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Stardust, a small but welcoming jazz club that's a place of work for Chelle and Jack, and somewhere Michael spends a lot of time himself. He's heading in with Chelle, looking about for any signs of Jack as well. The two Joyeux have talked and touched base, and this is something of a swing by to see how the other Changeling is doing.
Chelle walks in and snags a table. It's lunchtime, so the club isn't really open, but they asked Jack here to talk anyway. Since Chelle lives above the club, she's got keys just in case. She waits, patiently, working on some embroidery.
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Michael settles, rubbing his mouth in quiet thought. "Did I mention, by the way, that I talked to his sister? Well, sent a row of texts back and forth."
Chelle glances up over her hoop and fabric, thread stilling in her hand. "Oh?" she asks neutrally.
"Mm, it was along the lines of, she thinks he's hard on himself, that she hopes he finds some sort of relationship that helps, whether that's involving me or someone else. But, given things, it's the sort of thing you need to be really careful with, right?"
She nods and goes silent, thoughtful, looking at her embroidery and working on it again. "Hm."
Jack is, uncommonly for him, more than five minutes late. When he does arrive, it's will his hands full of a sandwich and a coffee. He's got his backpack slung over one shoulder, and his mien is scattered, bits of charcoal lines disappearing and reappearing as he hurries toward them.
"Hey sorry I'm late -" he breathes, and sets his coffee and sandwich down on the table before sliding into a seat with a sigh. It's only then that he looks between the two of them.
"...I interrupt something?"
Michael chews his lip, glancing at Chelle and falling quiet. Fingers tap the table and he's about to speak again, but as Jack arrives he looks up, giving him a light smile. "All's good Jack. We were just, er." He rubs his cheek. "Well, talking. But, no, we're glad to see you." He offers a hand. "So, how's you?" A warmer smile.
Chelle's smile is warm. "Nah, we were just chit-chatting," she says warmly. "I missed you." Her voice goes a bit softer. "You've been so distracted it's been hard to catch up."
"Yeah, sorry, life's been a fucking mess..." he says it like he's said it a lot, lately. And eyes Michael, like he's not entirely sure Michael's telling the whole truth. "I'm surprised I got away as soon as I did, I almost had to text you to cancel..."
"Glad you did." Michael nods, then cants his head. "And that's part of why we were hoping to chat. Just to make sure you're okay and everything. You're one of my friends, and you're Chelle's best friend after all."
Chelle rises once she's done with her current bit of thread to kiss Jack's cheek. This is not uncommon for her, to wait until she's at a stopping point to say hi properly. "Sit," she urges. And then she nods agreement with Michael. "this isn't an intervention. Just a check in," she says. "Just... It's been a while, and a lot, and you're under a lot of stress."
Jack relaxes back into the chair when Chelle assures him it's not an intervention, and offers her a smile. "I appreciate both of you. Seriously. D'you mind if I...?" He gestures to his sandwich. "I didn't have time to get breakfast this morning."
"Dear lord, yes. Eat man, if you're hungry." Michael chuckles, before nodding in agreement with Chelle. "We just wanted to catch up with a friend, and, mm, see if you needed to decompress at all, given how busy you've been."
Chelle gestures. "Go ahead and eat. We had something right before you got here." She taps her half-empty Starbucks cup with the hand holding her embroidery needle. She nods at Michael. "If we can do anything..." The two Joyeux exchange glances before Chelle looks to Jack. "We're hopeful you can destress soon."
"Two weeks." He speaks through a mouthful of sandwich. "If everything works out. Then I can fuckin' sleep. And I'm not even on the board, or one of the lawyers. I just like being a part of it all, 'cause it affects me. You know?"
"It matters to you, mm." He nods, giving a smile. "So it's important to be doing, mm." Another look to Chelle, then Jack. "But we do know having time to relax now and again can help you focus on the job. s there anything you find useful to do to blow off steam?"
"I've been trying to get out, be social in the evenings when I can. I...even took someone home the other night." He grins. "Wasn't planning on it, exactly, but it's a hell of a good way to blow off some steam."
Chelle beams. "Good for ya," she says to him.
"It is at that." Michael smiles, nodding. "And sounds like you're managing with relaxing then." He hums thoughtfully. "And, glad to be hearing, all round. You're obviously doing pretty well right now."
"I mean, I dunno I'd say I'm doing well, but...managing." He shrugs. "Life's just like that sometimes, you know?"
Chelle glances at Michael before looking to Jack. "How much sleep have you gotten recently?"
He nods, settling back to let Jack answer Chelle's question.
"Uh." Suddenly it's time to finish eating his sandwich, and he just kinda shrugs. That's how you answer that question, right?
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Chelle frowns. "Do you need me to use Gift of Warm Breath?" There's no one else in the club, at least.
"You've not had chance for much of all, have you?" Michael rubs his mouth ruefully.
There's a moment, where Jack considers. "Wouldn't say no to it. Honestly," he finally says.
Chelle gets up and puts her hands on an exposed arm or his face, whatever's less awkward. A soft glow surrounds her, and slowly creeps over to Jack... before diffusing, leaving Jack looking more refreshed. "Hows' that?"
The fox smiles, looking between them both and still humming, mulling something over.
Jack sighs in relief and blinks once or twice before nodding and smiling at her. "Thanks, Chelle. God, I gotta learn that one, it'd save me so much trouble..." He looks to Michael. "What?"
Chelle nods with a grin. "When you survive this stint, I'll teach you." Then she sits again and picks up her embroidery, also looking to Michael.
"Ah." He grins lightly. "I'd been thinking over the idea of inviting you to drinks with me sometime, and seeing if you wanted to take things further then that. From the sounds of things, you've already found a resolution there, which is a good thing to hear." He smiles. "Feeling better?" Chelle receives an admiring look.
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Jack huffs out a laugh. "Chelle an' I've already talked about our incompatability in that department, unfortunately. But yeah, feeling a hell of a lot better."
Chelle smiles warmly and leans back, sewing on her fabric. "You'd be cute together," she says, far too casually. Not at all like she's hoping to see her boyfriend and bestie happy, nope not at all. Chelle would never want that. She then laughs a little and rolls her eyes. "Anyway. I'm glad you're feeling better."
He nods, raising an empty mug to Jack. "Good to hear that." Jack gets a warm smile. "Can you say more about what you've been working on? I admit I don't have the full details myself." He winks at Chelle, setting back contently.
"Oh, the union contract at one of our venues is up for negotiation, and management there's been dragging their feet and trying to roll back shit that's been in there for fucking decades. Contract expires at the end of the month, so it's getting...tense. And there's not a whole lot I can do about it, I just gotta hope that our lawyers and the board stands their ground."
Michael nods, licking his lips a little nervously before glancing at Chelle and then back to Jack. "We met Mearc recently." He says, apparently out of the blue. "He gave us some interesting ideas to mull over, what we might be capable of. Behind the scenes manipulation, knowing what strands to tug on, kinda.. I, well, I've a few small tricks that help there myself."
Chelle glances to Michael, curiously, before looking to Jack. "Good luck," she murmurs, and reaches for his hand. If allowed to grab it, she'll squeeze gently.
"...Don't think I've crossed paths with him, yet. He's pretty new in town, right?"
"Relatively so, I think. I admit, I don't know a lot about him." He nods. "What I'm trying to say, in my extremely tangled and never getting to the point way, is maybe I can help out? I'm not sure, and I'd understand if you prefer to let things be." Michael smiles lightly, looking at Chelle. "Do you think that suggestion might be a good thing?"
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Chelle considers Michael. "I mean, depending on how you write it, sure."
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"Depends, your boss the kinda person who'd let you do some sort of piece about it? Try to get your readership on board with us?"
"I could do that, yes." He chews his lip, looking uneasy as he lowers his voice. "Or I could have some paperwork misfiled, or an email go to the wrong person from the management at the place you're having trouble with that'd basically give them no choice but to cave. This is.. a new sort of idea to me, but it's possible."
Chelle glances at Michael with surprise. "You don't need to lower your voice. The club won't open for hours," she points out in a normal tone. "But I didn't know you could do that stuff."
Michael's discomfort makes Jack give him an intensely serious look. "I don't wanna have you do anything you're uncomfortable with, and I don't want you to put your neck on the line for me. Seriously. I think getting the word out that we're struggling's the way to go, at this point. Public pressure tends to make people cave, especially when it's from the people who patronize the place, you know?"
"I can." He nods quietly at Chelle. "Security systems won't record me, everyone who sees me there will think I'm an important member of the venue and I can have people forget I was even there once I've left. I can be a ghost, kinda." He looks back over to Jack. "It's not that." He admits after a moment's thought. "It's, thinking of something like this is new to me, different from how I normally act. And if you both think an article to the right audience is the way to go, I'll do that." A rueful grin. "I'm not above jumping the gun and making mistakes, which is why I'm best to ask what you both think."
Chelle watches Michael thoughtfully for a moment. "Would you be willing to do it even if it risked you everything mortalside?" she asks him softly.
"No." He answers her quietly. "Not if it carries that risk. Because, it's not just about me at that point." He rubs a tufted ear. "Not that I'd be terribly keen if it was just me, mind but..."
"An article's a much safer bet." Jack nods. "Kinda...dipping your toe in the water of pulling people where you want them, you know?"
Chelle nods her agreement with Jack. "Something subtle."
A nod to them both. "An article then." He smiles, relaxing. "That I can do, and it's much more familiar ground." (Is this a running plot by the way Jack, or just something that'd be good to do as a background job?)
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