♦ } they say quitters never win

[rigging]

[ So. When the devil gives you superpowers, obviously, you have to test them out.

Of course, Jesse doesn't know that he got his superpowers from the devil because he never asked. He took the powers and left - never look a gift horse in the mouth, obviously. So he heads out to the edge of the woods and decides that he's going to aim at the trees, and see if he can manage to hit any of them. He... misses, for the most part, and when he gets mad, frustrated, it gets harder to control. But the trees have a crapton of marks on them, so there's that, apparently.

And when he heads home later, he'll probably run headfirst into one of two people, simply because he's not paying attention to anything but his hands, trying to make sure they're not going to spark all over the place. ]

Comments

[rigging]

[ Galen's exclamation makes Jesse jump, and his hands crackle with electricity for a split second. Uh.

Clearly the best thing to do is put his hands behind his back. Shh. ] Jesus, what the fuck. Be careful.

[gleans]

[ Whoa, what? He glances down when he hears that crackle, then looks back up suspiciously. ] Be careful? What the hell was that?

[rigging]

Nothing. [ It's his knee-jerk response, as always. ] Don't shock yourself on the carpet, stupid. [ BE COOL ]

[gleans]

[ Honestly, even if Galen wasn't already a little suspicious, there's no way he'd take 'nothing' at face value. It's never nothing, especially not anymore. ]

... The house doesn't have carpet. Lemme see your hands.

[rigging]

No, y'can't. [ He keeps his hands where they are, almost petulant. He's very sure he's about to get in trouble, and he doesn't want to hear it. ] There's nothing wrong with 'em.

[gleans]

Jesse. [ That's the "Jesse, I'm not stupid" Jesse. ] If there's nothing wrong, then show me.

[rigging]

[ Scowl. Fine. He shows Galen his hands, willing nothing to happen. Nothing does - at first. And then his fingers spark, and he flinches. Fuck. ]

[gleans]

[ Galen almost jumps back a little, but just stares instead, carefully reaching -- ow. ]

What... the hell. [ Explain. ]

[rigging]

[ Jesse bites his lip. ] Don't freak out at me.

[gleans]

Wh -- why would I freak out at you, what did you do?

[rigging]

Nothing, I just don't want you to freak out at me for no reason! [ He snaps it, scooting back on the counter. ] There was this guy, and he asked me if I wanted t'be useful. So - so I said yeah.

[gleans]

[ Galen peers at Jesse, glances down at his hands. ] How is... who was it?

[rigging]

I dunno. Some guy, I didn't ask his name, and he left afore I could. [ A beat. He brings his hands back up, and carefully zaps at the air. ] But he gave me this. Said I could use it t'protect people.

[gleans]

[ This sounds way too good to be true. He gets that Jesse wants to feel useful, but nothing is this easy. He'd learned that the hard way, himself. ]

You didn't like, give him anything in return, did you? Do you even know how to use it? [ He's trying to keep calm. He wants to take Jesse's hands, but after getting shocked twice, he's wary. ] Jess, what if you hurt someone?

[rigging]

[ Jesse wants Galen to take his hands, but he doesn't trust himself right now. He doesn't want to hurt Galen. And he sort of flinches when Galen finishes with what he does. ] No, I didn't give him anything, it was a gift. [ He says stubbornly. ]

... And I don't wanna hurt anybody. S'why I'm practicing. I was practicing afore. M'not gonna hurt anybody, not if I can help it.

[gleans]

[ Galen lets out a breath and pushes his hands back through his hair. How does he say this? ] B, you're not gonna want to hear this. But -- that's exactly what I said. [ Before he tried to do something he had no idea how to do, and was bitten. This isn't freaking out for no reason. He's definitely worried. He has fucking lightning hands! ] This is fucked up, can I touch you at all?

[rigging]

[ No, that's not what he wants to hear, and his expression immediately twists into a scowl. ] It's not even the same thing. [ A beat. ] And - and yeah, you can, just - don't fuckin' make me anxious. Jesus. I just barely got it, what, you expect me to be super good at controlling it right off the bat? C'mon, you read superhero shit, songbird.

[ He reaches out slowly, and rests his hand on top of Galen's. See? No sparks. ]

[gleans]

It's fucking electricity! [ Okay, okay -- he tries not to get Jesse upset, but he's being stupid. ] I know. I know. [ He turns his hand so that he can take Jesse's in his, and holds tightly. ] I just want you to be careful, this shit always comes at a price. What did the guy look like?

[rigging]

[ Jesse looks like he wants to argue, but Galen takes his hand and he sort of just deflates. ] I ain't fucking dumb. I know it's probably got a price. I'm gonna be careful. I know what not t'do. [ It's not the same. It's not something that's going to take over his head and make him torment his friends. And Jesse is so sick of being treated like he's an idiot. ] I don't fucking know, he was a normal looking guy, he didn't have like, fucking devil horns or some shit.

[gleans]

[ ... Oh no. That reminds him of a possibility he really doesn't want to consider. Galen squeezes Jesse's hands and looks at him dead-on. ]

Jesse. He wasn't like... blond, and like, eerily calm, was he?

[rigging]

... Yeah, I guess he was. What, that a crime? [ He can't help but be defensive. ]

[gleans]

[ Galen anxiously blows out a breath. ] Baby... I think you might've been talking to Lucifer.

[rigging]

[ If Anna hadn't told him that Satan was actually here, he wouldn't believe it. Even now, he still has a problem. He raises an eyebrow. ] Like - Satan? Why the fuck would Satan give me superpowers?

[gleans]

I don't know, that's why I'm worried. And I'm not trying to make you feel stupid, so -- stop. I just know he's around, and he's creepy as fuck, and Anna and her friend Gabriel said we should stay out of his way. So from now on, just -- just. [ Just something. ]

[rigging]

[ His expression is sour, but he doesn't argue. He stays quiet for a moment. ] I'm careful. I dunno why you don't think I am.

[ Because you're not, but whatever. He scowls down at the floor. ] Look, I'm practicing, alright? S'fine. Don't worry about it.