Interlude [h.s]

ninety-three

Jesse is sitting on the kitchen counter talking to the President's personal chef when Jayden walks in.

He stops in the doorway, his eyes wide, in the instant he sees him. "What are you doing here?"

Jesse shrugs. He came here right after the meeting—all the talk of discovered hiding places and the unsaid implications of having to do something about it have left him terribly hungry. It was easy to convince Harry's chef to hand over a cookie or two as well—he likes to think he can be exceptionally charming when he wants something. He shoves the last cookie piece in his mouth, the chocolate chips melting on his tongue, and then glances at Jayden, that still hasn't taken a single step into the room. "Are you going to come in or not?"

Jayden walks in. "I thought you were with Alouette."

Jesse frowns. "She disappeared right after the meeting. I think she's somewhere with Amina."

"She's with Evie." Jayden approaches the counter slowly. "I saw her when I went to talk to Jackson."

Jesse nearly chokes on his piece of cookie. "Amina is with Jackson?! I need to go—"

Jayden stops him with a hand on his arm. Jesse's gaze flies to it, and he lets go immediately. "Jackson knows how to behave in front of children."

Jesse lets out a loud barking laugh. "You think it's Amina I'm worried about? That girl's going to rip him apart."

Jayden looks away awkwardly, his copper hair hiding his eyes for a moment. "Somehow it doesn't surprise me."

"So you've met her." He lets out a happy sigh and takes another cookie from the plate at his side, breaking it in half. "I don't know if she reminds me of Alouette or Harry more. She's quite kind when she wants to, but I'm pretty sure part of her just wants to see the world burn." He sends Jayden a side-glance when he mentions Alouette's name, studying his reaction.

"I think she implied I might take a shit in the corner of the meeting room, I'm not too sure if it was intentional, though," Jayden replies, studiously ignoring the mention of the other sister. The one he can't stand, though Jesse can't figure out why. He's not still mad at her and she shot him, after all. For a brief moment, he wonders if maybe Jayden is the one with common sense, and he's the one that's terribly lacking it.

"Knowing her, it was probably very intentional." He bites into his half of the cookie, humming a little tune.

The chef walks out of the room, and suddenly Jayden's expression turns serious. Well—more serious than it already is. "Why are you here?" he repeats, taking a step closer. That's a mistake. The pretty copper-haired boy would know if he spent a little less time complaining and a little more observing him.

"Cookies, of course." Jesse shoves the second half of his cookie in Jayden's mouth. "What do you think? The cinnamon is a touch of elegance, if I say so myself."

Jayden scrunches up his nose and swats his hand away. "Stop it."

Jesse raises an eyebrow. "Stop what?"

"This!" Jayden's hand flies out to motion to him, to Jesse, to the kitchen around them. "Everything! It makes me feel so..." His voice dies in his throat.

"So?" Jesse prods.

Jayden purses his lips, looking away. "So..." He can't seem to find the words. "So stupid." He runs his fingers through his hair, turning away from him. "I never learn, do I? First it's Alouette, then Elijah, then you..."

Jesse picks up the half cookie Jayden has put on the counter next to him and shoves it in his mouth. "What about us?"

"I keep... trusting the wrong people! I thought Alouette was my friend but she was just using me, and I gave Elijah a lift and never once knew who he was, that he was the reason why the President was missing, and now you, hell, you—"