2022-01-08 - Fishin in the Dark

As they prepare to go, the thermos loaded, blankets added, coats, boots, all the comforts. Mostly. They depart in his truck, her car left safely in his garage, Jack is driving and Erin is riding shotgun. The radio plays softly, a song by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. It's not one Erin is entirely familiar with, but it's a catchy tune.

With a quick grin, she looks towards Jack's profile, "Are we going fishing in the dark?" The Addington isn't so much a country girl though. "I'm almost certain I have never fished before." She doesn't exactly ride in silence, but she does look through the windows at the passing scenery and sort of hum to different parts of the tune.

One arm over the wheel, Jack probably has it on an mixed 'older' station. Less contemporary, a mix of old rock and country, the sort of both that goes together. He probably knows NGDB's popular songs, heard this one a few times not enough to know it or the lyrics. A wobble of his head, hearing the lyrics as she asks if they're doing the same. "Something like that, yeah." The metaphorical take on the song more likely, but she says she's never fished. "Been a while myself, guess we'll have to remedy that." Not his been a while, her never has part. "A second date then." He'll say it, make this a first one of sorts. "We can do that, get in the bed and count the stars. I was going to find a rocky spot over the beach to watch the surf, but we can listen to it and look up instead, in the back.

It's not a song Erin recognizes either, but it's catchy at least. His agreement to them doing the things in the song has her smiling over at him. "Not so literal though," she offers softly. "Perhaps when it is warmer out and the fishing areas won't be ice?" Lips curve though, when he calls it a date, even now being the first. "I would much rather find that rocky spot over the beach to watch the surf with nothing to take us away from the moment. Not music or anything, just time with you. I meant when I said I have missed you."

"Yeah, when the fish are biting," agrees Jack on really fishing. A slight sidelong glance at her when the road allows, hearing her thoughts on what to do. "Sounds good. Been apart a lot, maybe we should work on being closer." As if just to say it, then he gives a short pause before lifting his right arm, "Slide on over, lets close some space." Its an open invite, she can take if it she likes, he's watching the curves as the rocky shoreline appears, small cliffs at best over the rocky beaches below, "You help my choose a spot, one we get some waves and some moonlight. Otherwise we won't see the water." Gotta be specific. There are little parts of shoulder to park on, some meant to do what they're about to, some just for beach walkers and combers that brave the cold waters of the pacific northwest. Some rocks in the water, block the ocean in some cases, past one, with a few pines on the inland/east side of the road, tucked around a bend, away from the last bar in town and the lights thereof, "That good for you?"

"Yeah tonight the fish won't be biting, I imagine. The weather isn't agreeable to that.. or counting the stars." As the song had mentioned. Perhaps the gray overcast sky with small flurries of snow now and again are detrimental to star gazing. The water though, and the moonlight peering out in a more open parting of the clouds would be most evident. The invitation is taken, she slides over closer beneath his arm and leans in enough to be close but not impede his driving, and she smiles without looking at him, but perhaps he can hear it in her words. "Yes, I agree. Work on being closer." He mentions helping choose a place and it's not a hard sale. "Over here," she mentions, because there's a large rock near where she lives that she sits on to watch the water and ponder things. When he does park she agrees, tilting her head enough to look at him. "Perfect place, this is good."

IF she comes here or not, it may not be known to Jack. Just it being a good spot, more her warmth close to him, him with an arm around her, that's a good spot no matter the details. Rarely snows, never sticks, so a few flurries might be good. There is an occasional squelch of his wipers, old wipers and windshield and all, as a few stick along with whatever drops from the overcast sky. A few streaks on it, left in their wake but still pretty clear view all things considered. "Yeah, that's a good spot," he's agreeing as she guides where to go. Then they're stopped, he lets engine go a little, for the air to pump out some heat for them. So they don't have to move for blankets just yet. "You're doing good, just seen some better days?" He ponders out of the blue as waves crash somewhere over the rocks in front of them and below on the beach.

Comfortable at his side, Erin remains there even when the truck stops. He keeps it running though, so she makes no moves to get out, just enjoys the warm air and the warm body next to hers. "This almost reminds me of the time we went hiking and got stuck out in the elements. That was a good time, wasn't it?" For her it had been, the two of them together, stranded. "I would like to go hiking with you again someday, if you'd like? I have a lot of good memories." His question has her hesitating before shaking her head. "I don't know, maybe back then, when I had my family wasn't as good as I thought it was. Not if Grandmother could turn her back on me so easily. I've realized I can make it on my own." When she would go on, she catches herself with a slight duck of her head and a glance up at him, "Yes. I am doing good now. More settled, I think. I have a routine I am comfortable with. I'd like to alter it though, to include you a lot more."

He turns any working vents, makes sure they stay warm but not too dry from heat to face and such. Jack nods, as he watches her sometimes looking up his way. "Yeah hiking, leads to a good spot for fishing I know of," he offers over as the talk quietly under the blanket of night. "Not saying I'm good at fishing, I just cast and relax." Then he listens to her talk about then versus now and he leans a cheek over, she can tuck more in if she likes to. "Finding your place, I get it. You're in a good spot then, found you, found what you like." Which may include him and the sudden visit, or not sudden just out of the blue. "In that Detroit place you like, the snow piles up enough for snowballs and snowmen and all that yeah?" A difference between here and there, "I almost called you up close to that cruise thing we talked about there. Now you got me curious about what's over there now."

Warmed from the vents but grateful they aren't aimed for their face, Erin does lean in when he offers the cheek over, tucked there against him. The closeness was something she seemed to enjoy, the human contact. With him in particular. He was incredibly familiar to her, the feeling of coming home, and she made no moves to put distance between them. "I just did." She admits. "Found my place, I mean." Putting that out there, vulnerable to his rejection, but suddenly not minding. Someone had to be first, right? A quiet smile curves over her lips before she murmurs softly. "I got a grudging acceptance from you the first time. To leave this town I mean. Are you saying you'd like to go spend some time there while it's still winter? Or during the Woodward Dream Cruise? I'm agreeable to both." They were making plans together for future things, that was something wasn't it?

His hand gives her a squeeze, holds her closer, his elbow lowers and bends, so his fingers can finder her neck to brush comfortably as they look out over the ocean. Its warm, occasional a wet drop touches the window, a flurry melting immediately against the warmth of the glass. "You do feel right, just what I needed when driving around." The latter half teasing, but under his arm; he's good with her right there. She was first, he was agreeable. He grumbles or hmm's a bit about him grudging acceptance the first time around. "Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I keep my word, I'd like to see this city you're found of - so sooner is good. Show me winter if I like that, then we figure out this cruise you want." By saying her, he means him with her, something. "You consider that, I'll figure keeping more in touch. Like maybe, even on days we're both busy, I call you before I go to bed you know. Old School, stay in touch thing, little things that matter."

For a moment Erin closes her eyes just enjoying the moment, his fingers touching. Her own find his other hand and trace along his knuckles. Working man hands, they kept her interest. "Driving around huh? Just remember that whenever you go out for a drive." His grumbling was as much a part of him as his sometimes aloofness, so she just smiles at him through it. "You do keep your word. I've got several days off work, we can go when you want. I know you said you don't like to fly, so we can drive. Make an adventure out of it." There's the offer. Time away from this town for the both of them. Time out of state, the state he vowed once never to leave. "Winter in Detroit. Lake effect snow. We'll do the tourist bit just for fun too. Visit other towns just because we can." His offer to call her has her searching his expression. "We will make a point of it, Jack. To stay connected this time. I truly mean that."

"Oh," questions Jack, lifting his cheek to look down at her as she says to remember her when he's driving around, "Who says I haven't been doing that already?" Still lifting his head as she ponders a couple days off and driving over mid winter. Coast should be easy, but up in the hills may be more. But, that's part of the adventure. "Talked me into it. We'll cross country. That sounds way better than flying over there. Really see us some roads." Course that ups the ante on getting him more into the idea even. "I'll figure us out a route, you figure us out things to see when we get there." Like planned out, but a pause from Jack, "Just ideas, not detail, we'll fill all that in. An adventure not a site seeing tour, for the road. We go where we want not where we planned." He turns a little and sits up, looking at her eyes in the darkness between them, then her lips. "Right where you belong."

"That so?" Erin uses his own words that he always says, but hers are delivered with a lopsided smile. "I'm honored then, thinking about me when you're out driving. I kind of like the idea of that." As he agrees to her impulsive adventure, she nudges him gently with her body, "That was easy. I'll see what else I can talk you into." So he gets the route, she figures the things to see. "That's the easy part you know. We drive your route and any roadside signs that point to places that look interesting, we stop for. Mom and Pop restaurants, nothing fast food and name brand. Whatever we decide sounds fun and adventurous. If we happen to go by one of those drive or walk through caves or caverns, I've always wanted to do that, so we'll keep an eye out." Not a definite or deal breaker there! Then she's meeting his eyes again, excitement reflected in the dark depths of her own and that's when she notices his eyes lower from hers to her lips. "I'm right here, Jack. No place I'd rather be."

A side long look her way where she's tucked against him, "Now now." A protest, not a hard one, more playful even if he's stoic as usually, "Talking me into one thing for the day is more than enough." Though, again, its soft, he's not opposed to ideas and suggestions. The hand she grabbed, he lifts to brush her check, her hand can stay on it like it had been or not, but he seems want to cuddle a little as he's looking at her. "Yeah, just the route, and we see what we see on the way. Highways and byways, no interstates. See what lies between here and there." Caves, mom and pop joints. Agreeable but he's looking at her more than really plotting the road at the moment. That hand brushing at her curls, knuckles along her cheek and jawline. He gives a little nudge of a lift more directly facing him, lifting her face as it where to meet his. "Same here Erin." That's enough words, back to his usual few words, but he'll kiss her as an occasional flurry of snow lands on the window and melts while the ocean brushes the rocks below them.

"Mr. Set in his ways," Erin teases, but she knows he's not being adamant. When his hand lifts to brush her cheek, she allows her own to fall for the moment, leaning her cheek against the touch, like she had truly missed these little intimacies with him for so long. "No interstates," she half-heartedly agrees, certainly distracted at the moment. Especially when he lifts her chin slightly so her eyes are meeting his again. It's the intent there in his eyes that cause a breathless silence from her, even his agreement is heard but unacknowledged in favor or leaning in and meeting him half way or more, lashes drifting down to rest on her cheeks just as his lips meet hers. Her heart skips a beat and she realizes everything in her had missed these moments with him and nothing and no one else mattered. Lifting her hand, she tangles her fingers in the back of his hair as she gives herself over to the kiss.

Its a slow recall of a dance enjoyed. Jack knows her lips but things could have changed in a year. Soft press to hers, meeting and dancing. The night goes on, nothing matters. His hand cups her cheek, matching the way she takes to the back of his hair, holding her into that kiss as much as she's given herself to it. Nothing else matters. His lips pucker and suck a little at hers, that light smacking as lips move and meet during a slow kiss is all that breaks the silence between any songs on the radio; if it remained on. The light of the dash is the only soft glow to outline their faces as they kiss with the moon cast over by wet clouds in the night sky. Songs play, his lost in her, her soft lips to his. Just that kiss, she was so missed, he doesn't press for more or demand more, how he's long just for an intimate moment maybe without realizing it with her. He'll slowly pull up a little, "You did it." He says a deep whisper barely breaking whatever sound the night has become around them, "Captivated me. No matter the time, the past, dreams or whatever. You got my heart kid."

Erin gives herself over completely to the moment, her lips soft beneath his, head tilted as she leans into him slightly. For along moment her lips move with him, the intimacy remembered as well as all of the emotions that went with it. It was almost overwhelming and so when he separates just enough to whisper to her, she lifts her lashes, the dashboard lights reflected in her dark eyes as they meet his. "I will treasure it, Jack. I will treasure you. All I ask is that you do the same with mine."

"Yeah," he says in one of those voices and returns that leads to the questioning statement; that so. Though Jack doesn't question, instead he nods. "I do, I'd do what I can to keep you safe." It wasn't I'll do what I can or I'll protect you or any of that. He knows and understandings things in their world. Its more treasured as she asked. That hand holds her cheek still be slides down to her neck, he plants a sure kiss on her lips to affirm that response to her. His eyes look at those lips when he's pulled back just a little again, he scooches and turns, more direct facing her as the huddle in the heat of the cab, "Damn, I've missed ya." A simple truth and he kisses her again, directly going for her bottom lip this time.

"You always did in the past. I want you to know I'd do the same for you, at any cost." Erin whispers back, then reiterates it a little firmer. "Any cost." He knew about her abilities. He didn't care for them but he knew, so she wanted to clarify that. Tilting her head back as his fingers trace along her neck, she inhales softly, lips parting as she takes in that breath. "I have missed everything about you, Jack. Even that stoicism of yours." As his lips find hers again, he finds hers are parted, making that lower lip of hers an easy target. Lifting a little, she presses nearer even while drawing him closer to her.

Again, he's listening to her words, and she agrees any cost to protect those feelings for and from each other. His breathing slow and deep, whatever she is wearing, even just if its her soap she used today, he's taking it in as he looks more down at her. Being drawn in front of her, "Yeah," he questions but in a good way. She missed him as much as she missed her. Then her lips are granted him and he's sucking her bottom one. Its an older ford, its a big bench set. He's kissing and maybe their falling one way or the other, to where outside light matters less and its just a dance of dashboard light on them. If she's willing to let him come over her more instead of simply sitting there, lips dancing more deeply, as if he were trying to taste her completely through the lip she gives him.

Her oversized sweater is really soft and the chinos style pants are loose enough for her to maneuver easily. Her soap, likely, she doesn't have a habit of wearing cloying scents in her line of work and then there are patients with unknown allergies, so she just smells.. clean. "Yeah.." she whispers to his question before losing herself in him and in the moment, grateful for the space allowed to them by the age of the vehicle. Of course if he leans towards her with the intent on pressing her back against the seat, no way is she going to refuse that. As she lays back, she makes sure to bring him with her, lips given to him fully, pliant beneath his as she tastes the coffee they had earlier in the garage from his tongue.