Interlude [h.s]

seventy-six

"Morning, morning!" Jesse cheers in the moment Alouette steps foot into the car.

"It's evening," Elijah mutters, mouth hidden behind a fist. He grips the wheel tighter when he feels her eyes linger on him and doesn't give her the satisfaction of meeting her gaze.

"Aren't you a bundle of joy today?" the other man replies, rolling his eyes. "If I didn't know better I'd think some feelings were wounded when the girl came back with a boyfriend instead of a pet." He widens his eyes at the glare both Elijah and Alouette send his way. "Well, I be damned. Thought I was sensing some scorned lover feelings in the air."

"Remind me again why I'm going on a mission with you," Alouette lets out through her teeth, crossing her arms. Maybe it isn't too late to turn around and go back inside.

"Glad you asked! Ezra thought, 'hey, why don't I put the prettiest people the Revolution has to offer in the same squad, for aesthetic purposes, of course'... and yeah, then he realised there weren't enough and he needed one more so that explains why you're here." Jesse shoots her an innocent smile through the rear view mirror as soon as he's done talking. The gun is burning at Alouette's side, and she wonders if striking the back of his head with its grip would make her a bad person.

"I'll have you know," she starts as Elijah drives out of the garage, "that if this mission is only a clever ploy to get Harry alone and I find out someone got to him while I wasn't there..."

"Oh, first name basis, that's interesting."

"As I was saying," Alouette continues, ignoring Jesse's comment, "I don't know what I'll do, but I promise you won't like it."

The younger man hums. "Did that sound like treason?" he looks at Elijah. "I think it did sound like treason. Should probably arrest your for that, Ivenhart." His tone is so lighthearted that she fails at seeing it as a threat. "Ivenhart, Ivenhart... I don't remember you being this arrogant before you left. Do you reckon she's changed?" The last question is directed towards Elijah, that only answers with a grunt. "I mean, putting aside her newfound sympathies for the Styles empire."

"It's not an empire."

"Only in name." He pats Elijah's shoulder. "By the way, have you seen him since we brought them back? I have to say I was quite disheartened when he took him off the street the other day, thinking he didn't look like much and all, but now, at the risk of sounding treasonous, I have to say he's quite attractive—"

Elijah clenches his teeth. "Jesse."

"Like, I totally get why you misunderstood our request to chain—"

"Jesse."

"—him up and bring him to us and chained him to your bed instead."

Alouette's eyes close. She's not in this car with these people. She isn't. This isn't happening.

"I might've done the same, just saying," Jesse continues without a care in the world, "don't tell Ezra I said that, of course the cause and all that, but I would've worked towards it while enjoying his riches and all in the Palace you know—"

"Jesse."

"There is more than one way to work towards a deal, you know? Maybe he would've happily signed something for the fun of it between the sheets if—"

"Jesse!" Alouette and Elijah shout in the same instant, and silence falls on them.

"Ah, it looks like I finally got a reaction," Jesse comments a long moment after. "You know, break the ice and all that. Not my fault you left me to do the hard work."