Can't Find My Way Back Home

LOCATION Terror street
TIME 23 ish
DATE 20th of October 2021
ATTIRE: Link
TOPIC FOR @Scarlett x
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"Fuck," he mumbled, barely able to see where he was going. The fight had lasted for hours, but giving it had been just moments after Jack had returned from his daily transformation, he hadn't been ready for a fight. He could still hear Victoria's scream from calling his name out loud as he had been exiled. Every inch of of his skin covered in blood and cuts, numb to the pain by now as he walked across the streets trying to get out of Southside. If anyone saw him he could be in more trouble, especially looking like this, he was an easy and weak target. The only thing keeping him going was the coldness from the night, the last source of energy for not making him fall onto his shaking legs. It hurt to breath, it hurt to move, but he couldn't slow down now. He couldn't. He never did. Now if he just could make it to one of the lakes, find a greater source of something cold he could begin to heal.

All it took was a larger stone that he didn't get to lift his left foot over, enough to make him fall. A roar of pure agony left hips lips as he hit the ground. He turned around, letting his back meet with the ground, looking up at the night sky, looking at how the stars were shinning so brightly, but mostly they looked like splats of paint thrown on the canvas. He started to laugh, a laughter that slowly turned to a series of coughs. How did it come to him finally getting a shot of happiness meeting a part of his family that he actually believed he could turn out to like and want to be apart of - and then him ending like this? His right arm was what hurt the most, where Anthony had got the flesh off where the serpent tattoo used to be.

She was on her way home after along shift waitressing tables. She had started her morning around five, gotten up and prep for her day for school where she could take classes until she had enough to be able to take her degree in law that she had wished for, for so long. Doing something so different, a new slate in her life. On a way home she was drinking a smoothie and nipping of a small bagel that she had bought on her way home. That was when she saw a figure tumbling around not far from where her apartment was. Now, Scarlett lived on terror street, in southside. You got used to people being in stages that wasn’t always preferable to run in. Normally she would just turn around and walked the other way around. Trying to keep herself out of as much trouble as she could. But then she saw how he fell over and then it hit her, the man had no aura or any means to be tracked. Could it really be?

Scarlett slowly started to walk towards him, looking around making sure that nothing was going to jump her. She wouldn’t be much help to him if she was hurt as well. Then he started laughing, and it almost tore in her heart. As he started coughing, she threw the plan about being cautious overboard, and ran towards him. “Jack” she whispered, letting her hands find his cheeks “Hey Jack, its Scarlett, I’ll help, okay?” she said with a soft smile, whipping some of the blood away from his cheek. She didn’t even want to ask what had happened because it wasn’t important for helping him. “I live just a few doors down, can you get up?” she asked, and carefully tried to help him up on his feet. “I got you, one step at a time, that’s it” Scarlett whispered while she got him up on his feet again and started walking towards her apartment.

He barely heard her voice, he barely heard anything besides the sound of his heart trying to get his blood around his system. His body trying to freeze itself slowly, was the only reason he wasn't bleeding more than he did. He turned his head towards her when he felt a warm set of hands on his cheek, almost feeling like fire touching him, but enough for him to blink a little trying to narrow his eyes a little so the blurry figure would look more like a person. Despite her having said her name, he hadn't really heard her, it was more like a static sound ringing in his head. Slowly blinking a little bit, as he realized what was going on - at least it was coming back to him in bits. Could he get up? Jack spread his lips, but even his lip was ripped up. It was a rather hoarse sound that left his lips as he tried to make the words leave his mouth, but the small pull that tried to get him up. His body was so heavy and trying to fight it the help. But Jack had never quit fighting once in his life, and now was not the time to do so either, so he tried. He really did try with all his strength and will power to help her to get him up on his feet. Finally he stood on the ground, feeling his legs try go give up on him again, he took one step ahead. His legs were like cement, so heavy to move, his muscles so tense his whole body started to ache more than before. But he didn't stop, even if it was a rather slow walk, he didn't stop, because Jack knew, if he stopped, it was likely he wouldn't get off the ground this time.

He still couldn't see much, his bloodshot eyes didn't allow him much, but his cyrobird senses were better than the average despite the state he was in. He could sense they were near the housing areas, the cold air was nice, so nice he could feel it empower him. She couldn't know he needed the cold, every single normal person would like getting warmed up, getting to a safe place, but Jack had never really had much of a safe place before.

She didn’t let him stay here, knowing that she had to call someone when she had gotten him somewhere safe crossed her mind. But it wasn’t what was her priority right now. She could help him; she was sure that if she just got him to her place, they would be able to figure things out. They finally got to the apartment’s door, why did she live on the fourth floor? She cused a little, as she finally got the door open, in her tries she had been forced to leave her smoothie behind, as she couldn’t carry that and still open doors and keep him leaned up against her. It took a lot of tries, and left a few bloody prints behind them, before she finally got them inside her small, very cold apartment. “I’m sorry, but the bloody heater is busted and I don’t really –“ she silenced herself, this wasn’t the time to let him know that she didn’t have any money to hire a repair man. Okay, so, the swelling, they needed something ice, and they needed to get it washed off. Having tried this a couple of times, living on the streets she quickly guided him to her small bathroom that was more or less falling apart. But it was still usable, the put him by the tub “I’ll just get some things to clean your wounds” she said and quickly disappeared into the kitchen. The only cold she had, was some frozen peas, she had no alcohol as she had thrown all of that out when she had decided to lay it off. Running back, she kneeled by him and placed the cold frozen peas against his swollen face. “Tell me what I can do” she whispered, feeling how her heart was beating rather quickly in her chest.

The fight up the stairs seemed to last longer than a year, but finally they got inside which he had no idea how they did, but willpower could make you do the most insane things. She apologized for the heating system being out of order, making him laugh again, the pain spread out his body, the bitter sweet pain. He didn't even say it was alright, that he was so happy that the heating didn't work. The room was nice and cold, making him breath out. He blinked a little bit, and before he knew it his feet were guided to the bathroom, placing him by the tub, his bloody hands grabbed the edge trying to support himself not to just fall in. Jack breathed out as she left the room, relaxing a bit more, but enough for his slippery hands not to get a good enough grib and he fell back into the tub. A pained grimace got painted across his face, then she returned and kneeled beside him he felt the cold from the frozen peas. His body took in the coldness so fast it lost its purpose rater quick by thawing. But it didn't matter because it kick started his system a little bit. What could she do? Jack took a deeper breath in, looking over at her as he dragged a deeper breath in. "Do you have any more frozen stuff? It helps, I just need it to be cold," he informed with a rather low voice. Jumping in the freezer would have been his preference, but he couldn't really do that. At least he had made it through tonight's transformation, which meant he didn't have to worry about that, he just needed to focus on staying alive.

"This wasn't - This wasn't how I imagined meeting you again," he mumbled a little bit, still pained but at least the cold started to heal any internal bleedings. He didn't think much about how scary this could be for her, seeing him like this, to be honest he wasn't used to think like that so the thought didn't really cross his mind at all.

More frozen stuff? She looked a little surprised at him, also because she could feel how the peas became heavy in her hand, just like they would have done had she left them out of the freezer a little too long. She put them down on the tile floor and looked at him. He needed to be cold? She helped him sit a little better in the tup and then she put in the cork and turned on the freezing cold water. “Well, luckily for you this might be the coldest water I’ve ever encountered” she tried to laugh, even though nothing about this really seemed like a laughing situation. As the ice-cold water started to pour down in the tub, forming around his body. She looked towards him, as he mumbled that this wasn’t how he imagined meeting her again. Her hand found his cheek looking him over, her eyes finding his as a very soft a gentle smile formed on her lips. “Yeah, what is it about the world, is a common date in the cinema too much to ask these days?” she laughed taking her hand back, looking towards the peas. This had been the only frozen things she had. “Wait here, I’ll just pop down to the shop on the corner and get you some ice cubes as well” she explained and got up. She grabbed her purse and then ran down to the corner shop.

The man looked rather taken aback by the small blond woman, blood on her jacket and blouse. Standing there waiting for him to beep in four bags of ice. “So, you don’t have a body in your tub that you are experimenting on, do you?” Scarlett started laughing shaking her head “No, no but you know how it is around these parts, a friend looks like someone used him as a punching bag” the cashier just nodded, told her the price, she paid and then he went back to reading again. Scarlett half run back up to the apartment. Walking into where he was seating, she gave him a smile “And you are sure about the ice thing right, I’m not going to end up killing you with Hypothermia, right?” she then proceeded to open the two kilo ice bags and started pouring it over Jack’s body. No one would convinced her this was how she would be using her night time.

Jack just let himself get soaked in the cold water while she went down to the store. He didn't really have his phone on him, he was unable to be tracked, which was a good and a bad thing. In some way he wanted to tell Victoria and the others he was okay, but taking contact to them could put them in danger. He would see Victoria at work either way, if she could get out of Southside now.  Jack just looked at the wall consumed by his own dreadful thoughts, till the moment she returned. He had her scent by now, and then the sound of her footsteps gave her away as well. Jack's body screamed the second he could sense the coldness from the ice she carried, because his body needed it. "Oh I'm sure, trust me," he breathed out before she started opening up the ice and poured it in. His eyes turned to almost ice, letting him close them not to freak her out. Jack took a deeper breath in, a smile formed on his lips as he started to absorb the ice, using it as a power source for his healing to kick in with full speed, making the wounds and cuts close slowly, and his face starting to look somewhat normal, if you left out the traces of blood. He opened his eyes again looking at her, his eyes still glowing, "told you," a soft smile blossomed on his lips as he started to feel the energy slowly return to him.

"Sorry to drag you into this," he then breathed out still keeping his eyes on her.   He then recalled more of what had happened tonight, he looked to his right arm, seeing the Serpent tattoo being gone. That tattoo had been there since he was elleven years old, it had been a part of him having found a home, now it just seemed like he couldn't find his way home, because where was home now? He couldn't go back to the Serpents, not without another fight waiting for him. The skin was restored but it was just that, just skin. He took a longer and deeper breath in.

It was quite something to see how his body started healing using the ice as a power source. She herself didn’t have any powers, or maybe she did, could anyone really, truly know? But then again, with her luck, they would probably just give her more of a headache than her racial abilities already gave her. Her lips formed into a smile mirroring his, slightly titling her head as he looked so much better already. The next thing he needed was just a good scrub down. But she was quite sure that he would be able to do that himself. Leaning against the bathtub she shook her head as he told her that he was sorry. “It’s quite alright, I’ve been in worse situations, I’m just glad I could help” she took his hand and gave it a small squeeze before she let go. “Are you okay?” she whispered, as she saw how his eyes drifted towards his arm, how a light sadness glided over his eyes. She leaned over and let her fingers glide under his chin to get his attention “I don’t know what happen, and you don’t have to tell me, but trust me” she breathed out giving him a small smile “Trust me when I say that nothing is as bad as it can’t get better” she took her hand back and stood up. “I’ll make us something to eat, and grab you a change of clothes, you can take a bath if you want, there isn’t really any hot water this late, but you don’t seem to mind that” she smiled and walked out of the bathroom, closing the door to give him some privacy.

The touch of her fingers gliding under his chin, just as she tried to hunt the darkness away with her light. It worked. Asking if he was okay wasn't really something he usually was asked, or at times, but usually it was just figured that you could push through it. Trust me, one of the things he had the hardest with, trust. Jack took a deeper breath in, she already had more of his trust than most, because he was sitting here still all bloody, the rest had painted the water he sat in red. Nothing is as bad as it can't get better, he pressed his brows a little bit together, clearly not a sentence he was familiar with."I'm not sure it can get much worse than this," he breathed out and removed his eyes from her for a moment. Then she removed her hand and his eyes followed her as she stood up. Jack blinked a little, almost like a lost puppy being just a little bit of love for the first time ever.  The door closed and reality knocked.

He had to handle this. He needed to figure out how he was going to handle this, and if he should just accept his exile. Jack took a deeper breath in and stood up from the tub, getting the wet and blood soaked clothing off his body. He opened the drain to let the water out, before getting in just taking a longer shower even if it was cold water - he did like that just as she assumed he did. Jack had no idea how long he stood under the water, letting the water run over his face, hoping to let the pain wash away. Finally he closed the water and stepped out, to grab a towel to dry himself. He wrapped it around his waist, before he walked out from the bathroom, Jack scratched the back of his head a little looking over at her. "So, you said you had some clothing?" He asked licking his lips a little, his body healed fully from the beating he had taken on.

Finding a chili con carne that she had frozen down and put it in a pot. She found some rice and started wishing them down before putting them on the stove letting them boil and get ready for dinner. As everything was simmering down, getting ready to eat she walked into her bedroom, looking inside the closet. She pulled a thin rope that resulted in a small clicking noise, a light bloomed up, even though it took a while. Damned electricity that didn’t work probably in this building, no, scratch that, nothing worked as it should in this hellhole. She looked down at the box where all her daughters’ things were packed into. Even though it was over a year since Liam had been killed, she still had his clothes. And it seemed like Jack was just the same height and build. She pulled out some sweats and a t-shirt, walked out and placed it on her bed. Looking over on the nightstand were pictures of her, Liam and their daughter Chloe was standing. Nothing much had changed after she had lost them both, their pictures were still to be found. And she hadn’t had the heart to throughout Liam’s stuff. It wouldn’t be weird right? She looked at the clothes letting her fingers glide over her neck. Well, he needed clothes, so he just had to deal with the fact that it was her late boyfriends. She walked out just as he came out of the bathroom and gave him a small smile, looking at his almost naked body she breathed in, her hands folded in front of herself. Damn it had been a long time since she had had anyone in her apartment. The only one that came here was Jade, talking and guiding her through what she had to do if she ever wanted her daughter back. Then there was the part about this also being the first man she had been remotely attracted to for such a long time. “yes, sorry, it’s in the bedroom” she pointed towards it with a soft smile “food should be ready in twenty minutes or so, hope you like chili” pulling a bigger smile and walked past him towards the kitchen area.

A smaller smirk crossed his lips briefly, as he caught her taking a deeper breath in. Then he clicked her tongue a little, as she pointed to the bedroom, Jack gave her a small nod.  "Thank you, you didn't really have to do all this," he pointed out, watching her walk towards the kitchen with a warm smile crossing his lips, before he started to walk towards the bedroom. Then, Jack walked towards the bed where the clothing was placed and grabbed it to put it on. Jack took the towel over his left arm before he looked a bit around, letting his eyes scan the environment he was in. Actually realizing where he was, he knew it had to be her home, even though the blood loss and everything had made the whole trip here rather foggy in his mind. But he saw the pictures, walking over to study them for a moment, pressing his brows a bit together.

Jack had never really had any family pictures, anyone really taking pictures of him. Perhaps he did have a mother who would love to hold him in his arms again, and a sister who had looked for him for so long that he had let down. But it didn't change he had felt so alone and lost in the world, he didn't have a loving family with photos and memories to look back at. But he hoped, that now that Maya and Katelyn had convinced him, now that Nigel had convinced him that family was important - he hoped things would change for him, that he could actually have what he always had felt was impossible. Jack found himself with one of the pictures in his hand. Jack exhaled before putting it back down, he wondered what had happened. Where were to two people in the photo, the guy and the little girl? Maybe they were dead. For her, he hoped not.

The cyrobird took a deeper breath in once again, and returned to the kitchen where she was. Jack felt his mouth a little bit dry before looking around, his observant eye noticed the box with some stuff in. He didn't mean to drag around in what had happened or where they were - it could be endless things that had happened. "The people in those pictures- what happened?" He asked pressing his brows a little together. He had never been good at boundaries.  

She was stirring around in the pot as he came back out of the bedroom and walked towards her. Scarlett turned around giving him a soft smile, a smile that died as he asked her what happened to the people in the picture. Now, it wasn’t because she didn’t want to talk about it. But it wasn’t a happy taler either. “Okay, I’m just going to say it quick, and rip the bandage off” she made a small chuckle, that clearly wasn’t wholeheartedly  “Liam, he was my boyfriend, the one that made me see that I needed to get out of Bratva - sadly, two years ago he got shot, he didn’t make it” she licked her lips and looked down at the brown stew “Chloe was just a few months old when it happened, and I, didn’t have enough recourses so, the city took her away” her fingers glided under her nose as she felt how the affected her. One should think that after such a long time she would get used to talk about it, but she wasn’t. It still hurt like it had all happened yesterday. And the thing that hurt most, was the fact that she let Liam down by not being able to provide for her little girl “so, that is my little sob story, but I'm doing everything I can right now to get her back, and that is really good” she said turning around and gave her a warm smile, even though it was still filled with pain it wasn’t a forced smile. “Feeling a little better?” she asked, looking at him now clothed.

Ripping the bandage off, that was something people usually said when the thing was painful, making his theory regarding it being bad very real. Jack still didn't know how bad it was going to be, but he also wanted to say she didn't have to share anything. It wasn't like she was supposed to, but he was also thankful that she did, that she actually trusted him with this sort of information. Telling that the guy Liam had been her boyfriend, the one that had made her get out of Bratva, but had been shot, not making it. Jack took a slightly deeper breath in, pressing his brows an inch together. Now, Jack had never seen the reason behind getting out of a gang, sure it could be dangerous, but they were family? Wasn't that just a part of the package? Chloe had been only a few months, the daughter, taken away by the city. Sometimes Jack forgot just how people outside of Southside lived their lives. Because in Southside, it seemed like everything was being played without rules. Jack observed her and how she reacted to telling the sob story as she called it. However, she was doing everything she could do get her back, which had to count for a great amount of things.

The warm and pained smile, made him curl his lips up in a smaller smile that slowly grew a little bit brighter. "You seem like quite the person, I'm sure you will get her back," he spoke giving her a more assuring smile. Jack folded his lips a little bit together when she asked him if he was feeling better. "Physically? I'm fine," he replied scratching the back of his head a little bit. "But, this guy came by with his crew just after I had been out on my daily flight... He demanded the serpents back, and I tried," he placed his hand on the kitchen counter, closing them into a fists by the flashback that followed that sentence. "He got the upper hand, exiled me from that part of Southside - so I both lost and failed tonight, and there is no way for me to contact the people there who might be worried about me," he sighed a bit looking down at the counter, before returning his eyes towards her. Or, he could find Maya, Maya knew Eric and Victoria - but having to explain everything that had happened, he didn't want to trouble more people.

“well, that is the plan” she chuckled, and turned around to check on the food, as he had told her that he was physically fine. But. She looked over her shoulder as he started to explain to her what had happened. Now, she had thought it had been bad, especially after she had seen just how he had looked. But she hadn’t imagined that it would be that bad. He had explained last time, just how the Serpents was his family and now someone had taken that away from him? She wasn’t about to tell him that his feelings about having lost and failed was wrong. Not knowing just how much this meant for him, but she wasn’t blind to see just how much it affected him. Putting down the spoon she had used to stir around the stew with, she walked towards him. Placed a hand on his, and gave him an understanding look. “I won’t pretend that I understand what you’re going through” she whispered, doing just as she had done out in the bath. Placing to fingers under his chin sliding them over his skin before moving it away. Then she placed a hand against his cheek “But, the good thing about hitting the bottom, scraping over the floor because things can’t get worse? Is there is only one thing to do, its gain strength, and then raise again” she let her tongue glide over her lips “you can stay here as long as you need, figuring out what to do, and how to get in contact with the people you need, I’m at collage and then at work all day either way, so – the apartment would be empty otherwise” she nodded slowly, making sure that he understood that she meant it. He was welcome to stay, just as long as he liked. If it was just for a few hours, or a month. For some reason, she was willing to do whatever he needed.

Scarlett walked towards him, and he didn't move, but pressed his brows together just a bit till she stood in front of him. Jack knew no one really could understand what had happened tonight, he barely understood so himself, he had fought with every single fiber in his body, but he hadn't been strong enough. Feeling her fingers glide under his chin, made him take a longer and deeper breath in, almost able to take his breath away by the power of the simple touch. Then the other hand on his cheek, making his eyes stay on hers, feeling his heart skipping a few beats ahead, and had to remind himself to exhale again. Jack took her words in, and then raise again, he hoped so. It reminded him of Nigel's words, sometimes you have to take a leap of faith to find something that is worth being a part of, it definitely wasn't in the aspect of this the words were meant, but it didn't change the fact that it was now he thought about them. He had to take a leap of faith and hope that this would take him to where he was supposed to be.

She invited him to stay as long as he needed. It wasn't really because he didn't anywhere else to go, he had his shitty apartment in Aston near the academy. Not that he was very fond of returning there, there was too many memories with Eris. He could stay at the room that was provided for him at the academy and if anything went wrong, he knew he could travel to Rafael's territory and stay with them. "I appreciate it," he replied and took a deeper breath in. Despite having people to contact, it was a few of them where he felt like he wouldn't get judgment, he wasn't even sure Victoria would be allowed out of Southside, but he was also sure Rafael would see to her get out of there, but he also hoped for them to be careful. "I think I might have to leave Southside for the moment, gain my strength and all, but you can come visit me in my apartment in town - if you want, I'm a teacher - actually, I know, shocking - so staying in Aston makes makes it easier to get to work," he then told her with a warm smile, maybe she had figured out, if she had listened in on the conversation at their first meeting. "But I would like to stay the night, making sure I'm fully recovered..." he nodded a bit with a warmer smile, very thankful.

She nodded slowly as he told her that he needed to leave southside. She understood, and to be fair, if she had the means and money she would leave to. Rather sooner than later. But she needed to gather a good sum of money so she actually could get out of here, find a good apartment where she could live with her daughter. So, every money that she could put aside, to just that purpose. And as a waitress that meant that she had a jar hidden somewhere in the apartment filled with the brim. Even though that she sometimes had to take from it when emergency things appeared.

A small chuckle left her as he told her that it was shocking that he was a teacher, she shook her head a little. Even though she had only seen him that late afternoon and night. She understood why he was it, there was an air around him, that just made him a good teacher in her eyes. “I understand, and I’m glad you have something to still to get up for in the morning, makes things a little easier if you ask me” she let her hand fall from his cheek and took his hand instead giving it a small squeeze as he told her that he would stay the night “That would put me at ease –“ wait had he just invited her over to his apartment? A cheeky grin formed on her lips, as her tongue licked over her lips. “Well, I do have late nights at a restaurant in Aston, so maybe I’ll take you up on that offer to visit your apartment sometimes” she let out and couldn’t really hide how it made her heart skip a beat. She turned towards the food, it seemed done. So she grabbed to bowls and started pouring food into them.

Something to wake up to, he wouldn't call it that, he called it people counting on him, yes, it did keep him somewhat going. He had liked one of the newer teachers did school year, at least one of them. Letha seemed pretty cool. She was also the reason why he looked forward to actually coming to work, because he just liked her spirit and he hoped they could become great friends. Jack first breathed out when her hand left his cheek, and he was about to say something when she took his hand, and the words completely got lost in the wind. The most worry he knew was from when his friends had been in danger, like earlier the year when Rafael and Victoria had been under attack and he had rushed to come and help them. Seeing them hurt. He knew just how he felt more at ease when he was there till they had recovered, so Jack gave her a smaller nod. She worked at a restaurant in Aston, he could assume it was some later nights. "The heating doesn't work there either though, I might look for a new place," he pressed his brows together as he realized he spoke his thoughts out oud, something that rarely happened. "But either way, I would love to see you more," he confessed honestly.

Jack took a deeper breath in as he watched her walk over to the food and put some in the bowls for them. He walked a little bit closer, towards her standing behind her as she poured food in the bowls, it smelled delicious. He wasn't sure if it was due to the almost dying and his body having to heal, or if it was just because it was in fact delicious. "It smells really nice," he spoke a little lower with a softer smile on his lips, hearing his stomach complain a little, odd usually it never complained.

She started laughing as he told her that heating didn’t work in his apartment either “maybe Gaia is just cursed with apartments and their heating” she mused as she made sure that he had extra food in his bowl. Needing the energy after such a beating, even though that he had gotten a lot from whatever ability he had connected to ice and cold. What was it he had said, a Cryobird? A soft smile formed on her lips; she should have guessed it really. When he told her that he would love to see her more, she forgot to breathe. He really, wanted to do that? It had been a long time since he had met someone as honest as Jack. When she turned around, he was standing right there. “Oh, hello” she whispered slowly turning her gaze up towards his eyes. A soft chuckle left him, “Well I hope that the food taste just as good as it smells” she mumbled, she then held the bowl towards him “And, just to respond what you said earlier” she breathed out, not knowing why it was so hard for her just to admit. Was it because it felt like a betrayal to Liam? “I would really love to see you more too” licking her lips she kept her eyes on him to see his reaction. It really was a wild experience when you met someone and felt that instant connection. Without even really understanding why it was like they fit into your life so well. But one thing was sure, she really did want to spend more time with him, finding out who he really was behind that well-constructed mask.

Jack gladly took the bowl of food looking at it for a moment before letting his eyes rest one hers again. "I'm sure it does, you will find I'm not a picky eater," he chuckled a bit to himself turning a bit around, frowning at himself for that comment - where did that come from? Jack turned his head back towards her, tilting it a little bit with quite the innocent expression. I would really love to see you more too, his took a tumble around, losing the battle in not falling head over hells by that comment. His body felt such warmth he couldn't recall ever have experienced like this before. She made it so easy for him to take a liking to her, and he barely felt like he deserved such act of kindness. But he liked it. He liked her. "I guess I will be looking forward to seeing more of you then," he chuckled a little bit looking down at his food for a moment. Jack then returned back to reality remembering what had happened tonight and took a deeper breath in. "Weill you perhaps do me a favor? Text Irina, and tell her that Maya and everyone should stay clear of Southside for a while, I will explain everything later, but that they need to keep out," he asked almost begging. Fun for a guy who didn't easily connect with people, he had felt seen by these people - and the last thing he wanted was for any of them to get hurt.

He then walked to sit down, placing the bowl at the smaller table, looking over at Scarlett with a warmer smile. For him it was a lot to ask someone for that kind of help, when you weren't in the gang, so actually asking - it was huge for him despite it being a small act. Jack took a small bite of the food.

This man. He was smoother than he knew, and that only made him so much more dangerous. Because she had the feeling that he didn’t even understand how his words could make people swoon over him. But for someone that so easily could get one, why was he then so lonely, and had such a problem with trusting? Maybe the people that he had put trust and love in, hadn’t treated like he deserved it too? It also meant that she really had to mean everything she said, every step of the way.

As he asked her if she could do him a favor he quickly nodded “Yes, of course” she said with a smile, and waited for him to elaborate. “Oh, of course, I didn’t even think about that!” she mumbled, looking for her phone, after putting her own bowl on the countertop. As she found it, she quickly sent off the text to her, texting it just like Jack had asked her too. “There we go, not that I think they would be coming here, I always meet them at their place when we want to see each other anyway” she explained before taking her bowl and walking towards the couch and sat down beside him. Taking a big bite, she closed her eyes and leaned back. It had at this point been a long time since she had eaten lunch. This was really nice, she looked towards him “This is really, nice” she laughed “well, I would have loved it not to be under these circumstances, but it’s been a long time since I shared a meal like this” she mumbled as she took another bite of her food and looked towards the bedroom on the other side of where the couch was placed. Then she realized, she couldn’t really offer him the couch, if he needed to get his strength back, he shouldn’t be sleeping on a couch he couldn’t fit on. And then, that left the bed, beside her. That would be, interesting.

Jack breathed out as he saw her texting, and confirmed it was done. "Yeah I know, but I've known Maya for around a year now. She hang out a lot by Southside by the end of last year and the start of this - sometimes she just stayed at the bar chatting with us," he chuckled a little by that memory, from one lost soul to another it had been rather easy for him to see himself in Maya at the time, still was. But he was also happy to know, they didn't typically hang around these parts of Gaia. It made him at least a bit more at ease. It was nice, just sitting here and eating, despite everything that had happened, this was nice. It was the nicest he had felt in quite some time, at least after things had settled a little bit after having met his the first of his brothers. "Yeah, it's nice," he agreed with her, chuckling a bit by the mention of it would have been better under normal circumstances - it was a long time since he had sat down having a meal like this too. Sure him and Eris had eaten meals together talking, but it hadn't really felt like this, this peaceful and without trouble.

He kept eating, leaning a bit back in the couch and closed his eyes for a moment. "This is really good," he breathed out taking yet another bite, followed by the next till the bowl was completely empty. "Thank you so much for cooking," he smiled over at her, placing his left hand on his stomach for a moment before taking a deeper breath in. "Just what I needed," Jack chuckled a little to himself.

She couldn’t help but chuckle as she saw just how peaceful he looked while eating her food. It was, really something. And it wasn’t even horrible just sitting there in silence enjoying the food without the need to talk or exchange words. They were done around the same time, and as he thanked her for cooking, she turned towards him and made a small nod “Was the least I could do, and should it be another time” she said with a soft and gentle smile, as she stood up taking his bowl and walked towards the sink so she could wash them up. She would rather just do it right away than let it sit till morning. While washing up she couldn’t help but let her eyes glance towards him, every now and again she caught his eye and a soft chuckle left her as she quickly looked down at what she was doing.

Finally drying of her hands she took in a deep breath “Well, I’m completely beat, so I’ll just make myself ready and jump into bed” she licked her lips looking towards the bed room “Would you mind just sharing the bed with me, makes it so much easier not to have to make the bed for someone else on the couch and, yeah I don’t mind if you don’t” she quickly added with a smile, now there was a truth to the fact that it would just ad more work if she needed to find pillows, and bedlinen for him. More to wash and so on, but, she didn’t want him to feel obligated to take the horrible couch to lie on, just because he was a guest.

He kept seated as she got up to take the dishes, and he just observed her gently, still time to time looking around. He was rather good at taking in environments and how everything was placed in the room. Finally realizing the space, how wrecked it was. He wondered how she kept herself warm, he was very aware that people didn't like cold as much as he did. He turned his eyes towards her again, when she mentioned being completely beaten and wanting to jump to bed, he nodded a bit. Jack took a deeper breath in and looked at the couch, he didn't mind sleeping on the couch - he wouldn't even need a blanket, even though they were quite comfortable. He followed her eyes towards the bedroom, finding himself holding his breath for a moment. Then he turned his eyes back to her when she asked if he would mind sharing the bed with her, he blinked a little - clearly not expecting it. But he had been used to trade a bit carefully around Eris after everything, and even if it wasn't because it meant anything remotely like that. It wasn't often he was invited to sleep next to someone. "No, yeah... I don't mind," he breathed out trying to figure out what to do with himself. "To be honest, I think sleep does sound good," he added before taking a slightly sharper breath in. Jack placed his hands on his thighs for a second before getting up on his feet.

"But are you sure you don't mind?" He then asked, pressing his brows together.  Jack took a deeper breath in once again, feeling how heavy his heart was beating in his chest. "I don't want to overstep in any way," Jack added with a little lower voice and took a step just a small step closer towards her.

How was it possible that tension could get so thick between two people this fast? It wasn’t even because he was standing that close, but that small step and his heavy voice that travelled like echo through her small apartment. It made her hair raise on her arms, sending chills down her spine and her heart picked up speed without her being able to slow it down. He would be able to hear it, wouldn’t he? The sliver of a smile formed on her lips, before she had to draw in a big mouthful of air filling lungs. “Yeah, Yeah I’m sure” she licked her lips nodding letting her fingers glide over her warm cheeks and looked around. “And you’re not overstepping, I wouldn’t have asked if it did” She knew that she needed to turn around and walk into the bathroom and brush her teeth, get ready to actually go to bed. But something was almost nailing her to the floor while starring at him.

Jack nodded happy about getting the confirmation that she was fine with it. It made his shoulders less tense to know, and it was clear that he felt more at ease knowing his presence wasn't something she was scared off. "Great, good," he breathed out almost like a heavy burden was taken off his shoulders. Then as she walked to the bathroom, he walked to the bedroom, taking off the t-shirt, he couldn't sleep with that on. He even for a second debated with himself if he should keep the sweatpants on or not, but kept them on. Then he jumped under the covers, feeling the heaviness of his body the second he back hit the mattress.  Jack turned his eyes towards her, watching her look towards him. He lifted his head up, bending his elbow a little so he could use his hand to support his head, Jack send her a warm smile. "Did you forget something?" He wondered, mostly because it looked like was lost in thought.