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

[pursuedthestars]

"You don't have to charm anyone out of anything," he told her. "Or seduce me. You can just hang out."

[whenshewasnice]

"How boring," she drawled. Mostly joking.

[pursuedthestars]

"So, why are you here, all dressed up if hanging out is boring and seducing is out and all?" Jim wondered.

[whenshewasnice]

"You're the one who seemed to decide seducing was out," Natalie pointed out. "I never said that."

[pursuedthestars]

"You don't have the currency to seduce," he reminded her. "Seems like throwing it out to me."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie sighed and turned more towards the bar to lean against it. "Fine," she said. "I'm no fun."

That didn't come out quite as self-deprecating as she might have hoped. It just sounded like a factual statement.

[pursuedthestars]

Jim sighed and shook his head. "What's the deal? I don't get what you want from me."

[whenshewasnice]

Without looking over, Natalie reached out and poked him on the nose. "Don't steal my lines, Shatner."

[pursuedthestars]

Jim rolled his eyes and batted her hand away. "I'll do what I want."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie swatted at his hand in return. That was a perfectly mature thing to do.

"Of course you do."

[pursuedthestars]

"Quit it," he said, shaking his head. "I'm busy."

[whenshewasnice]

"Doing what, exactly?"

She wasn't very convinced. And she tried to poke his nose again.

[pursuedthestars]

"Enjoying my birthday!" Of course. "See all the happy people around here? We're having fun!"

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie glanced around. "All of these people who aren't acknowledging you in a ny way, shape or form?"

[pursuedthestars]

Jim exhaled and finished his drink. "We're having fun," he repeated.

[whenshewasnice]

"Then I guess you're set." She knocked back the rest of her drink, then straightened up and reached up to press a quick kiss on his cheek. "Happy birthday, Jim. I do mean that."

[pursuedthestars]

"Leaving so soon?" he asked, glancing over at her. "Quick trip."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie actually looked at him for the first time in a moment. "I think I misjudged how well I'd... fit here."

[pursuedthestars]

Jim sighed. "Sorry, I hope I didn't make you feel like that."

[whenshewasnice]

"It's not your fault." Well, not a lot, anyway. "I'm just still adjusting, I guess."

To their new relationship, among other things.

[pursuedthestars]

"You can stay and hang out, if you want," Jim told her. "Just, I don't know, try and have fun? Relax."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie brushed her bangs back. "I don't feel at home with you, Jim," she said. "I don't know where I stand."

[pursuedthestars]

"Then, you can go," Jim said, a little hurt but not letting it show. "Sorry you feel uncomfortable."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie could still guess at his feelings. It had sounded less hurtful in her head. "I just know I'm not entitled to anything," she added, by way of explanation. "And somehow that makes me not take anything. Because I don't know where the new boundaries are."

She wondered if he could follow how that worked in relation to having fun.

[pursuedthestars]

"Okay," Jim said, nodding and ordering another drink since he was there and all. "You do what makes you comfortable. I'm not being an ass, I mean that."