orifice | using the stars as guides

Entry tags:

using the stars as guides

who jack + isaac
what insomnia and... going places...
rating probably no more than PG
warnings Whale Noises? Feels? Adorables? Men questioning their sanity?

[It's late.

Jack lies awake next to Isaac, looking at him in the darkness, wishing he could sleep.

Not too long ago, he could. He was sleeping just fine, hardly any dreams or anything. Just a nice long night of refreshing slumber.

But ever since he woke up with scars on his neck and his vocal chords mangled so that the only sounds he can make are inhuman moans... well. He's gone back to square one.

Square one being frequent nightmares and nights of complete sleeplessness.

Tonight he just can't sleep at all. He's tried. He's tried too many times. He's tried with his head on Isaac's chest, listening to his heartbeat and the slow rhythm of his breaths, he's tried with his arms wrapped around him and his face buried in his hair, he's tried lying without touching him at all.

None of it works. Every time he closes his eyes the abyss, echoing with the cacophonous symphony of Rapture, reaches through his mind to grasp his consciousness and he has to shake himself back to reality with a gasp.

There'll be no sleep for him tonight.

So he watches Isaac sleep, the man's face turned toward him so that their noses are a mere centimeter away from each other, his breath tickling Jack's face. Jack reaches up and runs a finger along Isaac's jawline, then turns his head to look out the window. The curtain is open, revealing a cold winter night outside. There's no cloud in the sky, and the stars and moon shine crisply against the black backdrop of sky, the freezing air making the silver shapes sparkle like they never do in summer.

Jack turns his head back to Isaac.

Maybe a walk would help.

But he doesn't want to go alone.

...but he doesn't want to interrupt Isaac's sleep.

He sighs slightly and puts his hand on Isaac's arm, shaking it ever so gently.

Wake up, Isaac.]

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[ Isaac is slow to wake, already on the edge of it when he feels the tip of Jack's finger against his jawbone. His brow twitches just slightly and his nose scrunches up slightly before the shaking on his arm puts him over and out of sleep. It's not like being tipped out of a chair, it isn't startling. He knows the feeling of Jack's fingers on his skin, knows what it's like, so he shifts a bit with a low hum that come out in a somewhat gravelly voice. ]

Huh? What's wrong?

[Jack sighs. How is he even supposed to begin to explain this without any words? He shifts and looks back out the window. It really is beautiful out there. He looks back at Isaac, raising his eyebrows and starting to sit up.

He's getting up, Isaac. That's all there is to it.]

[ He doesn't expect a verbal answer that's not a soft groan or a gentle hum. Isaac sits up, rubs his eye with the heel of his palm, but moves easily, settling his feet on the ground and casting off some more of the sheets.

When he turns to the window, he spies the snow, glistening and white, unlike anything he's seen before. ]

I'll grab some pants and a shirt--

[ He's already up and picking up a worn plaid shirt off the floor and sliding it on over his shoulders. It's warm against the slide chill in the room as he buttons it up. ]

[Jack's already dressing, and when he finishes he finds winter coats and scarves and gloves in the closet he tosses them on the bed.

They'll be needing those.]

[ Isaac pulls on some jeans and warm socks, spying the winter clothing on the bed and picking up a coat that looks like it might fit him.

He tries it on for good measure and rolls his shoulders a bit.

Good fit. ]

[He's wrapped a scarf around his neck, hiding his scars. Next comes the coat, which is nice and warm, and the gloves.

Hats... are there hats? Do they want hats?

He pokes around in the closet a bit more.]

[ Isaac is saving the gloves for last, tying on some boots and making his way over to peer into the closet. Hm. Hats. Well, there are some nice wrap around earmuffs so he'll grab those, giving a shrug. ]

[There's a simple knit cap that Jack grabs and pulls on. He looks over at Isaac.

Right. Okay. Are you ready? Because he's ready.]

[ Yeah he's ready, pulling on one glove and grabbing the keys. He opens up the door and nods.

Out. ]

[Jack takes a deep breath and steps out into the frigid air. He blinks into the night sky, feeling more awake than ever, but the stars are welcoming and he finds himself smiling up at them, his breath making clouds around his face.

He looks back at Isaac and holds out his hand.

C'mere.]

[ Isaac locks the door and puts the keys in his pocket, pulling on his other glove before turning around and seeing his hand.

He smiles and reaches out, grabs it and moves up beside him so that they're shoulder to shoulder now. ]

[Jack smiles back, squeezing Isaac's hand, feeling it through the layers of gloves between them. He lifts his face again, looking at the stars before closing his eyes and relishing the cold fresh air filling his lungs, so different from the Rapture air, passed through so many vents and recycled over and over.]

[ The air is cold, if anything he likes it as they start their walk down the street. The snow is fresh, new powder under theirs boots that crunches with every step they take.

Gently, he swings Jack's hand back and forth.

It's okay.

I'm right here. ]

[Jack drags his boots through the snow, kicking it up as he walks, looking around at the quiet landscape. All sounds are muffled by the new fallen snow, the only noises their own footsteps and breaths.

As they walk, Jack starts to realize they're not... really... in a familiar place...

They've walked the area allowed to them many times before, and Jack knows this isn't a part of it. It's... possible the snow is making things look different but he's sure there weren't street lamps like this before.]

[ Isaac doesn't recognize these noises, these lights, this pavement. He kicks away some of the snow because what should be a pale side walk is now a dark, cobbled street and he frowns a bit deeper now. ]

... Where the hell...?

[Oh. Good. He's not the only one noticing this. His steps slow and he comes to a stop, looking around, frowning slightly.

Where are they, and how did they get here?]

Think we could go back...?

[ He turns a bit in the direction they came from, but it seems to almost have... melted into the rest of the scenery. ]

Guess not. Could be worse...

[ Could be places neither of them wants to go back to. And they could be alone. ]

[He nods slowly, still frowning, then blinks. He looks up. The sky is no longer clear and bright, instead it's started to snow.

Almost instinctively, he opens his mouth and catches a few snowflakes on his tongue.]

[ Isaac laughs a little as he watches, waits for Jack to close his mouth. ]

How's that?

[Jack closes his mouth and smiles a little, shrugging. It's fine. It's snow.

He looks around again, then tugs gently on Isaac's hand.

C'mon, he wants to figure out where they are.]

[ Isaac has his head turned up, tongue out catching a few before Jack tugs him in some direction. Isaac looks around, eyes adjusting to the bright lights, the rate the snow is falling. His breath comes out in warm, soft clouds. ]

It's a beautiful city...

[ He can't help but be in a bit of awe at it, all of the soft lights and the people walking, mostly, hand in hand down the streets. Some open vendors selling warm food, some light music in the air. It's picturesque. ]

[As he walks, looking around, Jack nods. It is beautiful. And there's so many people out and about, even at this time of night, it's... strange, after what he's used to, with night walks where no one is around but them.

They walk around a corner... and that's when he sees it, glittering in the night and the snow.

The Eiffel Tower.

Jack might not have had much of an education or seen anything outside of Kansas or Rapture or the town they were put in, but he knows that when he sees it.

He stops, staring at it. He lets out a whistle.

Wow.]

[ Isaac has seen it. In books. Books are as close as you can get to old Paris and wow...

That's something...

When he hears the whistle, he startles, turns his head and laughs. ]

Wanna get closer?

[Jack smiles a little at Isaac, making a mental note of how quickly he got his attention with the whistle, and nods. Yes. He definitely wants to get closer.

It seems to be a pretty straight shot, just a matter of walking there.

And damn, there are a lot of people out and about. He's starting to understand what people mean by a city that never sleeps. They're walking and chatting in a language he doesn't know, milling about under street lamps and outside of clubs and bars.

Jack walks on, Isaac's hand firmly in his.]

[ Isaac finds comfort in his hand being held so firmly. The crowds make him nervous, the people, the noise. He's used to quiet, and when he's not used to quiet he's used to Jack. The sound of another person in the vicinity. He walks a bit closer to Jack, brushes by people here and there, gazing around with curiosity. ]

Never thought I'd see such a thing... it's got a fantastic structure...

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