xp_logs | laurie and darcy: touch (backdated)

xp_darcy posting in

Laurie is asked to leave the medlab because of her powers and doesn't take it well. Darcy offers a little trust.

Laurie burst into the lab she'd been sharing with Darcy as they worked on her physiotherapy and researched anything that might help her get back what she'd lost. She barely acknowledged Darcy with an eye-flick in her direction before she started ranting, her hand waving to emphasize her distress.

"Clarice asked me to leave. Me! Jean herself asked me to stay when I tried to quit and now they won't even let me do the things I'm good at."

Darcy was startled as Laurie burst in, dropping one of her earbuds next to her notebook just in time to catch the bulk of the rant. She raised one eyebrow at her friend. "Did she give you a reason, or did the two of you butt heads again without someone on hand to mediate?"

“My powers, of course. Because I’m always the monster that hides under people's beds and will make them do my bidding if I’m ever allowed to forget how scary I am.”

Laurie hadn’t slowed down her pacing and her agitation was clearly gaining steam as she ranted.

"C'mon babe, you know better than that." Darcy set her pen down and gave Laurie her full attention. "Did things go shit sideways? If Clarice is worried about your powers scaring people that know you then it sounds like something traumatic happened."

Laurie paused in her pacing and gave Darcy such a look of bleak despair it was breathtaking in its immensity.

“Kyle’s hurt and they won’t let me see him.”

"Then something really bad happened," Darcy stressed. Her phone buzzed against the table, and she looked at the message, tapping a brief reply. Attention back on Laurie, she held out a hand. "I know it sucks to be on this side when our friends are hurting, but Clarice is logical enough to not kick you out for some metaphorical dick-waving contest if the medlab has patients."

Laurie nodded, moving across to her lab chair and slumping down into it with an air of defeat.

“I know you’re right. It’s just that I hate that I can’t do anything to help. I hate that my mere presence is a trigger now. I can only imagine what that means.”

Darcy didn't really want to think about what that meant. "Why don't I tell Clarice we'll handle any of the small shit in here until people are awake, and I'll do supply runs if we need them? You still get to do your job and I know enough to do some of the cleaning and bandage wrapping."

She slid out of her seat and moved over to Laurie. "Do you want a hug? I feel like you need one."

Laurie blinked at the question, wondering when the last time anyone had touched her had been. At least, the last time that hadn’t been clinical. She couldn’t remember, maybe a hug from Kyle?

“People don’t like getting too close to me.”

"Honestly should've hugged you ages ago. You're my friend and friends get hugs whenever they want." Darcy made grabby hands as she smiled at Laurie. "What do you say, Doc? Up for a little touchy-feely time?"

Laurie hesitated, face carefully blank as she examined Darcy for any hesitancy before she reluctantly moved forward and allowed the other woman to embrace her. She was taller and had to bend slightly to curl her one good arm and what was left of the other around Darcy's shoulders.

"I don't understand how you are never afraid of me."

Darcy squeezed a little tighter at the remark. "Maybe I just trust you to have control of your powers? If I flinched away from every person in the mansion that could whammy or hurt someone with their powers I'd have to start with myself, and that's no way to live."

She took a step out of the hug, loosely wrapping a hand around Laurie's good forearm. "Besides, we're mostly clothed. I'd maybe be a touch wary if we were in swimsuits and someone upset you enough that you had to worry about control, but here? Now? I'm choosing to trust you instead."

Laurie didn't stiffen at the contact but it took a moment for her to be able to look at Darcy in the eye. It wasn't that she never sort out contact with people, she just wasn't great at allowing people to see when things touched her in any way. Darcy was a friend and a good one but she'd seen what good friends could do when they thought you were dangerous to them.

"I don't really need contact," Laurie admitted slowly, not sure she'd ever had this conversation with Darcy before. It wasn't every day she really talked about what she could and couldn't do. "It helps with precision when I need it but you honestly just need to be in the same room with me. It doesn't work as well outside but what they did to me in Genosha increased the potency of the effect. It lasts longer and it's harder to resist for people who don't know what's happening."

Laurie sighed and stepped back, allowing Darcy's hand to drop off her good arm as she reached for the clipped shirt-sleeve of her bad to rub against the stump that remained.

"Still trust youuuuuuuuu," Darcy sang at Laurie with a smile. "Now c'mon, it's getting late. Time to get the heck out of the lab for the night?"

‘You shouldn’t,’ Laurie thought quietly but she smiled at Darcy, shaking off the feelings of inevitability to try for hope one last time.

“Sure, we could go see what everyone has been cooking?”

"I could eat, sure." Darcy dropped her notebook in her bag, crossing the room to open the door. "After you, my liege," she said with a wink and dramatic arm flourish.