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1.
Their current safehouse was a rundown flat. One big room with no real privacy except for the cramped bathroom and maybe the strange corner behind the closet. Merritt was almost sure they had a family of rats living there, but he wasn’t brave enough to check. The stovetop in the kitchen only had one working burner. There was a leak above one of the beds, so on rainy nights they had to pile the beds tightly next to each other.
Not the best safehouse they’ve had, but thankfully not the worst. He was just glad that during that first safehouse they’d been running on victory and adrenaline, or he’d have long since left. But for the time being he wasn’t looking at why he hadn’t left yet despite the many reasons he should’ve.
So for now he focused on the apartment and the one benefit it had. Its narrowness. At least, for Jack it was a benefit. For Merritt it felt like he’d suffocate in there sooner or later. Jack made use of the distance though, situating himself on one of the beds, flicking his cards across the living room and landing them in a variety of cups, bowls and pots he’d scattered through the kitchen. Each time with a thunk.
Merritt, for his part, had laid down on the couch, drawing his hat over his face and decided to take a nap. Sleep didn’t come. So instead, he sat listening to the soft dings and thumps. He made a game of it, guessing what the card had landed in this time.
Ting. A pot.
“You make things too easy for yourself.” Not that Merritt could do half of what the youngest horseman could do, but that hardly mattered. Thud. That one was his hat, knocking it to the floor. He glanced up to shoot him a glare, before reaching to pick up the hat.
Jack wasn’t even looking at him. He’d gone back to his usual targets. Tink. A pot. “Practice makes perfect,” Jack countered.
A scoff escaped Merritt and he pushed himself up to sit, stretching his back. A card flew by his face, barely missing. He didn’t flinch. Thump. A bowl. Maybe he had too much faith in Jack’s abilities, now that he thought about it.
“You’ve already perfected these, kid. Move on.” He didn’t need to look over to see the grin on his face. Could sense it the way you could feel the sun on your skin. Ding. A cup.
“You think I’m perfect?”
The little shit. Merritt rolled his eyes, standing up and heading to the kitchen. It was a mess, with containers everywhere, but not a single card was outside of one. “I think you’re underperforming.”
He picked up one of the bigger pots, opening the cupboard to place it inside, next to the mostly empty coffee tin. He looked back to make sure Jack was watching. His hands hadn’t stilled, shuffling the cards with some flourish, but Merritt had his full attention. He closed the cupboard door, leaving it open by a crack, the bowl out of view.
Satisfied, he headed back to his position on the couch. “I bet you can’t get a card in that pot before the cards in your hands run out.” He estimated it was about a third of a pack. He got comfortable, watching the grin that broke out on Jack’s face.
Merritt wasn’t sure who between them started this little ritual of theirs. Betting. Maybe it was to pass time, or maybe to push each other, or maybe Merritt liked winning, or maybe he liked the way Jack lit up when he won.
Why they did it didn’t matter in the end. “Whoever loses, is cleaning for the next two weeks.” No point betting money when they shared funds. Not that he expected to win this one. Jack was always pulling stunts that he wouldn’t have thought possible, but he stood by it that the man had to push himself more lest he become too cocky.
With a nod, Jack conceded. There was a mischievous smile on his face that Merritt didn’t trust at all. “If I get it in, in less than three tries, can I get a special prize?” He let the first card fly. Thwack. It hit the door of the cupboard, closing it further.
He knew he was getting himself into trouble, but Merritt nodded regardless, chuckling. “Sure. What do you want?” Jack seemed to think for a moment, eyes not leaving the cupboard door as he flipped the second card over in his hands.
Before he even spoke, Merritt could sense this meant something. Whatever it was, it was important to Jack. Why he’d ask for it in this of all ways, he had no idea. But he could already feel himself getting ready to say yes. He’d grown far too fond of the man. Especially considering Jack’s crush hadn’t died down yet and Merritt was practically setting himself up for heartbreak.
“I want-” Jack faltered, letting the next card fly across the room. Thwack. It hit the door again, the small gap narrowing. “You’ll let me teach you to throw cards. And you won’t give up.” He turned to look at Merritt, face carefully guarded.
That wasn’t what he had wanted to ask. Merritt didn’t have to be a mentalist to spot that. He couldn’t figure out what the other had wanted, or even more curious what had stopped him.
“Considering that you not just missed, but also made it more difficult for yourself with your first two shots,” Merritt shrugged. “Sure. Knock yourself out. If you get the next one in, I’ll become your devoted pupil.” There was humour in his voice, covering up the very real suspicion that he wasn’t walking out of this one scot-free. One of Jack’s greatest tools were people underestimating him.
Jack twirled the deck around, a fancy shuffle before he pulled one out. He watched as Jack pressed it against his lips for a moment, before his eyes narrowed on his target and he let it fly.
It disappeared into the small gap of the open cabinet door. Ding. His mouth fell open. The bastard actually managed it. “You did that on purpose.” He looked to the man sitting on the bed, all triumphant grin. “Show off.”
He was on his feet in an instant, heading towards the kitchen. The cupboard door was almost completely closed, not even a finger’s width. Yet, when he opened it, there it was. Laying innocently in the pot. A three of hearts, older than the other cards Merritt could see lying around, its edges worn with age. It felt special. Why, he had no idea. Clearly this had sentimental value. Was this that important to Jack?
He picked it up, careful as he flipped it over and inspected it. He doubted this was some trick, that would go against the spirit of their bets and Jack’s been nothing but rule-abiding so far. They both have. “Shit. Now that’s impressive.”
When he looked up to Jack, there was something strange on his face. Not the cockiness he was expecting. Maybe conflicted about something, or mistrust, or vulnerability, or love, or some of all of it. It had to be the card. If only he could figure out why.
Merritt turned the card over in his hand again. Whatever he had wanted to ask, he had used this card for him. Something that he had held onto despite the fact that he couldn’t blend it into a deck smoothly, it was too old.
He had no idea what to do with this information. With the heavy weight of the card. With the way Jack was looking at him. With the strange silence that had fallen over the room.
“Look, Jack,” Merritt started as he walked closer. He wasn’t quite sure what to say yet. ‘Thank you for trusting me’? ‘I’d prefer it if you asked me the thing you actually wanted to’? ‘You deserve better’? He stopped at the foot of the bed, just a few feet away from him. “I think that you’re-”
The front door opened and both of them jumped.
Merritt looked behind him to see Danny come in, carrying some bags. Groceries. Probably. Although he should’ve been back ages ago. The man’s gaze went to the kitchen, and he let out a groan. “Seriously? How is it possible to make this much of a mess with so few things in the house?” He looked to them for an answer. Merritt looked to Jack, the real culprit, and found he was no longer on the bed. The card wasn’t in Merritt’s hand anymore either. Almost as if on cue, he heard the shower turn on.
He forced his posture to relax, heading back to the couch he had claimed. Nothing happened. Everything was fine. “Ask Jack. You were gone for too long.” There was a slight jab in there, he knew. Partially he blamed his attitude on having whatever was happening interrupted.
He laid down again, getting comfortable as he put his hat over his face again.
Oh, he absolutely wasn’t going to be able to get any sleep. But, hopefully, it would keep Danny off his back, and he could avoid confronting whatever just happened.
— — — — — — —
2.
It had been longer now than Merritt liked to think about. Not that he thought about it often. The less he thought about it, the less he felt like he was going to climb up the walls.
Things were fine. Mostly because they had to be. This wasn't quite the ending he'd hoped for, but it was relaxed, and they had enough money to keep them coasting for some time. So he decided to take it as a vacation. He read a few books, slept late, kept Jack busy, learnt some card tricks — more accurately, tried to learn. It was a bit difficult to focus with how distracting his mentor's hands were, how endearing he was when he got excited about what he could do, how good he looked showing off.
Merritt wasn't thinking about that either. Thinking about that led to things he didn't want to linger on. Things that were better left alone.
He wasn't an idiot. He could see the way Jack's eyes lingered, how he'd sit just a tad too close, how he'd look to the older man whenever he made a joke as he waited for a reaction.
No, he wasn't an idiot. Which was also why he knew he couldn't indulge in it. Jack was young, good-looking, and adventurous. Merritt had been single for too many years to count, lost most of that made him attractive. An old dog that didn't take well to new tricks.
Jack would move on. As soon as they got out of this perpetual limbo, he would find someone better. That was fine. Merritt was fine with that. He was. Or maybe he would be if he repeated it enough to himself.
So, in an attempt to distract himself from his feelings for Jack, he did the only logical thing; he sought out Jack.
Maybe he was an idiot, come to think of it.
It wasn't a particularly difficult task. Jack liked spending time in the communal spaces. Currently, he was draped over the couch, flicking a card into the air and catching it again. Over and over. In the background, some trashy drama droned on, the volume low. It was late at night and he should be asleep, but so should Merritt and he was wide awake, so he didn't comment on it.
He sat down on one of the chairs, groaning as he stretched out. This new place might be less cramped than the last place, but the bed really was doing a number on his back. Jack sat up slightly, giving him a smile. He could see the nervous buzz at the edges of it, the way he thumbed at the card in his hands. However difficult it might be for Merritt to be cooped up, he knew it was far worse for the other horsemen. Too full of life for their own good.
"Can't sleep?" Jack asked. He knew the answer. This conversation was a familiar script they'd gone through a million times during the months they've lived together. Like a comfortable, worn through sweater.
Merritt shrugged, nodding towards the TV. "Anything interesting or are you just rotting your brain?"
The laugh Jack let out is quiet. It still rung through Merritt's chest in the quiet of the night. He didn't mind this safe house. It was quiet and out of the way, the streets empty this late at night. It made it easier to focus on the laugh, to drink it in like a fine whiskey.
“Soon enough there’ll be nothing left of my brain,” Jack conceded, shifting. He flopped onto his back again, and stared at the ceiling. Merritt stared at him in turn. “How much longer do you think we have to keep this up for?”
That was the winning question, wasn’t it? It’d been months now. Everyone was growing more restless by the day. They had no idea for how much longer they were going to have to keep this up. While Merritt and Jack decided to stick together, both Henley and Danny were searching for places of their own. He didn’t understand how they stood being alone when there were other options. After getting a taste of what it was like to share a space with Jack, he couldn’t imagine going back to his empty bachelor’s flat.
“Who knows. The Eye said to wait.” A pause. “You still think it’s worth it?” That question had been floating unspoken between the four of them for weeks now. It was only there, in the dark with dim light from the TV lighting up Jack’s face, that he felt comfortable enough to say it out loud.
He was pinned into place as Jack’s gaze moved from the ceiling to him. It seemed Jack was looking for something, or accusing him of some or other wrongdoing. Whatever he was looking for, he seemed to find it. “Yes, of course it is. We just have to keep faith. It hadn’t led us wrong so far, right?” He smiled, something tentative and fragile, meant to be joking. “I didn’t fake my own death just to give up now.”
Merritt had considered it before. He should’ve just taken the money and walked. That had been his plan all along. Yet there he still was. The reason why was another thing that he wasn’t thinking about.
Jack seemed to deflate a bit, going back to tossing his card up and down. “Henley’s going to leave.” There was a quiet resignation dripping from his tone. His words soft in the dead of night.
Merritt didn’t like what he was seeing. And, sure, he was mostly certain that she was going to leave, but that didn’t mean Jack was supposed to think that as well. He was the one with hope.
There was a trend he’d seen by now though, that Jack lost that same hope when it came to people staying. Who’d walked out on him before that made it seem like an expected outcome to him?
“She’ll stay.” The words were rotten on his tongue, but he pushed through. Didn’t want to see the man like that. “If she leaves before The Eye gives us our next instructions, you get first pick out of the beds at the next safehouse.”
Nothing like a bet to cheer Jack up. It was such a comfortable routine by now. A way to keep entertained, to satiate their competitiveness, to have some fun. He considered Merritt for a moment, face guarded. He didn’t like that look on his face. He was meant to be relaxed and smiling, not have a reserved fear etched into every line on his face. He looked older than Merritt had ever seen him before.
“Deal,” he finally conceded, he looked a bit lighter already.
Merritt shifted closer, desperate to keep the mood lighter. “Now show me that move again. What did you call it? The Bender? The Drunk?” The name alone made his lips quirk into a smile. The kid was something else entirely.
— — —
“I spoke with The Eye.” Henley wasn’t making eye contact with him. Merritt could feel a worry settle at the back of his mind. He’d known this was coming. Up until now he’d mostly just been worried about how it would affect Jack. The slight pang in his heart wasn’t something that he’d been expecting.
She continued, her head held high despite her gaze being somewhere over his left shoulder. “I got an out.”
There it was.
Merritt bit back the urge to call her a coward. He himself was one at the best of times. He could hardly blame her for not wanting to sit around and waste her life. He’d considered it himself before. But this meant something, everything they were doing. And he needed meaning in his life, he realised that now. Clearly this wasn’t the meaning she wanted.
“I need you to tell them for me.”
Her bag was already packed. If he hadn’t walked in on her with her duffel bag in the middle of the living room, on her way out, would she have told any of them at all? Or simply disappeared?
He stared at her, tried to find the words.
“Won’t be the same without you.” Which was the closest he could come to admitting that he would miss her. Her strong resolve, her resourcefulness. “You know that, don’t you?” Surely she knew.
No reply came except for the way she clenched her jaw. She’d made up her mind.
Merritt let out a sigh, rubbing at his temple. Wonderful. Now he’d have to be the bearer of bad news. “Take care out there.” There was nothing else to say. There was no convincing her.
Henley let out a breath, her shoulders sagging, and she finally made eye contact with him. The smile she plastered on was cracked at the edges. It was tired and weary. Merritt really couldn’t blame her in the end. So he held back any more comments. About how she would probably break Danny’s heart, and hurt Jack in ways she wouldn’t even realise.
“Don’t do anything too stupid,” was all she offered before she was gone.
He sat down on the couch, his chest heavy. Why did he even care? He was well aware of his soft spot for Jack, but clearly this was worse than he’d thought. He didn’t do people, not anymore. But he didn’t want to think about that either.
He wasn’t sure how long it was before Jack came through the front door, carrying four cups of coffee. Probably from the place down the road. His smile was bright. He didn’t know if he was going to be able to survive crushing it.
“They have this new pastry I thought we could try.” He put the styrofoam cups down, digging through his pockets to reveal a slightly crushed pastry wrapped in plastic.
When he finally looked up and saw Merritt’s face though, he paused. He couldn’t even try to hide it. If there was one person left in his life that could read him, it was, apparently, Jack. The man was far more perceptive than he’d lead people to believe.
“You win. You get dibs at the next safehouse.” Because saying the words just didn’t feel right. He tried to pick his best comforting expression, but he’d never been good at any of that and it came out all wrong.
He watched Jack’s expression crumble as he blinked rapidly. He fiddled with something in his pocket. Merritt saw a flash of a card. “I-” He looked up at the ceiling for a few long, painful moments.
“Pastry? The barista said it had some fancy jam filling or another. Sounded like something you’d like.”
It was clearly a change of topic. If Merritt hadn’t just delivered the news, he wouldn’t have been able to tell anything was wrong. “Sure, let’s try it. But I doubt it’s better than the last one.” Who was he to try and force something out of the other that he didn’t want revealed? Who was he to try and cut open wounds both old and new? No, if Jack wanted to ignore it, then that’s what he’d do.
— — — — — — —
3.
It was warm outside. Not the boiling heat against the pavement kind, but the kind of heat that reminded Merritt of a good day on the beach. The ones from when he was a kid. He was more than content to soak it in. Especially since they had a small balcony that he could sit on, hat over his face. It was peaceful.
“Hey.” Up until it wasn’t. “Hey, Merritt.”
He let out a hum, not moving from his spot. Jack had been especially restless lately, constantly wanting something to do. He’d doubled his efforts to teach Merritt some card tricks. Merritt wasn’t quite as enthusiastic. He especially wasn’t on days like this one where he could laze around in the sun.
“Want to see a new trick?” It had been at least an hour of silence now and he had wondered what the man was up to. A new trick was always a good way to occupy him. He’d redo the same trick time and time again until he got it perfect. Indulging him never hurt, even if it might mean moving from his spot.
With an exaggerated sigh, he moved his hat back onto his head. “Are you going to give me any choice in that?” But despite his complaining, Jack’s smile was contagious and he felt himself smiling as well. It was impossible not to. He found he smiled more around the man than he had anyone in years. He didn’t like thinking about that.
Jack leaned forward conspiratorially, having situated himself on the other chair. He shuffled the cards, giving it some flair as he always did when he knew Merritt was watching. He did his best to not find it endearing. “The bakery’s window is open.”
Sure enough, when he glanced across the small alleyway, between the bakery and the building they were in, he could spot an array of cakes, neatly arranged by the window.
“This feels like a bad idea,” Merritt commented, mostly because he knew exactly how much that spurred Jack on.
Sure enough, Jack’s grin turned slightly wild, his eyes flaring with life. In the monotony of their waiting, it was good to see him like that. It happened less and less the longer they went on without something to do. He doubted that Jack’s ever done nothing for this long. Not from the stories he’d told Merritt. He didn’t think that before this that there ever had more than a day where Jack had simply done nothing.
With a flick of his wrist, a card seemed to appear out of thin air. He’d seen Jack do that trick before more times than he could count. It’s even one that he’s managed so far. “So, the trick is all in the angle and speed. It’s downwind, so it’s a bit easier, and we have height on our side.”
He gestured back down to the cakes. Merritt had an idea of where this was going. “And if I aim it right, I can get it to land perfectly upright, with two corners in the icing. It’s easy, all things we’ve practiced before.” Easy, right. Their definitions of easy varied greatly. And sure, Merritt probably could’ve been trying a bit harder, but this was Jack’s thing, and he was content to sit back and watch. Old dog, new tricks, all that.
“Let’s see it then.”
That was all Jack needed. It was an excuse to have fun, to show off. He turned to face the bakery, his eyebrows furrowing in concentration, an intense focus in his eyes. For a moment, Merritt forgot that he needed to be watching the card and not Jack.
It soared through the air, through the open window, and, sure enough, landed perfectly on the cake.
Merritt let out a whistle. “Impressive.” He meant it too. Always meant his praise when it came to him. Jack was beaming, as he so often was with things like this. It reminded Merritt that unlike the rest of the horsemen, he’d never really had an audience the way they had.
“Your turn.” Jack held out the pack of cards to him.
With an amused huff, Merritt took them. “Easy,” he said, and watched Jack laugh. That laugh made it all worth it. But it was far from easy for someone like Merritt and they both knew it, but he could play the part of confidence easily enough.
“If I can get any of these cards on a cake, you’re doing the dishes for at least a month.”
Jack seemed far too amused by this and Merritt vowed that he’d manage to do it. Somehow. He’d figure it out. “And if you can’t, you have to teach me hypnosis.”
There was a pause as Merritt considered it. He’d never taught anyone before, but how difficult could it be? And it certainly would help relieve both their boredom. Jack would be far more motivated in learning in comparison to Merritt learning card tricks. He’d be a good student to have. If he could get him to be patient enough.
That still didn’t mean he was planning to lose easily. He’d just teach the other either way.
“You’re on.”
The first card he threw didn’t make it off the balcony. The second flew into the wall several feet to the side. Three to five landed somewhere in the alley.
Things only got worse from there.
His second to last card managed to hit the window, but it bounced back into the alley. He dropped the last card off the balcony, giving up on trying as he sat back down. “Fine, fine. Hypnosis.” He said with a sigh and the wave of his hand.
He didn’t feel too disappointed.
— — — — — — —
4.
It was another late night. They were becoming more and more common as the months dragged on and they had no need for schedules.This particular night was shared over a bottle of cheap whiskey and leftover takeout. The house was empty save for them. They hadn’t seen Danny in over a week now, but at that moment he couldn’t quite remember why he should care. Not when Jack leaned into him, his laugh deep and free.
“It’s true! Could you imagine going up to a stranger and asking if they’re going bald because of their psychic powers?”
Jack did his best to sober up from his laughing fit, placing a hand on Merritt’s shoulder. He was trying to keep his facial expression serious, but he was failing miserably. “Tell me, Merritt, is it your psychic powers that’s making you go bald?”
He waved off the man’s hand on his shoulder, shooting him a look. “I don’t know how you manage to trick people into thinking you’re all innocent.”
“Years and years of practice,” Jack admitted. “I started when I was thirteen, you know? Street hustling, that is.”
That was new information. While they’ve shared plenty, Merritt knew there was plenty left out. Like how he never spoke of his brother, Jack had similar things. “Bit young, isn’t it?”
Jack simply shrugged. “Younger than most, but it makes a living. Besides, it’s easy when you’re that young. No one expects a little kid to be the one dipping his hands into pockets.” Which meant there had been a need to, Merritt concluded silently. He studied his face, reaching deeper. Probably his parents, Dead, disapproving, or neglectful. From what he knew about Jack, he’d wager it was the first, then the latter two when he got foster parents, or whoever took him in.
He must’ve been quiet for too long because Jack spoke again. “Not that it’s a big deal or anything. We all started young one way or another.” He wasn’t wrong, but Merritt didn’t need to point out that not all of them did it to survive.
“And it was fun. I met people. Good people.” People who weren’t the ones he lived with, Merritt mentally filled in.
He could see Jack becoming uncomfortable with the one sided conversation though, so he spoke up again. “What else did you learn?” Vague enough not to bring his guard up. Give him something to talk about, and maybe he could use that to learn more himself as well.
The man seemed happy to continue talking now that he got a more positive reaction. “Well, I learned about all kinds of places in the neighbourhood.” Safe places to stay, maybe sleep. “How to be quick and charming.” Talking himself out of danger, luring people in, creating a sense of safety. Running from danger. “How to have quick hands.” Stealing for survival.
None of the conclusions he came to was particularly positive.
He was pulled out of his thoughts as Jack held Merritt’s wallet in front of his face, laughing ringing through the air. “You’re so easy.”
Merritt let out an indignant huff. “I’ll let you know that I have standards. It takes more than a pretty boy who’s good with his fingers to get to me.” He hadn’t quite meant it that way, but the blush creeping onto Jack’s face made it worth it.
“I’d love to see you do better.” And Merritt knew a challenge when he heard one.
He sat back, took a slow sip of his whiskey. The cheapness burned the back of his throat. He didn’t mind it one bit. “If I can swipe something of yours before you can steal my hat off my head, then you’re cooking for two weeks.”
The grin on Jack’s face was addictive. “You’re on, old man.” He couldn’t even bring himself to be upset. He didn’t mind cooking that much, he decided, not if it made Jack that happy. He tried to tell himself that maybe he’d surprise both of them by getting it first, but he knew it’d take nothing short of a miracle to achieve that. Jack was good, very good, he’d seen him in action enough times. Hell, he’d been on the receiving end more times than he could count.
— — —
It was the next day that Merritt decided that Jack was going easy on him. He’d walked into the small living room to find him fast asleep on the couch. It was now or he would have to hypnotise the other, but hypnotising him felt like it went against the spirit of the game. So now it was.
His movements were quiet as he creeped closer, slipping a hand gingerly into the other’s pocket, hoping to find anything at all for him to take.
His fingers made contact with a cardboard box. Cards. He wasn’t surprised. If there was one thing he could always count on it was for Jack to produce playing cards from seemingly nowhere.
Removing the box from his pocket proved more difficult. He felt slightly ridiculous standing there, pulling it out bit by bit, freezing up every time Jack so much as twitched.
Eventually, however, he managed to get it out. He grinned down at the cards, already planning how he could be as bad a winner as possible, when he felt the way the weight of the cards inside shifted. Inside weren't cards at all.
Curious, he opened it, tipping the contents out onto his hand.
First, he was met with a lighter. Cheap plastic. Judging by the weight of it, it was empty. On the side in faded ink, he could make out the name Anne W. A sibling, perhaps? Seemed more likely than his mother or a friend. On the other side of the lighter was a cramped scrawl of; blow me.
He let out a soft huff of air in amusement, tipping the box over again.
He was met with the three of hearts, the edges worn down and the material soft underneath his fingers. It was the same one he’d seen back when Jack had first goaded him into learning card tricks. Maybe it was from his first deck, or maybe from someone he cared about.
Next was a photo with three people. Jack in the middle and two people by his side, arms hooked around each other. He was smiling. Merrit had never seen him smile like that. The woman must be Anne, the resemblance was unmistakable. The same eyebrows, the same cocky smile. The way she was flipping off the camera fit the image he was building of her too. She seemed a few years older than teenage Jack in the photo, so did the man, his smile softer, his hand on Anne behind Jack. Dating. He wondered what happened to them. They’re definitely not in his life anymore.
He could always find out by prying, but he shrugged that thought off immediately. He wouldn’t use his mentalism on Jack. The man would tell him when he was ready, if he ever was. That was fine. He pushed down the slight bitterness in his throat. It was fine.
Jack stirring brought him back to reality and he froze. Like a kid caught with a hand in the cookie jar. This was the agreement, after all. Technically he had permission. But something about it sat wrong with him. He had pried into something he shouldn’t have.
Mind made up, he slipped the box back into the jacket pocket. It dangled a bit precariously, but it was as good as it was going to get.
Deciding it had to be good enough, he headed back to his room.
Later, Jack would sneak the hat off of Merritt’s head and it would take him an hour to even realise. He would grumble and complain, but he didn’t mind all too much. Even if he now had to live with the weight of that smile. Of knowing that between that photo and now something had forever changed Jack.
— — — — — — —
5.
“I can’t do it.” The words were spoken quietly, meant just for the two of them. Jack looked as nervous as he sounded, chewing at his thumbnail. It was only natural that he was nervous. One of the biggest parts of their plan hinged on Jack being able to get the upper hand on Chase.
Of course, this was a lot easier said than done when the only times Jack has actually successfully hypnotised anyone was when Merritt let it happen to him. Maybe that should’ve made Merritt more worried than it did, but Jack always pulled through, no matter how insane the stunt. He was by far the strongest and best of all of them.
He swatted at the man’s hand to get him to stop wearing down his nail beds. “Yes, you can. Stop with that bullshit.” It’s clear that his light tone wasn’t particularly appreciated as he was met with a glare from Jack.
— — —
From the moment that the plan is suggested, Merritt could see the anxiety creeping into the edges of Jack. He didn’t need to be a mentalist to be able to determine that. He knew the man more than well enough.
He didn’t say anything however, not in front of everyone. They had a plan to form. To find a way to defeat not just Mabry, but also Chase. The thought left Merritt a bit nervous too. Not Mabry, that was easy enough, but Chase. If there was one weakness that he had, it was his brother. Not willingly, of course. The man had already robbed him of everything he had had. It wasn’t fair that he could take even more.
But the plan was solid enough. He trusted in it. It would go smoothly as long as everyone followed through. Probably. He was sure it was the best plan they could come up with in such a short amount of time. It was good enough.
As Dylan dismissed them to get ready, Merritt caught Jack’s arm, pulling him off to the side. The man was nervous, and they couldn’t have that. Not that he doubted his abilities. If anyone in their group could do it, it would be Jack. Now all he needed was for Jack to believe that as well.
“Talk to me,” Merritt all but demands and he can see the hesitation on the man’s face as clear as day.
There’s a tense silence and for a moment Merritt becomes convinced that he won’t speak.
The tension breaks when Jack lets out a long breath, closer to a sigh than anything. His shoulders sag and he shakes his head. “Nothing, it’s just-” He shrugs, avoids looking Merritt in the eyes.
Merritt caught Jack’s arm, pulling him off to the side. The man was nervous, and they couldn’t have that. Not that he doubted his abilities. If anyone in their group could do it, it would be Jack. Now all he needed was for Jack to believe that as well.
Really, he didn’t need the man to tell him what was wrong; he already knew. But it would be beneficial for him to admit it himself instead of it being forcefully dragged out of him. He seemed to be getting there himself regardless. So Merritt was patient as he waited, still holding his arm.
“I don’t think I can do it. Hypnotise him. The last time I tried to hypnotise him it blew up in my face,” Jack admitted in a single rush of breath. He looked nothing like his usual self and that didn’t sit right with Merritt. Jack wasn’t supposed to look like that. He wasn’t supposed to be scared of anything.
So he’d have to find a way around it. “We’re keeping it small. You’re not changing any information, just planting a little seed.”
Jack still didn’t look terribly convinced and Merritt went through the options in his head. Different ways he could convince the other he would be fine,
Finally, he settled on something. “If you manage to hypnotize them, I’ll do all the cleaning for a month.” He would lose. He had no doubt in that. That was okay though. He knew there was nothing that got him geared up like a bet.
The nervousness finally gave way on Jack’s face, replaced by a confident grin. “Looking forward to not having to do my laundry for a month.”
— — —
“Why don’t you watch the watch I’m wearing.” Merritt knew he shouldn’t slow down, but he couldn’t help the missable amount that he did in order to overhear what Jack was saying. “Aware of where you’re watching. And, sleep!”
A snap, some whispered words that Merritt didn’t catch. A few seconds later, Jack was next to him, positively beaming. “You’re in for a month of cleaning.” Merritt smiled back, something in his chest easing. “Let’s just see if it works, before we start celebrating.” He knew it would work. There was no doubt in his mind about that.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Merritt prompted, and Jack took a step to the side, his grin not faltering.
“See you on the other side!” And with that, he was gone, off into the crowd.
— — —
Adrenaline coursed through his veins. This was bigger than anything they’d pulled off before. Maybe because it had been so long since their first heists. Maybe because Merritt had to face his brother again. Maybe because he didn’t quite dislike everyone as much anymore.
Maybe because Jack had finally successfully hypnotized someone. To himself, Merritt could admit just how attractive that had been. Almost as sweet as when the other had tried to do it in the bar. He wasn’t quite sure what to do anymore. Because despite his best attempts, his feelings for Jack had only grown.
And now, he stood there, watching as Lula pressed up close to him. Really, Merritt couldn’t blame either of them. Lula was attractive, fun, and could keep up with him. And Jack, well, Jack was brilliant. Quick and sharp and had the best smile he’d ever seen on someone. If there was one person in the world Merritt thought deserved that happy ending –that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow– it was Jack.
Even if he wanted to cut in. Wanted to step between them. Tell her she knew nothing of Jack, not like he did. Didn’t know about the way he snored, or what his quick fingers felt like when stealing your wallet, or the absurd amount of sugar he took in his coffee, or that he secretly liked bad reality tv, or that he carried people he loved dearly but never spoke of everywhere they went.
But none of that mattered. When she pulled him into a kiss, he looked away. Best soak in the cheer of the crowd, the look on his brother’s face. They had won. They had won brilliantly. They solidified their place in history. They were at the end of the rainbow. Isn’t this where Merritt had always said he would leave? When did that change?
Except he knew exactly when. The moment they saw Jack again after his faked death. He had looked at that smile, the way his fingers moved around the lock. And thought ‘I want every moment of this I can get, money be damned’. He’d gotten it, hadn’t he?
As they turned to leave. Merritt tried to cling onto the success, the triumph running through his veins. He wasn’t so sure how well he succeeded.
— — — — — — —
+1.
For the past week, Merritt had been ignoring him and it was driving Jack insane. After so long of constantly being in each other’s space, of finding a groove together, it felt like he was without his usual pack of cards in his pockets.
Okay, maybe ‘ignored’ was a strong word. He’d spoken to Merritt and the man had been perfectly civil. Yet he hadn’t been able to catch him alone. He so badly wanted to talk about what happened, to see Merritt’s approval at just how well the hypnotism had gone. Despite his attempts, Merritt was always around other people or he was nowhere to be found.
No one else seems to have noticed this. The distance that Merritt had put between them. This led him to believe it was something about him, that he’d done something.
If he could only figure out what he’d done, then maybe he could fix it.
It was time for drastic measures.
Breaking into Merritt’s room was child’s play. Waiting was less easy. He didn’t know when the man would be back, so he’d erred on the side of caution. He spent the time poking around his things, practicing card tricks, and pacing
Each time he heard footsteps he flattened himself against the wall behind the door and waited with baited breath. Was this an incredibly weird thing to do? Probably. Jack was painfully aware of that, but with how comfortable they’d gotten with each other, he didn’t feel strange. He only felt desperate and worried.
It was the fourth set of footsteps that he heard that came directly to the door. Merritt didn’t see him, hidden as he was. He took off his hat, unbuttoned his jacket. Jack stopped himself from getting distracted by the lines of his shoulders.
With a quiet step he positioned himself to lean against the now-closed door, crossing his arms over his chest. He could do this. He could. “You know, for someone who’s both supposedly psychic and lived as a fugitive for quite some time, you’re really easy to sneak up on.”
The way he jumped out of his skin and spun around was only amusing for a small moment. Jack focused on keeping his posture relaxed, a teasing smile on his face. Like he wasn’t blocking the only exit.
They both knew what he was doing.
Merritt seemed to recover easily enough, giving him the same smile that he has all week. His showman smile. Jack usually adored it, but it was a lot less pleasant when it was directed at him.
“Fine, you caught me.” He shrugged off his jacket. Jack followed the movement with his eyes. Getting distracted like this wasn’t anything new to him. “So what brings you to my humble abode? Lost some cards? Seeking some relationship advice? Here to tell me you managed to find my wallet somewhere again?”
What was it Merritt wasn’t telling him? He had no idea. “You know what, some relationship advice would be highly appreciated.” He watched in fascination as the smile on his face seemed to stretch further. He was uncomfortable.
“Well, you know, speaking as someone with many, many years of being single, maybe it’s best you ask someone else. Not Danny though, that man wouldn’t be able to hold a relationship for any longer than it would take you to find him.” The man seemed too calm, too joking. Jack knew him better than this. Knew from sleepless nights talking about things neither of them would if the lights were on.
“Too bad. I came to you.” This needed fixing. Jack would manage it no matter what. He wouldn’t lose Merritt, not when he didn’t even know why it was happening. “So here’s the situation; say you like someone. Really like them. Fell in love. Would do anything for them. That type of love.”
A start. It felt like being gutted, but he tried not to think about that.
“And you and this person become friends. Really good friends. You trust them. Share parts of yourself that you thought you could never share with them.” Loving the other be damned, he just wanted his friend back. Whatever he could get was good enough. “And then you start to think that maybe they feel the same way.”
Merritt’s expression was unreadable, still trying to hold onto that tight smile. Jack could feel his heart breaking. “And then, out of nowhere,” He pushed himself off the door, his steps slow and deliberate as he walked closer. Merritt seemed caught in place. “They pull back. Stop talking to you.”
He didn’t flinch when Jack came to a stop in front of him. Actually, he wasn’t doing much of anything at all. “Did I do something wrong? How do I fix it?” He was willing to fix whatever was wrong, but he couldn’t do that if he didn’t know what was broken.
“Did you and Lula have a fight or something? Maybe you forgot to buy her flowers or something. I don’t know what kids do these days.” The words were like a slap to his face.
“Look, I’m really not qualified for this.” Merritt took a step back, holding his hands up in mock surrender. That stupid, pained smile never left his face.
“You’re an asshole.” But Merritt just shrugged at the words, like they meant nothing to him. Like he was expecting them. “If you wanted to let me down softly, this really wasn’t the way. Don’t bring her into this like you don’t know she’s never meant anything like that to me.”
Kissing her had been strange. It caught him off guard. Especially since he had still been beaming over the pride in Merritt’s voice when he’d talked about what Jack had done. She seemed to have taken his rejection in stride. But he was sure Merritt had known he only had eyes for him. Surely. There was nothing the man didn’t miss.
It hurt. Deeply. Jack sucked in a deep breath. Steeling himself. “I bet,” There was none of the usual mirth in it. “That you love me.”
He had to do this. How could he have read everything wrong for so long? This playful back and forth dance. Building up to- something. “If you win, I’ll stay out of your way for however long you want.” This was awful. He hated the way the other’s eyes had gone wide, like he didn’t believe what he was seeing. “If I win, you have to stop avoiding me, and kiss me.”
The words formed a lump in his throat. He felt for the card in his sleeve. Three of hearts. Good luck. It had gotten him through everything else so far.
“Jack,” a soft laugh. Merritt wouldn’t look him in the eyes. “You can’t just-”
Jack stepped forward, into his space. Willing him to meet his eyes. “Do we have a bet or not?” All false bravado that he didn’t actually have. What if he’d read it wrong this whole time?
There was a moment of silence, as tension hung in the air. Nothing but the too-fast rate of his heart and taking in Merritt’s captivating eyes like it was the last time he would see them. Who knows? It could be.
“You’re on.” Merritt breathed. But before he could even process what was happening, Merritt all but dragged him into a kiss, grip tight on the front of his shirt. It was inelegant and slightly clumsy and Jack felt like he had just fallen straight into heaven.
He melted into the other’s touch. Easy to get lost in the sensation. Merritt loved him. The thought made him feel like he was soaring. Like he was in that car again, having pulled off the most insane stunt of his life.
“It’s not fair, that was a rigged bet.” Merritt said when they pulled apart, neither having let go of the other. Merritt’s hat was on the floor and Jack’s shirt was no doubt crumpled.
Jack laughed, free and light. For the first time in years, he carried the same smile as he did in the photograph.
“You took the bet regardless.”
And Merritt had no good response to that other than to pull him in for another kiss.