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So Mearc grabs his bag, slinging it across his body and sloughs the grass off his rear. His freckles seem to be strongly green-shifted at this point, expression thoughtful, but not particularly expressive.
Lux falls into step with them, seeming unsure what to do with their hands--alas, no pockets today--so end up crossing their arms around their chest loosely. "Sooo... Uh... How awkward is this for you two? And is there anything I can do to help that if its the case?'
"...Uhh?" Jack kinda shrugs, but his mien is still smudgy and a little scattered. "I mean it's...gonna depend on what shit we end up talking about."
"I don't really think it's any more awkward than Michael suggesting an orgy with all of us, even in jest. I'm good, honestly. Just...wanted to be sure communication was open and I understand the situation as it currently stands, but even with the fox asleep, that wasn't a conversation I'd have within twenty feet of him."
They grimace. "Sorry if I was being too much. But uh--yeah, definitely a private conversation." They take a deep breath. "Okay, well... Me and Jack talked last night. We talked about... some of our issues and I think made some good steps forward? And finally admitted we actually... you know, have feelings for each other." They glance towards Jack with soft amusement. "So, uh. Yeah. We're going to try to work it out."
Jack dips his head, his cheeks filling in with a dark scribble. "Yeah. That's...about where that is, now. And I'm - I'm fine with both of you being...whatever you wanna be, together." He manages to look up at Mearc to say that.
"Alright, then." Mearc nods. "Seems like a pretty workable situation for all involved. And you seem a decent fellow, Jack. I'm impressed with your work, relating to the fashion show--by the way, Michael and Chelle might be calling you about another one of those, at some point."
"Umm... What are your comfort levels, both of you, with like--uhh, affection, together? Like--is it okay if, when the three of us are alone, I kiss or hold hands with one of you? I don't want to..." Their hands lift to wave anxiously. "Upset either of you."
Lux smiles as Mearc turns things towards work, nodding quickly. "I think you two would get along well. You both have a really powerful work ethic."
"I don't mind any of that shit, if you don't -" Jack looks to Mearcstapa for confirmation there before returning his attention to Lux. "You've got two hands, right?" His tone is gently teasing. "And eh...thanks. Wren helped, with all that shit. I'm surprised it worked so well. What's Chelle and Michael's angle, for another one?"
"Two hands will only work until they steal another heart...but yes, I don't foresee a particular problem with it, when it's us. We may want to discuss what we're comfortable with the Freehold at large knowing?" He shrugs slightly. "And I actually suggested it to Michael, trying to do something to make it up to the local fashion designers who were looking forward to showing off. Because this event was supposed to be for them, too. "
They snort in amusement, hands lifting. "I have no plans on stealing anyone else's heart for the foreseeable future. Like--fucking, sure, but... ugh, this is already so overwhelming. And I--care. About both of you. So I don't want to risk fucking that up. So you don't have to worry about that, at least right now." A beat pause. "Though to be crystal clear, I have no issue if either of you steal other's hearts. So long as you're happy."
"As for the Freehold... I still feel the same way I mentioned to you. I don't want my personal shit discussed with others. But I'm not... ashamed of either of you. Mostly my stance is that it's no one's business, but I don't want either of you to feel like you have to lie, either. In public I'm not that big on public displays of... mushy-feels, but it'd be weirder not being flirty with either of you in public so, I'm going to keep doing that."
"And yeah--totally in on helping the designers." They bob their head.
"Yeah I'm not big on like...announcing that anything's changed, with..." Jack gestures to the three of them. "But I definitely don't wanna have to hide shit. Which doesn't mean much's gonna be different in public, I don't think. I'm not big on mushy-feels shit either. Amazing, right? Who'd've thought?" He huffs in amusement.
"I'd love to help 'em too, I...I feel kinda like a fucking asshole for shutting down their shit. 'S not their fault, and they really kinda got fucked over."
Mearc nods. "I think we're on the same page. When I talk to people about these things--and I have, a bit--it's been usually around my own context. I am not about to air either of your dirty laundry to the public for the fun of it. But. This is definitely a newer thing for me; I haven't really done relationships on a romantic or sexual level. So my approach is based on, um. A lot of research and reading online and trying to brain my way through things. As it is with most things, honestly."
"...You kind of have a leg up on both of us, then," Lux says to Mearc. "Both of us are horrible at this shit--the romantic stuff I mean--and we haven't done research. We're both hopeless disasters. Sexy, amazing, lovable disasters. But still." A beat pause, then they grin widely. "Wait, you really did research on how to relationship? Oh my god... That's fucking adorable." The taunting is nothing but fond.
"It...never fucking occurred to me that...you could fucking do that. Research how to...relationship. Huh. And I haven't been in an honest-to-god relationship in..." He grimaces. "In ever? I'd have to very closely define shit, which...feels like it defeats the purpose."
"I've been trying to get Lux to closely define things for me." He laughs, engaging in a little self-mockery there. "It doesn't work. It's like trying to catch the dot from a laser pointer sometimes with them."
Lux pouts. "Hey, I've really been trying, lately..."
"I mean, start off by defining what counts as a 'relationship', and we'll see where all my past shit falls. Does that mean you're a cat, then, in this metaphor?" He grins.
"Always been more one of those than a dog person." He shrugs. "To no one's surprise, I'm sure."
Something about what Jack says makes them snort in amusement. "Ugh fine, okay, I guess I'd define relationships as... well, with the two of you anyway... uh... Enjoying each other's company, in all sorts of ways, and supporting each other, while..." They pause, lips pursing. "While trying to tear down walls and build something more... honest. And intimate."
"...Does that work?'
"Sure as hell means I haven't ever been in one." He grimaces again. "So...there's gonna be a lotta fumbling around." (edited because i typed the wrong word, which shifts the meaning of things a little)
"And probably as many screw-ups as successes along the way. But I'm still looking forward to whatever this is, in the long run." He smiles, freckles warming up.
"I haven't either. Ever. Soo... yeah... Hopefully you're both right..." Lux smiles, looking sheepish. Maybe even, gasp, shy? They rub at their arm a second or two more, then drop their hands, reaching to grasp each of theirs to squeeze tentatively. "I hate getting so fucking mushy, but--I just want to say that I feel really... lucky? And... thanks. For being patient with me and shit. And being amazing."
Jack squeezes back, and hip checks them gently. More for the physical contact than anything. "Hey, you've been patient as hell with me. Feeling pretty damn lucky on this end, too."
Mearc also squeezes back. "Don't worry about the mushiness right now. It's nice for it to be out in the open. While it's just us."
Lux's glow brightens into a warmer tone, the color even radiating gently from their dark cheeks. They're struck speechless, at first, so just enjoys walking beside both of them while holding their hands for a few moments before managing to find words again. "Maybe you should share your research sources with us, Mearcstapa," they murmur, lips quirking.
Some of Jack's more erratic animation starts to fade as he eyes Lux happily. "Yeah, I'm sure I could use some fucking instructions about how to deal with all this."
"I can send you both links, if you're serious about that. On ethical non-monogamy, in particular, communication in relationships, stuff like that? Jack, do I have your number?"
"I can't promise I'll read all of it, cause reading is awful, but I'll definitely look at it and try," Lux says, a little more seriously.
"We could...do some of the reading together, if that would help. Or find a text-to-speech app and listen to it, instead?" Jack shakes his head at Mearc and pulls out his phone. No service here, of course, but he can still add a contact.
"And I can definitely prioritize the stuff I send, because I'm going to tend to send more than may be useful." Mearc recites his number for Jack. "I also prefer encrypted messenger apps like Signal above SMS if we're texting, as a heads-up."
"Reading them together would be good, actually?" Lux looks hopefully to Jack. "Maybe it'll uh. Help. With some of our... stuff." Then a fond, amused look to Mearc. "I still don't quite understand what it does, but I trust you. I even used it to text Strum!"
"I...don't know what that is, but encrypted sounds...good? 'S it safer?" He tucks his phone away after Mearc's info is in there, and nods at Lux. "Yeah. Maybe...it will."
"Signal and Wire are options for open source apps--that means, they put their code online so others can improve on it and check there's no ways to cheat or bypass it--that allow messages to be sent in such a way that if they're intercepted electronically, the person who gets them can't read them. They also have options to delete messages after a certain period of time, for security."
"You'd think, being from the City, I'd have like... learned more about computers and shit." Lux squints, then lifts their shoulders. "You're the expert though, so going to use it from now on. Though it kind of makes me feel like I'm some... sneaky spy or something."
"Huh." He nods thoughtfully. "'F you can show me how to get that shit on my phone I might...see if I can use it for other shit, too. Especially if we end up striking at PTC."
"It's definitely a lot better for organizing than SMS." He nods, then gives Lux a look. "It's not that you're sneaking. It's just that the messages we send aren't anyone else's business, ever. It also means that most of the time I don't have people sending me messages like, and I quote, 'female vampire emoji, hammer emoji' to identify themselves."
"Speaking of, what are your plans for helping the Union not get too fucked over by the fashion show? Do you think trying to get them in on doing a new show would help? Anything I could do to help?"
They grin at Mearc. "It wasn't a complaint! It's cool. ...Wait, what? Who's sending you those emojis?"
"Is that some sex thing I don't know about yet??"
"I...I haven't figured it out. Still waiting to hear how much we did get fucked over - I know we're sure as hell not getting paid for it. Which makes sense. And it'd be nice to have union hands at events in places like the art museum, but...might be a lost cause, now. Dunno yet. I will see if we can get in on a future fashion show, but even if it's not officially a union gig, I still wanna help." Jack frowns a little as he thinks it through, back in business mode, but then he snorts.
"Sure sounds like a sex thing."
"No, I'm...ninety-five percent sure she was confirming my suspicions that she's a vampire, from her decade-old phone, in a plain SMS." He lets out a bit of a laugh.
"....A vampire? What?" Sorry Jack, Lux just stares at Mearc right now.
To be fair, Jack's also staring at Mearc. "A vampire? They go around telling people that shit?"
"I mean, most are more subtle, and I was clear that I understood why her grasp on modern technology was so uncertain, without getting into the details. I've met a good few vampires locally. Their leader is on good terms with Marjorie, and I was actually thinking of recommending one--suspected, not confirmed, in this case--who's a fashion designer to Chelle and Michael for the show they're going to set up."
Lux just staaaaaaares. "You've been hanging out with vampires?? Just, causally? Wait--is this that job you mentioned?"
"Jesus..." Jack breathes, mildly concerned but also maybe a little impressed.
"Oh, yeah. Wren and I are going to try to impress the local vampire leader by doing a pen test on a location owned by her or other vampires, in order to demonstrate that we're good at what we do, so she'll spread our names as people who can help really-really-really old vampires get up to date with, uh modern security practices." He looks a little sheepish. "So, that's a thing."
Lux looks... torn. Proud and impressed, but also very worried. "I guess that'd be... good...?"
Jack is quiet. Impressed, definitely, but...vampires?
"The fact that Marjorie set us up with our business meeting with this leader is something that makes it a bit safer in my book. She knows what's going on with that, so...if there's trouble, the Freehold will know that's a possibility. And I'm not being reckless about it. There's history between us and them in this city, old understandings."
"Okay," Lux relents, exhaling a breath. "I trust you. And... it is fucking amazing. You're fucking amazing." They lean over to kiss his cheek. "Just... be careful letting any vampires neck you, yeah?" they tease.
Jack huffs out a laugh at that, and grins at the affection. Yay compersion! "Yeah that's pretty fucking amazing."
"If either of you meet someone you suspect is a vampire, for the record? Don't make eye contact. I'm autistic, I'm already avoiding it, but...eye contact is to them kinda like a direct promise is to us." He glances between them.
"...What? Seriously?" Lux looks less pleased about this, brows knitting together. "What the fuck?"
"That's...creepy as fuck, how do you avoid...if you don't know...? Thanks for the warning."
"The other half of Marjorie's advice was if you feel weird, emotions out of sync, lost memories? Go talk to the higher-ups immediately. Because that's apparently something they can do. Which. Fair, we can do that too. I did that to all the cops at the protest, toyed with their emotions, so. I really can't judge them until they use it against me, and I'm going to assume they won't unless I give them reason to, you know?"
"I guess..." Lux still looks a bit bristly, though. "At least their leaders are aligned with ours, so I guess even if one is shitty to you, we can go and get them fucked up for it."
"I...I mostly trust Marjorie. As much as any of us trust anyone, you know? And it...sounds like you're not gonna take risks with shit, anyway. Besides...your regular job risks. It sounds like it could even...help tie our communities together even more?"
"Ideally. That's the goal, at the end of the day. It...really threw me to see one of them walking around with a Droid 2, when those haven't gotten security pushes since 2011. Like. It is in their benefit to be aware of these things." He laughs quietly. "But nine years ago, it's really the blink of an eye for some of them. There's one I know who might have come up in literal ancient Greece."
Lux just... stares again, having trouble wrapping their mind around that. "That's... ooookay. That's hella weird. But I guess time is weird for us too, so..." They squint, then shrug. "But yeah. Just be careful. Maybe wear more turtlenecks... Unless you find a sexy vampire that you want to nibble on you."
"That's...fucking wild, keep yourself safe, yeah. Even if you do find one you're not opposed to nibbling on you."
"Look. I'm not looking to hook up with some hussy with sharp teeth, that is far from my purpose in getting to know their community." He sounds almost disgusted by the idea.
Lux frowns, letting go of their hands to lift their own in defense. "Okay, okay. I was just joking. ...And maybe fantasizing. But too far, got it. I'm sorry. Won't mention it again."
"Sorry." Jack grimaces. "I hope it all goes well. Should we...be rooting for you to get into whatever building, or not?"
"Yeah. Probably." He nods a bit. "Anyway, I might head back Ironside for a bit. I don't usually spend so much time in the hedge, I ought to check my emails and stuff."
And he leans in to kiss Lux's cheek gently.
Lux returns the kiss to Mearc's cheek, hand brushing over his arm a moment. "I'll talk to you later? Thanks. For this."
"Yeah, this was...important. And good. I should probably get going soon too, being here makes me antsy. Will you help me figure out how to get an encryption app , or do i just...download it?"
"You can download it, and then to get into contact with me using it, we'll need to exchange 'keys'. A string of numbers that identifies you as you, so my encrypted messages can be read by your phone. It's easier than it sounds."
"I'll follow you out. Don't really like staying in the Hedge either," Lux says to Jack, bouncing on their heels a bit. "See you, babe," to Mearc, smiling.
"We'll figure it out. I'll text you when I have it downloaded and we can go from there. See ya."
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