dumbshow | Friends of Trains

[He's not going anywhere, so Jacob can calm down at least on that front. Leaving aside that this is Ned's office... and Ned's house, he has nowhere else he really wants to be besides loitering around kissing and bantering with Jacob. So.

Don't crease his tie, he's right here.] You'll have to wait and see, but you won't be disappointed. Consider this giving you my word.

[He'll keep creasing his tie, thanks. Jacob hums in approval, working at pulling it off since Ned's already loosened it. Problem: Jacob is drunk, and he doesn't do ties sober. It's just not happening.]

I expect at least two. [A high demand,] Maybe three to get me through the day. Since you'll be busy.

[Three whole kisses, Jacob Frye drives a hard bargain. Ned hums and looks down at the weak fumbling happening to his tie, considering. This is definitely not a getting undressed evening, but the tie is a reasonable demand. So before Jacob winds up strangling him with it, he nudges his hand away to pull out the knot himself in a much smoother motion. Tada.]

I can do three. Maybe while I'm busy, I'll think about you...

[Jacob seems satisfied with just his tie, dropping his hands back down to Ned's waist with a pleased smile. Ned was hot and his and there wasn't anyone to interrupt his gawking.]

I'll be thinking about you, busy or not. [He already has been thinking of him, but that's besides the point.] So try getting some work done for the both of us.

[Ned's too buzzed to waste time fiddling with the pin on his shirt collar, or Jacob could have the tie and a button or two. Maybe next time. He moves a little closer, lifting both hands to link his fingers together at the back of Jacob's neck. The other reason he's not sitting down is how he's kind of enjoying being taller for once... let him have this.]

I always get work done. Try not to knock down any monuments while you're ever so distracted.

I don't know about monuments, but I've certainly taken a few punches. [Jacob... wasn't supposed to admit that, but his decision making is shot. Anyone could have guessed he nearly lost a fighting match looking at someone. It just happened to be Ned.

He'll let have this. His hands feel too nice around his neck for him to do anything. He can't remember the last time he's let anyone get this close without it being to clean their brother's scrapes or try and punch him in the throat.] You're a terrible influence, you know.

[Ned's really not surprised, so he can't do anything but sigh and shake his head in response to that. Jacob, Jacob... don't get that pretty face hurt for the sake of looking at him. He's available to be looked at plenty of other times.]

Well, I am a pretty notorious gangster. You might have heard of me and my less-than-legal deeds. [At least he's not talking about the fog again,] Didn't your sister warn you about men like me?

[Jacob does make some effort not to laugh this time, for the sake of playing along. He leans back with his brows raised in amusement, hand going to his chest in a feign of shock.]

You? A criminal? I'm scandalized. I don't know if I can keep be with someone leading a life of crime...

That's heartbreaking, Jacob. Really, it is. [He sighs, very serious. He is always serious, obviously, which is why he's also leaning down a little more to kiss him briefly before the rest of this nonsense,] I'll find somebody else to kiss—oh, that Rook friend of yours! Send him my way, alright?

[It's a good thing he's kissed, because otherwise Jacob would lose it. Ned is adorable while talking about being a notorious criminal and it's not fair. He hasn't laughed this much in ages.] Oh, I don't know, I'll have to see. He's usually so busy, escorting your cargo and killing sooo many Blighters...

[He's a tough gang leader, he breaks noses... noses, Jacob. Jacob gets another kiss for his efforts, but Ned laughs in the middle and it's more like a smush than an actual kiss. Close enough.]

The Blighters are fewer than ever before, these days... I bet he'll find a minute to spare.

I guess he likes you enough to make time. He's a feared assassin, you know, dangerous... perfect for someone like you. [Ned shushing him with a laugh makes Jacob laugh. How is he supposed to win this banter if he can't keep a straight face?] I just might get jealous.

[Fake jealousy kisses... He'll test this out this kissing hard thing, sitting up and pulling Ned in by the lapel. He wasn't all that skilled in it, but...] I'm the best.

[Perfect for someone like him, huh? That's cute, this is all cute and he's only a little bit mad at himself for thinking so. A notorious smuggler and an assassin, behaving like this—they are both doing their careers a disservice. How lucky that they stayed in. Before he can say anything to that though, he's treated to Jacob's clumsy, drunk attempt at pulling him in closer, and despite that clumsiness he can't help but be even more enamored by it.

What a dork... He curls his fingers in Jacob's hair to hold him into another kiss, like he can convey all of his embarrassing feelings this way without putting them to words just yet.] Somebody's confident. The best at what?

The best... ever. The best assassin, Rook, and... person ever. Only person you can date, because you deserve the best and I'm the best. [Words. Yeah.

Jacob is a fully functioning adult. Ned can kiss him to avoid putting it into words, and Jacob will do both poorly but sincerely.] No one else. Just me. Got that down?

["Somebody's confident" just became "somebody needs to go to bed," huh. Ned somehow manages to listen to all of this without laughing, marveling at this real adult in front of him who's quickly losing the ability to form a sentence, but kisses pretty nicely. This, truly, is where he's laid his affections.]

Y'know, it'd be more flattering if I were the best. [Jacob,] I'll keep that in mind, anyway.

Oh. [Jacob blinked, as if he's missed something completely obvious. Of course Ned is the best. How could he say otherwise!!]

You are the best. [He sounded so... serious, for someone that needs to go to bed. The look on his face is mildly apologetic, intentional or not. He was joking, Jacob...] I'd had gone mad by now if you we're so... great, you know. So my mistake.

[Oh... That's more seriousness than Ned was expecting, even if Jacob is saying such half-silly nonsense. Ned hums, kissing him again more tenderly than his other kisses before he pulls back and pats his chest like, yep, that's a thing Jacob just said.]

Well, you got me, Jacob Frye. I'm yours, for better or worse. [That's sappy, he's going to be embarrassed about that in the morning. Forget it; he means it underneath all of his walls and lingering doubts, so - that counts for something.]

[Jacob's not going to let it go in the morning. He will tease, and he'll try to win any hungover banter they might have with it. But what he doesn't know is that he'll repeat it to himself much later, alone, reminding himself that it was very much a real thing Ned Wynert said to him. He has no idea what he's in for.]

For better, I hope. [He laughs, leaning his head against Ned's rather than stealing another kiss.] I'm yours. And not just because I owe you a favor.

Two, [Ned says automatically. Two favors, Jacob. Don't forget, because Ned won't. Just like he won't forget Jacob saying he's his; already those two little words have dug under his ribs and will poke at his heart until he fills Jacob in on... secrets. He knows it can't all be kisses and flirting forever. It might not be kisses and flirting again, if— there's always a chance he'll be turned away...

But it's two favors and Jacob is here now, and after a moment Ned sighs and drops his head down to Jacob's shoulder. Hmm. He almost wants to climb into the chair with him now, which means it's probably time to stop.]

My, you even smell nicer than usual. [Ned,] Just what am I going to do with you?

You could keep kissing me. [Jacob could bat his eyes and continue to play the part of a needy idiot, but he actually liked having Ned against him like this. He runs a hand through his hair, smiling at the way it's starting to curl at the end. Ned is cute. Ned was his.]

Or you could get me a pillow, because I'm not going anywhere. [He presses a kiss to his cheek, pulling back to allow him some escape.] Just a thought.

[It's still just as maddening now as before when Jacob is so... soft. What kind of assassin is he? He sucks at it. Ned can't complain, he finds, since he likes the way those fingers feel in his hair far too much; enough to chuckle down here at Jacob's shoulder and just stay like that for a moment before he straightens back up. The cheek kiss is a sweet touch. Sweet boy. Fuck.

Give him a moment to connect the dots here.] You're not that drunk. I've got a blanket worth rolling up in a pinch, anyway.

[Seriously, how many pillows do you think he owns...]

I could be. [Jacob pouts, but it doesn't last. He'd really rather not drink anymore, lest he want to end up on the floor passed out. There was still some dignity left to lose, somewhere, past the fact he looks so damn needy.]

I'll take it. [He's not picky. In fact, he's so eager he has to find balance on the chair's arm, lest he want to fall back into it.] I will take it... slowly. Watching you. Because I am drunk. Good plan, Neddy.

[That sure is a needy drunk. Ned lingers there, hands up in case he needs to catch Jacob falling on his face, and it all just makes him laugh again. It's enough to motivate him to lean forward for one more kiss, softer than before so that Jacob isn't knocked over, before he really pulls away and steps back.

Where this spare blanket happens to be is in one of his desk drawers, which he turns and half-stoops to get into now. Clearly this is his "I am self-aware enough to know I'll pass out at my desk today" blanket, nothing special, but functional and warm. He looks at it for a moment, wondering just how willing he is to make Jacob sleep on the floor.] You know, there's a couch downstairs. My boys've left by now.

That's a lot of effort to come bother you in the morning. [Was that persuasive? Probably not. Jacob's more willing to sleep on the floor than leave Ned alone, though, so that must mean something.

He doesn't seem to want to debate it either, with how he's taking the blanket without a second thought.] I don't snore, if that's what you're worried about.

[Hmm, snoring is not really the point... It's leaving his boyfriend or whatever asleep on the floor while he sleeps in his bed. But he can't just drag Jacob into bed after some clumsy kissing—]

Jacob... [judging...... sleeping on the floor isn't good?? Ned thinks for a good ten seconds before he sighs and reaches over to tug on the edge of the blanket.] We'll both go downstairs.

[The context matters, don't judge him,]

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