Hi :)

So this story has been a WIP since the dawn of time and I finally managed to finish it. Also, I love Jade so much I figured i'd give her her moment to shine like she truly deserves 3 This story will be divided into 3 parts...and yes, there will be smut ;)

There were many things that could make Jade genuinely happy, but nothing came close to the exhilarating joy she felt when she came across some exceptionally juicy gossip.

I mean honestly, who could blame her? Finding out a bit of information that she wasn't supposed to know was like a drug she needed to feel alive, the thought making her snort as she injected her daily insulin dose.

It wasn't entirely her fault, with Dennis being so uptight about everything and Patricia constantly being so prim and proper, it was only natural there would be someone inquisitive in the group. She was, after all, a teenager who got bored extremely easily, a fact she liked to throw around constantly when Barry tried to lecture her about why she shouldn't be a nosybody.

So when she noticed just how much Casey spent most of her conversations bringing up Dennis, it wasn't too difficult to connect the dots. Thankfully, Jade had a special kind of intuition; she could easily read people like an open book, a gift that often helped the group in the past when they needed to weed out people who only wanted to take advantage of them.

It only took a couple of days of careful observation to reveal what Jade already knew to be true; Casey Cooke was falling for Dennis.

And she was the first person to know.

I don't even know why I'm surprised, Jade reflected as she ignored whatever story she was telling Jade about school. She noticed the way Casey's eyes instantly focused on Jade when the young alter mentioned his name, no matter what she was doing at that given moment. Jade remembered the way Casey's face was adorably flustered when she told Jade about how she had walked in on him in the middle of his workout routine earlier that day. Most annoyingly, Jade realized that whenever she pretended to shit talk Dennis, Casey always had something positive to say in his defense.

It all made so much sense.

Casey was the only person who ever cared about them, the only person they trusted with their lives. Every alter, despite their vast differences, all agreed that Casey was their true friend, someone who gave them a reason to continue existing in such a horrible world.

Dennis, on his part, was the only one who could properly protect Casey from all the evil in the world, a task he would have no trouble fulfilling. Despite all his flaws and imperfections, Jade knew Dennis would go above and beyond to avoid making Casey feel uncomfortable in their home, the thought of her feeling unsafe around them was enough to make the strict alter change many of his rather demanding ways.

Which meant Dennis would never make the first move, a thought that annoyed Jade so much she basically rolled her eyes so hard she swore she saw all the other alters sitting in their chairs.

What a fucking gentleman, she thought as she lounged in her chair while Dennis had the Light. The other alters were discussing ideas to celebrate Casey's new job, and after rejecting her idea of going out to a club because it apparently was irresponsible to drink during the week, Jade quickly lost interest in the conversation.

It was a blessing in disguise though, as she was graced with a fleeting thought from Dennis that none of the other alters seemed to notice. It was so strange to get a glimpse of what Dennis was thinking because he normally was the master of keeping his thoughts from the rest of them, something he had to enforce while he was at work to keep himself focused on the tasks at hand. He never allowed any of the alters get a peek of what he was feeling, let alone of what he was thinking. This was a once in a lifetime moment.

Casey

Dennis was thinking of Casey.

Jade clasped her hands together as she squealed in such a high-pitched tone, she swore only dogs would've been able to hear it. This was important information! She only settled down when Barry asked her if she was okay, having witness Jade basically wiggling in her seat, the thought of everyone knowing making her compose herself because there would be absolutely no fun if they all knew.

It didn't happen again until a couple of days later and Jade soon began to notice how he constantly let his thoughts stray to Casey. Worried thoughts about whether Casey had anything to eat for breakfast that day since she ran out of the apartment in a rush to get to work, thoughts about whether he should call and check if she was okay when he noticed she hadn't come home yet and instantly feeling relieved when he saw her come through the front door.

Thoughts that lingered on the way her perfume filled the room; a sweet scent that let him know he just missed running into her. Thoughts about how badly he wished to run his hands over her legs, to feel the soft flesh tremble under his touch, seeing her eyes look up intently at him…

Jade had to tap out at that point, the last thing she wanted to see was his horny thoughts about her best friend. Her snooping, however, hadn't been in vain, solidifying the fact that she had a mission to accomplish.

And she needed to act fast.

Aside from being nosy, Jade was also the best at being sneaky. And that was exactly what was needed for the issue at hand. Two people who would never confess their love for one another would require her to be exceptionally devious.

The first step in her plan was to give Casey just enough information to fuel the spark of interest and to establish a solid foundation. Jade, being the most observant of the group, knew things that the others seemed to always miss, like how Dennis always chose a specific shade of greys and blues when buying clothes in an effort to avoid standing out, the result of years of abuse where he learned that remaining invisible was the key to surviving another day. That was the mentality Dennis had adopted to keep them all safe, laying low and avoiding any attention to themselves as much as he could.

For years Jade resented the fact that he denied them the opportunity to have friends, to have normal experiences with other people that weren't in their head. But she changed her mind the day Kevin's mother died, the flood of emotions and flashes of memories none of them had ever seen washing over all the alters as Dennis's strong façade momentarily broke as he received the news.

Jade never gave Dennis any attitude after that.

That didn't stop her from dramatically gagging in response to him turning to look at women's legs whenever they were out and about. She had to admit that he wasn't nearly as creepy as other men who chose to be obscene to women who were simply walking by and minding their business, she simply wouldn't have any of that. She did notice how much he preferred women who chose dresses or skirts that showed just enough skin. A subtle yet tantalizing display of leg was enough for him to clench his jaw in an effort to force his thoughts away, while also laughing softly at the sound of Jade's gag that echoed in the back of his mind.

Thankfully, Casey had rather amazing legs, the result of having the oddest (in Jade's opinion anyway) hobby of hiking any time she could when she wasn't in class, dragging them to explore new hiking trails every weekend. Her suspicions were confirmed one particular hiking trip where Casey wore shorts for the first time, faded scars gracing her pale skin as she basked in the sunlight one summer day, the onslaught of Dennis' thoughts hit Jade unexpectedly before he managed to compose himself. That was enough proof for Jade, who immediately took Casey shopping for more clothes, trying her best to hide her smirk as she casually mentioned how much Dennis would like that short, black knit dress to her right.

One of the things Jade was most proud of was knowing how much Dennis actually enjoyed another person's company, contrary to the vibes he appeared to give off. It wasn't the annoying, always frustrating company Luke or the twins offered, Dennis actively avoided having to spend too much time with them. Dennis craved the kind of company that didn't require forced or mundane conversation, the simple feeling of not being alone in a room even if he was just simply paying the monthly bills or working on a project around their living quarters.

Casey was taken completely by surprise as she assumed he wanted to be left alone, feeling rather embarrassed at the thought back about how she awkwardly ran away whenever she realized he was in a room. She, of course, never saw the yearnful gaze he gave her as she walked away, unable to invite her to stay because he purely didn't know how.

It took Jade two weeks to give Casey the ammunition she needed; the perfect amount of knowledge that wouldn't make Dennis suspicious but enough to make him perfectly aware of Casey's intentions.

And so, the spectacle began.

Jade had to admit, Casey was unbelievably awkward when it came to Dennis. It took Casey two days to give Dennis a shirt she had bought for him, a long-sleeved, dark blue Henley that she purchased for the upcoming fall weather to keep him warm. The emotions that radiated throughout the Light when she finally gifted it to Dennis was like nothing they had ever experienced before. Having been caught off guard by both the fact that Casey knew he liked dark blues and that she had thought of him enough to buy him something, Jade was basking in the glow of his unadulterated shock.

Much to Jade's absolute surprise, Casey had made a few observations of her own. Casey knew Dennis was their protector, a role he fit so impeccably. The effort and time he took to make sure they all had what they needed, making sure they all had they own space that was properly functioning was a level of care Casey had never experienced. Dennis took care of everyone, but no one seemed to return the favor.

Casey knew it wasn't out of malice, the alters simply were used to it being that ways since…forever.

So when Dennis spent his morning fixing the boiler after Hedwig chose to film himself pretending to be stunt man and breaking it in the process, he didn't expect to see Casey at the doorway. He felt eyes on him as he wiped his hands with his trusty yellow handkerchief, turning to look at Casey in time to catch a soft smile grace her pretty face. Words failed him once again as his eyes followed her nimble fingers as they tucked her hair behind her ear, mumbling a gentle "Thank you for fixing that for us, Dennis" before she turned around and left down the hallway.

The frantic beating of his heart drowned out the squeal Jade made as his emotions once again radiated throughout the Light.

Progress was slow, much too slow for Jades liking. It had been a week since Casey stepped up her game, a week since Jade knew Dennis undoubtedly felt something in return for the girl.

And yet, nothing had changed.

Dennis, in all his stern and rigid glory, continued as if nothing had changed, he acted as if Casey didn't thank or compliment him for things he did around the apartment, as if Casey wasn't sitting with him every night in their living room as she drew quietly across from him as he finished up paperwork for work, both of them relishing in the comfort of being in each other's presence.

Jade just didn't get it.

She couldn't say she was surprised. Jade just figured he wouldn't be so stubborn when it came to Casey. The worse part of it all was that, if Jade was frustrated about the lack of progress, she couldn't imagine how poor Casey was feeling.

Jade knew it was time to move on to the next phase.

Whether Dennis wanted to or not.