moved.

She immediately rests her chin on her daughter's head, her own arms wrapping around Jami's back in response to the promise. "You willing to pinky promise that?"

huffed laugh escapes her, head turns so jami can look up at her. one arm comes back around and the girl holds out her pinkie. " i promise. "

"If I'd known, I would have told you." She turns back to him, gives him a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "SHIELD's on their way. Something's telling me not to get any closer to 'em until they get here. You good?"

" yeah, sounds like a fantastic idea. don't need a repeat of that. " a nod follows her words, half a smile offered to her in return but much like hers it also doesn't quite reach his eyes. " i'm good. are you good ? "

the way she grabs her backpack and shuts it looks like a defensive move, but she folds fast. anything he'd felt before that, anything like disappointment, turns soluble and dissolves in half a second. she doesn't even look guilty anymore. she looks scared, and that scares him, and when he crouches down again it's inside arm's reach of where she's sitting. " whoa, hey — slow down, what won't i get? why would i look at you different? " his heart's pounding so fast it's making him feel sick. the pieces fall into place but the picture they're forming doesn't temper his worry. she probably lied, to their parents. came here under false pretenses because whatever she's gotten herself into, in her teenage brain, is too unspeakable to even tell her brother. " jami, c'mon, " it wavers only because he hates seeing her like this. he scoots closer to reach for her, palm on her back. " whatever's going on, you can talk to me. you can always talk to me, okay? about anything. i'm not gonna get mad, i promise, just ... let me help. let's figure it out together. "

" because i - " she stops herself yet again. it sits on the tip of her tongue but she doesn't want to let it slip just yet. wants to keep her secret a little longer because she's convinced he's never going to look at her the same after. he was already disappointed and mad and all of that would only triple once he knows. hand comes up and she wipes under her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater, chews on her bottom lip while he rests a hand against her back. reassuring words follow but even if she doesn't buy them, there's no way around or out of this. she's here, she's been caught. this is scott. she can tell him anything ... right ? a shaky breath escapes her, brown eyes stare straight ahead. " i ... i did something really stupid. i took ... pictures of myself. you know, special pictures. and somehow this guy got them and he's threatening to put them online if i don't pay him and get him this stupid fucking piece of memorabilia because of course he's a fan and he - " she sucks in a sharp breath though it won't get rid of a trembling voice. " i don't want them to end up online, scott. everyone's gonna see them. "

Art: Cycles by Sean Mundy

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zu|haus. n. the place where one lives, a physical dwelling, or more broadly, a sense of belonging and comfort. at home.