#jackistein

“Why do I think of a little birdie hitting head first into the sliding glass door?” Henrik tutted as he adjusted his magnifying glass over Jackieboy’s shoulder. Finding the right angle wasn’t easy when Jackie shifted to heave an exasperated sigh, then a hiss as the fragments of glass in his skin shifted with him.

“I would’ve opened the window before I jumped if I had time, trust me. I wasn’t planning to spend the whole afternoon on your table.”

“Ah, but quality time with me is one of your favorite things. Unbroken glasses with something strong after this, yes? Preference?”

“Maybe that dark honey whiskey we had after—agh!” Jackie’s superhuman grip tore the exam table’s padding and his vision went spotty when Henrik took advantage of his distraction and pried the largest shard out. “Hhh…T-That was dirty.”

A/N: Heyo! So, this story is inspired by this amazing art piece, drawn by @rediculous-art! I’ve been wanting to write it for a while (probably a year or so) and I’m so sorry I’m late, but here you go as promised! I hope you like it.

“Hold still, please.” Henrik orders softly, “I am almost done with the stitches.”

“Thanks again, Henrik.” Jackie managed through clenched teeth. He could get beat up, get stabbed or shot, and yet he couldn’t handle thread and needle piercing his skin. Then again, there was so much Henrik could do at home, in the middle of the night. That fact alone made the hero feel guilty. “I’m... I’m sorry for coming in the middle of the night, I know you barely get sleep with your job plus raising Elaine.”

Jackie expected for Henrik to agree, but instead he was met with a gentle smile. Henrik gestured for Jackie to lift his arms so he could start wrapping the bandages around his abdomen. “I do not mind helping a friend in need, and you are my closest friend. I just wish you would have given me more of a heads up.”

“I did give you a heads up.” Jackie winced once the wrapping was done and he let himself lay on the soft cushion of the couch.

“You said it was just a graze.” Henrik said as he put his tools away to then sit down on the floor and pick up his cup of coffee.

“It was!”

“Jackie, you were stabbed.” Henrik observed with a deadpan expression.

The hero scoffs before rolling his eyes. “Well, the knife did graze me.”

Henrik can only chuckle, “But you somehow forgot to mention the stabbing part?”

Both of them laugh together as quietly as they can, though it doesn’t last very long for Jackie since laughing caused him pain. Henrik hums to calm his chuckles but then he goes quiet, sipping on his coffee before turning once more towards the hero. “How did it happen? You are usually very careful— Well, as careful as you can be.”

Jackie lets his eyes drift towards the ceiling, memories of those hunting neon green eyes staring back at him with insanity. His laughter echoing in his mind despite sounding like it came from a broken radio. The glee his new enemy showed as the knife caught him off guard and impaled him. The hero takes a deep breath, shaking those disturbing memories before flashing his signature smile. “I’ve been overworking myself, so the bastard I was fighting took advantage of it.”

Henrik hums once more, taking the hero’s words into consideration. He sighs and then stands. “Well, you spend the night here, yes? Get the rest you have been neglecting.”

Jackie snorts, “You sure your wife won’t mind?”

“Ah, you are part of the family. It will not be any trouble. Holler if you need any more painkillers.” With that said, the doctor started heading up the stairs.

“G’night, Hen!” Jackie whisperes loudly, though, as soon as he said it a cry was heard from upstairs and soon a woman calling for Henrik. Jackie can’t help but flinch, mouthing a ‘sorry’ towards the doctor’s direction. After the doctor disappeared up the stairs Jackie stays awake. He couldn’t sleep, not after finding a whole new treat to his city.

He only hopes that thing, whatever it is, doesn’t find out about his new found family.

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Jackie, texting Schneep: Yo, you’re not ded, right?

Schneep: N-No?

“Really, Jackie, there’s nothing to worry you,” Henrik muttered, sounding half as convincing as he’d hoped as he stumbled past him, digging the heels of his palms into his aching eyes. “You do not have to hover like the vulture at the kill or the mother chicken or whatsoever it is. I’m just...mm...” 

Why couldn’t he think of an excuse? Why did it feel like he was suddenly swimming through tar? Still, he was a good swimmer. If he could just flounder over to his chair, just another few steps --

“Hey, buddy,” Jackie murmured, combing careful fingers through Henrik’s fringe. He startled slightly at the contact, heavy eyes flickering open. It took him a few blinks to focus properly on Jackie’s face but when he did, the hero did his best to force a smile. “Guess who’s back?”

“Nngh…Jackie? Nein. I think…thought…” Half-stifling a whimper, he shivered deeper into his blankets, pressed his face into his dampened pillow. “Nein, is not right. You left town. You will be late for flying…Where is der Kater?”

“Henrik, you’re home. You’re home, you’re safe. It’s me, I swear.”

Comfortember Prompt #2: First Day. Henrik’s first day home after being tortured for nine months was full of flashbacks, terror and doubt. Jackie was his anchor.

Comfortember Prompt #5: Cuddling. After a rough day of fighting crime, Jackie needs close contact to remind himself that the world’s not entirely cruel. Henrik worries about how much of a toll the job takes on him.

His heart felt like it was gonna burst straight out of his chest. The lights above him created a blurred patter as he ran and ran. The hero felt dizzy, nauseous even for this event felt all too familiar. What if... what if Jackie was as too late this time?

No, no time to overthink.

Jackie pressed faster, footsteps echoing down the stretching hallway. If it weren’t for his mask, he wouldn’t have seen the two men hiding behind the walls at the end of the hallway, guns in hand and ready to fire. In a blink, Jackie jumps up the wall, pushing himself side to side to throw them off. He manages to kick one of the men, instantly falling unconscious at the kick. The one behind him fires, hitting his arm. Thanks to the adrenaline pumping through his veins it didn’t bother him, in fact, it made him more pissed.

With a glare that could kill, Jackie takes the gun and twist the barrel with ease, tossing it to the ground with a huff. Seeing the man stumble backwards at what the hero is capable of, and he begins to scramble. He didn’t get far, for Jackie had jumped and pinned him to the ground, knee pressing his lower back as he pulled one of his arms in a way shouldn’t be pulled.

“You have five seconds to tell me where he is.” Jackie said through gritted teeth, “Tell me and I’ll consider not to break your arm, aight? One... Two...”

“Okay! Okay! I’ll tell you!” The man nearly sobbed, “T-The basement— Arrowood k-kept him— AH-!”

“And Arrowood? Where is he?!” Jackie was growing impatient, every second he wasted there could be doing something to his best friend. At the silence Jackie twisted the man’s arm which earned him a scream.

“GONE! H-He’s gone! We j-just wanted the ransom m-money!” He grunted under Jackieboy’s weight. “Why do you even care?! He’s just another rich doctor!”

Those words had Jackie’s blood boiling. His upper lip twitched with anger as he took a fistful of the man’s hair and slammed it against the concrete ground. That alone was enough to knock him out cold. Jackie stands, fits trembling on each side. “Do not disrespect him like that ever again—“ he mumbled before he set off again. It didn’t take him long to find the basement. Jackie didn’t waste time and slammed the door down, and the sight of Henrik sitting tied up to that chair, head hanging low and hair covering his face. Unwanted memories resurfaced but soon enough he shoved them back deep into his mind.

In a blink he is next to him. Relief washing over him as he picked up the ragged breathing. “Hen...?” He whispers before gently placing his gloved hands on his leg. The touch, however, makes the doctor flinch but at the moment that only brought ease to the hero’s heart. “Hen, is just me. You’re safe.”

Henrik’s head slowly tilts up, his hair falling off to the side to let way to his face. The fear in his icy blue eyes slowly dissolving into relief and happiness. “J-Jackie... Yo—You came f-for me...”

Those words... they tug at his heartstrings. Sign that, just like him, the thought of Henrik being taken away again being present in their minds. Despite the hurt, Jackie chuckles softly, “Of course I came for you.”

“I-I did not tell them anything.” Henrik whispered, his voice hoarse from what Jackie can imagine was the screaming. “Th-They know we know each other. They a-asked who else knows... But-But I did not speak—“

“It’s alright, Hen. Save your strength.” Jackie hushed as he ripped the ropes bounding him to the chair, despite the situation Jackie found himself cracking jokes. “You really need to stop getting yourself into trouble.”

As soon as the ropes where gone, Henrik fell forward and onto Jackie. He could feel the consciousness slipping from him and that made him curse. “Hey, hey, this is no time to sleep—” but it was too late, Henrik had let himself be dragged by the void. It didn’t matter, Jackie had already scooped him up in his arms and had already set off where he came from.

“Why is it always you...” he mumbles, sighing with guilt. “I know this is selfish... but I’d rather have to save a civilian than knowing you are in danger. You’ve suffered enough...” his words went unheard, and he was glad they did.

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