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“There’s no way I’m putting those kids back in danger.”
Jack was frustrated, okay? Anything and Everything was going to shit. Crutch was locked up. Kath was MIA (with Dave’s sister, he guesses). And now here’s Dave; giving him crap for needing a bit of a breather. Just a moment for him to think, and really think about, the strike.
“Tell me how quitting does Crutchie any good.”
Because this whole thing isn’t worth him. Because he doesn’t deserve this. And if we surrender now, he might get out of there. But, in reality, Jack doesn’t want to quit. He knows this strike is going to be the best thing that ever happened to them if they stick it through. But that’s a mighty big ’if’ considering who is currently in the refuge.
Jack was about to tell him exactly that, but all that comes out is a strangled stammer and David is quick to shut him down.
“ Exactly. So, here’s how it goes.” Jack can see the gears starting to turn in Dave’s head. “Once we win,” Jack’s face must have broadcasted his doubt because Dave continues, “and we will be winning. Make no mistake-”
“We’ll be what?” Jack didn’t mean to interrupt. Truly. It just came out. Truly.
“We’re already winning,” Dave deadpans and Jack has no hope in holding back the sarcastic ‘right’ that slips through. “And we’ll tell them, straight out, they let Crutchie go or they keep getting pounded.”
Jack turns to face David from where he was studiously cleaning his brushes. He didn’t notice how close he was (or how thick his eyelashes were) until after he turned to face him. But, damn it, he had a point to make. Focus, Kelly.
“Dave, what the hell? Did they bust up your brains or something?” Jack swipes the taller man upside the head. “As I recall, Dave, we all got our asses kicked. They won.”
“Won the battle.”
“Oh, come on.” What’s the difference?
“Jackie, think about it. We’ve got them surrounded.” Jack mentally files away the use of the nickname to analyze later.
“Here’s what I think: Joe’s a jerk. He’s a rattlesnake-”
“You’re right!” Jack was about to reprimand him for interrupting again, but he is on a roll now and there’s no way Jack is getting in the way of that. “And you know why a snake starts to rattle?”
Is this trivia night or something? “No, why?”
“Cause he’s scared,” Dave gives Jack a knowing look, which is met with an eye roll and a scoffed ‘sure’. “Go and look up. The poor guy’s head is spinning.”
Jack is startled by the hands firmly landing on his shoulder and head. But, he quickly recovers enough to give Dave another disbelieving look. Dave gives him an are you kidding me look, but continues anyway.
“Why would he send for the goons, an entire army? Dozens of goons and the cops and the-”
David is abruptly cut off by lips against his own. And by the time he realizes those are Jack’s lips on his, the other man is already pulling away, leaving Dave’s mind at a whirlwind of waitnocomebackmoreofthatplease.
“You know? You may be right.” Jack, ever the jackass, smirks at David’s dumbfounded expression. Jack was going to continue, but was cut off yet again by a murmured ‘Thank you, God’ and another passionate kiss from Dave.
Which is followed by another.
And another.
And another.
Until Jack (somehow) finds it in himself to pull away from the absolutely mesmerizing man in front of him and continue his thoughts from earlier.
“If he wasn't afraid-”
“I’m sorry who?” Dave asks, still reeling from the bit of conversational whiplash that just happened.
“If Pulitzer wasn’t afraid...” he leads on, waiting for Dave to get back in it.
“Exactly!” Dave exclaims, finally getting back on the train of conversation.
“He knows we're winning,” they say together excitedly. Jack can’t help, but stare in awe at the sparkling in Dave’s bright blue eyes.
“If we can get those kids to see we're circling victory? All we need to do is just watch what happens.” Dave can’t miss the shadow of fear that lingers behind Jack’s eyes. He takes his hand and rubs the back of it reassuringly. “We're doing something no one's even tried and, yes, we're terrified,” his voice quakes a little on ‘terrified’, the only real tell of his slight panic. “But watch what happens.”
Dave’s panic only fuels the trepidation he still has on the subject. “But, you can't undo the past,” Jack attempts to pull his hand away, but it’s only gripped tighter.
“So? Just move on and stay on track.”
“Why? Because humpty dumpty is about to crack?” Jack deadpans, taken aback when Dave starts nodding enthusiastically.
“Yes! We've got faith, we’ve got the plan, and we have you, Jack.” Dave accentuates his last point with another soft kiss to Jack’s lips.
“So just watch what happens, yeah?”
“Yep. So we're back?”
“We’re back, Davey.”
“Good. Becuase we have a date.”
“Wait. What?”