10/23 Issue: Trouble in Paradise?

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Slarti
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10/23 Issue: Trouble in Paradise?

Post by Slarti »

Timelined after Boys will be Boys

Jean: It was a little strange being alone in the big building without Jamie, but it gave Jean the opportunity to look around a bit. With Figaro in her arms - Figaro the First - she wandered the old building while Figaro the Second trailed along behind her.

Jean: The view from the empty third story was... not great, but it was higher anyway. It was staying light later as the spring came, but the daylight was fading into long shadows now. She could tell Jamie was driving, but he was preoccupied and felt a bit off.

Jamie: Jamie grimaced as he tried to adjust himself in his seat for the umpteenth time while he drove home. Which was tricky business since there weren't enough stop signs or stop lights to let him do it comfortably. But comfortable was kind of not even an option anyway. Cracked tailbone was no joke. The first time he'd had one was when he'd been thrown from a horse when he was twelve. And not since. He'd made sure of it.

Jamie: But Daken and the dupe who hit the table hadn't. Shit. What would he tell Jean? He couldn't say he'd been thrown from a horse this time. Thrown by a wolf? Nope, not that either. He turned into his neighborhood and sighed. Which of course, agitated his bruised rib, causing a wince that thankfully didn't hurt his face because his face was fine. So maybe Jean would be fine because it wasn't the face?

Jean: She felt him closer now and frowned as the dampened link intensified. He was in pain and trying to ignore it. Her first instinct was to ask him WTF?! ...but she didn't want him to crash the car and really break himself.

Jean: "Okay, baby, time to go hang out in your penthouse." Jean took Figaro to the room they'd set aside for him with his food and water and litterbox and bed, and some toys. He was fine. He even had some nip!

Jamie: Jamie pulled to a stop in front of his building and sat there for a long time, debating the best way to stand up without hurting. He finally decided on using Jean's signature slinky leg move, but used his hands on the seat's bottom to push him to stand instead of relying on his legs to do the job properly.

Jamie: Okay, walk slow, shallow breaths only. It's all good in the 'hood. He locked Baby and headed towards the door, stopping with huge eyes at the front steps. He had forgotten about those. We can do this! One foot. Ouch. Bring the other to meet it on the same step. Ouch, but less ouch. And repeat two more times!

Jamie: It felt like an eternity to walk up the last two stairs, but he did it! He started to do his little dance, but it jostled his rib and he winced. No dancing. Got it. That sucks. Jamie pushed open the door as gently as he could and went to his office to see if he had any frozen peas or a steak in the teeny tiny freezer part of the mini fridge.

Jean: Jean floated down the stairs with Figaro the Second in her arms and set down when she spotted him heading to the office fridge. He was moving slowly, and she winced from his pain. The fuck happened to him? Fuck. What if he'd already found that Daken asshole?!

Jean: Deciding to make some noise so she didn't startle him, Figaro beat her to the punch by jumping down to trot toward him, belled collar jingling.

Jamie: Jamie smirked and slowly bent down to catch the good twin as it came over and jumped at him. "Hello puddy tat." He gave him a stroke between the ears and a kiss on the head then saw Jean when he looked up. "Hello, tweety bird."

Jean: "Hola, Ricky" she replied with a smirk, taking in his face as she moved closer. He didn't look like he'd had his ass beaten, but... Jean reached him and ran her fingers through his hair.

Jamie: Jamie stood slowly, but still a little too fast and his eye narrowed a bit at the pulled rib. He leaned down to give Jean a kiss hello. "So... you gonna 'splain?" He let Figaro the second jump from his arms to his desk chair but didn't take his eyes from Jean. "About wanting to join a murdery cult?"

Jean: "I don't want to join a murdery cult," she sniffed. Oh. That. "I was just asking questions." Jean tilted her head at him. "You wanna 'splain what happened to you?"

Jamie: "Not particularly." He pulled a bottle of water from the mini fridge and went to sit on the couch. Slowly. That's it. Gentle... aaaand breathe. Much more comfortable than the car, for sure. "You wanna 'splain why you were asking questions about the murdery cult? And why I had to find out from the top dog of said murdery cult?"

Jean: "I don't think they're actually a cult, you know." She went to the chair to give Figaro a pet and tried to block out his pain. "I just hadn't had the chance to tell you." She shrugged.

Jamie: Jamie arched an eyebrow as he tried to read her face. "So when did you talk to him then? And I know all about cults, in case you don't remember."

Jean: "Of course I remember," she said quietly, moving over to sit on the sofa, but not too close since she couldn't tell how badly he was hurt. "I asked Jess about it and he called me the other day."

Jamie: "So... When were you going to tell me?" He turned his head to be able to look at her, but kept his torso still.

Jean: "As soon as I had a chance? Things have been kinda crazy, y'know." Jean was starting to wonder what his ratio of pissed off to in pain was, because she couldn't read his face and trying to filter out whatever the fuck was wrong with his back was distracting.

Jamie: "Yeah. Yeah, I know." His head fell forward and he started to take a deep breath until he reminded himself not to. Shallow breathing. "Don't you think you could've talked to me before you asked Mr. Shaw about joining up, though?"

Jean: Jean winced, unable to block that twinge with him so close. "All I was doing was asking questions. I didn't tell him I wanted to join." She frowned, biting back a bitchier response about asking for permission to breathe.

Jamie: "Well I think that he thinks you do. He talked to me about it. Suggested it, even. Ha!" Ow... "Yeah, no thanks, dude. Had enough cult to last a lifetime. He may have gotten out early, but I didn't."

Jean: "I know, Jamie." She jumped again at his laugh - what the fuck was wrong with his side?

Jamie: "So... What are you going to tell him? No, right?" He looked at her with just his head again. "And why are you so jumpy?"

Jean: "I haven't even thought about it since I talked to him. The whole pheromone thing was a lot, after all." Jean raised an eyebrow. "I'm jumpy because you won't tell me why you're hurt."

Jamie: "...You talked to him before the pheromone thing?" That was two whole days ago. Jamie frowned but didn't say anything else for now. "I'm hurt because I was protecting you. You don't need that fucking club!" Inside voice. "I can protect you."

Jean: Jean's eyes narrowed as her patience ran out. "Maybe I was trying to protect you!" She almost wished she could swallow it back when he confirmed her worries about why he was hurt. Fuuuuck. Good job, Jean.

Jamie: "Seriously?!" Jamie swallowed the rest of the yelling he wanted to do, closed his eyes, and counted to ten. That was what helped in the movies. It wasn't helping him now though. "Jean," he started, eyes still closed, but voice as calm and level as he could make it, "I don't need you to protect me. I'm not the same dumb kid who got murdered in college. That kid is dead."

Jamie: He looked at her, "He died a long ass time ago and I don't even remember what it's like to be him. He's fucking buried in New York, okay?!" Losing it again, Madrox. Don't care. ...You sure? YEP.

Jean: "You weren't dumb! You got in over your head, and you paid for it - way, way too much. It happens, and it seems to happen way too fucking often for people like us." Jean shook her head and looked away, to the cat, who was staring at them.

Jean: "You think I don't get how dangerous the thing with Viper is, but I do, and with that Rott monster on top of it? Yeah! Of course I was going to fucking check out that stupid fucking Hellfire Club to see if it had anything to offer."

Jamie: "Babe..." Jamie pinched the bridge of his nose. "Babe. Think about it. If Jess has Shaw by the gonads and he's top dog, and she's all team Viper, how much do you think they're really gonna help us if Viper wants us?"

Jean: Jean looked back at him and arched a brow. "She didn't know about Rott, that much I know for sure, but yes, I do think her judgment is totes clouded about Viper." She sighed. "You're acting like I sold my soul or something, when all I did was ask some questions. Do you know how many people we went to school with belong to it? Do you think they're all bad, too?"

Jamie: "I dunno, Jeannie." Jamie sighed and pushed to stand up. "All I know is that I'm tired." Once on his feet, he turned to face her. "I'm tired of assholes like Daken who think if they deny shit hard enough I'll think I'm crazy. I'm tired of terrorists who will use whoever they deem appropriate for their task and fuck what and who they hurt before. I'm tired of people sticking up for people like that. I'm just... I'm tired."

Jean: Seeing him like this made her heart ache and she jumped to her feet too. Jean opened her mouth to speak, then realized what he'd said. "Wait, he denied it? What the fuck?! You saw the video!"

Jamie: "I know I did. I even showed it to him. Good thing I'd popped out some dupes by then who had their phones out... Because he sliced mine in half."

Jamie: Jamie shook his head and laughed sardonically, "Kept calling me a misogynistic racist. Asshole."

Jean: Her mouth dropped open. "Fucker!" Jean couldn't stand it anymore and moved in to hug him, stopping at the last minute to instead touch his cheek. She could tell that wasn't bruised at least.

Jamie: Jamie made a noise with his tongue and pulled her in to him anyway, able to stand the pain because he had braced himself. And it wasn't sitting down, standing up, or moving around, so his tailbone thanked him. "Shh. It's fine. He's not allowed to be around you or Redd or the store. And Mr. Shaw gave me some awesome stuff that can block pheromones. He thinks..."

Jean: Jean decided now wasn't the time to point out that maybe then Mr. Shaw wasn't so bad after all. She raised up on her toes and gave him a soft kiss. "Thank you." She lingered close and bumped her nose against his. Jean concentrated on not letting his pain make a circuit through her and back into him. "He cut your phone in half, but what'd he do to you?"

Jamie: "Threw one of me against another of me, which gave me bruised ribs, and then that second me hit a table and broke his butt." Jamie groaned as he shifted on his feet. "My butt was only a bit cracked after I absorbed him though. And the ribs should heal in a couple of days."

Jean: That explained it, alright. Her nose wrinkled, glad his ass wasn't sore for other reasons. "I got us some takeout if you want to eat, and then will you let me help you?"

Jamie: "Ugh yes. I'm starving." He kissed her wrinkly nose, then wrinkled his own because he had to bend to reach it, and ow. "What'd you get? And how can you help me? Do you have a healing power, too? That you can share? Because that would rock about now."

Jean: "Chinese!" She grinned, but winced again when he bent. "I wish. I can offer ice and distraction, but better yet, I can block it."

Jamie: "Yum! Good choice babe." He glanced back at Figaro who was happily grooming himself and Jamie frowned. He wouldn't be able to move his legs wider than they were now for at least a week. "That could have bad consequences though right? Because then I'd forget I was hurt and make it worse. I kind of like my butt being attached."

Jean: "Well yeah, you couldn't pretend you weren't hurt, but at least it'll let you sleep." And let her sleep, because ow. Jean ran her thumb over his scruffy cheek. "And you're totes gonna let me help you get up the stairs, too, right?"

Jamie: Jamie's nose twitched at the thought of how she would help him up the stairs. Oh right. "Alien tomato me? That won't hurt, right? Like, it won't tug on my clothes and stuff?"

Jean: "Nope! I'll just float'cha, no evil clowns involved." Jean gave him a grin.

Jamie: Jamie stared at her for a looong minute. "Why would you bring Pennywise into this? What did he ever do to you?"

Jean: "Pennywise ain't got nothing on me." Jean went to the desk and pspsed at Figaro, who hopped up onto her shoulder like a white fluffy parrot. She held out her hand for Jamie. "Want me to go alien tomato here or do you want to walk to the stairs first?"

Jamie: Jamie took her hand and laughed, "I think I can walk to the stairs. Just don't forget the food!" He took a step and stopped, giving Jean side eye, "And don't judge me for my slow gait either. If you can manage that, maybe I'll let you give me a sponge bath."

Jean: "Oooh, baby, you do know how to turn a girl on," she laughed. "It's in the other kitchen, safe in the microwave from marauding felines."

Jamie: "That's why I love you. Always protecting my food from the cats." He grinned and leaned over to kiss her and mentally cheering that he didn't show his pain on his face. Right, on to the stairs now... Jamie's free hand went around to cover his tailbone, thinking pressure to hold it still might help. It did not. But they made it to the stairs! "Babe... Don't tell anyone that I need help with climbing stairs, okay?"

Jean: Jean, however, winced, and she found herself touching her own ass before she could stop herself. Jesus fuck, ow. "No problem..." Maybe she should have blocked it before they attempted this.

Jamie: Jamie swallowed hard as he stared at the steps like they were his biggest foe. He could beat them. Jean would help him, but he could still beat them! He let go of her hand and reached up to pet Figaro under the chin. "Be brave, boy. We can do this."

Jean: In response, Figaro hopped over to Jamie's shoulder and rubbed against his head, purring.

Jamie: Jamie laughed and wiggled his head against Figaro. "I'm glad you don't hate me, boy." He glanced at Jean, "Are you sure you can do this? That's... a lot of stairs. Maybe I should just go until I can't and then you can help me the rest of the way?"

Jean: "I know it's been a while since I picked you up, but just... don't freak out. You'll hurt yourself more." Jean gave Figaro a pet and raised herself to peck Jamie's lips. "Just relax." She lifted them both effortlessly, giving them a shimmering pinkish platform to help him keep his balance.

Jamie: Jamie's whole face twitched and he fought his natural reaction of tensing his entire body. Because, as upset as he had been at her a few minutes ago, she was right. His lower lip sucked into his mouth and he closed his eyes to help him pretend he was still on the bottom floor. The slight breeze on his face was just the central a/c that he didn't have. "Are we there yet?" He smirked. "Arewethereyetarewethereyetarewethereyet?"

Jean: Despite herself, she giggled, glancing over to note his eyes screwed shut. Even Figaro was still purring. "Aaaaalmost." She put on her mom's voice. "We'll get there when we get there."

Jean: She could have done this a whole lot faster, but this was fiiiine. Once they reached the second floor, where he'd carved out a living space, she set them down on the floor and squeezed his hand. "See, nothing to it!"

Jamie: Jamie opened one eye to peek, then the other followed. "We're here yet!" He grinned a cheesy grin and immediately stooped to catch her lips with his, but had to stop halfway there. He had already forgotten he was hurt. "Ouuuch." Stupid Daken. Stupid dupes. Stupid self.

Jean: "Fu-" She hadn't been expecting that one, so she completely failed at hiding her reaction to the stabbing pain. Jean gave him a wide-eyed look and a sheepish grin.

Jamie: "Jean!" Jamie grabbed for her in shock and sucked in a sharp breath of air as he did, but fought through the pain to pull her to him. Figaro climbed over his head to the other shoulder to nose at Jean's hair. "What's wrong?"

Jean: Okay, ow, and that was entirely her fault. "You, uh, remember my powers, right?" And now they were really close, which normally was a good thing. She knew which side had the bruised ribs, so she wrapped her arm around his other side.

Jamie: "Yeah? Bird, mind walking, and alien tomatoes." He grinned against the top of her head, but had to move a bit because Figaro was purring right in his ear. "He's so not allowed in the bedroom anymore."

Jean: Jean smirked and closed her eyes. "He looooves you." Okay, well, he missed a few in there, but it was a start. Just relax, okay? Jean was familiar enough with his mind that it wouldn't take long to find the receptors she was looking for. Especially since they were pissed.

Jamie: "He loooooves us," he smirked. Relax? I've got a cat trying to make this a threesome on my shoulder and a bum ass telling me that standing and sitting are both bad ideas. She was doing something new in his head and it kind of tickled. What is that?

Jean: I'm giving your pain receptors a happy little temporary fence, she sent. That way they could both have some goddamn relief. There! I'm magic.

Jamie: Whoa. Jamie wiggled his torso a bit and laughed. "For realsies!" He lifted Figaro from his shoulder and squatted to put him down. No pain! "That's... Wow. You weren't kidding, babe. I don't feel any pain." Jamie grinned up at her from his crouched position and took her hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it as he shifted to one knee. "I owe you a debt, my fair queen."

Jean: "Be careful," she laughed. "When it wears off you'll hate yourself if you make it worse."

Jean: When he shifted his position, she swallowed, picturing a muddy farm in Kansas and him down on one knee. Jean licked her lips, trying to shake it off. "It's nothing," she said, keeping her voice even.

Jamie: "It wears off? Boo." Jamie was careful when he stood though, just to be on the safe side. "So, maybe we should prop me up on some pillows while we eat our noodles and watch Turner Classic Movies? And theeeen, sponge bath?" He didn't try to hide the hope that flowed into his voice.

Jean: "Yeah, I can put it back, so you won't be miserable, but it's still cracked so you gotta take it easy, tiger." She recovered to bounce up and give him another quick peck. "That sounds like a date," she laughed, heading for the microwave. "You know it doesn't take much for you to get me wet, baby."

Jamie: "Oh Jean, you know I know your weaknesses." He smirked and followed her, enjoying the view and letting her know it. "Hot bath, steamy bathroom, invalid boyfriend." Jamie licked his lips, "Maybe even a soapy sponge or three."

Jean: One of those weaknesses was when he used that tone, which gave her an extra sway as she went to nuke their dinner. That you do... She turned on the microwave and spun around to lean against the counter, looking him over. "Not too invalid right now..."

Jamie: "That's your fault for giving me a pain free existence." Jamie waggled his eyebrows and stepped in close, but not close enough to touch. "My magic girlfriend, giving me mental painkillers, and complaining when I want to take advantage of not feeling the pain?"

Jean: "I don't want you to really break your ass," she giggled, but reached out and snagged his shirt at the middle of his chest to reel him in. "But I'm sure we can work around it."

Jamie: Jamie let her pull him against her and he slowly dipped his head to hers, a hairs breadth away from her lips. "Be gentle. I'm fragile. ...apparently."

Jean: "Not fragile." She brushed her nose against his. "Wounded in battle while defending your lady's honor."

Jamie: "That sounds so much better. Let's go with that." He grinned and closed the distance for a lingering kiss. "Now the lady must nurse her knight back to health with noodles, old movies, and sexy baths."

Jean: "I would be honored to tend to my brave knight," she replied between kisses, winding her fingers into his hair. The microwave beeped behind her and she grinned against his lips. "Beginning with our exotic feast," she giggled.

Jamie: "The feast has been brought over hills and dales, through valleys and canyons, from a foreign land full of dragons and assholes named Daken. Fitting that we should feast upon the food of his people. We will triumph!" He snickered and pulled away to get the food from the microwave. "Hot!" He was very glad the container he grabbed wasn't soup as he tossed it gently from hand to hand.

Jean: Jean giggled, then cocked her head. "Y'think he's Chinese?" When he started juggling hot noodles she lifted the container out of his hands with her teke. "Yeah, that's what a microwave does!"

Jamie: "I think he's some sort of Asian." Jamie flailed and tried to grab at the container until he realized it was Jean doing it. He moved to get some plates to set the containers on. "Yeah, yeah. Chopsticks or forks?"

Jean: Duh. "Yeah, for sure..." She gave up and set the container down on the counter. "Both! When one gets too annoying, go for the other!"

Jamie: "That's why you're the brains of this operation, Wren!" Jamie winked at her and pulled out both, setting them on the plates and putting the containers on them, too. Carefully. Then he turned and gathered Jean up in his arms. "I'm sorry I let Daken break me."

Jean: Jean slid her arms around him, still careful of his side, and rested her hand at the top of his ass. "You're not broken, just cracked.”

Jamie: That earned her a crazy face with a wide grin and funny eyes. "Cracked, you say? Cracked?!" Jamie swooped down and nibbled crazily at her neck and shoulder, maniacally giggling while doing it.

Jean: "Jamie!" Jean found herself wriggling and laughing, shaking her head at his antics. "That's right, just a little cracked."

Jamie: Jamie's arms tightened around her to hold her still, continuing his barrage on her neck. "You will be as cracked as me, Miss Grey! Just you wait! Mwah hahahahaha!"

Jean: Well, true, that! "But I don't wanna break my ass!" She giggled and jumped a little with a groan when he nipped a sensitive spot. Jean decided to play dead and stopped struggling.

Jamie: Well that was unexpected. Jamie pulled away to blink at her and gave her body a sway one way, and then the other. "Foiling my evil plans by playing possum are we?" He smirked and leaned over to softly press a kiss to her lips. "Arise my sweet. True love's kiss must wake thee."

Jean: She fought a grin while he jiggled her around and then cracked up, grinning against his mouth. "Look at that, you're magic too," she giggled, returning the kiss.

Jamie: "Woo!" And then went back to his attack on her neck. "You fell for my plan, fair maiden! Now you will be mine forever!"

Jean: "I'm already that," she laughed, her hands sliding up his back.

Jamie: "Oh." He stopped the barrage and made an over-exaggerated thinking face. "Well now I just don't know what to do!"

Jean: Jean snickered and gave him a quick kiss on his scruffy chin, then turned her head to rest it against his chest for a hug. "Then just stand there and look pretty for a minute."

Jamie: "I can definitely do that," he grinned. Jamie held her close and closed his eyes as he leaned down to breathe in the smell of her hair. "I love you, Jeannie. I would go up against Darkseid for you and not bat an eye."

Jean: "I love you, too." She sighed and closed her eyes. Okay, no clue who that was, but she didn't think it was a Star Wars reference. Oh well. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner about the Hellfire Club thing."

Jamie: Jamie kissed her head through her hair. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was going to pummel Daken today. Even?"

Jean: "Even," she giggled, moving back and reaching up to cup his face in both hands to give him a quick kiss, then pulled back to get their plates. Even for now, anyway.
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