Iceheart

Chapter 8: Dark, Darker, Yet Darker Still

The next morning, Jason awoke to a tongue licking his face. He groaned and turned over, pushing away the tongue.

"Come on, Nanook," he groaned. "Lemme sleep."

Nanook pulled at Jason's shirt, growling in reply to his pleas.

"Come on, Nanook," Jason groaned, flailing his arms. "Let me sleep..."

No matter how much Jason begged to rest, Nanook wouldn't stop. Even when Jason had tried to turn him off like an alarm clock, although he did get a growl from that, Nanook persisted.

Jason groaned and got up, rubbing his eyes and messing with his wild hair. He yawned and stretched, looking out of the window. His jaw dropped when he saw that the snow was rather high. And when he remembered it was a weekend.

"Oh come on!" he said. "Nanook!"

Nanook sat there, holding his bowl in his mouth. He stared at Jason expectantly, wagging his tail. Jason groaned.

"NO."

Nanook cocked his head, confused.

"You wake me up way early in the morning. On a WEEKEND. WHEN IT'S SNOWING. All because you want breakfast?"

Nanook barked, but was quickly shushed.

"Don't wake the Chases!" he whisper shouted. "SHUSH!"

Nanook whimpered. He sat down his bowl and opened his mouth. A howl began to arise in his throat. Jason bit his lip and panicked.

"Okayokay!" he said quickly. "I'll feed you, just shush!"

Nanook panted and wagged his tail, picking up his bowl again and trotted into the kitchen. Jason yawned and wandered into the kitchen. He opened the duffel bag and grabbed a can of dog food. He cracked it open and put it in a bowl.

"Here you go, you crazy dog," he yawned. "One thing of wet food... and some dry food on top." He poured some dry food on the doggy patte.

Nanook quickly wolfed down the food. Jason yawned tiredly and began to head back to the couch when he heard a voice.

"Hey."

He turned around and saw Jenny.

"Uh... hey." Poor Jason was still a bit starstruck.

"So..." Jenny pulled out a chair and sat down. "Uh... how's your ankle feeling?"

"Um," Jason said, trying to sound slightly socially compatible around the girl who had kissed him, which, for the record, is exceedingly difficult, "it's still a bit sore, but... I'm doing okay."

"Good," Jenny said. She rubbed her arm and looked away. "So... about last night..."

Jason's cheeks went red. "O-oh, y-yeah," he stuttered. "I- uh- you-"

Jenny was about as red as Jason. "Jason... I-I... I'm sorry if I... uh... embarrassed you. I just... I... " Jenny's face was getting even redder.

Jason looked at her. "You what?"

"I like you!" Jenny burst out.

Jason's face burst into full on fire engine red. "Y-you do?" he squeaked.

"Yes," Jenny said.

"H-how?" Jason said, still squeaking. "Wh-why?"

"Because... you're just such a good guy," Jenny mumbled. "You're nice, you're cute, you're funny, and... I don't know why, but you just feel so... amazing."

"Me?" Jason said. "Amazing? How?"

"You've gone through so much," she said, "yet you still keep going. I don't fully understand it, Jason, but... there's something about you that makes you just... special."