#pseudonymized

    ❝katherine ––– have i ever told you about mine and your mother’s wedding? it was so beautiful, even the cake was in tiers.❞    

    HE THINKS HE’S SO FUNNY.

   ❝––– GO ON, DEAREST, open it –❞ he’s most definitely too excited about this, but it’s an EXCELLENT joke if he does say so himself. ( a replica PULITZER PRIZE MEDALLION is in the gift bag. please, at least laugh out of sympathy, katherine. it’ll hurt his pride if you don’t. ) 

katherine dearest you’re already getting dessert for lunch with darcy and we’re throwing you a party tonight –––

( oh, who is he kidding. )

“close your eyes. go on, i’ve got somethin’ for you.”

[ x ]

“you’re burnin’ up, kath. i can’t just ignore that.”

a stubborn frown tugs the corners of his lips down, concern practically radiating off of his skin as he gently takes her hand. running his thumb across her knuckles, with more care than anyone else could believe he’d be able to execute, jack decided he’d better take her home early. they could make up for this date when she wasn’t coming down with something. and by something, he’s hoping it’s just a cold. and if it is, he hopes it remains a cold and ONLY a cold. the fear of her falling ill was always floating at the top of his consciousness, and he didn’t want to put her at any sort of risk by keeping her out late for his own selfish reasons.

so he slips an arm around her shoulders and gingerly begins to guide her back the way they’d come just under an hour ago. she can argue all she likes and complain about his fretting, but he’s not going to budge on the matter. as much as he enjoys her company, it’s not worth risking her getting horribly sick again. she’ll thank him for it later. that’s a lie, he knows; she’ll probably still be a bit grumpy about it. but he’ll take her on a really nice date whenever this passes to compensate for this one.