Participants:
| Scene Title | Caught Frilly Handed |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | JJ gets flustered when caught looking at lingerie while Christmas shopping by coworker Emerson. |
| Date | December 16, 2010 |
A mall in Manhattan
Sometimes, one finds a battlefield in the last place they might expect.
The loud, frantic shouts of people not exactly sure what to do, order issues and plans of attack created, sometimes even weapons drawn, of a sort. Battlefields can pop up in the least expeted places, and today was no exception, at least not to Hannah Emerson. Her own weapon is drawn as she peers at someone not too far from her, someone ready to go in for the kill before she can manage it. But she won't let them. Her goal in mind, she moves ahead quickly and confidently her secret weapon brandished as she grins. This time, she's won.
Or at least, that what the beeps that follow the swiping of her credit card, a white, green and purple box that reads "KINECT" held close. It was the last one, and she had really lucked out that she managed to get it before the other onlooker had. Christmas shopping is always a hectic and frantic occurance, and this year was proving no different than the norm. That's one present down, the one for her younger sister, but there were still plenty more to get.
Back out into the hall she moves, a few moments of looking before she reaches the mall directory. Her height gives her a bit of an advantage, not needing to push past people to see what she needs to. Her next goal is just down the hall! Spinning around on her heel, she starts in that direction, keeping an eye peeled for anything that might catch ehr eye along the way.
Not far from the wide open door of one establishment, a familiar figure looks very very out of place — mostly because he is surrounded by the color pink, a color seldom seen in FRONTLINE quarters. JJ Jones stands inside a Victoria's Secret holding up a skimpy satiny nightshirt (or maybe it's a camisole, it's hard to tell) in one hand, and one of the PINK brand PJ sets of flannel pants and a baseball-style tee-shirt in the other, scowling as his green eyes dart from one to the other, looking rather lost.
A couple of bags of his prior conquests sit at his feet, so he hasn't been altogether unsuccessful in this war, but this battle, he seems to be losing. He hangs both items up and turns to look around uncertainly — nearby young and giggly clerks watch him, clearly amused and wanting to watch him suffer before they offer any help.
It's the giggling that gets Emerson's attention as she walks by, just audible over the chaotic noise that fills the rest of the mall. It draws a curious look from the FRONTLINE soldier, as well as a thought of consideration - she's not really one for sexy lingerie, but maybe there's something worth buying inside. At least, that's her intital thought, one that vanishes as she turns and takes a step into the establishment, only spotting JJ when she's moved past the first display.
Unfortunately for him, that little moment changes the entire scope of her intentions.
She tries to be quiet as she walks around, trying to stay just on the edge of his sight. Stealth isn't Hannah's forte, and her footsteps echo, but maybe the noise will help mask her approach. It's with just the widest grin ever that a hand is placed on JJ's shoulder as she arrives up next to him, and she poses a question just loud enough for the amused staff to hear.
"You look like you could use some help, JJ."
He literally jumps when her voice shakes him from his bemusement, looking up at the tall redhead that tops him by a couple of inches. Seeing that it's Emerson, his green eyes widen and his cheeks color — or maybe it's just the glow of the lighting off the pink candy-striped walls.
Right, let's go with that theory.
"Oh, hey, Hannah," he says, bending to grab his two bags at his feet, and then glancing away — unfortunately for JJ, it's upon a rack of rather frilly babydolls and merry widows. He returns his gaze to Hannah, but from the way his cheeks flush a deeper rose, he's probably doing the inevitable — picturing her in the frivolous garments.
"Um. Just Christmas shopping. Girls are supposed to like this stuff, right? I mean, not like… not like the girls at work, I don't want my ass kicked, but just normal girls. Not that you're not normal girls… Just… you know. Not FRONTLINE girls…"
Okay, this is just too funny, and Hannah can't help but laugh. Not at JJ, though it may seem that way to the casual observer. The colour in his cheeks is noted and passed over - even if she catches on to the turn of his mental thoughts, she either doesn't care, or sees no need to embarass the poor man further. Being caught in a lingerie store would be enough. At least, enough for the story she would inevitably be telling Gavyn or Felix later.
"Christmas shopping for a girlfriend, then?" she inquires with a bit of a tooth bearting grin."Since it's not for us girls at work, that is." Now she's just teasing, in her own little way. "Personally," she starts, not realising it's probably not helping, "I'm not one for anything like it myself, but I have known several women who just love it." She's still smirking a bit, though her expression has softened with teh pasing of the last few moments. "I don't think you'd get your ass kicked. You might get an odd look, but I imagine some of the girls might be flattered." Because there are more than just the women in FRONTLINE, but even then…
"I hadn't expected to see anyone here," she comments, looking around. She means both the mall and the particular store. "I'm doing my last bit of Christmas shopping myself, for what I can manage to find this close to the holiday.
JJ grins broadly, but shakes his head. "Nah, no girlfriend, just … you know. Friends that are girls. A few of 'em but none of them are girlfriends. And yeah, I mean, I can't picture you in anything but what you wear around the barracks."
That might be the wrong thing to have said. His eyes widen slightly.
"I mean, not that you couldn't… anything in here would look good on you," he says hastily, before realizing that he's only making things worse. "Shit. Don't sue me for sexual harassment! I … I really didn't expect to see anyone I knew in here, especially not you or anyone from FRONTLINE." Shit.
"Um, so is it like appropriate to get a girl that you're not dating something for bed, or is that like an invitation? I don't know shit like this, you know? I ain't ever had money for Christmas present buying really, til now, never had a job that paid more than minimum wage til I got to the military — and even that sucked — before coming here." Economics is a safer topic than lingerie, by far.
Well, she thought she was done laughing, but JJ's continued fluster and comment bring that tone of mirthfulness back to the surface. "Sue for being flattered? Personally, I think some people are just too uptight about things like that," she says, turning her attention away from JJ and to the racks around her. "Not that that's an open invitation, mind you," she adds after a moment of thought, her tone a bit more serious in that statement. Better safe than sorry, right? This is where some people might promise to keep this embarassing moment to themselves. "Secret's safe with me" or other such similar statements.
Hannah Emerson can't make that claim in good conscience.
There's few stereotypically girly or womanly things she indulges in, but gossip is most definitely one of them, at least when it comes to social encounters such as this. It's jsut too amusing not to share! But that's something for later. For the moment, her attention turns back to the nightshirt in JJ's hand, an eyebrow raised as she gives the garmet a scrutinising look. "It depends," she unhelpgully states after a moment or two. "Mostly on how well you know the woman in question. I know if someone just up and handed me lingerie that I'm certainly will look rather attractive on most women, and it wasn't the kind of thing I might expect, I might get the wrong idea."
JJ screws his lips to one side thoughtfully and nods, leaving aside the two garments and shifting the bags from one hand to the next. "I better not, then. I might end up on the ground singing soprano all of a sudden if the wrong girls get the wrong ideas, right? Maybe something more … useful. Mp3 players or that kinda thing… is that safe? That doesn't mean proposal in secret New Yorker language does it?" he says, nodding to the door to the rest of the mall as if to ask if she's ready to vacate the store. Apparently he won't be departing with any cash, but with just a little less of his dignity.
One hand reaches down into Hannah's bag, her dark blue beret emerging from within as her eyes follow JJ on his exit from the store. It's settled gently on her head as she looks back. She had been liking the idea of actually buying something here tonight, but it could always wait. Instead of lingering, she laughs and turns to follow JJ, head shaking as she moves.
"In all teh years I've lived here in New York, I've never heard of an mp3 player accidentally leading to a proposal, indecent or otherwise." The last bit is her own embellishment, perhaps to see if JJ squirms a little. "So, I'd say that's safe. If you're looking to pick one up, I would hurry up on that, though." She lifts up her back as she moves up beside her teammate, a white bag marked in black "GAMESTOP" lettering. "FROINTLINE or not, I was about ready to punch someone to make sure I got this. I imagine mp3 players might be a bit of a hassle too."
"Punch someone? A dainty delicate flower such as yourself? Hannah, I am shocked," he teases, scanning the mall for some sort of store — green eyes alighting on the Apple store, clear windows showing the bustle of the crowd inside. "Hmmm. I might get the lot of 'em those iPod touches, and just call it a day."
Boy has money burning a hole in his cargo pants, it seems. "But I won't make you do that with me, unless you wanna play back up," he teases her. "But hey… I think I can get it done in maybe an hour. We could maybe meet up here…" he nods to the fountain, a bench in front of it, and a Wetzel's Pretzels stand to the left, "and maybe grab a bite to eat, and share a cab back to home sweet home?"
"My younger sister used to say I'd make a great boxer or fighter or something when she was a kid," Hannah replies dryly, a bit of a smirk on her face. "It certainly wouldn't be the first time, but I try not to make a habit out of physically assulting people who don't deserve it." What qualifies as "deserving it", though, might be rather malleable depending on situation and blood alcohol content. "Sometimes, suggestions like that make me think my sister plays too many video games." The irony, of course, being that she has bought more video games for her, complete with a sports game that involves boxing.
A look is spared up at the Apple store, and Hannah grins. "Well, I don't mind going in, but I should go find things for the rest of the family. I think my older sister wants a cutlery set…" she comments, looking voer towards Williams-Sonoma. "Or something like that." She shrugs a bit, looking back to JJ. "So I can meet you after that. I had been planning on going out for a drink this evening, if you'd like to come."
"They have a whole store for kitchen shit?" JJ says, following her gaze to the Williams-Sonoma store and giving a shake of his head. It's like the boy's never been in a mall before. But then, he's a guy — maybe he hasn't.
"A drink would be primal," he says with a broad grin. "Meet you here in an hourish? You got my number if you're running late and I got yours — though I'll bet you my line is longer than your line. Who the heck wants knives for Christmas? Weird." A shrug accompanies his words and he grins again, before giving a two-fingered wave and heading toward the gleaming white paradise of the Apple store.
Hannah gives another laugh, coupled with a good natured (but rather hard) series of pats on JJ's back. "An entire store. I only ever go in there when she needs something. She's a glorified housewife, I'm afraid." There is a noticable tone of disapproval to her words, even though she covers an otherwise amused attitute.
"A drink it is, then. We'll get a cab back to base,drop off the crap, and see what's good in Brooklyn. I've never done much barhopping in that part of town!" The words are practically shouted, Hannah offering her own gesture, a sort of half salute, half wave as she turns towards the kitchen and homewares store. A moment is taken to straighten her beret, a wide grin on her face.
Even though shopping was almsot over, clearly the night was just beginning.