in a house on fire [open]

[takeatrip]

Who: Jayden and OTA!
When: Mid July-ish to mid August-ish
Where: Cadens, the Horizon
What: Assorted open prompts
Warnings: Will update as needed



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[takeatrip]

Blake gives him another out, and Jayden appreciates it more than he can even acknowledge. It's doubtlessly obvious--and probably has been awhile now--that there are things he's hiding, and that Blake's willing to let him have the choice to keep doing so makes all of this a lot easier. It also, almost paradoxically, makes him feel less pressure and need to keep everything so hidden, even if he's certainly not ready to talk about any of it just yet. But perhaps someday.

For now, though, he takes a deep breath and nods, the sky clearing again as he looks over at Blake. "Sounds like a plan. I'm hopin' to have that be sooner rather than later, but I'm not really counting this first case; I barely did any work and I didn't get paid, so."

He says it jokingly, despite how hard that whole conversation had been, because there is some humor in that it really doesn't count. All that mental and emotional effort and all he got for it was a bad mood, though underneath that, perhaps a sense of accomplishment all the same.

"But still, look at us, bein' contributing members of society."

[oversight]

That Jayden prefers to go back to the unfortunate circumstances of his pre-opening case-that-isn't-a-case instead of continuing their discussion about a simple get-together certainly paints the man in a different light. It hits close to home — more than Blake would like to admit even to himself — and maybe that's a good thing; if nothing else, it means they'll find the same page more often than not. That's the sense he gets, anyway.

"Yeah, that's us, all right," he agrees as he looks around at this very representation used to offset the society they're both avoiding. Ironic. "Had to happen eventually."

He gives Jayden a light punch to the arm and then tips his head the way he came. Probably time to roll on, he says without saying it, even if he always feels strange letting go.

(Does Jayden wonder if this will be the last time they ever see each other? Blake does. He flashes back to those early hours of their relationship and little has changed, except he finds he cares and worries all that much more, and takes care of himself so much less. That he acknowledges it at all is due to people like Jayden and Hilda who have grown more important as Blake's tried harder and harder to let go.)