JADE: -knock knock. it's someone on your bathroom door-
JOHN: -John is really wrecked. He was so drunk that when he wakes up hours later, he's still a little drunk. He can't even open his eyes fully. He tumbles out of bed, scratching his beard for a sec and trying to process this. Okay. It's Dirk, mostly likely, stumbling to the door to let him in.-
JOHN: -It's not Dirk-
JOHN: -...huh.-
JOHN: uh. hey!
JADE: -she's got her arms full of baby and she's just not looking very great, but she attempts something like a small smile when she sees him-
JADE: hi
JADE: i...
JADE: can i
JOHN: you wanna....yeah, yeah come in. -he's just SQUINTING SO HARD BECAUSE SHE'S KINDA BLURRY. AND HE'S CONFUSED.-
JOHN: -but he's still too out of it and sleepy to ask questions, so he just clumsily makes room for them-
JADE: -waddles right on in with babby and sits on his bed -- she's already feeling guilty about this, but she's realizing right now that she really doesn't want to be anywhere else-
JADE: (thanks)
JOHN: mmm -he's already collapsing, tbh. he should ask where dave is and why she's here and why she was at the bathroom door but like...-
JOHN: -sleep..--
JOHN: (of course, my horse)
JOHN: -passes out-
JADE: .... -john pls-
JADE: -she's just gonna try to give him his space while still taking up half his bed with this baby-
JOHN: -When he wakes up later, his mouth tastes and feels like burning garbage, and also his head is throbbing like a truck backed up over it-
JOHN: -He kinda forgot they were there, so when he sits up groaning and scratching his head, he does a doubletake when he sees jade and bab there-
JOHN: -But then he remembers-
JADE: -Jade is sleeping quite a lot and it's probably a miracle that Dove has been sleeping most of the time but she's starting to make GRUMPY BABY NOISES now-
JOHN: -swallows dryly, but smiles and whispers at Dove, gingerly picking her up and gets out of bed with her all wobblylegged- hey! we're good. we're good morning.
JOHN: what's up, buttercup?
JOHN: tell me your problems.
JADE: -Jade wakes up pretty easily after John scoops up the baby -- narcolepsy can do that to you -- and Dove's gone from pre-crying to REAL CRYING.-
JADE: oh no
JADE: -she sits up, dumping diapers and wipes from her sylladex, that's about all she has on her right now-
JOHN: -shooshing her and walks around rocking her-
JOHN: want me to take care of it?
JOHN: you still look super out of it.
JOHN: -HE'S KINDA CONCERNED.-
JADE: um......
JADE: if you
JADE: if thats ok
JOHN: yeah, that's fine.
JOHN: go drink some water or something.
JOHN: -HE'S GONNA HANDLE THIS STINKY BABY PROBLEM-
JOHN: actually, can you bring me some water too? -he's already laying dove out to be changed.- my mouth tastes like...a sand box with a bunch of cigarette butts in it. ugh.
JADE: -she doesn't really move to go anywhere, just sitting there quietly-- at least, until John speaks again-
JADE: oh yeah
JADE: -she moves for the bathroom door, not quite piecing everything together yet- do you have a cup in here?
JOHN: uhh, there's a sorta clean one. it's on the counter by the coffee maker.
JOHN: -KINDA EMBARASSED OF HIS ROOM-
JOHN: -it's a total bachelor shithole compared to dave and jade's domestic-ness-nes-
JADE: -JOHN PLS but really she wasn't expecting much else, so she moves to grab it and shuffles back into the bathroom to fill it with SINK WATER-
JOHN: -When he's gotten Dove all cleaned up, he washes his hands in the little sink by the coffee maker, sitting her down on the counter to chill there for a sec-
JOHN: you feelin' better?
JADE: -Jade's not sure if she's talking to him or the baby so she doesn't respond, but Dove seems far less disgruntled, at least. Jade offers the water over-
JOHN: -john greedily shoots it down, sighing-
JOHN: damn.
JOHN: okay.
JOHN: sooooooooooo...
JOHN: -looks at jade-
JADE: -blinks back at him-
JADE: thanks
JADE: -smiles a little and scoops up Dove-
JOHN: -wanders back to his bed and pats the spot next to him-
JOHN: -smiling back at her too, but he looks worried-
JOHN: hey, no problem.
JOHN: babies, i can handle.
JADE: -follows him after a moment, plopping back down next to him and resting Dove in her lap-
JADE: ... we
JADE: ... dave
JADE: -her brows knit. this is HARD-
JOHN: -now he looks REALLY concerned-
JOHN: are you guys fighting?
JADE: ... i dont know if i would call it that
JADE: he just
JADE: -right now, she's starting to feel very guilty, but she still feels hurt-
JADE: hes been talking to aranea
JOHN: uh...
JOHN: -rubs the back of his neck, confused.-
JOHN: why?
JADE: he said
JADE: he thinks shes learned
JADE: he doesnt think she should be alone
JOHN: aw jeez...
JOHN: -he can already tell this is gonna be a big, complicated SITUATION-
JADE: -sighs-
JOHN: -pushes his face against her shoulder-
JOHN: -looks at her sadly-
JOHN: i can kinda see him doing something like that.
JADE: but
JADE: jake
JOHN: -nods at her- yeah, see. dave is thinking 'hey i'm just doing my dave thing, being a nice guy' thinking he's doing what's right.
JOHN: and maybe he is?
JOHN: but maybe like...not what's right for his family. maybe he wouldn't realize that right away.
JADE: i know...
JOHN: -bunps her shoulder sadly again-
JOHN: it's defintiely really messed up. for you.
JOHN: -awkward-
JOHN: whenever i think about it, i get confused too.
JADE: -there's a big part of her that still blames herself for all of that happening in front of her, and she feels guilty about Dave, too. it's all conflicting, and it just makes her sadder.-
JADE: it just made me feel like
JADE: like he didnt care
JOHN: -just decides to pull her into a hug at that point-
JOHN: i'm sure he cares, jade.
JOHN: he probably just had his head really far up his butt, into his own thoughts.
JADE: i just thought he would have
JADE: thought about us
JADE: i mean-- he even had dove right there
JOHN: hmm :/
JOHN: well...
JOHN: you should be mad at him for not thinking about your feelings. it's really okay for you to be mad, jade.
JOHN: though not forever, like you're probably gonna be with aranea.
JOHN: i mean, dave being the way he is sucks sometmes but it's one of the reasons we love him too, right?
JOHN: and i'm sure he'll learn from it because well, you're here right now instead of with him and he's probably freaking out.
JADE: i know he is
JADE: i guess im just
JADE: ... scared
JOHN: -exhale of concern and holds her a little tighter- whatcha scared for?
JADE: that he wont
JADE: get it
JADE: that the only reason he wants to take it back is just because im upset
JOHN: -just frowns at her and goes quiet for a little bit, thinking about this. it's a real head scratcher-
JOHN: -his brows are knitted just like hers-
JOHN: mmm, well jade.
JOHN: like i get why you want him to feel like you do.
JOHN: but nobody's going to feel the same way, you know? because no one had the relationship with jake like you had.
JOHN: i mean, don't get me wrong. he should still try.
JOHN: but he's never gonna feel like you do about it.
JOHN: as far as i go...i didn't know jake claire at all! and i didn't even know we were family until literally last month or something?
JOHN: i don't like aranea either but it's not even for that reason, if we're being honest :(
JADE: but its--
JADE: what if it had been dirk??
JADE: why would--
JADE: i cant...
JOHN: -just gives her a whiskery cheek kiss, his voice soft- jade...
JOHN: he's your husband, okay? he should def. stand by you when your family member that you actually loved gets killed.
JADE: -she can't help it much, now -- her voice is a whisper, because she's on the verge of tears again- its not fair
JOHN: -he's really uncomfortable, if only because he can feel how upset she is, and at this point he just wants her to cry it out-
JOHN: -just patting her back...and at the same time he's prodding dove's tiny hand with his fingers to keep her busy-
JOHN: i know, jade. it's okay.
JADE: -he doesn't say much in response, and so there's nothing to put her mind on except how she feels, and it's overwhelming. she doesn't want to feel this way right now, at all. but her baby is in her lap and she has too much else to do, so she sniffs-
JOHN: -he just wants to wheeze at this, but instead he just continues to pat her and play with dove while she sniffs-
JOHN: do you...
JOHN: um.
JOHN: do you maybe wanna talk about jake claire a little?
JOHN: since i didn't know him that well.
JADE: -that just hurts a little more, but she feels like she has to. like she should. she's quiet for a long moment-
JADE: he--
JADE: made movies
JADE: documentaries
JADE: he was a-- always
JADE: trying to get groups together to adventuring
JADE: one time we found a cave full of traps
JADE: and -she smiles just a little- i got a mug full of gems from a magical waterfall
JADE: it was fun
JADE: we...
JADE: talked
JADE: when bad things happened
JADE: he helped a lot when
JADE: when dirk got hurt and we needed more people to fix the ship
JADE: he always wanted to help
JADE: and he always felt bad when other people were sad
JADE: he gave me a box full of gifts when i was really down....
JADE: a bunch of dog movies and stuff
JADE: and he was really excited
JADE: when i told him i was going to have dove
JADE: he really
JADE: made me feel good about it
JOHN: *he dosen't wanna intterupt her, he's just listening*
JADE: -she's quiet again, though. just thinking about all of this, it's hard-
JOHN: ... he sounds like a great guy, jade. if he treated you that well, he must've been.
JADE: he was
JADE: -the last thing he ever did was save someone, and she'll never forget it. she can't-
JOHN: ...-just really quiet for a while and then he comes back-
JOHN: do those videos still exist anywhere?
JADE: i...
JADE: guess they would
JOHN: if uh...if you want to, we could watch some, sometime.
JADE: ...yeah
JADE: i think
JADE: we should
JOHN: even if i didn't know him, he was our family.
JADE: -slow nodding-
JOHN: -he's hugging her agian, anxiously because he dosen't know what else to do-
JOHN: -there's no way he can make something like this better. he just dosen't want jade to be alone.-
JADE: -she leans into him, not wrapping her arms around him in return just to make sure she's got her baby but it's enough, she thinks-
JADE: i
JADE: -she's not sure she's ever said it before, but she feels like she should right now-
JADE: i love you john
JOHN: -just blinks at her. he dosen't even register it as the first time she's said it. it was that much of a given.-
JOHN: hey, me too.
JOHN: but about you.
JOHN: :)
JADE: -ugh. it makes her smile and it's silly but she's glad for that much at least-
JADE: heheh
JOHN: -he's just buzzingly happy that he got a smile out of her, even the tiniest one. but soon after his own smile fades, because he feels guilty about something-
JOHN: -he wants to talk to her about it now-
JOHN: hey jade..
JOHN: i'm really sorry about the way i acted before.
JOHN: about that thing.
JADE: what?
JADE: -it's taking a minute to sink in what he means-
JADE: oh
JADE: you...
JADE: no
JADE: its ok
JOHN: -scratches the back of his neck- well,i'm glad you're not upset about it?
JOHN: but i really think it was pretty douchey.
JADE: it was a lot to take in
JOHN: ...ii...i mean half of it was my brain itself, being stupid and i guess i can't help my stupid brain. but there was another half that was just me, willfully being stupid. so yeah.
JOHN: that thing.
JOHN: but me and rose talked about it and that really helped. so...
JOHN: i'm ready to pull on my big boy trousers and start handling it now.
JOHN: -hehe-
JADE: yeah...?
JADE: ... im glad
JADE: that youre ok
JOHN: yup.
JOHN: it's all good in the hood.
JOHN: of course i'm gonna have to talk to my dad about it and figure out what the heck's going on, but...yeah.
JADE: i... guess so
JADE: i need to talk to my grandpa too
JOHN: well, just take it easy for now alright?
JOHN: i'm sure our frigged up family tree ain't going anywhere.
JADE: yeah
JOHN: -looks at her and ....slowly steals the child so he can lift her up and airplane as he's laying on the bed-
JOHN: i'm leavin on a jetplane~ dunno when i'll be back again~
JADE: -oh NO!!!! well shit she can't NOT smile as she watches this and Dove is so confused but curious-
JADE: hehehe
JADE: shes airboooorne
JOHN: -just keeps his arms straight so he can float her around. no need to use his windy thing, his arms are enough to handle this job!-
JOHN: how's the weather up there, miss dove?
JADE: -"HUH!!!" she says-
JADE: omg
JOHN: and the pilot brings us in for a smooth landing, minimal turbulence, clear skies.
JOHN: -circles her a few more times before lowering her onto his chest-
JADE: -HERE COMES THE BABY. she still looks so amazed but after a few seconds of laying on his chest she's SMILING-
JOHN: -that is neice-
JOHN: -frick-
JADE: -THAT IS NIECE!!!!-
JOHN: -he's doomed foreve.-
JADE: -THER ESHE IS-
JADE: -she makes some gurgly sounds that seem distinctly like she is very impressed with these piloting skills-
JADE: i think she likes flying
JADE: -lays back with John and Dove. maybe its time to just chill-
JOHN: -it is def. time to just chill. if there has ever been a time to just chill, it is now.-