(Pov Jasmine)
Knock, knock, knock.
Jasmine turned, hearing someone knocking on the wall next to the entrance to the garage. A smile spread across her face.
“Hey, Jason.” She carefully leaned against the front of the car so she wouldn't hit her head on the open hood. “I wasn't expecting to see you today. Everything good?”
He walked into the garage. He looked good. His overall look was the same as normal; the clothes were simply better. Less worn from use and washing, not frayed at the edges. His shirt was buttoned up and tucked in, which it normally wasn't. Him having dressed up wasn't surprising, after all, he had a date later today. He was also wearing the ear wrap she had given him. Which was good. To most, it might just seem like jewelry, but to anyone with a deeper knowledge of noctian subculture, it would single him out. Demonstrate that he had protection and backing, and that should anyone try anything stupid, it would have consequences. Bad ones. Though to anyone else, or those who didn't know the clans were here, it was simply jewelry.
He rubbed his neck. “Hey Jasmine. Yeah, everything is fine.” He hesitated. “Is this a bad time?”
She shook her head. “Never for you, darling. It's good to see you. So, are you ready for the date with Chloe?” She couldn't stop her smile from becoming slightly lopsided.
“Ehh, yeah?” His eyebrows furrowed slightly. “I think so at least. I am still not entirely sure how to feel about you being so… interested in this. But I'll adapt.”
She nodded. “Well, I am sure you both will have fun, even if the change might make it a little awkward. Just don't overthink it, and it will be fine. And you should feel happy, taken care of, and safe. At least that's what I am going for.”
Jason blinked. “Ok then, I'll get back to you on that.” He glanced towards the car. “Is there something wrong with the car?” It was quite frankly watching him blush slightly as he tried to change the subject. The smell, ohh smell. She was fairly certain that if she bottled it, she could make a fortune selling it as perfume to any noctian, well, anywhere.
“Yeah, the car's fine, I am just checking something. So to what do I owe the pleasure of my dear fiance's visit?”
Jason's lips twitched slightly. “Is fiance the term we have settled on?”
“Well, since you still have some time until the ultimate decision has to be made, it's still a courtship. Though I am the suitor in this case, I could refer to you as my sought or beau. But since we are kinda engaged. I can go for something else if you want me to?”
“No, that is technically kinda what this is. So that's fine.” He cleared his throat. “To answer your original question. I need to ask a favor.”
She raised an eyebrow. “And what might you be asking for, sweetheart?”
“I… wanna borrow your car.” He hesitated. “But only if that's ok, and just for the date. If that's fine?” The last sentences fell out of his mouth.
The lion, the witch, and the audacity of this bitch. Jasmine couldn't stop herself as she started laughing almost maniacally. The request was certainly out of character, and she loved it. He had finally asked for something. Something that wasn't for his sister or a favor she didn't have to half-way negotiate him into accepting. It wasn't for him, but it was certainly progress.
“So you're asking your fiancee to borrow her car, to take another girl on a date?” She was still chuckling.
“Well, when you say it like…” She lifted a finger.
“Honey, I didn't say no. I have encouraged this the entire time and still do. Of course, you can borrow the car. Though I must say I like the audacity, so don't think poorly about asking.”
He let out a breath, a small smile playing on his lips. “Thank you, Jasmine. I promise I will have it back in one piece.”
“I have no doubt about that. But if you do damage it, well, you can pay me back somehow. Like by watching Sam.”
She walked over to the open passenger-side door and opened the glove box. ”But before you go, there is one thing I wanna do.”
She took out the lipstick she kept stashed there and applied it using the side mirror. Given her job, well, people noticed the things you didn't do more than the things you did. So having a backup for expected makeup was useful, if somewhat tedious. The problem was that her backup was low-quality; it stained easily. Though that wasn't a negative, at least not right now.
“What do you wanna do?” Jason had followed her and was now looking at her with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh, nothing especially interesting. Could you unbutton the two closed buttons towards the top of your shirt?”
His eyebrow rose further, though his hand still did as he was asked. “Why?”
She stood up, placing both arms around his neck. “So I don't mind you sleeping around. Or dating other people. But when it's someone who's being considered to be added to the family, so to speak. I do want to know how the first date went, preferably before you go any further with things. The relationship involves all of us. And how said girl treats you is important to me.” She moved her hands to pull his shirt and t-shirt away to expose her collarbone. Then she leaned in and kissed it, softly, then a little harder twice more. “So this way, I hope you remember that. But if things go further, which is fine, I know Chloe I won't be upset, she has a reminder that she shouldn't get too aggressive.” She buttoned up his shirt. “ I would kiss you on the mouth too, but the lipstick stains."
“Thanks?” She could see him suppressing a smile. Though his shifting seemed slightly awkward.
“You're welcome. Now, can you just please stand over there, and then I can finish up here. Then he's all yours.” She pointed to the side of the car, where he wouldn't be fully obscured by the raised hood. A little company was always nice when you worked, though she couldn't deny that so was the eyecandy.
(Pov Chloe)
Dinner and a movie. It wasn't the best idea for a first date. Or rather, it wasn't for most people. It worked great if it was with someone you already knew very well. They would see the movie first, and then it was dinner. They could talk about the movie, about life, about anything and everything. A small smile spread across her face.
This was gonna be fun. Or at least it should be, if she could only… Chloe looked at herself in the mirror, taking a deep breath, and let it out slowly as she forced her shoulders to relax. Everything would be fine. She just needed to relax. Overthinking was the enemy here after all.
She brushed a hand along her skirt, brushing off any dust that might have gotten attached to it. Leaning in, she double-checked her makeup; it, too, looked just as planned. She looked good, at least if she could say so herself. Not too formal, but far more done up than normal
She just needed to ignore the glaring weirdness of dating a guy who was kind of engaged. She was not looking forward to explaining that to her parents. To say the conversation was going to be awkward was the understatement of the century. That was, of course, if it went beyond the first date.
What supprised her about all of this was that she was less against Jasmine now than she had been earlier. At least it wasn't the same almost desperate acceptance that it had been at first. She certainly didn't like the idea of sharing, but the woman seemed reliable. And it wasn't like the extra money wouldn't help. After actually having spent some time with her just talking, the case for sharing Jason wasn't exactly bad.
Through the open window, the sound of a car engine and the crunching of gravel could be heard. She tapped her phone screen and saw that it was precisely six pm; he was right on schedule. Chloe's heart fluttered in her chest.
She walked over to the window and looked out. Her eyebrow furrowed deeply. “Is that Jasmine's car?”
Had he asked her to borrow her car? Did he ask his fiancee to borrow her car to take another girl out on a date?