Duskwood & Moonvale one-shots

Promise me (Jake x MC)

Jake: Chloe, can I ask you something?

Chloe: Ask? About what? 🤔

Jake: Promise me you won't go to Duskwood.

Chloe: But why? It would be more useful for the investigation. Or wait... Is someone jealous? 😋

Chloe was shaking. No... her body, wrapped in a coarse knitted sweater and wrapped in a large plaid, was shaking violently, as if in a mad fever. No matter how much she warmed up, no matter how much scalding tea she drank, the symptom without the disease did not pass.

She's not sick. The thermometer assured of this. She must not freeze — all the locked windows and doors screamed. But Chloe continued to tremble against all logic.

Now she was trying to joke so as not to go crazy. Too many bad things have happened lately: Hannah's disappearance, all these threats, the attacks on Jessy and Richy, Phil's arrest... Too many things. But as "the only thread leading to Hannah", as "the key", she could not afford to be discouraged. In group chat, in personal dialogues, Chloe should always write something encouraging and distracting. After all, it is much harder for others, they are there, in Duskwood, directly involved in all this and risk their lives. And Jake, too. He lives in constant danger. How can she show weakness?

This time was no different from the others. She just needs to show some insouciance for her hacker.  He will surely deny possible jealousy — the way he has always denied his feelings — and distract himself a little from all this. But Jake ignored her tease. In fact — the whole message, leaving in complete ignorance. Well. No one said it would be easy. It remains only to frown and try to write again. Now a little more serious.

Chloe: You know there's no room for jealousy in objective analysis, right?

Jake: But there is a room for my concern for you. This has all become too serious. I fucked up the grade, Chloe. He crossed the line.

Chloe froze, looking at the message, not knowing what to be more surprised at: an honest answer or an unusual choice of words. Jake could be harsh in his statements, and in the case of the group, sometimes even a bit rude, but she almost never noticed 'bad language' in his speech. His style of communication is pure literary, with sometimes too complex constructions. And suddenly "fucked up". Isn't that supposed to mean something?

Chloe: Are you upset?

Jake: You have no idea how much. I thought I had solved him. And now he behaves differently. I fucked up and feel only sadness and uselessness.

Chloe: Jake?

Jake: Yes?

Chloe: I promise

Chloe put the phone away, realizing that the conversation was over. Now Jake could only write "thank you, Chloe" and go offline. He always did that, the conversation can't be saved. So, she can just read it later.

Chloe was one of those people who shine for others, but the truth is that any flashlight needed charging from time to time. And now she felt tired. And a little annoying itchy headache. Maybe if she could get some sleep... But it's better for her to continue exploring the cloud. Otherwise, this mess will last too long.

Notification.
And then one more.

Jake: Thank you, Chloe. And I am sorry.
Considering everything that has happened, I should have supported you more, and not complain about my feelings. Forgive me.

Chloe: Wait, but aren't you Mr. "empathy is useless"?

Jake: I am.
But sometimes I want to be softer. Only with you. Strange, isn't it?

Chloe: 😳
A little
But... Thanks.
It's very cute and shows...

Jake: What?

Chloe: Well... You have a special attitude towards me, don't you? 🤭

Jake: ...
Yes. Special. I...

Chloe: You don't have to say if it's difficult. That's enough for now 🤭

Jake: Thank you.
Now you should get some rest, Chloe. You can leave the evidence to me.

Chloe: Thank you, of course... That's very nice of you. But you should rest too. You're still barely sleeping, aren't you? And the fact that you're upset doesn't leave me a chance to rest 🥺

Jake: Chloe... Don't worry about it. When the time is right for this, we can do it all together. In the meantime, you should rest.

Chloe smiled a little. Jake's caring side is very sweet. If only she could ease his sadness a little. But it seemed too complicated. Almost impossible. The fact that Jake told about his feelings at least a little is already surprising, he is too secretive.

Chloe: Jake... Promise me that even until then you will take care of yourself a little.
I'm afraid of losing you

Jake: I promise.