Lιttᥣᥱ Womᥱᥒ: Imᥲgιᥒᥱs

|| 𝚆𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚛'𝚜 𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚌𝚔

"That IS IT! I'm never writing again as long as I live! I hate it, I hate it, I hate it!" Jo threw her scrapped papers into the air and stormed off to the attic. Where she'd shut the door behind her with a deafening slam.

Meanwhile, the rest of the March sisters along with Laurie had just been lounging in the living room. They had been enjoying a few snacks and each other's company when Jo felt like finishing the script for their next play. Apparently something hadn't gone her way and Jo wasn't having it. Knowing the infamous March temper, it could be anything as small as she'd run out of ink to she completely lost her touch. Anything could be stirring inside the young writer. And it was anybody's guess exactly what it was that set her over the edge.

"...so...who's going to go check on her?" Meg murmured.

The remaining group members glanced around the room, looking for the unlucky candidate who'd sacrifice themselves to speak to the disgruntled novelist. Anyone would expect Laurie or Beth to volunteer—or just anyone other than Amy. Since Meg was the nurturing type, Laurie cared so much for Jo, and Beth was the kindest one of them all. But Amy was...Amy. Though it seemed no one at the moment felt like sacrificing themselves. Maybe they all sensed that they'd be in danger. Or maybe they all felt equally indolent today. But since no one volunteered...

"Not it!" Amy hollered first, quickly planting a finger on her nose.

"Uh—not it!" Beth and Meg followed the youngest sister's example but since Laurie wasn't quite as familiar with the game, he was the last one to join in.

"Ohhh...you heathen girls..." Laurie grumbled as he made his way up the stairs, "Since all of you should be made aware of my will now...I leave all my possessions to my grandfather. Normally they'd go to my friends but as they were the cause of my demise..."

When Laurie made it to the attic and lifted a shaky fist to knock on her door, he had expected to hear screams or furniture breaking but instead...he heard the soft and heartbroken cries of a young girl. He wasn't sure he remembered the last time he witnessed Jo March crying. She always acted so tough around him. Rarely let him see any hint of vulnerability. Maybe to impress him or to gain his respect but hearing how upset she was just made his heart sink.
Here he was, selfishly worried for himself when the woman he adored so much was locking herself away in despair. How Laurie wanted to kick himself.

He opened the door and opened his mouth to speak until he was met with something more familiar—her wrath. Laurie felt a pillow hit his face, causing him to falter back a couple steps, both in shock and from the impact.

"GET OUT! Do I sound like I'm in the mood for conversation?!" Jo viciously scrubbed at her cheeks until the tears were gone. But there was no hiding the redness in her eyes and in her nose where it got all stuffed up.

Laurie sighed a little and set the pillow aside before slowly approaching her and sitting beside her on the three-legged sofa, "I know you probably don't feel like talking but everyone is worried about you. Would you like to come downstairs so we can take your mind off your troubles? Or would you prefer we talked about it in private?"

"You horrible boy. Be gone with you. The only thing I desire right now is peace and quiet in my own space." Jo turned away, miserably.

"I'm afraid I can't do that until I'm properly clued in to what is plaguing you, dear Jo." Laurie spoke softly.

"Right now, your presence is plenty sickening to me." Jo spat in response.

"Now Jo, be reasonable. I'm trying to be kind. Everyone else was too afraid to come here and visit you—"

"Then they had the right idea. Take after their example."

Laurie sighed in defeat. Perhaps there was no getting through to her. At least he could say he tried. So he stood up and dusted himself off before heading towards the door until he heard her say something in a hushed tone...

"My blasted writer's block will be the death of me. I've written this script over a dozen times and it still doesn't work. The ending is either too dull, too emotional...what kind of a writer am I?"

Laurie turned to her again as understanding sunk in. So it was doubt that was truly bringing her down. Likely anxiety that her dreams would never come to be. He could imagine what that was like. All of the greats had their ups and downs. Laurie saw Jo March as nothing other than just another future great only in a slump.
She just needed to see the play come to life...it was one thing to write it down on paper but if she could see how it would work in real life...

No more time for thinking. Laurie snatched up the last page of one of the additions to her script before briefly glancing over it and jumping onto the coffee table so he could stand before her as if an actor on a grand stage.

"My Princess! Rodrigo is here to save you! There is so much I wish to tell you and so much you need to know! I can't have you robbed from this earth too soon before you know of the truth of your heritage and of who you are!" Laurie announced, immediately throwing himself into character.

Jo looked up at him with wide eyes as she stifled a laugh, "Teddy, my dear boy, what do you think you're doing..?"

"Who is this 'Teddy'? My name is Rodrigo, my dear! I am off to save the princess before she meets a tragic end worse than anything written by the Greeks! How should I save her, great oracle and scribbler? My destiny is in your hands..." Laurie got down on one knee and bowed his head as a knight would do to a royal.

Jo cocked a brow as the side of her mouth twitched into a hesitant smile. She wasn't sure if this kid had gone insane or if he was just meant to be her friend. Surely she had met someone just as crazy as she was.

"I suppose...you could battle her captor in exchange for her.." Jo mused, "A little wager to decide who gets to keep her..."

"What a brilliant idea!" Laurie plopped into a sitting position before swinging his legs over the side to dangle from the table he rested on, "Write that down!"

"Don't tell me what to do.." Jo waved her hand dismissively, although she laughed all the same as she wrote down what she had just suggested.
"Now that...isn't half bad."

"I've always told you that you could do it, Jo..." Laurie smiled warmly, longing to hug her from behind and place an affectionate kiss on her cheek,
"You just needed a little inspiration is all."

"Who is this, 'Jo?' I'm Hugo!" She turned around and twiddled with an invisible mustache as she wore a mischievous gleam in her eyes,
"If you so desire your precious princess then prove your skill with a blade, man!"

"Just name the hour, my great foe!" Laurie played along and reached for the nearest pillow to chuck at her with.

Their laughter and commotion was easily heard from downstairs. The three remaining sisters exchanged knowing smirks before tending to their own hobbies, as if they already knew the situation had been handled. Perhaps there was only one person who knew Jo so well to be able to lighten her spirits. And none of them doubted that person had to be Theodore Laurence.