"Yes! I am Jeff the teacher!" Saying it in a rush like that, no pause between his name and his occupation, it almost sounds like a fancy title. Like he might as well be Sir Jeff the Teacher of Teenagers. The way his confirmation comes out, quick and a little breathy, it's like Jeff feels as if they're on the verge of some kind of grand discovery here. If he were sitting, he'd be perched on the edge of his seat with anticipation.
A teenager. Fuck. Even before he realizes which teenager Raylan's talking about, his heart sinks about as low as it can go. Just knowing that a kid, any kid, is here instead of home makes his stomach twist with dread. And for one dreadful, irrational moment, he thinks: What if it's Mel?
But he knows Raylan can't be talking about his daughter as soon as he marks the height, and the rush of relief that hits him is brief, but overwhelming. Melody's, like, a good half-a-foot taller than that, and besides, she doesn't give a fuck about the piano and-- oh shit he's talking about Athena. Daughter-adjacent, if he was being cute about it. The truth is, she may as well be his kid, for as fond and protective as he is of her, and jesus christ, he's a monster, he's a fucking monster, because he actually, selfishly, felt relieved that some other Not-Mel kid was here, like, what, she's too precious and special, some other kid has to be a sacrificial lamb to a haunted town, and oh look, plot twist: it's Athena!
"Ahhh... Uh..."
There's a lot going on inside of Jeff, and for a while there, he's at a loss for words, though it's probably pretty clear in his expression that he knows just who Raylan's talking about. He seems practically subdued when he finally finds his voice again.
"I can see why that might freak her out."
To put it mildly.
"Athena's here. But she's okay. One piece, like you said. She's okay. Okay. Okay, good. Now I just have to find her and find a way home, easy, no problem, people get lost in alternate realities every day!" There's a slightly hysterical edge in his voice, and Jeff stops himself, breathes, looks at Raylan again and really seems to be looking at him now that he's coming down from his panicky mental jaunt. "Sorry-- shit, I don't even know your name."
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A teenager. Fuck. Even before he realizes which teenager Raylan's talking about, his heart sinks about as low as it can go. Just knowing that a kid, any kid, is here instead of home makes his stomach twist with dread. And for one dreadful, irrational moment, he thinks: What if it's Mel?
But he knows Raylan can't be talking about his daughter as soon as he marks the height, and the rush of relief that hits him is brief, but overwhelming. Melody's, like, a good half-a-foot taller than that, and besides, she doesn't give a fuck about the piano and-- oh shit he's talking about Athena. Daughter-adjacent, if he was being cute about it. The truth is, she may as well be his kid, for as fond and protective as he is of her, and jesus christ, he's a monster, he's a fucking monster, because he actually, selfishly, felt relieved that some other Not-Mel kid was here, like, what, she's too precious and special, some other kid has to be a sacrificial lamb to a haunted town, and oh look, plot twist: it's Athena!
"Ahhh... Uh..."
There's a lot going on inside of Jeff, and for a while there, he's at a loss for words, though it's probably pretty clear in his expression that he knows just who Raylan's talking about. He seems practically subdued when he finally finds his voice again.
"I can see why that might freak her out."
To put it mildly.
"Athena's here. But she's okay. One piece, like you said. She's okay. Okay. Okay, good. Now I just have to find her and find a way home, easy, no problem, people get lost in alternate realities every day!" There's a slightly hysterical edge in his voice, and Jeff stops himself, breathes, looks at Raylan again and really seems to be looking at him now that he's coming down from his panicky mental jaunt. "Sorry-- shit, I don't even know your name."