(no subject)
Title: New Year's Wishes
Author: wilwarinaranel & veiledndarkness
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1600
Summary: On New Year's Eve, Jack is anxious and edgy. Well, we know the answer to that problem.
Warnings: Usual disclaimer here. The boys belong to each other.
*
Jack moped around the house and finally settled next to his mother. "Ma you think Bobby will be home for midnight?" he asked.
She looped her needles while smiling faintly. "I'd like to hope so," she said.
He nodded "Me too." he said, lost without his oldest brother. He stared out the window again, watching the cars go by and cursing each one that didn't pull into the driveway.
"Moping won't make him appear," she said softly before tucking her knitting roll away beside the couch. Jack nodded morosely. "Guess I'll finish the dishes then," he muttered.
He washed them slowly, still glancing out the window occasionally. After he finished them, he returned to the living room and flopped down miserably on the couch. Evelyn pulled him to his feet, marveling at how tall he seemed to be now.
"We all miss him Jackie. Come away from the window sweetheart, I need your help with the laundry," she said.
He sighed heavily and went with her. "It just about physically hurts when he leaves."
"I know Jackie, I know," she said soothingly while loading the washing machine. Jack paled then, his stomach clenching tightly. He bolted out of the room.
Evelyn sighed as she wet a washcloth and wrung it out while she overheard the sound of Jack vomiting in the bathroom. Evelyn fussed over him when he returned pale and slightly shaking.
"Jackie, you're going to make yourself sick worrying like this," she chided as she handed him a cold washcloth for his forehead. "You know what Bobby's like, he comes and goes as he needs to."
Jack nodded, his cheeks flushed. "Yeah, Ma I know," he said.
She frowned slightly. "Well you seem fine now," she said. She paused for a moment and studied her youngest child. "You know if there's ever anything you want to talk about, I'm always here to listen," she offered carefully.
"I don't know Ma. I'm just..." he mumbled, struggling to express himself.
She tilted her head encouragingly and smiled. "There's not a thing you can't tell me sweetheart," she murmured.
"I just...." he said trying to figure it out. He frowned as he fumbled his words.
Evelyn watched the emotions play out across Jack's face. "You miss him, more than you think you should?" she guessed.
He nodded "when I think about him possibly being in jail again..." he trailed off.
"Oh, Jackie, not to worry," she said as she dumped detergent into the machine. "If Bobby was in jail, I'd know already. I'm sure Bobby will come home, he always tries his best to be back here for New Years."
Jack nodded folding some of the clothes until he came to Bobby's sweatshirt. He snuggled into it and closed his eyes. Evelyn hid a smile as she watched Jack lovingly inhale Bobby's scent, a smell that clung to the shirt no matter how many times it had been washed.
"Hmm, he must have forgotten that one," she said as she filled the washer with towels.
Jack flinched. “I just want my Bobby back,” he whispered brokenly.
Evelyn felt the faint sting of tears in her eyes. "I know you do sweetheart, I know. I'm sure he's just as anxious to see you." She shook her head and smiled brightly.
Jack sniffled softly. "Ma... I don't know what to do with myself without him here,” he said, the shirt still clutched tightly in his fingers.
She brought the lid of the washer down and hugged him close. "Love's funny like that," she said quietly. "Do you remember the first time you spent a night away from the house once I adopted you?" she asked.
Jack wiped at the corner of his eye, cursing his tears, wishing like hell that he could stop the tears that wanted to fall. "I cried my eyes out all night,” he sighed, feeling his cheeks burn at the memory.
"Bobby nearly drove me up the wall, he was so restless, like a caged tiger, insisting that I go get you and bring you back home, he was that sure that you would be miserable," she said with a soft laugh.
“He always knew..." Jack said, chuckling ruefully.
"When you're not around, Bobby is...well something else to deal with," she said. "When it comes to you, Bobby seems to have a sixth sense. He's calmer, more relaxed, and frankly I wish he would stay home more often," she sighed.
Jack studied the ground when she finished speaking, his hands griping the shirt tighter, twisting the fabric between his fingers. He glanced at her and mumbled inaudibly.
Evelyn made a show of cleaning the dryer lint trap while she waited for Jack to speak.
"I love him Ma. It's not the kind that makes you thrown him down and wrestle anymore...it's more,” he blurted suddenly, his chest heaving, and a frightened look on his face.
She studied the look on Jack's face, the telltale nervous glances that he was giving her and nodded. "I know," she said. "What are you afraid of?" she asked a moment later.
"You're not mad?" he asked half hopeful and half scared, his fingers wrinkling the shirt more.
Evelyn placed one hand on his clenched fingers and stroked her thumb over his knuckles. She smoothed some of his messy hair off his forehead with her other hand. "Why on earth would you think that?" she asked.
"I love you for you," she said, "not for who you love."
"Don't want you mad at me and him..." he mumbled softly, unable to meet her eyes for more than a moment.
"Hey, look at me," she said, her voice lowering. "The love you have for Bobby is what works for you. I'm not going to judge you. I just want you both to be happy sweetheart.”
He nodded and finished folding the shirts. Jack looked at the clock ad saw that there was less than half an hour before midnight. "He's not coming,” he said, swallowing dryly over a painful lump in his throat.
Evelyn glanced at the clock and wiped a grin off her face. "Come into the kitchen," she said. “I’m feeling a bit hungry. You?” she asked.
He shook his head. "I'm going to shower and go to bed," he said.
Evelyn mentally urged Bobby on his way. "Are you sure?" she asked. "You won't even stay up with me?" she asked, grinning now as she played the 'mom' card.
"I'll come back down,” he promised. She sighed. "Alright," she said.
Jack nodded once more and left to go upstairs. Evelyn heard the shower turn on and held back another sigh. She glanced back and forth from the clock to the window, hoping like hell that Bobby was still on his way. He'd promised that he'd be there as a surprise for Jack. At 10 minutes to 12, she heard the familiar sound of Bobby's car pull into the driveway.
Jack came back down the stairs, his hair still wet and plopped himself down on the couch, flipping channels aimlessly. He stopped on one of the various live shows that were counting down.
Evelyn motioned to Jack to come out of the living room. "Did you hear that just now?" she asked coyly, a half smile on her face. He shook his head mutely and stared at the TV.
A moment later she heard the sound of Bobby turning the key in the door. "Jack, I think someone's at the door,” she called. “Would you be a dear and get it? My hands are full.”
He closed his eyes and rested his head on the couch. “No one’s there Mom, you’re hearin’ things,” he said tiredly.
"Jackie?" she repeated. "Oh for heaven's sake," she muttered before she opened the door herself.
Bobby stood on the doorstep, shaking his watch and frowning angrily. "Damn thing's busted," he whispered. Evelyn rolled her eyes and sent a silent prayer of thanks. "At least you're here," she whispered back, unwilling to ruin the surprise. "He's in the living room."
Bobby stepped into the room and paused, his breath caught in his throat at the sight of Jack on the couch. "Jackie," he breathed softly, the word drawn out and spoken reverently.
Jack looked up quickly, his eyes wide. He blinked, his hands shaking.
"Jack," Bobby said again before taking another step into the room.
He crossed the room in three large steps, and threw his arms around Bobby, laughing and gasping "my Bobby," softly.
"Jack," he repeated, opening his arms wide and hugging Jack so tightly that he swung him off his feet. "God, how I've missed you," he said, his voice rough and thick.
Jack buried his face into his brother's chest, a few tears trickling down his cheeks.
Bobby spied the clock on the wall and lifted Jack's chin slightly. "Countdown," he said pointing to the television. As the countdown neared one, he brought his mouth close to Jack's.
When Jack heard the noises from the television start, he kissed Bobby, not caring anymore whether it was right or wrong, not letting his brain stop to consider anything other than the love that he had.
Bobby closed his eyes and brought his lips to Jack's, a small moan of pleasure at the feeling, of finally kissing him the way he wanted to.
"Happy New Year’s Jackie," he mumbled.
"Happy New Year’s Bobby," Jack said. He slipped his hands under Bobby's shirt, running his fingers over the tattoo on his back, a phrase that meant the world to him because it was exactly how he felt, how he wanted to be, everything he admired about Bobby.
"My no mercy,” he murmured. Bobby smiled faintly as he felt Jack’s fingers move over his skin.
“Love you,” he whispered into Jack’s ear, content and relaxed now.
*
Author: wilwarinaranel & veiledndarkness
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1600
Summary: On New Year's Eve, Jack is anxious and edgy. Well, we know the answer to that problem.
Warnings: Usual disclaimer here. The boys belong to each other.
*
Jack moped around the house and finally settled next to his mother. "Ma you think Bobby will be home for midnight?" he asked.
She looped her needles while smiling faintly. "I'd like to hope so," she said.
He nodded "Me too." he said, lost without his oldest brother. He stared out the window again, watching the cars go by and cursing each one that didn't pull into the driveway.
"Moping won't make him appear," she said softly before tucking her knitting roll away beside the couch. Jack nodded morosely. "Guess I'll finish the dishes then," he muttered.
He washed them slowly, still glancing out the window occasionally. After he finished them, he returned to the living room and flopped down miserably on the couch. Evelyn pulled him to his feet, marveling at how tall he seemed to be now.
"We all miss him Jackie. Come away from the window sweetheart, I need your help with the laundry," she said.
He sighed heavily and went with her. "It just about physically hurts when he leaves."
"I know Jackie, I know," she said soothingly while loading the washing machine. Jack paled then, his stomach clenching tightly. He bolted out of the room.
Evelyn sighed as she wet a washcloth and wrung it out while she overheard the sound of Jack vomiting in the bathroom. Evelyn fussed over him when he returned pale and slightly shaking.
"Jackie, you're going to make yourself sick worrying like this," she chided as she handed him a cold washcloth for his forehead. "You know what Bobby's like, he comes and goes as he needs to."
Jack nodded, his cheeks flushed. "Yeah, Ma I know," he said.
She frowned slightly. "Well you seem fine now," she said. She paused for a moment and studied her youngest child. "You know if there's ever anything you want to talk about, I'm always here to listen," she offered carefully.
"I don't know Ma. I'm just..." he mumbled, struggling to express himself.
She tilted her head encouragingly and smiled. "There's not a thing you can't tell me sweetheart," she murmured.
"I just...." he said trying to figure it out. He frowned as he fumbled his words.
Evelyn watched the emotions play out across Jack's face. "You miss him, more than you think you should?" she guessed.
He nodded "when I think about him possibly being in jail again..." he trailed off.
"Oh, Jackie, not to worry," she said as she dumped detergent into the machine. "If Bobby was in jail, I'd know already. I'm sure Bobby will come home, he always tries his best to be back here for New Years."
Jack nodded folding some of the clothes until he came to Bobby's sweatshirt. He snuggled into it and closed his eyes. Evelyn hid a smile as she watched Jack lovingly inhale Bobby's scent, a smell that clung to the shirt no matter how many times it had been washed.
"Hmm, he must have forgotten that one," she said as she filled the washer with towels.
Jack flinched. “I just want my Bobby back,” he whispered brokenly.
Evelyn felt the faint sting of tears in her eyes. "I know you do sweetheart, I know. I'm sure he's just as anxious to see you." She shook her head and smiled brightly.
Jack sniffled softly. "Ma... I don't know what to do with myself without him here,” he said, the shirt still clutched tightly in his fingers.
She brought the lid of the washer down and hugged him close. "Love's funny like that," she said quietly. "Do you remember the first time you spent a night away from the house once I adopted you?" she asked.
Jack wiped at the corner of his eye, cursing his tears, wishing like hell that he could stop the tears that wanted to fall. "I cried my eyes out all night,” he sighed, feeling his cheeks burn at the memory.
"Bobby nearly drove me up the wall, he was so restless, like a caged tiger, insisting that I go get you and bring you back home, he was that sure that you would be miserable," she said with a soft laugh.
“He always knew..." Jack said, chuckling ruefully.
"When you're not around, Bobby is...well something else to deal with," she said. "When it comes to you, Bobby seems to have a sixth sense. He's calmer, more relaxed, and frankly I wish he would stay home more often," she sighed.
Jack studied the ground when she finished speaking, his hands griping the shirt tighter, twisting the fabric between his fingers. He glanced at her and mumbled inaudibly.
Evelyn made a show of cleaning the dryer lint trap while she waited for Jack to speak.
"I love him Ma. It's not the kind that makes you thrown him down and wrestle anymore...it's more,” he blurted suddenly, his chest heaving, and a frightened look on his face.
She studied the look on Jack's face, the telltale nervous glances that he was giving her and nodded. "I know," she said. "What are you afraid of?" she asked a moment later.
"You're not mad?" he asked half hopeful and half scared, his fingers wrinkling the shirt more.
Evelyn placed one hand on his clenched fingers and stroked her thumb over his knuckles. She smoothed some of his messy hair off his forehead with her other hand. "Why on earth would you think that?" she asked.
"I love you for you," she said, "not for who you love."
"Don't want you mad at me and him..." he mumbled softly, unable to meet her eyes for more than a moment.
"Hey, look at me," she said, her voice lowering. "The love you have for Bobby is what works for you. I'm not going to judge you. I just want you both to be happy sweetheart.”
He nodded and finished folding the shirts. Jack looked at the clock ad saw that there was less than half an hour before midnight. "He's not coming,” he said, swallowing dryly over a painful lump in his throat.
Evelyn glanced at the clock and wiped a grin off her face. "Come into the kitchen," she said. “I’m feeling a bit hungry. You?” she asked.
He shook his head. "I'm going to shower and go to bed," he said.
Evelyn mentally urged Bobby on his way. "Are you sure?" she asked. "You won't even stay up with me?" she asked, grinning now as she played the 'mom' card.
"I'll come back down,” he promised. She sighed. "Alright," she said.
Jack nodded once more and left to go upstairs. Evelyn heard the shower turn on and held back another sigh. She glanced back and forth from the clock to the window, hoping like hell that Bobby was still on his way. He'd promised that he'd be there as a surprise for Jack. At 10 minutes to 12, she heard the familiar sound of Bobby's car pull into the driveway.
Jack came back down the stairs, his hair still wet and plopped himself down on the couch, flipping channels aimlessly. He stopped on one of the various live shows that were counting down.
Evelyn motioned to Jack to come out of the living room. "Did you hear that just now?" she asked coyly, a half smile on her face. He shook his head mutely and stared at the TV.
A moment later she heard the sound of Bobby turning the key in the door. "Jack, I think someone's at the door,” she called. “Would you be a dear and get it? My hands are full.”
He closed his eyes and rested his head on the couch. “No one’s there Mom, you’re hearin’ things,” he said tiredly.
"Jackie?" she repeated. "Oh for heaven's sake," she muttered before she opened the door herself.
Bobby stood on the doorstep, shaking his watch and frowning angrily. "Damn thing's busted," he whispered. Evelyn rolled her eyes and sent a silent prayer of thanks. "At least you're here," she whispered back, unwilling to ruin the surprise. "He's in the living room."
Bobby stepped into the room and paused, his breath caught in his throat at the sight of Jack on the couch. "Jackie," he breathed softly, the word drawn out and spoken reverently.
Jack looked up quickly, his eyes wide. He blinked, his hands shaking.
"Jack," Bobby said again before taking another step into the room.
He crossed the room in three large steps, and threw his arms around Bobby, laughing and gasping "my Bobby," softly.
"Jack," he repeated, opening his arms wide and hugging Jack so tightly that he swung him off his feet. "God, how I've missed you," he said, his voice rough and thick.
Jack buried his face into his brother's chest, a few tears trickling down his cheeks.
Bobby spied the clock on the wall and lifted Jack's chin slightly. "Countdown," he said pointing to the television. As the countdown neared one, he brought his mouth close to Jack's.
When Jack heard the noises from the television start, he kissed Bobby, not caring anymore whether it was right or wrong, not letting his brain stop to consider anything other than the love that he had.
Bobby closed his eyes and brought his lips to Jack's, a small moan of pleasure at the feeling, of finally kissing him the way he wanted to.
"Happy New Year’s Jackie," he mumbled.
"Happy New Year’s Bobby," Jack said. He slipped his hands under Bobby's shirt, running his fingers over the tattoo on his back, a phrase that meant the world to him because it was exactly how he felt, how he wanted to be, everything he admired about Bobby.
"My no mercy,” he murmured. Bobby smiled faintly as he felt Jack’s fingers move over his skin.
“Love you,” he whispered into Jack’s ear, content and relaxed now.
*