Fic: Unintended and Unacknowledged
Two weeks ago Peter had suggested Jess put some space between herself and James. His words of concern had had the opposite effect desired. Jessica and James were, if anything, spending more time together, and refusing to acknowledge that there was anything to be concerned about. They'd gotten very good at it.
Superheroes don't have regular work hours or days off. Anything approaching a life outside the job had to be lived in between the jobs. It was a hot August day in the city and the mansion was mostly empty. Luke was working with the Thunderbolts. Natasha was wherever Natasha goes (it's always classified). Bobbi was "busy" which meant either "also classified" or "with Clint". Or if gossip is to be believed possibly "trailing Clint and Jess Drew". Not that she would do such a thing (probably). Carol was approaching her third trimester and most likely arguing with Steve about active duty. Again. Peter was most likely with her and not trailing James and Jess Jones. Not that he would do such a thing (probably). Logan and Ben were with their other teams. And Doreen was out because nannies do have days off. Jessica and James, therefore, had no reason not to spend the afternoon alone together. No reason not to take Dani to the dancing fountain that doubled as a public sprinkler on these hot August days, pack a picnic, and otherwise live out a Norman Rockwell painting.
In keeping with the unacknowledged, and probably unintended, which by the by nicely sums up their relationship in its entirety, nod to Mr. Rockwell, Jessica wore a sundress. It was the kind of thing she only wore when it was too damn hot to wear jeans, or for that matter, a bra. She looked young and feminine, especially with her daughter in hand. She resembled the girls James remembered in snatches from his youth, before the war, before everything became so complicated.
Finding a spot for their blanket that was far enough from the water they wouldn't get sprayed, but close enough they'd be comfortable letting Dani run on her own was a task in itself. Dani just wanted to rush to the water which kept her mother occupied wrangling her and unable to help James pick a spot. And her dress strap kept slipping down her shoulder. And it was getting hot enough she was about ready to rush the water herself.
"Mama!"
"Wait." Jess yanked her daughter back with one hand and tugged her strap up with the other. James pointed to a space opening up but as they started toward it another family moved in. This sequence repeated twice more.
"Aaargh," said Jessica.
"Ow," said Dani.
"Here," said James and he picked Dani up onto his shoulders. Jess sighed thanks, pulled her strap up again and ran at the newest open space. If someone else had wanted it, they changed their mind at the sight of Jess storming over (but at least remembering not to fly, or, you know, punch her way through). James followed at a more careful pace and handed over the blanket before letting Dani down.
"Now, Mama."
"Aren't you hungry?"
"No!"
"All right." Jess waved her off. "Stay where we can see you!" She thought she heard Dani answer but not with anything resembling words. The girl ran full throttle into the circle of water being shot out of the sidewalk at seemingly random interludes. She was drenched head to toe, and giggling, within a minute. Jess snapped a few quick pictures with her phone before taking a seat beside James.
"This is wonderful."
"Good."
"I'm serious, it's perfect."
"Good."
"Perfect."
"...Great?"
She turned to swat his arm. "You." His eyes twinkled and she returned to watching Dani.
"Well, it's not a pool."
"It's better than a pool. She can't swim that well."
"Oh."
"I can't swim that well."
He passed her a soda. "Really?"
"This is where I remind you I've barely ever left this city."
"You can swim in New York."
She glanced over another quick moment. "But you don't have to. Don't have to swim, don't have to drive..."
"You can't drive?" He was honestly incredulous at that. He'd learned when he was 12.
"I can drive!"
"Okay!" He laughed and she swatted again. "I can teach you to swim."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." The strap had slipped down her shoulder again. He gently pulled it back up, his fingers lingered just long enough to cause a blush and he fell back quickly. "And Dani."
Jessica whipped her head around at the name, but Dani was fine, running in and out of the spray with a giant smile on her face. "Okay."
"Okay," he echoed because silence seemed inadvisable.
"Thanks."
He shook his head. "I owe you."
"You don't owe me anything."
"Sure I do. You've taught me all sorts of things and introduced me to more." He'd forced his voice to be light, and grateful, but still she turned back to look at him directly.
"No, no, I like doing those things," she said with all seriousness. "I like doing them with you. I like you."
He knew the smart or safe response would be to laugh, to diffuse the tension, and change the subject. The really smart or safe response would be to make a polite excuse and leave. He could offer to get ice cream...
The dumb and dangerous response would be to kiss her. This was unfortunately also the most desirable response. In the moment. But the longer he hesitated, the tighter her features became. He couldn't leave or laugh, she wouldn't understand.
"I like you, too."
She relaxed. He sighed.
"Jess... maybe..."
"I want more pictures." She stood and called to Dani. James watched. After a few minutes he took out his own phone to snap some of the two together.
Superheroes don't have regular work hours or days off. Anything approaching a life outside the job had to be lived in between the jobs. It was a hot August day in the city and the mansion was mostly empty. Luke was working with the Thunderbolts. Natasha was wherever Natasha goes (it's always classified). Bobbi was "busy" which meant either "also classified" or "with Clint". Or if gossip is to be believed possibly "trailing Clint and Jess Drew". Not that she would do such a thing (probably). Carol was approaching her third trimester and most likely arguing with Steve about active duty. Again. Peter was most likely with her and not trailing James and Jess Jones. Not that he would do such a thing (probably). Logan and Ben were with their other teams. And Doreen was out because nannies do have days off. Jessica and James, therefore, had no reason not to spend the afternoon alone together. No reason not to take Dani to the dancing fountain that doubled as a public sprinkler on these hot August days, pack a picnic, and otherwise live out a Norman Rockwell painting.
In keeping with the unacknowledged, and probably unintended, which by the by nicely sums up their relationship in its entirety, nod to Mr. Rockwell, Jessica wore a sundress. It was the kind of thing she only wore when it was too damn hot to wear jeans, or for that matter, a bra. She looked young and feminine, especially with her daughter in hand. She resembled the girls James remembered in snatches from his youth, before the war, before everything became so complicated.
Finding a spot for their blanket that was far enough from the water they wouldn't get sprayed, but close enough they'd be comfortable letting Dani run on her own was a task in itself. Dani just wanted to rush to the water which kept her mother occupied wrangling her and unable to help James pick a spot. And her dress strap kept slipping down her shoulder. And it was getting hot enough she was about ready to rush the water herself.
"Mama!"
"Wait." Jess yanked her daughter back with one hand and tugged her strap up with the other. James pointed to a space opening up but as they started toward it another family moved in. This sequence repeated twice more.
"Aaargh," said Jessica.
"Ow," said Dani.
"Here," said James and he picked Dani up onto his shoulders. Jess sighed thanks, pulled her strap up again and ran at the newest open space. If someone else had wanted it, they changed their mind at the sight of Jess storming over (but at least remembering not to fly, or, you know, punch her way through). James followed at a more careful pace and handed over the blanket before letting Dani down.
"Now, Mama."
"Aren't you hungry?"
"No!"
"All right." Jess waved her off. "Stay where we can see you!" She thought she heard Dani answer but not with anything resembling words. The girl ran full throttle into the circle of water being shot out of the sidewalk at seemingly random interludes. She was drenched head to toe, and giggling, within a minute. Jess snapped a few quick pictures with her phone before taking a seat beside James.
"This is wonderful."
"Good."
"I'm serious, it's perfect."
"Good."
"Perfect."
"...Great?"
She turned to swat his arm. "You." His eyes twinkled and she returned to watching Dani.
"Well, it's not a pool."
"It's better than a pool. She can't swim that well."
"Oh."
"I can't swim that well."
He passed her a soda. "Really?"
"This is where I remind you I've barely ever left this city."
"You can swim in New York."
She glanced over another quick moment. "But you don't have to. Don't have to swim, don't have to drive..."
"You can't drive?" He was honestly incredulous at that. He'd learned when he was 12.
"I can drive!"
"Okay!" He laughed and she swatted again. "I can teach you to swim."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." The strap had slipped down her shoulder again. He gently pulled it back up, his fingers lingered just long enough to cause a blush and he fell back quickly. "And Dani."
Jessica whipped her head around at the name, but Dani was fine, running in and out of the spray with a giant smile on her face. "Okay."
"Okay," he echoed because silence seemed inadvisable.
"Thanks."
He shook his head. "I owe you."
"You don't owe me anything."
"Sure I do. You've taught me all sorts of things and introduced me to more." He'd forced his voice to be light, and grateful, but still she turned back to look at him directly.
"No, no, I like doing those things," she said with all seriousness. "I like doing them with you. I like you."
He knew the smart or safe response would be to laugh, to diffuse the tension, and change the subject. The really smart or safe response would be to make a polite excuse and leave. He could offer to get ice cream...
The dumb and dangerous response would be to kiss her. This was unfortunately also the most desirable response. In the moment. But the longer he hesitated, the tighter her features became. He couldn't leave or laugh, she wouldn't understand.
"I like you, too."
She relaxed. He sighed.
"Jess... maybe..."
"I want more pictures." She stood and called to Dani. James watched. After a few minutes he took out his own phone to snap some of the two together.