Yin and Yang [A Superhero AU] - Book Three

Chapter Fourteen - Nightmare

Dan wakes up slowly, glancing bleary-eyed at the clock on his side table. It's only been two hours since he fell asleep, but the tears soaking his cheeks explain why he won't even try to go back to sleep. That and the sudden stab of fear that passes through him when he realizes that most likely, Jack has been released from the UR already.

He bolts out of bed and rushes towards Jack's room, shoving the door open when he gets there and stepping inside. Jack is curled up on the floor, blood and tears on his face and wounds covering his whole body. Red stains the ground beneath him, but Jack doesn't seem to notice. Dan curses and places a warm hand on his back, but at Jack's flinch he retracts the gesture.

"What the hell did they do to you?" Dan mutters.

Jack's body relaxes slightly and the Brit helps him onto his bed, starting to strip away the torn remnants of his shirt. The Irishman coughs, the sound ragged and pained, and wipes at the tears that continue to run down his face.

"Christ, mate," Dan breathes as the last strip of t-shirt falls away. It doesn't matter how many times he sees abuse like this. It never fails to shock him. "What... what happened?"

"I didn't answer them," Jack chokes out. "I was protecting Mark."

Dan bites his lip hard and exhales through his nose. Jack is in the exact same boat as him. He loves a hero and would rather die than hurt them. The Irishman's only problem is that he isn't subtle enough about it. Now, seeing the damage that can be done when someone knows, Dan is certain he can never tell anyone. It's his and Phil's little secret.

"You've gotten yourself in some deep trouble, haven't you?" he asks, hoping Jack doesn't hear the strain behind his voice.

The Irishman doesn't reply as Dan cleans his chest and bandages it. As Jack swallows painkillers Dan cleans up, and by the time he's heading out of the room the villain is already succumbing to the medicine. The Brit heads back to his room, grabs his bag, and leaves. The key that Phil gave him so he can get in sits in the front pocket of his backpack, so even if the hero isn't there Dan can still get in. He's been gone for only a few hours and he already wants to go back.

"You're leaving again?" Stephanie asks as he passes the living and dining room.

"Yeah," Dan replies.

"Dan—"

The Brit ignores her and heads out of the institute, moving as fast as he dares towards Phil's apartment. The hero is probably getting annoyed at how often he's coming over, but he just can't bring himself to stay at the institute. He hates his own clinginess, his neediness, but he can't help it. He wants to grab onto Phil and never let go because he's afraid of what will happen if he does. If he stays at the institute, if he leaves Phil alone, Dan feels as though he'll crumble away to dust.

He reaches Phil's building and lets himself in, moving up to his floor in the elevator and letting himself into the hero's apartment. Phil isn't home yet, most likely at work due to the time of day, so Dan sets his stuff down in the entry. He rubs his eyes in an attempt to get rid of the exhaustion and images in his brain before rummaging around in his bag, finding his pyjama pants and changing into them. Once that simple task is finished, he finds himself standing aimlessly in Phil's apartment, his arms wrapped tight around his lightly bruised chest.

The sight of Jack's body, covered in bruises and blood and deep cuts, flashes in his mind and he presses the heels of his hands to his eyes. He can't just wait around in silent solitude for Phil to come home. He needs sleep and a safe, warm place that he can reside in until the hero comes home.

Feeling guilty and vaguely invasive, he moves to Phil's bedroom and crawls into his bed, pulling the covers up over his ears. It's warm and smells like Phil, making some of the tension leak from Dan's muscles. He's safe. The boss isn't going to charge into the room and beat him senseless. In his warm cocoon, he lets himself fall asleep.