(no subject)
“You’ll have to audition, of course,” Cole was saying, shuffling through a stack of papers on his desk as he motioned Jack into his room. He’d asked him to stop by sometime and was glad to see him - not that Cole wasn’t always glad to see Jack. There was something about him that never failed to make Cole feel young.
He handed Jack the score. “But,” he added, “I am the final word and I’m so very fond of you. I thought I’d put it off until, well, midsummer, and that’s coming right up.”
He pointed to one of the songs near the back of the pack and added, “Duet between Titania and Oberon. I’d like you and Maureen to try it out in my absence and give me your honest opinion. As the token heterosexual couple in the show and all, I thought I should get them right - hardest parts to sing, too.”
Jack smiled and looked over the music. He nodded at what Cole was saying even as he scanned the lyrics. He’d always liked Cole, even before he’d met him and gotten to know him as a man and not just a musical legend.
“We can do this,” he agreed. Then he looked up. “Absence? You’re not going to stick around and play the score?”
“Not today, my boy,” Cole said cheerfully, clapping him on the back. “You can pick out the melody well enough, at least. The music isn’t so important as the sentiment in this case. I want to know how it feels, just the two of you, without me looking over your shoulder. And without the inevitable audience that being near a piano would bring. If you think you can handle it, that is?”
“Absolutely,” Jack assured him, clapping him on the shoulder. “The song’s in good hands. Maureen and I will do just fine.”
He smiled, as warm and genuine as he could muster. Tackling a brand new Porter tune was daunting but he and Maureen really could handle it. They had chemistry.
***
“Acapella?” Maureen clarified with a lifted eyebrow after Jack handed her the score. They were in her hut, and Player was nearby tugging at the hem of her long skirt with his teeth. She’d been out by the beach earlier, the skirt thrown on over a bikini, and run across Jack on her way in. She should have known when he seemed so excited that it had something to do with music. “Well, I suppose he has his eccentricities.”
“He wants us to get the feeling of it,” Jack said. He was amused at the thought, mostly because he knew that he and Maureen could put feeling into anything. He ignored the way the dog was trying to undress Maureen and simply stepped close, wrapped his arm around her waist, and held up the music so they could both see it.
“Oh, you are such a tease,” Maureen sighed, but leaned back against him anyway, happy to let herself bask in the memory for a moment, of days before monogamy. She looked at the music and hummed a few bars. “Does that sound right?”
It sounded right to him so he nodded. “Yeah, I think that’s how it goes,” he agreed. He tried to pick out the harmony and sang the first line but didn’t like how it sounded. He scowled.
“I think I’d feel it more if it wasn’t a puzzle,” he chuckled. “Let’s skip the harmony for now.”
Maureen looked at the score, and shook her head. Then she looked at Jack. “Go get House’s guitar,” she said matter-of-factly. “If I have one, I can play it.” And he was the first person that popped into her head who was nearby and had one.
And, okay, it was a little funny.
Jack shot her a dark look and sighed. He wanted to say he could probably plunk it out on a piano, or there might be someone else with a guitar, but he knew she was right. Jack scowled but handed her the music.
“I don’t know why you hate me,” he quipped. “I’ll be right back. Don’t count on him saying yes.”
Maureen grinned at him, and then for good measure, slapped him lightly on the ass. “I’ll just study the score while you go try not to get punched.” She smiled sweetly at him.
Jack rolled his eyes and wandered off, leaving Maureen to fight with Player regarding her wardrobe. He had to steel himself against the idea of talking to House. By the time he got to the doctor’s place he was ready to man up and ask for the guitar.
It didn’t go as badly as it could have.
He returned to Bohemia with the guitar in hand, a bit of satisfaction in his heart that he’d gotten it- but he was nervous about having to take it back.
“Tell me how amazing I am,” he grinned.
Maureen laughed. “And that,” she said, “is why you went to get it and not me. You’re the one person he would actually think twice about asking for sexual favors for, even in jest. Or not in jest. Who the hell knows.”
She took the guitar from him and sat down on the couch. She wasn’t a great guitar player, but she could make do. And glancing at the score again. she was able to pick out the melody.
Jack hummed a bit, just getting the tune, then he nodded to her to pick up the first line. It was a sweet song and he could see why Cole wanted them to work on it together. The emotion behind it was good, but it really did need to be sung by a man and a woman.
“Ok, start over, and let’s see if we can get through it once,” he said.
Maureen liked it, too. It was a song about reconciliation, and she tried to imagine how the fairy queen would actually feel about taking him back. Particularly after all the trouble he caused in trying to win back her love.
They managed to get through it with only a few false starts, and she smiled brightly at him when they were done. “It’s good,” she said. “It’s really good.”
“I like it a lot,” Jack agreed. He’d only been in the position of kissing ass a few times but he did his best. If nothing else, he was a fantastic actor.
“Let’s do it a few more times and then we can track down Cole and see what he thinks.”
“We do have very good chemistry, don’t we.” Maureen said, tongue skating across her lips. “Think we’ll get to make out on stage?”
That earned her a dirty smirk.
“I don’t know,” he purred. “I haven’t seen the script. But by this song? I get the feeling I’ll be on my knees at your feet.”
“I don’t think it’s that kind of play, sugar,” Maureen said, sidling up a little closer to him. “Though maybe if I asked Mr. Porter very nicely. After all, we have such good chemistry. How many years has it been since we kissed?”
“I don’t know. Three?” he asked her, clearly trying to think. I had to have been before he’d settled down with Logan. He’d never worried about kissing her when he was with House. “I’m excited about this. He’s been working so hard on this play. Maybe we’ll get to...” Then he waggled his eyebrows, looking like he used to, full of innuendo and mirth.
Maureen felt like she didn’t see him look like that so often anymore... but then again, maybe neither did she. “Well you know me,” she said. “I’m a method actor.” Damnit, why did his mouth have to look so appealing?
She suddenly wrinkled her nose. “Damnit, Jack, you’re an awful tease.” She did sound genuinely frustrated, but not actually upset, more amused. Well. Amused and frustrated.
“I’m sorry. I’ll knock it off,” he said, half teasing and half genuinely contrite. It was hard, though, because Maureen was...Maureen was just hot. He loved Logan but he wasn’t blind and he hadn’t forgotten how she felt. Or sounded. Or tasted. He had to take a deep breath to clear his head.
“Let’s go through this one more time. Professional, right?” he said.
“Mmmhmm,” Maureen assured him. And then strummed a cord on the guitar and started singing again. When it was clear they were into it and didn’t necessarily need the music, she set it down so that she could move around a bit. And at the part of the sound where Oberon was seriously getting his pleading on, she put a hand on Jack’s shoulder and actually pushed him down to his knees.
It seemed totally natural and Jack dropped down, looking up at her. He never once faltered in the song. He shifted a little to get comfortable and then held her waist lightly, making up blocking as he went along.
Maureen too was going with what felt natural for the song, and after she finished belting off the high point, the part where Titania told him to go to hell before deciding she’d forgive him anyway, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him back up to standing, and close to her.
And then, when the song ended, her fingers still tangled in his shirt, she kissed him.
It was perfectly natural and it fit the song. Jack kissed her back, but it lacked the kind of intimate desire that could have been present. In fact, about the moment he felt something stir that had nothing to do with the music, Jack let her go and backed off so he could look at her.
“You have such talent,” he said, smiling warmly. “If I wasn’t married...”
Maureen just snorted in response to that, trying not to let it show how the kiss had affected her. It had been far too long since she’d kissed someone, but she wasn’t about to admit that.
“Yeah yeah,” she said with a wave of her hand. “I’m not even going to bother with my ‘if you ever decide you miss boobs’ speech because you’ve heard it all before. Come on.” She leaned over to grab the score again. “Let’s go tell Cole how very moved we were.”
Jack laughed again and nodded. He knew it probably wasn’t fair but he stepped up beside her and put his arm around her waist as they headed off to find Cole.
He handed Jack the score. “But,” he added, “I am the final word and I’m so very fond of you. I thought I’d put it off until, well, midsummer, and that’s coming right up.”
He pointed to one of the songs near the back of the pack and added, “Duet between Titania and Oberon. I’d like you and Maureen to try it out in my absence and give me your honest opinion. As the token heterosexual couple in the show and all, I thought I should get them right - hardest parts to sing, too.”
Jack smiled and looked over the music. He nodded at what Cole was saying even as he scanned the lyrics. He’d always liked Cole, even before he’d met him and gotten to know him as a man and not just a musical legend.
“We can do this,” he agreed. Then he looked up. “Absence? You’re not going to stick around and play the score?”
“Not today, my boy,” Cole said cheerfully, clapping him on the back. “You can pick out the melody well enough, at least. The music isn’t so important as the sentiment in this case. I want to know how it feels, just the two of you, without me looking over your shoulder. And without the inevitable audience that being near a piano would bring. If you think you can handle it, that is?”
“Absolutely,” Jack assured him, clapping him on the shoulder. “The song’s in good hands. Maureen and I will do just fine.”
He smiled, as warm and genuine as he could muster. Tackling a brand new Porter tune was daunting but he and Maureen really could handle it. They had chemistry.
***
“Acapella?” Maureen clarified with a lifted eyebrow after Jack handed her the score. They were in her hut, and Player was nearby tugging at the hem of her long skirt with his teeth. She’d been out by the beach earlier, the skirt thrown on over a bikini, and run across Jack on her way in. She should have known when he seemed so excited that it had something to do with music. “Well, I suppose he has his eccentricities.”
“He wants us to get the feeling of it,” Jack said. He was amused at the thought, mostly because he knew that he and Maureen could put feeling into anything. He ignored the way the dog was trying to undress Maureen and simply stepped close, wrapped his arm around her waist, and held up the music so they could both see it.
“Oh, you are such a tease,” Maureen sighed, but leaned back against him anyway, happy to let herself bask in the memory for a moment, of days before monogamy. She looked at the music and hummed a few bars. “Does that sound right?”
It sounded right to him so he nodded. “Yeah, I think that’s how it goes,” he agreed. He tried to pick out the harmony and sang the first line but didn’t like how it sounded. He scowled.
“I think I’d feel it more if it wasn’t a puzzle,” he chuckled. “Let’s skip the harmony for now.”
Maureen looked at the score, and shook her head. Then she looked at Jack. “Go get House’s guitar,” she said matter-of-factly. “If I have one, I can play it.” And he was the first person that popped into her head who was nearby and had one.
And, okay, it was a little funny.
Jack shot her a dark look and sighed. He wanted to say he could probably plunk it out on a piano, or there might be someone else with a guitar, but he knew she was right. Jack scowled but handed her the music.
“I don’t know why you hate me,” he quipped. “I’ll be right back. Don’t count on him saying yes.”
Maureen grinned at him, and then for good measure, slapped him lightly on the ass. “I’ll just study the score while you go try not to get punched.” She smiled sweetly at him.
Jack rolled his eyes and wandered off, leaving Maureen to fight with Player regarding her wardrobe. He had to steel himself against the idea of talking to House. By the time he got to the doctor’s place he was ready to man up and ask for the guitar.
It didn’t go as badly as it could have.
He returned to Bohemia with the guitar in hand, a bit of satisfaction in his heart that he’d gotten it- but he was nervous about having to take it back.
“Tell me how amazing I am,” he grinned.
Maureen laughed. “And that,” she said, “is why you went to get it and not me. You’re the one person he would actually think twice about asking for sexual favors for, even in jest. Or not in jest. Who the hell knows.”
She took the guitar from him and sat down on the couch. She wasn’t a great guitar player, but she could make do. And glancing at the score again. she was able to pick out the melody.
Jack hummed a bit, just getting the tune, then he nodded to her to pick up the first line. It was a sweet song and he could see why Cole wanted them to work on it together. The emotion behind it was good, but it really did need to be sung by a man and a woman.
“Ok, start over, and let’s see if we can get through it once,” he said.
Maureen liked it, too. It was a song about reconciliation, and she tried to imagine how the fairy queen would actually feel about taking him back. Particularly after all the trouble he caused in trying to win back her love.
They managed to get through it with only a few false starts, and she smiled brightly at him when they were done. “It’s good,” she said. “It’s really good.”
“I like it a lot,” Jack agreed. He’d only been in the position of kissing ass a few times but he did his best. If nothing else, he was a fantastic actor.
“Let’s do it a few more times and then we can track down Cole and see what he thinks.”
“We do have very good chemistry, don’t we.” Maureen said, tongue skating across her lips. “Think we’ll get to make out on stage?”
That earned her a dirty smirk.
“I don’t know,” he purred. “I haven’t seen the script. But by this song? I get the feeling I’ll be on my knees at your feet.”
“I don’t think it’s that kind of play, sugar,” Maureen said, sidling up a little closer to him. “Though maybe if I asked Mr. Porter very nicely. After all, we have such good chemistry. How many years has it been since we kissed?”
“I don’t know. Three?” he asked her, clearly trying to think. I had to have been before he’d settled down with Logan. He’d never worried about kissing her when he was with House. “I’m excited about this. He’s been working so hard on this play. Maybe we’ll get to...” Then he waggled his eyebrows, looking like he used to, full of innuendo and mirth.
Maureen felt like she didn’t see him look like that so often anymore... but then again, maybe neither did she. “Well you know me,” she said. “I’m a method actor.” Damnit, why did his mouth have to look so appealing?
She suddenly wrinkled her nose. “Damnit, Jack, you’re an awful tease.” She did sound genuinely frustrated, but not actually upset, more amused. Well. Amused and frustrated.
“I’m sorry. I’ll knock it off,” he said, half teasing and half genuinely contrite. It was hard, though, because Maureen was...Maureen was just hot. He loved Logan but he wasn’t blind and he hadn’t forgotten how she felt. Or sounded. Or tasted. He had to take a deep breath to clear his head.
“Let’s go through this one more time. Professional, right?” he said.
“Mmmhmm,” Maureen assured him. And then strummed a cord on the guitar and started singing again. When it was clear they were into it and didn’t necessarily need the music, she set it down so that she could move around a bit. And at the part of the sound where Oberon was seriously getting his pleading on, she put a hand on Jack’s shoulder and actually pushed him down to his knees.
It seemed totally natural and Jack dropped down, looking up at her. He never once faltered in the song. He shifted a little to get comfortable and then held her waist lightly, making up blocking as he went along.
Maureen too was going with what felt natural for the song, and after she finished belting off the high point, the part where Titania told him to go to hell before deciding she’d forgive him anyway, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him back up to standing, and close to her.
And then, when the song ended, her fingers still tangled in his shirt, she kissed him.
It was perfectly natural and it fit the song. Jack kissed her back, but it lacked the kind of intimate desire that could have been present. In fact, about the moment he felt something stir that had nothing to do with the music, Jack let her go and backed off so he could look at her.
“You have such talent,” he said, smiling warmly. “If I wasn’t married...”
Maureen just snorted in response to that, trying not to let it show how the kiss had affected her. It had been far too long since she’d kissed someone, but she wasn’t about to admit that.
“Yeah yeah,” she said with a wave of her hand. “I’m not even going to bother with my ‘if you ever decide you miss boobs’ speech because you’ve heard it all before. Come on.” She leaned over to grab the score again. “Let’s go tell Cole how very moved we were.”
Jack laughed again and nodded. He knew it probably wasn’t fair but he stepped up beside her and put his arm around her waist as they headed off to find Cole.