open | one horse open sleighs for everyone!

[sempreadagio]

[ OPEN TO ALL ]

Even when the snow hits Itinere overnight, Jill still goes to work and opens The Houndstooth every day. It's right down the street from the apartment she and Lucy share so the commute isn't that rough. Also, she still has the same snow boots she'd wished into existence last year when the snow appeared overnight. So The Houndstooth is open, all manner of sports broadcasting on all the televisions and the food warm and hot.

Jill can usually be found behind the bar serving drinks or busing tables when and employee doesn't make it in or taking food and drinks to tables for the same reason. Occasionally though, she's behind the piano playing a song or two, usually jazzy renditions of rock or pop songs, sometimes she goes into her favorites, songs from the classic era of jazz, originally sung by the likes of Frank Sinatra or Nat King Cole. Whether behind the bar or sitting at the baby grand, she's definitely in her element.

Also, she might have dipped into a candy cane or two and found herself in a great mood, which is definitely not par for the course for Jill.


[ TEXT FOR LUCY ]

Lucy. There are sleigh rides. Actual, legit sleigh rides pulled by horses and everything. This needs to be a thing.


[ TEXT FOR HAWKE ]

What say you and me go shopping and find you some new clothes?


[ TEXT FOR CAM ]

So. You. Me. Same time, same place? Maybe? What do you say?

Comments

Text reply;

[respinto]

Sounds like the best plan I've heard all week.

Text

[sempreadagio]

Really? Some week you must have had. (Joking) (Mostly) So maybe you meet me at The Houndstooth and we go from there?

Text

[respinto]

Hey now, you'll hurt my feelings. Yeah sounds good. Today or...?

Text

[sempreadagio]

Yeah, if you're not busy. Maybe around dinner time? Six or seven?

Text

[respinto]

Yeah, no, I'm good for today. Meet you in the middle at six thirty?

private text;

[considerdying]

what, you dont like my fashion choices? im wounded.

[ it's hard to convey her dry humor over text but she has a feeling jill will get it. if anyone will, she will. ]

[sempreadagio]

Perfect. See you then!

It's close to fifteen after six when Jill ducks into the employee lounge room to change into something more than what she wore for work that day. Her makeup needs a touch-up, which she does. Then she spritzes some body spray on, especially around her hair so that she smells less like fried food and beer and more like a gardenia because she figures Cam will thank her later, then she changes into something more date appropriate.

And how about them apples? Jill has a date. Just Jill. Well, and Cam. Jill and Cam. Cam and Jill. She's excited.

After fussing with her mess of hair for a bit and finally deciding to leave it in its long, messy waves, she's ready. It's six thirty on the dot when she's grabbed her bag and makes her way back out to the front of The Houndstooth to look for Cam. She pinky swears with Lucy that she'll keep her updated as the night progresses, then steps out into the cool, evening air onto the sidewalk. She loves The Houndstooth, but sometimes it's nice to get out of there too, especially when there's an evening filled with a cute boy to look forward to.

private text;

[sempreadagio]

[ She totally gets it. Funny, Hawke. Funny. ]

I love your fashion choices. But you need some opposite of battle attire. Plus maybe a party outfit. Options are good!

[respinto]

Around five, Cam hops in the shower and makes himself more presentable for a date. It's been a while since he's been on a real one but this is Jill, so even though he doubts it's going to be the nerve-wracking situation a date usually tends to be, he still wants to look his best. This isn't a big deal, he tells himself. It's Jill. They're chill and it's cool, this is just slapping a more formal — and admittedly intimidating — label on something that they've already pretty much done. It's going to be fine. It's fine.

He's dressed fairly casually, but still nicely by comparison to most of his typically overly casual wardrobe when he arrives at the Houndstooth and moves further inside, looking reflexively behind the bar for Jill before realizing that Jill wouldn't be working; she's up front instead.

A smile tugs up the corners of his mouth as he approaches her. "Hey," he greets warmly. She always manages to look incredible, if you ask Cam, but he's really digging the look she's rocking right now. Not everyone could pull it off. Jill's not everyone, though; she's Jill.

[sempreadagio]

Jill is trying so very hard to be as chill about it as she possibly can be. But it's true that this is something more than what they've done before because she'd actually gotten up the nerve to ask him out. She'd asked Cam out. It's a very gutsy thing for Jill to do, something she doesn't do lightly. But it's Cam. She likes him a lot... or more than a lot. So she put herself out there on that limb and luckily he was there too and it wasn't so bad... at least in the theoretical.

But now, now it's a real thing. The asking and the answering has happened and now it's actually happening. Her heart feels like it's going to beat its way all the way up into her throat when she sees him walking toward her. He looks so good. That shirt fits across his shoulders, chest, waist, in all the right ways and she'd have to be blind not to notice that. She's not blind. Cam looks hot.

His smile is met with a small crooked one and she impulsively leans up on her toes to kiss at his cheek. "Hey." She pulls back and reaches for his hand. "You clean up nice, Marco. You ready to get out of here?"

[mightbeconcussed]

Lucy has been out Christmas shopping and decorating her and Jill's apartment. She's been eating candy canes that taste exactly like her mother's Hummingbird cake all morning. When she gets Jill's text, she abandons what she's doing in favor of texting back.

I'll meet you in ten?

[respinto]

Cam grins at the kiss on his cheek and takes her hand, giving it a little squeeze when she reaches for his. "Hey," he says with feigned offense that his grin immediately betrays. "What are you trying to say, here, Jill?" The playful implication is that he doesn't look good all the time, but he knows that it's actually meant as a compliment and the look on his face tells her so. "You look great, too," he adds, just in case his amused expression doesn't communicate that he's joking.

Nodding, he looks over toward the door. "Yeah, let's go. You know this place way better than I do, where do you think we should go first?" He's not sure if they're going to grab something to eat or check out some of this winter wonderland thing that the city's got going on right now, or what. All he knows is that he's pretty stoked to be going on a date with Jill because he really likes her and it's been a while since he's been this interested in someone.

"Should we eat?" he wonders. He's not super hungry, but he could eat. Cam can always eat, really. He's a big guy with a decent paced metabolism; he's always just this side of hungry, it seems like. At least it's not as bad as it used to be when he was a teenager. Back then, he'd been little short of a human garbage disposal.

[sempreadagio]

Perfect. They're loading up across the street from The Houndstooth at the park. See you there.

When Lucy arrives, Jill is all bundled up for being outside in the cold. She has a bulky bag slung over one shoulder and snow boots on as well. It got super cold and snowed a ton overnight, so she's still got to wish up some new winter clothes because last year's selection feels outdated. In this sense, Lucy has definitely been an influence on her.

"Hi!" She gives Lucy a hug and then it's up into the sleigh she'd commandeered. There's a fur blanket to cover their laps with which is nice. "This is so cool. I've never been on a sleigh ride before."

[sempreadagio]

At his joke, Jill taps the back of her hand on his arm and shakes her head. "Stop it. You know what I mean." She says with a smirk. Because Cam is always cute... handsome, but it's obvious he did something different this time, that's all. "You always look great. But tonight you look especially great. You look downright kissable." And there she is teasing, because instead of kissing him right then, she holds onto his hand and they walk out of the Houndstooth.

"Hey, I asked you on this date and I have plans. You just get to be surprised. So stick with me and pretend like you like what I have planned." They walk down the sidewalk together. "If you hate it that's okay too. But... I think you'll like it."

Jill pauses and looks both ways before leading Cam to cross the street. "Although there's a better chance that aforementioned kiss will happen if you pretend to like it."

private text;

[considerdying]

ill have you know, there arent many people i would agree to do this with.

i may regret this if you try to dress me in ruffles.

[respinto]

Grinning, Cam nods. "Yeah, yeah. I know what you mean, but you can't tell me you wouldn't have taken that opportunity if the tables had been turned," he teases. He's sure she would and that's part of what Cam likes about her. A good sense of humor is a lot sexier than most people give it credit for, if you ask Cam.

His eyebrows lift and he gives her hand a playful little squeeze. "Ah well, then you've still got me beat. You always look kissable," he replies. "And I'm sure I'll like it. Besides the fact that I like more things than I don't, we seem to have similar tastes, so I think we'll be all right," he adds to reassure her.

At her comment, Cam laughs a little. "Well, then, duly noted. Lead on," he replies with a smirk.

private text;

[sempreadagio]

[ I feel special then. Also, please have a little more faith in me than ruffles. We are not pastries.

Meet you in front of The Houndstooth in half an hour? ]

private text;

[considerdying]

wouldnt miss it.

and when we're done, we're getting a drink. on me.

[sempreadagio]

"Oh I totally would've." She says, lightly bumping Cam's side with her own as they walk. It's really cold out so she's walking just a little bit more briskly than usual. Thankfully, the place she's aiming for isn't too far away so the walk won't be too long in the cold before they're back indoors again.

When he says she always looks kissable, Jill can't help the way her insides twist up in a good way. Cam seems to have that affect on her. He catches her by surprise by saying things that make her feel things. Jill isn't always that great at letting herself feel things. It's one of the ways that Cam is so different.

"If you do hate it, we can leave and do something else, I promise." She glances sideways at Cam before leaning over and up to kiss his cheek again. "And that's for being you."

[sempreadagio]

I make it a point to never turn down drinks. See you in a few.

It's half an hour later that Jill has changed out of what she wore into work that morning into something more shopping appropriate that smells less like beer and fried foods of The Houndstooth. She steps outside with a bag slung over one shoulder and looks around for Hawke. She doesn't mind waiting for a bit.

Truthfully, she hadn't been sure that Hawke would take her up on her offer. But she thought it would be fun and she's glad there wasn't too much of a protest at the idea. Even if they find nothing, it'll be fun hanging out for awhile.

[considerdying]

Hawke is waiting there, though she doesn't look in the least bit bored. She is, of course, wearing her usual Champion's armor rather than anything else, though she glances almost critically at Jill's choice of outfit as her friend steps out.

"You know, I do think I prefer your fashions to Thedosian ones, especially Orlesians."

So this might not be a terrible idea. Really, Hawke isn't expecting a crazy wardrobe change. She's just here for the companionship.

[sempreadagio]

Companionship is a good enough reason and is, in part, Jill's reason for suggesting they do this as well. She doesn't make friends all that easily, not friends as in people who become more than passing acquaintances in any case. Because as a bar tender, she gets to meet a lot of people. Befriending them is more difficult. Everyone likes you if you're refilling their drinks, after all. They don't really have to get to know you for that.

She sees Hawke and offers her a crooked smile as she seems to approve of her outfit. "Thanks. I guess I've gravitated toward boho chic if my style is any one thing. We're gonna find your style today, hopefully. I'm really glad you agreed to come out with me. There was a minute there right after I asked when I wasn't sure you would say yes."

[respinto]

With a smile at the kiss to his cheek, Cam shakes his head a little. "I honestly can't picture us not being on the same page for an activity, Jill," he promises. And he can't. So far, everything they've talked about together, they seem to share in common. Granted, they are still getting to know one another, but that's a good place to start, he thinks.

"Besides, whatever we do, we'll be hanging out, so even if I don't dig the thing we do, spending time with you would make it worth it, anyway."

[considerdying]

"Someday I'll learn what all of your terminology is and you'll know all of mine," she jokes. Terminology aside, she gets the rest of what Jill said and the point of getting out today. At least on the fashion side.

Her eyebrows shoot up. "What would give you the idea that I would say no? It can't be because I don't have reason to wear much of anything else." The stylish one had always been Bethany. And then Mother during those three years in Hightown. Not Marian. "Besides, you and I have our own adventures. Why would I miss that?"

In its own way, being around Jill is like being around Isabela. She makes that hurt slightly less so.

[sempreadagio]

How in the world does Cam make her heart leap from her chest to her ears and back down again? The things he says are just so sweet and Jill is so unused to hearing things like that when it comes to just her. It's almost always Lucy and Jill. This is... strangely different. And Jill oscillates between loving it and being at a loss for it at the same time.

She leads Cam across the street and then across another one to the corner where Subtext sits, the massive building that houses both bookstore and coffee shop. Once inside, Jill leads him back and back and back, beneath a winding staircase to a small nook where a fireplace and seating rests. The fireplace has a fire roaring in it. Jill sets her big bag down on one of the chairs and gets a throw blanket from it. She spreads it out on top of the rug and then gets some pillows from the seating and sets it down. From the bag she also gets a six pack of the Big Wave beer she mentioned to Cam before and some plastic tubs of food.

"Have a seat. We're having a floor picnic." Yes, a floor picnic in a book store. Jill sits down on one of the pillows. She gets a bottle opener from her bag, pops the top on one of the bottles and offers it to Cam.