Early in the mornings, before the sun rises, Jake would visit. Sherry didn't know how he got in past the security system. Or why he bothered to do such a thing. But during their daily meetings at twelve o'clock every afternoon, she never mentions it. And eventually, it almost became some kind of nightly ritual the two had seemingly unknowingly agreed on; he'd visit at midnight, she'd stay awake to catch him in the act of breaking in. She was never successful. But she heard things; subconsciously she became aware.
She came to realize that he told her things. Sometimes while she was sleeping, or wide awake and entirely aware. Soft, throaty mumbling that her ears barely catch. Promises, but she was never able to figure out what these promises entailed. And she doesn't care. Because at least he's talking to her, at least he's there. And the attention she never experienced in her life was comforting in a strange way.
On their way to the small corner cafe where they usually had spent their time together, she decides to bring up his nightly intrusions. But she doesn't, and if he notices, he never mentions her frequent pauses.
'Jake, when do you... When do you sleep?' She asks.
He replies with a raised eyebrow.
'You know what I mean!'
He does, but won't answer. Only smiles and continues along the sidewalk ahead of her, a peculiar jump in his stride.
'Jake!'
'What?'
'You didn't answer my question.'
'Don't need to.' She knows he means something by that, but doesn't know what. So she asks again, 'What do you mean?'
'You know what I mean.' And by now, she's getting frustrated.
Two days later, she tries again, with the same success as her earlier attempt. He won't tell her, just beams at her with a knowing grin. The kind of grin only Jake cold pull off and the only grin that could not only infuriate her, but make her heart tremble and beat three times faster than it should. She doesn't think that's healthy, but doesn't bother getting it looked at.
'Come on Jake. I know what you're doing.' She found the perfect time to stand in front of him and block his way, pouting and stamping her foot in that particular way of hers. Jake smiled.
'Yeah? What's that, supergirl?'
She huffs and the nickname, and continues. 'You're coming in my room, Jake. That's kind of... weird!' She knows she hit something, because suddenly, his smug facade is gone and he looks a little lost. She doesn't catch what he says next, but it sounds vaguely like 'I thought you would like it...'. Then, he left.
They don't meet up for another week after that. And she starts to grow worried until one night, he does show up. And she's wide awake, sitting there in bed just waiting for him as if they'd done this thousands of times before. He sits there on the edge of his bed with his head lowered, and begins speaking. The rest of the night, she listens and provides comfort to a man who didn't really seem to understand the concept.
She listens, he speaks. Swap. He listens, she speaks.
And they work well that way.