Dumb and Dumber (Rhett & Jared).

Odion smirked appreciatively at their old habits, but Jared had the wrong idea. No, if Odion really wanted to, he could simply just rewind time and make sure that he never happened upon his room for the entire night. But that would make him a coward, and he didn’t like running away from his problems friends. He had to face Jared at some point anyways, it may as well be tonight, with or without Rhett.

Only Jared could get away with this particular kind of bullshit. Odion had a fond smile plastered onto his face before he could help himself and shook his head. Odion shrugged. Why the hell not? He didn’t have any plans anyways, and this would be the first time he turned down a perfectly good drink. He shot Rhett a look. Maybe this night would always be theirs. How charmingly ironic. “Glad to see you’re getting to know the general public already,” he stated to Jared.

Odion went for his fridge and got himself one of the Alexander Keith’s sitting in the fridge. Red and green, festive. “Help yourselves,” he said, glad to be wearing a pair of simple jeans if he was going to get pissed tonight. Odion laughed lightly. While Rhett had always brought out the fight in Odion, Jared managed to bring out the play. He wasn’t really here to talk about their relationship, he was here to talk about the deep trouble he was in. “Well you won your bet,” Odion said, giving Jared a wink and playing along. It wasn’t anything they all didn’t already know.

Ritual his ass. Jared knew full well that those two always tried to stay away from anything they thought might spell real trouble. Him arriving without a real explanation just reeked of problems. "You wankers just always try to keep away from the chopping block." Truth be told, Jared was surprised that the passport Odion had sent him hadn't gotten him detained at customs. He would have found his way without it but it sure made things easier. At least he knew that he could place his faith in at least one of them. With the prize on his head he needed somebody.

Jared smirked at the news. Of course he had won the bet. Quite surprisingly neither of his old friends had resisted quite as much as he had suspected, of course knowing them they were probably just as curious about his intentions. The general public as Odion had so nicely referred to them as were the one thing keeping him alive right now. Without all the "donations" he had been taking from around campus he very well wouldn't have been able to afford his basic living costs. Of course Rhett would drink something a little more classy. Each of them had always had their own taste.

"What makes you say mine is the biggest?" Jared asked grinning from ear to ear. He cracked the bottle and took a swig in one smooth motion. He wasn't quite inebriated enough to lay out everything from start to finish yet so why not open up with a joke. "Well boys... truth is before Odion left..." He paused to fake tears and continued "that bastard got me knocked up and left me and the baby to fend for ourselves. Not a cent of child support." It was amazing what fun you could have after spending your whole life joking around. Not that he expected them to entertain the idea for more than a minute; but that was all he needed.

Jared took a few large mouthfuls of the liquor and shuddered as it went down. This was as ready as he'd ever be. "Well mates... You know how we avoid stealing from certain criminals of influence? Like the kind that can call a hit on you?" Hearing the words come out of his own mouth made it real, and he couldn't help but feel like a real idiot now. He continued and let a torrent of words leave his mouth. "First off if you're real sneaky you can steal moments with their women but I got greedy and went for his personal account. I lifted the key to the safety deposit box from her easily enough but it was the bank footage that tucked me. There's a $20,000 bounty on my pretty mug seen as how giving back the cash wasn't good enough. Either I pay up the interest he thinks he's owed or I kiss my life goodbye. I've got a bit of time but nowhere near enough to raise the funds myself. Thankfully he doesn't know I was giving it to his broad or it might have involved torture before death." He managed a smile at the end of it all. Now to see how his friends would take his news. At least €50 was a start to repayment.

Even the gambler who seemed to always think odds were in his favor had a hard time seeing how he could bluff his way out of this game. The stakes were too high and he didn't even have the cover charge.

Odion had always been a runner, he would leave at the first sign of trouble. But there was one thing he had never gotten used to, and that was planning. Odion couldn’t plan to save his life, and he really did just do things when he thought the timing was right. He didn’t plan on anything, he just knew what his instincts were and they hadn’t let him down. Yes they had put him through some tough situations, but being more aware of the current surroundings than the future was more important. No Jared’s arrival hadn’t been planned, and now everyone had to deal.

Since Odi didn’t really talk to Rhett anymore, he didn’t really think Rhett would care what Odi did and did not do – whether he had cats or not or what he did in his spare time. Certainly Rhett had moved on with his life, with Ulrich, etcetera. There was a time when Odion knew Rhett was in his proximity, like their powers had somehow interwoven. But now he couldn’t tell where Rhett was until he saw him, or until the blond decided to make his presence known. Maybe he was an open book to Rhett, but Odion had closed that chapter a while ago. He thought Rhett had done the same.

Odion raised a single brow at Rhett. What kind of secret hidden things was he uncovering exactly? But if he was as powerful as he said he was, wouldn’t he know why Odion had been avoiding Jared? This could only mean one thing, and that was that Rhett’s ESP was selective and certainly out of his grasp. Odion always believed Rhett got by on good hunches and lucky grabs, but he couldn’t know everything. Otherwise, he would have graduated by now. Odion wasn’t perfect either, but Jared had been ignored simply for his personality, nothing more.

Scoffing, Odion pointed at Jared with the tip of his second beer bottle. “So easy you’ve come crawling back to your friends I see.” But Odion wasn’t convinced, Jared was a wonderful story teller, but he was in deep trouble. Maybe it was the time they’d spent together without Rhett, making a gambling ring and having a lot of fun times, but Odion wasn’t about to let Jared die. What part about that did Rhett not understand? Their lives had all been tough, and there were some hard things they had had to go to survive, including hurting some people. Now it was time to save one of their own.

Well at least Odion was willing to help at all. Maybe Rhett claimed to be changing, but he couldn’t fool Odion. Hopefully he had read that little thought too. Odion couldn’t believe what Rhett was saying, despite how he could easily help Jared if he wanted to. The ginger passed a look to Jared, only a hint of a smile forming. Rhett didn’t have a choice.

Looking over at Rhett after hearing Jared’s plea, Odion wondered how the blond would respond. They had all been each other’s family once upon a time, despite the odds. Did Rhett still care even though he’d found his family in France, the one which he had such a hard time telling Odion about, but no problem sharing with the scum of the world now? Odion wasn’t having an easy time hearing this, but he actually cared about Jared, did Rhett?

Standing up from his computer chair, Odion put his arm around Jared’s shoulders as the swig was taken, taking one of his own. Clearly these two weren’t the best influences on one another. “Come on Rhett, look at him, he’ll die without us.” Oh the irony of the statement should kill Rhett. Odion smirked and felt the seriousness of the moment fade away. If he was spending tonight with these two, he was going to have to be drunk. They’d figure out something later, after he spoke to Lani. But Rhett was someone who needed to know why he was doing things – maybe Jared could sweeten the pot. Odion glanced to Jared and then smirked. “You’re the dumbest thief I know.” In reality, they were all pretty dumb.

Odion had Jared pinned right where he didn't want to be. Even if Odi was a thief he would always be an honest one and that could be counted on. He was sure his friend was on his side; he had seen the small smile that had been offered when Rhett tried to walk away from the problem. He knew this was going to turn into a rather large guilt trip if Rhett didn't change his mind on his own. Shaking his head he knew damn well that these two would never let him forget this fuck up. "Mate, you know perfectly well if he gives me the mercy of not ending my existence every bloody bloke who crosses him is going to expect it. The high ups cant afford weakness as a luxury. Which is why my bloody life is on the line." Jared explained as calmly as he could. What security breach was Rhett talking about? He knew better than to ask the time turner for details about something he hadn't voluntarily brought up. He raised a questioning eyebrow at Odion as if to say maybe later, but he left it at that.

Both his friends drank with him after his speech. Jared put his drink down and played the part of the guy whose life was over. He certainly wasn't convincing anyone he was a dead man when he was busy cracking jokes. He could act just as well as the rest of his "family" when he actually tried. Tonight would be fun so long as he didn't drink so much that he blacked out. Too many times had Rhett or Odion tried to trick him into thinking that he had taken one of them to bed the night before when that had happened. One time Odion even went as far as to strip both their clothes and spoon him until he woke up while Rhett tried to show him pictures they had posed his passed out body for. He shuddered at the image. He was glad Odion would actually stand by his side though and that's exactly what the ginger did.

An arm was around his shoulder as the person Jared thought of as mama Odi came out. Underneath all the bullshit he really did have a heart and that was part of why Jared had so damn much respect for him. He did his best to play the part of the lost runaway. It was exactly what he was but neither of his friends knew he had actually known his biological family. Rhett appeared not to be paying attention to him and Odion anymore. The blonde could only be thinking at this point. He had always been both a strategist and opportunist and excellent at both. That's why he had always been fun to gamble with. He gave Odion a small smile and asked quietly "So you went with him?" It seemed to be a fair topic, both him and Goddard had brought it up.

He gave Rhett a knowing smile as soon as he started speaking. Once a thief, always a thief. "Sounds like you already have a plan mate. And just to clarify all you're points are bloody excellent and strong. If I didn't know any better I'd guess you care enough to at least offer advice." Jared said warmly. He reached out and grabbed both of his friends into a tight embrace. A big part was the alcohol talking but he went ahead anyway. "I love you guys. I knew I could count on you." Jared also knew he should probably disclose the exact identity of who was after him but neither of the men had asked. When that time rolled around he had best be prepared to step carefully. Even within the family they had shared in the past there had been rivalries and animosity. Jared had just taken his chance to get even with the main he believed was responsible for getting him disowned.

Jared's heart was pumping hard in his chest. Maybe just maybe he wouldn't have to come completely clean tonight. If he was forced to he may just find how true his friends were and just how sharp the teeth of the hounds chasing him could be.