303/Demons Of The Past

Demons Of The Past
Date of Scene:	05 March 2020
Location:	Josie's Bar (New York City)
Synopsis:	Jessica sits at Josie's Bar like every other night, but this time she encounters some demons from her past. Whether phantoms or real, like her High School bully, Flash Thompson.
Cast of Characters:	Jessica Jones, Flash Thompson, Straw Man

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Jessica Jones has posed:
It's been hard adjusting to life after Kilgrave, Alias Investigation has been a strong grounding focus, but when a work day was done, all the horrors climbed to the surface. Jessica's method of coping was alcohol, but that did increase the sensation of loneliness. Josie was the perfect solution, she could drown her sorrows while sharing the company of other poor souls. As added bonus, she didn't need to talk to any of those assholes.

Currently sat at the bar, Jessica is nursing a glass of whiskey, going about a lesuirely pace. In between sips, she's staring into the golden liquid, pondering whatever it is that plagues her mind.

Flash Thompson has posed:
Step 9. "Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others."

The last time that Flash Thompson saw Jessica Jones was at seinor prom when he asked if the dress she was wearing was from her day job as a lunch hour sripper. Man, that had been a good burn at the time.

After graduation, Flash joined the Army and went away. A couple of reports in the school paper said he had been wounded in Iraq, if Jessica had paid attention to such things.

For a detective, she was pretty hard to find, to be honest. But eventually, he had found out that Jessica's haunt was Josie's, and made his way to the bar.

Only to find his first obstacle is that the place is not exactly ADA compliant and he grunts as he ties to work his wheels to try to get over the little ledge at the doorstop.

Straw Man has posed:
    "You know," a familiar voice comes from behind the bar, "I enslaved you for so long, and now you have your leave, you simply put yourself into servitude to something else." The Purple Man leans across the counter, a bar rag draped over his forearm.
    "You should really get some counseling," he suggests, as if he had her best interest in mind. "Or is that what we are calling this?" He picks up the glass, peering through it at Jessica. Naturally, though, she's the only one that sees any of this.

Jessica Jones has posed:
Midtown High has for the most part been a hellish experience for Jessica Jones, a recurring part of it was Flash Thompson, everything went down hill after he plastered her with the 'Coma Girl' nickname, which later yielded 'The Girl Who Lived', and then gradually everyone felt like bullying Jessica was a great pastime. Naturally, she didn't bother updating on fellow alumni, and didn't care if Midtown High would blow up to kingdom come. Albeit in retrospect, Midtown High certainly wasn't the worst of it. So she doesn't quite know what became of Flash Thompason, though she did wish great harm on him on many occasions.

Speaking of worst, on the other hand, Jess finds herself starring at it. She stiffens where she sits, her eyes slowly avert upwards from her drink. She should be seeing Josie manning the bar, and yet instead, she sees her worst nightmare personified standing right there. "Y-you...?" she mumbles in confusion, staring aghast at the Purple Man manning the bar. "You never worked a day in your life...how could you poss..." but before she finishes the question, horror drives her to a different one, as she stares with wide eyes. "What have you done with Josie you monster!?"

Flash Thompson has posed:
With a clack, Flash finally makes his way into the door. "Hey, there's a loose board at the door!" he calls out with a snort. "Though I doubt you get much wheeled traffic in here, huh?" he asks as he starts to wheel his way to the bar. To him, the woman behind the bar is Josie. "Can I get a soda, if you don't mind. And some information? I'm looking for someone I was told is a reuglar here. About yay high..." He lifts his hand about six inches over his current height. "Black hair, blue eyes, goes by Jess..."

And that's when Jessica responds to the same person, though she's no Josie to Jessica's eyes. "Jones, izzat you?" he asks, blue eyes studying her. "Holy fuck, I thought I got the shit in Iraq. You look rough." he admits with a frown. And then he pauses. This isn't how he expected to start this.

And honestly, this is probably helping Straw Man more, as another of Jessica's tormentors is there - but when did Flash end up in a wheelchair?

Straw Man has posed:
    "Come now, dear, I think you've had a little too much to drink already," the Purple Man says. "And you're causing a scene. You wouldn't want your old friends to see you in this state, would you?" He looks past her as Flash speaks. "Speak of the devil," he comments with a smile. "Perhaps literally. He's looking rather good, don't you think?" he asks, glancing over the bar at the lack of legs." Kilgrave tosses the rag over his shoulder, and starts to walk to the other end of the bar.

    "Fantastic opening, Flash. You certainly haven't lost your charm." It's Liz. Or at least, as Liz looked in high school. Did she not age? Surely not, because she still looks 16 at the moment, dolled up with tight shorts and a t-shirt. "Very good start to making amends." She stands over the bar seat, hands resting on Jessica's shoulders. Of course, she's not really, there's no one there for Jessica to feel on her shoulders. "Think you could give Coma Girl a break now? I know you haven't picked on her in years, but still..."

Jessica Jones has posed:
"Don't you dare tell me how much is too much," Jessica apparently argues with someone who isn't there, or at least getting upset at something Josie never told her. In her growing anxiousness dealing with the Purple Man, she doesn't quite notice Flash wheeling himself into the bar. But if there's one thing the tormented never forget, it's the voice of their tormentor. It's the one thing that breaks her focus from the Purple Man, as Jess slowly turns to look at Flash, looking stunned to be staring at him.

"W-w-what are you doing here!?" She gasps in horror, unable to accept that another spectre from her past has come to haunt the safe space that Josie's Bar serves for her. Clearly, it is Jessica Jones, even if she's not answering the question directly. "I see you finally bullied the one guy you shouldn't have..." she remarks upon finding Flash in a wheelchair. Still, she seems to flinch away from him, which is ridiculous. She has super powers now! She can defend herself, and yet, the very presence of Flash Thompson causes her to flinch and freeze in fear. Like he might humiliate her even now, as he used to do in Midtown High.

Straw Man has posed:
    "Very sharp, Jess," Kilgrave says. Even across the room, for some reason he seems not to need to raise his voice. "Insulting a cripple is a fantastic way to feel better about yourself. You're probably right, I shouldn't tell you how much is too much. You seem to be doing just fine." The air of mockery hangs thick in his voice, though by any direct assessment, it's delivered as straight as possible, as if it weren't a massively obvious sarcastic remark.

    "Well, maybe QUITE as charming. You probably deserved that, to be honest. Still, she's a bit cold, don't you think?" Liz comments.

Flash Thompson has posed:
"Yeah... you can say that. Never try to bully 5.56 NATO rounds in enemy rifles." Flash starts to respond to Jessica, when suddenly that familiar blonde purr comes to his ears. He had gotten the 'Dear John' from Liz soon after he arrived in the hospital in Germany. After all, what good is a cripple to a beautiful up and comer like her. His eyes narrow. As much as it feels real, he's confused. "Liz, what are you doing here?" he asks Jessica of all people.

He looks back to the bar. Between Liz and Jessica's comments, he's almost on the verse of scanning the bottles to find the Crown for his cola. It's been a month since he had a drink. A going away sip at Frankfurt. And he was on the verge of his one month coin. He thought he could handle this temptation. He was going to focus on Jessica. But now... he's not sure.

Backing down slightly, he blows out a breath. "Look. I know it's screwed up. But Parker visited me yesterday. And it got me to thinking about the shit I did back in school.."

Jessica Jones has posed:
Jessica glowers at Kilgrave as he pokes fun at her, the astute might notice her visibly shaking as she tries to contain herself. Judging by how everyone seems to be ignoring Kilgrave, she has a growing suspicion he's the fruit of her imagination. But it's so hard to ignore him, that she brings herself to the point of shaking. "Shut up," she stammers quietly, hoping not to be overheard, as she directs her demand to the non-existing Kilgrave.

"Liz...?" Jessica frowns at Flash, "nobody ever confused me for Liz, Flash, you know that much," she sighs as she hears another name from the good old days. "You and Parker are friends now? Didn't you use to bully him too?"

Flash Thompson has posed:
"No, she's right there, Jessica, on your shoulders..." Flash is confused. Why can't Jessica feel her touch? He doesn't have the superhero experience she has, but he shakes his head. "Shit's weird... seeing things. They said in the attack that took my legs that I was going on about some blonde that saved me... hell, could have been Gwen Stacy's ghost for all I know." Or he's haluciating again.

"Not sure friends is the word I'd use... just. Same reason I came here, Jessica. Being on my back these last months? Even before that. I guess since I left for the Army... I got my eyes opened up to some shit. And that I was the asshole slinging the shit back in school. High school. Self-important and indulgent crap. And I really fucked it up with some folks. Parker was at the top of the list. You were second." he admits. "And I'm trying to make it right, even if I ain't very good at it."

Jessica Jones has posed:
Jessica looks over her shoulder, then back at Flash, then back at her whiskey glass which she promptly sips from. "Maybe you've been smoking some shit?" She offers an explanation to Flash. "Yeah...?" Jessica grumbles with a thick layer of sarcasm, "did you suddenly had an ephiphany about what a douche you were in High School?" She asks, more than just a bit of venom in her voice. "Parker..." Jessica shakes her head, and takes a deep breath, before downing the rest of her drink and slamming the glass on the counter. "You made High School a living hell for me, Flash...I was scared to go to school, but my stupid adoptive parents thought it was anxiety relating to my coma, so they forced me. I had a pretty shit childhood, so, thanks."

Flash Thompson has posed:
"Lots of ephinanies." Flash says dryly, frowning still. "No. Smoking stuff isn't allowed on the federal level yet." he says with a shrug. "Yes, because I was the only one that caused hell for you. But if you want to lay all the blame at the feet, that's fine." he takes a sip from his cola and rolls his eyes. "But hey, you want to switch positions and be the top now, that's your thing."

"I can't fix what I did. I can only try to be better at it now." He glances at the bubbles in his glass. "But I'm thinking I caught you at a weird time."

Jessica Jones has posed:
"You're right, you weren't the only one, but you made it a popular pastime," Jessica barely manages to keep her voice from cracking as she speaks the words, some misbehaving tears start rolling down her cheeks, and she hates it! She doesn't want Flash to know how much he hurt her still, how much she can't face him, and yet her heart is racing fast, her tears are betraying her as they spill out despite her wishes. She lifts a hand to signal Josie, calling out, "another whiskey, make it fast!" On the verge of outright crying, she stalls, until the whiskey is there to save her and she drinks down the glass in a hurry.

She takes a few moment to control her breathing after, and as surreptiously as possible, she tries to wipe her tears on the sleeve of her jacket, before eventually looking at Flash again. "If it helps, you weren't even the worst bully I ever faced, though you ruined prom for me. I'll have you know, I was waiting for that night, and you turned it into a nightmare. But it's okay...someone else came along, bigger and nastier, and turned my whole life into a fucking nightmare. So you know what, asshole? It's your lucky day, because I forgive you, the only thing you ever did was prepare me for how much shit this world is..."

Flash Thompson has posed:
Shaking his head, Flash takes it all. He knew this wasn't going to be easy. He's prepared to take a beating, verbally, at least over it. But seeing Jessica Jones /cry/? That's not what he expected. And turning his wheelchair slightly, he takes a napking and offers it to her. He won't apply it directly to her tears, practicing his boundries. "There's always someone worse." he responds finally. "I'd go home and have to be my dad's punching bag so Jesse didn't get fucked over." Not that he ever told anyone that.

"It's not an excuse. It's not an explanation. I did you wrong. I fucked up your prom. I didn't give you a chance. And that's on me." Flash responds, setting the napkin down finally. "I made it a nightmare, I gave you shit. And I was scared of you. Because you went through all that crap you went through, and came out the other side... and fuck, how anyone is normal after that? Blew my mind back then."

"But it should have never been a reason. Teenagers are assholes. I was a douche. I can't take that back. All I can do is try to make it right. And if that means I roll out of here and never darken your halls again, so be it. But Jessica?"

He pauses. "I was a dick. And I'm sorry." With that, he's starting to make his way out. He should have waited until he had his legs. He didn't want her to think he was using the wheelchair as a crutch. But for him...

...she was important.

Straw Man has posed:
    "Well, it's good that he apologized," Kilgrave says with a tilt of the head. "Apologies make everything better, don't they? All those years. And there he goes right out the door. Almost makes you feel bad for the poor guy. He wipes the counter. "It's all very touching, really. Would make a nice Hallmark movie. Maybe you should go on a date." He snaps his fingers. "Yes, that would help set things right!" He gives a teasing grin.

    "Just get out your apology and run?" Liz asks. "That's what you call making amends? Big fancy military guy, war hero and all, afraid of a simple little conversation. What happens next? You just leave her to her life after the damage you clearly caused? Then again, you might just fuck that up, too," Liz admits with an understanding sidetilt of her blonde head. "Nevermind, go ahead and get out while the going is good."

Jessica Jones has posed:
"True...always someone worse," Jessica agrees to that much, as she still struggles to control herself and avoid breaking out in full fledged crying. She begrudgingly takes the offered napkins from Flash, it's a good thing she doesn't wear too much makeup. Little risk of a messy, running face, as she dabs the tears away.

Jessica crumples the napkin she used to dab her tears away, and looks in silence as Flash wheels away after she accepted his apology. She doesn't try to stop him, but she shakes her head at Kilgrave's suggestions. "After you, asshole? I'm not dating anyone, you ruined that part of life for me, I already know love is a fucking lie told to little girls."

Flash Thompson has posed:
"Wait, what?" Flash asks. "I'm not running away... and dating?" he gives a snort of his breath. "As if anyone wants to date a cripple that peaked in high school, right?" he asks Liz with a lift of his brows. Then he sets his jaw and considers the two women - only one of them real.

"To be fair, at least Jessica would have told me to my face that she'd wanted out, and not waited until I was overseas to tell me there's someone else." he says with a grunt. "With that, she was always good on speaking her mind. And that dress wasn't so bad."

Straw Man has posed:
    "Ahh, but what an exciting lie," Kilgrave answers. "Certainly can be some entertainment to it, at least. You have plenty more unpleasant lies in your life, what's the harm of one more?" "Or, you could be alone the rest of your life, that's a pretty fair option." He wipes down the counter a little, and then tosses the rag down. "Food for thought. I did enjoy our chat, though, perhaps I'll have to drop by again soon." He doesn't vanish in the sense of a mysterious spark, or even popping out of existence. The Purple Man, though, is gone, as if reality snapped him out of existence, no more than a daydream that has passed.

    "That's not quite fair. It wasn't like you had a choice in becoming a cripple," Liz says. "I get the impression she probably hasn't gotten laid in a while, so you might actually have a shot. But don't act like you think I'm really Liz, either, though I understand that it can be therapeutic to feel that you've finally 'said' something to the person. You never really did that, did you?"

Jessica Jones has posed:
"Being alone is safer," Jessica whispers under her breath to the phantom of the Purple Man which is soon fazed away from existence, as if he was never truly there, leading Jessica to suspect he was in her head. The room did seem to take on a purple sheen while he was there. Freaky. Looking over Flash as he heads on out, Jessica stammers, "try not to roll over anyone's feet on your way out..." before swiveling angrily in her seat and calling Josie for another whiskey.

Flash Thompson has posed:
"Ask out the girl I treated like shit and just called me a douche for my behaviour? Correctly, at that. Yeah. You never were that smart, Liz." Flash responds bitterly, giving the other woman a slow look as she stammers. And his expression softens, but he avoids the idea of asking her. It would be sympathy, and that's a trap. He chuckles, bitterly. "Good one, Jessica." he says quietly, before he is heading out the door and back towards the medical center.