, shaking his head. "I've seen you look like this before and besides, even if you don't usually look like this, you still look good."

[whenshewasnice]

"Thank you." Well, what else was there to say? At least that was delivered with a tiny quirk of a smile, over the rim of her glass. "You look okay, too."

[pursuedthestars]

"Of course I do." His ego was in full effect tonight. "I always look okay! That's just what happens when I roll out of bed."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie reached up and tried to ruffle his hair.

"Ah, yes. You're just naturally adorable."