Almost isn't good enough[Tag Odette]

Jim swore under his breath for the hundreth time that nigth. He had promised that Flynn guy to find a place to sleep. Too bad he didn't think of how badly his body hurt when he finally left him alone.
He stopped for a short break, leaning aginst a tree. He couldn't go back to the tavern lookign like this, his mother and Ariel didn't need to see him in this state.
He felt the guilt crawling back at the thought of his childhood friend. He really should make it up to her somehow...

Odette was wandering through the forest when she saw a familiar figure in the dark. "Jim? What are you doing out here? And...are you hurt?" She demanded as she neared him, taking note of his posture and how he was favoring one side.

He looked up to see a familiar face and sighend in relief. For a moment there he thought it had been someone else...
"I think that's kinda obvious," he forced out a laugh and sank down to the ground.

Odette winced and bent down to better check on him, it didn't look good but it could have been worse. "Ok I'm taking you to my place, just don't faint on me." She said only half joking as she picked him up and carried him over to Honey. She was grateful that she had been trained to deal with injuries so she wasn't too worried. She led Honey back towards the direction of her home, "So Jim, how did you get injured like this?" She asked after a moment.

He wa sabout to protest, until he realised it this was his chance to not return to the tavern. So instead he just let her led him to her hourse and walk abkc to her place.
He didn't respond at first when she asked, really not wanting to tlak about it. "What always happens," he shrugged with a blank expression.

She looked back up at him, "I thought I told you not to get hurt." She said sadly and then bit her lip, "Who do you do this for anyway?" She asked, hating that he had been beat up like this.

"It doesn't concern you," he said quietly, but anger could be clealry ebherad in his voice now. "It doen't cocnern anyone but me so just stop asking already," he mutetrd and looked anywhere but her.

Odette sighed, "You know, I don't take just anyone to my home...I'd at least like to know if this going to become a habit." She stated matter of factly. "Also, don't even think of leaving, there is no way I'm going to let you get yourself killed simply because you get antsy." She said.

"Why the fuck do you care?" he snorted and glared back at her. "I never asked anyone for help and still there's always someone pretendng they want to help me. You make it sound like I care, wich I don't." That was ture, wich is why he felot so confused. Both Flynn and Odette seems to eb so determided to help him.

Odette glanced back at him, "Maybe you don't care...but I do and you're my friend Jim. I truly want to help you...I wish I could show you how much of a friend you are to me." She said quietly as she patted Honey's mane.

"Even though I forced myslef on you?" he said bluntly, but he didn't want to belive her words. No... more like he was afraid of beliving it. "Look, I don't think it's a good idea haning around you now that you're so close to Cpatain 'Doofus' i'll only get arrested in the end."

She sighed, "You didn't force yourself on me and you won't have to worry about Phoebus, I can handle him." She said calmly.

"Of course you can handle him. One word from you and he'll happily be on his knees the next second," Jim snickerd at the image.
"But seriously, I don't want or need your help," he said woth determination in his voice as he jumped down form the hourse, biting his lip to not let out any sound of pain.

Without breaking her stride Odette easily picked him up and slung him back onto Honey. "And don't say that about Phoebus...he's decent, kind and...everything I'm not." She said almost sadly.

He raised an eyebrow at her last words. "Guess I was right about you then," he smirked. "Not that it would matter to me anyway. I'm far from perfect. and the captain is anything but as well."

"At least neither of you have killed someone!" She cried and then froze....what had she just done? Now he really wouldn't want anything to do with her...and she couldn't blame him.

His eyes widened for a second, but he didin't looked that shocked or firghtend. He slide down from her hourse again and moved to stand beside her. "So?" His voice had no emotion. "I'm sure you had a good reason for doing that."

Odette looked down, "He....he killed my family when I was ten and I could only watch. He had me with him for seven years...the worst seven years of my life. I was seventeen when he decided he wanted more then what he had taken from me...I tried to run but he grabbed my dress and pulled me back to him. I had been learning how to use a knife and while he had been pulling me I grabbed it and then he kissed me...I just remember wanting to make him stop and I shoved the knife through his chest." She laughed brokenly, "Not a day goes by where I don't remember him." She said with disgust.

"See? You had better reaosn than annoy in this town," he said gently and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. He was hesitant about hugging fater what happend last time.
Glancing at the ground again he had a pained expression on his face. He had suspected what she's been through, turns out it had much worse thna he thought... "That bastard deserved to die."

Odette glanced over at him and sighed, "Maybe he did....I'm just glad I survived...even if he marked me." She said quietly, him and that twin brother of his...
(Ooc does this twin have a name? XDD)

(uh... um let's just call him... Michael? yeah let's go with that xD *hides*)

He hesitate dgain before carefully wrapping his arm around her shoulder, hoping she wouldn't freak out again. He didn't know what to say to make her feel better. Hell, what could he say?

Odette looked over at him in surprise and then put her own arm gently around his shoulders as well. "I didn't know you could be so charming." She said lightly as she tried to make him feel better, it was odd though he reminded her slightly of Michael.

He chuckled soflty. "There's a reason why I'm so popular among the ladies," he winked. He blinked whe he noticed ehr staring a litte and smiled questioningly. "What? Do I sitll have blood on my face?" he asked and bougght up his hand to his face.

Odette shook her head, blushing at being caught, "No its not that...you just remind me of someone." She said quietly. Even though Michael hadn't abused her to the same extent as his brother he had been involved. She doubted Jim would like to hear who she reminded him of though.

He gave her a funny look but shrugged it off.
"I'm sorry for snapping at you like that," he said after moment of silence. "I have problems with my temper and I lash out at anyone who happens to pass by," he laughed sheepishly, feeling he owned her an explination.
He hated it, having the same bad temper as hid good for nothing father have. It only disgusted Jim in making him feel more like his dad. He even reacts the same way, in violence. But it's not like he haven't tried to control it. It just wasn't that easy...