[plot: I Put A Spell On You]

[porcupineliz]

(index!)

A reading of the sweater she got from Matt doesn't give her much, but there are definitely traces of a magic around it. Something artificially imposed, and ... she's pretty sure something outwardly imposed. It doesn't have Matt's feel to it at all.

Scrying is somewhat more useful: she gets a very brief blurred image of someone who's probably the caster -- older woman, graying hair, smiling earnestly -- and a much more definite sense of the caster's magic signature. And enough sense of the spell to make her skin crawl, even though as far as she can tell it was done with the most benevolent of intentions.



When she gets back to Milliways, she finds the note. There's no good way to say this, but I'm actually under a --

Oh.

Oh, shit.

Comments

[semicharmed]

"Aces," Matt says, rueful.

And off he goes, mentally drafting opening pitches that don't include so Liz and I think we should cast a scrying spell on you to see if this is my fault or take off your shirt.

It takes some concentration.

[dr_j]

The bar is in the business of cockblocking today.

Jordie, looking rumpled and a little damp (but at least he showered!) staggers downstairs. He wants breakfast. Delicious breakfast.

He did not see Matt. More's the pity.

(Maybe he can find Matt and convince him that they should get breakfast to go.)

[porcupineliz]

Well, if he wants delicious breakfast, he could do worse than head in the direction of the bar.

And oh hey, there's somebody he knows sitting there, with a cup of coffee.

[dr_j]

He is heading in the direction of the bar!

And rubbing his eyes, so possibly he does not see Liz until it's too late.

When he does, he jumps and looks guilty.

[porcupineliz]

It's the jump that catches her attention.

"Jordie," she says, "hey."

And hesitates. Did Matt find you? suddenly doesn't seem like the best question to ask.

[dr_j]

"Hi," he says, a little wild-eyed. "How are you?"

[porcupineliz]

"I'm good," she says, light and cheerful. "You?"

[dr_j]

"I'm -- "

The worst of all cradle-robbers without actually being illegal about it?

Fundamentally exhausted because of all the sex I've been having, which is frankly better than most of what you and I did, but don't feel bad because I think that might be magic?

Suddenly way more open to magic in general as long as there's a happy ending involved?

Scared I'm in love with an infant?

" -- good." Beat. "Hungry. I just got up for a snack -- don't let me keep you -- "

[porcupineliz]

... oh dear.

"Listen," she says, "I -- this is gonna be awkward but I don't think there's any way it could possibly not be, so I'm just gonna say it -- I talked to Matt a few minutes ago, did he find you?"

[dr_j]

Deer in headlights.












"No," he says, almost like it's a question.

[porcupineliz]

"I told him I may have found out who cast the love spell on him, and ... he told me a little bit of what's been going on with him and you since."

Less cheerful, now, and ... a little concerned. Mostly because of the look on Jordie's face, like he's holding a lit stick of dynamite and frozenly watching the fuse sputter down.

[dr_j]

That's pretty much exactly what it's like, except Liz is the dynamite.

Fssssssssss. Jordie is waiting.

[porcupineliz]

... well, if Jordie's not going to say anything ...

Might as well keep talking! (Slightly more businesslike, now.)

"I'm inclined to think that the original spell had a secondary component that made it jump to you, but Matt's a little afraid that he might have unknowingly cast a love spell of his own on you. Because his magic's been acting up since this started. I told him I could find out, if you'd be okay with it."

[dr_j]

"Uh."

Jordie is pretty sure he's in favor of whatever lets him get out of here ASAP.

"Yeah. Sure."

(Fsssssssss.)

[porcupineliz]

A long beat.



"Are you okay?"

[dr_j]

"What did he tell you?"

[porcupineliz]

Uhhh.

"He told me you were the first person he had physical contact with after the spell took effect," slower, "and that you thought kissing him might break the spell, and instead it seems to have passed it on to you. And that you slept together, after that, and ... I think that's all."

Was there something important Matt left out?

[dr_j]

Jordie is a little pale.

Defensively:

"I'm under the influence."

[porcupineliz]

"Yeah." Somewhere between apologetic and sympathetic. "I mean, it looks that way -- I can't be sure without running the scry, but ... yeah."

[dr_j]

More defensively: "You think I'm faking this?"

[porcupineliz]

"What? No." She blinks, a bit derailed. "I thought -- I thought that was a question."

[dr_j]

"You think I'd do this if I wasn't under the influence?"

[porcupineliz]

"... do what exactly?" Unnerved.

[dr_j]

"Sleep with Matt," Jordie says, although if Liz looks, she will see a little color in Jordie's cheeks.

[porcupineliz]

A pause.

"... because of the age difference?" she essays, feeling a bit lost. "Or are you usually not into guys, or ...?"