20:00- Gubernatio
Series: Hunter's Path
Pairing: James/Claudia
Word Count: 1,277
24hour_themes prompt: Leadership, command, and guidance
Chapters: Master List
Infitialis | Latere | Abeo | Obsidis | Videlicet | Praesidium | Transitus | Mutatio | Umbra | Terminare | Constantia | Autus | Salvus | Gubernatio | Spero | Animus | Consensio | Discrimen | Consilium | Veritas | Phoebus | Fortuna | Sensus | Victoria It was a relief to be back. The two of them alone -- or rather, mostly alone -- in a hotel room for two weeks had been... Well if it hadn't been for her injuries, they could have been a lot of fun. Of course, that would also have precluded Claudia's worry about what was happening back at the Camp easing, as well as a lack of the nightly need to renew the wards at the door, but while he was optimistic on her eventually unwinding again after this, he wasn't expecting it anytime soon.
She'd hit the books almost immediately after they'd gotten home, though to be fair, so had he. They hadn't even had to say a word or communicate what they were after: they had both known they needed to find a way to kill a golem. Hebrew lore was a little lean on the matter, though; he hadn't seen any symbols written on the guy's forehead to erase one, after all, but looking for beauty marks hadn't exactly been his top priority. Personally, he'd like to empty a clip into the bastard and see how well the human part of him dealt with that sort of injury, but not yet. Not until he knew if they also needed to worry about keeping her safe from the other two, the ones they'd both blindly assumed were her friends. He wasn't going to let either of them rush into what could be a fight against three or just one.
"James?" He looked up at the sound of his name. "Claudia?" She didn't. "It's good to see you back." And Sara did look genuinely glad to see them. It didn't surprise him a bit, and if she didn't seem bound and determined to find a way to stop her former teammates, it might do Claudia some good to see this. In fact, she could really probably use hearing something like that. "We were worried about you."
"You look like a slice of raw hell, boss," John opinioned behind her. First chance he got, he was going to hit John. Or maybe shoot him. That sounded good too. Only... Claudia was looking up... and grinning?
"I feel like it too, John, thanks. Is Romeo around anywhere?"
The older man shrugged. "He's wherever Miss Gypsy is." And that was certainly no surprise. He couldn't even pretend that into being a surprise. "Want me to go grab him?"
"Yeah. He might want to hear this."
She was up to something, that much he could immediately tell. Maybe John could too. He certainly split out of there quick enough. The suspicious look in Sara's eyes as good as said she thought something was going on as well. Still, she stepped the rest of the way into the room and over to Claudia. "Claudia?" She paused till the other looked up to meet her eyes. "I am glad you're back."
No more than he was. It was tempting to see if she'd still give the speech he could see her mentally composing from his lap. No, screw temptation -- and screw hiding this from the other du Prebeaus. He pulled her from her chair to sit on his legs, wrapping both arms around her in a loose hug. She started, shooting him a confused glance then a nervous one in Sara's direction, who merely smiled and ensconced herself in one of the empty chairs.
"Jamey?" Her voice was so soft that he could barely detect the confusion in that single word, but there were definitely several questions tied up in his name.
He shook his head, making it as clear as he could without speaking that this was not really something he wanted to discuss. Faintly over his own breathing, he could hear two people's footsteps approaching the library on the marble floor of the front hall; John's cowboy boots always made a distinctive sound that made it easy to tell it was him. That gave him a few moments to spill whatever sap this was building in him. He leaned his head against her shoulder and whispered, "It's been forever since I've had you in my arms."
She'd probably deny it until the end of time, but he had a witness that she actually flushed. It was all he could do not to grin. "We've only been back a few hours though."
James couldn't help it: he smirked at the small trace of confusion in her voice. The footsteps were getting closer; it'd be best to finish this up now, no matter how much he enjoyed their play. "Yeah, well, for the last two weeks, you've let me get spoiled."
The door opened in time to cover some soft sound from Sara. For half a second, she looked like she was going to squirm back over into her own chair. When she didn't, when she remained still, he dropped a quick kiss on the back of her neck. He could feel her stiffen slightly when they walked in, like she was bracing for something, but she relaxed again when all they did was sit down as well, John on the arm of the chair his wife was occupying. Hell, the most reaction they got was a raised eyebrow from Romeo, not that he'd been expecting a lot of one. He had to give credit where credit was due: none of them, even Romeo, was stupid, and it wasn't as if they'd been subtle up till now.
"I'm glad to see you back, Claudia," the Italian man said. "There was a call for you just a few minutes ago."
Claudia's body went entirely rigid against his. He couldn't exactly blame her for it this time; he felt pretty tense himself just hearing that. "From who?" he asked.
At the same time, she voiced a question of her own: "About what?"
Romeo looked distinctly uncomfortable under both of their attentions, but he pressed on regardless. "That Sean guy was the one who called, on your cell." No surprise, since he'd sent it back here with Gypsy that first night they were in that first crappy motel. "He wants to meet with you tonight at eight, Claudia."
Oh, this was just words of not good. Were they looking to finish the job -- or were they wanting to make peace? At this point, it could go either way, and the not-positive way was... well, very bad for them. One of Claudia's hand covered his own, and only then did he realize he was gripping his arm where it was wrapped around her hard enough that four half-moons of blood rose from his skin when he pulled his fingernails out.
"We're going to meet them, James and me." Claudia's voice sounded authoritative, utterly in control. "I want you guys to--"
"Claudia," Romeo cut in, though Sara was also leaning forward like she was about to speak, "no offense, but you're not exactly in the best shape for a fight."
"Then we'd all better pray there isn't one. Romeo, I need you sticking to Gypsy like glue. No matter what happens, I want her here and safe. John, Sara, you're reserves. Something happens and we don't come back or call in, there's notes on Lupercans and witches in my room, top shelf of the bookcase; use them. This is the way it's going to go," she stated plainly,cutting off any more arguments. "Don't like it? Deal with it. James? You coming with me?"
He released his hold on her and followed her move to stand. "Damn right," he replied. "Someone has to keep your ass safe."
"Might as well be someone who enjoys it," Sara quipped.
Pairing: James/Claudia
Word Count: 1,277
24hour_themes prompt: Leadership, command, and guidance
Chapters: Master List
Infitialis | Latere | Abeo | Obsidis | Videlicet | Praesidium | Transitus | Mutatio | Umbra | Terminare | Constantia | Autus | Salvus | Gubernatio | Spero | Animus | Consensio | Discrimen | Consilium | Veritas | Phoebus | Fortuna | Sensus | Victoria It was a relief to be back. The two of them alone -- or rather, mostly alone -- in a hotel room for two weeks had been... Well if it hadn't been for her injuries, they could have been a lot of fun. Of course, that would also have precluded Claudia's worry about what was happening back at the Camp easing, as well as a lack of the nightly need to renew the wards at the door, but while he was optimistic on her eventually unwinding again after this, he wasn't expecting it anytime soon.
She'd hit the books almost immediately after they'd gotten home, though to be fair, so had he. They hadn't even had to say a word or communicate what they were after: they had both known they needed to find a way to kill a golem. Hebrew lore was a little lean on the matter, though; he hadn't seen any symbols written on the guy's forehead to erase one, after all, but looking for beauty marks hadn't exactly been his top priority. Personally, he'd like to empty a clip into the bastard and see how well the human part of him dealt with that sort of injury, but not yet. Not until he knew if they also needed to worry about keeping her safe from the other two, the ones they'd both blindly assumed were her friends. He wasn't going to let either of them rush into what could be a fight against three or just one.
"James?" He looked up at the sound of his name. "Claudia?" She didn't. "It's good to see you back." And Sara did look genuinely glad to see them. It didn't surprise him a bit, and if she didn't seem bound and determined to find a way to stop her former teammates, it might do Claudia some good to see this. In fact, she could really probably use hearing something like that. "We were worried about you."
"You look like a slice of raw hell, boss," John opinioned behind her. First chance he got, he was going to hit John. Or maybe shoot him. That sounded good too. Only... Claudia was looking up... and grinning?
"I feel like it too, John, thanks. Is Romeo around anywhere?"
The older man shrugged. "He's wherever Miss Gypsy is." And that was certainly no surprise. He couldn't even pretend that into being a surprise. "Want me to go grab him?"
"Yeah. He might want to hear this."
She was up to something, that much he could immediately tell. Maybe John could too. He certainly split out of there quick enough. The suspicious look in Sara's eyes as good as said she thought something was going on as well. Still, she stepped the rest of the way into the room and over to Claudia. "Claudia?" She paused till the other looked up to meet her eyes. "I am glad you're back."
No more than he was. It was tempting to see if she'd still give the speech he could see her mentally composing from his lap. No, screw temptation -- and screw hiding this from the other du Prebeaus. He pulled her from her chair to sit on his legs, wrapping both arms around her in a loose hug. She started, shooting him a confused glance then a nervous one in Sara's direction, who merely smiled and ensconced herself in one of the empty chairs.
"Jamey?" Her voice was so soft that he could barely detect the confusion in that single word, but there were definitely several questions tied up in his name.
He shook his head, making it as clear as he could without speaking that this was not really something he wanted to discuss. Faintly over his own breathing, he could hear two people's footsteps approaching the library on the marble floor of the front hall; John's cowboy boots always made a distinctive sound that made it easy to tell it was him. That gave him a few moments to spill whatever sap this was building in him. He leaned his head against her shoulder and whispered, "It's been forever since I've had you in my arms."
She'd probably deny it until the end of time, but he had a witness that she actually flushed. It was all he could do not to grin. "We've only been back a few hours though."
James couldn't help it: he smirked at the small trace of confusion in her voice. The footsteps were getting closer; it'd be best to finish this up now, no matter how much he enjoyed their play. "Yeah, well, for the last two weeks, you've let me get spoiled."
The door opened in time to cover some soft sound from Sara. For half a second, she looked like she was going to squirm back over into her own chair. When she didn't, when she remained still, he dropped a quick kiss on the back of her neck. He could feel her stiffen slightly when they walked in, like she was bracing for something, but she relaxed again when all they did was sit down as well, John on the arm of the chair his wife was occupying. Hell, the most reaction they got was a raised eyebrow from Romeo, not that he'd been expecting a lot of one. He had to give credit where credit was due: none of them, even Romeo, was stupid, and it wasn't as if they'd been subtle up till now.
"I'm glad to see you back, Claudia," the Italian man said. "There was a call for you just a few minutes ago."
Claudia's body went entirely rigid against his. He couldn't exactly blame her for it this time; he felt pretty tense himself just hearing that. "From who?" he asked.
At the same time, she voiced a question of her own: "About what?"
Romeo looked distinctly uncomfortable under both of their attentions, but he pressed on regardless. "That Sean guy was the one who called, on your cell." No surprise, since he'd sent it back here with Gypsy that first night they were in that first crappy motel. "He wants to meet with you tonight at eight, Claudia."
Oh, this was just words of not good. Were they looking to finish the job -- or were they wanting to make peace? At this point, it could go either way, and the not-positive way was... well, very bad for them. One of Claudia's hand covered his own, and only then did he realize he was gripping his arm where it was wrapped around her hard enough that four half-moons of blood rose from his skin when he pulled his fingernails out.
"We're going to meet them, James and me." Claudia's voice sounded authoritative, utterly in control. "I want you guys to--"
"Claudia," Romeo cut in, though Sara was also leaning forward like she was about to speak, "no offense, but you're not exactly in the best shape for a fight."
"Then we'd all better pray there isn't one. Romeo, I need you sticking to Gypsy like glue. No matter what happens, I want her here and safe. John, Sara, you're reserves. Something happens and we don't come back or call in, there's notes on Lupercans and witches in my room, top shelf of the bookcase; use them. This is the way it's going to go," she stated plainly,cutting off any more arguments. "Don't like it? Deal with it. James? You coming with me?"
He released his hold on her and followed her move to stand. "Damn right," he replied. "Someone has to keep your ass safe."
"Might as well be someone who enjoys it," Sara quipped.