can we meet sumplac public?

Of course, my sweet. Anywhere and anytime you would like.

2moro outside bailys sammich shop

noon

I will see you tomorrow.

---

The sandwich shop was packed with a line leading out the door. People picked their way through the crowded doorway as they left, heading back to whichever surrounding office building they had come from.

Jack had taken the long route, approaching from the opposite direction of his apartment. The moment he caught sight of Kieran standing nearby and staring expectantly down the street, he felt a pang of guilt over his paranoia. He quickly stamped the feeling down. He was justified in his actions.

"Hey. I'm here," he called out. He pulled the zipper to his borrowed coat up and down as Kieran startled and turned. It didn't have the same feel as his old hoodie. Yet another reminder of how he couldn't get his old life back. Not that he really wanted it, but he was used to it. "Sorry for being late."

"It's perfectly al— You're wearing cologne," said Kieran. His tone was polite, but his face scrunched up in distaste.

Jack grimaced and looked away. Of course that was the first thing to cross Kieran's mind. "Yeah, I can't stand it, either. It's Sam's. I kinda borrowed it, and he looked at me weird. I'm gonna find something else."

"To cover your scent. I understand. There are other methods."

He perked up, hoping it was something easy and noninvasive to his sense of smell. "Oh, yeah?"

"It's much harder to discern your scent when you're… What would be a good term?" Kieran looked away with a thoughtful expression before giving Jack a toothy grin. "Oh, yes. Shitfaced. But I would fear for your liver."

"You're hilarious." Jack needed to focus. He wasn't supposed to be won over by Kieran. He rubbed at his forearms, riding through the sting of freshly picked scabs. And doing his best to ignore the reminder that he wasn't doing anything to prevent adding to his collection of scars.

Which Kieran knew about because he fucked with people's heads with no remorse.

"So I hear you tipped off the cops. How did you get that tip?"

"I can be fairly persuasive," Kieran said easily.

"Uh-huh."

"I was the first suspect on Detective Fairchild's list. After he stopped by, I began my own line of inquiries," Kieran explained. He paused as he took in Jack's peeved expression then continued with a more careful tone. "Unlike your friend, I have a way to ensure I'm not being lied to. I thought it necessary to utilize it."

"Right. Guess I can't fault you for that… Uh… Did you…persuade him to stop interrogating you?"

"He left of his own volition." Kieran's jaw tightened, and he shifted his weight.

Jack dropped his gaze. He wished he could pull off embarrassment like that. Smooth, barely affected. It wasn't fair that he became an overcompensating mess. "Yeah. Um… You know that email I sent you linking to that skeleton article?"

"Yes? How is this relevant?"

There was no going back. Kieran had to have already connected the dots that Jack had gained access to the shop's security cameras. Except the password hadn't been changed, and that did no favors for Jack's mental state. But cameras were entirely different from Kieran's personal computer.

"I'm a shitty person, too." Jack held his breath as Kieran's eyes narrowed in confusion. "There was a uh…self-installing program embedded in the website. I have access to your computer. I was gonna spy on you for a little bit, but Farragut got me. And then I just uh…checked to see…stuff. Your browser history is, well, boring. Really boring."

"From a website? It's that simple?" Kieran asked, dumbfounded. His eyes flitted back and forth as he licked his lips.

"Kinda, yeah."

"I see. That is…disturbing."

"So's a bathroom without a lock," Jack muttered. He cleared his throat when Kieran's gaze focused back on him. "People usually use the tactic to snag credit card numbers and passwords and stuff. Y'know, spoof a familiar website. Pretty low effort. I use it to sneak in and watch people's screens instead of TV. Sorry. I can uninstall it for you. Won't even dig myself in even further like I did with Sam."

"Oh, no. Do what you need to feel more secure," Kieran said with a small smile. "I hardly use the damned thing. This is simply another excuse for me to remain stuck in my ways."

Accepting. Too accepting. Farragut was proof of the sort of lengths a vampire would go to for a taste of Jack's blood. How patient they could be. As much as he wanted to give Kieran a chance, he couldn't trust any vampire's motives. Not anymore.

"Yeah. So. The main reason I wanted to meet up. I don't…" His breath hitched, and he swallowed, fighting the urge to burst into tears. "I don't think this is gonna work out. I mean. I'm grateful you came to get me. So… So fucking grateful, but I don't think I can do this."

Kieran let out a slow sigh and nodded. "Very well. My door is always open to you," he offered.

"Yeah, well, my neck's not open to you," Jack snapped, anger and embarrassment coursing through his veins. Of course the moment his scent wasn't shoved up Kieran's nose, the jerk lost interest.

"That's not what I'm after."

"Of course it's not. You have all the time in the world to be patient. I don't buy it," he said. He thrust his hands into unfamiliar pockets, and his chest tightened as he ground his teeth, blinking to clear his vision. "We're through. I'm done. I'll be civil if I see you, but we're through. I'm not doing vampires anymore. It's too… Just no."

"I understand."

Jack glanced up, expecting to see hurt, anger, annoyance… Something. All he saw was mild acceptance.

It hurt more than Jack thought it would. No fight. No attempt to keep him there. Not even an offer for lunch to buy more time to win him back.

Covering up his scent did wonders in the temptation department.

A loud bark of laughter pulled him out of the isolated world of his breakup, and he struggled to breathe as he briefly locked eyes with a stranger. He chose a public setting for his safety, but failed to remember that it included other people. He chewed on his lip and quickly glanced up at Kieran, eyes wide as panic slowly crept up his spine, clinging to every muscle in his body.

"Jack?"

He shook his head and took a step back. "I'm fine. I'm gonna walk this off. Alone."

"Do take care of yourself," Kieran said, his voice soft and concerned. "You… You have my number."

Jack nodded sharply. He pulled his hands free of his pockets in favor of gripping his sleeves. "Okay. So… Goodbye."