(Untitled)

[prodigaljaybird]

Skipping his next to last day of classes is pretty pointless as far as rebellion goes, but Jason doesn't care, he'll take it.

He'd left the hut that morning with an extra burst of speed, one hint of a female voice on the other side of Bucky's door enough to tell him that Bucky was too occupied to care what direction he took off in, and so, when

Comments

[illuxinated]

Irrational though it may be, Lux doesn't like the lower levels of the Compound. The space is no smaller or more stifling than anywhere else in the building, and aside from not having the tiny windows around the upper perimeter like the top floor, the lower levels don't look any different. In her mind she knows, though, that she's moving further underground and further away from the exit, and it quietly gnaws at her anytime she ventures down the stairs. She probably wouldn't even be down here were she even a little less freaked out at present, but talking to Jason seems pretty important right now.

How appropriate that, of all things, he's watching a kids movie, a title that you could find in the messy stack of childrens DVDs in just about any home with a family member under the age of ten. It's appropriate that he's yelling at the screen, too, if for more familiar and comforting reasons.

"You know, they can't actually hear you," she says when she steps up beside his seat.

[prodigaljaybird]

He's engrossed enough that he doesn't realize Lux is there until she speaks, but hers, at least, is one voice that can both capture his attention and calm him all at once.

"This movie's messed up," he says, reaching for her with the hand not trapped inside a half ripped off cast. "I can't believe he's going off with his dad now, what an asshole."

[illuxinated]

"Yeah, it's messed up," Lux absently replies, her attention far from the cartoon deer on the screen. When Jason's hand closes over her own, she tugs back on his arm rather than move forward with the motion.

"Can we get out of here for awhile?" she asks, her attempt at seeming casual a little strained at the ages. "I have something I kind of need to talk to you about." That sounds suitably ominous, and the moment she's said it, Lux wishes she'd made some other excuse even if it would just be postponing Jason's inevitable reaction.

[prodigaljaybird]

"Okay," says Jason a touch easier than most boys might. His life has been unusual, his experiences limited enough that he doesn't know to be afraid when a girl says they need to talk, doesn't in fact at times realize something is wrong until she doesn't show up for a party.

Getting up, he lets the movie run, anxious to get outside and find out whatever it is Lux needs to say. He keeps her hand inside his as they head for the stairs, Jason already moving up them before he asks, "Where?" Then, realizing at last it might be something bad, if not directly related to him, he adds, "Are you okay?"

[slowspeedster]

It was the crack of gunshot that caught Bart off-guard, just wandering back through the compound in an attempt to find anything to occupy him instead of jogging back to the treehouse. It took longer for him to understand what was going on. The name 'Bambi' helped, because while he'd never actually seen the touted Disney movie, he had read the book it was based on. Children's sections in public libraries always had dog-eared copies of old classics.

"Maybe he freaked out when he found out his kid was hanging out with a skunk and became an alcoholic. It's a movie, Jason," Bart said, trying for a bad joke. "One that has traumatized entire generations of impressionable children. Up there with Old Yeller."

[prodigaljaybird]

"Then why the hell do kids watch it?" Jason asks, flinging his good hand into the air. "Why does anybody want them to? The mom deer that actually tries to raise her kid dies, and the dad just wanders back in like it's nothing? It's bullshit!"

[slowspeedster]

"I believe they use the excuse that it's supposed to be a classic," Bart said with a shrug. "Ask Tim. He's the one who supposedly had a normal childhood. I'm not even sure why anyone would want to watch a show about talking animals that don't even act like real animals most of the time."

He looked at Jason, considering. "It's supposed to be some kind of coming of age tale, and the parental figure always has to be removed from the story for the child to realize their whole potential. At least, that's what Jung would say. A chick won't know if they can fly until they've been pushed out the nest."

[prodigaljaybird]

Jason stares up at him. He hasn't spent a lot of time around Bart, but he's always surprised at both how quickly he can talk, and also that he manages to be coherent at such speeds. Furthermore, that Bart can say something that manages to make Jason feel even worse.

"Do you think that's true?" he asks. He's lost not just one set of parents, but two, and he's still not sure he's grown.

[madeofstories]

"Bambi? I love this one," Grace says as she takes a seat next to Jason. She's been looking for someone else, actually, but seeing the film there on the screen, she can't help but want to stay to watch, at least for a bit. She's pretty sure that Snow White is her most favorite, though, as far as the more classic Disney films are concerned.

She recognizes the scene on the screen immediately, though, and her expression falls a bit.

"Oh. It's already happened, hasn't it?"

[prodigaljaybird]

"His mom dying?" asks Jason, pulling at his cast again with a rush of breath. "Yeah. I can't believe this is a kid's movie. Why wasn't the dad there taking care of his family the whole time?"

[madeofstories]

"I'm not sure," Grace replies, and it's clear from her expression that this isn't something she's really contemplated at all. It's not exactly her favorite part of the film.

"Do deer travel in packs? Perhaps he had a whole pack to look after as well. Though, that doesn't make it any better."

[prodigaljaybird]

"It doesn't," Jason agrees, weary for it in a way he has little right to be, considering that he's sat around and watched movies when he was supposed to be exercising all day.

"Parents shouldn't suck in kid's movies. Don't they get enough of that in real life?"

[onlyapassenger]

"I think the better question is where the hell were you this morning?" offers Bucky from the room's entrance, his voice conversational enough save for the underlying hint of steel lacing his every word. He shows no interest for the cartoon flickering across the screen, his gaze locked on the bits of torn-off cast littering the couch. His arms are folded across his chest, his expression distinctly unimpressed.

"Mystery solved."

[prodigaljaybird]

Jason's spent enough time around Bucky to know when he's being friendly and when he only sounds it. He's been barked at, been frowned at, even been yelled at when the situation warranted it, but Bucky always manages to be even scarier when he's reining himself in.

And while Jason is smart enough to be duly terrified at the calm in Bucky's voice, there are a few moments where he simply doesn't hear him, pure white noise in the space between his ears and nothing else.

Pregnant. Lux thinks she's pregnant. He could be a father, right now where he sits, and Jason can't - he can't - he can't do anything but listen to his thoughts skip like a scratched record.

"Um," he says, finally lifting his eyes. "Sorry, I didn't. Feel like it."

[onlyapassenger]

"That cast indicates otherwise," says Bucky, stepping further into the room. The kid seems more distracted than distraught at being caught, which sets off a few alarm bells in Bucky's head, but he doesn't yet comment on it, instead walking around towards the projector to shut it down. That done, he leans back against the wall, and refolds his arms.

"There's a doctor right upstairs that could've done that for you. What's up?"

[prodigaljaybird]

"Nothing." The lie sounds weak to even Jason's ears, which sucks. He might be so open around Bucky at times as to be considered cracked wide, but he can lie when he really wants to, can trick and deceive, but now when he needs to more than ever, he can't seem to muster the skill.

"I don't like it in there." It's true enough, but it only makes Jason think how often he'll be there if Lux really is pregnant, for tests and procedures he doesn't understand, for the birth itself. His eyes go wide, and while he'd really rather be focusing on why he should tell Bucky what's up when Bucky won't even cop to the bruise on his face, all Jason can do is focus on breathing.

"I just don't feel good, okay. I didn't want to run around."

[onlyforthedream]

As far as attention getters go, those words shouted at random do the trick. having showered and dropped some laundry in the wash, I'm looking for a half hour to kill before I switch it over to the dryer. Otherwise, I wouldn't be loitering around the compound. The bruises I'm sporting haven't faded enough to escape people's notice, yet. Sketchbook in hard, I move from the hallway to the room where people are frequently watching films or playing video games and stop in the doorway when I see it's Jason. Frowning a little, I move to stand behind the couch to see what has him so worked up.

"I remember when this came out," I say.

"We were already in Europe. I never saw it." I come around to stand by the arm rest, looking from the screen to Jason, the state of his cast and his expression.

"You okay?"

[prodigaljaybird]

Jason startles, head swinging on his neck to find Steve standing over him. It's not often that people sneak up on him, but Jason's thoughts have been loud enough to drown out other voices lately. Sense, too, it seems. "Yeah," he says immediately, kneejerk reaction to pretend that everything's just fine. He'll forget the movie in a few hours anyway, but the marks on Steve's face? Not fucking likely.

With a scowl that's faint by Jason's standards, he returns, "Are you?"

[onlyforthedream]

Jason's one of the more volatile young men I've ever met, and given my line of work that's saying something. I get the distinct impression that the look and tone he's giving me are considerably restrained. I'm not sure if it's because he's been caught watching a Disney movie or if it's something else.

"I'm fine. In better shape than that cast of yours."

[prodigaljaybird]

"It's been six weeks," says Jason, even if he is presently regretting taking on the task himself. It's messy, and each newly revealed inch of skin is even paler than the one that came before it, pasty and gross. Back home he wouldn't have cared, but no way is Lux going to let him near her with a zombie arm.

"And it doesn't hurt, so..." Looking up, Jason gives up on whatever excuse he'd been about to make and just blurts, "You're not going to talk about it either, are you?"