storm ◇ jasper hale ◇

chapter eleven ; nomads

It had become a sort of regular thing between Jasper and Madej, with Jasper helping him get sleep he hadn't had in years. Mandy had found out the first time; she'd walked into Madej's room. He hadn't heard the full brunt of her surprised shouting, and Madej just tried to go back to sleep, laying on top of Jasper, who had stiffened and turned to stone.

After a stern dressing down from Mandy, who told the boys not to do anything more, then Jasper could stay in Madej's room and help him rest.

This morning, Madej woke beside Jasper, who was texting on his phone. Madej groaned and curled up into Jasper, wishing he was still asleep.

A second or so later, Jasper tapped at his bare arm. Madej looked up at him, and saw the fond smile on his face. 'Morning,' he signed, and Madej nodded, not feeling quite up to signing or talking. It usually took him a moment or so after he woke up to be ready to talk with people. He just watched as Jasper typed on his phone before putting it away. He reached over Madej and when he pulled back, he had the hearing aids in hand.

Madej took them in hand and put them on. "Hi," he said, rubbing at his face.

"Hey," Jasper replied, then leaned down to kiss Madej's temple. "It's gonna thunder tonight, the family is going to go and play baseball. You in?"

"Dunno. I'm pretty sure Benny's making us do a family movie night or something stupid. Don' break the bat, vampire bat."

"You're not funny," Jasper said, but let Madej rest his head back on his chest. "That a no on the vampire family baseball?"

Madej nodded. "I would, but movie night. You could come here, be bothered by my mom, by Benny who just loves you."

"Think I'll pass."

Figuring it was time to get up and act like a normal person, Madej sat up. "Your eyes aren't so gold as usual. Go get some food." He said, managing to stop the you can always eat me instead from slipping through his mouth.

Jasper nodded, sitting up and resting his head on Madej's shoulder. "I'll go hunt. Talk with you later?" he asked, and Madej nodded his agreements. Jasper kissed the side of his face, then got up and left the bedroom.

He could hear Jasper greeting his mom and brother downstairs before he left to go back to his house. Madej smiled a little, feeling fond. He reached for his phone and looked through the messages he'd gotten from the group chat he was in with Mike, Angela, Jessica and the others. It was mostly Mike posting weird and obscure photos that were probably relatable if Madej knew what they were referencing.

Madej put his phone back on charge and went into the bathroom, taking a quick shower before he dried off and changed and went downstairs to bother his brother and mom.

'Good morning,' Mandy signed at him when he appeared. She smiled at him when he returned the signs to her. He sat beside Benedict, who shoved at his arm before reluctantly handing over the cereal. Madej grinned and shoved his brother back in return.

It was nice having Benedict there, but he also wished Zeke was there too. They weren't whole anymore.

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Benedict had made them sit through Titanic, solely because Madej and Mandy had rejected the idea of watching it. So out of spite, he had put it on. When he'd spotted Madej taking his hearing aids out, he'd put on the subtitles and put him in a headlock to keep him watching.

They'd gotten close enough to the end, where the two protagonists failed to get on the door together, when Madej's phone started buzzing against his leg. He put his hearing aids back in and answered it.