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(1. Elodie)
Jean and Elodie sat their backyard at the beginning of spring in the late afternoon.
Jean sat on the stairs of the deck, focused on fixing one of his shorts that he had accidentally ripped while Elodie worked on something in the flower beds.
“Elodie, don’t pick mothers roses.” Jean spoke in French, not looking up from his needle and thread.
“I’m not Jean-yves! I’m making you something!” Elodie spoke back. Her voice filled with excitement.
“What are you make me?” He asked softly, now looking up from his work.
“I can’t tell you, It’s a surprise.” She looked over her shoulder with a smile.
Jean nodded slightly, “Okay…” he said, before going back to stitching his shorts.
A few minutes later, Jean finished his shorts, he knotted the thread and cut it, before he fold up the shorts.
Somewhere a raven cawed, which made Jean look around. He liked ravens, he thought they were beautiful birds.
“Jean-yves!” Elodie called , grinning. She was facing him knowing, a crown of flowers in her hands.
Jean moved to stand, walking over to her. “Is this what you were making me?”
She nods, “sit down so I can put it on, I can’t reach your head.”
Jean immediately listened, moving to sit on the ground in front of his sister.
Elodie reached up, gently placing the flower crown on his head. She was very careful so it wouldn’t break.
“There you go.” She smiled, before leaning forward to kiss Jean’s forehead. “Thank you for being my brother.”
Jean looked at her softly. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.. I love you. Thank you for making me this Elodie..” he said with a small smile.
Together they laid in the grass, watching clouds go by, while pointing out shapes to each other.
They spent the rest of the afternoon together before a maid called them inside.
Jean hid the flower crown with Elodie before they went inside, so he’d be able to wear it tomorrow.
He never saw it again after that, not knowing his fate.
( 2. Kevin )
The next time Jean received a forehead kiss was from Kevin.
Jean sat in Kevin and Riko’s bathroom, hands shaking terribly as Kevin held him.
“H-He’s going kill me, Kev, he’s going to-“ Jean’s voice was hoarse, fear travelled in his voice.
“He won’t. He won’t, I promise Jean.” Kevin whispers, stroking the backliner’s wet hair.
Jean’s entire body was shaking as he cried. He wanted to believe Kevin so badly, but after Riko held his head under water for minutes, just to release his just as he was about to pass out, everything pointed to Kevin being wrong.
Riko was a monster, and Jean was his pet. He was not a person anymore, he was property.
Jean turned his face into Kevin’s chest, hiding his face from the cold room.
Kevin rocked them both every so slightly, shushing Jean while stroking his hair gently.
Jean let his eyes slip close as he felt Kevin’s lips pressed against his forehead. He heard Kevin start humming softly.
They sat there together for an hour before they silently parted ways.
It was never mentioned between them, and it was the last time that they comforted each other before Riko broke Kevin’s hand.
( 3. Renee )
Jean sat silent on the bed, his text book open on his lap as he rewrote notes.
When the door creaked open a little, He glanced up towards it to see Renee.
“Bonjour.” Jean said, shifting slightly on the bed for Renee to sit down.
“Hey, I came to come check on you. See how your doing.” Renee said, moving to sit beside Jean on the bed.
Jean hums, looking down at his notes and text book again. “You nurse got me some notebooks so I could rewrite my notes before finals.”
Renee nods slightly, looking at the writing in the note book. “These are in French. I thought you weren’t allowed to speak French there?”
“Yes. But normally we’d have people write our notes for us and do our homework so we could focus on Exy.” Jean said, looking at his text book. “I didn’t have to read a lot, so I only really picked up English as a spoken language, my English in writing and reading is not the strongest.”
Renee nods. “I see, you have nice writing.” She says, complimenting him.
“Merci.” Jean said, moving to close his textbook and then closing his notebook. “Can.. Can you cut my hair?”
Renee looked at him and smiled a bit. “Of course, how do you want it?”
“Even.” Jean said blankly. “So it can grow properly.”
Renee nods, moving to stand and leave “I’ll go grab clippers from Abby. I’ll meet you in the bathroom.”
Jean doesn’t reply, moving to get out of bed after Renee left. He slowly made his way out of the room and to the bathroom.
He could hear Abby and Wymack talking downstairs, but he tuned it out as soon as Renee entered the bathroom, a folding chair under one arm and a black clipper case in her other hand.
She put down the case and unfolded the chair, motioning Jean to sit before she turned to get set up.
“How short do you want it?” She asked, plugging in the clippers
“I don’t care.” He mumbled, sitting in the chair.
“Okay, I’ll start longer then we can go from there.” Renee smiled.
After 2 mini panic attacks and several flinches later, Jean had a short buzz cut.
Renee looked at him through the mirror, a frown on her face. “How’s that?” She asks softly.
Jean just nodded, swallowing hard.
They stayed in silence together for a minute.
“Thank you.” Jean said, looking up at her.
“You’re welcome.” Renee said softly, before gently kissing his forehead.
Jean didn’t try a move away, instead he leaned forward. He was safe.
( 4. Abby )
Abby drove Jean and Wymack to the airport the morning he was going to California.
Jean sat in the back seat, staring out his window as they pulled up and parked.
Wymack and Abby got out first, talking to each other before Jean got out with his duffel bag.
Abby smiled at Jean. “Remember to take it easy when you get there, I cleared you but they want to clear you as well so your going to have to wait before you play again.”
Jean frowned. “I understand.”
“Good, and you’ll call one of us if there’s any problems?” Abby asks and Jean nods slightly.
Abby smiles, before standing on her tippy toes and kisses Jean’s head. “Take care of yourself, okay Jean?”
“Yes ma’am.” Jean mumbles, looking away.
“Good, now I’ll see you again” Abby said, before turning to Wymack. “Text me when you land. I’ll pick you up.”
With that, she got into her car and left. Together, Jean and Wymack went into the airport.
( 5. Catalina )
Jean came clean to his roommates. He talked about the nest, the abuse, his situation, all of it.
A few days after, Cat entered Jean’s room, holding two helmets. “Come on, we’re going for a ride.”
“Why, we went for one a few weeks ago.” Jean asked, eyes narrowing.
“Because you need to go on a second one, It’s not a one and done deal my friend.” She explained, holding out the helmet.
He sighed and listened. He followed Cat to the motorcycle, before letting her take him where she pleased.
She stopped at a beach, that was a little out of town, letting Jean off first before she got off.
She took him down the shore, before they found a spot to sit together.
“Why did you bring me here?” Jean asked, looking at Cat.
“I like the beach, that’s why.” She hums. “Did you have any beaches where you grew up?”
“Yes. Marseille is a coastal city. Lots of ports and beaches.” He said looking at towards the water. “I would take my sister when I could.”
Cat nods “tell me more about her?”
Jean stayed quiet, frowning.
“You don’t have to.” She said, placing a hand on his.
“No no.” Jean said. “We had a blackberry bush, in the backyard. She would play in it despite the thorns and rip her dresses. I use to fix them.”
Cat nods, listening to Jean.
“…she made me a flower crown, the day before I left France.” Jean said. “We hid it so I could wear it another time. Then I left.”
“That’s not your fault Jean.” Cat said softly.
“It my parents. I’ll never see her again because of them.” Jean hissed.
“That not true, I’m sure you’ll see her again-“ Cat tried to reason.
“It is. Elodie is dead, like I was sold, she was too. At 12.” Jean choked on a sob.
Cat frowned, immediately pulling Jean into a hug. “I’m so sorry Jean.”
Jean stayed silent, trying to to cry. He was still coming to terms with Elodie’s death.
Cat rubbed his back and kissed his forehead softly, before Jean broke down into tears.
( +1 Jeremy )
Jean stood next to Jeremy at the end of the game. They were holding hands.
They listened to the crowd roar as Jeremy accepted the trophy. The championship.
Jean smiled a little, staring at Jeremy’s face, which was brighter than ever.
Jean leaned down slightly, before kissing Jeremy’s head. “We did it.”
Jeremy looked up at Jean, with a smile. “We did, didn’t we?”
They stared at each other before they kissed, as the crowd cheered.
Jean was finally home.