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"May I have this dance?"
The question isn't surprising, but the voice is. Syd startles at the familiar tenor and turns to see Jack's crooked grin and his calloused hand outstretched.
"You-" she starts, her cheeks warm and worry in her throat, and his grin widens, smile curving under the bottom of his mask.
"I know it's bold to ask the most beautiful royal at this ball if I can have a dance, but-" he shrugs, and maybe he'd continue but Syd has already placed her hand in his, a smile on her face.
"Hello, Jack," she says, and her heart leaps when his face softens at her voice.
"Hello, your Highness."
She raises an eyebrow, and he pulls her in close, hand settling on the small of her back and lips grazing her ear. The breath of his words makes her shiver; "Hi, Syd."
His fingertips settle one-two-three between her own, the tight clasp of a waltz loose in his eager, thieving hands. He's used to light fingers, thief's fingers, but he's never had to steal her; loose is just a habit, so he can run if Sky sees him across the ballroom.
Not that Sky's paying attention, at the moment. Syd can see him by the door that leads to the garden, and if Jack's here then that means the flash of yellow by Sky's side is probably Z.
Falling into the easy step dictated by the orchestra, Syd lets Jack spin them over the floor, her skirt a swirl of sunset fabric around them. "Are you supposed to be here?" she asks, unable to stop the grin that pulls at the corner of her mouth.
"How could I miss my own birthday party?"
Syd barely bites back a laugh. "This is my birthday party."
"And you said you'd share," he points out, head dipping close to hers again, and she swallows. His eyes, behind the mask, are the prettiest brown she's ever seen. Candlelight only makes them darker, the shadows from his mask falling over his eyes. He'd looked like this the first time they'd met, too, but the mask had been less elegant back then. Black fabric pulled over his head as he held his hand over her mouth and said, hush, there's someone after you.
"I'd never go back on a promise," Syd says, letting him turn her again before she subtly twists their hands so she can lace their fingers together, holding him tight. "And I'd share more than just my birthday with you."
It's subtle - he's never been one to share his emotions easily, never been able to stop himself from lying to hide his vulnerabilities - but she still catches how his eyes widen. Something in her hurts, that he seems so surprised by the implication that she'd do anything for him, but then again, he's never been able to forget his status, or hers. The idea that a princess would share anything with him is so far beyond his comprehension that even two years of friendship has done little to convince him.
Two years of friendship, and one year of-
His lips brush her cheek, sending a shiver of warmth down her spine, and she can't help it; her hands tighten on him, making him stiffen. She forces herself to let go.
Her thief, for all that he's hers, doesn't like to be caught.
Her thief, the voice of her people, the whisper bringing her tales of assassination and crime and spies. Her thief, who presents her with crystal flowers stolen from witches and bracelets stolen from visiting princes, because Jack knows that she likes gifts from him better than any other person in the castle.
Her thief, who kisses her cheek before he does something dangerous, always kisses her cheek goodbye before he steps over the border of her kingdom and into the arms of people she can't protect him from.
Her stomach sinks, slowly, and she wishes she could keep her grip tight. Wishes she could keep him, but Jack's not made to be kept.
Like he can sense the negative turn that her thoughts have taken, Jack leans away to study her face. "Come with me?" he asks, and he'd follow her anywhere, has followed her anywhere. She'd gladly do the same.
Syd nods and untangles herself from their waltz, curtseying to the dancers left on the floor as they excuse themselves. Jack's hand wraps around her fingers as he leads them through the crowd, slipping between gaps while she follows with careful steps. He's snuck her into the city before and taught her how to get through a crowd, but that had been with her hair in a ponytail and Z's pants. It's different when she's in a ballgown, and she expects to lose him in the mess of partygoers, especially when people recognise her and stop to bow. Expects, but is proven wrong when he takes the time to glance back and take her by the elbow instead, helping her find her way.
Her skin feels warm under his touch, four pinpricks where his fingers touch her, and she bites back a sigh. He kisses her cheek before he leaves, and she doesn’t want him to leave her on her birthday. Doesn’t want him putting her kingdom before his own right to have fun on the day she’s declared is for them, and them alone. He should be allowed to do what he wants today, and instead he’s here with her, taunting Sky and Bridge and the rest of her father’s knights with his presence.
"Jack-?" she finds herself asking as they push out of the crowd, too close to where Sky and Z had been standing, but they must have planned this; Z goes down in a flurry of yellow fabric just as they emerge, and Sky’s by her side immediately, abandoning his post by the door.
Worry makes her steps falter, but Jack casts her a smile and indicates with a tilt of his head to the balcony. Another dress in buttercup yellow is by Bridge’s position near the upper halls, and Z twiddles her fingers when Syd meets her gaze. Syd flushes, glad that no-one can see under the mask, and then grins when Bridge leans over the balcony and gives her an eager wave, his whole arm thrown into the motion.
"Thought of everything, have you?"
"To get time alone with you, I have to," Jack says, and then his attention shifts to herding her outside, sweeping her along the elegant paths of the castle gardens and down to the koi pond. There’s a bench under the willow that grows by the edge of this pond, hidden by the trailing leaves all year round, and it’s where they usually meet.
Where they first met, with cold steel and warm breath on Syd’s skin.
She’d thrown a punch as soon as she could, fifteen and scared, and he hadn’t ducked fast enough to avoid the black eye. Jack had risked so much to warn her, and she’d knocked him flat on his back and dizzy.
Dizzy, and yet when the assassins showed up, he fought by her side and kept her safe.
Maybe that was when he'd stolen her heart. Maybe he'd stolen it later. She hadn't really noticed, because somehow it never mattered. Jack had never used her to get what he wanted. He’d never asked for anything but her friendship, and maybe that was what was missing. He'd stolen her heart and never realised her devotion to him was beyond the norm. How was he expected to know that he held it, if she never said? If he never used her weakness?
But Syd fell in love so easily, and love was dangerous for a princess. She could never say a word.
Jack's knuckles traced her cheek, and she regained attention to realise that he was watching her, concern written into every feature. "Syd?" he asks, and she shakes her head quickly, bringing a smile to her face.
"Sorry," she says. "I was just thinking." Then, before he could ask about what? and she'd be forced to come up with some lie to avoid saying you , she asks, "Where are you going next?"
Jack frowns. "What makes you think I'm going anywhere?"
"You-" Warmth creeps up her cheeks, and Syd leans away from him, unwilling to admit how much attention she gives to his lips on her skin. "Well, you- you don't usually flaunt your presence so brazenly, Jack. I thought maybe you were here to say goodbye because you needed to leave soon."
He narrows his eyes at her, and Syd huffs, eyes going to the sky. " Alright ," she snaps, knowing he'll keep pressing until she stops lying, and that she’s a terrible liar, especially to him. "It was because you kissed my cheek. You don't usually do that unless you're planning to leave. Or do something stupidly dangerous."
"Oh. I-" Interestingly, now it is Jack's turn to fidget. In delighted curiosity, her own embarrassment forgotten, Syd leans in to watch him stick his hands in his pockets and look away from her. "Ah."
Syd grins at him. "Yes, Jack?"
"Well," he says, drawing the words out slow, "I didn't- think that you noticed. That."
"I do. I did. So come on, if you're not leaving, tell me what dangerous thing you have planned. Let me know in advance so I can prepare myself for how much it will worry me."
“Let you know,” Jack says, and Syd sighs.
“Yeah, Jack. Because I worry about you when you do stupid things.”
“I don’t think this is stupid,” Jack says, and Syd’s caught in the middle of a laugh when he leans forward to kiss her. Caught, breathless, with Jack’s lips against her own, and suddenly her heart’s in her throat and there are butterflies exploding to life in her stomach.
Jack’s not made to be kept, but Syd can’t stop herself from holding him, hands cupping his cheeks as she presses into the kiss. The corner of his mask presses against her nose, his left cheek has a thin scar she’s never felt, and his lips are so warm. Assassins could show up again and Syd was sure she wouldn’t notice.
Eyes closed, it takes her a moment to realise Jack’s pulling away, the slow drag of her fingers over his cheeks the first indication she has that he’s leaving. Her heart thuds in her throat, and she lets him go, tongue flicking over her chapped lips, chasing the feeling he’s left behind.
“I’m foolish,” he says, softly, “but I don’t think my feelings for you are stupid. I think...you’re one of the most beautiful, courageous people I’ve ever met, and I- really care about you, Syd.”
“I love you too,” she says, because it’s the only thing she can think of to say, and Jack’s eyes go wide. This time a smile drags the corner of her still-tingling lips up. “What? Did you kiss me and not suspect how I felt?”
“I- well- I just- wasn’t expecting you to say-”
“I love you?”
Jack bites his lip, and Syd laughs in delight to see the barely-hidden mix of pleasure and embarrassment on his face. It’s so obvious when compared to his usual grins and it’s adorable.
“Jack, I don’t care if you can’t say it back to me yet. I want to be able to say it.” She gently bops his nose, grinning even wider at his startled expression. “Unfortunately, you’ll just have to get used to it.”
He turns his eyes to the sky, but there’s a wry smile on his face that makes her heart flip and stumble and soar. What is she supposed to do in the face of such affection?
Kiss him again, she thinks, and she can do that now-
She’s about to lean forward when a thought occurs to her.
“Why would that be dangerous?” she asks, and he blinks at her, confusion in his eyes before he realises what she’s asking.
“You’re a princess,” he says, voice as soft as his kisses, and Syd can’t help the pity in her heart.
“You stole me years ago, Jack,” Syd says, and leans in to kiss him again, pulling back to see his surprised expression. “You think anyone would notice if we made it official?”
“Sky would have some complaints,” he says, the edge of a rakish grin sneaking onto his face, and she laughs.
“He’s not allowed to complain - it’s our birthday.”
"And we get whatever we want on our birthday?" Jack asks, and she nods.
"Yeah, that's how it works."
He grins as he raises his hand, fingertips grazing her cheek, and this time Syd doesn't stop herself from leaning into his palm. "What do you want?" he says, and she hesitates.
"Would you..." she starts, and then licks her lips, "stay?"
A smile grows on Jack's face, teasing and hopeful all at once. "How did you know what I wanted?"
“Lucky guess,” she murmurs, and lets herself kiss him again and again and again.
Jack's not made to be kept - but it’s their birthday, and she’s lucky.
He’ll have no qualms about keeping her.