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[assassin_daddy]

Jᴀᴄᴏʙ Fʀʏᴇ "I'm no criminal. I just do as I please."

 

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[handleyourshit]

He smiles at her and teases; she raises an eyebrow, sly in return: "Oh, you think you want a poker night, do you? Didn't know you had a masochistic streak." But then they don't actually know much about each other, do they?

Which means she listens, and for all that it probably seems she would dismiss something like that - love, and trusting in the agreement between them on the strength of it - something around her eyes softens faintly before she drops them to push cooling casserole around on her plate.

It's different because they don't care about each other, is what he's saying. She only nods, and presses her lips together.

"The 20th," she answers without really thinking about it. "There's time. And look - I know people we care about said this was a good idea, but it's still up to us. If we don't want to - if you don't want to. It's no harm, no foul. I'll figure something out. I always do."

[assassin_daddy]

"I'm saying Poker night is Friday, and you have an open invitation." He replies, "I'm not saying I'll let you win."

Frankly, he doesn't care who wins. It's a social thing, a way for people to unwind a bit, to have fun without the city's expectations. He was guessing she might play and he's glad to hear she does. It'll be good, a way to get to know her.

Of course the other implications that he enjoys pain, is a little more intimate than anything they've otherwise come close to. They have mentioned there is no expectation of sex, but in a city based around that, sometimes it can't be avoided.

"I'm not opposed to a bit of masochism." He adds, as if it's an off-hand comment, casually thrown out there. Let her do with it as she will. She might have got the impression he's only interested in men. And for his part, he has no idea what she's interested in.

"Ill sign with you." He tells her, shaking his head. "You're right, Vrenille suggested it and I know Jesus and he had their heads together working it all out. I wouldn't have come up here if I didn't like you. You're independent and fierce. Who wouldn't admire that?"

[handleyourshit]

"The last time anyone let me do anything," she returns, "I couldn't reach doorknobs." But she cocks her head slightly at the comment, but it's true that it's so far off anything they've talked about, she isn't going to pick it up right now. They're still feeling each other out in every other way, she's not about to go there.

"Believe me, plenty of people," she snorts, rolling her eyes, but she's not worried about them. She's interested in the man sitting in front of her, who describes her that way and came up here anyway. It's still a little strange sometimes, hearing that from others. Not as strange as it once was, but she relaxes a bit anyway.

"Then finish up so we can get to the cake," is her response instead, and she takes another mouthful herself.

[assassin_daddy]

"That was last week was it?" As they're both near enough the same height, he has no qualms about teasing her about hers. She means her childhood and he's well aware of that.

"You can't please everyone. I don't see the appeal of wanting someone to cling to you. In the world's we're from? That's a liability." It's nice to feel strong and brave, he knows that. But he doesn't need someone else to appear helpless in order to feel that way. Besides, there's something in knowing your friends, partners, family can protect themselves.

He nods, happy to finish off the rest of them meal, then collect the dirty plates to take back towards the kitchen and set them in the sink. Then he can bring a slice of cake each out for them.

"Let's have a look at this legal document of yours then, Miss Lawyer."

[handleyourshit]

She scoffs at him, but she can take it as well as dish it and settles it with an amused, warning wave of her fork: watch it, mister. She's not a child anymore and she will push back. But she's not the least bit threatened or offended so she lets it go.

And she nods to the rest - in all honesty, she struggles with connecting to people she thinks will be a liability, not because they are somehow any less but because they are probably shortlived. Because they are a sure bet for hurting her when they go, when she can't watch their backs and they can't watch their own. She's seen the strongest people she knows get torn apart in front of her, beaten or blown to pieces, caught by a stray shot and bad luck. What is there to keep weaker people safe, then?

This is what she thinks about while she finishes her food, while she allows Jacob to clear the table and bring back dessert. She occupies herself with collecting the contract draft she put together, then, and moves to bring the scotch over after setting the papers in front of him at the table.

"Paralegal," she corrects, then explains: "I had several more years of school left before I could be a practicing lawyer. Paralegal is a position that helps licensed lawyers build their cases by collecting and organizing evidence and researching laws, so they start getting familiar with the process."

She sets a glass in front of him along with the bottle, her refilled water in front of her. "Nothing in there is set in stone. It's all negotiable, so if something pisses you off, just tell me and let's take a shot at it."

She's made a lot of edits over the weeks she's been working on it, most of them pretty standard and geared towards giving any Submissive in a contract with her as much autonomy as she can; the only really bold move she's committed to paper is a line about how no company employee or city official, no one outside of the participants in the contract, may punish the Submissive in any way or at any time without her explicit permission.

[assassin_daddy]

They come from very different places. In his world, in his time, the average life expectancy is 40. He's hit that marker, but a lot of people do not. A lot of children do not. If you make it to double digits and you go to work in a factory, then you may not hit 20. Its worse if you end up being sent down a mine. But that's just the way life is. For everyone. Unless you're rich, but fuck those bastards.

People have to keep going. They have to, because the other choice is to die too. And everyone has too many people depending on them to give up.

"We don't have that word. Trainee lawyer is probably what we'd call you." It's good to know that a woman is allowed to train in that sort of field too. They've inly just started letting women be doctors, and even then it's few and far between.

He gives her a nod of thanks for the glass but he doesn't reach for any alcohol at this point, just looks over the pages she passes him.

"You spent a lot of time on this right?" He asks as he reads, an obviously approving note in his voice.

[handleyourshit]

She's noticed of course, between his dress and some of the things he's said, that they're likely from different times; she also knows all too well that in most of history women haven't been treated well, or anything approaching fairly. He's looked her in the eye, spoken to her respectfully, not tried to do worse than his dismissal of her when they met - but they've already agreed not to hold that against one another as the end all be all - so she doesn't think anything of it really. She has medical knowledge, which she's used in the field; no one has 'let' her do anything since the old world fell, and she likes it that way.

But she doesn't scruple to watch him as he reads, only looking away to glance down at the page herself to see where he's at in the document. Studying, not merely staring, waiting to hear the verdict. Waiting to hear what she's missed, since he's done this before and she hasn't.

"I did," she admits. It's a piece of paper and it won't stop her from doing something she thinks needs to be done, but that doesn't mean she isn't interested in doing it right for whatever protection it might be able to offer. Why not build a wall, even though it's possible to fend off a walker without one? It would be stupid not to.

[assassin_daddy]

He tries to be better. Better than when he's come from, better than the general ideas of the time. Sometimes he manages that, because he's been brought up in a group that gives women as much power and responsibility as men. He tries to be more mindful of the fact not everyone is a white man, and he had Henry in his early adulthood to help him understand things more from other people's experiences. But he knows he's not perfect. Thankfully, he's sure Rosita will tell him when he goes wrong.

"I don't know if the city are going to like that bit about needing your permission to publish me. I'm a known trouble maker." He says glancing up at her with a grin. "Or I was."

What they've discussed regarding property isn't in there of course, but he knows this is a draft. He nods his approval.

"I think for charity's sake we add in the Eagle and Hollow, and then I'm happy."

[handleyourshit]

Her smile goes rueful when he mentions that line, because yeah, she knows.

"It may not fly," she agrees, "But if no one strikes it down outright, I might be able to argue off it if I ever need to try." She meets his mischievous glance head on, raising an eyebrow in reply as if to challenge it: don't. But then she makes a motion with her hand for him to slide the papers over to her, picking up the pen she brought over for further edits.

"I'll talk to Vrenille, see what needs to happen to transfer those properties officially over so you won't get any shade about being there. And we can add a reassessment option just in case," she offers, because she liked that idea.

"Although - I know with the housing situation, a lot of the city expects us to live in the same place, to spend time together. I don't care about that, I'm not exactly using the spare room, so if something did come up and you need a space - this is what I have but it's fine if you needed to use it. Just I should warn you about a few things if that's the case."

[assassin_daddy]

"It may not," He agrees. "But put it in. If they don't read these things and it doesn't get picked up, as you say it only benefits us. Well. Me."

Jacob takes a moment to recover from the gut punch of sadness at the mention of Vrenille and instead focuses on Rosita, nodding. "Good idea. I've no idea what's involved in any of that. My little submissive head can't possibly understand the complexities." He rolls his eyes, obviously this is a very stupid idea.

"Thank you. There's a spare room at the Hollow too, so it goes both ways." He says, and he is truly grsteful for that consideration. He hopes it won't be needed, but in this place? There are floods or sudden blizzards and sometimes living out in a cabin in the woods is a bad idea. Likewise, sometimes it's a bad idea to live in the middle of a crowded city full of sex pests.

"These things? They include not surprising you by climbing in through the window I suppose?"

[handleyourshit]

"That's what she said," she mutters mostly under her breath, flipping to the right page of the draft and beginning to write in the margins under her previous notes. This is how she almost misses the way Jacob reacts to Vrenille's name, except she glances up right at the end to see how serious he's being about his comments about the transfer, if he really thought she was trying to say what he's saying in hyperbole.

It doesn't make her happy, stepping right in that sore spot; but she can't possibly avoid it altogether, and she wasn't being malicious. Better, she thinks, that he builds up a callus sooner than later - or decide to do something about it. Not her problem, yet. Certainly not where she's been invited, either.

"They do," she confirms, going back to writing. "Also that if you think I'm asleep, don't try to sneak in. Just wake me up. I'll go right back to sleep and we'll both be a lot happier if I know you're here from the drop. And that Jesus has a key, but he likes to break in anyway sometimes. Wherever I am, he's welcome as far as I'm concerned."

No one else gets this consideration from her, but she offers the warning because she's aware that considering Jesus's involvement with Vrenille, that might be a sore spot, too.

[assassin_daddy]

Jacob knows she's not doing anything to cause him hurt on purpose. She has no logical reason to do so. Frankly, no one in this situation is deliberately trying to hurt anyone else- she's doing him and Vrenille a kindness by giving them some space away from each other, and they both clearly need that. But of course she also isn't going to jail, or the people zoo, which is worse.

In his mind, the problems he and Vrenille need to resolve are just that: for the two of them to resolve. They aren't anything to do with Jesus or Rosita, although perhaps now it's been made their business.

"I'll remember that. I don't think anyone breaking into your home would survive the attempt." It's interesting to know that about Jesus however. Perhaps at some point he will get to see those skills put to the test.

"If you're at the Hollow, Vrenille has a key. Only fair that your friends come over too. But just let me know? I try to ask questions before I stab people, but if it's the middle of the might, I make no promises."

[handleyourshit]

"He won't get stabbed," Rosita chuckles, fond and exasperated. She worries about Jesus, she'll chew him out for being reckless, but he's one of the most competent people she knows, too.

Then again, he got stabbed by a walker. She shakes her head. "We'll have to hang a sock on the doorknob or something. And for the record - historically, no, they haven't." Survived breaking into her home. She might have to take a longer game than she likes, but with only one glaring exception, she's put down every asshole that tried to take what was hers - or did.

She slides the contract back over for Jacob to look over with the additions, holding the pen out to him. "It's not that I want to put Jesus above everyone, all the time, just so you know. It's just really important to me he never doubts I'll back him up, or that he's safe with me."

[assassin_daddy]

"By you or by me?" Jacob grins in reply. Because Rosita might be familiar enough with the other man and his habits to know Jesus from someone else wandering around in the dark, but Jacob doesn't. Not yet.

"I think that's reasonable- a sock on the door. I don't think it's something we need to write into a contract necessarily but as an agreement between us bith? No sex in the shared parts of the house unless you're letting the other party know. Send a message or something."

After all, beds are all well and good but there's something about fucking in front of a big fireplace, and Hollow has one of those.

He takes the pen, idly twisting it around his fingers as she talks, his attention on her rather than the document.

"He's important to you, Rosita. You don't have to worry about it- if he comes first, then he comes first. I'm not upset about that. I'm glad that you have someone like him here."

[handleyourshit]

She doesn't know Jacob very well, doesn't know what he's capable of; she makes a note to figure that out sooner rather than later, but it'll keep. Unless he's much better at lying than she is at seeing through bullshit, he just seems... tired. He seems like he just wants to take some time to breathe, and honestly? She gets that.

She blows out a breath and picks up her fork to pick at the cake, though she doesn't eat any yet. He had to go and say the S word.

"Jesus and I don't have sex," she says, just so that's there; he didn't say that explicitly, but people do wonder. Now he doesn't have to. "Do you and I need to talk about the rest though? Is there even anything to talk about? I've been assuming I'm surrounded by men that are only into each other, but that is an assumption."

[assassin_daddy]

They're very similar in that regard. He hasn't seen her fight, he was dead by the time the prisoners were able to break out of the Pit. But just by looking at the way she moves, the way she watches what's around her, he's sure that she's capable. And if half of what she's told him is true? Then she's someone you want on your side in a scrap.

"That's none of my business, but thank you." He says to her, and it's very sincere. She doesn't need to tell him any of that personal stuff, who she meets quota with and whatnot, but knows she is trying to be open and honest. He does truly appreciate that. "We don't need to talk about it. But if you needed me to help with quota, I wouldn't be opposed."

It's a difficult conversation to have with someone, even now. Then again, he has spent the last twenty years in Victorian England. There are people there who would demand he and Rosita get married now, because they'd been alone together, unchaperoned. She probably even has ankles.

[handleyourshit]

She snorts, because even before she turned up in Duplicity, she wasn't shy about that particular facet of what she considers normal life.

"Oh viejo, the day I have trouble with quota is the day I up and move to Oceanside," she chuckles, but there's no real rancor in it. The look she gives him is amused.

"I'm just trying to figure out where the boundaries are. I know mine."

[assassin_daddy]

Jacob isn't necessarily shy- if they weren't in this strange situation, if their friends hadn't been arranging this, if they'd met in a bar on a Saturday night, he might have offered to get her a drink and see where things went. But this is... different.

"I'm not sure where that is, but I'm guessing by the sea," He says in some amusement, making idle notes in the margins, mostly stating he agrees with the wording she's suggested, also correcting any American spellings to British ones, because he can.

"You're an extremely beautiful woman, so I doubt you would ever have a problem. I hopefully won't have to impose." He doesn't think he'll have problems. Vanessa and Sephone, Chris and Hellboy have all still shown they think he's attractive, but that doesn't mean he can always rely on them, or expect it from any of them. And he really has no idea what Rosita's taste are, and if he fits them.

[handleyourshit]

"Fine, keep your secrets. I like flattery as much as the next girl." Its the second or third time since the contract has come out that Jacob has politely declined to answer a question or not comment on a topic, and she understands, she's not angry in the least, but she hasn't failed to notice either.

He can have his British spellings, too, but she watches him a moment anyway before finally taking a bite of her cake.

She hasn't had a cake like this before, she doesn't know what to expect, but - it's good. It's really good, and she pushes another piece of it around her plate a moment before taking another bite and chewing thoughtfully.

"I get it and all," she says, and the humor is gone from her voice. How many times has she said outright that she doesn't trust anyone? But he brought her cake, which she told him she dreams about from the old world, and they're in a strange situation, and she can let it slide. She clears her throat. "Before my group found the community we finally settled in, we moved around, just trying to stay alive. We'd meet people out on the road, and we'd have to make a call about whether to trust them or not. Whether to take them with us and hope they didn't steal from us or try to kill us - or leave them knowing they'd probably die."

[assassin_daddy]

He laughs and shrugs, deciding that if she wants him to be blunt, he will be. "I'm attracted to a lot of people. I don't care much about gender. But personality is more attive to me."

That hopefully explains what she thinks he's holding back. She's physically beautiful yes, but it's the fire in her that he likes so much, the possibility that the fire is going to burn him. He likes that risk. He also likes the idea that she might not burn him but just keep him warm.

"I don't mean to keep it from you. At home, it's not like here. A man can get his neck stretched for admitting as much to the wrong people." He pausesand then offers something else about himself.

"I told you our family business was fighting. That's only partly true. I was brought up as an assassin. Not one of the ones that gets paid to kill anyone at random. We... worked against another organisation."

[handleyourshit]

"I don't mind," she tells him. She means it. "Some things have to be earned, or built, or both. The best things." She shrugs with her good shoulder.

It doesn't mean she'll tolerate lying in some situations, but it does mean she doesn't think she's owed anything at this point. It does mean she pays attention when he answers anyway.

And she wasn't expecting assassin to come out of his mouth.

"So if you weren't hired, what - why?"

[assassin_daddy]

"They do." He agrees, because she really is right. Some things can't be freely given, and trust is one of those. But here no one can get him punished for what he's just said, and so he'll give her that much.

He has some explaining to do, so he does go ahead and at last pour a finger of scotch into the glass, taking the smallest sip to taste it and deciding he likes it even if it isn't his usual drink.

"It's a long, long story. Ancient war- one side wants control of people, make sure they do what they're told. The other side things people should have more freedom than that, decide what they want, how to live, not be subject to the control of others." It's a very basic explanation. "My brotherhood believe in the freedom. The other group believe in control. Really, you need a balance of both, but trying to reach a compromise is... well. There's always people wanting more power."

He pauses, for another drink. To let her think on it, ask questions if she wants. He knows it sounds strange, but then again, it sounds strange to him that the whole of society has collapsed in on itself.

[handleyourshit]

She listens, but she wonders if this is how others feel when she starts talking about walkers: she knows these words, she understands these concepts, but she can't really imagine it. She has to work hard to imagine it.

She chews on another mouthful of cake while she does, brow furrowing with the effort; she's helped plan small battles, worked out small skirmishes with big groups of walkers, but never anything on the scale he seems to be talking about.

"So - what? How ancient are we talking? In London?"

[assassin_daddy]

"Everywhere. London. America. The Middle East." He says it carefully, because he can tell she's having difficulty with it all. "And as long as anyone can remember. Since the Romans at least."

He pauses once more, offers her his glass, as if to say do you want me to pour you one?

"I know it sounds far-fetched. Everyone here is from somewhere completely different. A lot of people aren't even from Earth."

[handleyourshit]

She hesitates, filling in this new information, watching Jacob's face to take in as much of the context his having lived it can tell her; she shakes her head at the offer, none for her thanks, and makes a dismissive motion with her hand.

"Actually, I was just thinking how very controlling a wildly contagious virus would be," she comments - not because she thinks that's what happened, but because yeah, she knows. Just because she's struggling with it doesn't mean it didn't happen.

"So - you're just going back and forth killing each other, trying to get the one up?"