A First Time for Everything

[searches_forhim]

[Continued from the Tag Someone New meme]

Jane had debated for the better part of an hour whether to actually go out with Jack. Yes, their meeting had seemed ideal, and he seemed like a great guy. But appearances could be deceiving.

After talking with Darcy she decided to go through with it - with Darcy's tazer in her purse. She texted him the address of her favorite Japanese restaurant, telling him to meet her at 8. After going through every dress in her closet she decided on a simple black one, accenting it with gold shoes and jewelry. She left her hair down simply because she didn't like every way she tried it up.

She walked to the restaurant since it was only a block from her apartment. She arrived early - she liked arriving early - and stood outside waiting for him. She paced to work off some nervous energy. Astrophysics she had no trouble with. Dating made her shake in her heels.

Comments

[searchesforhim.livejournal.com]

She rolled her eyes at herself. "Great. I shouldn't have said anything. Do you ever do that? Think something in your head, and tell yourself 'never say that out loud', and then the next thing you know you're actually saying it?" She really hoped it wasn't just her.

She hadn't realized he was watching her so closely or she would have gotten even more nervous. She had no trouble presenting in front of hundreds of people, but one-on-one was different. More intimate. More chance of seeing disappointment or rejection on the face of the person right in front of you.

"Well you're not getting any more out of me until you tell me about Tokyo. And everywhere else you've been."

[jack-flanagan.livejournal.com]

"I think all of humanity has fallen victim to that. Some eventually fine tune the mind to mouth filter but many are much worse than yourself," he offered gently with a warm smile. Jack was highly observant. The second he sensed Jane paying attention to his intense gaze, he would have toned it down or even stopped it entirely and brought attention elsewhere.

As it was, he leaned back at her demand (still smiling but a less 'amused at her expense' smile). "Everywhere?" Jack questioned. "I was in her majesty's army which accounted for three years of traveling to many towns, villages and cities. Some of which I'm afraid I've been sworn to secrecy about. But maybe I can tell you the countries. Or simply about Tokyo?"

[searchesforhim.livejournal.com]

"I wasn't asking about all of humanity, I was asking about you." He seemed reluctant to talk about himself. She was not sure if it was shyness or because he was trying to hide something. Then he mentions he is sworn to secrecy and alarm bells start to go off.

"Why don't you just tell me about your favorite places." It was Jane's turn to sit back, sip her water, and watch him as he talked. She was no great judge of people just from body language by any means, but she trusted her instincts most of the time. The trouble was Darcy's voice in her head, as usual, telling her that New York is not like a small town in the woods of Washington state and you can't just trust people even though you want to.

[jack-flanagan.livejournal.com]

He was secretive in nature. Possibly a product of his troubled childhood or having a parent who constantly conversed. Jack was reserved and ever observant. He probably started to appear awkward and hesitant with a red blush lightly coloring his cheeks when Jane seemed to lose patience with him. She had sat back--a sign of disengaging, and sipped her water (could be construed as a further sign).

"My favorite places are usually cities filled with unique architecture. Most of Europe. It's what brought me here to New York. And has me traveling back and forth from Boston. I don't have just one place. The Sistine Chapel is a marvel. Budapest, Rome, and I don't believe Washington D.C. --the Capitol building and the likes--get nearly the credit they should for the buildings built at the time."

Hopefully that would appease her. Jack enjoyed witnessing her exuberance when she shared with him. However, he understood conversations were better had when two people shared. It was his downfall in relationships. He was accused of being closed off. Being a good listener wasn't enough. Sadly, he learned at a young age how hurtful it could be to share inner most thoughts with the wrong person.

[searchesforhim.livejournal.com]

Jane was the exact opposite. Instead of buildings, she loved nature. Instead of hiding her feelings and trying to read other people's every movement, she was an open book, and took other people as the same. Some people might have called her naive, but she saw it as being optimistic. A large part of her was afraid that living in the city too long would change her.

"Have you designed any buildings I would know? Wait, architects do that, right?" She wasn't entirely sure what he did, when it came down to it. She leaned forward again so she could see him better. The restaurant was generally dark and relied on small candles on each table to provide ambiance.

"What exactly do you do?"

[jack-flanagan.livejournal.com]

Opposites often attracted. Jack might not have opted to visit the great outdoors over an ancient city, but he had often admired the architecture of the skies. He learned from a young age that few people could be trusted. It was why he kept to himself and observed. Some could be trusted. A discernible eye and good judge of character helped him see who to allow in. So far, the list was small in numbers.

"Yes, architects do that. I designed a building that's in the process of construction in Australia. I'm afraid that's the only one to date. Mostly, I renovate existing structures. My current title is lead structural engineer, under Urban Planning and Development for a company contracted by many governments. I've had two contracts here in New York. I doubt a city like this would consider my designs but I'm content bringing life back to their dilapidated harbor for now."

His voice was a little lower in speaking about himself than it had been questioning Jane. He was confident in his work but never did well talking about his talents. Jack made the attempt all the same as his date leaned in again and engaged. A compliment lingered on his lips but instead of being uttered in a word, his eyes watched her with obvious admiration. He hardly glanced at the server as their first round of food was brought to the table.

[searchesforhim.livejournal.com]

Jane could see the difference in him between when he was listening and when he was talking. His voice was softer, his shoulders slightly less perfectly straight. She found it downright adorable.

"So you like to take things that are broken down, fix them up and improve them to make them even better than they were before?" This was not that dissimilar from what she did. She looked at the existing theories and formulas, studied their practical application, then modified them or added to them to try to make them provable.

The waitress brought their salads, and Jane picked up her fork before she smiled across the table at him.

"You don't get asked about yourself very much, do you?" It was a shame. His lips had this way of curling at the ends when he talked, and his eyes grew more animated and sparkled in the candlelight.