What's My Scene

[wontforgetyou]

WHO: Jamie and anyone who wants to bother him
WHAT: Experiments and Bagpipes and Fights, oh my!
WHEN: Roundabout nowish
WHERE: Kirkwall, The Wounded Coast
NOTES: Possible violence, probable questions, faint chance of bagpipes, definite Hoodoo Guru lyrics

Poking At Your Experiments
Being part of the group working with the rifts meant that Jamie wound up closing a fair few of them, but there was more to the project than simply that. The veil being as thin as it was in Kirkwall meant it was a good place to try out all sorts of things in an effort to see how the veil or the marks would react. While Jamie wasn't really the scientific sort, he was still a rifter and able to take part in whatever experiments other people came up with - even if that part involved him standing around and handing over various containers and tubes or whatever bits and pieces people were asking for.

That didn't mean that he had to sit there and do it quietly, though, and more often than not when he'd gotten drawn into playing assistant he wound up peering at whatever it was the other person was doing and occasionally reaching out a curious finger to see if he could get away at poking at some of the more gadget-like objects. Even if he couldn't get away with that, though, it wasn't about to stop him from asking questions...like he was doing now.

"So what's that do, then?"

The Wild Piper Of The Wounded Coast
The Inquisition quarters by the docks weren't really the best place for piping. They were crowded on the best of days, and even if Jamie'd been able to stay by himself in his shared room the walls were too far too thin for any proper playing to be done. The fact that he'd had to take in a new roommate once the Doctor'd disappeared simply meant that aside from the odd bit of maintenance, his pipes tended not to see the light of day.

Away from the city was a different story, however. He was already of the mind that further away he was able to get away from the city, the better it was, which is why he'd volunteered to go with this particular group tasked with gathering herbs along the Wounded Coast. The fact that it meant that he'd also be able to get to bring his pipes was an added bonus - but so far he hadn't had a chance to play anything. Instead, he was currently stuck with the task of hauling the plants that they'd found back to the main part of camp, and as he sets the latest box down, it was with just a touch of impatience. This part of things he'd be more than glad to be done with. Assuming, of course, that he'd get the chance to actually be done and not get roped into doing something else, but the only way to find that out was to ask.

"Here, are we done for now? Or is there anything else you wanted before I head off for a bit?"

Song Of The City At Night
Many places in Kirkwall were dangerous, especially once the sun set. While the criminals weren't necessarily as brazen as they once had been, the unwary could all-too-easily find themselves a target of one - or more - of the unsavory elements that called the city home. Even those who paid attention to their surroundings could find themselves surrounded in turn, something that Jamie had found out the hard way when a small group of thugs stepped out to block his path. Still, he wasn't daunted. No McCrimmon had backed down from a fight yet, and he wasn't about to start now. He had his reflexes, he had his dirk...and chances were if he was loud enough, he'd get somebody's attention. Whether or not it was somebody who'd be willing to help him remained to be seen, but he went ahead and raised his voice anyway, just to see what'd happen.

"Think you can take me down, do you? Aye, well, I wager you're in for a surprise."

Wildcard
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Comments

as is only right!

[wontforgetyou]

As it happens, Hermione has excellent timing. So far today, Jamie has spent the entire day mending. Not clothes, in this case, but bits and pieces of leather armor - doing things like putting new straps on vambraces and gauntlets, strengthening seams and generally making sure that everything's in the best shape it can be. For all that he's familiar enough with that sort of work that it's easy to do, it's tedious work, and the look he gives her is one of sheer relief.

"Yes, please!"

There's nothing important that still needs to be mended, and he's more than happy to set that aside and take her hand, smiling back at her with one of his lopsided smiles as he lets her lead him away from the room.

"You can steal me at any time, but I'll take the afternoon for a start. Where to, then?"

[bookish_lioness]

Hermione is pleasantly surprised that Jamie is so agreeable, but somehow, she doesn't really feel like asking after it. After all, he might realize that he has something else that warrants his attention, and just this once, she'd like to be a little selfish and encourage him to be sociable.

Or, well, as sociable as he can be when it's just the two of them.

"Well, if I steal you for much longer than the afternoon, then this impromptu lunch date might run into supper," she tells him, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "Not that I much mind, but the food might run out and force us into a proper restaurant. Then I wouldn't be stealing you so much as sharing you with other people."

[wontforgetyou]

There's sociable and there's spending time with Hermione. While he doesn't have any real objections about the first one, the second one is much more appealing - although he definitely doesn't mind the notion of there being a wee bite to eat as well. Food and good company sounds like just the thing to him, although he can't help but chuckle just a little bit.

"Och, I don't know. The idea of lunch turning into supper's no such a bad one. I daresay we could come up with something clever to keep it just the two of us."

What that is exactly, he's not sure, but give him a bit and he might be able to come up with some sort of an idea. For now, though, he's happy to give her hand a squeeze in return and let her lead the way - sort of. There's enough curiosity on his end as to where they might be going that it's not long before he gives into it. Hopefully she doesn't mind some questions along the way.

"Although it sounds like you might have a wee bit of plan there already, Hermione, if you're already thinking that whatever food there'll be is bound to run out. Do I get to know what you've in mind, or is it a surprise?"

[bookish_lioness]

Hermione knows perfectly well that, like most men, Jamie's attention and continued cooperation are much more easy to keep if there happens to be food involved. So when he claims not to much mind the thought of taking lunch and supper with her, she can't help smirking a little, knowing full well that he means it.

"I'd need a little preparation time to make dinner particularly clever." Especially if he wants it to be just the two of them, which implies some level of intimacy. Of course, she can't think of them doing anything that might be defined as "intimate," or else she runs the risk of blushing and losing her train of thought, so she glosses over that as she leads Jamie east of the city, where he might soon enough realize that she's leading them towards the general direction the Wounded Coast.

"Only that I've already packed us a nice lunch, and while we might be able to make the fruits and other snacks stretch out for a little more than a meal, it's not bound to be very much more." Of course, she isn't carrying a basket or any other sort of bag big enough to contain a lunch, so she looks up at him with a small, secretive smile. "I may also be testing to see if my wards are as good as they used to be, so hopefully by the time we get to where I'd set it all up, everything is as I've left it."

It will be. Because Hermione wouldn't wander off and purposely leave anything behind on the Wounded Coast unless she was absolutely sure it wouldn't be stolen by bandits or rooted through by wild animals.

[wontforgetyou]

"Aye, well, if there's anyone that could do that, Hermione, it's you."

He means it just as much as he means what he said earlier. Given enough time, he has faith she could come up with something quite clever indeed. And if it did turn out that it was the just the two of them...well, he wouldn't mind that at all, even if it does run the risk of her blushing and losing her train of thought.

For now, though, he'll have to settle for lunch and whatever surprises that might bring. As it turns out, though, the first of those is a fairly nice surprise, as those sorts of things go. The Wounded Coast may not be the safest place, but it's away from the city, and that's alright by him. A slightly crooked smile crosses his face as he glances around them

"So are we going to be able to see where your wards are, then? Or all they going to be all invisible like those forcefield-things, instead? I've dealt with those a few times before, you know."

And as much as he likes Hermione - or maybe because he likes her - he doesn't particularly fancy stumbling smack into an invisible wall. It'd be embarrassing, at the very least. Possibly painful, too, although he's not entirely sure if that's something she's able to do with wards or not. Either way, he'd prefer not to find out the hard way.

[bookish_lioness]

Though Hermione is no longer as prone to beaming at the slightest praise as she had been when she was a child, it's still certainly nice to hear a compliment, especially when she values the opinion of the person paying her said compliment. And Jamie definitely falls under that description, given the way she gives his hand a light, appreciative squeeze, smiling just a touch sheepishly.

"The wards themselves aren't visible, not unless they're blocking magic," she explains patiently. Despite her precautions, she still keeps a wary eye on their surroundings; after all, keeping people from seeing or touching the food she'd left behind hardly means that the pair of them are invisible to anyone who might wish them ill. "We have all sorts of protective spells in my world, and I'm experimenting to see which ones actually work here. My magic still isn't what it usually is, but at least I'm fairly sure that most of the basic spells won't backfire on me if I need to use them in a pinch."

She eventually comes to stop at a clearing, holding a hand out for Jamie to stop walking as well. If the Muggle-repelling charm she'd set up is still holding up, he shouldn't see anything out of the ordinary, and she offers him a sideways glance as she carefully withdraws her wand from the specially-mended pocket in her tunic.

"Do you see anything?" she asks, hardly realizing that she's holding her breath as she uses her wand to gesture out towards a grassy spot overlooking the water not far ahead of them. With her deliberately pointing his attention in that direction, he might be able to make out a few shadows in between the longer blades of grass or some other sign that he should be seeing something, but hopefully there's nothing too clear or obvious. "Over there, on the ground?"

[wontforgetyou]

She's not the only one keeping an eye out as they go along, even if he's confident that he can hold his own against any bandits that might be in the area, he doesn't want to risk Hermione getting hurt in an ambush. If anyone does happen to try something, he'll be ready for them.

No-one does, although the longer they walk the more he starts to wonder if they're ever going to get to where she's left their lunch - because surely she must have done, unless she's gone and hidden it on herself somewhere. He's not spotted any telltale bags or signs of bulges, however, and unless she's found a way to shrink down their food and make it so tiny that it could fit in a pocket, he's fairly sure she's stashed it somewhere in the place where they're supposed to end up.

When she stops him, however, he doesn't see any sign of anything like that - or anything resembling a place that's been specially set up to spend an afternoon at. All he sees is grass, and a few wee bits of shadow, and judging by the look on his face he can't quite seem to make up his mind if he wants to frown or simply be confused. Eventually it settles into a mix between the two, a puzzled expression with a knit brow, the crease between it winding up growing that much deeper when he follows her gesture, only to see more grass rather than anything else.

"What, you mean the grass? Aye, I see that well enough. Thought you said that you'd set something up, though. You're not having me on, are you?"

[bookish_lioness]

While Jamie might very well think that she's gone mad, Hermione can't help but let out an excited sort of noise at his response - if she were less dignified, one might even say that she'd squealed in delight. Thankfully, though, she's Hermione Granger, and Hermione Granger doesn't squeal.

Not one to leave someone out on a lurch for too long, she waves her wand to drop down the various wards she'd put up. Not only can they now approach the area in question, but Jamie can now plainly see the rather large blanket that had been spread out, anchored from the breeze by small rocks and a not-so-small basket out of which a loaf of bread and what looks like a bottle of wine are poking out. Dishes and glasses have also been set up, and now that the wards are down, Hermione wastes no time in moving forward; or, at least, she wastes very little time, taking a moment to reach up to kiss Jamie's cheek in her joy before grabbing his hand and moving onward.

"I'm so glad! I wasn't sure whether or not the charms would all hold up, especially not with me pointing them out, but now that I know they do I can see about working on improving and adapting what I know to help benefit the Inquisition! Thank you so much, Jamie! Here, sit, I hope you're hungry. I had to call in a favor one of the chefs at the Gallows owed me so I can get a whole chicken and some roast potatoes all conveniently packed up, but you've more than earned it!"

[wontforgetyou]

If she had squealed in delight, Jamie wouldn't have minded at all...and maybe even secretly found it a wee bit adorable, not that he'd have admitted it out loud. As it is, the excited noise does has much the same effect, with an added pleased smile from the kiss that winds up more or less being directed at the back of her head as she grabs his hand and pulls him towards the blanket. If something like this makes her happy, then he's happy. The fact that she's set up a proper sort of picnic is just an extra bonus - one that actually gets his pleased smile to broaden substantially as her words sink in an his gaze goes right to the very nicely sized basket that's been set out.

"Chicken and roast potatoes? Hey, that's alright!"

More than alright, actually, as he's rather fond of both, and in a matter of seconds he shifts from letting himself get tugged forward to being the one to do the tugging, pausing only long enough to return that kiss to his cheek with one of his own before settling down on the blanket and reaching for that loaf of bread. It looks like it might be freshly baked, too, and unless she stops him, he's more than happy to tear off one end and tuck into it while she gets herself situated - although at least he thinks to get a piece for her too.

"When am I ever not hungry, Hermione? Hope you've not called in too big of a favor, though. Not that I'll not help you eat this, mind, but it's just me, you know."