Template:Featured Articles/25-2024
 A hesitant smile formed on the smaller blonde's face, hand raising in a slight wave to the brunette. "Hello, Jessica, as Arthur said, I'm Beatrice, you can call me Bea if you'd like. I, uh, just got here last month." Jessica regarded her suspiciously, gaze going between Beatrice and Arthur. "Um, welcome," she said, voice dubious. "You guys doing the rounds?" "Bea here," Arthur said with an enthusiastic nod toward the blonde woman, "can't stay in the guest rooms forever. I'm showing her around and introducing her to friendly faces. We're seeing where the sparks fly." “I have been rather reclusive unfortunately,” Bea laughed softly, unsure but unwilling to let her confusion show. “Have you been here long, Jessica? Two rooms, and now I’m thinking Arthur doesn’t live with you.” "Uh, yeah, I - got here in the summer, I guess," Jessica said, her eyes flying guiltily to the unoccupied second room. Free rent was great, but you can't spend a significant portion of your life poor and take it for granted. She absolutely did not want this fragile little girl in her room asking delicate, stupid questions, but she still found herself saying, "I mean, it's fine, I guess, it's not like I own it or anything, so if you need a place to stay . . . " She trailed off, pained. “Oh that’s so kind of you, Jessica,” as Bea spoke a hand came up to rest against above her heart. “I- Well, I mean, if it’s truly not a hassle, that would be so nice.” A flash of confusion washed across Arthur's face. "I was — what I —" He was interrupted by Felix, who had decided that Jessica's apartment had been sufficiently explored. His owner and he exchanged pointed looks. "Bea, remember what we talked about in the hall? Jess should know what you can do." “Oh! Oh yes.” Beatrice looked to Jessica, meeting her eyes throw her brows pinched together. “You should know, I am a telepath, and I understand if that changes your offer entirely.” Arthur, for his part, locked eyes with Jessica to deliver the universally agreed upon look for "it is your decision," followed by the less universally acknowledged expression for "you can say no." Jessica Jones was a detective. She knew how to read people. Expression frozen, Jessica looked desperately at Arthur, and saw the universal expression for "you owe me", perhaps with a frisson of "I'm a good person and this is what I would do". Whether that meant she owed him for the camera, for the place to stay (who did own this place?), for some past favor that Jess no longer remembered - it didn't matter, because doubling down and drowning your regret later had already been on the tip of the tongue. "Stay out of my head, and it's no problem," she said, managing to keep her voice relatively neutral, the tension in her hands disguised by the simple act of holding the camera box. Beatrice’s eyes widened a fraction, confusion covering shock quickly. “Of course, Jessica, I don’t have any intention of being in anyone’s head without their say.” "I," Arthur's voice was a cautious knife meant to cut any building tension, "am excited to see how this friendship grows." He said it the same way a man in a burning building might say, "this is fine," but he offered a pair of thumbs up to really sell it. "This'll be great." Felix, doubtful, let out a small whine. |
