will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“You do.” he whispered back quietly. “M-more than you know…”

Her fingers run up slowly until they rested on his neck, making soothing circles on the skin there. “Then it’ll be okay..we’ll work things out together. We’ll figure things out. Just tell me if things make you uncomfortable or what you don’t like. Voice your thoughts to me. Let me in your mind..”

She hoped this didn’t sound weird to him and she probably didn’t deserve such trust but she wanted to try and help him the best she could. And she figured if he was honest and told her what he felt about everything, it might help somehow.

If she saw inside his mind she’d see how terrified he was. How horrified he was over getting into this world. How envious he was that she knew super heroes. That she spent time with them. That she had all these wonderful moments while he sat at home, alone, painting. The world still seemed to foreign sometimes, so big, so terrifying and that was without the super villains around.

But Katelynn went out every day…

…and now she was involving herself in their world even more.

His world wasn’t good enough.

It probably never will be.

Not the way it was but he was so scared of change. Terrified of it.

“I’m so scared.” he whispered shakily. “I-I hate feeling like this but, but I am.”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Jack looked at his feet now, before he slowly moved to her and wrapped his arms around her tightly; unable to say anything more. He doesn’t want to hide. His parents had spent years teaching him to believe in who he was, what he was, to not hide his face when he would dare to go outside. It was important to be who he was but he was such a person who stood out.

He nodded his head against her, still holding her, mute in his contemplation.

“Jack..” she whispered softly, snuggling up against him. Even if he didn’t believe anything, somehow she would convince him. Oh how she wished she knew how.

“I give you strength, don’t I?”

“You do.” he whispered back quietly. “M-more than you know…”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

He shut his eyes as her hand caressed his arm and head, forcing himself to keep listening to her through the doubts fogging up his mind. What could he really do, besides paint? He had no fighting skills. Not even self defense. Maybe he could take that but what good was it against villains like those who lurked around town? It was insane. Suicidal. Yet he was forcing himself to want to help.

Deep, deep down… he wanted to run. He wanted to scream and hide and claw at his head in disgrace at his cowardice.

But he didn’t.

“I… I could… d-do that too…” he mumbled. “Take… do what… you’re doing…”

“Self defense?” she asked softly, peering up into his eyes to read his emotions, to see the self doubt in them and the fear. She frowned a bit. He hadn’t believed her words.

“You can if you want but don’t force yourself either. I don’t want you forcing yourself for me. If you truly feel it’s what you want to do, then I can take you to my self defense instructor and we can train together. But like I said…we’re not going to fight..not really. It’s just for protection, just in case. When Hot Flash grabbed my chin and arm..I was too weak to do anything and now I hope I can at least shake her away and run. That’s the only reason I am learning.”

She smiled a bit. “And the disguise watches will help immensely.”

Jack looked at his feet now, before he slowly moved to her and wrapped his arms around her tightly; unable to say anything more. He doesn’t want to hide. His parents had spent years teaching him to believe in who he was, what he was, to not hide his face when he would dare to go outside. It was important to be who he was but he was such a person who stood out.

He nodded his head against her, still holding her, mute in his contemplation.

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Katelynn, we have to be honest here…” Jack said softly, and rolled up one of his arms to show his thin arms. He grasped his forearm. “I’m not strong… n-not physically. A-And I’m terrified of confrontation a-and fighting. I faint at the s-sight of blood. I’m… I’m not strong, not as strong as I wish I was but. But I want to be so much better…”

She pressed a hand to his arm, lightly running her fingers across the skin. “You don’t need muscles to be strong Jack..strength comes from the heart..” She placed a hand over his chest delicately. “And the mind..” And reached up to caress his forehead before looking at him straight in the eyes.

“You have both. You have strength where it’s needed. The fact that you want to help me..you’re showing your strength. I’m not strong either. I’m a little weakling but I also want to help. I want to do it to protect you just as I’m sure you want to protect me. We can do it together. We can, because we have love. I’m probably being idealistic..but it’s true! Why can’t it be? We’re not fighting. I know that much. I’m only going to go in disguise to learn their secrets. The most I’m doing is learning self defense to keep myself safe and run. That’s it.”

He shut his eyes as her hand caressed his arm and head, forcing himself to keep listening to her through the doubts fogging up his mind. What could he really do, besides paint? He had no fighting skills. Not even self defense. Maybe he could take that but what good was it against villains like those who lurked around town? It was insane. Suicidal. Yet he was forcing himself to want to help.

Deep, deep down… he wanted to run. He wanted to scream and hide and claw at his head in disgrace at his cowardice.

But he didn’t.

“I… I could… d-do that too…” he mumbled. “Take… do what… you’re doing…”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Oh thank God it was her again. His hand found hers over his arm, his eyes still shocked from what he had learned, what he had saw, what he now knew. It was still scary, to hear these words from his lips but he spoke. “I, I don’t want to be weak. I don’t want to-to see you go out and r-risk so much while I si-sit here and a-act like nothing’s wrong. I’ve d-done this a-all my life and I’m s-sick of it…” he whispered shakily. “I don’t e-even know what I can do… I j-just want to help…”

She brought a hand up to caress his cheek gently, eyes soft. “You’re not weak. You’re not. You can help if you want. I’m still not sure how I’m going to do things but we can figure it out together. Anything to protect out future, hmm?”

Leaning forward, she kissed his lips gently before pulling back, giving him a courageous smile.

“Katelynn, we have to be honest here…” Jack said softly, and rolled up one of his long sleeves to show his thin arms. He grasped his forearm. “I’m not strong… n-not physically. A-And I’m terrified of confrontation a-and fighting. I faint at the s-sight of blood. I’m… I’m not strong, not as strong as I wish I was but. But I want to be so much better…”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Another reminder. Another lovely little reminder that, sorry, you’re weak. You’re a man but your girlfriend is the one who’s risking all this. What do you risk? What have you ever risked? “Nothing.”

He looked up at her but away again; unable to look at he with that face, that voice. “…I. I want… I want to help…” he admitted quietly.

She could tell she was still too much of a shock so she turns the dial on the watch and with a bit of static becomes herself again, thin, petite Katelynn. She moved closer to him, thinking it was okay now as she was back to normal. “R-Really?” she asked, placing a hand on his arm. “Of course you can help if you want to. With the watch it’ll be much easier. W-What do you want to do?”

Oh thank God it was her again. His hand found hers over his arm, his eyes still shocked from what he had learned, what he had saw, what he now knew. It was still scary, to hear these words from his lips but he spoke. “I, I don’t want to be weak. I don’t want to-to see you go out and r-risk so much while I si-sit here and a-act like nothing’s wrong. I’ve d-done this a-all my life and I’m s-sick of it…” he whispered shakily. “I don’t e-even know what I can do… I j-just want to help…”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Jack’s eyes had significantly slowly grown in his head as she explains that she wants to help the heroes take down Psycho Delic and Hot Flash. That someone sent her this stuff to help her do it. Then suddenly she’s a different woman and he’s stepping away from her out of initial shock and intimidation at seeing a face he doesn’t know in his home, and grasps at his chest as this beautiful woman looks at him and speaks with a voice that wasn’t Katelynn’s at all.

He stares at her, mouth open mildly in shock, still keeping his distance.

She was going to go out there, seeking out bad guys.

Giving in reports to Metro Man and… and Six.

She was doing all these things and what was he doing?

Nothing.

Slowly, Jack shuts his mouth, before looking down at his hands. They were fists; he hadn’t even noticed. His nails were cutting into his palms yet he didn’t really seem to care.

“…I.. I… s… see…”

She tried to step forward a bit, hands near her heart, feeling a bit unsure in her own skin. “J-Jack..I’m doing this to keep everyone safe..to keep you safe..I’m going to get a watch for you too. This way Psycho Delic and Hot Flash won’t find us so easily.”

Oh she’s shaking, how she’s shaking in fear thinking he’d be angry with her. She wanted to be honest with him after her last mess up. She didn’t want to lie to him anymore.

“I know I’m a shock..but it’s only a disguise..just to make things easier..”

Another reminder. Another lovely little reminder that, sorry, you’re weak. You’re a man but your girlfriend is the one who’s risking all this. What do you risk? What have you ever risked? “Nothing.”

He looked up at her but away again; unable to look at he with that face, that voice. “…I. I want… I want to help…” he admitted quietly.

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Yeah I was. Um. Wondering about that.” Jack said, looking back at the box as if it were an intruder in his domain which… in a way it was.

She walked over to the box, peering into the contents and not even touching the gun. “I told Six and Metro Man that I wanted to help them..figure out how to take down Psycho Delic and Hot Flash. Someone apparently sent me this stuff to help me. I don’t plan on using some of it until it’s modified but I did manage to acquire a disguise watch so no one could recognize me.”

She brought the watch out of her pocket and put it on, switching it as Female Megamind had taught her. Standing before Jack was a new woman.

Her breasts were smaller, her hips slightly wider. Her voice was also a bit louder as she spoke. “This way..I can spy on the villains and report to Six and Metro Man. I’m also getting you a watch so you can stay safe.”

Jack’s eyes had significantly slowly grown in his head as she explains that she wants to help the heroes take down Psycho Delic and Hot Flash. That someone sent her this stuff to help her do it. Then suddenly she’s a different woman and he’s stepping away from her out of initial shock and intimidation at seeing a face he doesn’t know in his home, and grasps at his chest as this beautiful woman looks at him and speaks with a voice that wasn’t Katelynn’s at all.

He stares at her, mouth open mildly in shock, still keeping his distance.

She was going to go out there, seeking out bad guys.

Giving in reports to Metro Man and… and Six.

She was doing all these things and what was he doing?

Nothing.

Slowly, Jack shuts his mouth, before looking down at his hands. They were fists; he hadn’t even noticed. His nails were cutting into his palms yet he didn’t really seem to care.

“…I.. I… s… see…”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“You’ll probably get annoyed at m-mine too.” he admitted. “I mean I’m. I’m not perfect I can be a bit of a slob and I can be up all night painting sometimes and forget to eat b-but this will work! ….right?” he asks quietly, unsure, watching her.

“Slob and forget to eat?” she asked, tilting her head. “That sounds a bit more like me.” She giggled, tucking some hair behind her hear and blushing. “It’ll work..I don’t mind weird habits since I have my own..but I guess before we do this..I should probably tell you about..what is in the box and why it was sent..and what I actually wanted to plan to do..”

“Yeah I was. Um. Wondering about that.” Jack said, looking back at the box as if it were an intruder in his domain which… in a way it was.

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“And w-with our combined funds we c-could get a place with two bedrooms…! I, I could have a room just for my painting rather t-then use my lounge…” Jack says as well, before moving to her, and takes her hands into his. “So… so we’re going to find a n-new place, and move in together. …wow. This… this is exciting, isn’t it?” he asked, smiling.

She was still slightly scared but her excitement was overshadowing that. She smiled at him, nodding “Y-Yeah it is! I mean…at first you’ll probably get annoyed with me and my habits but we’ll learn..I know we will..we’ve gone through so much together already..”

“You’ll probably get annoyed at m-mine too.” he admitted. “I mean I’m. I’m not perfect I can be a bit of a slob and I can be up all night painting sometimes and forget to eat b-but this will work! ….right?” he asks quietly, unsure, watching her.