Room 313, Monday evening

[solo_sword]

It was really very, very weird that Jaina was doing as well as she was these days. For having a long-distance relationship she'd been so worried about at the beginning, it was actually going really well. And the time there allowed her time to relax without work being able to catch up to her. She'd even sort of had a vacation. Yes. In some reality Earth probably just spun off its axis into the sun and it was all Jaina's fault.

Which meant when she actually had a flood of messages and work to catch up on, it elt a little more normal. Or a lot more normal, and she'd been busy today, which was why she missed the call.

And immediately Jaina was getting to her feet to check on the fish John had left to her when he'd gone... and there it was, floating at the top of the water. She'd been pretty good about making sure it was fed and all so far, but between all the up and back and time lag she must have just forgotten. Cursing, she picked up a pen, pointing the non-writing end at the ex-fish, just in case it was enough to spur it into moving again, but no luck. There were better reasons to have to call.

At least it had taken her a month?


[I HAD TO. Post can totes be open. Door too.]

Comments

[weetuskenraider]

It wasn't like Tahiri felt compelled to check up on Jaina or anything. She just happened to decide to drop by on her way up from the salle.

"What," she asked, standing in the doorway, "are you doing?"

[solo_sword]

"Discovering a fish body," Jaina grumbled, dropping the pen and turning around. "Apparently they need food to survive. Who knew."

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri had a sudden absurd mental image of Master Cilghal facepalming and stifled a giggle. "I never would've guessed."

[solo_sword]

"I told him this would happen," she said, glaring at the fish like it was the poor thing's fault it couldn't fend for itself.

[weetuskenraider]

"Maybe he'll listen to you next time?" Okay, the glaring did it, and Tahiri actually did laugh now. "You're good at building stuff, why didn't you come up with a feeder?"

[solo_sword]

Now the glare was directed Tahiri-ward, because... well, why hadn't she thought of that? "I've been kind of busy," she pointed out. "Building things hasn't really been a priority." Neither was the life of the fish, apparently.

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri gave her an innocent look. "Okay, you have a point there, but like it would've taken you that long?"

[solo_sword]

"It's already dead," Jaina frowned. "Next time someone hates their pet enough to give it to me, I'll keep the feeder ia in mind so maybe it'll last another week or two."

[weetuskenraider]

"Well, if I ever get a pet, now at least I know who not to ask to watch it for me next time I have to go home," Tahiri said, grinning. She couldn't help it if this was kind of hilarious.

[solo_sword]

"This should not be news!" Jaina pointed out. "I'm the animal-killing twin."

[weetuskenraider]

Wow, that was kind of ironic if you looked at it in certain lights Tahiri was avoiding right now. "Yeah, see how I'm not surprised? I just can't pass up the chance to tease you."

[solo_sword]

"Hadn't noticed," Jaina said dryly, nodding with her head towards the tank. "Respect for the dead, here."

Because yes, she did realize it was a fish.

[weetuskenraider]

"Sorry," Tahiri told the fish. "Next time I'll tease her where you can't . . . not hear me anyway."

[solo_sword]

The glare was back. "Teasing me should not be a hobby, you know." Yes it should.

[weetuskenraider]

"Yes, it should," Tahiri insisted, grinning even more broadly to counter the glare. "Besides, it's fun for me."

[solo_sword]

"And me without my phone manuel." No, she hadn't forgotten that.

[weetuskenraider]

"Too bad. I was hoping for extra practice ducking."

[solo_sword]

Jaina opened her mouth, then closed it.

"Threatening you with the fish is too far."

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri gave her a look of (badly) feigned shock. "You wouldn't do that to me, would you?"

[solo_sword]

No. She could not tell John she killed his fish and threw it at Tahiri.

"You don't want to find out."

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri held her hands up. "I wouldn't want to make you mad." Yes, she was still teasing, but she'd seen what Jaina could do when she was mad, thanks.

[solo_sword]

"Smart girl," Jaina said, turning to look for something to put the fish in. And then she realized that made no sense, and she should just dump the whole thing somewhere. "Stupid fish."

[weetuskenraider]

"I have my moments," Tahiri told her. "Bathroom, maybe? And if the mutant alligators ever come back, you might even get to see the fish again."

[solo_sword]

Jaina stared at her. "Oh, that's just wrong, Tahiri."


[*DIES*]

[weetuskenraider]

"More or less wrong than how me and Ben had sushi afterward?" Yes, she was still grinning, but she felt justified. It took work to get that kind of reaction out of Jaina, okay?

[solo_sword]

Wow. "There is something the matter with both of you."

[weetuskenraider]

And even if that was true on several levels, Tahiri was only going for the joke here. "And this is a surprise how?"

[solo_sword]

"Because I can really see that more coming from Uncle Luke," she realized. "Okay, I see where Ben gets it."

[weetuskenraider]

"He's definitely a Skywalker," Tahiri said wryly. And because that was an awkward conversation waiting to happen she went on, "Okay, so, fish? Bathroom?"

[solo_sword]

"Right," she said, picking up the tank, and warning, "No singing."

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri decided she'd sort of trail along. But out of thwapping distance. "As if I would. I said I didn't want to make you mad."

[solo_sword]

Jaina turned on the bathroom light with her shoulder, thanks to the tank, and grumbled, "I can't believe I'm having to do this. This is undignified, for us and the fish."

She was so calling Jacen later to complain, and he would either be horrified, or laugh at her a lot.

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri had to turn away because there was no way she could hide that I-am-this-close-to-laughing expression. "I didn't see you coming up with a different idea."

[solo_sword]

"This makes sense." And came recommended by the actual pet owner. "Any words for the moment, since you've had so much to say tonight?"

[weetuskenraider]

"You've known me how long now?" Tahiri asked, because seriously. Although it wasn't like she went around with prepared goldfish eulogies in mind just in case. "Well, um. I'm sorry you had to go this way, fish-whose-name-I-didn't-exactly-get."

Namely, getting poked with a pen.

"I hope your final trip is a good one?"

Good thing nobody was expecting Tahiri to do this on a regular basis.

[solo_sword]

Jaina nodded, thinking that was actually pretty good improvisation.

"So long, Bubbles 3," she said, "congratulations on surviving a whole month. You should have just gone to California."

And with that, Jaina leaned down to tip the contents of the tank into the toilet bowl, because she was not going to clean up fish water from the floor later, and did we mention this was not what she planned on doing with her night?

[weetuskenraider]

Hey. Tahiri would argue that going against the plan wasn't a bad thing. Well. Sometimes.

She also kind of wished she'd thought to get a holo of this, but see above re: not planned.

"Hope it was a good month, at least."

[solo_sword]

"It was on its own for about half of it, so maybe he had some fight in him," Jaina said, and flushed.

"This was better than any other plans you had tonight, huh?"

[weetuskenraider]

"It was better than the staggering lack of plans," Tahiri corrected, and sort of half waved one hand at the toilet as Bubbles 3 disappeared.

[solo_sword]

"You're welcome," said Jaina, tucking the empty tank under her arm.

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri laughed. "Yeah, thanks. Happy to be moral support. Or something."