Pendulum

“You know, if you want me to take you somewhere, I kinda have to know where you’re going first. Strange how that works, isn’t it?”

“I told you, I’m not going anywhere. I hate that thing, it’s like a giant metal death trap. And I’ve been in my fair share of death traps.”

“That’s the problem. You sit here. How am I supposed to focus when you’re around?” Finally his lips found her ear, though he didn’t do anything but whisper words into it and let his lips brush against the shell of her ear. “What is it you think I’m about to do, Jordan?”

“Gosh, I guess I’ll just leave then.” Jordan teased, a shudder running up her spine. She reached for his face, keeping it close to her ear. “You know exactly what you’re about to do Jackson. I suggest you get us away from my paperwork.”

“I blame you for being so good at distracting me and therefore making me distract you.” Jax continued blazing his trails of kisses and nibbles along the slope of her neck.

“I have literally done nothing but sit here and do work.” Jordan let out a sigh, her eyes falling closed. “Can whatever you’re about to do not be done near my neat stacks of paperwork? I worked very hard.”

“Mmm, I’ve no idea what truth you’re referring to. Gods, has it really been thirteen years? I’m surprised I made it even one around you.” Jax placed a few butterfly kisses along her neck as his words came to a close.

“Thirteen and a half, actually. But who’s counting, really?” Jordan hummed, tilting her head. “You are very distracting today, aren’t you?”

“No of course, I didn’t necessarily want lenience sorry. I’d take really anything that’s equal or even more punishment as long as it’s not me being alone for hours upon hours in a little room.” There was really no point in beating around the bush if Cora wanted to actually have Jordan’s help. “I just don’t know- don’t know how much longer I’d be able to do that without-” she whispered he last couple words in embarrassment, “-breaking down.” She lifted her eyes to Jordan once more, “Honestly anything you think is suitable that will make others happy, I’m more than happy to take.”

“So it’s the confinement that’s your issue?” Jordan rocked back on her heels, thinking. “Give me a second.” She bent down over her desk towards her computer, her fingers tapping furiously at the keyboard. She mumbled to herself, for a good thirty seconds, before nodding. “Alright, here’s what we’re going to do. Back in the...sixties, this says, there was a bomb shelter built during the Vietnam war. It’s underneath where the Order Headquarters used to be, built for the Praetors. I know underground might be even worse than a small room, but it’s this whole network of tunnels and abandoned stores that were built in case camp Jupiter was ever bombed. It’s a perfectly functioning house, the windows look out into the river, and I mean into. Four bedrooms, plenty of space, you can see outside. It’s an option. If you don’t want it, I can find something else.”

Jax sauntered over to Jordan’s desk and tried to tug her to her feet to lean her against him with his hands resting on her waist. “Over my dead body. You might want to get to murdering.”

“Or, you know, you can admit the truth you’ve refused to see for thirteen years.” Jordan mused, tilting her head back against his shoulder.

“It’s just the confinement part, the keeping me away from people part.” Cora wrung her hands nervously as the continued isolation had begun taking its toll on her. “It’s just not something…I’m uh- not very good at.” An understatement, and her claustrophobia didn’t help the case. “I just wanted to know if there’s some other way I can serve my punishment? Sorry.”

Jordan raised an eyebrow. Keeping Cora away from people hadn’t necessarily been for the safety of New Rome, it had been for Cora’s safety. Jordan had people banging on her office door daily saying that the daughter of Neptune (or Poseidon, whatever) should be executed for what her and her brother had done. Jordan was only trying to prevent more unnecessary murder. “I don’t know what you would like me to do. I’ve been trying to be as lenient as I can, what with the Senators breathing down my neck saying I was too soft. Just tell me what you want and I will try my best.”

“You say that and yet there’s an enormous stack of finished paperwork next to me. You’re most likely getting blind in your old age.”

Jordan smirked, rolling out from behind her desk to show Jax the mountain of paperwork she had already completed, plus the pile half the size currently on her desk. “You were saying? Just face it, I’m infinitely better than you.”

“… Somebody’s gotta try, right?”

“You can’t always be the best in a bad situation. It starts wearing you down.”

“Well, I didn’t know.” Raine said quietly. She looked around the little study room and sighed. “You my little sister, need a break for a little bit. Even Praetors need a break. Otherwise you’re going to explode from the pressure all at once.”

“I’ll take a break when I feel like I should take a break. And that’s not now.” She looked up, glaring. “And I would prefer you didn’t refer to me as little. It’s demeaning.”

“Sorry, I just, my brother was kind of freaking out and then Jason went away and then everything… I’m sorry. I just wanted everyone to be okay.”

“Everything’s fine, Beckett. No need to be a guardian angel.”

“No, that’s not why I’m here,” Cora started. She’d been in confinement for two days so far, and it was plain to see that it was taking it’s toll. “I didn’t know- I was just wondering if there’s any sort of other punishment I could have. The confinement…I’d do it but it’s just…I can’t-” She trailed off as her nerves set in.

Jordan looked up, her features hardening as Cora came into view. She stood straight, posture perfect, eyes hard. “Your powers have been negated, and you have been separated from the rest of the city per their and your own safety. Nothing else is needed, unless you feel it is.” She raised an eyebrow.

“I was seeing if you were okay. Also I brought you some coffee. I guessed people had been bombarding you about the former Praetors.”

“I don’t need coffee.” Jordan pointed to the giant mug sitting on the corner of her desk. “People, Senators, fucking fauns. I’m tired of it.”

“Well if you want, I’d be more than happy to leave. You know how much I value your work.”

“The work that I do because you never do it.”

Jax was taken the smallest bit by suprise by Jordan’s antics, though was no doubt pleased by them. Returnring the favor of a tap, he sent her his usual smirk. “I don’t blame you. It’s only to be expected.”

“Well, you know you’re a distraction. In fact I’m sure that you distract me on purpose just by being here.”