Paige and Angelo have a tickle fight

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Paige was forced to carry only half of her books at a time these days, not quite up to the regular load. She’d just finished up class and had managed some spare moments before her next one. Knowing full well that if she went to the library she would be found by Dr. McCoy, who had been taking a large interest in her progress and mutation, she veered off for the rec room.

Angelo was sitting in the rec room, half-watching the TV, killing time until his next class. He looked up when the door opened, and smiled happily on seeing Paige. "Hey! Good to see you up and about!"

Setting her books on one of the end tables, Paige returned the smile, settling next to him a little heavier than she would have liked. “Hi there, Angelo. Thank you. It’s good to be up, I thought I was going to go crazy.”

"Are you out of there for good now, then?" he asked.

Rolling her eyes playfully, Paige shook her head. “No. I still have to come back in the evening for check ups, and usually sleep down there. It’s not so bad really, and someone is finally checking out my mutation, but it’s… irritating sometimes. Keeping a husking journal and everything.”

Angelo hesitated for a moment, then asked tentatively, "Have you... have you seen Jono at all?"

Trying not to noticeably tense, Paige replied evenly, “Yes. He came to see me.”

Angelo, still unsure whether or not he should just drop the whole subject, continued, "...How did it go?"

Lowering her eyes, she lifted her shoulders halfheartedly in a shrug. “All right. He blames himself, was distant, and is leaving with Frost and Sarah to be sullen there. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

Angelo looked at her, hating to see her unhappy but not knowing what to say. "Maybe this trip will help. I mean, isn't he going so Ms. Frost can help him improve his control?"

“Yes. It will be very good for him. I’m hoping he’s willing to learn there.” Paige pulled a lint ball from her sweater and smiled, still unwilling to look up.

Angelo reached out without thinking and tilted her chin up so he could see her face. "Hey. Look at me. Are you OK?"

“Yes. I’m… no. No, I’m not.” She smiled sadly. “He didn’t want to be here in the first place. Now he doesn’t have to be.”

"He's coming back", Angelo reminded her quietly. "He won't even be gone for very long."

“I know. But who’s he going to be when he does?” Paige pulled her chin away only to rest her head on his shoulder. “I think it’s best to start ignoring me now and blaming it on the medication.”

Angelo looked down at her, a little surprised, then smiled softly. "When he comes back, if all goes well, he'll be happier, or the same. I can't imagine this changing anything for the worse..."

“I don’t put anything past Jono these days,” she said, almost inaudibly. “I always worry that one day he’s going to realize that he doesn’t need me. That he never has.”

Angelo instinctively put one arm around her, trying to offer comfort. "Paige... I don't know how to convince you that that's not true. But trust me on this, if you can - he does."

Paige closed her eyes, allowing herself this small comfort. She didn’t sound entirely convinced as she replied, but more defeated. “If you say so.”

Angelo squeezed her shoulder gently. "Hey. Would I say it if I didn't think it was true?"

“Possibly. Would you lie to make me feel better?”

Angelo considered his answer. Finally, he said, "I might. But not now. Because if I'm wrong, it won't help anyone. Right now, I'm telling you the truth as I see it."

Paige nodded a little but not enough to move herself away from him. “Thank you, then.”

"Hey, I just want you to feel better", he responded lightly. His arm tightened around her in a half-hug.

She let her arm slip around his waist, returning the hug. “I do. You’re… a good person, Angelo. Better than good, but anything else sounds mocking.”

Angelo smiled wryly. "I try, anyway", he said. "Best I can do."

“You’re doing a very good job.” She paused and issued a little smile herself. “Is this where I drastically change the topic to something happy like bunnies or satin ribbons?”

"If you want to", he answered, grinning. "Not sure how long I could talk about ribbons, though..."

She returned the grin, poking him lightly. “Okay then, bunny expert, how are you? Since we have discussed me for much too long. I’m starting to call myself whiny; I think that’s a sign.”

"Oh, I'm fine", he said. "I've been thinking about stuff and I think I'm OK with all that's happened. Or getting there, anyway..."

“Hear you. Don’t have to be a-okay all at once, Angelo. Worry if you were.”

He looked at her affectionately. "You're right, as usual. But... things are definitely getting better. There's just one thing I'd want to change, if I could." He trailed off, apparently lost in thought.

Paige waited for him to continue but after a long pause asked, “What would you change?”

He blinked and looked down. "I wish I could have told my mom I was leaving - or maybe even brought her too. She doesn't know what happened..."

“We told you, we’d find a way to bring her and I stand by that. I promise even.” She grasped his hand tightly. “I don’t break my promises, Angelo.”

He turned to look at her, squeezing her hand. "I know. I just hate that she's had to wonder if I'm even alive or dead, since I've been here."

Paige nodded again. “I know and I’m sorry. No one deserves what you’ve been through.”

He almost smiled at that. "But if it hadn't happened, I'd never have ended up here. And like I said in my journal, staying with the gang would probably have got me killed for real, and sooner rather than later." He squeezed her hand again. "It's OK. Really. Mostly."

“Why is it every time that I try to console you, it ends up the other way around, huh? You’re going to steal my hen title very soon.” She smiled, tickling him playfully.

Angelo wriggled, trying to pin her hands. "I'm not usually like this. You bring it out of me." He finally managed to get her hands pinned to the chair, and grinned at her triumphantly.

Paige squirmed and glared, trying to get away, but couldn’t hide her grin. “Yes, it’s a hidden part of my mutation. That, or there’s just something in the water. Everyone is on hen overdrive these days.”

Angelo grinned back, not letting go of her hands in case of further tickle attacks. "That's not a bad thing, though. Right?"

“Depends how you look at it. I’m very competitive. On a side note, I’m also prone to biting.” She bared her teeth, making mock chomping motions in his direction with a click as she attempted to escape.

"Bite me and you get tickled without mercy", he warned her. "Wanna see how long I can hold you down and tickle you before you get away?"

Paige gasped, struggling with new energy now. “You wouldn’t dare!”

Angelo raised an eyebrow. "Challenge taken", he said mischievously, moving one of her hands to the other side, so as to leave one of his own free. Then he began tickling her as promised.

“Angelo!” Paige screamed, smacking him with her free hand as she giggled helplessly. “You fiend! Unhand me!”

Angelo mock-sighed and proceeded to explain very slowly, "Not until you get free by yourself. I did tell you that, and you called me on it."

“May I remind you Mr. Espinosa that I am in a very… interesting position,” Paige said almost coyly through her laughter. She put a knee up, pressing very lightly against the fly of his jeans. “I’d hate to be the reason that you couldn’t have children one day.”

Angelo glanced down, and paled noticeably. "You... would totally do that, wouldn't you?"

Paige grinned wickedly. “My brother was quite adamant that I learn self defense.”

Angelo let go of her hands immediately, looking at her with some alarm, mixed with respect. "Thought you didn't like fighting?"

“There’s a difference between fighting and knowing how to protect yourself and those you care for,” Paige replied, looking up at him from her now quite comfortable position on the couch.

He managed a none-too-convincing hurt expression. "So why threaten me with physical damage? I don't call that very protective", he said teasingly.

Paige poked him, still mischievous. “Oh, with you it’s just because it’s fun.”

Angelo looked down at her, grinning. "Okay, no more tickling. Promise."

“Good. The idea of me being the cause of not getting to know your kids makes me sad.” She grinned brightly, all the hurt from before suddenly the furthest thing from her mind.

"Absolutely", Angelo nodded, mock-seriously. "Can't deprive you of the chance to be Auntie Paige."

Paige blanched a moment but shook it off to grin even wider, nodding. “I’m told I give very good horsy rides.”

Angelo raised one eyebrow, then decided that was just too easy, and therefore beneath him. "Yes, so Illyana's made a point of telling me. I'm not entirely sure why she decided to tell *me* that, but there you are."

“You’re very good with children?” Paige replied innocently.

Angelo paused to think about that, then shrugged. "I never really thought about it. I mean, I used to play football with the kids back home sometimes, and Illyana's a sweetheart, but... well. Yeah. I guess."

Reaching up, Paige tugged a piece of his hair, leaving her hand at his shoulder. “You are. You’re good with people in general, Angel.”

Angelo smiled at the nickname, moving a hand to tug gently at her hair in his turn. "So are you."

“That’s what happens when your family could take over all of Kentucky with the amount of people alone, mutant powers or no.” She smiled warmly in return.

Angelo shook his head, knowing she'd misunderstood. "I didn't mean you're good with kids, although you are. I meant you're a good person in general." Almost unconsciously, his hand strayed to tangle in her hair.

“As you said. I try.” Her fingers crept up his shoulder to the back of his neck, twirling the long pieces of hair.

"And as you said, you do a very good job", he told her, still playing with her hair.

She didn’t have anything genius to reply to that for once, and contented herself with directing an affectionate look to Angelo, her smiled still in place.

Angelo returned the smile, looking at her warmly, straight in the eyes.

With slight pressure at Angelo’s neck Paige brought him down closer. “Angel…”

Angelo looked down at her, all humor vanished from his eyes. He spoke softly, almost a whisper. "...Yeah?"

“I…” Her words caught and she swallowed hard with moisture that had suddenly left her mouth. “I…”

Angelo nodded, almost sure he knew what she was trying to say. Swallowing in his turn, he brought a hand up to run gently down the side of her face.

Keeping the hand at her cheek she arched her neck to meet him, a breath away. Her hand tightened in the back of his shirt, knuckles gone white.

Angelo gazed into her eyes, a little startled by what he saw there. Swallowing again, he said hoarsely, "Paige... are you sure?"

His voice jolted out of the place of little reason her mind had been residing in and her eyes went suddenly wide. She stared at him, poised and still for a moment before falling back to the couch, eyes closed and breathing hard. Her hands shook as they slipped from him, landing at her sides.

Angelo sighed, his suspicions confirmed. He moved away from her slightly, leaning back on the couch.

Sitting up, Paige took his hand and gave it a quick squeeze, eyes sad. “I’m sorry. It’s not… I just…”

"I know", he answered, turning to look at her. "Jono."

She forced herself to look back at him, still clenching his hand if only to get hers to stop shaking. “Yes.”

"You should..." Angelo paused, before forcing the words out. "You should go to him. Before he goes away. You should tell him the plain truth, so he can't get away from it."

“Yes,” she said again. Paige leaned in, hugging him tightly for a moment but not so long that he could pull away and break her heart, and kissed his cheek. “I will. Thank you, Angelo.”

Sliding off the couch she picked up her books, trying to smile. “Try to get to class on time, huh?”

Angelo managed a weak smile in return. "I will. Friends, right?"

“Always plus a day,” she returned, before turning and leaving, clutching her books.

Angelo curled up on the couch, staring blindly at the TV, face completely blank. He'd done the right thing, he knew. But it still hurt.