the anatomy of love [BxB] COMPLETED

12

"Good morning Celeste!" Jackson waltzes into Connelly Enterprises with a bright smile and cheery voice. He leans on the receptionist's desk, who narrows her Icicle eyes at him.

"Hello Mr. Cooper," Celeste says with a waxy smile that melts almost immediately after it plasters on her face. Jackson does not waver. Instead, he amps up the charm just as much as he can get away with.

"You know, I just love the name Celeste. I think if I have a daughter, I might name her Celeste." Jackson smiles as Celeste's face struggles to settle on a response, not accustomed to this much attention from work colleagues, especially Jackson, who usually gave the Icicle Witch a wide berth.

"Really? Thank you. It was my grandmother's name." Celeste looks halfway between stunned and hesitantly flattered. Jackson, of course, flat out made that entire compliment up, as he despises the name Celeste and would rather name his daughter Circle, but she doesn't need to know that.

"It's a beautiful name. Well, better get to work. Let's chat more at the break," Jackson says with another gracious smile. Celeste flusters behind her desk and nods with a jerk of her head. Icicle Witch, check.

On his way to Sofia's office, Jackson takes a risk and introduces himself to the other people working in small offices, lightly chatting with each one of them that gives him the time of day. Everyone looked surprised, but by the end they were blushing and smiling and waving him goodbye and saying we'll talk later, Jackson an I'm so happy you introduced yourself, Jackson.

He didn't shy away from the people who Jack had warned him to avoid. If he warmly wades into everyone's good graces, is he truly on a side? One thing you will learn from this office, Jackson, is never show your hand too soon. Jackson understands this, he does, but he's always been shit at cards, and he doesn't have a poker face. Oh Ice Princess, Jackson wants to ask, what if everyone believes I don't have a hand to show?

Much more effective, and much more his style, Jackson believes. Sofia does not buy it for a minute. The moment he walks into her office, she pounces.

"You're quite the social butterfly this morning," Sofia comments, a delicate rose in that baritone voice, but the stem hides the thorns. Jackson inwardly grins. Let's play.

"Good morning, Ms. De Luca," Jackson says as he sits down. "You know, I just can't help myself. I'm a people person. I get it from my dad. I've always found it fascinating, how much you can learn from people when you talk to them. Just, fascinating, don't you think?"

Sofia watches him with her hawk eyes and her lips purse ever so slightly. Jackson returned her trap with a threat disguised in a sweet gift. No, he can't hide his cards from the Ice Princess, but he can make sure they're damn good.

Smarting from her loss, Sofia orders him to get her coffee from the nearest shop, a step down from before, and an insult since usually Celeste does this job. Instead of blocking the blow, he moves with it, using it to his advantage and stopping by other departments to chat while he's outside the office. He even goes so far as to ask if anyone wants coffee, as he's already going on a coffee run, and many of his colleagues take him up on the offer.

When he gives Sofia her coffee, she eyes his windswept cheeks and bright eyes and asks why it took him so long, barely masking her frustration. This only gives Jackson more wind in his sails.

"Oh, I brought a few people some coffees as well. Thought I might as well, since I was already being sent out," Jackson says innocently, but Sofia reads the response between the lines. If she wants to aim an arrow at his back, she better make sure it hits his spine.

For the rest of the day, Sofia keeps Jackson couped up in her office, only letting him out at break. At least he's doing slightly more meaningful work. Spreadsheets, organizing files, printing documents. It calms his restlessness.