Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a long ride from Highwind to Sandrock, but the views were worth it. Jade peered out the traincar window in awe at the beautiful landscape of the Eufaula desert. She sat back in her seat to close her eyes and imagine her knew life – becoming an award-winning builder, working hard around a bustling city by day, and relaxing  from her grand workshop while she watched the sun set over the desert at night. When she arrives at the train terminal in Sandrock, she will gracefully step off the train and into the rest of her life – only, it wasn’t as graceful as she planned. Jade was lost in her own daydream until she heard a voice whispering to her, but then that voice grew louder. “We have arrived in Sandrock! Last call for Sandrock!”

Sandrock… last call… “OH SHIT!” Jade yelled as she snapped out her dream and quickly grabbed her luggage to run out of the train. The doors just began to close causing her to trip and roll like a tumbleweed out onto the train platform, her bags and luggage spilling all around her. It was a much less than graceful entrance into the rest of her life. “Are you alright ma’am?” a low voice called out to her. Jade came to her senses and tried to look around to see where she was and who was speaking to her, but her long burgandy hair was tangled across her face. She quickly tried to put it up so she can see and scrambled to her feet. It took her a few moments to realize that she was not in a bustling city or a grand train terminal. She looked around the dusty train platform as her body finally took notice to the dry desert air and the harsh sun blaring down on her.

“Uh, ma’am, are you ok? Ya took quite a fall there. Let me help you with your spilled luggage before the wind sweeps your belongings away.” Jade finally looked to her right to see a short and stocky man with gray hair and a blue conductor’s uniform. She stared at him in confusion before it finally clicked in her brain that hr was talking to her. “Oh! Sorry, um, yes I am fine!” She said nervously as she frantically begins to pick up her clothes that were sprawled across the train platform and now covered in a thin layered of sand. The man helped Jade pack her luggage back up before extending his hand out to her. “The name’s Jensen, and welcome to Sandrock! What brings you here?”

“Sorry, I’m Jade. I am the new builder… and is this really the city?” She asks in dissapointment and confusion as she looks beyond the train platform to see a small town with fairly debilitated structures and tumbleweeds rolling across the way. “Yes, isn’t it a great little town? We’re like one big family over here. I mean yes, she’s seen better days…” Jensen says with a nervous laugh while he scratches the back of his head. “But ehh… oh! Mi-an!” he exlaims as he takes notice to the women with long dark hair at the other end of the platform. “Ms. Jade, please meet Ms. Mi-an, she is the other new builder in town!”

“Oh my goodness are you alright? I was running to the station because I thought I was going to miss your train and saw you take a fall in the distance!”

“Yeah I’m alright, just a little clumsy I guess. But it’s nice to meet you! Soooo, they hired two new builders at once?” Jade said while looking at Mi-an quizzickly.

“Actually, yes! The old builder Mason is retiring. Apparently there has been a lot of backed up work through the commerce guild and needed an extra pair of hands. But this is going to be so great though! We can learn and work together!”

Jade gave a small smile, trying to hide the fact that she was not so pleased that the town was not what she envisioned.

“Come on, lets go meet with Mason and the Director of the Commerce Guild!”

Mia-an helps Jade with her bags as the walk down from the platform and into town. They approached two men standing outside the guild. “Hi Director!” Mi-an called out. “I’d like to introduce you to-”

“President! I am not a measily director, I told you I am President! And if you don’t address me as such, I will have to deduct a fee from your first paycheck!”

“Uhh, sorry Presiden-” “And you must be Jade! I’m Yan, President of the Comemerce Guild!” Mi-an took an uncomfortable step back with an anxious look on her face as Yan cut her off again. “You and Mi-an over here will be filling the role that Mason is leaving behind. Speaking of which, Mason, care to say a few words to the newbies here?”

The tall, thin, and emotionless man with bloodshot eyes simply said “No.” before walking into the saloon across the street. “Heh, he’s never been a big talker… anyways, Mi-an, show the newbie to her new workshop and have her build a pickhammer and a recycler. I’ll inspect it, and IF you pass, then you can head to town hall and register your workshop. Now scram! Wasting time is costing me money!” Yan says before heading back into the commerce guild.

“Well, he’s one hell of a guy.” Jade says in disgust. “He’s definitely interesting… but hey, let’s go check out your new workshop! Follow me!” Mi-an’s tone slowly changes back to the cheerier version of herself like she was on the train platform. The pair walk over to a decripit shack on the other side of the train tracks with broken machine covered in piles of sand. “Mason moved in to the Blue Moon so you can move in a begin working… he said everything on the property was yours… which, um, I can see is not much… but there is a lot of good scrap her to build yourself all new machines pretty easily!” She said in a hopeful tone with a nervous laugh, like she was trying to even convince herself this was all ok.

“Welp, there’s no going back now.” Jade whispered under her breath. “Thanks Mi-an. I’ll take it from here. I will catch up with you at the commerce guild later.”

“I just wanted to tell you in private, uhmm... you see, the reason I came to Sandrock is because it's not doing so well. Everybody in the Free Cities knows that... “clearly except for me” Jade thinks to herself. But I didn't hesitate signing that contract. I thought it'd be the best way for me to make a difference in the world. I bet you feel the same way. So let's make a promise, Builder to Builder. Let's take Sandrock back to its glory days during our time here. Let's give it our all, okay?” Mi-an beamed at Jade with a hopeful smile.

Jade simply nodded and gave a thumbs up with a weak smile. “Alright, well I’m off to work on my pickhammer, I’ll catch up with you later!” Mi-an said as she waved goodbye and ran off. Jade turned back to the mess of a yard trying to decide where to start first. “There’s no going back now.” Jade thought to herself. “I need to make a name for myself, I will make a difference.”

A few hours passed before Jade got her workshop in order and completed her tasks. She was on her way to townhall to reigster her workshop, but as she approached the stairs, a large figure in an obnoxiously bright and spangly tracksuit pounced onto the ground in front of her. “What the-?!” she yelled as she quickly took a few steps back.

“Halt! Who goes there?!” the man shouts as he towers over Jade. She wasn’t short necessarily, he was just abnormally large. Before Jade could say anything, “Oh, you must be the new builder! I thought you were a member of Logan’s gang! But, HA, silly me. You look nothing like an outlaw.” He laughs to himself as he gestures to Jade’s body. She stood before him in a gray tank-top with a thin flannel, ripped denim shorts and worn out combat boots. “Come again?” Jade said with clear frustration growing on her face. “I have never seen you before, and I thought you were part of the gang of bandits that have been recently terrorizing the town! But you clearly are no bandit…” He says as Jade feels his eyes searching around her body. He was fascinated by her body and hour-glass figure, until he noticed how thin she was. “Your… your arms… they’re so… skinny! How do you expect to survive in the desert?!”

“Excuse me? I’m not some damsal in distress!” she snaps at him with her hands folded across her chest, becoming uncomfortably aware that his eyes keep glancing down to them. “I can hold my own in a fight!”

“Welll I highly doubt that, but let’s test that. I, Pen, the great Protector of Sandrock, will give you a combat lesson to see just how well you can “hold your own” in combat.” He says mockingly to her while rolling his eyes and using air quotes.

“Fine. If it will get you to shut up and leave me alone, I’ll do it.” They head down to the sparring ring and Pen offers her to choose a weapon. Jade normally prefers great or long swords, but for just a spar, it made no sense to use a weapon. Pen gave her a funny looked but laughed “you’re funeral then… I guess I’ll have to go easy on you.” Jade rolled her eyes as she readied herself to fight.

The spar went on almost 10 minutes. She was quick on her feet and was able to strike hard and fast. Pen was a bit surprised, and unadmittably impressed with her skill level for someone so small. The sun was starting to go down and Jade still needed to get her workshop registered. “I don’t have time for this!” She yelled in-between punches. “Are you giving up Skinny-arms?” Pen laughed. “No you ass, I’m done wasting my time with you!” she shouted back as she dodged his last punch and rolled out of the ring. “I got more important things to do.” She waved off to him while she walked back to town hall. Pen stood there a bit annoyed, but he couldn’t help feeling some way about her. He watched her as she walked back up the hill towards the church.

After a long day, Jade finally made it back home to find a small package with a note on her doorstep.

Dear jade,

Welcome to Sandrock!I figured you could use a hot meal on your first day. I made you a few of my Sandrock specialities! Please come visit the Blue Moon Saloon sometime so I may properly introduce myself!

Sincerely,

Owen
Chef & Innkeeper

“Well that was nice, good to know not everyone in town is an ass.” Jade picked up the package of hot food and stepped into her house for the first time.. she almost cried at the sifght of it. If she thought the yard was bad, the house was worse. “How did Mason live like this?!” she said to herself. Jade put the food down on the dusty table in the tiny kitchen before walking around to inspect the house. There was a tiny seating area, with a small bedroom and bathroom. Some of the floorboards were broken and the windows were not sealed, allowing sand to blow in and coat the entire house… including the bed.

Jade was too upset to even eat. She plopped on the dusty and ripped couch and sobbed for a few minutes before collecting her thoughts and got to cleaning. She made temporary repairs to the windows and flooring until she had the proper equipment to make more permananet repairs. There was an old broom and duster in the corner so she cleaned up what she could, shook out her blankets, and got the house somewhat liveable.

It was nearly midnight when she finally stopped, solely because her stomach growled so loud that you could probably hear it all the way back in Highwind. She scarfed down her food so fast that she couldn’t even remember if it tasted any good, but was so exhausted that she fell asleep right at the kitchen table.

This was going to be a lot harder than she thought.

She dreamt of her life back in Highwind. Her parents, her best friend Nia and all the shenanigans they pulled. Her large, and sand-free home… and … him. The thoughts of him ripped through her dreams and she jumped out of her sleep in a cold sweat so the sun just rising over the horizon. “I’m not gonna let him win.” She angrily whispered to herslf, upset that these thoughts were still creeping into her head. “Just need to stay focused and keep pushing forward. I’ll show him.”

~Jade's Portrait~

Chapter Text

It was a rough first two weeks. Jade handled a decent workload when she was an apprentice builder back in Highwind, but this was something else. More like Yan, he was something else. To receive such a major project on her first day was already a lot to take in, but the sheer number of commissions that were dumped on both her and Mi-an was astonishing. Luckily, she proved she can take the heat… figuratively, of course. She is still not sure if she can withstand the actual heat of Sandrock. It has only been two weeks and she has already woken up in Fang’s clinic three times after passing out from heat exhaustion. But none-the-less, Jade and Mi-an finished the lift for Rocky in record timing while still managing to take on various other commissions.

Jade laid down in bed excited for Mason’s going away party in the morning, solely because it meant she had her first morning off from commissions in two weeks, and half of her wanted to skip the party for the old drunk and just stay in bed. She set her alarm clock for 7am just in case she decided to go anyways.

Unfortunately, her alarm clock was not needed. Jade jumped out of her sleep after hearing a loud crash outside. Her roof rattling and she felt a decent breeze blowing through her room for being inside her house. Jade quickly twisted around to turn her lamp on, but it didn’t work. She rolled to the other side of the bed to find her other lamp didn’t work either. “Fuck the power is out. What the fuck is going on outside? I didn’t know deserts get storms!” she shouted, and she slowly crept across her bedroom floor with her outstretched arms trying to find her dresser where she kept candles and an oil lamp for emergencies.

She managed to find her supplies, only stubbing 3 toes and screaming 47 profanities in the process. She lit her lamp and inspected her small house. The breeze she was feeling was wind and sand seeping through her windows. Jade cursed herself for not taking the time to permanently seal her windows, the temporary fix she made her first night in Sandrock didn’t stand a chance against this wind. “Maybe if I run outside really fast, I can grab my tools from the chest right next wo my water tank and fix this.” She said to herself.

Jade didn’t even bother to change out of her pajamas, she put her boots on and quickly opened the door only to be blasted in the face with sand. She flinched and fell backwards while her door swung open. The gusts of wind blasted right into her house and her body felt like it was being rubbed with rough sandpaper. “Are you crazy?!” she heard a voice call from the distance. Jade couldn’t see anything; the wind blew out all her candles in the house and she was too far from her oil lamp to see who was calling out to her. It wasn’t until she heard and felt the heavy footsteps stomping on her wooden floors as they approached her, and her front door finally clicking shut did she hear “Damn’t Skinny, what were you thinking going out in this weather?... Skinny? Where are you?”

“Down here…” Jade said with a horse voice, trying to catch her breath and cough out the sand she just inhaled. Pen grabbed the oil lamp from the other side of the house and brought it back over to where he entered to find Jade sitting on the floor in just a long baggy t-shirt that went down to her thighs, her beat up combat boots, and her hair up in a messy bun with a coating of sand across her body. Pen couldn’t help but let out a small laugh when he saw her. Well Skinny, contrary to what you said to me on your first day here, I do believe you are now in fact, a damsel in distress.” He grinned as he walked over to Jade with an outstretched hand to help her up.

“Oh, fuck you.” She growled as she swatted his hand away and got up herself. “Ha! I mean sure, but you would have to buy me dinner first! And maybe clean the sand off you, it tends to get into all the wrong places.” Jade froze at that comment, thank light the room was dark enough that even with the oil lamp, Pen could not see the shade of bright red that spread across Jade’s cheeks. “You really are a moron.” She managed to get out, trying to play it cool. “Why are you here anyway?”

“Well Skinny, I figured no one told you what to expect out of sandstorms so I, being the great protector, graciously fought through the storm to come check on you. And also, to bring you some protective gear if you ever needed to come out in a storm like this.” Pen handed Jade a strange looking hat with goggles. “This will help cover your face and eyes, so you can breathe and see in the storm. But do try to stay inside as much as possible. People have been taken by these winds before, and monsters and the local wildlife tend to become enraged and act out in the storms. I had to fight two wild alpha yakmels just to get to your front door. Of course, they were no match for me, but you might have a struggle.”

“You know, I am not as helpless as you keep thinking I am, I know how to fight, and I train almost every day… and thanks for the hat…” Jade said as she took the sandgear and inspected it from the lamplight. Pen raised an eyebrow “You train everyday Skinny?” Jade chuckled “Yeah, I do, plus swinging a pickhammer into rocks all day is a hefty workout too. See? Not so Skinny after all, huh?” Jade lifted her arm and flexed her muscles, Pen reached out to grab her bicep and gave it a good squeeze, and to his surprise, she indeed was not so skinny after all. “I am impressed, but there is much room for improvement.” Jade just rolled her eyes. “That wasn’t entirely supposed to be insulting. All I’m saying is, there is always room for improvement… I mean except for me of course. I am already perfect, I just need to maintain my perfection.” Jade scoffed. “…what I’m saying is, I’m in need of a strong training partner.”

“Me? Why me?”

“Well Justice can’t always keep up, Owen is too scared to leave the Blue Moon ever since that lousy fry cook set the kitchen on fire… again… and that other strange Corps. member hasn’t spoken to me ever since I made the joke that I could crush his pet rock with one finger. I think you would be a worthy sparring opponent.”

Jade looked at him with a smirk. “Fine, on one condition.”

“Hmm?” Pen folded his arms waiting to hear her proposition.

“Can you help this “damsel in distress” get her tools outside so I can seal up these windows before my entire house fills with sand?”

“Haha, sure thing Skinny. What do you need me to get?”

“Well… I have a few different things scattered among my storage chests out there. It would be easier if I went out there to grab my things, I guess if you can come with me just to make sure I don’t blow away? Jade said with a small chuckle.

The corner of Pen’s mouth lifted as he laughed to himself. He picked up the sandgear Jade left on her kitchen table next to them and handed it to her. “Still need this though. Make sure you always have it on you in case a sandstorm hits.” He said in a much more serios tone.

“Got it, let’s go.” Jade said as she put on the sandgear and headed towards the door with Pen in tow. As soon as she opened the door, a gust of wind pushed her back into Pen. She was barely able to keep herself standing let alone walk. “This is one of the strongest storms I’ve seen in a few years Skinny.” Pen yelled out to Jade loud enough for her to hear him over the wind gusts. “I have a better idea!” he yelled again as he scooped Jade up in his arms to carry her over to her storage chests. Jade yelped as she felt Pen’s arms snake around her to lift her off the ground. “Just keep your head tucked in!” he shouted, and Jade turned her face into his chest to further shield herself from the storm. They made it over to the chests, got the supplies she needed, and he ran her back inside the house, kicking the door shut behind them.

“You alright Skinny?” Pen said as he looks down to the woman still being cradled in his arms. “Yeah, I’m good…” Jade said as she looked up at Pen while she was still leaning against her chest. By chance, they both caught each other’s eyes and held each other’s gaze for a few moments before they both quickly jerked their heads away to hide their blushing cheeks. Pen cleared his throat and then gently put Jade back down slowly releasing her from his grip. They both stood there in silence secretly mad at themselves for missing each other’s warmth. “Seriously? This guy?” Jade thought to herself. The first time she felt anything in almost two years, and it came from… Pen?

“Right ummm, is there anything else you need Skinny, or can I go take down some more enraged yakmels?” Pen said trying to shake how flustered he was.

“Nah, I’m ok. Just going to work on these windows and stay in bed today I guess.”

“Ok great, um, I’ll catch up with you tomorrow then to see when we can start training.” Pen said before letting himself out.

Jade spent the next few hours sealing up her windows. It wasn’t until 4pm did the wind gusts finally calm enough to let the sunlight peak through, just enough to see inside the house, and all the piled of sand through it. Jade sighed at the mess “Well, I guess I have nothing better to do.” She said as she picked up a broom and feather duster and cleaned her entire house. “I really hate sand…”

Jade laid in bed that night staring blankly at the ceiling. Her visit from Pen today kept replaying in her head. Why did she feel like this? Is her body just that desperate for affection, or was this some kind of sick joke from the universe that she actually liked his arrogant ass? I mean was he attractive? Yes. But does he have a shit personality? Also, yes. All Jade knew was that she fell asleep that night longing to feel his touch again.

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Morning came and Jade was relieved to be woken up by the sunlight and not a storm crashing sand against her house. It was quiet and peaceful, but a storm like that had to cause some damage to the town. Jade quickly hopped out of bed to shower and threw some clothes on before heading out to see what’s going on.

The first thing she noticed was her own yard wasn’t too bad. None of her machines took damage but there were piles of sand covering everything. The second thing she noticed was the small crowd gathered around the Blue Moon. “Well, that can’t be good.” She said to herself while running over to see what the commotion was all about.

“My stage… my beautiful stage… what am I going to do?” Owen said softly while staring blankly at the pile of rubble where his stage once was. “The main thing is no one was hurt. Things are replaceable, people are not.” Matilda said, placing her hand on Owen’s shoulder in comfort. Jade didn’t even have to ask questions, she knew exactly what was going on as soon as she approached the group.

Jade walked past the crowd and knelt down to analyze the rubble, gently scouring through some of the broken pieces while Matilda, Owen, and a few other townsfolk were looking on questioningly. “Hey Mi-an, come here for a moment.” Jade said, waving to her coworker to come closer. The two of them whispered amongst themselves while the crowd just looked around at each other trying to figure out what was happening.

Jade finally stood up and walked back towards Owen. “Well as Matilda said, things are replaceable. Including your stage. I’d say Mi-an and I can have the rebuilt in just a few days.”

“Rebuilt better than ever!” Mi-an chimed in. Owen’s demeanor suddenly changed as a huge smile spread across his face and a glimmer of hope shined in his eyes. “Really?! Just a few days?! This is amazing! If you can do this for me, I will be forever in your debt!” Owen cheered.

“We’ll get started right away!” Mi-an said, and the two builders took out their pickhammers and began to salvage what they could of the stage.

Jade was starting to lug her materials back to her workshop when she felt a hand on her shoulder that gave her goosebumps. “Need a hand with that Skinny?”

“Didn’t I tell you I could handle myself?” Jade said with a smirk as she turned around to face Pen.

“Yes, at least five times. But I figured I’d offer to help you before giving you more work to do.”

“Oh joy, lay it on me.” She sighed. Pen hands her a list of various things around town that need to be fixed. A few windows, a couple of roofs, some streetlights, nothing too crazy. “I thought this list would have been a lot worse actually.” Jade said while continuing to review the list.

“Well, the town is pretty well prepared for these, considering how frequent they have been happening lately.” Pen says as he scoops up a heaping pile of wood and metal piping to carry back to Jade’s workshop. “So, when does our training start?”

“I really don’t know, today is going to suck major balls with all the repairs I have to do.” Jade said while sorting out the materials that Pen just dumped in the middle of her yard.

Pen laughed “Well let me know whenever your done sucking balls so we can start then.”

Jade rolled her eyes, waved Pen off, and buried herself in her work.

It was about 8:00pm. Jade worked non-stop on Owen’s stage and worked on the various tasks around town in between, but she somehow got it done. She hammered the last nail into the stage piece just before her stomach growled so loud it could probably be heard across the Eufaula. “Shit, I forgot to eat today!” she said as the adrenaline wore off and she became very away of the fact that she might pass out.

“Might as well go tell Owen the good news and grab a bite to eat while I’m there.”  Jade heads inside her house to wash her face and then walks down to the Blue Moon. It wasn’t too busy, but a bit more packed than it usually is on a Thursday night. Jade walks in a takes a seat at the bar, right in front of Owen who was too distracted by his own thoughts to notice a new customer walk in. “Ahem!”

“Oh, hey Jade, heh sorry about that. It’s been a long day… what can I get ya?” Owen said with a weak smile.

“First things first… who’s your favorite builder?” Jade says with a grin.

“I uhh… I don’t like choosing between friends… why?”

“Well, it better be me, because I’m already installing your new stage first thing tomorrow morning!”

“Light you better not be joking with me!” Owen shouted with a big smile.

“Not joking at all, just finished assembling the last section before I came in here. I luckily had most of the materials on hand, and what I was able to salvage from the rubble was enough to finish the job. Mi-an said she should have the backdrop completed by the morning as well!”

Owen jumped up and down not being able to contain his excitement. “A round of yakmel milk for everyone, on me! Cheers to our great builders! Owen toasted as the rest of the townsfolk at the bar chugged back their yakmel milk.

“What, starting the party without me? A familiar voice asked while wrapping his arms around Jade from behind the barstool and leaning his chin on Jade’s shoulder. Jade froze from his touch and her heart began to race.

“So, how did the major ball sucking go today?” Pen laughed. Jade chuckled at his comment which helped her loosen up a bit… or maybe it was just the alcohol kicking in. “It was just fine… and what are you doing?”

“What? I can’t greet my good friend Skinny-Arms with a hug?” he said squeezing his arms around her tighter for a moment before releasing her and sliding into the barstool next to her, still having one arm wrapped around her shoulder. “Gotta hand it to you Skinny, you did a heck of a job fixing the whole town in one day… of course there wouldn’t be a town if it wasn’t for me fighting off all of those enraged monsters throughout the night… but still, you get some credit for saving the town.”

“Wow thanks, I worked nearly 13 hours straight and I only get “some” credit for saving the town. That’s so nice of you to say that.” She says with a sarcastic smirk while she glares at him. Pen grins back at her but catches her gaze again, he couldn’t help but get lost in those bright blue eyes of hers. He began to caress her shoulder and gently pulled him in closer to him. He was never going to admit it, but he longed for her touch again. Thoughts of her kept him up all night as well. There was just something about her.

Jade didn’t know if it was the alcohol or not, but she let Pen pull her closer, and she snuggled into his chest. Jade melted into the warmth of his embrace and Pen’s heart started to race as well.

“Everything alright here?” Owen looked at Jade questioningly.

“Yeah, I think she just had a long day and too much to drink.” Pen laughed. “I’ll take her back home. C’mon Skinny, let’s go.” Pen huffed as he lifted Jade up and carried her back home bridal style. Jade snaked her arms around his neck as he carried her, pulling their faces closer together. He turns his face to look at her, his lips accidentally grazing against hers sent chills down his spine. “What are you doing to me, Skinny?” he whispered softly, but Jade was sound asleep resting on his shoulder.

Pen carried her through the door and gently placed her down on the couch, ducking his head out from under her arms in an attempt to not wake her. He grabbed a blanket that was on the side of the couch and draped it across her. She looked so peaceful sleeping there. “Goodnight, Skinny.” he whispered to her, and quietly left.

The next morning, Jade woke to a pounding on her door. She couldn’t tell if it was someone actually pounding on her door, or the pounding headache she had from her hangover. The light shining through her windows was just too much to make her even want to get off the couch. The pounding on her door continued. “Oh for fuck’s sake, come in!” she shouted, and instantly regretted it as it made her head hurt worse.

“Well, look who is the damsel in distress again?” Pen laughed.

“Light, Pen what are you doing here so early, and why are you yelling?” she groaned.

“I’m not yelling Skinny. I figured after last night you might need these.” He handed her a jug of water, two cups of coffee, a hot omelet from the Blue Moon, and some weird green goo. “Drink that first, it will help the hangover. It’s something that mute doctor concocted, and Owen keeps it on hand for emergencies at the Blue Moon now.”

Jade grabbed the cup from his hand – “Fair warning…”- she began to chug it – …it tastes like dead yakmel ass though.”- he said just as Jade’s eyes went wide and she spit it right out, gagging and coughing from the bitter taste of it. “Can’t say I didn’t warn ya!” Pen said with a hearty laugh and passed her a few napkins.

“Thanks for the heads up.” She groans as she glares at him with a side eye. “I haven’t been this hungover since college. I can’t believe my stupid ass drank that much on a completely empty stomach. Ughhhh.” She whined as she fell back onto the couch. “How did I get back here?”

“Well, you fell asleep on me at the bar so I carried you home.”

“You did?! … nothing happened between us… right?” Jade said, holding her breath.

Pen thought about that moment when their lips just barely touched last night as he stared at her soft lips longingly before quickly moving his gaze back up to Jade’s eyes “No haha, nothing happened. You were out cold asleep; I just threw you on the couch and left.”

“Oh, thank light.” Anyways, thanks for all of this. I gotta go put that stage together.”

“Anytime, Skinny. I’ll give you a pass today, but tomorrow we start training! I’ll see you around.” Pen gives her a gentle pat on the shoulder and leaves.

Jade was slow to get up and shower, but that disgusting green medicine really did the trick. Her headache thankfully cleared up just in time to assemble the stage. Jade and Mi-an worked together for a few hours and the stage was finally done.

“Light this is the grandest stage I have ever seen! I can’t thank you both enough!” Owen exclaimed. I’m going to make a special dinner for you two. Come back tonight, and bring your appetite!” he said pulling both Jade and Mi-an in for a big group hug. “We really have been blessed with two of the best builders!” Matilda said. “I think we can reschedule Mason’s party for tomorrow morning! I know he is just about tired waiting around to leave. I’ll have a post sent out to everyone to let them know. Thank you both again!”

“No problem at all, just doing our jobs!” Jade said with a smile.

Chapter Text

The next few weeks were pretty quiet. Jade fell into her routine of training with Pen in the mornings, and working on her commissions during the day into the night. To Jade’s surprise, and quite honestly Pen’s as well, the two of them quickly formed a bond. Most mornings they would go for a long run around the perimeter of town, some days they would spar and others they would train using the punching bag and workout equipment in Pen’s room at the church dormitory. Jade was a bit apprehensive at first being invited to his room, but he thankfully only had the intentions of training… for the most part. He had his flirty moments, and at times Jade couldn’t help but stare at his bulging muscles while he lifted weights. She cursed herself every time he caught her staring.

This morning started out no different. Jade got up at the crack of dawn, and put on a pair of sweatpants, running shoes, and a sports bra. She met up with Pen by the train station and they went on a long run, making it back to his dorm before the hot sun had a chance to rise. Jade was focusing on the punching bag as usual while Pen was beside her lifting weights, shirtless in the mirror. Pen noticed Jade was really going at it on the punching bag, she normally finishes her workout before Pen, but she kept going long past Pen finished. This was the first time he really seen her workout as he normally spends it looking at himself. Pen really began to notice how toned her body has become, and his eyes traveled around her from behind, down the curve of her back and her hourglass figure, over the curves of her hips and the plump swell of her ass, taking her all in.

“Can I help you?” Jade asked sarcastically as she looked up in the mirror to see Pen’s gaze focused on her ass while she continued punching. Pen jumped and his gaze shot right back up to meet hers in the mirror. “Not at all Skinny, though, I did notice you are spending a lot of time on that thing. You normally tap out before I finish my workout.”

“Yeah, just a lot on my mind. Between Yan and some nightmares I’ve been dealing with, it helps get my frustrations out, especially when I pretend it’s their face who I’m punching.” Jade said with a sarcastic chuckle.

“Nightmares?... youuu want to talk about it?” Pen asked awkwardly looking around. That was a first for him, caring about how someone was feeling. Jade was even a bit surprised.

“There’s not much to talk about. Just an asshole ex is all.” Jade sighed as she finally lowered her fists and just stared at her feet for a few moments.

Pen’s brows furrowed as he felt a ping of sympathy for her. He has never seen her demeanor so depressed before. “Well, then I’m going to help you beat him up.”

“Uhh, what?” Jade questions as she looks over her shoulder to face him directly instead of talking to him in the mirror. Pen comes up to her from behind, reaching around to gently pull her chin to make her face the punching bag again. “Your stance and your punches were off. If you really want to take him out, this is what you have to do.” He whispered into her ear as his hands glided down the sides of her torso, sending chills up her spine. Jade gasps as he grasps her hips to gently turn them. Pen turns his head to look at Jade with a devilish grin after hearing that little sound she made, Jade tries to turn her head in the opposite direction to hide her blushing.

His left hand continues to firmly grasp her hip as his right hand moves to slide down the front of her right thigh. “Pull your right leg back a little bit” he whispers to her again and he gently presses her thigh so Jade knew how to adjust herself properly. Her skin was on fire, and he was loving it. He slides his right hand back up her to gently turn her torso, his fingertips grazing the side of her breast. Jade’s breath hitched, and it was music to Pen’s ears. He was loving seeing her squirm like this, but his own body began to betray him as his own skin felt like it was on fire and his pants started to become a bit tight around him.

“Pen… I-”

“Shhhh.” He whispers as he moves his hands to her shoulders and biceps to position her arms properly. “Now if you hit him standing like this, you’d knock him out a hell of a lot easier.” Pen said, not even noticing his own movements of his hand dropping back down to her hips.

“Pen…” Jade whispered and looked up at him over her shoulder, completely losing focus in her training. Pen looked down at her with a soft smile. They both knew there was a spark there by now. He grasps the sides of her hips again and began to rock their bodies against each other while he still held her gaze. Jade let out a low moan as she felt his bulge grinding against her ass.

His hand slid from her hips around to the front of her, pressing against her pelvic bone as he continues grinding in to her. Pen looks up at their sweaty bodies rocking against each other in the mirror, and then back down to Jade with lust raging in his eyes. He crashes his lips against her, drawing out a deep moan. He gently nips at her bottom lip before snaking his tongue into her mouth, which she graciously accepts. Pen’s left hand slides up her body, lifting her sport bra up to let left breast bounce out from underneath. He gently massaged it, rolling the calloused tips of his fingers over the tender, hardening nub, rushing all the heat in her body down to her core. He slips his right hand under the waistband of her sweatpants and the hem of her panties, gliding his fingers across her slick lips and gently playing with her clit.

Jade pulled away from the kiss as her body jerked from the sensations. She tried not to cry out so Burgess and Miguel wouldn’t hear, but she let one slip.

“Easy babe, if they hear us, they won’t let you come over anymore.”

“Pen, just fucking take me already.” She breaths out between gasps.

Pen let out a heartly laugh, but was happy to follow that command. He moves both his hands back to her waistband and dropped her pants and panties in one swift move. He adores her body in the mirror for a few moments, taking in the sight of her juices dripping down her inner thighs. He grabs the back of her head and pushed it down, folding her over as she plants her hands on his workout bench in front of her to stabilize her. Pen drops his pants, revealing his large and hardened length. He squats down behind her, squeezing her cheeks as he spread her apart to reveal her dripping core right in front of him. He plunges his tongue into her, lapping up all of her juice. Jade’s legs were shaking as she tried to bury her face in her arms to muffle her cries. He tongue-fucks her until comes undone in his mouth. He moans as he licked her up like sweet nectar, before standing right up to align his body with her again. He presses himself against her, lifting one of his legs up onto the bench to get a better angle. He teases his tip, sliding up and down against her clit, as he reaches around her to slide up her sports bra to let her other breast dangle out.

With her cum still dripping down his chin, he looks at her in the mirror “You ready babe?” He whispered. Jade nodded. “Just try to keep your voice low.” Pen said with a grin as he grabs her hips again and presses his tip through her entrance. Jade bit her lip hard, straining herself not to yelp outload. Pen struggles to keep his own sounds to himself. “Ohhhh fuck baby” he moaned quietly as his balls clap against her wet skin. He was lost in the pleasure until fear quickly washed over him. “Shit, are you on birth control?!”

Jade couldn’t get a single work out between her moans, she just lifts her arm to give him a thumbs up before dropping it back to the bench to keep her body steady. Pen laughs and continued pounding into her. He reaches around her to rub her clit. Jade was just about to let a scream slip out when there was a loud pounding on the door. “Pen! Come quick!” Burgess shouts from behind the door.

“FUCK” Pen growled. “I’m busy right now, what is it?” he shouts back as he continues to pound into Jade.

“There’s a commotion going on at the train station, they thing Logan attacked the train!”

SHIT Pen’s and Jade’s eyes dart up to meet each other’s look in the mirror, both of them realizing they were not going to be able to finish this. Pen pulls out of her, and they both frantically clean themselves up and get dressed. “Can we take a raincheck on this?” Pen breathes out while trying to pull his pants back up over his still semi-hardened dick.

Jade breathes out a laugh as she got herself dressed too. “I thought that was a given.”

The two of them ran out of the church dorms and down to the train station to find Justice and Unsuur questioning a crowd of people while Jensen and Yan were inspecting a shattered window on the train.

“What the heck happened?!” Jade asks as she ran up to Justice. “Logan hijacked the train. Threatened the passengers with a gun, but as I hopped into the train car, him and his partner Haru escaped out the window with the glider things and sailed off. So now I’m… ummm, you good?” Justice questions with a surprised look on his face as he finally turns around to face Jade, seeing her sweaty and completely disheveled.

Jade blushes “Um yeah, was in the middle of working out with Pen when we heard something going on.”

Justice clears his throat and turns to hide his own blush “Yeah, must’ve been some workout.” He mumbles clear enough for Jade to hear. Jade’s eyes widened and she quickly stepped away as she finally took notice of what she smells like.

She runs over to hide behind Pen. “Welp, Justice knows.”

“Knows what?” Pen whispers over his shoulder to Jade, confused as to why she’s hiding.

“He knows what we’ve been doing this morning. Maybe we should’ve showered really quick before running down here.” She whispers back while trying to fix her hair into a bun to make it look less obvious.

“I’m not too worried about him, he’s not one to gossip. Besides, why are you so concerned if people know?”

Jade sighs “Because people I barely know don’t need to know my business. IF and when there is news to share, then we will share it. We never actually established what is going on between us yet, you kinda just stuck your hands down my pants and one thing led to another.

Pen laughs hard but tried to cough and cover it up not to draw attention to them. Pen turns around to her with a grin spread across his face. “Well let me taste the pussy a little more and then we can talk about establishing something.” He whispers and gives her a wink before walking away. “Dear light.” She mumbles.

“Hey, Newbie!”

Jade tries not to gag at the sound of that voice. She turns to see Yan waving her to come up to the train platform.

“What’s up?” she asks when she got there.

“I got a commission for ya, need it done pronto.” Yan says as he snaps his fingers.

“The train can’t run with the window shattered like this.” Jenson sighed. Do you think you can fix it?”

Jade analyzes the frame of the window for a few moments. “Yeah absolutely, I have most of these materials made already, I can have this done in about 2 hours.”

“Oh, thank you that’s perf-”

“Make it one hour Newbie!” Yan screeches, cutting off Jenson. “Time is money, and the more time you take, the less money I get!” he whines before walking back to the commerce guild.

Jade rolls her eyes. “I’ll get it done Jenson, don’t you worry.”

Jade climbs down from the platform and was approached by a young and slender man with blonde hair and a notebook in his hand.

“Excuse me miss, do you have a moment to answer a few questions? I’m Ernest, I write for the Atara times. I’m just trying to learn more about this Logan guy.”

“Sorry, but I haven’t been here long enough to know anything about him.”

Ernest sighs. “All I get is either “no comment” or “I have no idea, but he’s hot!” and it’s getting annoying.”

“I mean…. He kinda is… but I wasn’t going to just come right out and say it. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.” Jade said as she walks away and back towards her workshop.

________________________________

It was a long day. Jade didn’t finally get to stop until 10 o’clock that night. She steps out of her much needed shower, dries herself off, and collapses right onto her bed. She starts to doze off before she heard a knock on her door. Jade jumps out of her sleep not entirely aware of her surroundings. “Who is it?” she calls out groggily.

“Skinny, it’s me, can I come in?”

“Yeah sure…… OH SHIT wait, hang on!” she yells just realizing she still never got dressed after the shower.

Too late. Pen opens the door and walks right in to see Jade through her open bedroom doorway, sitting up completely naked in bed.

“Well, I guess you were expecting me?” Pen laughs as he walks into her room, closing her bedroom door behind him.

“I actually was just about to go to sleep… What’s up?”

Pen casually starts to undress himself while he converses “I just want to stop in and say that I won’t be able to train tomorrow. Matilda asked me to go on some extra patrols to try and find Logan.” He continues as he lets all his clothes fall to the floor and stands in front of Jade completely bare.

His words fell on deaf ears as all she could focus on was the bulging muscles and hardening dick right in front of her.

“But now that I am here… and seeing you like this…” Pen starts as he kneels down in front of her and tugs on her legs, pulling her to the edge of the bed as she yelps. “… I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you all day.”

Jade didn’t have a moment to say a word before Pen started kissing and nipping at the inside of her thigh, leaving small marks as his mouth moved up her leg, grazing over the part she wanted his mouth most, and continuing back down her other thigh. He kept teasing her, biting up and down her thighs, reaching up to play and pinch her tender nipples. Her body shook as the heat inside her was too much and she couldn’t wait for him anymore. Jade reaches down to touch herself as Pen continues kissing her thighs, but he looks up at her with a sinister look in his eyes and a smirk curls up on his lips between his kisses.

“Making me do all the work?” Jade breathes out as she rapidly glides her fingers across her clit.

“Hey, you’re the one who keeps telling me you’re not a damsel in distress who needs saving. You can handle yourself, remember?” Pen laughed as Jade’s breathing became heavier. She leaned back to prop herself on her free arm, giving her the ability to spread her legs wider for better access. She was on full display for Pen who was at eye level with her slick, dripping folds. He leans in to lick her, but she uses her foot to push his shoulder back. “Nah-uh. You made me wait, now you get to just sit there and watch.” Pen laughed but he continued to watch her intently as she delved her fingers in and out of her hole. His lustful gaze focused on how her body tightened around her fingers and her cum leaking out with every movement of her hand. Her gentle moans and the wet sound of her juices drove him crazy. He couldn’t contain himself anymore.

Pen leaps up, grabbing her arms and pulling them away as he plunges his face in between her legs. She was stunned for a moment, but her shock quickly turned into screams as the sensations of his tongue began to overwhelm her.

“Pen…I’m so close!” she pants. Pen pulls back and stands up, folding her legs backwards to spread her open for his dick. He watches her face as he teases her with his tip. Her body writhing from the sensations, only to jerk as he rammed himself deep into her. “Holy fuck Pen!!!” she shouts over and over as he continuously pounds into her.

He leans over her to passionately kiss her as she tasted herself on his lips. “Cum for me baby.” He whispers to her. His sensual voice was all she needed to hear to reach her climax, and Pen came as he felt her walls tighten around him.

He lay there on top of her for a minute, trying to catch his breath as he came down from his high. Pen stands up and pulls out of her, letting them spill onto the floor. Jade sits up finally and just leans her face against his abs and he wraps his arms around her. “Please stay the night.” She whispers to him.

“Babe, I need to go on patrol early in the morning, I need to-”

“Please.” She says in a stern voice as she sits up and looks up at him. “Please…” her voice softens, and slightly cracks as she seems to be holding back tears. “please don’t leave me alone.”

Pen looks down at her wanting to say no, but this wasn’t her being clingy. The look in her eyes wasn’t just lonliness, it was pain. He didn’t know why, but that look she gave him left him feeling so uneasy, he couldn’t turn her down.

“Okay.” He finally whispers as he bends down to gently kiss her. “Let’s get ourselves cleaned up.” He said while lifting her up and carrying her to the bathroom to wash up again.

______________________________

“You want to tell me what’s been bothering you?” Pen said as he ran his fingers through her silky red hard while she lay snuggled against his chest.

“No. It’s not something I want to talk about right now.” She sighs. “I just want to enjoy this moment with you.” She climbs up to kiss him goodnight, but Pen pulls her in tight and that small peck turns into a make out and Pen pulls Jade on top of him. She sits up right straddling him with a questioning look in her eyes. “Round 2?” he asks with a wink.

“I think this is technically round 3” They both laugh and Pen pulls her back in tight for a deep kiss.

Chapter Text

About a month has gone by since the train incident. Jade has been seeing Pen casually and he would occasionally stay the night, but they never had any discussion of becoming official, let alone exclusive.

Jade has really become part of the town now, forming good friendships with the other citizens, building up her house to be a bit more livable and less like a debilitated shack, and was climbing the ranks in the commerce guild.

It was a Friday night in the middle of summer and the Blue Moon was lively with townsfolk and tourists all relaxing and having a good time. The Coogo band is playing a pleasant tune and people are scattered around chatting at the bar or enjoying a good meal. Jade was sitting with her friends Pablo, Amirah, and Heidi for their weekly “girls night” gossip session over drinks. The four of them talked about all the things around town. Who said this, who did that... who did who… They all mostly kept teasing Amirah about her clear crush on Owen, and how he obviously likes her but neither of them seems to make a move. “I’m going to say something to him.” Pablo said. “I mean you both have been ogling each other for months now!”

“Don’t you dare!” Amirah shouted, but quickly slumps down in her seat realizing she caught the attention of several guests sitting near their table. “I don’t want him to come after me just because someone told him to. If he wants me, he needs to be man enough to tell it to me on his own.” She whispers harshly.

“Oh darling calm down, you know I was only teasing!”

“You two would be perfect for each other though! I wonder if he will ask you to go to the Day of Memories Ghost Hunt with him!” Heidi adds.

“Is that normally something people get asked on dates to go to? In High Wind, it’s more of a solemn day of mourning and remembrance.”

“We like to do things a bit differently here. We remember those we lost through celebration rather than mourning. It’s a really fun event!” said Heidi.

“My dear, you completely missed the point of her question!” Pablo nonchalantly waves off Heidi’s answer and turns to face Jade. “Yes, it is ABSOLUTLEY something people can go on dates to. I mean let’s be honest, the fun part isn’t being the ghost hunter, it’s when you get to hide around town is the best part of the date if you get where I’m coming from.”

Amirah nearly spat out her drink and Heidi broke out in hearty laughter. Pablo waited for them to both calm down before continuing “Now, why would you ask such a question? There is someone you want to go with, isn’t there?” Pablo said with a knowing smirk.

“Uhhhhhhhhm no, not particularly…” Jade replied awkwardly. “Oh please Jade, just spill the tea already!” Heidi laughed. “Darling, by that response, you’re obviously holding something back, and it’s even more obvious when that person has been staring at you from the bar all night long.”

“Wait what?” Jade didn’t think twice before whipping her head around to catch Pen watching her from across the room while he sat at the bar sipping his drink, and completely ignoring Burgess rambling about water conservation. Their eyes met instantly, and Pen’s face and ears turned red as he quickly looked away to hide his face. Jade turned back to her table with her face bright red while Heidi, Amirah, and Pablo all giggled.

“I must say, I’m surprised… great body, horrible personality.” Pablo teased, but the rest of the group agreed and they all stared at Jade waiting for an explanation. “I mean we just clicked. I thought he was a total ass at first… I mean I still do in all honesty, but something clicked there. He’s become less of an arrogant ass towards me at least if that makes sense? We talk and hang out a lot and enjoy each other’s company but we-”

“Enjoy each other’s company?” Heidi cuts Jade off. Pablo piggy-backing off of Heidi’s comment “Exactly how much enjoyment are you to getting out of each other’s company?”

“For light’s sake!” Jade rolled her eyes and laughed. “Nothing to add to this interrogation?” Pablo jokingly asked Amirah who was quietly sipping her spiked sandberry tea. “I’m just happy the conversation isn’t about me and Owen now.”

“Wow thanks Amirah” Jade teased as she threw a crumpled-up napkin at her with a laugh.

An awkward silence formed as the three of her friends sat there staring at Jade waiting for the juicy gossip to finally come out.

“Oh my light, fine! Just keep this between us since nothing is official yet. We’ve been seeing each other casually. I mean would I want it to become something more? I think so. We clicked from the start. Our strong personalities balance each other out and-”

“Jade we don’t care about that crap, you already said you clicked. Just tell us how the sex is! I need to hear some tea that was worth spilling tonight! These two aren't giving me anything good!” Pablo blurts out as he gestures to Amirah and Heidi.

“PABLO!” Amirah shouts as she swats Pablo’s shoulder and Heidi almost fell out of her seat laughing. Jade sat there bright red and frozen, but broke out in laughter just from hearing Heidi hysterically laughing.

Jade takes a large swig of her drink and finishes the entire glass before slamming it down onto the table. “Ok fine, if that’s the tea you want… he’s absolutely massive, his body is fantastic, and he ravishes me in ways I didn’t know were possible. Every night we don’t spend together, I dream of this man absolutely destroying me. Was that enough tea for you?” Jade said trying to hold back an uncomfortable laugh while Amirah and Heidi just sat there with a look that read “Well DAMN!”  on their faces.

“Not yet... how big?” Pablo casually asked.

Jade turned bright red again “…at least 7 or 8 inches.”

“Well, at least one of us has a decent sex life at this table. Ladies, the rest of us need to step up our game here! Amirah, go flirt with Owen, Heidi, go flirt with Justice.”

“Excuse me?”

“Oh darling please, you stare off every time he rides past you on his horse and I’m betting it’s not the horse’s ass that has commandeered your thoughts.”

“Oh really now? Ok fine, then what’s going on with you and Ernest, huh?!” Heidi snaps back.

Now Pablo was the one who almost spit out his drink but quickly composed himself. “There is nothing going on there for your information. I met him in Atara, he was a pain in the ass, that’s all.”

“Oh I bet he was a “pain in your ass” alright! He definitely had to be last night when you let him into the salon around 10pm!”

Pablo was slightly taken back by Heidi’s comments. His brows furrow for a moment and he sighs. “Fine. We met at a bar in Atara one night. A bit immature, not too experienced. There was a lot I had to teach that boy. Especially not to get too attached to a one-night stand.”

“Clearly it wasn’t just a ONE-night stand.” Amirah cut in.

“What can I say, he needed someone to teach him. And I, being ever so generous, took pity on him and decided to help.” Pablo says while the rest of them giggle at the comment.

“Oh, how thoughtful of you Pablo.” Amirah laughed.

“Well, if we got our assignments on who to flirt with, then you get one too. Go flirt with Ernest then!” Heidi laughs as she points over to Ernest sitting by himself in the corner scribbling in his notebook while he sipped at his drink.

Before Pablo could answer – “Sorry to break up your little party here, but I need to steal Jade away from you all for a bit.” Pen said, hovering over the table.

Pablo scoots out of the booth and stands up next to Pen. “Of course you can, we are done here. Amirah and Heidi, you have your assignments, Jade, I’ll see you tomorrow. And Pen… FYI she wants you to do her rough.” He blurts out before rushing over to Ernest.

“PABLO SERIOUSLY?!” Jade yells out to him and her skin turns so red it feels like it melting off of her face. Pen just awkwardly stood there stunned by the comment. Wasn’t sure whether to laugh, be incredibly turned on, or both… probably both… definitely both.

“Let’s just go please!” Jade says somewhat annoyed as she grabs Pen’s wrist and drags him out the door. The two of them begin walking through the town in silence. No idea where they were going, just started walking.

“Soooooo…” Pen finally started off, breaking the awkward silence. “You told them about us? I thought we were keeping that private for now.” Pen looked at her with a raised eyebrow as Jade continued to walk with her arms folded over her chest while she stared down at her feet. “He figured it out, and with enough alcohol in my system, he got the details out of me.”

“Ah, that’s why you all looked over giggling then?”

“Yeah, well you staring at me all night is apparently what gave it away for him. She said with a smirk on her face, shooting her gaze up to the side to look at Pen.

He got a small laugh out at that but kept looking forward as they walked down the stairs in Martle Square to the boardwalk around the Oasis.

“I can’t help myself, you’re the only thing besides me that’s worth looking at.” He said with a wink.

Jade leaned against the railing of the boardwalk, staring out over the water and across the landscape. Pen walks up behind her, wrapping his large muscular arms around her and leaning his body weight against her, planting kisses on top of her head.

He was acting cute and romantic, but then Jade began to feel his hands roam her body. “You know, if you want it rough, all you have to do is ask.” Pen whispers into her ear as he reaches down between her legs and gently caresses her.

“Walk me home Pen.” She whispers back to him and nips at his lips.

“My pleasure babe.” He whispers back as his lips curl into a devilish grin.

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The Day of Memories Ghost Hunt was 2 weeks away, and Jade was starting to feel uneasy that Pen did not ask her to go yet. It stuck in her head what Pablo and Heidi said, and she was making herself sick over wondering when she would be asked. Jade felt herself getting too attached to Pen. Always wanting to see him, be close to him, and it terrified her. She came to Sandrock to find herself again because she couldn’t find all the pieces of herself after that horrible breakup back in Highwind. Heartbreak is one thing, but betrayal is a whole other level. It’s been almost a year, and it still keeps her up at night. She is scared to love someone again, to trust someone again, so why is she letting herself get close to someone again?

Every time Jade would walk into town, Pablo would always ask if Pen asked her out yet. It got to the point she was embarrassed to keep saying no to him and she began to avoid going near Martle Square. Every morning she trained with Pen, she kept bringing up the Day of Memories to see if it would spark the conversation, but nothing.

He once mentioned to her that day of the train incident that someday a relationship may be in the conversation… but isn’t this conversation a little overdue?

It was late on a weeknight, Jade couldn’t sleep at all. The thoughts of Pen and the thoughts of her ex kept her up. “The Saloon should still be open for another 45 minutes, maybe I’ll just go get one drink to clear my head.” She said to herself as she got out of bed to throw on some clothes and head to the Blue Moon.

She quietly walked in expecting it to be a calm and quiet night. She scanned the room for an empty seat at the bar, a few locals, a few tourists, and then she saw something that made her feel like the blood drained from her body. There was Pen, sitting at the far corner of the bar, with a female tourist all over him. They were both smiling and giggling with their arms wrapped around each other, and the woman seemed to keep leaning in trying to kiss him. Jade almost barfed at the sight. She didn’t want to make a scene, so she quickly turned around and ran right back out the door. Ran as fast as she could and didn’t even realize what direction she was going in until she ended up along the back fence of the Yakmel Ranch. She fell to the ground and cried to herself alone in the dark.

“I knew it. I told myself I wouldn’t fall for anyone’s crap again. Why did I do this to myself!” she cried out. She sat there crying for over an hour until she couldn’t cry anymore and walked back home. It was almost 4am and she was still awake, wrapped in her favorite blanket on the couch lost in her own thoughts. She did not want to deal with this. She did not want to confront him. Jade just kept telling herself they never really were together, no labels, non-exclusive. Maybe she was being dramatic? Whatever it was, it’s over now. He can’t be trusted.

_________________________________

It was 5am now and Jade’s alarm clock starting ringing, it was her alarm to get up and go meet Pen at the train station for their early morning run. “Like hell I’m doing that with him anymore.” She grumbles to herself. Jade got up and got dressed, and went for a run in the opposite direction, steering clear from anywhere they would normally run together.

Pen was waiting at the train station for 15 minutes but there was no sign of her. “She was probably up all night working and slept past her alarm again.” He laughed to himself as he starting walking towards her house to wake her up. This happened pretty often. Usually Jade left her door unlocked and he would waltz right in to wake her up, or crawl next to her in bed to try and get some early morning action. He made it up to her door and jiggled the handle, but it was locked. “What the hell? Jade? Are you there?” he yelled out as he knocked on the door, but there was no answer. He walked around the house but there were no lights on, no signs of movement, no noise; no one was home. He looked around confused and decided he wasted too much time and ran off to get his own training done.

It was a Wednesday morning, it was the morning Jade had tea at Pablo’s parlor with Heidi and Amirah before the salon opened. She knew her situation would be the gossip of the day, and she was dreading it, but she couldn’t cancel again. She missed the last 2 weeks because of commissions.

She slowly creeps up Main St. making sure Pen wasn’t walking around first, and then she slipped right in through Pablo’s door.

“Finally! I was starting to think you were going to bail on us again!” Heidi called out from her seat on the couch.

“You could at least have the decency to be on time, I am tired of our tea getting cold while we wait for you.” Pablo huffed.

“Sorry, it was a rough night…” Jade sighed as she plopped herself on the couch next to Amirah who was sipping at her tea.

“I’ll say, you look exhausted. Were you up working all night?” Amirah asked.

“Or was a certain someone just working you out all night?” Pablo said with a wink and a chuckle.

Jade wanted to puke again but kept a straight face as she kept her eye-contact on her tea and she poured the cup.

“No, definitely was not getting worked out all night, and won’t be anymore…”

“WHAT?!” the three of them simultaneously shouted. “Did he break up with you?” Amirah said softly as she placed a hand on Jade’s shoulder with a look of sympathy.

“You can’t break up with someone you were never dating in the first place. If it wants to flirt around with random tourists he meets at a bar late at night, he has that right to.” Jade said in a low voice, trying to convince herself she believed any of the words that just came out of her mouth.

It was a long teatime filled with pity and sympathy, and Jade finally had enough and just wanted to get to work. At least it would keep her mind occupied.

That afternoon, Jade was hard at work assembling a commission at her work bench, when she felt a pair of strong arms snake around her waist from behind and a gentle kiss on her cheek. “What happened to you this morning Skinny? I missed you.” Pen whispered into her ear, but Jade shrugged him off and squirmed out of his embrace.

“Nothing, I was busy working.” She said in a monotone voice, never looking up from her work as she continued her commission.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine.”

“No you’re not Skinn-.”

“I said I’m fine!” she shouted as she slammed her tools down and finally turned around to face him. “Can’t you see I’m busy?! Just go!”

Pen stepped back and looked at her confused. “Skinny wha-”

“And stop fucking calling me that! My name is Jade. I’m not Skinny arms, I clearly have fucking muscle and weight on my body. IF you want to give someone a pet name, go give it to that random chick who was all over you at the bar last night!” Jade shouted as she tried her hardest not to let the tears fall that were swelling up in her eyes.

Pen’s eyes widened, he opened his mouth to respond but Jade cut him off before he could say anything.

“I don’t care what you do, but I won’t be played for a fool. Now get the hell out of my workshop before I through your ass in the industrial recycler.” She snapped before marching off into her house and slamming the door shut behind her.

Pen stood there for a moment stunned by what just happened. But just shrugged and walked away. “It was just a fling; we weren’t tied down. It was meaningless. She’s being dramatic.” Was what his brain was saying, but his heart was saying something completely different. Why was he feeling this pain in his chest?

Chapter Text

It was an uncomfortable few weeks for Jade. She tried to avoid Pen at all costs. Anytime she saw him in town or on her morning runs, she turned to go the other way. He stood his distance for the first few days, but Pen was getting restless. He just wanted to talk to her; kept trying to find her or even follow her (in the least creepiest way possible).  He even kept spamming the commissions board with useless crap because she would “have to pick one of his eventually.” But thankfully Mi-an was understanding of Jade’s situation once she admitted to Mi-an what was going on, so Mi-an took only Pen’s commissions… and Pen regrettably had to pay Mi-an for 25 bronze swords all at once.

The Day of Memories ghost hunt was this evening, and Jade was heavily considering skipping out on it, but her friends convinced her to go, after they let themselves into her house and literally dragged her off the couch. “Pen never even participates in this anyway. He only participates in things he gets to show his stupid muscles off for.” said Heidi.

“He tends to just sit on the sidelines and watch everyone because Matilda and Burgess force him to attend. This does give us a chance for a little revenge though.” said Pablo.

“Revenge… how so?” Jade asked confused.

“Well, if he is going to be watching from the sidelines, then let’s give him something to look at. Darling, make him regret he ever looked at another. We got 2 hours, let’s get you dolled up for tonight.” Pablo said as he dragged Jade out of her house and to the salon along with Heidi.

Amirah was already at the salon trying to get herself dressed up for tonight, Owen FINALLY asked her to go, and she was so nervous that Pablo had to help her as well.

Pablo and Heidi threw Jade into the chair and went back and forth fixing up both Jade and Amirah. “I can’t believe I just got kidnapped and got a makeover by force.” Jade laughed.

There was about 30 minutes left until the Day of Memories Celebration was about to start. Amirah and Heidi were getting restless waiting for Pablo and Jade to come downstairs for her “big reveal.”

“C’mon Pablo! Owen is probably thinking that Amirah stood him up! They were supposed to meet 10 minutes ago at the Blue Moon!” Heidi called up the stairs from the parlor. But just as she did, the door opened up, and out came Jade in a tight, short dress with a ruffle on the bottom and long sleeves, small flowers printed around, and a plunging neckline that lead down to a few buttons just above her waistline, and a pair of high heeled light brown suede thigh-high boots. Her hair had a gentle wave that framed her face just right, and had natural makeup with dramatic eyeliner and blood-red lipstick painted on her lips.

“Damn Pablo, I think this is some of your best work!” Heidi cheered as Jade blushed.

“Oh, I know darling. Now let’s go, the longer we stay and chat, the less of a chance Amirah is getting any tonight.”

“For Light’s sake Pablo!” Jade and Heidi Laughed as Amirah smacked Pablo’s arm with a rolled-up magazine he had on the coffee table.

“I honestly don’t know what I am more excited for. My date or seeing Pen’s face when he first notices Jade.” Amirah laughed as they start heading out the door.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Amirah met up with Owen but was sure to keep an eye out for when Pen showed up. Pablo and Heidi kept Jade company as they waited in line at the registration table for the ghost hunt. They both stood around her like bodyguards, scoping out Pen in the crowd.

It wasn’t long before Heidi noticed him walking down the staircase from behind townhall. She gave a nudge to Pablo and signaled Amirah as well.

“Jade!” she aggressively whispered as she elbowed her side. “He’s here!”

Jade scrambled to prepare herself. Pablo quickly fluffed her hair as Jade adjusted her dress. “Jade dear, push the boobs up.”

“Um, what?”

“Pull your bra up more and push them up, leave nothing to imagination. Make this bastard swoon.”

Heidi chuckled to herself as they both guarded Jade so she could fix her bra without the whole town seeing.

“Ok, all good!” Jade whispered back to them.

Pen was in the back of the square, leaning against the porch of Arvio’s shop, pretending to pick at something under his nail while Burgess was one some rant about plants and conservation again.

Amirah didn’t want to miss this, but also had a plan to get Pen to look up at Jade. She told Owen she will be back in a few minutes and then ran over past her friends to the Bulletin Board outside of town hall. “Hey Jade! Come look at this!” she shouted loud enough that anyone in the square could hear her, including Pen, who’s eyes shot up for a moment, but had to do a double take when he saw Jade walking over to Amirah. Heidi and Pablo stayed behind just to watch his face. He slowly stood up straight and his jaw slightly dropped as he zoned out to only focus on her walking past him.

“Oh, we got him good.” Pablo laughed as he quietly applauded himself.

Pen could not take his eyes off her for a second. Even when everyone was called to gather around for the game to begin, he kept his focus only on her. Pen quickly rushed over to sign up for the game last minute.

“Oh crap…” Jade whispered to herself. But thankfully they were placed on different teams. Jade was a ghost and Pen was a hunter. She was worried at first that she would be stuck in a tent with him while everyone was hiding.

Jade found the best hiding spot she could behind a few barrels not far from the stables. After a few minutes of hiding, she thought she was safe, until she heard a voice that sent a chill up her spine and made a pit in her stomach. “Hey Skinny…” he whispered into her ear from behind as he caresses her arm with the back of his hand. “…can we talk please?”

“You caught me, now go.” She says in a monotone voice as she shrugs his hand off her shoulder and stands up to leave.

“Skinny wait!” he shouts as he grabs her hand and pulls her back down. “Please, I just want to talk!”

“About what?!” as she rips her hand away. “About how you played me? About how you used me? I’m not some desperate chick that is going to fawn over you and follow you around like a lost puppy while you fuck around with other girls. And I deserve to be with a real man, one that cares about me with his whole heart. You’re not a man, you’re a child.” Jade scoffs.

She turns to get up and leave until he whispers “You’re right.”

“What?” she said as she snapped her head back to face him.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I was an ass. I’m just so used to getting attention from everyone all the time… I didn’t think…”

“Oh no, you did think, just with the wrong head. I mean you once told me that us being in a relationship would be part of the conversation soon. And I sat around waiting for you to ask me to go to this stupid ghost thing, and after a few months of us seeing each other practically every day, I find you sitting at the bar with some random tourist in your lap? Seriously Pen?”

“Baby please… I’ve never done this sort of thing before.”

“I’m NOT your baby.”

“Jade please, just give me another chance. And this time I promise to care for you with all of my muscles, you know, because they’re massive.”

Dear light “And how am I supposed to trust you?”

“ROUND 1 IS OVER. PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR TENTS” Matilda’s voice called out.

“Jade wait!” Pen called out to her but she ignored him and left to go back to her tent.

“Shit” he mumbles to himself.

It was time to switch sides, Pen had to hide now while Jade had to hunt. He found a decent hiding spot on the stairs by the parlor, which gave him a clear view to watch Jade running around. Half of his brain was thinking about what to say to her, the other half was focused on how beautiful she looked, especially when he caught a glimpse of her ass when her dress rode up while she ran.

The ghost hunt was over, and it was time for the lanterns. Pablo and Heidi were about to walk up to Jade, but based by the look on her face, they could tell something happened and she might need some space. Pen however, did not read that as well as they did, and he caught up to her as everyone was walking toward the train station.

“Can’t you just leave me alone?” Jade mumbled as she kept walking straight ahead.

“Nope. What can I do to make you trust me again?”

“If you have to ask, then there probably isn’t anything you can do.” She huffed.

Pen runs up to cut her off, towering over her as she stopped dead in her tracks tripping and falling into his chest. “See, I knew I could make you fall for me.” He said with a smirk while Jade angrily glared up at him.

“If you want us to be exclusive? Fine, done. You want us to be official? Done. Just tell me what you want and it’s yours.”

“It’s not about telling you what I want Pen, it’s about you caring enough to know it already.”

“I just want you…” he whispered as he wrapped his arms around her to support her while continues to lean against his chest. Everyone was already down by the train station prepping their lanterns while Pen had her stopped right in front of Vivi’s shop.

She tried with every ounce of her strength not to melt into him, but it was a battle that was quickly over as she got lost in those dark eyes staring down at her… and down her dress “Damn’t Pen, eyes up here.”

“Shit, sorry!”

Jade glared up at him with a raised eyebrow. Pen looked away and turning his head not to let her see the shade of pink that washed over his face.

He turned back to her after a few moments. “You look absolutely stunning tonight.” He whispers to her.

“I know.” She says back with a sarcastic smirk.

He got a chuckle out of that. “Please Skinny, just give me another chance.”

“Pen, I don’t kn-” Jade was cut off by Pen’s lips crashing against hers and his strong his gripping her ass, squeezing her tight against him.

She let out a gasp against his lips and tried to push away at first, but she couldn’t resist. She wrapped her arms around his strong shoulders and hung on to him as he continued to kiss her tenderly, snaking his hands up under her dress and massaging each cheek which drew a low moan out of her.

She was pissed at herself for letting that slip out. Pen pulled back from the kiss with hooded eyes but kept eye contact with Jade waiting for her to say something.

Jade looked down and sighed before looking back up to him. “Pen, I’ve been cheated on before. I don’t take betrayal lightly. I don’t know what to feel about this right now… I need time.” She said as she backed out of his embrace and took a few steps back, looking away to hide the tear that rolled down her cheek.

Pen just stood there with his eyes roaming her entire body. “Damn” he whispered with a playful smirk on his face. “You should dress like that more often.” He teased.

Jade tried to hide her smile. “C’mon, let’s head back. The lantern festival is almost over.”

_______________________________________

“You kissed him?!” Pablo shouted across the table as the group met for breakfast the next morning. “You were supposed to make him jealous! Not give him any satisfaction!”

“I know I know! It just happened. One thing led to another. He asked for another chance, and I told him I need time to think and that’s how we left it. I don’t even know what I want. Do I want to trust him with a relationship? Do I just want his body? I don’t know.”

“Just take your time, and decide what will truly make you happy.” Amirah said calmly.

“Did he at least compliment the outfit?” Pablo asked.

Jade laughed “Several times. He also couldn’t keep my eyes focused on my face.”

“Well then, at least one of us did our jobs properly.” Pablo said as he patted himself on the back.

“So what are you going to do now?” Heidi chimed in.

“I really don’t know. Part of me is missing seeing him on the other side of my bed, part of me still doesn’t want to look at him. I guess we will just see where things go. I’ll be civil with him for now at least, but I won’t go out of my way to see him.”

“Torture him. Play hard to get. I’ll get a few more outfits for you that will drive him crazy but you CANNOT give him that satisfaction. Let him be the one doing the chasing for once. If he puts the effort in, then at least you know he is serious.”

“I guess we can do that. Listen I gotta get back to work, I’m so behind on commissions right now. I can stop by this afternoon and pick up those outfits.”

They all say their goodbyes and head their separate ways.

Jade felt uneasy about the whole situation honestly. She wasn’t sure she had enough confidence to play hard to get, she honestly wasn’t sure she could even forgive him yet. “Maybe I’ll just try to avoid him for a bit until I can think clearly.” She thought to herself as she went back to work.

Chapter Text

About a week has gone by and Jade is still actively avoiding Pen. He discovered her new running route and caught up with her one morning to run with her. She tried to ignore him while he spewed out bullshit about his muscles or his adoring fans, and then how much he missed seeing Jade and asking for sex.

“Skinny please, let’s do something tonight. It’s been so long, and I’m sure you miss this body ramming against yours.” He whispered to her with a wink, and they finally ended their run at her front gate. Jade was trying to ignore him while reading her mail. There was a letter from Matilda –

Good morning Jade,

It just occurred to me that you probably don’t know how to farm in the desert yet. We have a special technique that will allow you to grow your own food, even in these harsh conditions. Zeke runs the moisture farm not far past the clinic. I asked him to teach you how to farm. Please be there promptly at 9:30am today. I have already cleared your time off with Yan.

Good luck!

-Matilda

“Ugh seriously? I have so much crap to do.” She looks down at her watch and back at the letter while she thinks about what to do, completely oblivious to the fact that Pen is now standing just behind her, with his arms wrapped around her tight, grinding against her ass.

“It’s only 8am, that should give me enough time to shower and get some materials processing before I go there and- FOR LIGHT’S SAKE PEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

Pen laughs and he continues. “I told you, I miss you and it’s been a while. Want me to come in and shower with you?” He says as he kissed the side of her neck and slide his hand up to cup her breast, rubbing his thumb gently over her nipple.

Damn’t she did not want that to feel good. “Ugh, fine let’s just hurry this up.” She growled as she grabbed his arm and dragged him into her house.

It wasn’t long before he had Jade folded up against the shower wall, repeatedly pounding into her. Every time he was inside her, it’s like every weight on her shoulders and the outside world just completely washed away. With every kiss he gave her she almost fell for him again, but had to keep reminding herself that she can’t be stupid, she can’t let him play her again. She thought about having a friends with benefits arrangement because sometimes all you need in life is mind-blowing sex, but she knew she would fall for him eventually. It was a disaster waiting to happen.

Pen kissed her lovingly as he lowered her back down, but kept her wrapped in his arms. “I missed you Skinny.” He whispered as he nipped at her bottom lip.

“Pen, I need to go. I have 30 minutes to get to the moisture farm.”

Pen let out a deep sigh and gave her a disappointed look. “Gotcha…” he said as they wrapped it up in the shower. Jade got herself dressed, weapons and armor ready so she can head into the dessert after her visit with Zeke. The two of them head out together, but before they went their separate ways, “Can I run with you again tomorrow Skinny?” Pen asked shyly as he grabbed Jade’s hand.

Jade paused for a moment. She really doesn’t know how to feel about him anymore, but she was put on the spot with this one. “I guess…” she said softly.

She then took her hand back and hurried off to the moisture farm. But as she got closer to the clinic, the air began to smell like something was burning. She looked up to see a big black smoke cloud billowing out of the moisture farm in the distance.

Catori stepped out of the museum just as Jade walked by. She looked on in horror as she noticed the smoke. “QUICK, GO GET HELP!” Jade shouted to her before running to the moisture farm.

Jade kicked the door open and ran into the cloud of smoke to find these creepy lizard people with weapons, destroying the machinery in the farm and setting the crops on fire.

“What the fuck?!” she yelled a little too loud, catching the attention of the Lizard people who then rushed towards her to attack. Jade drew her bronze sword and within minutes, she almost effortlessly took out 5 of the Lizard folks alone. She turned around to attack the last one, before a very large figure grabbed the lizard by the neck and threw him out the ceiling.

“Uhh, hi. I’m Zeke.”

“Forget introductions, we have to put this fire out!” Jade yelled as she grabbed a hose and Zeke grabbed another, putting out the fire and saving any crops they could.

Of course, just as they finished, Justice, Unsuur, and Pen rush in with weapons drawn.

“Little late there huh?” Jade teased.

“Hey, we got stuck in an intense argument with a tourist who claimed it was his right to cut down a catus.” Justice said.

“If someone would have come to me first, I would’ve saved the entire farm before any damage was even done.” Pen scoffed.

“Well, your friend here took care of almost everything. She took out almost all the Geeglers and put out the fire.”

“The Geeg- what now?”

“Geeglers, those are the weird mutant lizard things. I can’t believe they did this. I’dunno what’s gotten in to them. Leaving graffiti all over town too.”

“Well that’s the least of our concerns. The farm is broken. They busted the Hydrogel that helps keep all the plants alive. Without it, the crops will all be dead soon and we’ll run out of food.” Zeke said

“Well I’m sure if anyone can fix it, it’s Skinn- I mean Jade.” Pen said as he puts his arm around her with a smile.

Jade just glared back at Pen as shook his arm off her. “Yeah I’m sure I can handle this.

“I’m sure you can, if you can find a new condenser. It’s an essential part to the mechanism and they’re hard to come by.”

“I’m sure Qi knows where we could find one.” Justice added.

“Alright, I’ll head over there now and see what I can do.” Jade said.

“Just let me know where to find it and I’ll go fight off any monster I need to get it for ya.” Pen said with a smile and a wink.

“I can handle this myself, Pen.” Jade said as she walked out with Justice and Unsuur, not even looking at Pen when she said it.

“Damn, what did you do to piss her off?” Zeke said.

Pen rolled his eyes and huffed as he ran out after her.

Justice and Unsuur was on their way back to town while Jade was on her way to Qi’s house. Pen ran to catch up to her.

“Hey Skinny! What’s your problem? I thought we were working on things here?”

“I don’t have a problem, Pen! For the record, you said you would work on things, I’d said I need time to think because I still can’t trust you!” she shouted back at him. 

“Oh c’mon Jade! Nothing even happened with her!”

“You still could have told her I’m not interested! Not let her sit on your fucking lap with her hands all over you. Face it, you don’t care about me, you just care about getting attention. And I’m done!” Jade snapped as she stormed off.

“JADE!” he shouted to her, but she never turned around, just kept walking. Pen watched her for a moment before picking up a rock and throwing it as hard as he can, shatter a window of a nearby abandoned building as he cursed to himself and stomped back to the church dorms.

Jade sat on the bench outside of Qi’s house and cried for a few minutes, then recollected herself and walked inside.

“A condenser? Oh, that’s an easy one, you can find it in The Breach. If my notes are correct, there should be a storage area about 8 floors down from the entrance by Martle Square.” Qi said, not even looking up from his work to look at Jade.

“The Breach? Isn’t that closed off?”

“I’m afraid so. You will have to talk to Justice about that one. Get that condenser, and I’ll have diagrams for a new Hydrogel over to you by the morning.

Jade nodded and left.

________________________________

“No, it’s not safe to go down there.”

“Justice, if I don’t go the town will run out of food and Sandrock will be gone. If you’re that worried about me, then one of you come with me.”

“We can’t. With this morning’s attack, who knows what the Geeglers might do if we are gone. We don’t even know how they snuck into town yet… take Pen with you.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“I took out the Geeglers on my own earlier, I’ll be fine.”

“Either Pen goes with you, or you don’t go at all. I need you safe”

“Ugh, FINE!”

“Alright. I’ll go talk to him. You go get yourself prepared. Stock up on weapons, food, and health supplies.”

“K.”

Like hell she was taking Pen with her. Jade waited for Justice to vanish from her sight before heading into the breach on her own. She already had all her supplies on her since she planned on going into the desert today for materials.

____________________________________

About a couple of hours later, Jade climbs out of The Breach with only a few scratches, a little dirt, and the condenser. She finds Pen and Justice standing at the entrance impatiently, looking around for any sign of Jade.

“Man, why do women always take so long to get ready?” Justice said.

“I could’ve gone down there and got the damn thing myself at this point.” Pen huffed.

“Do you even know what a condenser looks like?” Justice teased as Pen rolled his eyes. He wasn’t to excited at the thought of having to work with Jade after their argument this morning.

“Well if you’re wondering… a condenser looks like this.” Jade said as she held out the machine, startling Pen and Justice and causing them to jump and turn around.

“Jade! What the hell! I told you not to go down there!” Justice yelled.

“Skinny?! You could’ve gotten hurt! Justice said you needed me to protect you!”

“Like HELL I needed you. I couldn’t wait any longer. Need to save the town.” Jade said as she walked past the two of them.

“By the way…” she finally stops to turn ad face them. “Found where the Geeglers were coming from. I took out about 25 or 30 of them and patched up the hole.”

“That’s a good one.” Justice laughed and Pen smirked but tried not to show it.

“No seriously, if you don’t believe me, go look for yourself.”

“And just how did a builder manage to take out an entire squad of Geeglers?” Pen asked sarcastically.

“Ma was captain of the Highwind Civil Corps. Pa was in the Flying Pigs. I’ve been training with a sword since I was 5 years old. Anyways, I really do have to get back to saving the town, fixing the food crisis and shit. Peace.” Jade said as she swirled around and walked back home.

___________________________________

The Hyrdrogel was a bit complicated to fix, required a lot of materials but Jade worked day and night to build it. Owen created a dance-a-thon food drive which at least provided the town with some food stability for the time being. Jade watched the dance on the outdoor stage from her workshop as she was far too busy with the hydrogel to attend.

 Pen occasionally stopped by to try and talk to Jade. Even had the audacity to ask her to the dance-a-thon to try and make up.

“OH, NOW YOU ASK ME OUT? COULDN’T DO IT FOR THE DAY OF MEMORIES THOUGH, COULD YOU? NO! BECAUSE YOU WERE TOO BUSY WITH SOMEONE ELSE!” Jade yelled as she threw the bouquet of desert roses back at Pen and kicked him off her property.

It took about another two days, but Jade finally screwed in the last bolt of the hydrogel. “Give it a try, Zeke!” Jade yelled from across the farm. A loud crank of a lever echoed inside the dome and within seconds, a fine mist was pouring out of the hydrogel, creating the moist, humid environment needed to grow the crops.

“YES!!” Jade and a few other townsfolk cheered.

A fireside meeting was held that night to thank Jade for saving the town. Matilda also called upon Justice to devise a plan against the Geeglers.

“They have gone too far this time. The Geeglers leave us no choice but to fight back!” Matilda called out to the crowd.

After the meeting, Justice approached Jade asking her to assist with infiltrating the Gecko Station, where the Geeglers hideout was. “Unsuur is asking Mi-an for assistance as well. We need to go across via suspended tram cart. It’s the only way to sneak it. And we need you both to build and install them. Heidi and Qi should have the diagrams to you by morning.”

“Alright, sounds good to me.”

“Oh and Jade… sorry I doubted you with The Breach. Unsuur and I went down there for an inspection and saw well… everything.”

“Don’t worry about it. No one ever expects the builder to be a trained fighter.” She laughed sarcastically.

“Why didn’t you become a Corps. member back home then?”

“Just because I’m good at something doesn’t make it my passion. Sure, I enjoy fighting, but creating things is where I find my true happiness.”

“I can respect that. You have a good night now.” Justice said as he waved goodbye.

The night before the mission, Jade was lying on her couch with her lights still on. It was nearly 2am and she couldn’t get an ounce of sleep. She has fought monsters, but never an entire clan of them. She felt a pit of fear in her stomach. Kept trying to think of every technique her parents taught her.

Suddenly there was a knock on her door. “It’s 2am… who the hell could that be.” Jade grabbed one of her daggers as she creeped across her living room floor.

There was another knock followed by a “Skinny… are you still up?... It’s late and I saw the light on and I…”

Fuck me. Jade put her dagger down and opened the door. “What do you want? Why are you out this late anyways?”

“I uhh…” Pen was scratching his head trying to think. He wasn’t exactly sure what possessed him to come here either. Once he saw the light on, his body just took him there. “I just finished my patrol, and I saw the lights were still on… wanted to make sure you were ok I guess… and with the mission in the morning I just…”

Pen kept stuttering and had a panicked, worried look on his face that made Jade hate him just a little less. They stood awkwardly in the doorway for a few moments before Jade finally said “Do you want to come in?...” in a low voice, not even making eye contact with him.

Pen looked up in surprise “Uh, yea-… yes please.” Jade held the door and let him walk in.

“Do you want anything to drink? Water, tea, a beer?”

“No, I’m ok, thanks.” Pen said quietly as he sat down on the couch. Jade grabbed herself some tea before sitting next to him. They sat there for several minutes in complete silence. All you could her was Jade occasionally slurping at her tea.

“You nervous about the mission?”

“No, not really…”

“Then why are you still awake?”

Jade let out a loud exhale through her nose. “I guess I am a bit nervous. Can’t say I have taken on something this big or dangerous.”

“I’m pissed I can’t go with you. Justice said I need to stay back and watch over the town just in case.”

“Well, yeah we can’t just leave the town to be on it’s own. What would happen if the Geeglers came out and attacked, or what if Logan found this as an opportunity to attack?”

“I guess you’re right. I just hate… I hate that I’m not there to protect you.” Pen whispered out as he stared at the floor. “I don’t know what I’d do if you go hurt.”

Jade looked over to him with soft eyes and felt a tinge of guilt for being so harsh with him when he may actually care about her. She scooted over to him on the couch and rested her head on his large shoulder.

He jumped when he felt her touch again, gave her a kiss on the top of her head, and wrapped his arm around her.

“I’ll be ok Pen. I believe it was already established that I am not a damsel in distress, remember?”

Pen chuckled at that, and the scooped her up and sat her on his lap. Jade leaned against him as they looked deeply into each other’s eyes for a moment, and then she leaned in to kiss him gently.

-------------------------------------------------------

Pen woke up around 7am the next morning to a bright ray of sunshine peeking through Jade’s windows, engulfing Jade in a cloak of golden light as she slept peacefully wrapped in Pen’s arms.

They never even made it off the couch last night. Pen tried to look around to see where the hell she threw his clothes. He laughed to himself when he noticed his boxers hanging from the ceiling fan.

“Babe… Skinny c’mon wake up. You have to get yourself ready for the mission.” He said as he gently shook Jade’s arm, who was still sound asleep against his chest. Pen gave her a soft kiss on the lips which finally got her to jump out of her sleep.

“Good morning sleepy head.” He said to her with a warm smile and another kiss as she was starting to come to her senses.

______________________________________

It was 9am on the dot. Pen walked Jade up to the tram platform where everyone was waiting for her. “You be careful, ok?” Pen whispered to her as he took her hand. “I will, she said with a soft smile and squeezed his hand in reassurance. Pen leaned down to give her a kiss goodbye, surprising Justice, Unsuur, and Mi-an.

Cough-cough “Uhh *ahem* alright Skinny, I’ll see you around.” Pen said as he turned bright red and ran off, not realizing they all watched him kiss her.

“Soooooooooo you gonna explain that?” Justice asked confused.

“Honestly, I can’t even explain that one.” Jade laughed as her and Mi-an prepped the trams.

It was several hours of hell. Falling from the sky and crashing into the basement of a ruin hideout was not on Jade’s to-do list today, but shit happens, I guess.

Justice and Jade fought valiantly against the Geeglers and their President. Of course, Captain was the true hero in that battle.

The President seemed to be going down, but “ENOUGH!” he yelled out as he took one last attack knocking Justice a few yards back.

-----------------------------------------

They have been in there for a while and Pen was getting worried. He kept his patrols near the tram stations so it would be easy to see when the group was coming back. He was walking down the long staircase by the side of the Civil Corps. Office when he heard a loud rumble. It was a train darting out of Gecko station at full speed.  Pen looked closer to see the Geegler President on top of the train and … “JADE?! SHIT!” Pen yelled out as he ran as fast as he could to the tracks. As soon as he got down to the tracks, a horrible creaking and cracking noise boomed through the Shonash Canyon as the weight of the train cause the bridge to collapse, sending the train down to crash at the bottom of the canyon, vanishing into a fireball of an explosion.

No. no. no. “NO! JADE!” Pen yelled as he ran to the edge of the collapsed railway. Half of the town ran over as well when they heard the commotion. Justice, Unsuur, and Mi-an looked on in horror from the other side of the canyon.

Pen was helplessly screaming her name out into the canyon, but when the cloud of dust and smoke settled, “I’M OKAY! BUT I CAN’T GET UP!” her voice shouted from below.

Pen quickly looked over the edge of the rail to see Jade clinging on to one of the bridges suspension cables for dear life. “SOMEBODY GET ME A ROPE FOR LIGHT’S SAKE!” Pen growled over his shoulder to the crowd. Thankfully the Civil Corps. office had some supplies in the back, and somebody found just enough rope.

Pen pulled Jade up to safety and just held her in his arms as tight as he could. “Don’t you ever fucking scare me like that again Skinny.” Pen whispered to her as she cried in his arms. She finally felt… safe.

-----------------------------------------------

It’s been almost 2 months since the Gecko Station incident. Jade was busier than ever between building a robot, building a bridge, continuously rescuing an engineer from falling asleep on the train tracks, and spending a lot more time with Pen.

He stayed over he house pretty often nowadays. He used an excuse that since there was a water shortage without a working railway, they best thing they can do to conserve water was shower together.

It was a crisp spring morning. Pen was supposed to be at Jade’s house for breakfast when he got off of his overnight patrol. She was prepping her ingredients to make pancakes when suddenly-

*BOOM*

A loud explosion rattled her entire house. “WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!” she screamed as she rushed to put her boots on and grab a weapon before running out the door. She came outside to see a billowing cloud of black smoke where the water tower once stood.

Holy shit.

Without even looking she darts out of her yard only to look up just in time to avoid crashing into… “LOGAN?!” Jade yelled out as she fell backwards onto the ground, nearly being trampled by a giant goat.

Gun shots were going off in the distance, most likely aimed at Logan. He paused for a moment to take one look at her, a gaze deep into her eyes that stirred something in her soul, and than sped off like a panbat out of hell a second later.

Justice, Unsuur, and Pen ran up to find her still on the ground and Logan too far ahead to catch.

Unsuur gave Jade a hand to get up.

“You ok, Partner?” Justice asked

“Yeah, I’m good. As soon as I stepped out of my gate he ran right up to me and I fell backwards to avoid getting run over. Logan stopped and just looked at me for a few moments and then ran off… it was… weird…”

“He stopped and looked at you? HE STOPPED AND YOU DIDN’T FUCKING GRAB HIM?” Pen frantically screamed at her… Right. In. Her. Face.

“Whoa! Hold on a second their partn-”

“EXCUSE ME?! I almost got fucking trampled!” Jade screams back as she grabs Pen’s face and shoved him backwards. “How fucking dare you!” she glared at him in disgust and walked away towards the water tower, trying to hide the tears in her eyes.

“Shit…” Pen mumbled to himself.

Unsuur and Justice stood there for a few uncomfortable seconds.

“Hate to break it to you partner, but there is no coming back from that one.” Justice sighed.

Pen gave him a dirty look before stomping off. He knew he fucked up big time. He fucked up big time twice in the matter of minutes.

Chapter Text

Jade knew better than to run off into the dessert without any of her good weapons. A simple pair of bronze daggers wasn’t going to put a dent into a dessert monster. “I just need to get one more rose stone for this commission, should be a quick trip.”

“You fucking idiot!” she cursed herself as she hid behind some large rocks from a dive buzzard. She couldn’t even escape because the horse she rented ran off when the Dive Buzzard first attacked, letting Jade slide off the saddle and fall into the sand.

Every time she tried to pop her head out, it dove in for another attack. A wave of panic rushed over her, there was no way out of this. But just then, he heard gunshots not far from her, and looked up to see the Dive Buzzard screech from pain as it lowered out of the sky and to the ground.

“Where the fuck did that come from?!” she said to herself still crouched behind the rocks barely able to catch her breath. A shadow washed over her as a large figure with broad shoulders appeared in front of her, blocking out the sun’s rays that were shining onto her face.

“You ok?” said the figure in a low voice. Jade finally looked up to see it was Logan standing over her, with his hand reaching out to help pull her up. She was hesitant, but he did just save her life. She reached out to take his hand, and just this initial touch sent a spark through her that took her breath away for a moment. Logan pulls her up quickly, leaving them standing in front of each other with only a couple of inches distance between them. She looked up to see his brilliant blue eyes looking down at her, they were soft, but full of worry. They both got lost into each other’s gaze for a moment before Logan took a step back to clear his throat and repeat himself “Uhhh, are you ok?” he said with a faint shade of pink spreading across his face, looking away not to let her see.

“Oh, um yeah sorry… why are you helping me?”

Logan gave her a look with a raised eyebrow. “I mean thank you, but why?”

Logan turns his head and looks off into the distance. “My job is to protect people from the monsters in the desert… and I’m not the bad guy here.” He sighed before continuing “Look, I may not be welcome anymore, but I wasn’t gonna just let ya die out here.”

Jade gave him a confused look. “If you’re not the bad guy, then who is?”

Logan let’s out a long sigh “It’s complicated, I’m not sure who I can trust with that right now… just be careful, and do me a favor, no more ridin’ off into the desert without proper weapons, okay?”

“Fine, I’ll be careful, but only if you stop breaking shit in my town. I’m the one who’s been stuck cleaning up all of your messes.” She replied with a sarcastic laugh.

Logan got a chuckle out of that, but hid his smile behind the mask as he watched Jade turn around to start walking home. He hopped back onto Rambo, but still kept an eye on Jade from afar. Without any weapons, he didn’t want her to be attacked again on her walk back home. Under different circumstances, he would have offered her a ride.

She was starting to get close to the town, so Logan decided she would be fine, but then he heard a large rumble behind him. He turned around to see the dust cloud of a massive sandstorm coming in. It was about 30 minutes out. “Shit she’s never going to make it to town in time. C’mon Rambo!” he yells out to the goat as they take off running towards Jade.

He rode up to Jade and grabs her right off the ground and she yelps as he pulls her up and carries her in his arms as Rambo continues to run.

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!” she yells as she tried to squirm free of his grasp.

“I’m sorry but there isn’t much time. There’s a massive storm coming in, look behind us.”

Jade stops squirming to look over Logan’s shoulder and sees a giant dust cloud not far behind them. “Oh shit!” she yells.

“I’m sorry, I can’t go back to town, I have a camp set up in a cave not far from here we can take shelter ‘til the storm passes… just hang on tight.” he said as he direct Rambo to go faster.

Jade was still sitting side-saddle, but Rambo was going too fast for her to safely adjust herself in her seat. She leaned into Logan, wrapping her arms around him to hold on tight.

She felt goosebumps rise up the back of his neck from her touch, and he thanked the light he was wearing a mask to cover how red his face just got as she melted into the warmth of his chest.

It wasn’t long before they ran into a cave. Logan got off from the goat to help Jade get down, but her foot got caught in the saddle and she stumbled down, falling on top of Logan and knocking them both to the ground with a thud and an “OOF!”

“Shit I’m so sorry!” Jade says as she props herself up off of Logan’s chest to look down at him.

“That’s ok.” He laughs. “There could be worse things than a beautiful woman on top of me.” Logan then froze when he realized what he just said to her. He wasn’t one to make jokes like that, he was usually pretty shy and reserved.

Jade looked down at him for a moment, and then rolled off of him laughing. “Yeah, there definitely can be worse things.”

They both continue to laugh as they get up and walked deeper into the cavern until they come across a small camp with a fire pit set up, some of Logan’s belongings and an old couch that looked like it was pulled from a junk pile that was along the back of the cave.

They made it to the cave just in time as the rumble from the storm outside echoed throughout the cave. Logan finished tying up Rambo near a makeshift trough with food and water before walking back over to Jade who was awkwardly standing by the fire pit.

“You hungry? I’m not the best cook, but I can throw something together.”

Jade was a bit hesitant to answer. What am I doing here, stuck in a cave with a wanted criminal.

“Umm, hello?”

Jade jumped and snapped out of her own thoughts. “Oh hi, um sorry, I’m not really hungry. Thanks though.” She said sheepishly.

“Listen, you gotta eat something to keep your energy up, you don’t know how long we will be stuck out here for. I understand this is awkward right now, but I’m just trying to help you. I know there is a lot going around town about me, but it’s not true.”

“What do you mean it’s not true? You were caught hijacking the train, you fled the scene of the water tower explosion, and I know that to be true because you almost ran me over when you fled.”

“I didn’t blow up the water tower and didn’t really hijack the train. It’s… complicated… I know if looks bad now but the truth will come out eventually. I just don’t know who I can trust right now.”

“I can understand that last part… trust issues are going to be the death of me.” She sighed. “Fine, I’ll have something to eat. I can get the fire going if you want.”

About an hour passed and they were just about done eating. Jade had no idea how she managed to swallow that food though.

“So how was it?” Logan asked. “Well, maybe next time you get the fire going and I’ll do the cooking.” Jade laughed.

“Heh, sorry, I’m not the best cook. But when you’re out on the trails, food is food.”

The storm outside continued as the sun began to go down. The desert might be deadly hot during the day, but it got pretty cold at night.

“This ain’t lettin’ up anytime soon, guess we are gonna be stuck in here tonight.” Logan said as he heard the strong wind gusts continuing to echo in the cave. “Hey, you ok?” he asks as he sees Jade curled up in a ball shivering.

“Just a bit cold I guess. I dressed for an afternoon in the desert, not an overnight stay.” She replied as she gestures to her outfit of a tank top and shorts. “Seriously feel how cold I am.” Jade reaches out to hold Logan’s hand so he could feel how frozen she was, which just made Logan feel all that much warmer.

“Shit, we gotta get you warmed up. Here take this.” He said as he took off his cape and handed it to Jade to wrap herself in. No sooner did she burrito herself into his cape did he scoop her up bridal style and took her over to the couch next to the fire, sitting her down on his lap and holding her tight. “I don’t want this to be weird, but I gotta get you warmed up. It’s not even that late, it’s only gonna get colder.”

Jade didn’t know what to say, more like she just couldn’t get any words out because this was an awkward situation with, in her opinion, a really hot guy.

“Ugh, it’s been one hell of a week. Scratch that, one hell of a life. I could really use a drink right now.” She sighs.

“I mean, I gotta flask of whiskey if ya want a swig?”

“Light, you saved my life three times today now!” she laughed as Logan took the flask out of his back pocket and passed it to her. They both took a few sips of it.

“So what’s the long week, and life? What’s on your mind?”

“It’s a long story…”

“Well darlin’, it’s gonna be a long night so we need something to kill the time.”

“I may need to finish off your whiskey if I tell this story.”

“If it’s that bad, I may still need a few swigs so I can listen to it haha.”

Jade to a long swig from his flask. “So where should I start?”

“Hmmm, how ‘bout you tell me why you came to Sandrock? It’s not exactly the ideal location to move to right now.”

“Oh, yeah, going to need more alcohol from this one babe.”

He knew she was just saying that as just a figure of speech, but he couldn’t deny the butterflies he felt in his stomach hearing her call him babe.

“I was born and raised in Highwind. My Ma was a Captain in the Civil Corps. and my Pa retired from the Flying Pigs. He did a few tours in the Peripheries. I loved living there. My best friend Nia lived right next door. We were inseparable and always getting into trouble. Well, more like I was a bad influence who always got us into trouble.” Logan chuckled at that.

“She loved plants and nature, and I just loved making things, creating something from nothing. I’dunno know. Just always amazed me thinking how these giant buildings you see all around us came from just piles of wood and scrap. Anyways, when we were in high school, we became really close with this guy Alex and I eventually started dating him. He was perfect, my parents loved him, we both wanted to become builders. When college came around, him and I went to Highwind City College for building, but Nia went to Atara University to study Botany. I guess her not being around made Alex and I even closer, we were attached at the hip. We both graduated tied for the top of our class. And after graduation, we went into business together.

We were incredibly successful, and happy together, and eventually he proposed to me. I was over-the-moon in love with him, and he was too, that is, until fame started getting to his head. Our work started becoming pretty well know around the free cities, and we became almost like celebrities in the building and construction field. We would get these major commissions coming in from all over, and it occasionally required us to travel. Sometimes we’d go together, sometimes we would take turns traveling. After a while, I noticed Alex was changing. He wasn’t this carefree, goofy guy I fell in love with anymore. He was more stern, all about appearance, like he wanted to flaunt the fact that he was hot-shit and wealthy now. Our small wedding we were planning suddenly turned into this huge event. While I was away on a commission in Atara for a few weeks, he tripled the size of our house and spent a few months turning our normal suburban ranch house into this massive mansion with marble flooring.

My parents my have been blindsided by the fact that they knew I was going to be well off and taken care off for the rest of my life. But he became someone new, not the Alex I fell in love with. We weren’t as close anymore; he became very cold and distant and would be away on commissions longer than normal. He even stopped writing to me when he was away for longer than a week. I started getting nervous that maybe there was someone else, that he didn’t love me anymore, but I tried to stay positive. Maybe the work was just getting stressful. I was away on a commission that ended early, and I figured if I left now, I would be home on his birthday, and we can take the day off from work and celebrate, just the two of us. Help us maybe rekindle that spark. Especially since it was 2 months before the wedding… WELL.” She said as she took a big gulp of whiskey. “I get home at 6am on his birthday. I sneak into our house quietly not to wake him since I wanted to surprise him. I brought a slice of cake with a candle in it, but as I walked up our stairs, I heard… noises. That’s when I get to our bedroom. There he was… and there SHE was, in MY bed; OUR bed. I threw the cake at them and ran. I just ran. I don’t even know where I was running to. I finally ended up by a lake about 2 hours outside of the city that I used to visit every summer with my family. I just plopped myself on the dock and cried for hours.”

Jade began to tear up while telling the story. Logan just sat there rubbing her back and passed her a handkerchief.

“I was so lost. I was numb. My chest physically hurt as if my heart really did just shatter into a million pieces. I finally walked to the little resort village near the lake to hop on a bus back home. I finally get home, and I see all of my stuff in boxes and suitcases on the front lawn. With a copies of a ton of paperwork. That son of a bitch had himself as the sole name on everything. He knew I didn’t know business like he did… his family were all business people and accountants and crap so his family made him study it in school besides building. So, he knew how to play the system, and play me. He had full ownership of the house, the business, and our money. I literally lost EVERYTHING. And the worst part, he showed no remorse for what he did to me... I had to move back in with my parents, and I was just an empty shell of a human. Days would go by before I would even leave my bed. Everything I ate made me sick. I was constantly getting nightmares of him. I couldn’t stay in Highwind anymore. I couldn’t be near him or anything that reminded me of him. One morning I was reading the daily newspaper that my Pa left on the kitchen table, and I saw an ad for a builder in Sandrock. I sent my application in and just a couple of days later I get a letter in the mail that I was hired and I’m to move to town immediately.

So now I’m here… working my life away, too scared to be happy, and got myself hurt by a guy AGAIN to the point I don’t even want to walk into town in fear of seeing his fucking face anymore. So yeah… do you have any more whiskey?”

“Shit… Jade I’m so sorry… I don’t even know what to say to that… who’s the asshole in town?”

Jade pretends to gag as she says his name “Pen…”

Logan let’s out a deep sigh as he hears that. “Yeah, I’m not exactly fond of him either…”

Jade finished the last sip of whiskey. Neither of them was drunk, but they loosened up quite a bit.

“Yeah I’m pretty sure that fucker just used me for sex. Made me believe he actually cared about me. But I saw him flirting with other girls before. And then the way he yelled at me after the water tower incident, I don’t need that. I don’t need his toxic bullshit. He can go fuck himself.”

Jade started sniffling as tears rolled down her face. Logan didn’t know what to say, his own heart was hurting for her. “Look at me.” He whispered.

Jade sat up on his lap to face him. Logan gently grabbed the side of her face and wiped away the tears with his thumb. “You are stronger than this. Don’t let these assholes bring you down. You are amazing. I have seen the things you have done around town. Taking out the Geeglers, saving the moisture farm, rebuilding the bridge and the water tower. Sandrock would not have survived it. Can either of those pieces of shit say they did any of that? No. But you can. You’re a strong, talented, smart, caring, amazing, beautiful woman and-”

Before Logan could finish, Jade cut him off by swiftly pulling his mask down and smashing her lips against his.

Logan’s eyes widened but he didn’t pull away. He wasn’t sure how to react honestly.

After a few seconds, Jade pulled back with a gasp.

Logan I… I’m so sorry. I don’t know what just came over me, I just…-” Logan’s expression turned from shock to lust as he grabbed her and pulled her back in for a kiss. He pulled her body close into him, making her readjust her seat to straddle him. His tongue slipped past her lips to explore her mouth as his large hands roamed her body, drawing a moan out of her throat and a rush of heat to her core.

She felt him hardening underneath her so she began grinding against him. “Light that feels good.” Logan moaned as he pulled away from the kiss and leaned his back with pleasure. “Been a long time since I felt anything but my hand while being stuck out in the desert.” He laughed and moaned.

Maybe Jade was feeling vulnerable, maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was even a mix, but she wanted him. And he clearly wanted her. Jade leaned back down and started kissing and nipping at his neck while she unbuttoned his shirt to reveal his bulging pecs and strong muscles. Her hands rubbed up and down is body as her tongue traced down the center of his chest and abdomen. Logan began squirming underneath her. He looked at her longingly while breathing heavy as she sat back up and took her tank top off to reveal a black lace bra and a toned hourglass figure. Logan looked at her breast for a moment before leaping forward and delving his face into them. Kissing and biting them, and the making quick work to unbutton her bra to let it fall off of her, taking her nipple into his mouth while he rubbed and pinched the other one with his hand. Jade’s moans were music to his ears as it echoed in the cave. His hand dropped down to feel the wetness soaking through her shorts. He slides his hands up her shorts and slowly runs his calloused fingers along her wet folds making her yelp.

He leaned back in for a kiss as he fingered her, making her cry out into his mouth. “Darlin’” he said as he pulled back, “May I have the absolute honor of making sweet love to you tonight?” he asked in a low and sultry tone.

“Yes… please!” she begged as he shoved another finger into her.

Logan flipped her over onto the couch to lay Jade on her back as he stood up to drop his pants and underwear, letting his large, hard cock bounce out.

Jade watched him intently while she lay there on the couch. She splayed her legs wide open eager for him to come back to her which got a chuckle out of him. He eyed her dripping core, and how beautiful she looked laying there waiting for him. It seemed like she waited there a lifetime, but it was only a few second before he pounced on top of her and aligned himself with her. “Ya ready sweetheart?” She nodded vigorously, she couldn’t wait any longer, she needed him now. He slowly entered her, giving her time to adjust to him. Light, he feels so fucking good. He began rocking his hips against her, and gradually picked up his pace once he knew she was comfortable, until he was ramming into her. Their moans and yelps, and the sound their bodies smacking together rung throughout the cave like a symphony of sex.

It wasn’t long before they both reached their climax, yelling out to each other in sync. Logan felt a little embarrassed that he came too fast. “It’s been a couple of years, I promise I’ll be longer next time.” Jade gave him a smirk with a raised eyebrow. “Uhh, ya know, if you’d like there to be a next time that is, heh.” He scratched the back of his head, and his face turned red. Jade pulled him back down for a kiss. “I would love a next time.” She whispered.

It was pretty late and the storm was still raging outside. “I better get some sleep… I’m going to have a lot of work to do tomorrow with all of that damage this storm is going to cause…” she said as she got herself dressed and plopped back on the couch. Logan laid across the couch with his arms open, welcoming her into his embrace. She snuggled up next to him as he pulled his cape over them like a blanket. They drifted off to sleep in each other’s arms.

___________________________

The next morning, Jade woke up alone on the couch, but still wrapped in Logan’s cape. She sat up to notice everything was gone. Logan, Rambo, all of his things. All that was left there was a canteen with some water, a dried sandfish, and a note reading:

“Sorry to just up and leave on ya. It’s not something I’d normally do, but I figured someone was bound to come lookin’ for ya in the morning and I couldn’t risk getting’ caught. I will cherish last night forever. Hang on to that cape for me, I’ll come by to get in some night when the coast is clear.

P.S. – Remember what I said about how strong you are darlin’. You can do anything.”

His letter made her feel so warm and light. She sat up to eat and drank some water, until she heard some footsteps coming through the cavern. Jade quickly scrambled to fold up the letter and Logan’s cape into her bag, and drew a dagger out just in case.

“JADE? ARE YOU IN HERE?” A few familiar voices called out. “I’M OVER HERE!” she called back to them. A few seconds later, Justice, Unsuur, and… Pen… appear. She was only happy to see the first two.

“Shit Jade, I thought you died out here last night. What the heck happened?!” Justice scolded her.

Jade quickly thought for a moment. She knew she couldn’t mention Logan, they would grow suspicious of her if they knew. “I was fighting off a dive buzzard and my stupid rental horse ran off because it got scared. While I was walking back to town, I saw the sand storm rolling in. Luckily, I found this cave just in time and I took shelter in here until the storm passed.”

“Wow, I’m glad your safe.” Unsuur said.

“Well let’s get you outta here. We can take you back to town on our horse.”

“Thanks guys. Let me just get the rest of my stuff together.”

“Alright, we’ll meet you outside then.” Justice said as him and Unsuur start heading out, but Pen stayed behind leaning against the cave wall, watching Jade get her things together.

“A Dive Buzzard? On your own? Are you hurt Skinny?”

“Fuck off, Pen.” Jade growled as she picked up her things and walked right passed Pen and out of the cave.

Chapter Text

It’s been a couple of weeks since that night in the desert. Jade often finds herself daydreaming about Logan, and staying up at night waiting for him to come back for his cape.

Mayor Trudy has finally returned, and there has been no major crisis since the water tower so Jade finally feels the slightest ability to breathe again. She still slaves away at her regular commissions all day, while actively trying to avoid Pen. She has caught him watching her work from afar, left her letters and roses at her doorstep trying to apologize. He even sent Burgess to try and convince Jade to forgive him. At least she was more polite with her rejections to Burgess – whenever Pen left her flowers or notes, she tossed them right into the recycler.

Jade got up one cool and crisp morning of early winter. She couldn’t believe how cold it could actually get in the winter here. She really didn’t even have the clothes for this type of weather. When she left Highwind, she assumed the desert would always be hot.

“Ugh, I need to go shopping at Vivi’s for a warmer wardrobe.” she said to herself as she pulled out a pair of skinny jeans, combat boots, and the only sweater she had – a light gray hoodie with “Highwind City College” across the chest.

Jade was just finishing getting ready for her weekly breakfast get-together with Pablo, Amirah, and Heidi when she heard a knock at her door. “PEN, I SWEAR TO LIGHT IF THAT’S YOU, I AM PUNCHING YOU RIGHT IN THE FACE. GO AWAY!” She yelled at the door. No one else would be knocking on her door this early.

“Um… I can assure you that I’m not Pen, and that I don’t want to be punched…” A high-pitched, cheerful voice called back to her through the door.

Jade’s eyes widened when she recognized the voice and ran to open the door. “Holy shit, NIA?!”

The two of them both screamed like little schoolgirls as they jumped into each other’s arms for a tight hug.

“What the hell are you doing here?! I’m so happy to see you it’s been too long!”

“I finally have a few days off from school. I needed to come see you, it’s been so long. I’m so sorry I couldn’t come back to Highwind when everything happened. I just started my apprenticeship with Professor Luo and they wouldn’t let me take off… I was trying to understand everything from your letters but… what the hell?!”

“Yeah… what the hell is right… I’m actually on my way to meet some friends for breakfast, and light knows they love some good gossip so I might as well tell you all what happened at once.”

_____________________________________________

They all sat down for breakfast after some introductions. Grace came over to take their orders. Amirah was about to order tea when Jade cut in. “Skip the tea, we are going to need a few pitchers of mimosas today.”

“OH, we’re not drinking tea today, we are spilling it!” Pablo cheered. “Finally, we’ve been dry on the good gossip for weeks!”

“No no, not the good gossip. This is a horrible story that I needed to tell Nia for almost a year now, but I think I feel comfortable enough to start talking about it to my friends here…”

The drinks came out and Jade downed half a pitcher on her own before telling the story of her ex and why she left High-wind.

“THAT NO GOOD LOUSY PIECE OF SHIT BASTARD! I WANT TO SMASH A VASE OVER HIM AND STUFF HIS HEAD INTO MY KILN AND TURN IT ON HIGH!” Amirah shouted as she smashed her fists on the table. The rest of the table were not sure what to react to more. Jade’s trauma, or the usually quiet and composed Amirah having an angry outburst that got the entire restaurants attention.

“My dearest, are you okay?” Owen asked as he ran over to check on Amirah. He was just as shocked as the rest of them.

“NO! I DON’T EVEN WANT TO LOOK AT A MAN RIGHT NOW. LEAVE ME BE!”

Owen took a few steps back with a pained and confused look on his face. Amirah noticed the look and instantly re-composed herself. “Oh my goodness I am so sorry. I just… I hate hearing things like this. Whether it be to my friends or to anyone else. How can someone be so cruel to the ones they love?!”

Owen stood there still confused, as did the rest of the restaurant. “I’ll explain to you later I guess, cat’s out of the bag…” Jade whispered to him. He nodded and gave Amirah a kiss on her forehead before walking back to the bar.

The rest of the restaurant patrons were still awkwardly quiet and staring at the group. “Nothing to see here people, just eat your food and mind your own business.” Pablo said as he waved them all off.

“That was so embarrassing.” Amirah whispered as she buried her face in her hands.

But when Amirah bent down to hide her face, Heidi noticed someone sitting in the booth behind her, sunken down into the seat not to be seen, but could recognize the hair from anywhere.

“Psst. Jade…” Heidi whispers as she kicks Jade’s leg under the table for her attention. Jade looked up to see Heidi gesturing for her to turn around. Jade rolled her eyes and mouthed “Are you fucking kidding me?” back to Heidi.

“Who’s that?” Nia whispered. “I’ll tell you later… I think that’s a wrap on breakfast. Nia, why don’t you go to the Inn upstairs and get yourself settled. I need to get some commissions going anyways.” Everyone agreed and said their goodbyes and left, but Jade stayed behind at the table all by herself. When they all left, she finally said over her shoulder, “Did you seriously stoop so low as to eavesdrop on my conversations now?”

Shit… Pen mumbled to himself.

“I have no idea what you are talking about Skinny, this was the only table open when I came in for breakfast.”

“Then why the fuck haven’t you ordered any food in the 2 hours you have been here?”

“I…uhhhh…”

“You’re so fucking pathetic.” She growls and she aggressively shoves herself up from the table and storms out.

Pen ran out after her. “Jade! Please! I just want to talk!” He says as he grabs her hand when she reaches for the Commerce Guild door.

“I’m not in a talking mood.” She scoffed as she ripped her hand from his grasp.

“Is that what the nightmares were about?”

“The what?”

“The nightmares. The ones that kept you up when we started training together… when you were tearing up while going nuts on the punching bag in my dorm… it was about him, wasn’t it?”

Jade looked at her feet with a grimace, trying to hold her tears in and not choke on her words but she couldn’t get anything out, and just vigorously nodded her head while she continued to look at the ground.

She froze in place and kept looking around trying not to cry.

“C’mon Skinny.” Pen whispered in a gentle voice while rubbing the side of her arm. “Let’s get you home.” Jade didn’t respond or react. She just walked with him back to her house.

She was shaking and felt like she couldn’t breathe. Pen helped her in and walked her over to the couch when he finally noticed how pale she was.

“Skinny?.... Jade?” but she couldn’t respond. She sat there shaking and gasping for air.

“HEY, JADE!” he shouted more frantically as he grabbed her arms forcing her to look up at him. “You need to breathe! Slow it down!”

He crouched down in front of her and held her hands tight and he did deep breathing with her, trying to calm her down from her state of panic. It took several minutes before her breathing was steady and the shaking stopped. She still felt weak and cold. Pen ran to grab her a glass of water, and then plopped himself on the couch next to her to wrap her in his warm embrace.

“It’s going to be okay, Skinny. You’re going to be okay.” He continuously whispered as he rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. He was worried sick for her. He never experienced a panic attack, let alone someone who he knew to be so strong to just break down and crumble like that.

She sat there wrapped in his arms for over an hour. “You need a day off today. Don’t you dare go grab another commission.”

“Yan will give me so much shit if I don’t.” she whispered.

“I’ll deal with him. You rest today. Go do something fun with your friend.” he said as he squeezed her tight and kissed her forehead.

“Pen stop…” she sighed as she turned her head away from him. “I appreciate this… but I think you can understand why I can’t trust you now.”

Pen finally let go of Jade and just stared out ahead of him. “Yeah... I get it now… but, can I still see you? Even if it’s just friends? I just… miss being around you, I guess. You were really my only friend besides Burgess and all he does is spew that “conserve water” crap all day.”

Jade got a small chuckle out of that. “Yeah, he can be annoying sometimes.” She let out a deep sigh as she leaned back into the couch and gently caressed Pen’s large hand that was on her lap. “We can still be friends.”

“…With benefits?”

“Don’t fucking push your luck, bud.” She glared daggers back at him as he gave her a big grin and a wink back.

_____________________________________________

Pen kept his word and spoke to… more like threatened Yan to let Jade have the day off to recover from her panic attack that morning.

She spent the day with Nia, showing her around town, sand-sledding, and most importantly, the moisture farm. She was like a kid in a candy store looking at all the plants and learning the farming techniques from Zeke.

Jade was out with Nia all day and into the night. It was finally around midnight when Jade first got home. It had been a long day and all she really wanted was a nice hot shower and to get some sleep. It was almost 1am when she was stepping out of the shower, and heard a noise and then footsteps inside her house. She quickly wrapped herself in a towel so she could run out into her bedroom and grab a weapon, but as soon as she opened the door, there he was, sitting on her bed, looking around the room.

“Logan?!”

“I really like what ya done with the place. A helluva lot better than that shack ol’ Mason used to have.” He finally looks at Jade to see her standing there dripping wet and wrapped in a towel.

“Oh! Uhh… sorry to just come in like this unannounced.” He says as his face turns bright red and he pulls at his collar, suddenly feeling incredibly hot for a cold desert night. “You still look just as beautiful as ever though.” He whispered as his eyes wandered around her body, taking his how the towel hugged every curve of her form as Jade had it wrapped tight around her.

She blushed and let out a giggle before walking over to him and sitting on his lap, wrapping her arms gently around his neck, and tugging his mask down to give him a soft kiss on the lips.

“I’ve been wondering when you were going to come around.” She whispered.

“Just had to find the right time, when I knew I would be safe.” He whispered back and kissed her again. “But I don’t have much time though darlin’. I just came back to get my cape and check on ya. It’s not safe for me to stay here much longer. I might’ve already been here too long as it is.” He said with a worried look.

“I understand.” Jade got up and reached to the way back of her closet where she hid his cape and handed it to him.

“When will I see you again?” she said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

“I wish I could tell ya, but I really don’t know. I’m sorry… I gotta go now though.” He pulled her in for a tight hug and a kiss and climbed out the back window. Jade watched him vanish into the night.

______________________________________________

Over the course of the next few weeks Jade kept pretty busy. Jade and Pen were slowly rekindling their friendship. They trained with each other again, of course flirted here and there as well, teased each other quite a bit, but Jade never gave in. Trudy went with her on a crazy mission into a submarine ruin, made these weird algae tanks, and helped plant the small forest just past Gecko Station. It was a big feat for the town. Finally made some progress, and the Atara Times got wind of it and wanted to do an article.

Jade got a letter in the mail one morning to meet at the mini forest by 10am for a group photo. She was just about to start walking over there when Pen caught up with her.

“Ready for our big close-up Skinny? I just knew they would want to splatter these glorious muscles across the front page of the Atara Times!” he said with a grin while he flexed his muscles for her.

Jade rolled her eyes and laughed. “Pen, they’re taking pictures of everyone who helped plant the trees, and you didn’t do shit!”

“Hey! I stood there and supervised! Checked out the perimeters to make sure no monsters would attack my citizens while they did their little gardening.”

“Oh please, the only thing you were checking out was my ass when I was wearing those ripped denim shorts.”

“Well, I did say I’d always be there to watch your back{side}, am I right?” he laughed.

“You’re such an ass!” Jade laughed as she gave him a gentle shove while they walked along the tracks.

Pen gave her a big bear hug and swung her over his shoulder as he kept on walking. She yelped as he lifted her up. “Put me down!” she shouted as they both laughed together.

“No can do, I’m still watching your backside!” he said as he rested his head against her ass that was arched over his shoulder.

“Pen these shorts are too short for this! You’re going to have me flashing everyone! Put me down!”

“Oh, I know they’re too short.” He says with a grin as he gently nips the cheek that was slightly hanging out of her shorts, and giving her a little tap on the ass before putting her down finally.

He let out a hearty laugh when he saw the look on her face. He knew he got her flustered from that. She slapped his arm and stomped off ahead of him.

“Oh c’mon Skinny.” He laughed as he jogged back up to her and wrapped his arm round her as they continued to walk over the Shonash Bridge.

“You’re such an ass.” she said with a sarcastic laugh.

“You really should wear those shorts more often though. Those, and that dress you wore on the Day of Memories. I still get hard thinking about that one.”

“FOR LIGHT’S SAKE PEN!”

____________________________________________________

After the picture, everyone hung around a bit for other pictures and interviews. Jade was talking with Pen and Grace about some crazy spicy Duvosian peppers, when all of a sudden, they heard a piercing scream. Jade whipped her head around to see Matilda being carried off into the desert by-

“LOGAN?!” Jade shouted as she saw the man speeding off into the distance on his goat. Justice tried to run after him but threw something at him instead. Jade couldn’t quite make out what it was.

“Jade! Unsuur! Grab your weapons and horses! And get Captain!”

Jade and Unsuur run off to get ready and come back within 10 minutes. Thankfully since the last desert incident, Jade built herself a stable and bought herself a decent horse that wouldn’t leave her stranded again. A jet-black stallion that she named Midnight.

“Justice, how the fuck are we supposed to find them in the desert?!”

“Easy, I put a tracker on ‘em!”

“A tracker?”

“Yeah, catnip! Captain can sniff that out from miles away! Anyways, let’s go!”

“Wait, where’s Pen?” Jade looks around confused.

“He ran off.” Justice rolled his eyes. “He’s not one for teamwork, said we were wasting time.”

“Oh for light’s sake.”

The 3 of them take off after Captain, riding across the dunes. After a while, they finally came across a strange arch that leads to what looks like a junkyard covered over by many sandstorms.

Based on Captain’s reactions, they knew they were getting close. They hop off their horses and carefully follow the cat.

“So, he’s been hiding in the Eufaula Outback all this time. I should’ve known…”

“Hey, I think Captain’s found something!” Unsuur calls out as he sees captain circling around a cave entrance, finding a pocket-sized Book of Light on the ground.

“Yup, that’s definitely Matilda’s! They must be in here. Everyone keep your eyes open and be careful. Who knows what’s lurking in this cave.” Justice said as they entered.

Jade readied her iron great sword as she followed. There were desert monsters with every twist and turn of the cave system, but eventually they heard screams coming from down the way. “Shit that’s Matilda for sure!” Jade yelled and took off running.

“Wait for us!” Justice yelled after her as he and Unsuur race to catch up.

The three of them quietly hid behind a large rock as they approached an opening in the cave. Matilda was strapped to a round tabletop in a vertical position, hanging by her wrists and ankles. Logan and a small blonde-haired child holding a large feather were standing there next to her.

“Tell us where you’re hiding the water! NOW!” Logan shouted at her.

“I have no idea what you are talking about! Please, just let me down!” Matilda cried out.

“Fine you asked for it!” Logan spat as the small child approached her and furiously…tickled her?

Torture on training wheels, I guess?

“Alright Logan, the jig is up!” Justice shouts as he runs in. Jade and Unsuur in tow.

“I’dunno what’s gotten into you. But kidnapping the minister? That’s a whole new low. You’re under arrest!”

The small child took off running down a back entryway of the cave. Logan turned to face the three of them as they all readied their weapons for a fight. Pen charged in at the last moment.

“Finally! It’s about damn time we get to fight. I’m tired of chasing you everywhere.” Pen growled as he readied himself to fight as well.

“Ha! Did you get enough people to bring me in?” Logan laughed as he looked around at their faces waiting for someone to make the first move. Pen was chirping insults at him while Justice was trying to talk Logan into coming quietly. Logan drowned out the both of them as his eyes met Jade’s. Her eyes were full of rage and sadness at the same time.

Pen finally made the first attack when he noticed Logan was distracted. The sound of metal swords and gunshots echoed throughout the cave, but Logan realized there was no way he could win this without hurting Jade, so he was going to have to run. He swiftly turns around to knock over the kickstand holding Matilda up and gave it a hefty push to send her rolling down a decline within the cavern.

“SHIT!” They all shout as Pen, Justice, and Unsuur chase after her while Logan runs down another hall in the cave. Jade paused for a moment to think. There’s enough muscle going after Matilda. I’m going after this asshole.

She turns around and darts after Logan, yelling “GET BACK HERE YOU JERK!” as she chases him.

Logan heard her calls, but also heard that she was the only pair of footsteps following him, so he slowed down for her to catch up. He eventually stopped to turn around to face her. “Darlin’, I can explain.”

“DON’T YOU “DARLIN’” ME YOU DICK!”

“But Jade, I-”

“No! No buts! You know, I fell for your stupid “I’m not the bad guy” spiel before, but kidnapping the minister?! There is NOTHING you can tell me to justify that! How fucking dare you play me! AFTER EVERYTHING I TOLD YOU ABOUT MY PAST AND YOU FUCKING PLAYED ME!” She screams at him as she bursts into tears.

“Jade… please let me just exp-”

*WHACK!*

Jade slapped him right across the face. Logan had no reaction but to let out a deep sigh. “I’m sorry. I gotta go.” He whispered.

“You’re not going anywhere- OW, SHIT! WHAT THE FUCK!” Logan pushed her to the ground – not a hard push, but enough to make her stumble. “I’m sorry!” he yelled over his shoulder as he took off running out of the cave.

It wasn’t long before Pen and Justice came running in to find Jade on the ground, propped up on her elbows.

“Skinny!”

“Are you okay partner?”

“I think I sprained my ankle but otherwise fine. I caught up to him and he fucking pushed me to the ground. I think I tripped and twisted my ankle on my way down. Just my fucking luck.” Jade growled. “Is Matilda ok?”

“Yeah, we got her before she crashed at the bottom of the cave. Unsuur is already on his way back to town with her. Going to have Fang check her out just in case.”

“Ok good. I’m so pissed right now.”

“Well let’s get you out of here Skinny.” Pen said as he picked her up bridal style and carried her back outside and to the horses. She couldn’t help but melt into his chest. Pen smiled down at her and gave her a kiss on top of her head.

“I’m glad you’re okay Skinny… I was worried when we realized you went after him on your own…”

“I’m just so annoyed. If it wasn’t for my stupid ankle, I could’ve kept chasing him.

“Well, I’m just happy we found you. I guess this time, you were finally a damsel in distress!”

“Oh fuck you!” she laughed as she smacked his shoulder.

“When and where babe?” He said back to her with a wink and a kissy face.

Jade just rolled her eyes. They made it out of the cave and Pen helped jade up onto her horse, still holding onto her tight not to make her put any pressure on her ankle.

“Ya’ll good if I take off?” Justice asked?

“Yeah, we’re ok here. We’ll be behind you.” Jade replied.

Justice took off while Pen got himself settled on the horse; Jade still wrapped around him tight. “Hang on babe.” He whispered into her ear as her horse took off running. Somehow those three words alone stirred around a lot of feelings within her. She couldn’t tell if she was developing feelings for him again, or if she was just feeling vulnerable after what just happened with Logan, but there was no place she would rather be right now then in Pen’s arms.

It was a long day. The sun was setting as they rode across the desert. Pen went on rambling about stories of his heroics, but Jade just tuned it out as she drifted off to sleep in his arms.

Next thing she knew, it was midnight, and she was waking up in her bed.

“What the hell? How did I get here?” she mumbled to herself as she sat up in bed. She reached over to turn her lamp on, and that’s when she found a note from Pen.

“You knocked out cold on our way back, so I brought you in bed. I also put some of that weird doctor’s healing salves on your ankle to help with the swelling. And I picked you up some dinner from the Blue Moon and left it in your fridge too.

~Sweet dreams, Skinny”

“Oh yeah I forgot about my ankle, that healing salve must’ve done the trick though.” She said as she slowly got out of bed and realized she can put full pressure on it and walk again.

She dragged herself over to the kitchen to find a big plate of Highwind Fried Rice In her fridge.  He still remembers it’s her favorite because it reminded her of home. Jade plopped down at her kitchen table ready to inhale this entire plate, but her mind started racing.

She had so many mixed emotions with Logan. He played her for a fool, just like Alex did. But Logan… something felt so real about him. A spark she never felt with anyone before. But at the end of the day, he did just kidnap someone- that’s not exactly something she was willing to overlook, nor the water tower, nor the train.

If her head wasn’t spinning enough from those thoughts, Pen was also stuck in her mind. They have grown as close as they did when they first were getting together. She feels the butterflies again when she sees him.

She wrestled with the thoughts in her head for a while. But she was so lost in her mind that she didn’t realize where her legs were subconsciously taking her. It was now just past 2am, and she found herself standing outside of the church dormitory.

The doors are locked, she’s standing outside in the freezing cold, and she has two options:

1. Have some self-respect and just go home.
2. Well… who has self-respect anymore?

“Fuck me… why am I doing this?”

Jade finds a few pebbles on the ground and starts throwing them at Pen’s window. It wasn’t long before she noticed the glow of a small light turning on in his window and his large shadow approaching the pane.

He had a scowl on his faced, pissed that someone woke him up in the middle of the night, but his expression changes to confusion when he sees Jade standing there shivering her ass of, giving him an awkward wave.

He motions her to stay there and stay quiet as he creeps down the stairs, careful not to wake anyone else. They’re not supposed to have guests at night, let alone have someone sleep over.

Pen quietly opens the door and waves her to come in, locking the door behind them and sneaking back up to his room.

“Jade, what the hell are you doing here? And you’re not wearing a sweater, are you insane?” he whispers as he feels how ice cold her bare arms are.

“I… I don’t know. I woke up, my mind was racing, and now I’m here… I guess… I guess I just don’t want to be alone right now…”

Pen pulls her in for a tight hug trying to get her warmed up; carries her over to the bed and sits her on his lap.

“You know Miguel is going to kill us if he knows you’re here, right?”

“I’d like to see him try.” She says with a sarcastic laugh as she nuzzles into him. Pen holds her close, running his fingers through her long, silky, burgundy hair. His soft eyes look down to meet hers. It was like staring into a calm and crystal-clear blue lake. It was quiet and serene, and the only thing his brain could think of doing at that moment was leaning down to kiss her, and so he did. Only this time, Jade finally kissed him back.

The night was such a blur. She has no recollection of walking to the dormitories, and absolutely no idea how she ended up naked in his bed with a pillow over her mouth to muffle her screams as he repeatedly rammed into her until sunrise.