m a d r o x - hiatus

“Is that so? And what is your subconscious telling you?”

“--That I need to be more wary of guys that look exactly like me. Some of them apparently have ulterior motives.”

“Huh.” He said thinking over that word. Changeling. “Alright. You must have been a pain in the ass when you were learning how to walk.” Jimmy said with some extent of amusement in his voice. He could understand what it feels like to be a different type of mutant that everyone else. Got annoying after someone brought it up after the third time.

“You know if they were here right now,” his face softened slightly at the mention of his deceased parents, “they’d probably tell you ‘Abso-fuckin-lutely’-- maybe not in those words, but could you imagine going from parenting an only child, to quadruplets, and back to an only child all within the span of a few minutes? Yeah, me neither. But they did it somehow.”

“Y’know, I can’t really remember what a nightmare feels like. Do you think it’s a sign that I’m soulless since I don’t dream?”

Jamie ignored the knee jerk reaction of utter bewilderment, and shook his head instead, “Absolutely not. Dreams suck sometimes. Good or bad.”

“I have enough concerns of my own to worry about, thank you very much.”

“Aaalright. Noted.”

“I don’t think I’m properly qualified to handle all of this.” 

“Join the club. Not like I haven’t heard that before.”

“There must be some mistake. Any reason for me to be concerned about you does not exist.”

“What? You mean to tell me you’ve never vented to a stranger? It’s pretty therapeutic actually.”

“I’m not concerned.”

“Thanks, I feel so loved.”

“You have to trust more than your subconscious if you want to stay alive.”

“I mean, worst case scenario-- there will still be a me in the world. Just not this one.”

“You can’t always believe your subconscious. If I believed that every time I dreamed that my teeth fell out that work would go wrong, or that it meant I was going to have a dry spell, I wouldn’t get anything done. Truth is, I’m just scared of my teeth falling out and looking like a hobo.”

Jamie nodded slowly, brows raised in mild surprise, “Huh.” He couldn’t necessarily say the same was the case for him. “--a valid fear.”

“Friend.” Laura repeated the word. It still made her happy. “Yes, that’s good for friends to do.”

“Yeah, friend---” Jamie grinned, nodding, “-you’re one of the good ones, Kinney.”

“So it’s not cut and dry. See, that makes it better, doesn’t it?”

“Guess not--- but what if deep down it’s some reflection of me? Sorry for going all soul-bearing on you. That’s uh-- kind of a fear of mine.”

“Really, I am more than able to care for myself.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that. Doesn’t mean I can’t look out for a friend though.”

“unless you want to join the cause,” “WE DON’T NEED YOU.”

“You know, I will pass-- thanks, but I’ve got a pretty good gig here.”

“I’m a sight for healthy eyes as well.” Layla winked despite her concern. She felt him twitch under her finger but didn’t falter herself. It was a part of them now, after all. They both had to accept that. “You know, you don’t look very healthy. You look as if you got the shit beaten out of you, which you did. But don’t worry! You’re still pretty.”

Bracing herself slightly, Layla cast him a sympathetic look. “Among other things, yes. Now, c’mon. We have to get you up and get you home. That dry blood is going to get all crusty if we don’t get it off soon.”

With that being said she proffered a hand to help tug him to his feet before opening his side of the car door. Skipping back around to hers, Layla slid behind the wheel and started the car.

“You don’t get to comment on my driving.”

His energy continuously waning, Jamie let his head rest in Layla’s palm as she jokingly complimented him. He was growing too tired to respond, but the sentiment still resulted in a small grin.

Blood? Glancing down at his shirt Jamie’s brow furrowed in confusion before realizing-

Oh right. Face.

Allowing the smaller mutant to tug him to his feet before opening the door for him, Jamie slid into his seat after a moment, eager to get back to the Institute. His bed was surely calling his name, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t also enjoying Layla doting on him. Maybe just a little.

“We’re all gross and soft, aren’t we?” Layla’s nose scrunched at the thought. “I told you this would happen.”

“Just disgusting,” Jamie teased, chuckling softly at Layla’s expression before silently taking in the rest of the details of her face.

“No one. That’s the kicker.”

Jamie’s brow furrowed in confusion for a moment before his expression mellowed out and he shrugged, stepping aside, “--carry on then.”