that out of place feeling seems to stick with him. it lingers through the conversation with the kids , through julie's whatevers and crossed arms , through ethan's questioning gaze and obvious hesitation. jade's dry - mouthed and anxious in an entirely new way , which is almost impressive ; this place has unlocked levels of discomfort and fear that jade had never even come close to knowing in his ordinary life. his bag , full of the measly possessions he has to his name --- possessions that don't even truly belong to him --- rests near the edge of the sofa. he refuses any other accommodations , citing the assurance that it would only be a few days ... that the sofa would do fine , he's slept worst places and he barely sleeps at all these days ... he actively tries to give off a temporary drifter vibe , someone benefitting from tabitha's unrelenting kindness and not that he's trying to fill the jim - shaped hole in all of their lives ... jade looks the part , feels the part ... hopefully ethan and julie feel it , too ...
the house itself feels different. not a bad sort of different necessarily , but jade feels tian - chen's absence acutely ... half expects to find her in the kitchen making tea , or kenny rushing down the stairs like a bat of of hell ... instead , it's the sound of julie's slammed door and ethan's far quieter retreat up the stairs. instead , he finds tabitha in the kitchen , seemingly prepping for supper by herself and --- as it so often does now , the sight of her stops him in his tracks. jade lingers in the doorway , unable to move closer or slink away as that feeling slams like a wrecking ball into his chest. he wonders if she feels it , too , on some level. wonders if she also just knows when he enters a room , when they share the same physical space as though their bodies were somehow attuned to one another ... but , jade gives his head a subtle shake and draws in a steadying breath. ' need some help ?? ' he asks , already taking a step forward before tabitha can answer.
@empireburned
