They are driving down to Los Angeles for the week. Eight hours in a small space with each other is just one of many things they’ll have to put up with for the job, but it’s not the worse they’ve ever done. At least this time no one is shooting at them.
“Hold my hand,” he asks, his right hand fingers wiggling childishly above the center console. They have a rule which in dangerous situations makes sense but otherwise is kind of annoying. For the passenger. Basically, whoever is driving gets to call the shots. It makes sense, and it has saved their lives multiple times, but it also means Jack gets to eek out physical affection from her that she normally only employs for undercover work.
Ness does so, because rules are rules, and honestly at least he’s not making her feed him apple slices or sing along with the radio. Also, this leaves her with one hand free to use her phone and check her email.
“Ah. Message from Vi,” she says, “we’re meeting her and her protege for lunch before the meeting with the client.” It’s not like there’s a specific protocol or etiquette involved, but usually teams wait until after the kick off meeting before intra team discussions. Then again, Jack and Ness have worked with Vi many times before but they’ve yet to even see the protege.
“Mama bear’s finally letting baby bird spread his little wings?” Jack asks, the hand wrapped around hers briefly flapping twice before curling back closed.
“I suppose so. Not sure if this is for our benefit or his.” On the one hand, it does give them the courtesy of meeting their fourth member before seeing the client. Presenting a united front and all that. On the other, they may be getting the shotgun and shovel talk or whatever the equivalent is for professional high stakes semi-illegal undertakings.
“Anything is better than Jaguar’s over protectiveness of her brother. She tasered me!” Again, his hand twitches around hers, this time as if he had electricity coursing through his body.
“Twice,” she reminds him.
“Twice!” He agrees.
“Well, Simon is a civilian.”
“But he’s in the know,” Jack complained.
“And he’s got a boyfriend anyway. You were just flirting to bug Jaguar. I wouldn’t have tasered you, but I would have done something. Like put laxatives in your coffee.” Ness admonished, typing a confirmation for Vi.
He sighed, then considering, nodded grudgingly. “I’d do the same too, I guess.”
“Thanks,” she said, squeezing their joined hands for a bit, then relaxing, tolerating the combined body heat and ensuing damp.
~
A/N: written on my phone as I was driving to LA (well, I was in the passenger seat)
JackSGreyson Says 