“Jackie?” Chase called, rapping on the door. “You okay? None of us’ve seen ya come out of your room all day.”
All that greeted him was silence.
That’s… unusual, to say the least. Maybe he had his headphones on or something.
He tried again but louder this time. “Jackie? You have your music on too loud again?”
If he strained to hear anything beyond the door, he could hear faint music.
He tried the handle only to stop when its turn was stopped. He jiggled it. Okay, that was weirder than normal. Jackie hardly ever locked his door. In fact, it’s kinda a rule that the household wasn’t allowed to lock any in the first place—minus the basement, attic, Schneep’s office, and Marv’s room.
It took more effort than it should’ve to shove away all the thoughts his brain were providing him with. Nothing bad has happened.
“Uh, hey man, the door’s locked? Something up?”
Chase perked up when he definitely heard something from inside the room. It was too soft for him to catch the first time but it was something.
“Jay? That you?”
“I said, ”go away“.” Chase nearly didn’t hear him the second time either—Jackie’s voice was much quieter than normal. It didn’t take a genius to understand something’s wrong.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
Nothing.
Chase rested his head on the door. Time to do something the others normally did for him. “I hope you know I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s wrong.”
He stayed there for a minute or two, eyes closed as he waited for an answer. Then: shifting and slow shuffling before the lock clicked and the door is cracked open.
Chase remembered only a few times he’d seen Jackie so miserable looking. Stressed or anxious, sure, but not downright miserable.
The other was in a red hoodie several sizes too big, hood pulled up with a large fluffy blanket wrapped around his shoulders. The headphones around his neck were blasting some kind of energetic song that he didn’t recognize at the moment but vaguely remembered hearing before. Chase found it odd Jackie was wearing baggy pants considering he often liked sleeping in nothing but his boxers (and sometimes his hoodie). His hair looked like he’d just woken up and his eyes were sad.
No words were spoken between them—only the invitation to enter in the form of the door being pulled open. Chase slid the door shut behind him and turned around.
Jackie’s room was a mess like always. An idling computer and an open laptop next to it, clothes and comic books strewn about on the floor, a queen sized bed with no sheets but a few blankets, an open closet with his suit and gadgets, and electronics and tools scattered about the room.
The hero didn’t say anything, just walked back to his bed and flopped down, wriggling back into his nest of blankets, fluffy blanket pulled over his shoulders and head.
Chase picked his way through the room in pursuit of Jackie, tiptoeing around the stray items left carelessly. He sat on the edge of the bed, glancing around the room every now and then but his eyes ultimately landing on the lump on the bed.
“You want anything?”
The top of the lump shook from side to side.
“Not even food?”
Another shake. And then: “Not hungry.”
Okay then. He isn’t exactly sure what’s the best way to proceed, so he figures he’ll let the other do what he wants.
Sure enough, the lump subtly scooches closer to him until its pressed against his side. He doesn’t bother bringing it up—nothing would happen if he mentioned it anyway.
“Wanna talk about it?” He tried quietly. Chase really didn’t expect anything to be said.
“I dun feel good,” came from the lump. It was muffled and hard to hear but Chase heard it regardless.
Well, he already got more than he expected. He didn’t really know where to go now, so he’s going in blind. “Does anything hurt?”
Jackie moved but it’s hard to tell what the hell that movement was supposed to be. Didn’t look like a “no” but not a “yes”… maybe it was an “I don’t know”? Chase really didn’t know.
“A little? Jus’ feels wrong.”
It took Chase an embarrassingly long moment to understand what that meant, and then it clicked. Oh. Oh.
“Oh.” A moment of silence. “Do you… do you want Marv?”
Jackie shook his head.
“Oh, um, okay.”
They stayed silent for a while after that. And then the lump began migrating onto Chase’s lap. He moved further onto the bed and laid down, accepting his fate. Within less than a minute, he’s pinned to the bed under Jackie’s weight. It’s kinda hard to breathe but he could deal with it.
The blankets shifted a bit and then Jackie’s head was sticking out. It was laid on his chest, ear pressed to roughly where his heart was. He heard Jackie sigh.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.”
There wasn’t much to do, so his fingers ended up combing through Jackie’s hair for awhile or trailing up and down his cheek.
Chase isn’t going to lie, he dozed off a couple of times. C'mon it’s pretty much silent, there’s a nice pressure on his chest, and it’s warm—of course he’s gonna fall asleep. Not like it mattered too much anyway; they weren’t doing any talking. And Chase is aware of the fact Jackie’s snoozing too. He always had faint, whistle snores when he’s comfortable. As kind of annoying as it was, hearing them meant he’s sleeping deep enough to be actually getting some substantial rest.
When Chase woke up for who knows how many times, finally shaking off the drowsiness that kept pulling him back under, he saw Jackie staring at him. At least he looked better.
He figured he’d get a few words this time. All that happened was Jackie nuzzling back into his chest. Oh, okay then.
Chase slung an arm over the blanket pile and breathed in as deeply as he could with Jackie limiting his air supply. Despite how this little cuddlefest happened, it was nice.
Maybe he wasn’t done with nap time just yet, he mused as his eyes slid shut again.
