1995-02-10: Can It Be Kiss Tiem Nao Pls?

Participants:

Jack_icon.gif Holly_icon.gif

Scene Title Can it be kiss tiem nao, pls?
Synopsis Jack goes to Holly's flat to check on her.
Location Holly's Flat
Date Feb 10, 1995
Watch For He kees her! Whoo!
Logger Jack

The house is dark.

It's literally as if no one's home. The lights are all off, the curtains are drawn, and whomever lives there seems to not be at home. There are only a few people who know what happened in that house, thankfully… At least nothing's shown up in the Prophet about it yet. Siobhan doesn't seem like the type to run to a reporter.

The more she thinks about it, the less she thinks that it was the fact that she's a werewolf that drove her to do it. She can't excuse everything she does on that. The truth was, Holly was just angry, and she's really starting to wonder if the Cruciatus Curses used against her did more to her than she originally thought. Thusly paranoid, she's locked herself into her little lair.

After getting a patronus message from his sister, Jack has decided to check up on Holly. He steps up to the house, and knocks softly, not wanting to wake her, should she be sleeping. "Holly…" He calls softly. "Are you home?" If she's sleeping, perhaps it won't wake her. But with her newly-sensitive hearing, perhaps she'll hear his quiet words wherever she may be inside the house. The fact that the lights aren't on isn't a promising sign.

At least she's not being self-destructive. She's just… reflecting. Trying to figure out what about what Siobhan said made her snap, and maybe it does have a little to do with the approaching full moon, but it's more than that.

She can't hear Jack approaching. That would be too awesome. However, she does easily hear him when he speaks to the door. Setting down the book she's reading, Holly considers whether or not to even respond. Eventually, she stands and makes her way over to the door.

She presses her hands against it, which makes a creaking sound - enough to let Jack know that someone's in the house, at least. There's a long pause after that before she asks, "Is Siobhan okay?"

Concern for his sister is the last thing he was expecting to hear from her lips. "Yeah. She sent Ed to tell me that she's fine." Yes, the Nobles are strange. They name their patronuses. Jack frowns a little. "How are you?" There's the question of the hour. "Mind if I come in for a few minutes? I just wanted to see how you were doing…" His voice trails off and he looks down at his hands. He's curious to know what happened between the two of them, but won't pry himself.

That's certainly the first thing on Holly's mind. She doesn't want to hurt anyone, and she really almost did. It could have gotten a lot worse, too.

Holly doesn't answer the question, but she does eventually open the door. She looks tired, but otherwise emotionally together for once. The talk with Remus did wonders. "I'm okay, Jack. You don't need to come in."

Jack's frustration builds, and he nods and runs his hand through his hair. "You're …" He isn't sure what to do, but knows he feels brushed off. He sighs, and looks out across the lawn to the house next door, wondering who lives there, not even realizing that it's one of his former flames. "If that's what you want." He turns to look at her again, and the frustration and hurt is evident on his face.

His being here hurts her, too, even if there's no reason for her to be hurt. It's just the way she interpreted what Siobhan said…

"How do I know I'm not just another number?" she asks suddenly. She at least owes him the explanation. Because she feels like a potential conquest now. Perhaps even a more interesting one, considering the fact that she's a werewolf, and maybe that appeals to him, Holly doesn't know. In any case, after what his sister said, it might just be easier to push him away.

"A what?" Jack's eyes bore into hers, and he puts a hand up on the doorframe, near her. "Another number?" He shakes his head. "Rosie…" He has a feeling that's where she got the information. "I…" He glances around, almost expecting someone to be nearby watching their conversation. "I haven't always been the most.." He purses his lips, considering his words. "I do have a bit of a reputation, and yes, it's merited." There, he's admitted it. "But I don't usually throw myself to the dragons for them." Usually, it's a night, a weekend, a week… and then, gone. "Thing is," His expression turns deadly serious, eyes lit with a fire. "I'd do it again."

Where Holly's learned not to trust people right away, she's also learned that shutting them out completely can have worse consequences. The lessons of the courtroom apply to everyday life, too… Witnesses can lie. Shady wizards can tell the truth. Still, she needs something to hurt over other than her condition, and this seemed like the easiest thing to hold onto.

Her own hand comes up to the doorframe to lean… The cane isn't in hand today, but that doesn't mean she doesn't get tired of standing. When she steps out of the darkness of her house and into the sunlight, it's easy to see the vague outline of a bruise on her jawline, which didn't hurt enough to heal. Siobhan's work.

And then, she steps out of the way. "Come on in if you want to. And stop looking at me like I kicked your cat."

"Oh, Merlin." Jack notices the bruise. "Rosie give you that?" He shakes his head and steps into the flat. "Need …" He stops. He's started reminding himself that she doesn't need coddling and is perfectly able to ask for help should she need it. "No, if you kicked Ten, he'd claw your face in when he saw you sleeping." He smiles a little at the thought of his crazy white kneazle. He turns to look at her again, stepping once to move closer to her in the doorway. "Holly…" For once, all the clever, smooth words aren't available. The one time he might really need them. "I…" He tries again, but with just as much success. He runs his hand through his hair again, and then strokes the side of her cheek that isn't bruised.

"Yeah. She was defending herself, Jack," Holly says, completely seriously, because she, in no way, wants anyone to blame Siobhan for this. "I hurt her, I lost my temper and I hurt her, so just— " Blinking, a confused look crosses her face as her eyes glance down at his hand. Unlike Jack, Holly isn't exactly the romantic type. Work always came first. That means that the look on her face is almost comical, though the contact isn't unwanted. It's just…

Reaching up, she takes his hand gently, but doesn't push it away. "I could have hurt her badly."

"And I know like ten curses to hex you silly and …" Jack doesn't elucidate, closing his eyes as she grabs his hand. "Was she…" He opens his eyes again, giving a slight scowl. "She's a snake for a reason. She can find someone's weaknesses and use them ruthlessly against them." He steps just a little closer. "I'm sorry. She seemed a little — odd at the 'Sticks. I don't know why she'd act like that." It hasn't happened before, because he's not done this in a very long time. Acted this way toward a lady. "I need to go up there and have a talk with her…" However, at the moment, he's willing to put little sister to the side. "You didn't hurt her, Holly. That's the important thing, I think."

There's a small smile here. "She seemed upset that I'm a werewolf. Seems to think we've been together." The way Siobhan put it, anyway, led Holly to believe that she was upset about the werewolf part. "She didn't like me before, and I guess she's got even less reason to now. And, Jack, I didn't hurt her badly. But she's probably going to scar."

She's doing this on purpose. It's not quite a test, but he needs to know all the details. She's sure she'll scare him away, too. Better to be up front about it now, though, than at some point in the future when it's too late for honesty.

"Bullshit." This comes out before Jack can think to censor it. "It's not because you're a werewolf." He's not sure why it might be, not being completely adept at understanding his little sister's mind. "I'd think that was extremely hypocritical, considering she's the one who told Da off about werewolves last year when Moony was teaching her. It's to do with something else." Of that much, he is sure. "Well, at this point," Jack feels compelled to admit, "in most other situations, we would have done." Something makes this different somehow.

As for the thought that she hurt his sister, Jack frowns. "Well, if she was poking at your wounds, as she does sometimes, then…" He sighs. He doesn't want to give her leave to injure people, especially his sister, but there are consequences for angering someone, and a werewolf even more so. "She knows what her words do. S'why she says them, most of the time."

"Jack, I can't excuse what I do because I'm a werewolf. It's not everyone else's responsibility to walk on eggshells around me. She should be able to say whatever she wants, and I should be able to take it. It's been almost a month now… I have to start getting on with my life. And continuing to make myself the victim here isn't going to do anything for me."

Even if she wants to cry sometimes, and probably will in the coming weeks and months. "If you're going to blame her for something, then, yeah, she said some pretty … interesting… things. But me going after her? Not her fault. That was mine. Okay?" She gives him that 'You're going to agree with me, or else' look, and even manages another little smile.

"Now if you're willing to forgive me - and I apologise for attacking your sister, it won't happen again - we can get back to being friends."

Jack nods slowly, digesting her words. "Fair enough. That makes sense. I'll forgive you." He already had. Friends. That word makes him frown. Not quite his 'kicked kneazle' look, but something akin to it; it expresses disappointment, curiosity, and worry. "Friends?" He voices the thought. "I …" He'd thought they possibly were more than that. "Maybe I made an assumption." He steps away, turning to walk a few steps. "I'm sorry if I did." Neither of them ever said clearly. The possibilities flared up, and then… "At Christmas, I thought something happened. Did this change that?" It didn't for him. It isn't the only reason for his heroics and care, but part of it. However, first and foremost, they are friends. "Friends." He repeats himself, though more confidently. With a half-smile, he turns to study her face again.

It's funny how her own good humor can return in a tragedy. Or maybe she's just having a good day - who knows? With the pain diminishing, she's not feeling as sorry for herself anymore, and while she's absolutely petrified of the coming full moon, she can deal with everything else. It's coming together. Jack acting like a teenager is also amusing, though her smile is mostly in her eyes.

She always thought it wsa important for your significant other to be one of your very best friends. It's important - to Holly, anyway - to understand them in a way that only a few other people do. She isn't one for one-night stands or flings, and even if she's aware that this might not last forever, she still wants to be his friend first. "You're an idiot. Would you just kiss me if you're gonna?"

Jack inhales when she smiles, and when she speaks, it only takes the work of a second to move back toward her, and lower his head to hers. There are no words to say; none are needed. He draws her closer to himself, and wraps his arms around her and kisses her soundly.

Werewolves shouldn't have relationships! It only turns out bad for both people inv— !

Oh, hell with it. Holly can still barely even admit that she is one. And if she's going to at least show some emotion, she'd better do it before her first Full Moon as a Dark Creature just ruins everything. Sure, she's careful. A handful of things go through her head that could make this… awkward to say the least. Really, kissing can be riddled with accidents, like— Well, the imagination speaks volumes.

In any case, there's no lack of passion, even if - and she can't get it out of her head - she might just end up being another notch on Jack's bedpost.

Jack isn't a legilimens, so he has no clue about the things running through Holly's head. Besides, there isn't room for much thought in his head now. Just action. He tightens his embrace around her and deepens the kiss, yet holding back a little, wanting a signal from Holly whether to plough forward or whether she wants him to stop. He rubs his hands across her back slowly and attempts to guide her over to the couch.

Red flags are going up in her head. At first, she ignores them, but she can't forever. And even if it means upsetting Jack, she eventually has to pull back. "I'm sorry," she says.

And there's the signal. It's a stop sign. Poor Jack. "I want this, okay? I do. And if you can wait…" The American rolls her eyes. "I'm just not there yet. I'm doing better, Jack, but I'm still…" She leans against him again, pressing her forehead against his. "I'm still scared of what I am."

It is what he was waiting for. Obviously, not what Jack wished, but he's chivalrous enough to stop. He presses his forehead against hers for a moment, then lowers her head to rest on his shoulder. "I can wait. I don't want to push you." He smiles, replying softly, "you're worth it." When she says she's scared, he nods slowly, not wanting to disturb the moment. He doesn't say anything to it, just the simple acknowledgment that she was heard. He's not sure how to respond right now.

Holly didn't really expect this to be the response to her trying to tear apart his sister. She's okay with it, though — for now. Sooner or later, she's going to have to talk to the young Slytherin and sort things out.

Unfortunately, she's out of smiles for the day. Even a couple leave her feeling guilty, as if she has no right to be happy. In fact, this moment that's making her feel so wanted is also serving to add to that guilt, and she earnestly wishes those feelings would just go away and leave her alone. Even werewolves should be happy, she's sure, but the pressing guilt is irritating, and Holly can feel herself coming closer to that anger that recently ended in a veritable temper tantrum.

"This isn't fair, Jack. I didn't want this. I had plans. I wanted a life."

Here is something else he has no clue how to respond to. He continues to rub her shoulders gently, trying to release the tension he can feel between them. He still has his moments of anger about the situation as well, not yet having the opportunity to express himself. Between work and spending time with Holly, he's still stuck in 'denial' somewhat. "I'm sorry." It's all he can think about saying at the moment.

It would be awesome if Jack never saw her on the night of the full moon. In fact, it will be far safer for him if that never happened. It has no reason to. What if he sees her as a monster, though? It's not like Sirius, who can shift back and forth whenever he wants to. This isn't learned. Holly's going to be a beast for a whole night, through no will of her own. And after seeing Lupin, well, she knows that werewolves are pretty hideous-looking. It makes no sense to dwell on it, though. She'll be well-hidden on the night of the full moon. After realising she's been silent for several minutes, she speaks up again. "Thank you," is, however, all she says.

Jack nods, remaining quiet, remaining securely wrapped around her. He'll just hold her until she breaks free of the embrace. He plants a chaste kiss on her forehead, and lets out a long sigh, relieved at getting at least a small part of this figured out. The rest will come in time.


And everybody breathe a sigh of relief.


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