Chapter Text
-- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 12: 48 --
EB: jade?
-- gardenGnostic is an idle chum! --
EB: great.
-- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 13:35 --
EB: jade!
-- gardenGnostic is an idle chum! --
EB: ugh!
-- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 14: 20 --
EB: jaaaaaaaaaade.
EB: hehe. i read that like a really long 'jahhhhde'.
-- gardenGnostic is an idle chum! --
EB: augh!
EB: it would really help if you would log out if you can't reach the computer!
-- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 14:34 --
EB: so.
-- gardenGnostic is an idle chum! --
EB: thank you so much, dumb chat client, for telling me that!
EB: like she would actually be online when i need her and i'm coherent!
EB: ... um.
EB: so.
EB: i guess last night i couldn't sleep and i was talking to you?
EB: well. this morning.
EB: anyway, the whole deal is just dumb and you should ignore it!
EB: i was just sleep deprived. i nearly passed out on my keyboard!
EB: you shouldn't take me seriously when i'm like that.
EB: you should take me seriously now! when i'm saying that everything is fine, and i'm fine, and there's no need to jump to any silly conclusions.
EB: so what if i can't talk straight to dave?
EB: wait, can i take that back.
EB: shit.
EB: this is making everything worse.
-- ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 14:41 --
-- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 14:52 --
EB: i'm fine.
-- ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 14:52 --
-- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 14:55 --
EB: really!
-- ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 14:55 --
-- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 15:23 --
EB: please pick up your phone.
-- ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 15:24 --
-- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 15:34 --
EB: you didn't
EB: no, you wouldn't do that.
-- ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 15:35 --
-- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 16:03 --
EB: hey! john here!
-- gardenGnostic is an idle chum! --
EB: obviously.
EB: uh.
EB: i'm kind of freaking out here, jade, because you're not answering any of these!
EB: and i don't want to go to your house.
EB: your grandpa is kind of scary, dude.
EB: where was he anyway?
EB: why am i asking this?
EB: she's not answering.
-- ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 16:10 --
-- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering tentacleTherapist [TT] at 16:14 --
EB: rose!!
EB: i have a problem.
TT: Can it be resolved within the limited confines of a chat client?
EB: yes.
TT: I will be at your home in approximately twenty minutes.
-- tentacleTherapist [TT] ceased pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 16:20 --
EB: i said yes!!!
EB: ugh, you're already gone!
EB: ...
EB: hehehehe
-- ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering tentacleTherapist [TT] at 16:22 --
Rose Lalonde pushed John's bedroom door open with one foot, letting the bucket propped on top fall harmlessly to the floor in front of her. "I'm not stepping on that tripwire," she called out, eyeing the fine length of string stretched across the doorway in the off chance she managed to foil his first prank. "Your father promised us milk and cookies should we stay in the house," she added with a small smile. "Does this wire trigger anything particularly fascinating?"
When there was no reply, she stepped over the wire and bucket and advanced into the room.
John popped out from behind the door and hit her with a face full of shaving cream pie.
"No hard feelings?" John chuckled nervously as he held out a towel.
Rose took it and draped it across her shoulders, carefully sticking her head back under the tap in order to rinse out the last of the shaving cream.
"I should have expected as much from you," she murmured to the drain, voice echoing hollowly on the porcelain. "But at least you didn't use a more sugary confection. And," she admitted with a shrug, "The tripwire 'distaction' was a lovely touch."
"Hehe, thanks. It's getting harder to prank you. Dave's the only one who still--"
"Still what?" she prompted when his sentence cut short.
John swallowed hard, leaning against the bathroom door frame and fiddling with the knobs of his fingers. "Nothing," he grumbled. "It's silly."
Rose stared at him for a moment, before turning off the tap and drying her hair as best as she could with the towel. John watched, fascinated, as she took a comb from the sink's rim, deftly dis-tangled her hair, and swept it into a damper version of her usual style. She tossed the towel into the sink and brushed past John, tucking her hairband in place as she went.
"I did not come by for a mere social call," she teased over her shoulder as she reached the head of the stairs. "There is a man's excellent baking to be had."