May 31st, 2008
Whether you think so or not, I'm a nice guy.
So, when someone gets kidnapped, I do the thing a nice guy would do, and go check up on them, make sure everything's okay. And...of course, to sort of rub it in his face.
The Daily Bugle building was never designed to keep me out. It was never Spidey-proof. Nothing is Spidey-proof, really, but you get my point. I know where Jameson's office is by heart--I've broken in there enough times. Hell, I probably know the guy's social security number.
Jameson was not in his office when I climbed in through the window. I sat in his over-sized swivvel chair, reclining backwards and relaxing. It must feel good to sit back in that chair everyday and act like you own the free world. Nah, that's not Jameson. That's Oprah. Everyone knows that.
I stared at the ceiling, rocking myself back and forth in the chair a bit aimlessly. I had been looking at the tiles on the ceiling so intently that I didn't even realize Jameson was standing there after a while. When had he come in? I tried not to look surprised. I was happy I was wearing my mask, because my expression was anything but together.
"JJ!" I smiled. "Back at work already? No recovery time?" I was surprised that he hadn't charged for the phone and called the police already. Or insulted me. Or...hey, what was going on?
Jameson was standing there, actually quiet, his face not as red as I thought it would've been from seeing me in his office. "Spider-Man," he said. Was that a greeting? Did he--did he just greet me?
"Did someone kidnap Jameson again and make a level-headed clone of him? That guy could use a break from being a hostage."
Jameson didn't show any emotion in his face. "Octavius told me that he was going to kill me."
I wasn't sure how to respond to that. I figured a simple "okay" wouldn't really do anything. That's when I realized--was Jameson thanking me? Or, was he trying to? I eyed him oddly, not sure how to react. I hadn't been expecting anything but a "Get the hell out of my office!" from him. I nodded, not standing up from his chair. "Well, yeah." I said matter-of-factly. "Did you think he tied you to a chair so he could give you a Care-Bear hug?"
Jameson wasn't amused. My little jokes never really amuse anyone, come to think of it. But do I stop telling them? No.
"What are you doing here, Spider-Man?"
I got up from his chair. "Just making sure you're all right," I said. I didn't add in the fact that I had planned to rub it in his face; that would've ruined the Kodak moment we had going on.
He nodded. For once, I think that he didn't know what to say.
"I didn't see any slander on the front page," I told him. "Are you feeling okay?"
He laughed. Jameson laughed. I stood there, blinking, as he said that he was fine. I nodded. "All right, JJ. You rest up. Write something mean and completely false about me, that'll get you back into your old routine."
He laughed again. I don't think I've ever heard him laugh. It was a really weird noise. Unnatrual. He stood there, in silence, after that. After a bit of realizing I didn't have the mindframe to think of anything insulting or annoying to say, I made for a window. And Jameson said nothing.
I thought about it all the way home after that. Was Jameson finally coming aroud? It's not possible. I know better than to keep my hopes up.
COMMENTS:
(subj:JJ)
Jameson? Laughing? It's a sign of the apocolypse.
--John-nay Storm