Words: 548
In which Jasper and Simone talk about his return from the dead.
For @ofviolentdeath
“You didn’t want immorality.” She was good at approaching silently. He knew it wasn’t on purpose, but that didn’t make it less alarming. Even with his heightened senses, he almost never heard her coming. With the fire burning in the fireplace, he hadn’t smelled her either. He managed not to jump, too used to the surprise appearances by more or less everyone in his life, but his heartbeat most definitely picked up the pace for a brief moment or two.
“I don’t,” he replied, setting aside his book and looking up at her. She held his gaze, waiting for him to continue and knowing he’d do so unprompted. “Lyri needed me.”
His answer wasn’t shocking. There was no way he’d done it for himself, but for Lyri? Maybe even for Simone, too? If she didn’t have Benji, she was sure he’d at least have considered it. Still, it seemed unlike him to go through with it. “That’s not likely to change, darlin’.”
He sighed, eyes tearing away from hers, staring down at the book, and trying not to fidget. “I know.”
“I’m not sayin’ that I’m not happy to have ya back, but are you sure you’re not gonna regret it?”
“Honestly?” He looked back up at her, offering a shrug. “No. Not really. But I’ve never been sure of much and I couldn’t just…”
“I know. Forever’s just a real long time. An’ I say that as someone who’s only been around about a century and a half.” Not that she wasn’t thrilled to have met Jasper and Benji both, which never would have happened without becoming a vampire, but it still wasn’t easy. She’d been alone for a long time and then all she’d had was Izzy for a bit and Cord on and off. Things had improved when she’d taken in Jasper, but she’d gone a long time before that miracle had happened.
He nodded in agreement, looking more tired than she’d ever seen him. “Yeah. And I don’t know if there’s ever gonna be a day where I think to myself, ‘yeah this was a great idea,’ but if I can make it without ever thinking to myself, ‘wow, this was a terrible idea,’ then I’ll consider that a victory.”
“You need better standards of success.”
“I’ve found setting the bar low makes it a lot easier to reach it.”
“You are always going to be too young to be that cynical. I’m gonna be sayin’ the same thing a century from now.” There was a small smile on her lips. He appreciated the attempt at teasing.
“I’ve gotten less cynical. Not by much, but it’s happened.”
“She’s been good for you,” Simone mused, watching him for a moment. “From what I hear, you’ve been good for each other.”
“Well, let’s hope that doesn’t change any time soon. It would really bite now.”
“I don’t think it’s ever gonna change. But if it does, you’re always gonna have me an’ Benji.”
He gave her a smile, small but genuine and she counted that as a victory. She hadn’t seen him smile since he’d gotten back, for sure, and probably for a while before then. It was a pretty rare sight, even on a good day. “Thanks, Simone.”
“Of course. That’s what family’s for, darlin’.”
