|
  |
There were at least one hundred people in the class that was dedicated to the way the mind works. Jean was stuck in a sea of like-minded students, mostly people her age, some older and some younger, packed within their seats and desks attempting to decipher the words that were spoken and upon the page until the bell itself wakes the students from their reverie.
Homework was shouted.
People grumbled.
But Jean quickly gathered her things and headed towards the next class, and she was so incredibly bored.
'Gabriel?' She asks silently, slowly walking with her books in tow. Her next class started in an hour, and she could feel that he himself was hungry. Which makes her hungry.
'Are you eating properly? Only one of us should neglect their meals.'
*
The transition had begun. He had been working at the store still, but that had been cut back due to them not needing as many hours from him. So now, on the off days he was working in the city! The big City! Without a lot of skills available to him, he had found a pretty decent job with a construction company that was working on demolition at the moment of a building destroyed in a fire. Sooty, dirty and laboring; despite being hungry he was actually relatively happy. He was always happiest when he was doing things, and right now as he pushed the wheelbarrow across the yard of the building, it loaded down with concrete and metal, he paused to tilt his head.
«Yes, I'm hungry. But it isn't lunch time yet.» He thinks it, to himself really but also towards the bundled ball in the back of his mind which is where Jean resides in his mind.
*
Jean's own stomach begins to growl, her shoulders slumping, her bottom lip poking out as her eyes roll into her head, turning to go back the way she came, which was right back into the hallway that leads to the cafeteria.
'We would have more hours in the day if we didn't have to stop and eat food that we don't like..'
Though she didn't mean to say it, she was still going to do it.
'You're working hard.' Her voice sounded amused, but it was a conversation she wanted, just so that she didn't feel so alone.
*
Because she is hungry, he is hungry… and because he is hungry, well, it probably makes her hungrier. This was not all it was cracked up to be, constantly having to cope with his emotions and hers at the same time. Regardless, the benefits out weighed the cons.
Taking a moment, he pauses while pushing the wheelbarrow and gets a sip of water from the canteen he brought, a sip that turns into a drink. «Yes. It's not hot out but it's sweaty out. Some guy who was supposed to be here today didn't show up, so I'm trying to help cover the difference that is made.»
*
The cafeteria was reached, and for a moment she stops, collecting herself as she reaches the line, snagging an apple from the fridge as well as orange juice. Something simple to keep her going.
'Like me and cleaning because Scott disappeared.' So she understood. 'We're almost ready to move into the house at Salem Center. The one near to your store. We're just waiting on the final downpayment.' She smiles to herself. 'Isn't that exciting?'
*
He pauses in his work and manages to stifle a small laugh before going to pick up a shovel and start moving debris into his wheelbarrow for the cleaning process. «Exciting? Yes. Although there is much to do. Packing to move, figuring out the new house. Not to mention I was told by someone that moving in with someone is a big deal. I don't know how it's a big deal, but one of the men here said that moving in with your girlfriend was a big deal.»
*
Jean reaches the top of the line, not quite cutting off the conversation she was having with Gabriel, but focusing upon the woman in front of her. She leans a little to the side to shift her bookbag in front of her, retrieving a few dollar bills, then murmurs quietly. "I'll take a fried ham and cheese sandwich too." As the transaction is complete, Jean takes her apple and juice, the bag soon swished behind her carefully.
'They're probably talking about marriage and babies, Gabriel.' Jean mentally thinks. 'Or maybe combining finances? We practically live together as is, it shouldn't be any different. There'll just be a lot less supervision, and a lot less help. A lot more sex maybe? We should probably talk about birth control..'
*
«More sex?» He asks back through his mind as he pauses in shovelling the debris and wipes his brow before setting to work again, the words in his mind sometimes resulting in him muttering them outloud as well. Fortunately there's enough activity outside to make his talking to himself seem less weird. «All those social things seem.. unnecessary. Except the control part. I had heard some of these men talking about things like that. I wasn't sure how to broach the topic.»
*
'Yes, more sex. We really can't do it in the mansion, you know what happens when we do if we're not careful..' Jean smiles a little to herself, pressing the apple to her chin as she waits for her order, glancing up as a classmate walks by as she finally speaks out, "Oh no! I'm having lunch alone today!"
As her name is called, she retrieves her order, taking the sandwich that was promptly bagged as she heads into the hallway towards the library. 'Birth control? Contraceptives. I suppose I would just take a pill so that we won't have children. Though, we never really discussed if we were going to or not. You aren't getting any younger, Gabriel.'
And if he could feel it from that far away, it would be like a breath of fresh air, a flutter of a touch at the back of his neck. 'Though, puppies. I rather buy a sea of puppies.' There was a quietness then, and soon, she comes in quietly. 'What else did those men say?'
*
Children? Like he's ever thought of having children. He spends most of his time trying to figure out so many of the customs that are still obscure to him to put much thought into the future beyond the next meal or maybe next week's laundry. He pauses as the shovel rests in his hands for a moment, then he sets back to work. It's a distraction, she could feel it's a distraction for him.
«They say lots of things. Some of it I don't understand. I can tell when they're making fun of me for not knowing, but it doesn't bother me. IT makes me feel… normal. Like I blend in.» He turns over the shovel and sets it down, moving to pick up the wheelbarrow and to move it once more back to the debris spot. «We already agreed on a puppy when we move. Anyway, what else do you want the men to say? What else do I need to know?»
*
Jean finds a nice and quiet corner in the library, finally settling down within her little nook as the bag comes off, the food is placed down and assembled neatly before her own chair is sat upon and she heaves a sigh of relief. She was really hungry, to the point that she was shaking, but the first thing that was tackled was the juice, the top torn off and drank.
Wonder if he can taste that?!
'Well, considering that they're talking to you is what should make you blend in.' Her voice was amused. 'But I don't know, Gabriel. Like.. when I think of my mom and dad, I'm sure they had a plan when they were moving in. Like.. who does the chores? Who does the cooking? Who would walk the dogs or would we take turns? Who would do the groc..' Her voice cuts off for a moment, cause once she takes a bite of the fried ham and cheese sandwich, she couldn't think about anything else.
*
Again Gabriel finds himself pausing in his work to contemplate, something that is noticed by the foreman and a string of expletives is directed to him, reminding him to get back to work. «It is probably best if I do not cook. Considering the once I tried and started the fire with the towel.» Ah, memories.
While Jean relaxes and eats her sandwich, he puts his back into the lifting of the wheelbarrow over a pile of rebar and grunts doing so. «Cleaning. Laundry. Walking animals. Shopping. How many of those would we do together? You need time to study your classes.»
*
'Mm. You'd have to learn.' Jean polishes off the sandwich in no time flat, but she does happen to pause due to feeling sick to her stomach. She slumps within her chair, keeping her eyes closed, focusing upon the conversation instead of the sickness that she feels. 'You don't fry much. But I do remember seeing a nice dish that consists of potatoes, vegetables, and cheese somewhere..'
Finally she sits up, her hand reaching for the juice to take a quick drink. 'I don't know! We can do whatever you feel up to doing at the moment. You're making my arms hurt a little.' She rolls her shoulders. 'But.. classes yes. There's also that issue with the.. thing in that bunker behind the mansion.. That needs taken care of.'
*
«Did you eat to fast again?» Gabriel wonders across the void of space that separates them, which is actually far to close at times, considering he can feel her discomfort. «You should eat more slowly. Your stomach won't get upset that way.» The reminder is given as he turns and looks at the watch on his wrist, only a few more minutes until lunch break.
«If your arms hurt, imagine how mine feel?» There is humor to his tone as he thinks it, the work doesn't bother him much. It keeps him nice and active. Even still, he does have soreness many days from it. «What bunker?»
*
'Mmhmm..' Juice! There was nearly a need to run down to the cafeteria to get more, but there was a bubbler outside that she could assault for more liquids. 'You just need to keep up with the eating so that I don't have to much.' Jean teases, finally leaning forward to put her head down upon the table, waiting for the gut-busting sickness to pass. 'I need to do better, not eating is going to kill me. But I can't keep much down anymore.'
Though his little tease elicits a smile, and for a moment, a close memory shines through. The norse runes upon the wall, the ones that glow in a field where no snow touches and it's as warm as June. 'That bunker.' She grins a little. 'Unless you want me to just focus on school and quit trying to be a hero all together. That would majorly suck..'
*
«Well, you not putting yourself into harms way is not what I would consider a bad thing.» Pausing, Gabriel chuckles to himself, «I put like five double negatives in that thought didn't I.» And then it hits, that wonderful break time as the whistle sounds and everyone takes off the hard hats and go to their places to eat. Gabriel grabs his lunch can as he makes his way to a quieter location, weaving across the street even to a small park and a bench where he sits down to eat.
«I am worried that you're feeling sick so often. Do we go to a doctor to find out what's wrong?»
*
'And who else is going to do it?' She asks, in fact.. this causes her to ask aloud as she slowly stands. 'I mean, you could. I could show you where it is, and you can destroy it.' And he could feel that she was actually considering it. 'Yeah, we could do that. Then I wouldn't be in harms way.' She steps out into the hallway, backing up against the door as she lets out a little 'Eep!' The hall itself were filled with students, all lined up to get a drink of water. Her own bottle was glanced at, shrugged, and right back inside is where she goes.
'No.. I don't like doctors.' Her quick and clipped words allow him to feel that moment of fear that nearly radiates, as well as the heat of the electricity coupled with a vision of her electro-shock sessions. It makes her shiver.
'I just need to learn to eat like a normal person.'
*
The memories of her treatment flood through them and he shakes his head a bit, brow furrowing. «You know I will protect you.» It is a quiet thought, one that is whispered out loud as well before he takes a bite of his sandwich. The steadfast certainty of the thought carries before he changes it some. «You need to eat healthy to keep yourself healthy. There's always time to eat, haven't I shown you that?» Flashes of all the times Gabe is shoving food in his face flood over quickly, most of them rather humorous.
*
'I know..' She thinks, though a little smile curls upon her lips. There was a lot of relief as he himself begins to eat, the apple which she bought for herself soon stashed away as she makes her way to the table, put into her backpack for him for later.
The little images that do flash through her mind gives her pause, it was a slight unexpected thing that makes her laughs so loud and hard, that little snorts follow through! "I know!" She nearly squeals out, her eyes widening as she smacks her lips together to keep herself contained. 'I know! I just.. feeling everything from everyone all the time makes me feel sick! I know it's a horrible excuse but I can't help it.'
*
«Does it help to just focus on one person or one voice to block out the others?» Gabriel starts on the second sandwich he has, he usually brings three to four. Peanut butter and jelly, which has become one of his favorites since he discovered it. That cursed sweet tooth he has. Chips in a small baggie, a milk, canteen of water, fruit. Really he eats enough for 2, maybe 3 people during his lunch sitting.
«I know when I feel overwhelmed I try to focus on a small thing, it helps me from feeling too much around me.»
*
'I block everything out.' She says, then peeks out into the hallway, making a quick dash to the water bubbler to rinse out her empty bottle. 'I cheat. I turn everything off and I don't feel anything.' Though, she does consider things for a moment, allowing the water to fill and run over, as someone in the background spooks her enough for her to splash water everywhere.. even atop of her head.
'Shit.. what do yo.. mutherfuck .. think.. oh god it's cold.. abou.. so embarrassed..'
*
He feels a shiver himself as the cold transfers and he shakes his head. «What the hell are you doing?» Asking it across the void he sets down the food he was working on and rubs his hands across his temples as if trying to shake the cold sensation free. «Jean?»
*
'Ublrub!' Jean jumps around in place, the shattered glass upon the floor as one person apologizes and another runs to get a towel. 'Cold cold cold cold!' The towel itself was soon smacked against her face as she stumbles backward, attempting to clean herself as well as the top of her head as her mind rushes a mile a minute. 'Spilled water, got.. spilled water! Spilled water broken glass! Shit nuggets!'
*
The sudden eruption of Jean's chaos has Gabriel shaking his head. As he starts to understand a bit of what is happening, he pushes up from the bench and stifles a chuckle, just as a the whistle to get back to work sounds. «Back to work… try not to fall asleepin class, or spill more things.»
*