One week after Jack had become a Mercer, Evelyn found his room empty in the morning. Panic became a gripping vice around her chest and she was about to start waking the boys to look for him when she realised something. During the day, Jack was practically attached to Bobby. He spoke to Bobby of his own accord, and was starting to relax around him.
She quietly opened the door to Bobby's room and smiled behind her hand, tears rising in her eyes. Bobby lay sprawled across half of the bed, against the wall as he always was, but on the other half lay Jack – sleeping soundly. Her heart swelled with gratitude for such an understanding oldest son. He never complained about his brothers or the foster kids, and he never tried to make them uncomfortable. Bobby gave whatever they needed without a thought.
She closed the door again before she woke them and snuck downstairs to put a pot of coffee on. Bobby wouldn't survive the day if he didn't get his first cup of coffee. Others judged her for giving the teen coffee, but considering the substances he had come into contact with before he came to her – coffee was nothing.
x x x
SEVERAL YEARS LATER
Bobby hadn't been home for two days and Jack was getting more and more on edge. Evelyn was trying to ignore the fact that she knew the two issues were linked. She had accidentally overheard Jack spelling out his feelings for Bobby, and she knew that it was going to take her eldest some time to wrap his mind around it.
She wasn't sure what would happen between the two, but she knew that Bobby would find a way to keep a relationship of some sort with Jack. He was Bobby's favourite after-all. She just wasn't sure what sort of relationship Bobby could handle.
Bobby came through the front door covered in blood and bruises. She knew that all of the blood wouldn't be his, but she couldn't help that her heart skipped a beat. She was about to rush toward him when Jack was suddenly beside him, helping him to the couch. This needed to be left between Bobby and Jack, as much as it went against the grain not to help one of her boys. She set the first aid kit down beside Jack and left them to it.
"Bobby, Jesus, what have you been doing for two days? If I had known this was going to happen to you I would have kept my mouth shut…" Jack mumbled while he assessed the damage. He's seen Bobby worse off than this before, but this time the direct cause had been him. It made his stomach sink to see the wounds and know he caused them.
Bobby shook his head, smiling. "Come on, Jackie, it's not like I was going to start in on a different kind of relationship with you with threats hanging over my head. I had to tidy up a few things." He leant forward, getting into Jack's personal space.
Jack blinked, forgetting about the first aid kit and the blood for a moment. "Does that mean…does that mean what I'm thinking it means?"
Bobby grinned before leaning in to brush a kiss across Jack's lips. "Course it does Jackie. You think I'd leave you hanging for two days if I was going to turn you down? I'd have told you to fuck off straight up if I was gonna turn you down."
Jack whimpered, leaning into Bobby's chest in a way he hadn't done since he was a kid. In a way he'd been missing for just as long. When he had started to realise his feelings for Bobby, he had started to make sure his touches were more…acceptable. He didn't want Bobby to find out one day and think he'd been…taking comfort he wasn't entitled to.
A heavy arm wrapped around his shoulders and he felt Bobby let out a content sigh. "Mmm, you have no idea how good it feels to hold you again Jackie." He murmured, rubbing his cheek against Jack's hair.
Jack grinned against Bobby's chest. "If I'd known this would be your response I'd have said something years ago."
Much to his surprise, he felt Bobby shaking his head. "No, I'd have fucked up majorly with you years ago. Had to grow up and start getting my shit sorted. I'd have thrown this in your face just because that was what would have been expected, and I would have hated myself for it. You chose the right time Jackie."
