005 | video 🍻 two hot messes for the price of one

[hardedged]

[ As the video feed starts, there's some quick, unstable shaking of the camera, panning around the room to reveal a dimly lit dive bar. After a moment, it finally focuses on two intoxicated women making the healthiest of life choices — Sarah Manning and Jessica Jones. They certainly didn't arrive here together, but after a drinking contest gone wrong, they're inseparable now. ]

Shit. [ Jess mumbles, her gaze barely focusing on the camera. ] Sobriety sucks. So does this dump. Stuck here for a goddamn year, and you dumbasses still can't find a way out.

And—and what's with all the complacency? [ Sarah points to the camera and, presumably, whoever is watching on the other end. ] Everybody's so bloody happy here.

Like morons. [ Wake up, sheeple. Jess stops her ranting, only for a moment, to take yet another swig of hard liquor. Apparently, she hasn't consumed enough. ] Jesus Christ.

My sister... [ Sarah laughs, but it's a kind of disbelieving laugh, and then she takes a swig of her own drink. ] My sister got married. To someone from another universe. Married.

The hell? [ Her brow furrows, matching Sarah's incredulous expression. If she was slightly less wasted, Jessica would be able to process this revelation better. ] Sarissa?

No, Cosima. [ She sighs and tips back her drink, draining the rest of it. ] Sarissa's got enough shit going on even without adding a wedding.

[ Oh right. God, there are so many clones, she can't keep track anymore. ] Yeah well, don't we all. [ Brushing off the subject, and the hidden layers of guilt and self-loathing beneath it, Jess leans back in her seat. She lifts her almost empty glass in a mock toast. ] Getting hitched here's a death sentence. Congrats to the happy couple.

Yeah, cheers. [ Sarah refills her glass before sloshing a little toast back towards Jess, then towards the camera. ] And cheers to all of you. It's not gonna last.

[ Amen to that. ] Never fucking does. [ Jess drains the rest of her glass in an instant, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. With one more angry glare at the camera, she reaches out to turn the device off. What a good idea this clearly was. ]

Comments

[hardedged]

[ a long pause, followed by a gruff sigh. ]

Sarah first.

[heisenbitch]

[ Oh my god, this chick. It's like trying to keep up with a tornado or something. Jesse has to force himself to try and sound as abrupt at her: ]

Okay, fine. Sarah. Then you. Then I'll go straight home. Happy?

[hardedged]

[ she scoffs, her retort automatic. ]

I'm never happy.

[heisenbitch]

[ Said in a flippant scoffing retort, sure, but what a revealing thing to say. Makes Jesse inwardly wince. He makes himself likewise retort without missing a beat: ]

Maybe a go-kart track is where I should be dropping you off at, then.

[hardedged]

Not gonna happen.

[heisenbitch]

Might help you unclench a little.

[hardedged]

What're you trying to do?

[ waitforit.mp3 ]

Kill me?

[heisenbitch]

[ Mouth forming a tight light for a second. Jesse has to stave back the urge to flinch. ]

Just a suggestion, yo. Seems you could use a little loosening up, is all.

[hardedged]

Yeah well, you could use a boot up your ass.

[heisenbitch]

Fine. Whatever. Name of the bar you're at?

[hardedged]

Forget it.

[heisenbitch]

[ Oh, my G— ]

Fine. I'll find out from Sarah, then.

[hardedged]

Back off.

[heisenbitch]

Jessica— [ Mouth opening to argue, then he exhales an exasperated sigh while studying her face on the screen. ] Look. Just wanna make sure you get home okay. That's it. Okay?

[hardedged]

Don't need a babysitter, asshole.

[heisenbitch]

Right. Because wanting you and your friend to get home safely is me totally implying that neither of you can look after yourself. It's got nothing to do with, y'know, just wanting you both to get home safely.

[ Sarcastic!! ]

[hardedged]

She's not my friend.

[ yes, because that's the important thing to correct here, jess. ]

[heisenbitch]

Okay, your— drinking buddy. Or whatever. Who's as wasted as you are. And doesn't deserve to be wandering the streets alone at night while drunk off her ass, 'cause there are way bigger assholes out there than the guy who just wants to make sure you both get home in one piece.

[ THE HYPOCRISY. Jesse, you are, in fact, a huge asshole. As big of an asshole as those assholes he's talking about. But. At least not when it comes to not women to be hurt. ]

[hardedged]

[ her gaze narrows. unfortunately, jesse's remark is a swing and a miss. she won't let anything happen to sarah, not on her watch. ]

What can you do? Besides snap in half like a toothpick.

[heisenbitch]

[ Jesse presses his tongue against the back of his teeth and for a short second, his head drops back with eyes rolling towards the ceiling. Wow. Accurate, but wow. Talk about ballbusting. He sets his attention back on the screen. ]

Besides heal fast from being snapped in half like a toothpick? Nothing. Other than offer a ride home, which you are making way too big of a deal of. But you're also drunk off your ass and obviously looking for a fight, so. Not like there's any point reasoning with you, is there?

[ He could also heal Jessica of her drunkenness through a kiss, but... Well. ]

[hardedged]

Took you long enough.

[ she snaps back, reaching over for another drink. in the process, jesse might catch a glimpse of her injured hand — small lacerations cover her skin, along with dried blood. ]

[heisenbitch]

[ He does notice. It's only a quick glimpse but it's just long enough for him to see she's injured. Makes him frown slightly. ]

Someone else piss you off tonight?

[hardedged]

[ her scowl returns, and she runs her tongue over her bottom lip. with a cold shrug, she drains the rest of her glass. ]

Nope. Just you.

[ and she's had enough. extending an arm, jess switches off the video feed. bye, pinkman. ]

[heisenbitch]

[ He should have anticipated that would happen. He still blinks his eyes open wide in surprise and exclaims a, "Jesus!" He slumps back and pushes his hands over his shaved head, and he bites his bottom lip in frustrated deliberation.

He should back off, like she said. But instead, he's hauling himself off the couch to fetch his keys and grab his jacket. Goddamn it. He'll track them down on his own, somehow. ]

[hardedged]

[ an hour later, she winds up in the passenger seat of his sports car. it's an awkward ride home, the silence between them palpable. jessica jones, living up to her crapass luck, feels exhausted and miserable. she's on edge, constantly conflicted and wondering if she should jump out of the vehicle, even if it's moving. ]

So you bought this shit with your drug money?

[ it's a cold, casually cruel question, provided with no context. even without sarah's confession back at the bar, she would have suspected that something was amiss. no way that a guy like pinkman could afford a car like this through honest means. ]