Attention: Since English is not my mothertongue you might find some spelling mistakes or syntax errors. I apologize in advance. My mothertongue is Swiss-German so I normally imagine a sentence in German and try to translate it as well as possible into English, sometimes there is a lack of vocabulary or I don't find a match or the appropriate idiom but I want to improve my English and become a better writer. Another thing I want to make clear is that I use „..." to introduce direct speech! „ are not commas but the German quotation marks, just to avoid confusion.
Stay – a Rocketshipping oneshot
Jessie remembered this dark and cold hallway. It led directly to their common room where they stored the worn-out and partially broken toys. The one-eyed, blonde doll, the gnawed rubber duck and that patched up teddy bear she had always been fond of. The other children used to exclude her, wouldn't let her play along, because she was different. They were only trying to poke fun at her. Jessie walked down the corridor, making a bee-line for the solid wooden door. She reached for the doorknob, curiously opening it slightly ajar. Casting a glance into the room, she spotted the matted teddy bear sitting on an upholstered chair. A smile whisked over her face. She entered the recreation room, finally able to hog the toys without fightning for them. Jessie gave the stuffed animal a gentle squeeze, feeling for once secure and in good company. Suddenly, she felt a firm grip on her shoulder. „You ill-bred cheeky little miss," a voice screeched, immediately freezing the blood in Jessie's veins. She turned around, staring into two iron blue eyes, looking daggers at her. Madame Gavotte was holding a ruler in her right hand, ready to teach Jessie a lesson. She dragged her to the desk, placing both of her hands on the wooden board, willing to truly forget herself and penalise this naughty girl. „Who do you think you are?" Madame Gavotte shouted, beating Jessie with the ruler. „Are we enjoying a special status? Do you think you've got the right to roam around this building after bedtime?" another strike. Jessie squalled in pain. Her fingers were swollen and completely red. She suppressed her tears, trying hard to not show any weakness, but the pain was unbearable. „Stop it!" she cried out. „No!"
Jessie was woken up by rolling thunder and pattering rain interrupting the silence of the night. She looked out of the window, observing lightning bolts cutting the pitch-black sky. A shiver ran down her spine. She hated tempests, bizarre harbinger of misfortune and disaster. As a kid, she used to hide under the bed, surrounded by pillows and her cuddly blanket. The nurses at boarding school had never been sympathetic, they scolded her, calling her a coward and scaredy-cat.
How often had Jessie wished to be carried in somebody's arms?
Somebody who would allay these fears and malaise. Somebody who would come to her defence, telling her that flashes are nothing more than pictures taken by the nature.
She sighed deeply, pulling the duvet over her head and paved the way out of her unlit bedroom.
Jessie walked down the corridor of Team Rocket's provisional base, scurrying by Meowth's basket, eventually standing in front of James' bed-chamber. She rapped at the door, hoping that he was still awake. It wasn't long before it was opened, her best friend peering through the crack of the door. He stifled a yawn, his hair tousled and unkempt. Jessie eyed him up and down, supressing a heartfelt snigger. „Nice shorts," she dropped a dry remark. He was wearing light green boxers with a Sudowoodo print on them.
„What's wrong, Jess? Another nightmare?" he asked her, scratching the back of his head.
Jessie nodded silently. Another bolt hit on the peak of a nearby building, she winced. James smiled at her, switching on the ceiling lamp. „Come in," Jessie pressed past her fellow agent, curling up in his bed.
„Did I rouse you?" she wanted to know, but then she noticed the open book on his nightstand. James joined her, shaking his head. „No," he closed the bedtime reading, dedicating his full attention to her. „I was just finishing the chapter about ancient Egyptian medicine. Did you know that they were aware of antibiotic ingredients in excreta?" he giggled. Jessie wrinkled her nose. „Ew! That's gross. Don't tell me those are your usual bedtime stories?" she shuddered with disgust. „Let's just say that Egypt has always been a mysterious and far away land, full of untold riddles and secrets," he replied, laying an arm around her shoulder.
„Again Madame Gavotte?" he inquired after those recurring incubi. „Yes. She wanted to punish me for my infantile behaviour," Jessie nestled into his chest. He began to stroke her hair, pushing one of the strands behind her ear.
„Don't worry. It's only a dream. No one means any harm, I'm here to protect you," he breathed a brief kiss on her head. Jessie had been tormented by nightmares for the last couple of months and despite of her confident side, she always seemed to seek shelter in his close proximity. That's when he wanted to show her that he wasn't a craven, but a reliable person. There were not many possibilities to convince her of his good character traits. He had often messed up chances and opportunities to be a man and not a chicken, but right now, he wanted to guard her and dispel her fears. She could be egocentric and blasé at times, but in moments like this she revealed her vulnerable and misconstrued face. They remained silent, eavesdropping the groaning and rumbling bowling alley in the sky. Jessie was nervous, she flinched at every little noise, but still trying to cover up her fright.
„I think I'm turning back to my room now," she decided, secretly hoping that he would detain her. On the one side she felt slightly overstrained with his advances, on the other side, she enjoyed nothing more than him making a shy pass at her. He wasn't much of a romantic, rather reserved and afraid of emotional intimacy, but sometimes, she could see the longing look in his eyes, the desire to admit feelings.
As if he were able to read Jessie's mind, James grabbed her by the wrist.
„Please, stay," he mumbled, pulling her back into the blankets. Jessie laid down next to him. „You're not alone anymore, Jess," he caressed her cheeks, carefully spooning her. She felt his arm around her waist, reaching for her hand and holding it tight.
James had pledged to not fall in love ever again, but he had failed. He needed to be close to this persuasive woman, she was nobody's fool and he admired her strong-minded attitude. Her occasional temper tantrums were nothing but the desperate cries for attention and he had learned to cope with them. She could be stubborn and froward, still he relished every minute he was allowed to spend with her.
He loved her delicate scent of lemon balm, he loved her infectious laugh and her sulking when she was dissatisfied with the overall situation. He loved her hands-on work, her power of persuasion, her passion for Pokémon. He loved every inch of her.
Bodies pressed against each other, she could finally close her eyes and fall asleep hand in hand with James, her safe haven.