Jasper thinks he's subtle, Henry thinks he's straight, and Charlotte thinks they're both idiots.
She's pretty much been the only one between them with a sliver of common sense. Jasper is a hopeless romantic nutcase, and Henry- Henry's so far back in the closet he hasn't even realized he's bisexual yet. It's exhausting to witness.
Henry and Jasper have been circling around each other as long as she's known them, like literally from the moment she first saw them.
They had been sitting on opposite sides of the same tire swing, kicking their feet off the ground, wrapping the chains around and around as tight as they could go. Then, they lifted their legs in the air and let their feet fly out in an insane spiral.
It was Jasper's scream that caught Charlotte's attention from across the playground, she thought the poor kid was gonna spew chucks all around. She believed it would be better to stay at a distance, away from the potential splash zone, or at least that's what she told herself to subside that sinking envy.
If you asked her, she'd never admit to being jealous of them. However, watching them reminded her that she had no one, while this duo seemed to be cosmically attached at the hip like they were made for each other.
She desperately wanted friends like that but felt like the people in Swellview didn't want her.
Charlotte had no idea what she was getting into when she moved here. This city dynamic was much different from her old home; the kids here shunned her for being smart. She was praised sometimes, but only by the teachers or staff who wanted to use her intelligence to shame others without it.
This made getting new friends so hard at first; all the other elementary school kids thought she was a snob who believed she was better than them when she just loved learning. This resulted in her being an outcast by nearly all the children in their fourth-grade class.
She chose to eat lunch in the library; being by the books made her feel less alone. She never truly was, though. Those same boys she watched play on the tire swing watched her back… though they were less subtle.
They didn't just follow her to the library; they followed her around the classroom and every corner of the playground, getting closer and closer each time. Charlotte spotted them right away but chose to ignore their muffled giggling from behind the bookcases, the pointing from across the hall, and the whispers they shared by the water fountain.
Charlotte assumed it was some childish inside joke, racist remark, or some other kind of bullying. It wasn't until she pulled a book off the shelf in the library and caught them red-handed, blinking at her in horror from the other side.
Jasper froze, "Maybe if we are real still, she won't notice us."
"I dunno, Jasp," Henry whispered in a panic, "I think she can see us."
"Of course, I can see you." Charlotte snapped dryly, tucking the book under her arm, "What do you want from me?"
"Uh…" Henry mumbled, smacking Jasper in his side, "You ask her."
"Can't." Jasper strains, barely moving his lips, "Gotta… hold still."
Charlotte and Henry looked at each other, eyes rolling in sync, as they both yelled, "We can still see you."
Jasper sighed, shoulders drooping, "Man, I thought that would work."
"Why are you guys following me?" Charlotte asked, getting more annoyed, "What do you want?!"
Jasper and Henry started whispering between themselves again, hushed panic murmurs as they hit each other and urged the other to speak.
Their bickering distracted them enough for her to walk around the bookshelf without them noticing. She came up behind them, clearing her throat loudly, "Am I going to need to smack a boy?"
They both screamed, but Jasper flinched dramatically and clung onto Henry the second they both turned around to face her.
"Ahgha!" Jasper squealed, burying his face into Henry's neck, "Henry… She's scary."
Henry nodded, whispering back, "All girls are."
Charlotte crossed her arms, "I can get scarier."
"Okay, okay." Henry insisted sharply, patting Jasper's head, "I got this."
Jasper retreated behind him, repeating, "Yeah, you got this."
Henry steps forward, gaze staring directly into hers, mouth gaping open and close as he tries to form some sort of coherent sentence, but nothing comes out.
Charlotte pointed out, "You're not talking."
"Okay, well, yeah." Henry agreed, scowling, "I'm letting my eyes do the talking."
She retorted, "Yeah, and they said, duhhhh dud-de-duuur."
"Okay, well, you know what," Henry huffed, throwing his finger up in the air, "You're like- really, really, smart!" Henry hesitated, "And- we… uh… Jasper and I were wondering if um… what we were wondering again, Jasp?"
"Help us!" Jasper screamed, falling to his knees in front of her, "You're our only hope. We'll do anything, pleassssssse!"
She tilted her head as she looked down at him, "I'm not doing your homework for you."
"Psh," Henry scoffed, "This is way more important than homework."
Charlotte narrows her eyes suspiciously, "Okay? What do you need help with then?"
"Henry," Jasper called out, tugging on his arm, "We have to show her."
Henry took a dramatic intake of breath and reached for his bag, "I'm not sure if she's ready."
Charlotte raised a brow, "I'm about ready to leave."
Jasper shakes him, "Hennnnn."
"Okay, okay." Henry swats him away, lifting his head to face her, "What we are about to show you is our most prized possession, and we are trusting you with it…"
Charlotte and Jasper looked at each other before blinking back at Henry with anticipation, only for him to stay silent.
They both groaned, "Dude."
"Sorry," Henry shrugged, unzipping his bag, "I was pausing for dramatic effect."
Charlotte rolled her eyes and watched as he slid out a 'secure' folder. He cradled it to his chest like it was worth the world before slowly handing it to her. She took it apprehensively, feeling an unusual sense of pride at the notion that these two strangers trusted her enough with something so valuable to them.
They stared nervously as she opened it. It was a comic book, Captain Man's Super Sweet Adventures, issue #07, the newest addition at the time.
"This is…?" She trailed off, "Your prized possession?"
"Don't make fun of it. Captain Man is the coolest superhero ever!" Jasper insisted with a frown, rising up. "Maybe you were right, Hen. She's not ready."
"Ready for what?" Charlotte asked, dropping her hand on her hip, "This is a glorified picture book; any first grader could read it."
"Well, we can't!" Henry snapped, his face burned in embarrassment. "We don't know how to read, but you're the smartest person in school; we figured if anyone could read, it be you."
"Yea… We've already looked at all the pictures," Jasper said, shifting his shoes against the floor. "We just wanted to know what Captain Man was saying for once."
That's when Charlotte realized that they were just as afraid of judgment as she seemed to be.
"Oh." She murmured, "...You guys can't read?"
"Yeah, so what?" Henry snapped, "Not everyone can be a super smarty pants like you."
Charlotte clarified, "I never said you were dumb."
"The teachers do…" Jasper pouts, "They say our- uh… gen- genork- "
"Generation?" Charlotte supplied, "Our generation?"
"Yeah," Jasper nodded, "Is lazy, so it not worth teaching us."
"That's not right!" Charlotte huffed, "That's a lame excuse for the teachers not to do their job. If anyone is lazy it's them."
"Uh.. yeah whatever." Henry shrugged, "So, will you do it?"
"Read it for us!" Jasper squeaked again, jumping closer as he prepared to drop to the ground and grovel again, "Pleasssssss-"
"I'll read for you!" Charlotte cut him off in a panic, stopping him with a wave of her hand before he could fall to the floor, "I'll do it, if you just don't do-" she paused, gesturing to all of him, "That."
Jasper's face lit up, "For realsies?"
"Sure." Charlotte agreed, glancing down at the comic book in her hand, "I don't mind."
"Yippy!" Jasper squealed and plopped down in front of her, eager to listen.
Henry squealed, too, but only because Jasper decided to drag him down with him. He didn't mind though. Henry's defensive attitude melted away the second he saw how happy his best friend became.
Henry wrapped his arm around Jasper's shoulder, pulling him closer as he excitedly exclaimed, "Dude, we are finally gonna find out what Captain Man said to No-Nose before he broke his nose!"
Charlotte cocked her head, "Wait, how did he break his nose if he has no-nose?"
Jasper bared a wild grin, raising his eyebrows, "No one, knows~"
To be honest, Charlotte doesn't remember how Ray ended up defeating the villain, or how he broke the nonexistent nose. She only recalls the way Jasper asked her to make voices, and she tried and sounded terrible.
Yet, the boys thought it was the funniest thing in the world, and she found their laughter contagious. They've been making her laugh ever since.
"Ya know," she said hesitantly, closing the comic book. "I'd read it for you guys again… if you wanted."
They looked at each other knowingly and started whispering, making Charlotte even more nervous as she anticipated their response.
Henry smiled over to Jasper, "You were right, Jasp."
"Yeah," Jasper nodded, "She's totally ready."
Charlotte glanced between them, "... Ready for what?"
"Ready to be our friend." Henry declared.
She'd never forget the feeling of acceptance bubbling in her chest when she heard them say that. For the first time in a long time, she wasn't alone, and she knew she would never be alone again. Charlotte paid them back; the only way she knew how was by trying to help them learn. This started with teaching them how to read and write.
It came easier to Jasper. He was fascinated by the world. He wasn't thrilled by academics like Charlotte was, but he loved all sorts of niche things. He learned to read by absorbing useless fact after useless fact.
Henry struggled more, partly because he didn't get diagnosed with dyslexia until way later in his life. He only made himself learn because Jasper was doing it, but hated the way he couldn't keep up. Henry was always sorta insecure- and probably still feels like not knowing things makes him stupid or something, so he rejects knowledge with the claim that it is uncool.
Henry always cared too much about what other people thought of him, which only worsened when they entered junior high. He subconsciously absorbed all the hallway hierarchy rules. The biggest one being that anything sensitive like showing your emotions would get you labeled as gay, the worst pre-teen insult in the world. He learned from society rather than Charlotte and chose to choke down his feelings instead of acknowledging what they meant.
So, because he cannot read the messages in his own mind, Henry falls behind Jasper again.
Like literally, Jasper is way ahead of them.
He hasn't slowed himself at all since he decided to declare a race, he's at least fifty feet in front of them, still sprinting down the street.
"Jeez," Henry groans, his gaze trained on Jasper's backside. "He does know we aren't actually racing, right?"
Charlotte glances over to him and shrugs, "I don't think that matters to him."
Henry twists his lip and nods, "Right."
They both know Jasper didn't deserve Henry lashing out like that.
Charlotte can't help but be sympathetic but also a little disappointed. This is just how Henry is sometimes. His pattern is to deflect like crazy when he's uncomfortable. When he can't, he gets mean instead. That usually is a tell that he's mad at himself and making it everyone else's problem.
Charlotte sighs and returns her gaze to Jasper. He's always been pretty good at brushing it off, but then again, he's harder to read than Henry is. When he wants to be, Jasper is the most open person she's ever met. However, simultaneously, he's also the most closed-off person she's ever been around.
This is different; this is a moment when he's closed. No one else seems to notice the way Jasper hides in the noise. He uses these spontaneous actions and wild antics - like this one-sided race- as a distraction or a way to fuel his emotions into entertainment for others.
Jasper skids to a stop at the edge of the sidewalk, hands pumping in the air as he turns around, "Whooo!" He cheers breathlessly, "I won!"
Charlotte glances at Henry, who looks equally confused. They call back in unison, "What?!"
Jasper pants out another whooping, saying something too incoherent to understand, "I did it!"
"I can't hear him," Charlotte sighs, glancing over to Henry, "Can you?"
Henry shakes his head, "Not a word."
Charlotte gives him a thumbs-up, and an exaggerated nod, hoping he can see it from the distance. Jasper waves them off as he curls into himself, pressing his hands against his knees as he tries to catch his breath.
"Yup," Jasper winces, "I'll just wait here… by myself."
Ugh, he really shouldn't have run on an empty stomach or in jeans. This was a terrible idea, his head feels heavy and his eyes are stinging. This is the most suckiest sucky thing he's ever done.
Jasper was just trying to outrun his hurt but only managed to make himself feel worse. He's coming to that sinking realization that he didn't completely bury the part of him that allowed him to feel humiliation like he thought he had.
It seems like his whole existence seems to be a never-ending embarrassment.
People have said things behind his back his whole life, crazy rumors, unbelievable stories, and then there's all the crazy stuff he used to still does for attention… but he never let it get to him, or at least not on the outside.
He's feeling it now, churning in his stomach. The shame boiled out every pore of skin as he recalls the way Henry looked him in the eye and said he wasn't worth loving.
God, this hurts.
Jasper is used to not being liked, and he's certainly no stranger to not being loved either—but that never mattered because Henry loved him.. is he's the only person in Jasper's life who has ever vocalized the words 'I love you' to him.
This is how he knows Henry couldn't have meant that. Henry wouldn't have meant that which means Henry definitely didn't mean that. He just so happens to have a fibbing habit which makes him a well-established liar. He had to have been lying, right?
It's easier to believe than to imagine the alternative, which is that no one loves him.
Uh oh. He's gonna be sick.
Jasper abruptly leans into a nearby bush, hand clutching his abdomen as he starts to dry heave. It didn't matter that he had barely any food in his system, something was coming up anyway. His body demanded it. He started vomiting stomach acid. It burned through his throat before it left his body, leaving nothing but sweat and bile dripping from his lips.
Henry fidgets with the sleeve of his sweatshirt before he realizes it isn't his—it's Jasper's. It smells like him, and it's warm like him, too… Henry doesn't deserve to be wearing it.
Everything is so messed up.
"It's a good thing Jasper stopped before turning onto storefront street," Charlotte notes as they start to catch up, "The cameras might've caught him otherwise."
Henry mindlessly nods, "Sure."
"So," she starts again, "Have you made a plan yet? What are you going to say to him?"
Should he be making a plan? What is he gonna say to Jasper? Will a sorry even cut it? Would Henry even mean it?
"Hmm?" Henry pales, "Him- like him- him?"
"Him as in Ray." She clarifies, "What's your plan to pick a fight?"
"Oh, yeah." Henry clicks his tongue nervously, "Gotcha, that him."
"Hen," Charlotte's expression softens, "Are you thinking about Jasper?"
No. Yes- but like, not because he wants to. It's just hard for him not to. That stupid muffin had him clinging to Jasper like a dog in heat, making the already complicated thing even more complicated.
Henry didn't mean to be so harsh but he couldn't let Jasper think it was real. He just wishes he didn't have to hurt his best friend's feelings in the process.
"No," Henry answers firmly.
"Really?" Charlotte questions skeptically, "Because if I were hypothetically roofied into loving one of my best friends mysteriously, I might hypothetically get uncomfortable after the effects wear off." She hypothetically claims, "I may have even hypothetically lashed out and said something hurtful toward my friend. If I hypothetically did I might be worrying about the potential ramifications it could hypothetically have on that relationship."
Henry's face twists in irritation, "Yo, that's my shtick."
Charlotte crosses her arms, "Wow. That's all you got from what I said?"
"I don't need you telling me how I should 'hypothetically' be feeling."
Charlotte retorts, "Maybe if you stopped suppressing every thought of empathy I wouldn't need to spoon-feed it to you."
"Hey," Henry corrects her, "I'm a very empathetic person."
Charlotte nods, "True, until validating someone else's feelings means you must admit you did something wrong."
Henry scowls, "But I didn't do anything wrong."
He really believes he didn't… not really. Sure, he was a dick- but it needed to be said. Henry isn't in love with Jasper, and he never will be.
"You don't think there's anything wrong with telling Jasper he isn't worthy of love?"
"That's not what I said, I just said that h- he'd…" He stammers, regret bubbling in his throat, "He'd be the last person I'd choose to fall in love with."
"To him," Charlotte points out, "That's the same thing."
"Why is that my fault?" Henry groans, "Why- why does he care so much about what I say?! It's like he depends on me to be happy or something. It's- it's not fair that everything I do affects him so much." His voice strains slightly, "I just- I just can't…" keep hurting him, "...deal with this."
Charlotte's expression shifts subtly, "If that's how you feel- like really feel, then maybe you should distance yourself from him."
Henry scoffs again, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means what it means. If you honestly think that about Jasper, then you're right. You shouldn't be friends."
"Woah!" Henry breathes, "Why would you say that?"
Charlotte shrugs nonchalantly, "Why not?"
"Because—because Charlotte," he stammers, offended. "He's my oldest friend, and I—I…"
Charlotte supplies, "Need him as much as he needs you."
"Yeah, exactly!" He agrees as if it were obvious, "I need him."
… Oh.
"Wait.. that's not what I.." Henry stammers, features twisting in a panic, "I don't need - need Jasper- I just- can't lose him, but It's not like that." He insists, "I'm not into Jasper the way he's hypothetically into me."
Charlotte puts her hand on her hip, "I never said it was like that."
"Okay, well- " He huffs, tilting his head, "You were probably thinking it."
"I wasn't," She counters, "Were you?"
Henry's cheeks burn, "Gah, get your mind outta the gutter, woman."
"My mind wasn't-" Charlotte starts, voice cutting off, "Oh, god, what is he doing?"
He follows her gaze to Jasper, who looks like he is getting to second base with some poor, unsuspecting bush. Henry shrugs, stepping closer, "It looks like he's getting freaky with that foliage."
She glares at him in disbelief, "Yeah, okay, and my mind is in the gutter?"
There's a faint sound coming from his best friend in the distance; Henry picks up his pace and gets close enough to hear the painful force of his vomiting fully.
"Bro, be barfing." Henry states, "I wonder if why?"
Charlotte pushes him forward, "Go comfort him."
"Ugh, why me?" Heney whines, pretending to be reluctant, "I don't wanna deal with Jasper puke."
Charlotte crosses her arms, "Henry, go."
"Okay, okay," Henry gives in, raising his hands in surrender, "I'm going, jeez."
Henry allows himself to move forward, distancing himself and Charlotte as he moves to Jasper's side. His palm instinctively falls to his best friend's lower back. "Yo, dude," he calls softly, palm circling. "You, okay?"
He feels Jasper tense against his touch, his eyes fluttering in confusion as he meets Henry's concerned gaze. "Oh, hey."
Henry frowns as he studies Jasper's face; it's dripping with sweat, and his skin is sickeningly pale. Is this his fault?
"Hey, buddy," He repeats anxiously, "Are you okay?"
Jasper removed his face from the bush, gently pushing back Henry's hand as he straightened up, expression shifting entirely. Even Henry can tell his smile is fake.
"Yeah, totally." Jasper answers smugly, wiping his hand across his lips, "I beat you."
"Nah," Henry cringes, "It looks like you beat you."
"Uh, yeah. I just- uh," Jasper starts, stalling for an answer when he reaches up to brush back his sticking bangs, making his fingers tug at the flower crown on the top of his head, "It's my allergies, I'm actually allergic to carnations. They make my head feel heavy, and I get a little nauseous."
Henry frowns as he glances at his floral creation that Jasper somehow managed to keep on this whole time, vaguely remembering making it in the first, "Then take it off."
Jasper shakes his head, "I don't wanna."
"Well, since I made it, it's mine." He claims, holding his hand out, "So, gimmie."
Jasper blinks down at his palm before glancing back up to meet his gaze. Henry notes that there isn't an ounce of common sense behind those beautiful blue eyes, only a storming spit, "Actually, since you made it for me. It's mine. No takesy backsies."
Henry groans, "Seriously, dude?"
"Yeah," Jasper mocks, "Seriously, bro."
Henry rolls his eyes, "Duude."
"Broo."
"Duuude."
"Brooo."
"Duuuude."
Henry's been through this before; they could easily throw out a dozen more 'dudes' and 'bros' before either gives in. Jasper's stubborn streak is showing. Henry knows that he's not backing down anytime soon, meaning there's absolutely no way to get him to give up that stupid crown willingly.
So, Henry takes a lunge for it, nearly getting it in his grasp before Jasper's hand centers his chest, pushing back against him.
"Broooooo." Jasper croaks, ducking his head back to avoid Henry's persistent hands from snatching his flowery attire, "Stop it."
"No!" Henry insists, leaning further into Jasper, straining even harder to reach that dumb crown, "It's making you sick."
"I don't care!" Jasper shouts, kneeing Henry in the abdomen, making Henry recoil as he slightly tumbles over. "You gave it to me; it's mine. I love it. You can't just give me something to love and take it back."
The pain in Henry's stomach sinks lower when he realizes Jasper's not talking about the flower crown anymore… maybe he's not talking about it either.
Henry averts his gaze, "You shouldn't love things that hurt you."
"It doesn't hurt me—it just makes me dizzy," Jasper argues, huffing, "I just—I just…" He bites his tongue, trying to find the right words. "I love things that make me happy."
Henry's chest tightens.
He wants to argue, but he knows absolutely nothing about love. Henry's knowledge is built on stupid stereotypical movie tropes. Deep down, he didn't even think it was real- yet… it's all Henry can see in Jasper's eyes.
This is too much. Henry makes another grab for the crown. Finally, he grasps it off his flower crown and flings it across the street like a frisbee.
Jasper's eyes widen as it glide through the air before falling to the ground. His jaw falls slack with shock as it lands on the street, his mouth unable to form any words, heart-shattering when a van runs over it, flattening it into pieces in the pavement.
"Sorry, Jasp," Henry mumbles, shrugging, "but sometimes, even the things that make us happy aren't good for us."
Jasper blinks once, slowly, his eyes flickering between the flattened flowers and Henry's face. His mind takes several long moments to process what happened before his shock morphs into a flash of hurt. His eyebrows knit together as he scowls, "Hey, Rude!"
"Whatever, dude." Henry shoots back, trying to ignore the pang of guilt he feels. " I shouldn't have made it in the first place. It was making you sick; I did you a favor."
Jasper crosses his arms, "It's still not nice!"
Charlotte contemplates letting them continue to duke it out right there and power through all that angsty sexual tension, but in the end, "We don't have time for this."
Henry jumps back, letting out a loud, startled shriek, "Oh my god!"
"Char," Jasper gasps, clutching his chest, "Stop being so sneaky!"
Her expression deadpans, "I've been here the whole time. It's not my fault you guys keep forgetting that I'm here."
Henry mumbles, "Okay, Charlotte, but it's still creepy."
"He's got a point." Jasper nods, "You're so quiet, it's sinister."
"Wow." She's not even quiet. They're so busy being preoccupied with each other that she becomes invisible to them. "This is what makes you guys stop fighting?"
"We haven't stopped." Henry informs, "This is like a temporary pause."
"Yeah," Jasper agrees, "It's like a truce, so we can mutually insult you, together."
"In true sportsmen like fashion," Henry claims, "You wouldn't get it because you're not a team player."
Her eyes roll. Is he serious?
"Oh my god." Charlotte groans, pinching the bridge of her nose, "Guys we don't have time for this."
"There's always time for fighting." Henry snorts, "That should be our official motto or something."
"We already have an official motto." Jasper points out, "It's 'Captain Man is the coolest hero ever, and everyone should listen to him because he's so handsome and not at all old.'"
Hmm, wow. Ray was telling the truth about that.
"No way. Ray did not make that the official motto- or of course he did because he's Ray." Henry groans, "Where did you hear that?"
"It's on the placard in his bathroom." Jasper explains with a shrug, "Ray made me memorize it when I got hired. Did you guys not have to do that?"
"No." Henry shakes his head, "Why would he have that in his bathroom?"
Charlotte attempts to interject, "Guys- "
"I dunno." Jasper cuts her off, pondering, "He probably recites it every time he takes a waz or something."
"Seriously," Charlotte tries to speak again, "We shouldn't be-"
"Ah, that makes sense." Henry continues, "Kinda like how he practices pick-up lines in the mirror when he washes his hands."
"Huh," Jasper hums in surprise, "I didn't know he washed his hands. Good for him."
"Hey!" Charlotte shouts, waving her hands between them, "While you guys are here talking about what Ray does in the bathroom, that muffin-boppin' bitch is still in the man cave, doing god knows what because we haven't stopped her yet!"
"Alright, jeez." Jasper responds, glancing over to Henry, "It looks like someone's cranky."
"I know, right?" Henry snickers back, "She should've just said something."
Charlotte's eye twitches, her expression twisting in rage. She's gonna kill them.
They both scream out in surprise as she abruptly grabs them by the collars of their shirts and yanks them down to her height.
Her gaze stares threateningly into theirs, making them blink in horror she speaks, "Now, are you gonna behave?" She asks, her tone shifting in that scary way that makes them both shiver, "Or am I gonna need to slap a boy?"
"Yes, Ma'am." Henry answers, swallowing hard, "We'll behave."
"Spare me," Jasper pleads, flinching back, "I'm a good boy."
"For the record," Henry adds, "I'm also a good boy."
She holds them there for a moment, glancing back and forth between their faces. "Fine," she agrees, releasing them, "But push my buttons again, and I'll push you both down a flight of stairs."
Henry nods frantically, "Understood."
"As you wish, supreme deity. We loyally await your instructions."Jasper swears dramatically, saluting her, "You are a goddess among men; we are nothing but mere mortals who humble ourselves to be at your service."
That's more like it.
She gives him a mixed look of amusement and annoyance. Henry, however, just looks irritated. His face pinches, and he makes an obnoxious gag in response. It's astounding how Henry fails to notice how much he hates it when Jasper compliments anyone but him.
"Dude," He sneers, "You need to stop watching so many bad rom-coms."
Jasper steps back slightly insulted, "I don't watch bad rom-coms, I only watch good rom-coms. Like, Princess Bride, it's one of the-"
"Best movies in the world, we know." Henry cuts him off, rolling his eyes, "But shuttttt up, Charlottes gonna tell us her super dope plan."
"Yeah, the 'goddess' is speaking now." She says smugly, slightly satisfied by the way Henry groans in response, "The first thing we have to do is find a way to get into the man-cave without Gwen seeing us on the man-cams."
"Pshh," Jasper waves off nonchalantly, "That's easy."
Wow, cocky and probably wrong.
"Oh really?" Charlotte asks skeptically, "How?"
"The air duct in the alleyway." Jasper explains, "It has a straight path down to Storage Facility J."
"Nah, that won't work." She counters, shaking her head, "There are cameras outside the alley."
"Nope." Jasper insists with a smirk, "Not since I disabled them."
He what?!
"hMM?" Henry hums, cocks his head, "Repeat that, big dawg?"
"I said," Jasper starts with an exaggerated sigh, "I turned off the cameras in the alley."
"WhAt?" Charlotte croaks in concern, "Why the hell would you disable the cameras? That's a huge security risk!"
Jasper just shrugs as if his reasoning is reasonable, "So you guys can't find me when we play hide and seek, obviously."
"Oh, bud… we don't actually try to find you." Henry winces, "It's a bit."
Jasper waves his hand dismissively with a sheepish scoff, "No, yeah- I definitely knew that. I was- I was just- I was just playing along."
Charlotte can tell immediately that his response is off. The pang of remorse she feels is overwhelmed by her annoyance. "I- you- gah!" She stammers, resisting the urge to strangle him. "I'm gonna ignore your insanity for now because I don't see any other option, but boy you better reactivate those cameras after all this is over."
Jasper throws his head back, "Ugggh, fine."
Henry is surprised by how fast Jasper seems to unfasten the bolts on the air duck panel off the outer brick wall. It looks like he's done this before… lots of times, probably.
"How do you even know about this place?" He questions.
"Oh," Jasper gives him a shrug in response, "Ray made me memorize the mancave blueprints when he hired me. Did you guys not have to do that?"
"No," Henry answers, "Dude, I bet Ray was hazing you or something by giving you a whole bunch of extra work. I didn't even know Junk-N-Stuff had an alley."
"This is where the dumpsters are," Charlotte points out, "Have you not taken out a single bag of trash since working here?"
"What, nooo. Of course, I take it out…" Henry answers, slightly annoyed, "...with lasers."
Charlotte doesn't look too impressed, so he turns to Jasper for approval. However, he seems to be more focused on the panel screws than anything else. It takes Jasper a second before he smiles and offers a small "Nice."
"I know, right." Henry says too enthusiastically, "Who needs to worry about trash when we have laaaasers."
"Huh?" Jasper frowns, prying the air duck off the wall, "What?"
Henry's face flushes in embarrassment when he realizes Jasper is talking to himself, celebrating unscrewing that last bolt, "Oh, it was nothing." He frowns, not knowing why that bothers him, "Huh, that came off quickly."
"Yeah." Jasper nods, standing back to give them some space. "It's a straight crawl for about five feet, then it drops down. Be careful, though; it's kind of scary at first."
"Pssh," Henry dismisses quickly, crawling inside, "I'm not afraid of a little drop." He insists as he starts to crawl inside, "I'm a superhero; I've done way scarier things."
Sure, the vent is a little cramped, but he's been in worse situations; this is easy-
He drops.
The wind rushes past his ears, and his hair flies above him as he shoots down. He tries to stop himself instinctively, but his arms are flailing and failing. His nails harshly scratch against the metal; it's the second loudest sound after his echoing screams.
Henry feels his stomach lurch as he free-falls, the metal rushing past his vision. He feels a pit form in his stomach, his heart skipping beats, and adrenaline pumping through his body, fear taking over his mind.
He thrashes around, his arms slapping against the vent, the deafening sound of his shouts ringing in his ears as he panics a little, desperately trying to find something to brace himself with, but he's dropping too fast.
Henry collides hard at the bottom but bounces slightly over whatever is cushioning his fall. "Holy fuck-!" He curses, heart racing, "That was not a little drop!" he hisses through gritted teeth, looking up at the vent shaft from which he fell.
He tries to catch his breath and slow his heart, but the adrenaline continues to run, his mind whirling from the shock. But before he can take in his surroundings or calm his quickening breath, he hears Charlotte flying down after him. Henry bolts up as quickly as he can, barely managing to catch her as she drops from the ceiling.
"Hey, hey, I got you," He assures her, his voice gentle and steady. He gives her a quick once-over to check for injuries. " Are you good?"
"I'm good." Charlotte pants, clinging to his arm, trembling slightly, "Thanks."
"No problem." He returns, equally as stunned as he sets her down, "That was insane."
"Are we on a bed?" Charlotte points out, looking at the bare mattress below their feet.
Henry glances down at the soft mattress beneath their feet, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. He reaches out a hand, his fingers running over the fabric. It's old and ratty, but it's definitely a mattress.
"I think so?" Henry answers, running a hand through his messy hair. "Why would there be a bed down here?" he asks, avoiding the blankets piled on the floor beside it as he steps off. Do you think Invisible Brad is back?"
Charlotte frowned; something about her expression made Henry feel unsettled. "Look over there."
Henry's gaze follows her finger as she points to an old bucket. It's old, old, its handle is completely covered in rust, and the metal is entirely discolored into a dark, musty shade of rust. "That could be like- any old bucket." Henry says, immediately countering her silent conclusion, "We don't know if it's Jasper's; that could still be Invisible Brad's, right?"
Charlotte doesn't look convinced, "I suppose."
It has a smiley face carved into its side, and Henry immediately knows the bucket belongs to Jasper. Yet, he'd rather believe this from Invisible Brad: "It doesn't make sense. Why would he even be sleeping down here anyway?"
Charlotte's features twist in a deep focus, "I don't know."
Henry picks up the nearby bucket and investigates it further. His heart sinks even further as he stares at a couple of granola bars and bottles of water inside— He looks around at the setup - the bucket, the old mattress, the drinks, and the non-perishable food. It's almost like Jasper's been... camping down here?
But why?
Henry turns his attention back to the air duct above them as he hears it shake. This is the only indication that Jasper's coming down because, unlike them, he's not screaming the entire time. Jasper made that whole drop look easy, look like it was nothing. It's probably because he's done it a thousand times.
"Whoo!" Jasper squeals as he rolls out and gives a breathlessly wide smile before his eyes widen, and he clutches his stomach. "Oooph. That did not help me tummy."
"Uh huh," Henry mutters, setting down the bucket, "I almost pissed my pants on the way down."
"Well, it is a mile-and-a-half fall." Jasper points out, fingers wiggling in the air as he reaches up for Henry and Charlotte to heave him up. They exchange a quick glance before grabbing one of Jasper's hands and hoisting him up, pulling him to his feet.
Henry returns Charlotte's gaze before he glances back at Jasper, his eyes flickering over to the mattress they're standing on and then back to the bucket that could very likely be his. "Hey, Bud," he says slowly, "Can I ask you something?"
Jasper grins as he stands up, dusting himself off, "Sure, Hen?"
Henry hesitates momentarily, struggling to find the right way to phrase his question, "Uh... we were wondering," he begins, his eyes flickering towards Charlotte and then back to Jasper, "If-"
"You knew how to get to the man cave from here?" Charlotte cuts him off, earning a confused glance from Henry, "Ya know, since we can't use the tubes without the sound it makes, alerting Gwen."
"That was not what I was gonna ask." He huffs, but Charlotte's glare shuts him up, "Actually, you're right; that totally was my question."
"Uh, yeah, it's this way." Jasper says, plucking a granola bar out of the bucket as he walks towards the doorway, "We are a couple of floors down; it's like six flights of stairs up."
Charlotte pulls Henry's arm, "Lead the way, Jasp."
Jasper exhales a breath. He's not oblivious to the tension, but he chooses to act blissfully ignorant. He 'mindlessly' enjoys eating his granola bar as he can feel their silent questioning stares and how they bite back the urge to ask about his little setup.
Truth is, he found this place in one of his many one-sided hide-and-seek games with Henry. He figured out fairly quickly that his friends don't actually seek him. Jasper may be dumb, but he's not stupid. He quickly learned to use the game to his advantage.
Henry has always been too lazy to look, and Ray thinks it's hilarious that Jasper still innocently 'believes' he is being seeked. They both let him remain unfound for hours; they think they're getting a break from him, but really, he's the one who needs the break.
All he has to do to escape Ray's smug orders and grunt labor is suggest a game. Then, while they laugh at his expense, he gets to decompress.
He gets tired.
It's probably wrong of him, but he thinks of this place as his own. It's the only space he has for himself. His house felt more like a war zone than a home, and he could only steal so much comfort from the Hart residence.
He just needs to be alone sometimes, but now that's over. It's a fair trade to save Ray, but Jasper can't help but feel the loss of his only shred of privacy. He knows it's really selfish; Ray is in danger, and instead of focusing on that, he's sad about losing a safe space that was never really his to begin with.
Get it together, Dunlop.
"We're here," Jasper whispers, pointing up toward the door, "This takes us directly to the main floor of the mancave."