MASK OR MENACE - contact.

[hostage]

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[hostage]

[It doesn't occur to him that she might have taken that personally.]

Been trying to hold it together. Not doing so great.

[morethan084]

I could tell.

[What with the silence and being holed up in his room.]

You know you can talk to me about it, right?

[hostage]

You got enough to worry about.

Besides, this ain't the worst thing that ever happened to me. I'll make it.

[morethan084]

[Skye didn't doubt he wouldn't make it, it's the fact that she fears he'll just keep pushing her away.]

And so do you but you still listened to me.

[hostage]

[He gets it. She wants him to share, the way a real boyfriend would. Most guys don't come with this shitload of issues, though. There's so much he's experiencing that he can't even put into words for himself, let alone for someone else.]

I... I told myself this wouldn't happen to me again. Getting trapped, being forced to do things I don't wanna do. I promised myself I'd die first.

[He glances down at her.]

I didn't count on a lotta things. Everything that's happened since I got back, the good stuff and the bad stuff... Back home, I'm completely alone now. Whatever happens to me, it happens just to me. But here... Here's different.

[morethan084]

['Die first'. She knew they had vaguely talked about this the other day, even if it was a bit hazy. Still, it made her stomach sink to hear him say it again. He had to know how she'd feel hearing that, which is why she can only keep eye contact with him for a few seconds before she feels tears welling up in her eyes again and she quickly breaks his gaze.]

Here you have people.

You have me, you know, when I'm sane.

[It's a weak attempt to deflect by making a terrible joke at her expense. Her eyes flicker back up to his face.]

You know that, right?

[hostage]

I know.

[And he knows it's a terrible thing to hear a loved one talk about their death wish. Which is why he hasn't been talking.]

I wouldn't still be here without you.

[morethan084]

[Yeah, that's not exactly making her feel any better. To hear she's the only reason he is still here. A knot forming in her throat, Skye speaks up because she can't let him say that and then not respond.]

Don't say that.

[Even if it is the truth.]

You have other people that care about you too. Like Will and April.

[hostage]

[Jesse gives her a wan smile. He knows what she's trying to do.]

I'm not giving you a responsibility, Skye. You don't gotta convince me this life's worth living or whatever. I already know it's not.

But you... I'll keep going because I know it's what you want.

[morethan084]

That's not fair.

[Just a moment ago he said she already had too much to worry about, and now he's saying something like this.]

To you or me.

[Any chance of calming down had gone out the window now. It's pretty clear she's getting worked up again.]

[hostage]

Then I'll go back to keeping it to myself.

[People really have to stop asking Jesse to speak honestly.]

[morethan084]

I'm not saying you can't be honest, it doesn't mean I have to like hearing it.

[Which she doesn't.]

I want you to be happy, Jesse.

[hostage]

I want that, too.

[Which is unfortunate, because the universe seems determined to keep that from him.]

[morethan084]

Right now that's basically impossible though. For any of us.

[Defeated, Skye dropped her head and pressed her face into his chest for a few seconds before she turned her head so only the side of her face is resting against it.]

I just want this to be over with.

[hostage]

[Jesse doesn't say anything to that, because what is there to say? What the hell is false hope going to do for her? It's crushing to believe you see a light at the end of the tunnel when it's not actually something you can reach. He doesn't think this will end, not soon and maybe not ever.

His fingers caress her cheek. They're together. That's all the comfort he's got for her.]

[morethan084]

[Heaving a sigh, Skye closed briefly only to open them just as quickly when she sees flashes of what it was Charles had tried to show her. What if they could control her now? Whether she was at the seminar or not? She could feel her heart start to race, but she didn't move, not yet.]

You'll stop me if I do something you know I wouldn't do, right?

[hostage]

I...

[How the hell could he stop her? She's a thousand times more powerful than him. Even with her power limited, he's fairly certain she could stop his heart, break his bones, crush his body before he could even drag her away from the scene.]

I'll try.

[morethan084]

[It was pretty obvious he was hesitant to answer and in all honesty she hadn't really thought about her powers during that question.]

I mean it. Whatever you have to do. If I try to hurt someone else, or worse.

[hostage]

[Killing her would be the only thing he could do in that scenario. And even then, only by using someone else as a proxy. Otherwise, she'd be able to stop any bullet he shoots directly at her.

It would be brutal.

He wouldn't actually be able to do it.]

...Yeah.

[morethan084]

[Skye knew it would be brutal, and that he probably did want to even think about it. That didn't change the fact that it would kill her if she killed an innocent person.]

Say it.

[Because she doesn't believe him.]

[hostage]

I'll stop you.

[No. No, he won't.]

[morethan084]

[Skye leaves it at that, even if she still doesn't believe him. If he doesn't, someone else would.]

Thank you.

I'm just afraid of them actually being able to use me as their puppet.

[hostage]

[He's trying to hold back, but the very idea has him frantic.]

Let's just stay here. Let's stay here and not go back. We don't have to go back to that stupid thing. I don't care if it hurts.

[morethan084]

[Skye wishes it was that simple, but she knows it's not.]

What if they can kill us for not going? I saw you passed out on the floor, Jesse. And that's with your powers.

[hostage]

You wouldn't die as long as I'm here. And even if - Even if something happened to me, alright, there's the blood. My blood. It could keep you alive.