(Untitled)

[trigger_man]

  Jack's been out of the bar for a little while, and when he returned a couple days ago, he found that Bar had replaced all the books in his room with romance novels and his ebook reader had mysteriously disappeared. He'd managed to hold out for a couple days, but in desperation for anything else to do, he's started reading the book bar had given

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[hallelujahpilot]

"...is reading romances some kind of Army thing no one talks about?" Trudy asks him, taking a seat nearby. Given her clothes - jeans, boots with a slight heel, red leather jacket - she's come from the bar, not Pandora.

[trigger_man]

"Yeah, we all sit around painting each other's toenails and reading them," Jack says with dry sarcasm.

[hallelujahpilot]

"I knew it!" She cackles.

[trigger_man]

Jack rolls his eyes. "Bar's gave this one to me a couple weeks ago. I refused to read it and left the bar for a while, and when I got back she'd replaced every book in my room with romance novels."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

It's a very weird day. Seeing Valentine's Day celebrated like this, for Ellen, is like someone from Jack's time seeing how George Washington celebrated Christmas (or something). She's a little surprised herself, frankly.

But she does recognize some things, at least, so she waves in Jack's direction and says, "Still got that book, huh?"

[trigger_man]

"Yeah," Jack says with a wry smile. "I didn't read it when I was in a couple weeks ago and when I got back, I found Bar had replaced every book in my room with romance novels."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Oh dear." Ellen winces. "I'm sorry to hear that. Having your books messed with isn't fair."

There's not nearly enough of them at home; having any of them taken away and replaced with something else just doesn't do.

"I hope you get them back soon."

[trigger_man]

"Same here. How're you? Have you been back out in your world lately?" Jack says, putting the book down.

[wheatencrown]

Demeter likes this holiday, so many people are making love and beams at Jack when she sees him.

Then peers at his book with a grin and shifts to suddenly be younger as the air fills with the scents of summer, "Feeling lonely, dear?"

[trigger_man]

Jack looks up at the voice, only then noticing the smell. He brushes it off as her perfume.

"Bar's idea of a joke," he says with a thin smile. It's something of a non-answer.

[wheatencrown]

"You don't seem to be enjoying it,"

She sits at a nearby stool and looks him over,

"Is it making you smile?"

[trigger_man]

"Depends if you're talking about laughing at or laughing with," Jack says, taking a sip of his drink.

After a moment he shrugs. "I'll admit, it's not horrible."

[fanofthegenre]

Beckett's not exactly eager to celebrate when Monday rolls around, aside from maybe treating herself to a box of chocolates and a bubble bath when she gets off work.

In the meantime, she's in the bar, a cup of coffee still steaming in front of her and a few casefiles she's writing some last-minute details in.

Glancing down the bar every now and then, she nearly does a double-take when she reads the cover of the book in Jack's hand.

"Bar's recommendation?"

[trigger_man]

"You could say that," Jack says with a grim smile. "Got back in the bar a couple days ago and every book in my room has been replaced with a romance novel."

[fanofthegenre]

"Oh, I really don't envy you, then," she replies, hiding a grin behind a quick sip of coffee.

"Is it any good, at least?"

[trigger_man]

"I've read worse," Jack says with a shrug. That's understating it a bit; it's not that bad, but there's no way he's going to admit it. "I--"

Just as he starts to speak, there's a sharp sting behind his ear, like someone's just hit him with a rubber band. The pain registers for a split second and Jack is almost about to turn and see what caused it when everything around him just...fades out.