Fandom: Unnatural History
Title: Protector
Author: Paynesgrey
Characters/Pairings: Henry/Jasper
Genre: Fluff/General
Rating: PG
Word Count: 300
Notes: No spoilers. Written for the "surprise" theme at
fanfic_bakeoff.
Summary: Henry wakes up Jasper unexpectedly.
Jasper woke with a start that night, but was promptly subdued with Henry’s hand over his mouth. He felt Henry’s weight over him, and he realized with some awkward surprise that the boy was straddling him. On his bed.
“Shh!” Henry hissed in a whisper. “There’s a spider on you.”
Jasper murmured fearfully against Henry’s hand, but his cousin shot him a reassuring look that he had things under control.
“I’m going to take him out the window,” Henry whispered, still staring intently at the spider.
Jasper spoke against Henry’s hand as he slowly pulled it away. “Mmph...why haven’t you yet?” Jasper demanded anxiously.
“He’s staring at me,” Henry said, and he watched the spider without flinching. “I’ve been trying to find the right moment.”
“Just do it!” Jasper panicked. Finally, Henry sighed, drawing the spider carefully away, but he still straddled Jasper, unmoving as he now looked at the spider in his hand.
“Uh, Henry, you’re still... on top of me,” Jasper coughed. Wow, that sounded so dirty.
Amused, Henry met Jasper’s eyes. “I guess I am.”
Slowly, his cousin shifted away from his spot and liberated the spider. Jasper almost missed the warmth of Henry’s weight, and he felt dizzy when Henry looked back at him through the dark as his night vision kicked in.
“Thanks,” Jasper whispered, and when he caught Henry still watching him, he mumbled something as his cousin curiously tilted his head. “Are you coming back?” He hated sounding needy but the idea of spiders in his bed freaked him out. He needed a protector...
“Do you want me to?” Henry asked softly, but he was already making his way back.
“Who else is going to stare the spiders out of my bed?” And Jasper was already drawing the covers over Henry’s head.