Toronto, Not Brazil Nor Space, Tuesday

[whenshewasnice]

This felt surreal. After the... several months Natalie had just had, taking a day or two to actually be away from Brazil and the Hegemony and Peter was just surreal. Knowing she was going to get to actually see Jim for the first time in over three months? Yeah, weird.

Since they were not very into the idea of meeting in either Ribeirao Preto or Iowa, Natalie had picked a place almost at random from the first selection of package deals Portalocity had happened to offer her. So now she was standing in the Drake Hotel lobby in Toronto, with her bag slung over her shoulder and check-in already dealt with, just waiting for Jim to arrive.

[ooc: NFB, for the boy!]

Comments

[pursuedthestars]

"I don't but someone does," Jim pointed out, snickering. "Unless you want the food to stay out there while we're in here. Then, every single person that passes by gets to enjoy the food except us."

[whenshewasnice]

"When you put it like that, it doesn't sound fun." Not when there was cake involved and everything. "I guess I can let you go for just a little while."

[pursuedthestars]

"I'll come right back," Jim promised. "And I'll have food with me that you can eat and drink. There's wine too. Not sure what kind of wine, I just asked for the best kind they had, but that's coming too."

[whenshewasnice]

"The best kind, hmm?"

She gave his cheek another kiss. And then one on the corner of his mouth. "Exciting."

[pursuedthestars]

"Apparently so," he mumbled, amused. "I'm putting my trust in their wine selection so hopefully they don't do me wrong. I'd hate to be all embarrassed when the wine gets here and it's terrible."

He wouldn't care that much, no.

[whenshewasnice]

"To the best of my knowledge, neither one of us is an expert on wine."

So she was doubting the level of embarrassment, yes.

[pursuedthestars]

"How do you know I'm not an expert?" Jim asked, giving her a look. "I've had a very busy three months."

Not at all.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie shook her head. "Sorry, I can tell you're not a wine expert by the lack of terrible wig."

Seriously, Bottle Shock hair department.

[pursuedthestars]

"What's a wig have to do with being an expert in wine?" he asked curiously. "That doesn't make sense."

It probably did to her but that didn't count.

[whenshewasnice]

"Yes it does." Only in the sense that she hadn't been able to make that kind of a joke in a while now, and was just savouring the opportunity. "It's possible the wig holds all the knowledge."

[pursuedthestars]

"What wig?" Jim asked, shaking his head. "What are you talking about?"

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie snorted. "Don't worry about it," she said. "You wouldn't get it even if I explained. Too meta, even for your high levels of intellect."

[pursuedthestars]

"I would never wear a wig anyway," Jim told her haughtily. "My hair's too gorgeous for that."

[whenshewasnice]

"True," she replied agreeably, reaching up to briefly run her fingers through his gorgeous hair. "The rest of you isn't shabby, either."

[pursuedthestars]

"Flatterer," Jim said, snickering. "I think you're just trying to get into my pants."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie rolled her eyes.

"Well I don't just want to get into your pants."

But... Yes, she probably wanted that too. Just among other things.

[pursuedthestars]

"You want to get into other things, hm?" Jim laughed and went to say something else when someone knocked on the door.

"Food's here," he chanted, trying to extricate himself from Natalie. "I won't be gone long."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie sighed, but drew her arm and leg off him, rolling onto her back.

He was free for the moment.

[pursuedthestars]

Jim rolled off the bed and went to open the door. Soon enough, he was bringing a cart back in the room and moving it closer to the bed.

"And snacks and wine and cake and other stuff is served," he said, closing the door again.

[whenshewasnice]

Okay, Natalie was actually going to push herself up to more of a sitting position for that. She didn't want to spill anything on herself.

"Give me a sandwich."

[pursuedthestars]

"Demanding," Jim said but he reached over for one of the sandwiches and passed it to her. Jim actually went for the wine first so he could uncork it and pour it into a few glasses for them.

[whenshewasnice]

"I have very recently regained my position in the eyes of the world as chief of staff to the Hegemon of Earth," Natalie told him as she took the sandwich. "I know my worth and what I deserve."

[pursuedthestars]

"Don't get cocky," Jim told her, shaking his head. "You're not my chief of staff so I can refuse you, if I want."

[whenshewasnice]

"I may not be your chief of staff, but I'm still the girl you're seeing," she retorted. "And you should try and keep me happy now that you have me."

[pursuedthestars]

"You're getting so demanding and bossy," Jim chided lightly, handing her some wine before he grabbed some chocolate and sat back. "Better be glad that I like that."