dumbshow | Friends of Trains

[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,]

[The floor is not the worst place Jacob's slept, so he's reasonably surprised that he didn't just let it go. It was a pleasant surprise, though, and he's smiling all the same.] That's fair.

[Ned is sweet. Jacob tousles his hair and reaches to take his hand, both out of affection and to keep himself steady when walking.] You're something else, Ned Wynert.

[Don't call him out like this. Ned hums, like he's annoyed by the hair tousling, but his heart clearly isn't in it from how he tangles his fingers with Jacob's so quickly.]

Gee, thanks. Come on, let's go. Don't drop your blanket.

[Come downstairs with him, down the hall and to the mystery door. There's a sitting room behind it, cramped but cozy. And there's a couch! Nice.]

[After a few instances where Jacob pretended he nearly would drop the blanket, and one where he almost did, he behaves all the way to the sitting room. He likes Ned's fingers in his, and he almost doesn't want to get settled if it means breaking apart.]

Almost as good as the one of the train. [It'd be insulting if he weren't sure Ned would agree with him. He'll go check out this couch, he guesses. I'll be tested by if he can take up the whole thing. He'll reluctantly let Ned's hand go to recline on it, hmmm.] Almost.

[He's cute and obnoxious, that's Ned's assessment. Once he's dragged them to the couch, Ned stands back to let Jacob criticize his furniture, apparently. Hmph.]

That's for sure. It's a long walk to the station and your sister wouldn't appreciate me popping in so late, or, y'know... [trains] Too bad.

[...ah, but,] I was kind of picturing you leaving me some room.

She wouldn't appreciate me popping in either. [On his train!! Terrible. But this isn't his train, so he guesses he'll drag his feet off and lean back enough to give Ned some room.

Some. He'a still big and dumb.] And here I'd thought you wouldn't resist laying on me.

[Ned scoffs at that, but he won't ruin the evening with what he thinks of Miss Frye's attitude, even with all that whiskey in him. He saunters over to the couch instead, taking special care to nudge Jacob's leg with his very fine shoe as he sits down. Not very romantic, but.. baby steps.]

If you were hoping I'd throw myself into your waiting arms, you're gonna be disappointed. [nudge, nudge,] They're not half bad arms and I haven't not thought about it, but I always keep my eye on this little thing called self control. Heard of it?

[He was sort of tired like ten minutes ago, and now he's like this. Nerves.]

Never. Shocking. [Jacob grinned, nudging his shoe into Ned's. He preferred Ned ten minutes ago over this, but he won't try to drag him back out of his comfort zone. He'll thread his fingers back through Ned's, though, just to start.]

I'm not going to strangle you in your sleep, Ned. [It could be antagonizing, if it weren't spoken so softly.] You know that, right?

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