orifice | ☞ despite all my rage i am still just a rat in a cage

who jack + isaac
what isaac being a nerd and making a stupid rube goldberg machine
rating idk pg maybe.
warnings too much nerd u can't handle it also idk why these lyrics

[ Isaac is bored.

He is bored a fuck.

He looks at the door, the window, plays with Cassiopeia for a bit by dangling a piece of floss in front of her paws--he even cleans a little bit and throws some shirts in the washing machine.

Staring flatly at the wall, laying on his stomach, he is unsure of what to do really.

He could watch television. At the thought, his lips quirk. The remote is far and the couch is comfortable and he doesn't want to just push a button to turn on a boring source of entertainment. Isaac looks to the door and Cassiopeia herself moves over to paw at it slightly, her long tail swishing back at fourth as she meows loudly. ]

I don't know when, don't ask me.

[ Jack's been gone for about an hour at this point. Maybe Isaac would have to find him (that'd be an adventure.) But for all he knows, Jack is just being picky or found something interesting. He'll come back with a story to tell... or write about, really.

It doesn't hit him until he looks over at the remote again, remembers that they have some dominos in the hall closet (he doesn't know why).

Turns out that... dominos escalate to full blow machines and thin nylon rope and an iron and a frying pan and a couple of toy trucks he scrounged up from the basement and even one of the rubber ducks from the bathroom to make an elaborate machine that spans the entire living room and some parts of the kitchen. Cassiopeia gets caught in the mess twice, curious and young, so Isaac hefts her up under his arm and she finds her way to his shoulders, a surrogate seat to her usual one on Jack as he works. She meows and he mutters. ]

Maybe that should go there...

[ Until finally he's got it in the device is set to go off as soon as the door opens... ]

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[Jack watches Isaac for a moment.

He seems all right, for now, but Jack was out for a while and he's a little concerned for Isaac too. So he reaches out and taps his shoulder gently to get his attention again. He taps his head and points at Isaac.

But are you okay?]

[ Isaac startles at the tap. He shouldn't. He really shouldn't. He knows it's Jack. But it's enough to make him fumble a bit with what's in his hands (bread, thankfully, not eggs) and it falls in the packaging and hits the floor suddenly. ]

I'm fine--

[ He offers a smile, quiet, before picking up the bread and putting it in the fridge. ]

I'm good.

[Isaac you're a terrible liar. Jack hesitates, but he puts away the last few groceries and then turns to Isaac again, taking his hand.

Hey.]

[ Hey.

He doesn't look up, just shrugs a bit. Just needs a little more time, he thinks. Just a bit more time... time to not thing, to just do. ]

[Jack tugs Isaac's hand gently.

Hey. Look at me.]

[ It's a few moments before Isaac looks up, eyes a little troubled.

He squeezes his hand slightly.

I'll be okay I'll be okay I'll be okay I'll be oka-- ]

[Jack closes the distance between them and kisses Isaac gently, his free hand coming up to the side of Isaac's head, running through his hair.

You'll be okay. We'll both be okay.]

[ The kiss is soft, and he sighs a bit into the gentling touch, letting his hands come around to just rest against Jack's spine.

He touches his forehead with his own, closes his eyes.

We're going to be alright. Just fine. ]

It's okay.

[Jack strokes the side of Isaac's face lightly. He leaves a soft kiss on Isaac's nose before mouthing the one phrase Isaac should have learned to lip read by now.

I love you.

It doesn't fix anything, Jack knows, but it certainly helps a great deal.]

[ I love you.

He knows it all to well, and it makes him smile just a bit, nodding. He takes a bit of a breath. This will be just fine. It's a day at a time sort of thing.

Slowly, he turns his head, presses a kiss to the hand that's brushed the side of his face.

I'll be fine. ]

[He nods, a shadow of a smile at the corners of his lips. He tugs on Isaac's hand a little.

Come on, there's a weird nerd contraption they have to put away, that'll keep them occupied.]

[ It's beautiful.

He made it just for you.

And he'll feel the tug and walk over with him to where the machine starts with a small smile.

Yeah. Picking up. That'll work. ]

[Jack lets go of Isaac's hand to start untying some string, a little uncertain of where to start so he starts at the beginning.

This is actually really incredible how it's all put together. He keeps stopping to admire how one action led into another.]

[ Isaac takes Jack's hand gently.

Start over here.

He pulls at a string which leads to another. See? That's where it really starts. ]

When you think about it, it could be your first lesson.

[ He laughs a little and will leave Jack to that part, working on a bit of the next. ]

[Jack looks over to where Isaac's leading him and follows, placing his hand where Isaac puts it.

Oh.

Huh.

He leans in to look.]

[ He smiles a bit. ]

It took a while to put together, but it was worth it. I miss building things.

Now...

[ He glances at him. ]

Ever hear about Newton?

[Jack wonders why Isaac doesn't just... build things here. Do they not have the right materials?

Next project: get Isaac stuff to build things with.

He considers Isaac's question as he takes down some string. Jack looks back at him and shrugs. Vaguely. Something about an apple, right?]

[ Isaac unties a small rubber ball and bounces it a bit in his hand. ]

Third law--for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Example.

[ He puts a bit of force on the ball when he tosses it to the ground, letting it hit the floor before it bounces up of its own accord back into his hand. ]

Easy, right? Applies to most things--can be handy in a pinch.

[Jack watches and nods. Yeah, pretty easy. Makes sense, too. Explains recoil on guns.

He starts winding the rope around his arm in a loop.]

[ Isaac detaches another bit of rope, this time, stooping to untie it from a toy truck, picking at the knot carefully.

Setting it on the ground, he nudges it away, watching it roll a fair distance before coming to a stop. Cassie watches it, long tail swishing back and forth, eyes following it until it halts it's travel when it hits the wall. ]

First law--Object in motion stays in motion until it's stopped by another force. Same goes for objects at rest.

[Jack watches and listens carefully, memorizing them, first and third.

Cassie's starting to get a little too interested in the truck, so he walks over and bends down to pick her up but she's too quick for him and jumps right onto his shoulders. That works too. He straightens and turns back to Isaac as the cat settles. Jack holds up two fingers. Second law?]

Oh...

[ He looks at the truck and hums, moving over to pick it up and heft it in his hands. ]

The motion of an object depends on mass--weight--and the force put behind it.

[ Instead of pushing it hard this time, he pushes it lightly, which only lets it go a short distance. ]

[That makes sense. Jack nods, pulling down some more string, which Cassie bats at. He smiles a little, flicking a piece of the string in her face, and she makes a sound and flinches backward in a way that makes Jack grin a little more.

He pulls the string away from her, to her disappointment, and looks back to Isaac. Sorry, momentary distraction. Do continue.]

☞ despite all my rage i am still just a rat in a cage

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