Category: Gen
Setting: Right before the Battle of New Bern
Characters/Pairings: Jake Green, Eric Green, Stanley Richmond
Rating/Warnings: T, dark themes
Summary: Maybe he's getting a little to used to being on the wrong end of a gun.
Note: Jake has a lot of guns pointed in his face in this show…
Disclaimer: Neither Jericho nor its characters belong to me.
End of a Gun
"Take it easy, Tom." Jake said calmly, raising his hands in the air. "It's just me."
The seventeen year old let out a shaky breath as he lowered the rifle.
"Warn me next time, would you?" He begged. "I could have shot you!"
Jake just patted the boy on the shoulder and moved into the house, unconcerned with the fact that a gun had just been pointed n his face. To tell the truth, he was getting used to that particular phenomenon. It had become a near daily occurrence since his return to Jericho. Heck, by this point he didn't think there was a single person in the entire town who hadn't pointed a gun in his face.
Was it possible to get used to having guns pointed at you, he wondered? There was still that moment of fear, the thought of "this is it," but it was only a momentary feeling anymore. It had reached the point where he registered it fast and moved on to solving whatever it was that had caused a gun to be pointed in his face. Was that a bad thing? He didn't know. Maybe he should ask Eric. Eric would know.
"Jake? You ok?"
Jake shook his head, blinking thoughts away as he realized he had walked straight past Stanley and Eric without noticing. He gave them a half grin, trying to hide the yawn that threatened to break free.
"Yeah, just a bit tired."
"Why don't you go get some sleep?" Eric suggested, switching the rifle from his right to his left hand. "There's nothing else we can do tonight anyway."
Jake started to argue, but a yawn cut him off. Stanley eyed the bags under his friend's eyes with concern.
"When was the last time you slept?" he asked.
Jake had to think about that one.
"Two days ago?" It was phrased as a question. "Maybe. I can't remember."
"All right." Eric stepped forward and pushed him toward a spare room. "You go to bed."
"But…"
"You're no good to anyone if you can't stay awake, Jake." Eric cut him off, pushing him into the spare room and closing the door before Jake could argue. "Now sleep."
Jake started to open the door, but the couch did look nice. Deciding he would let Eric win just this once, Jake all but collapsed onto the couch. It was only after he had already closed his eyes that he realized he hadn't asked Eric if it was bad to be used to being at the wrong end of a gun.