The Depths

[Jude]

Funny, how when Jude tries to hurt Near, to express anger -- the shoe throwing, for instance -- the shot always goes wide; yet when Jude is simply saying something innocuous, he cuts to the bone. He only intends to make a neutral comment: yes, I'm sure you were interesting, yes, your father was too. Jude knows nothing of Near's relationship to his father, drawing only on his own fondness for Courtland scattered across the years to make his assessment. Jude was so put-off by Near's incredible denial back at The Reaches that he had never gone in-depth to what made Near so sour towards the deceased patriarch.

Again Jude feels the magnetic pull of Near's moods. He starts to feel crazy again, that Alice in Wonderland state where up is down and left is right and he, Jude, is the crazy one, instead of being dropped into the labyrinth of Near's insecurities, denial, and aloofness. He won't go again, he doesn't want to, because he'll lose his mind and his tongue and he cannot throw his shoes at Near twice in a day.

"You're such an asshole," he complains instead. "Do you know anyone else with superpowers?" This is what gets on Jude's nerves the most. He's never met anyone else like himself save for his sister, yet Near acts like Jude's ilk is showing off their magic tricks at Old Navy every day.

Jude doesn't regret the comparison, not yet. He still doesn't regret coming here. Maybe Near will yet find a way to reverse that.