A/N: I realized after I wrote this how completely unlikely this pairing would be. And for that reason, it's quickly becoming my favorite of the series XD They're both so adorably stubborn!

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Jake&Alicia 1: Dress-Code

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Alicia's wardrobe choice had always been a source of polarizing opinions in Alvarna. You were either admirable of her confidence to wear such an ensemble or scandalized by it. There was not much in the way of middle-ground among the townsfolk other than everyone was just…used to it by now.

Jake, for his part, leaned more towards disapproval, though not for the same reasons most did. There was nothing wrong with the dress itself, Jake liked to think he was above such shallow thoughts, but rather what the garment was meant to do disturbed him greatly.

From the perspective of her business, it was very…logical. Human men were predominantly uninterested in fortune-telling; either by their selfish ambition encouraging them defy fate however possible or their cowardice making them afraid of the future altogether. But if a fortune-teller wore an eye-catching purple top with a midriff and low neckline, many would-be skeptics were all too happy to pay a few coin to have their palms read.

Jake was more disgusted at what he saw as an obvious exploitation of human weakness than he was at the outfit itself.

Judging by the glint in Alicia's eyes as she glanced up at him from under the shadow of her hat, she knew what his opinion was but still found as much amusement in his disapproval as she had when she first started coming to the Inn to do business during the cold winter months a few years ago.

After all, a customer-luring dress couldn't work its magic if it had to hide behind a heavy cloak. His frown deepened.

As much as he was loathe to admit it, business was always slightly better at the Inn when Alicia came. She kept the customers entertained with her readings and conversation, resulting in more meals and drinks purchased from Egan's kitchen, which kept the elven man happily busy each winter evening.

Presently, Alicia excused herself from the company of the guests and approached the door where Jake had paused to brush the slush off his boots and remove his winter coat. He had been trying to be quick this time, to escape her inevitable greeting and subsequent request that he knew was coming. But every night he just wasn't quite quick enough to retreat back upstairs before—

"Jake, welcome home!" Alicia greeted with a much-to-broad smile. Of course she positioned herself just so he would have an awful time trying to get past her to the stairs without outright shoving her out of the way. The displeasure radiating off of him was almost tangible.

"Out of my sight, human," he warned, knowing full well his words fell on deaf ears.

"I was wondering if you could do me a little favor."

At least she had stopped attempting tedious small-talk before getting to the point.

"No," he tried again.

"It's just a little thing!" Alicia insisted, as though he didn't already know damn well what she wanted.

Jake glared at her, and she batted her eyes back at him, and neither expression had any effect on the other person resulting in a most peculiar staring contest that lasted for far too long.

Ultimately, though, the unwinnable battle of wills was brought to a close by Egan clearing his throat and passing his own judgment.

"Jake, would you walk Alicia home, please?"

Jake shifted his gaze to his father, eyes narrowing. Egan fixed him with a stern look, a silent reminder of the lecture he received last winter when this first started to become an issue. It would be shameful to allow a woman to walk home in the dark. …Even if she were just walking a few hundred feet across a very small, very peaceful, very safe village.

Still glowering poisoned daggers at his father's retreating back as he returned to the customers, Jake pulled his coat back over his arms as Alicia happily retrieved her own cloak from the rack by the door.

But the worst was yet to come…

"Ready?" Alicia asked silkily as she slipped her arms around one of his. Jake refused to give her the satisfaction of a flinch, even though every fiber of his body wanted to propel itself in the opposite direction as fast as possible. If he didn't let her hold his arm, this chore would take three times as long as she would insist on making scene on how slippery the paving stones were, probably trip, probably insist she had hurt her ankle, and then definitely demand he carry her the rest of the way. Which was at least fifty times worse than letting her quietly hold his arm for a few minutes.

So out into the cold they went. At least the weather was calm tonight. Alicia pulled her cloak tightly shut around her front to hide her otherwise naked stomach. In the past she had claimed she could use magic to keep herself warm, but Jake had always been able to see how hard it was for her to move after standing by the docks all day when the temperature started to drop in fall. She was a fortune teller, not a magician. And even her fortunes were questionable as far as being 'magical' was concerned.. In that regard, perhaps it was best that she moved her business inside the Inn when the weather was bad.

Not that he cared, of course…

"This is nice, don't you think?"

Jake gave her a side-long glance, wondering when their unspoken agreement to never speak had been discarded.

As usual, his looks of annoyance were completely disregarded as she went on, "I get customers without getting frostbite, your father gets happier customers, you get to pretend you're a gentleman—"

"You wouldn't get frost bite if you dressed appropriately for the weather," he commented haughtily.

"Sometimes fashion has its price."

"Sometimes frostbite does too, human."

This time it was Alicia's turn to flinch, "Thank you, mother, but I know how to take care of myself."

They arrived at the door to the clinic, and she finally released his arm, but paused before touching the handle to give him a sly smile, "But I'm touched that you care so much about my well-being. Thank you."

Jake might have blushed if his face wasn't already red from the cold. She retreated inside with a giggle before the startled half-elf could debate the falsehood of her accusation.