Jean & Jessica, strange bedfellows
Sep. 18th, 2023 10:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsNot like that, you pervs. Jean and Jessica discover some common ground in a mutual antipathy. (Backdated)
It had started off as a nice day. Quiet, unassuming. The birds were chirping. She'd had a good cup of tea and a workout. But then somewhere around 9 am she smelled it: Axe Body Spray and hair gel. Coupled with the mental psi signature and it was def con 1 for Jean.
He was approaching too quickly from around the corner for her to back up without him seeing her, so she did the only thing she could do: hide.
Spying the door to the laundry room she flung it open and leaped inside.
He'd never go in there.
Silence reigned for a moment, and then the door swung open again - revealing not Warren, but rather a harassed Jessica Jones, who not only closed the door but kept a wary hand pressed to it as though to repel intruders. It was only after a few seconds of relief that she turned and noticed Jean, starting; and what had she escaped that her expression upon seeing Jean was relief, albeit relief with a tense-set mouth? "Sorry," she said belatedly. "I was just - uh - you know that guy Warren?"
Jean's eyes widened and she put her finger to her lips. "Shh shh shh," she said, then mouthed silently 'He's coming!' The look on Jean's face clearly showed that not only did she know him, she was also trying to hide from him too. The sound of footsteps grew louder, and a shadow darkened underneath the door, pausing. Covering her mouth, Jean waited, meeting Jessica's eyes with a sense of dread.
Literally holding her breath, Jessica froze. The moment stretched, and finally, finally the footsteps receded again. "Oh, thank God," Jess said, though her voice was noticeably quieter than usual.
Jean seemed to sag, closing her eyes as she leaned against the counter meant for folding clothes. "That was close," she muttered. Opening one eye, she paused.
"Are you okay? Other than the---close encounter." She was suddenly very aware that there were some pieces missing from this conversation, namely on Jessica's side.
Jess finally exhaled, the hunted look leaving her face. It was replaced with irritation as she glanced behind her at the closed door. "I - uh, I'm fine. That guy just thinks - he keeps trying to say - listen, it's too stupid to explain, but he's so fucking aggravating and I can't afford to get kicked out for punching him in the face."
Silent for a moment or two, Jean rubbed the back of her neck. "You wouldn't be the first to want to punch him..." Just how was she going to put this. She let out a breath.
"He's my ex-boyfriend."
Jess stared at the woman she privately thought of as "hot lady doctor". "You? Dated him? . . . You?"
Raising her hands, a look of guilt flickered across Jean's face. "I know. Not my finest moment. I was younger and stupid. I thought I could change him." She laughed, then grew quiet.
"I broke up after he cheated on me..." She glanced down. "With you."
If Jessica had been drinking anything, she would undoubtedly have choked on it. As it was, she made a little sound as air forced itself out of her lungs. Finally, she scrubbed a hand over her face, a look of deep consternation settling there, and then held up the hand, like she was fending off this knowledge.
"Are you seriously telling me that - that you dated that fucking guy, and he cheated on you - you, this - " (here she gestured with the hand, encompassing all of the hot lady doctor) - "with me?" She looked down at herself, then paused, letting this statement stand there: Unbelievable and yet clearly something that had, somehow, happened.
"That guy is the fucking worst."
A little taken aback, Jean found herself blushing slightly, then cleared her throat. "Absolutely. I wouldn't sleep with him. And instead of just breaking up with me he acted like a 15 year old boy," she muttered. She shook her head.
"But you are attractive too though? And apparently...something happened on the ceiling? I--" She pinched the tip of her nose.
"This is so awkward."
"I'm - " Jessica wasn't going to argue about their relative attractiveness, she just wasn't; it wasn't her job to convince a highly-educated hot redheaded telepath that the choice was so obvious as to be insulting. Nor was she going to touch the ceiling comment, because acknowledging it in conversation was dangerously close to accepting the possibility that it had happened, which she did not and would not and was not going to entertain at all, actually.
"Listen," she started again, with a backwards glance at the door, just in case, "That's not a choice I would make in my right mind, okay? That guy is not my type. At all."
Jean held up her hands. "Yeah, I know that now. Frankly I don't know what Bobbi sees in him. They're about to be married," she made a face. Not because of the marriage but because she worried he was going to do the same to Bobbi that he did to her. Even if they had an 'open' relationship.
This was no mystery to Jess. "He's rich, right?"
Pausing a moment, Jean seemed to sag with realization. "Touche. But it does feel like there's more than that. In a--weird way," she admitted, then shook her head. "As much as I'd love to continue to explore this adventure into nausea, I suspect both of us would like to desperately stop thinking about Warren Worthington. I don't sense him close by anymore if you need to be somewhere. I was about to get ready to go into town. Salem Center, not New York. Have you been?"
Jess shook her head. "Is that like - a suburb?" Her knowledge of the world outside the confines of Manhattan - Brooklyn and Long Island at a stretch - was limited. "I was just trying to avoid punching him in the face - I assume there's not an exception if the other guy is just an asshole. Other than that, my schedule is pretty much open."
"Oh, trust me...he deserves it. But punching other people in the Mansion is generally frowned upon," Jean said. Unfortunately. Unless they were evil. But she didn't want to mention previous shenanigans just yet. Things were awkward enough already.
Jean stretched her arms above her head, imminently more relaxed. "Salem Center is the closest town to the mansion. It's good if you need something quick and don't want to drive, or ask Clarice. I was going to grab some supplies. Figured you might want to venture out."
Jess looked at Jean for a moment, searching her face, then nodded. "That - sounds nice, actually. If you don't mind or anything." If there was a little strain in her hands, fingers moving subconsciously, it at least wasn't the same kind that Jess had exhibited just after waking up.
"I don't mind at all. If you're okay with helping to carry some bags," Jean said with a smile. "I'd use my powers but...the locals already think we're weird enough."
That made Jess snort. "I have no trouble believing that," she said dryly. Cat people, telekinetics touching your food with their brains, Warren - the locals probably thought this place was insane. "Sure, I don't mind carrying some stuff." Privately, she also thought it'd be nice to see the outside world again, now that she was up to more than just hobbling around.
Jean grinned softly. "Sounds like a plan then. I can drive. It's not that far," she said.
Less than three minutes later they were at the door to the motor pool. "There's a couple of bakeries, a donut shop, thrift store--"
Opening the door, the light came on to reveal the sheer variety of cars. "Mine's the Firebird," Jean said, pointing to the vintage looking car in the middle.
Jessica was trying hard not to gape at the number of cars, or the size of the garage. "Nice," she said faintly, blinking at a car that was certainly worth more than any taxi she'd ever caught to avoid walking home in the rain. "Thrift store would good," she added belatedly. Surely a thrift store would have some clothes that weren't appalling, like the ones Warren had cursed her with, or branded with some old guy's name.
"We can stop there first. I haven't been in awhile but it's pretty big from what I remember," Jean said, unlocking the door and leaning over to unlock Jessica's side. "Clothes and knicknacks."
"Clothes and . . . knickknacks," Jessica agreed, her voice doubtful on the entire concept of knickknacks. "Sounds good."
It had started off as a nice day. Quiet, unassuming. The birds were chirping. She'd had a good cup of tea and a workout. But then somewhere around 9 am she smelled it: Axe Body Spray and hair gel. Coupled with the mental psi signature and it was def con 1 for Jean.
He was approaching too quickly from around the corner for her to back up without him seeing her, so she did the only thing she could do: hide.
Spying the door to the laundry room she flung it open and leaped inside.
He'd never go in there.
Silence reigned for a moment, and then the door swung open again - revealing not Warren, but rather a harassed Jessica Jones, who not only closed the door but kept a wary hand pressed to it as though to repel intruders. It was only after a few seconds of relief that she turned and noticed Jean, starting; and what had she escaped that her expression upon seeing Jean was relief, albeit relief with a tense-set mouth? "Sorry," she said belatedly. "I was just - uh - you know that guy Warren?"
Jean's eyes widened and she put her finger to her lips. "Shh shh shh," she said, then mouthed silently 'He's coming!' The look on Jean's face clearly showed that not only did she know him, she was also trying to hide from him too. The sound of footsteps grew louder, and a shadow darkened underneath the door, pausing. Covering her mouth, Jean waited, meeting Jessica's eyes with a sense of dread.
Literally holding her breath, Jessica froze. The moment stretched, and finally, finally the footsteps receded again. "Oh, thank God," Jess said, though her voice was noticeably quieter than usual.
Jean seemed to sag, closing her eyes as she leaned against the counter meant for folding clothes. "That was close," she muttered. Opening one eye, she paused.
"Are you okay? Other than the---close encounter." She was suddenly very aware that there were some pieces missing from this conversation, namely on Jessica's side.
Jess finally exhaled, the hunted look leaving her face. It was replaced with irritation as she glanced behind her at the closed door. "I - uh, I'm fine. That guy just thinks - he keeps trying to say - listen, it's too stupid to explain, but he's so fucking aggravating and I can't afford to get kicked out for punching him in the face."
Silent for a moment or two, Jean rubbed the back of her neck. "You wouldn't be the first to want to punch him..." Just how was she going to put this. She let out a breath.
"He's my ex-boyfriend."
Jess stared at the woman she privately thought of as "hot lady doctor". "You? Dated him? . . . You?"
Raising her hands, a look of guilt flickered across Jean's face. "I know. Not my finest moment. I was younger and stupid. I thought I could change him." She laughed, then grew quiet.
"I broke up after he cheated on me..." She glanced down. "With you."
If Jessica had been drinking anything, she would undoubtedly have choked on it. As it was, she made a little sound as air forced itself out of her lungs. Finally, she scrubbed a hand over her face, a look of deep consternation settling there, and then held up the hand, like she was fending off this knowledge.
"Are you seriously telling me that - that you dated that fucking guy, and he cheated on you - you, this - " (here she gestured with the hand, encompassing all of the hot lady doctor) - "with me?" She looked down at herself, then paused, letting this statement stand there: Unbelievable and yet clearly something that had, somehow, happened.
"That guy is the fucking worst."
A little taken aback, Jean found herself blushing slightly, then cleared her throat. "Absolutely. I wouldn't sleep with him. And instead of just breaking up with me he acted like a 15 year old boy," she muttered. She shook her head.
"But you are attractive too though? And apparently...something happened on the ceiling? I--" She pinched the tip of her nose.
"This is so awkward."
"I'm - " Jessica wasn't going to argue about their relative attractiveness, she just wasn't; it wasn't her job to convince a highly-educated hot redheaded telepath that the choice was so obvious as to be insulting. Nor was she going to touch the ceiling comment, because acknowledging it in conversation was dangerously close to accepting the possibility that it had happened, which she did not and would not and was not going to entertain at all, actually.
"Listen," she started again, with a backwards glance at the door, just in case, "That's not a choice I would make in my right mind, okay? That guy is not my type. At all."
Jean held up her hands. "Yeah, I know that now. Frankly I don't know what Bobbi sees in him. They're about to be married," she made a face. Not because of the marriage but because she worried he was going to do the same to Bobbi that he did to her. Even if they had an 'open' relationship.
This was no mystery to Jess. "He's rich, right?"
Pausing a moment, Jean seemed to sag with realization. "Touche. But it does feel like there's more than that. In a--weird way," she admitted, then shook her head. "As much as I'd love to continue to explore this adventure into nausea, I suspect both of us would like to desperately stop thinking about Warren Worthington. I don't sense him close by anymore if you need to be somewhere. I was about to get ready to go into town. Salem Center, not New York. Have you been?"
Jess shook her head. "Is that like - a suburb?" Her knowledge of the world outside the confines of Manhattan - Brooklyn and Long Island at a stretch - was limited. "I was just trying to avoid punching him in the face - I assume there's not an exception if the other guy is just an asshole. Other than that, my schedule is pretty much open."
"Oh, trust me...he deserves it. But punching other people in the Mansion is generally frowned upon," Jean said. Unfortunately. Unless they were evil. But she didn't want to mention previous shenanigans just yet. Things were awkward enough already.
Jean stretched her arms above her head, imminently more relaxed. "Salem Center is the closest town to the mansion. It's good if you need something quick and don't want to drive, or ask Clarice. I was going to grab some supplies. Figured you might want to venture out."
Jess looked at Jean for a moment, searching her face, then nodded. "That - sounds nice, actually. If you don't mind or anything." If there was a little strain in her hands, fingers moving subconsciously, it at least wasn't the same kind that Jess had exhibited just after waking up.
"I don't mind at all. If you're okay with helping to carry some bags," Jean said with a smile. "I'd use my powers but...the locals already think we're weird enough."
That made Jess snort. "I have no trouble believing that," she said dryly. Cat people, telekinetics touching your food with their brains, Warren - the locals probably thought this place was insane. "Sure, I don't mind carrying some stuff." Privately, she also thought it'd be nice to see the outside world again, now that she was up to more than just hobbling around.
Jean grinned softly. "Sounds like a plan then. I can drive. It's not that far," she said.
Less than three minutes later they were at the door to the motor pool. "There's a couple of bakeries, a donut shop, thrift store--"
Opening the door, the light came on to reveal the sheer variety of cars. "Mine's the Firebird," Jean said, pointing to the vintage looking car in the middle.
Jessica was trying hard not to gape at the number of cars, or the size of the garage. "Nice," she said faintly, blinking at a car that was certainly worth more than any taxi she'd ever caught to avoid walking home in the rain. "Thrift store would good," she added belatedly. Surely a thrift store would have some clothes that weren't appalling, like the ones Warren had cursed her with, or branded with some old guy's name.
"We can stop there first. I haven't been in awhile but it's pretty big from what I remember," Jean said, unlocking the door and leaning over to unlock Jessica's side. "Clothes and knicknacks."
"Clothes and . . . knickknacks," Jessica agreed, her voice doubtful on the entire concept of knickknacks. "Sounds good."
no subject
Date: 2024-05-04 03:21 am (UTC)ahahahaha
"But you are attractive too though? And apparently...something happened on the ceiling?"
AHAHAHAHA
Just love these little reminders of the everyday horror it is to be Jessica Jones (and, for Jean's part, to live with the burden of having dated Warren Worthington III).
no subject
Date: 2024-05-04 05:11 am (UTC)Warren Worthington, bringing women together.
I love the repetition of "not" in this line. A mantra.
Lots of great quips and lines in here — from Jean's confessions to Jess' inability to parse this hot doctor.
A great bit of comedy (and a fun pun at the end there).
no subject
Date: 2024-05-05 02:03 am (UTC)