[ The laugh that burbles out of her at "I'm dealing with it" is half-mad. So, uh, that's how she feels about that. ]
I'm fucking trying! [ she truly screams at him. What is this whole shitshow if not a valiant attempt to get him to meet her halfway? But no, she can't make that choice for him, and Jess isn't so good a liar that she can convince herself, without his help, that she doesn't give a damn. He'll just keep showing up and reminding her that she does.
Her eyes flash with a pleading look. She washes it out with a grimace and digs the heels of her palms into her eyes. Exhausted by the futility of her outburst, Jess crouches down in an attempt to ground herself. Without a wall to sit back against, she just perches on the soles of her feet and wrestles with the strain inside her head, like her brain's in a vice. ]
( he doesn't expect her to erupt like that. he'd expected more jibes, more anger, more snide remarks but she screams and then she seems to wilt and he stands there, uncertain of what to do.
the only thing he knows is that he can't walk away. he's quiet, staring down at her before he crouches in front of her, wrestling with the idea of touching her or keeping his hands to himself. )
Would you please come back to my place with me? Neither of us need to be out in this.
( he doesn't want her to be alone right now and he doesn't want to be alone. his place is close enough and that they could walk. )
[ She may have more anger, jibes and snide remarks yet. For all either of them know, she's taking a beat in preparation for her second wind. Or she could be spent. Jess would sigh if she weren't in conscious control of her breath. She takes air deeply in, deeply out, otherwise unmoving.
Ending up back at housing had been her plan anyway, hence her proximity. Her roommate has moved out or gone home. She could sleep there again, or pass out in any of the vacant rooms of the topmost floors. Still can.
Another controlled breath and her hands drop from her face. She puts them to her knees and pushes herself upright, then starts to drag her feet towards the exit. ] Let's go.
( he pushes himself to his feet and sighs, turning to head over to the housing in the down. there's still a lot of water and he's already soaking wet from having come over here. he doesn't stop to wait for her, guessing she'll be behind him and he doesn't say anything either.
he has no idea if he wants to say anything after all that. so, he just walks, facing forward and keeping his hands at his sides. )
[ She needs the silence. Talk would distract her from the engrossing physical task of walking. Each step resonates heavily. Once they hit the street, her eyes are glued to her feet, and then to the sloshing floodwater around her legs.
Jess hasn't really paid attention to the success or failure of the ritual. The attacks from "ghosts" in the water may have stopped, or they may be doing something risky, wading around down here. But she's not going to leave him on his own while she flings herself from roof to roof.
As they near the apartments, her foot slips off a chunk of submerged rubble. Jess slips raggedly into the water, catching herself on a nearby wall. It jostles her stomach and stirs up nausea which slows her down as they continue. ]
( he hears more than sees her slip so he slows down and then stops, again wondering if he should reach out and touch her, give her something to lean against.
in the end, he just slows his pace to match hers, not saying anything, not offering to help because he knows that it'll get rejected. he could force it on her but he knows that'll just end badly.
so he continues staying silent and he keeps walking, his pace slower but still moving forward. )
[ He's letting her fend for herself, for better or worse. She's too focused on completing the journey to take note. If he had tried to help her, or touch her while she was collecting herself several minutes ago, she would have noticed that in a big way. And, as he predicted, reacted poorly. The subtlety of his tact will instead creep up on her. Hopefully while it's fresh in her memory and not after sleep and a hangover have muddled it into an indistinct blur.
Housing is a similar slog as the streets. Jess falls a step behind him, having never entered from below since it's flooded. She always goes from the top down. She follows him along the path of least resistance as they climb the floors to his place. ]
( it doesn't take them all that long to make the trek from where she'd been to his apartment. when he opens the door, it's empty and quiet as usual. he steps in, leaves the door open for her and then shuts it when she finds her way inside.
he nods over at the bed. that's where she needs to go. will she? marcos doubts it but she needs to sleep this off and he needs to sit and stew. )
Lay down, Jessica.
( he sighs, feeling the weight of all that had just happened sit on his shoulders before he takes a seat in a raggedy chair. )
[ Dreading sleep, Jess nonetheless approaches the bed in which she's rested several times before. She drops her bag on the floor beside it. Then she places a hand on the edge of the mattress and eases herself to the ground to sit with her back against the bed frame. Jess toils in pulling off her sodden boots and socks, carelessly depositing them near her bag. Her pants she'll just have to live with for now.
Posture crumbling to a slouch, her head falls back onto the mattress. She sighs with closed eyes. Any time now, second wind. ]
Jessica, you're falling asleep right there. Get up on the bed and close your eyes.
( if he didn't think he'd get his nose broken, he'd get over there, pick her up and put her on the bed but he doesn't move. he turns his gaze to her and tries to will her to do as he requests.
but she's the most stubborn woman that he thinks he's met in a long time. )
I'm not falling asleep. [ Her every word is weighted with fatigue. The ringed bruises on her neck, difficult to make out in the dark of night, pop out as a splash of color against her pale skin and black hair.
She slowly opens heavy eyelids. The featureless ceiling is just as undefined and mind-numbing as the black void behind closed eyes. ]
( his voice is harder now, stony and sharp. he doesn't know how to handle her right now and he's not going to keep beating his head against the wall by being helpful.
so, he's just going to shut up. he gets up, the chair scraping roughly across the floor and grabs himself a water, something he downs quickly before tossing it away.
and then he returns to the chair, rubbing his hands through his hair and turning his face away from her. )
[ Whatever she wants. It's an idea as big and belittling and untouchable as the sky. She blinks water from her eyes. A single set of tears trickle down her temples and disappear into her hair. He's far enough away she she doesn't think he'll notice, and she doesn't want to draw attention to it by wiping it away. She lets it dry, and the once-wet tracks make her skin feel taut.
Jess sighs and closes her eyes. She probably will fall asleep there. She does, small and worthless and soiled, even though what she wants is to stay awake. ]
( marcos waits a bit and when she doesn't say anything for an extended amount of time, he gets up, grabs the blanket off his bed and covers her with it.
he sticks around for a little longer before he leaves quietly, letting her sleep it off. )
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I'm fucking trying! [ she truly screams at him. What is this whole shitshow if not a valiant attempt to get him to meet her halfway? But no, she can't make that choice for him, and Jess isn't so good a liar that she can convince herself, without his help, that she doesn't give a damn. He'll just keep showing up and reminding her that she does.
Her eyes flash with a pleading look. She washes it out with a grimace and digs the heels of her palms into her eyes. Exhausted by the futility of her outburst, Jess crouches down in an attempt to ground herself. Without a wall to sit back against, she just perches on the soles of her feet and wrestles with the strain inside her head, like her brain's in a vice. ]
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the only thing he knows is that he can't walk away. he's quiet, staring down at her before he crouches in front of her, wrestling with the idea of touching her or keeping his hands to himself. )
Would you please come back to my place with me? Neither of us need to be out in this.
( he doesn't want her to be alone right now and he doesn't want to be alone. his place is close enough and that they could walk. )
no subject
Ending up back at housing had been her plan anyway, hence her proximity. Her roommate has moved out or gone home. She could sleep there again, or pass out in any of the vacant rooms of the topmost floors. Still can.
Another controlled breath and her hands drop from her face. She puts them to her knees and pushes herself upright, then starts to drag her feet towards the exit. ] Let's go.
no subject
( he pushes himself to his feet and sighs, turning to head over to the housing in the down. there's still a lot of water and he's already soaking wet from having come over here. he doesn't stop to wait for her, guessing she'll be behind him and he doesn't say anything either.
he has no idea if he wants to say anything after all that. so, he just walks, facing forward and keeping his hands at his sides. )
no subject
Jess hasn't really paid attention to the success or failure of the ritual. The attacks from "ghosts" in the water may have stopped, or they may be doing something risky, wading around down here. But she's not going to leave him on his own while she flings herself from roof to roof.
As they near the apartments, her foot slips off a chunk of submerged rubble. Jess slips raggedly into the water, catching herself on a nearby wall. It jostles her stomach and stirs up nausea which slows her down as they continue. ]
no subject
in the end, he just slows his pace to match hers, not saying anything, not offering to help because he knows that it'll get rejected. he could force it on her but he knows that'll just end badly.
so he continues staying silent and he keeps walking, his pace slower but still moving forward. )
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Housing is a similar slog as the streets. Jess falls a step behind him, having never entered from below since it's flooded. She always goes from the top down. She follows him along the path of least resistance as they climb the floors to his place. ]
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he nods over at the bed. that's where she needs to go. will she? marcos doubts it but she needs to sleep this off and he needs to sit and stew. )
Lay down, Jessica.
( he sighs, feeling the weight of all that had just happened sit on his shoulders before he takes a seat in a raggedy chair. )
no subject
[ Dreading sleep, Jess nonetheless approaches the bed in which she's rested several times before. She drops her bag on the floor beside it. Then she places a hand on the edge of the mattress and eases herself to the ground to sit with her back against the bed frame. Jess toils in pulling off her sodden boots and socks, carelessly depositing them near her bag. Her pants she'll just have to live with for now.
Posture crumbling to a slouch, her head falls back onto the mattress. She sighs with closed eyes. Any time now, second wind. ]
no subject
( if he didn't think he'd get his nose broken, he'd get over there, pick her up and put her on the bed but he doesn't move. he turns his gaze to her and tries to will her to do as he requests.
but she's the most stubborn woman that he thinks he's met in a long time. )
I'll wake you up in a few hours.
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I'm not falling asleep. [ Her every word is weighted with fatigue. The ringed bruises on her neck, difficult to make out in the dark of night, pop out as a splash of color against her pale skin and black hair.
She slowly opens heavy eyelids. The featureless ceiling is just as undefined and mind-numbing as the black void behind closed eyes. ]
Bet you'd like that.
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( his voice is harder now, stony and sharp. he doesn't know how to handle her right now and he's not going to keep beating his head against the wall by being helpful.
so, he's just going to shut up. he gets up, the chair scraping roughly across the floor and grabs himself a water, something he downs quickly before tossing it away.
and then he returns to the chair, rubbing his hands through his hair and turning his face away from her. )
no subject
Jess sighs and closes her eyes. She probably will fall asleep there. She does, small and worthless and soiled, even though what she wants is to stay awake. ]
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he sticks around for a little longer before he leaves quietly, letting her sleep it off. )