Chapter Text
He didn't know what he was expecting when he walked out of the classroom alongside Epel, but Jack wasn't expecting this. But in a way, he did. Considering the not-so-subtle looks and whispering thrown his way every now and then, he should've guessed this. He just wasn't expecting it to actually happen. A pot of cactus was nearly shoved into his face as Deuce pushed Ace forward, who held said pot of cactus. He stepped back so as to keep his face safe and also to assess the… situation before him.
Ace was holding a small pot of cactus, though he avoided eye contact with Jack and kept turning his head to the side. Behind him, the Prefect and Deuce kept on nudging him forward while also encouraging him to do this one thing that Jack had already guessed. But what he didn't expect was Epel, Ortho and Sebek to be in on it too. Ortho and Sebek had stood behind the Prefect and Deuce, shouting what meant to be encouraging words, but unfortunately was embarrassing, holding a… banner? The banner said, "Please accept!" While Epel had moved from his place beside Jack to stand beside the Prefect and Deuce, also encouraging Ace with a smug grin on his face. While this was hardly the most dramatic and strangest thing to happen in the school, after all, this was Night Raven College, Jack was not fond of the stares that were now directed to their group. Though it seemed that Ace wasn’t fond of it too, if the growing flush of red on his cheeks were anything to go by. So to save all of them from further embarrassing themselves, Jack decided to answer the still unspoken question.
“No.”
His friends froze, before all of them shouted, “WHAT?” which made his ears hurt, honestly. He sighed tiredly, rubbing his temples. He repeated himself.
“No.”
“What? Why? You haven’t even heard me say anything?!” Ace cried, shocked. He was flailing his hands quite carelessly, almost flinging the pot of cactus towards an unsuspecting student passing by. Jack held himself back from taking the pot from Ace and instead sighed in exasperation.
“I didn’t need to. I already know.”
“How?! We were so subtle about it!”
Jack held back a snort, and just crossed his arms. “I don’t know about subtle, but you guys seem to forget that I have good ears,” His ears slightly flicked, “I could hear you guys from across the room.”
Ace’s eyes went even wider and his mouth hung open. He turned to their friends behind them and shot a look asking for help towards them. Their friends were as surprised and embarrassed as him and they shrugged helplessly in return. His face went even redder with embarrassment and he turned to face Jack again, who still had his arms crossed and looked exasperated. Ace tried to make an excuse, but the only thing that came out were stuttered sentences.
“I- you- we-,” He started before collecting himself and finally uttered a coherent response. “How would you know that’s what we were talking about? We could mean someone else for all you know.”
Jack raised an eyebrow at that. “I’m sure I remember you and the others mention my name a couple of times during your whispering.” He uncrossed his arms and placed his hands on his hips. “I don’t know how to hammer this into your head, and the others too, but I have good hearing Ace. I could actually hear you as if you guys were just near me.”
Ace scoffed, trying to act confident. “We still could be talking about someone else, you know,” he shrugged his shoulders, “and besides, what if we just mentioned you in conversations that weren’t actually connected with what we were whispering about?” He crossed his arms, trying to be smug but with the way his eyes avoided Jack’s, he didn’t seem that convincing.
“Ace. I could. Literally. Hear. You. Like. You. Were near. Me.”
“And?”
“Ace. I know. Don’t pull that gaslighting bullshit on me.” Jack hissed, irritation seeping on his face after Ace’s pitiful attempts at deflection. He could usually do better than this. In fact, several moments that Jack witnessed, firsthand and secondhand, could attest to that. Like the time he tricked that guard at the Atlanta Museum. Or the time he convinced Deuce and Epel, and the entire school, that if Jack wagged his tail it would bring good luck. Or the time he deflected Sebek's questions on whether or not Ace ate his macarons, turning the question on Sebek, on whether he ate the Prefect's scone. So to see him like this was honestly a little confusing and suspicious for Jack. “What’s your goal here Ace? Because I ain’t buying… this,” he gestured to everything in front of him, including Ace himself, “This better not be another scheme that’ll end up with us in trouble or I swear by the King of Beasts-”
“It’s not! How the hell could you say that!” Ace cried out in offense. “If this was a scheme, I’d do better than this,” He also gestured to everything around them, also including himself, “You probably wouldn’t even know it was a scheme, unless I or somebody else told you it was! Ugh!” He face-palmed himself and ran it through his hair.
Jack rolled his eyes in response. This time he snorted. “Oh please, I figured out your little card trick by myself that one time we played cards in our ceremonial robes, don’t underestimate me Ace.”
“Right, I’m talking to the guy that got fooled into thinking Azul’s contract was unbreakable and placed under a powerful curse that zapped anyone that tried to rip it apart.”
“That sounds rich coming from the guy that got fooled into thinking he could get into top 50 which was a scheme from Azul too.”
“Oh shut up! That was ages ago!”
“A few months ago,” Jack reminded. He continued, “Besides, for someone that wants my help, you sure aren’t helping yourself here.”
Ace tried to say something, but Jack caught him off. He leaned forward. “Be serious Ace. What do you actually want?”
“You know if you just let me speak there bud, you’d know, but I’m pretty sure you guessed it by now.”
“I have a hard time believing you’ll behave yourself during our sessions and that you’ll learn something from them if I’m being honest, which I am.”
“Wow,” Ace put a hand to his chest, “You don't have any faith in me at all Jackie, I’m hurt.” He mockingly pouted, turning his head away. “I thought we were friends?”
“First, don’t call me Jackie. Second, we are. I just know you enough that you usually have schemes running through your head and you almost always have something up your sleeves,” Jack responded, looking unimpressed.
“What, like cards?” Ace asked, he flicked his hand and a card appeared. He grinned and raised an eyebrow at Jack.
“Yeah, and a few other things too.”
“Nope, just cards here.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Are you two finished or what?” The Prefect called out, looking dissatisfied. The others wore similar looks too, and they looked like they were about to start complaining.
“No,” Ace called back, “he still hasn’t said yes guys.”
A collective groan rang out from the group.
“Are ya'll serious?” Epel cried out in frustration, leaning against the Prefect’s shoulder, his hands over his eyes.
“He hasn’t managed to convince me yet, so blame him,” Jack responded, nodding to Ace, who turned to him with an indignant look on his face.
“Hey, don’t turn them against me Jackie.”
“Do not call me Jackie.”
“Fine, fine,” Ace conceded. Then he sported a cheeky grin, a familiar one that Jack could recognize. “You said 'yet,' does that you’re mean you’re thinking about it?”
“Maybe,” Jack shrugged. “Maybe not. You’ll have to convince me to actually take up on that. That bribe you got there in your hands ain’t gonna cut it. You know I don’t go down so easily.”
“Right, right,” Ace spoke, still sporting that cheeky grin. “I had a feeling you wouldn’t. Of course, who would I be without something up my sleeve? I’ll convince you to tutor me, don’t worry.” He waved his hand back and forth.
“Well, you wouldn’t be you, that’s for sure.” Jack leaned back and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Alright then, convince me.”