Room 222 | Sunday Morning

[pursuedthestars]

Jim hadn't wasted any time in getting back to his room. Hey, he would almost welcome Jackson's presence after all that time without privacy. He didn't mind the bouncy castles but man, the novelty wore off quick and he didn't like rolling over in the middle of the night and ending up splayed against the side of a castle with plastic up his nose.

He'd brought Natalie the snake back first, setting her up on his bed so she could slither around and do her snake thing before going back and getting the rest of his stuff. He'd dropped all that on the floor beside his bed and stretched before flopping down beside Natalie.

Who was still a snake.

"You ever gonna change back?" he asked idly, not expecting a response. He got none. Jim sighed and tucked an arm under his head. Snakes were not great conversation partners.

[Door is open, post is open]

Comments

[whenshewasnice]

"When they don't fit, sometimes they choose new ones," she replied, glancing up. "Or someone else gives them one. That's where it gets especially interesting."

[pursuedthestars]

"Something you've thought about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie shrugged. "I've seen people take on different names, or go almost exclusively by some kind of nickname."

Locke, Jace, Sam.

[pursuedthestars]

"Do you think a nickname is really a change in identity that a whole new name brings?" Well, he was thinking about it now.

[whenshewasnice]

"Not as drastic, no," she said, crawling just a little bit further up, kissing the top of his chest before just looking down at him. "But it can still be a meaningful choice."

[pursuedthestars]

"Mmm." He didn't put as much thought into it as she did so it was interesting to hear her take on it. "What do people who take on just nicknames say to you?"

[whenshewasnice]

"Depends on the person," she replied with a shrug. "Some of them don't like their names. Or their names are too unusual and they want to blend in. Or someone specific calls them by their given name and there are bad associations."

[pursuedthestars]

"Interesting." He slipped an arm under his head to prop himself up a little further. "What am I?"

[whenshewasnice]

"I think you're just straightforward. Jim. It's shorter and quicker and to the point."

That maybe wasn't the whole truth.

[pursuedthestars]

"Wow, how boring of me," he said and rolled his eyes playfully.

[whenshewasnice]

"Not boring," she argued, shaking her head. "Efficient, and no-nonsense."

[pursuedthestars]

"Pretty boring," he retorted. "Maybe I'll start going by James just to make my name more interesting."

[whenshewasnice]

"James is stuffy," Natalie retorted in turn. "And not you. If you wanted interesting, you'd pick your mysterious middle name, but that's already been established as not happening."

[pursuedthestars]

"My middle name isn't interesting so why would I go by it?" He shook his head. "And James is my grandfather's name. Be nice."

[whenshewasnice]

"I didn't say it was a bad name in general. It's classic." She shrugged again. "But it's stuffy for you/i>."

[pursuedthestars]

"Still a dull reason," he joked. "I bet the other people you know have much better stories for using different names."

[whenshewasnice]

"Since one of them used one to mask that a teenager was taking part in influencing international politics... Yes."

Sorry, Jim!

[pursuedthestars]

Jim made a face and shook his head.

"I apologize for being oh so lame when it comes to my name."

[whenshewasnice]

"It's okay," she replied magnanimously, ducking down for a kiss. "You can make up for it with not being lame in other areas."

[pursuedthestars]

"And what areas are those?" he asked against her lips.

[whenshewasnice]

"Sexual."

Clearly that was one of those questions that deserved an honest and straightforward answer. While she licked his lip.

[pursuedthestars]

"Oh, but I'm already not lame in that area," he said because he was awesome sexually. "And you know it."

[whenshewasnice]

"No one said it had to be a new thing," Natalie retorted, giving him a quick kiss. "Your name lameness is a pre-existing condition too."

[pursuedthestars]

"You've made my name a lame thing," he felt compelled to point out. "Prior to you telling me what you thought, my name was just fine as something that doesn't really have any background meaning."

[whenshewasnice]

"Your name was a lame thing to me already before," she replied. "Nothing's changed."