Deck the Halls Interlude

[Thevshi]

Freedom Hall
City Center Freedom City, New Jersey
Friday, December 13, 2024

 

 

After Lynn and Jack had left their friends by the food, the blonde teen had steered Jack through the crowd (stopping briefly to talk to a few people) and eventually up to the second floor and outside onto a balcony overlooking the grounds. The speedster seemed generally familiar with the layout of the building.

 

Although she shivered slightly in the cold, Lynn stopped and turned to fact Jack, looking up at him with what appeared to be an apologetic look. "Jack, first, I wanted to apologize for being fully honest with you sooner about the fact I am from another timeline." The blonde teen began. "I…wanted to tell you back in October during our date at the zoo…obviously things sort of got in the way of that."

 

"And there have been other times since I have thought about and wanted to tell you, but either there were always too many others around or other things just seemed to get in the way of doing so." She paused, looking down for a moment before focusing back on Jack. "But anyway, again, I apologize."

 

"So, as you likely heard, I am from another timeline." She said, managing a faint, half-smile. But then her expression became more serious again. "While many things are very similar or identical between the timelines, there are some significant differences. When I left my timeline, it was the year 2030. I was about a month older than the Mary and Madison there, and as long as I can remember, they…were my best friends." Lynn's voice caught at the last and her expression saddened, though she managed to avoid any tears.

 

She then paused, turning away to look out at the bright lights of the city. "But…I am not just separated from my timeline…..it is gone, destroyed." Now a tear rolled down one of her cheeks as she continued. "I was barely able to escape that destruction."
 

[Jack]

Jack followed Lynn's lead through the crowded room, offering polite nods and brief greetings when they paused to speak with other guests. His attention kept drifting back to how the red dress complemented her graceful movements as she navigated the party with practiced ease.

 

When they reached the outdoor balcony, the winter air wrapped around them like a familiar friend to Jack, but he noticed Lynn's slight shiver. Without hesitation, he gently turned her to face him, his massive hands surprisingly delicate as he pulled out one of the fancy napkins he'd pocketed earlier from the buffet table.

 

With careful precision that belied his size, Jack folded the napkin into an elegant band. The bear spirit rumbled approvingly inside him as he wrapped the fabric around Lynn's forearm, his large hand nearly encircling her arm completely. Taking the ice rose from her other hand, he placed it atop the napkin, letting his connection to winter flow through his fingertips.

 

Frost crystals danced across the surface as he shaped them, forming a delicate stem that wove around her arm like silver thread. The rose settled perfectly into place, its crystalline petals catching the city lights and transforming them into diamond-like sparkles that complemented her dress. His magic sealed the creation into a proper corsage, one that wouldn't melt despite its icy nature. Lynn might also notice that the winter air didn't seem to bother her anymore.

 

The bear spirit's satisfaction mixed with his own as he admired how the piece enhanced Lynn's natural beauty. Though his heart ached at the sadness in her eyes, he remained silent, giving her the space to share what she needed to.

 

Jack stood silently as Lynn spoke, his massive frame blocking some of the winter wind from hitting her directly. The bear spirit inside him stirred restlessly, wanting to protect her from the pain he could see etched across her features, but Jack knew some hurts couldn't be fixed with brute strength or ice magic.

 

When she apologized for not telling him sooner, his heart clenched. He wanted to tell her there was nothing to apologize for - that everyone had their own timing for sharing such personal truths. But he held his tongue, recognizing that she needed to get this out without interruption.

 

Her words about the twins hit him hard. The Mary and Madison he knew were already so precious to him - their boundless energy and acceptance of his bearish nature had helped him feel at home in Freedom City. Learning they had been Lynn's best friends in her timeline made his chest ache with understanding of the deeper loss hidden behind her occasional sad glances at the twins.

 

As she turned away to look at the city lights, Jack caught the slight tremor in her voice. He felt the temperature around her drop almost imperceptibly, and he knew that at least one tear had managed to escape. A tear that traced down her cheek as she revealed the full weight of what she carried - not just separated from her timeline, but knowing it was completely destroyed.

 

The bear spirit rumbled with protective sorrow inside him. Jack's massive hands twitched at his sides, fighting the urge to reach out and comfort her. But he remained still, giving her the space to share this burden that she'd been carrying alone for so long.

 

Jack shifted his weight, the wooden railing creaking slightly under his massive hand as he searched for the right words. His bear spirit rumbled uncertainly inside him, sharing his struggle to find proper comfort for such profound loss.

 

"I... am just simple bear, Lynn. I do not know right vords for this." His thick accent wrapped around the words as he carefully moved closer, letting one giant arm settle around her shoulders with the gentleness of falling snow. Not constraining, just present.

 

The city lights sparkled below them as Jack stared into the darkness, remembering another night filled with stars and terror. "You know, I vas different once. Had all kinds of magic." He let out a awkward chuckle that didn't quite reach his eyes. "My family, ve are shamans for many generations. Is vhy I spent so much time vith babushka and dedushka - my grandparents."

 

His free hand absently traced one of the glowing scars across his chest. "Then came night vith hungry polar bear. These scars... I vas dead for almost two minutes." The memory of teeth and claws made him shiver slightly. "Dedushka killed bear, bound its spirit to mine to bring me back. After that, only ice magic remain. Became... monster."

 

Jack cleared his throat, pushing back the darker memories. "I know is not same as losing whole timeline. But I understand losing big piece of self, having to start over. Feeling alone." He glanced down at Lynn, his expression softening. "You are most interesting, amaaing girl I meet on two continents. I may not always have right vords, but I am Alvays here to listen if you vant."

 

 

[Thevshi]

Slipstream

 

When Jack took the napkin and ice rose he had made earlier and further crafted them into an elegant ice corsage, Lynn watched with slight amazement, a faint smile coming to her face. When he had finished, the blonde teen looked up with him, her smile still there. "It is lovely Jack, thank you." She said before starting with her apology and the start of her explanation of her past.

 

When Jack put his arm around her, Lynn did not flinch or pull away, instead she leaned in closer, tilting her head slightly to rest it against the side of Jack’s chest. Jack could hear her taking some deep breaths to collect herself again as she wiped away the tears.

 

When Jack began talking about his own experiences, the blonde girl looked up at him with a sympathetic look as she listened. "That sounds horrible Jack, I am very glad your grandfather was able to help you. But…you are not a monster. Like several superpowered teens that find their way to Claremont, you just have some new abilities you are still trying to fully learn, and it is probably one of the bests places to do so."

 

When he talked about her being amazing and interesting, Lynn blushed slightly, even as it brought a faint smile to her face again. "I do appreciate that Jack, so very much. I was so fortunate to run into you that day in the park, even if it that day was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for me." She paused before continuing. "That food cart you helped me find, it used to be a place Mary, Madison and I liked to go, and the owner was always so cheerful and friendly. I had gone looking for it in the hopes of getting to see him, hoping that might help things feel a bit more like home. Obviously, that did not work out." A hint of sadness passed over her face at the thought.

 

Jack could sense Lynn sigh once again as she stayed focused on him. "Jack, I like you…a lot. If I have been a bit…distant, it has not been you. In addition to generally dealing with coming to this timeline and all I lost…there was a boy back in my timeline. We had known each other for several years, he was a cello player and pianist and was part of the youth orchestra with me. Just before…the end," Lynn choked up slightly as she mentioned that, "I…we had started to see each other a bit differently. It..we never really acted on or talked about the change…but I have not been able to avoid having feelings of guilt and regret over the past few months."

 

"I think I have mostly worked through those feelings…but, I still have a lot to work on and process. I guess what I am saying is the highs and lows for me are likely to be pretty volatile for some time. So….fair warning?" Lynn managed a small smile again.
 

[Jack]

Jack felt a wave of warmth spread through his massive frame as Lynn leaned against him, her slight weight both delicate and grounding. The bear spirit inside him settled into peaceful contentment, a stark contrast to his earlier nerves.

 

A soft chuckle rumbled in his chest. "You know vhat scared me most at gallery? Not thugs or fighting - vas vorried my powers vould scare you away." He shook his head at his own foolishness. "That day in park... I never forget. You changed everything for me." His voice grew softer, remembering the vendor who'd passed before they met, though he kept that sadness inside.

 

"First time I saw you, thought maybe I died again and you vere angel." He let out another quiet laugh. "Is very cheesy, da?"

 

With infinite gentleness, he placed one massive finger under her chin, tilting her face up until their eyes met. The city lights reflected in her gaze as he spoke with quiet intensity.

 

"I am sorry you lost someone special like that. Takes time to heal such vounds." He took a deep breath, then spoke softly in Russian, "Ty samyy krasivyy chelovek, kotorogo ya kogda-libo vstrechal," the words rolled off his tongue with a warmth that English could never quite capture. "Ya sdvinu zemlyu, chtoby snova uslyshat' tvoyu igru." These were the same words he had hurriedly exclaimed during their extra credit outing, now spoken in a slow basso tone with more emphasis and feeling. "You are the most beautiful person I have ever met, I'll move the earth to hear you play again." He laughed softly. "Dat is vhat I said to you when I gave yous flowers…but now I add dis: Moye serdtse b'yetsya tol'ko dlya tebya. It means, "My heart beats only for you.""

 

The bear spirit gave him an encouraging rumble as he gathered his courage. If Owen could face down a pirate queen, surely he could do this. His heart had soared at her admission of liking him.

 

"Lynn, I vant you to know - there is only you for me. I vould very much like to date you, just you." His voice grew softer. "But if you need more time, I vill be here. However long it takes." He looked deep into her eyes with a small smile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Thevshi]

Slipstream

 

Lynn chuckled slightly herself as Jack mentioned being more afraid of how she might have reacted to his powers during the incident at the art gallery. "Well, luckily takes more than shapeshifting into an ice bear to scare me off." She chuckled again when he mentioned his reaction the first time he saw her. "That is a bit cheesy." She replied with a lighthearted, teasing tone.

 

When Jack gently reached out to lift her chin, Lynn allowed him to do so, meeting her gaze with her bright eyes that seemed to burst with energy. Her breath caught slightly as he repeated the Russian words he had said during the fieldtrip with the Nicholson students and explained their meaning. "That's beautiful Jack, thank you." Another faint smile came to her as she then added, "though, you don’t really need to go to such extremes to just hear me play again. I always enjoy having an opportunity to play."

 

When Jack further admitted his feelings for her and wanting to date her, another tear ran down the blonde teen’s face, only this one accompanied by feelings of happiness that showed on her face. "I appreciate that Jack, but I think I just said that I am ready for that, with the warning of my emotional mood swings, which I think you were already aware of. I mean, I'm a speedster, we're not exactly known for our patience." She said with a small grin.

 

Lynn then further tilted her head up as she closed her eyes. Her breath caught again as she waited for Jack to take the invitation to kiss her.
 

[Jack]

 

Jack's heart leaped into his throat as he gazed down at Lynn's beautiful face, her dazzling smile making his chest tighten with pure joy. His massive hand dwarfed her delicate features as he tenderly wiped away the happy tear trailing down her cheek, allowing his thumb to linger and caress her soft skin.

A deep chuckle rumbled in his chest at her words about speedster impatience. "Ve are in big trouble then - you vill need much patience to deal vith slow, simple bear like me."

 

Before she could protest, Jack leaned down, closing the distance between them. His lips met hers in a kiss that was both gentle and firm, pouring all his feelings into that single moment of connection. The bear spirit inside him roared with approval as Jack wrapped his massive arms around Lynn's waist, lifting her effortlessly off her feet to bring her closer.

 

The temperature around them dropped as his emotions spilled into his powers, his bear spirit's joy manifesting in waves of arctic cold that radiated from his massive frame. Delicate snowflakes began swirling through the air, dancing around them like stars fallen to earth, catching in Lynn's blonde hair like a crown of diamonds. Along the balcony railing, ice crystals sprouted and bloomed into an array of perfect frozen flowers - roses, lilies, and wildflowers spreading from one end to the other in a spectacular display of winter magic. The crystalline blooms sparkled with an inner light that matched the ethereal glow of the scars across Jack's chest, nature and spirit working in perfect harmony to create something beautiful. He could feel the bear's satisfaction rumbling through him as their shared power transformed the warm night into their own private winter wonderland.