#desmond and jia thread.

[inkshadow]

continued for @1004rd from the source

"what are you — how are you — i mean —" his fumbling terribly over his words, cheeks now totally flushed at the realization that his social skills have effectively been stunted due to his time in the slammer. he made friends in there, sure, but how does he speak to someone he's known practically his whole life? start by answering her question maybe. "i'm... i'm alright, yeah. free, so that's nice. and how — how are you?? god, jia, you haven't changed a bit..."

[1004rd]

           if there was one thing jia had in abundance after everything life had thrown at her, it was unwavering loyalty to the people who mattered. desmond had been a significant part of her younger years, and even though they hadn't spoken in what felt like a lifetime, the date of his release had never slipped her mind. she wasn't expecting him to notice her - someone else could have easily been waiting for him. all she wanted was to make sure he was okay. so it caught her off guard when she realized she was the only one there. " i- i'm here, yes. " she nods, swallowing the lump in her throat, breath hitching in her throat, " are you . . have you been well ? "

MUSE : desmond lee, janitor OPEN TO : f CONTEXT : gimme muse a just finished his sentence in jail and he’s lost contact with most of the people in his former life. on the day of his release, the gate pulls back and his high school sweetheart who he lost contact with years ago muse b is in the parking lot.

"no way...." the sight before him could've been god above pulling tricks on the poor guy but desmond is convinced that no divine power is capable of creating a near perfect copy of his beloved. can he even call her that at this point? it's been years since they last saw one another — since they last spoke — but one look at her and his heart is already threatening to explode at the seams. "i... i can't believe you're here. i-it really is you, right? i'm not going insane?"

[inkshadow]

"hey, don't say that — i had every faith in you. even if you're still kind of small." his fingers lift and make a sort of pinching gesture in front of him, just far enough forward for her to see it without taking her eyes off the road. all the humor and laughter that surfaces tones down significantly at the mention of her mother, however, and quickly takes a nosedive when that mention turns into a memory. "jia... i'm.... i'm so sorry." his face falls and when he turns his head to look at her, he can see the amount of strength she's had to muster to keep it all together. "y-yes, of course i remember her. i just — w-well of course i never wanted things to take a turn like that." even after all these years, he remembers her face as well, though likely not as bad as when she struggled to take her final breaths. supposes he can find solace in that. an urge to reach out and hug her is overwhelming for for the sake of their safety, he'll just reach over and give her thigh a gentle pat for now. "that must be really rough on top of your living expenses too. i wish i could help somehow. are you doing okay? are you managing everything alright?"

           jia forces a somewhat awkward smile, knowing desmond was referring to her accounting firm job and not the other one. for now, she plays along, not quite ready to unload everything he missed while he was locked up. " yeah, networking is important, for sure. " technically, her boss did favor her, but that had nothing to do with the corporate world unfortunately. still, she keeps the smile up. " i'm a big girl now, right ? who would've thought ! " this time, the grin is genuine. but as she keeps her eyes on the road, her grip tightens on the wheel, knowing the next topic was heavier. " ah, i don't think that'll be possible for me . . i took out a lot of loans when . . mom was sick. you know how she's always been sickly. " she assumes he remembers, but still, she continues, voice quieter, " she's no longer with us, and so, " clearing her throat, the weight of it still settling in, " i've just been working towards paying it all off before i focus on myself fully. "

[inkshadow]

"who cares?! the fact that you're able to use a company car like your boss's has to mean that he trusts you, right? i hear that's important for climbing the corporate ladder." not that he's ever applied it himself, just something you hear through the grapevines. there have been talks about how a degree is more like a slip of paper these days versus networking so the fact that she's gunning for both is both admirable and practical. "hey, i don't know about that... i-i didn't even know that i had a knack for it until i went in there! plus, i think i had a lot more time than most," he shrugs, fiddling with his fingers idly in abashment. "but an accounting job! wow, jia... you're so grown up now," it begs the question why she would ever want to go back in time just to make sure he was okay. it didn't feel very worth it in his eyes, not that it takes away his enjoyment of it. "oh i bet. you can't... get a loan or anything to pay back later? kind of annoying i know but if you're worried about getting started too late, that's always an option."

           " okay, before you get too excited— i have a big confession, " she begins, finally starting the engine and easing out of the parking spot. " this isn't my car. it's actually my boss'. he lets me borrow it as long as i'm, well, still employed. you know ? " jia couldn't help but find his fascination with it adorable, a smile tugging at her lips as she drives down the road, heading to the general direction of her apartment. " art ?! really ? like painting, and such ? well, i can't say i'm surprised. anything you set your mind to, you always pull off. " that was something she had always admired about him, even if desmond didn't see himself that way. " me ? oh ! i work at an accounting firm. " she bites her lower lip, debating whether to mention her other job. " but just as a receptionist for now ! i'd love to be an actual accountant someday . . " inhaling through her teeth, she exhales sharply, " but school's expensive, so i need to save up first. which, will probably take a bit of time. "

[inkshadow]

well, he can't really deny that now can he? was lucky that even just one person showed up despite there being no obligation to. it likely doesn't mean much of anything; their sweetheart phase was that of the pass and not likely one she prefers to revisit. who would ever want to get with someone recently out of incarceration anyhow? "whoa... this is your ride??" desmond is practically gawking at the sight of it, fingers reaching to gently glide over its sleek, exterior finish, admiring the vehicle like a piece of art. it's only when he slips inside does he pop the question, casually as he tries to buckle himself in. "holy crap, how did you end up with a car like this??" the interior is as impressive as the outside! "s-sorry, i'm still a bit too starstruck by everything right now. it's like i'm riding with a movie star or something. every day life was... actually okay in there. i mean, nobody beat me up which is a good thing and i had a lot of time to figure out if any hobbies inside were fitting for me. turns out, i'm pretty okay at art. b-but what about you?? what... how did you... what are you doing now??"

           never one to hold back on complimenting her, jia's smile stretches across her face. it's true— her height had always been a bit of an insecurity, but when they were together, it felt just right. shaking off thoughts of their past, she refocuses on the present, there was no use in dwelling in their past life, after all. " eyyy, but i mean, no one else showed up, so. " she jokes, a quiet snicker escaping her. in truth, she's just relieved he's alright and seems to be in a good condition physically. " let's go. " with a simple nod, she strides toward her car. a sleek luxury sedan. not hers, just borrowed from her boss. jia wonders if the car will spark desmond's curiosity about her current life, and for a brief moment, panic flickers— should she tell him about her night job ? for now, she keeps quiet, slipping into the driver's seat and waiting for him to settle in before starting the engine. " so, and i know this might be a bit of a broad question, but . . how was everyday life over there ? "

[inkshadow]

"really? 'cause i think you're the perfect height." even back then, she seemed to scale just fine alongside him, not like height contributed at all to their relationship. desmond would've still loved her with or without such an advantage, mainly enamored by jia's personality more than anything. "aww, come on that just makes it sound like nobody wanted to be here..." a pout toys upon his lips, shoulders drooping as though feeling sorry for himself. in actuality, there was no offense taken; he was just happy to be out. would have still been happy had he walked up to an empty parking lot. her random appearance — however 'random' it actually was given that she actually remembered the date — meant more to him than she could ever know. "o-oh," he starts up, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly ."r-right, yeah. maybe you just remembered subconsciously or something. no rhyme or reason, that stuff just sticks sometimes." though at the offer, his eyes widen a bit. "really? that's not going to be a burden at all? i mean, i'd love to. that'd be great, we can catch up in the car and everything."

           " i know, right ? " with a quick flip of her short hair over her shoulder, she even adds a casual shrug, " still holding out hope that i'll grow a little taller. " wishful thinking, of course- she was well past the age of a second puberty. his words bring warmth to her chest, though a twinge of guilt lingers. after all, she hadn't exactly kept in touch while he was incarcerated. still, a smile tugs at her lips, " i thought . . well, i was looking for them around here too, but- hey, at least someone showed up to greet you, right ? " the moment he catches her slipping, a faint red dusts her cheeks, " ah, well, i guess i just kept this date in the back of my mind all this time. " clearing her throat, she glances around awkwardly before offering, " would you, i mean, i have my own place. do you want to stop by there first ? we could contact your parents or . . figure something out ? "

[inkshadow]

"well..." a pause and desmond tilts his head, playfully inspecting her up and down with ease. "you're a bit taller, i think?" the joke hopefully lands if only because he was still very much in high school when he received his sentence... or did girls really not grow very much after the age of twelve? "not that it takes away the sight for sore eyes. i'm great, truthfully. i mean, now that i'm out and stumbled upon you here, how could i possibly feel any better?" wonders for a moment if he said too much since there's every possibility she's moved on. "o-oh, i don't know actually. i was going to stay at my parents' - or i assumed i was - but they're... not really here. speaking of which, why are you?" it's not like this was a great place to be loitering in. "was it really just to check up on me? have you remembered the date all this time?"

           jia hadn't expected this to be the outcome of her showing up at the institution's parking lot, leaving her just as speechless as he was. all she really wanted was to see if desmond made it out okay, if he was healthy. " i- well, yeah . . a lot has changed, but i guess it doesn't really show. " she laughs softly while panicking stays internal, tucking a strand of short hair behind her ear before clearing her throat. " i was- " another nervous chuckle slips out, " i just wanted to check if you were alright and- " classic. so much to say, yet no idea where to start. instead, she settles on, " do you have somewhere to stay ? now that you're out . . "

[1004rd]

           jia forces a somewhat awkward smile, knowing desmond was referring to her accounting firm job and not the other one. for now, she plays along, not quite ready to unload everything he missed while he was locked up. " yeah, networking is important, for sure. " technically, her boss did favor her, but that had nothing to do with the corporate world unfortunately. still, she keeps the smile up. " i'm a big girl now, right ? who would've thought ! " this time, the grin is genuine. but as she keeps her eyes on the road, her grip tightens on the wheel, knowing the next topic was heavier. " ah, i don't think that'll be possible for me . . i took out a lot of loans when . . mom was sick. you know how she's always been sickly. " she assumes he remembers, but still, she continues, voice quieter, " she's no longer with us, and so, " clearing her throat, the weight of it still settling in, " i've just been working towards paying it all off before i focus on myself fully. "

"who cares?! the fact that you're able to use a company car like your boss's has to mean that he trusts you, right? i hear that's important for climbing the corporate ladder." not that he's ever applied it himself, just something you hear through the grapevines. there have been talks about how a degree is more like a slip of paper these days versus networking so the fact that she's gunning for both is both admirable and practical. "hey, i don't know about that... i-i didn't even know that i had a knack for it until i went in there! plus, i think i had a lot more time than most," he shrugs, fiddling with his fingers idly in abashment. "but an accounting job! wow, jia... you're so grown up now," it begs the question why she would ever want to go back in time just to make sure he was okay. it didn't feel very worth it in his eyes, not that it takes away his enjoyment of it. "oh i bet. you can't... get a loan or anything to pay back later? kind of annoying i know but if you're worried about getting started too late, that's always an option."

[1004rd]

           " okay, before you get too excited— i have a big confession, " she begins, finally starting the engine and easing out of the parking spot. " this isn't my car. it's actually my boss'. he lets me borrow it as long as i'm, well, still employed. you know ? " jia couldn't help but find his fascination with it adorable, a smile tugging at her lips as she drives down the road, heading to the general direction of her apartment. " art ?! really ? like painting, and such ? well, i can't say i'm surprised. anything you set your mind to, you always pull off. " that was something she had always admired about him, even if desmond didn't see himself that way. " me ? oh ! i work at an accounting firm. " she bites her lower lip, debating whether to mention her other job. " but just as a receptionist for now ! i'd love to be an actual accountant someday . . " inhaling through her teeth, she exhales sharply, " but school's expensive, so i need to save up first. which, will probably take a bit of time. "

well, he can't really deny that now can he? was lucky that even just one person showed up despite there being no obligation to. it likely doesn't mean much of anything; their sweetheart phase was that of the pass and not likely one she prefers to revisit. who would ever want to get with someone recently out of incarceration anyhow? "whoa... this is your ride??" desmond is practically gawking at the sight of it, fingers reaching to gently glide over its sleek, exterior finish, admiring the vehicle like a piece of art. it's only when he slips inside does he pop the question, casually as he tries to buckle himself in. "holy crap, how did you end up with a car like this??" the interior is as impressive as the outside! "s-sorry, i'm still a bit too starstruck by everything right now. it's like i'm riding with a movie star or something. every day life was... actually okay in there. i mean, nobody beat me up which is a good thing and i had a lot of time to figure out if any hobbies inside were fitting for me. turns out, i'm pretty okay at art. b-but what about you?? what... how did you... what are you doing now??"

[1004rd]

           never one to hold back on complimenting her, jia's smile stretches across her face. it's true— her height had always been a bit of an insecurity, but when they were together, it felt just right. shaking off thoughts of their past, she refocuses on the present, there was no use in dwelling in their past life, after all. " eyyy, but i mean, no one else showed up, so. " she jokes, a quiet snicker escaping her. in truth, she's just relieved he's alright and seems to be in a good condition physically. " let's go. " with a simple nod, she strides toward her car. a sleek luxury sedan. not hers, just borrowed from her boss. jia wonders if the car will spark desmond's curiosity about her current life, and for a brief moment, panic flickers— should she tell him about her night job ? for now, she keeps quiet, slipping into the driver's seat and waiting for him to settle in before starting the engine. " so, and i know this might be a bit of a broad question, but . . how was everyday life over there ? "

"really? 'cause i think you're the perfect height." even back then, she seemed to scale just fine alongside him, not like height contributed at all to their relationship. desmond would've still loved her with or without such an advantage, mainly enamored by jia's personality more than anything. "aww, come on that just makes it sound like nobody wanted to be here..." a pout toys upon his lips, shoulders drooping as though feeling sorry for himself. in actuality, there was no offense taken; he was just happy to be out. would have still been happy had he walked up to an empty parking lot. her random appearance — however 'random' it actually was given that she actually remembered the date — meant more to him than she could ever know. "o-oh," he starts up, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly ."r-right, yeah. maybe you just remembered subconsciously or something. no rhyme or reason, that stuff just sticks sometimes." though at the offer, his eyes widen a bit. "really? that's not going to be a burden at all? i mean, i'd love to. that'd be great, we can catch up in the car and everything."

[1004rd]

           " i know, right ? " with a quick flip of her short hair over her shoulder, she even adds a casual shrug, " still holding out hope that i'll grow a little taller. " wishful thinking, of course- she was well past the age of a second puberty. his words bring warmth to her chest, though a twinge of guilt lingers. after all, she hadn't exactly kept in touch while he was incarcerated. still, a smile tugs at her lips, " i thought . . well, i was looking for them around here too, but- hey, at least someone showed up to greet you, right ? " the moment he catches her slipping, a faint red dusts her cheeks, " ah, well, i guess i just kept this date in the back of my mind all this time. " clearing her throat, she glances around awkwardly before offering, " would you, i mean, i have my own place. do you want to stop by there first ? we could contact your parents or . . figure something out ? "

"well..." a pause and desmond tilts his head, playfully inspecting her up and down with ease. "you're a bit taller, i think?" the joke hopefully lands if only because he was still very much in high school when he received his sentence... or did girls really not grow very much after the age of twelve? "not that it takes away the sight for sore eyes. i'm great, truthfully. i mean, now that i'm out and stumbled upon you here, how could i possibly feel any better?" wonders for a moment if he said too much since there's every possibility she's moved on. "o-oh, i don't know actually. i was going to stay at my parents' - or i assumed i was - but they're... not really here. speaking of which, why are you?" it's not like this was a great place to be loitering in. "was it really just to check up on me? have you remembered the date all this time?"

[1004rd]

           jia hadn't expected this to be the outcome of her showing up at the institution's parking lot, leaving her just as speechless as he was. all she really wanted was to see if desmond made it out okay, if he was healthy. " i- well, yeah . . a lot has changed, but i guess it doesn't really show. " she laughs softly while panicking stays internal, tucking a strand of short hair behind her ear before clearing her throat. " i was- " another nervous chuckle slips out, " i just wanted to check if you were alright and- " classic. so much to say, yet no idea where to start. instead, she settles on, " do you have somewhere to stay ? now that you're out . . "

continued for @1004rd from the source

"what are you — how are you — i mean —" his fumbling terribly over his words, cheeks now totally flushed at the realization that his social skills have effectively been stunted due to his time in the slammer. he made friends in there, sure, but how does he speak to someone he's known practically his whole life? start by answering her question maybe. "i'm... i'm alright, yeah. free, so that's nice. and how — how are you?? god, jia, you haven't changed a bit..."