John watched Clementine walk away, head turning to and fro to take in everything around her, which made him smile.

That was one huge difference between people like her and the people he was used to, people in the business: She was still interested in everything, and not afraid to show it. The food was fascinating, the restaurant was gorgeous, the people in it no end of amazing to her. The people he was usually surrounded by were so jaded, so tired of everything, or at least they were trying hard to act like it. Nothing delighted them anymore, unless it was being mean to someone else, or watching something awful happen to another person. The level of schadenfreude in his line of work was astounding.

John felt refreshed after a couple of hours in Clementine's company, and ready to face hours of shooting.

He had his driver take him straight to the set, pondering whether or not to tell Hyacinth about the fact that he'd just had brunch with her sister. He decided not to unless it came up, since they hadn't really discussed Hy, and it didn't affect her in any way. Besides, Clementine would probably tell her herself, wouldn't she? The sisters seemed close.

Today they were in the studio, filming interiors. As soon as he was in the proper clothes and makeup he went to where Hy was sitting.

Hy, as usual, looked amazing, blonde hair brushed to a high gloss, tanned legs for miles.

"Hey, John, haven't seen you for a couple days!" Hyacinth greeted him. "How've you been?"

"Can't complain," he answered. "The schedule they have us on is absolutely mental, isn't it?"

"You get used to it," Hyacinth answered. "And we're lucky, we're not married, we don't have children or anything, you know? The last picture I did I worked with a woman who had two little kids, and she was always in a frazzle trying to keep their schedules straight and spend time with them and everything. And she always felt bad when she was here because she felt like she should be with them."

"So today's going to be long, right?"

"I think so. I think they want to get all of the interiors for this set down today so we can move to the outdoor set next."

"You want to run some lines? Make sure they're down so we don't waste time once we start?" John looked at her hopefully.

"Sure, let's go."

So they went through their lines for the various scenes they hoped to cover that day, and both were pretty much off book, so it didn't take very long.

"You know, Clementine really liked you," Hyacinth began when they were finished.

"Well, I really liked her as well," John answered, uneasily aware that this would be the time to mention brunch and sailing smoothly over the opportunity without saying a word.

"Thanks so much for being kind to her, it really made her day, that's what I'm trying to say," Hyacinth continued, smiling at John. "Clem's really shy, always has her nose in a book or a sketchpad, so for her to meet 'John Darling-Ezekwesili' in person and spend time with him, well, let's just say stuff like that doesn't happen to her often."

"What, not even with Hyacinth O'Dell as her sister?" John teased.

Hyacinth shook her head. "For the most part, I keep my work life separate from my private life. And she's not super interested in it, anyway, it doesn't impress her much."

"But she wanted to meet me?"

"Well, you're different, you're someone who was part of her childhood. I mean, every teenaged girl knows who The Jacks are. Or were, I guess."

"I enjoyed her company very much," John repeated. "In fact, maybe the three of us could get together again?"

Hyacinth looked at him in surprise. "Really? I'm sure she'd love to, but you don't have to. I mean, I know how busy I am, and you must be at least as busy as me. It's okay if you can't."

"Not at all," John assured her. "Like I said, you two are lovely company, we should grab dinner or something."

"She's free on Thursdays, if that works for you," Hyacinth offered.

"Thursday's ages away, surely we can do better than that? How about tomorrow?" John realized that he didn't want to wait until Wednesday to see Clementine again.

"Um, she has classes on Mondays, but I think they're all in the morning."

"So she could meet us here tomorrow afternoon? Maybe when we break for dinner?"

"Yeah, let me check with her real quick," Hyacinth said, pulling out her phone.

John smiled, thinking of the look on Clem's face when she got the text.

She was probably thinking he was mad, but he didn't care, as long as he could see her again before Thursday.

Hy looked at her phone. "Clem says she can be here by two or three tomorrow, and she'll just hang around until dinner break." She looked up and grinned. "I told you she wouldn't say no, didn't I?" She nudged John's foot with her own. "Your allure can't be measured, John."

"No, I'm sure she's excited to be spending time with you as well," he responded.

Hyacinth didn't answer, merely shaking her head.

"I'll order in something for us to eat, okay?" John offered. "That way it will be here waiting for us when we're ready, and we don't have to dash off somewhere."

"Sounds great, thank you." Hyacinth said.

*

Clementine was, in her own words, completely flipping her shit. To see John twice in the space of two days was more than she could've hoped for.

She dressed for school Monday morning with extra care, knowing she wouldn't have time to come home and change. She chose a sleeveless sundress with sandals, realizing that it would look weird if she went to school all dressed up.

Kim knew immediately what was up. "You're seeing him again today," she accused.

Clementine had given her friend a play by play of their brunch, including minute descriptions of the fabulous food.

"He and Hy want me to come by the set after class," she explained. "I don't really know why, though."

"I think we're just going to have to admit to ourselves that he likes you, Clementine."

Clem scoffed. "Please. He can't, he likes Hy, I told you. Maybe he wants me there as cover to, you know, pursue her or whatever."

Kim looked at her friend in exasperation. "Why on earth would he need you as cover to go after Hy?"

Clementine shrugged. "I don't know. But there's no way he's into me."

Kim shook her head and huffed out a breath. "Clem, you're beautiful. I know you, I've known you since we were practically babies, trust me, I can tell. You're hilarious, and so fucking smart. Your hair is glossy and gorgeous, you have a darling figure, your skin is, like, perfect, and your eyes—!" She stopped when Clem gave her a little shove, looking around the hall to make sure no one else could hear her.

"Listen to you," she said rhetorically to Kim. "Skin? Hair? And I do not have a 'darling figure'! I'm dumpy and fat."

"You're just comparing yourself to Hy, you've done it your whole life, and you have to stop!" Kim was insistent. "I wish you could see what I see, Clemmy."

"Me too," Clem responded fervently as they entered their classroom. She told herself over and over not to think about it, there was no way John liked her.

But she couldn't help it.

She carefully brushed her dark ponytail and reapplied her lip gloss in the car when she got to the studio. She felt that, even if all they were going to be was friends, John must have standards to maintain, appearance-wise. He wouldn't want to hang around people who weren't pulled together, right?

When she arrived, John was watching Hy film a short scene of a telephone conversation. Even in the semidarkness, Clem saw his face light up in a smile for her. He hugged her, hard, and then made a shushing motion, holding his finger in front of his mouth.

Clem nodded and turned to watch her sister, whom she had to admit was very good.

"Cut!" The director's voice rang out. "Hy, you were turned the wrong way for the sound because of where you were holding the phone, so you're probably going to have to loop that later, okay?"
Hyacinth nodded as she walked over to where her sister and John were standing. She hugged her sister, thanking her for coming. "Dinner will be in about an hour, I'm guessing, just because the crew will need a break, okay?"

Clementine nodded.

Hyacinth got called over to go over something, leaving Clementine and John alone for the time being.

"I was so surprised to hear from Hy," Clem began conversationally. "We just saw each other on Friday—"

"It was me," John interrupted. "I asked her to see if you could come."

"Oh, can you not make it Wednesday night?" Clem asked. "It's okay, I understand—"

"No, you don't understand," John interrupted again. "I wanted to see you again before Wednesday night, yeah?"

"Oh. Why?"

John shrugged and nudged her shoulder with his own. "Do I need a reason? I like you, I enjoy your company. We have loads to talk about, don't you think? It seems like for every topic we cover, ten more open up for us to discuss. It's nice."

Clementine just swallowed. She didn't know how to respond.

"You look very pretty today, like a Monet or something, with the colors in your dress."

Was John flirting with her?

Clementine had always been taught that if she received a compliment, she should pass it on, or at least pass it back, but how could she in this case? John was in wardrobe, he wasn't even wearing his own clothes.

"Well, you look nice in your character's clothes, too," was what she finally went with, though she felt a little ridiculous to say the words.

"I ordered sushi for us. I assume that's all right, what with your having been to Japan and eaten codfish sperm sac and all?" John was looking at her, completely deadpan.

"Sushi is fine with me," Clementine returned, smiling. "Hy's doesn't love it, but there's some stuff she'll eat."

"Your sister doesn't like sushi?" John sounded surprised. "I thought everyone liked it these days."

"What?" Hyacinth asked as she returned to where John and Clementine stood. "What don't I like?"

"Sushi," Clementine said.

Hyacinth made a little face. "Not my favorite, but I don't mind California rolls and soft-shell crab rolls, stuff like that. I'm just not a huge fan of raw stuff, I don't like the texture."

"God, Hy, I'm so sorry," John said. "It didn't occur to me that you didn't like sushi, I can order you something else."

"No no, don't be silly," Hyacinth reassured him. "I shouldn't eat too much, anyway, I have those bathing suit scenes coming up."

"Bollocks, you look perfect," John responded gallantly. He was rewarded by a radiant smile from Hyacinth.

Dinner was called, and the three young people went to where the sushi was waiting.

"Oh, yum, looks delicious," Clementine said when she saw the spread. She was relieved to see that there were, indeed, some American pieces that included nothing raw whatsoever for her sister.

"Do you like sea urchin?" John asked. "I ordered some, just in case."

"I love uni," Clementine assured him. "Costs a fortune, so I don't usually get it, but it's one of my favorites."

John beamed at her. "A girl after my own heart," he declared.

Clementine could feel her sister looking back and forth between the two of them.

"Looks like we have a mutual admiration society," she said with a smile as she grabbed a California Roll and put it on her plate. "I'm so glad you guys are getting to be friends."

"Me too," John said as he loaded up his plate. "Me too."