JJ HART
Human
Posts: 59
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Nov 17, 2024 18:04:49 GMT
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Post by JJ HART on Aug 25, 2024 16:37:29 GMT
Was he some idealistic, young idiot who’d read Zen and the Art of the Motorcycle Maintenance and decided to set off across America on a Harley? Not sodding likely. He hadn’t become obsessed with On the Waterfront or Easy Rider either (although he liked to think there was a little something of Brando about him as he’d swung his leg over the bike at that last rest stop). It weren’t a midlife crisis either. Being within touching distance of forty didn’t mean he’d hit mid-life, it didn’t have him staring down his mortality, reeling off everything he might’ve missed out on in his head. It’d been … well …
JJ puffed out a breath beneath the visor of his helmet, cursing lightly as it steamed up and obscured the road for a second. He’d called it a reward when the bloke in the motorcycle store had cracked off some joke about him getting his first bike this late in life. An article that’d been sold to the New Yorker and the offer of another three article set if he could get them written by the end of October. Pride puffing out his chest, he’d told Call-Me-Jet (not Jeff as he’d called him a second later – what sort of a grown man referred to himself as Jet?), who’d merely grinned and pushed the paperwork across the desk to be signed. He probably had a dozen blokes like him come by a week, looking for a taste of adventure. They were more likely to find an ER instead, road rash and broken bones putting an end to that idea.
The roads leading towards Star’s Hollow were the sort he’d been advised to avoid his first couple of weeks. Winding through woods that would be blazing orange and scarlet by October. The perfect back-drop for the nostalgia pieces he planned on putting together as a palate cleanser after his recent trip to the middle East. Lucky and Lucille had told him about the place, painting a picture of a sleepy little spot full of characters – AKA crackpots, albeit apparently loveable ones. Taylor, the big mouth who seemed to think of the town as his own personal fiefdom (and would probably have a heart attack when he roared his way into town), Kirk, a full on weirdo who still lived with his mum, Mitch, the giver of life in the form of coffee and waffles. It seemed like something out of a Frank Capra movie.
Finally spotting buildings in the distance, white clapboard places that glowed through the trees, JJ slowed the bike finally. The engine had been purring like a kitten the entire way, but the vibration that ran through the frame the minute he started the engine had taken some getting used to.. He’d be glad to be off the thing for a while, if he was being honest. Although, if he could talk Lucky into it later, he’d coax her onto the back. A little ride around the town as the sun went down, clutching at his waist, it’d be romantic.
He'd gotten directions off of Google Maps, but still it took him a good fifteen minutes of going around in circles before he spotted them. If he’d had to keep looking for the house it would’ve been longer still – no small town had the right to be so bloody confusing. JJ eased the bike around the corner of the square (alright, so it was his third time heading through it), slowing it down to glide it in towards the curb a few feet ahead of them. He brought it to a stop, gunning the engine just a little to drag their attention in his direction.
Finally he let it idle and reached up to peel off his helmet. ”Excuse me,” he drawled as the helmet was halfway off. ”I heard there was some place that served the world’s best coffee around here. Can you tell me where I can get some?” His grin was broad, just a little smug as he set the helmet in his lap and leaned forward on the handlebars, giving them both the full weight of it. ”Hiya.” A simple little greeting like he hadn’t been out of the country for months.
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LUCKY CHRISTMAS
Psychic
Posts: 101
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Nov 16, 2024 23:24:26 GMT
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Post by LUCKY CHRISTMAS on Sept 16, 2024 20:24:41 GMT
 ━ i'm something bad ━
Just as they were packing up━she sent Lucy to the counter with her card while she took a really long time to get up from the table━she heard an ultra-loud engine roll past the diner, like thunder rumbling through their small town. She didn’t think she’d heard a motorcycle since they moved here. Also, she found she hadn’t missed the sound.
Lucy rushed back over to look out the window, both girls wearing matching expressions of surprise━like they’d never seen a motorcycle before. By the time they were out of the diner, the motorcycle had made a few rounds, and they spotted Taylor on the other side of the street, looking like he was ready to have a coronary.
But then the motorcycle was pulling up to them, and then it was stopping, and she could’ve recognized that accent anywhere. She just never expected it to be on that thing.
“Dad!” Lucille exclaimed, running over to throw her arms around him. She had to get herself over the motorcycle, but she managed it. “What the hell is this?!” She laughed, pulling away to motion wildly at the motorcycle. “I can’t believe you’re riding a motorcycle! Is this your midlife crisis?”
“It is if I’ve ever seen one.” Lucky snorted, then added, “We just finished brunch.” She was somewhat deadpan, like she’d been expecting a call before he just decided to show up. Also, she really did not want to see Mitch again, let alone flaunt JJ in front of him.
“I could eat again!” Lucille chimed happily, then pointed at the sign proudly proclaiming ‘Mitch’s’. “That’s Mitch’s Diner, the one I told you about,”
Lucky finally stepped forward, pressing a soft kiss to his lips, and then she smirked a little bit. It was nice that he decided to visit after blowing them off for Russia, but it was also hilarious to imagine Taylor murdering him for this. “A call would’ve been nice.” She said, then stepped away and nodded upwards at Taylor, who was marching himself in their direction. “Better turn that thing off before Taylor tears you a new one.”
A few minutes later, when they were coming back into the Diner, the bell pronouncing their re-entry before Lucy was dragging JJ to the table Mitch was standing over, where Patty and Babette were having coffee.
“Everyone! This’s my dad. Dad, this is Mitch, Babette, and Miss Patty.” She pointed to each of them as she said their names, and Lucky shot Mitch a sheepish, semi-apologetic look from over JJ’s shoulder.
JJ HART |  |
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JJ HART
Human
Posts: 59
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Nov 17, 2024 18:04:49 GMT
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Post by JJ HART on Oct 17, 2024 18:26:51 GMT
There were his girls. That same mule kick to the chest he always got when he saw the two of them hit JJ square in the sternum (alright, his heart). If he’d told her about it Lucky would’ve told him it was guilt, and yeah, maybe it was a bit of it, but it wasn’t all of it. Love led the charge and filled his grin as recognition struck the pair of them.
Lucky’d ask what had taken him so long later, he wondered it too. The desire to be back home popped up every now and then while he was away. An indigestion like reminder that he wasn’t spending enough time with Lucky and Lucy that was either temporarily chased back by calling them or drowned out by a break in whatever story he was investigating. The second he’d been back in the States, hearing Lucille squeal down the phone about what he’d brough back for her, the feeling had become sharper, an ulcer like sting that fed into that mule kick he’d felt.
If he’d listened to it a little sooner he might’ve been able to talk Lucky into moving them closer to him (well, nearer where he bedded down in the brief windows he spent in the States), or helped her move into the place here. The latter probably would’ve brought a hundred awkward questions with it if Lucille hadn’t told them all about her dad. JJ pressed a loud smacking kiss against Lucy’s forehead as he twisted around awkwardly in her grip. It was too late if she hadn’t told them already, because she’d just announced it to the whole town. ”Hey kiddo.” He wasn’t gonna get away with calling her that much longer with the way she was springing up.
”This,” he informed her, petting the bike fondly, ”is the ultimate… Oi.” A chuckle bubbled out of him but he clutched at the chest of the thick leather jacket he’d bought (he wasn’t planning on leaving a yard of skin behind on the blacktop if he did end up laying the bike down). ”Midlife? Not quite yet.” Although every time he went away it felt like years slid by when he wasn’t looking. There’d been a time (and it honestly felt like it might just have been yesterday) that he would have had to lift Lucille onto the bike.
A little faster on the interstate (the speed limit had always felt more of a suggestion anyway) and he might just have made it for brunch. JJ snickered, following Lucille’s gestures towards the Diner. ”I bet ya can.” Hed always been the same at her age, although he’d rarely gotten to eat in places like this (the sort that looked like they’d been perfectly designed to scream ‘small town’. ”The one with pancakes to die for?” Served by Mitch himself if he remembered the stories rightly, a mythical figure he could see watching Lucky step close from beyond the glass.
”Hiya,” he murmured, settling a gloved hand at Lucky’s waist as he kissed her back. ”And spoil the surprise? Naaah.” He grinned, his nose wrinkling as he blew the idea off. It hadn’t occurred to him that he could’ve come all this way and found them out of town for the weekend.
The surprise seemed to have gone down well with both of them … well, as well as could be expected with Lucky, anyway. She stepped back gesturing towards a bullish looking bloke whose nostrils would probably be flaring when he got close enough for him to see them. ”He’s the real welcoming committee, eh?” Not wanting to make it awkward for them, JJ shut off the engine and slipped off the bike, hanging the helmet off the handlebars. He was definitely gonna be feeling the last hundred miles tomorrow.
Slinging an arm around Lucille’s shoulders JJ swagged (it was definitely closer to that than a stagger) towards the diner with them. Lucy dragged him in, leading him towards a table occupied by two older ladies who were definitely giving him the eye and presided over by a guy tall enough to have him puffing up. ”Afternoon,” he murmured, dipping his head to them before he grinned at Patty and Babette. ”Ladies, it’s a pleasure. Lucy’s been telling me all about you.”
”He’s a charmer,” Babette shot at Lucky, a grin on her face.
Miss Patty didn’t try and cover her interest, just looked him up and down with mischief in her eyes. ”A looker too.”
From the way Mitch was staring at Lucky he hadn’t noticed either attribute. ”You told him about me?” he asked, his voice low and aimed at her.
JJ smirked, brows bobbin. ”All about you,” he repeated. ”Now, are these pancakes really as good as I’ve been promised?” His gaze jumped back and forth between the women and Lucky, busting Mitch’s chops happily.
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LUCKY CHRISTMAS
Psychic
Posts: 101
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Nov 16, 2024 23:24:26 GMT
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Post by LUCKY CHRISTMAS on Nov 13, 2024 23:45:39 GMT
━ i'm something bad ━
She couldn’t help but grin at Miss Patty’s and Babbette’s remarks, and the way JJ happily fed into it. Lucky felt Mitch’s eyes on her, but she didn’t look at him━not until he spoke. She glanced up, lips parted as she thought about the best response from here, but JJ swept in and answered for her. Idiot.
“The best!” Lucy proclaimed, and used her arm━stapled around her dad’s waist━to drag him back towards their table, which had already been cleared. Lucy only let go of JJ to plop down into her seat, then dragged it a little closer to the chair that used to be Lucky’s━the one she was now motioning her dad to sit in.
“Lucy told him about you.” Lucky clarified to Mitch, trying to make it obvious she never told JJ about that. She moved to the table, dragging over a seat from another, and dropped into it.
“Okay! So, remember the waffles I had? With the whipped cream and fruit and stuff? Can you do that for my dad, but make ‘em pancakes instead, please?” Lucy asked, a wide grin shining up at Mitch. “And can I get, like, just a side of bacon and sausages? Thanks!” Lucy quickly turned her attention back to JJ, and she leaned in to hug him again like she just couldn’t get enough. She squeezed for a second, then let go and asked, “Soooo… is this my Russia Gift? ‘Cause, y’know, seein’ you is great, but you told me you had something for me.” Lucy raised her brows, “I was sorta hoping for a keychain, at least.” Suddenly, she was wearing her mom’s signature smirk, but Lucky was busy accidentally meeting Mitch’s eye and smiling sheepishly.
“Just coffee for me, I don’t have Lucy’s bottomless pit of a stomach.”
“I got that from my dad!” Lucy laughed, grinning proudly at JJ as if she ‘got’ anything from him at all. But Mitch didn’t know that, and Lucky felt like this got stranger with every word from her daughter.
JJ HART | |
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