The Birds and the Bees

[A few days later...]

There wasn't much to be said for the awkward tension hanging in the air, but then what could anyone really say? Jayce had kept on with her hobbies and daily chores without a word as to the situation, and sure as shit Nel wasn't opening up about it. Thus far they had managed to successfully avoid being alone with one another, and work had been lighter than usual, so the crew was around to fill the void in one way or another.

Jackson had tried to carefully approach Jayce, but being his kid, she'd taken too much after him at deflecting questions and skirting around the issue. He left well enough alone, but he knew at some point they'd have to talk about it. In the meantime, Nel had ingratiated herself with Bison, learning how to field strip and service their sizable arsenal. They were well-equipped, and Bison saw to it that every piece of iron was primed and ready for action; especially today.

As the sun continued its upward crawl through the otherwise clear blue skies, the boys had spent the morning indulging in a favorite pastime, Addie assisting with a pair of binoculars, although with her specialized Kiroshis, one had to wonder why. While Bison never missed his early morning runs with Doc Strong, they gave themselves an additional objective on this day; stapling a deck of cards against makeshift wooden posts built along the ridge running behind the Base. The overhead hangar door was open, providing shade from the sun as Jackson, Bison, and Strong all lay prostrate along the ground, each of them cradling identical high-powered rifles against their shoulders as they took aim.

Addie was the master of ceremonies for this event, sitting comfortably in a fold-out lawn chair and calling to each participant for their turn to take a shot. She had to admire the firing discipline despite the amount of trash talk flying between all three. They'd been flinging mud at each other for the last hour, even Addie chiming in with her own wisecracks. Jayce was within earshot, and though she mostly kept to herself, she still enjoyed the experience altogether.

No one had seen Nel all morning, entirely unaware that she'd discovered the exterior ladder leading to the roof of the main hangar. As hot as it was sitting on a metal roof, she liked the warmth of the sun against her skin and the calm breeze lighting up every nerve ending. She had brought one of the blankets given to her, spreading it out so as not to burn herself. While the concept of sun tanning was entirely foreign to her, so also was the concept of being free to come and go as she pleased. In what few words Doc Strong had managed to get her to speak during her daily checkups, she all but confirmed what he and everyone else already speculated...

Nel and her pack were kept like animals by their tribe; branded, drugged, and shackled since they were children. The only freedom they ever knew is when they were set loose to fight, either against each other or against the tribe's enemies. If they did well enough, they were fed and cared for; Heaven forbid otherwise. But the one thing that never changed no matter how hard Nel tried... every day always ended the same way. Every night, the elders and the male warriors came for her. Every night, they had their way with her and her sisters. If they resisted, they were punished. If they spoke out of turn, they were punished. If they refused to fight, they were punished. Her entire life from the time she was old enough to walk had been spent under a man's boot. She was used and abused, and when the very notion surfaced that she had no further purpose to serve, she was cast aside like a piece of meat.

As Addie had tried to point out in their few brief interactions, the girl was a survivor, stronger than she herself realized. And even more importantly, no matter what she had been through previously, she was safe here; this was a new start for her. Nel couldn't really quantify or put into words what she felt, but as cautious as she was around Jackson's crew, she had to admit that a week and half with them was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Their kindness and warmth were entirely alien to her, despite the rough start between her and Jackson specifically... and then there was Jayce...

The desert sun didn't hold a proverbial candle to Jayce in terms of making Nel sweat. Everything about Jayce was the exact opposite of what Nel had experienced all throughout her life, and yet... Nel shook her head, trying in vain to make sense of it. She brought her hand up to wipe a few beads of sweat as she looked at her wrists. While the rest of her had healed well enough, the bruises around her neck and wrists were unfortunately there to stay, serving as a permanent reminder to the crew... and to herself... from whence she came.

She was shaken out of her own thoughts as one of the rifles fired, the shot echoing into the open air. One could swear they almost heard the wood splintering half a mile away, but everybody heard Addie cheering as she looked through the binoculars and shouted, "O-o-o-oh, sorry blokes! Looks like Doc Strong and his smooth 'n steady hands take this round with a straight flush!"

Nel pulled herself forward a few inches to look down and observe the goings-on. Strong was smiling from ear to ear as he cycled the bolt action on his rifle, starting with a finger press up before shifting his hand ahead of the bolt. He allowed the top of his thumb to ride the bolt back as his calloused and experienced hand caught the ejected brass. He left the action open, the smell of gunpowder and heated metal rising between all three of the boys as he egged Jackson on, "Pretty sure that beats four aces in Texas, yeah?"

Jackson responded plainly, a flash of his teeth and a loud and proud middle finger as Bison called over the both of them, "Hey Ads?"

"Yeah, mate?", Addie answered, to which Bison followed up, "You're a pilot right?"

"You know I am...", Addie obliged again, to which Bison poked and prodded, "So those optics are crystal clear to a thousand yards at least... so why the fuckin' binocs?"

Addie side-eyed him with the most charming smile she could muster as she fired back, "So there's no doubt that I'm watchin' 'n judgin' your every move, ya big beefcake..."

Bison chuckled as he propped himself up and turned to walk back in as he said, "Good shootin', Doc!"

Jackson and Strong followed suit as the older cowboy punched the doctor gently in the arm and agreed, "Stillest hands in the West... ain't nobody else I'd let put me back together."

Strong smirked as he looked down at his own two feet. The boss certainly had a way with words, never failing to leave him floored when he least expected it. But, for all their recent hiccups, today was a day of lifted spirits. Even Jayce had a smile on her face amid the camaraderie, but Jackson could still tell something was off in the way her eyes darted all over, looking at any moment for a way out if Nel came around the corner.

He still needed to get to the bottom of that, and enough time had passed that he should have been able to ask his teenage daughter a few questions without losing too much of his head in the process. As he set his rifle down on a workbench, Bison asked the question on everyone's mind, "Any word from the Old Lady?"

Jackson shook his head. They were all a little antsy for work, and understandably so. With all that had transpired over the last two weeks, for there to be nothing happening that needed their attention was highly unusual, to say the least. But if the meet between the Scavs and Raffen were as bad as Jackson's conversation with the sole survivor made it out to be, it was no surprise to anyone if the involved groups were laying low for a while.

He himself had errands he needed to get to, but had been putting off for the sake of making sure whatever was going on between Jayce and Nel didn't escalate. After two whole days and then some, he had to assume it was safe for him to step out for at least a couple of hours... and if nothing else, the best way to ensure nothing came of his suspicions...

"Hey Jayce!", he called out to his pride and joy, "Have'ta run a few errands, why don' ya come wit'...?"

She was handling his rifle, cradling the stock against her shoulder as she casually looked through the scope at nowhere in particular, her answer detached and disaffected, "Nah... I-I'm okay, Pa..."

"Sure ya are!", he smiled, not giving an inch as he pressed her, "And you'll be even better once you get some fresh air... beautiful day out, don't ya know...?"

Jayce couldn't say for sure what her old man's game was, but he wasn't even trying to be subtle in front of the rest of the crew, and she wasn't really up for having an argument anyway as she thought to herself, What the hell... beats mopin' 'round here...

Still, her face didn't hide her annoyance well, if at all, and her jaw clenched as she dropped the rifle on the bench with a heavy thud and spat, "Okay, fine. Gi'me a sec to grab my shit."

She walked across the hangar, swinging her arms awkwardly. From up top, Nel shifted her position to stare through a missing panel in the roof. For as long as she had a vantage, she watched Jayce's hips swaying back and forth, nearly hypnotized and unable to break her gaze. For as awkward as things had been, Nel still couldn't help but feel that same warmth in her cheeks and stomach anytime Jayce was in the same room. And she still couldn't put it into words. She didn't understand Jayce's... situation... but having replayed their run-in from the showers in her own mind a thousand times already, Jayce's situation didn't matter anymore. Nel knew what she knew... felt what she felt... and despite her mistrust otherwise, everything about Jayce lit her up inside and left her entirely beside herself. She didn't know how to say that she didn't like not being around Jayce. Not that she was much for words anyway, but especially when trying to effectively communicate an emotion she'd never felt, she was lost.

Jackson bided his time as he stood by the old Colby, driver-side door propped open as he enjoyed a smoke. Wiseass that he was, he almost wanted to check the wristwatch he didn't have, just in case Jayce was watching him. After several minutes, she appeared from her room, the solid metal door opening as if she were trying to rip it clean off its hinges altogether. She wasn't in the mood for the old man's shit, and he didn't much care. As much of her own woman as she had grown into, she was still his only child, still a teenager, and still just as green about the world as one might expect. To that end, he was committed to keeping her safe and trying to guide her on the right path as much as he could.

Jayce walked briskly, albeit begrudgingly, her eyes narrowed and locked on Jackson. He couldn't fault her in the least, but he had his ways, and they'd be apparent soon enough. Hormonal and pissed off as Jayce was, Jackson really did love her more than life itself, and he hoped she'd remember that at the end of the day. He just wanted her to be happy, and above it all, safe.

All things considered, she'd thrown herself together pretty well in a hurry. She was still wearing the same tattered white tanktop and cut-off cargo pants from earlier, but she'd added a cropped bomber jacket, some fingerless gloves, and a red bandana to keep her hair out of her face. Jackson sure wouldn't mouth off to her, and with the way she carried herself, likely nobody else would either.

He piled into the driver's seat and turned the engine over as Jayce hopped into the passenger's side, not even trying to mask a grumble as she crashed into the bucket seat. The purring engine echoed in the enclosed space of the hangar, and Jackson smirked to himself as he shifted into gear and rolled forward slowly, not missing a chance to wave goodbye to everyone else, but especially to Addie. Before long, they were on their way out the front hangar entrance, disappearing into the sand dunes.

Addie stopped whatever she was doing to keep herself busy for appearance's sake as she stood up straight, a cheeky smile harboring no ulterior motives at all as she called to Bison, "Hey Beefcake!!!"

"Yeah what's up?", Bison called back, rounding the table from cleaning the rifles. Addie turned, her smile reaching from ear to ear as she locked eyes, "Grab a wrench and come with me, we got work to do..."

Just what the fuck is she up to...?, Doc Strong thought to himself as he watched her bounce on the balls of her feet across the hangar, resolved to staying out of it unless he was explicitly asked for help. Nobody in their right mind could say no to Addie when she got like this, a childlike cheer flowing out of every pore. Whatever she had in mind, it was likely to stir up a shitstorm once Jackson returned, so time was of the essence if the goal was to ask forgiveness later rather than permission sooner.

--

[Thirty minutes later...]

Jackson wasted no time breaking out of the sand dunes and onto the paved highway, if only because it was the only way to talk without getting a mouthful of grit between his teeth. He usually preferred to stay below the radar for as long as possible, but the entire point of dragging Jayce with him was to get something out of her. She already knew what was coming, her hands fidgeting as she had nothing to do. She was slumped down in the bucket seat with one foot propped against the dash, a lit cigarette hanging from her mouth. She could have screamed at her old man to just get it over with, but he was having way too much fun letting her stew, and she knew it. Her eyes kept cutting to the side, to him, but she tried not to advertise it.

Finally, after far too long, Jackson slouched into a relaxed position as they cruised down the highway in high gear, taking an extra second to light his own cigarette. After a deep drag and exhale, he looked over to Jayce, "A'ight... out wit' it..."

Jayce couldn't help but laugh at the audacity of that statement as she fired back, "Man, 's no wonder Addie wants to cave your head in sometimes..."

Jackson returned the laugh before clearing his throat, "Beggin' your pardon, le'me try again... what's got you all turned around, kiddo?"

All the laughter left Jayce's face as she looked down at her hands with a heavy sigh and an exhale of smoke, "I... uh... 's stupid..."

"Kid, ya been mopin' around and walkin' on eggshells for more 'an two days...", Jackson laid it out, "Don' play coy wit' me now... talk to me."

Jayce looked out the passenger side of the car, her eyes scanning the horizon whipping by as she tried to find the words, "I... while you an' Bison was helpin' Noah, Nel was helpin' me work on the bike... Addie asked for a hand wit' Sheila, so I left Nel to it, an' told her where the showers were to wash up when she was done..."

She paused as she looked down again, her face twisting before she continued, "After I was done helpin' Addie, I went to wash up myself, and I walked in on her..."

Jackson shrugged his eyebrows, a curious look on his face, "So, ya startled her...?"

Jayce blushed, her cheeks burning bright red, "Well... ya know how comfortable I've been aroun' y'all, comfortable in my own skin..."

The picture was becoming clearer in Jackson's mind as he tried to offer some words of comfort, "An' we're all damn proud of you, Jayce... you've come a long way."

She cut to him, daggers in her eyes as she spat, "Pa! She saw me... all of me... and she couldn't stop starin'!"

Jackson caught her almost unconsciously covering herself as he tried to deflect for her sake, "M-Maybe she was just taken aback by how beautiful you ar—"

"That's bullshit, and you know it...", Jayce snapped, immediately retracting inward. She didn't want to speak to her father like this, but she was so frustrated and wrapped up in all of it pouring out of her as she held her head in her hands, "I-It's taken me three years to feel like I finally belong in this body, an' it took her all o' three seconds to tear it all down!"

Her voice started to break, and Jackson tossed his spent cigarette before reaching over and placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Hey, 's not your fault, kiddo... she probably jus' doesn't understand—"

"I KNOW SHE DOESN'T!", Jayce snapped again as a stream of tears rolled down her face and she tried to bury herself in her hands, "I jus'... I feel so fuckin' stupid for bein' so bold aroun' her... she doesn't need this..."

Jackson knew what she meant, but he obliged his own curiosity anyway, hoping that getting her to actually say it out loud might help in some way, "What d'ya think's goin' on in her head 'bout all of it...?"

"T-This... f-fuckin'... dick...", Jayce ignored the question altogether as she vented, her breathing uneven as she tried to sniff up. She grabbed between her legs as she forced the words, "A-All she's e-ever known 's p-pain... and I s-shoved it in her f-f-fuckin' face!"

Jackson saw the writing on the wall, letting off the gas as he pulled off the road and allowed the Colby to roll gracefully to a stop. Jayce was openly sobbing at this point, drowning out the sounds of the engine and covering her eyes with one hand, the other sitting still between her legs as she pounded a foot against the floorboards in frustration. Not at Nel, by any means, but at herself. She hated herself, and Jackson's heart broke for her. For all she had achieved and overcome in the last few years, to see her this fragile and torn up made Jackson wish he could change the world for her. He just wanted his daughter to be happy... to be at peace... even if he couldn't find that same peace for himself.

He gently rubbed across her back as he whispered words of comfort. She was trembling and jumpy to the touch, but after several seconds, her shoulders relaxed, and she leaned into his hand as she tried to compose herself, "I-I'm s-sorry..."

"For what...?", Jackson smirked at his own flesh and blood trying to play strong for appearances' sake, like he wasn't the same damn way. He couldn't help but be curious again as he carefully asked, "So... what was it ya hoped to gain by... layin' it all out for her...?"

Jayce shook her head, stopping for a moment before she playfully punched Jackson's arm and tried not to laugh. She couldn't even answer the question, stumbling over her own words as the flush in her cheeks returned. She suddenly felt warm all over for reasons she couldn't explain, or just simply wasn't ready to own up to, the blood flowing anywhere but her brain as she asked a loaded question, "I-Is it always like this...?"

"For us?", Jackson chuckled as he nodded, "Yeah... you can lay the blame on me for that one... hell, should've seen some o' the gonk shit I pulled aroun' your mom back in the day."

Jayce smiled and bit her lip as she remembered, even as young as she was then, the goofy grin her old man had any time her mother was around; the same goofy grin he had now. And whether or not he'd ever admit it, the same goofy grin he had lately whenever Addie was in the room.

Jackson let the calm silence wash over them both for a bit before he asked, "Have ya tried... y'know... actually talkin' to her 'bout what happened...?"

As if to drive home the point that she really was his daughter, Jayce fired back, "The fuck am I s'posed to say... hey sorry I flashed my cock in your face... thing's cool?..."

"Mmm... might could use some wordsmithin'... but 's a start", Jackson joked, "We both know 's not likely she'll reach out first, so the best chance ya have is facin' the music and just talkin' to her."

"Like ya did wit' Addie?", Jayce asked, hoping Jackson read the genuine sincerity of what could very possibly be misconstrued as a sarcastic jab, "...took the hit on the chin like a champ, and now 's just like old times again..."

Jackson smiled again as he looked down, a twinkle in his eye before he looked back to Jayce, "Somethin' like that. Maybe she doesn't understand, but it never hurts to just be upfront 'bout it... hey, y'okay?"

Jayce sniffed up hard, wiping the tears away as she nodded. Her shoulders sagged as she leaned toward Jackson, and he wrapped his arm around her with a sigh, "Of all the people to have a crush on... jus' had to be her...?"

"Shut... the fuck... up...", Jayce blurted out before they both laughed. Sitting here on the side of a barren highway in the Badlands, Jackson held on tight to the most important person in his life, hoping and praying in the back of his mind that whatever this was...

Hell, she's a smart kid... she'll figure it out.

--

[Back at Mother Base...]

Bison stood off to the side, twirling a socket wrench in his hand and thoroughly proud of his own handiwork as he smiled to himself. Addie braced herself as she fluffed a clean and soft bed sheet over a mattress sitting snug in a newly assembled metal bed frame, the afternoon sun peeking in through the open metal shutters over the window. The rest of the room was bare as, up until today, it sat empty and unused.

While Nel was free to come and go as she pleased throughout the Base, she was still sleeping on the cot in her cell. They didn't even bother shutting the door anymore or keeping watch, but Addie still considered it a nice gesture to give the girl her own space, and finally some privacy. It was a chance to build trust, and show in some small way that they were accepting her as one of their own. While nobody knew how they'd handle her once a job came up, this was just a baby step towards something greater.

As the sheet fell gently over the mattress, Addie shifted around to one side to pull the creases out as she called to Bison for the same on his side. He was happy to oblige, and he smoothed out the edges as he said, "You're a real kind soul... anyone ever told you that?"

Addie chuckled, her eyes stuck on the task at hand, "Once upon a time, you'd probably have hated me... but those days are behind me."

"How so...?", Bison asked, careful to not pry too much. While they'd all been around each other for several years, Addie had always guarded her past around the crew at large. Not that she had anything to hide, but like Jackson, she wasn't necessarily proud of her past self. She deflected at first, "Eyes up, beefcake..."

She had him dead to rights, his eyes having drifted down the plunging neckline of her tanktop before he snapped himself to attention. Not that she could fault him. She was well-endowed early on, often the object of desire around the men in her life, and Bison was after all a blood-and-bones human, just another gonk with a swinging dick between his legs, although she had also heard the stories from the local Aldecaldos crews about him. He was a charmer when he wanted to be, not that he'd ever cross that threshold with her as he firmed himself and said sincerely with a clearing of his throat, "...sorry..."

She let loose a giggle before she veered back on the highway of her life story, "I came here with nothing. Australia's... it's not a great place to be, so as soon as I could, I packed up and came over here. Perfect timing too..."

"Unification War?", Bison cocked his head to the side as he leaned back against the wall while Addie nodded and continued, "NUSA was hard-up for bodies to fill the ranks, offering citizenship in exchange for service. Seemed like a dream come true for a lass fresh on her feet, yeah?"

Bison scoffed as he looked down and spit into a metal cup, "Nomads know better than to trust anything coming from a corpo's mouth..."

"Dead on the money...", Addie clicked her tongue, "Found out too late we were all just cannon fodder for Militech interests. Thankfully I made out okay, and I never lost anyone. But those first few years after... I hated myself."

She could see the curious look on Bison's face and pre-empted the question, "...let's just say it ain't the first time I've been snookered by some handsome bloke in uniform and leave it at that... thought I was starting over fresh only to make the same gonk-brain moves all over again."

"Live and learn, right? Looks like you turned out all right...", Bison offered his own words of comfort in his own way, "...so what was it like? Growing up down under?"

Addie stopped for a moment, just long enough for Bison to notice a pained twitch in her face as she answered plainly, "...not my favorite topic."

Bison spit into his cup again, "Loud and clear... sorry again."

"Don't be...", Addie smiled as their eyes locked, "Really ought'a drop that nasty habit, y'know?"

Bison spit again, purely out of defiance as he chuckled, "Just as soon as you stop snaking the boss's smokes right out of his mouth..."

Addie flashed her teeth, rearing up for a retort before her eyes cut to the doorway. Nel was standing outside the room, looking lost and forlorn. Bison noticed and turned to poke his head out as he called to her, "Hey, little albatross... c'mon in."

Nel took a step forward, still cautious as ever, looking up and around at the door frame as Addie beckoned her, "It's okay, love... this is your room now."

The girl had a confused look on her face as she stepped into the room, taking it all in, and Addie reassured her, "You can't keep sleeping in the cages... there's no privacy there. A proper bedroom is what you need."

Nel stood there awkwardly, looking around and not entirely sure what to do with herself. In her mind, even the cell was an improvement over what she knew for most of her life. It actually had a floor... and there were no shackles; no chains, no drugs, and no one coming for her or her sisters in the night. For the brief amount of time she had been free from her old life, all she had known was warmth and kindness, and though she didn't know how to show it, it overwhelmed her.

As she tried not to stare directly at Addie looking at her with that trademark smile, she felt something welling up inside of her... something she couldn't control. Her breathing became ragged, almost labored as though every inhale was forced, every exhale expelling all of the hurt. Her eyes started to burn, her face contorting, and all at once she fell to her knees in the middle of the room as her head sagged, her entire body sinking into the floor. She was no stranger to tears, having spent more nights than she wanted to remember crying herself to sleep, listening to her sisters do the same as they all tried to shut out the world around them and forget... even just for a moment.

But these tears were different. They carried neither the weight nor sadness of her past life. It wasn't joy, but more an overpowering relief that washed over her as she cried openly. In an instant, Addie was on her knees, wondering how she could comfort someone who screamed bloody murder at the mere notion of physical contact. She thought for a second before she threw caution to the wind. The girl needed to know she was safe, and who better than someone as soft and warm as Addie to nudge her in the right direction.

Addie carefully leaned in, her arms opening as she tried to catch Nel's line of sight. Once Nel got wise, she instinctively tried to jerk away. Despite her face telling a very different story, she firmed herself and tried to let it just happen. Every muscle in her body tensed as she felt Addie's strong arms closing around her. She wanted to squirm, to find a way out, but something in the warmth of another body drew her in as she melted into Addie's embrace.

The older pilot smiled as she looked up to Bison, a tear forming in her eye. She felt the wet of tears against her tanktop, although Nel's body was hot to the touch. Her skin was almost glowing golden with a few new freckles, no doubt on account of having spent most of the morning in direct sunlight on a giant metal roof. For as strong as Nel was, she felt so very small now, and Addie tried to cradle her as she rubbed up and down the girl's arms and sang in a soft voice. She rocked back and forth as she closed her arms tighter, and closed her eyes. Before long, Nel brought her arms up around Addie's back, gripping at the fabric of her shirt as she continued to cry. There was so much pouring out of her all at once, and yet in the embrace of this wild and wonderful soul, she suddenly felt right at home, like this was where she belonged all along.

--

[Some time later...]

The sun bade farewell to another day, receding behind the barely visible silhouette of the City in the distance. The Colby's engine howled from downshifting into a smooth growl, the tires crunching the leftover bits of sand and gravel as it pulled into the main hangar and rolled to a gentle stop. The stripped-bare bed was loaded with provisions tied down and held in place. Jackson killed the ignition, enjoying a moment of silence and not having his teeth rattled as he looked over to Jayce. She wore a light smile as she placed her hand over his on the shifter column and said softly, "...thanks, Pa..."

He smiled and asked, "What for...?"

She gave him a not-so-subtle side eye before she kicked open the door and pulled herself up and out of the seat, stretching her back and legs. Jackson followed suit as Addie caught his eye, hurrying away from what was an unused room only a few hours ago. His curiosity got the better of him as they crossed paths, her cheeky smile holding no secrets as she read his mind, "The girl needs a proper room of her own..."

He shrugged his eyebrows with a chuckle and a nod, "...okay... hey Bison! Help me unload?"

"...on the way, boss!", Bison called out before appearing from the kitchen.

Jayce stepped up next to Jackson and asked, "You guys need a hand?"

"Nah...", Jackson dismissed her with a grunt as he exerted himself, his head motioning towards the room, "You got more important things to do, don't ya?"

She blushed, ever defiant as she gave Jackson a middle finger, and yet she turned to walk toward the room all the same. Every step crashed louder in her ears as she tried to swallow the knot in her throat and quell the butterflies in her stomach. What the fuck was she supposed to say?

Before she could come up with anything, she was already standing in the doorway, and Nel was already wise, having turned to look at her. She tried to play it cool, leaning against the frame as she took a quick look around and said, "Preem digs... be nice to have your own space, huh?"

Nel looked down, the same blank expression on her face as always, but there were still tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Jayce carefully crossed the threshold, taking a few steps as she sat on the opposite corner of the bed from Nel, consciously trying to respect the girl's personal space. She leaned back, propping one arm under her as she tried to gauge Nel's reaction, but there was none, and so she just came out with it, "...look... I-I'm sorry... 'bout the other day..."

Nel's eyes cut to the window, looking out at nothing in particular as her body tensed up. She said nothing, which Jayce honestly expected as she stood up from the bed. Maybe it was better to just leave well enough alone...?

She was one step toward the door before Nel finally spoke, "I-I don't understand..."

Jayce whipped around, curious and terrified, and she slowly took her seat on the bed again as she asked, "Understand what?"

"Y-You're a girl...", Nel forced the words, her voice hoarse from having sobbed into Addie's shoulder for almost an hour earlier in the day, "B-But you have... I-I don't understand."

Jayce looked down at her own two feet, sitting pigeon-toed as she tried to come up with an easy explanation. There wasn't one, and she honestly wondered if it was better left open-ended until Nel said the one thing to knock her completely on her ass, "I want to understand you."

Nel's hand was shifting on the mattress, inch by inch toward Jayce as their eyes met. Jayce gasped before a smile set in, and she nodded with a deep sigh, "I was... I was born a boy... they call it assigned male at birth because of..."

She carefully motioned down, trying not to draw too much attention as she continued, "I'd always felt foreign to myself, like I didn't belong in this body..."

"Like you were someone else...?" Nel asked, again surprising Jayce as she leaned forward with her arms against her knees and answered, "Yeah... I finally figured it out a few years ago..."

Nel looked up and down with a confused expression, her eyes affixed on Jayce's more noticeably feminine features. Jayce read the look and answered the unspoken question, "I came out to Pa an' everyone here, that I identify as female. Doc Strong started me on some meds to... help me transition. T-That's why I look..."

"Beautiful...", the word flew out of Nel's mouth before she could stop herself, and her already sunburnt cheeks flushed even redder as she quickly looked down. Jayce was completely taken aback, but she tried to hide her surprise, not sure what to say. A simple thank you felt trite. She fought for words before Nel asked another question, "What about... what about your..."

Same as Jayce, she tried not to focus too much although her eyes were fixated, but Jayce understood the question anyway, "There's surgeries for that... implants too. But I don't think I'm there yet."

"Do you have to...?", Nel asked, not sure even she fully understood what it was that she was asking. Jayce's face twisted with confusion, and Nel kept going, "You say you're a girl... I believe you. Everyone here believes you..."

Jayce felt a wave of emotions washing over her as the words kept coming from the girl's mouth, "I-Isn't that enough... w-without having to... c-cut yourself up?"

Nel fidgeted with her hands, her small fingers tracing the threaded lines concealing her wolvers. It was clear now to Jayce that the girl resented what was done to her, seeing her own implants as just another pain forced on her. She started to tremble, her mouth twitching.

Jayce hated herself for what she asked next, "Your... them claws... ya didn't choose that, did ya?"

She heard a light sniffle as Nel shook her head, her hands curling into fists, "W-When we were old enough, t-they held us down... a-and they..."

Nel turned away, hiding her face as her voice broke, "W-Why would anyone choose this... to do this to themselves...?"

Jayce chanced scooting a little closer on the bed before Nel cut to her, eyes full of tears, "P-Please... I trust you, b-but..."

The point was made, and Jayce shifted to a small corner of the bed. It didn't feel right to just up and leave, but neither did she really feel welcome. She tried to find some middle ground by repeating the same thing they had all said for almost two weeks, "You know you're safe here. We're not like them."

"...I know...", Nel admitted as she curled her knees into her chest before falling to her side on the bed, "...I'm tired..."

Jayce took the hint, standing from the bed as she turned to leave. She hit the switch for the overhead lights, the dim fluorescents shutting off altogether as she placed a hand on the doorframe and waited for a moment, hoping she could pull herself together before anyone else saw her crying for Nel's sake. She had shed so many tears already today, and like Nel, she was just tired. She firmed herself, standing up straight to leave before Nel spoke softly, "T-Thank you..."

Jayce turned to her, the corners of her mouth cracking into a smile as she answered with a newfound and bewildering confidence, "...anytime, peaches..."

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