WHO: Evie & Jacob Frye WHAT: Late night rooftop talks, clearing the air & checking in. WHEN: Late late night Tuesday the 21st, after this! WARNINGS: Some emotional distress and guilt. STATUS: Complete!
How exactly was one supposed to broach the topic of “terribly sorry I stabbed your boyfriend, but it needed to be done”? With a thermos of hot cocoa and some cookies, apparently.
Evie knew that Jacob didn’t blame her (no doubt she was being a little harder on herself for forcing his own hand than he was on her) but there was still that unsettled feeling of guilt at the pit of her stomach. They had been at odds numerous times, fought against each other almost as much as they’d fought together, but for things like this they were usually a united front. They had to be.
She hadn’t held the bone in her hand, she’d just activated Jacob’s hidden blade, knowing where it was. Even with the guilt, she didn’t feel bad about the actual act. She’d made a promise to Serefin a long while back, and to ease that burden from Jacob was something she would do again, and again.
But that didn’t help them now. She hoped that hot cocoa and the cookies would at least provide something of a comfort, but it took her three rooftops before she’d spotted his unmistakable aura. She knew he heard her coming when she dropped down on the flat surface overlooking Vallo, wordlessly taking a seat next to him. Still quiet, Evie held up her bag of cookies as an offering.
Jacob wasn't especially trying to stay hidden. He just wandered for a bit, caught up in sleeplessness and the lingering remnants of dread, a splash of guilt and a healthy dose of relief. When he'd finally thought maybe I should head home, he'd sat down on a ledge and put his head in his hands instead.
He did hear Evie coming; he knew the sound of her movements better than anyone's so he didn't bother looking up. It took a moment but he eventually blew out a breath and took her offering with only a flicker of a glance her way.
"These better not be oatmeal," he said airly, in that tone that said I'm trying to hold it together so don't muck it up for me. A bite of the cookie unfortunately revealed nothing about the recipe. Apparently he couldn't taste a bloody thing right now. He mumbled around a mouthful anyway. "Thanks."
“Chocolate chip,” Evie replied, in a tone that said what do you take me for? She’d half debated getting the ones laced with marijuana, but shoved that idea to the side after a few pieces had clicked to place with the Serefin debacle. There would be that option later, should he need a little relaxing.
She had a feeling neither of them would be relaxing anytime soon.
Evie held up the thermos of hot chocolate and offered him an empty mug before unscrewing the lid. “You’re welcome. I hope this isn’t all you’ve eaten, but I’ll make sure there’s real food later.” She bumped his shoulder before tipping the hot cocoa over his mug to pour. “Needed the fresh air?”
Jacob hummed noncommittally at the announcement of what he was eating and continued to chew woodenly. It did feel comforting to have his sister at his shoulder, at least. He knew he needed to get back to Serefin, but he'd been resting finally and a need to move turned into this. He took the mug and stared at the thermos like he was looking at something far beyond it.
"Not to be dramatic, but I don't think I've got the stomach for much today." The fact that he hadn't been able to pull the trigger to save Serefin was weighing on him, apparently. He ignored it in Jacob Frye fashion. "But I'm sure I'll be right as rain tomorrow and ready to take you up on that offer. I just…" He breathed out and looked over the skyline. "When I said thank you, I didn't really mean the cookie, Evie."
“You might not, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have something.” It wasn’t often she mothered him. Despite being overly cautious and the planner of the two, Evie often left Jacob to his own adult choices, knowing he was fully capable of making his own. Sometimes she may have had to clean up his messes in the past, but that was different.
Less personal.
Her eyes drifted to the handprint on his neck, half-hidden by his messy collar. Seeing it now, away from everything, made her tense and blow out a breath. “You don’t have to thank me. Not for that. We’re a team.”
For some reason, Evie looking at his throat reminded Jacob that it still hurt. That sharp way that burns did, every gust of night air sending a little zing across his skin. He'd used a balm on it, but he'd been too distracted to see a proper healer. Tomorrow, maybe. He certainly didn't want Serefin looking at it and being constantly reminded of something he'd had no control over. Just, the idea of anyone fussing over him right now felt wrong.
"I know I don't have to, but I wanted to all the same. I...I thought I could do it, for his sake, but in the moment, all I could think was what if I really did kill him." There were options in this insane place, of course. Magical healing and resurrection. But Jacob's mind still thought in the most basic of ways when it came to death. If he killed something, it should stay dead. "Anyway. I'm glad I have you," he murmured, eyes still on the horizon.
She sensed him tensing up at her scrutiny, and turned her own gaze to the same horizon. She enjoyed watching Vallo from up high, it somehow made the busy of the city feel less overwhelming. And there was certainly far less pollution than London in their time, which made for a skyline that went on quite a while. Being up here made her miss the familiarity of home a little less.
“I had about six backup plans in mind for things to go wrong.” Most of which had been favors called in as needed. “But I was worried too,” Evie admitted, quietly. “Worried something had gone wrong, and it would be for naught-- but when he held his hand to your throat. There was no question.” She took a small sip of the hot cocoa. “I’m glad it worked out the way it did, though. We ended up with the best-case scenario.”
"Hm, right. Couldn't have gone better really," Jacob deadpanned. He'd been telling himself everything worked out for the best since they'd gotten Serefin back to the train. He knew it to be true. But the emotions of the last few days were a tangle of thorns that had left their mark. He'd need a few days at least, before the storm cleared. And while he appreciated that Evie had a half-dozen plans and got the job done, he was more thankful that she admitted to being worried and simply pushed forward out of fear for him.
He slipped sideways and rested his head on her shoulder. "Did you even break a sweat? Please tell me you're mentally tired? I feel like I got hit by a bloody train." Reaching over to steal another cookie, he jammed into his mouth and mumbled around it, a tinge of humor coloring his tone. "Better yet, tell me you'd have missed me if he burned my head clean off."
Evie was just about to jam her shoulder into his when he rested his head, and even she couldn’t bring herself to do it. So she just let her shoulders drop comfortably, relaxing her stance for likely the first time in the last week. It felt strange, to let the stress go, to take a deep breath and let it out as much without feeling that column of tension twitching in her neck.
“I have a feeling it’ll hit me later,” Evie was mentally tired, and physically tired, but she was going to be what Jacob needed her to be regardless. Right now was awake, even if he was willing to make gallows humor at this time. “Wouldn’t have happened.” She was firm on that, her voice tightened with the promise. “I wouldn’t have let it, because-- It’s the Frye Twins. What am I supposed to do without my idiot brother around?”
Her words warmed him more than he expected them too. It wasn't as if he ever doubted it. Jacob finished chewing his cookie and took a drink of cocoa. He still couldn't taste anything but it was the thought that counted.
"Something very boring, I imagine," he teased, smirking softly. Her shoulders weren't really built to be pillows but he stubbornly stayed put. Maybe he was even more tired than he thought. "Maybe I'll get to return the favor someday." Possibly even literally, knowing just enough about Sara's world to think it possible. He didn't say as much because that seemed like courting disaster. He did sigh rather dramatically though.
"I need to get back to him. I--" Jacob finally sat up, pressing his hands to the roof ledge and leaning out to stare down below. "He's going to blame himself for all of this. And I'm worried some others might blame him as well. You might have to stop me from picking fights."
Evie’s nose wrinkled at the idea of returning the favor. She knew he would, she just also hoped he wouldn’t have to. They’d had enough of that fuckery in their lives for quite a long time now.
“I’m going to sleep at the train for the next few nights. Not because I think something might--” Go very, very badly, like it had for a few people. “Just in case. I’d rather not be all the way at the apartments, but I’ll let Sara know.” And she knew there was a chance Sara might very well join her on that small bed, regardless of comfort. “People are just going to need time. And perhaps a reminder that many of the ones here have been through things of a similar nature in their past.” And to be thankful no one died. “I’ll do my best to meditate if needed, though.”
“I know,” Jacob mumbled childishly. “I’m not saying they don’t have a right to be upset. I just…don’t want him to suffer more. And I can’t promise I’ll be bloody reasonable about it.” He felt like he’d done well so far, at least. He could’ve refused to leave Serefin’s side at all. But he was going to do his best not to be an obnoxious hovering mum about this.
“But thanks. I don’t know that I'll sleep much but I might fight you for the comfier sofa.” He elbowed her in the ribs and flashed a little smile. It wasn’t quite up to devilish standards but he wasn’t the sad sack he’d been most of the last two days either. Mostly, he looked tired. He pushed up to his feet and stared down at the street below. “Race you to the train?”
“Worry not, brother dear, I rarely expect you to be reasonable about things.” Evie teased, glad for a little break to do so. He got her back without even realizing it with the open thermos that she had to quickly screw the top on as soon as he issued a challenge. “Wait you--” There. Lid on, Evie was able to tuck it against her to free up her grappling hook hand. “Race it is.”
One hook at the building across the way and Evie was swinging down with no further warning, in a vain attempt to get a headstart.