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[oorah]

(𝙪𝙣:𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙙𝙤𝙜) 𝙩𝙚𝙭𝙩, 𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚, 𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙤 & 𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉.

Comments

[underachievement]

Yeah. [ Jess surrenders the word, full and welling despite its brevity. she has a dry swallow and does her best to mimick a sturdier tone like she used when they were barely acquaintances. ] And you have more.

[ as far as she's concerned, that's fact, not self-pity. she simply doesn't mean what he does to Kamala and his past proves a capacity for love and guidance that hers lacks. ] If there's a bullet this time, you have to let me take it.

[oorah]

[ that gets frank to sit up, feet dangling sideways off his chair, feeling his sudden sobriety like it was shot into his veins. he studies her eyes and finds... he can't dispute it. he's gotten to the point again where he has ties here, embedded well enough that they'd be difficult to uproot. jessica is nebulously attached to himself and kamala, but no one and nothing else except perhaps her lonely house on the edge of the village. ]

Jess... [ he shakes his head, but he's not disputing her directly, his hand coming up to push some hair idly off her face. ] There's not gonna be.

[ a bullet for her to take. and if he kills blaine? there will probably be pitchforks at his door, definitely not hers. they don't even know who she is and in moments like this he realizes she really is safer that way. ]

[underachievement]

[ She knows too little about the threat to trust that but welcomes the touch as if she does, canting her head against his fingertips almost imperceptibly. she isn't necessarily afraid of taking the hit, if she has to. she's not afraid to die. but she is tired of coming back, of so reluctantly cobbling together the bare minimum of a life only to have to throw it all away again. ]

If there is, don't be noble. [ she wants to sound acerbic but the urging edge ruins that from the first syllable. he won't be able to keep any promise he makes her, regardless. she's going to have to make herself a target without his help. well, with his help, without him knowing it. she's going to hate how easy it will be. ]

[oorah]

[ frank lets out a shallow breath, resting his temple against hers briefly. this is what she needs, he thinks. he digs deep and tries to imagine a situation he'd let her go it alone and just... can't. ] I'm not worried about anyone else here. Just you and Kam, that's my priority. [ she knows he won't let this place spiral into chaos either, but... he's been as hands-off as he could be. he's proven he can step back. ] It's never gonna be like it was again. [ that at least he can promise. ]

[underachievement]

[ she blinks long and restfully for the span of their quiet connection. it's brief; the relief is instantly gone. but she has it to remember for the next few nights. Jess nods solmenly to accept his promise for as much as she can. whoever this man is, he has no special ability without an equal or complement within the village. if those don't outnumber him at present, they can load up from the machine nearby. ]

You'll tell me about him when you get back. [ from dog housing it at Elektra's. ]

[oorah]

[ he opens his mouth to protest... he doesn't want to leave her, but bruno is sitting in front of him, wagging his stubby little tail. apparently, it's his time to go. ]

Okay. You'll call me? [ if she needs anything. he presses his lips to her forehead, leaning against her another second before forcing himself to get up with one hand on her shoulder. ]

[underachievement]

Yeah. [ she grunts more than says, then rubs at her lips with the back of her hand. ] I'll be here. [ on watch for as long as she can stand to be. then, she doesn't know. her house, maybe. it'll do until she can find a better place to truly isolate herself for a few minutes at a time. ]

[oorah]

I'll be back. [ bruno leaps into frank's arms the second he's got his feet under him and he just barely holds back the eyeroll as he catches him smoothly. ] You know where to find me, too. [ obviously. he hesitates, he really doesn't want to leave her alone down here. ]

[underachievement]

[ If he isn't going to roll his eyes, someone has to. she picks up the torch, then nudges her chin in the exit's direction. He's needed more elsewhere. ] Go.

[oorah]

[ he tips his head like he's going to say something else, but then just turns and walks out. ]