#( 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 ; threads (( Jacob ))

[sharp-teeth-and-archived]

( Jacob Frye ; continued )

        𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦. A woman who could hold her own, who was built like this particular woman, was not the usual London citizen. How she managed to slip through the cracks of their connections, the Rooks, and how the Blighters spotted her first was a mystery he couldn’t solve quite yet. 

        Jacob flexed the muscles in his hands, rubbing a hand over his wrist as the adrenaline dissipate in his limbs. He could hear the mechanisms on his gauntlet jingle in place from his movement, reminding him he should tell Aleck soon about the new noise. For now, his concerns were on the woman named Kassandra. She was a hell of a fighter and Jacob seemed to have met his match.

        ❝ Jacob Frye, leader of the Rooks. ❞ He smiled at her and extended the hand that had the gauntlet on his wrist. ❝ Blighters seem to be targeting anyone recently. My gang has been wiping out their boroughs, but they always manage to worm their way back in. ❞ He exchanged a glance toward the dead Blighter on the cobblestone before he looked up at Kassandra. ❝ Are you new to London by chance? ❞

@ofspvrta

[sharp-teeth-and-archived]

( J.acob F.rye ; continued )

        𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐝𝐝 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐤𝐞. A harmless man, but an odd one with his manner of speaking and his in-tuned almost psychic connection with animals. Evie interacted with Roland more than Jacob, with their shared love for academics and the supernatural; both topics Jacob grew quickly bored with or amused by, depending on the occasion. But Roland was harmless, intriguing company, he had no qualms with him. A cheeky grin pulled the edge of his lip, his gauntlet hand hanging loosely by his side. 

        His eyes moved over to the crow perched on his knee, humming in thought as he examined the bird before he spoke. The bird didn’t give him her name? What a shame. ❝ Have you tried asking her ‘please��? ❞ he glanced over to Roland, not realizing how his jest could be twisted into disrespect.

        ❝ The hay cushions the fall. ❞ Falling that high up anywhere else would put him out of commission for a month if he was lucky not to die on immediate impact. ❝ Growing up, I bruised in a few places and broke a couple of bones trying to master that drop. My sister? Aced it on her first try. Father wouldn’t let it go for a week. ❞ He raised a hand to adjust his hat, pushing it back as it fell on his brow line. ❝ It's a quicker way down rather than climbing down; luckily England seems to fill their wagons to the brim with hay, or else nobody would live to tell the tale. ❞

@eritvita

[sharp-teeth-and-archived]

        𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐯𝐢𝐞’𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞. ❝ Of course, we have the time for it. We’re not planning on leaving London any time soon, right? ❞ he reassured. What was the use of focusing on one thing at a time? As they have learned with the Templar Order in London, it was better to strike at all angles. A brewery would bring in more money, and if they struck gold with this idea, their influence over a business could be a good hideout for the Rooks and it could serve the people of London. A business free from Templar or Blighter connection. ❝ What? Do you think I didn’t think of that already? ❞ 

        A grin poked at his lips. ❝ Oh, Eves, have you heard it's bad luck to give out all the details about a project? It's in the works, don’t worry. It’ll be a success, you can trust my word on that. ❞ But a name… that was going to be the hardest part. Jacob tapped his chin with his finger, humming to himself. ❝ I have a couple of ideas. How does… Revolution Brewers sound? Final Swallow Brewing? ❞

Evie's foot bounced slightly in the air, as she folded her hands over her lap. "Uh oh," Evie teased back as she raised a brow. His next thought made her eyes widen. "Jacob Frye, do we even have time for that? And what would you do with it?" The idea of having a pub or brewery seemed like a huge exploit, one that she knew she could not maintain with her current requirements on her shoulders. With his gang, though, she knew he had plenty of options there.

"Your thoughts always lead to ideas, which leads to plans. You already thought up some names, didn't you?" She asked. While she teased her brother, she was curious a little about what his plan was. Honestly, he was establishing himself so well in London. While she had thought the gang plan was a bit of a reach he had made it work. The rooks were loyal to him, and she had no desire to take that from him. He was making the gang worthwhile, protecting the people on the streets, and keeping the peace. Even Freddy had noticed crime decreasing from the extra forces Jacob brought. She had never mentioned it, but she was proud of his work here.

[sharp-teeth-and-archived]

( Jacob Frye ; sc )

       Winter months and slick streets were nothing new for the assassin. Roofs were caked with powder and mush that’d often stain Jacob’s clothing more than the other months, the ice that clung to roofs and streets was one of the many things to keep in mind for Jacob. Despite how mastered he was with his profession, he still had multiple instances of reckless grace that resulted in slipping and falls.

       So, being cautious, he decided to traverse the streets rather than climb apartment complexes and workhouses. The wind is less impactful than it was in the countryside, but Jacob still stacks on a few layers to his clothing.

       When he spots a shivering man on the street, face pale, he’s quick to notice.

       ❝ Sir, you’re freezing! ❞ Jacob exclaims, shoving off his jacket. ❝ Stick by the hearth for today, yeah? It’s bloody cold out here. ❞

@thesebrokenboys​

[sharp-teeth-and-archived]

( Jacob Frye ; closed starter )

      𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, he could hear clearly from Evie in his head as if she stood beside Jacob now. The additional person would be nice, a person who knew him thoroughly and all his their secrets, but he knew if Evie was around -- they wouldn’t be stuck in the middle of the wilderness with rain pouring down overhead and thunder clashing with everything.

        Now, with a drenched overcoat, boots that squelched with every step, he was at the mercy of the foliage above him for protection. Maybe he could manage to find his way back to town?

      Through the rainfalls and the clouded landscape before him, he shook his head. ❝ Sod it. ❞

      Then, heavy hoof steps turn his head, eyes wide at the sign of another lifeform (or just one lifeform, Jacob was only similar to mortals in a few ways). He rushes out from the trees, lifting his hands and waving them.

       ❝ Hey! You there! Stop, please! ❞

@hopesustained​ (Ariel)

[sharp-teeth-and-archived]

        𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, no doubt both elements worked together to create the dreary mood along the Thames. Jacob had never seen an area so miserable as London (and he thought Crawley was a bit of an eyesore). Jacob can’t help but blame the Templar Order for all of this: the smoke, the water, and the melancholy that seemed to engulf the city more than the smoke. 

        The top of her cane sword catches the moonlight, which draws Jacob’s gaze toward her. He grins and stands, lifting a hand up to his collapsible top hat to replace it with his hood. Sometimes, if rarely, Jacob would rely on stealth to get his message across. With the two of them? Jacob was expecting to leave a big impression on these Templars.

        With his pinky, he points towards the men lingering above the top floor of the ship. ❝ You, Eves, will deal with the fellows on top. I’m sure the boss is up there, barking orders to his men. ❞ His point shifts towards the men on the bottom deck, specifically at one lingering by the railing, rubbing his face and looking for a good swim. ❝ I’ll deal with the men on the bottom. ❞

        He looks over at Evie, his eyes meeting her gaze under the hood. ❝ Sounds like a deal? ❞ Luckily, he caught himself before he uttered the dreaded word “plan.” He figured Evie wouldn’t have him hear the end of it if he wasn’t careful with his words.

FOR ONCE THE GLEAM IN EVIE’S EYES … matched the gleam in jacob’s eyes. that wasn’t quite an apology, more of their way of letting bygones be bygones … because it’s not exactly a coincidence they’ve both showed up here without previously agreeing to meet at said spot. THE SHIP COMING IN HAS A HUGE TEMPLAR HAUL that even evie couldn’t turn down. a woman and her love of artifacts.

“ — perfect. ” evie breathes out in just the mischievous playful tone she always has with her brother. as if a piece of their childhood is always shared between them to never be forgotten. evie raises her sword-cane as a salute. “ why don’t you lead the way? ”

[sharp-teeth-and-archived]

( J.acob F.rye l continued )

talking with an o'driscoll has set new limits to her patience and she could thank the creator for having gifted her that patience in the first place. after having stayed up all night, fiddling with indecision, she was now riding slowly beside the frye boy, eyes closed, set to the rhythm of their horses' deep breaths sucking in the warm open air. but what she's about to do only leaves her cold in the hot sun. she likes to think she's fast enough to draw and shoot, but sitting is awkward. the blanket heavy on her shoulder does wonders and hopefully, she'd gain his trust just enough to chase off suspicion. do or don't, woman. he'll kill you one day eventually if you let him. if you'll let him? did it really come down to this? it happens all so fast: first, she whips to grab an arm to pull forward, whipping her revolver from her left with her right hand and just as the barrel skims over jacob's leg, or horse, smoke plumes between them twice. sokanon instantly pulls away ( whether or not jacob crashes to the ground, she can't tell ) as she rides away several feet to get a better idea of the mess. eyes are set, hardened by their differences, guilt lined in a deep frown, " if it's any consolation, jacob, I'm sorry. "

        𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥, plummeting him into a quiet mood with a small scowl carved across his lips, his brows knitting together as he stared into the bright sunlight. All the holes and threadbare material in his jacket and vest didn’t help ease the heat, he could feel the sweat building up underneath his collar as they rode slowly in the morning sun.  Luckily, Sokanon didn’t seem to be in a talkative mood. He preferred talkative company when he wasn’t grumpy; they always aired out their weaknesses without any prodding, but the quest ones made for better company on the long haul. Mysterious company, nonetheless, but manageable for the long stretch ahead. 

        But the quiet was questionable. With his knowledge of his companion, Sokanon had grown too quiet. As he eyed the expression on her face, it looked like she wanted to say something, but barred herself from doing so. His voice was hoarse, which only added to his rough intonation as he spoke.

        “You look like you have something to say.“

        He shifted in his saddle, clearing his throat, as his eyes lingered on Sokanon. She looked forward, her mouth shut tight. She closed her eyes as if she was contemplating. And contemplating she was, for in a second, Jacob saw the flash of silver, and next thing he knew, his horse roared and he was thrown off his mighty steed. In a matter of seconds, Jacob tumbled to the ground stomach-first. Dust kicked up around him and he gasped, sucking in a harsh breath of dirt and gravel that only inflamed his stomach further. It felt like he dropped from the top of a gambling boat, head first into the water below to make his escape. He felt just as dizzy and disoriented as if he plummeted head-first into the icy water. The damn heat didn’t matter anymore., he was suffocating under the mess of elements.

        ❝ Fucking bitch! ❞ Jacob yelled in pain, a wet substance clung to his hand when he reached down to cover his leg. Then the pain started, sending him wincing and groaning again as he shifted his weight onto his good leg, crawling pathetically across the gravel. He didn’t care to hear what Sokanon had to say, it hardly mattered to him when this strike of betrayal stung so deep. A venomous scorpion, that’s what she fucking was. Shouldn’t have trusted anyone that was once a Van der Linde, no matter if they believed his gospel or not. He created venomous sinners, not saints.

@wiiaca

[sharp-teeth-and-archived]

( Jacob Frye ; continued )

      𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛’𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐡’𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞, 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦. His anger was easy to recognize, he’s developed his own coldness in response to Lilith’s, but it defrosted two months into their journey, in the standstill of everything. The emotions had to spill somewhere and here it poured, in this dark, moss overgrown alleyway that anyone other than them would be a fool to travel through tonight.

      Jacob scoffed quietly, his teeth biting his cheek to muffle himself. He knew if he had nothing to let his teeth cling onto, he would speak and anything that’s said would not be pretty. Nor would it be anything Jacob would want to say. Words Lilith didn’t deserve hearing. Now with her speaking about this, he wanted to do anything he can to along it. 

      Any form of torture would be less than all of this. To him, a man who usually leveled enough perseverance to get through most challenges, he felt unambitious here. Deeply, it started to leave him absent of energy. Evie was starting to worry if Jacob was becoming unfit for the task, all of this demanding a steady head and a remembrance of their story and all its details and evolutions. His mind flooded on personal matters might bleed into his improvised life.

      If Jacob didn’t face it, he wasn’t sure what would become of them in the future with Arryn’s death.

       ❝ I know enough, ❞ he spoke with lowered eyebrows. Jacob felt frustrated at the feeling of Lilith undermining him. He spoke to Arryn’s members enough to get an idea of things and he felt as if his research was sufficient enough. He knew if he made one mistake it could cost him his life and this entire expedition. ❝ You don’t think you aren’t my own vulnerability as well? This whole… fighting, repressed feeling game… it’s driving me insane. ❞

       ❝ Just… I want to be honest with you and on the same page together. Even if it’s private and far in between than none at all. ❞ Jacob felt for a moment that his image of Lilith before was all wrong and he could feel that former self slipping from his fingers. Evie was resolved with Tristam, she never spoke of him much but he knew they were on good terms with all of this. He was jealous that Lilith and him weren’t the same. Why did we have to break up?

       ❝ I’ll speak my peace and leave. ❞

@deadlyarccna​​

[sharp-teeth-and-archived]

        𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝--almost--at the way she described the color scheme of The Rooks. ❝ The green is intentional, you see. Green represents renewal, harmony, and growth, if you listen to my sister. ❞ And there was a whole story of the color from Evie’s angle. Something about primary colors, red being the opposite of green, but that’s where Jacob’s focus went out the window. He preferred more simple explanations. What was the saying? The simplest explanation is often the best one? Evie would know, or maybe Lilith for that matter.

        ❝ Green is easier on the eyes, don’t you think? ❞ He grinned a confident smirk and noticed the way Kassandra’s eyes lingered over his gauntlet. As he pulled his hand away, he looked down at his gauntlet at his side. Turning it front and back, his eyes scanned over all the mechanisms that Aleck had graciously manufactured for them.

        It seems that Kassandra had more of a poet’s tongue than he did, but he waved that off quickly. He found it easier to converse over a drink. ❝ It’s settled then. You and I will go out for a pint and you can enlighten me all about your time in London. ❞ His tone is cheery and inviting, but he caught onto her words with intrigue. Jacob wasn’t all for symbolism or academic discussion, but he was a reader of people, mastered from his time in card games. He felt as if there was a weight to her claim of last being there a lifetime ago, though he wasn’t entirely sure what it meant.

London was a changed city, and not just because the technology had advanced in the thousand years since she was last here. She grew, gone were the skeletons of the one vast Roman Empire, her statues and structures littered about like stone ghosts dotting the landscape. It was replaced by people living stacked on top of one another, smokestacks and factories with air that was choking at times, and the kind of wealth disparity that could boil the blood of the compassionate soul. And now there were roaming gangs apparently. That was a nice addition.

Her ears trained on that gauntlet of his. The mechanics of the hidden blade were usually fairly simple. Easy enough that it existed in her age before many of the advancements in machinery came about, but he sounded more complex. Fascinating. Something she wanted to look into at another time.

"The Rooks? Don't tell me those are the fellows who wear the shockingly bright green colors, are they?" She took his hand and gave it a rather firm shake. "The wicked are like that. An infestation of snakes in the grass that is often hard to spot." And she had plenty of experience with snakes. "Kind of. It's been some time since I've been here before, almost feels like an entire lifetime ago."

[sharp-teeth-and-archived]

( LILITH )·:

It had been difficult to tear that truth out of herself, and even more painful to speak the words aloud, but Jacob’s entirely unbothered reply hurt even more. Marian hadn’t expected him to be pleased by her admittance. She had expected him to brush her off with a rude joke or an insult, but at the same time she had hoped that there might be more emotion in his voice than this when he did, so that she could tell herself that at least now he was affected by the painful truth too. Marian wanted him to be bothered by it because she had been bothered by it first. She was uncomfortable, conflicted, frustrated, angry with herself…

But of course he doesn’t even have the decency to be frustrated back.

Marian took an involuntary step back as Jacob bent to tend to the fire. The snow-buried windows of the cabin let in a sharp and burning cold, but it was still easier to keep to the edges of the room and let herself shiver than it was to move closer to Jacob. She clenched her jaw and tried to focus on her anger.

I shouldn’t care what he thinks, she chastised herself. I can’t afford to.

“I did say inexplicable reason, Jacob,” she replied, wishing that she could force her words to sound as cold as she felt, “so don’t worry. It wasn’t a compliment.”

With that Marian turned her head, shifting her black glare resolutely away from Jacob. She wouldn’t stare at him—not now. Not in this stupid, freezing, cramped cabin where it would feel so painfully obvious if she did. The muscle in her jaw jumped as she forced herself to glance between the windows as if she was only examining their broken-down shelter for the hundredth time, impatient for the snow storm to end. But inside she was fuming, and she didn’t miss Jacob’s slight movement in the corner of her eye when he turned his head to look at her. Had he been hoping for a more emotional reaction? Too bad. She wouldn’t humor him.

“And I could say a few things about you and how much I wish you could ever manage to shut up in my presence too, so don’t start.”

      𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐫. 𝐊𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟. 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲. 𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞: 𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟. Jacob Frye would be the uncomfortable presence in the back of any church; the sinner who cannot manage to get saved, who finds the thrill in the number of times he can revoke his deliverance. Jacob might’ve been born and bred into confining, tight suits with a bow anchored on his neck, but not for longevity. As he sat here, perched behind the fire, in frayed clothing, hair long past due for a trim, instead opting for a slicked-back look that made him look slightly put-together, it’s his careless for his appearance and confidence with his perfunctory that drew some in. This is who I am, love me or hate me.

      As much as he liked to imagine he didn’t care for judgment, Lilith’s eyes on him invoke an under-belly self-conscious feeling that was unfamiliar to him. He wished his hair was trimmed, that his scruff was shaven down. No, he didn’t require a suit but he should invest in clothes that weren’t as threadbare as his were. He wasn’t a man to bring home to a father, but he inwardly sought to be a man that looked enough for his partner's mother. No, Lilith couldn’t be the partner in question, but a stare from the other sex made him more aware.

      Maybe this freeze will refine his choices. 

      He found himself grinning at her fiery words, shifting his mood into a humorous one by the way he riled her up. Jacob was not a fairly educated man, not as book-smart as his sister, but he felt like he understood inexplicable to a certain degree. One that gave a general understanding of the term. He could already hear his sister disagreeing with his interpretation no matter his confidence. ❝ But for some inexplicable reason, you felt the need to admit it. Maybe it isn’t as inexplicable as you claim. ❞

      He peered over at her again, eyes aflame with impish intentions. ❝ Compliments aren’t uncommon for me. ❞ Though recently with his untidy appearance, he received them less than when he was put together, but he needed to bring down Lilith another peg. 

       ❝ Is your choice of bunkering down with me another inexplicable choice of yours? ❞

[sharp-teeth-and-archived]

( STRANGER )·:·

Lilith should have expected him to be sarcastic. Any sailor—or anyone who had played pirate for long enough—was always more likely to scorn advice and reject the offer of hospitality than they were to cooperate. Especially after they had been tied rather roughly to a chair, and left alone with their frustration for a bit too long. Lilith might have even done the same in his situation, trying every way she could think of to get the upper hand. But now she was only annoyed by this man’s bravado. She crossed her arms over her chest, looking down at him with nothing but cold indifference in her black eyes.

“Oh I’m sorry, thief,” she replied flatly. “What sort of crimes are you normally accused of? Surely not thievery, as your title might suggest. Surely you haven’t stolen from us.”

The longer she spent looking at the man the more annoyed she could feel herself becoming, but luckily for both of them she was practiced at keeping her emotions under control. And, more importantly, she knew that she needed to follow her captain’s orders. She needed her captain to like her because she needed to stay on this ship. She needed to travel and she needed information from as many pirates as she could convince to talk to her.

So suck it up, she told herself. Deal with this idiot as quickly as you can and then get on with your day.

       ❝ Public intoxication, mostly. ❞

      Recently, Jacob’s jobs have been quite profitable: giving him even more profit by gambling and supplying others with rounds of drinks. Jacob wasn’t the town drunk by any means, whatever trade harbor he was hanging around this time, but part of his dealings came with the right amount of bartering. 

      The restraints started to eat away at his flesh, making the mistake hours ago that a small pocket knife on him might cut through the bindings. When the rather dull blade slipped through his hands and thunked against the leg of the chair, all he was left with was rope digging into his raw flesh, leaving red-bruised skin.

      He raised his head, getting a better view of her face by the decreased distance. If she wasn’t his interrogator and likely captor (he didn’t have the time to gather whoever it was that caught him), then he’d take her beauty into consideration. Offer her a drink, perhaps, shell out a few coins that resided elsewhere but his pockets now. 

      The rope scratched at his skin and he shifts in his seat, uncomfortable with the texture. 

       ❝ If you cut my ties, I’ll admit to everything. I have been a right arse up until now, but I’m being honest. Always have been since the first word, even in a roundabout way. ❞ If she was talented in picking up tone indicators, then she’d be able to tell this was true desperation.

@deadlyarccna·

[sharp-teeth-and-archived]

        𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐬, but others might say he learned a thing or two in all the times he spent in pubs, drinking the night away. 

        ❝ I was thinking, ❞ he starts, an amused grin crossed his lips as he lowered his head. He stared into his alcohol-coffee concoction; he watched as the liquid swirled as he moved the cup around in his hands. He stretched his legs out on the couch. ❝ Maybe we can set up a brewery? Or a pub of our own? We already have the employees for it. ❞ He grinned up at her. Well, specifically, Jacob had the means to find employees. He was sure a few of his Rooks would be willing, or at least, knew someone who would prefer to work in a pub as opposed to a factory. ❝ Just a thought, Eves. Just a thought. ❞ But as he said it in all of his innocent charms, it was clear that this thought was only the beginning of one of his schemes.

⌜ @sharp-teeth-and-wide-grins ⌟ ―― E v i e . & . J a c o b ❝ “last i checked, there was nothing illegal in that.” ❞

"You put alcohol in your coffee. How is that not illegal?" Evie said, crossing her arms as she tapped her foot slightly against the ground. "Are you trying to get drunk off your arse because I am not going to baby you tomorrow," Evie said, as she moved to sit down in a chair across from him. "However, I might laugh a bit if you fall on your face, then I'll help you up," Evie smirked slightly as she crossed her leg over her knee and leaned against the armrest.

"But really, is there a reason you're mixing the two? A bet with some of the rooks on the train or are you just trying to be inventive?"