We Don't Want to Ever Fall at All

When Jack walks into the cheesy, 'all-American' diner, it takes him a moment to find Mari, she being tucked away in a corner booth with the friends she had mentioned were joining them for the mid-morning meal.

The grin he's become addicted to seeing seems to be permanently set on her face today, she seemingly laughing at everything a blonde girl to her left is saying, even when she waves him over and makes the before mentioned girl move so he can slide in next to her.

"Everyone, this Jack." She gestures to him, "And Jack, this is Tess," She points to the blonde girl, "Kim," The brunette opposite him, "and the ever so suave, Tim."

"Amari said you had nice bone structure."

Jack admits he blanches at the comment, which Tim seems unfazed by as he takes another sip of the coffee in front of him and carries on the conversation he was having previously.

"So what's on your agenda today, Jacko?" Jack turns to peer at the slightly shorter Mari, she still smiling, "Writing a hit song?"

"Oh, we've done that already." He smirks.

"And all before breakfast? Boy, you need pancakes."

The brunch just flows from there, their table ordering way too much food for just the five of them, but in the end there's only a few spare pancakes left in the middle and everyone slowly peters away, back to their lives, leaving only Jack and Mari to foot the bill and attempt to slightly clean up for their unlucky waitress.

"What time are you starting tonight?"

"I've got the late shift, hence why I worked a few hours at the gallery this morning."

That had been a new development for Jack, he thinking she only worked at the bar, surprised one morning when she mentioned her part-time job at a local gallery.

"So you're free until, what, eleven?"

"I was going to have a day paying bills and being an adult, but if you have something better in mind?"

"You could always come chill at the house? Rian's tracking today but everyone else is around - we could finally have you watch Wayne's World."

"I'm not totally deprived because I've not seen yet another Mike Meyer's movie where he acts like a complete douche for 2 hours."

"Blasphemy! He's a genius!"

"And this is where you admit to having a kink that involves muttering Austin Powers quotes while you fuck, right?"

"Now that's something you'll have to find out for yourself." Jack winks, hip-checking her as they leave the diner, she swinging an arm to out to him in the chest in return.

"Dude, you've not even taken me on a real date yet, I'm not going to let you into my pants."

"But I've already seen what's under them!"

"Because you have no sense of privacy." Mari laughs, catching the car keys that Jack throws to her, seeing as not only does he hate driving in LA, but he also sucks at it, because Jack and traffic? Not a great idea.

"It is not my fault that your apartment has no doors to separate the rooms."

"You knew what you were doing. Pervert."

"It's a serious problem. I'm getting help for it." He couldn't sound more sincere as he pouts in her direction.

"It wouldn't surprise me at all if that were true."

"You'll never know."

------

"So how many tattoos do you have then?" Rian asks, now back from tracking some drums, everyone having abandoned trying to convert Mari into a Mike Meyers fan after she'd cussed out Wayne's World a couple dozen times.

"Um, eleven. Only seven that you can see though."

"I dread to think where the other four are."

"Hey now. Two of those are just really high up my thighs and I don't fancy dropping my jeans for you to gape at them."

"And the other two?"

"Are below my panty line so you can fuck off."

"I'll let you guys know." Jack winks, earning a smack around the head as they all laugh.

"Hey, I've shown you mine, now show me yours." Mari crosses her arms with a huff, sick of being the center of attention and the butt of the joke.

It takes almost twenty minutes for everyone to expose their own ink and explain in brief when Mari asks questions.

"We could be a gang with our matching Blink bunnies, huh, Rian?"

"I'd much rather Rian and I had a Foo-based exclusive club. No offence, Jacko. We're a higher class of people." Mari laughs, accepting the fist-bump Rian offers across their little make-shift circle.

"Just who exactly are you dating?!" Jack mocks outrage.

"Well, I gotta say if Rian wasn't already taken, I'd be making a move." Mari jokes, throwing a wink in Rian's direction just before Jack tackles her sideways and proceeds to smother her, "Oh Jesus!"

Jack is sobbing obnoxiously as Mari lays back, eyebrows raised, shooting glances at each of the other men in the room.

"He's your responsibility now, Mari. Sorry." Alex holds his hands and up and proceeds to stand up and leave the room, the rest of boys chortling and following his lead.

"First you don't like Mike Meyers, and now-." He pretends to choke, "Now you wanna date Rian. I don't think this is gonna work out."

"What am I going to write on my blog now? Jack totally dumped my ass today and I didn't even manage to get his autograph."

"God, you are too funny."

-----

A few hours later finds them back in the city, sprawled in a booth at Angels and Kings, seeing as apparently Jack is pretty damn good friends with a bunch of regulars and the owner himself.

"So, this is how the other half lives, huh?" Amari raises her glass as Alex finally sits down and they all take a drink, unfortunately, hers is only a coke, what with her shift at Bill's quickly approaching.

"Shame you can't stay for the whole night. After midnight is the best part."

"Yeah, well, some of us have got to work."

"I'll drink on your behalf."

-----

It's actually 5am when Mari finally finishes her shift, most of the night spend doing inventory when Bill did the weekly 'deep clean' of the bar.
By the time she gets home, she's ready to collapse into bed and not move for at least twelve hours, but alas, as she climbs the stairs and approaches her door, there's a slumped form in the way.

"What the- Jack?" He looks passed out, but there's soft snores breaking the silence which is slightly more reassuring, "Jack!"

"Huh?" He jerks awake, hitting his head back against the wood, "Mari!"

He's clearly still drunk and how he even managed to get here is a complete mystery.

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting for you."

"Why? Wait, how did you even get here? Or in the building?"

"I kept ringing buzzers until someone just let me in. People are mean."

"You're drunk."

"Yeah, about that..."

"Just get inside." Amari finally manages to shift him so she can actually get into her apartment, "You're taking the couch."

"I wanted cuddles."

"You're not coming near me when you spell like a brewery. How much did you drink?"

"A lot."

"Clearly."

"Don't be mad."

"I'm not mad, yet. Just don't fucking puke on my carpet."

Mari leaves him to stumble in the dark, hoping to whatever higher power that he doesn't break anything. She doesn't even bother to change as she climbs under her comforter, knowing within a few hours Jack will be up wanting to be sick and unable to locate the bathroom.