Disclaimer: I don't own either Jack or Mark since they are both human beings, not objects, and therefore shouldn't be owned.
Warnings: slight slash, or maybe just close friendship.
Conquering Fear
"I can't believe I'm fucking doin' this," Jack choked out a hysterical laugh. His limbs were stiff with fear, arms shaking as he held them out for the man to strap the harness around him. A heavy weight sat persistently in his stomach, a relentless chill clouded his senses. Teeth chattering nervously, Jack struggled to remain steadily standing on weak knees. He refused to look at the metal arch looming menacingly over them. To think, in a few minutes, he and Mark will be dangling up there.
"Jack, you know you don't have to do this," Mark said with a worried glint in his eyes from where he was also getting his harness straps tightened. Even though Jack had a wide grin on his face and little giggles escaped him every now and then, Mark could see the cold sweat shining on his even paler complexion, the tears shimmering in frightened blue eyes.
Jack shuddered as they were led up the platform where a cable was clipped onto their harnesses.
"No I want to do this," he said stubbornly, a tremor in his voice. Mark just looked at him, unconvinced. The worker instructed them to hook arms tightly. Mark wound his arm around Jack's, giving him a comforting pat. He received a nervous half-smile in return.
"Okay, are you guys ready?"
Mark examined the sweaty, trembling form beside him, a silent question in his eyes. He wouldn't mind either way; they didn't have to go on this ride if Jack wasn't ready. Mark tried to convey these feelings and mentally beam understanding and support to Jack.
"Yeah, we're ready," Jack nodded decisively.
"On 3, you'll be flipped so that you'll be laying parallel to the ground, alright? Then we'll start pulling you up. And once you reach the top, we'll say, 'You are ready for takeoff,' and that's when you pull this cord."
He gestured to the cord by Jack's side and started counting, and even though they knew what would happen, it didn't prepare them the slightest. Jack shrieked while Mark let out a surprised "whoa" before laughing when they were forcibly pulled off their feet, hanging a few feet off the ground. Mark looked down at their looped arms to see they were now joined at the hands as well. Somewhere in-between the brief fright, Jack reached over with his other arm and latched onto Mark's left hand, holding him in a steel grip. He didn't have much time to think over it before they began their ascent. Jack started panicking, babbling unintelligibly, the grip around Mark's hand becoming impossibly tighter.
"You know, I didn't think we would have to be the ones to drop ourselves. I thought they'd push a button or something," Mark said, taking in the magnificent view beneath them.
"Oh god, oh god, oh god," Jack chanted repeatedly, body tense as he tried to move as little as possible as they climbed higher and higher, until the people on the ground looked like tiny, indistinguishable specks and they finally stopped. The wind ruffled his hair, a few strands sticking stubbornly to his sticky forehead. A grim image of the cable snapping, sending them falling to their deaths, popped into his mind. That did nothing to alleviate his fear.
"You are ready for takeoff," the man said on the intercom.
Jack stared at the ground hundreds of feet below them, trembling. There was nothing between them but the air. He would have felt better if they were upright instead of laying flat down on their stomachs, or if they were on a gurney or bed or something. They were just dangling. This must be how worms felt when they were baited on a hook, ready to be cast into their watery doom.
"I can't do this, I can't do this. I'm so fucking scared," Jack whined, a hysterical edge to his voice.
"Hey, hey, look at me," Mark said soothingly, turning the terror-stricken eyes to him. His dilated pupils highlighted the beautiful blues shimmering with unshed tears. "It's going to be okay."
"Do you hear me, Jack? It's all going to be fine," Mark repeated, urging Jack to trust him. "Take all the time you need."
"And when we're all done, I'll buy you all the cakes and cookies and ice cream you can eat after, okay?" Mark continued with a reassuring grin on his face.
Jack forced a laugh before letting out a shuddering breath.
"Okay, okay," he closed his eyes, bracing himself and pulling the cord.
For a second, Jack felt like he was going to die. All the oxygen was forced from his lungs, and there was a pang of regret before they fell.
"OH MY FUCKING GOD!" Jack screamed as the ground rushed to meet them. But they only continued to swing forward, and his vision was filled with the stunning blue sky. Beside him, Jack could hear Mark laughing loudly. And before he knew it, it was all over.
As their swinging slowed, Jack startled to feel wetness on his cheeks, and hurriedly brushed the tears away. He wondered when he had started crying.
"Hey, you did great," Mark said proudly, beaming at him when the workers started to unstrap them. They were lowered onto the feet, and Jack couldn't have loved the ground more than he did then. He could have dropped to his knees and kissed the cold cement, and he would have since his legs were still feeling weak. Mark must have seen him shaking because he reached out to steady him, and his arm stayed around his shoulders until they exited the gate. He guided Jack to a table with instructions to sit tight until he came back with some much needed sugar. Jack sank into the metal chair, physically and mentally exhausted. Emotionally, too, if the dried tear tracks on his face was any indication.
Two trays of food were dumped unceremoniously on the table, startling Jack from his trance.
"Eat this first before we get ice cream," Mark gestured to the burger and fries. Jack immediately reached for his drink, relieving the sore scratch in his throat.
"So how's my brave, little hero doing?" Mark asked teasingly, waving a fry in front of Jack who scoffed at his antics and leaned forward to capture the offered stick between his teeth. Jack picked up his burger before setting it down thoughtfully.
"Tired," he said honestly, "but I feel kinda good actually."
Jack had a bright light in his eyes as he looked at Mark.
"Well, I, for one, am really proud of you," Mark said with a happy grin, hand landing on Jack's shoulder, giving a warm squeeze to emphasize his words.
