Tear My Heart Open part 3: Strange Disease
Title: Tear My Heart Open part 3: Strange Disease
Fandom: Generation X
Characters: Monet St. Croix, Jonothon Starsmore, Penance
Prompt: 86. Strange Disease
Word Count:
Rating: PG
Summary: She's crept into his life like some kind of sickness.
“What is that smell?” Monet asked, eyeing a dubious stain on the ceiling.
“Probably a killer mold,” Jono said philosophically. “Sugar?”
“Please.”
There was something incredibly civilizing about having tea. Everybody understood the rules. The tea itself gave you something to do during the awkward pauses.
“You’re looking well, gel.” Jono said, putting the good cup in front of Monet. The bad cup he kept for himself. “New York treating you alright?”
“It’s okay. And you’re looking well too,” the young woman said, taking a sip. A lie, and they both knew it. But they were having tea, and the forms had to be observed.
Monet was looking good. But she always did, so it hardly needed to be commented on.
Finally, she made a small, frustrated noise. “I may be forced to strangle my sisters,” she said. “I’m very sorry they put you through this.”
“It’s been no trouble.” Another lie. “She’s a dear, really.” A truth.”
“Still, I think it’s best if she comes back with me.”
“I’ve got no objections.” Truth. “But I’ll be sorry to see her go.” Another truth. “It’s been good having her around.”
“I trust Clan Akkaba haven’t been too much trouble?” Monet asked.
Jono almost spat out his tea. “What?” he spluttered. “Who told-”
“You told me about them yourself,” she reminded him gently. “A long time ago.” She turned her gaze to Penance, eating an apple to the core and giving them no attention what so ever.
“I’d forgotten.” Jono admitted. “It’s hard to associate Penny with… well, you. With M.”
“I prefer Monet. My sisters were the M you knew.”
“I can understand that.”
Uncomfortable silence descended, punctuated by the sipping of tea. Finally, Monet said, “I need to be getting back. I’m staying with a friend of Father’s until I can arrange transport for Penance.” She hesitated. “Do you think you could keep her until then? I can reimburse you-” She reached for her purse.
Jono grabbed her wrist, shaking his head. “I’ll not take a cent. You and Penny are my mates.”
Monet eyed the stain patch, then Jono, arching an eyebrow.
“Not. One. Cent.” Jono repeated.
“God forbid I stop you from being noble,” Monet sighed, standing up. Jono escorted her to the door, where she paused again. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen London . Think you could spare a few hours to help me reacquaint myself?”
“Sure.”
***
It took Jono exactly thirty-four minutes to work out what Monet was up to. And he was torn on the matter. On the one hand, he didn’t want to accept charity. On the other hand… it was a leather couch. A real leather couch.
“Don’t be stubborn,” Monet sighed. “It’s a gift. I want you to have it.”
“Luv, I know money doesn’t mean much to you--”
“Which is why you should take it. I’ll just spend it on something utterly useless if you don’t. And then you’ll be kicking yourself, wondering why you didn’t take it when it was offered.”
“Why are you doing this?” he asked.
“Because you’re my friend, and I want you to have something nice.”
“Am I?” Jono asked. “Your friend.”
Monet cocked her head to one side, looking Jono right in the eyes. “I was. When I was stuck as Penance, you were the only one who treated me with any real respect.”
“Then you became M,” he pointed out.
“Yes,” Monet agreed. “But I’d like to fix that.”
***
There was always something delaying the girls’ departure Monet had to take care of some business. Penance was feeling a bit under the weather. The wing of the house that the girls shared was being remodeled.
Little things that just added up.
Monet was there every day. And little by little, she crept deeper into Jono’s life. There were things she bought all over the apartment now.
It was just like with Gayle, early on. Jono found himself wondering if he pissed Monet’s father off as much as he’d pissed off Gayle’s, and was disturbed that this didn’t annoy him more.
The fact was, he liked having Monet around. Underneath the general snootiness was a sweet girl with a rather dry sense of humor who didn’t care that he sometimes answered the door with grey skin and blue lips, and who knew what he was talking about when he mentioned Angelo or Everet.
He didn’t like to think of her going back to New York, or of her putting Penance back with her sisters. And that disturbed him a great deal.
Fandom: Generation X
Characters: Monet St. Croix, Jonothon Starsmore, Penance
Prompt: 86. Strange Disease
Word Count:
Rating: PG
Summary: She's crept into his life like some kind of sickness.
“What is that smell?” Monet asked, eyeing a dubious stain on the ceiling.
“Probably a killer mold,” Jono said philosophically. “Sugar?”
“Please.”
There was something incredibly civilizing about having tea. Everybody understood the rules. The tea itself gave you something to do during the awkward pauses.
“You’re looking well, gel.” Jono said, putting the good cup in front of Monet. The bad cup he kept for himself. “New York treating you alright?”
“It’s okay. And you’re looking well too,” the young woman said, taking a sip. A lie, and they both knew it. But they were having tea, and the forms had to be observed.
Monet was looking good. But she always did, so it hardly needed to be commented on.
Finally, she made a small, frustrated noise. “I may be forced to strangle my sisters,” she said. “I’m very sorry they put you through this.”
“It’s been no trouble.” Another lie. “She’s a dear, really.” A truth.”
“Still, I think it’s best if she comes back with me.”
“I’ve got no objections.” Truth. “But I’ll be sorry to see her go.” Another truth. “It’s been good having her around.”
“I trust Clan Akkaba haven’t been too much trouble?” Monet asked.
Jono almost spat out his tea. “What?” he spluttered. “Who told-”
“You told me about them yourself,” she reminded him gently. “A long time ago.” She turned her gaze to Penance, eating an apple to the core and giving them no attention what so ever.
“I’d forgotten.” Jono admitted. “It’s hard to associate Penny with… well, you. With M.”
“I prefer Monet. My sisters were the M you knew.”
“I can understand that.”
Uncomfortable silence descended, punctuated by the sipping of tea. Finally, Monet said, “I need to be getting back. I’m staying with a friend of Father’s until I can arrange transport for Penance.” She hesitated. “Do you think you could keep her until then? I can reimburse you-” She reached for her purse.
Jono grabbed her wrist, shaking his head. “I’ll not take a cent. You and Penny are my mates.”
Monet eyed the stain patch, then Jono, arching an eyebrow.
“Not. One. Cent.” Jono repeated.
“God forbid I stop you from being noble,” Monet sighed, standing up. Jono escorted her to the door, where she paused again. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen London . Think you could spare a few hours to help me reacquaint myself?”
“Sure.”
***
It took Jono exactly thirty-four minutes to work out what Monet was up to. And he was torn on the matter. On the one hand, he didn’t want to accept charity. On the other hand… it was a leather couch. A real leather couch.
“Don’t be stubborn,” Monet sighed. “It’s a gift. I want you to have it.”
“Luv, I know money doesn’t mean much to you--”
“Which is why you should take it. I’ll just spend it on something utterly useless if you don’t. And then you’ll be kicking yourself, wondering why you didn’t take it when it was offered.”
“Why are you doing this?” he asked.
“Because you’re my friend, and I want you to have something nice.”
“Am I?” Jono asked. “Your friend.”
Monet cocked her head to one side, looking Jono right in the eyes. “I was. When I was stuck as Penance, you were the only one who treated me with any real respect.”
“Then you became M,” he pointed out.
“Yes,” Monet agreed. “But I’d like to fix that.”
***
There was always something delaying the girls’ departure Monet had to take care of some business. Penance was feeling a bit under the weather. The wing of the house that the girls shared was being remodeled.
Little things that just added up.
Monet was there every day. And little by little, she crept deeper into Jono’s life. There were things she bought all over the apartment now.
It was just like with Gayle, early on. Jono found himself wondering if he pissed Monet’s father off as much as he’d pissed off Gayle’s, and was disturbed that this didn’t annoy him more.
The fact was, he liked having Monet around. Underneath the general snootiness was a sweet girl with a rather dry sense of humor who didn’t care that he sometimes answered the door with grey skin and blue lips, and who knew what he was talking about when he mentioned Angelo or Everet.
He didn’t like to think of her going back to New York, or of her putting Penance back with her sisters. And that disturbed him a great deal.