Emma had fallen asleep halfway through the movie they were watching. She'd begged to watch some Elvis documentary but eventually they'd settled for a cartoon. Her head was in Jack's lap while her legs rested on Hiccup's. Jack turned off the TV and was ready to put her to bed when Hiccup offered to do it. With hardly any effort, Hiccup picked her up and carefully got her to bed. Jack watched, feeling a sense of warmth come over him.
"This is how it should be." He thought to himself sadly. He shouldn't have to worry about his sister getting taken away, the fear of not being able to find a job in time, or how unfair it was that he couldn't just be with Hiccup. But no, life apparently didn't work that way.
Hiccup came back down quietly and then sat next to Jack, who was doing everything in his power to look upbeat and positive. Hiccup, however, had known Jack since they were kids and could see right through the façade. The only reason he chose not to say anything was because Jack didn't need to hear people telling him how to feel, he needed someone to take his mind off the worry and give him back that fun side he always had growing up.
Neither had a clue what to say really; so the silence that ensued was extremely awkward. Even Bunny had to admit the two love birds were rubbing the awkward off on him.
Hiccup looked around and then smiled when he noticed the pictures on the mantle, "I remember when your dad took that picture."
Jack looked over and saw the one and smiled, chuckling, "My first surf lesson."
"Yeah, our dad's taught us everything that day." Hiccup nodded, then looked over to see another picture, "That you in New York?"
Jack nodded as he noticed the picture of him holding his snowboard. He'd sent the picture to his parents for Christmas.
"You surfed in New York?" Hiccup laughed.
Jack burst into a fit of giggles that he couldn't seem to stop and Hiccup was feeling a little embarrassed until Jack merely smiled at him, "I'm sorry, Hic…" he choked, "But…I haven't…I haven't laughed like that in so long!"
Hiccup smiled, "I wish I knew what's so funny, then I'd join you."
Jack turned red from laughing so hard and then shook his head, "It's a snowboard, Hiccup."
"Ah!" Hiccup nodded, "Can't be better than surfing, eh?"
Jack shrugged, "It was still a pretty intense ride."
"Nothin' can beat those waves, though man." Hiccup sighed, a look of serenity crossing his face, "Complete freedom."
"I really liked the snow to be honest." Jack shrugged.
Hiccup looked over at him as he spoke.
"I mean…" Jack continued, "It was so pure and chilling, it gave me literal goose bumps just to look at it all. And the way you could just slide down it and flip, feeling the wind take you was just…man. I wish you coulda been there."
Hiccup nodded, "I'd considered visiting you a few times."
"Really?" Jack asked, "I don't think I could ever picture you with a winter coat on." He chuckled.
"True that! I would hate to hide these gorgeous pectorals." Hiccup laughed.
Jack laughed again, feeling the weight of everything that was on him leave for the time being.
"Listen Jack…" Hiccup said nervously, rubbing his arm, "I know you say you've got a lot going on right now but…I just…"
Jack watched him curiously.
Hiccup sighed and looked at Jack quickly, "You don't have to do it all alone, you know. I want to help you. Shoot, the gang wants to help you; Astrid and Fishlegs, Snotlout and the twins…"
Jack smiled at him and nodded, "Thanks Hiccup. I know you guys wanna help and it means a lot. It's just…this is something that only family can take care of. I'm Emma's only family; ohana…"
"You do realize that ohana doesn't just mean family." Hiccup told him.
Jack looked up curiously.
"On this island, ohana means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. Jack you and Emma aren't just hanai to me, you're ohana. And that means that I'm not giving up on either of you." Hiccup told him firmly, "You may have lost your parents in that storm, but believe me, you will always have ohana on this island, even if it's just stupid ole me."
Jack stared at him, completely at a loss for words. He'd known Hiccup for years and all those years, they joked, they surfed, they played tricks on the island, they stuck up for one another. It didn't come as too much of a shock when Hiccup confided to Jack their senior year that he was indeed gay; but he'd been so caught up in leaving the island he'd never noticed or cared about the fact that Hiccup was truly in love with him. And when Jack finally came out, it felt almost like he was betraying his best friend by hiding it for so long and never telling him. Once he was forced to leave college and raise Emma, it was Hiccup who was still there for him, regardless of how poorly Jack treated him. Jack was falling for Hiccup more and more every day, but he never felt as in love with Hiccup as he did in that moment.
"You're not stupid, Hiccup." Was all Jack could say after a swallow, "If anything, you're smarter than me." He chuckled weakly, "You knew I was gay before I did." He admitted.
Hiccup shrugged, "Takes one to know one." He laughed.
Jack nodded and blew out a breath, not sure where to go from here, "I'd love to say, believe me, more than anything I'd love to say that we can just go out and be together…"
"But…" Hiccup sighed.
"I just can't give up on Emma right now." Jack said, holding back the lump in his throat, "She's my world and I'm all she has. I can't lose her Hiccup."
"You won't Jack." Hiccup said, "I'll help you, you just have to let me."
"How?" Jack pleaded, his eyes watery, "How?"
"We'll show that social worker, you and I. We'll show him that she has a home here. That we all consider her our ohana. They'll see. We'll make them see."
Jack smiled up at him and finally chuckled, "Just promise me you won't set the house on fire."
"No promises." Hiccup laughed.
Jack rolled his eyes and without even thinking about it, leaned in to kiss Hiccup's cheek. Hiccup was stunned the minute his lips brushed against his cheeks quickly.
Jack got up and stretched, sighing, "I should get to bed." He nodded, "I have a busy day tomorrow."
Hiccup nodded, "Job hunting?"
"Yeah." Jack mumbled.
Hiccup got up as well and let Jack lead him to the door, "Let me know if you need help with that."
Jack nodded, "Thanks for coming over Hiccup." Jack smiled, "It meant a lot; to me and Emma."
Hiccup took Jack's hand gently, "I would be lying if I didn't say I'm glad she stole that phone from you." He grinned, "Cause I think we both know you wouldn't have made a move if she hadn't."
Jack turned red and shrugged, still letting Hiccup's hand encase his own, "I guess I'd be lying too if I said I wasn't secretly glad she did as well…but that doesn't mean she still isn't a pain."
Hiccup laughed and finally leaned in to brush his lips against Jacks before he opened the door and left, "I'll see you tomorrow." He nodded as he closed the door.
Jack stood watching the door, his fingers going to his lips and feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. He sighed and turned around finally, the biggest grin on his face.
He looked down to see Bunny out of his cage staring at him, wiggling his nose as if to say he'd seen everything.
Jack narrowed his eyes at the thing and huffed, "Shouldn't you be in your cage?"
The bunny glared back at him and Jack sighed, "Well you know you aren't sleeping in my bed." He said as he walked past, "Let's put you in Emma's room."
The bunny followed him up the stairs as he carried his dreaded cage. Jack opened Emma's door to her room and put the cage on her desk. She was sleeping soundly and peacefully so he quietly opened the cage door and ordered the bunny in a whisper to get inside.
The rabbit seemed annoyed at first but finally hopped inside, giving Jack a detestable look.
Jack sighed and closed the cage and smiled at the rabbit, "You really are a strange rabbit." He noted, shaking his head as he looked over at Emma. He smiled at her sleeping form and quickly went to cover her up more and kiss her forehead, "We're gonna be okay, kiddo." He told her quietly, more for himself than anything, "I'm not letting you go. I won't."
Bunny watched and smiled as Jack finally walked out and back to his room. He then rolled his eyes as he managed to unlock the pathetic cage and hopped out. He was the Easter Bunny for cripes sake, of course he could get out of a cage!
He jumped onto Emma's bed to watch over her when what he saw worried him. She had her face scrunched like she was in pain and she was muttering.
"Oh no!" he moaned. She was having a nightmare, which meant Pitch was close. He looked around the dark room, illuminated by the moon.
"Come on out you miserable-"
He suddenly heard a cackling kind of laughter echoing in the room and he looked around nervously to see shadows on all the walls. Emma was tossing and turning more and more.
"You're not getting your hands on her!" Bunny yelled angrily.
The darkness was taking over until Emma sat up and screamed.
Bunny was relieved when the light turned on and Jack ran in, coming to her straight away. Bunny hopped off the bed to see if there were any more traces of her nightmare. He looked to the moon who stared back at him.
Emma cried as she hugged Jack, who could only hug her back and smooth her hair, whispering soothing words to get her to calm down.
She sobbed into his chest.
"It was just a nightmare, Em. You're okay now." Jack told her softly.
"It was so-so real." she choked.
"It's over now."
"Please stay with me." she pleaded, "Please."
He wiped her tear stained cheeks and nodded, situating himself next to her.
Bunny hopped to the open window and finally looked up at the moon, "I think you and I both know what the protocol is now, mate. Get them here fast, please." He begged.
He was relieved when he heard the moons voice in his ears, telling him that all was going to be well. He turned to see Jack lying down with Emma and turning off her light. He was actually glad that Jack was staying with his sister the rest of the night. And as much as Bunny hated to admit, her brother was probably a much better guardian than he was.
…..
"Jack…Jack?"
Jack woke with a start to see Emma poking him, looking disgruntled.
"You were snoring." She commented, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"I don't snore." He mumbled sleepily, trying to roll over and go back to sleep.
"Can we have waffles?" she asked.
"Later." He moaned.
She huffed and got out of bed to get dressed. Jack turned over and was about to shut his eyes again when he heard a knock at the door. He panicked and got up, rushing to his room to grab a tank top. He pulled it on as he opened the door and audibly gasped as Cobra Bubbles stood there looking unamused.
"Heard you lost your job." He said the minute he saw Jack.
"Uh…" Jack sputtered, "Well, actually, I just quit that job, because the hours are just not conducive to raising a child and-"
Before he could explain more, Bunny hopped right into the guys face, causing him to jump back in alarm. The rabbit immediately hopped back into the house, looking as though it were chasing something.
"I am so sorry!" Jack yelled in a panic, reaching out, hoping the rabbit didn't hurt the guy, even though he was in charge of trying to take Emma away.
"What was that?" Mr. Bubbles spat, taking his sunglasses off and looking confused.
Emma came over holding her new rabbit and smiling proudly, "Jack got me a new bunny!"
"Really now?" Mr. Bubbles glared at Jack. He cracked his neck, causing Jack to gulp at the noise, "Thus far you have been adrift in the sheltered harbor of my patience Jack, but I cannot tolerate you being jobless. Do I make myself clear?"
"Perfectly." Jack nodded.
Mr. Bubbles then stared with disdain at the rabbit in Emma's arm, "And next time I see that rabbit, I want him to be a model citizen. Capisce?"
Emma stared up at him, confused. Jack merely nodded and shrugged to her.
"Uh... yes?" she tried.
"New job." He pointed to Jack, and then pointed to Bunny, "Model citizen."
Bunny glared at the guy and wiggled his nose as he adjusted himself in Emma's arms.
"You have two days to change my mind about you, Jack. Make them count." Mr. Bubbles warned as he put on his sunglasses, only to have a lens pop out, "Good day." He said as he left.
Emma snorted and then looked up at Jack who sighed as he closed the door. He then looked down at her and Bunny who looked up at Jack guiltily. He hated getting the guy in all this trouble, but those darn fearlings were all over the place and all he could do was try and keep them at bay until reinforcements arrived.
"So…waffles now?" Emma asked innocently and Jack smiled at her.
"Okay. Then you and I have a big day." He agreed.
"What are we gonna do?" she asked.
"I have to look for a new job, and you have to stay out of trouble. Deal?"
She nodded, "I believe in you Jack!"
"Glad somebody does." He sighed as he walked to the kitchen.
Emma looked down at Bunny suddenly, "Why did Mr. Bubbles want you to be a 'model citizen'?" she whispered.
Bunny glared around the room and looked up at her softly, "Don't worry about him, love. He's just jealous that ole Bunny can drop kick better than he can." He smiled.
She giggled, "I wondered why his sunglasses broke. Why'd you kick him?"
"I didn't mean to!" Bunny defended.
"So it was an accident?" she asked.
He nodded, "Yeah, an unhappy accident." He sighed, not wanting to tell her about the fearlings roaming around the house.
"Say, while Jack looks for a job, why don't I teach you about the King."
"Who?" Bunny asked.
"You look like you could be an Elvis fan." She smiled.
"Oh boy." He mumbled, not sure how he felt about what was to come that day.