St. Fabray FTW!
Title: The Cemetery
Author: undrheavenskies
Rating: G
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Quinn/Jesse
Word Count: 1022
Warnings: Bad writing and crap titles. :)
A/N: For the Jar of Hearts fic challenge (loosly inspired by the Katy Perry video for "The One That Got Away") at gleeverse and the graphic is just a bonus for personal inspiration. This is a continuation of the ficlet/graphic combos started here. This the third in the series.
She spotted him across the quad lounging against a large oak tree. He was engrossed in the pages in front him, a script possibly, knowing Jesse. His brow furrowed in concentration, a look that while, not his usual, suited him. The crease that formed between is eyebrows changed his looks somehow. It was as if Quinn could almost see the man he would grow to be in twenty years time. She framed him up in the viewfinder of her Nikon camera snapping a few quick shots in hopes of capturing this Other Jesse. She should have felt like she was spying or intruding upon his privacy, but it didn't feel like an intrusion. It felt intimate like she was seeing a piece of Jesse (albeit without his knowledge) that wasn't for everyone else. The thought gave her a hollow feeling deep in the pit of her stomach. She resolved to ponder that later as she closed the distance between them.
"What's so riveting?" She lightly nudged the feet at the end of his stretched out legs. The nudge startled Jesse out of his concentration, but his face slid easily into a smile. It's authenticity was not lost on her.
"Of all the college campuses in all of Ohio she had to walk onto mine." Quinn rolled her eyes at the ridiculous turn of phrase. "Whatever brings you to lovely Ohio State, Miss Fabray?" Quinn shifted easily, resisting the urge to join him on the soft grass. Not that he was offering her the space next to him. She held up her camera in a silent answer to his question with a smirk. "You've turned paparazzi?"
Quinn chuckled, "Decidedly less boring I'm afraid. I'm taking a photography class." Jesse nodded, but offered nothing more than a smile. "What about you? What are you doing here? Besides looking dashingly collegiate in your white scarf." His smiled broadened at the compliment and Quinn thought she might have even caught a hint of flush in his cheeks. He held up a course catalog and with raise of his brows the confident smile slid to something more uncertain. "Good for you! The Buckeyes have a decent theater and music program. Just goes to prove," she gave his boots a pointed nudge, "you can't keep a good man down."
Jesse suddenly barked with laughter. "Good man...," he stood gracefully and dusted the grass and dirt from his clothes. "I'm not sure that's a phrase that's ever been attributed to me before."
"Well then, it's high time someone said it."
"Thank you, Quinn." His tone was sincere and lacked any of its usual snark.
They began to walk towards the parking lot in a companionable silence. It struck Quinn how odd their easy rapport was. Why was it so easy for her to be herself with this person who for all intents and purposes was practically a stranger? Everyday she spent hours upon hours with her friends and family and so much of it didn't feel real. Yet this, this friendship with Jesse felt honest and right. Again, her head and emotions were taking her to place she'd rather not question at the moment. To question it meant it meant something and that was not something Quinn was prepared to face right now.
"I'm headed out to Old Pioneer Cemetery in Alexandria." His eyebrows shot up quizzically and she raised her Nikon in explanation. "Do you want to come?"
"Why not," he answered with a shrug on his shoulders.
_____________________________________________
The sun shone down through the trees casting an array of shadows on the headstones of Old Pioneer Cemetery. It struck Quinn as funny that cemeteries were supposed to be scary and creepy. Yet, the day was beautiful, the sun was shining and she couldn't help but think that it lovely and nice. They walked around the cemetery sometimes speaking, sometimes not. It was nice. Jesse had a quality about him she'd never notice before. He wasn't like Finn or Sam, or even Mr. Schuester. He didn't seem to have the need to fill the silence. When he spoke it was to say something worth saying and otherwise, they could just be.
"Thank you, by the way."
"Well, what better way to spend an afternoon than strolling through a graveyard." His tone was flippant, but kind.
"Not for the company," she said elbowed him playfully as they walked.
"Oh, then I should leave?" He pretended offense and started in the other direction.
Quinn laughed, "No! That's not what I meant and you know it!" She quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back into stride with her. She leaned into his warmth that despite the warm day wasn't unpleasant. And if her grasp lingered longer than necessary, well, it went without being spoke of. "Thank you, for the picture." Jesse expression feigned ignorance. "Don't give me that Jesse St. James. I know it was you that sent me the picture of Beth. Thank you."
Jesse shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Not a big deal." He ducked his head downplaying the gesture.
"No, Jesse. I-It is. It's a huge deal." She turned to him, needing to look at him face to face. "It was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me." She bent her head to catch his gaze. "I mean that, Jesse. For so long I've felt like no one understood what I was feeling, what I was going through. And suddenly there you were. I didn't even have to, have to say anything. You just knew...." Jesse watched her. She suddenly knew how that course catalog felt having the full weight of Jesse's attention and concentration thrust upon her. She felt that hallow feeling in her stomach again and this time she didn't want to ignore it.
"I'm glad I could help, Quinn." Jesse started to speak, but then stopped as if he had thought better of it. A slow smile spread across his face that went all the way to his eyes. "I guess it is true what they say."
"What's that?" she asked with a grin.
"You really can't keep a good woman down."
Author: undrheavenskies
Rating: G
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Quinn/Jesse
Word Count: 1022
Warnings: Bad writing and crap titles. :)
A/N: For the Jar of Hearts fic challenge (loosly inspired by the Katy Perry video for "The One That Got Away") at gleeverse and the graphic is just a bonus for personal inspiration. This is a continuation of the ficlet/graphic combos started here. This the third in the series.
She spotted him across the quad lounging against a large oak tree. He was engrossed in the pages in front him, a script possibly, knowing Jesse. His brow furrowed in concentration, a look that while, not his usual, suited him. The crease that formed between is eyebrows changed his looks somehow. It was as if Quinn could almost see the man he would grow to be in twenty years time. She framed him up in the viewfinder of her Nikon camera snapping a few quick shots in hopes of capturing this Other Jesse. She should have felt like she was spying or intruding upon his privacy, but it didn't feel like an intrusion. It felt intimate like she was seeing a piece of Jesse (albeit without his knowledge) that wasn't for everyone else. The thought gave her a hollow feeling deep in the pit of her stomach. She resolved to ponder that later as she closed the distance between them.
"What's so riveting?" She lightly nudged the feet at the end of his stretched out legs. The nudge startled Jesse out of his concentration, but his face slid easily into a smile. It's authenticity was not lost on her.
"Of all the college campuses in all of Ohio she had to walk onto mine." Quinn rolled her eyes at the ridiculous turn of phrase. "Whatever brings you to lovely Ohio State, Miss Fabray?" Quinn shifted easily, resisting the urge to join him on the soft grass. Not that he was offering her the space next to him. She held up her camera in a silent answer to his question with a smirk. "You've turned paparazzi?"
Quinn chuckled, "Decidedly less boring I'm afraid. I'm taking a photography class." Jesse nodded, but offered nothing more than a smile. "What about you? What are you doing here? Besides looking dashingly collegiate in your white scarf." His smiled broadened at the compliment and Quinn thought she might have even caught a hint of flush in his cheeks. He held up a course catalog and with raise of his brows the confident smile slid to something more uncertain. "Good for you! The Buckeyes have a decent theater and music program. Just goes to prove," she gave his boots a pointed nudge, "you can't keep a good man down."
Jesse suddenly barked with laughter. "Good man...," he stood gracefully and dusted the grass and dirt from his clothes. "I'm not sure that's a phrase that's ever been attributed to me before."
"Well then, it's high time someone said it."
"Thank you, Quinn." His tone was sincere and lacked any of its usual snark.
They began to walk towards the parking lot in a companionable silence. It struck Quinn how odd their easy rapport was. Why was it so easy for her to be herself with this person who for all intents and purposes was practically a stranger? Everyday she spent hours upon hours with her friends and family and so much of it didn't feel real. Yet this, this friendship with Jesse felt honest and right. Again, her head and emotions were taking her to place she'd rather not question at the moment. To question it meant it meant something and that was not something Quinn was prepared to face right now.
"I'm headed out to Old Pioneer Cemetery in Alexandria." His eyebrows shot up quizzically and she raised her Nikon in explanation. "Do you want to come?"
"Why not," he answered with a shrug on his shoulders.
_____________________________________________
The sun shone down through the trees casting an array of shadows on the headstones of Old Pioneer Cemetery. It struck Quinn as funny that cemeteries were supposed to be scary and creepy. Yet, the day was beautiful, the sun was shining and she couldn't help but think that it lovely and nice. They walked around the cemetery sometimes speaking, sometimes not. It was nice. Jesse had a quality about him she'd never notice before. He wasn't like Finn or Sam, or even Mr. Schuester. He didn't seem to have the need to fill the silence. When he spoke it was to say something worth saying and otherwise, they could just be.
"Thank you, by the way."
"Well, what better way to spend an afternoon than strolling through a graveyard." His tone was flippant, but kind.
"Not for the company," she said elbowed him playfully as they walked.
"Oh, then I should leave?" He pretended offense and started in the other direction.
Quinn laughed, "No! That's not what I meant and you know it!" She quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back into stride with her. She leaned into his warmth that despite the warm day wasn't unpleasant. And if her grasp lingered longer than necessary, well, it went without being spoke of. "Thank you, for the picture." Jesse expression feigned ignorance. "Don't give me that Jesse St. James. I know it was you that sent me the picture of Beth. Thank you."
Jesse shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Not a big deal." He ducked his head downplaying the gesture.
"No, Jesse. I-It is. It's a huge deal." She turned to him, needing to look at him face to face. "It was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me." She bent her head to catch his gaze. "I mean that, Jesse. For so long I've felt like no one understood what I was feeling, what I was going through. And suddenly there you were. I didn't even have to, have to say anything. You just knew...." Jesse watched her. She suddenly knew how that course catalog felt having the full weight of Jesse's attention and concentration thrust upon her. She felt that hallow feeling in her stomach again and this time she didn't want to ignore it.
"I'm glad I could help, Quinn." Jesse started to speak, but then stopped as if he had thought better of it. A slow smile spread across his face that went all the way to his eyes. "I guess it is true what they say."
"What's that?" she asked with a grin.
"You really can't keep a good woman down."