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Fearsome enough you didn't wanna tell me about you and Jake?
[His expression is flat, serious, fairly non-judgemental. He picks up his whiskey but doesn't take a drink just yet.]
Am I supposed to tell you every time I go on a date with someone?
[Dates.]
You sure ain't. But I was hopin' we could skip the bullshit here, 'cause I don't usually stick my nose in these things.
Then why now? Because he’s your friend?
Why not? Why not now, because he's my friend? And because he's a warden, and he didn't tell me about the two of you neither, which tells me you didn't want me to know?
I was in your head, Tess. That wasn't a I could really go for a good fuck thought. Not just that.
So? It's just for now. The breach was really intense, and he makes it easy. I get attached quick. And when he leaves, or he screws me over, I'll move on quick too.
[He sighs and finally takes a sip of his whiskey, leaning back.]
Look - if it was anyone else, I'd ask if it didn't bother you that he's a warden. So I'm gonna, even though I like the guy.
[It's a damn good thing she's not in his head anymore, because the way she says some are married, he's guessing Jake kept some vital information from her. Arthur won't tell her, but he's damn well taking that to Jake.]
You two talk about it? The - the power dynamic? [Or do they just fuck? He's not asking her that. And honestly, if they're both into it, what does Arthur care, marriage or no?
He just minds that it was kept a secret, and that makes it suspicious.]
No. What good would it do? It would just make both of us feel shitty about it.
But it don't make you feel shitty now. You ain't fallin' in love with him, are you?
[This is a trick question. He wouldn't mind if she did - but he thinks she's definitely not thinking about what she's doing with Jake well enough to even know whether she's that into him or not.]
Jesus, no. Who catches feelings like that?
[There's something there, and she's sure of that, but it always feels the same as getting a great shipment or a meal put in front of her. In those moments, it feels like they might get snatched away from her if she doesn't take advantage, and after, her last chance to have something might have come and gone.
She shakes her head.]
It's just a good time. I deserve a little bit of that, don't I?
[He raises an eyebrow - about half the Barge, and off-Barge, practically everyone. He's a little amused by the phrasing, catching feelings. Catching feelings is something Arthur always thought he never did, until he calmed down and really looked around.]
Sure you do. I just heard you think about him, and it didn't sound like what you sounded like when you talked about Butcher, or any of the others.
[Probably. She can never be really sure. She is sure she's being a little too candid about that out of frustration, but it is what it is.]
[Not that any of them could really avoid it, but...]
Sorry about any eyefuls. Or brain-fulls. Whatever the hell tipped you off.
He grew terribly emotional at the mere thought of you, and then later made a full disclosure when he thought it would be useful to make me feel indebted to him.
[this is uncharitable at best]
Indebted to him how, exactly?
Oh, you know. 'I've showed you mine, now you show me yours'. So to speak.
Absolutely not, darling, I have standards.
Any other shit come up that I should know about?
No, nothing. Do I have to be watching out for your warden to come and have a strongly worded chat with mine?
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