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Shen and Jeanne-Marie, late October 2
Jeanne-Marie returns late on the night after the Professor's announcement. Shen proves the best roommate ever, and lets her cry all over her.
After her argument with Jean-Paul, Jeanne-Marie went outside. First, she walked to the lake, gaze straight ahead, mind buzzing with a million things she didn't understand. Ignoring her phone, where texts and messages were blowing up from her friends who were all confused and excited and scared, just like her. Then, she took off and flew over the lake... and kept flying. North, as fast as she could go.
It wasn't all that fast, not without Jean-Paul.
The thought made her push herself harder. She flew some more. And some more. Until finally, long after dark, tired and windblown and pink-cheeked, she practically stumbled through the front door. Finding the house blessedly quiet, she slipped into her dark room. Shen slept quietly in her bed, so Jeanne-Marie quickly changed, and quietly got beneath her own sheets, back to her roommate. And stared at the wall.
The clock said it was after midnight. Her body hurt. She should've eaten something after all that flying. Something dark kept tugging at her, like something trying to steal the covers from her mind, and she had to keep pulling them back up to keep herself present and safe. How could she sleep like that?
How could she sleep when no one loved her, after all?
Eventually, she noticed she was crying. Not just crying, but sobbing hard, her pillow soaked, her breaths shaky and irregular. She couldn't stop even if she'd wanted to.
Shen wasn't immediately aware of what had woken her up, but when realization hit, she was out of her bed in an instant, and crossing the distance that separated her from Jeanne-Marie's. "Jeanne-Marie?" she asked quietly, not thinking of turning on the lights, sharp eyes acclimating to the darkness fast.
Jeanne-Marie heard Shen, but couldn't answer. Her throat was too tight and she needed her mouth for breathing--her nose was full of snot. She stayed curled on her side and tried to quiet down.
"Qīn, what's going on?" Shen asked as she sat beside her, reaching out to stroke her hand over her friend's back. "I'm here."
Jeanne-Marie rolled over and pressed her face into Shen's thigh, then threw an arm over her lap. "Sh-Shen..." she couldn't get any words out, though. She just needed a minute. Just one minute to catch her breath.
"Shhh, just let it out," Shen told her quietly, rubbing comforting circles on her back. "I've got you."
She wanted to punch in the face of whoever had made her so miserable, but for now her priority was Jeanne-Marie. Anger was set aside in favor of comfort and care.
For the next few moments, Jeanne-Marie drenched Shen's thigh in hot tears. But the hand on her back was calming, comforting in a way she'd rarely known before her brother had come into her life. If she could manage to not think of him for a few seconds...
Finally, her breaths came easier and the tears stopped flowing. Her stomach and eyes hurt, her face was hot and wet. She felt a little better though, at least physically. She pushed herself up to sitting, dragging her shirt over her face to dry it off. "I had a fight with my brother. It was awful."
Shen's wings, which had naturally come up a little over both of them, shifted back when Jeanne-Marie straightened up, and then Shen moved to grab a box of tissue, holding it out to Jeanne-Marie as she came back to sit with her. "Oh, Jeanne-Marie, I'm sorry."
She'd never really talked with the other Beaubier twin, but now right she wanted to yell at him. A lot. Whatever had happened, this was not right. Putting Jeanne-Marie in this state was never right.
"What was it about?" She figured it probably started with the announcement, but whether it was actually about that or had moved on to something else was another question altogether.
"The Professor's announcement. I knew Jean-Paul would hate it; it's what he's been afraid of since we came. That there was some secret--secret purpose" --Jeanne-Marie stuttered with a slight hiccup, an annoying byproduct of the sobs-- "to all of this, and that we'd be used somehow.
"He's--he's right, of course. But I think there's more to it. I--I want to stay and work against this Magneto. He-he--" She sniffled and had to hold back renewed sobs.
Shen set the box of tissues aside, drawing Jeanne-Marie into a hug. "Come here."
Jeanne-Marie scooted in and rested her head on Shen's shoulder, careful of her wings. "He said I was dreaming. But he wouldn't leave me here. Like I hadn't listened--like I hadn't thought of all those things. I'm not an idiot."
"You're not," Shen told her firmly, wrapping her arm, and her wing, around Jeanne-Marie. She pressed a kiss to her forehead, ran her other hand through her hair. "And he knows that, if he isn't an idiot. He was probably just freaking out, and really scared for you. And temporarily a moron." He did not usually sound like an idiot, after all.
"No, it's not temporary." Jeanne-Marie still clung to Shen, but she was managing to breathe. "I tried to stop him. I grabbed his arm and said all that. That he wasn't my martyr and I wasn't stupid.
"The way he looked at me..." She shivered a little. "He hates me now."
"He can't hate you," Shen answered, although there was an edge of uncertainty in her voice. He wouldn't, right? It wasn't as if she knew him. "No one could hate you." Her hand kept stroking Jeanne-Marie's hair, hoping to be comforting.
"You didn't see his face." Jeanne-Marie buried hers in Shen's neck. Jean-Paul had scared her, even if she knew on some kind of instinct that she had scared him, too. But he'd never looked at her like that before. He'd never made her feel so small with his words, then walked away. He'd always listened. So had she.
She was too tired to cry now, though. Which was good. "I just want to be where I can do good. The most good."
"We will," Shen assured her softly, but firmly. There was no doubt of that in her mind. "We'll show him, just you wait."
Though she felt more confused than she had in a very long time, Jeanne-Marie lifted her head and nodded, still clinging. "We will.
"I'm stronger than this. I'm sorry. Thank you, Shen."
Shen shook her head. "At least your drama's real drama. You don't have to thank me - and you really don't have to apologize." She squeezed Jeanne-Marie's shoulder. "Talk to him when you feel strong enough. And we can push the beds together tonight." It had become the standard crisis response in their room, by this stage.
Jeanne-Marie melted a little with gratefulness and nodded. But her face hardened slightly beneath the tears, a muscle in her jaw working. "I don't know if I can talk to him, no matter how strong I feel... but I will get stronger. Starting tomorrow."
"Hey, whenever you're ready," Shen assured her, tilting her head in against Jeanne-Marie's. "And you know I'm there, whatever you need."
"Thank you." Jeanne-Marie took a deep breath and nuzzled at Shen. Then she sat up straight and dried her eyes on her shirt again. "Let's move the beds."
"Don't move," Shen told her, more than used to putting her superstrength to good use this way. A few seconds later, the beds were together, and she climbed back on hers, crawling over to Jeanne-Marie. "Do you think you can sleep? It'll feel better after you rest." It always did, no matter what 'it' was, in her experience.
"I'm exhausted," Jeanne-Marie admitted. "My head is spinning. Can we cuddle? I think I can sleep if we cuddle."
"Always," Shen assured her, shifting her wings so she could lie comfortably on her side, then holding an arm out to Jeanne-Marie.
Jeanne-Marie went to her and snuggled in close, her cheek against Shen's shoulder, her arm over her stomach. "You're the best roommate anyone ever had." She said once she was settled, her breathing automatically aligning with Shen's. Her face still felt hot and swollen and her throat hurt, but... yes. She could sleep like this.
Shen settled her wing over them, cutting them off from the outside world. "Only because you are." She tried to hold back a yawn, and failed. Then she nuzzled Jeanne-Marie's hair before settling down.
"I love your wings." Jeanne-Marie yawned too. And then she fell asleep.
After her argument with Jean-Paul, Jeanne-Marie went outside. First, she walked to the lake, gaze straight ahead, mind buzzing with a million things she didn't understand. Ignoring her phone, where texts and messages were blowing up from her friends who were all confused and excited and scared, just like her. Then, she took off and flew over the lake... and kept flying. North, as fast as she could go.
It wasn't all that fast, not without Jean-Paul.
The thought made her push herself harder. She flew some more. And some more. Until finally, long after dark, tired and windblown and pink-cheeked, she practically stumbled through the front door. Finding the house blessedly quiet, she slipped into her dark room. Shen slept quietly in her bed, so Jeanne-Marie quickly changed, and quietly got beneath her own sheets, back to her roommate. And stared at the wall.
The clock said it was after midnight. Her body hurt. She should've eaten something after all that flying. Something dark kept tugging at her, like something trying to steal the covers from her mind, and she had to keep pulling them back up to keep herself present and safe. How could she sleep like that?
How could she sleep when no one loved her, after all?
Eventually, she noticed she was crying. Not just crying, but sobbing hard, her pillow soaked, her breaths shaky and irregular. She couldn't stop even if she'd wanted to.
Shen wasn't immediately aware of what had woken her up, but when realization hit, she was out of her bed in an instant, and crossing the distance that separated her from Jeanne-Marie's. "Jeanne-Marie?" she asked quietly, not thinking of turning on the lights, sharp eyes acclimating to the darkness fast.
Jeanne-Marie heard Shen, but couldn't answer. Her throat was too tight and she needed her mouth for breathing--her nose was full of snot. She stayed curled on her side and tried to quiet down.
"Qīn, what's going on?" Shen asked as she sat beside her, reaching out to stroke her hand over her friend's back. "I'm here."
Jeanne-Marie rolled over and pressed her face into Shen's thigh, then threw an arm over her lap. "Sh-Shen..." she couldn't get any words out, though. She just needed a minute. Just one minute to catch her breath.
"Shhh, just let it out," Shen told her quietly, rubbing comforting circles on her back. "I've got you."
She wanted to punch in the face of whoever had made her so miserable, but for now her priority was Jeanne-Marie. Anger was set aside in favor of comfort and care.
For the next few moments, Jeanne-Marie drenched Shen's thigh in hot tears. But the hand on her back was calming, comforting in a way she'd rarely known before her brother had come into her life. If she could manage to not think of him for a few seconds...
Finally, her breaths came easier and the tears stopped flowing. Her stomach and eyes hurt, her face was hot and wet. She felt a little better though, at least physically. She pushed herself up to sitting, dragging her shirt over her face to dry it off. "I had a fight with my brother. It was awful."
Shen's wings, which had naturally come up a little over both of them, shifted back when Jeanne-Marie straightened up, and then Shen moved to grab a box of tissue, holding it out to Jeanne-Marie as she came back to sit with her. "Oh, Jeanne-Marie, I'm sorry."
She'd never really talked with the other Beaubier twin, but now right she wanted to yell at him. A lot. Whatever had happened, this was not right. Putting Jeanne-Marie in this state was never right.
"What was it about?" She figured it probably started with the announcement, but whether it was actually about that or had moved on to something else was another question altogether.
"The Professor's announcement. I knew Jean-Paul would hate it; it's what he's been afraid of since we came. That there was some secret--secret purpose" --Jeanne-Marie stuttered with a slight hiccup, an annoying byproduct of the sobs-- "to all of this, and that we'd be used somehow.
"He's--he's right, of course. But I think there's more to it. I--I want to stay and work against this Magneto. He-he--" She sniffled and had to hold back renewed sobs.
Shen set the box of tissues aside, drawing Jeanne-Marie into a hug. "Come here."
Jeanne-Marie scooted in and rested her head on Shen's shoulder, careful of her wings. "He said I was dreaming. But he wouldn't leave me here. Like I hadn't listened--like I hadn't thought of all those things. I'm not an idiot."
"You're not," Shen told her firmly, wrapping her arm, and her wing, around Jeanne-Marie. She pressed a kiss to her forehead, ran her other hand through her hair. "And he knows that, if he isn't an idiot. He was probably just freaking out, and really scared for you. And temporarily a moron." He did not usually sound like an idiot, after all.
"No, it's not temporary." Jeanne-Marie still clung to Shen, but she was managing to breathe. "I tried to stop him. I grabbed his arm and said all that. That he wasn't my martyr and I wasn't stupid.
"The way he looked at me..." She shivered a little. "He hates me now."
"He can't hate you," Shen answered, although there was an edge of uncertainty in her voice. He wouldn't, right? It wasn't as if she knew him. "No one could hate you." Her hand kept stroking Jeanne-Marie's hair, hoping to be comforting.
"You didn't see his face." Jeanne-Marie buried hers in Shen's neck. Jean-Paul had scared her, even if she knew on some kind of instinct that she had scared him, too. But he'd never looked at her like that before. He'd never made her feel so small with his words, then walked away. He'd always listened. So had she.
She was too tired to cry now, though. Which was good. "I just want to be where I can do good. The most good."
"We will," Shen assured her softly, but firmly. There was no doubt of that in her mind. "We'll show him, just you wait."
Though she felt more confused than she had in a very long time, Jeanne-Marie lifted her head and nodded, still clinging. "We will.
"I'm stronger than this. I'm sorry. Thank you, Shen."
Shen shook her head. "At least your drama's real drama. You don't have to thank me - and you really don't have to apologize." She squeezed Jeanne-Marie's shoulder. "Talk to him when you feel strong enough. And we can push the beds together tonight." It had become the standard crisis response in their room, by this stage.
Jeanne-Marie melted a little with gratefulness and nodded. But her face hardened slightly beneath the tears, a muscle in her jaw working. "I don't know if I can talk to him, no matter how strong I feel... but I will get stronger. Starting tomorrow."
"Hey, whenever you're ready," Shen assured her, tilting her head in against Jeanne-Marie's. "And you know I'm there, whatever you need."
"Thank you." Jeanne-Marie took a deep breath and nuzzled at Shen. Then she sat up straight and dried her eyes on her shirt again. "Let's move the beds."
"Don't move," Shen told her, more than used to putting her superstrength to good use this way. A few seconds later, the beds were together, and she climbed back on hers, crawling over to Jeanne-Marie. "Do you think you can sleep? It'll feel better after you rest." It always did, no matter what 'it' was, in her experience.
"I'm exhausted," Jeanne-Marie admitted. "My head is spinning. Can we cuddle? I think I can sleep if we cuddle."
"Always," Shen assured her, shifting her wings so she could lie comfortably on her side, then holding an arm out to Jeanne-Marie.
Jeanne-Marie went to her and snuggled in close, her cheek against Shen's shoulder, her arm over her stomach. "You're the best roommate anyone ever had." She said once she was settled, her breathing automatically aligning with Shen's. Her face still felt hot and swollen and her throat hurt, but... yes. She could sleep like this.
Shen settled her wing over them, cutting them off from the outside world. "Only because you are." She tried to hold back a yawn, and failed. Then she nuzzled Jeanne-Marie's hair before settling down.
"I love your wings." Jeanne-Marie yawned too. And then she fell asleep.