Pt. 1 of that conman/leverage au that I told myself I’d write a year ago but never did whoops
When Adam had gone to sleep after one in the morning, he hadn't planned to wake up until at least noon. Now though, with the insistent buzzing and electric music in his ears, he realizes that won't be the case.
He groans into his pillow, denying the inevitability of fully waking up to the last second before sighing and blindly reaching out for the phone on his bedside table. A second groan comes from behind him, the arm around his waist tightening, and Adam has a few seconds of imagining violence upon the man before finally snatching the phone. "One of these days you're going to be the one to pick up your own goddamn phone." The man snorts, pulling Adam closer to nip at his shoulder. "Not fucking likely." Adam shoves his boyfriend but doesn’t resist as he's pulled closer. Adam sighs, and mumbles something about not being a secretary before pressing the answer button. "Whoever this is better have a good reason for callin' at four in the mornin'." The person on the other end is silent for a moment and Adam contemplates hanging up before a voice tentatively speaks, "Ronan?" The voice is familiar enough to make Adam pause, "No, Ronan's," The man in question takes this moment to suck on Adam's neck, "a bit preoccupied at the moment." Ronan bites his neck and Adam curses his taste in men, "I-I can take a message if you’d like?" The person on the other end is silent again before saying, "Adam?" Adam frowns, pushing Ronan off of him to sit up, "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name." Ronan glares at him. "It's Gansey." Adams paranoia washes away with surprise and amusement. "Gansey? Gansey the third?" Ronan finally seems interested in the conversation as he rips the phone out of Adam's hand. "'The fuck you want dick? I’m retired now, an honest man," Adam snorts, "you can't arrest me for not doing crime." Ronan rolls his eyes at whatever Gansey says, "Just tell me what you want asshole, you get most people are sleeping at this time right?" Ronan suddenly grins, "Richard Gansey the third, are you offering me a job?" Adam raises his eyebrows. Ronan looks back at him, absolutely gleeful. "So you're finally playing our side? And here I thought I'd never see the day." Ronan tilts his head in question. "Hold on a sec." He puts the phone to his chest and raises a brow at Adam. Adam scowls. "We're retired." "C'mon Parrish, one more job." Adam groans, "You always say that." Ronan pulls Adam hand to his mouth to place a gentle kiss, "I mean it this time, one more job. C'mon, I can't be the only one curious about how dick's gonna run a con." Adam pauses. Hes going to say yes. He always says yes to Ronan. Adam wonders when he became so predictable and sighs, "One more job." Ronan shoots a fist into the air in silent triumph as Adam rolls his eyes. Ronan says, "Yeah we're in, text me the details later, and when I say later I mean at a less fucking ungodly hour you insomniac fuck." And precedes to hang up and throw his phone across the room in typical Ronan fashion. Adam presses closer to him, curling his body around Ronan's so he can rest his head on Ronan's shoulder. "This is going to end terribly." Ronan wraps his arm around Adam and puts his hand on his head to play with Adam's hair.
"Probably, but it’ll be fun." Adam presses into his hand, "You and I have very different definitions of fun." Ronan snorts, "Yeah and your definition of fun is working yourself half to death and worrying about every molecule of life." Adam pokes him in the ribs, "And your idea of fun is self destruction and danger." Ronan takes Adam's hand to bring it to his mouth again, "Your point?" Adam sighs, "Just be careful. Please." "I'm always careful." "Ronan-" "I know, I know," Ronan kisses his fingers, "I promise to be careful. I swear I wont let it be like last time." Adam can feel himself settle, his being calm,"That's all I ask."
France is as enchanting and beautiful as it is dull and boring. Or maybe that’s just Blue. Standing on a balcony of a five star hotel in Paris should be a dream come true and yet all Blue can think of is the bad feeling that rots in her chest. Blue scowls. This is stupid, to feel so terrible in such a magical place. Blue had hoped that the otherworldly and towering atmosphere of France would calm her nerves but if anything it's worsened them. She suddenly feels homesick. A year and a half. That's how long Richard Gansey the Third had quit his job at Greenmantle Insurance. A year and a half of silence. If Blue didn’t have better sources she would suspect him dead. Blue wishes she didn’t care. Spent the last year trying to convince herself she didn't. She had thought once she'd be joyful for his downfall. Now it just leaves her sick to her stomach. Blue takes a long gulp of the glass of wine in her hand and pushes her feelings aside. She came here to enjoy herself, dammit, and that was what she was going to do. But oh of course, that is when the phone rang. Blue stares at her cellphone that lays vibrating violently on the glass table next to her before sighing and picking up. "Hello?" "Hello Jane." Blues heart skips a beat. "Gansey?" "Is there another that calls you Jane? I feel rather cheated now." Several feelings conjured themselves in her being, mixing together in an array of relief and joy and anger and irritation.
"Are you shitting me? Where the hell have you been you asshole, I was starting to think you were dead." Blue tries to hold on to the anger. It's easier to focus on that than the fluttery feeling in her chest that has replaced the bad one. "Its has been quite some time since we’ve last spoken I admit, when was it exactly, Belgium four years ago?" "Three. Hong Kong.”
"Ah, of course, the two million dollar sculpture you stole." Blue scoffs, "It can hardly be counted as stealing when your security is just a pin and a fingerprint scan." "The law says otherwise." "What do you care for the law, it's not like your working for it anymore." Blue huffs. "Well, actually Jane, I have something I wanted to ask you." Blue’s cheeks flush. Three years ago Blue and Richard Gansey the Third kissed. After 3 years of fighting and chasing the other, after 3 years of stolen art and crime, after 3 years of Gansey never catching her, he kissed her in Hong Kong. She never got answers for that, as she went to Romania right after, and Gansey disappeared not even two years later. Her voice is softer as she says, "What was it you wanted to ask me, Gansey?" "I have this job that I'm currently taking control of, and I am in need of a thief." Blue promptly hangs up on him. Three years. Three years, and that was what she was waiting for? Embarrassment fills her before its replaced with anger. What else should she have expected from Richard Gansey the Third? Her phone starts ringing again and she had half the mind to ignore it before sighing and picking it up. "I can not believe I've been hung up on twice in one afternoon-" "God, Gansey, don’t start." Blue takes a breath, "I'm in." "Oh well that's- I mean to say-" Blue rolls her eyes fondly, "Tell me what the job is, asshole, before I change my mind." Blue can already see the heartbreak she's going to feel when whatever this is is over. For some reason, it seems worth it right now as Gansey rambles in her ear as though he never left.
Henry blearily looks at his computer screen as his fingers dash across the keyboard. His vision is swaying, his hands are cramping, and there's a vague ache in his gut that says he missed dinner. All signs of at least eight hours of reading and rewriting code that he's been forcing himself to complete. Henry sighs as he finishes the last of it and the money is transferred into several different accounts.
On some level Henry knows he shouldn't be so disappointed. He's a million dollars richer and so are three charities involving hurt puppies, environment conservation, and abandoned children. But the rewarding aspect hacking used to give him is.. dulled.
It's just that everything is too easy. The thrill and excitement that had pushed him to rob nearly two thirds of all the corporations in the country has evaporated as his skill level got better. The heart of the matter is, he is just too good at what he does.
And it's so boring. To the point where it's starting to feel more like work than anything else.
Henry stretches out his aching bones, popping out the locks that have stiffened his joints the last few hours.
Henry is just about to get up, maybe get a cup of instant noodles and watch a few reruns of Firefly before heading to bed when his phone went off.
Henry has to move three dirty shirts and an old record to find his phone before hastily picking it up.
"Uh, hello?"
"Good evening. Would this be, by chance, Henry Cheng?"
Henry is already on his computer, trying to ping the location of the caller. "And if it is?"
"Ah, this would be a good time to introduce myself, no? My name is Richard Gansey the Third, and I believe I have a job for you, if you are interested?"
Henry pauses typing, slouches back in his chair, not bothering to stop the grin that's taking over his face. "Considered me very interested, Mr. Gansey the Third. Tell me, how has the city been treating you?"
There silence on the other end for a moment. "I suppose I should have expected that, from the world's greatest hacker. Did you trace the call that quickly?"
Henry laughs. "Are you kidding? I've had tabs on you since you nearly caught me. Good job, by the way, you're the only one who's gotten that close."
There's silence on the other line once more. "Pardon me, you've had tabs on me for two years?"
Henry just grins. "What's the job, Richard?"
"A gentleman has contracted me and the team I bring in for an information retrieval job."
Henry tries not to be disappointed. "Oh?"
"On Greenmantle Insurance."
"Oh." Henry says, smiling. "Only one more question then; when do you want me?"
