forum Amicus Curiae (Closed O/O with @Dayzed)

Started Mar 13 by @Anxietyfilledcinnamonroll group

tune

Blackwood is an agency that was formed under the vow to protect inhuman populations while also taking care of unruly inhumans who wish to destroy humans, such as demons and hellhounds. They juggle the two worlds valiantly.

Around five years ago, Blackwood and Nexus became acquainted with each other. Nexus struck a deal to help Blackwood with their cause, providing extra people and arms in exchange for more insight into the inhuman populations. The two organizations have been friends ever since. Of course, in Nexus fashion, they have been acting suspiciously over those five years, but nothing to warrant an issue.

As of now, there is a major problem of a dangerous inhuman gang on the rise. Blackwood requires assistants, but with Nexus lying through their teeth, how long will it be before weapons are pointed at Blackwood as Nexus demands a higher price and issues destructive threats?

---

@Dayzed

This is a thought out and planned version of Operation: Cease and Desist with the inclusion of Nexus. The established relationships will remain though.

Rather than being my universe with Day's characters just existing, it will be more of a hodge podge of both our worlds. There will be higher stakes and plenty of chaos with Nexus being involved. Nexus is Day's organization that contains Apotheosis, and Blackwood is my organization.

⚠️I would also like to make note there will most likely be mature themes like violence and gore, but also other possible triggering topics. Read at your own risk.⚠️

Oh! Also, if you're curious, Amicus Curiae means "friend of the court". In Government, that friend is a person or organization offering additional information or perspective about a court case. The definition still stands for the exception it's not applied to a court case.

A month had already passed by since he had gotten the news. It had been a gift from his father for his twenty-first birthday. Or well, that's the way Jake saw it.
And still, his blood boiled every time he thought about it, the bloodlust palpable in the air as he stormed the halls of Nexus' institution. Everyone had made sure to steer clear of Jake while in his terrible mood- the man was just a hair trigger away from snapping and even the head of Nexus knew that.

There was only one man who could calm Jake in the current state that he was in, and Tohmie, the head of Nexus, was about to make a huge mistake by separating the two.

Despite the blatant display of volatile emotions that radiated off of Jake even when he tried to act like nothing was wrong, the guy still had it in him to drown himself in the presence of Alaska- cornering the older male until he had nowhere to go.
Jake tried his hardest to be tender, pressing soft kisses to the other's neck and feeling him up, but Jake's love always turned aggressive in the end when he was livid and consumed with problems that didn't have an easy fix- if they even had a fix at all.

It's when part of his executioner tendencies spilled and poisoned his already twisted personality, taunting Alaska to the verge of tears, edging the guy to the point of begging. It always made Jake's heart feel a little lighter with amusement.
Over the years, or more specifically, the past few months, Jake's mental health had plummeted. He was sharper with his words, snappier, cruel.

Twenty-one years in the making and Nexus was all too excited to unravel Jake into what he was meant to be.

So where was Nexus' reinforced steel shield?

…
With his distraction.

While Jake did treat Alaska quite roughly at times, it was clear that he still considered Alaska's body like something worthy to be worshipped- and anyone who so much as looked at the other male wrong, had spent some time with Jake in his interrogation room.

Currently, Jake had his lover pressed up against the wall as he cooed lovingly at him, one of his hands on Alaska's waist as he pulled him closer. Jake brushed his thumb across Alaska's cheek, looking at a few of his white patches before his eyes found Alaska's again. A slight smirk painted his lips before he trailed kisses down his neck, but before he could get any further, the door to the closet opened and in came-

Darius stared straight at Alaska as if he couldn't be more annoyed with the fact that he had gotten tasked with finding Jake. Seeing the sexually active male made Darius want to off him.
"You've already been reported twice, this will be the third time. There's a meeting and I'm pretty sure it has your name written on it, be there, or Tohmie will come looking" Darius said as he stepped back out of the small room, not really caring if Jake and Alaska carried on or not.

Hearing this, Jake let out an aggravated sigh, but still, in true Jake fashion, he continued.

---

"You haven't had enough." Were Tohmie's first words to Jake, who looked to be as if he was on trial for something grand. It wasn't. It was such a minor thing that it didn't quite suit Jake who came in extremes.
Currently, both of his wrists were cuffed down to one of the chairs around the table, most of the Nexus council members present save for one or two who had more pressing matters to attend to.

"It has got to stop" Tohmie continued, however, her voice was nowhere near as strong or commanding as it should have been for someone who was called the leader of Nexus. Her father had been a different story but Tohmie was a doe-eyed woman who was in her late twenties, just a year older than Darius who was twenty-seven. She had taken over a few years ago but no one really knew when the transition of power had happened since it had been so smooth. It felt a lot like it was still her father in charge, despite his picture hanging in the hallways with two dates engraved on a small gold plaque.

Tohmie directed her attention to Alaska next who had been sat beside Jake in hopes of keeping the cuffed man happy. Tohmie knew it was a difficult time for Jake and she would do her best to please him while doing what she needed to do.

"I'm aware you two are in a relationship, however, me and the others have come to an agreement that it would be best if there were no more distractions around" She gave Alaska a small sympathetic smile before her brown eyes panned over to Bane, who Tohmie had come to recognize as someone who was in charge of what she thought to be their "military" team.
"If it can be sorted out, I would appreciate it greatly- I'll make sure to keep things under control on our end as well" She spoke calmly, even though Jake's expression had gone dark.
Jake knew it had been a long time coming, but it didn't sting any less. And while most of those around him expected Jake to lash out at this moment, he didn't.

Amity breathed in sharply and looked around the room. It was your average meeting space. It was plain with no color and artificial lights. She closed her eyes, trying to settle herself. Alaska kept getting himself in trouble, and it irked her. Amity gritted her teeth, opening her eyes again. Her forest green eyes landed on Jake, noticing how he had been restrained. Curious. She didn’t do that back home. More often than not, being summoned to her office was enough to strike fear. Amity turned her hard glare toward Alaska. The guy seemed choked, swallowing harshly to fight embarrassment or tears, she didn’t know. He would have to extricate himself from the mess he had put himself in. She wasn’t the type of leader to hold her agent’s hands; however, Amity wasn’t opposed to vouching for them or defending them.

This meeting was supposed to be more than the boys being reprimanded, but the romantic activities during work hours had been enough for Nexus that it shoved the other issues aside. Amity sighed. She had brought the other pillars, her boys, and one guard. Adrian sat next to her, his face tense. He cast a glance down at his hands. Although he occasionally exhibited anxiety, he wasn't a bad deputy and had the confidence to take the lead. Their chief of security, Bane, liked to stand. She had never seen him sit down before. If so, he came across as cautious. Sitting next to Adrian was Jules, who was also their head medic. He appeared anxious as well, possibly even annoyed. Amity had seen people glancing at Jules as though he was an anomaly, but the hellhound behind him kept him guarded. Standing in the back were her most trusted agents, Jax and Val, her boys. While Val shuffled nonstop, Jax folded his arms and glared into space. Eris, the first lieutenant of Bane, was the last person present for added security. The fact that she was closer to Alaska made things more difficult for the poor guy.

At last, Amity laid her gaze on Alaska. The man appeared to be in a panic. His face twisted into a little whimper as he fiddled with his hands. His eyes darted around as if he were ready to burst through his skin. Other than Bane and Eris, her presence definitely worried him. Getting into trouble with her was the thing that most frightened her agents. Though not a very positive influence, Amity did not see Jake as a negative one either. It made Alaska happy.

She decided to speak up since she had enough of Tohmie's words. What action was she meant to take? Remain silent? A leader didn’t keep silent. “Well, if I may interject, I expected better of you, Alaska.” There was a hoarseness behind her voice. Amity’s vocals dipped at the end, a disappointed stare accompanying her words. Alaska perked his head up, his eyes growing wider. He looked like a kicked puppy.

Amity mused at his expression. “However, I am sure we can arrive at a better consensus for everyone involved. This could be a non-zero-sum game instead of specific people losing. After all, do we have to jump to the final solution first? This isn’t exactly the most pressing matter to date. Splitting them up will only cause more problems for you.” She glanced at Jake. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be babysitting full-grown adults. So, let’s find another solution first.” She hummed, side-eyeing Tohmie. It was no secret she was sassy.

Laying her hands on the table, Amity smiled. “But for now, I can busy Alaska. I’m sure he won’t have qualms with that. Bane?” She looked over at the hellhound.

Bane shuffled. He was the tank. One look at him screamed, ‘I’ll tear you apart’. Heavy chains hung off his belt, seeming to be for handling inhumans better. He moved toward Alaska, which the werewolf looked panicked. Almost as if the guy was going to punish him. He placed a hand on Alaska’s shoulder.

“I can certainly do that. We’ll have a talk in my office. I’m sure that will be alright with my Lieutenant.” Bane stared at his second lieutenant, who looked completely mortified.

Eris snorted at his terror, giving him a smug look. “Can’t believe you of all people are getting scorn for being someone’s plaything.” Alaska seemed to get defensive, but unable to act with Bane standing around him. The hellhound narrowed his eyes at Eris, to which she rolled her eyes and shut her mouth.

Amity turned to Tohmie. “I think that sounds fair, don’t you?” She asked sweetly.

At the interjection from the other organization's leader- Amity, as Tohmie had come to know her, she paused with her words, allowing Amity to take the floor.

As she spoke, Tohmie's expression remained neutral, that was, till it was her turn to talk.
"I jump to the final solution first because I know everyone here as if they were my own family. I know that Jake will not listen, it wouldn't be the first time either. However, I never said this was the most pressing matter to date- you concluded that yourself. I just wanted to get this out of the way before we continue with the meeting. Surely you didn't think I'd call you all here for something as insignificant as this?" Tohmie questioned, however, her voice, expression, and gestures weren't malicious. She gave no indication of ill will towards anyone on the other side of the room.
"After we settled this, I had planned to carry the conversation into a more favorable direction…" She trailed off, giving Amity a small smile before continuing. The look Amity was giving her wasn't lost on Tohmie, but she didn't seem to react to it, only acknowledging her words.
"I understand that this seems a little like babysitting adults…" She trailed off. "But that is our job, isn't it? In simple terms that is. If you're not there to correct their mistakes and set things in order, then who is? Or are you implying that this matter is childish? Being a leader is paying close attention to the people you work with and sometimes that even includes making decision for their betterment- though, I assume, that you, as a leader, should already know this"
There was silence from Tohmie's end of the room before there was a heavily annoyed sigh that came from Ren. The man was tall in stature, but didn't quite make it past 6'1". He had brown hair that was in a short high ponytail. His features were sharp, and his deep brown eyes that looked more like a soulless black only added to what most people considered intimidating- or more appropriately, unsettling.

Tohmie shot Ren a distasteful look at his sigh. If there was something Tohmie was known for, it was that she tolerated no disrespect from those she worked with. Amity on the other hand…
"I would also appreciate it if those on this end of the table would speak up if they disagree. Otherwise, keep it to yourselves" It was then that Tohmie's mask slipped for a moment, a silent look of murder on her face. While Tohmie was mostly understanding and sweet, she was also aggressive and a very skilled manipulator, always getting things in her favor. However, when she couldn't get what she wanted by playing nice, the mask came off. But that was only reserved for Nexus, even though she already had all the power handed down to her from her father. Most of those on her end of the table had no problems with Tohmie and how she ran things, but there were those like Vincent and Leilani who challenged her a lot.

On top of everything that made Tohmie, Tohmie, she was not an easy woman to please and had no patience. She liked things a certain way and would force everyone to abide by her rules. If they didn't, she had plenty of ways to make them summit. It wasn't hard either when you played dirty and had blackmail up your sleeve.

Tohmie turned her gaze back over at Amity as she finished talking. She knew that the fake added sweetness to her tone was meant to mock her, but it seemed that when Tohmie interacted with any of the Blackwood members, more than half the time, she was polite and patient. Two words that those at Nexus who knew her, would not describe her as.

However, Tohmie's politeness and patience were not faked, it was genuine. When she had no problems with others, she didn't go out of her way to react to their taunts. It wasted her energy and ruined her mood.
"Well, I suppose if you'd be willing to keep Alaska busy, it would give Jake some time to focus on what's important" Tohmie looked over at the silver-eyed man with a look that bore into him and told him, he was in for it after the meeting. "Limit their time together, though, I still do think it would be better if they cut contact altogether. Not out of malice but simply so that this won't continue to be an issue in the future." Tohmie finished, letting out a small tired huff before she turned her attention back to Amity from Jake.

"But now that we've brought that to our attention, you seem eager to talk about the bigger issue. I don't mind, if you would?" Tohmie gestured to Amity before she sat down in her chair, letting Amity take the floor once more. Tohmie wanted to hear her thoughts on everything going on and the solutions she would propose. Tohmie was used to always getting the first word in, but every now and then, she took a step back, not wanting to come off as controlling, even though she was nothing but controlling. But she found that illusions helped a lot when trying to win someone over- and Blackwood, although they worked for years together at this point, still seemed wary of Nexus. If they knew what was good for them, it would continue that way, but Tohmie was especially cunning in matters that involved winning someone's trust.

The room went silent as Tohmie spoke toward Amity. Amity looked down at the table, not making eye contact. At this point, Blackwood knew something about Nexus was off, but couldn't back out of the verbal agreements they made five years ago. Many agents ignored the uneasy feeling arising between the two, often carrying on with their day-to-day tasks; however, the pillars in the room couldn’t shake the suffocating feeling. Amity especially gritted her teeth, seeing Tohmie’s words as demeaning rather than sincere sweetness. She did jump to judge a person's character, but she considered these people as — off. She swallowed harshly, realizing how trapped she felt. The meeting took place in Nexus' building, surrounded by people quick to give their superiors a hand. If anything were to happen, Blackwood would look like the bad guys. They would have to carefully consider the consequences of their actions, taking care not to enrage those who could easily destroy their lives.

Amity lifted her head, her hazel eyes piercing into Tohmie's. She placed her hand on the table's edge, taking a few deep breaths before attempting to clear up what she meant. But Bane cleared his throat before she could ever edge a word in. Fantastic, the liability desired to express himself. She couldn't blame him because he typically had a well-thought-out plan or point of view, but he did have a habit of pissing people off.

Bane turned his attention away from Jake and Alaska to focus on Tohmie. He was aware that, in contrast to the others, he was deemed "cute" by Nexus' leader. With this small detail, he could sway her in his favor. A manipulator influencing another manipulator did not result in a fool. A mischievous smile etched its way onto his face. Bane moved away from the prosecuted couple, slowly making his way around the table. When he spoke, he would frequently pace or circle his "prey." His jeans loops held chains that jingled with every step he took. The plush padding of his black jeans muffled the sound, but there was still a slight ring.

"If I may speak." Amity waved her hand as his eyes darted over to her. Although she could not stop him from talking, she felt she should be able to tape his mouth shut. At this action, Bane just grinned. Should they so want, each pillar could cram in a word. Although, formally, they didn't require each other's consent, he felt it was "nice" to ask. It was all about maintaining a charming appearance.

"I don't fully disagree with you. You know Jake best, and how to wrangle him. I know how to wrangle my lieutenant. That should have been the end of it. Any other solution wouldn’t have been favorable. It's not a desirable win-win situation, but it works," Bane stared at Alaska, "I didn't appoint Alaska to be a plaything, but if that's what he wants to be, I can give the second lieutenant rank to someone else."

Alaska's eyes widened, a panicked look flashing across his face; it was almost like a "!" popped up above his head. Bane wouldn't seriously replace him, but people did have to get comfortable with the consequences of their actions. Alaska could divert his attention from his work to console his boyfriend, but choices came with punishments.

"Sir!" Alaska shouted, placing his hands on the table. He closed his mouth after realizing what he had done. A hint of red appeared on his cheeks, and it got darker as the seconds ticked past. With a whimper, he returned his hands to his lap. He truly was an embarrassment.

Bane eyed his lieutenant, not caring to touch on Alaska's concern. That was reserved for the time when they returned to his office. As he spoke, the hellhound slowly made his way around the table, coming closer to Amity now.

"In any case, I believe Amity was saying that it is our responsibility as a group to ensure everyone is in line. There's a reason why there are four of us. She depends on me to handle most of the grunt work with individuals acting erratically. It is, after all, my place in all this. So, as Amity appointed, I will keep Alaska busy and away from Jake. The boy needs it." At the other end of the table, the hound had stopped walking and was now gazing down at his spouse. He smiled.

"Now, onto the bigger topic. Since I am head of security, I should take this on." He reached into his biker's jacket, pulling out a pack of chess pawns. That's what this was, a lengthy game of chess.
"I know you don’t care about deaths." He sliced the pack open with a Swiss Army Knife he had hidden up his sleeve. The guy had knives and daggers hidden everywhere. "But this many civilians killed or injured is too much for a small-scaled conflict." Not caring if the pawns flew off the side, he threw them on the table.

"What we're doing now is not fucking working. I like to keep the population unaware and have limited civilian casualties in something so minor. When a good chunk of them start dropping like flies, not understanding what is occurring, they get hysterical and upset. That's not good, so now we need to fix my strategy for whoever fucked it up." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "The best way is to regroup and smoke out the leaders of this gang. Too many of our agents have been harmed by poisons, so if surrender doesn't happen, then they die. Simple as that."
"We have to limit the size of the battlefield, cutting off areas of escape. That also cuts off their mindless members. Once the leaders are gone, they will disband and be unsure of what to do with themselves. It gets rid of the threat quickly. What this means is—" Bane trained his eyes on Blackwood’s side. "—that I am instating the execute order."

That piqued a few people, many expressions rippling out among Blackwood's side. Their healer, Jules, seemed horrified. Knowing they were just kids killed him. Jax seemed indifferent, and Val seemed chipper. Adrian looked exhausted. The guy was recovering from a nasty injury. And Amity? Oh, dear Amity. She didn't look too happy, but accepted her Sergeant's call for that action. Too many of their friends and family had died.

He looked at Tohmie. "You can do whatever you want, I'm taking care of this. I've had enough, and my patience has wanned. I hope I've amused you." He walked over to Eris, telling her to write a record of Code E.X.E. The hound also walked over to one of the guys standing in the back. It was Jax, who was glaring at Jake. The guy had a gnarly scar running down the left side of his face. Before talking to Bane, Jax adjusted his flight jacket and drew a line across his neck directed toward Jake. He definitely was going to fuck with Jake after this.

Tohmie's eyes flickered over to Bane when he stood, taking the spotlight from Amity. Blackwood seemed to be having trouble expressing themselves… were Tohmie's only thoughts. Yet, she didn't interrupt Bane as he started his speech, instead, dipping her head slightly in a show of respect for him to continue.

As Bane paced and spoke, the outburst of Alaska catching a few eyes, Tohmie hummed lightly at the threat as if in thought about it. If Alaska was quick to replace, what did that say about him? Was Alaska really the best of the best for that position? She wondered.

Jake seemed to be a blank slate with the way he only stared, not uttering a word throughout, but still sporting a mean look. He also seemed to have no thoughts about Alaska getting his title stripped away or punished. Or so it seemed that way on the outside.

Bane making a show of his ideas and pitching them in the way he did made Tohmie's eyes dart to Aristide who watched with disinterest. Her gaze quickly panned back over to Bane as he finished presenting the call he had made.
In quite honesty, Tohmie's concern wasn't within the population, it never had been, but if this would appease Blackwood for now, she supposed she had no choice but to give in. The rift between them had gone on for long enough- Blackwood had never trusted Nexus in the slightest since they had made the deal, but Tohmie refused to show them the side of her that she did to her own institution. If something was salvageable, she waited.
However, this plan seemed a bit sloppy to Tohmie, not because it wouldn't work- it would. But in the long run, they risked those who disbanded from the gang to hold a grudge. There were many cases of people taking revenge on those who did them wrong, and in cases of big groups like this- powerful groups, there was an even higher chance of them coming back to finish the job.

She smiled politely at Bane, not saying a word. More than just amusement, Tohmie liked a good show while getting things done. If Blackwood fucking up meant they got to swoop in and play the hero, she'd let this play out without a warning- and if they pulled it off? Round of applause. It was a win either way as Blackwood would be doing most of the dirty work without Nexus having to lift a finger. At some point, a lot of those at Nexus had considered Blackwood their guard dog- or more appropriately, a lap dog. But Tohmie was heavy on the rule not to treat their counterpart as lesser than- even if some of them felt that way.

With that Tohmie stood.
"I suppose this concludes our session. I'd like to speak to Amity and Bane in private, however." She spoke, her voice strong and commanding, and not a single line faltering or giving them the impression that they could disagree.

After Tohmie dismissed the session, which had gone awfully quickly, most of them filed out of the room, Ren being the most eager to get back to his work, whilst both Aristide and Leilani (the military commander and the secretary to Nexus) hung back to speak more casually with Tohmie.

Jake's hands balled into fists once more, trying to brute force his way out of the cuffs that held him down but to no avail. He didn't exactly like Bane's plan to execute. Because he knew, if it came down to it, he would be tossed into the ring to help out, and while he did his job effortlessly, this wasn't something he loved doing. Not if it could be avoided. Still, he said nothing. Just like he had said nothing for the entirety of his life, even if it killed him.

His eyes did catch Jax however in the instance he motioned a death threat, the edge of his mouth curling into a faint yet tired smirk. Jake didn't hold himself the same as he had years ago, but there was a desperation to keep trying. He refused to give up his flirty pain-in-the-ass persona, but it was getting clearer day after day that his mask was slipping, and the years of trauma reared their heads now and again… more frequently than they had in the past. It was getting harder to hide it. And he was terrified others could tell.
He was only grateful that Jax didn't see him any different, and hadn't let up on him either. He didn't know what he'd do if the other offered him a gentle hand now. He sure as hell didn't deserve it. Not after everything.

Jax sat on the grassy knoll, his legs tucked to his chest. The sun set slowly, painting the sky with brilliant pinks and oranges. Edges of clouds became illuminated, taking on a pink hue to match the sky they called home. Birds fluttered along the skyline, flying from tree to tree, playing a primitive form of hide and seek. A slight breeze ruffled the trees.

Jax wishes every evening could be similar. One without blood or desperate calls cutting through the silent air. Gritting his teeth, he laid back into the wet grass. A rainstorm had passed recently, blessing the dry land. A little wetness couldn’t ruin a perfect evening. Only one thing could, and that thing hasn’t arrived to bother him yet.

Staring up at the darkening sky, he imagined bright dots splattering the sky with their twinkling. With the city so close, star gazing became nearly impossible. The lingering lights drove the stars away, making them migrate to distant lands. If only Jax could live in those faraway lands. What stupid, wistful thinking.

Jax checked his watch, rolling his eyes. Jake wanted to join him away from the noisy city. There was something he wanted to tell him, something so important it couldn’t wait until tomorrow. He didn’t want this scenery interrupted by baseless talk, but when Jake desired something, you couldn’t deter him from it. Maybe Jax was Jake’s only friend. The guy loved him, practically attached to his hip. There wasn’t any explanation, at least to Jax. He was a boring guy. Nothing about him was interesting or worth being around. In fact, he was a disaster.

Little tears dotted his cheeks. Why was he crying? All he could do was look into that pale, dusky sky and think about the large stretches of rolling land where stars displayed themselves, dancing wondrously across the sky.

Jake clutched Astrid tightly in his arms, the look of disbelief on his face as he scanned the looks of those around him. The truth was almost dizzying. It left his mind reeling- so many questions running through him all at once as his arms grew tighter around her, not wanting to release her from the hug. He knew she would be taken away again, but that didn't stop him from holding onto her with a death grip.

Astrid didn't move, only shifted her head slightly to look over at Aristide, wondering what she was supposed to do now. She didn't hug Jake back. Didn't hold any kind of expression on her face. Only seemed to be confused.
She could feel Jake's body trembling against hers and for a moment felt a small twinge of pain in her chest. She hadn't ever seen anyone else in pain until now- and the way Jake held onto her made her wonder if she had been someone important to him. She could barely recall her earliest memories. They were still there, however, hidden under multiple layers of fog.

Her mind worked hard to try and remember anything to no avail. It was too soon. The trauma of it all too fresh.
Then she was being pulled away and Jake was screaming.

Screaming his voice raw as he thrashed against those who tried to hold him back. He nearly slipped past them, looking like not even God could stop him now as he brought down the members of Nexus, fighting tooth and nail to get to her.
It hadn't worked, of course. But the whole scene had left Astrid stunned, and it replayed in her mind with a deafening silence. There was no sound to the memory as it looped over and over again, only the expressions. Expressions and emotions she hadn't ever seen before.
She had had many scream at her but not for her.

There had been a stillness in her heart as it all went down. The only thing she could feel- if at all, was a deep uncomfortableness as she stared in awe- watching Jake cry out like he was about to die.

---

Jake had a habit of sneaking up on people and surprising them.
…
He had never been able to do that with Jax. The man was too aware and guarded for it to work, but even so, he still tried now- tried to see if this would be the day he won the little game they had going since they had met.

He froze, however, when Jax acknowledged his approach as if he had known all along.

Jake let out a frustrated groan as he sat beside Jax, defeated.
"Would it kill you to humor me even once" he complained as he handed Jax a cold drink- a tea. At the same time, he cracked his energy drink open and took a swig of it.

It was only after the fact that he stopped, noting the tears on Jax's person.

There was a moment of silence as Jake stared at Jax, a knowing look in his eyes. After a second longer, they finally flickered away, any bit of banter he had up his sleeve vanishing immediately.

"You wanna talk about it?" Was all he said as he took another sip of his drink- seeming indifferent. There was a casualness to his tone despite the way his eyes kept darting over to Jax's figure.

It was obvious that Jake cared and was worried, however, he never showed it openly. There were only so many who could pull such a visceral reaction from him. Astrid being one of the few who he didn't care if he had to bare his soul for. He would lay himself out in front of everyone to be picked apart if it meant she would be safe. He never begged for anyone- too proud to do so.
All of that fell apart though when he grew to love someone in the way he hadn't been able to do so for himself.

And unfortunately for him, the number of people who he would give up anything for was growing.
It unnerved him.