Columbus Gardens - Chance and Quintin's Apartment
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| Quintin Bruning | Jenna Donovan | Chance Harper |
He's checked, double checked and triple checked at this point. The place is in pristine condition. It very well should be, given the amount of cleaning he's done to try and work off some of his unwanted energy. Chance is in his bedroom, or possibly out; Quin isn't quite sure exactly as he's not seen his roommate since disappearing into his own room to do his required daily journal like Momma Jenna required.
The duo actually keeps candles in their apartment. Sometimes a crisp, clean aroma is better than nothing, especially considering the teammates they both have. Quin has two lit on the coffee table, adding just a subtle hint of fresh linen. He thinks that's the smell. It doesn't smell that way to him. All he knows is that the candles are white.
Currently he's seated on the couch, his head leaning back against the back, eyes closed. His right knee bobs up and down quickly, almost as if he were imitating Thumper from Bambi. The timing on this could barely be worse, but he's going to show that he can push through it with no issues.
Today's the day for the lesson, and Jenna might agree — it couldn't come at a worse time. For her though, it's got to do more with confusion and emotions than an over abundance of energy.
Especially after that party.
She should've known better than to go to it, what with all the drinking, and drugs. It tends to make her empath-drunk, and she never actually has to take a sip of anything at all. It's the same with nightclubs, but at least there she can choose to focus on one or two people. At the party, she was focusing on her bestie until her bestie started making out with her brother, and then it got a little weird.
Stop thinking about it, Jenna. Not today.
The doorman lets her into the building, and she goes up to the apartment. Quietly, almost timidly she knocks on the door.
Something happened while he was at work. He is no empath, no psychic, but he knows that something has happened. His journal states as much. These things that he doesn't know? Quin will not pry. The worst thing anyone can do is attempt to pry into his life so he is sure to give everyone else the space that they request.
Her knocking may normally go unnoticed with the faintness to it but it is a good thing that he's a werewolf. The footballer opens his eyes and stares that the ceiling for a moment. He's not worried about spending time with his friend out of fear of screwing up any possibility of them dating. His concern is more primal, having everything to do with his 'condition'. I can do this.
With the pep talk out of the way he stands and opens the door so as not to keep his guest waiting. A soft smile is offered to Jenna as he steps aside to let her in. "Punctual. I like it."
"Quin! I was afraid you were out." He wouldn't be, she knows. Not when he promised her the lessons, and they discussed the time and location. He's not the type to be dishonest about something or to make a girl wait.
Jenna flashes him a bright smile, then holds out the apron she had draped over her arm. A cute little red and black number, that matches almost perfectly with the black jeans, and the red halter she's wearing today. "I was almost late. I had to stop and purchase an apron before I did anything else today."
He actually grins at this. "Did you really think I wouldn't be here?" When has he ever backed out or down from anything that he's promised her? Quin shakes his head but is in very good spirits about things. He's just happy to see her.
When he looks at the apron, though, mixed with her outfit his thoughts immediately turn entertaining. On the outside he's as composed as can be, but internally he's fighting against anything that might be improper. To him, just thinking she'll look really good feels improper. "That's a good look for you." He's trying hard to fight the strong urges that are hitting him. Timing. "Better than what I can offer. I think I have one that says 'Kiss the Cook' or something."
Yeah. He motions inward so that he may close the door, and hopefully turn his mind to something else. "I hope you found the place okay."
"Of course not." He's not backed down from anything he's promised her yet. They may not have known each other long, but Jenna's already gotten the impression that if he says something, he'll follow through with it. No matter how much he might not want to.
Getting a wave of emotion from him, she blinks. It's likely just that he's nervous about her being here, and it's not like she can read his mind to find out what it is that's bothering him. Smiling, she sets her purse beside the door and then ties the apron on. "Thanks! I saw the apron the other day, and then decided I had to have it for the cooking lesson."
Beat.
"No trouble at all. It's really almost just across Central Park from my place."
Once he's a friend he's a friend for life. That might mean having to paint her nails or he might have to fight for her. He'll do whatever it takes. These things he reminds himself as he tries to calm his hormones.
"You look really good." It isn't said in a creepy tone, but rather someone who is caught unaware by the fashion that she's decided upon. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised, right? I've never seen you looking anything less than your best." Of course talking about it isn't helping him any so he tries to change the subject.
With the door closed he actually slides her purse over slightly into an area almost designed for that. He's careful not to look as if he's going to actually dig into it. "Well, could I interest you in anything to drink? A snack?" Now that he's had his moment he's careful to address her only to her eyes, her face, and he's not even thinking about her clothing. It helps.
"Thanks." Smiling at him again, Jenna giggles a little. "You've never seen me in the morning when I wake up. I'm generally a total mess then." She's not really a morning person, so on days when she wakes up earlier she looks atrocious.
"I'm good right now. So what's the plan. Teaching me to use the kitchen, doing actual cooking, or have you decided to not brave that? I mean, I'll totally get it if you decide I might be too dangerous. We can order in and pretend I made it."
Ninety percent of the time she's tempted to do just that anyhow. It's much easier than trying to cook.
He's not sure how to really react to that comment. Laughing might not be considered nice. It does calm him and he warms somewhat. "I have days like that. At least once a month I'm almost afraid to wake up." There are reasons for this, of course, but he's not about to get into those just yet.
Quintin doesn't stop to think about what he's doing. He reaches for Jenna's hand in effort to guide her into the kitchen. It's a simple act, pure, and yet it could imply so much. Jenna might feel a softness, a fondness, an overall gentle emotion. Part of this is due to or aided by the charm he's wearing, but it is Quin. The werewolf also has an anxiety to him, hidden, but something he's clearly controlling. "Well, I've been told that you can't always do things the easy way." He's found this out the hard way as well. "So how about we make a meal for us? And only when it's finished, if it tastes horrible, then I'll order."
Something causes him to laugh. "Well, only if you won't eat it. I'm pretty sure I'd eat it anyway."
"So we're diving right in then?"
Jenna doesn't seem perturbed by the fact that he grabs her hand. She knows that it's simply to bring her to the kitchen, because chances are that she'd argue with him about it if he gave her any leeway. The emotions that roil off of him are contradictory, but she figures that he's nervous about her cooking here. Worried she might wreck his kitchen.
"If it's totally disgusting, I likely won't eat it. I'll order pizza or something."
"Well, that depends. Is that what you want to do, or is there something else you'd prefer?"
He isn't hitting on her, or at the very least isn't attempting to. It's an honest question. "Jenna, this is just time for us to have fun. Cooking can start, or it can wait." Yes, he's making her make a decision. Even if the decision is indecision, it's at least a decision.
There's something about the situation that makes him happy. It's content, really. Once in the kitchen he does let go of her hand. "I'm not about to bore you, or I'm going to try not to. But I don't want you to be so hard on yourself. People close to you may tease you about your kitchen skills, but they just do that out of love." Someone may have given him a head's up about the teasing that occurred the other day.
"I wish I were that picky. It would probably be better for me not to consider everything edible."
Jenna's realized in the last few days that she hates making decisions. She's not good at them, and it makes her a bit wishy-washy at times. She can be decisive if she really has to be though, which it seems she's going to have to be now.
"We may as well get the lesson started, and you can see how horrible I am at this."
There's a reason she stopped and got an apron after all. It's not just to protect her clothing. It's to keep the majority of the mess off his floor.
"They tease because they know exactly how horrible my cooking can be."
"They tease you because they care about you." Without really even thinking Quin places a hand on her shoulder as if to comfort her. "And then they tell me about it so I can tell you that they don't actually feel that way. I guess." The thought of it all actually amuses him.
Another smile is given to her. "Chin up. I promise it won't be bad." The werewolf pulls himself away from her to start laying items out on the counter. "Have you put any thought into anything specific you'd like to make? I know you mentioned pasta, but I didn't know what type of pasta that you wanted. I happened to pick up a few different kinds but I can pick up something else if you're interested."
He's actually quite nervous about the day now that he thinks about it but he hopes she doesn't see it that way. He's calm now but he might have overdone the preparation. A bit.
"If they cared about me, they'd ask me never to cook again." Jenna giggles, and then exhales a sigh. "They told you about those cookies, didn't they?" Beat. "Rock solid, crunchy, and the chocolate chips didn't even melt properly."
Jenna juts her chin upward and tries to grin. "I'm holding you to that. If the food is bad this time, I know I'll starve when I'm on my own."
Beat.
"Spaghetti? I think that's the easiest, right? I mean,you don't need to make a fancy sauce for it or anything…"
He has his back to her but she'll likely hear his chuckle. "I honestly didn't get a lot of detail. Honestly? Everyone has kitchen mishaps. Just this weekend there was something involving an exploding mug at four am." He still doesn't have the full story on that and admittedly is quite curious. "It could be that's why I eat everything. I've eaten my own cooking for the past ten years."
When Quin turns to face her he has a box of wheat spaghetti in his hands. "With no prior experience? Twelve year old boys in the kitchen can be a nightmare." Hey, he got better. Eventually.
"We can do spaghetti. It really is pretty straight forward. If you change your mind about making a sauce, I'll see what I can find." The werewolf opens a cabinet and pulls out several different sauces. They're all organic, but each with different attributes, such as spice or mushrooms. The jars are placed on the counter for Jenna to look at and the box of pasta is tossed down for good measure. "Do you have a preference on sauce?"
"Well now you know. Except I left out the part where I put in a bit too much salt…" Jenna shrugs, and doesn't mind that he's chuckling about it. Better he chuckle than cringe really. "An exploding mug?"
Beat.
"Oh no. If I'm going to boil pasta, which is the easiest thing in the world according to your roommate, then I should at least try to make a sauce. Tomato. I don't want to do anything too fancy, or involving milk. That'll scorch to the bottom of the pot and is a pain to get off. I've heard the cook talking about that before."
All he can do is shrug. "Woke me up. Well, no. I was awake. But it did scare me. I haven't exactly gotten the full story on it. I don't know if I will." He will, just maybe not right away. It isn't exactly as if this is the best time for him to be hunting people down for gossip.
It's the tiniest movement but his head does tilt as he takes in Jenna. "I'm missing something. What happened?" It blurts out before he stops to think about it. Honestly, he doesn't care what happened, he cares about his friends.
The jars are loaded back into the cabinet as distraction. "Well, boiling water isn't bad, but it isn't something that I'd say is foolproof." Things he's learned from experience. "I should have everything here that you'd want to make some. Is there anything specific you prefer to have in a sauce?"
"Well when you do, let me know." Jenna moves to look at the sauce bottles, knowing that they may have to use one. It's easy to burn tomatoes, right?
"Oh, really, you're not missing anything except the fact that you should be lucky you never had to try those cookies. I think Harper was sick for a week because he ate a full one just to make me feel better about them." The one thing she's grateful for is having her brother and the BFF that she does. It's hard to imagine life without either of them.
"Shiv and I were trying to make cookies for our dads when we were about ten. Hers turned out perfectly. Mine were a complete mess."
Beat.
"Whatever you want in it, Quin. I'm not too food fussy. My thoughts on it is that as long as it's not completely disgusting, I'll at least try it."
That's not what he meant. Were he any different he'd bring that up. Quin's not the type to pry unless he thinks that it's really needed. He's not even going to look or feel disappointed. If something's going on, he'll figure it out.
"That was over a decade ago. I'm pretty sure that can't be held against you. Isn't there some sort of statute of limitations or something like that?" The wolf moves to his fridge and pulls out tomatoes and mushrooms, and then pulls out the proper spices. "We'll start with the sauce then? We can let it simmer as the pasta cooks. It won't take long for the pasta."
With the ingredients out he pulls out a cutting board and some knives. "Do you want me to do this part?" He's mostly joking. There's nothing about her that says she can't wield a knife. "And I'll let you know. I've not really seen him much since he apologized that. Come to think of it, even that was over Twitter."
"A decade doesn't mean a whole lot when it's your best friend and your brother teasing you. I don't think they get statutes of limitations." Jenna tilts her head, and then nods happily.
"Sounds good. I can chop, but I don't mind you showing me how to do it most efficiently?"
Moving in front of the cutting board, she looks at the knives. She frowns a little, and then picks up the largest one that will still fit in her hand the easiest.
"C'mon, Chef Quintin. Show me all your magic tricks."
"I'll have to take your word on that one." No family, no best friend. It's a little foreign of a concept to him. "But I do know that a lot can happen in a decade. And that, no matter how much fun you have, you don't stay ten years old forever." He's not saying this as a lecture. If anything, he's rather proud that he's acting like an adult. Mostly.
He may just not tell anyone that he's teaching Jenna how to use a knife. "These are extra sharp, so they basically do the work for you." Quin's almost proud of his knife collection. "Here, I'll show you."
It really is just instinct; he doesn't think about it. He moves up behind her with a mushroom in hand. The mushroom is placed on the cutting board and he places a hand gently on top of the one she's cutting with. She'll notice that he's calm, content and happy. Almost too content to be this close to her although he's not acting improper.
"You just want to almost let it fall into it, without actually dropping the knife." The blade tip is placed on the fungus and he'll encourage her to let the blade ease down through it. "I've dropped one on my foot before. It isn't exactly fun, but I wouldn't worry about doing that."
"You've got Chance, and now you've got the three of us. In ten years, you'll know what I mean." Smiling at him over her shoulder, she waits for him to show her how to use a knife.
It likely is a good idea he's not planning on telling anyone. That way, when she cuts her foot off, it'll be easy for him to say she's just a klutz.
Once he's behind her, Jenna can feel the heat eminating from his body. Tilting her head back, she looks up at him and bites her lip. He's big, and warm, and likely a good cuddler, and…
Snapping out of the thought, she does her best to pay attention. Slowly, she does what he says, and then makes a slight face. "Don't drop knives on your foot, silly."
He is rather warm and could quite possibly be quite cuddly. It doesn't help that he really enjoys being this close to her. He isn't feeling anything other than happiness, almost in a sappy way. It's likely a very good thing he doesn't stop to think about what is going on, which he normally would do if it were not so close to the full moon. He'd likely pull away and be extremely embarrassed.
"I hope so." It's a whisper more than anything really. Even though he does it to himself, he's been quite lonely for the past ten years. Friends are something he's learning are not exactly evil.
Quin continues to cut the vegetables, encouraging her to allow the utensil to do the work. "It's okay. I heal quickly." It's a true statement. "I guess I could probably also say those dance classes I refuse to admit taking might have helped me be less clumsy."
Jenna slowly chops the mushroom. Methodical with every slice of the knife. Careful to ensure she's only cutting fungus and board, and not her hand. "It's a given, Quintin. Once Siobhan decides she's friends with someone, she's friends for life."
Beat.
"Same here too."
There's another beat, and she sets the knife down. Turning around and placing her back against the counter, she looks up at him. "I've taken dance classes, and I'm still a klutz in the kitchen."
He doesn't doubt it. That statement about Shiv stirs a feeling, but it isn't like a desire. It's almost like he actually has a sister back. Like happiness but without some of the warm and fuzzy. "Somehow I don't think I got a choice in that." Quin isn't complaining. "Although it would be awkward, I think, if she didn't like me. I don't think I want to have her mad at me while I'm talking to you. Can someone actually be turned into a frog or is that just Hollywood?"
Wait, wait. Did she just say what he thinks she said? Again he'd normally blush and walk away but instead he's content to let his eyes meet hers. "Well, that's good. I think that's better than hearing that about Shiv." Yes, he said it. "No, I know it is." His emotions seem to go right along with what he's saying. He should be telling her that getting close to him is dangerous but he can't. She's lucky he's able to calm himself enough around her to not do anything to make her too uncomfortable.
"You just need to be in the kitchen a little more, that's all." He moves to make sure the knife is secure on the counter just in case. That and he freely will admit it lets him get a little closer to her. "I think my new friends are trying to tell me something about not being afraid of certain things anymore."
"She sat down next to me in kindergarten and declared herself my best friend. We've been together since then. So that should give you a good indication that once she decides something, she doesn't back down."
Jenna giggles, and then shrugs her shoulders. "I'm sure it's possible that she could. With the proper ability and the proper knowledge. Hollywood does get some of its stuff from actual sources."
Now that they're looking at each other, Jenna does blush. She can't tell if she's said something wrong, or if it's just this particular situation. Teeth nip at her lower lip, and she nods.
"Right. Of course. More kitchen time. And you're sure this place is insured?"
The thought of being turned into a frog is somewhat amusing but that really isn't the focus at the moment. Quin isn't exactly out in the open and no one else seems to be nearby. Being open shouldn't be something that he hides but that's how he is. "Oh, it does. I think I've learned that much." He's referring to his own affliction but it could go either way. Hell, he's not even actively trying to hide it as much as he normally does. It's not a good time of month for that.
It's a good thing that he can't read minds, or even emotions, or else he might just pounce on her. As it is, the more daring side of the wolf comes out. He reaches out slowly to softly touch her cheek. "You can be in my kitchen whenever you want. Or my living room. Or anywhere nearby." Even in his 'condition' he's not turning this lewd. "I think I'm willing to risk it."
"Even if I manage to burn everything to the ground?" Jenna giggles a little, her breath catching as he touches her cheek. Oh yeah, this isn't going to be weird or awkward at all; her liking two guys that happen to be roommates.
"Are you sure? I mean, dropping a knife on your toe is the least of your worries around me."
In a few days he'll look back on this and consider himself silly. He'll likely write an emo journal post and hide from people for a while. Right now Quin doesn't really care what the situation is. She's free to like anyone she desires, just as he's free to avoid the people he cares about. "There are other places to live." He has rebuilt his life once so far.
She's treading so dangerously close to him admitting the truth but he keeps the clarity to not just blurt it out. Exactly. "Unless you tend to carry around knives made of pure silver, I'm pretty sure that I welcome your worst." Hopefully she'll think he's just joking, or maybe won't even catch it.
Were he as confident as Chance this is where he'd make his move. Instead he does allow his hand to slip to her shoulder and then off of her completely. He's not a Romeo. He's actually a huge coward that is afraid of making the first move. Offending her would be the worst. The desire to kiss her is there but his respect for her is greater.
"But this apartment is nice." The things he owns might be second hand, or they might have come with the apartment. She's not sure which it is. Not everything, obviously. But enough so that it feels home-like.
"Why would I boher to do that?" Knives of pure silver seem absolutely impractical.
Jenna thinks he might kiss her. In fact, she's waiting for him to do it. When he doesn't, she does her best not to pout or frown. Dipping her head to look down at her shoes briefly, she exahels a sigh.
"We have the mushrooms. What's next?"
It is rather nice. The boys haven't done poorly for themselves. "Well, people do silly things." That's regarding the silver knife. Somehow he has a feeling that an encounter with that would be horrifying.
The sigh is small but clearly heard by the werewolf. Quin wants to act on it but he really doesn't want to act on it. "What's next?" He debates a few things before he looks her in the eyes again. "I'd really like to kiss you." Oh, how he'll hide after this whole thing is over. The look he gives, in his opinion, is asking the question. "If that's alright. If not, I'll get the tomatoes."
Jenna's not as well versed in supernatural things as her bestie is. Her mother and father have told her enough to survive; sometimes those she feels are prone to getting rather violent or extremely pusy and disgusting emotions running through them and it's nice to know that they're not just completely strange.
Then again, she could just be thinking that someone is one of the things that goes bump in the night when in reality he may be a serial killer.
Eyes widen, and she stares at him. The honesty is refreshing, even if it causes her to blush again.
"Okay."
Beat.
"The kiss, I mean."
He has to tell her. He just has to. He also can't. Aside from the fact that she might freak out and try to stab him, he's also very aware of Pack politics. That's something he'll need to speak with his 'uncle' about. Surely he's allowed to have friends and whatnot, but now he has friends who know. Something will need to be done.
Quin almost anticipates a slap but is mostly banking on her casually changing the subject. Jenna has class like that, such as demonstrated with that army man. It's almost all he can do to not overreact when she appears to give him permission. Hormones are a horrible thing but he believes he has them in check.
The werewolf leans down and gently places his lips to her. It's not exactly as if he's an expert at this but he gets the idea. Even during this particular time he's able to keep it chaste, innocent in fact. He's suddenly glad that he was being honest.
There's things Jenna should tell him too. Like about the party, and the fact she kissed his roommate. She doesn't want this to be awkward for anyone, except that it's going to be awkward because she's never really dated and has no idea what she wants.
Especially since, for once? She's interested in two guys, who apparently are interested (even if just a little) in return. At least according to Siobhan.
The kiss is sweetly innocent. The type she's used to. Then again, having only kissed four guys before Quintin (one of them being his roommate) means that she's likely not at all used to any other type of kiss.
Smiling at him, she nips her lip and backs against the counter.
Her lips may not be as warm as his but he finds that refreshingly wonderful. It isn't a long kiss by any means but it is a road he shouldn't go down. She's standing there, looking so perfectly sweet. He's not clueless to something going on but he's also not concerned with what might have happened between her and Chance.
His body is calling to him, demanding more. Even now he does his best to keep it in check. "That… wow." Quin looks away; how can he look at her. "Jenna, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be sneaky or 'that guy' or anything."
Pause.
"You just bring out these feelings in me." Its a struggle but he appears to be winning. "I'm not saying this to try and persuade you into anything. Hell, I don't know why I'm talking at all. But just… I'll do anything you want to respect your boundaries." That's not quite what he wants to say but he's never been good with words.
His reaction to the kiss causes Jenna to look confused. She can tell he liked it, but at the same time he's upset about it. A small frown causes her brow to furrow just a tad, and not for the first time since she found out about Harper's new ability, she wished she possessed it too. It'd make things a lot less difficult, that's for sure.
"Sneaky? How was asking me for a kiss being sneaky. You asked." It's not like he grabbed her, spun her around, and kissed her soundly. Teeth bite at her lip again, and she blushes.
"I'm sorry if it was bad, Quintin. I've not really kissed a whole lot of guys."
Beat.
"Respect my boundaries? You didn't do anything wrong!"
"Bad? What are you talking about?" Did he say it was bad? If so he really needs to work on his communication.
Quin remains close to her, again lightly reaching out with his hand to touch at her cheek. "The problem is that I really enjoyed it. A lot. And I don't want you to think I asked you here just for that."
At his touch she will be able to tell just how much he enjoys her company. Its mostly pure just wild.
"I'm not sure you realize how desirable you really are."
"I don't know. I'm just honestly confused. You asked to kiss me, and then your reaction…" Jenna shrugs her shoulders up a little, and then exhales a small sigh when he tells her that he enjoyed it.
"You didn't ask me here. I invited myself. To get cooking lessons. Which we're going to continue."
A deep breath is taken, a surprised look appearing on her face. "Me? Desirable? No, Shiv's the desirable one."
He shakes his head. She sincerely doesn't see it. "Yes, we are. And you will make a killer sauce." She already has the mushrooms after all.
Quin debates his words before speaking again. "I'm new to this too, did you know? And I'm very guarded about how I feel. I guess I just don't want you to think negatively about yourself or my intentions."
He stops short and shakes his head. "I'll rarely say this but you're wrong." Then he will finally try to kiss her again. He wont force anything but he's aiming for something deep. Something to prove to her that she's desirable.
In Jenna's mind, her best friend is the more desirable of the two of them. Simply because Siobhan possesses that strength of confidence when she's around the opposite sex that the little empath has never quite been able to grasp. Oh, she's absolutely fine around guys that she's friends with, but when it comes to liking them, she's usually a complete mess.
"I… really hope you don't mean that literally. I'm self conscious enough about cooking without thinking of making a sauce that might wind up killing someone." Jenna's only able to suppress her grin for a few seconds, before it breaks free and she giggles. "I don't want to be responsible for manslaughter via pasta sauce."
Beat.
"I'm not wr—" The second kiss catches her by surprise, and she's got to clasp one hand to the counter to keep herself from moving forward too much. The other hand sets to his shoulder. Returning the kiss is easy enough, even if she's not got a whole lot of practice with it. She just lets her body take over and stops analyzing everything.
It's not as if he has practice with this sort of situation but he does have his wild side taking over. Quin is far from rough with her but he does let his desire be well known, or at least so he fells in regards to the kiss itself. The relief he feels and that desire for her are most likely apparent in his emotions. Things he doesn't know he's doing.
Eventually the werewolf does back away, and once he does so actually realizes what has been said. He traces his fingers down the side of Jenna's face and smiles. It wasn't much, but that was actually a great release to him. "Let me rephrase. You'll make an excellent sauce, and then you can tell everyone that you're great in the kitchen."
She sure looks great in the kitchen.
Jenna realizes after a kiss like that, that she's in big, big trouble. She keeps telling her bestie that stepping back and deciding that she should be a nun is probably the right thing to do in this situation, but she's got a really active imagination and it's going places that it really shouldn't be right now.
Eyes wide, she stares at him for a long moment, unmoving. Uncertain of what to say or do at this point, she chews on her lower lip. She can still taste the kiss there. It's not until he says something again that she snaps out of it.
"Right. Excellent sauce. We should uhm… get back to it I guess. I'd hate for you to starve tonight."
Eventually she'll have to say something, but she'll likely find that there won't be as many issues as she might suspect. If it weren't for the positioning of the moon he likely wouldn't have done anything at all. At one point he convinced himself that he's been forever FriendZoned.
"It wouldn't hurt me any, but I won't complain about you feeding me." Quin isn't acting as if nothing happened but he isn't going to linger, either. They're supposed to take things slow and feel them out so he's aware he should focus on food. More ingredients are placed out for preparation and then he finds a sauce pan. "But hopefully you like it as much as I will."
Something will be said, eventually. For the moment though, she's taking the advice she was given; dating.
It's harder than it looks, especially when the two guys are roommates. Even so, she'll take a page from Siobhan's book and flirt with both of them. It will make things easier, and besides she knows Chance isn't interested in her that way.
"Well then, here's the deal. If I mess the sauce up, I'll order in."
The best part is that so many questions could be answered with open communication. Of the three of them, none are actually in the state of mind to be that open just yet.
Quin places everything in a specific order, figuring that it will be best that way. He runs through the steps of making the sauce. It's nothing fancy but it should taste really good. "That's a deal. But I have a feeling that you're going to make some good food here."
It's almost business as usual for him. Oh, he isn't forgetting about the kiss already, but it just felt good to be able to do that.
It really would be better if Jenna spoke up, but right now everything is so new for her that she's just trying to enjoy it all while it lasts. She watches him prep the other ingredients before stepping forward to keep chopping once she's dropped the mushrooms into the pot.
"You think so?"
She really doubts she'll make anything that even closely resembles 'good food'. She'll try, but Jenna doubts it'll work out that way.
"So all of this goes into the pot?"
Right now all that matters is that they're enjoying themselves while making food. That's what this day is all about, isn't it? It isn't that Quin isn't paying attention to what she says and asks, it's just that in the end, yes, everything will end up in the pot.
He nods while tending to his own side of things. "Yeah, Everything, right in the pot." The stove top temperatures are adjusted in order to begin making what is needed. "Unless you'd rather wear it. That would be some fashion statement."
"I don't think I could pull off that fashion statement as well as Lady Gaga did." Jenna's all for fashion statements but wearing food is just… well strange.
Once she's got an onion chopped (and still has all of her fingers, yay!), she scoops and dumps that into the pot as well. Then she starts on a tomato. It's going to need more than one, but she's not skilled enough to chop them all at once. She doubts anyone is that skilled.
"So, uhm… once everything's chopped, do we start the pasta?"
That actually causes him to look at her. Yes, Quintin is picturing Jenna wearing a meat dress. The thought causes him to smirk. She could pull it off.
He certainly isn't going to expect her to cut multiple things at once. Maybe Chance can do that, he's not sure, but he never does. "You've got it."
The wolf fills a pot with water and puts it on the burner. That particular one is not on to his knowledge. "What I like to do is bring my pot to a slow boil and then salt the water. I don't know why but I remember Mom used to do it that way."
Taking another tomato, she chops it and then looks at the pot. A slight frown appears, and she drops both tomatoes into the first pot. It's still going to need more, and her hands are all moist from the tomato juices. It's making the knife slippery, so she rubs her hands on her apron and does the same with the knife handle.
"Salt the water after it's boiling?"
Jenna makes a note of that, then finishes chopping the tomatoes so that all of the veggies can cook together into a sauce.
He's going to trust that she's not going to do something silly. As much as he hates seeing her new apron get dirty, that is what they are for after all. Its better than her dropping the knife on her foot.
"Yeah. She said something about not ruining her pots. She may have just been trying to entertain us though." Or plotting to hit I'm with one.
He opens the box of wheat pasta and offers it to her. "And the pasta. I usually grab a bunch, snap them in half and throw it in. You don't want to put so much in that you fill the pot. But I wouldn't worry about making too much. I'll eat it."
Jenna does worse things in the kitchen than dropping a knife on her foot. There's a reason why she warned Quintin of the mess that she generally causes.
Taking the box of pasta, she sets it on the counter. "But we don't put it in until the water's boiling."
Beat.
"Wouldn't it be easier to cook it whole?"
He hasn't seen anything that proves that she's bad in the kitchen. She actually seems to be doing quite well.
The burner is turned on, a little higher than he'll keep it just so he can bring it to a boil. "Right. After the water boils. "
Quin considers what she says and shrugs. "It could be, but by breaking them first they all go under water instead of some of the pasta sticking out for a bit."
"So basically, break the pasta and I have less of a chance of making a mess." Jenna giggles at that, and then puts the last of the veggies into the sauce pot and gives it a stir. It's going to take a while for everything to get soft, and for the tomatoes to boil down, she thinks, but at least it's all in there now. Hopefully cooking.
Jenna's quiet as she waits for the water to boil. She doesn't just wait for it to bubble once, she waits for it to go into a full roiling boil. Then she takes a small handful of pasta and breaks it in. Nearly tipping the pot of sauce as she does so.
Squeaking, she takes a hop backwards and then breaks the rest of the pasta into the water.
"Phew. No accident…"
Yet.
He's careful to watch her as she works, remaining close in case something happens. If he somehow ends up wearing food that's not a problem. The expression on her face would be worth it.
When she squeaks and moves back he's right there but doesn't take control. She has a handle on things, or so Quin believes.
"Nope. No accident. It looks good. Though we'll just want to turn down tje heat so we don't overcook the pasta."
Its not done but its already starting to smell good.
It does smell good, and Jenna's quite happy with that. It means it might just be edible.
That's when she does it. She reaches above the pot to turn the pasta down, and the sauce pot goes flying toward her. It wasn't boiling yet, but she winds up covered in red goo and veggies. Even as she ducks, she knows it's going to hit Quintin, and she squeaks, "OhgodI'msorry!"
With a piece of tomato stuck to her cheek, and a mushroom dangling precariously from her hair, she groans.
He sees it coming. Its almost in slow motion. There's a pot, Jenna and then Jenna ducking. His reflexes actually come in handy as they enable him to catch it. Its hot even if the sauce is not but Quin never makes a sound.
The pot quickly finds a home in the sink. He grabs the nearby kitchen towel. He's trying so hard but he can't help but laugh.
"That was fun." He's clearly not upset at all. He hands the towel to Jenna before peeling food from her face. "Although I wish I had been better prepared. I should have bought clothes for you."
His hands are ignored for now.
The only thing she can hear is the laugh, and Jenna knows she's done it again. It'll be another ten years of her friends making fun of her kitchen techniques. Taking the towel, she sighs and wipes at her face. The clothes are ruined, her hair is a mess, and she's starting to feel sticky.
She's not noticed his hands yet, because she's busy feeling sorry for herself. It might be selfish, but she's wearing the majority of the tomato sauce she just worked so hard on.
"I wasn't planning on wearing the food!"
He laughs again at her reaction. "Well, how about this be our secret then? As far as anyone is concerned it was a raving success." It was. He loves this.
Even though he could use to change his shirt he doesn't take the time to remove it. Quin will care to Jenna first and then himself in private. "I think we can piece together something for you to change into. Then I can throw your clothes in the laundry or you can take them for dry cleaning." He's not sure which she prefers.
The wolf picks a piece of mushroom from her hair. "And you can shower if you'd like. Not that I mind this look. Gaga might be proud."
Jenna nearly pouts and stomps her foot when he laughs again. Except at that moment, the pasta begins to boil over. Shrieking, she grabs the handles of the pasta pot and rushes it toward the sink. Slipping on some of the sauce on the floor, she somewhat comically, and yet still gracefully, slips and slides to the sink. The pot goes tumbling into it, pasta and hot water splashing all over the sink and counter.
Trying to back away from it, she hits the saucy spot again and falls on her behind.
Now she really wants to cry. Tossing the towel to the side she makes a face.
"Told you so."
Wow. He might want to call her Lucy. There is no immediate laughter this time. Instead Quin is at her side to make sure that she's okay. He doesn't seem at all bothered at the mess, nor as he handles some of it with his bare hands. "Are you okay?"
The concern is clear in his eyes as he offers a hand to her to help her stand. "Really, don't worry about it. I can have it cleaned up faster than we can clean you up." He's already planning on borrowing clothes from Chance to give her something to wear.
"Like I said; our secret."
Is she okay? Really? Jenna's covered in sauce, and now has a few pieces of spaghetti dangling over her shoulders and in her hair. She's physically fine, but she's totally broken her pride.
"I'll live," she mutters.
Taking his hand, she gets to her feet. Before cleaning up any of the mess though, she dips her hand into the sink and pulls back with a clump of pasta. Which she then tosses at him.
His helping her up is more him lifting and not letting go until she finds her feet. Just in case. "Good. You'd better. I don't know how I would explai…"
He turns to face her as he speaks and ends up wearing pasta on his head. It prompts a laugh. If it had cooked longer he'd eat some of it, just to.
"How about we get you to a place where you can get cleaned up? You can borrow my robe for the shower and I'll get… well… something for you to wear."
Quin can't help but laugh at the mess. "I'll tackle this while you do that."
Jenna grabs another handful of pasta and tosses it at him. It's cathartic. She's punishing the pasta for ruining her wonderful sauce and dinner. Okay, okay. It's not the pasta's fault, but it's still cathartic. She's not bawling like she normally would do. By the third handful, she's laughing too. Not caring about the fact that she's practically wearing dinner.
"Okay. I'll need something. Sauce has sunk all the way down." Through the apron, through her top, through her bra.
"Guess I should go shower…"
His helping her up is more him lifting and not letting go until she finds her feet. Just in case. "Good. You'd better. I don't know how I would explai…"
He turns to face her as he speaks and ends up wearing pasta on his head. It prompts a laugh. If it had cooked longer he'd eat some of it, just to.
"How about we get you to a place where you can get cleaned up? You can borrow my robe for the shower and I'll get… well… something for you to wear."
Quin can't help but laugh at the mess. "I'll tackle this while you do that."
Jenna grabs another handful of pasta and tosses it at him. It's cathartic. She's punishing the pasta for ruining her wonderful sauce and dinner. Okay, okay. It's not the pasta's fault, but it's still cathartic. She's not bawling like she normally would do. By the third handful, she's laughing too. Not caring about the fact that she's practically wearing dinner.
"Okay. I'll need something. Sauce has sunk all the way down." Through the apron, through her top, through her bra.
"Guess I should go shower…"
Now that's something that brings him to a pause.
Currently Jenna and Quin are located in the kitchen, or what used to be the kitchen. There is sauce all over the floor, Jenna and partially the werewolf. Pasta and water is everywhere, including in the sink. The pots have at least found home in the sink. Quin has burned hands, which he's been able to hide so far. Jenna is standing at the sink, tossing handfuls of pasta at him.
"Laughter? Is this therapeutic? Maybe you should give your mother some insight." He's joking and attempting to keep things upbeat.
He doesn't really know what to say about her clothing. "Well, I don't think we have everything you'll want. Unless Chance does." This isn't a jab at his friend, more of a question. "I can get you a shirt, and we can let you borrow a pair of shorts or something…"
"Yeah, let's get you cleaned up. This mess can wait a few minutes."
"Cathartic."
It's not necessarily a good thing, but she figures if she's going to be wearing dinner it's only fair that Quintin gets to wear some too. Another handful of pasta is just randomly tossed up into the air, to fall wherever it wants to.
That's when Jenna notices his hands.
"Oh god, Quintin. Go run your hands under cold water, and find some burn cream or something. Take care of them, or do I need to call an ambulance?" Red splotchy hands are not a good sign, and an indication of either an allergic reaction or a burn. She's fairly certain it's the latter, but she's not at all sure what to do about it.
He immediately shakes his head. "No, no. Don't worry about it. It's likely just a little hot water, or sauce, or the pan, or something. Really, it's nothing." He doesn't seem put out by his injuries. Instead he tries to march her in the direction of the bathroom.
"First, you shower. I'm sure that whatever you see will be gone before you are done." Even if not immediate, advanced healing factors are fun. Quin will make a point to grab his robe as he walks past his room. Even if she doesn't follow, he's headed towards the bathroom. His robe is built for him so she could easy drown in it. "I'll let you fuss later. Right now, you don't want that sauce turning your hair red."
He knows it doesn't work like that, but he's looking for reasons.
"You still need to take care of it, Quin." Jenna starts to fuss at him again, but she's spun around and directed to the bathroom. On the plus side, she's not had to ask which door it is, so that little embarrassment can be crossed off the checklist.
The robe that he procures looks way too large for her, but she takes it anyhow. Doesn't mean she'll need to wear it.
"I'd look cute as a redhead," she points out with a small chuckle.
"Towels?"
Once he knows that she's actually going to shower, Quin enters the bathroom long enough to set out two towels and a wash cloth. Why two towels? He had an older sister. He's not sure why, but he remembers that much at least.
"That door right there? I'll leave it closed. It's mine. You can scrounge around in there all you like and try to find something that, well, that covers you." He's not upset, or blushing, or anything. The wolf's major concern is keeping her dressed after her shower.
"If you want me to do laundry after I can do that. Just leave the stained clothes in the tub. I'll get them when you're done." Cleaning up after this is way better than cleaning up after a drunken teammate. "We'll worry about food after."
"Thanks."
Jenna's embarrassed enough for one day, and she doesn't want to embarrass herself further by continuing to say something, or do something entirely stupid. She fully intends to order supper since her klutziness ruined it.
Nodding at him, she looks down at her clothes. The shirt would be perfectly clean if the sauce didn't soak through the apron, but the pants are a mess from sitting in the sauce when she slipped on the floor.
Sighing, she waits until he's out of the bathroom before she disrobes and runs the water. A nice lukewarm temperature in order to rinse the sauce off her body and out of her hair.
While Jenna is taking a shower, and yes, he is listening to make sure that it starts, Quintin decides to clean up. It actually doesn't take long for him to throw everything in the trash and clean up. The mess itself is mostly contained. The trash can will tell the tale of their failed dinner, but it still smells good. Perhaps next time he'll be careful to work the stove top for her so they can actually eat what they make.
Only after the food mess is cleaned does he tackle the pots. Once those are cleaned and put away, he finally focuses on his hands. He cleans them with a little cold water but doesn't really fuss over them.
When he grabbed the robe he'd also grabbed an extra shirt. As he cleans, he does so shirtless. He'll worry about putting the fresh one on whenever the shower is over.
It doesn't take Jenna a whole lot of time to shower, really. Most of the sauce got onto her clothing, so it's just the hassle of washing her hair. Without having a curling iron or a hairdryer available, she's going to come out of the shower looking like a drowned rat. She's even got a lack of makeup, only her lip gloss is in her purse, and that's hardly going to make her look presentable.
Sighing, she scrubs the shampoo into her hair, and rinses it. Then she turns the water off. Standing there for a few seconds she just drips before she reaches for the towel. One is wrapped around her head, the other her torso. She's not going to put on the robe just yet though.
Stepping out of the tub, she gives her hair a quick towel drying and finger-combs it the best she can. Frowning at herself in the mirror, she looks at her clothes. Everything should be fine to go in the wash, and if not well she'll replace it. Dumping them into the tub, she cleans the floor up as best she can with tissue from the box on the counter. Then she tiptoes out of the bathroom, and slides into the room he indicated.
Or at least she thinks it's the room he indicated.
The shower cuts, and after a short period of time she emerges. Hearing the door to the bathroom, Quintin puts on the fresh shirt. Only when he knows she's in his room, or believes her to be, does he go into the bathroom and retrieve her clothes. After applying the proper stain remover, he starts a load of laundry. This includes his original shirt. If he had more time he would just remake the pasta, but for now he'll settle for her feeling comfortable in someone else's clothes.
Despite his jokes to the contrary, Chance wasn't avoiding the apartment because Jenna would be cooking. His grandparents, the ones he likes, are in town and he was having dinner with them at his father's. He feels a bit red faced because not only had he forgotten about their arrival on Sunday, but he'd forgotten about dinner tonight too. Saving grace was that he'd stopped by to talk to his father about Siobhan's first 'lesson' this morning, and his timing was perfect.
Having remembered Jenna's cooking lesson and the warnings from her sibling and Siobhan, Chance is home now and armed with a picnic basket full of leftovers. Emil, his father's cook, always cooks generously when there are guests, and usually sends extras home with Chance. Tonight the man doubly out did himself.
He peeks in the kitchen, sees that it is mercifully still standing, and sets the food on the counter. Then it's to his room to get out of the 'office clothes' he's been wearing all day. He's already lost the suit jacket and the tie, but he won't be happy until he's done away with the button down shirt, t-shirt and suit pants as well.
Opening the door, Chance stops and blinks. He's used to there being naked or semi-naked women in his room. What he's not used to him not being responsible for them being there and for them being Jenna. "I think I should have called before coming home."
It's uncomfortable, being in someone else's room without them present. Jenna fully believes that she's snooping, even if he gave her permission to be here. Going through his things? Yeah, it's a bit awkward. She's opening drawers, trying to find a shirt and a pair of shorts or track pants that she can wear. The robe was far too big on her, and kept falling off her shoulders anyhow. It wouldn't have done much to hide her.
"Quin? I can't find…"
Suddenly she's red from head to toe, and it's not because of the pasta sauce. She freezes completely solid, and nearly drops the towel. Thankfully she remembered to tuck it in at her chest, and when her hands go up into the air it doesn't fall.
"Ohgod." This day just keeps getting worse.
"I need to…"
"… go. I need to go." Bolting for the door, she doesn't realize Chance is still standing there until she damned near runs right into him.
"Move," she says quietly. "I have to leave."
The sounds he hears over the washer indicate to him that his roommate is likely home. He needs to warn him about Jenna, so Quin goes back to the kitchen to do just that. "Hey Chance? Jenna just got done taking a shower." He's not speaking loudly, but suddenly realizes that Chance isn't in the kitchen.
He peeks just in time to hear the conversation in the incorrect bedroom. Quin nearly freezes with fear as he realizes what just has to have happened. He can hear what she's saying and is trying to think of something, anything that he can do to at least get her dressed before she storms out of their place. He doesn't mind her taking their towels but she might want something to wear.
A boxers and one of his jerseys are in hand and he stands in the hallway. They might not be needed in case Chance can diffuse the situation, but the werewolf tries to be prepared as best he can. Somehow, he feels, this is going to be the end of them trying to be anything more than friends.
When she runs into him, Chance catches her by the shoulders. It's a gentle grab, just meant to keep her on her feet and to stop her from falling to the floor. Once done, he lets her go, takes a quick peek to make certain her towel stayed in place, and then sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. "You probably want to get dressed first."
Chance has no idea why Jenna is in his room wearing two towels. No, that's not true, his imagination is good at supplying all sorts of ideas, though most of them end with her wearing Quin's clothes, not his.
"I'm just going to get Quin…" Chance thumbs over his shoulder back toward the hallway. He's turned and halfway ready to leave, when he spots Quin and gives him a very patented, and approving, if somewhat surprised, 'You dog, you go, bro,' look. "Who's already here, so I'll just be stepping out …"
"Ohgod."
Can this get any worse? Jenna wants to crawl into the back of a closet and die. She can just guess what Chance is assuming, and Quintin's standing right out there in the hallway listening to everything she's saying.
"No, you stay. I'll go. I should get home. I really need to leave. Now."
Trying to rush past Chance, her face still red, her head held high and tears refusing to fall, she just knows she needs to get away.
He quite frankly has no idea why Chance is giving him that look. Quin's expression is that of pure and utter shock. He's worried about Jenna and has no idea what exactly Chance was able to see. The clothes are held up as the wolf has to force himself to speak. "I, uh, heard. Overheard. Yeah, anyway. In case she needs it, I grabbed something." As awkward as this could be, his voice is kept just loud enough that he's hoping that Jenna hears him. She might question his hearing later on, but he'd rather her know that he's there for her if she needs it.
He can hear her from the hallway. He tries to inch past Chance with his back to the door. Despite any and all feelings, he has no desire to see Jenna in a towel just yet; especially like this. The clothes are held in a hand behind his back if she desires to grab them. "You know, I think I smelt something good in the kitchen." This is said to his roommate. "What say you and I go take a look at that?" To give her time to change and whatever else she'd like to do.
The empath runs into Chance from behind, because he's not moving quickly enough, and he gives a soft 'oof.' His roommate is fleeing to the kitchen and there's an upset, embarrassed half-naked theatre major in his bedroom. Chance groans, because this is not something he wants to be in the middle of, but he's being left with no choice.
Turning around again, he makes a gesture in the air just over Jenna's shoulder and murmurs softly in Latin. It's a witch's calming spell, and while it's not a strong one, certainly not as strong as a witch would cast, Chance hopes it works at least to take the edge off. No, he shouldn't know that spell, and he won't ever admit that he's learned a few things he's not supposed to or that his father did and passed on the knowledge.
Another gesture is made toward Quintin, and the clothes are levitated to Chance's hand. He places them gently in Jenna's hands and makes a gesture toward her towel that will keep it in place until she choose to remove it. "Please, calm down and get dressed, Jenna."
The calming spell is something familiar to her. It's not as strong as Siobhan's, but she knows the words. Repeating them, she frowns. "Don't you magic me into submission." It does help, she's no longer trying to flee. Instead, she goes and drops down onto the bed.
"Those are too big for me. I'd swim in them."
Sighing, she looks down at her lap and exhales a heavy sigh. "This is so not what it looks like, and I really should just go. I mean, I thought this was Quin's room and he told me to go in and find a shirt, and I… should really, really just go."
He hasn't fled; he just doesn't know what to do in this particular situation. It's Jenna he's worried about, not his pride. "It's my fault. You know how I can get around this time of the month." This is said to Chance knowing that Chance knows full well what he's talking about. Jenna doesn't, but she will eventually. "I spilled food on her and I offered to clean her clothes while she took a shower. I guess I should have walked her into my room first."
Quin knows Chance doesn't need an explanation from him; he just is doing this for Jenna's sake. "At least you don't have to worry about me using magic." She just has to worry about how he turns into a wolf once a month.
"Sorry. I don't have much that's smaller." He looks to his roommate for help. "Chance might." He can't help but sigh. "Neither of us are concerned, but I can see where this could be embarrassing. You don't have to leave but we won't stop you."
It was honestly none of Chance's business. What consenting adults do is their business, and he knows that Quin has a thing for Jenna and vice-versa. He doesn't need the explanation, though Quin providing it does make things less awkward. For Jenna and Quin, that is. Again, Chance wasn't particularly concerned.
"I wasn't trying to magic you into submission," Chance says, sighing heavily as he palms his face before giving his roommate a look for the comment on using magic. "But you're calmer now, right, and not about to run out in the streets of New York wearing a towel as a fashion statement?"
Shaking his head, Chance walks to his dresser. He opens the top drawer, changes his mind and moves to a different drawer. Out comes a Columbia t-shirt and a pair of sweat shorts that are both obviously too small for Chance and clearly women's clothing. He hands them to Jenna with a slightly uncomfortable, "Don't ask."
Crossing to the door, he doesn't look back until he's safely there. "Look, no harm, no foul. Quin is right, you don't have to leave, and I did bring home dinner just in case your cooking project didn't work out."
"Quintin, it's not your fault I'm a klutz in the kitchen!" Jenna takes a deep breath, and really wants to get up and yell at him. "I knocked the sauce on myself, then I fell on my behind, then I threw pasta at you." Now that the truth is out, she covers her face with her hands.
"Okay, you weren't trying to magic me into submission. I do feel a little more calm." Still embarrassed, but calmer about it.
"It's not your fault the clothes are too big, Quin. I'm just petite." Uncovering her eyes after a pause, she exhales a sigh. "I won't. I don't want to know." Taking the smaller clothing, she looks at it. Obviously female.
"I still think I'll go. You two enjoy dinner. I'll just change, if you don't mind?"
Defeat. That's what he's feeling right now. Guilt. He promised her that he wouldn't tell the truth about what happened. He'd rather someone think it was him. The day had started out so well, too. He blames this on his luck, and his affliction. It has to be it.
He's so defeated that Quintin doesn't really react when she tells the truth, not to her at least. He's standing in the hallway, out of sight, looking almost puzzled. He just doesn't understand how to communicate with most people.
"I'm sorry, Jenna." It's said softly but just loud enough so that she can hear it. "I'll just go finish in the kichen." He'll return her clothes to her another day, once they're done in the wash. "Uh, um, thanks. For coming over." The wolf then turns to head to the kitchen. He'll make himself busy so she doesn't have to be too uncomfortable leaving, or any moreso than she already is.
Chance isn't stupid. Nor is he blind. Jenna's embarrassment and Quintin's awkwardness all add up to something more having gone on here tonight than just a kitchen mishap. Chance doesn't doubt their story for a minute, he just thinks that there's a piece missing. He's used to his roommate being up and down, but he doesn't know what to make of Jenna. Honestly, he's half tempted to call Siobhan. Isn't that what best friends do? Comfort each other and talk each other down?
Telling Jenna that the picture she paints is amusing probably is the wrong thing to say, so Chance doesn't. "I know that you probably don't believe me, but you don't have anything to be embarrassed about. We're all friends here. You had an accident in the kitchen, and that's all. Now, you need a change of clothes."
Beat.
Chance flashes Jenna a playful grin. "If anyone should be embarrassed, it should be me for having women's clothes in my dresser." He winks at her, and nods to her request. "Go on, and get dressed. We'll be in the kitchen, eating, if you change your mind."
Following Quintin's example, Chance backs out of the room and closes the door behind him. It's a quick jog to the kitchen to catch up with Quintin. He opens his mouth, closes it and shakes his head. "Maybe a white sauce next time?" He's trying to lighten the mood, because he doesn't know what else is going on, and there's no reason to be embarrassed - either of them - over what Jenna described happened in the kitchen.
Quin's sorry? Jenna's mortified that he's so upset about all of this. It was her mess to explain, her situation to get out of, and he tried to take the fall for her. "Quin, you don't have to apologize." She doesn't get why he's apologizing, except for the fact that she's in an embarrassing situation and having to wear the walk of shame clothes home.
"I should help with the mess. Just let me get changed." She really does want to go home, so she can flop on her bed and cry about how messed up the day turned out. She liked it better when she was confused over which boy she liked better.
"I…" Yes, Chance sums it up nicely, but even so, that's not what she's embarrassed about so much. It's more that he walked in on her in a towel.
"Sure. I know where the kitchen is."
Waiting until both guys are gone back to the kitchen, she closes the door and leans against it.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" Squeezing her eyes closed, she removes the towel and starts to dress in the clothing provided by Chance.
He's already in the fridge and with beer by time his roommate catches up to him. Quin's leaning over the sink, eyes closed, bottle in hand. He knows where his roommate is before he even speaks, but the words get a half attempt of a chuckle out of him. "Total disaster in here before you got here. Trash can holds the spoils." That part actually makes him grin.
"Next month just keep me sedated until after the full moon." This is said so quietly that Jenna won't be able to hear, any of what he says. Quin grabs at his hair in frustration. "Dude, this is why I don't do the friends and more stuff. Before you all I could get were weird situations like this." Or guys who befriend him for sympathy points with chicks.
"She's not going to stay once she gets out of here." At least she isn't fretting over his hands, which already seem to be mostly better.
Chance helps himself to a beer. "Dude, is that what this is about? A mess up at the Quintin Bruning cooking school?" Chance wanders over and takes a peek in the garbage can. "Smells good, anyway. No ten second rule?"
"Things don't go perfectly in friendships and get togethers. Life's not scripted. It's not televsion. We pick ourselves up and get back on the horse."
Opening the beer, Chance takes a long drink from it. "I spent this morning wearing The Gill, okay? I had to change at the office and spell my clothes dry, and I'm pretty certain that they still smell like Central Park water. Shit happens, Quin." Chance glances around and then throws up a privacy spell so Jenna won't hear them. "And it doesn't happen because it's the full moon, or because you're a wolf. It happens because it's life."
Once dressed, Jenna moves to a mirror and tries to fix her hair. There's nothing she can really do with it. No brush, no elastics. It's basically a wet mess. Quietly opening the door, she slips the towel into the bathroom and hangs it up. Then she tiptoes toward the kitchen.
She can't hear them, and assumes a privacy spell. It's another one Siobhan's used in the past, and while she's not entirely sure that's what's being used it's the most likely.
The kitchen appears to be mostly clean. Which means, Quin came in here to hide and not clean up. Frowning, she gives them a small nod, and rushes for her purse hoping to sneak out before they finish their discussion.
He's counting on the privacy spell because he'd hate it if she heard what was said. "No, the full moon is the other issue. I kind of kissed her." More than kind of. He liked it, too, which is part of the problem. He still suspects something is going on between her and Chance so he does feel guilty. That's what the look that he gives Chance is for, and that's why the beer.
Quin makes sure not to appear to be keeping an eye out for her. From his position she won't even really be able to tell if he's talking. "She's coming, by the way." Werewolf hearing is a wonderful thing sometimes. "Quietly. I bet she makes a run for the door."
If she does, Chance will have to tell him. He's busy pretending that the sink is interesting. "Wednesday's going to be interesting."
Chance has to lower the bottle so that he doesn't spill the beer he's about to drink. "You kissed her?"
Beat.
Chance quirks a grin and snorts, "Well, all righty, then. Way to go." The sorcerer isn't bothered or upset by it, if anything there might be a hint of relief there in his voice. He told Jenna that he's the casual sort, and he's glad to know that his roommate made a move on the pretty brunette. "You know, I'm not trying to date her, right? You're supposed to get the girl, and I'm supposed to get the ugly friend." Not that there was an ugly friend, but that is how those things go.
Chance frowns at the mention of Jenna coming, and then leans out of the kitchen, beyond the spelled area. "See you Wednesday, Jenna," Chance calls out, though he makes no move to follow her. "If you don't have sea legs, you might want to skip the breakfast, but make sure you bring a suit. There's a pool at the Club, even if you don't want to brave taking a dip in the Hudson." Some do, some don't and it depends on the water quality that day.
How they realized she was there, Jenna has no clue. Chance's words just remind her of how awkward this all really is. At this rate, she may be better off just staying in the friendzone for both of them, and not react to anything.
"Okay, sure. Wednesday. Suit. Got it."
Going out on a boat, with no escape, is really not something she wants to do at this point. She may feel more up to it by Wednesday, but at the moment she's feeling as though she's just going to be trapped and things will be strange.
"ByeQuinthanksforthelesson."
Then she's out the door and heading to the elevator as quickly as she can before either of them thinks to stop her.
