Aqua Springs ~ ART GALLERY OPEN! ~ Geezerville

[FireSpark]

As Daniel stepped cautiously into the Aqua Springs lobby, he noticed that Jessi had arrived first. Reluctantly, he pressed on, knowing that there was no way he could keep avoiding her. Pulling the bowler hat he had acquired down tighter around his head, Daniel found himself walking softly towards the reception desk. When Jessi finally looked up, he gave her a slight wave and an abashed smile.

“Uh. Hi.”  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi gasped slightly when she saw Daniel, but the a bright, beaming smile appeared on her face.

"Daniel, you're back! Are you okay? Is everything alright?"  

[FireSpark]

Daniel's eyes widened at the sudden questions and he nervously pushed his hat down some more. He flicked a nervous glance over a shoulder behind him before replying.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Shouldn't I be? Did something happen?"  

[Jessi_Deramis]

{{Love the outfit, btw. smile }}

Jessi seemed to relax a little bit after Daniel said he was alright. He sure seemed nervous, though.

"No, nothing's happened since the last time you were here, but I hadn't seen you in a long time, so I was worried something had happened. I really wish you would get a phone so people can call you if you're gone for a few days to make sure you're alright."  

[FireSpark]

Daniel relaxed visibly, and even managed to grin at Jessi's continued insistance at his acquiring a phone.

"Yes, well, not that it would necessarily work where I go to, uh, hide out, but did't you say you were going to pick one out for me?"  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi smiled softly as Daniel seemed to relax and then grinned. He must have just been nervous that she would be upset for not seeing him for awhile.

"True, I did, but you never said if you wanted one for sure, yet, so I don't want to pick one out if you're not sure you want one. I don't want to force you to use one if you're absolutely against it. Would you be okay with having one?"  

[FireSpark]

Daniel smiled a little more, glad that the conversation was going fine. Tipping his hat forward a bit on his head, he started to slowly walk backwards in the direction of his office, being sure to not look like he wanted to get away.

"Well, yeah. Like you said, it would be easier for you, or anybody, to get a hold me when I wasn't here. At least as long as I was still local."  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi grinned brightly, very happy about this development. "That's great, Daniel! I'll feel a lot better that you'll have a cell phone on you in case you need help or something. I know you can more than take care of yourself, but... I think it's just such a great thing that you'll have one in case of emergencies."

She tilted her head slightly and laughed when Daniel started to back toward his office. "Daniel, I haven't seen you in days, almost a week, and you're already going to your office? Can I at least have a hug before you, go?"

Jessi smiled sweetly at him.  

[FireSpark]

Daniel's grin tightened. The fact that he had been fighting the urge to get as close as possible to Jessi the moment he had walked in the door had been barely tolerable. Only barely offset by his desire that no one see his head. But when she actually asked for a hug from him, all resolve was lost. He put on his best smile, as nervous as it may have been.

"Of, of course. I am always happy to help in that department."

Daniel pulled his hat down on his head as he could get it to go as he moved in to hug Jessi.  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi felt sad when she saw Daniel's forced smile as he approached her to give her a hug. He didn't even want to hug her now? What was wrong? He said everything was fine, but she definitely was having doubts about that now.

As his arms wrapped around her, though, she noticed that he tugged that hat on his head even more. That had to be it! He was trying out a new outfit that included the hat, and he was nervous about it! She remembered him saying that he didn't have many outfits at the moment and needed to go shopping. He must have and was self conscious now, what with wanting to blend in better and not really sure how to.

She smiled softly and rested her head on his shoulder as he hugged her. She breathed in his scent and then sighed softly. When she spoke, it was a whisper.

"I really like your outfit today, Daniel. I'm surprised you're not wearing your uniform, but you look nice. The hat is a nice touch. It's cute."  

[FireSpark]

Daniel tensed suddenly in mid-hug when Jessi commented on his hat, but then he relaxed slightly. Yes, of course. His not being in uniform must've been the vibe of interest he had been picking up on. Hopefully that was all of it. Daniel pulled back slightly, another nervous smile on his face.

"Oh, it's just my usual overly worn stuff. But yeah, the hat's new. Something I...found. Yes."  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi arched an eyebrow at Daniel. "You just found it? Daniel... picking up hats that you just found probably isn't a good thing. It's not safe. Who knows whose head was in it last? I don't want you getting sick..."

"Why aren't you wearing your uniform today, though, if you don't mind me asking? You are on duty today, right?"  

[FireSpark]

"Okay, so maybe 'found' isn't quite the exact term..."

Daniel's eyes rolled up to look at the front brim of the hat, as if to assure himself that it was still there. He looked back down at Jessi when she asked about his uniform.

"Oh, the uniform. Yeah, I've taken to keeping it here. Less chance for, uh, anything to happen to it."  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi smiled. "You have? That's a really good idea, actually. I guess it would be a hassle to wear it back and forth all the time, and if you happened to trip and fall or anything like that, you'd get it all dirty. Good idea, Daniel."

She sighed softly and sat back down on her chair. She tilted it back slightly so that she could look up at Daniel, who was standing in front of her at the side of the desk.

"Daniel, I need to ask you something. I think you and I need to find out who started the fire here the other week, the only way that you can. I think we need to do this soon before Amy lashes out."  

[shadow_dragon_13]

Shadow entered silently in his normal attire. He looked around for Jessi and spotted her immediately at the front desk speaking with the current, and only guard Shadow was aware of for the resort, who's name skipped him at this time. He was there because of the message she had sent him. He wondered if she had any issues with the archaic method which was required to get a hold of him. He was sure it would come up in a future conversation.

Shadow was a bit traditional in that he doesn't carry around a cell phone. He knew very well how to use them, but felt they were unnecessary for his line of work. Sure, he had plenty of pockets in which to carry one. But was a phone that could get lost, stolen, broken, thrown, dropped, cut, or be loud, or ignored or not heard during an important time, worth it? Not to him. He was just fine with the process of sending a messenger. He figured that if anyone needed to get a hold of him, it wouldn't be too hard, since Geeserville wasn't too big a town.

He knew he had yet told anyone where he was staying, didn't think it all that important to bring up in casual conversations. But he knew the people he was dealing with, their connections and skills, and knew very well that if anyone really needed him, they could find him. Even if he was away on a mission.