His Hands.

His hands.

—

It’s such a small thing, hardly noticeable. Henrik’s gaze flicks over when he hears Jackie enter his lab, rummaging through his bandages until he finds a couple to wrap around his wrists. Jackie’s knuckles are bruised and bleeding, but his expression is stoic as ever, lips a thin line as he marches back out, probably going to wrap his hands up for healing purposes. Henrik watches him leave, wondering what triggered this bout of injuries, but he doesn’t follow.

He already knows Jackie won’t answer. He turns back to his work, figuring he’ll ask later, maybe over a cup of tea.

Jackie sits down in the living room to wrap his hands. Jameson is already sitting there, turning over a piece of wood in his hands, wondering what to carve next. He flicks his gaze up hopefully, wanting to move closer to Jackie and ask him for company, but Jameson says nothing when he notices Jackie’s fingers. They’re trembling lightly while Jackie wraps his knuckles up tightly, mouthing swear words to himself as he hisses back pain. Though his expression remains stoic, Jameson can see pain in Jackie’s eyes, so he lowers his gaze and turns back to his block of wood.

Maybe he’ll carve something later, or speak with Jackie when he’s not in a bad mood. He says nothing when he hears Jackie get up and storm away.

It’s a few days later, and Chase is sitting on the edge of Jackie’s bed. He’s rambling on about a project he wants done, while Jackie is typing out and organizing notes for him. Jackie’s always been the faster typer, but Chase stops briefly when he glances down at Jackie’s keyboard. Have Jackie’s fingers always been swollen? They look redder than normal. He opens his mouth to comment, but when he sees the impatient look on Jackie’s face, he dives right back into his ramblings, hoping to forget the brief but silent exchange.

He’ll worry about it later when they aren’t both in the middle of doing important work. Right now, he needs to focus.

Later that evening, Jackie and Marvin are lounging on the couch together. Laughing over stupid jokes, knocking back cans of soda and eating various junk foods. It’s a simple evening with nothing to worry about, until Marvin takes Jackie’s hand in his own. Not to hold, but to inspect. The mood shifts from light-hearted to more somber as Marvin falls silent, tracing along the many callouses along Jackie’s fingers, the faded scars, the bruises, healing cuts, and swollen pads.

How long had Jackie’s hands been like this?

His hands had been used for so much. Marvin sees Jackie grabbing at a falling Chase to save him from heights. He can see Jackie reaching a hand out to a lonely Jameson, who’s reaching back to take that offered friendship. Jackie’s hands prying a grief-filled Henrik away from a deceased patient, to guide Henrik away and pull him in for a hug.

Jackie’s hands have reached out to nudge Marvin into continuing his magic against all other odds, when reality should have had the magician sprawling back into oblivion. Jackie’s hands had always been there to hold him upright.

To hold all of them upright when they wanted to fall.

To hold the city in one piece, even without thanks for all the work he’s done.

Reaching for the most broken down person, always with a smile on his face, always with new scars on his fingers.

His hands have always been there, always a symbol of safety.

How had Marvin not noticed before? He glances up briefly to see Jackie watching him, an expression of melancholy on his face. He doesn’t need to peek into Jackie’s mind to know what the hero is feeling.

They both already know.

Silently, Marvin conjures up a bottle of lotion and rests the bottle in his lap. He keeps hold of Jackie’s hand, spreading the fingers out wide so he can start massaging them.

Silently, the others come trickling in, with snacks of their own, but the food isn’t what they’re focused on either. Chase is taking Jackie’s other hand in his own, giving it a squeeze before mirroring Marvin’s movements.

If Jackie’s hands can do so much for them, imagine what they can all do for Jackie.

October prompts Day 22: Crown (Egoshiptober) word count: 757 pairing: Henrik x Chase

___________________

Henrik busied himself getting his house in order. He never had the time to fully clean up. It was always little things here and there when he did have time. But today was special. Today he would have company. Company he wanted to give a good impression for. Even if it didn’t really matter since they had been by before. Chase had called him that morning saying he was going to pick up his kids before asking about them coming by with lunch. Henrik, of course, agreed. He trusted Chase to pick up something he liked. Even if sometimes he got it wrong.

As he was finishing up with the dishes, he thought he heard a vehicle pull into the driveway. Then he paused when he realized that he hadn’t unlocked the door. He shrugged off the thought; Chase had a spare key so he didn’t need to get the door. Besides, that gave him the extra couple minutes to finish the last of the dishes. As he dried his hands Henrik heard the front door open. “Ah! Finally the king returns to his castle.”

Rolling his eyes, Henrik set the dish towel on the counter and walked out to the living room. Chase wore one of those cardboard crowns from the fast food restaurant and carried a to-go drink carrier and a bag of food. “What are you going on about?”

“Hi, Henrik,” Sam cheerfully greeted him. Morgan echoed his sister. They each held a to-go bag from the burger place they had gone to. Henrik smiled and greeted them.

“Clearly I am a king,” Chase told him gesturing to the cardboard crown. “And if Princess Samantha and Prince Morgan could deliver our feast to the table and wash their hands we shall dine.”

Neither of the kids had crowns, it was only Chase. Both kids laughed as Chase continued with his act. Morgan ran to the dining room to drop the bag on the table before heading to the bathroom to wash his hands. Sam wasn’t in as big of a hurry but left the room as well. “A king is it?”

Chase walked over to Henrik. “Yep. A king.” He gave him a kiss on the lips. Henrik laced his fingers with Chase’s free hand and they walked to the dining room. Chase set the drinks and bag down on the table.

“That may be, but this is my castle. So what role do I have then?”

It didn’t take Chase long to decide on his answer. “You’re my queen obviously.”

Henrik raised a brow and pulled his hand back from Chase. “I’m sorry, but did you just say I was the queen?” His tone bordered on offended. Chase was sure however, that it wasn’t to be taken seriously.

“Yeah, of course. What other role would you have other than my queen?”

“Henrik’s not a queen,” Morgan argued after hearing Chase’s question.

Sam, having heard her brothers statement, called from the bathroom, “Yeah, Dad, you got it wrong.”

“Yeah! You should switch titles,” Morgan spoke up again.

“Hey, no. You two are supposed to be on my side.”

Henrik smirked. “I think I agree. This is my castle after all.”

Chase crossed his arms. “My crown. My title.”

Reaching over, Henrik removed the crown from his head and, as he rested on his own head stated, “My castle. My position by default.”

“Hey, that’s not fair. You can’t just take the crown.” Chase tried to grab it back but Henrik stepped back behind a counter-top easily putting him out of reach.

“Is that anyway to speak to your king?” Henrik questioned him. He took note that everyone was present. “Now, Jester, it is time to eat.”

The kids laughed at their fathers new title. “Je-jester?” Chase cried out. “Why jester?”

With a smile, Henrik told him, “Because you are the entertainment for the prince and princess tonight.”

“I guess,” he grumbled. “But I don’t like that title. Can I just be Dad again?”

Henrik removed the crown and set it on the counter as he walked around it. “I suppose. But only if we sit down and have lunch.”

“Alright, kids, let’s eat.” Sam and Morgan grabbed at the bags searching for their food. With a smile Henrik kissed Chase on the temple as the other man opened the third bag to help sort the food.

The clock never stop for anyone

I never really make any unus annus drawing, so I thought I might as well make something before the time is no more

virgil saying he doesn’t know what gay eyes are and then giving roman that look (tm) literally every episode

Cliff: Have you ever ridden a horse?

Jack, riding it like a skateboard: yeah

Jenny: That is not how y-

Jack: *kickflips the horse*

Billy: Holy shi-

2 kids getting along