The Rook and the Raven (Jacob Frye x Male OC)

Part 8

During the day, Agatha shut herself away with Oliver. She was adamant that no one could see her working, which started the rumours of her being a witch. Noble would sit outside the door on guard, so no one would even dare try to slip in. Jacob and Dorian found ways to kill time, such as watching the other assassins and apprentices train with their familiar, which Jacob quickly grew bored of, and proceeded to round up several initiates in the next field where they practised fighting. They also decided on making the trek into the city and going on a pub crawl with some other assassins their age. It ended with Jacob stumbling everywhere and trying to fight everyone, and Dorian, trailing behind him giggling like a little girl. They're not sure how they ended up back at the cottage, the last thing Jacob remembered was winning an arm wrestle and necking the losers pint, and Dorians last memory was crying over a tiny piece of pork pie he dropped, while the rest was still in his hand. They spent the following day hiding in their room, suffering with what felt like the worst hangover ever. Agatha brought them up water, and then later forced them to eat raw ginger. After that, they decided on no more drinking, at least for this week.
When Jacob woke up, he shivered and instinctively began shuffling to the other side of the bed, searching for the warmth of the other man, still with his eyes closed and nose under the blanket. He kept shuffling, until he felt the bed disappear from underneath him, and he plummeted to the hard floorboards, jolting him fully awake. "Ah! Bugger it." He groaned, slowly pushing himself up onto his elbows, then onto his feet. He groggily made his way downstairs, the smell of bacon and eggs making his stomach growl. He entered the kitchen to Agatha and the birds having breakfast. The old woman was staring out the window from her seat at the table, a shawl round her shoulders, her hands wrapped around a steaming cup.
"He's outside, just down the hill." She said, not shifting her gaze from the view. Oliver abandoned his breakfast and skidded across the table, croaking and talking to Jacob as he approached. Jacob grinned down at the raven, reaching down to stroke him, to which Oliver decided he would instead climb his sleeve, aiming to perch on his shoulder. Jacob reached round to steady the flightless bird as he reached his shoulder, making sure he was safe and comfortable. Jacob made a quick trip to the front door for his flatcap and boots, then returned to the back, stepping through the stable door to the garden, which led to a field, over looking the forest and large hills behind the cottage. As Jacob reached the end of the flat field, he looked down the grassy slope and spotted Dorian in the distance, sat in amongst the brown and dead wildflowers below. He steadily made his way down, and walked carefully through the natural path, the dry foliage crunching under his boots, to where Dorian was sat next to a stone slab, a fresh pile of cigarette butts next to him. He tilted his head backwards and smiled softly to Jacob as he approached and sat down next to him.
"Aren't you cold, Jacob?" Dorian asked, puffing away on what was probably his seventh cigarette.
"Why else would I be out of bed at this time looking for you?" He winked, stretching out a hand and wiggling his fingers. Dorian fished around in his jacket and handed him a cigarette and box of matches.
"I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep." He told Jacob, taking the matches back. "Took me a while to even get out though, you weren't letting me go. Every time I moved you bloody held me closer." Dorian chuckled, taking a long drag.
"Maybe I didn't want you to leave?" Jacob responded, in a flirty tone, striking a match and bringing it to the cigarette between his lips. Dorian just rolled his eyes. Jacob shifted his gaze to the slab in front, leaning forward to read the inscription.
'Juliet
1864 - 1867'
The assassin insignia was carved on the slab too.
"Ah, this is Juliet then?" He spoke softly. Dorian nodded, and Oliver let out a sad croak. Jacob shifted slightly so he could face her. "Hello, I never got to meet you, but I wish I did. You seemed like a lovely bird the way Dorian described you. Ya know, being the quiet one and all, unlike your brother, who wakes me up by screaming in my face." He laughed at the end part, taking a drag and continuing. "Your brothers taking care of him, don't you worry, and I'm taking care of both of them. I promise I won't let anything like that happen again."
As he finished, a gust of wind came from behind, sending Jacobs flatcap flying off his head and landing on the stone slab. The wind did not touch Dorian, or even anything around them. Dorian chuckled.
"Never knew you could be so polite, Frye. She likes you." He said, a gentle smile on his face. Jacob smiled too, glad he was accepted. He picked up his hat, smoothing his hair back down and placing it firmly on his head. Dorian reached out, patting the slab. "We gotta go now, Julie, I'll come back again soon, goodbye."
A soft breeze danced around them, and when it was gone they made the trek back up to the cottage.
"That's one of my duties done for today." Dorian huffed as they reached the top of the hill. Jacob lifted an eyebrow, as Dorian continued. "I was going to see Tom today too, but it's still to hard for me to go there, I was thinking instead of returning to our house."
"You sure that's a good idea?" Jacob asked, holding the garden gate open for Dorian.
"Not at all. But it has to be done I guess." He sighed, entering the cottage and heading to the bathroom to start getting ready.