[ Her legs shift, lowering to lay over his lap. A small invitation for him to be closer if he wants. She doesn't let go of his hand or the keychain in the other. Both just seem to help ground her in the moment. Help keep her steady when the storm of emotions is raging under the surface.
Jesse's gaze remains upwards, only shifting to the side when a thought or two cross her mind. She doesn't see the flinch but she certainly feels it. Her hand squeezes his to help comfort him. Nothing about the Clicker is a comfort. At least, she imagines it isn't now. Was it ever a comfort or just a plot device for the stories?
Her gaze finally shifts back to him when the tone in his voice changes. Less hesitant and more reassured. That subtle determination that she adores. For a moment, Alan seems more like the man he could be, instead of a man controlled by the after effects of the journey he was on.
He sounded more like the man she let drive off into the night at Cauldron Lake.
Awake. In control. Clear-headed. Sure of what he had to do.
Her gaze drops at the sentence he trailed off on. They can't avoid any of it forever. It will come back to haunt them. Just like the consequences of Ordinary did for her. ]
To save Alice. I know. [ A breath she was holding escapes. She closes her eyes and shakes her head slightly at herself. ] Reports I found at the Oldest House said that you were trying to save Alice from the Lake. You did. Buearu agents found her at the Lake after the AWE ended and you disappeared. So, whatever on that manuscript page with the Clicker worked.
That's how she knew to contact the Buearu later; when Scratch was haunting her. They kept a line of communication open for her. [ « Talking about this is easier than the dream. Maybe it's for the best. » ] He was probably there for the same reason. He had to find the same things to get to the threshold and end the story.
[ A shake of her head. She tries to shift the topic of the conversation. ] What happened after you found the page and the Clicker?
no subject
[ Her legs shift, lowering to lay over his lap. A small invitation for him to be closer if he wants. She doesn't let go of his hand or the keychain in the other. Both just seem to help ground her in the moment. Help keep her steady when the storm of emotions is raging under the surface.
Jesse's gaze remains upwards, only shifting to the side when a thought or two cross her mind. She doesn't see the flinch but she certainly feels it. Her hand squeezes his to help comfort him. Nothing about the Clicker is a comfort. At least, she imagines it isn't now. Was it ever a comfort or just a plot device for the stories?
Her gaze finally shifts back to him when the tone in his voice changes. Less hesitant and more reassured. That subtle determination that she adores. For a moment, Alan seems more like the man he could be, instead of a man controlled by the after effects of the journey he was on.
He sounded more like the man she let drive off into the night at Cauldron Lake.
Awake. In control. Clear-headed. Sure of what he had to do.
Her gaze drops at the sentence he trailed off on. They can't avoid any of it forever. It will come back to haunt them. Just like the consequences of Ordinary did for her. ]
To save Alice. I know. [ A breath she was holding escapes. She closes her eyes and shakes her head slightly at herself. ] Reports I found at the Oldest House said that you were trying to save Alice from the Lake. You did. Buearu agents found her at the Lake after the AWE ended and you disappeared. So, whatever on that manuscript page with the Clicker worked.
That's how she knew to contact the Buearu later; when Scratch was haunting her. They kept a line of communication open for her. [ « Talking about this is easier than the dream. Maybe it's for the best. » ] He was probably there for the same reason. He had to find the same things to get to the threshold and end the story.
[ A shake of her head. She tries to shift the topic of the conversation. ] What happened after you found the page and the Clicker?