His Bright Eyes (Septiplier)

The Needed Rest

-Mark's POV-

He was so quiet.

"How was your flight?"

Jack kept looking out of the passenger side window.

"Jack?"

No response.

I touched his left arm gently with my right hand. He jumped slightly and turned his head to face me. His light blue eyes coming somewhat back in focus.

"Hey," I said.

"Sorry. I must have zoned out. Jet lag."

"Yes, that must be it," I said, trying to keep my voice steady, "When we get back to the house why don't you try taking a nice long nap and we can grab some food after you get back up?"

He grinned meekly at me, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

This wasn't Jack. This was a smaller, hazier version of Jack. As if someone had taken the bouncy, loud and happy go lucky man who I once knew and took away his sunshine.

One sunbeam at a time.

We made small talk for the rest of the ride back. Mostly about upcoming video games and his meeting Hannah. He seemed to be more engaged if I did most of the talking, and his smiles became more natural. If I was going to help him get to a better place, I would need to take the more active approach.

We pulled into the driveway and I stopped the car. I offered to grab his suitcases while he went inside the house.

"The guest room is on the second floor, second door on the right. Just head on in and get settled. I'll be there in a few minutes."

I handed him the extra set of house keys and he grabbed his carry on bag. He was even walking slower than he usually did. I waited for him to open the front door and close it back before I sighed deeply.

He really is broken.

Over the past month I had been talking with him through phone calls, texting and Skype, but I still had not been fully prepared for him like this. A tear hit the right leg of my blue jeans.

I wiped away the tears from my face and checked the rear view mirror. He needs me to be there for him. To be as positive and supportive as possible. Just like he was when Amy and I broke up over a year ago.

Over year ago I felt just like he was feeling now.

***

Jack had only brought a few bags for the trip. He was planning on staying for at least a few weeks, wasn't he? The third bag was the heaviest, and made a loud "clunk" noise as I placed it with the others in the guest bedroom. I guessed that it was some of his recording gear.

Where was he? I did see him come into the house. The light was on in the closed guest bathroom, but I couldn't hear anything.

I knocked on the bathroom door softly.

"Jack? Are you ok in there?"

No answer. I turned the doorknob and the door opened. Empty.

Maybe he went out to the backyard.

I begun to walk down the hallway to look out of the large window at the back of the house. That window showed the entire backyard and pool area. As I walked by my bedroom I glanced in reflexively, and saw Chica.

And Jack.

Chica was lying at the foot of the bed. When she saw me stop to look in she raised her head happily and slowly wagged her tail. Stretched out on the bed, face turned away from the doorway, was Jack snoring softly. He hadn't even taken the time to pull the covers over himself. His shoes laid on the floor, and his bright green hair messy on a fluffy pillow.

He must have thought that my bedroom was the guest bedroom.

I walked over to my bed and sat down next to him. Chica crawled over a bit closer to lick my hand. For a moment I thought that the jostling would wake him up, but he seemed dead to the world at the moment. The bed was a king sized, but still he was closer to falling off the far edge than I was comfortable.

I gently took hold of his shoulder to see if I could inch him closer to the middle, but as I began to touch him, he yawned and turned around to face me. His right hand grabbed mine and held on with a tightness that surprised me.

His eyes were still closed and he began to softly snore again. My left hand now being held firmly in his right. I wasn't going anywhere without needing to wake him.

He looked so peaceful. His eyes were moving rapidly underneath his eyelids. He was entering REM sleep.

Perhaps he's dreaming about something wonderful.

"Cake and cookies. Mmm pie. In that order." he muttered softly.

I chuckled.

He's thinking about sweets? This rest is working wonders for him already.

I kicked my shoes off and laid down beside him. Placing my head on the empty pillow, I watched him breathe in and out. His lips opened slightly and the snores matching my heartbeats.

The need to say something was evident, even if he wouldn't hear me.

"You deserve to be happy, Sean." I said quietly.

I wiggled my right hand away from my side and ran my fingers through his hair. He sighed contently and leaned into my touch and before I realized it, I also had slipped into pleasant dreams.