<i>Their first fight.</i><br/><br/>James might have found the thought funny if circumstances had been different. If the person had been different, too. His argument might have been different, too, if they hadn’t been overshadowed by the friend that Lane had brought along for the ride. Instead, the raw emotion was reflected in his stare, too bright, returning to unerringly watching the petite blonde as her temper rose that much higher. In fact, he used the fact that Nora stepped outside to his advantage.<br/><br/>He loomed in closer once she had taken the book at him, eyes darting to the door, then back to her. His voice dropped low, his hardened expression softening, though there was still that mix of emotion dancing around in his stare.<br/><br/>“It’s not like that,” he said quietly, softly, his hand lifting as if he might touch her. Then, thinking better of it, he dropped his hand back down. “I wasn’t using you. I…”<br/><br/>Only his next words trailed off inside his mouth once Nora emerged back inside his apartment and took her spot as the protective friend against the wall. His chest heaved with the sigh, something like regret crossing his features, then he turned away from Lane, backing away as she started to Pace.<br/><br/>Though Nora, during her brief time out of the apartment, might have been somewhat surprised to see the stone man already present and accounted for. He looked casual, even in his button up and slacks, as he leaned against the side of the apartment and raised a brow up at Nora when she gestured for him. Remington was unperturbed - or at least unsurprised - by the turn of events that included him in the fray. He stepped up the steps that led to the apartment and ducked inside shortly after Nora had returned inside.<br/><br/>And in the midst of an argument.<br/><br/>“I just wanted the book,” James insisted, his voice made of steel, pitched low again. “I didn’t expect…” He dragged in a breath, glanced sidelong at Nora, shook his head, then continued, “I didn’t expect<i>you.</i>I didn’t expect to develop<i> feelings</i>for you-- I didn’t expect to<i>like </i>you-- to-- or for you to ever get involved. So, yes, I’m a selfish prick who wanted to get the book, but also the girl, and also to save himself, and his kid, and hope that, after it was all said and done, have my fucking cake and eat it too. I realized, the last night, that I couldn’t do that to you, Lane. I can’t<i> involve </i>you in this, but here we are and--”<br/><i><br/>
For fuck’s sake.</i><br/><br/>“The Order was approached by your former dalliance, one Amata Omicidio, to protect her daughter from your reckless influences, Mr. Sinclair,” Remy chimed in smoothly, catching the tail end of Lane’s insidious remark towards the man. His smile was blithe as his steel trapped stare found the blonde’s, then the other man’s. Nodding his head in greeting, his attention then fell on the book. “I’m glad to see the book is back in good hands. Are we quite ready to be off then?”<br/><br/>And James thought that he could tolerate Remy’s presence. The biting grin was back on his face as his attention was dragged to the other man. His arms lifted in frustration, perhaps even in defeat, before falling again. “You are not helpful and don’t know what you’re talking about,<i> stone man</i>,” James snapped at Remy. “Tell them what your she-bitch of a boss does to anyone who doesn’t see her point of view,<i>Remington</i>. Tell them about the<i>hunts</i>.”<br/><br/>Something indiscernible crossed Remy’s features, quickly gone, replaced by a bland expression. Grey eyes swept over the haggard condition of the alchemist, before landing more pleasantly on Lane and the book in her arms. “Ms. Fiora would actually love to speak with you in person, Ms. Barnes, to offer you her gratitude and to see if you would be interested in an opportunity. No obligations, of course, just dinner, good conversation, and the presence of your company. Perhaps meeting my superior will help ease everyone’s fears about our organization being, as it was said, as bad as Mr. Sinclair says.”<br/><br/>To which James paced away, followed by the resounding slap of his hand against his forehead, and the loud groan of protest, “For fuck’s sake.” Followed right after, “I’m coming too, you asshat.”