CHIN UP DAISY DUCK . . . in which , seeing Summer around Kimball makes me strangely jealous and mildly insecure, and Jane gives me some advice.
[ the mentalist reality ]
She's all perched on his desk, tilting her head as she talks to him. Flirting 101, and I hate how I can't tell if it's effecting him or not. God, for one second, can this man not be a solid slab of cement wall. Just so I can fucking know if her little high-pitched giggle to his 3-worded sentence meant-
My hands suddenly swat away at my left ear when I feel something soft tickle it. Jane jumps back when I settle a pinched brow look at him, and he holds his hands up in surrender.
"The hell, Jane ? Did you just stick your finger in my ear ?" I ask, turning my body towards him.
Jane slides one hand in his pants pocket, as the other gestures to the small round table in front of me in the kitchenette as he says, "Yes. Your coffees done."
My gaze softens slightly when it shifts to the table, my green mug filled to the top with a dark brown liquid, a delicious Brazilian blend aroma hitting my senses. "Oh, thank you."
With a sigh I wish was unnoticeable in front of Jane, I pull a chair out and sit at the little table, and take a tentative sip from my hot coffee. For someone who doesn't drink coffee, Jane always seems to get mine right everytime.
I know that tone. And I can feel him looking at me like I'm an anomaly. According to Jane, I'm the most interesting person ever to read. Which I don't believe, at all, and yet, I swear he does it everytime I walk into the room.
He shifts from my peripheral to stand opposite me, the table creating a small distance between us. His downturned blue eyes are watching me curiously, but there's a hint of suprise there.
"Permission to read you ?" A small smile tugs at the corner of his lips when I narrow my gaze at him.
"Depends. Am I going to want to throw something at you ?"
"That's difficult to devise, you always want to throw something at me."
Honestly, it's either I let him speak his thoughts, or go back to my desk to continue my paperwork. However, going back to my desk would mean I'd have to listen to Summer flirt and giggle with Kimball, when she should be handing him details and information related to the case. My jaw twitches as I set my cup down a little harsher than intended when I hear a "You're a funny guy, Kimball,". He's literally not. He's the driest person alive, and he knows it. The whole team knows it.
"Fine. Permission granted."
"Okay," he nods, but he stays standing.
My glaze flicks upwards, brows raised slightly. "You can sit, Patrick."
Jane let's out a breathy chuckle and shakes his head. "Oh no I'm alright. In the events that you might change your mind and throw your pen at me for calling you out, I need a running headstart and space to take cover."
A reluctant smile tugs at my mouth, and I lift my cup to my lips to smother it. "Good choice. Go on though, call me out on the things I don't want to admit aloud."
Jane pauses for a moment, glances to the side at Kimball, before looking back at me with a placid expression. Here we go.
"You wish you were more confident to act like Summer does around Cho," he starts, hitting the nail right on the head and into my chest. "Not looks-wise confident, no, because you know you're a beautiful woman. It's more internal, partly because of work, but also because not being able to know what he's fully thinking or feeling makes you self conscious, whereas Summer doesn't exactly care she can't tell. She flirts anyway, freely, without fear or doubt."
I bite down on the inside of my cheek, take another swig of my coffee like it's a pint of beer. "Are you done ?"
"You sure ?" I raise a single brow up at him. "I might throw something heavier than a pen."
Jane's gaze flickers to the empty chair beside me, and a hint of humor settles in my gut when he shuffles slightly away and to the side. I let out a unintended huff of laughter, looking down when he smiles.
"You don't see the way he looks at you, Jade."
My smile falters, and that tightness forms in my chest again everytime I fucking think about him.
"He doesn't look at anyone else like they're the last good thing in this world. No one, not even himself, Jade," he says softly, his voice taking on a gentler tone now.
Jane comes around the table, and crouches down beside me. He reaches a hand out, hooks one under my chin, and lifts my ducked head to meet his baby blue eyes. They're comforting, and it makes me feel warmer, less insecure of what's going on inside my head. And my heart.
"So chin up Daisy Duck," he says, tapping my chin once with a smile. "Because he's completely wrapped around your finger. He's literally, in the most discreetly way possible, glanced this way 7 times."
A small smirk tugs at my lips now. "Chin up Daisy Duck ? Sounds like something you'd say to your daughter."
"It was. Always worked." He grins.
"I'm sure she was more Daisy Duck coded than me, Patrick."
I snort softly. "Well, I'm sure Daisy Duck could easily open up to Donald about her feelings and emotions."
Jane tilts his head in faux curiosity. "Really ? I don't seem to recall that episode of 'Mickey Mouse' ."
I laugh, and Jane looks like a man who's accomplished what he set out to do, a satisfied and kinda adorable smile on his face.
I look up, not having noticed when Kimball rose from his desk and walked over. I hadn't even seen Summer leave, whom he undoubtedly walked out, because he's a gentleman. He's go his blazer on, and he's holding my leather jacket in one hand, my backpack in the other.
When we're stood in the elevator, I slide my jacket on, but Kimball doesn't hand my backpack back, and instead slides one strap over his shoulder.
"Do you wanna go to McDonald's ?"
I side-eye him, untucking my hair from my jacket collar. "What ? Why ? Thought we were gonna have last nights leftovers ?"
"Because you look upset, and you'd rather have a vanilla cone, fries, and a double-cheese burger instead of leftover chicken teriyaki." He says flatly, his hands tucked casually into his pants pockets. When the elevator dings and the doors open, he waits for me to walk out first, before following behind me.
"I'm not upset." I lie, like the stubborn ass woman I am.
Kimball walks around me, and opens the passenger door. "Liar. Do you wanna get McDonald's ?"
I stand in the car doorway, holding his blank gaze. My pride pokes annoyingly at my chest, but dammit I am a little upset, and I do want a vanilla cone, fries, and a double-cheese burger.
"Yes. I do," I admit, before ducking my head and getting into the car. "And I want a chocolate milkshake too."
I don't miss the nearly missable smile on Kimball's lips as he shuts my door.
(2026 by jadesmultiverse)
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