[ At that cough, Jean frowns at the back of his head and is already undoing one of her scarves with one hand by the time he's asking about her trying to calm the horse down.
She pauses, surprised by the idea because it had never occurred to her before. ]
Telepathically? I don't know. I've never tried it before.
[ But she gets the scarf off her and then is pushing it to hang around Logan's neck. Adding, ]
[ What's she- oh. He lifts a hand like it'll still her, only it doesn't because she's still looping the warm wool around his neck. ]
It's just a little brisk. I'm fine. You don't gotta worry about me.
[ He'll loosen it a bit with a tug, his mouth pulled up into a lopsided, long-suffering sort of smile. Alright. Alright. Logan nods toward the horse. ]
Look, just give it a shot. Animals are a lot simpler than people. Should be a breeze.
[ She looks back to the horse and suddenly feels a spike of fear in her stomach. Flying was one thing. Connecting to someone else's mind was something she hasn't done since... before she woke up in the hospital with no memory of how she got there.
[ This time he actually turn to look at her. As best he can anyway, from where he sits in the saddle before her, a glance over his shoulder. Beneath them, Chuck shifts his weight. ]
Why would you think that?
[ It's clear by his tone that he thinks the question's ridiculous. ]
[ She averts her eyes, from him or the mare, knowing the answer and yet not able to find the words to answer truthfully. It's taken time, but slowly she has regained her memories of what happened on the slave outpost. Remembers following Laura there, remembers finding the young girl and helping her. Remembers being overpowered and then put in a cage. She remembers the "Phoenix" taking over.
She remembers nearly killing Kurt and the man in front of her. And she remembers desperation driving her to shut her own mind into a coma to make it all stop.
But how can she say any of this here and now? Shaking her head slightly, ]
[ It's that unease, and the fear wafting off her that has him frowning. Don't think he doesn't recall what happened that day, that terrible, dreadful day when Laura disappeared through the Ingress, when she was captured, when Kurt was injured, and when the thing that haunted him for ages, the thing that took Jean from all of them, had come back in a blaze of hellish glory.
Whether it's that or something else making her hesitate, he doesn't know. She flew all the way here- why balk now? Sliding a hand back, he touches her fingers where they're fisted in his shirt. ]
You got this, Jean.
[ His encouragement is quiet, a low rumble shot through with a deep note of trust. It'll be all right. ]
[ She had wanted to help him. But using her telepathy hadn't been apart of the equation. Until it apparently was. Her fear is palpable and she feels like she could choke on it until Logan gives her those words of encouragement. A gentle touch full of trust and, for a moment, she feels like she can believe it.
Jean gives another nod and moves to get off the horse. Before Logan can protest, she adds quietly, ]
Just in case.
[ She's not even sure what will happen but she doesn't want to risk Logan or Chuck in case... anything bad happens. She gives Chuck a gentle pat to his neck before moving away and walking forward towards the mare. Once she feels she's at a good distance from both, she stops and tries to calm herself. Closes her eyes and tries not to think about what happened on that outpost. Vicious fire and malice flashes at the forefront of her mind's eye and she shakes her head. She forces them away.
Jumps far back, to when the Professor taught her how to first use her telepathy. She raises a hand up to her head, two fingers at her temple. Like it was a button to press. Something she can control. Slowly, carefully, reach out. Breathe in, breathe out.
She feels the mare's unease, fear. Jean's heart goes out to it, trying to soothe it. It's okay. You know us. We just want to help you. Keep you safe. The mare whinnies and tosses her head a few times, looking like she might run again, but Jean persists, continuing in her attempts to calm it.
It's okay.
Finally, the mare goes quiet and starts to walk over to them. Jean opens her eyes when she can hear the hooves close by and lowers her hand from her temple slowly as the mare approaches her. When it stops in front of her, and it doesn't flinch from her as she moves her hand to its nose, Jean finally smiles. Relieved, blinking back tears. She rubs up and down the mare's nose and then does the same for the neck before pressing her face against it. ]
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no subject
She pauses, surprised by the idea because it had never occurred to her before. ]
Telepathically? I don't know. I've never tried it before.
[ But she gets the scarf off her and then is pushing it to hang around Logan's neck. Adding, ]
You should be wearing a jacket.
no subject
It's just a little brisk. I'm fine. You don't gotta worry about me.
[ He'll loosen it a bit with a tug, his mouth pulled up into a lopsided, long-suffering sort of smile. Alright. Alright. Logan nods toward the horse. ]
Look, just give it a shot. Animals are a lot simpler than people. Should be a breeze.
no subject
Softly, ]
...you don't think I'll hurt her?
no subject
Why would you think that?
[ It's clear by his tone that he thinks the question's ridiculous. ]
no subject
She remembers nearly killing Kurt and the man in front of her. And she remembers desperation driving her to shut her own mind into a coma to make it all stop.
But how can she say any of this here and now? Shaking her head slightly, ]
I'll give it a try.
[ Even if she's terrified to. ]
no subject
Whether it's that or something else making her hesitate, he doesn't know. She flew all the way here- why balk now? Sliding a hand back, he touches her fingers where they're fisted in his shirt. ]
You got this, Jean.
[ His encouragement is quiet, a low rumble shot through with a deep note of trust. It'll be all right. ]
no subject
Jean gives another nod and moves to get off the horse. Before Logan can protest, she adds quietly, ]
Just in case.
[ She's not even sure what will happen but she doesn't want to risk Logan or Chuck in case... anything bad happens. She gives Chuck a gentle pat to his neck before moving away and walking forward towards the mare. Once she feels she's at a good distance from both, she stops and tries to calm herself. Closes her eyes and tries not to think about what happened on that outpost. Vicious fire and malice flashes at the forefront of her mind's eye and she shakes her head. She forces them away.
Jumps far back, to when the Professor taught her how to first use her telepathy. She raises a hand up to her head, two fingers at her temple. Like it was a button to press. Something she can control. Slowly, carefully, reach out. Breathe in, breathe out.
She feels the mare's unease, fear. Jean's heart goes out to it, trying to soothe it. It's okay. You know us. We just want to help you. Keep you safe. The mare whinnies and tosses her head a few times, looking like she might run again, but Jean persists, continuing in her attempts to calm it.
It's okay.
Finally, the mare goes quiet and starts to walk over to them. Jean opens her eyes when she can hear the hooves close by and lowers her hand from her temple slowly as the mare approaches her. When it stops in front of her, and it doesn't flinch from her as she moves her hand to its nose, Jean finally smiles. Relieved, blinking back tears. She rubs up and down the mare's nose and then does the same for the neck before pressing her face against it. ]
Good girl. Good girl.