10/16 Issue: There's A Hallmark Card For That

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Esynthia
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10/16 Issue: There's A Hallmark Card For That

Post by Esynthia »

Timeline: April 12th, 2023 – Immediately following Issue: Terrorist Cookies

Jamie: Jamie didn't speak once they'd left the Shaw's home, or while he opened Jean's car door. Not even while he drove them away from the place so they couldn't be seen sitting there in his car not moving. He couldn't make it all the way to his place on the other end of town, or even Jean's which was a bit closer. There were too many thoughts rolling around in his head. More than usual.

Jamie: Jamie pulled off the highway and into a parking lot, making sure to stay at the back so no one would park near them. His hands were fisted around the wheel and he just stared at them, but didn't really see them. His brain was muddled at the best of times, but right now? Abruptly, he smacked the top of the wheel with the heel of his hand, hard, thankful he had remembered to put his jacket back on when they got out to the car.

Jean: The silence in the car was uncomfortable, and she'd long ago set the box of cookies aside. His turmoil was bleeding into her and she wasn't sure if she wanted to shield herself from him or not. Jean had enough of her own thoughts to keep her busy. She'd known Jess had a weird relationship of some sort with Viper, but they'd both been so... calm about it.

Jean: When he exited nowhere near either of their places she gave him a questioning look, but he was staring dead ahead, jaw tense. She looked around at the parking lot, thankful they were at least in a decent area. No carjacking attempts today, thanks. Jean kept watching him, debating if she wanted to say something, then jumped at his sudden move.

Jamie: Jamie curled his fingers slowly in towards his palm as his gaze shifted to his hand. At least he had something else to focus on now. After another long moment, his head fell back against the headrest and he let his hands fall to his lap. "Sorry." He hadn't meant to startle her.

Jamie: Since when did the line between good and evil become so blurred that people he thought cared about him would act like that about someone who had been involved in his death? What did that say about them? Worse yet, what did that say about him?

Jean: "It's okay." Jean chewed her lip and turned in the seat to face him, pulling her leg up to sit on. "Do you want to talk?" It hurt her to see him like this, but she didn't know exactly what to do.

Jamie: He didn't answer immediately, just letting the sound of her voice wash over him. "No," he said finally. "Yes." Jamie sighed, "I don't know." His head flopped to the side to look at her and he gave her a crooked grin. "I didn't expect any of that to happen."

Jean: "That's fair," she admitted, leaning her head against the seat as she watched him. She returned the smile with a matching one and huffed. "Noooo. Neither did I. That was... a lot."

Jean: On impulse, she slid herself a little closer to him and held out her hand, trying to meet his eyes. She really wanted him to hold her; she wanted to hold him, too. This day had gotten real weird.

Jamie: Jamie's eyes flicked down at the movement of her hand and he reached out to hold it. He brought his eyes slowly back up to her face and finally met her eyes once he could be sure he was strong enough to see what she thought of him staring back. "Viper worked with Rott. I've tried to keep tabs on Rott for a while. Just so that I know where he is and can avoid him." His lower lip sucked under.

Jamie: "I've lost him. I thought maybe I could find him through her. She knows who I am because of the cult." And there were all of the thoughts about his character again... Blurred line. All grays, no black and white. Where did he fall then? He had lost some of his soul every time a dupe died, he knew that, but he didn't think it would be this... hazy.

Jean: Jean took his hand, intertwining their fingers and resting them on her knee. She studied his face, still trying to make sense of all the chaos in his head. "She... was always working with him? She was part of the cult, too?" And Jess and apparently SHIELD were just... what, okay with this? Noooo, surely not? Her husband was kidnapped, too...

Jamie: "I don't know that she was part of the cult, no." But you don't know that she wasn't, either. Point. Jamie gave in and unbuckled, crawling carefully to the backseat and holding out both hands for her to follow him.

Jean: She watched him climb over the seat as she thought this over, then smiled and let him help her into the back with him. "So when do you know she was working with him? For him? Or him for her?" Either way, it made her want to go find that green-haired skank and rip the truth from her mind.

Jamie: Jamie propped his feet on the console between the front seats and pulled her to snuggle against his side. "It took me a while to put it together, honestly, babe. But when the school was bombed, you said something about Quentin being there, but he was dead, right? Quire's the one who brought me into the cult. He was supposedly killed in the raid when they found me."

Jamie: He buried his nose in her hair and breathed her in, trying to continue to calm his thoughts. "Rott had access to him. To his body. And she was at the big bombing, too... So, puzzle pieces started to fit."

Jean: "Yeah, I thought he was dead." Just his name made her blood pressure spike, and she cuddled into him, her hand on his shoulder as she rested her head on his chest to listen to his heart beat. "They told me he was dead. Good riddance."

Jean: Jean frowned a little. "I thought the cops got Rott? That's what Rachel told me..." But then she hadn't been keeping tabs on the guy for years, either.

Jamie: "They did... I'm still not quite sure how, but Viper sprung him. I just know it. The records just stop. That doesn't happen if he's transferred or even if he broke out. That's a professional at work. A hacker extraordinaire." Jamie growled, "How is any of that okay? Does that make us the bad guys for thinking that?"

Jean: Jean moved back enough to look at him. "Um, no. We're def not the bad guys in this situation."

Jamie: "But if Viper has turned over a new leaf...?" Oh no. Oh, no no no no no. Stop that train. Derail it. Make it crash into a bunch of itty bitty pieces. Loser. "If people we thought had a clear sense of right and wrong, good and evil... If they think she's turned over a new leaf..." Jamie frowned and closed his eyes. "I don't know what to think, babe."

Jean: She chewed at her lip and brushed his hair back. The inside of his head was a hot mess right now, and she didn't want to make it worse, buuuut... "That Hive thing? She was working on bypassing security traps. Maybe if we know what Hive is, that might be a clue if she's like... a double agent or something?" That was a real thing, right?

Jamie: "All I wanted was to find out if she knew where Rott was so that I could keep track of him again." Jamie groaned, "This has gotten way more complicated and involved than I anticipated. Which means dangerous. Which means no, Jeannie."

Jean: She winced. He wasn't gonna like this. "Okay," she started. "Full disclosure. I asked Jess what Hive is." Jean rushed out the last part of that sentence, although it wasn't quite one word. While part of her was totally annoyed he was trying to tell her no, she knew he was just worried.

Jamie: Jamie sat up straighter and pulled his head back so he could look down at her. "...You did? And did she know?"

Jean: She shrugged one shoulder. "No. She said she could find out and let me know." Jean sighed. "I've known Jess for years, Jamie. She was... she'd really helped me with, you know," she gestured toward her head in general. "I never ever thought I couldn't trust her."

Jamie: She didn't know. She didn't know, but could find out. And just how was she going to find out? Jamie growled. "Jean... She's going to ask Viper. And then Viper is going to know that someone was looking over her shoulder and she's smart, Jeannie. She's really fucking smart. She's going to figure out it was you." Shit! Now what?!

Jamie: "It isn't Jess that I don't trust, Jean. Although, who she chooses to trust is in question in my head, which then leads to being able to trust her judgment so then that leads to questions about being able to trust her."

Jean: "Yeah, I sort of figured that part out, too." Jean raised a brow at the growl. "You weren't the only one who made some threats in there." The part about Jess was harder, though, and made her look away to stare at the back of the driver's seat.

Jamie: "Then why in the hell did you ask her about it, Jean?" He ran his free hand through his hair, fisting his fingers in it and tugging when he got to the ends.

Jean: "Because I trusted her, which was apparently stupid," she said flatly.

Jamie: Jamie sighed and took his hand from his hair to wrap that arm around her too. "You're not stupid, babe. I'm sorry. I'm just really worried now." But not before? Point again. "You only have one you. If he got you..." Jamie took a deep breath and clenched his jaw as his eyes got hot. "If he got you, that would be it."

Jean: Jean felt the shift in his emotions again and shook her gaze from the seat to his face. His eyes were red-rimmed and she reached up to rest her hand on his cheek. "You know there's really only one you, too, right?" She sniffed a little, holding her own worries back. "I know that all the yous are you, but you're my Jamie and there's just one of you."

Jamie: Jamie gave her a sad smile and leaned into her hand. "No, Jeannie... They're me. They take a bit of my soul to make them. At least, that's what it feels like... And when they die, I never get that bit back."

Jean: Tears welled up in her eyes and she sniffed them back again. "I'm so sorry." What would it feel like to have all those little pieces lost forever? None of them would exist without him, but she wasn't going to argue it.

Jamie: Jamie leaned down and gave her a soft kiss. "I've come to terms with it. As best as I can, anyway. But what I wouldn't ever be able to come to terms with is losing you. Jean, Rott is no joke. He was using the cultists as his own sick means-to-an-end to experiment on me. I wasn't just food. I was a toy. I can't let that happen to you. You understand that, don't you?"

Jean: "I do, but you know it'd take, like, a lot to take me out, right?" Jean slid her arms around him to hold on tight. "You don't even know for sure that he's working with her anymore, right?"

Jamie: "Yeah, I know." He rested his cheek on her head. "And no, I don't know for sure. But it's what I don't know that makes me nervous. He could be anywhere, using anyone to do anything."

Jean: Jean's nose twitched. Actually, Quire was probably one of the few telepaths who could take her out. She really didn't want to bring this up, but... "Quire's still dead, right?"

Jamie: "As far as I know. But everything I know, or don't know, has kind of been called into question tonight, so don't take my word for it." Jamie growled, frustrated that he really couldn't know for sure. Things were much easier before Jess had mentioned cookies.

Jean: She turned her head and kissed the side of his neck, then rested her head against him again. "Well, so what are we gonna do?"

Jamie: "We're going to take a step back, go over all the evidence with a fine tooth comb, and see if it produces any new leads." And that would also be called? "Back to square one."

Jean: "And does that require more sitting in cars? Particularly this one?"

Jamie: Jamie laughed and held her tight to his chest. "It's very possible. But first it requires more sitting in the office."

Jean: She gave a slightly disappointed hum, but smiled, happy to hear him laugh. "What do you think about this X-Men thing?"

Jamie: "Honestly? I think it's a good idea. With Stark leaving office, it could continue his whole 'mutant love' type thing no matter what the next president feels. And beyond that, SHIELD might get us because they have some mutants or whatever, but they don't. Not really... I don't think I'll sign up, but if they need me or my detectiving, I'll be there."

Jamie: Jamie kissed the top of her head. "And what about you?"

Jean: "I don't know." Her nose scrunched up and she moved again to see him. "Am I the superhero type? I never thought I was, but... I kind of feel like I have these powers for a reason? It's not like I'm using them at the dispensary..." She smirked. "Sidekicking for you is a good use too, though."

Jamie: He grinned and met her eyes, "I love having a sexy sidekick." Jamie leaned down to brush her nose with his. "I dunno, babe. I think you could totally do great things with your powers. If you feel like you need to try it out, I say go for it. But be careful or else."

Jean: "I'm always careful!" she chirped, tilting her head to give him a quick kiss, then pulling back with a smirk.

Jamie: Jamie couldn't help but laugh at her response. He knew that had been coming, but he felt like he had to tell her to be careful anyway. "Be extra careful. Like, as careful as if you were protecting me."

Jean: She giggled at his reaction, then sobered. "I will." Jean sighed. "Jess told me not to go Rachel on Viper, but I told her if anything happened to you that all bets are off."

Jamie: "Oh yeah? You'd devastate an entire country just for me? They should put that on a Valentine's card. Somebody call Hallmark!"

Jean: "She meant the mashed potato part," she sniffed, although... the other was always a possibility if she wasn't careful.

Jamie: Jamie gave her a light tickle on the ribs. "I was just teasing, Jeannie. I would do the same if someone hurt you. You heard what I said back there. I meant every word of it." He shook his head, "I know I'm capable of awful things, but I would never do them. Unless it was to protect you."

Jean: "Well, it's good then that we can keep our violent tendencies under control," she smirked, wriggling from the tickle and flopping herself against him again. "That part goes on the inside of the card."

Jamie: "Hallmark should totally hire us for their non-seasonal cards. For their 'just because' section. We could make a whole new category! 'Just because I would lay waste to the world for you' or something." He slid down in the seat and shifted to pull her with him. "Are you gonna go pro, babe?"

Jean: "Hey, cards for mutants might be a good sideline," she laughed, then found herself sliding. Oooh, better cuddle angle, excellent. She took advantage of that and made herself comfortable before she answered. "Maybe? It might... be good for me?"

Jamie: "Oh, I'll show you good for you," he growled with an added eyebrow waggle. Jamie laughed a bit and settled down to actually focus on the issue. "I think you'd be good for them at least."

Jean: "Oh, you do," Jean giggled, resting against him and reaching to play with his hair. She thought about this for a second. "You are good for me." She just had to make sure she was good for him now, too. "But doing something positive with my powers would be nice."

Jamie: Oooh hair pets. Jamie lazily ran his fingers up and down Jean's spine, eyes half closed as he processed the words filtering through his pleasantly calmed brain. "Then you should do it. And if you hate it, you can always be my sidekick again. I wouldn't kick you out of bed."

Jean: "Of course you wouldn't," she laughed, closing her eyes. "I wonder what it really means, though? Government sanctioned superheroics?" She parroted Carol's words. "I'll have to check it out... back up at the old school." She paused. "Well, not the old old school, but you know what I mean."

Jamie: "The creepy building that we almost said screw this and drove away from. Yep, I know what you mean." He hummed low as he thought through what government sanctioned could mean. "Maybe it just means that they won't get arrested for missions if they get caught? Kind of like I won't get arrested for snooping if I got caught?"

Jean: "Yus, the haunted one." Although the old old one was probably haunted as well, especially now. "Because you've got a license to snoop," she giggled. "I wonder if this would make us some sort of SHIELD thing, because she also said it was 'adults having jobs and using their powers to help people.'"

Jamie: "It's like a license to kill, but more fun," he nuzzled in her hair. "I think SHIELD is the job, though... Like the military. Maybe X-Men is more like the reserves?"

Jean: "Good, because I'm not doing it full time." Jean made a face at the thought. "I have a life, tyvm," she relaxed again, giving him a squeeze.

Jamie: Jamie grinned, squeezing her back. "Yes, your very hot detective boyfriend would get very sad and lonely if you did it full time."

Jean: "Well we can't have that, can we?" Jean raised her head to give him a bright grin.

Jamie: "Nooo. That would likely result in a lot of unsolved cases and general lack of hygiene. So then this boyfriend would become homeless, jobless, and bathless. Probably all at the same time. Very depressing thought."

Jean: Jean very nearly snorted, but stifled it into a giggle. Her nose was firmly crinkled and the snickers wouldn't stop. "Okay bathless might knock a few points off your hotness grade, but I think we could fix that." She dropped her head back to his chest to hide her face and cover her ongoing giggles.

Jamie: Jamie gasped in mock-shock at her giggle fit. "Are you laughing at my misfortune, Jeannie? That would be brought upon by how much I would miss you?" His arms slipped from their wrapped position around her back to find her tickle spots again. A bit more ruthlessly this time. "I'll give you something to laugh about!"

Jean: "Me?" Oh shit! Her giggles turned into howls of laughter as she tried to wriggle away from him. "Never!" Jean curled up as much as she could in the back seat, trying not to really whack him. A kick to the nuts would end the fun real fast!

Jamie: Jamie lifted his legs to scoop her tighter into a ball and moved to keep her pinned with one arm, using the other to sneak down to tickle at her thigh. "Your treachery will be your undoing, woman!"

Jean: "You can't defeat me! "She laughed, her pitch rising when he hit the sensitive spot on the back of her thigh. Apparently he could!

Jamie: Jamie pulled his hand away when she squealed, whooping in victory. "I win."

Jean: Jean stayed in a ball, panting and still giggling in little bursts. "You win!"

Jamie: He lowered his legs and wrapped his arms more comfortably around her once she started to calm a bit. "I won because I'm not a smelly bathless boyfriend."

Jean: She relaxed and blew out a breath, ruffling the hair that had fallen over her face. She raised her head a little. "And I'm Cousin Itt now..."

Jamie: "Aww, but you're the cutest Cousin Itt I ever did see." Jamie beamed at her and reached to help brush her hair off her face, leaning forward to kiss the end of her nose once it was clear.

Jean: "Aww, thanks," she said, giggling again when his Kansas farm boy roots showed themselves. "And you smell quite nice." Jean wrinkled her nose at the kiss and grinned, shimmying up to give him a proper kiss.

Jamie: Oh, that was much better than the nose kiss. He tangled his fingers in her hair to keep it from getting in between them and let the kiss linger a bit. "Thanks. I try to bathe once a month."

Jean: Jean giggled again, rolling her eyes, and managed to wind her arms around his neck. "Mmmhmm, you definitely only shave once a month."

Jamie: Jamie's eyebrows went up and he tilted his head in question, "Do you not like my stubble, babe? I thought it made me look more hard-boiled."

Jean: "I'm kidding," she said, running her fingers over his cheek where his stubble had made a comeback after their birthday date. "I like it, and I don't know about hard-boiled since you're not an egg, but it's hot."

Jean: She cocked her head. "But I like you clean-shaven too. On Saturday you looked like the day I met you." Jean smiled and traced the corner of his mouth with her fingertip. "Good memories."

Jamie: Jamie started to laugh at the egg comment, even opening his mouth to explain it further, until her voice got soft and he smiled, kissing her finger when it got to the middle of his lips. "Alien tomatoes, Jeannie. Always."

Jean: Jean smiled. "Always," she repeated, licking her lips. After a moment just taking in his face, she exchanged finger for lips, sliding her hand back over that scratchy stubble.

Jamie: Jamie made a happy noise low in his throat at the feel of her lips. This was much better than thinking about terrorist cookies and friends who suddenly saw way too much gray. His hands roamed down to cup her ass gently, adjusting her on top of him so that he was still able to hold her, but not just to keep her from falling. "I can't wait to see you in your X-Men uniform. It's going to be so hot."

Jean: "Literally," she laughed between kisses, bending one leg to slide herself more firmly atop him. "You remember how hot those old ones were? Hopefully government backed means better uniforms." Jean nipped at his lower lip. "I'll be sure to model it for you."

Jamie: "Model, strip tease, same thing, right?" Jamie smirked and nipped her lip back. "Should we head back to your place then? Or mine because I don't have an evil cat that hates you?"

Jean: "Right!" Jean wriggled her hips. "You know he won't learn to not hate you if you're not around him. And your Figaro loves you."

Jamie: Jamie groaned at her wiggle and couldn't help his body's answer in kind. "So then we go to your place and I brave the wrath of Mr. Bigglesworth. Got it."

Jean: Pleased she was able to get a rise out of him, she grinned. "I hope he's not Mr. Bigglesworth! I don't want him to go bald!" Jean smirked and moved her hips more purposefully. "Ooor..." She looked pointedly around them at the interior of his car.

Jamie: "So don't take him to space?" Ooor? He followed her gaze and looked around his car, too. "Babe, I know I said I wouldn't get arrested for snooping, but I would definitely get arrested for indecent exposure..." Jamie did like where this thought came from, though. "But maybe we can find somewhere more secluded," he asked with a lascivious grin.

Jean: "In theory, I could make people think we're not even here," she said, casting a look out the window as she considered this. "But, you're hella distracting, sooo I probably wouldn't be able to hold it." Jean summoned an image of the pinnacle of his distraction abilities and projected it.

Jean: Her eyes slid back to meet his and she smirked, brushing their noses together again. Yep, I like your idea better.

Jamie: Jamie laughed, low and husky, "I thought about that, too... But I also considered the fact that you might lose focus." She was showing him just how well she lost focus sometimes and he groaned again. "You've gotta stop that if I'm gonna drive us somewhere else..." He lifted his head to nip at her lip, "Otherwise, I might just have to risk being arrested."

Jean: She popped out that lower lip. "You can't distract me if you're in jail. I could always just whammy the cop." Jean gave him a wink.

Jamie: "Save the whammying for the bedroom, huh?" He laughed and gave her ass a quick squeeze. "Come on, you. Up front and start the search for somewhere secluded on your phone while I let this rest a minute..."

Jean: Jean laughed and pushed herself up, sliding down to straddle his thigh. Unable to resist, she trailed her hands down his chest and stomach, teasing him with her nails. When she folded her hands on her lap, she looked him over with a smirk.

Jamie: Jamie hissed and squirmed under her attentions. "Evil woman," he murmured, but it was without any malice and he smirked back. She would get her comeuppance for that just as soon as he was calmed down enough to take them somewhere else. And she knew it, too, by the look on her face. She was asking for it. "Evil, evil woman."

Jean: Pleased with her work, she flipped her hair over her shoulder. "You like me this way."

Jamie: "Without a doubt, Jeannie." Jamie pushed to his elbows and looked pointedly at his crotch, "And I don't think you should ever have any doubts, either."

Jean: "Gotta say, you're not motivating me to find somewhere else," she shook her head with a chuckle, although her eyes were on him - one area in particular - and she bit down on her lower lip.

Jamie: "I'm not? I would think that would make you want to move faster." He sure wanted her to move faster. Being arrested while naked with a beautiful woman was not high on his bucket list. It was nowhere on his bucket list, really.

Jean: Jean's brow arched and she met his eyes again. "I do know one way I could keep up the illusion." She let her teeth slide over her lip, tongue darting out to lick it.

Jamie: Jamie's eyes narrowed in suspicion as he watched her mouth. If her thought and his thought matched, then it was definitely a very good thought. But also... "What about you?"

Jean: "Later." She shrugged and grinned, glad he got the idea. "I'm sure you'd be up for the task," she added with a laugh.

Jamie: "I'd like to think so." Jamie watched her with hooded eyes, "I haven't been one to turn you down yet, babe."

Jean: "Should I worry about you if you do?" Jean tilted her head, moving her hands from her lap to his thighs to slide her hands slowly up.

Jamie: "It probably means I'm super duper sick and should be taken to the hospital asap." Jamie licked his lips as his eyes tracked her hands.

Jean: "Duly noted." Her tone was prim, but she was slowly stretching out again until she leaned forward, catching his eyes, and brushed her nose against his belt buckle.

Jamie: He swallowed hard and watched her under his lashes, enjoying her tease, and hoping to God that she would be able to keep up the illusion.
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