Work Text:
Original Prompt:
I’ve been thinking a lot about someone trying to woo Jacob Frye and Jacob just being so sweetly oblivious. They give him flowers and get them delivered to the train hideout but he thinks they’re for Evie from Henry so puts them in her cabin and makes a quiet sly joke about love birds.
They gift him chocolates but he ends up sharing them with some of the local Rook kids, or they gift him with some sweet cakes and he gives them to a local family who he knows been having a terrible time because he just wants to see them smile.
They gift him some nice wine or something and he ends up sharing it with Freddie because Jacob knows he’s had a hard case (bonus if it’s Freddie trying to woo Jacob and he ends up being very flustered and hopelessly endeared)
They gift him a new scarf to wrap around his hat because they think the colour will suit him, but he ends up using it to stop the bleeding of one of the Rooks after a fight
Evie finally getting tired of Jacobs obliviousness and loudly telling him “LOOK JACOB. LOOK AT THESE GIFTS FROM YOUR SECRET ADMIRER WHO WANTS TO WOO YOU, AND KISS YOU, AND DATE YOU JACOB. LOOK. JACOB. FRYE”
(Jacob being very confused and then painfully smug about it after that and when he finds out who it was and if they start dating he is a disgusting romantic who likes to repeatedly remind Evie that he was wooed)
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Flowers
Evie frowned, turning another page in the Italian text she was reading. None of Leonardo Da Vinci’s old manuscripts mentioned anything about a Shroud of Eden. Evie sighed in disappointment and looked over at Henry, who was flipping through old writings of Altair, and based on his furrowed eyebrows, wasn’t finding much about the Shroud either.
“Greenie,” Jacob’s voice sliced through the comfortable silence, heralding the appearance of her brother in the train coach. “I moved the flowers you left on my desk over to Evie’s. Next time you want to do something romantic for my sister make sure to leave the gesture in the correct coach.”
Evie’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Flowers? Henry had been with her all day, he never had a chance to fetch flowers for her.
Henry’s face paled, “Jacob, I didn’t-” he started.
“Not to worry,” Jacob interrupted, waving aside Henry’s protests, “I moved the flowers to Evie’s coach and no harm came to any of the buds. Be careful though, Greenie, or next time I’ll think they’re for me.” Jacob shot Henry a wink and left the train coach while Evie rolled her eyes at her brother’s antics. Jacob could be so exasperating.
“I’m sorry,” Henry spoke after a few moments, voice quiet, “but I didn’t bring you flowers."
Evie gave a weak shrug, “That doesn’t surprise me. We’ve been researching the Shroud all day. While I would appreciate the gesture, you haven’t had a chance to fetch flowers without my noticing.”
Henry nodded in agreement, “And why would I leave them in Jacob’s coach? I know which one is yours and which one is his.”
“True,” Evie agreed, returning to her book but unable to focus on the Italian swimming before her eyes. Her mind pondered Henry’s last point; why would anyone leave flowers for her in Jacob’s coach? Unless...
“Wait,” Evie cried, straightening in her seat and looking at Henry wide eyed. “Does that mean the flowers really were for Jacob?”
Chocolates
“Mr. Jacob,” a voice whispered as Jacob walked past the mouth of an alleyway. Jacob stopped in his tracks and turned to see Clara’s head poking out from behind a barrel in the shadow of the alley. Wary, Jacob walked toward her, noticing other little heads poking up from other hiding spots dotting the alleyway.
“Everything alright?” Jacob asked.
“Yep,” Clara nodded with a big grin. “Today is Timmy's birthday. We’re all hiding so we can surprise him when shows up.”
“It is, is it?” Jacob asked as he kneeled beside Clara’s hiding spot. “And why are you hiding here?”
Clara’s grin widened and turned into the smile of someone who was proud of themselves. “I asked him to meet me here,” she said, “we don't have anything to give him, but we can at least celebrate and surprise him."
Jacob nodded absently, his mind remembering the box of chocolates he’d seen on his desk on the train this morning. He'd rolled his eyes when he’d seen it, wondering why Greenie was, once again, leaving gifts in the wrong place. Evie loved chocolate, so the gift was in good taste, but unfortunately left in the wrong place. Jacob had warned Greenie once already, plus he couldn’t see Evie minding her courting gift being used for the birthday of an urchin. He smiled at Clara, “I’ll be right back.”
Jacob raced back to the train, chasing it down the tracks until he caught up and was able to swing himself aboard. He raced through his train coach, snatched the box of chocolates off his desk, and hopped over to the dinning coach with the intent of passing through, but came to a skidding halt when he saw a few Rooks at the table enjoying a few drinks.
“Want to help a street urchin celebrate his birthday?” Jacob asked, sliding a bit across the hard floor as he tried to stop mid-run.
“Of course,” a little blonde woman whose coat was too big for her answered, rising from her seat. She turned to the two males she'd been sitting with, “Well, come on.” Both Rooks shrugged and stood as well, straightening their coats.
Since the Rooks couldn't jump off a moving train as Jacob could, they were forced to wait until the train pulled into the station so they could disembark. As they waited, Jacob took another look at the woman standing next him. Her name was Jane if Jacob remembered correctly.
“Don't you have a son?” Jacob asked, startling the woman.
“Yes,” she answered, turning to face him. “Teddy,” she motioned to one of the male Rooks she'd been sitting with, “and I have a son.”
“How old is he?” Jacob asked, glancing out the window as the station came into view.
“Five,” Jane answered, “he's staying with his aunt right now, we’ll be picking him up later this evening.” A tug on Jacob’s coat sleeve brought his attention back to Jane. “Mr. Jacob, before I forget, if anything were to happen to Teddy or myself my sister has agreed to take him. I know it is not your responsibility to look out for the wellbeing of my son, but as one of the leaders of the Rooks, you are in the best position to guarantee he ends up in the right place and not on the streets."
Jacob watched Jane for a moment, staring into the eyes of a woman who would do anything for her child, and wondered if Cecily Frye would have been the same had she been alive.
“Please,” Jane pleaded, taking his silence as a refusal of her request.
Jacob swallowed the lump in his throat. “Of course,” he answered, “I’ll see to it myself.”
Jane’s sigh of relief was barely audible over the shriek of the train brakes engaging. “Thank you,” she said, and gave Jacob’s arm a quick squeeze before letting go. “Let’s go celebrate a birthday.”
They stepped off the train onto the platform and raced from the station back to the alley where Clara and the other children were still hiding. Jacob and the Rooks hid badly behind a pile of broken wooden slats and waited with bated breath for Timmy’s arrival.
“He’s here,” Clara hissed and began counting down. “Three, two, one…”
Jacob grinned and jumped out from behind the wooden slats. “Surprise!” he hollered as loud as he could, he deeper voice mixing with the plethora of little voices all shrieking as well.
Clara and her urchins took turns hugging Timmy and patting him on the back, all of them wishing the little boy covered in soot a happy birthday.
“Timmy,” Jacob called, moving closer to the birthday boy, “here is a gift from all of us.” He handed the little boy the box of chocolates, and the grin he received in return made Jacob wish he could do more for the boy.
“Jacob?” Jacob turned to see Evie and Henry standing at the edge of the alley, Evie tucking away her kukri. “Everything alright? We heard shouting.”
Jacob grinned at his sister, bounding over to join them. “Of course,” he answered, “we were just celebrating Timmy’s birthday.” He motioned to the little boy surrounded by children, passing out his birthday chocolate for the rest to share. “Good kid,” Jacob observed the turned back to Evie and Henry. “Hope you don’t mind, Greenie, but you left your box of chocolates for Evie in my coach so I gave it to Timmy for his birthday.”
Henry shook his head mutely, looking befuddled.
“There’s a good man,” Jacob crowed and patted his hand on Henry’s shoulder a little harder than necessary. The man was courting his sister after all.
“Jacob, we’re going to play kickball. Want to play?” Clara called down to where the assassins were standing.
“Yes,” Jacob called back with enthusiasm. He turned at Evie. “Want to join?”
Evie shook her head and smiled, “I’d rather watch. Don’t want a certain brother of mine cheating.”
Jacob placed a hand across his heart, gasping theatrically. “I would never.” He smiled back at Evie, “Clara would be the one who cheated, anyway.”
Evie laughed, shoving Jacob towards where the children were gathering to choose teams. “Go.”
Jacob ran off to join the game. “I'm on Timmy’s team,” he called as he got closer to the children.
Evie watched Timmy’s face light up at Jacob’s declaration and felt proud of her brother.
“So,” she eyed Henry who stood next to her, “chocolates?”
I'm sorry,” Henry shrugged and shook his head, “but it was not me.”
Evie turned back to the game and watched as Jacob let what looked to be the entire opposing team tackle him to the ground. “Then who was it?”
Sweet Cakes
“Dearest sister,” Evie heard Jacob call and couldn't help the groan of annoyance that escaped her. Grabbing a piece of spare fabric she marked her place and shut her book, placing it on the table beside her.
A moment later Jacob lept into the room, haveing jumped between train coaches, a box tied with a red ribbon held tightly in his hands.
“Do you know the McIntoshs?” He asked without preamble or explanation.
Evie thought for a second. “Are the McIntoshs the ones responsible for giving the Rooks food when they’re watching for illegal activity at the child labor factory in Lambeth?”
Jacob nodded, “Yes. Jane was telling me-”
“Wait,” Evie interrupted, holding up a hand. “Who is Jane?”
“One of the Rooks,” Jacob answered. “Jane mentioned that Mr. Mcintosh lost his job, and since Greenie left another of your courting gifts on my desk, sweet cakes by the way.” He untied the ribbon and opened the box to show Evie the dozen sweet cakes nestled inside.
Evie opened her mouth to protest that the sweet cakes couldn't be for her, she had been with Henry all morning, but Jacob plowed on, not giving her a chance to speak.
“I was going to take it to the family so they will have something good to eat for a while longer,” Jacob said, closing the box and letting the ribbon trail to the floor. “I was going to take some money from the safe as well. I wasn’t originally going to ask, but after taking the chocolates without your permission I felt like I should.”
Evie resolved to talk to Jacob about the mysterious gifts that weren’t from Henry at a later time. “I don’t mind,” she said, “may I accompany you?”
Jacob shrugged, “If you would like.”
Evie rose from her chair, and scooped the ribbon from the floor. “I think I will; it will be interesting to watch you do a good deed for once.”
“Oi,” Jacob protested, holding the box still while Evie tied the red ribbon into a bow. “I do good deeds all the time. Just the other day I broke a Blighter’s nose, and that was a good deed, his nose was hideous.”
Evie rolled her eyes and followed her brother off the train.
Alcohol
“Freddy,” Jacob called, knocking on the door he wasn't supposed to know the location of.
The door opened just enough for Freddy to peek out. “Jacob? What are you doing here?” The door swung open the rest of the way. “How do you know where I live?”
“I come bearing a gift,” Jacob said, ignoring the question of how he’d tracked Freddy down. “I was at Scotland Yard today-”
“Why were you at Scotland Yard today?” Freddy interrupted with a sigh, crossing his arms across his chest and leaning against the edge of the door frame.
Jacob took in the defeated slump of Freddy’s shoulders, and the dark circles beneath his eyes that belayed too little sleep. The truth (Jacob went to Scotland Yard to punch a stupid hypnotist, who dared to use his sister as a thief, in the face) wasn't the answer Freddy needed to hear. From what the blue bottles Jacob overheard at Scotland Yard had been saying Jacob should have punched the hypnotist twice. Once for mind controlling Evie, and a second time for stressed caused to Freddy.
“I was doing absolutely nothing at Scotland Yard today,” Jacob answered, looking up at Freddy from beneath his hat brim.
Freddy snorted in disbelief.
“Why I was at Scotland Yard is inconsequential,” Jacob waved the hand holding the bottle of whisky, which caught Freddy's attention.
“What is that?” Freddy asked, motioning to the bottle of whiskey in Jacob’s hand.
“A gift,” Jacob held the bottle out. “I heard you were having a difficult case with thieves who couldn't remember being thieves.”
Freddy didn't take the extended bottle. “How do you know about that?”
“I know everything, Freddy,” Jacob shook the bottle so the liquid sloshed around inside. “Not to worry, the person responsible has been taken care of.”
Freddy raised a bushy eyebrow, “Oh?”
Jacob nodded, still holding out the whiskey. “Evie doesn't react well when being forced to do something. The man is lucky to be alive.”
Freddy sighed and ran a hand through his hair, “If the man's status changes, please don't tell me.”
“Of course not,” Jacob agreed, then shook the bottle he was still holding out to Freddy. “I feel the need to reiterate. This is for you.” Jacob shook the bottle again.
Freddy eyed the bottle warily, “And why are you giving it to me?”
“Because you could use it more than I could.”
“And where did it come from?” Freddy asked.
“I found it on my desk a few days ago,” Jacob answered.
“Then it was a gift to you and I can't take it.”
“Of course you can,” Jacob reached out and grabbed Freddy's hand, forcing Freddy’s fingers to close around the neck of the bottle. “It wasn't a gift, if it were my name would be on it.” Jacob released the bottle slowly, making sure it wouldn't slip from Freddy’s weak hold and shatter against the ground. “A more plausible explanation is a Rook passed through my train coach, set it down, and walked away without it. Or Greenie has finally run out of ideas and is resorting to alcohol in an attempt to woo my sister.”
“Mr. Green has been giving Evie gifts?” Freddy asked, the bottle wrapped loosely in his fingers.
Jacob nodded, not stepping away from Freddy even though he no longer had reason to linger close. “He's gotten into an annoying habit of leaving his courting gifts for Evie on my desk.”
“Why would Mr. Green leave gifts for Evie on your desk? He knows which coach is hers.”
Jacob shrugged, “I've been wondering the same thing myself.”
Freddy looked down at the bottle in his hand, “Which brings us back to my original concern, are you certain this isn't for you?”
Jacob rolled his eyes in exasperation. “I'm positive, Freddy. Enjoy the fruits of my goodwill without question.”
Freddy glanced from Jacob, to the bottle of whiskey, then back to Jacob. A small smile bloomed across Freddy’s face and Jacob felt his heart skip a beat.
“Thank you,” Freddy said.
The sound of a gunshot echoed down the street and suddenly Jacob’s pulse was racing for another reason.
“Blighters,” Jacob growled, stepping away from Freddy. “Enjoy the whisky,” Jacob tipped his hat to Freddy and raced down the street in the direction of the gunshot. He could use a good fight.
Scarf
Evie sighed and flicked her kukri free of blood before sliding it back into its sheathe. Blighter strongholds were getting harder and harder to conquer. Evie looked around at all the bodies that lay spread across the ground, quite a few of them in green, and felt nausea swirl in her stomach. She reminded herself the Rooks knew what they were agreeing to when they decided to work for Jacob and herself. They knew what the cost could potentially be.
Never made it any easier to see, though.
She spotted Jacob kneeling off to the side tying a royal blue scarf around the upper arm of a Rook. Blood was already seeping through the material, turning patches of the blue scarf a dark, damp, black.
Evie walked over to her brother, carefully stepping over bodies that lay strewn across her path. “Where did you get that?” Evie asked as Jacob finished tying the scarf off.
“Take him to Lambeth,” Jacob said to a Rook, “make sure Miss Nightingale sees him.”
The Rook nodded and helped the injured Rook to his feet. Another Rook stepped up and took the injured Rook’s other side. Together the three of them headed toward the nearest carriage.
“I found it,” Jacob answered Evie’s question, rising to his feet. “It was on my desk, but this time there was a note with my name on it.” He shot Evie a grin. “Be careful sister, or Greenie will be courting me next.”
Evie rolled her eyes at his wagging eyebrows. She looked around again and all mirth evaporated out of her at the sight of the dead Rooks. She decided, once again, to discuss the mysterious gifts another time.
Jacob followed her eyes and sighed, “I hate this part.”
“Did any of them have families?” Evie asked, not really wanting to know the answer.
“Teddy and Jane have a son,” Jacob answered, walking over to where a man and woman lay dead side by side. “I do know Jane has a sister who will take the boy in. I promised her I would make certain the boy is given to his aunt, and doesn't end up at an orphanage or on the streets.”
Evie looked at her brother, saw the pain of leading people to their death in his eyes, and couldn't help thinking he was fit to lead after all.
Revelations
Later, after the burial of the Rooks killed in the overthrow of a Blighter stronghold, and after Jacob personally saw to the wellbeing of Jane and Teddy’s son, Evie realized she couldn't put off talking to Jacob about the mysterious gifts any longer.
“Jacob,” Evie called, walking into his coach to see him sprawled across the settee. “We need to talk.”
“Whatever it is I didn’t do it,” Jacob answered without looking up.
Evie pushed his legs to the floor, making room for her to sit beside him. “I’m not talking about whatever trouble you’ve gotten into now. You know those gifts from Mr. Green?”
“The ones he keeps leaving on my desk? Yeah, I know them. Beginning to think he’s more interested in the fun Frye twin rather than the boring one.”
Evie rolled her eyes, but let the slight go. “I was talking to Mr. Green the other day, and he told me none of those gifts were from him.”
“Wait,” Jacob sat up a little straighter on the settee, “what?”
Evie nodded, “He said none of them, not even the flowers, were from him.”
“That makes more sense, Greenie knows which coach is yours,” Jacob slouched back down again. “Whoever is trying to woo you thinks you stay in the wrong coach."
“Ever think that maybe the gifts were being left in the correct coach after all?” Evie asked, watching her brother for a reaction.
Jacob snorted, “No, because that would mean the gifts were for me."
Evie stayed quiet, but raised her eyebrows at him, the gesture full of meaning.
“Bloody hell,” Jacob cried, sitting up so fast they almost knocked heads, "you mean all those gifts were for me?”
Evie nodded as she watched Jacob lean forward and rest his elbows on his knees. “I think there’s pretty good reason to believe the gifts were for you, yes.”
“That explains why that last one had my name on it.” Jacob turned hopefully to look at her. “Do you know who it is? You’re the all-knowing one, surely you know who it is."
Evie shook her head, “I don’t know. Whoever is leaving them has timed it so there’s no one around to see them. Was there a name of a shop on the card with your scarf? If we track down the shop we can ask who bought the scarf. It might get us a description at the very least.”
Jacob’s face fell. “No, it was a just a card with my name on it, nothing else. We need to catch them in the act then, or maybe…Freddy!” Jacob announced with a sudden enthusiasm, and Evie stared at him confused.
“You think Sergeant Abberline is the one leaving you gifts?” Evie asked hesitantly, unsure.
Jacob’s entire body tensed at her question. “No,” he answered, turning his head so he wouldn't have to face her, “I was just thinking he might be able to help. He is a policeman after all.”
“I don't mind,” Evie blurted without all of her usual tact after a few moments of awkward silence. “If it was Sergeant Abberline, I mean.” Jacob turned to look at her, shoulders stiff and head held high. He looked as if he was bracing for a blow. Evie took a breath and meet Jacob’s eyes. “I don't mind if whoever is leaving you gifts is a man or a woman. As long as they make you happy I don't mind.”
Jacob’s whole body sagged at the admission. He slouched against Evie, head lolling onto her shoulder. “You don’t? It’s illegal,” his voice was small and Evie wanted to punch society in the face for daring to tell her brother loving someone is wrong.
“Since when has legality ever stopped us before? You do remember what we do for a living, right?” Evie responded, making sure to weave enough sarcasm throughout the statement Jacob wouldn’t be able to resist.
“I thought we rescued kittens from trees for a living,” Jacob responded, looking up at her with innocent eyes.
Evie snorted, rolling her eyes at his antics.
“Honestly though,” Jacob said after a few moments of silence. “You don’t mind?”
Evie shook her head. “No. As long as they make you happy.”
“And if they don’t make me happy?” Jacob ventured.
Evie didn’t hesitate. “Then I’ll kill them.”
“Same for you, too,” Jacob said after a moment, “whether it apply to Greenie or someone else.”
Both twins sat quiet, listening to the constant beat of the train moving down the tracks.
“Well,” Jacob broke the silence, jumping up from the settee, “that was more than enough emotion for me for the day. Let’s go find Freddy, maybe we can talk him into helping us.” Jacob offered Evie a hand and she took it, letting him pull her from the settee.
The door slid open and Henry walked in carrying a few books. “Miss Frye, Jacob.”
“Mr. Green,” Evie greeted.
“Greenie,” Jacob smirked.
“Did you need us?” Evie asked, walking over to where Henry is standing.
“Ah, yes, but just one of you,” Henry put down the books he was carrying. “There is a shipment going out that, rumor has it, contains items from the Kenway Mansion. I’m afraid the Templars are making one last desperate attempt to keep as many Assassin artifacts to themselves as they can.”
“Sounds sneaky,” Jacob nudged Evie’s shoulder, “you do it, you’re the sneaky one anyway.”
Evie nodded, “When is the shipment leaving?”
“Very soon,” Henry answered, “I have a carriage waiting outside the next station if you wouldn’t mind me accompanying you.”
“Not at all,” Evie smiled, feeling the heat of a pointless blush spread across her cheeks.
“You kids have fun,” Jacob clapped Henry on the back, “I’m off to find Freddy.”
“Take the card with your name on it,” Evie called after Jacob, “maybe SergeantAberline will recognize the handwriting.”
Jacob nodded, grabbed the note from his desk, opened the door of the coach and jumped off the still moving train.
Jacob reached Scotland Yard in record time thanks to his commandeered coach. He jumped off out front, not even bothering to let the horse come to a complete stop, and raced up the stairs. He didn’t know where Freddy’s office was, but a quick question to one of the officers in the lobby had him going up the stairs and to the left. Through an open door Jacob spied Freddy bent over a few papers and Jacob didn’t bother to announce his presence, he walked in and shut the door behind him.
Freddy didn’t look up. “What do you need, Frye?”
Jacob raised his eyebrows, “How did you know it was me?”
“Everyone else asks to enter, and no one shuts the door behind them without asking permission to first.” Freddy finally looked up at Jacob, “Plus I could hear you asking for me from the lobby.”
Jacob grinned, “Those excellent deduction skills are why I need your assistance.”
Freddy put what he was working on aside, “With what?”
“To help me figure out who is leaving gifts for me.”
Freddy’s eyebrows furrowed and his mouth tightened into a frown. “I thought you said they were gifts for Evie from Mr. Green?”
Jacob shrugged, “She told me none of them had been for her from Greenie, besides the last one had my name on it.” Jacob glanced down at the papers on Freddy’s desk and paused. He reached out and turned a paper towards him, wanting a better view of the writing. The script looked familiar but Jacob couldn’t place it. “Guess you were right after all when you said the whiskey was for me."
“Could you repeat the part about me being right? I wasn't savoring the moment.” Freddy pulled the paper Jacob was looking at away and put it in a pile with the other papers.
“Har har,” Jacob grinned, “so can you help me or not?”
“And how do you expect me to help? Do you have any evidence or clues to guide us?”
“I have a note,” Jacob pulled the crumpled card from his pocket and dropped it on the desk. “It's kind of amusing,” Jacob said, watching Freddy unfold the note. “After telling you the whiskey wasn't for me since it didn't have my name on it, the next gift appeared up with my name on it.”
“Amusing indeed,” Freddy murmured as he smoothed the card out on the desk. “And what did you do with this one?” Freddy asked still eyeing the note on the desk. “The flowers you gave to Evie, the chocolate you gave to a little boy for his birthday, the sweet cakes you gave to a woman whose husband had lost his job, and the whiskey you gave to me. What happened to the scarf?”
“I used it to bandage a Rook until he could get to a doctor,” Jacob answered after a minute, desperately trying to remember what he’d told Freddy when dropping off the bottle of whiskey. He remembered mentioning Greenie leaving gifts in the wrong coach, but he never said what the gifts were, or what he’d done with them. Jacob reached for the name card Freddy had taken from him and Freddy doesn't stop him. Jacob laid the paper covered in Freddy’s handwriting next to the card with Jacob’s name on it and realized why the writing looked so familiar. The writing on Freddy’s police papers and the writing on the card that came with the scarf was the same.
Jacob circled the desk and turned Freddy’s chair, forcing the other man to face him. “It was you. You were the one leaving me those gifts.” Even knowing he was right, watching Freddy nod in assent still felt like a suckerpunch to the gut. “Why?” he asked, more movement of mouth than actual sound.
Freddy heaved a sigh, tipping his head back he looked Jacob in the eye. “I wanted your attention, but couldn’t think of how to get it.”
Jacob leaned closer, resting a hand on the edge of Freddy's desk. “That was dangerous though,” Jacob kept his voice low, almost nose to nose with Freddy now. “What you’re implying is against the law. I could turn you in."
Freddy gave a weak smile. “I know it’s illegal, trust me, I know. I will admit the thought of you turning me into the Met never crossed my mind. I know you, Jacob. Not as well as I’d like to, but well enough to know you wouldn’t turn me in. If I made you uncomfortable you would walk away. The bounties that still need collecting you would leave to Evie, and after that we would go our separate ways. I don’t believe you would turn me in for gross indecency.”
Freddy wass right. Even if the situation had made Jacob uncomfortable, which it hadn’t since Jacob hadn’t even known the gifts were for him, he still wouldn’t have turned Freddy in to the Met.
“So you like me?” Jacob asked, a grin beginning to spread across his face. “You want to woo me?”
Freddy reached out a hand. His thumb brushed over the edge of Jacob's bottom lip, a gentle, teasing friction. The air grew thick and Jacob couldn’t seem to remember how to breathe. The exquisite drag of Freddy’s skin against his own sent a thrill though Jacob.
“God help me,” Freddy answered, “but yes, I do.”
That’s all Jacob needed to hear. Closing the gap between them Jacob pressed his lips to Freddy's, he devoured this man with every sense had. The chap of Freddy’s lips, the bristle of Freddy’s beard, the smell of rain and London smog that clung to him. The feeling of Freddy's rough hands against his neck and face. The delicious intoxication as Freddy pulled him closer. Jacob followed Freddy's tugging until he was practically straddling Freddy’s lap, until Jacob was pressed against Freddy in every way he could be. His skin was tingling, his heart was racing, and all he could think was Freddy. Freddy. Freddy.
The shrill sound of a police whistle jared Jacob back into reality. He was so trained to duck when he heard the whistle his body was moving before his brain could catch up, and he was suddenly tipping off Freddy's lap to land in a heap on the floor.
“What…?” Freddy blinked, eyes dazed and mouth agape. Jacob didn’t think he’d ever seen anything more sinful than the flush that has spread across the visible parts of Freddy's face. Jacob wanted to follow the flush with his tongue, wanted to see just how far down it went.
“Sorry,” Jacob groaned as he sat up and ran a hand through his hair. His hat was missing, he realized, it must have gone flying when he hit the floor. Glancing around Jacob spotted it off to the side and grabbed it. “I try to avoid fighting the police, so the whistle is usually a sign to run for it.” He plopped his hat back on his head.
“You avoid the police?” Freddy asked, an indecipherable expression on his face.
“Yeah,” Jacob responded, climbing back to his feet, “it's not their fault they can’t stop us, or catch us, so why aggravate the situation.” Jacob shrugged, “Try to avoid them as best I can.”
Freddy reached out a hand and Jacob leant eagerly into the touch. “Thank you for not killing my men,” Freddy murmured, his thumb sweeping up to trace over Jacob’s cheek. Jacob wanted desperately to kiss this man again.
Jacob caught Freddy’s hand and pressed his lips to the delicate skin on inside of Freddy's wrist. He could feel Freddy’s pulse racing against his tongue. “Can I kiss you again rather than say you're welcome,” he whispered, lips still pressed to Freddy's skin.
Freddy pulled his hand free of Jacob’s clutch, dragging his fingers tantalizingly along Jacob’s scruff. “Not in the Yard. I might look the other way where you are your sister are concerned, but the other police officers will not be so forgiving."
“Sergeant Abberline,” a voice called through the closed door, followed by three brisk knocks and the creak of the door beginning to open.
Jacob shot Freddy a grin and was out the open window before the door could swing fully open.
Jacob dropped to the ground, his grin so wide his cheeks hurt. He didn’t know what this emotion curling through his chest was, but he knew he never wanted it to stop. Shooting one last look up at Freddy's window Jacob swaggered towards the train station. He couldn’t wait to tell Evie.
“Evie,” Jacob called, boarding the train like a proper passenger for once. Rather than chase down the train Jacob choose to wait at the station, giving himself time to understand what had happened and how best to brag to Evie. He'd been wooed. Properly wooed.
Evie was sitting on the settee he liked to lounge on, an open book in her lap. She looked up as he entered, closing the book around her finger to keep her place.
“Did you talk to Sergeant Abberline?” she asked.
Jacob grinned, squashing himself between his sister and the side of the settee. “I did. It was him.”
Evie’s eyes went wide as the book slipped through her fingers and hit the floor. “It was?”
Jacob nodded, “It was. It was him. He was the one sending me those gift. He WOOED me Evie. Honest to God wooed me. I'm a proper lady now, Evie.”
Evie smacked his shoulder for his last remark but her hit lacked heat. Her grin was almost as wide as Jacob’s was. “I'm happy for you, Jacob.”
“I’ll have Freddy talk to Greenie,” Jacob told her, rising from the sofa and heading towards the door. He lurched a bit as the train began to move.
“How come?” Evie asked, leaning down to pick up her book.
Jacob opened the door, sending her a cheeky grin. “Because Greenie’s going to need all the help he can get trying to woo you.”
He saw the book leave her hand and slammed the door between coaches shut, leaving himself to the mercy of the roaring wind. He heard the thunk of the book hitting the door a moment later and couldn’t help but laugh. He jumped across the gap to his coach and opened the door. He can't wait to see what tomorrow would bring.
Epilogue
“Bye, Evie,” Jacob called, poking his head into the dining coach.
Evie didn’t look up from her book. “Where are you off to?”
“Top of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Now that I've been wooed I have to keep the romance alive.”
Evie’s lips twitched in the way they did when she was trying not laugh at something Jacob’s said. “Give Sergeant Abberline my condolences,” she replied, “it seems he has taken leave of his senses. How are you getting him up there?”
“Har, har,” Jacob snarked but his grin didn’t falter. “Rope launcher,” he patted his brace.
“Why are you taking him up there?” Henry asked, looking up from his book as well. Jacob couldn’t help but wonder how boring Evie and Greenie's lives actually were. All they did was read.
“No witnesses,” Jacob's grin dimmed a little. He liked to live in denial that what he and Freddy had was illegal.
“Which reminds me. Greenie, I have a favor to ask.”
“Oh?”
Jacob slid into the seat next to Evie. “I talked to Aleck yesterday, I wanted to make sure the launcher could handle both mine and Freddy's weight. But when he asked why I needed to carry myself and another man to the top of the Cathedral the best excuse I could come up with was needing to get to the top for a mission with you. Since you don't have a rope launcher he seemed to accept it.”
“Jacob Frey, did you actually think this through?” Evie interjected, looking up from her book.
“Don't get too excited on me, sister mine.” Jacob laughed at her stunned face. “Freddy did woo me after all, I have to return the favor somehow.”
“Aleck wouldn't have minded,” Evie ventured, “if you had told him the truth.”
“He probably wouldn't of,” Jacob agreed, “but I don't want to risk it. Should anyone unfavorable find out I don't want Freddy to be hurt."
Evie nodded in understanding.
“I’ll be sure to corroborate your story,” Henry told Jacob.
“Thanks, Greenie,” Jacob slid from his seat. “Maybe one of these days you won't lose your bottle at the sight of my sister and you'll be able to woo her properly. Just like I was.” He ducked from the coach and jumped off the still moving train. He couldn’t wait to see Freddy.
* * *
“Has Greenie tried flowers?” Jacob asked a few days later as he crouched with Evie on the edge of a roof looking down into a Blighter Stronghold.
“What?” Evie hissed, giving Jacob the evil side eye from beneath her hood. “We are not talking about this now.”
“But flowers work, Evie,” Jacob told her with all the joy of a sibling who knew they were being annoying. “They worked on me after all.”
“I'm not talking about this with you.” Evie pointed to a sniper on the roof across from them. “You take the snipers, I'll get the ones patrolling the perimeter.”
* * *
“Ah, hello Jacob,” Greenie greeted him, looking up at him from the map of London Evie had spread across the table. “How have you been?”
“Been good, Greenie,” Jacob answered as he grabbed a bottle of whiskey one of Rooks left sitting out, “how is wooing my sister going?”
“I - I beg your pardon,” Greenie stuttered, eyes shooting back and forth between the siblings.
“Ignore him,” Evie rested a hand on Henry’s arm but Jacob shouldered his way between them, throwing an arm around Henry’s shoulders.
“Take it from someone who has been properly wooed, Greenie.”
“Jacob,” Evie growled but Jacob carried on unperturbed.
“Yes chocolates are great and flowers are perfect for wooing, because let's face it, they worked on me. But for my sister here,” he threw his other arm around Evie, almost clobbering her in the back of the head with the bottle of whiskey still in his hand. “You're going to need a different approach. I recommend a kukri. A shiny one. Or a cane sword. Yes, she likes chocolates, but a weapon is something she can use.” He released both of them and headed for the door. “If you need any help let Freddy know. After all, he's already been successful once.”
Evie watched him go, torn between feeling mortified and exasperated. A common problem for her where Jacob was concerned.
“He seems happy,” Henry said.
Evie smiled as her feelings settled on fond exasperation, “I have to keep reminding myself of that whenever I want to hit him.”