2025-06-22 - Cabins, Chateaus, and Insufferable Fedoras

It was sometime in the early evening when Diana and Jaime rolled into Lucky's. She's dressed casually after a day at the water park, dark hair tossed up in a messy bun and nothing but moisturizer and a bit of lip gloss on her face for makeup. But she's glowing and not just her usual Tinker bell glow, but as if she's actually happy. Of course, she's also a drink in now, dehydrated, and messing with the Jukebox looking for something fun.

The familiar intro of The Foundations "Build Me Up Buttercup," thumps in through the speakers. It's a perfect summer soundtrack, and gets a few murmurs of recognition from the other patrons.

Jaime is equally casual in a pair of faded jeans some suede boots, and a plain white t-shirt with a dark blue short-sleeved lightweight button up thrown over it, unbuttoned. He spends a lot of time working outside so he's already getting a bit of a summer tan going. He sits over at the bar, a pint and a glass of ice water in front of him, the ice water almost gone, the pint about halfway. Grinning, he taps his foot as the song comes on and sings along a bit. "Build me up, buttercup baby just to let me down, and mess me around.."

The vibes are good, and Di smiles as she joins Jaime back at the bar where her French 76 (she's always been more of a vodka than a gin girl) is waiting for her. "Do you like darts? Or pool?" She asks. Both are currently occupied, but more than likely one of the games would wrap up soon, and she was too antsy to sit tonight.

"Both," Jaime says as he glances over in that direction. "You want to grab a game as soon as one or the other frees up?" It's usually just a matter of time before one group moves off and another can step in. "We can just grab whatever's open first." His foot taps along with the song as he glances around Lucky's taking in the evening's crowd. "So of all the bars in the park, which one's your favorite?" he asks.

She nods, not really all that picky either. "Oh, hmm," she hums as she picks up her drink and takes a sip. "Is it lame if I say this one? I can't get scheduled here," she laughs. Everywhere else is fair game if the crowds are busy enough. Diana was pretty portable as far as walking entertainment. "I also like how casual it is... and that it's not too far a walk home. Makes it easier when you're piss drunk and just want to collapse. What about you?"

Jaime laughs and says, "No, it's not lame. And that's a pretty valid reason." He has to think about it for a bit and says, "I think I like the music at Bootlegger's best. The vibe's pretty upbeat adventure pirate shenanigans. I can vibe with that." He then gestures with his beer to Lucky's and says, "But for pure stumble home convenience, this place definitely can't be beat." He has to agree with that.

"That tracks," Di nods. "Bootleggers has a Jaime vibe. If you weren't in construction I'd suggest the pirate show," she says as as she lifts her drink to her lips again. "Drinks are best at Lucky's though," she'd ride for these bartenders foreverrrrrr. "And yes, the worst thing about the other bars is having to catch a boat home. Every time I end up drinking even more just to avoid it a little bit longer."

"I don't mind taking the boat home drunk," Jaime says, "But sometimes I just want to stumble into bed, not have to wait a whole thirty minutes and then still have to walk to bed." He grins and considers for a moment. "I'm kind of a shit actor. I can play a bit of guitar, sing a bit, but mostly just for fun. Better suited to heavy lifting, I think. Pirate show's fun to watch, though." He lifts his pint in salute to the bartender on duty. "Never had a complaint about the drinks here." He then asks, "Alright.. least favorite place in the park."

Diana squints, her eyes surveying Jaime's features. "Were you one of those fedora guys in college that would play in the quad?" She could see it.

"You have sold me on the appeal of manual labor. It is the kind of work that doesn't follow you home, and the time off between shipments sounds grand. I couldn't handle it though... I mean the whole telekinesis thing would help but even that gets exhausting after a while."

His next question is met with a groan. "I didn't sign up for trivia night," she teases. "I like the gardens on castle island. Great place to sit with a book. You? Other than my apartment?"

"Bold of you to assume I'm not one of those fedora guys now who plays on the quad," Jaime says with a flash of a grin. "I do own a fedora. Though I don't think I've worn it in a while. And there's more of a park, less of a quad here. And I never went to college. I started right out of high school."

"If you don't mind getting covered in dirt and a lot of cussing, construction's not a bad gig," Jaime laughs. "I do like that when I'm off, I'm off. I don't need to think about it. Sometimes the hours are long. Sometimes there's breaks in between. Sometimes there aren't any new contracts and it gets tight. But, that's part of why I took this job," he says, gesturing vaguely to the park. "This project's going to be going for a long, long time. And if we do it right, then we can stay on for whatever new area they'll be working on. A little stability's a good thing."

"Oh, sure, earlier I wasn't asking enough questions, now too many questions. There is no pleasing you," he teases. "And I asked for your least favorite place in the park. But most is fine, too."

He does have to think about his own answer though before he says, "Riding trails on Fable, for my favorite."

Diana visibly cringes when Jaime admits that he still owns a fedora. It's so bad that she signals to the bartender behind the bar to bring her some shots. "Don't make me regret everything," she pleads. Jaime could say many things, but this whole guitar-playing, fedora-wearing bit is the worst of them. She'd kissed him. She slides one shot of tequila his way when they arrive and doesn't even wait to take her shot then suck on a lime.

"Is the money any good?" She asks as she reaches for her water. "Granted, if you plan to stay at Spellbound forever, you don't need much of a savings." It wasn't worth it for most people to live off of the islands and commute in, and Spellbound wasn't exactly selling houses.

"There isn't," she agrees. "Oh least" she laughs. "Anywhere in the tunnels. Too dingy... you ride horses?"

Jaime laughs at that visible cringe. "Maybe I'll wear it next time," he ruminates as he watches her motion for shots. He is going to make her regret everything. All of it. "Better you find out earlier than later," he says. "You can still run." He takes the shot and downs it before reaching for a lime wedge.

"I don't know as I plan on staying here forever," Jaime says, "I don't make a lot of forever sort of plans. I'm here now. I'm here til the end of this contract. Then if there's another one that pays as well that keeps me here? I'd probably take it. But for now, I'm liking that this one's a bit longer term than usual. I'm used to moving around a lot."

"Yeah, fair," Jaime says. "Plus they've got that smell." The stale air tunnel smell.

"Oh, if I see a fedora, I will," she promises. "And if you wear one around me, I can't promise I won't take out all my pent-up aggression from tolerating you on it. It will be a pile of ribbons by the time I'm done."

"Forever is a long time," she muses. "I'm not sure Spellbound is my forever either. It's fun to escape here, but I don't know. I like the idea of a family and a house with a garden someday and this place isn't really equipped for all that. But who knows? I don't really dream too far into the future either."

"The smell is awful."

"Rude," Jaime says. "Did a fedora traumatize you in a past life?" He's still very deeply amused by this very passionate fedora hate.

"Little bit of land, maybe a pond, maybe a lake nearby. With a fire pit and some chairs to sit out and watch the sunset. Maybe a dog," Jaime muses as he lifts his beer to finish off the pint and set it aside. "But for now? This place is great. And until things change, I'm liking it here."

He pulls up off his stool as the song Diana chose ends and he goes over to select one. After a moment or two, Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen The Rain" starts playing and he wanders back.

He settles back in on his stool and leans against the bar. "So, what's one thing you want to do here while you're here that you haven't done yet?" Yep. It's apparently his turn for questions.

"Every single man in a fedora is insufferable. It is like a magic cap that turns an otherwise tolerable person into an insufferable creature who comes off as a try-hard."

She takes a steadying breath and nods. "I've always wanted a dog. I've never had a pet and always wanted one. Always wanted a sibling too. Makes me think I want a big family someday but that might just be rebellion talking. I also like my independence and my breasts as they are." Childbirth would ruin her.

The song he picks is given a nod of approval, and she reaches out for his hand, tugging him toward her so she can drape her arms lazily up around his shoulders and sway a little to the music now that she's good and tipsy.

"Skinny dip in mermaid lagoon."

"Glad to know you don't have any strong opinions about that," Jaime teases lightly, "Also fortunate for me that I'm already insufferable without a hat. Trying hard sounds like work."

"What kind of a dog?" he asks when she says that she's always wanted one. He grins though when she says she always wanted a sibling. "It's alright. I'm kinda fond of mine." But he shrugs his shoulders and says, "Well, I figure that's why you're here, right? To just.. live.. figure things out.. see where the wind takes you when you're given a little room to stretch your own wings. Maybe you will? Maybe you won't. No hurt in dreaming and thinking about it though."

He slips his arms around her and moves them a little away from the bar and onto the floor. The dart board and the pool table still seem to be occupied for a little longer, so he sway-dances with her in that open area not far from the jukebox. "With or without everyone having dinner in the Port and Portal?" he laughs. "I bet you could do it after hours. Or real early before the park and restaurant open."

Diana rolls her eyes and makes a mental note to find the stupid hat in his apartment before he can torture her with it.

"Something big and fluffy. I don't care what kind." Jaime's face seems to almost light up when he talks about his family. It feeds into this particular desire. "Something like that. Grow up a little in a land of pretend and make-believe. I guess I could have gone to college instead but," she shrugs. She hadn't gone to college either. "No, I don't think there is any hurt in dreaming."

She moves where he leads her, drifting into the open area where they're the only ones dancing. "With, of course," she winks then shakes her head. "I'd rather not get arrested. But yeah, probably could get away with it if I time it right."

Poor hat. Just minding its own business in a closet somewhere, unaware of the violence being planned against it.

"Big and fluffy is good," Jaime says. "I like big dogs. Newfies, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Pyrenees, Leonbergers," he muses as they sway a bit to the music. That they're the only ones dancing doesn't seem to bother him at all. "I could have," he says after a moment or two of thought. "Thought about it at one point. But in the end, never did. Maybe someday I'll take some classes just for the heck of it."

Laughing he says, "Not getting arrested is generally a better plan."

"Maybe a big mutt," she smiles at the thought. She doesn't seem to mind that they're the only ones dancing either, and just plays with his messy brown hair mindlessly as they sway. "I considered it but it didn't fit in the schedule. I took a few online classes but wasn't really good at the whole school thing. Never really was," she admits a bit sheepishly. "I guess I'm lucky I ended up in show business. I don't know if I'd be good at anything else."

She laughs and nods. "Yeah, so the dead of night it is then. What about you? If tomorrow was your last day here, what would you do?"

"I wasn't ever really great at school either. Not that I didn't like it or anything, just wasn't really my thing," Jaime says. "I'm not even real sure what I'd take if I took classes. Maybe some kind of ancient history, or anthropology. Archaeology." He then laughs, "Can't quite get away from the urge to dig in the dirt, I guess." He studies her thoughtfully and says, "Probably all kinds of other things you could be good at if you wanted to do them. I get the impression you'd be good at whatever you were passionate about, if you found something."

He has to think a bit about that question, idly turning them in a little circle where they are as he thinks about it. "Dive the wrecks off the coast of the island," he decides. "I think that'd be cool to explore them."

"Archeology like Indiana Jones? No wonder you have a thing for fedoras," she smirks. "Archeology sounds like one of those things that is more fun in theory than practice. But it'd be cool to find something ancient."

His belief that she'd be good at anything she's passionate about is met with a soft kiss to his cheek. "Maybe. Or maybe I'll just fulfil my hot girl duty and marry rich, not worry about it."

"That could be cool. But is the visibility even good enough to see anything in the lake?"

"Probably involves a lot of time in the dirt with tiny little tools instead of really big ones," Jaime muses with a little shrug of his shoulders. "I'm guessing it's a whole lot of not finding anything, or finding a thousand identical pots in pieces and trying to figure out how to put them back together again." And yet that doesn't seem to put him off being interested in it.

"Also an option," Jaime says with an amused smile. "Sip mojitos by the pool and watch the dogs play in the yard with the kids and their nanny."

"No idea," Jaime admits. "Guess maybe at some point I'll find out."

"Sounds like it could be interesting, but, oh!" She grins. "I follow this guy on TikTok who has a series called the Great Gay American Side Quest, and he goes to all of these different places, and at many of them, he mines for different gemstones. Now that is my kind of digging," she grins. "We should go and mine for opals in Montana, then adopt a big fluffy dog!" She is practically beaming with excitement. If Jaime isn't careful they may end up leaving on the next boat.

His vision brings her back to earth a little, but her smile remains big and bright. "Wearing a big sun hat and everything," she chuckles. "Do you think I'll be someone's first wife or second? Maybe their third? I do like older men."

"I think I saw that. Doesn't he stay in all kinds of crazy hotel rooms? Like the one that looed like an Egyptian temple? And one that looked like Venice with a gondola tub? But they couldn't fill the 'canal' with water because it was leaking into other rooms or something?" Jaime asks as he dips her a little bit toward the end of one song, and then just continues on to the next. "I'd be down for mining for opals in Montana," he agrees easily enough. "Never been to Montana." But that's certainly not going to stop him from going, in fact that might be part of the draw.

"Of course. Huge sun hat, movie star glasses. Fantastic bikini," he confirms. "Definitely second. The one the first wife hates because you're younger and hotter."

"Sometimes," she says. "But I don't think I saw that one. I mostly have watched the ones with pretty rocks. Clearly, I'm not a true fan like you are." Di's foot pops when he dips her, and she kisses him while they're still in the hold, giving the barflies a little show, not that they're paying any attention. "Montana for our third date?"

"You get me. Do you think I'll murder my husband for the money? Will you be the pool boy I have an affair with? You might be a little old for the job, but" she shrugs. "Or perhaps the gardener? That way you can keep your dirt."

"My FYP has its own ideas of what I'm a fan of," Jaime chuckles. "I have yet to see one that even has a single pretty rock in it. It clearly doesn't know me very well. Though Joey's the one with the dirt and rock powers." Jaime returns the kiss at the bottom of that dip and holds it for several beats before straightening again. "Sure," he says. It's not that far to Montana, right? Head west and straight on til morning?

"Oh, definitely," he says, as to whether she'd murder her husband but then he shakes his head, "I don't do affairs with married people." Then he says, "Nah, I'd probably be living in my log cabin by the lake that I built myself because somewhere along the line I decided that'd be a good idea. Probably got a few kids hanging off me like hyperactive baby opossums. A couple of dogs. Just trying to make sure nobody falls in, or at least if they do that they get out again in one piece."

"Doesn't everyone's?" Once she's right again, the song switches to something one of the other patrons selects. It isn't as good as the playlist they'd curated, but it's tolerable. "Maybe we should bring him then," she suggests.

"What about widows?" Her husband is dead, remember? "A log cabin by the lake. Will you have electricity or be fully off the grid?" She chuckles softly at the mental image of him with all those kids. "Sounds like for a guy who moves around a lot, you don't mind the idea of roots eventually."

"On our date?" Jaime laughs. "Does he get to bring a date too, or just have a thing for twins?"

"Widows are fine," Jaime says, only half paying attention to whatever the song selection was. He has rhythm and the dancing is more about the beat than what the song's on about anyway. "Electricity, running water, wifi, but definitely a wood burning fireplace because I like them," he opines as he draws back enough to spin her, lifting one hand above her head and giving her a turn before drawing her back in. "I've always liked the idea of putting down roots somewhere, just need a reason. Until then, I go where the work takes me to save up for it."

"If he's going to help me find a big fat opal, he can do whatever he wants," Di laughs. "But he can't stay in our room. He has to find his own."

Diana took dance classes throughout her childhood, making it easy for Jaime to spin her away and pull her back in again. She even adds a pretty arm extension at her furthest point, making all this look intentional. "Sounds cozy. Would it have to be in the states? There is nothing more beautiful than the French countryside. Rivers winding through lavender fields. Old mills. Plum trees, and berry bushes, and so much wine."

Jaime laughs at that and says, "Noted."

"I figure I can put my theoretical cabin wherever I want to," Jaime chuckles. "So sure, why not the French countryside. I could learn French." He certainly doesn't seem opposed. "I can scandalize them all with my fedoras and my hot ham sandwiches," he adds with a sly sidelong grin.

"And the cabin can be a historic chateau... with lots of projects," because most homes that were built in the 1800s or earlier required a lot of work. But Jaime was handy. He'd be fine. "Think of all the historic treasures you'll find... just in dust instead of dirt. Is there really a difference?" She didn't seem to think so.

"Oh, your fedora isn't invited, and you simply are not allowed to eat those warm. There are hot sandwiches and cold sandwiches, I don't make the rules," she says, ignoring that sly grin the best she can. "I can teach you French. It's my first language."

"Oh it can, can it?" Jaime asks as she suddenly begins to transform this cabin he built himself into something else entirely. "I suppose restoring an old chateau is kind of like building a cabin from scratch. In a whole not at all sort of way, but sure, why not?" Dust, dirt, it's a project, and he seems to like a project one way or the other.

"Oh, it's totally crashing the party. And if I don't make at least one Frenchman say 'Sacré bleu!' then have I truly lived?"

"Exactly!" Di says, and kisses him, perhaps in an attempt to Pavlov him into preferring her vision to his own. It seemed to be working! "And I'll even consider occasionally allowing you to wear your hat in private... in another wing of the house." Compromise.

"Oh, darling, you just existing will get that reaction. But if it gets me a chateau, and some big fluffy dogs, and a man who likes to dance with me? I can drink enough champagne to make it tolerable."

Green eyes dance a bit with amusement, both at the attempted reward-based-training and the allowances for the hat he doesn't even wear. "Generous," he chuckles, leaning in to draw her closer for another kiss, this one a little longer.

"I /do/ like dancing with you," he admits when the kiss breaks and despite his very existence being an affront to his future neighbors. "I'd learn some French if you feel like teaching me. I could teach you a bit of Irish, but it's not my first language. And my Spanish is just what I've picked up from the crews I've been on and probably not fit for mixed company."