(Untitled)

[green_and_white]

Jasmine isn't happy.

She wasn't happy when Eight-Hour fire-moved her to the fringes of civilization.

She was, if anything, less happy when she discovered she had to walk four hours just to get within reach of Downside public transport, and that the subsequent ride home took another four hours

Comments

[green_and_white]

"Lost? My dear, I have not yet begun to play the game."

[downsidedarling]

Anna snorts.

"Seriously. You're a walking cliché, and nobody's impressed. Shut the fuck up and go home before you hurt yourself."

[green_and_white]

"Do you ever listen when you speak? Eights, my dear, you've been changed for the worse by this foolish sojourn."

Jasmine shakes her head almost mournfully and raises a hand to trail a finger down Eight-Hour's cheek.

Time was, a simple thing like that would have the shorter woman gasping.

It's easier to take revenge on someone when you can control them that easily.

[hero_farmboy]

And just like that, before Jasmine can even blink, Clark has a firm grasp on her wrist again, pulling her back.

"I said you weren't touching her."

[downsidedarling]

"Clark."

Anna shakes her head sharply, once.

"I can handle this myself."

To Jasmine, she says simply: "Yeah. I've changed. I'm not the person who comes when you call anymore."

This isn't, strictly speaking, true. If Clark were not present, Anna would be dealing with this situation in a very different way. But Clark is present, and that makes it easier for Anna to put on the calm, disaffected face.

[hero_farmboy]

Clark's glare if very briefly turned Anna's way and then he reluctantly drops Jasmine's hand. But he's not moving back.

[green_and_white]

When Clark grabs her arm, Jazz flinches and snarls, silently enraged.

It's difficult to regain her calm enough to tell Eights smoothly, "You will always come when I call, Eight-Hour. Always. You need what I give you. Don't tell me this imbecile delivers that which you require."

[downsidedarling]

For the first time since this debacle began, Anna laughs outright.

"It's Anna now. I left that name behind in my ridiculously large house. Left that addiction, too. I'm happy - if you even understand happiness anymore, you twisted bitch. And there's nothing you can do to take that away."

[green_and_white]

"Don't be a fool."

Jasmine raises her hand again and touches one finger, delicately, to Anna's lips.

"You cannot simply leave the contractor's curse behind as though it were a-- bag of garbage."

[hero_farmboy]

Clark glowers. "Don't push it."

[downsidedarling]

Anna giggles.

"Does it matter? You have nothing on me anymore."

She puts a hand to Clark's arm comfortingly. For a moment she wishes he weren't there. Only a moment, though. She wouldn't have nearly this kind of confidence if he weren't.

[green_and_white]

"Prove it," says Jasmine, smirking. "Call off your misguided Adonis. Indulge a little. Then we'll see how much of this chatter about being a changed woman is exactly that."

[hero_farmboy]

Clark raises an eyebrow. Misguided Adonis? "It's not her call whether I'm here or not. It's mine."

[downsidedarling]

Rolling her eyes slightly, Anna nods.

"What he said."

[green_and_white]

"Are you really telling me you'd let him prevent you from taking your indulgence?"

Jasmine's eyes narrow, and she steps towards Anna again, looking down her nose slightly.

"I refuse to believe you'd submit to such indignity. Explain yourself."

[hero_farmboy]

"I don't tell her what to do. She can do what she likes, it just sounds to me like she's not interested in what you're offering anymore," Clark offers, quietly but firmly.