9/21 Instance: Looking for Cracks

[Svartfreja]

Few hours after [Instance]Shinobi Surprise.


<Shaw> Sebastian waited at the top of the stairs, listening intently. For a few moments, he heard nothing, which meant his "son" was doing exactly has he was at the bottom of the stairs behind the closed door - listening. They each waited for the other to do something, anything.

<Shaw> Eventually, he heard movement and rustling. After a few moments more he heard the water start in the bathroom. He instructed Widget to keep an electronic eye on the door and waited a few minutes more to ensure he was really in the shower before he started to climb the stairs.

<Jessica> Jess curled up on the sofa in the living room across the landing from the kitchen. Dinner had been incredibly awkward and she wished she could drink but her mutation being what it was, even without the pregnancy, meant that it wouldn't help anyway. Instead she wrapped herself in a blanket with a mug of hot chocolate.

<Shaw> He could drink, so he did, stopping at the bar to pour himself three fingers of scotch before he went to the living room and gave Jess a tired smile.

<Jessica> Jess offered a small smile in return, patting the spot beside her on the sofa. "So... that was interesting...."

<Shaw> "That's the polite word for it, yes," he said, sipping his scotch as he sat down beside her, then decided that was too far away. Tugging on her blanket, he shuffled closer and urged her into his lap.

<Jessica> She climbed into it carefully so she didn't spill either of their drinks and shared her blanket with him. "Do you think I'm being too nice?"

<Shaw> He sighed. "I don't know. I have no idea what to do with him." Resting his forehead against her, he stroked her leg through the fuzzy material.

<Jessica> "I just thought that everyone's been kind of horrible to him and not treated him very nice... so maybe if he felt safe here he'd be good and wouldn't run away or get in trouble... but I'm not sure now because... well..." he was sure to have noticed.

<Shaw> "I suspect he's doing it, at least in part, to irritate me," he mumbled. "I suggested, in rather strong terms, that he consider just going to bed after he cleans up. And staying there."

<Jessica> "If he knows it's annoying you, won't that make him less likely to stop?" She nuzzled him gently, "Besides... I can handle the flirting but if he touches me I might break something..."

<Shaw> "If he touches you, I might break him." He closed his eyes and set his drink down to wrap his arms around her.

<Jessica> "But if we treat him badly... then what happens? I don't want to make a bad situation worse....."

<Shaw> "I don't know... I would like to think he would know better than to touch you, but I don't know him or what he's capable of." He's essentially a ten-year-old child, in the body of a twenty-one-year-old man, and I don't envy him that. What's worse is he's me without any of my questionable redeeming qualities. Sebastian let out a gusty sigh.

<Jessica> Jess cuddled close to him, "Well we'll just keep an eye on him and see how it goes... Viper's probably going to keep an eye on all of us."

<Shaw> "What in hell was she thinking?"

<Jessica> "Probably that she was helping..." Jess offered, "Do you want me to call her?"

<Shaw> He made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat. "No, bite your tongue. I just got our guest settled, we don't need her again stirring things." Next time she might drop Oyama's head onto the coffee table. "...that actually would have been simplier, come to think of it."

<Jessica> Jess giggled, "Yeeeeah but I want to have some fun... and I didn't mean for her to come here to get him just... explain herself. You wanted to talk to her anyway."

<Shaw> "Not tonight." He nuzzled her again. "This complicates things on many levels. As it is, I will need to call Fury tomorrow, I suppose." Stopping his movement, he rested his forehead against her again and chewed his lip. "Or perhaps I should go straight over his head and call in a favor with Tony."

<Jessica> "I'd do that... he's less likely to get all shouty - he'll probably think it's funny..." She took a sip of her hot chocolate.

<Shaw> "He needs to go back."

<Jessica> "We can't do that to him... he'll never trust anyone...."

<Shaw> Sebastian shifted to look at her.

<Jessica> "Would it really be so bad to just let him stay here? Teach him, make him feel safe and wanted? Everyone wants to feel like that..."

<Shaw> "He's a convicted terrorist and a wanted man, what's more, he's a mentally unstable wanted man," he said quietly.

<Jessica> "Well, in case you hadn't noticed, the same can be said about a lot of our friends. How is it fair that they get second chances and he doesn't? It's not his fault he's so messed up, he deserves a chance as much as anyone."

<Shaw> Lips pursed, his brow furrowed as he studied her. "I confess he's had little - or no - control over his life, and I've been trying to assist him as much as I could. Who do you think has been paying for the psychologist who sees him twice a week, or his quarters away from the general population in SHIELD detention?" I know he didn't ask to be created.

<Jessica> "But you haven't seen him in almost a year... you can't send him away now, what message does that send?"

<Shaw> He shook his head. It was easier to maintain the lie when he was in custody.

<Jessica> Just give it a chance, Sebastian... if it doesn't work, it doesn't work and we'll figure something out then. Just... we have to try... for his sake...

<Shaw> While I was attempting to talk to him, he spent the entire time staring. He made a face as he conveyed this.

<Jessica> Well at least it wasn't you he was staring at, she offered him a smirk.

<Shaw> Sebastian snorted. From a certain perspective, I can hardly blame him for staring. He leaned in and brushed his nose against hers. But I meant after I took him downstairs. He was staring at me.

<Jessica> Well he hasn't seen you in a year... maybe he forgot what you looked like... or maybe he was worried we'd send him back tomorrow.

<Shaw> His eyebrow quirked. He's looking for seams.

<Jessica> Jess giggled at that, Oh yeah the plastic surgery thing... I'm sure Hope would get a big laugh out of that.

<Shaw> I'm sure. He fixed her with a withering stare. However, Shinobi is correct that the math does not support the lie that I'm his father, and how could we tell him what he truly is?

<Jessica> We'll figure it out... we can hardly expect to have all the answers right now. Just... wait and see. It might be okay, maybe he can handle it.

<Shaw> Dropping his gaze, he shifted and reached up to stroke his fingers through her hair.

<Jessica> "We'll just wait it out, okay? Please don't rush into anything we'll regret later..." she turned her face into his hand.

<Shaw> "He's going to look like a child in my clothes, so we'll need to get him his own," he said with a sigh, brushing his thumb over her cheek. His free hand worked under the blanket to rest on her belly. The baby was squirming.

<Jessica> "And we will. Don't worry so much... you'll get wrinkles."

<Shaw> He laughed and craned his neck to catch her lips.