trans_9 | Cranston For Hire [Open!]

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Cranston For Hire [Open!]

It was once again time for Billy to assess the progress being made in this seemingly endless war with tasks and deadlines. So far, reorganization of the Engineering department was about 25% complete. Not terrible for a day's work, but he could certainly do better. Several projects were stalled pending discussion from the involved parties. His social time and interactions with the Rangers had taken a hit due to all of this.

Though he was following his orders to take more resting time during the day and having fun with Ronnae on many of the nights, nothing stopped him from taking on more than enough work to fill the compressed schedule.

Today's work: Supervising the new structure and performing odd jobs around the ship. Repairs were going well in the hangar, Neuropathy needed to be left alone, infrastructure was busy in the City. He visited wherever he could and lent a hand to each, struggling to find time for what he wanted to do in secret: move his personal belongings to his girlfriend's house.

As Billy wandered back and forth throughout the day, a stuffed backpack always accompanied him. Throughout the day, the loaded-down teenager made trips between a number of places on the upper levels and a particular house in the City. Distracted as he was with the constant juggling of omnicom, comm ring, tools, and items, he eventually wore himself out.

Where he ended up shouldn't be a surprise: in the city park, fast asleep, sprawled across an assortment of odd items. Somehow, he'd note when he woke up, he doubted this was what had been meant by the recommendation for 'personal time'.

((ooc: The two location tags basically mean you can catch him anywhere: asleep with shiny stuff to steal or rushing back and forth between the different areas of the ship. Just make a note of where you found him.))

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Jamie is far too clever for Billy's liking at this particular moment. Of course he would hit on that complication. Billy sighed, shuffling the bundle around in his arms.

"I think I will. When we were first told about the ceremony, I had no intention of staying married. Then we proceeded with it, enjoyed all of our time together, and since then I've been informed that her culture takes marriage very seriously. She interpreted it as a vow, and if I rescinded it it would send the message that I never really loved her."

Oh, complications. He didn't even want to touch the 'you have to fulfill your duties as a man' issue.

Not so much clever as observant and able to put the pieces together to draw his own conclusions. Jamie's not always right when he does so, but in this case it seems he may have managed to figure it out.

Or...possibly only some of it. His eyebrows arch upward at Billy's last words, as he's more than a little surprised by them.

"Do ye actually love her, then?"

Edited 2011-03-02 06:39 (UTC)

That's the hardest question to answer. Billy squeezes his eyes shut in thought. "Love has thousands of different definitions, depending on how the speaker interprets the emotion. What I feel is that I've found someone I can do just about anything with. We can make rapid progress in engineering projects, and when we're together there's a creative spark that allows us to accomplish so much."

Not that that's all there is to it. "After work, I often meet up with her and attempt to learn more about her life. We're different enough that there's so much to ask, and the more I listen, the more I want to stand by her and face those challenges with her."

Just how much did he have to reveal? His head turned back and forth, checking that no one else was around. He pulled the bundle closer to himself during the next part, clearly embarrassed. "Physically, of course, I'm hopelessly attracted to her. She is the most alluring woman I've ever seen, and it amazes me that she doesn't realize it. I'm aware that lust is not love, but I've heard that it can be a component."

A component that he really, really enjoyed. "At this juncture, I crave closeness with her. I'm happiest at her side. So...yes, I believe so."

Jamie is quiet, listening to Billy's explanation with one of those thoughtful expressions on his face again. At the end of it, a hint of his crooked smile appears. Knowing that his friend is planning on staying married and does truly care for Ronnae means what Billy's doing makes more sense.

"Well, why did ye not say so before? I'll help ye move." He's aware Billy's trying to be a little stealthy about it, but really doesn't understand why. "There's no need for ye to haul everything back and forth by yourself, aye?"

There's a pause before he adds, "In fact, if I ever figure out a way that I can get in and out of the TARDIS without the Doctor being there, I might ask ye to help me move in return."

Seems perfectly fair to him.

Billy ducks his head, shooting a brief glance at Jamie. "I didn't mention it because I'm still amazed that I'm going through with this at all. I never planned to, definitely not this quickly, but it's become an issue of convenience. If I'm going to spend the night with her regularly, it makes sense to leave my things there."

He hopes Jamie doesn't get ideas about what they're doing on those nights. It's not that serious, not yet. Billy scrambles for a change of focus before his face heats up, seizing on Jamie's exchange request.

"It's not a problem. Where were you planning to move?"

Sorry, too late to prevent those ideas from popping into Jamie's head. For Billy's sake, though, he's not going to even tease him a little on it, as tempting as that may be. It's not his business what they do (or don't do) when it comes down to it. Even if for some reason they haven't, he figures it's only a matter of time.

Besides, it'd be all to easy to point out Jamie's lack of anything even close to that at this time, so...best to just go with talking about moving.

"We found my old room there. The problem is we don't know where the key's gone, so he has to do that thing with his fingers to let us in."

Edited 2011-03-04 02:14 (UTC)

"Then I'll help you when the key's found. I've already told the Doctor that I'd help you settle into your room."

What he didn't mention, of course, was their secret plan to...er, enhance Jamie's room. Just the thought of it brought a smile to his face, one that he could play off as daydreaming about Ronnie if asked. But did Billy really want to give off the impression that all he could think about was her?

Complications, complications.

"So it'll be a fair trade in the end. Let me know as soon as you find the key, all right?" And they were just about at her house now. He looked up at the grand and inviting architecture, a smile on his face.

"Don't tell Ronnie this, but...I'm more attracted to simple dwellings. It's a small preference, though, and one that's easily overridden." By her fantastic presence.

"Ye have?" He has no clue about there being any secret plans, of course. All he can think of is that the Doctor already mentioned that Jamie and Kaylee had stumbled across his room, and he's a little disappointed that he didn't get the chance to say something earlier. Something of the enthusiasm he had in his voice when he mentioned finding the place drains away, replaced with a tone that's almost a little crestfallen.

"Oh. I suppose he told ye about his offer to help the Rangers try and work on our mental defenses, as well."

It'd be Jamie's own fault if the Doctor had beaten him to mentioning that as well, but to be fair, the Scot had been more than a little distracted with his own wedding to bring it up while on the mission. As they come up to the complex. he, too, looks up. There's not one of those 'Hey, would ye look at the size of that thing' moments this time - when he looks at it, he realizes he's actually seen the place before. It was just from a bit further higher up than their current position, that's all.

"Aye. I won't mention it to her. Although it does look a wee bit different from down here."

Billy looks surprised by that one, at least. "No, he actually hasn't. We don't talk as often as he does with you and Kaylee. When does he want to start?"

He puts as much enthusiasm in it as he can, in the hopes of cheering Jamie up. His friend was valuable and he had to know it!

As they reached the area and set the items down in the first chamber, he couldn't help but smile. "I noticed it then too, but at the time I didn't think I'd ever live here. Not even when Ronnie and I explored this house together. It's very large for one person, still oversized for two, but...I think I'll like it here."

"He didn't say," Jamie replies. "When I'm ready, I guess. He does want to start with meditation, though, so if you'd not be interested in that..."

He trails off, shrugging at Billy. That's up to him to decide, as well as the other Rangers, too, once Jamie mentions it to them. He figures he'll do that as soon as he figures out a good time to work that into his schedule.

"I know you've had a wee bit more practice with that sort of thing than I have, but when the Doctor and I were talking after the at...after what happened with the Darksoul, it came up. It'd not be bad for the others to have some help there as well, I don't think."

Jamie is uncomfortably aware of how much he could use that help for himself, too, but he doesn't bring that up. Instead, he turns the conversation back to happier things.

"Oh, so I take it ye found the place while ye were out exploring the city with her?" He's assuming that's what they were doing, since it's something he would do- has done, in a way, more recently, actually.

"Ye know," he murmurs, half to himself. "It's been a fair bit since I've done some exploring. I don't think that flying I did the other day counts towards that."

Billy agreed. "We could definitely use it. Rangers have a tendency to face attacks to our mental defenses in the line of duty, especially mind control. I don't want to see that happen again. I'd be interested in meditation as well."

He shook the dark thought off and arranged his things in the room, looking up curiously. "We did. It was our first...'date'", he decided, color appearing in his cheeks.

"Wait, flying? When and how did you do that?"

"Aye," Jamie says, a little quietly. Dark thoughts indeed. But there's things they can do now, and he, too, shakes it off. "I'll let ye know once things are set up, then."

As Billy arranges things in the room, he clasps his hands behind his back, wandering around and looking at things without touching them. It's certainly an interesting place, although Billy's right. It is a bit grand, when it comes down to it.

He glances over at the question, and a rueful expression appears on his face as he realizes he had said that out loud. "Och."

Oh well, might as well explain. "It was yesterday, or maybe the day before...ye know how it is with time here. Recently, anyway." Not for the first time he wishes he could keep track of time better, but it can't be helped. "Sofia took me. Ye know her, right?"

Billy looked down at the mention of her name. Sofia---yeah, he knew her. Beautiful. Excellent dance instructor. He'd harbored a crush on her and thought about asking her out just a short while ago, hadn't he? Guilt took him then. He'd probably led her on, and for what? To drop all of that at the sight of a gorgeous Orc girl.

"I'm sure it must have been spectacular. To fly freely like that---an impossibility in my era. With Sofia, I'm sure you had a great time."

Jamie's attention drifts back a little bit to the flight, and a small smile appears. Unlike Billy, he's not feeling any guilt. He's just thinking of something that was, to him, quite enjoyable - and unfortunately, he completely misses the expression on Billy's face.

"Aye, it was grand." Well, except for the first part where he was extremely nervous about the flying, but he is pretending that never happened. "She's quite beautiful, isn't she?"

He knows that Billy is with Ronnae, of course, so his opinion may not likely be the same. He isn't aware that Billy's one post about the dance lessons was about Sofia - or his friend's thoughts on the issue. He's just making an observation to his friend.

Edited 2011-03-07 06:31 (UTC)

Billy winces, though he tries to cover it up with a smile. Imagining Jamie like that is still smile-worthy, so that isn't as difficult as it could be. "Yeah, she is. I'm sure you had a wonderful time. Flying freely like that is better than my car could ever simulate."

There's a faintly puzzled expression on Jamie's face as he looks up. Something about Billy's expression is just a little off to him, but since he missed that guilt from earlier he's not entirely sure why. Is Billy unhappy because Jamie went flying in something other than the car? Maybe that's it.

Jamie claps Billy on the shoulder reassuringly. "It's not the same as when you showed me the city, though. I'd not have ever thought I'd get to see it like that." He's still quite happy his friend was willing to take him there, actually Rather dryly, he adds, "In the car I don't need to worry about my kilt."

Giving Billy a crooked grin, he looks at the items being moved around. "Look, if ye can tell me where ye want some of these things I can help ye. And ye can tell me more about this date ye had with her in here. That is, if ye want to."

Billy couldn't help but laugh at that. "True enough. I still wonder why so many of the heroines wear skirts, but I suppose it doesn't matter when they can crush you in under three seconds."

He shuffled his boxes over, pointing at one of the boxes. "Those items go on the lower shelf by the wall."

Once Jamie was occupied, he started in on the tale. "I actually didn't think it was supposed to be a date. I thought I was just going to help Ronnie find a place to live, so I pulled the car up and took her on a tour of the area. We eventually came out here, and it was apparently perfect for her. After she located her bedroom, she kissed my cheek again and ran off."

A faint smile appeared. She'd always been blushing, advancing on him, and running in those days. To a lesser degree she still did it. "When I caught up with her, I offered to take her to an abandoned opera house. She wanted somewhere to play her flute, and she played beautifully," he finished, a dazed but happy look on his face at the memory.

"Maybe that's why they wear them," Jamie says with a shrug. "Because they know that." It's never stopped him from admiring. Granted, it's usually from a nice, safe distance, but he's undaunted otherwise.

He opens the box and carefully starts removing the items from inside, placing them on the shelf as Billy talks. "Did she say why it was perfect?" he asks, curiously. It doesn't sound as though it's something that was her own place back home, but there must be something familiar. And it's possible Billy already mentioned why, but Jamie doesn't remember right now.

That one piece doesn't look quite right where he placed it, so he moves it over slightly. There, that's better. He glances up as Billy finishes. Certainly no doubt that Billy's smitten there. "It sounds as though ye had a grand time yourself," Jamie comments. "Although I'm still not sure about this date part of it. Were ye actively courting her at the time?"

Billy looked down, slightly embarrassed by the trail of his thoughts (Ronnie flying? Yes please.) but he wouldn't voice them.

Everything on his end was sorted quickly enough. Maybe a little too quickly, in an attempt to distract from his racing thoughts, but it was done. "It was reminiscent of home, and she likes to have extra space. Not to mention the comfortable beds."

Which he would be getting further acquainted with, lucky man that he was.

"I wasn't---like I said, I thought we were going to remain friends. But her flirting became more and more apparent as our interactions went on, and by the time she fell asleep on my shoulder I think it had become a date in both our minds."

Jamie is no stranger to having to sleep in slightly unusual positions - including on other people's shoulders - but he can't really recall the last time someone fell asleep on his shoulder. Well, except Kaylee, awhile back. And that wasn't a date. That was...a missed opportunity, maybe.

Long, long past, whatever it was. Setting the last small item on the shelf, he looks at the empty box. "So, it wasn't a date to start with, then it became one. Aye, I guess that makes sense. As much as any of it does. Where do ye want the boxes?"

"In that empty space away from the main walkway," Billy pointed, moving over to relocate some of them himself. He took as many as his arms could reasonably carry.

"It didn't make much sense to me either, at first. Over time, it became more and more obvious that she was attracted to me. I wanted to ignore it and remain friends, but her persistent habit of grabbing my attention dashed those hopes. Shortly after that, my interest became so obvious that Katara started pushing us together."

He dropped one of the boxes, shaking off those last few thoughts. "But I've said enough about that. It will all work itself out, as certain friends of mine are fond of saying. How was your room when you found it?"

The obvious attempt at a topic change is a wild shot in the dark.

"Orange," is Jamie's very prompt reply. And, judging by that look on his face, not only a completely serious one, but one he's not entirely sure he's used to the idea of just yet.

At least he seems willing enough to change the subject. "It was almost as if I'd never left, other than that. Well, except that it was a wee bit neater than I remember it being."

He hadn't really planned on leaving when he did, so he hadn't bothered to pick things up the last time he was in there.

"I'll have to have ye come by and take a look. There's a few things that I think ye might find interesting."

Billy blinked. "I did notice a fair amount of orange in the TARDIS, but I didn't think it would infest your room too." How...interesting. Billy had almost thought that it would turn red.

Had the Doctor put the fountain in without him? Billy had to figure out what was going on here. "What things, Jamie?"

"It's whatever the Doctor did to make it orange in the first place. I think it wound up changing all the walls everywhere." At least, that's Jamie's theory. Why that particular shade, though, he'll never know.

He blinks for a moment at the question, however. Billy wants to know what things? Well, it'd be more fun to show him, but Jamie supposes it can't hurt.

"Aye, well, there was that radio I got on Earth, for a start. The Doctor changed it a bit so I could have music even if we weren't there. And there's some things I picked up on a couple of the planets we visited I thought ye might want to see."

No mention of a fountain - which is a big enough thing that if Jamie was aware of it being there, it'd get a mention. Or a few complaints, at least.

"There's a few pictures too, if ye like that sort of thing."

An eager smile appeared on Billy's face. Yes, all of those things sounded more than fascinating enough for him to study. "Wow, I wonder how many other signals it was able to pick up. I've thought about constructing a radio receiver here, but the nature of the ship and the Bleed would most likely prevent us from picking anything up."

It was sad, and he really wished he could, but that was life. "I'll definitely have to see those---and perhaps get a camera of my own. I was never big on taking pictures, but I'd like to have recorded memories of some of the things we do here."

Cranston For Hire [Open!]

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