( 14 ) video ✶ into the water let it pull him under don’t you lift him let him drown alive

[unparental]

[ the feed opens on two pairs of feet; one large, one smaller. then jenna's voice comes through. ]

Tell you what. I'm going to leave you here, with this broadcasting-- [ the shot jerks a little, exposing an empty and spotless kitchen. ] and that way you can have something to talk to while I try and figure out where we are right now. I'll be back in a flash, you've seen how fast I can move now, and you know I'll hear you. Okay?

[ not waiting for an answer, jenna presses her comm into desmond’s hand and brings it up a little, so his chest is in frame, squeezing his shoulder with her other hand. ] I'll be right back, I promise.

Right. [Desmond sounds... Well shellshocked and crazy pretty much covers it. You can hear him swallow in that sort of pained, half-panting way, like he's out of breath and can't quite manage to calm himself down.] Assuming anyone's still out there, yeah? [He might be talking to Jenna, but she’s already gone. The comm shifts violently, flashing to Desmond’s face for only a half second (long enough to see he has both eyes and doesn't seem to be missing anything vital) and then to the ceiling and then back to the floor.] I don't understand what more it wants from me. Three bloody years of my life, pushing a damned button wasn't enough. I've been to the heart. I saw the light again. It was supposed to put me back. It was supposed to- [The camera swings by so fast you can easily tell that Desmond was gearing up to smash it against the nearest wall before-]

--whoa whoa, hey. Hey, it's okay. It's okay, I'm right here. Des? Desmond? [ she crouches down, taking the comm back into her own hands and setting it on the counter, where it films the tops of their heads for the moment. ] We're fine, look. We're even back in the main part of the ship, so that trek back is cancelled. I'm--

[ she pauses, hand reaching up into the picture again as she reaches for the comm, setting in on her upraised knees so it's more or less centered on the two of them, looking a whole lot worse for the wear. ]

If someone could prove big brother is always watching and figure out what floor we're on for me, that would be great. Who needs civil liberties, anyway? --don't get any extra ideas, Nathan. [ there's a tinge of forced, unnatural cheer to her tone, and her gaze darts over to desmond every few moments as if she needs to make sure he's there and fine. ] And maybe whoever pulls rescue duty, bring him something with a lot of sugar in it? That would be great.

[Desmond rubs his face, weary.] Someone tell Tyke I found what I was lookin' for, yeah? It's all true.

[ she inhales, about to add something else; then she shakes her head, lips pressed together in a tired line and jabs the off button. ]



( ooc | they're on floor thirty eight, where they were dumped after being rescued by ward from some Seriously Bad Metaplot Shit. colors for ease: jenna and desmond. )

Comments

[jurisimpudent]

[He shakes his head, hiding a very slight smile - ]

It almost certainly does not.

Do you ever wish to...challenge each other sometime?

[Miles Edgeworth, slowly and against his will, has become indoctrinated into the Security School of Showing Affection and Having A Good Time.]

[unparental]

It was pretty dramatic of me, though. Very main character in a movie.

[ she sees that smile, edgeworth. ]

...you know what? I'd really like that. [ welcome to jenna's life ]

[jurisimpudent]

[And the smile broadens somewhat, becomes a little more open, when she agrees. He brings her dish over to her and settles down across from her with his own.]

I would as well. Though fair warning - I've gotten very good. You'll have to work hard to match me.

[unparental]

Vampire, sweetie. Bring it.

[ but it's a playful challenge, more teasing; she digs into her plate with gusto, making the many a few more than the appropriate amount of 'mm good' noises. ]

[jurisimpudent]

[He taps his chest, his manner teasing in return, good humor bolstered by her cheerful enthusiasm for what he'd cooked:]

Psychic. Don't underestimate me. I took on three of those creatures at once down there, you know.

[unparental]

Well then, we'll just have to see how takes it.

[ miles sounding most boastful-- and not about the law, for once-- and playful all at once makes jenna grin, nudge him with one elbow. ] I will bet you... an entire week of dogsitting that I win.

[ jenna that isn't how bets work you don't have a dog, miles does. ]

[jurisimpudent]

...Jenna, you dogsit for me anyway. And you don't have any dog I can sit. That's not equitable.

[He takes a bite, nods in satisfaction. The food came out well enough.]

[unparental]

It's my bet, I can do it how I want.

[ let's see how you deal with spacemom sticking her tongue out at you, miles. ]

[jurisimpudent]

Ah, but by virtue of accepting it, the bet is half mine.

[He purses his lips back at her.]

[unparental]

Okay, okay. If you win, dogsitting. And if I win...?

[ the representative from the state of lawyertopia has the floor. ]

[jurisimpudent]

I'll...

[He's quiet for a moment, thinking.]

Do your dishes, perhaps? For a week?

[unparental]

Not a fair trade-- dogsitting is fun, dishes is work.

[ TRY AGAIN MILES ]

[jurisimpudent]

[OCD Boy clears his throat - ]

Dishes are also rather fun, sometimes.

[unparental]

It's still under the chore category, sorry. Try again.

[ it's a traaaaaaaaap

...of fun but still ]

[jurisimpudent]

Then I'll...erm -

[Hrnnghhhh]

...Do you have any suggestions?

[unparental]

Take an hour off a day to go down to the pool for a week.

[jurisimpudent]

But - an hour is a lot.

[He chews his lip just a little bit.]

And you wouldn't get anything from it.

[unparental]

Would too-- I know you like pools, because when we first met that was the only thing I said that made you perk up.

[ go ahead, edgeworth, ask why that matters. ]

[jurisimpudent]

[He frowns slightly - though there's a slight quirk to his eyebrows over the fact that...she remembers what made him happy, the very first time they spoke. She makes him so glad sometimes.]

That still doesn't address you not getting anything from it.

[unparental]

It would make you happy.

[ and that makes her happy. ]

[jurisimpudent]

[And the frown goes away; his face for a moment, is just grateful, adoring, as he looks at her. He ducks his head a moment later to hide that sappy look, but there's no undoing that.]

That matters so much to you?

[unparental]

[ that look is... something else, and jenna has to look down a moment herself, somewhere between tearing up and pleased. after a moment, she shrugs and looks look up, back on the happier side of the fence. ]

It does.

Pre-hiatus backtags feel free to ignore

[jurisimpudent]

[And he shakes his head, still smiling.]

You're a singular person, Jenna. There aren't many who just care about others' happiness.

FITE ME I WILL NOT

[unparental]

Now, that's definitely not true. A lot of people just... [ she stops, laughs. ] Really suck at showing it, I guess.

:')

[jurisimpudent]

I - all right. I should say, perhaps, instead, that there aren't many who care about it like you do.