hola everyone :) this is literally like i actually have no idea nevermind. i kinda did this in someone else's point of view though cause i kinda wanted to have their relationship seen from a third party, you feel?

right so i don't own the night world or jez and morgead...life is cruel

jez=16

morgead=17

Plumbers

They were told a boy lived in the penthouse; the only apartment in the whole complex that was actually regularly occupied. He would probably still be asleep, so they were advised to knock no more than once and to do so softly, and to avoid idle chit chat.

They started off well. A polite tapping at the crappy door that Ben – the younger of the two plumbers – wasn't sure would actually wake anyone up, had a sleep-ruffled teenage boy opening the door a couple minutes later.

The door stuck – a lot. But it finally swung open to a lean, dark haired boy clad in rumpled looking sweatpants slung low over his waist and a severely unfriendly expression on a handsome face.

He eyed Reyna and Ben skeptically, taking in their overalls and toolboxes with narrowed eyes. Finally, he snapped, "What?"

Reyna, a middle aged woman with an impressive amount of freckles, jostled her tool box pointedly and said, "We're here to check the plumbing."

Backing away from the door after a few seconds of further scrutiny, the boy made a clicking noise with his tongue and grumbled, "That was today?"

Stepping past him, Reyna snorted, "You didn't notice the water's been off?"

Ben tried not to look as uncomfortable as he felt scurrying after Reyna as she strode into the room. He could feel the boy's eyes on his back as he replied drily, "I hadn't tried it."

Ben looked around briefly on his way to the coffee table in the middle of the living room. There wasn't much to look at: the room was mostly bare save for the threadbare furniture – a couple of old chairs, a futon, and a small TV – and a rack of surprisingly nice fighting sticks in the corner. He could see into the kitchen, which didn't look like much, and there was a closed door on the other side of the room – probably the bedroom. The ceilings were sagging and the doorframes were all warped. Overall, the place was dark and cramped, and Ben was happy he didn't live in a place like this.

Dropping his toolbox on the table, Ben turned around to find Reyna eyeing the boy in a way that only a cocky, divorced woman with a crude sense of humor can. The boy, in turn, was standing with his legs apart and his arms folded across his chest like he expected a fight. Ben rolled his eyes.

"Kitchen's over there," he nodded with his chin, as if they couldn't all see that.

Reyna snorted. "Thanks, kid," she hoisted her own toolbox and instructed, "Benny, you're on bathroom detail, yeah?"

Saluting sarcastically, Ben replied, "Yes, ma'am."

"You're doing the bathroom too?" it sounded a lot more like an accusation than a question.

Ben was now left alone with the boy's complete attention. Even though he was probably a couple of years younger than Ben himself, Ben found himself struggling to look like the authoritive figure in the room.

"Yeah, we've got to check every pipe in here, so," he picked up his toolbox and adjusted his belt. "If you wanna just show me to the bathroom . . ."

The boy stared at him for a moment, eyes flickering to his nametag and back up to his face. With an unwarranted sneer, he muttered, "Give me a sec," and padded through the closed door.

Ben was left facing the empty room. "Ah, okay?" he glanced around again until he heard murmuring from the bedroom. Cocking his head, he shot a furtive glance at the kitchen entry where he could just see Reyna clinking around under the sink and took a couple steps closer. The words didn't become any clearer, but Ben was now sure that they'd interrupted a little more than the boy's sleep.

A few minutes later, the door swung open and a striking girl shuffled out, fully clothed in black jeans and a tank top and looking one hundred percent done with the world. Her fiery hair was halfway obscuring her face, but her scowl was clear as day. Although he couldn't see her eyes, Ben had the uncomfortable feeling she was sizing him up.

Suddenly, she yawned, and Ben had the unquestionable urge to hit on her. Forget the fact that she just walked out of some guy's bedroom; he wanted her.

Smacking her lips, she B-lined for the kitchen. The boy, who'd thrown on a black t-shirt, was already out of the room and collapsing on the couch, glaring at Ben as if he could read his thoughts.

Jerking his thumb after her, he asked, "Girlfriend?"

"None of your business. Bathroom's that way."

"Oh-kaay . . ." Ben nodded to himself and headed for the room. The bathroom door was open on the wall beside him, and the bed – unmade and thrown apart – was to his right.

Turning into the bathroom, Ben glanced back to the living room in time to see the girl strutting to the couch with a bagel in her mouth. He heard the heavy flop and the shifting springs and the clomp-clomp that he guessed meant her feet were now on the table.

"You're out of bagels."

"You're the only one who eats them."

"And yet you keep buying them? How sweet."

As Ben cracked open the pipes and checked the things he'd been told to check, he listened to the pair talking – the boy so monotone and the girl so teasing and light-hearted.

"Frig, is the power off too?"

"I wouldn't say that."

Everything seemed to be in order where Ben was, and he was now mostly whacking the wrench around to seem busy.

"Did you even pay the power bill, Morgead?"

Curious.

Ben heard a dramatic moan that he guessed came from the girl that was quickly followed by a shuffling and a heavy thunk.

"If you don't like it that much then why don't you just go home already?"

"Oh, you're no fun!"

"I'll come over later, Jez. Once they're gone."

Ben missed the wrench and banged his knuckle on the pipe instead. Cursing and sucking on his fingers, he missed the next few words, quiet as they were, and didn't notice when Jez strode into the room behind him.

Glancing up after a few moments, he caught sight of her with her back to him, fishing around for something on the bed. With a dissatisfied humming noise, she turned and caught his eye in the mirror.

Ben caught his breath. She was even more beautiful now that he could see her properly. He sat, transfixed by her eyes, as she roamed closer.

Leaning on the doorframe and cocking her head, she smiled and said, "Hi."

"Uh, hey!"

"I'm Jez," she pushed off the frame and strolled into the bathroom until she leaned her hip against the counter and faced him. "What are you up to?"

"Oh, just, um," Ben glanced to the small puzzle of pipes and gave a nervous chuckle. "I'm just finishing up. I'm Ben, by the way."

"Yeah," she pointed to his nametag. "I figured."

Oh. Duh.

"So, Ben . . ." she squatted beside him and snatched up a spare bolt. Turning it over in slender hands, she slanted him a coy look and purred, "How old are you? You look pretty young to be a working man."

"Oh, um, I'm twenty-two. I'm actually working in the trades so . . . you know," he chuckled nervously.

She fingered his uniform collar, pulling him a trace closer. "Wow, impressive."

"So, is that your boyfriend?" he was too loud, he knew. But not only did he not want to encroach on anyone's relationship, but he was pretty sure that that guy – Morgead – could beat him to a pulp with both hands tied behind his back.

"Oh, it's nothing serious," she rolled her eyes. "Besides, Morgead's so juvenile. I wish he was a little more mature, you know?"

"Uh huh," Ben swallowed. Jez's hand was now roving over his shoulder and twining the hairs at the nape of his neck around her fingers. "Have you mentioned it to him?" his voice cracked like a twelve year old boy's as she gazed at him with sultry eyes the colour of a blue moon.

She chuckled huskily and pulled their faces closer together. "He knows," she trailed her lips down to his throat and nipped at his jugular. "It's a pretty . . . open relationship."

Everything after that was a blur of pleasure that Ben found he couldn't quite recall if he thought about it specifically, but felt was wonderful in general. He decided not to dwell on it.

Straightening her shirt and flashing him a grin, Jez pulled away and tilted her head. "I've got to run. It was nice meeting you, Ben."

Then she was gone and Ben was left half lying on the bathroom tiles with a tingling feeling in his neck. Groaning and smiling for some reason he wasn't clear on, he gathered his tools, climbed to his feet, and wobbled his way back to the living room.

Morgead was already watching him and looking displeased, and it took Ben a moment to remember why. Without so much as pausing to set down his toolbox, he headed for the kitchen to see if Reyna was almost done.

Evidently, she was, because they almost slammed into each other in the door.

"Jesus, kid! Watch where you're going!"

"Sorry, sorry."

Steadying him by the shoulders, Reyna peered into his eyes and asked, "Y'okay? You look a little out of it."

There was a derisive sounding snort from the direction of the couch.

"Yeah, no. I'm fine."

"Ya didn't hit your head again, did ya?"

"Reyna, I'm fine; really. Are you done? Can we go?" his head was mostly clear now, and he just wanted to get out of that crappy apartment before he tasted that guy's fists.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. We'll settle the tab with the building manager," she called to Morgead. "Sorry for waking you, bud. Have a good day!"

Ben was sure he was clear, but when they were climbing in the truck, Reyna chuckled and pointed to his neck. "Is that a hickey?"

"What? No!" Ben clapped a hand to his neck. "I just – there was a part sticking out on the tube! I scratched myself."

"Mm hmm, sure hon," with Reyna behind the wheel, they pulled out of the parking lot and cruised away. Grinning at Ben sideways, she snickered, "I tell ya, I wouldn't have minded 'scratchin' myself' on that boy."

"Oh, god, Rey, why?"

just to be clear, everyone: jez and morgead did not do the nasty. they're just snuggle buddies as i like to show a lot cause i think the idea of them sleeping together (not like that jeez get your mind out of the gutter) is adorable! thanks for reading, drop me a review :)