[closed]

[cactusy]

WHO: John Reese (aimsforknees), Sameen Shaw (cactusy)
WHEN: mid-February
WHERE: the Library
WHAT: dinner, team hangouts, awkward buddies being awkward
NOTES\WARNINGS: n/a for now

At 7pm on the dot, Shaw shows up to the door to John and Harold's quarters, a canvas tote bag slung over her shoulder and a leash for Bear looped around the opposite arm (she takes this joint custody thing seriously, and plans to bring him back to her apartment for the night). She lifts a hand to knock, then pauses, peering upwards suspiciously. Do they have a doorcam? They must have a doorcam.

"Hey, Reese," she says, her voice at a conversational pitch. Not too loud, so he won't hear her unless he either has her on audio or is standing right by the door. "Let me in."

If it doesn't work, then she'll knock like a normal person, but she wants to try this out first.

Comments

[cactusy]

"Too much free time. At this rate, I'm going to have to find a hobby."

She says it like the very idea disgusts her - though as she plops down into her chair and digs into her meal, it's clear that the results of this hobby are appreciated.

[aimsforknees]

"You're not allowed to start cleaning the library, that's my job." Really, exercising, cleaning the library, and cooking are all that he has these days.

There were a couple weeks where he helped with Harold's extremely noisy baby bird, but it's independent now. But it's true that the library is spotless. Regardless of if people come or go, John routinely dusts and mops the library so it practically gleams in the weak winter light.

[cactusy]

"Oh, yeah?" She quirks a brow at him. "You wanna play maid for my apartment, too?"

[aimsforknees]

"You're a big girl, I'm sure you can manage that on your own." He's pretty sure it wasn't a real offer, he can't imagine Shaw actually wanting him in her space like that, but also— he doesn't want to be in her space like that. It was one thing to go to her apartment back home and find she got kidnapped, it's another thing to agree to clean it.

[cactusy]

All of this is true, technically: she could bring him over for a dinner like this one, sure, but like hell would she let him poke around. That doesn't stop her from grinning faintly at him over her plate, though.

"But I want to encourage your hobbies."

[aimsforknees]

John looks at her, deadpan as he chews his bite of food. Is it a hobby?

"I've always considered it more of a job. Think you could afford to pay me?"

He knows how to tease back, which is clearly what she's doing here.

[cactusy]

"We don't have money here," she retorts smugly. "We live in a barter economy. And I just paid you with soup and bread."

In exchange for meat, but shhhhh.

[aimsforknees]

He's not falling for that one, Shaw.

"You brought bread and soup to dinner, that's not the same thing at all."

[cactusy]

"Then I'll find another hobby that benefits you."

She arches an eyebrow, briefly setting down her fork so that she can make direct, sustained eye contact, a faint grin playing across her face.

"Chauffeur."

Harold has told her about your fast car, John.

[aimsforknees]

He doesn't catch on to what she's hinting at.

"Who would I chauffeur and where? You don't need it and Finch doesn't go out."

[cactusy]

"Oh, yeah?" she says, smugly. "Then what are you doing with that fancy new car of yours? Don't tell me it's just for show."

[aimsforknees]

Oh, that. He rarely thinks about it.

"If you want to drive it so much you could just ask."

[cactusy]

"Do you ever drive it?"

She's curious now, not jokey or fake-instigating. He's never shown the same inclination for sports cars and motorcycles that she has, but then again, he's John. He's not exactly an open book.

[aimsforknees]

"Not really, it seems like more of a hassle than anything. I'm never in a rush to get anywhere."

He also thinks if he drove it he'd get the urge to do something irresponsible, so he hasn't given in to that temptation. Harold built it strong but there's a limit of how much abuse any car can take, and there's Harold's disapproval too. No need to go down that path just because he's bored and needs entertainment.

[cactusy]

John, John, John.

"Do you... want it?"

[aimsforknees]

It's very obvious where this is going.

"If you want to drive it, you could just ask."

[cactusy]

"I do want to drive it," she says. "And if you don't want to drive it at all, I'll gladly take it off your hands."

[aimsforknees]

"I might want to drive it some day, but you can have the keys."

He doesn't even bother telling her to keep it in good condition; Shaw is too much of a nut for cars to treat it poorly.

[cactusy]

That's honestly a way better deal than she thought she'd get from a teasing, unserious conversation, so before he can take it back, she immediately says, "Deal." Shared custody of both Bear and the car? She's making out like a bandit here. It's enough to make her grin, albeit faintly, as she takes another bite of pork.

[aimsforknees]

[ A smile from Shaw? It puts him in a good mood to see it. They haven't worked together for that long (for him) but he understands well enough how rare they are. He takes a spoonful of soup. ]

Soup is good.