Sanha stepped through the front door two hours past curfew, dripping with water and totally exhausted. Jackson whirled around from where he'd been pacing and jumped on her immediately, not seeming to care that she was soaking as he squeezed the life out of her.
"Oh my god, I was so worried," he mumbled into her neck, before pulling back and whacking her shoulder. "Where were you? You told me you were going to the library!"
"I went to the library!" she defended, pulling her shoes and socks off and leaving them on the doormat. "Can I get changed before the interrogation, please? Believe it or not, wet clothes are uncomfortable as hell."
"You'd better come right back out after you're done!"
"Sure thing, dad." She playfully rolled her eyes as she trudged over to her room, shedding her wet things and swiping a towel over her body before changing into some pajamas and heading back out.
"You didn't go wander around some old dangerous spot without me, did you?" He cut right to the chase.
"No, I did some research in the library. You know, like I told you I was going to do."
"Research does not keep you outside two hours late." He dropped onto the couch. "Sanha, don't act like I'm dumb."
She sighed. "Well, I was trying to keep you from having a heart attack, but I guess if you're into that sort of thing." His eyes darkened slightly, and she was pretty sure he would be shouting her full name after she said her next sentence. "I did go to the library, but after I finished up there I did a little bit of solo research. You know, in the field."
"What do you mean, in the field?"
"Well," she started, "I may have gone to that closed section again."
Per her expectations, he exploded. "You went back on your own?! Sanha you know you could've gotten me! I know I complain and get on your back a lot but I'd still gladly save your ass in an emergency! If you get hurt out there and no one's around, what're you going to do? I'd never know; nobody'd ever know!"
"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking straight. You know I get like that sometimes." She did feel bad. He was right, after all. It was always obvious that he really cared for her, so when she inadvertently put herself in danger all the time, he worried.
"I just worry you'll poke your nose into the wrong spot and get yourself killed without me."
"So you'd be okay with me getting killed with you?"
He gave her an exasperated look, but the effect was ruined by the smile tugging on the edges of his lips. "Just, next time, grab me. Or someone else. Really, I'd be fine if you dumped me for the kid, or Jaebum."
"You know he doesn't go for that kind of thing."
"Do I?" They exchanged a soft laugh, and everything felt okay. "So what'd you sprint off to research?"
"You will literally never believe it," she said, an almost secretive grin spreading across her face, giddy in her knowledge. "I honestly can't say I understand it all myself."
"Hit me with what you do understand." He slid off the couch to sit cross legged on the floor, batting his eyes like he was a little kindergartner waiting for storytime. "If I'm helping with field research I need to know the library bits."
"Don't get your hopes up; I'm moving back to library research after this. Got a couple things I need to look up."
"If it's interesting I might consider helping," he joked, and as she laughed he echoed the words she'd just said: "Don't get your hopes up!"
YOU ARE READING
Blink and You'll Miss It
CasualeSanha's been a curious shit her whole life. Jackson's always told her she's going to get herself killed at some point. She thought that was a bunch of bull, but he might've actually been right. She might be in way over her head on this one.
