[ he was already expecting to stay beside Hiccup for the rest of the night, whether he was asked to or not. but Jack's plan had been to sit on the floor and keep his hand where it is until Hiccup fell asleep, just to watch over him and maybe stay until he woke so that he'd know Jack had been there the whole time. sharing the bed definitely isn't something he had in mind, and the request comes as a complete shock; he's not even sure that he's understanding it right, at first. Hiccup must mean the same thing as Jack, surely, for him to stay beside the bed — but that isn't what he means, is it, he quite clearly uses the word lay and he seems to be expecting something, anticipating. he actually... he really does want Jack to lay alongside him.
and that's— well— it can't go as poorly as the time just recently when he tried to curl up with Katniss. it won't be as close, he assumes, so the proximity will still make him feel strange but not— whatever happened with the cuddling. not that it would matter even if Jack feared it would be as bad. Hiccup is asking, he needs this, and Jack couldn't say no to that. he's not sure anything could make him refuse when Hiccup asks him like that, vulnerable, and he's asking for help that Jack can actually provide. ]
Oh. [ ... he actually meant for more words to come out of his mouth than that, and he didn't at all intend for his voice to crack on that one sound. he nods and gets to his feet, giving Hiccup's hand a brief squeeze before he untangles his fingers and tries his voice again: ] Um— Yeah. Sure.
[ it's not easy to deliberately separate himself from his staff when it's something he's so rarely done before, but he lays it down on the floor as he straightens up and then — rather than waiting for Hiccup to shuffle over — he simply steps over Hiccup onto the other side of the bed, laying down there, tucked between a body and a wall. when he's settled himself, he offers his hand, so that they can intertwine their fingers again if Hiccup wants to. ]
This is a bad idea, though. You're gonna get cold.
[ he isn't sure why he's speaking so much quieter than he was even a moment ago. it just feels like a fragile situation for some reason, like if he's too loud then something will fracture. ]
[Maybe it's a stretch of a request, but Hiccup doesn't immediately have that realization, mostly because it seems like the most simple thing in the world. Because Jack is who he is and in all the months they've spent together, all the months they've grown closer and closer, it seems so natural to want to have him beside him, especially on a night like this. It's as normal as wanting Toothless' company when he's at his lowest, and yet it's a different kind of want. One that Hiccup suddenly begins to doubt when Jack stands and lets go of his hand, coming to temporary terms that maybe it was too much —
And then Jack lays beside him, and he shuffles his body around so he can continue to face him. In the darkness, light skin and pale freckles become slightly hardly to see but it's alright because Hiccup can still feel him there even without touching. Jack's right; it's much colder having him beside him like this, especially as Hiccup takes the offered hand, tangling their fingers together once more.]
It's okay. I don't mind it when it comes from you.
[He means it sincerely, reassuring his words with the squeeze he gives a hand, noting his plans not to let go. His lips give an upwards twitch, a vague smile in the darkness of the room and Hiccup wonders if Jack can see it.
He's useless as a Chief and an unreliable runaway, and those thoughts haven't left. But as this boy lays beside him, he begins to forget that just for a little while.]
[ sincere though it may be, the statement gets a snort of laughter from Jack. proximity to him just as he is will hardly freeze anyone to death, it's just that what Hiccup says is such a ridiculous thing to hear. when it comes from you, like the coldness in Jack is anything different. god, he's so fond. ]
The fact that it came from me's not going to help you when you wake up with pneumonia, you know.
[ laying his head down properly, he relaxes into the mattress with a soft sigh and lets his eyes flutter shut. he doesn't know if he'll necessarily sleep or just take time to rest half-awake while he waits for Hiccup to drift off, but he does know that if he keeps his eyes open then all night he'll be laying here quietly strangling the urge to kiss Hiccup. as long as he doesn't look, doesn't see how close they are and how easy it would be to just lean forward and do it, there's no itch to do something incredibly stupid and impulsive.
he doesn't curl in close to Hiccup or reach out to him with anything more than their joined hands, but he doesn't hold himself away either; he just lets himself be positioned naturally by Hiccup, or the dip in the mattress, or whatever is the most comfortable way his body settles. ]
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and that's— well— it can't go as poorly as the time just recently when he tried to curl up with Katniss. it won't be as close, he assumes, so the proximity will still make him feel strange but not— whatever happened with the cuddling. not that it would matter even if Jack feared it would be as bad. Hiccup is asking, he needs this, and Jack couldn't say no to that. he's not sure anything could make him refuse when Hiccup asks him like that, vulnerable, and he's asking for help that Jack can actually provide. ]
Oh. [ ... he actually meant for more words to come out of his mouth than that, and he didn't at all intend for his voice to crack on that one sound. he nods and gets to his feet, giving Hiccup's hand a brief squeeze before he untangles his fingers and tries his voice again: ] Um— Yeah. Sure.
[ it's not easy to deliberately separate himself from his staff when it's something he's so rarely done before, but he lays it down on the floor as he straightens up and then — rather than waiting for Hiccup to shuffle over — he simply steps over Hiccup onto the other side of the bed, laying down there, tucked between a body and a wall. when he's settled himself, he offers his hand, so that they can intertwine their fingers again if Hiccup wants to. ]
This is a bad idea, though. You're gonna get cold.
[ he isn't sure why he's speaking so much quieter than he was even a moment ago. it just feels like a fragile situation for some reason, like if he's too loud then something will fracture. ]
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And then Jack lays beside him, and he shuffles his body around so he can continue to face him. In the darkness, light skin and pale freckles become slightly hardly to see but it's alright because Hiccup can still feel him there even without touching. Jack's right; it's much colder having him beside him like this, especially as Hiccup takes the offered hand, tangling their fingers together once more.]
It's okay. I don't mind it when it comes from you.
[He means it sincerely, reassuring his words with the squeeze he gives a hand, noting his plans not to let go. His lips give an upwards twitch, a vague smile in the darkness of the room and Hiccup wonders if Jack can see it.
He's useless as a Chief and an unreliable runaway, and those thoughts haven't left. But as this boy lays beside him, he begins to forget that just for a little while.]
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The fact that it came from me's not going to help you when you wake up with pneumonia, you know.
[ laying his head down properly, he relaxes into the mattress with a soft sigh and lets his eyes flutter shut. he doesn't know if he'll necessarily sleep or just take time to rest half-awake while he waits for Hiccup to drift off, but he does know that if he keeps his eyes open then all night he'll be laying here quietly strangling the urge to kiss Hiccup. as long as he doesn't look, doesn't see how close they are and how easy it would be to just lean forward and do it, there's no itch to do something incredibly stupid and impulsive.
he doesn't curl in close to Hiccup or reach out to him with anything more than their joined hands, but he doesn't hold himself away either; he just lets himself be positioned naturally by Hiccup, or the dip in the mattress, or whatever is the most comfortable way his body settles. ]