16. “What do you have?” - “Pizza rolls and Cup O’ Noodles…that’s about it. Popcorn?” for whatever pairing you think would fit this most :D
Finally, getting around to these after the long weekend. Sorry about the wait.
I’ll be doing a bit of Thaine and Jacks, this might even make it into the books.
Warnings: steam no sex but tension up the wahzoo.
Tagging: @dabiyyahwrites@lynnafred@rainbowpitofdoom@audreyroseb@golden-eyed-writer @byjillianmaria@cogwrites@incandescent-creativity@kclenhartnovels@lilamina@sheralynnramsey @ava-burton-writing@aschenink@thespooniewrites@nicholewrites @lux-scriptum@merigreenleaf@gloriousdevourerofstories@knightedwriter@thewrittenpost@lady-redshield-writes@dreamsofbooksandmonsters@fragrant-stars@thexdelinquentsxvibes @falling–in–place @cohldhands @blue-martian13cl @siriusly-procrastinating
Thaine wandered aimlessly around the apartment. It was small, cramped, tight, and smelled like mold. How did Jacks live here? Why did Jacks live here? Thieving typically paid better. Worse yet, he was only wondering all this to distract himself. He was internally stalling, buying time, playing out the clock. Yeah, case in point. Thaine just didn’t want to think about why he was actually here.
“Want anything?” Jacks sounded from the kitchen.
“What do you have?” He was actually pretty hungry.
“Pizza rolls and Cup O’Noodles…that’s about it. Popcorn?” He could hear Jacks digging around in cupboards. Maybe, food can wait.
But was he really? Aside from being hungry, he should definitely not be here. In a thief’s apartment, as a detective who had arrested them yesterday.
“You say something?” Jacks walked into the room and perched on the arm of a ratty couch, Cup O’Noodles in hand.
Thaine straightened, trying his best to put on his “cop” face.
“No,” Thaine watched as Jacks ate, “Look, I understand you wanted to speak with me, but honestly I need to get back to the station. I shouldn’t be here. I’m not your probation officer and I can’t talk about ongoing cases.”
“I know what you are.” Jacks looked up between slurps.
Thaine huffed at Jacks, “So are you. And aside from being a thief that’s all I know about you. You aren’t a person of interest. You don’t need to worry.”
Eventually he gave in and sat on the chair across from Jacks.
“Not why I asked you here.”
“You were staring at me in the station. You brushed my shoulder and looked like you were shot. What was that about? What happened?”
Thaine released a breath he hadn’t known he was holding. Of course. “Nothing. Let’s not get into it.”
“Umm, yeah no. That’s not gonna work for me. I have a sum total of two, count ‘em two, answers to this whole demon thing. And you hold another one. Spill.”
“How do you not know about demons? You are a demon. Did your clan just suck or what?”
This was not a conversation he wanted to have. He’d seen flashes of pain as he touched Jacks and it was too intense. He’d retreated and cut himself of immediately. He didn’t want to experience more if he could help it.
“I don’t know them. I was adopted by a convent.”
Thaine’s mouth hung open. Some of the images he’d seen made a sort of sense that he did not want to know.
Jacks swallowed and glared at him, “Yeah, okay how do you know that? Your demon shit?”
Thaine huffed out a breath and he shook his head, “Yeah. My demon shit. And I’m not saying any more. I should leave. You have an open case, that I’m not working, and I could be in serious shit, yet again, if I stay. I’m already in enough trouble for talking to you at the station.”
“Then why did you come? Why talk to me at all?”
Thaine heard his pulse, felt everything spin and get tight around him, and couldn’t seem to catch his breath.
“I… I don’t know. I just… I had to.”
“You had to?” Jacks lifted a corner of their mouth but the smile was more “you serious?” then an expression of joy or happiness.
Jacks set their soup down and stood up off the couch gracefully, each line and curve of their muscle an extension of how fit and agile they were.
“I don’t think you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
Jacks was right up in his face, well sort of Jacks was tiny compared to him. He didn’t feel that way.
“Doubt it. You’re more likely on that one. I’m not what you think.”
“And what’s that?” Thaine buzzed, each cell in his body screaming out to him. It was so fucking bad. So much trouble trapped in one situation.
“A girl. Contrary to what it might say on your records. That’s not me.”
Jacks must have seen the file. Gender was marked as female but there were notes throughout it that mentioned Jacks didn’t answer to Ms. or Mrs. Or any nameable like that.
“You know?” Jacks scoffed at him.
“You’re nonbinary right?”
Jacks mouth fell open and just the slightest of noises escaped their throat. Turns out surprises were the theme for the day because seconds later their lips were on Thaine’s, and he liked it way too much.
