i am a landmine, so don't you step on me

[hejhej]

Who: Lisbeth and Jesse
When: Tuesday afternoon, around 1 PM
Where: Jesse's house
Summary: Lisbeth has been planning some very nefarious things and Jesse has some very much needed resources for her to carry out these things.
Warnings: Cursing, deviousness. The usual with these two.

[Sitting in the kitchen, Lisbeth has a brochure open in front of her that she'd picked up yesterday from one of the SERO-affiliated hospitals. It was for a program where she could get her eye back. Normally she wouldn't be so bothered by her new scar, but walking around the way she was would make her look conspicuous. Picking up her cup of coffee, she looks through the brochure again. They said they could make one from scratch - it was an organic eye, however. She would be part bionic. But they could match it with her other eye. Lisbeth wasn't so sure how she felt about technically being part machine.

But she needs money for this operation and her bigger plan. With all her money back in Sweden and not even on the same plane as Siren's Port, she's been toying with the idea of asking Jesse.]

Comments

[hejhej]

[She gets up from her position as soon as she sees him heading to the counter.]

There's a double feature in the Underground.

[Lisbeth deftly slips her arm through his and begins to pull him away gently.]

Let's take a shower.

[hostage]

[He glances over to her, not quite pulling away from her but not leaving the pipe, either.]

Yeah, yeah. Hold up. Lemme get one more hit.

[hejhej]

[Her shoulders tense with apprehension. She's usually stayed quiet when this happens, but she can't stand the days without sleep and the paranoia.]

Jesse.

No.

[Her voice is stern, but there's almost a pleading element to it.]

[hostage]

[He looks confused for a moment. Then there's a slow shift in his expression: incredulousness, then indignation. The next words are uttered very quietly, but the dark tone of his voice doesn't leave room for argument:]

One more hit.

[hejhej]

[Lisbeth doesn't take too kindly to dark tones and takes it as a challenge. She repeats herself one more time.]

No.

[hostage]

[This can't be Lisbeth's fault, though. She wouldn't hassle him like this over a little meth.]

You been talking to Mr. White? He been bothering you about this?

[hejhej]

I haven't spoken to him ever since he came here. What I have done, however, is make sure the house is clean and that you don't run out into the Darkness when your paranoia is peaking.

[She kept her volume level, but her tone was terse.]

[hostage]

[His voice is rising, though.]

That's bullshit. What'd he say to you, huh? He tell you to babysit me? Yo, you know, I can take care of myself. I been on my own forever.

[hejhej]

Nothing.

[She practically spits it out.]

You don't think other people are capable of genuinely caring about you.

[hostage]

What?

[That hits him like a slap to the face. He doesn't even know what to say to that. It takes him a couple seconds of reeling before he retorts:]

If it ain't him, then what's with you all of a sudden? A few weeks ago you and me were getting high together! Then Mr. White comes busting in here and beats the shit outta me and you're suddenly a hardass about it, too. Yo, I ain't stupid, you know. I can tell when people are trying to handle me.

[hejhej]

[She notices she's touched a nerve, but doesn't worry it any further because there's another thing she has to address.]

This isn't some conspiracy between me and Valt. His reasons for coming here and kicking your ass are probably completely separate from mine.

[It's getting harder to control her voice, to control herself from screaming in his face.]

[hostage]

So why're you giving me shit about one little bump?

[hejhej]

[She inhales shakily, angry that he would downplay it as such. One little bump? One little bump stretched out over weeks. Lisbeth was never one to admit being hurt, but this wasn't the same as getting into a physical fight. The words are strange and unfamiliar as they come out of her mouth.]

Because it hurts me.

[hostage]

[He exhales a short breath. His head gives a little shake. And all the outrage behind his words earlier? It's gone.]

No, come on...

[hejhej]

It hurts me that you don't sleep for days. That you're extremely paranoid. That you're never really happy until you take it.

[hostage]

It ain't the meth, okay? It's just... I got a lot going on. A lotta stuff I gotta deal with. There's - You don't know, okay? You don't even know half of it, and that's my fault, and I'm sorry. But it ain't this - [with a gesture to the crystal] - okay? It's got nothing to do with this.

[hejhej]

[She stares at him when he gives his explanation. It's reasonable and anyone could fall for it, but Lisbeth was taking it with a grain of salt. The way he got defensive about the meth.. She decides to let the subject drop.]

Okay.

[hostage]

[He isn't sure what "okay" means here. "Okay" like she gets it? "Okay" like he can take a hit? He stares back at her, uncertain, before slowly reaching for the pipe again.]

[hejhej]

[It meant she gets it, but she isn't going to stop doing what he wants. He's made it clear. Instead of stopping him, she gently runs her hand up and down his arm, which she didn't let go the entire time they spoke, and then lays her head on his shoulder.]

[hostage]

[He flicks the burner on, then turns to kiss Lisbeth - one soft, slow, sweet kiss of apology - as the crystal vaporizes over the flame. A second later, his lips are on the pipe instead.]