#jace foster

[sarahjsims]

when leif pulls back, they know their hesitation and concern are showing. they can’t help it.

leif: please tell me my hypothesis was correct...

rather than responding, jace spins them around and kisses them again.

[sarahjsims]

[sarahjsims]

leif: the favour you need has something to do with... out here? i’m afraid i don’t understand.

jace doesn’t seem to know where to look, gaze moving from anywhere but leif’s face. he doesn’t answer, doesn’t dare speak, and leif frowns at the unusual behaviour.

leif: jace? are you alright?

[sarahjsims]

jace lets out a shaky breath and leif shifts closer.

leif: can i ask... were you jealous?

jace: ...you can’t prove anything.

leif can’t help but let a small laugh bubble out of them. they don’t think they have ever seen jace pout like that before.

leif: maybe not. but... there are other things i can do.

[sarahjsims]

jace: then again, i should probably go, too, it looks like it’s gonna rain soon —

leif: — jace.

jace only stops when leif takes his hand and squeezes it. he looks between leif’s face and their joined hands in surprise.

leif: jace. why did you pull me away from gwen?

their voice is calm, but they don’t feel at all collected.

[sarahjsims]

jace: ...it’s fine, forget about it.

leif: really? you dragged me all the way out here.

jace: no, it’s fine, i... i wasn’t thinking. go back to... whatever you were talking about with gwen.

any semblance of eye contact given by jace disappears the moment he mentions gwen, and leif, ever the observant one, raises an eyebrow. the gears in their head turn, running over all the possible reasons at a mile a minute. the conclusion they come to makes them hopeful, but also incredibly wary, just in case they’re wrong.

leif: jace —

jace: — i’ll just stick around here for a bit, i need a bit of air anyway —

leif: — jace.

[sarahjsims]

jace: what are those two doing together?

maxine: hmm? oh, leif and gwen? i remember gwen mentioning that she was going to try again with leif.

jace: wait, what?

maxine: don’t look at me like that, i’m just telling you what i heard.

jace: but — but they were always —

deciding that attempting to explain his thoughts to maxine would be futile, jace charges forward, walking at a brisk pace.

maxine: uh, jace?

[sarahjsims]

maxine: hey, that was solely through sheer pettiness because i wanted to prove to that asshole burton that i was stronger than him and his noodle arms.

jace: but you did it, though. that’s the —

jace stops when he hears a familiar laugh, eyes immediately searching for the source. it doesn’t take long. despite the happy atmosphere between the two by the bookcases, he frowns.