#i live for queerplatonic jackieboy and schneep

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Having super strength is pretty useful for when you need to get past your friend who’s guarding the cookies!

Please don’t repost my art; like and reblog instead!

[septic-dr-schneep]

Jackieboy: If all of you had to describe how close you are to me, how would you do it?

Jack: We hang out and we’re comfortable!

Chase: We can travel together!

Marvin: I’d take a bullet for you!

Schneep: ...I will speak to you on the phone.

Jack, Chase and Marvin: [incredulous gasps]

Jackieboy: <3

[septic-dr-schneep]

I had to draw it ;w;

Please don’t repost my art; like and reblog instead!

[septic-dr-schneep]

Jackie having a nightmare that he's back to the nine months of hell he endured without Schneep, and then him being waken up by the good doctor himself because they were cuddling and he was talking in his sleep. What happens next and whether tears were shed or not is up to you :D

Mmm, nightmares and hurt/comfort are such a good way to spend my day!

JSE Fanfiction - Aftermath, Rewind

It all happened over again. His waking mindknew where he was—when he was—but his dreams wouldn’t let him forget. Somewherein his subconscious, he could still feel the warm, tangible weight tuckedagainst his side and he knew for a fact that he was dreaming, but thatdidn’t make it any less real.

The breeze he’d thought was so gentle nowcracked against his face, stinging his cheeks and bringing tears to his eyes ashe plummeted, dizzily somersaulting over and over, paralyzed by a scorching,wrenching pain in his chest. The thunderous, rolling impact with the rooftopjarred every bone in his body but he couldn’t cry out—all of the air had lefthis lungs, allowing for nothing but a thin wheeze as he arched his back andkicked his legs, straining for purchase against the agony. The sun overhead wasblinding him; the world was a dabbled field of burning white, but the longer hestared at it, the more he could see thin branches of black crawling from hisperipheral to overtake him.

When he opened his eyes again, he was in thedark, bound to a wall he couldn’t see no matter how far he twisted his head.There was no floor underneath him when he pedaled his feet; it felt as if hewas hanging over the edge of the world. Stifled panic began to rise, distortinghis vision, tingling through his skin, fingers trembling as he clenched themand leaned out, twisting his wrists in his struggle. The longer he did, themore aware he became of the muffled noises echoing down unseen hallways. Assoon as he fully registered them, they became all too familiar screams.

No—No!

The panic soared from deep dread to icy terrorthen, exploding in his veins like a hurricane, billowing and bulging from him. Thesweaty skin of his wrists gashed and tore as he thrashed to escape, his mindreeling around and around like a manic carousel.

He’s hurt, he’s bleeding, he’s dying! He needs me and I’m not there! Ihave to get free, there’s no one else to save him! He’s alone! He has to—there hasto be—I can’t get free, why aren’t I strong enough?! There has to be a way!Stop it, stop it, I can’t breathe! I can’t let it happen again! I can’t getthere in time—I have to! My friend—He’s my friend—! I have to get outta here!Stop it! Let him go, just let him go!

“Take me!” he howled, the tears searing trailsinto his cheeks. As they slithered over his lips, he could taste slick, acrid metal;his eyes were bleeding. It burned his tongue and stained his teeth and stuck inhis throat as he sobbed and screamed, flinging himself against his restraintsto no avail. “Please, please! Take me!”

“I d̴on͢'t҉ have to, J͡àckie̡b̨o̴y͝,” theGlitch purred, his voice bouncing in every direction around him. The herogasped, flinching back against the unseen wall as a blunt, potent pressurestruck his solar plexus. “I kn̨o͝w̧ yo҉u̢ ̨can a̛l͜r͘e͞àd̢y ͝f̵e͜ȩl i̡t.”

His head snapped forward with enough force toshock his spine at the sensations pouring into him. The sheer depth of thisagony electrified all of his senses, forcing him into helpless twists and turnsand convulsions against the metal breaking soft flesh, gouging into it—the pipe,the crowbar, that brutal knife. He could feel phantom blood dribbling down hisjaw, his neck, the curve of his heaving chest, but it wasn’t his.

“Hh—Henrik—” he begged as his adrenalinemelted, prying away his will. The world inverted—the more he strained forward, thefarther he was pushed away. He was losing him, he was…But he couldn’t…“Whatdid he ever do to you?” he choked out, head falling, shoulders wrenched up andback as he hung too much weight on them. His strength was gone; he couldn’t getback up.

“I wa̴s ̵ìņ ͞his ̡h̴e̷a̵d f̧ro͡m t͞h͠e v̧ery͟star̕t,” Anti snarled, the growl in his voice clawing up Jackie’s back. “Ig̶ave͢ h̵i͞m e͢ver̨y̵ o͠p͘p͘o͘r͞t͘u҉ni͝t͘y̛ ̢to ̡su̢bmi͜t.  But h͠e cho̴s̢ȩ ̧tof͘ight̵. H͞e͘ c̵h͏o̧sę t͟o̡ si̡d҉ę w̵it͞h yóù— y͜o͞u̶ and̵ your ̨Ja̢cķ.” His voice changed then, tinged in a malicious,predatory humor. “If ́i̧t wer̴en’ţ foŕ y͠o͡u, I coul̶d have ͟pup͘pe̷tee͢red̸͝hi̴m and ̡en̴dęd his̨ s̴ųffer͢i̡ng̨ a lon̨g͠ ̴ti͡me͟ ago…Isn'́t it ́funn͡y̶ḩow҉ ҉y̛ou a͜lw͞ays͜ ̵try ͡to ̧protec͝t him̧ and a͜l̷l ͟y͜ou do ̡is͢p̴ro͠lơn͠g̵ ̧the i̢nev͡ìtable͘?”

Clawed hands ran over his shoulders then,squeezing them, fingertips digging into the soft place under the bone anddrawing a faint, high-pitched inhale.

“You ͝t́hink ̷yo͢u have͢ him̡ bac̨k̴ ͟now̨. Yo̸uth͡i̛nk yo͘ų'̨re go͠i͝n҉g t͢ò get͠ th͘ro̧u͟g̛h this̨t̵ogéther, but ͠a̢l̢l y̴o̴u’re ͜do̶i͠ng i̵s͡ s̛ofţen̛ing͢ hi̢m f̨or̛ w͏h̴en̢I ͘t͠ake h͟im aga̶i͢n.”

Surprisingly enough, it hadn’t taken too longfor Schneep to fall asleep once he was tucked against his friend’s side. Ittook even less time for him to come around again when a slurred, disgruntled noiseescaped Jackie’s open mouth, like a protest or a retort. Hovering somewherebetween sleep and wakefulness, Schneep distantly felt the other’s chest shift,searching for a deeper breath before falling into a shallow, hurried rhythm.

“Get up…gotta get up,” he mumbled tersely, tensingmomentarily as if he were going to roll over before exhaling and slumping heavilyback into place. “Get…get…”

It wasn’t out of the ordinary for Jackieboy to talkin his sleep during vivid dreams, Schneep mused drowsily, fidgeting to adjustagainst him and letting his eyes reclose. He’d probably have a ridiculous storyabout an invasion of reptiles to tell him in a few hours.

A few minutes, it turned out—that wasall it took for him to be jostled awake again when the older Ego’s hand clampedaround his bicep, tugging at him. Resigning himself to it, he did his best tolift his arm into the hold so Jackie’s fingers would stop twisting his skin.

“What’s wrong?” he murmured, blinking blurrilyagainst the dregs of sleep. There wasn’t any answer; the only thing to fill thesilence was his friend’s faint, thin panting. His fingers around Schneep’s armtightened, enough so that he finally lifted his head with a wince, trying tomaneuver away. “Jackie, that hurts. Buddy…”

“No—no, please, I—I have to—I—”

If there had been any sleep left to muddle thedoctor’s senses, it disappeared like it had never been there as soon as Jackiecried out. It was a hoarse, sharp sound, broken, followed by oddly gutturalwhimpering. Pain. He was in pain.

“Stop!” he pleaded tremulously, sweatbeading through his nightshirt as he started to thrash. “Stop it, st—don’t touchhim, you can’t—he’s—j-just let him go!”

“Jackie! Hey!” Schneep burst out as hescrambled up onto his knees, grabbing clumsily at Jackieboy’s nearest arm andgasping as the one he couldn’t reach swung out and crashed into the nightstand,knocking over the clock and his water glass. Desperate, he lunged for it,gathering his struggling frame into an embrace. “Jackie, wake up, you’re interrible nightmare—!” Cursing, he pressed his back against the headboard,trying to steady the both of them as his friend kicked and rocked and writhed againsthim, tossing the blankets around his ankles.

“Let him go! Take me instead!”

“Wake up! Jackie, you’re safe, we’re all safe!Is a dream!”

After a rough thirty seconds, Schneep could feelJackie’s effort dying down; he was wearing himself out. His cries were failingtoo, dissolving into dim, wavering whimpers. Once he’d gone almost entirelylimp, Schneep leaned forward against him, uncertain.

“Jackieboy?”

“Hh…Henrik…” he moaned weakly, his headfalling low against his chest. A beat or two later, it came back up and hestiffened, breath catching as he glanced panically around. “Wh—Where am I—? Where’s—?”

“You’re safe,” Schneep repeated, drawing Jackie’swild eyes as he tightened his grip around him, rubbing circles into his shakingshoulders. “You woke me, you were making noise…It was a bad dream.”

The hero didn’t answer right away, but the terrorlingering in his eyes gradually receded as he scanned Schneep’s face. What hewas searching for, the doctor didn’t know, but judging by the exhausted reliefthat came over him, he’d found it. “Yeah,” he managed at last, his voicecracking. “Yeah…it was.”

Once he could feel Jackieboy’s heartratesettling back into its usual rhythm, the younger Ego sighed, sliding his armsaway from Jackie so he could lie back down. He didn’t manage to get far beforeone of his companion’s hands caught his wrist.

“Don’t go,” he blurted out, his voice taut withanxiety. It was only when Schneep tilted his head that he seemed to realize howneedy that sounded, hurriedly prying his hand away and amending, “I mean, you…youcan stay if you want to.”

Chuckling gently, he shook his head. “I didn’tplan to leave you; I’m just getting comfortable. Is okay now. No one’sgoing to hurt you.”

“I—” As Schneep curled up on his side, peeringup at him intently, Jackieboy swallowed hard. How could he possibly tell him?What would be the point of upsetting him? “I know. I’m sorry for waking you.”

“You needed me. Simple as that,” Schneepbrushed it off kindly, patting Jackieboy’s closer forearm as he closed hiseyes. “Is just fine.”

As he did his best to capture his racingthoughts, Jackieboy lowered his eyes, tracing the younger Ego’s calm features—aswell as the fresh marks on his bicep, half-hidden by his sleeve. Jackie’sstomach turned. Those hadn’t been there when they’d gone to bed. Did I dothat to him?

With no distractions available in the fallingsilence, he could sense the precise moment when Schneep drifted back into fullsleep. His hand fell lax on Jackie’s forearm and Jackie was forced to release ashaky breath as he covered it with his own.

“No one’s going to hurt you either,” he promisedin a whisper, protective heart aching. “Not again.”

[septic-dr-schneep]

Sensitive

“Are you sure about this, Henrik?” Jackie murmured, looking the younger Ego up and down uncertainly as he slipped out of his lab coat, folding it over his arm and then impulsively tossing it at the nearby exam table after a moment of thought. “You’ve never let me actually…” The last time he had seen everything he had hidden underneath his coat, Schneep had fled him. They hadn’t spoken for days; Jackie honestly didn’t know if he could bear that again – if either of them could.

“I know I haven’t, but t-they act up recently, give me their little itches and aches and I need to know there is no infection. I cannot get good look in mirror,” Schneep answered tersely. Though his tone didn’t waver, he was fiddling with the sleeves of his undershirt, betraying his nerves. It hadn’t gone beyond Jackie’s notice that he had been wearing longer shirts almost daily, despite the recent heat. The only bare skin he ever saw was a flash of his wrists before he put on sterile gloves. 

With that explanation, there wasn’t much more either of them had to say. Jackie shifted uncomfortably, folding his arms, and Schneep swallowed hard. The color was already draining from his cheeks as he pulled at his shirt hem, exhaling shakily. 

“I want to do this myself,” he stammered, not quite meeting his friend’s gaze. “But I…I don’t either. Just…look away first? M-Maybe that will…” Even when Jackieboy obediently ducked his head, letting his eyes close, Schneep faltered. He hated the fact that tears were already stinging the back of his eyes…Why was this so difficult? Jackie had already seen the damage before. Shouldn’t the second time be easier?

The fabric rustled softly as he pried it up over his shoulders, tearing it away from his head as soon as it tightened too far around his throat. Suppressing a shiver as the cold air hit his skin, he hugged his arms tightly around his chest, biting his lower lip. Jackie hadn’t moved, silently waiting for permission to look up. All Schneep could manage was a strangled hum, ducking his head at Jackie’s soft intake of breath. 

“Just tell me how they look,” he pleaded in a whisper, turning his back to him and hunching his shoulders.

“Okay…” the hero murmured, sounding a little sick as his eyes panned over the array of scars. Schneep knew, he knew it wasn’t directed at him, but he couldn’t help but cringe at his tone. “They look…they…” 

What could he say? Normal? This wasn’t normal; this was awful, hideous, horrific – but it was his best friend. If he could trade scars with him, he would in less than a heartbeat. 

“They’re…” When had he started trembling? Get under control, get – “H-Henrik…Someday I’m gonna kill him for this,” he hissed, his voice hitching thickly as the doctor slumped against the exam table and dissolved into shameful tears.

[septic-dr-schneep]

bro my friends and I had this idea for platonic marriages. Basically, it's a wedding ceremony, and you're technically married, but it's all platonic and you wear a necklace with your friend's birthstone. You can still get married romantically, but you can have more than one platonic marriage. I think our idea is pretty neat. I just wanted to tell you about it, and ask of you think any of the egos would get platonically married? (Oof lots words I'm sorry star)

Aww, that’s cute! So if I’m understanding correctly, it’s like a ceremony where you pledge to be platonic life partners? I had a similar idea with some characters of my own!

- Yandere’s much younger than Bim; he thinks of him more like a little brother

- Chase has adopted JJ as a son

- Google and Edward have literally no idea what they’re doing XD

If Jackie and Schneep did it, maybe Marvin and Chase would do a nice something too, but it’d be much smaller and quieter. Chase wouldn’t want to go through planning a big ceremony again – too many painful memories. But I can totally imagine it! 

When he’s not allowed to wear it (no jewelry in the OR), Schneep’s got his necklace with Jackie’s July ruby tucked carefully in his pocket. Whenever Jackieboy puts his hood down, he always checks to make sure Schneep’s September sapphire is still safe and sound. 

Before a show, Marvin always weaves the chain for Chase’s April diamond into the knot of his cape and Chase puts Marvin’s August peridot on a bracelet to show off with his other cool wristbands while he’s doing his stunts.

And in the other household, it takes a surprisingly long time for the other Ipliers to notice that the Host has a June pearl subtly tucked under his collar. It takes them even longer to notice that Dark’s tie has been hiding a February amethyst.

[septic-dr-schneep]

Earlier @bing-iplier and I were discussing my headcanon that Schneep sneaks the others’ laundry out of the dryer to keep with him when he has trouble sleeping. He’s made away with Marvin’s cape, Chase’s shirt, Jameson’s vest, Jackie’s hoodie (which he’s wearing), and even Jack’s flamingo shorts! 

Then Bing mentioned that Jackieboy would think it was really cute if he came back from a mission and found out where his comfortable hoodie went XD “Maybe he even ends up cuddling Henrik because he's too tired to make his way to his own bed.” 

You know me, I can never resist the platonic cuddling, so this happened <3

Please don’t repost my art; like and reblog instead!  

[septic-dr-schneep]

Me: I need to stop asking people for headcanons about my favorite characters and just make them myself! I need to be responsible for my own content!

Also Me: BUT IF I START THEN I’LL NEVER STOP

Also Me: AT LEAST IF I ASK OTHERS FOR THEIR HEADCANONS IT’S IN CONTROLLED DOSES

Also Me: AND WHY DO I HAVE TO DO THIS WORK MYSELF? THEY’RE LOVABLE BOYS WHO DESERVE CONTENT FROM EVERYONE DANGIT!

Also Me: tHeY ShOulD lOvE ThEm As MuCh as I dO DaNGIT!

Me: D’:

[septic-dr-schneep]

For that wing AU, imagine molting season! Poor itchy, cranky feathered bois. When the molt is done, maybe they give a feather to their family/SO. (Also, imagine Schneep patiently preening Jackie's wings as he bitches about how itchy pin feathers are and this sucks. Jackie ends up falling asleep on Schneep.)

Awww. Jackie’s sulking because his wings don’t look nearly as beautiful and grand so he can’t impress the citizens; now all he hears are teenagers snickering about it! Not to mention the loss of energy makes it harder to fight crime. Molting takes a lot out of a guy!

Schneep of course assures him that, like always, it’s going to be over soon, but Jackie’s still grumpy, so as soon as he’s done with the worst of the preening Schneep starts just combing his fingers through his feathers in all the right spots to help him relax. It’s not gonna be long before Jackie’s basically slumped over in his lap, snoring away while Schneep’s fondly petting him

[septic-dr-schneep]

So I just read that nightmare fic. Patient. Please. Just admit that you ship Jackie and Shneep already

*faceplant*

How about you admit that there can be tender, loving, intimate relationships between men that aren’t romantic or sexual in nature?

[septic-dr-schneep]

Jackieboy: Henrik? Are you feeling overprotective?

Schneep, patiently: No.

Jackieboy: Are you?

Schneep, calmly: No.

Jackieboy: Are you sure?

Schneep, evenly: I already told you no.

Jackieboy: ...You wanna go get some coffee?

Schneep: [flailing] WHY DON’T YOU GO GET COFFEE WITH THAT UGLY TWO-FACED CLINGY REPORTER YOU GOT COFFEE WITH YESTERDAY

[septic-dr-schneep]

JSE Fanfiction - Safety in Dreams

Summary: Jackieboy is forced to take care of Schneep when he contracts a dangerous fever. This includes suffering with him through his delirium. 

I wasn’t…I wasn’t made for this.

I wasn’t made to be this, to do this—I wasn’t—This isn’t how it’s meant to be.

The washcloth was too soggy after Jackieboy dunked it in the sink; even his hurried squeeze to wring it out only left it dripping down his wrists as he swiped it gently over his friend’s forehead and cheeks, smearing away the sweat. Even the cold water in the cloth couldn’t rid his skin of the blistering heat, however; Jackie could feel it singeing his fingertips as he worked.

Biting his lip as the warmth bled into the compress, rendering it useless, he set it aside, opting instead to comb his hand through stray strands of dark hair, still foreign without their green. Even the roots of his hair and his scalp were too hot, dangerously so. The hero wished he could be relieved when Schneep responded to the contact, but all he did was murmur deliriously under his breath.

“Maire…Maire, don’t…don’t go…” he moaned, tilting his head to lean into Jackie’s hand. “Don’t…”

Schneep wanted his wife. The sound of her name made something in Jackieboy’s stomach turn and he lowered his head, clenching his eyes shut for a moment as he tried to remember breathing worked. As Jackieboy’s fingers stilled in his hair, Schneep panted softly, as if he had forgotten to how to breathe himself.

“N’hh—nnh—” he whined, chapped lips moving indecipherably as he twitched and turned, as if to recoil from some unseen enemy. “N-No—”

“Hey, hey! It’s okay, you’re okay,” Jackieboy cut in as soon as he tried to lift his hands, promptly snatching ahold of them and guiding them carefully back down. Schneep’s fingers continued to grasp helplessly at the air underneath his own and Jackie promptly squeezed them, trying to settle him. “Shh…shh-shh-shhh…try not to move, okay? It’s going to be alright.”

“Please…please, y’can’t…” Schneep’s eyes flickered open then, half-lidded and glazed with fever as they slid around the room, vacant, unseeing. As soon as they reached Jackie’s face, however, they widened, tears and recognition surfacing under the glassy surface. “…J-Jack?”

The older Ego reeled back slightly at that, his hand tightening over the other’s, but before he could muster any protest, Schneep’s free hand was reaching for him, fingers clumsily tracing the side of his face. Even his touch was scalding, Jackieboy noted with a wince as Schneep repeated the name of their creator, reverent and sincere.

“Jack…I—I need t’keep you safe,” he murmured, his words slurring slightly as his hand slid to Jackie’s neck, gripping at his collar. “Can’t let you sleep again. Not again. Can’t…lose you…”

Shaking his head as Schneep’s fingertips dug into the side of his neck, Jackieboy stammered despairingly, “Henrik, I’m not—”

“Jack…?” his friend repeated yet again, wavering, quivering, tears spilling through the streaks of old sweat over his cheeks, unnoticed.

Jackieboy couldn’t force himself to swallow through the lump in his throat. He wasn’t made for this. He didn’t know how to do this.

Slipping unsteady fingers under the edges of his mask, he slid it down so it hung around his neck, blinking hard as he returned one hand to Schneep’s sweaty, matted hair and tried for a smile.

“Yeah,” he whispered. “It’s Jack.”

Relief and adoration falling over his face, Schneep nodded, exhaling shakily and letting his eyes close as Jackie combed his hair.

“Safe…” he breathed, barely audible, nuzzling into the cool touch. “You’re safe…Keep you safe…”

Guilt, agony, and the grim realization that this had to be done were hammering away in his chest as Jackieboy agreed tremulously, “I know you will. Y-You always keep me safe, Henrik. No one I’d trust more. No one better.” There was far more to his voice than an imitation of Jack; it only lent him more truth, made him more convincing. 

Something that could have been a smile if given more time quirked the doctor’s lips briefly before they fell lax and he slipped back out of consciousness.

I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.

[septic-dr-schneep]

“This disguise of yours, Jackie, it is very nice. If there is a spot of a trouble, you only need to put on your mask!”

“Hey, I’m getting away with a darker shade of red.”

I have a feeling the citizens of Jackieboy’s city are selectively blind ^^” AKA this is just my excuse to draw Jackie and Henrik in plainclothes

Please don’t repost my art; like and reblog instead!

[septic-dr-schneep]

JSE Fanfiction - Broken Mirror Image

Summary: Since he returned from captivity, Schneep has done his best to pretend everything can be normal again -- that he can be normal. Sometimes, however, the mirage falls apart.

A/N: Based on an earlier conversation about how precious and important platonic touch can be.

His breaths were coming too fast; he was dangerously close to hyperventilating, but the more he tried to slow them down, the faster they became. Swallowing dryly, he stared with wide, panicked eyes at his hands, his scarred and shaking fingers.

Beyond them, Jackieboy stared at him with sadness and compassion in his eyes. There was anger too, but it wasn’t directed at him. Schneep knew that it was for Anti, for what Anti had done to him…for this.

How he’d just screamed and flung himself to the floor, curling up with his hands over his head, when all Chase had done was put a hand on his shoulder. It had been an unassuming, friendly touch; Chase had reeled back as if he’d been burned, horrified at this reaction, and all Schneep could do was beg him to stay away.

It was inevitable that Jackie arrived; his scream could probably be heard throughout the whole house. After some hushed, panicked explanations from Chase, Jackieboy had asked him to give them the room. Schneep hadn’t looked up, but he’d heard his soft footsteps approach and stop. As soon as he found the strength to lift his head, Jackie eased himself into a crouch across from him.

Here they were.

“I’m sorry,” he gasped, barely audible. His fingers only shook more violently as he spoke, starting a fresh round.

“You don’t need to be sorry for a thing. None of this is your fault,” Jackie countered steadily.

“I s-should—”

“I’m going to pretend that you aren’t about to say you should be over this. You shouldn’t be, Henrik, and I’d be terrified for you if you were.”

“I know he meant well, he just—he snuck up on me, he surprised me!” he burst out. Even now he felt like all of his senses were in overdrive; he could still feel the lingering sensation of Chase’s hand, the pressure he’d put on his wounds. They had scarred over, all of them, but in this state it felt like they were still fresh, as if Anti had just—

“I’ll talk to him about it and make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

“I don’t want you to need rules around me,” the doctor sobbed. “I just want to be normal again.”

Pain flickered over Jackie’s face at that and even though he smiled through it, it wasn’t anything like his smiles of joy. This was broken, something like a mirror image—like Schneep himself.

“You won’t be,” he murmured, his breath hitching faintly as he shook his head. “You won’t be. Not until you heal and maybe not after that…not completely. But that doesn’t mean we can’t…find a new normal, right?” Schneep sobbed again at that and tears brightened the blue in Jackie’s eyes as he pushed his mask up on his forehead, whispering shakily, “Right?”

He reached out. The younger Ego immediately stiffened again, stifling a sharp breath, and Jackie stilled, his hand still outstretched.

“I’m not gonna touch you, I’m just going to leave my hand right there,” he promised thickly. “You instigate. You only take it if you want to.”

For a long, long time, Schneep simply stared at it. He knew that hand so well. A simple red glove, stitched back together more times than he could count—the hand within it, even more so. They used to pick him up and hug him and comb through his hair so easily. They wiped his tears when he’d first returned. He could see the stains, the stitches, the history. Most importantly, he could see Jackie’s fingers shaking just as much as his.

His fingertips were warm when he brushed against them; they left a tingle in his nerves, the same tingle and the same pressure that Chase’s hand left on his shoulder, but this…this he had actively reached for. He wanted this. He asked for this. True to his promise, Jackie still didn’t move. He didn’t grab or cling or snatch; he just held. Swallowing around the lump in his throat, Schneep gingerly touched his hand a second time and then a third, sliding over his fingernails, tracing his knuckles, feeling the bone.

At last he offered a tiny nod; they were palm to palm now. With a tearful laugh, Jackie returned the nod and tangled their fingers together, giving them a gentle squeeze. 

It was just enough—no more, no less.

[septic-dr-schneep]

JSE Fanfiction - Stir And Strain

Summary: Jackieboy convinces Schneep to take a break from his work and go up to the roof for some stargazing, hoping that it’ll allow his mind and body some time to rest. It turns out Schneep’s been depriving himself of that for far too long already.

Now that Jackieboy thought back, he should have sensed something was wrong as soon as he opened the door to the lab. He would hope he had gotten to know Schneep pretty well over the course of their friendship and when the doctor didn’t look up from his mountain of paperwork at the sound of the squeaking door hinges, he should have known.

He didn’t know and didn’t think to ask. “Henrik?” he called hopefully, pausing for a reply he didn’t get until he ventured a little closer and raised his voice. “Henrik?”

“What? Hmm?” Startling, Schneep dropped the folder he was staring at, prying off his glasses and scrubbing languidly at his eyes for a lingering moment before remembering that he was supposed to look up. That he did, his head falling back against the chair with a light thump. “Oh…Hello, Jackie, did you need something? The stitches from earlier did a little pop and tangle, didn’t they?”

“No, I’m fine, but I just wanted to let you know that it’s really nice out tonight! There aren’t too many clouds, so the stars are clear and I thought I’d ask if you wanted to come to the roof and stargaze, get some fresh air!” Jackieboy explained, shifting his weight back and forth eagerly as he watched his friend plant an elbow on the armrest of his chair and lean his cheek into his hand as he considered.

“I still…I don’t know if I feel up for it, Jackie. I still have things.” Grimacing, he cast a reluctant sideways glance at his desk, his eyes glazing over as they scanned the scattered folders demanding to be sorted. “Lots and lots and lots of things…”

“Well, they’re still going to be there when you get back,” Jackieboy reminded him, earning a groan that probably amounted to “Not helping.” His fingers were shaking, the hero noted fleetingly. It wasn’t uncommon, given all the caffeine he drank in a day, so he reached out, taking ahold of his warm hand to steady it as he added, “C’mon, you look like you’re totally fried. It doesn’t have to be long, but you gotta get some circulation back.”

When Schneep finally gave a listless nod of surrender, the older Ego breathed a private sigh of relief as he used the hold on his hand to leverage him to his feet. If Schneep happened to fall asleep while they were up there, he wouldn’t mind, or it could be that all he would need was the break to revitalize him and get him through a few more hours of work. Either way, he knew it would help.

As soon as they emerged onto the roof, Jackieboy decided that it would probably be the latter case as Schneep blinked as if he were seeing color for the first time, all the tension bleeding out of his face to be replaced by a smile of utter relief. “Ohhh, it’s so cool up here!” he sighed blissfully, already peeling off his sweaty, cumbersome lab coat and throwing it aside so he could feel the full effect of the breeze.

“A lot better than your stuffy ol’ lab, isn’t it?” Jackie teased, to which his friend nodded earnestly as he took another deep breath, swaying back and forth into the wind.

“So much better…” he murmured, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. Jackieboy let him stay like that for a solid minute before putting a hand on his shoulder and chuckling as he jumped.

“I’ve got the telescope set up for you,” he offered, gesturing to the edge of the roof. “You want to see if you can pick out the constellations without my help?”

Shrugging haphazardly, Schneep fell back a step, throwing out his arms to catch himself as he admitted ruefully, “I don’t know, I might just like to feel this breeze.”

“Haha, don’t worry, I’m not gonna run you through it like a pop quiz. It’s just for fun while I set up the blankets and then we can relax!”

“But you know I always get those silly little names confuzzled.” When Jackie opened his mouth to offer another point, Schneep let his shoulders slump and waved a hand. “Alright, alright. I’ll get all of them wrong, though. I’m tired.”

“Aw, give yourself some credit! We’ve been practicing for a while,” Jackieboy reminded him cheerfully as he steered him toward the telescope and then turned his attention to the basket of heaping blankets that very well could have just stayed up here permanently; he and Schneep used them every time they came up here and Marvin had frankly given up on refolding them neatly. Kneeling, he hugged the fluffiest one against his chest briefly before throwing its nearest corners into the wind to untangle it. “Just call ’em as you see ’em!”

“A-Alright…There is…the big spoon. The dipping spoon.”

“Yeah?”

“And I can’t see the little dipping spoon but I know it’s somewhere near it.”

“Aw, c’mon, try and look for it!” Jackieboy encouraged, sending a brief glance over his shoulder just as Schneep looked back at him, his expression of uncertainty morphing into one of dimly troubled resignation as the hero smiled hopefully. He knew Schneep couldn’t resist his smile when he was asking really nicely for something! Sure enough, the doctor lowered his gaze to the roof for a moment or two before shaking his head and returning his attention to the telescope.

“Oh,” he realized, chuckling faintly. “There it is.”

“Told you!” Patting at the lumps and wrinkles in the layers of blankets and snatching up the thermoses of hot tea he had shoved into the blanket basket on the way up here, Jackieboy took a sniff of them and rolled his shoulders as preemptive tingly warmth spread through him. “Any others?”

“What’s the one named after the myth…? The one with the belt?”

“Orion?”

“Yes, yes, that was it…Hmm. Orion…” Schneep repeated, his voice wavering, falling softer. “Very bright. I think I find Orion…”

The teetering creak of the telescope’s legs and the following crash caused Jackieboy to jump, nearly knocking over the thermoses and spilling their contents on the blankets. “Hey, what are you doing?” he demanded, whirling around just in time to see the younger Ego sliding gracelessly over the edge of the roof. Whatever Jackie shouted next was lost to the blur of panic and super speed as he dove after him, catching him by a fistful of his shirt and wrenching him upward in one sharp heave so he could get a solid hold on his arm.

“Henrik, what was that?!” he cried in disbelief as he dragged him back to safety, gripping him snugly around the waist. “Henrik? What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“Broken…B-Broken th’ scope…” Schneep slurred faintly, fumbling to grip at Jackie’s jumpsuit as a grounding point.

“Forget the telescope! You almost fell off the roof, remember?!” Jackieboy sputtered before he had even finished, now crushingly aware of the heat bleeding through the fabric of his friend’s shirt. The coat must have masked it when they were back in the lab, he realized, cursing tersely. “Okay, buddy, you’re definitely feverish. What else are you feeling? What d’you need?”

“Ich habe keine Ahnung, jetzt ist mir schwindelig…”

Did he even notice he’d reverted to German? Fortunately there were a few words here and there that Jackie could pick out. “You’re dizzy?” he echoed worriedly, tightening his grip to support him as his friend drifted, blinking weakly as he struggled to catch his balance, only to slouch back down seconds later. For a moment or two his breathing grew heavier, hitching once or twice before falling disconcertingly shallow in one exhale as his head slumped down. The rest of his body promptly followed suit, forcing Jackie to take the brunt of his weight.

“Whoa—! Easy, easy does it, here we go. I’ve got you. I’ve got you…” Once he managed to drag him over to the pile of blankets and eased him onto his back, Jackie raked an unsteady hand through his hair, biting his lip as he tracked the rise and fall of his chest. It seemed to even out over time, but he still didn’t stir. Jackie had a feeling he wouldn’t be for a while yet; he’d exhausted every last ounce of adrenaline in his body.

He could easily scoop Schneep up and carry him down to his bed, but when he thought to how much relief the cool air had brought him, he didn’t want to move him. He doubted being down there in the “stuffy ol’ lab” would do him any favors.

Sinking down gingerly onto the blankets beside him, the older Ego curled his legs underneath him and picked up the nearest thermos, cupping it in both hands and taking a sip that he found uncomfortably hard to swallow.

This wasn’t the kind of rest he had wanted for his friend, but if it was all he could have, he would be right here until he woke up.

[septic-dr-schneep]

Well, I wanted another Jackieboy + Schneep moodboard since I made the first one when I was pretty inexperienced with aesthetics. I just can’t get enough of them! They need more content and I will be the one to put it into the world! <3