milliways_bar | (no subject)

It's almost definitely not going to made any better by this. Perhaps luckily, Jim is in no mood for a row, but he does need to speak to her quite urgently. Which is why he flops down on the sofa opposite, wearing shorts, T-shirt and battered old Converse hi-tops. One half of his face is nothing but bruise.

'Hello.'

She looks over when he speaks and seems completely unsurprised at his condition.

"I'd ask how you are, but that's written all over your face."

'I'm just fine.'

The face is entirely inconsequential. It hurts, but he doesn't care.

'We need to have another conversation. I'd rather not argue, and you look like you don't need that anyway, so shall we just get it out of the way?'

She sighs.

"What now?"

Yeah, he's been sighing about it for a couple of weeks now, so he has no sympathy. He couldn't give a fuck if she's had a bad day.

'You need to think before you fuck about with that kid again, Tess. You say you're smart, so I can't understand why you're behaving like an idiot.'

He doesn't sound furious. But firm, yes, definitely firm.

For the love of--

"I thought we decided I was disappointingly normal. I made a mistake, all right?"

'No no, you're missing the point.'

Of course. Because she doesn't think. And doesn't care about this, but he does, and that's what matters.

'I don't care about you changing your mind, and nor does he. That's your prerogative. But the stuff you say to him-'

There's a quiet burst of anger inside, and he takes a brief moment to control it.

'I'm only going to say this once, and I hope you know me well enough to understand I'm not messing around. Don't make fun of my situation to him. Are you somehow blind to what he's like? He will walk out that door, get on a plane, turn up at Sherlock's house and shoot him in the face.'

Jim will not let it happen. And if it does, he will take great delight in making Tess pay for it.

'His Sherlock is sixteen, and doesn't know he exists. Even if you don't care if he dies, consider how fair that is. Seeing as that's how your mind works.'

Just like everyone else's.

No, she does not need this shit today.

"Well, I'm just upsetting your apple cart all over the place, aren't I?"

Does she care? No. Jim is Jim no matter what age and if he goes out and shoots sixteen year old Sherlock, then that's what happens and that's on Jim.

"Look, I doubt he wants to talk to me ever again so, problem solved."

'For fuck's sake, of course he will. Even if only to annoy the crap out of you.'

Wow, how blind is she?

She just doesn't care. She couldn't, in fact, care less right now. Jim and Jim are going to have to work their own issues out.

"Then he's an idiot. Don't ask me to censor myself because it isn't what you want to hear."

She runs a hand through her hair.

"You know, this is why I keep telling everyone that time travel, or whatever this classifies as, is a bad idea. Nothing good ever comes from it."

'It's nothing to do with me.'

Oh look, he's getting angry despite himself. This is the damn 'don't say you're my wife' conversation all over again. Her refusing to take responsibility.

'I'm only talking to you about it because I know him. You think you can say what you want and he'll deal with it like you would, or like any other normal person would. He won't. And seeing as it's my life you're going to screw over, of course I'm going to talk to you about it.'

Talking like a rational grown-up is also boring, but he's making an effort. He'd far rather play a game with some bombs and timers. People learn so much quicker that way.

She'll get angry right back.

"Jesus, Jim, it has everything to do with you because it is you. Of course he won't act like everyone else, he'll act like you. If that's too much for you to handle, tough."

And she means it. Young Jim isn't her responsibility. It isn't up to her to make sure he doesn't do anything wrong.

"I'm not your babysitter. Keeping him in check is not my job, you jackass. It's yours."

'It was me eighteen years ago. And in case it escaped your notice, I can't talk to him. Not face-to-face, where it'll make any difference.'

His younger self will listen to him to a degree, because he's always been the only person he trusts. But not when he's the person he himself is furious with, egged on by people like Tess being thoughtless.

'No one's asking you to babysit. I'm telling you to watch your mouth, and keep your opinions on my love life out of your conversations with him.'

He does not feel this is unreasonable.

"Then aren't you just fucked to have him around."

That's pretty much her opinion on the entire situation. If it isn't her, it'll be something else.

"I will not watch my mouth for your benefit. If I have something to say, I will say it. Maybe if you'd man up and tell him things he should probably be aware of this wouldn't happen."

....okaaay, it's going to be like that.

He really didn't think she was this stupid.

'But it's not for my benefit, darling,' he says, in a tone that's probably deceptively mild. 'It's for yours.'

He is going to ignore the last comment. 'Manning up' doesn't come into it. He's not ruining the game with Sherlock by talking about it, because that will also ruin his life with Sherlock. He'll die much earlier than thirty five if that happens.

'If it had been a thoughtful comment you'd made, I could understand your argument. But you threw it out with no care for the consequences, and that's just dumb.'

He has no respect for dumb.

It's not mild and she isn't stupid. She's just done.

"I'm aware. I'm dumb, I'm stupid, I'm normal. I just can't possibly get anything your genius mind spouts out of your mouth. I can't ever comprehend that you're different and not like everyone else, no matter how desperately you act like it."

And yeah; it's going to be like that.

Jim stretches his neck to the side until it pops. And he'd been doing so well at acting normal too.

'You're being very stupid.'

His tone is still mild, except it's also pure venom.

'Tess, be very clear. I will kill you without even blinking to keep him safe. And to protect myself. I think you know that, my dear. All I'm asking is for you to think before you speak.'

How suicidal are you actually feeling, Ms Mercer?

This wouldn't be the death she expected (neither were the other two) but she isn't a risktaker for nothing.

"I know you will."

Her tone is bored. She's heard this before, too.

"And right back atcha, baby. So how about you live your life and I live mine, hmm?"

Well, there it is. She'd better hope the kid is too busy having fun with his new friend to pay Sherlock any undue attention. Because if he does: game on.

Jim stands smoothly and looks down at her, hands loose by his sides. There's not an ounce of tension in him; he might as well be discussing the weather.

'I wanted to think better of you.'

But it's the same old story. People never fail in never surprising him.

'Have a lovely day, my dear.'

Edited 2017-05-16 02:09 (UTC)