Jeanne-Marie and Jean-Paul, backdated 8/7
Aug. 8th, 2017 08:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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ax_mainAfter the stress of the Met field trip, Jeanne-Marie run to Jean-Paul for comfort.
Jeanne-Marie had texted Jean-Paul first thing to let him know she was all right, and then hadn't been sure what to say or do on the ride home. In fact, she didn't remember a great deal of it, and when they finally arrived, she had small, pink marks like little half moons in both her forearms. She didn't remember doing that, and it scared her almost as much as the protest had--if for different reasons.
She stepped off the bus in a daze, but when she saw Jean-Paul by the front door, she breezed past her companions and directly to him.
He stepped forward and hugged her hard, wrapping her up in a protective embrace. "Are you all right?"
She nodded against his shoulder and held on tight. "Yes, everyone's all right. I'm so glad to be home..." She took a deep breath and clung.
"Those assholes..." Jean-Paul growled against her hair, then stepped away. "Come with me. It'll be all right. I promise." The others he could look in on later, but Jeanne-Marie was his first and only priority at the moment.
For the first time, Jeanne-Marie wanted to cry. But it was relief, not fear, now. She took her brother's hand and nodded. "Yes. I believe you."
Jean-Paul lead Jeanne-Marie to his room. There was tea waiting, and her favorite cookies (packaged, not baked; baking was second only to necromancy in Jean-Paul's hierarcy of dark arts). "I went and got that girly tea you like out of your room."
She laughed and the room went a little blurry with unshed tears. "Oh, Jean-Paul. You're an angel." She collapsed onto his bed and picked up a saucer and cup, then inhaled the rose-sweet scent of it. "I feel a little better already."
"I'm your attack dog. I just occasionally manage the more delicate touches." Jean-Paul sat down beside her. "Are you sure you're OK?"
She tried to summon up a smile. She never told him, when she lost time like that. She didn't want to worry him. It was probably nothing, anyhow. "I am now. I didn't think very much, I just acted. I still wonder if I was right... It was so confusing."
"You did nothing wrong. They were the ones who showed up as a mob."
"Yes, I know. It's funny, but thinking back on it, they reminded me so much of..." Jeanne-Marie considered. "So many people I've known. At the time, though, all I wanted to do was get to safety. Get everyone to safety. So Gar and I ran to get Stevie while the others--started a fight." She bit at her lip. Should she have stayed and fought? Was she a coward?
"You could have gotten hurt. You did the right thing. The smart thing."
"I acted on instinct. I could've stayed and made sure they were protected..." She sipped at her tea. It had a warming, comforting effect, much like the feeling of him nearby. "But then, the bus was ready for us because I found Stevie. Maybe... you're right."
"Trust me, if you'd gotten into a fight in front of all those people, they would have found some way to make it your fault. Even if you were just protecting your own." Jean-Paul gave her hand a squeeze.
"But what if something had happened while I was gone? To Tommy or Tamara--or anyone?" Tommy had been the one who most wanted to do something, Jeanne-Marie seemed to remember... but of course he had. Tommy wasn't the kind who could sit back and let someone spew hate. Tommy was brave and didn't put up with anything. And the same went for Tamara, though Jeanne-Marie didn't know her nearly as well. "I'd feel so terrible."
"You'll drive yourself crazy thinking like that." Jean-Paul kissed the top of her head. "You did what you did. And it worked out."
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting the affection and warmth anchor her. "Yes. True. I just... I worry about next time. They won't stop."
"So next time you bring me along as well as Tommy. They won't know what hit them." He gave her a careful squeeze.
"I don't doubt it." She gave a little laugh there, relaxing into him. "And next time, I will be more ready."
"There's that too. We could always do some more Danger Room sessions when you feel up to it." Hitting things was an excellent distraction, after all. "Be ready for anything, right?"
Something flashed in Jeanne-Marie's eyes, and she sat up a little straighter--though still under his arm. "Yes. I think that's a perfect idea. Tomorrow, maybe?" She sipped at her tea.
"Whenever you want." But Jean-Paul suddenly had the feeling he'd perhaps gone one step too far. "You know I'll be at your side no matter what, don't you?"
She nodded. "And I'll be at yours."
"Do you want to talk some more?" He smoothed her hair back, wishing he had more experience with comforting people. Or with fixing things. "I'm all yours for as long as you want me around."
"Let's just stay here and drink tea and... maybe find some funny cat videos?"
Lord. The things he did for his sister. But he smiled and hugged her all the same. "That would be fine."
Jeanne-Marie had texted Jean-Paul first thing to let him know she was all right, and then hadn't been sure what to say or do on the ride home. In fact, she didn't remember a great deal of it, and when they finally arrived, she had small, pink marks like little half moons in both her forearms. She didn't remember doing that, and it scared her almost as much as the protest had--if for different reasons.
She stepped off the bus in a daze, but when she saw Jean-Paul by the front door, she breezed past her companions and directly to him.
He stepped forward and hugged her hard, wrapping her up in a protective embrace. "Are you all right?"
She nodded against his shoulder and held on tight. "Yes, everyone's all right. I'm so glad to be home..." She took a deep breath and clung.
"Those assholes..." Jean-Paul growled against her hair, then stepped away. "Come with me. It'll be all right. I promise." The others he could look in on later, but Jeanne-Marie was his first and only priority at the moment.
For the first time, Jeanne-Marie wanted to cry. But it was relief, not fear, now. She took her brother's hand and nodded. "Yes. I believe you."
Jean-Paul lead Jeanne-Marie to his room. There was tea waiting, and her favorite cookies (packaged, not baked; baking was second only to necromancy in Jean-Paul's hierarcy of dark arts). "I went and got that girly tea you like out of your room."
She laughed and the room went a little blurry with unshed tears. "Oh, Jean-Paul. You're an angel." She collapsed onto his bed and picked up a saucer and cup, then inhaled the rose-sweet scent of it. "I feel a little better already."
"I'm your attack dog. I just occasionally manage the more delicate touches." Jean-Paul sat down beside her. "Are you sure you're OK?"
She tried to summon up a smile. She never told him, when she lost time like that. She didn't want to worry him. It was probably nothing, anyhow. "I am now. I didn't think very much, I just acted. I still wonder if I was right... It was so confusing."
"You did nothing wrong. They were the ones who showed up as a mob."
"Yes, I know. It's funny, but thinking back on it, they reminded me so much of..." Jeanne-Marie considered. "So many people I've known. At the time, though, all I wanted to do was get to safety. Get everyone to safety. So Gar and I ran to get Stevie while the others--started a fight." She bit at her lip. Should she have stayed and fought? Was she a coward?
"You could have gotten hurt. You did the right thing. The smart thing."
"I acted on instinct. I could've stayed and made sure they were protected..." She sipped at her tea. It had a warming, comforting effect, much like the feeling of him nearby. "But then, the bus was ready for us because I found Stevie. Maybe... you're right."
"Trust me, if you'd gotten into a fight in front of all those people, they would have found some way to make it your fault. Even if you were just protecting your own." Jean-Paul gave her hand a squeeze.
"But what if something had happened while I was gone? To Tommy or Tamara--or anyone?" Tommy had been the one who most wanted to do something, Jeanne-Marie seemed to remember... but of course he had. Tommy wasn't the kind who could sit back and let someone spew hate. Tommy was brave and didn't put up with anything. And the same went for Tamara, though Jeanne-Marie didn't know her nearly as well. "I'd feel so terrible."
"You'll drive yourself crazy thinking like that." Jean-Paul kissed the top of her head. "You did what you did. And it worked out."
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting the affection and warmth anchor her. "Yes. True. I just... I worry about next time. They won't stop."
"So next time you bring me along as well as Tommy. They won't know what hit them." He gave her a careful squeeze.
"I don't doubt it." She gave a little laugh there, relaxing into him. "And next time, I will be more ready."
"There's that too. We could always do some more Danger Room sessions when you feel up to it." Hitting things was an excellent distraction, after all. "Be ready for anything, right?"
Something flashed in Jeanne-Marie's eyes, and she sat up a little straighter--though still under his arm. "Yes. I think that's a perfect idea. Tomorrow, maybe?" She sipped at her tea.
"Whenever you want." But Jean-Paul suddenly had the feeling he'd perhaps gone one step too far. "You know I'll be at your side no matter what, don't you?"
She nodded. "And I'll be at yours."
"Do you want to talk some more?" He smoothed her hair back, wishing he had more experience with comforting people. Or with fixing things. "I'm all yours for as long as you want me around."
"Let's just stay here and drink tea and... maybe find some funny cat videos?"
Lord. The things he did for his sister. But he smiled and hugged her all the same. "That would be fine."
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Date: 2017-09-02 04:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-09-04 04:47 pm (UTC)