Jake stepped back from his motorcycle and examined it with a critical eye. The finishing touches had unexpectedly taken him the longest, as he wanted to get the look just right. But yeah, he was done. It was perfect and he was damn proud of himself. Now it was time to gloat.
He texted Kady to see if she was working, and then to see if she was otherwise free.
Good. I'll be there in 45. Be ready. Maybe have oreos.
He quickly showered and got ready, then climbed on the bike, making sure he had the extra helmet. He pulled up in front of the sanctum with seven minutes to spare and texted Kady again.
Come see this marvel.
Kady had known this was inevitable. She’d seen the progress being made and the paint job and detail work had gotten it to look like something other than a piece of junk. She also knew that Jake was going to gloat. He’d earned that right, having done an amazing job with the bike, but that didn’t mean she was going to be graceful about the gloating.
That just wasn’t her nature.
She headed out of the sanctum with the box of oreos--which she’d be enjoying at some point anyway considering she raided his cupboards often--and stopped at the curb, giving the bike a once over.
“Mmmm,” was all she said as she tossed him the box.
Jake got off the bike and carefully tucked the cookies away and then handed Kady the spare helmet. Then he gestured toward the bike. "Wanna drive? I promise it's completely road-worthy now. No longer feels like it's about to bust apart if you go too fast."
If there was ever a sign he trusted her, it was offering her control of that bike. Of course, he still wouldn't put it past Ostyia to make good on her threat of stealing it. He wasn't too worried about that though. He was going to go and find a new project after this.
Well, damn. She couldn’t exactly pass up that kind of offer. Especially not with the sort of trust that was behind it. “I get to decide where we’re going,” she told him as she put the helmet on and then got on the bike, waiting for him to join her.
There really was something thrilling about sitting on that much power, with the bike rumbling--thankfully not in a rickety way now--between her thighs. She could see why so many people were fans of motorcycles. “Ready?”
Jake climbed onto the bike, wrapping his arms around Kady. "That's half the fun," he told her, wondering where she was going to take him.
"I'm ready."
And the bike had a full tank, so there was no danger of it running out of fuel like their first test ride.
She didn’t have any place in mind really. Just wanted to try seeing where they could go, how fast it could actually get to, and then eventually she’d stop and they could eat some oreos. Maybe she’d end up parking somewhere that had drinks too.
She sped off down the street, grateful that Jake couldn’t see how big she was smiling as she weaved her way in and out of the lanes, steering clear of the cars before they eventually ended up on the other side of the city in front of some random diner.
“It’s pretty good.” From Kady that was high praise.
Jake climbed off the bike, grinning ear to ear. Sure he hadn't seen her smiling, but he knew her well enough by now to take that compliment for what it was. "It's a thing of beauty and Ostyia will probably steal it. But that's alright, I'm already looking for the next one."
He wasn't at all surprised they ended up in front of a diner, either. Anything with Kady tended to involve food and Jake wasn't complaining.
Food had never been a certainty for Kady growing up. So when the opportunity to have some presented itself, she was going to grab hold of it. Even with the ridiculous amount of money she’d made in that one heist, she still wasn’t ready to think she was completely secure yet. That was probably at least partially the fridge demon’s fault.
“You’re willingly going to do that process all over again?” She scoffed at the idea before shaking her head, not at all surprised that was the case.
"I need a hobby," Jake pointed out. "Especially if Margo actually decides we're done after this." It was just the two of them standing by his bike, but Jake still kept that bit generic. He wasn't sure if she'd said anything to anyone else or if Kady already knew that Margo was likely to break up the crime club.
"Anyway, if Ostyia steals this bike, I'll need another one. And if she doesn't, she'll probably still want one." He shrugged. "I had fun and escaped with only minor injuries and minimal cussing after the first day."
Margo hadn’t said anything to Kady about maybe dismantling the club, but even though they might have been from the same world, her and Margo weren’t exactly besties. Though, she was one of the others that Kady didn’t mind hanging around with. Especially when she wasn’t getting shot. It didn’t surprise her too much though. Especially with how ridiculous this latest heist that was being planned was turning out to be.
“You need a hobby until you get your solo robot guy up and running.” Which Kady hoped wouldn’t take too long, even if she had no clue what he’d end up doing with the thing in Vallo. The place could throw some pretty crazy monsters at them but she’d really prefer them not to be the size that Jake’s thing dealt with.
"Yeah, still not gonna wander the streets in that thing," Jake replied with a grin. "Gotta keep this hobby going. But I'll be glad to have a jaeger in case I have to try and fight another dragon." He'd be much better prepared to take down a dragon in a jaeger. Even a smaller jaeger that he could pilot solo.
At the very least he could help without feeling useless.
"Anyway, now I'm hungry. Might need a milkshake to celebrate my achievement. Not just fixing up the bike but turning you from a skeptic to a believer." She was going to punch him, probably, but it would be worth it.
She did punch him in the arm because he deserved it. “Yeah yeah yeah. Let’s go get food.” She’d even buy this meal considering he had managed to successfully complete the thing and it was more than road worthy.