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[oohforeshadowing]

Let me get back to you, darling.

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[toabsolution]

Jake takes them in, looking - relieved. "You're still here." He seems surprised by that fact.

Which means -

He takes out his little Bible that's served as his item since he's been around and shows it to them. It's blank.

[oohforeshadowing]

They stare at it, then at him.

"Am I supposed to be divining something from this, darling?"

[toabsolution]

"You ain't on here, Trouble. Means either we got unpaired or - "

Say it.

[oohforeshadowing]

"Oh. Yes, I graduated not long after I saw you in the Lounge," they say, nonplussed. "The Admiral doesn't tell you these things?"

[toabsolution]

He just stares at them. "I think you know he don't," he says.

"Trouble - "

He's going in for a hug. He doesn't quite know how to do overly emotional, but this? This seems like a good time to start trying.

[oohforeshadowing]

As far as Trouble's concerned, personal space is something which happens to other people, but they're usually the one starting the invasion. Nonetheless, they welcome him in, giving his shoulders a squeeze.

"There there."

[toabsolution]

That's nice. He can ignore the sarcasm.

"So what the hell happened?" he asks, pulling away, clearing his throat.

[oohforeshadowing]

"How in the world should I know?" they say, with an exaggerated shrug. "I was thinking about uses I might put your deal to, since you're so determined to squander it, and I made the decision and then....well. I'm sure I don't know any more than that."

[toabsolution]

He leans against the doorframe. "You're usin' my deal to help someone else," he points out, finally putting the pieces together himself.

"You know you gotta tell me exactly what it is so I can tell the Admiral before I leave."

[oohforeshadowing]

"Yes, I know." They grimace. "I'm trying to word it for maximum advantage and no silly loopholes, since I trust the Admiral about as far as I could throw this entire ship."

[toabsolution]

"Smart choice," he tells them. "Tell me what you want and maybe I can help?"

He smirks. "You're a warden now, you know."

[oohforeshadowing]

They cringe delicately at him.

"Ugh. Don't. Anyway, I'd be looking to clean up whatever mess Horde Prime left behind him, but I keep catastrophising over what that might end up meaning."

[toabsolution]

He nods, thinking about it. "You could always just ask the Admiral if you're so inclined. He'd probably tell you. If not, maybe make the deal not about fixing what he did, but what you think should be there instead."

[oohforeshadowing]

Trouble pokes him in the side with their tail.

"Darling, remaking the world to my own whims is not very wardenly and I don't care to have that level of responsibility regardless."

[toabsolution]

"Not to your whims," he mutters, rubbing his side. "But to what it was before they came, maybe? I don't know. I ain't your warden anymore."

He gives them a grin.

A big grin.

"Now we're just friends."

[oohforeshadowing]

"Don't push your luck," they tell him, crisply, but the smile at the corners of their mouth gives them away completely.

[toabsolution]

He keeps his own grin. "Well, you got some time to think about it. Ain't somethin' you gotta figure out today."

He pauses.

"You gonna tell people?"

You gonna tell Fou-Lu?