tushanshu | 14 ❄ ( VIDEO )

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14 ❄ ( VIDEO )

[ Guess whose internal almanac confirmed that today is officially the first day of Autumn? That's right, this guy! Who's currently bouncing around his treehouse like an over-caffeinated grasshopper while Baby Tooth peeks in the corner of the console screen with an expression like welp that's Jack for you. Whether viewers can perceive them, especially the newer arrivals, will remain to be seen. ]

WHOOOHOOO! Goodbye Summer, goodbye! Have a good vacation! Don't hurry back!

[ And then with a final whoop of joy, the feed turns off! Yeah, that's all he wanted to share. ]

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[Smirk. Cute.]

That's what happens when you wear the same thing every day, all the time.

Probably! Though cotton's a lot easier to sew than some of my other coats, easier to fly around in too.

I'm pretty sure most of my things are made out of either cotton or one of those poly-cotton blend fabrics.

Then again, I'm not exactly an expert. I just know how to properly wash them.

[She finishes the last of her mug, and proceeds to "forget" her earlier threat to leave by holding it out.]

I don't suppose there's any more where that came from?

[ Jack looks over at her with a knowing smile and nods, tucking one leg underneath him comfortably. ]

There's still half a pot on the stove, you can have the rest if you want. As soon as I'm done we'll get to the snacks.

[Hush, you. It's a really good recipe, and that is clearly the only reason why she's sticking around.]

[Sticking her tongue out at him for that look, she grins as she hops down from her seat, crossing the room to the stove, and pouring herself another cup. By her estimate, there was maybe enough for three more left in the pot, simmering to stay hot.]

What kind of snacks are we talking here?

[ Who said spirits can't learn to cook! He ties off one piece of thread, having gone the length of the seam and start unravelling more so he can restring the needle. ]

Mm, it's kind of like a cross between fudge and toffee. It's made like toffee, but then it gets all puffy and soft instead of brittle. There's a store not that far from the new shop... I was watching them make it and they gave me a piece to try. I liked it so I bought a bunch.

[Her mouth watered just thinking about it.]

That sounds delicious.

What new shop, by the way?

Finnick's shop, I moved it remember?

[ He smiled and this time it was only a touch nostalgic. He wished his friend was here to see that he'd kept the shop open after he'd gone back home. But it was doing well so far in the first few weeks it'd been open and that was a source of pride for the spirit. ]

[It took her a moment, because while she remembered him making that announcement, the shop was one of the few aspects of his after-life she wasn't completely in the know about.]

Maybe?

Why don't you refresh my memory.

Mm, well...

[ He paused in his sewing for a moment, deciding where to start. ]

After Finnick and I became friends and, well, after he was able to see me properly, he mentioned that he wanted to open a fishing business because that's what he was most familiar with at home. And I wanted to help him because...

[ Because he was damaged and I thought it would help him, was where he'd been going. Even though he trusted Zatanna implicitly though, some things were not his purview to share. ]

He... needed something to focus on. So I lent him the money I'd made from doing deliveries so he could get everything started. He insisted it was half mine because of that, but he ran it and did everything and as long as he was happy with it, I didn't mind if it was all his. Traci and Korra started working for him too.

But then he went home and I didn't want it to close, or for the others to lose their job. So I said I would keep it open.

[Consider how much she knew about Jack that she'd never told anyone else, it was a safe bet to assume Zatanna understood about keeping other's secrets. She didn't pry. Not even a curious eyebrow raise.]

[The part about Traci and Korra working with him was...surprising, to say the least. Most because neither girl had even mentioned it before, but partially because of Korra's...well...Korra-ness. She was almost tempted to ask if Korra was still working there after everything that had happened. But then that would bring up the fact that she and Korra were still fighting. And had nearly come to blows at Bianca and Jaime's party.]

[...though the less than subtle look on her face at the mentioning of the Avatar might've given at least some of that away.]

That was pretty cool of you to do, Jack.

You like getting to run your own business?

[ Jack did indeed notice the expression Zatanna was wearing, the calm one on his simultaneously inviting her to speak what was on her mind if she wanted but also not pressing because, there was little else to say on it from his side of things. ]

I don't know, it's a little strange. I guess I'm not used to having anyone relying on me. With the deliveries, I was the only one who was affected if they didn't get done. If the store doesn't do well...

...you're worried about the others.

[How very...Jack.]

[Zee wasn't sure if she was flattered or exasperated by the fact that Jack picked up on her nonverbal cues so easily. The former was mostly directed at herself, though, for being so obvious.]

It's...kind of a long story. Ish. Fortunately, you already know a good part of it.

Of course. Even though the kedan aren't openly hostile to us right now, they didn't give us much warning last time.

[ a slow blink in her direction ]

Shouldn't take me long to get caught up then.

[Lips pressing together in deep thought, she glanced away.]

I...um...well, we were talking at that movie night I hosted. Mostly about needing a night off for fun times and...you know...not thinking about things that happened in those two Realms. [She didn't need to specify. Jack knew all too well what she meant.] I made a comment about things being complicated, between you and Robin and Dick and everything else.

Korra didn't take it well.

[ He definitely knew what she meant. ]

She doesn't take most things very well.

[ It wasn't an accusation, just a statement of fact. ]

But then, you didn't take it the greatest at the time either.

[ Though, he suspected, the way Zatanna had recused herself from his Dream had probably been with infinite more grace than what he thought Korra might have been likely to do. Baby Tooth seems to be half-watching the two of them while Jack continued to sew, as though needing something to occupy his hands for the duration of this conversation. ]

[Yeah, hearing about the similarities between herself and the Avatar was not something she really wanted at that particular moment. Particularly since what Jack said was true.]

...in my defense, I didn't start yelling at you and blaming you for things that weren't your fault.

I didn't say you did.

[ The counter is easy, tame and accompanied by a look that invited her to continue. ]

No, but she did.

She basically blamed me for everything...or, at least, that's what it felt like. Either because I didn't tell her, or because she hated the thought of you liking someone who wasn't her or...honestly, I don't even know. I told her it shouldn't matter, since she has a boyfriend of her own and I have Dick...but it's like she didn't even care.

[ Jack blew out a slightly frustrated breath, misting the air in front of him. ]

I don't know why, when she's the one who told me-- I just didn't want to... make things worse for people. That's why I told Mako that her kissing me had been my fault.

['Told you what, exactly?']

[The question was on the tip of her tongue, when Jack's next statement caused her to visibly frown.]

You did what?

['Ugh']

Jack, you should't've done that. It wasn't your fault. At all. I'm all for getting your friend's back, but she's basically being a brat and you're letting her get away with it.

[ Jack looked up and fixed Zatanna with an even look. ]

Maybe, but that was my choice to make. They were fighting because of this mess and now they're not, so it's fine. I don't need permission to do what I think was the right call.

[Having no desire to fight with him over this--she'd had enough fighting already--she keeps her look and voice equally even.]

I never said you did.

But I also don't need permission to have an opinion on it. And my opinion is that you've had too many people get mad at you for no reason to risk adding another to the list when Korra should be the one dealing with her own mistakes.

[She wasn't worried, per say, but she still didn't think it was right.]

[ simply: ] She has something to lose... I don't. That makes it pretty clear to me.

[She tried to maintain the even look a little longer...but, despite herself, a faint smile appeared.]

Has anyone ever told you you're too nice for your own good?

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