a/n: hey guys! (: looks like i'm back from my very long and unexpected break...i just needed to regroup and refocus a bit, hope y'all understand! also, as you can see, i deleted "shadows of a nightmare". i didn't see the plot going anywhere with that, and i just need to reorganize that plot before i republish, hopefully, in the near future.

anyway, this little one-shot basically came out of NOWHERE and i honestly don't ship jaledon (jack and cal) , i just think the pairing is kinda cute...? it's kinda funny to see them fighting like an old married couple :P

so, without further wait, here is my latest work. reviews, comments, and pm's are all greatly appreciated. enjoy! (:

"Popular"

The dinner trumpet rang out through the polished promanade decks of the luxuiorus, RMS Titanic. It made Jack jump, echoes of the shrill instrument ringing in his ears. Rose just tittered next to him, amused. She looked at him for a moment, taking in his clothing the first time that day. His courdoroy pants and flannel shirt would stick out like a sore thumb in her crowd. Ha! Her crowd. Boy, they would pick at him like vultures on prey if they saw him at dinner like this.

Suddenly, her face perked up and her eyes sparkled.

"Jack!" she screamed, enthusiasum flooding her voice, making him jump once again in surprise.

"What?"

He got a rapid fire response of mumbles and smiles.

"Ok, so it's obvious that you can't got to dinner dressed like that. And you obviously can't get any help from me because duhhhh, I'm a woman and I highly doubt you'll be very comfortable in a corset...God knows I'm not...SO I'LL TAKE YOU TO CAL! He's bound to have something for you to wear in that overflowing closet of his! I'm even pretty sure he has more clothes than me...huh..." Rose took a breath and smiled a wide grin, showing off all of her perfectly straight and whitened teeth. She added, screaming with excitement, "WHATDYA SAY?"

Jack just shifted ucomfortably, "Rose...I hate to be rude, but I don't think Cal likes me...at all..."

"OH THAT'S CRAZY! Even if he doesn't, this is how you two can bond! LET'S GO!"

And with that, Rose nearly pulled Jack's shoulder out of its socket as she heaved him towards her suite.

xxx

"You want me to do WHAT again?" Cal asked, raising a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"I just need you to get Jack fixed up for tonight at dinner. It won't be any trouble, right, darling?" Rose pouted her full, red lips, batting her long eyelashes for good measure.

Cal opened his mouth to protest but Rose cut in, "-Right! Well, it all seems settled! I will see you gentlemen in an hour." And with that, she skipped off, leaving Jack and Cal alone and equally befuddled.

They stood there for a good measure of time, Cal glaring in front of him and Jack avoiding his poisonous gaze.

Cal knew nothing was going to change, so he sighed deeply, finally allowing Jack into his suite. Of course, making sure no one else of his class saw. He didn't need a scandal on his hands.

He walked over to the wardrobe, throwing open its doors, rifling through its contents until he found what he was looking for. His old tuxedo from his Harvard days. Just a reminder for him of when things weren't so bad. Cal tossed in onto the bed, then going directly to Jack, planting his hands on his hips.

Motioning to the boys outfit, he asked with pure disgust, "You do know that you can't quite possibly go to dinner dressed like that, correct?"

Jack just nodded. Even though Cal had more power, money, and more everything than him, he would be the better man. He didn't need fight fire with fire.

"Take all of that off and put that on." Cal ordered, gesturing to the tuxedo lying on the bed.

Jack blushed.

Cal noticed, rolling his eyes until all you could see was white and scoffed, "Good God! Do you seriously think that I want to look at YOU?" He just stormed away, venturing deeper into the suite.

A few minutes passed and Jack emerged, looking quite uncomfortable...in this...monkey suit...

Cal circled Jack a few times, admiring his work. The filth cleaned up nicely... he thought to himself, smiling wickedly.

Then, he grabbed Jack's hand, careful not to touch it too directly, leading him into a small bathroom adjecent to the bedroom.

Cal began to rummage again before producing a small container, filled with something like wax inside. Cal scooped a handful inside his palm, but before he did anything with it, Jack piped up meekly, "What's that...?"

"This?"

"...Yea..."

Cal sighed. Peasants could be so ignorant. "It's hair gel. But just a quick question: 'Do you have fleas?'"

Jack was taken aback. "Fleas? Why would I have fleas?"

This made Cal laugh. "Well...because you're a peasant...peasants DON'T have fleas...?"

"Not that I know of..."

This made Cal's smile dissapear. "Oh...well...let-let's continue..."

Cal reluctantly smoothed the gel into Jack's blonde hair, touching it as if it were hot coals. Jack just rolled his eyes.

Once Cal was done, he turned Jack's face forcibly towards the mirror so he could see his reflection as he scrubbed his hands with soap and water until they were practically bleeding. Even though germs were the least of his worries, he always took precautions.

Jack's eyes widened. He looked...different... It was a good different. The beginnings of a smile tugged at his lips. He looked over at Cal and he swore he saw something other than disgust in his eyes. But only for a second, then it had vanished. Then he was back to digging around.

This time, he produced a black pencil with a blunt tip, bringing Jack's face closer to his. But before he got any closer to Jack with the pencil, Jack blurted out, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Cal raised a dark brow and replied, clearly annoyed, "What does it look like I'm doing? It's eyeliner! Now, HOLD STILL!"

Jack wriggled away, getting a sinister glare in response.

"I am NOT wearing EYELINER!"

"So you don't want to look fabulous?"

Jack sighed, "Cal, that's make-up!"

Another glare. "I'm not stupid like you, peasant! I know what I'm doing!"

"I think I'll pass..."

Cal just rolled his chocolate eyes, stomping out of the bathroom. Jack stayed put. He would let Cal have his little temper tantrum in peace.

Cal shouted out to him from somewhere deep inside the suite, "I'm finished with you, leave!"

Jack just stayed right where he was, staring at his reflection. He smiled and turned to the doorway, satisfied with his appearance just to see Cal leaned against the doorframe, impatiently drumming his fingers against the mahoganoy woodwork, puffing smoke from a lit cigarette he held between his long fingers.

He smelled different now. It wasn't just the cigarette smoke, but he had put on a cologne of some kind. It was sweet...like lemon and soap...

Jack smiled.

No wonder all the girls were all over him all the time...he didn't smell like him...a barn.

Cal barked, "What are you still doing here? I thought I told you we were done!"

"I just wanted to thank you..."

Cal's eyebrows raised, "...thank me...?"

"Yea, I wanted to-"

Cal cut him off, "This isn't some damn romance novel. Just leave. The only reason I did this was because Rose wanted me to. Just leave, and do not embarrass me tonight!"

Jack just grinned to himself, shaking his head. He held his hands up in mock surrender and scooted past Cal, making his way to the door.

But before he left, he looked back over his shoulder.

And he swore, in the reflection of the mirror, he saw Cal smiling too.

sooo...that was actually really fun to write? :P cal always kinda cracked me up with his sassy personality, and so i thought i'd kinda just go with it! hope i could make some people laugh. my sense of humor sucks, but i hope you enjoyed! i also hope to have something published soon! i'm working on polishing my fanfic, "demons" right now, so be on the lookout! (: reviews and comments regreatly appreciated! (: