Once up in Kieran's apartment, Jack hurried to collect his blanket stash beside the couch and stuff it a little more out of view. It looked worse sitting on the floor, so he pushed it entirely under the couch. Even if Thomas had the ability to spy on the apartment, Jack didn't feel the need to show off how messy he was. He then claimed his corner of the couch, still uncertain on whether or not he should stick around. He settled in, pressing his back against the corner and watched as Kieran waited by the door.

Thomas crossed the threshold, and all the uncertainty and reluctance was back in his hunched shoulders and worried brows. "Did I go too far?" he quietly asked as he dropped his suitcase in the middle of the floor. He glanced at Jack then back to Kieran before staring at his feet.

Kieran sighed as he let the door fall shut. He looked to Jack in question, and received a small shrug in response. "Why did you feel the need to accost him?" he asked, gesturing to Jack.

Accosted was a stronger word than Jack would have used. He slouched down and avoided Thomas's eyes. He hadn't really felt accosted after the fact. Sure, he'd been weirded out, but it hadn't been that bad. He knew he should feel differently about the experience, but, with everything he'd been through, it barely registered. The inconvenience of the aftermath was worse than the actual kidnapping.

"Can you blame me? He was a distraction from your current problems," Thomas said defensively. He turned to Jack and shrugged. "You are. You smell great, and you're cute."

Jack gave Thomas a queasy frown. He was okay with Kieran giving such compliments, but with anyone else it carried a bit of a threat. "Thanks?"

"You'd have an easy life as someone's pet," Thomas added. His face went blank when Kieran shot him a dirty look. "Just saying', not encouraging anything."

Jack's chest tightened at the thought. A pet. Possibly pampered, but most likely locked up and hidden away, slowly being drained of his will to escape. He swallowed and took a trembling breath, focusing on the image of a blackened corpse. He looked up in time to find Kieran swiftly approaching. His eyes slid to Thomas, glad to find a look of guilty discomfort.

"Yeah, same," Thomas quietly agreed. He rubbed at the back of his neck, watching as Kieran sat beside Jack. He took a few steps closer, still giving the couch a wide berth. "I'm the alley cat that got fed. Kieran's nice like that," he said, his voice picking up in pace. "Even left the door open, so I could come and go as I pleased. Lotsa sires like to keep a close eye on their kids, so they don't go cattin' around. 'Specially ones like me."

"There was no need," Kieran said. He lightly stroked Jack's cheek before turning his attention back to Thomas. "You kept returning, and I have no reputation to uphold. Even when I don't tell you where I've relocated, you still manage to turn up."

Thomas's scoff echoed through the room. "Yeah, right. You're just like me. That stuffy shit ain't you. Dunno why you ever tried to fit in with that lot," he said as he drew a little closer to the couch. He looked at Jack as he pointed accusingly at Kieran. "Pops thinks he's cultured. You shoulda seen him during some of the raids way back when."

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"Raids?" Jack glanced at Kieran, hoping for a little more explanation. An annoyed sigh was his answer. Something historical, obviously. Something to do with Prohibition was probably his best bet, given what he'd already learned of Kieran and Thomas. A pair of moonshiners, making bank on the lushes of the world.

"Yeah, damn cops ruining all the fun," Thomas replied. He dropped into the other end of the couch, looking like he was ready to spring right off at a moment's notice. "Shoulda stayed abroad, but there was other issues with that."

Jack grinned at Kieran. "So you can take the farmboy outta the farm, but you can't take the farm outta the farmboy?" Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Thomas's shoulders losing their tightness.

Kieran looked between the pair of matching grins. He let out a long sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm not… I own land. As do you," he said, giving Thomas a pointed look that lost most of its venom as Jack took his hand and lightly stroked his fingers.

"That belongs to my mother. When she crawls her way outta hell, I'll gladly give it back to her," Thomas said. His eyes drifted down to where Jack held Kieran's hand. "I should probably check on her grave. Make sure I haven't vandalized it."

It made for a good excuse to leave, but Jack still had so many questions. He was open to the idea of Thomas popping in and out of the shop. Preferably while in a solid state of existence, but he'd take what he could get. He gave Kieran's hand a tight squeeze. "You, uh… That doesn't take too long, right?"

"I still pay for its upkeep," Kieran said quietly.

Thomas's eyes flicked up in uncertainty. "She doesn't deserve it. That should be on me."

"Your allowance pays for it."

"So I'm not being kicked to the curb?" Thomas asked, tightly wrenching one hand with the other.

"Can I trust you not to interfere in my affairs?" Kieran countered with a raised brow.

Thomas deflated under the stare and looked away. "How was I supposed to know you were serious?" He crossed his arms and hunched forward. "Kid looks like a cleaned up street urchin. This ain't his normal fashion. He doesn't wear it right. I can tell you're buying his wardrobe."

"W-wait. Nope!" Jack sat up and leaned over Kieran. "No, this is… I bought it." Technically, Candace bought it and used his credit card. "Um, with my friend's help. I got talked into a makeover to, uh… Y'know? Feel good about myself. It was a post-breakup thing. It didn't work."

The makeover didn't do what had been intended, and neither did the breakup. Even if both did help him out in the long run, it didn't work as he'd been expecting it to.

"You look nice, my sweet," Kieran said softly, kissing the shell of Jack's ear.

Thomas's shoulders slumped as he slouched. "I fucked up bad. Sorry."

"No more than usual," Kieran replied with a light sigh.

Thomas's voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke. "I want you happy. You were there for me when I needed it the most, and… You deserve to be happy."

Kieran looked at Jack and smiled. "I'm getting there."

image [https://i.imgur.com/eZY0YUq.png]