Birds and Promises (Tommy/Casual)

[JIAO "JO" MAHR]

She heard giggles and then the sound of numerous little voices shushing each other. Jiao smiled. She knew that Michael loved this class best of all, but then again, she didn't blame him from all the animated stories that he had told her about his teacher, Mr. Tommy. Jiao laughed softly to herself as she thought of the name. There was absolutely no question that Michael had completely gotten the name wrong as he was used to doing. She remembered when he had first tried to say her own name. It had sounded like a cat howling when he had said 'Jeow', and so she very quickly shortened it and had him calling her 'Jo' instead.

As she approached the open door of the classroom, she peaked her head around and looked at the circle of kids sitting in the center of the room around a man with sandy blonde hair. She couldn't see what he was doing exactly, but whatever it was, the children were paying full attention. She saw Michael and smiled. It wasn't long until he noticed her peaking at him at the door. He immediately sat up straighter and a bright smile broke over his face. He raised a hand slightly, holding it tightly against himself as if he wanted to give her a wave and be sneaky about it.

Jiao gave him a small wave back, her smile a constant and her eyes bright. She then brought her finger up to her lips, indicating to him to be quiet, before she motioned first a circle and then pointed at 'Mr. Tommy' as she tried to get Michael to turn his attention back to his teacher.

As soon as he was looking at the teacher again, Jiao drew back from the doorway and out of sight. She didn't want to disrupt the class any more than she already had. After all, she would have the whole afternoon with Michael and while it might not exactly start out fun with the bird walk that his mother wanted them to go on, after that they would do whatever they wanted for the rest of the afternoon. Jiao leaned back against the wall in the hall and listened in on the class.

[TOMMY "THANATOS" KRISTOFFERSON]

This...this is what Thomas loved. His students, the colors, the silly things he got to do for the sake of doing his job. Today was history day and they were learning about pirates. These were the days that Thomas loved the absolute most. The days when the kids could laugh and he could feel good about what he's doing.

Days like this were also dress up days.

Since they were learning about pirates, Thomas figured it would be a good day to bust out his one size too small, felt tri-corn hat, red scarf belt, clip on gold hoop earring, and eye patch. It looked stupid as hell with his bright green shirt, purple pants, and orange shoes but he didn't care. To see all the kids shriek with laughter when they saw him was totally worth it.

And then to watch them cheer and clap when he pulled out his "booty", a bag of chocolate coins with little Jolly Rogers stamped on their tops. Using the candy as motivation, he got them to quiet down and settle in a circle so he could get on with his lesson.

Using his best pirate voice and calling himself Tommy, the Ruthless, he launched in a vague history of pirates. Of course he left out the really bad things like the murdering, the gallows, Montezuma's revenge, scurvy, rats, mutilation, rape, kidnapping, and all the other things that pirates did that weren't great. So, Tommy, the Ruthless kept it to pirates were adventurers and thieves, and were very bad people.

With that, Thomas produced, with flourish, a book for reading time.

Passing out one 'doubloon' to every student, Thomas sat down in the middle of the room and started the story. He was halfway through when Michael, a bright student, got distracted by something. Surreptitiously, Thomas glanced to see what was going on. A nice looking young woman was in the doorway, probably the babysitter or nanny or something like that.

When she pulled back again, Thomas motioned for all the kids to be quiet. He made a show of sneaking to the door. Grabbing the door frame, he leaned out and growled, "Arrrr we have 'rselves a trespasser mates! What say ye? Shall she walk da plank?" The kids, like the expert imaginers they were, screamed 'AAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY' in unison and Thomas reached for the girl's arm.

"Sorry about this," Thomas whispered, smiling apologetically. "Just play along for a bit?"

[JIAO "JO" MAHR]

From where she had been standing next to the door, her back against the wall, she could perfectly hear what had been going on in the classroom. And then suddenly it had gone very quiet. She didn't really think too much of it even though it was the typical quiet hush that she normally expected when her young charges were up to no good. But, since Mr. Tommy was in the classroom with them... well, what mischief would they possibly try with a teacher there?

A muffled giggle was quickly stilled and Jiao's curiosity burned ~:What are they doing?:~ She was trying so hard to not take another peak into the classroom, turning her head instead to face away from the doorway before the temptation to look would get too much for her. It was right then as she was about to look back towards the doorway when suddenly there was a face right there and a pirate exclamation of "Arrrr we have 'rselves a trespasser mates! What say ye? Shall she walk da plank?"

It was so unexpected that Jiao couldn't have stopped the loud yelp of surprise even if she had wanted to, her hand instinctevly going up to her mouth. As Mr. Tommy whispered to her, she used her hand that was already covering her mouth to help stop the laugh from escaping her. Her eyes danced with merriment as she very quickly nodded her assent to his scheme.

Feeling his hand close around her forearm, she moved her hand to rest against her cheek as she loudly proclaimed in the most 'damsel-in-distress' voice she could muster without giving in to her laughter which was threatening from just below the surface, "Oh, no! Please sire, not the plank!"

She allowed Mr. Tommy to lead her into the classroom, thinking to herself ~:Michael was right, this guy is fun:~ She looked around the collection of little faces that were looking at them with such expectation. As soon as she picked out the red hair belonging to Michael, she reached out her hand to him, "Please, good sire, save me."

Of course it was all an act, she knew what a little traitor Michael could be when there was more fun to be had with her demise than with her rescue. She tried desperately to keep her smile from showing too much as she glanced back at the eyepatch and one blue eye.

[TOMMY "THANATOS" KRISTOFFERSON]

Thomas was very careful to be gentle as he pulled the woman into the classroom. She was really quite small and Thomas didn't want to accidentally hurt her. It didn't really matter how convincing they were, play was play to the kids. They didn't distinguish between realistic or not as long as it suited their game.

Michael, like any good imaginer, lead the chants of 'Plank plank plank plank' that began to fill the room. Thomas didn't actually know how one would walk the plank in his classroom, not yet. He had to think about that; something safe but something that would satisfy dropping off the ship to certain death. Thomas looked around and finally settled on his desk. That would have to do.

"Arrrr!" Thomas growled, pulling the girl over to the desk. She was really good at playing along so he figured she'd be able to get that if she walked the plank, she would just jump behind the desk and 'drown'. Once they were by the desk, Thomas raised a hand for silence and all the kids fell quiet, staring at the two adults intently. He paused for dramatic effect but apparently took too long.

"THE PLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK!" Eddie Knowles shrieked from the back of the classroom, his voice cracking. It triggered the rest of the class, sending them clamouring and calling for blood.

Again Thomas raised a hand for quiet. "I be feelin' generous today, missie. Ye don' have ta walk de plank, if ye become me Pirate Bride," Thomas announced, talking to class more so than to the woman. It was a performance and they had to perform to their audience.

As expected, a chorus of "Ew, gross!" rose from the preschoolers and Thomas had to hide a smile. With flourish, he whipped off his pirate hat and dropped to his knee, striking a dramatic pose as he awaited her answer.

[JIAO "JO" MAHR]

The desk really was a good idea to use as a plank, or at least, that's what Jiao herself would have done if she was the one playing the pirate. As they were standing beside it and Mr. Tommy was hushing the chanting children with his raised hand, Jiao had quickly slipped off her sandals and pushed them to one side so that the soles wouldn't damage the top of the desk when she would eventually have to 'walk the plank'.

One overeager child had started up the chant again and she couldn't hide her smile as Mr. Tommy tried to get them to quieten down again. She was just then moving to lean back against the desk, enjoying the show as much as the children were when he made his proposal.

"A pirate's bride?" Her surprise evident on her face at what he was asking. As he turned with a flourish and dropped to one knee, Jiao sat on the edge of the desk. She looked at him, her mouth working as if she were trying to say something and the words were just not coming out ~:And if I say yes, is he going to try... and... kiss me?:~ Jiao didn't know that she liked the direction that their 'play' was now taking. Not that she hadn't written a whole range of soppy romances herself, but to be dropped into it so unexpectedly...

Jiao looked up from the pirate to the sea of young faces who were waiting for her answer. If she didn't answer quickly... She looked back to the kneeling Mr. Tommy as an idea raced through her mind. Smiling, she started on her next performance to the children, "No, dear sire, I'm afraid your one true love will forever be the ocean. I could never play second fiddle to her."

She looked from the young faces back to his, her smile still a constant, "I would prefer to become a pirate myself on this fine ship of yours, going on adventures with all of you. But, if this is not to be..." And here she stood up, "Then I will walk the plank!"

[TOMMY "THANATOS" KRISTOFFERSON]

Thomas redonned his hat and stood to his feet. He ignored little Susan Carpenter's 'I'll be youah piwate bwide' and addressed the class in his pirate voice. "Thar be a vote! All in favor?" About half the class rang out with 'Aye'. A couple of the students even clapped and hooted for her to join their ranks. Little Susan Carpenter didn't look so thrilled though. She was 'in wuv' with Thomas and, while he found it adorable, did his best not to encourage it.

"All opposed?"

"THE PLAAANK!" Thomas grinned at Eddie Knowles. Leave it to him to call for the death scenario.

"They ayes have it! Welcome aboard, missie," Thomas tipped his hat to the woman just as the bell rang. Unlike most classes, the students didn't scramble to leave right away. They knew to let Thomas dismiss them. "Homework for tonightl draw yerselves as pirates! Now off with ye!" Thomas made a shooing motion and the students scattered. With a smile, he took off his hat and eye patch, turning to the woman again.

"Sorry about ambushing you like that," He ran a hand through his hair sheepishly and extended a hand. "Thomas Kristofferson, or Mr. Tommy if you'd like," Michael went to his cubby to gather his things and joined the two adults after a moment."You are really great at imagining. I hope you don't mind my saying but you would make a great teacher,"

[JIAO "JO" MAHR]

Jiao held her breath as she waited for the decision on whether or not she would be walking the plank. She was pleased at least that it was going to be put to the vote... Jiao knew that she would be able to count on Michael's vote for her to join their ranks. She silently hoped that the rest of the class would follow. Goodness, why were her hands suddenly so clammy!? She pressed her palms to her denims.

"THE PLAAANK!" Jiao laughed softly and shook her head. ~:That kid's really determined!:~ Jiao wondered to herself if he realised that just because he was shouting out his choice that it wouldn't necessarily mean that it would outweigh the majority 'aye's she had already received. Volume would not automatically increase the weight of his vote.

As Mr. Tommy said "They ayes have it! Welcome aboard, missie," and then tipped his hat, Jiao laughed and clapped excitedly a few times.

And then the bell rang ~:Oh no!:~ That would mean that this was the end of their play, and now she would most likely have to wait for another day when she might be able to join the class again for another game. And who knew when that might be! Mrs. Clark was not the most consistent when it came to hiring Jiao to take Michael for the afternoon.

"Sorry about ambushing you like that... Thomas Kristofferson, or Mr. Tommy if you'd like," As he extended his hand, Jiao smiled and extended her own too to shake it "Oh, don't worry about that at all! This was tons more fun than standing out there in that boring old hallway." Jiao grinned as she shook his hand, "I'm Jiao... or Jo if that's easier... Jiao Mahr. It's nice to meet you, Tommy."

As Michael returned to where they were standing, Jiao had lowered down to her haunches and helped him to put his backpack onto his shoulders "Hey mister. Did you have fun today?" Michael nodded vigorously with excitement, a huge grin on his face. Jiao smiled before standing upright again and addressing Mr. Tommy again, "Thanks, but it was easy getting into the swing of it with all this." She raised a hand and with her palm facing upward, and then did a sweeping motion downwards in front of Mr. Tommy to indicate his outfit.

Jiao laughed and tilted her head slightly to one side. "You really put a lot of effort into it... I think it's really cool that you put so much effort into it for the kids."