xp_logs | Angelo and Jubilee (Reply)

Angelo goes to see Jubilee in Madelyn's suite to talk to her about her post, and they come to better terms.

It was an oddly nervous Angelo who came to knock on Madelyn's door, having checked the journals, wanting to see Jubilee. He stood waiting for a response, hoping Jubilee herself would open the door.

Jubilee glanced up at the door as she heard a knock, brow furrowing slightly as she realised she was going to have to open it. It wasn't that she couldn't open doors, Madelyn never would have left her alone in the suite if she couldn't. It was just that the awkwardness was irritating to someone who'd always been graceful.

"Who is it?" she called out, padding quietly towards the door.

"Angelo", he answered quietly, but not too quietly. "Can we talk?"

This was a surprise. Jubilee hadn't expected Angelo to ever want to 'grace' her with his presence again. She could just tell him to go away, she wanted to tell him to go away. Instead, she sighed and stepped forward, clutching at the door handle with her elbows and wrestling it open.

"We can talk." she replied as she stood back from the now open door.

He nodded gratefully, with a slight nervous smile. "I was hopin' so. Saw your post."

"Do me a favour and close the door?" Jubilee replied, walking back toward the sofa.

Okay, so she wasn't being at all welcoming and it really wasn't fair of her after she'd made that whole post about them all being family. Angelo had made the effort to come to her after all, had to count for something.

"Did you want somethin' to drink?" she asked.

He did so, before heading to sit in one of the armchairs. "Um... you got any juice?"

"Dude, you're in a doctor's suite. Of course we've got juice. Um...you're gonna need to serve yourself though. Bit hard to pick things up right now. Should be some apple and mango juice in the fridge." Jubilee replied, smile a little more obvious now as she relaxed.

He grinned, getting up to fetch it. "So, um. Yeah. Your post..."

"Bit dramatic, wasn't it? Just wanted to tell people somethin' without makin' a big deal about it. Guess it's not the kinda subject you can be coy about." Jubilee replied, curling her legs underneath her on the sofa.

He shrugged. "You gotta do what you gotta do, I always figured. Anyway, reason I came was... seems like we've got a bit more in common than I knew."

"How so?" she asked, then grinned as she realised how formal she sounded.

She'd been cutting down on the slang lately, although she couldn't exactly say why. Still, she didn't want to start sounding like some advertisement for a swanky boarding school. Even if she did go to what was essentially a swanky boarding school.

"Sorry, been practicing my ps and qs for college applications." Jubilee explained.

He chuckled slightly, then turned more serious again, explaining, "Your parents... an' my dad."

"Your dad?" she asked, surprised.

It wasn't every day that someone claimed the unenviable position of likeness through death. She wasn't entirely sure how to react.

He nodded uncomfortably. "Yeah, um... same kind of situation." He was finding himself a little reluctant to talk about it, now, but he'd wanted to let her know someone else had been there...

She'd very rarely had a conversation with a boy that wasn't yelling, being overly peppy and hyper or hadn't somehow involved sex. She supposed there was still time to turn over that new leaf.

"Sit down." she said, softly. "Tell me about it, if you want."

He sat, and tried to start. "I was five. It was a muggin', he'd been out... an' he came home an' collapsed."

Was this where they formed the 'Dead parents club' and told each other all their innermost secrets? Played with ponies and babysat the little kids for pocket money? Jubilee hid the smile that formed when she imagined herself plaiting Angelo's hair.

'Okay, that was seriously bitchy, Lee.' she thought. 'Guy is here, spillin' his guts about how he saw his Dad gunned down at 5 and you're off makin' sarcastic comments in yer head.'

Jubilee winced slightly, nose scrunching as she frowned. She was feeling somewhat irritable since Carlie had left, having lost her ability to look at journals or reply to them except when Madelyn got back from Medlab. She was feeling restless and petulant, and had been getting the urge to just use her hands anyway and stuff the consequences.

"That can't have been easy for a five year old." Jubilee replied. "What happened after that?"

"Mom called an ambulance an' started tryin' to stop the bleedin', told me to go upstairs... an' I didn't."

Jubilee did smile then, shaking her head as Angelo looked at her in surprise. "Sorry. Just, should've known you'd be as defiant a kid as you are now, is all. So, why didn't you go upstairs?"

"I... I don't remember. I think I was scared... I didn't know what was goin' on..."

Jubilee wasn't a cruel girl, albeit unsocialised and even now somewhat feral in her attitudes. She'd spent the better part of her life learning to live without relying on anyone, learning to be cold. She could see how hard this was on Angelo, and without really making the conscious decision she shifted closer, reaching out hesitantly as though to touch his shoulder.

"It's hard." she said softly. "And they don't tell you anything cause they're think you're too young. They just get this look in thier eyes, like they have to jolly you along. I think maybe they're scared shitless that they'll do the wrong thing, and you're just gonna crack up in front of them, an it'll have been their fault you're a gibbering mess."

He nodded. "Yeah, that's it. An' they don't wanna talk about it themselves, an' they're not sure you'll understand if they try an' talk to you about it, when you're that young... This is why I came over. T'tell you, you're not the only one that's been there."

"Yeah. This place, think it taught me that. That I ain't alone. Took me awhile to pay attention though. Thanks, Angelo, for tellin' me. I know it's not easy talkin' about it. Shit, took me forever to talk about my parents."

She did place a hand on his shoulder then, resting it gently to avoid hurting herself.

Remembering her burns, he didn't lean into the contact, but he did smile gratefully. "I've told... maybe three people here. 's not easy, acceptin' that you're not alone when it's what you're used to."

Jubilee nodded, smiling. "So, does this mean I'm forgiven for the horrible stuff I said to you awhile back?"

"You are if I am", he answered with a slight smile of his own.

Jubilee shrugged. "You were only stickin' up for yer friend, I can get that. So, how do you feel about bein' someone's hands for a bit? I've absolutely dying for a smoke and it's not like I'm gonna ask Mads for that."

He laughed. "Well, hell, I was sharin' my cigarettes with Jono for months. One's not gonna hurt you much." He fished out his pack and lighter.

"Whoa there, soldier. Let's go down to the porch, hey? Was about to go for my morning stumble anyhow, an that way Mads doesn't murder us both for stinkin' up her room with smoke smell." Jubilee said, standing slowly.

"Heh. Good point", he conceded, watching her carefully in case her balance failed her. "The porch it is."