Home Truths

[Existentially Odd]

The smile that surfaced was almost relieved but the warmth glinting in his brown eyes showed his thoughts about Ichabod were genuinely good - too good to tell Jack about, of course, but he didn\'t feel he had to hide all of those positive feelings away.  It didn\'t even occur to him that Jack hadn\'t made a comment on Ben knowing everything now.

"He\'s good, actually.  He seems to have sorted his life out somewhat, adjusted to living without Mandy - though we didn\'t really talk about her - and is going away to college soon.  In fact, I don\'t think he\'ll be in the city too much longer but I did have a chance to catch up with him and let him know I wouldn\'t mind seeing him again before he left for good."

The fact that Ichabod was not all that keen to see Jack was obvious to Kerr and so there was no real interest in his news for his charge, he believed, other than saying that he would like to spend some time with the mortal.  Really, he didn\'t have too many from his life in the past three years that he could openly communicate with because all their dealings were past and they could just interact in the moment... in fact, he could only think of two but the less interaction he had with Lazarus, the better.

[Trillian]

Jack thought about Ichabod while he was being told about him.  The memories he had of the other were of a mixture of emotions, charged with a sexual element.  Ichabod, in many ways, reminded him of Hannah.  It would make sense for them to find a way to get together, the three of them.  Samuel would likely be able to make that happen.  He made a mental note to dabble interference in Ichabod\'s plans via his follower, if only to pursue his greater goals.

There was little left to say about Ichabod, and there was nothing he wanted to say about Ben, so he pursued the last tendril of conversation offered to him.

"I\'m glad he\'s got himself sorted," he said, though it didn\'t really matter how sorted Ichabod was.  He felt that Kerr needed some kind of comment on the youth.  He also suspected (correctly) that Kerr had drunk from him.

"What are your plans for me, then?" he prompted, wanting the conversation directed to the both of them.  With an easy smile and a few caresses of his hands upon Kerr\'s body - one on his side and the other upon his shoulder, as Jack lay - he attempted to steer them to the present.

[Existentially Odd]

"You?" Kerr drawled thoughtfully, reaching up to toy with the strands of hair over Jack\'s forehead as he looked him over carefully, smiling indulgently.  It seemed as if tiredness helped quell the misgivings he\'d had earlier about Jack, for he was certainly feeling more confident about him now.  Generous, even.

"I thought I might ask you if you would mind sleeping with me for what\'s left of this night and as much as you can stand of the day?  I still think it\'s too soon to push forward with anything other than sleep

until Ben rejects me officially and I know you\'re the one I\'m focussing on

but I\'m very keen to have you to cuddle," he told the mortal he\'d formerly squandered, his eyebrows lifted hopefully.  He believed Jack would jump at any chance to get close to him but didn\'t want to project that arrogance by acting without asking.  Once he had his affirmation, he would take Jack upstairs, strip them both and curl up around him in his bed.

This night would have a happy ending, he was determined.

[Trillian]

Jack satisfied Kerr\'s ego with a quick acceptance of the suggestion, nuzzling at Kerr\'s collarbone and neck through his grin.  It was easy for him, being with Kerr.  It was easy to be led upstairs, easy to undress while he was being undressed (despite the tightness of his clothes), easy to caress and touch Kerr while it all happened around him and easy to snuggle up to him when they lay beneath the covers.  Jack went to sleep with a smile, held in Kerr\'s arms and his heart soaring because of where he was.  Kerr might\'ve shared his past with Ben, but it was Jack he\'d gone to bed with.