#𝐉𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐋: 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐇 ][ parting is such sweet sorrow

[tornsurvivors]

At some point with Joseph probably.

Joseph: talks about Faith. Jade: Her name's Rachel, motherfucker. *bashes his face in*

[tornsurvivors]

"That was my second guess," Jade murmured with a hint of amusement in her voice. Oh, this humor. She doesn't think she would survive a life void of the much necessary humor to lighten one's spirit. It momentarily took her back to the days before the world was supposedly ending --- when it was just her, Rahim and their grandparents. Now she gets to share it with Rachel, and Alden. That was more than enough of a reason to live, among many others.

Jade's smile remained warm, especially as it grew a tad more with Rachel's response and she propped an arm on the top of the bench's backrest. Just needed to turn to the side a little and take more pressure off her wounded leg. Till Rachel turned and their eyes met. Not a day that has passed by where she wouldn't be left in awe by how beautiful Rachel is. Even with clothes dirtied from the garden's soil. Even with Rachel's hair in a state of slight disarray. And especially with that genuine smile of Rachel's. It was a hundred times better than the facade the woman would put on for Joseph.

Brown eyes flick away, but only to fall to the bench with Rachel's comment about it and her smile softened -- lingering, and she found it easy to paint the picture of Rachel sitting out here. Because she understood that it was where Rachel felt she belonged.

Her free hand touched the weathered wood of the bench seat, so gently... almost as if she were afraid she would burn it with her touch that did not belong. Before she withdrew her hand and laid it on her uninjured thigh and turned her gaze back up to meet with Rachel's, lips still curled softly. "Because it's one place where you feel like you could be yourself, right? Being free. Nothing holding you down -- I know, because that's exactly how it was whenever I stepped in the kickboxing ring." A pause, so she could breathe in. Because a vivid memory of a young Rahim cheering her on flashed across her mind.

"I took up kickboxing because I needed to make a living for myself and Rahim, but that wasn't the biggest reason. It was because I needed to affirm myself that I can fight." Brown eyes softened before they were cast towards the garden and it's colorful scenery. She realized then it would need a little more explanation -- she wasn't done. She continued with an almost wistful expression on her face. "I was born premature. Doctors didn't think I was going to live... but I didn't let that stop me. I fought harder, and harder. Whenever I was in the ring, I felt stronger. Free. Like I belonged, because that is who I am... fighting for life."

faith has honestly learned that she doesn't need to think about everything she has to say when it comes to jade. she's as funny as rachel on the nights the young woman used to party with people like tracey ... without the drugs or addiction. mostly, she still has this weird connection with moonflowers, but she definitely doesn't take bliss like her daily intake of water like she used to. it has made her all so light.

" the bible promises rest for the weary, actually. there is a bible quote that says something about no rest for the wicked, what you're thinking of is simply an idiom. maybe a proverb. much as the garden promises peace and rest from weariness, i just can not do much for an individual who continues to limp around on a bad limb. " oh, the humor in rachel's voice. it actually makes her voice sound lightly scratched -- as if that's something waking up from a deep slumber.

faith stands, lightly dusting her hands together to get rid of some dirt. she doesn't wipe it on her worn jeans. as if walking around with a cleaner appearance could just eradicate the presence of nuclear warfare and survival of life anyway. she turns, soft, green eyes finding jade's face. her smile is so light, just a simple curl to the corner of her lips -- but it still seems so happy. it's absolutely her realest smile.

" that's an original bench. from when i was here before joseph, before the cult, before the wars. i always did love sitting in the garden. " her voice is just quiet, always just talking jade's ear off without fear of judgement. rachel's head simply leans, smile never wavering. the sun kisses jade's skin beautifully and it is certainly an awe inspiring sight.

[tornsurvivors]

@torntruth gets a random thing just because. prompted by their reply to this.

Lips are just curling into this smile. Rachel's doing that watching thing again. Where she's just looking at Jade with this peaceful expression on her face, but also smitten. Subtly. Hands still hidden behind her back, Jade plops down on the opposite bench seat of the picnic table across from Rachel. "You know, I was just thinking... for Valentine's Day, getting flowers for a beloved was a thing, right? Well, I found something even better to break the tradition and start a new one for us."

She then brings her hands out and drops down a pack of rose seeds in front of Rachel and grinned. "I figured that planting them in the garden would be even better."

She's not going to mention she found this treasure on one of her scavenging runs, because she also ran into a little trouble then. Those pesky highwaymen just doesn't know how to leave people alone, really.

[tornsurvivors]

it's just faith, kissing jade's forehead.

Jade's fighting really hard. This... contraption just wouldn't give in. She's been trying to fix this blasted thing for the past hour. So naturally her mind is a muddled mess, she doesn't really think it through nor does she notice her surroundings much at that point. She's not thinking carefully about HOW it could be fixed -- wanting to see the end of her struggle and feel like she accomplished something.

Just when she was beginning to consider two options -- either scrapping it for parts, or hand it over to the tech person in their settlement and admit defeat... there it was, her distraction. Soft pair of lips pressing against her forehead and she blinks, looking away from the half broken object in her hands for the first time in a whole hour and looks at Rachel.

It's so automatic, how her wife's face makes her lips curl into a genuine smile. "What was that for?" A question neither of them needs an answer to, but they still play that little game anyway.

[tornsurvivors]

@torntruth // continued from here.

The shaky exhale that left Jade's mouth is barely audible. But it's pure relief... knowing Rachel continued to fight and take back control was a tremendous weight off her heart. Joseph could never have full control over her, and Jade saw it from the beginning. Without thinking, she steps to the side-- just enough to block the body of the highwayman from Rachel's sight... standing directly in front of her.

"And I'm still here." She responded without missing a beat, lifting a hand up-- not without briefly checking it for any traces of blood and laid it against Rachel's cheek.

"Always will be here with you." It's a promise she CAN'T make-- always being physically there with Rachel, but the statement still stands... she'll always be there with her, spiritually. It's also a subtle way for Jade to desperately ask Rachel to stay with her. To not allow Faith Seed back in.

Lightly, her thumb grazes over Rachel's bottom lip before she leans in once she takes the final step to be intimately closer. Not only it was to reassure Rachel she's okay, it was also to reassure herself. Because you know, she almost fucked up... she could've died right then.

[tornsurvivors]

𝑱𝑨𝑫𝑬 𝑨𝑳𝑫𝑬𝑴𝑰𝑹 𝑻𝑨𝑮 𝑫𝑹𝑶𝑷

( old tags )

JADE ALDEMIR » the world kickboxing champion JADE MUSINGS » life is finite and we can’t change that JADE HC » i left my mark on the world JADE AES » be the last one standing JADE THREADS » good night and good luck JADE REL » parting is such sweet sorrow ( jade x faith )

( updated tags )

𝐉𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐑 ][ the world kickboxing champion 𝐉𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 ][ life is finite and we can’t change that 𝐉𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐇𝐂 ][ left her mark on the world 𝐉𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐀𝐄𝐒 ][ last one standing 𝐉𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐒 ][ good night and good luck 𝐉𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐋: 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐇 ][ parting is such sweet sorrow

[tornsurvivors]

THE RESPONDING LAUGHTER JADE GAVE WAS SOFT. More like breathed out and it makes her eyes brighten. It started to happen more frequently -- mostly around Rachel and Alden, outside of their little family that has been flourishing.

"Pretty sure there was this saying in a bible somewhere... 'no rest for the weary', if I remember right?" Jade murmured with a light tone, simply joking. But they both know that deep underneath, Jade was never the one to stay put in bed for too long unless it was VERY SEVERE. Or if she was unconscious. No, Jade isn't all that religious but she's been to church on several occasions with her and Rahim's grandparents when they were younger.

Maybe she did limp once, but only once, as she ventured further into the garden and closer to Rachel's location. There was a worn down bench, still surprisingly sturdy with it's weathered wood and iron -- surrounded by the colorful plants and crops. Aside from Rachel being often found in the garden, she knew of few other volunteers who kept the garden well-maintained. So, they never saw a day where it was overgrown in the garden.

The breath Jade let out when she finally sat on the bench was a sigh of subtle relief. Her leg wasn't broken or fractured, she's just happy for that. It was a wound from an arrow that luckily missed her femur by a centimeter or two, maybe. Her head tilts back then and she closed her eyes, letting the sun shine down on her face.

"I needed fresh air anyway. I never liked the smell of hospitals." An eye cracks open and her head turns just the slightest in Rachel's direction and she smiles again. "And maybe I did bribe Jackie with a favor for when she needs it."

Did her injured leg stop her? No. Did the kind, overly concerned middle-aged nurse in the hospital housing stop her? Absolutely not. Jade was every bit determined to go see Faith, so there she was, forcing herself not to limp too much as she walked up the steps leading to the garden. She only began to feel better as soon her eyes landed on Rachel. Who needs medicine.

"Have they fully bloomed yet?" She asks with a gentle smile. Referring to the flowers Alden had been so insistent on helping plant a few weeks ago and when she walked towards Rachel, not once did she limp.

                    random inbox things , always accepting .

jacquelyn, wasn't it? jackie for short. former resistance member, almost roped into the cult with manipulation and joseph's hope she'd work as a nurse for them [ look at all these people that need love and care -- you could help them ]. it didn't quite work, young jackie could never be swayed with drugs nor did she ever quite get close enough to be plied with drugs by a drink or some other sleazy source that joseph likes to do when words simply aren't swaying enough. because words did stop swaying eventually when he needed to cover up all the growing chaos. faith was just too high on bliss at that point to ever just walk back to tracey. and tracey did leave.

rachel didn't turn from tending to the blooming flowers. she was just pruning them. hand currently reaching up to very gently touch the stems with as much love as she can muster. which is always, always more than she ever assumes for herself. there's a certain way her shoulders shift, more relaxed even, the moment jade steps outside and near faith. even before jade speaks. her thumb lightly traces over the thorn on on the rose bush. a classic. alden wanted these because his actual mother always used to talk about them. so she and alden planted them. they're already trying to bloom.

" not yet. they need more time. as do all truly beautiful things. aren't you supposed to be on bed rest? "