[ immediately david wraps one arm loosely around jeff and brings the other up to comb his fingers through his hair, paying special attention close to his scalp. though he pauses briefly and lets out a soft, quiet laugh. ]
[Jeff will trail off at the noise, dropping it.] Surrounded by kids that don't deserve this shit. That's all I mean.
[He's not paternal, hardly avuncular, but seeing Meg's university jacket had hit him like a 2x4 to the chest for a reason he couldn't quite verbalize.]
Sorry. Just talking to stay awake. [Kind of a new one for him.]
[ david sighs softly, tilts his head a bit more so he can press a kiss to jeff's forehead. he's not immune to it, thinking about these kids trapped here — when he hears claudette's shrieks of pain when she's thrown on a hook, or sees that wild mix of emotions on quentin's face when they arrive already in a dream. been up to his elbows in the blood of people ten or fifteen years younger than him again and again and he's pretty sure that tears pieces out of his soul more viciously than any death in the trials ever could ]
[ a low, quiet noise rumbles more in his chest more than it comes out through his mouth. agreeing, but unsure what to say about it. david focuses instead on jeff's hair sliding through his fingers, tucks some of it behind his ear. ]
[Feeling safe isn't a luxury any of them ever really have in the fog, but Jeff doesn't mind the illusion of it. It's not a feeling he'd ever had much of at home, either. Not that he'd ever really felt like he was in danger, but there's something uniquely special about being able to rest with the warmth of a body beneath your cheek, something deeply soothing about the knowledge that someone is looking out for you.
It was a feeling he'd craved intensely when he was young, safe harbour against the yelling and slammed doors at home. Bizarre to think he'd had to come to hell to find it.
Jeff lapses into silence, seems for a moment like he might actually be asleep, but he mumbles instead:]
Nah. Onto you. Waiting for my guard to go down so you can pitch me into the fire.
[ david relaxes when he thinks jeff's drifted off, settles into the repetitive motions of one hand in his hair and the other lazily drawing lines on his back. half contemplating a nap himself, a rare luxury, and then jeff speaks up and ruins that moment. david lets out a sudden laugh, grinning. ]
[ david lifts his head enough to kiss jeff back. ]
Don't worry about it.
[ he shrugs a shoulder, a little dismissive. jeff's the kind of person who just needs time to himself sometimes, david figures it was just one of those times. ]
[He figures elaboration is pointless - they've all had especially gruesome encounters - and so he doesn't go into it. Jeff had gotten wasted by himself in the woods and then had, apparently, at some point, sought out David - and his bread.
He groans suddenly, face returning to David's shoulder.]
I just remembered running into Felix and Haddie last night.
[Night? Sort of night? It was kind of always night, but he'd slept since then, so it felt right to say.]
[ they've all been there, nightmare trials that they carry with them all the way back. david makes a soft noise of understanding and doesn't push for details. ]
If you shook 'em down for bread too we're gonna have to talk about your problem.
[Jeff spends a moment with his eyes closed again, just thinking. He remembers being gently teased, but he has no idea if it was about the drunkenness or his quest to find David.]
Hey. Uh. [ugh why is he so awkward] What are you alright with me saying to people? About us. If they ask.
[Not that Jeff is big on interpersonal gossip here, but it's not like there's much privacy to be had.]
[ he noticeably freezes up at that, just for a moment, but it's enough. it has to come up eventually, but david... he doesn't think he's ready for that. ]
I dunno. [ he clears his throat. ] Has anyone asked?
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Why do I have to be either of 'em?
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I can't be the only woodland Disney creature. Your arm's gonna fall asleep.
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Yeah you can. You're unique.
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Not even the only artist here.
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Only Canadian though.
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[Mumbled into his shoulder.]
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[ they don't count, jeff! ]
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[He's embarrassingly drowsy already, just from comfort.]
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[He's not paternal, hardly avuncular, but seeing Meg's university jacket had hit him like a 2x4 to the chest for a reason he couldn't quite verbalize.]
Sorry. Just talking to stay awake. [Kind of a new one for him.]
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[ a low, quiet noise rumbles more in his chest more than it comes out through his mouth. agreeing, but unsure what to say about it. david focuses instead on jeff's hair sliding through his fingers, tucks some of it behind his ear. ]
You can sleep if you need to.
sorry for the nonstop boomerangs this week
It was a feeling he'd craved intensely when he was young, safe harbour against the yelling and slammed doors at home. Bizarre to think he'd had to come to hell to find it.
Jeff lapses into silence, seems for a moment like he might actually be asleep, but he mumbles instead:]
Nah. Onto you. Waiting for my guard to go down so you can pitch me into the fire.
why would you ever apologise for that
Shit, how'd you figure me out?
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I've got a sense for that shit.
[A beat, and then-]
You're not a bad pillow, though.
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[ important pillow training. also doubles as spoon training. ]
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[Jeff shifts slightly, just up enough so that he can actually kiss David.]
Sorry for dodging you last night.
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Don't worry about it.
[ he shrugs a shoulder, a little dismissive. jeff's the kind of person who just needs time to himself sometimes, david figures it was just one of those times. ]
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[He figures elaboration is pointless - they've all had especially gruesome encounters - and so he doesn't go into it. Jeff had gotten wasted by himself in the woods and then had, apparently, at some point, sought out David - and his bread.
He groans suddenly, face returning to David's shoulder.]
I just remembered running into Felix and Haddie last night.
[Night? Sort of night? It was kind of always night, but he'd slept since then, so it felt right to say.]
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If you shook 'em down for bread too we're gonna have to talk about your problem.
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[But was it WITH HIM or AT HIM? That's a haunting question.]
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Well, you're a funny guy when you want to be.
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Hey. Uh. [ugh why is he so awkward] What are you alright with me saying to people? About us. If they ask.
[Not that Jeff is big on interpersonal gossip here, but it's not like there's much privacy to be had.]
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I dunno. [ he clears his throat. ] Has anyone asked?
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