will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Jack glanced at her now and then, checking on her, but he mostly focused on the painting. Drawing dogs were always a joy, and this one in the painting was a German Shepard. He smiled faintly at the dog as he worked at its fur, making it gleam, and shine as if it were a show dog. The people in the painting were mostly done…

He began to wonder though, how many other friends Katelynn had. Could he meet some…? He frowned slightly, before he finally spoke his question.

“Katelynn I was wondering… how many people do you know, that I don’t? Do you think I could meet some?”

She blinked at the question, her hands resting on her lap and holding the sketchbook close.

“My friends?” she repeated, pondering every face in her mind. “Oh! Yeah I know Marcus Fletcher, Bernard and Grace Jones, Rovaak, Roshan Ritchie, Rapunzel, Destruction Worker, Gustave Myros, Alex Scott..”

She trailed off, tapping her chin and thinking of who else. “Oh and Doctor Valerie and her friend Raoul and Little Aqua and.. Vice though I’m not sure if he counts as a friend…”

Was she missing anyone? She couldn’t think of them all.

Jack continued painting as she listed all of the people. “Roxanne Ritchi too, I think you mentioned her a few times?” he asked quietly before making an odd noise through his nose. “You know so many people. I really should try to make the effort of getting to know people too…”

In his confident state of mind he wanted to but that would be a lie, wouldn’t it? Getting to know them how he was now. Then, after a week, when they could try to get him to go out he would be withdrawn and quiet, not the man they befriended at all. It made his stomach churn a little.

“Maybe once all this is over,” he gestured to his head, “I could get to know some of them?”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“I do, but I like my painting most.” Jack replied with a smile, glancing over his shoulder at her. “I need to relax, and working on something familiar is better for me.”

She sighed, reaching up to run a hand through her hair. Her muscles cried at the action but she tried not to cry out in pain and worry him.

He was agitated thanks to her. He needed to relax. God she needed to learn to not cause him to get some negative feelings.

‘Katelynn,’ her mind told her, ‘You need to be a better girlfriend. How was it that hanging out with Metro Man was so easy. You two hung out and laughed but around Jack.. All you do is worry him. What’s wrong with you?’

Jack glanced at her now and then, checking on her, but he mostly focused on the painting. Drawing dogs were always a joy, and this one in the painting was a German Shepard. He smiled faintly at the dog as he worked at its fur, making it gleam, and shine as if it were a show dog. The people in the painting were mostly done…

He began to wonder though, how many other friends Katelynn had. Could he meet some…? He frowned slightly, before he finally spoke his question.

“Katelynn I was wondering… how many people do you know, that I don’t? Do you think I could meet some?”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

He nodded, and left the room and quickly returned with her pencil case and sketchbook. “Here you go…” Jack handed them to her, before he brought in one of his easels, which had a canvas on it. The picture was one for work, a couple and a dog, being repainted bigger, with more detail to the fur, clothes, faces, and hair. The usual.

He also had his paints with him, and set them all up on a little stand so the dogs couldn’t get to it. Jack sits on the floor, the easel lowered to enable him to do so, and began to paint.

She watched him mostly, hand on the sketchbook Alice gave her which was almost full of failed drawings. He always looked so engrossed when he worked and it was nice to observe how concentrated he was.

“I thought you’d work on something else, to be honest, considering the thoughts you said were running through your head.”

“I do, but I like my painting most.” Jack replied with a smile, glancing over his shoulder at her. “I need to relax, and working on something familiar is better for me.”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“I do yes.” he said, but he was certain she wouldn’t want to see him making a weapon. He would have to make it at night… he could paint. That always relaxed him and right now he needed it, oh Lord did he need it. “In fact I think I’m going to paint. Can I do it in here?”

It was amazing at the fact he had thought of the same thing she had been wanting, even without her speaking her thoughts, he seemed to know. Could Jack read minds? Like Six? No, certainly not…

She smiled happily, the smile reaching her eyes. “Of course!” she cried happily, sitting against the pillows. God it felt like when she had been at the hospital except not as hurt.

It warmed her heart greatly that he wanted to spend time with her. “Can you give me my drawing sketchbook too please?” she asked softly, wishing to join him in doing art. Of course she wasn’t going to do as well as him but it was still nice to share the activity with him.

He nodded, and left the room and quickly returned with her pencil case and sketchbook. “Here you go…” Jack handed them to her, before he brought in one of his easels, which had a canvas on it. The picture was one for work, a couple and a dog, being repainted bigger, with more detail to the fur, clothes, faces, and hair. The usual.

He also had his paints with him, and set them all up on a little stand so the dogs couldn’t get to it. Jack sits on the floor, the easel lowered to enable him to do so, and began to paint.

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Oh. Yes, yes… sure, of course.”  Jack moved to her and began helping her get out of the shreaded clothes she still wore. Normally, the idea of undressing Katelynn would have gotten his heart pounding and body aching for her but now… not at this moment. She needed help, and he was here to offer it to her. He got the clothing off easily, mindful of her injuries, but he had to remove her underwear since it too was burned in places and was no longer sound. 

He got her into some pajamas slowly, carefully, buttoning up the front of the flannel pajamas before helping her down onto the bed. “Do you want some socks on too?” he asked, helping her to lay down.

She wiggled her toes slightly, smiling faintly. “No I think I’m good without socks.. You have some work to do though, don’t you?” she asked softly, turning her chocolate eyes to him, wishing he wouldn’t go but knowing she couldn’t be so clingy.

She imagined he could work in here and keep her company. She could observe him work as she was curious to see him work while under the influence of anon magic. She loved technological things as much as she loved art.

She certainly hoped she didn’t sound clingy though.

“I do yes.” he said, but he was certain she wouldn’t want to see him making a weapon. He would have to make it at night… he could paint. That always relaxed him and right now he needed it, oh Lord did he need it. “In fact I think I’m going to paint. Can I do it in here?”

It was amazing at the fact he had thought of the same thing she had been wanting, even without her speaking her thoughts, he seemed to know. Could Jack read minds? Like Six? No, certainly not…

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Jack reached over, and touched her cheek with his fingers gently. “It’s not your fault they pushed themselves onto you. It’s never your fault, but never apologize, or ask for my forgiveness about it, all right?”

“O-Okay…” she whispered, lifting one hand to go over the one on her cheek. Never ask for forgiveness? How could she not when she made mistakes? If he didn’t want her to ask for forgiveness did it mean it was because he didn’t want to hear about it? God she was still so unsure just because she was too stupid about things.

She sighed softly, deciding to let the subject drop as she began to peel the dressing gown slowly off her shoulders so she could work on taking off the rags her clothes had become. There was no point keeping them now.

Her muscles were protesting at the movements and she let out a low groan.

Looking shyly at Jack, she whispered, “C-Can you please help me? I-It kind of hurts to move too much..”

“Oh. Yes, yes… sure, of course."  Jack moved to her and began helping her get out of the shreaded clothes she still wore. Normally, the idea of undressing Katelynn would have gotten his heart pounding and body aching for her but now… not at this moment. She needed help, and he was here to offer it to her. He got the clothing off easily, mindful of her injuries, but he had to remove her underwear since it too was burned in places and was no longer sound. 

He got her into some pajamas slowly, carefully, buttoning up the front of the flannel pajamas before helping her down onto the bed. "Do you want some socks on too?” he asked, helping her to lay down.

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Jack led her from the bathroom to the bedroom and opened up the suitcase she’d brought when she moved in. “Better find you something to wear, though.” he said, while he himself, was still soaked from the water but didn’t seem to mind that much. “Maybe some pajamas, and if your burns hurt tomorrow we can go to see a doctor?”

She nodded, a sad expression on her face. “Can you…ever forgive me for everything..?” she asked softly, holding onto the bedsheets tightly in her palms.

Jack reached over, and touched her cheek with his fingers gently. “It’s not your fault they pushed themselves onto you. It’s never your fault, but never apologize, or ask for my forgiveness about it, all right?”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Well. No. You just confirmed that. Just how close he was to you when I walked in, how close his lips were to yours told me either he was about to, or already had…” Jack said quietly as he tied the dressing gown into place around her, looking down as he worked.

”..you should have told me.” he mumbled, “But past is past. I need to accept the fact I’m not the only one you’ve kissed but I plan on being the only one kissing you from here on in.” he added, looking up at her.

“…I’m.. I’m sorry..” she mumbled back, feeling completely terrible about it. An even greater shame washed over her, not even noticing the possessive way in which he spoke as she knew she belonged to him and only him. It was just natural for her to think this way.

“P-Psycho’s kiss.. And his.. I never meant for them to happen…”

She felt warmer with the dressing gown, but the wet clothes were still sticking to her body, making her uncomfortable. She chose not to voice this.

Jack led her from the bathroom to the bedroom and opened up the suitcase she’d brought when she moved in. “Better find you something to wear, though.” he said, while he himself, was still soaked from the water but didn’t seem to mind that much. “Maybe some pajamas, and if your burns hurt tomorrow we can go to see a doctor?”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“I’m still not sure on him. I admit I’m still a bit sore he kissed you like that. No, not a little. A lot.” Jack said as he finished bandaging one of her arms before reaching for a dressing gown and gently draped it over her. “I’ve forgiven him but that doesn’t mean I’m going to forget.”

“Y-You saw him kiss me?” she squeaked, blushing a bit in shame. “I thought you only saw him hugging me…”

By the time Jack had appeared the kiss had been over already. She never knew! And Metro Man had told her things between them seemed okay. She had been hoping they’d have patched things up by now.

“Well. No. You just confirmed that. Just how close he was to you when I walked in, how close his lips were to yours told me either he was about to, or already had…” Jack said quietly as he tied the dressing gown into place around her, looking down as he worked.

“..you should have told me.” he mumbled, “But past is past. I need to accept the fact I’m not the only one you’ve kissed but I plan on being the only one kissing you from here on in.” he added, looking up at her.

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“…no. I’ve wanted to be strong all my life. I’ve wanted to be able to stand in a crowd of people and not feel as if everyone’s wanting to hurt me. I want to walk out there and not worry over things like that. I need confidence, and you give me some already, but I just need a little more.” Jack admitted as he bandaged a burn on her back carefully. “Then… then I won’t be afraid and weak anymore…”

She winced but a large smile broke out on her face, her face melting into one of love and encouragement. “That’s wonderful Jack. It’s so kind of this person to want to help you. Not only for you, to help you, but it means you’ll have even more friends.”

She could just imagine it, Jack, unafraid, hanging out “with the boys” watching movies together and joking around. She would be somewhere else, merely watching them with a happy smile on her face.

“Maybe Metro Man could help too and then you could add him to your friend hang out list.”

“I’m still not sure on him. I admit I’m still a bit sore he kissed you like that. No, not a little. A lot.” Jack said as he finished bandaging one of her arms before reaching for a dressing gown and gently draped it over her. “I’ve forgiven him but that doesn’t mean I’m going to forget.”