Duskwood & Moonvale one-shots

Dusk till dawn (Jake x MC, 💞 hints)

"Oh, how dark!" that was the first thing you heard from Jessy when you connected to the group video call.

Usually your calls weren't so late, and none of the guys were interested in where exactly you lived, so you could explain your friends surprise. But you couldn't help but grumble:

"Nice to see you, too, hi."

You waved your hand at your Duskwood friends. You and Jessy have been on the phone almost every day, discussing the latest gossip, but some of it you haven't seen in ages. Now everyone was trying to act like the old days before Hannah disappeared, but the sad truth kept coming out: the group had failed the test and was now slowly disintegrating. At first they quarreled, argued, now they increasingly ignored each other. You saw it and tried to do something to keep them in touch. Even from time to time arranged such group conversations. But this was the first time in the last month that everyone was online at the same time, and you couldn't help but smile happily.

"What time is it in your city?" asked Hannah, whom you saw for the first time since the journey at Duskwood.

"Well," you squinted at the corner of the screen, "about one in the morning."

"What?" Jessy threw up her hands and disappeared from the frame for a moment. "Wow, I dropped my phone."

"Janet, isn't it better to sleep at this time?" Thomas asked softly. You had time to be surprised that he and Hannah got in touch from different places, because you remembered that they were going to move in together.

"Well, maybe..."

"Leave her alone," Dan grumbled, "and let her do what she wants, as long as she stays away from that hacker dude."

You giggled, covering your mouth with your hand. Oh, if only Dan knew... After all, all the guys were sure Jake had disappeared right after Hannah was found. In general, it was, but once... One day, you inadvertently opened the door without a question and froze, looking at a young man in a hood and a medical mask.

"Hello, Janet. I am sorry, but I have no one else to go to. One night and I won't bother you again."

"Okay," you nodded, backing away. Startled by his appearance, you asked no questions. Or maybe you just knew that Jake wouldn't answer any of them. "Come in then."

Almost a month has passed since then, and you did everything to make sure that "one night" did not end. It might have been wrong and dangerous, but these days around him, you couldn't think about it. Because you finally waited for the one you were in love with.

"It's over, and you still can't believe he was on our side." You shook head.

"He just pisses me off," Dan grumbled. "Why are we here today?"

At that moment, the phone vibrated, and you were distracted from the general conversation.

Jake: I don't like him either.

It was written in a message from Jake. You raised an eyebrow, as if he still hadn't returned from his strange job, which he never really talked about, and he couldn't hear Dan. Or?..

You weren't even really surprised when the door opened noiselessly and Jake walked in. He was soaking wet from the night's rain, but even so, he was hugging your unresisting cat Thorn to his chest. The two became surprisingly attached to each other.

Jake nodded at you and started typing a message with one hand.

Jake: Don't mind me.

You nodded slightly and tried to focus on the conversation. It seems Cleo was talking about some funny incident from her art class. Then Dan said something sarcastic. The conversation got lively, but you were completely lost in the stories of the guys. Jake said to ignore him, but the moment he put Thorn on the couch, went to the closet, and began to take off one of his favorite hoodies, the attention was not paid, but literally stuck to him. It was the first time he'd changed without locking himself in the bathroom, and you couldn't take your eyes off a couple of old scars on his ribs. Jake sensed your gaze and turned. Although his cheeks were a little pink, he was smiling at the corners of his lips. Your inattention was also noticed by the guys.

"Janet, is everything all right?"

"A? A, y-yes, I'm all right."

"So what do you think?"

"I think so... I think... About what?"

"About our dispute over the plans."

"Well... I usually agree with you, don't I, Jessy?"

Jake, who had already put on a dry hoodie and returned to the cat, almost burst out laughing. At the last moment, he buried his face in Thorn's fur. You hurriedly sent a perplexed emoji. First, you didn't understand the reasons for this behavior. Secondly, it seemed extremely strange.

Jake: If you only know what you agree to.

Janet: How cheerful you are today🤔 Don't you want to change your clothes fully? Only in the bathroom, please. Or I'll go crazy

Jake: I want something a little different :)

Janet: 😲 Who are you and where did my sweet shy Jake go?

Jake: I meant...

You didn't finish reading when you heard that someone was talking to you.

"Janet, what's happen with you today?"

"What with me?"

"You're in the clouds. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Just my cat having fun," you shrugged, and Thorn, as if to confirm your words, meowed loudly, broke out of Jake's embrace and jumped on your lap. You patted him and smiled when you heard a contented purr. Jake slowly got up and came closer to you and the cat.

Jake: Sometimes I think I am a bit jealous to Thorn.

Janet: I could pet you, too. But guys...

"They don't need to know, you're right," Jake whispered, and slowly closed the laptop. "Well, now we're alone."

He sat down next to you, put his head on your shoulder. Blushing, you ran your hand through his wet black hair several times. Jake was smiling calmly, even though you could feel him trembling.

"You're freezing," you muttered. Jake just nodded. "Do you want me to warm you up?"

"In what way?"

He pulled back to look you in the eye. You took advantage of the situation - cupped his face in your hands and touched his lips in a kiss. You wanted to just show your feelings and hurriedly pull away, embarrassed by your impulse, but Jake didn't let you do that. One of his hands was tangled in your hair, the other was wrapped around your waist. You couldn't pull away, caught up in the flow of tenderly-passionate feelings that changed each other as in a gradient. You felt as if you might have fallen if you had stayed on your feet, so helpless did you feel. A current seemed to run through nerves, and the world trembled, disappearing. Listening to the sensations, you could only wonder, because you never thought that an ordinary kiss could be like this.

"Is this just our night?" you whispered half-interrogatively.

"Meow," Thorn reminded about himself loudly.

"Come out, friend," Jake said. The cat looked at him, at you, too meaningfully, and jumped off the couch.

Obeying the barely perceptible touch of hands, you were lying on the couch. Jake loomed over you, his breath searing, drops from his hair dripping on your face. And this contrast bared the nerves even more.

"Yes, Janet, only ours," he whispered. "If you're ready."

You pulled at his hoodie, drawing him in for another kiss and showing your willingness.

***

You stirred a little, not realizing for a moment why it was uncomfortable to lie on the familiar couch - cramped, hot, and a little heavy - as if something was pressing down on your body. You stirred again, trying to free yourself, but then you heard a whisper in your ear.

"Don't leave me, Janet. Please."

You recognized Jake's voice, and yet you opened your eyes, froze again. All the while, he was hugging you, holding you to his bare chest. So your night with him wasn't a figment of the imagination. So your night with him was.

You smiled.

"I won't. Never."