Receiving an 'emergency, come quick' text from your partner- at- partner in crime at 3 a.m. mid-mission was exactly the sort of thing to make even Jace panicked.
She stopped abruptly in front of the door, a dread settling in her chest as her thoughts raced with the possibilities of what might have happened. Without thinking about it for another second, she kicked the door open, surprised at how easily it flew open, but she didn't stop to contemplate it any further. "Eden!?" she called out, storming into the apartment, hand lingering by the gun hilt on her belt, ready for anything.
Her first instinct was to check the living room, only to find it empty.
"Eden- What was the emergen-" she paused as she turned around starting for the kitchen only to find Eden setting a box gently down on the countertop.
Eden looked to her giving her a questioning look before starting to unpack the box, removing the top to reveal a cake. A lemon pie to be specific. Deliciously caramelized meringue adorning the top.
Without even needing to see the look on Jace's face, Eden spoke. "Don't worry, it's lactose-free" he sent her a knowing look then moved to the drawer, rummaging through it until pulling out a candle and a lighter.
Jace stepped closer to the counter, eyeing the cake curiously before looking to Eden. "Why did you get cake?"
Eden rolled his eyes with a sigh, setting the candle on top of the cake, adjusting it a few times until it sat upright. "Really Jace? I'm insulted" he gestured for her to come closer while he lit the single candle, leaving the lighter on the side.
"Alright then..." he leaned over the countertop, propping himself up on his elbows, and looking up at Jace with a soft smile. "Make a wish"
Jace looked from him to the cake, resting her hands on the edge of the marbled counter as she thought, taking a moment to process the surprise. "Hmmm... I wish you'd hate me"
A heavy sigh escaped Eden and he rolled his eyes. "It won't come true if you say it out loud, dumbass"
"Mhm- I know"
Eden looked to her, a confused look settled on his face until the realisation hit him. "O-oh" he leaned back, quickly looking away from her. The heat rising to his cheeks much to Jace's amusement.
Jace smirked to herself then leaned down, blowing softly until the tiny flame on the candle went off, leaving a trail of smoke behind. She sat back, proudly looking at the cake, the slightest hint of a smile settled on her lips. "Was it Pollie...?"
"Seriously? I'm insulted" Eden scoffed, handing her a knife then proceeding to take out two plates and spoons from the cupboards while Jace cut the cake.
"You're a sneaky one, Bryce- I'll give you that" Jace stated, gently serving the cake onto the plates, licking off the bits of cream that found their way onto her hands.
Eden chuckled at her action, shaking his head as he headed over to the living room. "If there's one thing I am, Williams." he turned around and sent Jace a look. "...It's one hell of a detective..." he plopped down on the couch, waiting for her to follow.
"Yeah, no sh*t," Jace mumbled out, mostly for herself as she followed after him, settling down beside him. It was then that she noticed just how cleaned everything was. Almost like he had prepared for this. There was food on the table. Not store-bought. But Eden wasn't the type to cook either.
She turned to look at him, noticing how unusually kept he looked. Despite the obvious sleep deprivation on his face, he looked... good. His hair was brushed, he wore decent looking clothes. For once, he didn't look like a street rat.
"What's with..." Jace found herself staring and quickly looked away, clearing her throat and gesturing to the coffee table. "...all... this..."
"Hm? What does it look like?" Eden replied with his usual sarcastic tone which always seemed to cause Jace to groan out, and this time was no different.
"Honestly? It looks like you're buttering me up for something. So how about you tell me what the fuck you want?" Jace turned to Eden just as he turned towards her, a look of annoyance on his face which quickly shifted into a frown.
"It's called being nice..." He lowered his voice, speaking barely above a whisper as he hung his head, the dark locks falling over his face. "I figured it had probably been a while since you celebrated your birthday so... I wanted to do something..."
Jace was about to reach out for him but ultimately decided against it, instead of scoffing and shaking her head. "So you're calling me pathetic?"
Her words took Eden aback and he looked up, a sudden wave of anger washing over him. "For fucks sake Jay- I-" he was about to finish his comment when Jace leaned over, resting a hand on his shoulder to keep in place as she planted a soft kiss onto his forehead, lingering long enough to whisper a soft "Thank you"
Eden froze up, staring at her for far longer than he cared to admit before finally looking away, trying to hide the embarrassment. "...lets just..." he quickly grabbed the remote from the tabletop and turned the television on, interrupting the silence with the faint sound of the device.
Jace nodded in agreement, stretching her arm over the top of the couch as she leaned back, her attention now on the tv, much to Eden's relief. He subtly scooted closer, leaning back next to Jace, carefully so she wouldn't notice, but she did, draping her arm over his shoulder, poking his cheek in the meantime.
Eden was about to argue about it when he noticed the smile settled on Jace's lips. A genuine, gentle smile. No underlying smug. Just her. Something he hadn't seen often.
WC: 1002
Today I had to plan out a birthday party for one of my characters... I'm quite satisfied with how this turned out tbh! It's simple and sweet! <3
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An Arcane Scrapbook Collection
AcakA collection of short stories/poems/ideas that are too small to fit anywhere else <3
