Jessica Jones
Heroes 
God didn't do this. The Devil did. And I'm going to find him.
Posts: 51 
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Post by Jessica Jones on Sept 6, 2017 21:31:02 GMT -5
Jessica managed her famed half smirk and almost tenderly ran her hand through her little sister's hair, playfully tussling it at the last second. "You'll always be a squirt to me," she teased. "Taller or not, you're still my little munchkin. Which, if you think about it, kinda makes dad a leprechaun." She chuckled and took her favorite bottle off the shelf and poured herself a glass. She took a hearty sip and let out a sigh.
Now, she really was home.
Then, her eyes fell to the toolbox on the counter that Laura had fetched. It used to be a brilliant shade of red, but it had faded to a horrible shade of ... well, she could only describe it as puke. She stepped over to it and carefully brushed some of the dust away, feeling where she had carved her name into it. Jessica Jones Cade. For some reason, her stomach started to churn against it and her mouth went dry, so she took another sip of her drink, and it seemed to help.
When she opened it, she found that her belongings had remained completely undisturbed through the years. She took them out one by one to look at them, almost smiling.
A half broken bottle from the first bar fight she'd ever been in. She remembered Artie had to intervene and pull her off of Freddy Three-Toes. She couldn't even remember what it was about, but she remembered being pissed off and Artie flailing around like a fish out of water trying to break up the fight.
Then there was her first camera, half torn apart from when she had decided to try to figure out how it worked. She wanted to take after her dad and learn to tinker with things smaller than cars. She had pulled the camera apart and tried to put it all back together, but it never worked quite right again. She pulled it apart again and tried to figure out what went wrong, but decided it was better to hide it and never speak of it again.
Next was her favorite wrench. She never could figure out why it was her favorite, other than she used it more than any other wrench in the shop. But she could always tell it was hers when she saw her grip imprint on it. She had a bad habit of either gripping the wrench too tightly or breaking the head of the wrench off entirely. But she was always careful with this one. This one was practically ergonomic.
Finally, at the bottom of the box, was a picture of the three of them. Laura sitting on Jessica's shoulder and Artie at her side, standing in front of the ferris wheel. She gingerly picked it up and looked at it, feeling tears prickling at the corners of her eyes again. It felt like so long ago when this picture was taken, she wasn't sure they were even the same people anymore.
".... I wish I had returned sooner too," she said at last. "But ... well, I think you understand why I couldn't. Don't you?"
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X-23
Heroes
There are two types of people. you are weak, or you are me.
Posts: 120
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Post by X-23 on Sept 15, 2017 5:55:55 GMT -5
Laura smiled and thought that maybe, just maybe, she was alright with being called squirt right now, only this once though. Only because things actually felt normal between them. "Father would simply keep the gold." Was her opinion, even if it did amuse her to picture him dressed in the strange green outfit Leprechauns were known for. "perhaps on Halloween we can convince him." Probably not but Laura had always found better luck convincing Father to do things he didn't want to when Jessica was on her side.
The items were things Laura understood the function of, but other then the photograph, was not entirely certain of the reasons they were emotionally valuable to Jessica, all she was certain of was that it had made her big sister happy to have them back. So that was all that mattered, and Laura gave her the time to sort through it all without questioning the significance of any of them. It had been years, but finally there was time for small things like that again.
The question was a fair one, and Laura nodded before replying. "I believe I do. Yes." There were places Laura refused to consider going back to, she could not resent Jessica for wanting the same. She waited until Jessica wasn't holding any of the valuable objects, before she moved over and hugged her big sister tightly, wrapping her arms around Jessica's waist. "I am sorry Jessica. i have been horrible to you tonight." And in her thoughts the last few years. "I was stupid and upset." Laura felt like dragging the earlier emotions back up might have not been the smartest thing, but she felt like she had to just say this and have it in the open or it would only fester between them. at least now it would be done with.
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Jessica Jones
Heroes
God didn't do this. The Devil did. And I'm going to find him.
Posts: 51
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Post by Jessica Jones on Nov 27, 2017 21:42:02 GMT -5
When Laura hugged her, it felt like a weight had been lifted from Jessica's shoulders. She curled her arms around her little sister, feeling hot tears prickling at her eyes. She had wanted to say so many things in that moment. A million words came and went, but nothing seemed right. All she could do was cling to Laura and hope the words came to her.
As she waited for inspiration, she smoothed down Laura's hair, trying to take in the reality of it all.
She was home. She was really home.
She had her most prized possessions.
She had her sister.
She had everything she had missed over the past several years, and she didn't know she had missed it until now.
Finally, it felt like the right words came to mind, and she pulled back, keeping a tender hand on the back of Laura's neck.
"You're my sister. If I can't take the shit you say with a grain of salt, I'm not doing my job as a sister."
She managed the sort of half smirk that she was famous for, in lieu of smiling.
"Besides. I kinda miss some of the bullshit you sling out."
Her hand slid up from the back of Laura's neck, bringing all of her hair with it, until he hair covered her entire face.
"This is a good look for you."
She messed up her sister's hair and smirked a little more.
It felt good. It felt right, getting back to normal. It wasn't quite like she had never left, but it was close.
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X-23
Heroes
There are two types of people. you are weak, or you are me.
Posts: 120
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Post by X-23 on Dec 6, 2017 16:52:41 GMT -5
It was surreal how the entire world could change in what felt like minutes at least. It was strange how an attack by the police and everything that had come of that felt utterly insignificant and already fading into the back of her memory. the consequences be damned because things felt NORMAL between them when Laura had thought that'd never be possible again.
Laura smiled in relieved happiness at Jess's explanation. "I still do not have your tendency for vulgarity, but I am glad all the same." she answered, looking up at Jessica. It occurred to her that she was still shorter then Jess even after Laura's many years of growing and with a little disappointment finally accepted she wasn't ever catching up in that department. The feeling she was left with helped her understand Father a little better.
And then she was swatting at Jessica's hand to try and get it way from her hair as everything went black from the influx of hair. "JES-" Laura started to shout, but her hair just got into her mouth and she had to stop, spluttering and trying to cough it out in vain. Which was hard because now she was chuckling, and that just made everything worse. She managed to get a couple steps back, and finally she was able to try and smooth her hair back into something resembling what she usually had it like.
She was hyper aware some of her hair was now ruffled and sticking up in odd directions, which was quite maddening but her closest hairbrush was upstairs and running for it now would only give Jessica more satisfaction. "I am going to get you for this you know." she promised with a far from serious vow.
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Post by Artie Cade on Dec 11, 2017 14:48:32 GMT -5
Artie had been listening from the office, petrified of how it might all go.
He felt a pulsing hole inside him, deeper than his heart, almost hollowing out through his spine. This feeling of questioning himself. Of guilt. How could he have been so angry as to turn Laura against her sister's memory?
The hole was shame, that's what it was.
He didn't deserve them. Though, truth be told, he seldom felt he did.
But...they didn't fight? They weren't yelling at each other?
Artie's eyes widened for a moment as he looked at the office door frame. He slowly and quietly limped to it, leaning on it as he listened.
They were....they sounded like they used to. The bar sounded like it used to. Their voices, nudging at each other.
Being a family.
If not for his sheer surprise at this incalculable turn of events, Artie would have let one last tear out. But he was wrung dry of them, and instead smiled broadly, rolling along his shoulder off the door frame into the hallway. An inadvertent chuckle escaped him as he limped over to his girls, but then he stopped, frozen, his grin faded.
".....Laura..." he said in a small voice, "....I should have told you. I know that now. I'm sorry....even if I know that doesn't cut it, it's not enough. But it's all I can offer. I can't fix the past."
He looked up at his Jessie.
"Even if I want to, more than anything." he went on as his gaze turned toward his youngest again, "....I understand if you're angry with me. But everything will be out in the open now. No more secrets."
He went quiet, clasping his hands across each other, looking down at his shoes.
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X-23
Heroes
There are two types of people. you are weak, or you are me.
Posts: 120
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Post by X-23 on Apr 24, 2018 14:56:33 GMT -5
Laura looked at her Father and tried as hard as she could to figure out what the hell she was meant to say. There was just too much. She was feeling hurt, angry, and more then a little betrayed at what he'd kept from her for years.
She wanted to start yelling again but that was the last thing she actually desired.
she wanted to bring the conversation back to a dozen different painful topics, and yet didn't want to loose the moment of happiness that'd only just started between her and Jessica.
She wanted to make Father feel better while being certain he deserved to feel guilty.
Laura's brain was a mess of contradictions. But one of the only things she was certain of was that Father truly was sorry. That Jessica had forgiven him, and her. That was far more important. Laura looked at Jessica, trying to get any idea of what she wanted Laura to do.
"I am still angry with you for not telling me the truth. We are going to talk about it. in depth." Laura finally said, before giving a weak shake of her head. "but another day. i know you are sorry, and having Jessica back is far more important. I do not want to prioritise my own emotions over her ever again."
Gently, Laura put a hand on Arties arm and when she spoke next, her voice was closer to the warmth she usually showed him. "i wish you had not lost Locke. I hope we are able to help you with your pain now that we know." it was strange trying to comfort Father over something he'd been dealing with longer then he'd known her. But she wanted to try.
"no more secrets." Laura promised as well, heading back behind the bar to once again pour the three of them their favourite drinks. If things were ever to return to normal between them, then Laura felt that it was the most familiar way for the three to spend an evening talking that was in order.
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Jessica Jones
Heroes
God didn't do this. The Devil did. And I'm going to find him.
Posts: 51
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Post by Jessica Jones on Apr 25, 2018 13:54:16 GMT -5
Jessica stood by and watched the moment between Artie and her sister. She wasn't sure how to feel about the moment. She was happy for Laura, that there were to be no more secrets. But watching this? She couldn't help but feel like an outsider again. Like she didn't belong. She quietly packed up her treasures back into the box and leaned against the bar, twitching as a familiar voice swam into her ears.
"You only make everything worse."
I only make everything worse.
"You should find somewhere else to stay."
I should find somewhere else to stay.
She looked down at her hands, trying to think of a place she could stay. She was almost sure she couldn't stay here.
Sure Laura would probably argue, and Artie might protest, but she had no reason to stay. Not really. Not right now, anyway.
She looked down at the counter and started writing a list of places she might be able to call home for a while. She knew better than to go too far into Hell's Kitchen, but Josie's was right on the edge of the border between Artie's turf and Kingpin's. Josie would take her in if she asked. Probably.
After writing a few ideas down, she looked back up at the two of them, trademark expressionless look on her face. That wasn't to say she wasn't feeling anything looking at them. On the contrary, she felt a great deal of things.
She felt, primarily, lonely. She couldn't place why, but the feeling was there. She did feel like an outsider. Artie was promising Laura no more secrets, and he was making no such promise to her. Why should he? She had only just got there. She had left. She didn't deserve that kind of promise. Not after what she had done to him.
No, she couldn't think like that. That wasn't what was going on at all. She was being silly.
When Laura poured her favorite drink, she swore in the back of her head. This was going to make it harder to back out of the room gracefully. All she wanted to do at this point in the night was to curl up in some crummy apartment somewhere and crawl into a bottle. It was becoming increasingly clear to her that she wasn't needed here and staying under this roof would only make things worse for Laura.
Her lips twitched in what tried to be a smile as she raised her glass in thanks, but she said nothing. She took a sip of her drink and tried to focus on the positives of the night, but that voice wouldn't let her.
"I'm sure they were having a perfectly fine night before you came in and ruined it."
But ... Artie and I shared a moment. He told me about Locke.
"Right, because he isn't known to manipulate people to get what he wants. And what he wants is you to stay here. Remember, he tried to have you killed."
"Shut up," she said out loud before she could stop herself. She put her hand to her head and closed her eyes.
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