Exploring London with Sherral

[runningred]

Jay opens the door out into a very expensive hotel suite. "Let me just grab my own gear." He gestures towards the balcony and the view across the city.

Comments

[runningred]

Jay grins warmly. "Never." He nods towards where a band is playing, steel drums beaten out of scrap metal and other improved instruments.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral glances over at them, smiling a little. "They're good. A little unusual, perhaps," he adds wryly. "But very good."

[runningred]

"It's the right sound for this place. Their own." He tilts his head and grins. "Dance with me?"

There is already a teeming dance floor, the semi-Jamaican sounds inspiring fast and playful latineque movements.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral laughs. "I make no promises about being any good at it, but as you will."

[runningred]

Jay chuckles and draws Sherral towards the dance floor. Jay's a natural dancer, moving to the rhythm of the music. He dances close and tight with Sherral, hands resting on Sherral's shoulders.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral settles his hands on Jay's sides lightly and does his best to copy Jay's movements. He's not a natural in the same way that Jay is, but he has a rhythm, and he manages not to trip over his own feet.

[runningred]

Jay doesn't mind but just enjoys the feeling of being close to Sherral, their bodied warm and close. He pulls Sherral in and kisses him, loving this open, relaxed side of the young soldier.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"What was that for?" Sherral asks wryly once the kiss ends.

[runningred]

"Because I love you." Jay answers, unabashed.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral makes a slightly surprised noise, eyebrows rising.

"- I profess, not the answer I expected," he says, flustered but smiling.

[runningred]

"It's the truth." Jay promises, kissing him again.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"I don't doubt it," Sherral says afterwards. He pauses, clearing his throat, then very quietly: "I love you too."

[runningred]

Jay smiles comes from the heart, warm and almost painful in it own way.

He opens his mouth to speak but there's a shout of Raid from the other side of the party and the music stops abruptly. His look becauses serious. "Time to go."

[fluffiest_archadian]

"All right," Sherral says, pulling back. "Lead the way."

[runningred]

People scatter in a hurry at the call, picking it up and passing it along in warning. Danny and Seth come bouncing past them, directing people out of the square as sirens start to sound in the distance.

"Do you guys have somewhere hole up?" Danny calls to them.

Jay moves with the people, automatically managing crowd control to get everyone safely away. "Not close, no."

[fluffiest_archadian]

"We should be able to manage," Sherral says, helping Jay manage the crowd. He hardly wants Danny and Seth to worry - and potentially endanger themselves - after all.

[runningred]

Jay seems to be considering something as the cops pull up and start bellowing at the crowds to stay where they are. "I can distract them. If you want to get your people away?"

Danny shakes his head. "Nar, you're a guest. And a foreign national. Last thing you should be doing is getting tangled. The cops are just bored and looking for someone to harass. They'll arrest a few kids for drinking and one or two people for public nuisance then they'll leave us alone again till next time."

Jay glances to Sherral questioningly. Walk and let the police harass a poor neighbourhood or help and risk escalating things.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"It's no trouble," Sherral says, giving Jay a quick glance. "We can distract them without causing too much trouble, and we'll be gone before they can catch us."

[runningred]

Jay's answering smile tells Sherral exactly how much he loves the young solider.

He reaches into a pocket and pulls out a soft cloth mask, tossing one to Sherral. "Think you can keep them looking the other way while I turn their cars off?"

[fluffiest_archadian]

"I can," Sherral says, pulling the mask on.

[runningred]

Jay doesn't put his on yet, instead moving diagonally across the crowd. Hands in his pockets, he looks like someone making an effort to look unremarkable. The cops are rounding people up, herding them towards a corner. He drifts to position himself behind the cars but the cops are starting to take an interest in him.

[fluffiest_archadian]

It does occur to Sherral that he didn't think too much about how to draw the attention of the cops, especially since he ideally needs to get all of them looking at him.

He whispers a few words under his breath, moving to a slightly high spot where he can be heard, before raising his hands over his head and clapping them together.

There's light. Not much, but enough to see, like he's holding a torch between his hands. But there's also noise, the sound of the clap amplified as if it's coming through a loudspeaker.

It does occur to him that there were more subtle ways of achieving the same result, but he thinks it'll work. Probably.

[runningred]

It's enough to get a few eyes on him for a moment. Somewhere in the crowd, Danny picks up the idea and claps as well, adding a whistle. From somewhere else, half way up a building, someone picks up the cry, adding to the distraction.

Jay starts moving again, easing himself behind the cars and bending to place something small under the bumpers.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral hops to a slightly higher spot, mouthing the spell again, adding in a few extra words. When he claps again, the noise is like thunder crashing, ridiculously loud, leaving a low rumbling in its wake. The light is brighter, too, but not by much.

He doesn't know how long Jay needs - and obviously he doesn't want to put anyone at risk.

"Over here!" He hollers once he's certain everyone's attention is on him.

[runningred]

Oh, he does. He has everyone's attention, including Jay's. Jay watches him from the other side of the open area as he tags the last car, his smile evident even at that distance.

He jumps onto a fire escape and pulls himself up, flashing Sherral a thumbs up before melting into the shadows.

A moment later, the police cars start driving themselves out of the area, unblocking gaps for people to stream through.