Ya think? No, undressing in public was usually frowned upon, yep, but the more she spine the more the fog lifted, or at least gave him tantalizing glimpses confirming what she said. Nothing else though!
Insulted?
He shook his head again but this time it was followed by a wry smile. "Don't be, I just... get flashes. I know I know you now but um... you threw me for a loop with... words." Yep Nec hadn't become any less shy concerning emotions, and whatever kind of 'love' Jasper meant Nec was fighting hard not to blush too bad. "Animal form, I knew you could change, somehow."
Sealgair had been ignoring her so far finally deigned to give Jasper a Look, red eyes staring into hers.
I don't recognize your smell, feline. Who are you to Mine? She stood and took the two steps forward that separated them and stopped with her nose a mere inch away from Jasper, demanding.
"Wow? Dang. The years have not been kind to you in the brain department there Nec." Shaking her head, she would suddenly found herself face to snout with Sealgair. The grin she gave was not a kind one.
"No fucking duh hound. I'm an old friend. Though he is the old one now while I'm younger." She jerked her thumb at him. "Been at least a few years for me, but dang. I didn't know your memory was so far gone that you start forgetting things after twenty years."
"Hey, excuse me? I'm only three hundred, that's like early thirties to humans!" That said, how long was it? Twenty years? No way, he remembered that far, the only thing he didn't remember was that period he went 'missing' from the Glasgow JO...
Sealgair glared back, unaccustomed to this kind of lack of fear, but eventually gave a canine huff, Jasper would easily smell the sulphurous brimstone from her breath before the Hellhound turned.
I'm going hunting. Flying rat, get off my back. And with that she melted into a shadow and was gone. Tanwir had taken off fluttered back to Nec, clinging on the front of his shirt and climbed up to his shoulder.
"Twenty years sounds wrong... Where did you know me?" Studying her, Nec was glad to see she at least wasn't on the verge of tears any more. Didn't seem like it at least. "You sure you don't want that coffee? I'd rather sit down and relax if we're gonna keep talking."
Shaking her head, she tilted her head. "When we met, you were barely twenty. If that. So that would mean..." If there was one thing Jasper was good at, had always been good at, was simple math. Eyes widen and she let out a low whistle. "A hundred odd years? No wonder your memory turned shitty." Laughing, she would shake her head.
"Still gonna have to take that rain check Rocky. I gotta find something for my boss, but...If you want..." Reaching up to yank him more down to her level, she would whisper the new place that she worked at in his ear. "You can find me there if you want that rain check." And with that, she would attempt to slip away in the crowd once more.
Hundred years? That fit disturbingly well with the period he lost his memory for. Could he years difference but... "Was it on earth? That you knew me? And my memory isn't that bad! There's just a period I can't remember anything from. Fits well with those hundred years...".
He easily let her pull him down, a moment of disappointment from her decline, but oh! It wasn't that she didn't want to, she was here on an errand! Duh, obviously, it was a market. "Ah, yeah, I'll be around."
And he would! If she paid attention she'd spot him in a corner of her workplace when she returned getting the thing for her boss, but Nec wouldn't expect her to stop working or anything. He'd stick around until she either got off or chased him out, having a beer and trying again to make the fog lift!
She would have to tell him more later. All she could remember and did know. At least about their interactions together. And maybe not all of it. There was some things he might have been better off later.
Thirty odd minutes later, she had finally found the herb she had been looking for in the first place. As she rushed back into the restaurant, she caught that familiar shade of blue out of the corner of her eye. Apparently, despite Nec being older, he didn't understand the meaning of a rain check. Then again, he hadn't ever been truly patient either. Not when he could rush things. Shaking her head, she didn't see any problem with him staying there.
Though she did have to tell one of the bartenders to mind his own business when he had asked if Nec was trouble. Since he had caught the troll glancing at her whenever she went by. She knew him and he was okay. She was fine. He could be there and if she found out that the bartender had kicked him out, she would be more than glad to kick him somewhere a bit more personal.
It got her a bit of a talking to about proper work place interaction, but that was fine with her. Nec got to stay till she got off shift and that was all that mattered.
It was starting to turn into late evening when she was finally free. Waving bye to the people in the kitchen, she came up beside Nec and gently tapped his shoulder. "Didn't expect you to take that rain check so soon."
Nec made sure to not distract her too much. He ordered for and drink, and someone had left a book on his table, or maybe it was part of the place's inventory, but he leafed through it and actually found it interesting enough that he started reading. Just your typical hero adventure thing but it passed the time and the food was good.
He noticed she got a talking to for something, but didn't hear what. The bartender looked stern and a little annoyed but wasn't that a touch of humor in his expression too? Eh, she didn't look too troubled by it anyway so tht was fine. Hopefully it wasn't because of him, he'd made sure to order things regularly...
As it was getting dark outside, Nec was a good two thirds through the book when she finally got free and tapped his shoulder.
"Yeah well I get curious when someone says the l-word and I don't even know their name." Yep, he'd realized she hadn't said it and he hadn't asked. "You disappeared so fast I had to come look." Shrugging, Nec didn't see any harm in it. Pushy? Maaaaaybe but she had invited him.
"You did at one point. You just preferred to call me something else." Her head inclined towards the book. "You want to finish that before you leave? I don't mind waiting if you do." Jasper's eyebrows rose. "And if that is all I have to do to get a date with anyone, then I'll have to use it more often." That grin was a wicked one as she turned around to give the bartender a little wave.
"So where did you want to go for that cup of coffee?"
"Kitty" came the instant reply, before he frowned a bit looking uncertain. "Right?" It was the first thing that had popped into his mind and it felt strangely fitting.
"Nah, that was just to pass the time. And a date, hm? Were we more than friends then? Wherever we met before?" Oh that grin! He couldn't tell if she was actually teasing or was there a hint of honesty there? He couldn't tell but his own tone was teasing too, it was always easier to joke around serious questions.
"The bakery has good coffee. Of course we don't have to though, was just a suggestion."
"The bakery sounds good to be. You're buying though." She wouldn't tell him, but her heart had thumped at the old nickname. He was the only one who could get away with it too. She had meant to tell him that she hated it. But she never did and honestly...She like the name when it was coming from him.
Tapping her lips, she shook her head. "Now Nec. I don't tend to kiss and tell. That would just be rude you know?"She started walking towards the door. "And I would totally hate to ruin what little reputation you have."
"How will I ever afford that? Two whole coffees?" Lamenting, Nec pushed the door open and held it for her. "You still haven't told me your actual name, you waiting for me to remember?" Which could take anything from seconds to months.
"Mm. But the kiss would be pretty telling on its own though. You just like teasing me!" Oh! "Reputation? My reputation here is excellent, how else could I walk through town in a dress and glitter without having to hide for a year after?"
"You did what? When? How did I miss you in glitter and a dress?" Laughing, she would shake her head. She could well imagine Nec in a dress. It wasn't like it took too much of an imagination to do so. "And yes. I think I shall. Might make it easier if you just rather forget it all again." Her hands went behind her back as she turn to walk backwards, watching him.
"And oh boy Rocky. You can't even begin to understand the depth of my love of teasing you. Your face in human form was always the best to make blush." Laughing, she spun back around to face the front, falling into step to be more beside him. "And oh gods. You were so innocent back then."
"Nit too long a got, a week or two, you missed a show!" Grinning, this was a thing he could absolutely tease her with for missing! 'Oh remember that time--oh waiiiiit you never saw that, how unfooooortunate'. "Uuuurh, I'm not gonna randomly forget, Kitty! I don't remember anything from- wherever that was. I got a year long hole in my memory from that time." He'd never really thought much on it, not after the uh, aftermath was over and done with. And it hadn't bothered him much either, but now? Damnit!
"Guess you'll have to be Kitty from here on out then." Fine with him, Kitty suited her anyway.
"I'm starting to understand that." Nec rolled his eyes but if anyone could handle being teased, enjoy, it was him. "Aw, too bad you won't be seeing my human form again then." Sticking his tongue out at her, yeah he hadn't outgrown that habit yet, Nec winked at her. She'd have to settle for purple now!
Out of habit, she stuck hers back out at him. "That's fine. I'm sure this form blushes just as well as your human one does. Speaking of..." She tapped her fingers against her thigh as they walked. "How were you in this form early and not a giant hunk of rock?" Jasper glanced up at him, her grey eyes ringed with that brilliant blue. "Last I knew, you couldn't be out in the sunlight when you were a blueberry."
And dang. She was gonna have to find someone who saw and decided to take a picture. Or at least described it to her. And Jasper was already plotting ways to get him to recreate it. Somehow.
"Guess you'll just have to find out. But it'll be more of a challenge though! I think. Not so 'innocent' these days, Kitty." Wow, this felt absurdly familiar, walking and teasing. "Something happened when I got here. Don't know if it was the portal or the IF or whatever, but I lost my magic. Can't change any more but thank the gods I can suddenly handle sunlight or yeah, I'd have been dead the moment I landed here."
Blueberry.
Another spark but of someone else, and an old-like bar? Tavern?