CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Other than that conversation, Jonas hasn't had any kind of territory conflict again. He's laid off pressure (like there was even pressure to begin with, he was basically just ignoring them in the first place), and has started going about daily life again. With less of the anxiety that had come without a little bit of Alex. He shouldn't be this attached, but they've gotten back into texting, and he just— he still can't believe she's still talking to him. After everything Frankie's undoubtedly told her, after all the terrible things he's done, she's staying. Not because it's an obligation, but because she likes him. She thinks he's a good person. Which is why it's going to suck when he ruins it all again.
Because he always does. No matter how hard he tries.
It's around two on Saturday when he questions her about how they lost contact in the first place.
.
Sure, okay, she feels a little guilty. Not about texting Jonas - she's just glad to have him to talk to again, to jibe him about setting him up, and to bug him about going out to do things - but she feels guilty that she's kinda sorta sneaking around to do it. But Frankie isn't exactly unlikely to glance at Alex's phone when notifications come in, and that would be kinda damning.
Her phone is going off in her back pocket as Alex is crossing town for another delivery, swerving around those motherfuckers taking up the bike lane. She doesn't have a watch or else she'd be checking it. Even if she's late all the time in her day-to-day life, she's kinda proud how quick she gets her jobs done. One of those little things she does well.
She's only a few blocks from the auto repair place. It's a regular stop once a week, another brown envelope. There are a few different types of deliveries she's been running: envelopes - some padded, some flat - and backpacks. Weird choice, but apparently there's some prototyping happening, and… whatever. It's not like she cares. They're zip-tied shut, so she can't and isn't gonna go snooping. And the pay is good, so she's not complaining. The annoying part is switching from one to the other, 'cause the envelopes usually need their own bag to be carried in, and biking with two backpacks can be a pain. But Alex makes do.
Not-quite-skidding to a stop in the back of the shop, Alex raises a hand to the first mechanic she sees, who whistles short and sharp. She hops off her bike, pulling her backpack off a shoulder, grabbing the envelope out of it before sliding her phone from her pocket. Jonas. She grins automatically, swiping it open.
"Lemme guess— your side boy?"
Alex glances up. Logan is smirking, and it's good-natured and a lot less irritated than the last time she saw him, and she snorts in response. "Nah. Some dork who works at a bar."
He grins back. "Isn't that what I said?"
Alex chokes on her laugh. "God, don't let Frankie hear you. She'd kill me."
He holds his hand out for the envelope and Alex hands it over. "So how do you two know each other?"
"Shouldn't I be asking that?"
"He's my ex."
That's thrown her for a loop. Her surprise is obvious, and Logan laughs as she looks him over with narrowed eyes. "Huh. So you're his type."
"Or I was however many years ago, I guess."
It's easy to talk to him. "Gonna have to keep that in mind. Been trying to help him score," she explains with a cheeky grin. "Or I was before the whole—" she waves a hand, "- that whole fiasco."
"Yeah…" Logan's smile falters a little. "How are you two doing, anyway?"
"Me and Jonas?"
"You and Frankie."
Again, Alex isn't expecting that. "Fine. Why?" He glances down at her phone, and Alex blushes a little, but raises her chin like she has no idea what he could possibly be thinking. "We're good," she assures him again. He doesn't look convinced. Or, at least— he looks a little concerned.
"Look, Alex. You're a good kid." That deserves a flat look, and he gets it. She's not a kid. "If you're happy with Frankie…" He looks like he's weighing some options in his head, and he glances around the back of the shop. There's only two mechanics on duty, and both are wrapped up in pretty involved projects. "…Good for you, I guess."
What the hell is that supposed to mean? She's giving him an incredulous look, but it's his turn to wave her off.
"God, just text your secret lover or whatever."
"Oh, shut up."
Jonas
)Al, you know I never got a new number, right?)
)And I never blocked yours.)
)So..?)
)What the hell.)
(Idk bro ¯\_(ツ)_/¯(
(Technology? I don't know her?(
(Everyone's lost their contacts at some point or another.(
(Literally why "new phone who dis" is a thing(
Logan has disappeared into the shop again, but he gave her the 'just a minute' hand signal before he went. Which means he's getting her a snack. Awesome. She's partial to Red Vines and pineapple Fanta. Probably the only person she knows who prefers the pineapple over orange, but it means no one ever tries to poach her drinks.
He's on his way back out to her when her phone buzzes again, but Alex is distracted by the backpack in Logan's hands. Weird. Hasn't gotten a backpack from him before. And it's the same one she's been taking back and forth from the convention center and the office building down in East Portland — or looks like it, anyway. Not sure how that could've come around to the auto shop, though. Different routes.
"What's with the bag?" She takes the snacks from his other hand, slipping the Red Vines into the pocket of her old red jacket (almost threadbare at this point), and cracking open the soda with a satisfying hiss of carbonation.
Logan shrugs. "Prototypes." Literally all they ever say. "3D printer on Hawthorne." That's a little more in depth. Sounds about right. The place is some kind of industrial design thing, as far as she's aware. She never actually goes into the building. Alex nods.
"Where to? Same place?"
He's checking his phone. "I think so." Logan is scrolling, and Alex is unimpressed.
"I mean, that's usually where that one goes. I think it's theirs, actually." When he glances up, Logan looks surprised. She raises her eyebrows in an amused challenge. "What, you think I don't know my routes? Gio, right? Works at the building on Hawthorne, always shows up outside right as I'm hitting that block. Super punctual, even if he's a little-" her lips quirk, " -brusque. " That's one way to put it. The guy always seems in a hurry, and a little twitchy and irritated. High stress environment.
"…Yeah. Yeah, Gio." He looks back to his phone. "Actually— Actually, no. This is supposed to go to—" He stops. "You know what, I think I can take this one."
"You stealing my gig, Logan?" she teases.
"It's a pain to find," he smiles. "I've been there a few times." He digs in his pocket and pulls out his wallet. "Here." Her payment comes with a few extra bills. "I got it."
.
Jonas frowns a bit at the messages, though he's mostly skimming, because he's working on lunch and that requires most of his attention. Especially because he's cutting up onions. Watery eyes plus a knife almost never ends well. Though once he's finished the task (and made sure he doesn't have onion juice on his fingers before wiping his eyes), he picks up his phone again, leaning up against the counter with one eyebrow raised. He didn't think a glitch could do that. Make a contact disappear, sure, but change numbers? That doesn't seem right. At all. Slowly, Jonas starts putting two and two together. He doesn't like the outcome.
Alex
(Hey Al, weird question, but does anyone else have access to your phone?(
(Like, know your password or anything?(
Frankie. The unspoken accusation. The message unsent. Does Frankie know her password. Did Frankie change out his number. She would, he knows she would, being the jealous type. And a weak little liar who tries to slip out of people's grasp.
.
Before getting back on her bike, before checking for other jobs, Alex frowns at her screen.
Jonas
(No?(
(I mean(
Well maybe. But Frankie doesn't have her password. 62110. Michael's death.
Jonas
(Can we not talk about her, please?(
Her name wasn't mentioned, but. …Look, Alex knows where this train of thought goes. And— And…
God, she really really doesn't want to consider that. It's hard enough having to sneak around to talk to him. She can't have another crisis of loyalty happening here. Alex would much rather forget it ever happened than to let something like this bring doubt into a relationship that already has a threat in the form of a friend who doesn't even know he's threatening it. …Fuck, this is complicated.
Jonas
(Look, I'll change my password.(
Shit. God, the doubt is already there. She hates it.
.
Alex
(Yeah. Sorry.(
He's apologizing far more often than usual. It's out of fear, and out of an actual need to be sorry— Jonas shouldn't be coming in between her and Frankie. Logan had said they actually like each other, and if Alex is happy, he can convince himself to be happy, too. Just maybe with a lot more alcohol or adrenaline in his system. Something to keep him motivated, or help him forget how much he cares about her. Because believe it or not (and he still halfway doesn't believe it himself), he cares. So much. And it hurts, knowing she's with someone else, knowing she's someone else's. But he can force himself to be okay. The rest of everything that comes with forcing himself to be okay is harder.
It means he has to forget a lot.
Alex
(How'd the job go?(
The crooked smile she always gives him when she walks into a room. Arms wrapped around his back while he'd been driving her home. Little comforts Alex gives him, even if she doesn't notice. It hurts. Everything hurts. He's fine.
He has to be fine.
.
Jonas
(Good! Logan stole one of my jobs tho.(
(Bitch(
(ALSO okay why didn't you say he's your ex?(
(HE'S A FUCKIN TWUNK JONAS(
)Oh my God I can't believe he told you.)
)Asshole. Jesus.)
)Anyways, yeah. He's my ex. Didn't say that because that'd be a weird introduction.)
)'Hey, this is Logan, my ex boyfriend who I used to run in a gang with')
)Real great.)
(Embrace the bad boy rep angel(
(OMG(
(YOU'RE A HELLS ANGEL NOW(
(BUT NOT(
)Fallen Angel would be the proper term.)
)You've known me for what, two months?)
)Should have picked up on Heaven's terminology by now.)
(ᕗ.ᕗ (
(…(
(I s2g Jojo you're like ᕗ.ᕗ (
It's the capitalization that did it. That's a weird caps. Right? That's like… that's like a very Legit Caps. Like it's an office. That's an Office Caps.
.
Alex
(I'm like what?(
(Have I not blended in well enough?(
Jonas is fucking cackling.
.
Alex has her eyes narrowed at her screen. "…You motherfucker."
Jonas
(…you motherfucker(
)Hmmmmmm?)
(Look if you're reporting in you better be glossing over all this foul language(
(Cocksucker.(
)Unfortunately I can't leave anything out of my reports, God sees all.)
)Very unfortunately.)
Alex's grin is mockingly suspicious, and she wishes—
.
Alex
)I know you're fucking with me)
)You better be)
)If you were here I'd be beating your ass right now, bud)
)Seriously)
)I'm scrappy)
)I'd make an angel call mercy :devil emoji:)
Jonas rolls his eyes a bit at her messages, and the emoji she sends with them. A little devil. Or at least, an attempt at being one, which is failing miserably because Alex is the best thing to happen to him yet.
Alex
(I'm going to repeat: Fallen Angel.(
(At least you could act as if you care for Heaven's political climate.(
.
Alex jams her headphones into her phone, clicks call, and stuffs it into her pocket before climbing on her bike again as it rings.
.
He busts into a little fit of laughter once the call opens up, though he schools himself back into a serious tone before actually picking up. Jonas has to keep up the act, after all. "Angel speaking."
.
"Seriously Jonas, fuck you," she's practically cackling as she pulls out into the street again.
.
Jonas wants to bite something back at her about Frankie, but that might be crossing a line. So instead he just snorts, "Yeah yeah. You called me 'cause you're on the road? At least, that's what I can assume."
.
Alex's eyes are sharp, 'cause she's not dumb enough to actually stop paying attention, but she's grinning to no one as she makes her way through afternoon traffic toward the bridge. "I am indeed. Logan stole one backpack, but I usually have a different one running north-south in the Pearl District, so I'mma pick that up early." She's tempted, since she saved that time, to just… invite herself over. But she's way too aware that the last time she was in Jonas's apartment she straight up threw herself at him, so… maybe not.
.
"Logan stole your route? Damn, he must be excited about something. Either that, or he's not getting his usual payment." Which wasn't too much anyways, from what he can remember, but that's not his problem anymore. Alex can hear him yelp over the receiver, letting out a string of curses as he shakes out his hand. Unthinking, Jonas had just grabbed a really fucking hot pan with an unprotected hand. "Ow, shit, son of a goddamned motherfucker—"
.
Alex laughs, and it's the lightest sound she's made in what feels like ages. "Okay, yeah, Fallen. Hell, you've practically got my high-caliber filthy mouth on you, angel." Shit, that's not a thought to be having, Alex. Not a thought to be thinking right now. Still, it's there. She said it.
Fine, move on. Quickly. "He didn't steal the whole route. Just one run. Seemed to think I wouldn't be able to find the place or something. But I got my Red Vines so. No big loss." Speaking of— she pulls one from the open pack in her pocket, sticking it quick between her teeth before she gets her hand back on her handlebars to turn down the next block. There's something else that's nagging at her, but she's too distracted, attention split between trying to chew the licorice, navigate her bike, and maintain a conversation. A thought had occurred to her, but what was it? Oh, that's gonna annoy her until she figures it out. Or forgets it. Which, to be honest, will probably happen first.
.
"Yeah, well, forgive me for burning my hand. Ow. " Jonas has to stick his phone between his shoulder and his jawline to run cold water over the burn, using his other (plus a potholder this time) to pull his food off of the stove. Though his eyebrows furrow at the odd wording— high caliber mouth? Okay, nope, that's not— Just don't think of that, maybe that would be good. Keep Logan's words in mind. Wait until Frankie gets her teeth out of Alex to actually do anything. Jonas is good at waiting. Jonas can wait. "Red Vines? Really?"
.
"Yeah?" Alex mocks his tone. "Got a problem with Red Vines, Jojo?" With a bit of a smirk she holds the mic of her headphones up to her mouth, chewing exaggeratedly. "That good Red 40!" She laughs again, taking another turn and skids a bit on a loose bit of cardboard— "-Shit! Wait no I'm good. Fucking litter."
.
Jonas feels his heart seize up for a minute when Alex starts skidding, paused in the middle of walking to get a plate so that he could actually eat. "Y'know, if I'm distracting you, I should probably just go. I don't want you ending up hurt because of me. Again."
.
"When was I ever hurt because of you?" Alex is legitimately befuddled. "I mean— yeah, okay, maybe I shouldn't be trying to eat and bike and talk at the same time, but—" She pumps her brakes and brings her bike to a stop. "Jonas, you have definitely never hurt me." It's why Frankie's argument felt so false to Alex's ears. "You're like—" My safe place. But that's a stupid thing to say. Everything she thinks of is a stupid thing to say. She's glad he can't see the pink spreading up her neck as she tries to sound flippant. "Y'know. Guardian angel. That's like— the opposite of your job."
Shaking her head, she pulls her phone from her pocket. "But you're right, yeah. I'll um…" She should hang up. "…It's nice talking to you," she admits, a little sheepishly. "I missed you."
.
That… that hurts, but it's the good kind. A soft ache for something he can't have. Jonas's little chuckle echoes over the line, and he's nodding, even if she can't see him. It's good to have this back. It's been good to have this back, after everything, after Frankie and Logan and the gang. After having to deal with the reality of his situation a bit too much. The world is brighter than before. Just a little bit. "I missed you too, Alex." More than she can ever imagine.
Notes: God, I just love writing them texting. Their banter is so much FUN. And next chapter- HO BOY NEXT CHAPTER. That was a fun one to write. I love me some action. ;D Don't forget to drop comments/questions/concerns/predictions/etc below! ^^ -OWT