(no subject)
Things to know, a short list:
a. I am not watching The Newsroom.
b. I am definitely not writing fic or even not!fic about it.
c. the fic/not!fic would in no way be Jim/Neal.
d.
me: I think I might ship Jim/Neal
shakespearsgrl2: Neal the techie? And Jim the AP? I dig it.
me: Their back and forth on the facts was brilliant
Neal fostering a secret crush on Jim? I'd read it
shakespearsgrl2: He'd be all sure it was one-sided and unrequited and he'd got no chance. And Jim would be all not even thinking about it "Hey, nice work today" and Neal is all swoon Thanks. (except less girly, probably.)
me: With that smile that he doesn't give very often and Jim doesn't even realize it's his special Jim smile
shakespearsgrl2: Because Jim is too focused on OH GOD, DO NOT SCREW UP THIS FUCKING JOB, MAC, OKAY?
and secretly plotting the demise of a certain crotchety old news anchor.
And his former EP.
Especially his former EP.
me: Especially the former EP. How the fuck does someone become an EP for a news show and hate news?!
shakespearsgrl2: Um. An ungodly IQ combined with dangerous levels of ambition?
[cut a lengthy bit about Mac and Maggie that was awesome but lacked Neal rather entirely]
me: OMG JIM AND NEAL COMPLETELY HAVE TO BOND OVER COMICBOOKS AND NEAL LIKE, GETS ALL SERIOUS ABOUT READING COMICS SO HE CAN REC NEW ONES TO JIM AND JIM IS CLUELESS.
(WHY DO I LOVE THE IDEA OF CLUELESS JIM AND EVEN MORE CLUELESS MAC WHO HAS NO IDEA SHE'S TRYING TO MATCHMAKE HIM WITH THE WRONG PERSON)
shakespearsgrl2: OMG, GEEKY BOYS. YES. NEAL USES IT AS AN EXCUSE TO FINISH TRACKING DOWN ALL THE CIVIL WAR ISSUES.
(BECAUSE IT IS ADORABLE?)
me: (INDEED)
HE'S VERY APPREHENSIVE ABOUT HOW TO BRING UP NORTHSTAR'S MARRIAGE BECAUSE HE FEELS LIKE IT WOULD BE SO OBVIOUS BUT THEN JIM ACTUALLY BRINGS UP THAT ONE BECAUSE IT WAS HUGE NEWS IN THE WORLD OF COMICS
SO JIM AND NEAL WIND UP GOING FOR DRINKS AFTER THE SHOW AND NEAL DOESN'T THINK IT'S LIKE A DATE OR ANYTHING, BUT HE CAN'T HELP HOPING. AND THEN OVER RUM & COKE JIM STARTS GRIPING ABOUT MAC AND HOW SHE'S THE MOST BRILLIANT WOMAN HE'S EVER WORKED WITH, OR MAN PROBABLY, BUT INSANE, AND COMPLAINS ABOUT HOW SHE KEEPS TRYING TO PUSH HIM AND MAGGIE TOGETHER AND NEAL GETS QUIET BECAUSE HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO THAT AND ALSO BECAUSE YEAH, DEFINITELY NOT DATELIKE, THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT DATELIKE CONVERSATION.
AND IT'S GREAT THAT JIM TRUSTS HIM TO TALK ABOUT THINGS, BUT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW JIM FINALLY WINDS UP DATING NEAL. OBVIOUSLY MAC DOESN'T REALIZE SHE'S PUSHING HIM WITH THE WRONG PERSON UNTIL THEY'RE DATING, BUT HOW DO I MAKE THEM BE DATING?!
shakespearsgrl2: Will. Will says something about how it's nice to see they've finally stopped pretending and given into the attraction. Blunt and stupid. Neal is horrified/mortified. Jim is like, "Oh, so you--you like me? I like you, too. We still on for drinks?
me: YOU'RE RIGHT
WILL IS THAT GUY
He wouldn't say that he likes Neal too. He'd just blink and be like, "Oh, so you- you like me? Wow, yeah, that's cool. We still on for drinks?"
because Jim isn't a talk about his feelings guy
shakespearsgrl2: I KNOW I AM RIGHT. AND YOU ARE RIGHT, TOO, JIM WOULDN'T REMEMBER TO RECIPROCATE.
me: NEAL'S SMART ENOUGH TO FIGURE IT OUT. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE NIGHT ENDS IN MAKEOUTS.
shakespearsgrl2: JIM REALIZES HE NEVER SAID ANYTHING A FEW MONTHS IN. NEAL IS ALL, "I FIGURED IT OUT BECAUSE I AM THE BEST EVER, BUT YES, NEXT TIME, MAYBE SAY SOMETHING, OKAY?"
me: HE FIGURES IT OUT WHEN HE MEETS NEAL'S MOTHER.
IT DEFINITELY MAKES THE MEAL ALL THE MORE AWKWARD.
shakespearsgrl2: JIM! YOU'RE MEETING THE PARENTS AND YOU HAVEN'T MENTIONED HOW YOU LIKE NEAL BACK YET?
me: HE THOUGHT HE DID! HE GOT DISTRACTED!
(HE HAS A NEAL SMILE TOO BY THIS POINT, THE NEAL SMILE SAYS IT)
(also: Jim and Neal have lazy morning makeouts in bed.)
(I LIKE THE IDEA OF JIM AND NEAL TAKING IT SLOW AND JUST HAVING MAKEOUTS FOR WEEKS UNTIL THEY'RE DRIVING THEMSELVES CRAZY WITH WANTING TO LEAN IN, WANTING MORE AND PULLING BACK AT THE LAST SECOND)
(NEAL DOESN'T WANT TO SAY IT, BUT HE'S AFRAID THAT HAVING SEX WITH JIM WILL SOMEHOW RUIN EVERYTHING.)
shakespearsgrl2: (JIM WANTS TO GO FARTHER, BUT HE'S BEING RESPECTFUL BOYFRIEND GUY. HE WANTS TO BE THOUGHTFUL OF NEAL'S BOUNDARIES. NO PUSHING.)
me: (HANDS UNDER SHIRTS WOULD BE NICE, THAT'S ALL HE'S SAYING.)
(AND AS MUCH AS HE LIKES LATE NIGHT MAKEOUTS AND BRINGING NEAL ENERGY DRINKS OR TEA BECAUSE HE DOESN'T DO COFFEE, HE DOES WANT MORNING KISSES. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SEX, BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY ENOUGH ROOM IN HIS BED FOR NEAL AND HE WOULD LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN, THANKS.)
(EVEN THOUGH WILL FIGURED OUT THEY WERE DATING BEFORE THEY DID, NEAL IS VERY TIGHT-LIPPED ABOUT IT AT WORK. HE HATES WORKPLACE DRAMA AND GOSSIP AND JIM RESPECTS THAT TOO. HE IS CAMPAIGNING TO AT LEAST TELL MAC SO SHE QUITS WITH THE MAGGIE THING BUT THEY BOTH KNOW TELLING MAC MEANS TELLING EVERYONE.)
shakespearsgrl2: (MAC DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO KEEP SECRETS, IT'S TRUE. SHE WILL TRY HER HARDEST, BUT THEN THERE WILL BE WATERCOOLER GOSSIP AND THEN A CELEBRATORY PARTY, AND THEN SUDDENLY EVERYONE WILL THINK THEY'RE ENGAGED.)
me:(MAC'S A NEWS PRODUCER, SHE CAN'T HELP IT. SHE DOESN'T SEE WHY IT SHOULD BE SECRET ANYWAY, SHE THINKS IT'S SWEET.)
ANYWAY. JIM KNOWS THAT IF MAC KNEW, SHE'D TELL HIM THAT THE WAY TO GET WHAT HE WANTS IS GOING ALONG WITH THE MAGGIE THING BUT HE'S NOT AN ASSHOLE AND HE DOESN'T REALLY HAVE A CLUE WHAT'S PLAN B
HE LIKES NEAL, YES, OKAY, HE'S CRAZY ABOUT NEAL, WITH NEAL HE CAN JUST BE HIMSELF AND IT'S NOT TRYING TO BE THIS THING OR GUY HE'S NOT.
shakespearsgrl2: NEAL IS TOTALLY SWEET AND SO, OKAY, EVEN IF THEY WEREN'T DATING/RELATIONSHIPPING/WHATEVER, JIM WOULD STILL WANT TO BE HIS FRIEND, AND YOU DON'T BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS LIKE THAT. EXCEPT, IF THEY WERE FRIENDS IT WOULDN'T BE A BETRAYAL, OH GOD, HIS BRAIN HURTS. NEAL. HE LIKES NEAL. HE DOES NOT WANT TO MAKE NEAL NOT LIKE HIM ANYMORE.
me: SOMETIMES JIM FEELS LIKE HE IS WAY TOO NICE TO BE IN THE NEWS INDUSTRY.
THEN MAGGIE ASKS HIM OUT AND FUCK WHAT IS HE EVEN SUPPOSED TO SAY TO THAT FUCK
HE HATES MAC. HE HAS NEVER HATED ANYONE AS MUCH AS HE HATES MAC AND HER PUSHING AND PUSHING AND GETTING SWEET LITTLE MAGGIE CONFIDENT AND AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH TO ASK HIM OUT. GOOD FOR MAGGIE BUT 1 THAT IS NOT HIS TYPE AND 2 HE DOES NOT WANT TO CRUSH MAGGIE BY SAYING NO AND HE CAN'T SAY YES AND IF HE COULD SAY HE'S DATING NEAL IT WOULD BE SO MUCH EASIER.
shakespearsgrl2: HE HATES MAC SO MUCH. HE TELLS NEAL THIS WHEN THEY HAVE DINNER THAT EVENING.
me: NEAL GETS VERY QUIET AND STAYS THAT WAY FOR LIKE A DAY BUT THEN WHEN JIM BRINGS HIM A SANDWICH AROUND LUNCHTIME THE NEXT DAY NEAL KISSES HIM
MAC IS SO EMBARRASSED OVER THINGS WITH MAGGIE AND JIM AND NEAL. SHE CAN'T BELIEVE SHE DIDN'T FIGURE IT OUT.
shakespearsgrl2: WILL IS ALL, "OH, YOU DIDN'T KNOW?"
me: WILL IS THE SMUGGEST
~
What Jim doesn't understand is why Neal, blatantly smartest person in the newsroom Neal, is writing Will's blog. He blames Don; Don seems like the kind of guy who would try to keep down anyone he knows is smarter than him.
~
So Jim and Neal go for drinks as usual and Jim gets rum & coke as usual and everything is normal except now Jim knows. Only they're still bitching about work and rehashing the same old Marvel versus DC thing - yes, Neal will agree that Batman is awesome but come on, name any other DC hero worth reading about - and it could be any other night with him smiling across the table at Jim and Jim laughing back as he emphatically pronounces Neal too wrong for words. Neal's determinedly continuing to work his way through all the drink specials the bar has to offer, but tonight's chocolate martini isn't something he ever wants to drink again. It basically tastes like an alcoholic Yoo-hoo and Neal's never understood how there's a market for Yoo-hoo at all. Jim raises an eyebrow when Neal's still nursing his drink after well over half an hour and Neal makes a face, admitting, "It's just awful."
Jim tastes it and shrugs. "You don't have to finish it."
Instead of listening, Neal slams what's left of the drink and moves on to sipping at the glass of water he always requests. Jim looks amused, continuing with his second or third rum and coke and his lecture on how Batman is much cooler than Iron Man even if Warren Ellis is a decidedly better writer than Grant Morrison.
It's not late but it feels it when Jim gives the bartender the okay on closing out their tab.
They walk out into the surprisingly warm night air, Jim's hand warm on Neal's shoulder. Jim turns as Neal aims for the street corner to head in the direction of the train that gets him home, leans in and kisses him with the same confidence Neal sees when they're at work and Jim's pitching a seemingly minor news bulletin as the headline.
The kiss breaks but Neal's hand is on Jim's waist and he presses mouth to mouth again. This time tongues meet. Jim tastes like rum and coke, rum and coke will always taste like Jim. Neal isn't sure who's licking into whose mouth, just that he's wanted this. The hair brushing his forehead, the lips and teeth and taste of kissing. He's pretty sure the kiss isn't the hour long bliss it felt like before they break apart again. "I should get some sleep," he admits. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Jim does finger-guns at him, smiling in the streetlights. "And I'll see you."
He heads the other way and Neal can't help taking the first few steps backwards to keep looking at him until he hits a gap between the lights and Neal checks his phone, cursing softly because he'll have to run if he's going to make the next train but he can't make himself stop smiling even when he reaches the platform just as the train's leaving and he has to wait.
shakespearsgrl2: OH GOD, HOW SO ADORABLE. JIM. YOU BIG DORK. FINGER GUNS? REALLY? AND DC? *SIGH* AND NEAL! NEAL, STOP DRINKING THE ALCOHOLIC YOOHOO AND KISS JIM MORE.
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3
me: JIM IS THE BIGGEST DORK ALIVE
~
Neal likes documentaries. He's got a great sense of humor, too good to go for a lot of comedy out these days, and Jim knows Neal enjoys a good crime drama though not as much as he hates most reality television, but cold winter weekends spent on the couch involve a lot of documentaries. He's never watched this much PBS, not even when he was a kid and his mom wanted to make sure he watched at least some educational shows.
Jim makes sure there's a healthy dose of Mythbusters in their television-watching; it's clearly his duty.
Neal leans against him, eyes shut as the latest Ken Burns documentary runs into its third hour. Jim, using all his Batman stealth, reaches for the remote. Neal grumbles wordlessly because apparently even when he's asleep, he knows if Jim touches the remote. "You chose last Saturday," he points out, eyes still seemingly shut. "I hate light," he adds in a mumble. His forehead presses against Jim's shoulder for a moment then his eyes blink open.
"I could grab some excedrin," Jim offers.
Neal glares before pressing his forehead to Jim's shoulder again. "If you move, it'll get worse."
~
It's a side effect of the whole Middle East reportage thing, but Jim can't sleep in. He wishes he did, he misses sleep, but he can't manage more than three hours of continuous sleep and after that, like clockwork, he wakes every hour until his body decides it's done, usually when he's still tired just not too tired to think.
Honestly it's something he's not very comfortable talking about. He does not want to talk about it. He knows MacKenzie's just as bad; they all are. But he can't help feeling like if he was a little tougher, a little better at being a man, he'd be able to sleep. He can't help feeling that's what other people would think.
a. I am not watching The Newsroom.
b. I am definitely not writing fic or even not!fic about it.
c. the fic/not!fic would in no way be Jim/Neal.
d.
me: I think I might ship Jim/Neal
shakespearsgrl2: Neal the techie? And Jim the AP? I dig it.
me: Their back and forth on the facts was brilliant
Neal fostering a secret crush on Jim? I'd read it
shakespearsgrl2: He'd be all sure it was one-sided and unrequited and he'd got no chance. And Jim would be all not even thinking about it "Hey, nice work today" and Neal is all swoon Thanks. (except less girly, probably.)
me: With that smile that he doesn't give very often and Jim doesn't even realize it's his special Jim smile
shakespearsgrl2: Because Jim is too focused on OH GOD, DO NOT SCREW UP THIS FUCKING JOB, MAC, OKAY?
and secretly plotting the demise of a certain crotchety old news anchor.
And his former EP.
Especially his former EP.
me: Especially the former EP. How the fuck does someone become an EP for a news show and hate news?!
shakespearsgrl2: Um. An ungodly IQ combined with dangerous levels of ambition?
[cut a lengthy bit about Mac and Maggie that was awesome but lacked Neal rather entirely]
me: OMG JIM AND NEAL COMPLETELY HAVE TO BOND OVER COMICBOOKS AND NEAL LIKE, GETS ALL SERIOUS ABOUT READING COMICS SO HE CAN REC NEW ONES TO JIM AND JIM IS CLUELESS.
(WHY DO I LOVE THE IDEA OF CLUELESS JIM AND EVEN MORE CLUELESS MAC WHO HAS NO IDEA SHE'S TRYING TO MATCHMAKE HIM WITH THE WRONG PERSON)
shakespearsgrl2: OMG, GEEKY BOYS. YES. NEAL USES IT AS AN EXCUSE TO FINISH TRACKING DOWN ALL THE CIVIL WAR ISSUES.
(BECAUSE IT IS ADORABLE?)
me: (INDEED)
HE'S VERY APPREHENSIVE ABOUT HOW TO BRING UP NORTHSTAR'S MARRIAGE BECAUSE HE FEELS LIKE IT WOULD BE SO OBVIOUS BUT THEN JIM ACTUALLY BRINGS UP THAT ONE BECAUSE IT WAS HUGE NEWS IN THE WORLD OF COMICS
SO JIM AND NEAL WIND UP GOING FOR DRINKS AFTER THE SHOW AND NEAL DOESN'T THINK IT'S LIKE A DATE OR ANYTHING, BUT HE CAN'T HELP HOPING. AND THEN OVER RUM & COKE JIM STARTS GRIPING ABOUT MAC AND HOW SHE'S THE MOST BRILLIANT WOMAN HE'S EVER WORKED WITH, OR MAN PROBABLY, BUT INSANE, AND COMPLAINS ABOUT HOW SHE KEEPS TRYING TO PUSH HIM AND MAGGIE TOGETHER AND NEAL GETS QUIET BECAUSE HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO THAT AND ALSO BECAUSE YEAH, DEFINITELY NOT DATELIKE, THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT DATELIKE CONVERSATION.
AND IT'S GREAT THAT JIM TRUSTS HIM TO TALK ABOUT THINGS, BUT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW JIM FINALLY WINDS UP DATING NEAL. OBVIOUSLY MAC DOESN'T REALIZE SHE'S PUSHING HIM WITH THE WRONG PERSON UNTIL THEY'RE DATING, BUT HOW DO I MAKE THEM BE DATING?!
shakespearsgrl2: Will. Will says something about how it's nice to see they've finally stopped pretending and given into the attraction. Blunt and stupid. Neal is horrified/mortified. Jim is like, "Oh, so you--you like me? I like you, too. We still on for drinks?
me: YOU'RE RIGHT
WILL IS THAT GUY
He wouldn't say that he likes Neal too. He'd just blink and be like, "Oh, so you- you like me? Wow, yeah, that's cool. We still on for drinks?"
because Jim isn't a talk about his feelings guy
shakespearsgrl2: I KNOW I AM RIGHT. AND YOU ARE RIGHT, TOO, JIM WOULDN'T REMEMBER TO RECIPROCATE.
me: NEAL'S SMART ENOUGH TO FIGURE IT OUT. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE NIGHT ENDS IN MAKEOUTS.
shakespearsgrl2: JIM REALIZES HE NEVER SAID ANYTHING A FEW MONTHS IN. NEAL IS ALL, "I FIGURED IT OUT BECAUSE I AM THE BEST EVER, BUT YES, NEXT TIME, MAYBE SAY SOMETHING, OKAY?"
me: HE FIGURES IT OUT WHEN HE MEETS NEAL'S MOTHER.
IT DEFINITELY MAKES THE MEAL ALL THE MORE AWKWARD.
shakespearsgrl2: JIM! YOU'RE MEETING THE PARENTS AND YOU HAVEN'T MENTIONED HOW YOU LIKE NEAL BACK YET?
me: HE THOUGHT HE DID! HE GOT DISTRACTED!
(HE HAS A NEAL SMILE TOO BY THIS POINT, THE NEAL SMILE SAYS IT)
(also: Jim and Neal have lazy morning makeouts in bed.)
(I LIKE THE IDEA OF JIM AND NEAL TAKING IT SLOW AND JUST HAVING MAKEOUTS FOR WEEKS UNTIL THEY'RE DRIVING THEMSELVES CRAZY WITH WANTING TO LEAN IN, WANTING MORE AND PULLING BACK AT THE LAST SECOND)
(NEAL DOESN'T WANT TO SAY IT, BUT HE'S AFRAID THAT HAVING SEX WITH JIM WILL SOMEHOW RUIN EVERYTHING.)
shakespearsgrl2: (JIM WANTS TO GO FARTHER, BUT HE'S BEING RESPECTFUL BOYFRIEND GUY. HE WANTS TO BE THOUGHTFUL OF NEAL'S BOUNDARIES. NO PUSHING.)
me: (HANDS UNDER SHIRTS WOULD BE NICE, THAT'S ALL HE'S SAYING.)
(AND AS MUCH AS HE LIKES LATE NIGHT MAKEOUTS AND BRINGING NEAL ENERGY DRINKS OR TEA BECAUSE HE DOESN'T DO COFFEE, HE DOES WANT MORNING KISSES. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SEX, BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY ENOUGH ROOM IN HIS BED FOR NEAL AND HE WOULD LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN, THANKS.)
(EVEN THOUGH WILL FIGURED OUT THEY WERE DATING BEFORE THEY DID, NEAL IS VERY TIGHT-LIPPED ABOUT IT AT WORK. HE HATES WORKPLACE DRAMA AND GOSSIP AND JIM RESPECTS THAT TOO. HE IS CAMPAIGNING TO AT LEAST TELL MAC SO SHE QUITS WITH THE MAGGIE THING BUT THEY BOTH KNOW TELLING MAC MEANS TELLING EVERYONE.)
shakespearsgrl2: (MAC DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO KEEP SECRETS, IT'S TRUE. SHE WILL TRY HER HARDEST, BUT THEN THERE WILL BE WATERCOOLER GOSSIP AND THEN A CELEBRATORY PARTY, AND THEN SUDDENLY EVERYONE WILL THINK THEY'RE ENGAGED.)
me:(MAC'S A NEWS PRODUCER, SHE CAN'T HELP IT. SHE DOESN'T SEE WHY IT SHOULD BE SECRET ANYWAY, SHE THINKS IT'S SWEET.)
ANYWAY. JIM KNOWS THAT IF MAC KNEW, SHE'D TELL HIM THAT THE WAY TO GET WHAT HE WANTS IS GOING ALONG WITH THE MAGGIE THING BUT HE'S NOT AN ASSHOLE AND HE DOESN'T REALLY HAVE A CLUE WHAT'S PLAN B
HE LIKES NEAL, YES, OKAY, HE'S CRAZY ABOUT NEAL, WITH NEAL HE CAN JUST BE HIMSELF AND IT'S NOT TRYING TO BE THIS THING OR GUY HE'S NOT.
shakespearsgrl2: NEAL IS TOTALLY SWEET AND SO, OKAY, EVEN IF THEY WEREN'T DATING/RELATIONSHIPPING/WHATEVER, JIM WOULD STILL WANT TO BE HIS FRIEND, AND YOU DON'T BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS LIKE THAT. EXCEPT, IF THEY WERE FRIENDS IT WOULDN'T BE A BETRAYAL, OH GOD, HIS BRAIN HURTS. NEAL. HE LIKES NEAL. HE DOES NOT WANT TO MAKE NEAL NOT LIKE HIM ANYMORE.
me: SOMETIMES JIM FEELS LIKE HE IS WAY TOO NICE TO BE IN THE NEWS INDUSTRY.
THEN MAGGIE ASKS HIM OUT AND FUCK WHAT IS HE EVEN SUPPOSED TO SAY TO THAT FUCK
HE HATES MAC. HE HAS NEVER HATED ANYONE AS MUCH AS HE HATES MAC AND HER PUSHING AND PUSHING AND GETTING SWEET LITTLE MAGGIE CONFIDENT AND AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH TO ASK HIM OUT. GOOD FOR MAGGIE BUT 1 THAT IS NOT HIS TYPE AND 2 HE DOES NOT WANT TO CRUSH MAGGIE BY SAYING NO AND HE CAN'T SAY YES AND IF HE COULD SAY HE'S DATING NEAL IT WOULD BE SO MUCH EASIER.
shakespearsgrl2: HE HATES MAC SO MUCH. HE TELLS NEAL THIS WHEN THEY HAVE DINNER THAT EVENING.
me: NEAL GETS VERY QUIET AND STAYS THAT WAY FOR LIKE A DAY BUT THEN WHEN JIM BRINGS HIM A SANDWICH AROUND LUNCHTIME THE NEXT DAY NEAL KISSES HIM
MAC IS SO EMBARRASSED OVER THINGS WITH MAGGIE AND JIM AND NEAL. SHE CAN'T BELIEVE SHE DIDN'T FIGURE IT OUT.
shakespearsgrl2: WILL IS ALL, "OH, YOU DIDN'T KNOW?"
me: WILL IS THE SMUGGEST
~
What Jim doesn't understand is why Neal, blatantly smartest person in the newsroom Neal, is writing Will's blog. He blames Don; Don seems like the kind of guy who would try to keep down anyone he knows is smarter than him.
~
So Jim and Neal go for drinks as usual and Jim gets rum & coke as usual and everything is normal except now Jim knows. Only they're still bitching about work and rehashing the same old Marvel versus DC thing - yes, Neal will agree that Batman is awesome but come on, name any other DC hero worth reading about - and it could be any other night with him smiling across the table at Jim and Jim laughing back as he emphatically pronounces Neal too wrong for words. Neal's determinedly continuing to work his way through all the drink specials the bar has to offer, but tonight's chocolate martini isn't something he ever wants to drink again. It basically tastes like an alcoholic Yoo-hoo and Neal's never understood how there's a market for Yoo-hoo at all. Jim raises an eyebrow when Neal's still nursing his drink after well over half an hour and Neal makes a face, admitting, "It's just awful."
Jim tastes it and shrugs. "You don't have to finish it."
Instead of listening, Neal slams what's left of the drink and moves on to sipping at the glass of water he always requests. Jim looks amused, continuing with his second or third rum and coke and his lecture on how Batman is much cooler than Iron Man even if Warren Ellis is a decidedly better writer than Grant Morrison.
It's not late but it feels it when Jim gives the bartender the okay on closing out their tab.
They walk out into the surprisingly warm night air, Jim's hand warm on Neal's shoulder. Jim turns as Neal aims for the street corner to head in the direction of the train that gets him home, leans in and kisses him with the same confidence Neal sees when they're at work and Jim's pitching a seemingly minor news bulletin as the headline.
The kiss breaks but Neal's hand is on Jim's waist and he presses mouth to mouth again. This time tongues meet. Jim tastes like rum and coke, rum and coke will always taste like Jim. Neal isn't sure who's licking into whose mouth, just that he's wanted this. The hair brushing his forehead, the lips and teeth and taste of kissing. He's pretty sure the kiss isn't the hour long bliss it felt like before they break apart again. "I should get some sleep," he admits. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Jim does finger-guns at him, smiling in the streetlights. "And I'll see you."
He heads the other way and Neal can't help taking the first few steps backwards to keep looking at him until he hits a gap between the lights and Neal checks his phone, cursing softly because he'll have to run if he's going to make the next train but he can't make himself stop smiling even when he reaches the platform just as the train's leaving and he has to wait.
shakespearsgrl2: OH GOD, HOW SO ADORABLE. JIM. YOU BIG DORK. FINGER GUNS? REALLY? AND DC? *SIGH* AND NEAL! NEAL, STOP DRINKING THE ALCOHOLIC YOOHOO AND KISS JIM MORE.
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3
me: JIM IS THE BIGGEST DORK ALIVE
~
Neal likes documentaries. He's got a great sense of humor, too good to go for a lot of comedy out these days, and Jim knows Neal enjoys a good crime drama though not as much as he hates most reality television, but cold winter weekends spent on the couch involve a lot of documentaries. He's never watched this much PBS, not even when he was a kid and his mom wanted to make sure he watched at least some educational shows.
Jim makes sure there's a healthy dose of Mythbusters in their television-watching; it's clearly his duty.
Neal leans against him, eyes shut as the latest Ken Burns documentary runs into its third hour. Jim, using all his Batman stealth, reaches for the remote. Neal grumbles wordlessly because apparently even when he's asleep, he knows if Jim touches the remote. "You chose last Saturday," he points out, eyes still seemingly shut. "I hate light," he adds in a mumble. His forehead presses against Jim's shoulder for a moment then his eyes blink open.
"I could grab some excedrin," Jim offers.
Neal glares before pressing his forehead to Jim's shoulder again. "If you move, it'll get worse."
~
It's a side effect of the whole Middle East reportage thing, but Jim can't sleep in. He wishes he did, he misses sleep, but he can't manage more than three hours of continuous sleep and after that, like clockwork, he wakes every hour until his body decides it's done, usually when he's still tired just not too tired to think.
Honestly it's something he's not very comfortable talking about. He does not want to talk about it. He knows MacKenzie's just as bad; they all are. But he can't help feeling like if he was a little tougher, a little better at being a man, he'd be able to sleep. He can't help feeling that's what other people would think.