Back in the Light

Who: Doc and Jocelyn
Where: Bablyon
When: even later night.

Note: Def NSFW

She'd done good. It had been months since she'd actually had to be downstairs at Babylon for longer than a few minutes. All her clients had agreed to just be ushered up to her room and she'd not left besides to grab food and then head back upstairs.

Jocelyn Laurent had become a hermit and no one had really even noticed. Not that she'd expected them to notice. Most of her friends had moved on and out of Marquette and those that hadn't had just moved on with their lives. She hated it but it was fitting. Why would anyone stick around anyway?

Eris though put her foot down though this time. Jocelyn had avoided helping out downstairs for months and tonight, with everything that had been going on lately, they were short a hand at the bar and Jocelyn was stuck, out of her room and her comfort zone. In addition to the torture it was a slow night and there were very few patrons visiting. She was leaning on the bar playing with sparks she conjured in her hand, the same way someone would light matches to watch them burn. She only had a few hours left of her shift, and so far she'd managed to avoid major eye contact with almost everyone.

As terrible as it was to accept, as much as Doc would've liked even the passage of one night? Duty never waited. It barged right in, demanding what it had to without care for his mood or his mindframe. And this wasn't the first time it had done so, either, nor would it be the last. Doc would believe he was going senile if he ever thought as much, really. He'd been lingering in the basement for a few hours when the feeling rose up inside of him; iron-tight around his chest and flooding his mind with a name, a face, an urge to focus on both and let the power take him where he was needed.

For the first time since becoming War, he waited. Granted, it was only long enough for a pull of whiskey from a bottle at home and a clean shirt to be pulled on, but he still waited. And the drink was a good thing in hindsight, as this was the first time Doc had ever shown up near his goal instead of at it. He was outside Babylon, blinking in surprise and frowning faintly. He knew the bar was strange, and there were plenty of personal curiosities he had about both it and Eris, but now? He apparently had official business within as well. Doc slipped inside with his tried-and-true composure in place, moving for the bar with a practiced ease to his glances around as he searched for his 'client'. Jocelyn Laurent, where are you? he mused, dropping into a seat at the bar and blinking in faint surprise as his question was answered. "Four fingers of whiskey," he called her way, wondering if she was tending the bar or just hanging around.

Jocelyn glanced up from the sparks in her hand and lost concentration just long enough to get burned. "Ow," she mumbled softly and shook her hand to put out the flames and put the burnt part in her mouth to try and dull the pain. She picked up a glass from behind the counter and moved farther down the bar to the patron with the request. Setting the glass down in front of him, she did her best to look past him when she asked "Do you want ice? And do you have a preference of whiskey? We kind of have a few different kinds." Something about him in general caught her interest, but mostly because she hadn't seen him before. She shook it off as she'd not been around in quite some time and he might have been a regular for months now, and she wouldn't even know.

Doc smiled faintly, honestly somewhat at ease despite several circumstances. Babylon was an unknown, by and large, there were countless factors he didn't understand about it. But just having a task to focus on was reassuring, even if he would've been perfectly happy brooding in the dark silence of his basement. "You know, most tenders would just pour me some top-shelf, cut it with ice, and expect me to pay whatever it runs," he pointed out dryly, tapping a cigarette free from his pack and letting it hang unlit for the moment. "But since you asked? No ice. You pick the brand, Jocelyn," Doc added with a slight stretch to his grin that bunched the barcode tattooed on his cheek.

"I try not to tend the bar often." She picked a bottle of Jameson off the shelf behind the bar, as Irish whiskey was her personal favorite. His drink was already poured before she realized he'd called her by her name. That wasn't rare, as she'd been working for Eris for quite some time now, almost a year, so most of the regulars knew her by name. The only problem was that she'd never seen him before, which again wasn't weird, especially if he partook in the more specialized services of the house. Realizing if he was interested in becoming a client, she could get out of being behind the bar, earlier and return to the safety of her room. She made eye contact with him when she passed his drink across the counter.

There was something handsome about him, even if he appeared to be almost twice her age. Older men weren't exactly her cup of tea in her own dating options, but with business you don't get to be picky. The tattoo across his cheek though was what really caught her eye. Ever since she got the sprawling tattoo that started at her left hip and wound around up to her shoulder, she'd been intrigued by what others chose to brand their bodies with. Her smile was sly and coy, exactly the way most men enjoy being looked at, especially men who look as lonely as this guy does. "I like the tat," she told him as she motioned towards his cheek.

He didn't have to force one inch of the smile that grew with the compliment, a light chuckle passing through Doc as he took his drink and tipped it Jocelyn's way in a mock-toast. "Thanks," he said after taking a drink, "It's probably older than you are, honestly, but most people just try not to ask about it." He almost cracked a joke about how she should see the rest, but that was an avenue of humor Doc rarely ventured down. Still, the way she met his eyes was alluring...

It was just hard to really take it as such with how raw everything was, and past his own mental state? He was here on business, not to flirt. "Got any designs of your own?" he asked as he cupped a hand around his lighter and flared his cigarette to life, puffing it contentedly. Smalltalk was something he was good with, and that came in handy in times like these. In a place like this? You never knew who was listening in, or how.

The crack about the tat being older than she was clued her in that he might be a little harder to win over, but his smile gave her hope. Plus she really liked his smile, something about the way it lit up his eyes even if the rest of him gave off such a dark impression. Turning her back towards him, she swept the length of her dark hair off her back, showing the top of the design that showed above the top of her spaghetti strap tank top. It was more than twice as large as the portion she showed, but it was obvious it took up most of her back from just the top of it. She looked over her shoulder at him, to see what she hoped would be his approval. "Most people don't like mine either."

Call it a stereotypical weakness, but Doc hadn't been given a summons so attention-grabbing yet. There was no blood, no misery, no heavy choices to offer as of yet; just a pretty young woman who he knew to be more than she seemed, and who just happened to apparently share the appreciation of a good tattoo. His brow knotted as he leaned forward with an elbow on the bar top, taking a lingering look at her exposed back. "Another tally on the list of ways I differ from most people, I suppose," he offered with an appreciative nod, tempted to compare some more of his own.

There were plenty, to be sure; a hidden mosaic of scars and ink that told a long story of a life spent hunting and learning, but this wasn't the place to share. "You wear it well," Doc went on, sitting back eventually with his smoke pursed in his lips and his drink in hand. "Shame you're on the clock, otherwise I'd offer to buy a round of drinks, maybe compare tales of the needle. That one looks like it must've stung."

"Big perk about working at a place like this," she said as she pushed her hair back behind her shoulders again and turned around. "Being on the clock has all sorts of meanings." She was already reaching for the class and the bottle. "If you want to buy me a drink, you can buy me a drink." She almost added something else, an opening to enjoy her company, but she held back. Something about him gave her the impression he would pull away if she jumped to quick, not that she didn't enjoy the chase.

Her drink was significantly less than his, two fingers at the very most but after pouring it she leaned forward, elbows on the bar and raised it in a toast. "Here's to differing from most people." Jocelyn was surprised at how comfortable it was, talking to someone again. She had assumed that whenever she did bother to engaged in conversation again she would hate it, but this was enjoyable.

Lady, you have no idea, Doc mused with a spark in his eyes as he chimed his glass off of hers. "Here's to appreciative strangers," he offered in kind, taking a drink and smiling. "And to meeting a lady who, no offense, can not only choose a good whiskey? But enjoy it too." And as much as the humor was genuine, it was also serving a purpose. The bar couldn't stay open all night, could it? And once the chance presented itself, he could tell her just why it was that he'd even showed up tonight.

Surprisingly to Doc, he wasn't thinking that it'd be a bad thing if they were open for a while yet. During his solitary years on the road, this had been the sort of moment that let him keep himself together. A good drink, a private setting, and some easy banter went a long way towards soothing a troubled mind. So maybe it wasn't so surprising that he didn't want to shatter it all with the words 'my name is War' just yet.

Jocelyn could feel him warming up to her, which was good. Leaving the bar to entertain a client would be accepted, plus she could get out of this place. She studied his face, seeing the lines that peeked out around his scruff, noticing that some were more recent, not the set in kind. She didn't have that touch for reading people like she'd heard of, but she'd been at this business long enough to read how most people felt based on their faces. From what she could tell his smile was something he hadn't been expecting.

"I'm not typically a whiskey girl, but I always make an exception for Jameson. I used to steal it from my parents liquor cabinet until I left home." She took another sip, enjoying the slight burn in her throat. She'd felt so little these days that feeling anything was an enjoyable moment. "As for the tat, it hurt but more than anything it took forever. Both to design and to get done. But your cheek, that had to have hurt like hell." She rested her chin in her hand and tilted her head to the side, just slightly, so that her hair hung just so, exposing the line of her cleavage in the tank top.

"I was very, very drunk," he confessed with a wink that he never really knew the power of, "But the next morning? You'd better believe it stung." Doc aimed his smirk down, focusing on the ashtray as he stubbed out his cigarette. He'd seen a glimpse of what Jocelyn wanted him to, and as inviting as it was, he refused to stare. You must rake in the tips, he thought, swirling his drink in the glass idly and blinking as it swirled opposite the way it should. Which was... odd. But given what he knew, and the sparks Jocelyn had been toying with when he'd come in, it wasn't entirely unexpected.

People like them built up peculiarities, after all, and Doc couldn't go thinking that anyone he was sent to find wouldn't have some. "I can only imagine how long yours would take to color," he agreed, glancing back up to Jocelyn with a sweep of his eyes that landed them on hers. "Still, I think I speak from experience when I say that the pride of ownership's worth the time. Got a few beyond this one," Doc went on, tapping a finger above the edge of his beard.

She bit the inside of her lip as she watched his drink swirl the wrong way. That stupid little quirk always annoyed her, especially when she was trying to stay mostly under the radar. He seemed to take it in stride. When his eyes met hers again, she'd cleared the thought, hoping he'd blame it more on Babylon and not her. "Three different sittings, first two were well just short of two hours. Laying a table topless for an extended period of time while people keep coming in and someone keeps sticking a needle in you requires a level of self control you wouldn't believe." She smiled, the same coy smile, and let the image just hang between them before continuing. "Maybe you can show me yours, and obviously there's a lot more of mine to see."

Was that a proposition? If it was, it both the boldest Doc had heard in years, and the first. Maybe it was his casual nature, but this wasn't a situation he'd found himself in much even before meeting Eva. But no matter what it was, it got his gaze to dip down again as Doc grinned, sitting back in a lounge to keep his eyes on Jocelyn. "Somehow I think that bearing some skin in here might be a health code violation or three, especially with how your ink seems to curve," he pointed out, thinking on the arcs that appeared to feed down towards her hip. But if she was suggesting more? It'd lead to somewhere he could speak more freely, with any luck.

She smiled again, more sweetly this time. "You are new around here aren't you?" It made her chuckle, and excited her at the same time. This was something she'd missed during her hiatus, even if it hadn't dawned on her until now. There was something completely intoxicating about pursuing a new client, even if her main goal was just to get back to her room. "You are definitely not versed in the full services of Babylon, sir. And I don't think it's fair that you know my name when I don't know yours." She finished off her drink, and put the empty glass behind the bar. "Oh," she added as an afterthought. "You're right, it does curve quite a bit." She gave him the slightest wink, just to make sure she had his attention.

There was the threat of a smile again, this time cut off with another cigarette popped to Doc's lips. He bit down on the filter's tip just to curb the expression somewhat, holding that for a moment before saying a word. "It's so true; the devil really is in the details," he teased, plucking the cigarette away long enough to wash back the remnants of his own drink, "And no, I'm not a regular around here by any means. Been in... three times, counting tonight. Had a drink with Eris, she didn't have brochures on available services or anything."

It wouldn't have mattered if she had, Doc had never been the sort of man to take the physical side of things lightly, after all. But if he wanted a chance to make his pitch? He needed to roll with this. "Friends call me Doc," he introduced eventually, "Anything more than that I guard like my ink, best kept for... private discussions."

Excellent. "Eris keeps the details about our place close to home; she doesn't offer if there's not an obvious interest." She reached across the bar and took the empty class from his hand, ensuring that their fingers grazed, without ever losing eye contact. "You're in luck, Doc." She rolled his name off her tounge, keeping the 'c' sound from coming out too harsh. "I happen to be an expert in private discussions. I told you I don't tend bar often." She back away from the bar and called to the other guy working the bar, giving him a signal that she was done for the night. He caught the cue and nodded. She moved around the end of the bar and out to the main floor of the room, sidling up next to Doc. When she was close enough she leaned on this side of the bar and ran her left hand through her hair and then down towards her hip where her tank top stopped just short of the low slung jeans and the bottom half of the tattoo was exposed. "Ready?"

In any other situation, he would've been sorely tempted to run with this. She had a sharp wit at the very least, and he was a man who definitely found intellect attractive. So it wasn't a stretch for Doc to appear very enamored with the brush of her fingers across his, or to seem compelled by her poise as she moved around to join him. He didn't even feel guilty for the glimpse of her inked hip he got to see, and his smile was largely genuine. "Absolutely," he agreed readily, sliding out of his seat and tossing down a few bills to cover both of their drinks, "Where are we heading?"

"Follow me." She turned and lead the way upstairs, catching a glimpse at the clock before she walked out. A full hour early. Silently she thanked every element that this tattooed, ragged, but delightful man had walked into her bar and gave her a damn good reason to get back to her safe haven. He did look like he might be a fun go around though, and she hadn't had a client wow her in a while.

Once upstairs she headed down the hall to her room, pushing the door open wide, instinctively lighting the candles by the door with her hand. The room was moderate sized, with a large bed in the middle and standard bedroom furniture around the edges. The walls were decorated with mostly elemental symbols, some painted on, some on scrolls or tapestries. In the corner by the bed there was a bookcase with a desk built in and a solid collection of texts, most looking like older books on topics unheard of instead of novels. Every piece of furniture with an open surface, minus the desk top, was covered with candles of varying sizes. She held the door open for him to come in and then went about lighting the candles, giving the room a soft glow. "What do you think? Will this do for private?"

"Most definitely," came the sparse reply as Doc studied the room, catching Jocelyn's repeat of the fire trick she'd been toying with when he'd first come in. The pieces fell into place for the seasoned willworker as he noted the hanging scrolls and tapestries, keen eyes picking out a few titles of books within the warm glow of the candle light. She was a witch. That prospect was exciting unto itself for Doc; the setting was one of professionalism and knowledge, and the elemental trappings told him this wasn't a den of blood magic, at the very least.

Quite suddenly he was hoping she would agree to what he had to say; the combination of this insight and the first impression Jocelyn had given both gave Doc a feeling that she'd be invaluable to his efforts in the area. "So... where should we start?" he asked lightly, taking a few steps towards the last batch of candles she'd been lighting, "Names? Tattoos? Or door number three?" He figured she'd take that last option very differently than he meant it, but putting it out there was as good a way as any to segue into the heart of the matter.

"There's a door number three?" She sparked the last of the candles to light and covered the ground left between them. Her hand was raised and rested gently on his chest, opening the door for physical content. What she didn't expect was the strength she felt beneath his shirt. Apparently his looks were quite deceiving and it was decided he would probably end up wowing her in the end. "And what exactly is behind door number three?" She rolled forward onto her toes a little and looking him in the eye.

Oh but it was tempting to indulge, even a little. He wasn't even fully aware of his hand settling at Jocelyn's side initially, not when she moved close and laid a hand on his chest. Maybe he wanted to bury his grief, or to sate a different kind of longing, but all Doc knew was that she was soft under his touch and looking up at him with a heat that was nearly genuine. "Door number three's the one where I tell you I was looking for you when I came in tonight," Doc murmured, slipping his hand away mere moments after it settled there, "I know who you are, Jocelyn, and I have a wholly different offer than the one you made me."

Now came the shock, he supposed, the same as with Kurt or Grayson or any of the others who hadn't been able to endure. "I said before that friends called me Doc, but I have other names. Tonight? The reason I'm here? My name is War, and I'm here to make you a proposal..." he trailed enigmatically, studying her eyes for the first hints of reaction.

Jocelyn enjoyed the way he put his hand on her waist, and that look of longing in his eyes wasn't faked. Then he went and changed the game. She was caught off guard but only moved closer to him and ran one one finger along the edge of his beard. "Alright War, a proposal different than mine? What exactly did you have in mind?" It didn't bother her that he was being, well odd. The name, War, clicked something, but it wasn't specific enough for her to really lean one way or the other on anything.

This was unexpected, but it wasn't the first part of tonight to turn out that way. And unlike Jocelyn, Doc was long-practiced in the art of studying and reading people. He could tell she was enjoying this, even if she thought it was a game of some sort. And really? Doc was enjoying it too. The light passage of her fingertip along his jaw was enough to return Doc's hand to Jocelyn's side, coaxing her in closer subtly as he leaned down towards her touch. "Work with me," he murmured simply, fingers tightening ever so slightly along a bit of tattooed skin near her waist.

"You're a sharp one, I can already see. And you play the game as easy as you breathe," he praised in a low, steady tone, "As for me? I keep this world in balance, and this town standing. And I think I've needed someone like what I'm seeing in you for a long time now. You, though... I get the feeling you want more than what life's given you." His fingers untensed, the tip of one brushing the curve of ink he'd seen there fleetingly. "Maybe I can help you find it."

The desire was gone from his eyes, but he'd drawn her closer and honestly she rather enjoyed that. "Well who isn't looking for something more? I've been hiding out in my room for four months, trying to find something more." She rolled up onto her toes so she could reach him and pressed her lips against his slowly. "You do know I only work for Eris, and if I go against her I'll be out on the street. I'm not really a girl for hire." She licked her lips and smiled again, "and do please, explain how it is you keep this town in one piece."

There were things she'd just said that needed answers or explanations, there were details Doc had looming in the front of his mind. But the kiss swept them all away like leaves in the breeze, making him lose himself for a moment. His eyes were shut for a moment after she withdrew, and when they opened again the warm greys were lit up with want as they watched her. "I don't want you to do for me what you do for her," he said at first, lips pressing together for a moment as he tasted Jocelyn lingering there.

His mind was a mess, and all a large part of him wanted to do was lose all the confusion in this moment. "If you're allowed to leave here at all, you could help me. What I do is gather people like you, the ones who can make a difference, the ones who wield their strength. They watch with me, and when things begin to shift, we figure out how to shift with it." He wanted to touch her, to run his hand through her hair as he'd seen Jocelyn do for herself, but Doc couldn't let himself give in yet. "We're not heroes, we're not soldiers, we're survivors who are making sure there's a reason to survive."

It was hard to fight how enjoyable it was just being in his arms, but her curiosity was piqued and now she wanted to know what it was he meant. Jocelyn stayed in his arms, but ducked her head to press her lips against his chin, knowing that it was tearing down his defenses. "So you want me to leave here and work for you? Doing something, which you haven't specified but you seem to think I have some sort of innate talent for." She moved her head, and kissed his tattoo lightly, just barely enough to notice. "What on earth do you need with a witch? And if I leave here, where do I go?"

"You don't have to leave entirely," Doc protested first, heart picking up speed in his chest with every teasing little passage of Jocelyn's lips. He'd do better at this if he just backed up, Doc knew, but he didn't think she'd be as amenable to listening. She definitely loved this game, and honestly? He didn't exactly mind it either. "You could keep your job here if you wanted, as long as you were willing to answer when I called," he went on, eyes slipping shut as she brushed the mark on his cheek.

Doc took a deep breath, chest expanding against Jocelyn as he put together a basic composure and looked down at her with a smile. "I need a witch because you can do things that others can't," he explained, "You have power, Jocelyn. You have insight, and confidence to use it. And the job pays... maybe not as much as here, but enough to survive." He finally gave in, reaching up to smooth at her hair fleetingly and run his thumb alone the line of her scalp. "You can say no, you can take time to think on it, I just want you to know the choice is there."

To be honest, the offer sounded appealing, especially when he ran his thumb along her hairline, and she caught herself turning her head into his hand. Something about him, made her want to stay in his presence. Being at his beck and call seemed a little over the top, but there was something comforting about him. In fact, she'd stopped trying to seduce him, and had just taken to doing what felt good. "You have my attention," she cupped his chin in her hand and pulled his mouth to hers. "But there's something else I want to know. Why on earth do you look so sad?" It was obvious that his heart was heavy, it shone in his eyes and the in the way he seemed hesitant to let himself go. "I'll make you a deal," she said with a hush to her voice. "I'll listen to your offer, and take it into consideration, after I talk to Eris of course, if you tell me what happened."

This was just strange, and on multiple levels. Most prominently to Doc was the closeness he was sharing with Jocelyn, the ease they each had in sharing touches, feather-soft kisses, and looks of understanding. He didn't get to this spot often, but something about it right now was just natural. And maybe later it would bother him, right now it was comforting. The second oddity, though, was that suddenly she'd turned the tables. She was the one offering the choice, a position Doc had been used to occupying ever since becoming War. And she was crafty in its' delivery, hinging her own potential acceptance on his, making the whole offer in that soft and subdued tone, even punctuating it with a light touch on his jaw and another press of her lips.

She's dangerous, he decided as he looked down at Jocelyn, And the perfect candidate. Which meant answering her question. Doc let himself slip his fingertips just beyond Jocelyn's hairline, savoring the silken feel as he studied her eyes. "I lost a good friend today," he answered honestly. He didn't know if he'd loved Eva; they'd had such little time together, had never even been lovers. But she'd mattered immeasurably to him, there was no doubt there. "And some days I think I know this game we play, that I've learned the lessons," he went on, talking to keep from closing in on her again, "Being reminded that I don't still stings."

Jocelyn actually understood what Doc was going through more than most would guess. She grew up, knowing her place and how things fell together, only to realize that she wanted a different life. Leaving everything behind had been hard on her, especially considering how close she'd been to her family. Since then she'd lost more friends than she could count, mostly due to just life getting in the way and she'd never even really been on a real date since arriving in Marquette. Doc's pain cut her deep, because it echoed her own pain. She pulled back from him a little to get a better look at his whole face. There was something completely mysterious about this man and she couldn't help but want to know even more.

"Fair enough." She was already strongly considering his offer, not that she'd actually made a decision yet and there would have to be a difficult conversation with Eris, but perhaps Eris already knew what Doc was about and would understand. Why she was so ready to agree to helping him, even though his offer was vague at best, was bothering her, but truthfully she couldn't come up with a good reason not to agree to help him. "Are there any specifics to this offer? I do have to explain to my boss why I'm taking up a side gig."

Space actually made it a little easier, even if Doc was somewhat disappointed even by the slight withdrawal. He shouldn't have been, given the circumstances, but the moment was a strange sort of solace that he was loathe to give up. "Specifics? You could say that," Doc began with a musing frown, "If you work with me, you're essentially choosing a side. My side is Balance, but it still qualifies. Somehow I think Eris might appreciate that."

"Choosing a side? Against what other sides?" Jocelyn was still conscious of his hands on her, but distracted now. He was right about Eris though, she was different enough that she might get that and might find that interesting enough to go easy on Jocelyn. "Odds are though Eris isn't going to let me leave here for good, how's that going to work out?" Plus she wasn't sure if she wanted to leave Babylon for good, it was her home and had been her home for a while. Plus with Eris around it was far safer than most would imagine.

"Against good and evil, in the bluntest terms possible," Doc explained, studying Jocelyn's expression carefully, "Most people like to think that there can be a happy world where the hero wins. Some people like to think the hero can be pulled down once and for all. What both sides don't get is that if either one wins, everything stops. There needs to be a struggle. I wish there didn't, but if the fight stops, then every reason we have to keep going stops too." It was more than he'd told the others, which was telling in and of itself. Jocelyn asked.

"And you don't have to leave here entirely if you don't want to," he assured her with a flicker of a smile, "I'm not looking to pull the whole world out from under your feet. If you wanted to leave, maybe there'd be a way, but that choice would be yours. Beyond that, I'd just ask you to help where you can." That was all Doc ever asked for, at the core of it all; the desire to help, and the will to believe things could keep changing.

Jocelyn thought about what he'd said and could see some validity. It was true, what was the point of living if there wasn't anything to fight for? And when had the fighting for her ever stopped? His offer kept getting more appealing, not to mention Doc was involved, which she was quickly realizing would be the deciding factor. She'd bait him with it, but she was going to say yes provided everything worked out with Eris. "Are there others or is it just me and you?" she asked, moving closer again.

Even the few steps she took back towards him were a good sign; she was what he'd been hoping for. As with Kurt, as with Grayson, once the offer was understood it (hopefully) appealed to who they were. The fight, the chance for it all to matter, it resonated. It was why he'd taken the job in the first place. "There's others," he murmured, the smile flickering to life on his lips again and staying put this time, "It's a bit of a boys club right now, but I'm always recruiting. You'll meet them soon enough, if you decide you want the job. I'll buy us all dinner." He winked with the little joke, settling his hand more solidly at Jocelyn's side. "If you end up thinking you want to, I hope you like Chinese."

"Not that Chinese doesn't sound appealing, but that seems pretty set...not the variety type?" She guessed though that he might not be; there seemed to be enough going on in his life, that his choice of the extraneous aspects would probably not deviate from his norm much. "And don't worry about me and the boys; I can handle myself around them." She settled a little more into his arms, enjoying the feel more than she had in a while. "And for right now? What's your plan?"

Doc chuckled quietly, a sound from low in his throat as the barcode on his cheek bunched in amusement. "I like variety, I just figured it's a quick way to feed a group. But if you don't believe me? You pick, I'll treat," he offered teasingly, figuring little encouragements would go a long way. "As for my plan? I didn't exactly have one," he confessed with another wink, content to take what they'd discussed as good enough for now. Grayson had needed time, and if Jocelyn did too that was fine. This was something that deserved consideration, after all. "Figured I'd leave you my number, at least. Otherwise how else would I get an answer?" he asked, too content to let Jocelyn relax in close.

She smiled her coy smile and pressed her lips against his neck. "Well I will probably need the night to think it over." Half of what Jocelyn was doing was just playing, but another part of her realized quickly she didn't want him to leave right away. The solace her room had provided for so long would be lost. For the first month of her hiatus from life she'd consider finding something or someone who gave her a reason to leave her room; it was funny that she finally found it, well after she wanted it. Especially in the form of this man. "But you could always wait around until then." Her lips grazed the edges of the tattoos that peeked out from the neckline of his shirt.

He nearly shivered as her lips touched the tip of one inked point edging past his shirt; the barest hint of a sunburst emblazoned along his shoulder and part of his chest. Really, it had been a long time since Doc had even found himself in this position. The closest had been slow and playful kisses with Eva, and this was a deep heat between him and Jocelyn. She was stoking it deliberately, no doubt, and it was flattering to think he could be desirable to a woman like this. But he still had nerves to contend with. "I could stay a while," he admitted in a soft murmur, making no move to ward her off, even running his hand from Jocelyn's side up her back slowly, "Especially if it gives me a chance to get a better idea of who I'm dealing with." She couldn't see it, but his soft laugh spoke of the grin Doc wore as he held her close.

"You have no idea." She wrapped her arms around his neck drawing him closer, feeling the burn on her skin where his hand had moved up her back. The atmosphere around them was smoldering to a new level of intensity that they hadn't toed into yet. "You though, are welcome to stay as long as you like. I enjoy the company." Jocelyn kissed him again, this time far harder than before, pulling him down towards her with her hands tangled in his hair.

Whatever wisecrack he had died on his lips as she claimed them, a rush of breath flowing from Doc's lungs as he let Jocelyn pull him in. He returned the gesture, and this was different from the teasings she'd been giving up to this point. This time was a proper kiss on Doc's part. His arm tightened around her as he turned on one heel to back her against a patch of wall, his other hand slipping through her hair to run down her neck, coaxing her in towards his mouth. he had space to wonder, somewhere in the recesses of his mind as Doc planted a foot between both of Jocelyn's and pressed his fingers along the length of her spine.

Jocelyn let Doc take the lead after she'd opened the door, excited by his hunger. More than just the excitement she felt something in her come to life, something that had lain dormant so long she'd almost forgotten about it and the desire for him coursed through her veins. She briefly wondered how long it had been since he'd last had an opportunity to let himself go like this. Not that it mattered, but it was something to wonder about. The intensity from his kiss was answered with hers, but she manged to duck her mouth and move her kisses from his mouth down to the line of his chin and down towards neck again.

"Sorry," he gasped quickly as Jocelyn broke from the kiss and moved lower, "New beard." She couldn't know just how true that was, but he still didn't know how good it would feel on lips that Doc now knew to be exquisitely soft. Still, she wasn't complaining, so he'd count his blessings. He took one step back to give her room to move, not complaining at all about the direction she was moving in. Doc leaned in to drink in the smell of her hair, craning his head to expose his neck as his hand slipped down to the hem of her shirt and back up under it, craving the feel of skin. He needed to figure out what this was, what he was doing. Was this grief? The denial of it? Some extreme form of coping by giving into things he wanted but so often denied? Stop thinking. Stop. Thinking. he repeated, smoothing Jocelyn's hair aside to tease the curve of her ear as he growled in enjoyment.

She grinned mid kiss, when his hand slid under her shirt, because it felt like he might finally be letting go. Jocelyn could still feel him holding back though, thinking through the situation, which made her nervous because it meant he could stop at any moment and push her away. His rejection would sting, even if it did make sense. She'd made an art out of seducing men for work, but she'd stop seducing Doc miles ago back when he offered her the job keeping the world in check. "Don't you have more ink to show me?" she mumbled into his neck.

That got a shiver where he'd held one in check before. He was a man who'd gone toe to toe with the worst things the dark held, smiling all the way, but the little breath on his neck was enough to do it. The question, the thought that she wanted to see them, spooked him in all the right ways. "Only if you return the favor," he murmured into her hair, craning his head down and kissing the edge of Jocelyn's ear with a nearly inaudible laugh of surprise.

She giggled when his mouth moved around her ear. "Of course," she murmured against his neck, hoping to get the same shiver from before. Her fingers slipping under the hem of his shirt she finished her statement "But I will warn you, mine looks much better in the morning light." She clung to to him tighter desperate for him to not let go even if the voice in her head said most of what was keeping here was his grief.

If Jocelyn had been a betting woman, she would've just hit a payout. Doc's breath hitched in his throat with that remark, her words bouncing back and forth in his head. In the morning light... Could he stay? Was it the right choice, or would it ruin the start of bringing her into the fold? Somehow, amid the heat of it all, he could hear Star in their last talk. Not living his life would make it worse, denying what he wanted in it would tip his own, personal balance. "I'll have to make sure I see it, then," he whispered hungrily, muscles untensing in some sort of relief just from saying so. He could give in, even if it was just this once. Maybe he should've a long time ago, but it was never too late to start fixing things.

"You'll have to give me a hand," Doc went on as he smoothed the flat of his hand up Jocelyn's back, lifting her shirt gradually with the side of his wrist, "My own are a little busy." And suddenly, with just the decision to linger here? He was eager, he wanted this, and he'd deal with whatever came about afterwards.

"Not a problem," she answered and grabbed the edges of his shirt to pull it up. With that motion, she gave him a gentle nudge forward, pushing him towards the bed behind him. She was relieved he was staying, no matter how interesting this might make things in the future, or the fact that he looked twice her age. She wanted this, wanted him, more than she'd wanted anyone in a long time.

Doc took the hint, feet falling back in a few short steps as he pulled her with him. There was a bundle of nerves inside of him as he moved and wondered, how long had it been? A while since anything with such intensity and urgency, for sure. And for Doc to have a new lover in his life? Jocelyn would've been a toddler at best. He wasn't even acknowledging the second thought, though; he was determined not to let his own mind sabotage this. Pulling gently with the hand at her neck, Doc pulled her in close and pressed in for a smoldering kiss, tasting the want they seemed to be echoing off each other.

He broke away a moment later, stepping back and removing his hands, arms raising to help the removal of his shirt. What was uncovered didn't have an ounce of slack from the trials of time or soft living, it was hard-packed muscle maintained with a mix of magic and exertion, all layered in a whirl of tattoos and scars. Stitch-marks, claw trails, and undetermined scars blended and flowed with whirls of Latin along one side of his ribs beneath a bird of some nature over his heart, bathed in flame. The sunburst on his shoulder was ringed with what looked like stars, actuall entry marks of a series of gunshots, and both upper arms were wreathed in a rain of spent bullet casings, each inscribed with a name and linked together in faint smudges of blue-ink smoke.

When his shirt came off her breath caught in her throat. It wasn't because the mixture of ink and scars scared her, but rather that it enthralled her. She could tell that every mark on his body, like hers, meant something and she desperately wanted to know what everything meant. She traced her fingers along the lines of Latin on his ribs, the scars mixed in between. She lowered her mouth to run her tongue along the sunburst on his shoulder. "Beautiful," she breathed, kissing the space over of his heart, marked with a flaming bird.

For a heartbeat or two, Doc was close to panic. He always feared the worst when it came to the skin he wore, so the way Jocelyn moved in close almost immediately was a balm to his senses, and the shuddering exhale he let out was half relief, half enjoyment over the cool contact of her touch. He watched in some sort of reverent awe as she kissed his shoulder and dipped lower, feeling his heart speed up when she moved in on his chest. Beautiful? Him? Decrying it would shatter this. Instead he gave her a moment to reassure him before settling back on the bed, then pulled Jocelyn forward. Doc's hands found her waist, hiking up her shirt again as he leaned in to kiss at her navel and drag his head to the side, studying her tattoo intimately close as he unveiled it slowly.

Her tat started at the forward part of her hip and wrapped around her back and up her right shoulder. At first glance it looked like a floral vine, but up close someone with a keen eye would notice that the vines weaved into a very specific design, creating a series of symbols that trailed up her back. They were mostly wards, markings that most witches would lay somewhere in their circles or would be familiar with. She had designed the tattoo for her own protection not long after starting working at Babylon. As much as Jocelyn loved Babylon, it did have the tendency to attract shady characters.

She shuddered when his lips pressed against her stomach, pulling back slightly just to feel the strength of his hands on her hips. Running her hands through his hair again, she raked her nails along his scalp, not hard but just enough. His beard was rough on her skin, but it was fitting, as it balanced the softness of his kisses. If this got any better, she was going to agree to working with him, just to repeat this moment. That might not have been his goal, but at this rate the seducer had been seduced.

She could agree at any time, really; he was just getting started, feeling undescribable relief flood out as he nuzzled in, kissing softly at the peak of her hip. He preened up into Jocelyn's nails at his scalp, smiling blissfully as his fingers danced along each point of the vine that wound up her side and around her back. Doc knew the symbols, of course; he'd hunted witches, worked with them, studied their ways, but to see such a practical application of the art? It was... "Incredible," he breathed into her skin, running his hands up her ribs and coaxing her arms up with the shirt hooked, "Simply incredible.

She smiled knowing that "incredible" meant he actually understood what the symbols meant. Most men found the ink intoxicating, but very few knew what they were looking at. She let him push the tank top up, turning with the curve of the tat, raising her arms as his hands pushed. When her shirt was lifted all the way up, her back was to him, full mark exposed. She was itching not being able to touch him, but she knew he'd want to see her back so she tangled her hands in her own hair, exposing the last of her back.

He didn't just want to see her back, though the full scope of her inking was amazing to see. It was meticulously done, a testament to the knowledge that her room hinted at, and Doc was floored by the full picture of the woman he was sitting exposed to. His hand continued it's travels up her side as he let his lips go higher, winding around her ribs. Doc pressed in with a soft growl of praise as he kissed up towards Jocelyn's shoulderblade, pulling her down to his lap to sit side-saddle so he wouldn't lose sight of the exquisite tattoo. "Eric," he breathed into her ear once he had her there, "My name is Eric."

She smile brightly, realizing that it was the sort of information that he didn't hand out easily. Turning her head, she took his face in her hands and kissed him hard, pushing her tongue past his lips and running it along his. When she pulled back, her voice was shaky from being out of breath and from her whole self being driven by desire. "I like that. It fits you." She ran her fingers along his hair line and pushed him back down onto the bed.

As long as she was coming with him, Jocelyn could've pushed Doc off of a cliff in this moment. He fell freely, his back hitting the blanket as he fought to get his breath back from the head-spinning kiss she'd just given, but not to control his smile for once. There was still a quiet anxiousness inside of him, but Doc was nearly blind to it as he tugged her down after him. Nerves could go to hell; this woman was lithe and beautiful, brilliant in ways he wanted to celebrate and touching him like she needed him there. "This fits me," he replied in a quiet rush as he pulled her down to rest on his torso, smoothing his fingers down the curve of her side and hip.

Everywhere his fingers went, her skin exploded with what felt like fire. The way he was looking at her was enticing and she raised herself off his torso long enough to look into his eyes. "Of course it does. It was meant to happen." She wasn't sure why she had said it, but she meant it because all anxiety aside, she had never felt like she belonged with someone more than she did right now. "I've been waiting for you for a long time. Months definitely," she lowered herself again, lips along his neck and his ear. "If not my whole life," she whispered into his ear. She pulled up a little and reached down lower to the waist band of his pants.

He needed a lobotomy to shut out the nagging doubts that Doc now knew weren't him, they were his old fears trying to hang on however they could. So he didn't believe in destiny; Jocelyn's words didn't mean she did either. To him, it was simply that he had given her the choice to live a life she wanted, and all of this was part of the decision she'd made. It was the sum and total of his reason for being, just expressed in ways Doc had shied away from for reasons he couldn't remember at gunpoint right now. They both wanted this, and whatever came after it, what could make this any more daunting than the life he'd lived prior?

"You don't have to wait any more," he promised fervently, craning up to kiss at her throat and jaw, then her lips as he reached down to unfasten his jeans for her, "Just say yes. Stand with me." The words were edged with an unspoken plea as his hands left his own waist and moved to hers, working slower to start undressing Jocelyn, slow and delicate in their passage.

She blanched slightly at the fact that he was using her desire to coax an answer out of her. Not that she could blame him, she would have done the same thing. She let him slide her out of her jeans, enjoying his hands along her legs. Once he was done she moved back to pull his off, tugging far rougher than he had. Once his jeans where dumped on the floor she climbed back up next to him. She laid next to him, on her side, head propped up in her hand. Turning his head to her, she kissed him hard. Her hand moved from his cheek down his chest, stomach and lower. "Don't you know I'd already decided? I'm at your side as long as you want me." She leaned into him again, kissing him deeply.

The few moments where she'd been undressing each of them the last few steps had been all the time needed for Doc to realize what he'd done. She said she wanted time, wanted to talk to Eris, and there he was, asking her in the midst of something wonderful. He felt a flash of guilt that lined his brow in a moment of awareness, reaching out for Jocelyn as she settled next to him. "I'm sorry," Doc managed as her hand brushed down his chest, "I didn't--" Then she was touching him before he could get the words out, eyes flashing heatedly as he gasped in silent surprise. It had been a long time indeed.

He pressed into her kiss with a soft groan of enjoyment, legs sliding across the bed to twine with hers as Doc arched involuntarily into her ministrations. He reached for her, aching to feel every inch of smooth skin against him, atop him, to feel her breath wash over him again. "I... I wouldn't twist you with this," he gasped when he finally needed air, letting his burnished hands describe her body as he bumped his forehead against Jocelyn's, holding her gaze raptly, "Not on my life." And then? He touched her in kind, deft hands detailing every delightful curve as he kissed her once more.

She groaned with his touch and lifted her hips towards him. Drinking in his kisses like good whiskey, she pulled him closer to him so that every inch of her lined up with every inch of him. "You aren't twisting me Eric." Jocelyn said his name softly on purpose, knowing that very few people called him by his first name. She kissed him hard again tongue twisting around his. "I know what I'm doing," she stroked his cheek lightly. "I was already planning on saying yes, I just needed a reason to get you to stay."

His eyes shut rapturously when she called him by his name, the dissenting fear that he'd gone wrong burning away instantly. Every inch of him felt like it was on fire, but beneath the longing to take her, to gasp and tangle with her, was a bloom of appreciation. It wasn't just this that she wanted from him, and that was every bit as thrilling. "You didn't need a reason," he whispered with a hiss of pleasure, arching in to bite at Jocelyn's lower lip gently, "I was meant to find you. To be here." He stretched an arm across her, starting to lean in closer as his legs hooked with hers and pulled Jocelyn close enough to leave room for nothing but the shared touches they were giving each other.

"Then a reason to make you believe that was true." She kissed him sweetly, nibbling on him too. "Now do me a favor, and do put me out of my misery." Her kiss this time was much deeper, pulling him the last few inches towards her.

He hadn't needed that reason either, it was a task of War that had brought him here to begin with, but to end up here? She was right, Doc never would've thought this was even possible for him. His lips curled in a smile against Jocelyn's as Doc leveraged himself on his outstretched arm, bringing himself up and in against her. There were no words that would do anything except cheapen this, he was reduced to small gasps as Doc reached down to catch Jocelyn's hand, guiding it away from him and squeezing it in his own as he eased inside her with a roll of his hips. He cried out softly, toes curling tight as the feeling he hadn't experienced in so long rushed over him, mixing with the connection they'd shared and the passion of everything leading to it.

She gasped when he entered her, realizing she'd been right from the first moment she'd looked him in the eye. He was certainly capable of blowing her mind in ways she'd never even experienced. Whatever it was was that woke up inside her when he pushed her into the wall earlier ricocheted through her and she arched her back, hips rising towards him. Her hand clenched his tightly, and she lifted her lips to his. "Eric," his name hissed out of her mouth before she kissed him.

It was all too much, too much pleasure to separate, too many sources of it flowing over him. He was drawing his breaths from Jocelyn's lips, his free hand settling at her waist as she pushed towards him. When he knew they both needed to breathe, Doc broke away with a gasp and a full body shudder, feeling a thin sheen of sweat on Jocelyn as he slid his free hand along her leg. He dipped low, kissing down her neck as they moved in a sinuous rhythm. "Jocelyn..." he groaned, running his hand back up and offering the tip of his thumb to her lips as he bit at her shoulder with a slow pressure.

The desire since he'd started moving inside her was overwhelming, far more than anything she'd ever experienced before. When normally she could push through the feeling and keep at this forever, this time she was on the verge of losing it almost immediately. The sound of her name, which in her line of work was rarely used with such genuine passion, his teeth on her shoulder, and the feel of his calloused fingers on her lips pushed her past the edge she was used to and even farther past another. Shaking she cried out, clutching him tightly as her vision blurred slightly. Pleasure singed her skin as it flew over her and through her, desperate to encompass every inch.

Her climax was a beautiful thing to behold, startling in its' suddenness and intensity, and the way it prompted her to dig in and curl her legs around Doc tightly. He could feel every muscle in Jocelyn's body tighten and thrum as she lost herself, and the wonder of it all made him thankful for small mercies. He'd been so long without a lover, this had been so intense and concentrated, Doc knew he wouldn't last long. She squeezed at him as she peaked, giving only a handful of moments for Doc to savor the flow of his body against hers before he was pulled over the edge into ecstasy. Swelling inside of her, he was helpless as his legs and back knotted tight, burying his face in her neck with a low rolling moan.

Him following in her wake pushed her to a point where she was certain she very well might die of ecstasy, and was seeing stars. He was clutching her even tighter than she'd latched on to him and somewhere, well out of this moment she realized that leaving him was going to be impossible. When the wave passed though she was left shuddering from it, and curled even tighter into his arms, not sure who it was that was shaking. One hand still intertwined with his, her other hand came up to run through his hair, and she pressed her lips on his temple, tasting the sweat that lingered there. "A thousand times yes," she barely whispered as she still could barely breath.

Doc's head was swimming, his limbs felt like they'd been dipped in molten honey, and the sleek form curled in his arms was panting for breaths every bit as heavily as he was. It was divine. Still inside of her, Doc didn't know if he could tell where each of them began and ended. His eyes squeezed tight as she stroked his hair, and Doc's head dipped to kiss above Jocelyn's breast as he grudgingly released her hand to slip both arms beneath her. He could taste her sweat, the smell of it a dizzying perfume that washed over him as Doc groaned softly, arms tightening around Jocelyn. He eased back on his knees with her held, lifting her up to settle in his lap with a shudder as the motion pushed them together again. "Only a thousand?" he murmured shakily into her ear, nuzzling in close and smiling blissfully.

She smiled, not the coy smile from before, but one with true happiness. Leaning back so she could look at him, she took his face in her hands, pushing his hair out of the way and running her thumb over the tattoo under his eye. "For today yes, but there isn't much of today left anyway." Jocelyn kissed him again, softer, sweeter, the way one would kiss a lover they just woke up next to. "I'm yours, whatever the need." It was her assent to work with him, and hopefully to share his bed. She would have been more specific, but it was easy to tell from his earlier mood that the "friend" he'd lost, had been something more than just a friend.

And later it would likely hurt again, but would it be so bad if he knew he had such understanding? He wasn't the sort of man who could just toss aside his problems for the moment with a time like this, or who would use another person just to escape what he felt. It means something, he told himself as Jocelyn stroked his hair again, kissing her back freely, I don't know what, but it means something. And he wasn't going to let himself be scared off without knowing what it was, hanging onto it as best he could. "Well... maybe another thousand tomorrow?" Doc teased with a soft sigh, lowering Jocelyn back down onto the bed with him as he settled on his side. "I know I have an 'art viewing' scheduled in the morning... right around sunrise."

She smiled sleepily, exhaustion taking over even though her skin was still tingling from earlier. Relief washed over her when she realized he wouldn't be leaving until morning at least. "Maybe," she answered quietly, kissing him softly again. Jocelyn curled against him, tucking her head under his chin. "Maybe even more." Her sigh was peaceful and spoke of the release of desire that had just happened and the overwhelming contentment to be with him. She pressed her lips against his chest again and started to drift, listening to the sound of his heart. "Plus you promised me dinner."

"Did I?" Doc asked in mock-forgetfulness, drawing her snugly against him, "My memory's a little hazy right now, same with the rest of my brain..." He gave a soft, short laugh as he ran his fingers through her hair, working free a tangle and smoothing it. Would he finally sleep tonight, perhaps? After months of letting the changes of War keep him free of the need for rest, could he? Would he dream, maybe? He couldn't say for certain, but he wasn't scared. Laying like this, it was entirely possible, and Doc wouldn't fight it if it happened. Which was something all on its' own, something to be grateful for. One thing out of a few, he mused as he felt her heart slow, his own starting to follow suit. "I like the sound of dinner. No Chinese, promise."

She laughed quietly. When she spoke he voice was muffled with impending sleep. "Pick something the boys like. We want them to be happy when they find out their new coworker is a girl." Pausing briefly she debated adding the next part but was far too tired to clearly think it through. "Who happens to be enchanted with the boss." Jocelyn wanted to hear what Doc would say but sleep won out. She drifted off, pleased to know she'd see him when she woke up.

He wanted that night to be soon, no two ways about it. He wanted the talk with Eris to be sooner, even. Doc just wanted to know where things went from here, and how it would feel for him when he left tomorrow and she... Was she going to go back to work? Tending bar was one thing, but... He refused to finish the thought, to let himself sabotage something that was still so fresh and pristine. "They'll be happy," he assured Jocelyn, listening to her breathing get slower and softer, "And if they think there's a bias? They're right, and they can deal." But her eyes were shut by the time he murmured the words, so he just smiled to himself and breathed in the smell of her hair again. 'And for right now? What's your plan?' he could hear Jocelyn echoing from earlier. Doc still didn't know, and surprisingly? That was okay. It was more than that, even.