11438/We Don't Talk About Terry

We Don't Talk About Terry
Date of Scene:	30 May 2022
Location:	105 W 29th - Jon and Cael's Apartment
Synopsis:	Cael and Jon talk about Terry's issues - and their own.
Cast of Characters:	Cael Becker, Jonathan Sims

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Cael Becker has posed:
    After seeing their guest off, Cael takes the tray she prepared back to the kitchen - putting the lemon curd and clotted cream away in the fridge, and pouring herself a fresh cup of coffee (with whiskey) while she washes the other plates and cups. She seems to be in a good mood - because she's actually humming to herself as she works, putting the dishes back into the cupboard one by one as she finishes drying each one off with a clean dish towel.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon sits for a moment, finishing his coffee and scone, then gets up to head over to the kitchen himself, leaning in to give Cael a kiss on the cheek. "I'm very amused that /Terry/ was the first person you invited to the new apartment. It's like you /want/ the place filled with glitter."

    A smirk, and he goes to wash his own mug, taking the dish towel from Cael when she's done, to dry it. He's much more upbeat himself, quietly happy with the domestic actions. It's comfortable, at least for the moment.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "NO. Absolutely not," Cael says immediately - and firmly. "I told him if he glitters the place up I will get you to ward the apartment against CATS." She smirks at Jon - she's seen him d'awwing at cat videos on his phone often enough to know that it was probably an empty threat. "I wanted to give him a heads up about the Alis idea, though - because I am going to get him to write an article about it. If he doesn't, I will never forgive him."
    Leaning in to give Jon a kiss on his cheek as well she adds quietly, "I'm happy about your friend. What a relief - I know it's been weighing on you." They deserved some good news for once.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Gods, yes," Jon replies fervently. "Donna Troy's done a lot of good in the world. Not just for me--for a lot of people, Terry and the Titans most significantly. Getting her back will be a service to a lot of good people. And I owe her." He sighs. "And I'll admit, for myself... she's one of the first people I wished I could call, after Javier. I wish she could meet the new Michael, for herself. Maybe he'd have advice for her. You know?"

    A pause, and he eyes Cael, to see her reaction to mentioning Javier and Michael. Then he goes on, "I'm thinking of getting a cat. I could hardly ward the apartment against them in that case."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Yeah but - does Terry need to know that?" Cael answers Jon with an amused smile. The mention of Javier and Michael has left something tense at the corner of her eyes, and in her posture - but she seems studiously determined to ignore it - and perhaps to pretend neither name had been mentioned at all.
    "I'll be honest, I was more concerned about what her being gone has meant for you - then what it's meant for the world, but... yeah. It's a good thing all around. I know you'll figure things out and have your friend back soon."
    She wraps har arm around Jon, resting her head on their shoulder before asking curiously, "What sort of cat?"

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon reaches up to ruffle Cael's hair. "Of course you're more worried about me than anyone else, love. It's alright. That's your job. Noble heroic self-sacrifice is mine." He lifts his chin, trying to strike a pose, and /maybe/ he actually looks heroic, but he ruins it by smirking. He's not entirely serious.

    "I'm not sure what kind of cat," he goes on. "I mean I figured... go down to the shelter, see which one we bond with, you know?"

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael lets out a snort of amusement - but doesn't comment on Jon's nobel self-sacrifice. Honestly... It //is// a bit their M.O.
    With the dishes clean, she starts drawing Jon back towards the couch - her refilled coffee in one hand. As she settles back into the couch she asks with some concern, "Do you know - is Terry entirely alright? I mean... He has a lot on his plate. A career, a friend in trouble, the Titans... not to mention all the shit we all went through this year."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "I..." Jon hesitates, and frowns, as he lets himself be drawn back to the couch, pondering the question as he settles back down.

    "I know that he's having some issues with friends of his blaming him for what's going on. He's been... resenting that, you know? I don't blame him. It sounds like--and mind you I'm mostly getting /his/ end of this, but--it /sounds/ like maybe he's a common scapegoat for problems over at the Tower."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Is that what he meant?" Cael asks - leaning in comfortably against Jon, with one arm around them, once they're settled into place. She takes a sip of her coffee then adds, "He made some comment about what happened to Donna not being his fault for once and- well. It worried me. He's smart, and capable, and courageous - no one should be using him as a scape-goat, or making him feel that way," she remarks in a disapproving tone.
    "And these are his //friends//? Do they not see what they're doing? Or do the Titans genuinely not like him?"

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "I doubt it's /all/ of them. I mean... they're a big group, so far as I can tell. He had a couple of names, specific people that were upset with them--one of those being Donna's girlfriend. I think there /might/ be specific tension between the two of them. Raven is..."

    Jon purses their lips, frowns. "Her magic is... odd. It almost hurt, coming to the Tower the way she grabbed me. She seems... mmmmm... touchy? Yes, that's the word. Touchy."

    He huffs out a breath. "But I told him that, myself. He helped save all of reality, but I think people don't take him seriously because people don't take... upbeat and light-hearted seriously, you know? A lot of people think that 'dark and brooding' is something more mature and adult when really... you need a balance. Too much light-hearted fun ignores life's problems, but focusing /only/ on the negative is really terribly adolescent."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Well. I'll defend Terry publically, boisterously, and often if I need to. You know I think highly of him," Cael remarks in a firm voice. "It's a shame there's anyone who can't see his worth - especially if they're harming what he thinks of //himself.//"
    There's a momentary pause before she adds "Unless he glitters the apartment. Then, alas, I'd have to start condemning him."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon laughs and leans over to give Cael a kiss on the cheek. "Those people /live/ with him! Maybe they're just tired of cleaning up all the glitter. Though that is /part/ of what I mean. Terry's glitter makes me loopy, sure, but it also... it gives me a much-needed chance to mellow out and stop taking everything so damn seriously. Not everything I do must be portentious and weighty, you know?"

    They sit back, sighing, and wrap an arm around Cael. "If that means having to deal with cleaning up the glitter... well... personally that's a tradeoff I'll make."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "No. Glitter. In the apartment," Cael says firmly. "You can Terry can have fun with glitter at the park, or in the Toweer - but not here," she insists - but there's a smile on her features as she says.
    More seriously she adds, "If there's anything you think I can do to help give Terry a better opinion of himself... You know I will. H shouldn't be blaming himself like that."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon nods in response, eyes twinkling. "Yes, dear. Living together comes with compromises, after all."

    Then they look a bit more serious. "You could talk to him directly, if you like. Tell him you think highly of him, and you're worried about him. Or you could just... be there for him, as you have been. Be his friend. Sometimes that's the best thing one can do. It's up to you, really, what you think you can do and what you're comfortable with."

    A shrug. "For my part... I've done both. I've tried to show I trust him and believe in him through my actions, and I've /told/ him so, flat-out. Hopefully he knows he can call me if he needs advice or an ear."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael stares off into space - looking out through the window without seeing the view. Be there for him... as his friend. "Are we friends?" she muses softly - the questions is meant for heerself - and not for Jon. It was still strangely difficult for Cael to admit that. That people had that sort of connection to her - that sort of power. She takes another sip of her coffee before adding, "Well - I called bullshit on it when he said it. Because it is bullshit."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon nudges Cael gently. "You seem to be, to me. You called him before anyone else, to bring over to the apartment. For a specific reason, sure, but you thought of him. He came over, you enjoyed having him. You're worried about him. He likes hanging around with you. That's friendship, in my mind."

    He smiles. "And I'm glad you did. Have I ever mentioned how clear-sighted you are? And how much I love you for that?"

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Clear sighted - unless it has anything to do with relationships," Cael admits in a wry voice. She takes a sip of her coffee, before adding in a quiet voice, "You give people power over you - the moment you admit they're a friend. The moment you admit that- well. You care what they think. It gives them the power to hurt you."
    And Cael is, understandably, wary of being hurt again.
    "Who else would you say is my friend?" she asks - her tone cautious, as if she's afraid she's about to touch something hot.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Well... Sara, obviously. Me. Martin. Agnes." Jon purses his lips, thoughtfully. "Sam and Captain Rogers. I think you're starting to get there with others... Lydia likes you, Rien was concerned about you, you and Michael had an easy rapport, you and Gabby seem to get along. I imagine you and Robbie have a lot in common. I wouldn't say Lady Death is a /friend/ but whatever passes for friendship with her?" A smirk, and then they sigh. "Phoebe could get there, if she ever comes back, and she'll let you."

    A pause, and then another smirk. "Bear, definitely. Lady. But dogs are everyone's friends."

    He shrugs. "I'm sure I'm missing people. But... people care about you, and you care about them in turn. I know that hurts, but it's also... it's also the /point/, you know? It's scary, and painful, but life is scary and painful. Potentially."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "You, and Sara, and Martin, and Agnes... and Alis, you're my //family,//" Cael points out. That's more than friendship. ...and scarier.
    She takes a deep breath in, letting it out slowly before admitting, "That's a lot of people. I do... admittedly quite like Lady Death. We're both pretty... brusk? No-nonsense? We take things head-on. ...don't imagine we'll be seeing much more of her, though - now that all that...bullshit is resolved."
    Her gaze is still fixed out on the view as she asks, "Why is it so hard to believe people care about me?"

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Because you didn't get enough of it when you were young," Jon says, slowly. "Because the adults around you failed you, repeatedly, and your core formed with the belief that nobody was going to be there. That if you were going to take care of things, you had to do it yourself. That's the kind of damage that can take a lifetime to heal, if it ever does. I'm still struggling with it, in my own way. How am I not a bother and a burden? On my end it's more... I focus on other people's needs more than my own, but that's where it comes from."

    He sighs and leans over to put his head on hers. "I love you. I'll keep saying it every day. I'm never giving up on you, not ever. And there are /so/ many people who care, who like you, who are your friend or want to be. You are... bright and brilliant and wonderful, and worth getting to know." A pause. Then, "And honestly... so is Lady Death. She seems happier, these days, and I'm glad for her. She has a brilliant burning soul as well."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Tears streak quietly down Cael's cheeks in response to Jon's words - and she squeezes them tighter with her arm, remaining comfortably and reassuringly close. "I love you," she echoes back. "And I'm not giving up on you, either. You're not a burden. You're... my strength. You got me out of bed when it felt impossible - and when you had so much more you needd to be doing. You still found the time to help... one broken woman."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "I needed you," Jon murmurs. "Even if I didn't know how much. /You/ give /me/ strength, and hope. You inspire me. You reminded me why life was worth living. Yes, you brought Martin's tea, but Lydia showing up with that thermos wouldn't have brought me back. I needed /you/."

    They lean down to give Cael a kiss, and then peer at her. "And anyway, look at you. Worried so much about this kid and an offhand remark. You're /amazing/. And helping you is as much a boon to the world as helping Donna."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Well, he shouldn't think that shit about himself!" Cael replies - that firm, determined bite back in her voice instantly, and any moment of vulnerability and uncertainty erased. She pulls back enough to smile at Jon, studying their face as she considers their words. "I mean... we've said it before - we make each other stronger. I'm better with you in my life. Even if I do spend time freaking out about... signing leases, or thinking I need to help parent your kid, or... whatever crazy shit causes my brain to melt down next."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon laughs, with a wide grin. "See what I mean?" He leans in to kiss Cael's forehead, this time. "You're brilliant."

    They sit back and sigh. "It's alright. I've told you I was nervous, myself. Nervous about admitting that what we have is potentially going to last. Afraid, ironically enough, of commitment. I'm going to lose you someday, if only to old age, and that terrifies me. Sometimes I want to run away and pretend it's not happening. Gear myself up for you leaving early."

    A smile. "So... I can put up with your worries. Because it's worth working through them. You're worth... all of this."