[ oh, he most definitely spots it — and while his instinct is to lean right into that hint of affectionate concern behind her texts, he knows elsa well enough to pull back a little. wouldn’t want to spook her, after all.
but it does warm him, all the same. aside from ted, he can’t really remember the last time anyone cared much about where he’d be resting his head on any given night. ]
Threatening me already, huh?
[ he hopes the teasing translates, but just in case: ]
I’ll find a motel for the night, I promise.
[ he’s as good as his word, too. later on that evening, elsa will receive another message from jack, letting her know that he’s made it safely to a motel about half a day’s drive from five mounts of the maple mission church and its surrounding town. for good measure, he sends her another the next morning before he leaves, along with the address for the nearest thai restaurant.
the bundle of nerves and anticipation gathering in his chest makes the drive feel far longer than it actually is — but, eventually, jack makes it to his closest safehouse, a shabby but solidly built little cabin sitting innocuously on the outskirts of the town. if he’s lucky, he thinks, this investigation won’t attract so much attention that he’ll need to move on right away. but, all the same, he makes a point to mentally chart where best to run next, should he have to make a break for it before the turn of the moon.
thankfully, the hour of his arrival affords him some time to freshen up — shower off the drive and painstakingly select the least threadbare pieces of his wardrobe to wear for the evening. the end result is, somewhat predictably, nowhere near so put together as he had been the night of ulysses’s funeral. but jack takes some comfort in the knowledge that it doesn’t really need to be, no matter how much his anxious thoughts may try to convince him otherwise.
it’s close to sunset by the time he finally strikes out for his and elsa’s appointed meeting place. the restaurant is close and the weather pleasant enough that he’s able to walk there without much difficulty — and, as while does so, jack also takes it upon himself to do some preliminary investigation. at a glance, the town seems not unlike any other that he’s passed through on occasion. it’s small,which doesn’t particularly bode well for their intentions given that most communities like this tended to be close knit — but, other than that, there’s nothing particularly unsettling about any of it.
to human senses, that is. jack’s canine nose, on the other hand, is quick to detect a faint whiff of sulfur lurking beneath the commonplace scents lingering in the air around him. there could, of course, be some sort of rational explanation. but, regardless, he files it away to bring up to elsa later, once the evening’s conversation inevitably takes that turn.
there doesn’t appear to be any sign of elsa when he finally arrives — no hint of her perfume in the air of flashes of red leather in the parking lot. a glance at his phone doesn’t reveal much either and so, with a semi-cautious glance around the darkening street, jack settles himself on a nearby bench to wait for her.
… god, he hopes he doesn’t look as nervous as he feels. ]
but of course!! take as long as you need, i’ll backtag literally forever ❤️
but it does warm him, all the same. aside from ted, he can’t really remember the last time anyone cared much about where he’d be resting his head on any given night. ]
Threatening me already, huh?
[ he hopes the teasing translates, but just in case: ]
I’ll find a motel for the night, I promise.
[ he’s as good as his word, too. later on that evening, elsa will receive another message from jack, letting her know that he’s made it safely to a motel about half a day’s drive from five mounts of the maple mission church and its surrounding town. for good measure, he sends her another the next morning before he leaves, along with the address for the nearest thai restaurant.
the bundle of nerves and anticipation gathering in his chest makes the drive feel far longer than it actually is — but, eventually, jack makes it to his closest safehouse, a shabby but solidly built little cabin sitting innocuously on the outskirts of the town. if he’s lucky, he thinks, this investigation won’t attract so much attention that he’ll need to move on right away. but, all the same, he makes a point to mentally chart where best to run next, should he have to make a break for it before the turn of the moon.
thankfully, the hour of his arrival affords him some time to freshen up — shower off the drive and painstakingly select the least threadbare pieces of his wardrobe to wear for the evening. the end result is, somewhat predictably, nowhere near so put together as he had been the night of ulysses’s funeral. but jack takes some comfort in the knowledge that it doesn’t really need to be, no matter how much his anxious thoughts may try to convince him otherwise.
it’s close to sunset by the time he finally strikes out for his and elsa’s appointed meeting place. the restaurant is close and the weather pleasant enough that he’s able to walk there without much difficulty — and, as while does so, jack also takes it upon himself to do some preliminary investigation. at a glance, the town seems not unlike any other that he’s passed through on occasion. it’s small,which doesn’t particularly bode well for their intentions given that most communities like this tended to be close knit — but, other than that, there’s nothing particularly unsettling about any of it.
to human senses, that is. jack’s canine nose, on the other hand, is quick to detect a faint whiff of sulfur lurking beneath the commonplace scents lingering in the air around him. there could, of course, be some sort of rational explanation. but, regardless, he files it away to bring up to elsa later, once the evening’s conversation inevitably takes that turn.
there doesn’t appear to be any sign of elsa when he finally arrives — no hint of her perfume in the air of flashes of red leather in the parking lot. a glance at his phone doesn’t reveal much either and so, with a semi-cautious glance around the darkening street, jack settles himself on a nearby bench to wait for her.
… god, he hopes he doesn’t look as nervous as he feels. ]