#schnack

"Easy now, my friend, no need to rush these things." Henrik spoke and watched as Seán took a few steps forward, "We're going to try and walk a little further this time, okay?"

"Oka-" Seán's inhaled sharply, his legs were still shaky and weak, despite how much walking they've been doing. He held onto the IV stand with one hand and gripped Henrik's hand harder with the other.

"I think Evelien is in the recording room, would you like to walk over to her?" Henrik asked and Seán nodded immediately.

"P-Pl'se...." Seán attempted to say, his speech was still a little slurred but he was getting better at it, much to Henrik's relief. They walked as slow as they could down the hall, stopping a few times so Seán could catch his breath.

"We're almost there, just a few more feet." Henrik encouraged and was only met with whimpers and weak gasps from the young man.

"I c-cn't...."

"You can, my friend."

They finally reached the door at the end of the hall and Hernik quietly knocked. A small voice came from within telling them it was open. He quickly opened the door and was met with a smiling face.

"Look who came to see you." Henrik chuckled a little. "This was a small encouragement to get him to walk a little further but he was happy to do so."

"Oh I'm so proud of you, babe!" Evelien jumped up from the chair and ran over, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"E'vlin..." Seán smiled in probably the first time since he's woken up.

Henrik stood frozen in fear at the man standing before him. He knew that this would happen the moment the egos became real, but why now?

 Before him stood Chase Brody, the alter ego designed to kill him. Blood poured from the bullet wound on both sides of his head. A gun held tightly in his hand. His eyes seemed to say ‘no one a save you now.’

 Chase advanced, like a predator stalking its prey. Henrik was a sticking duck. Now they were so close, he could feel Chase’s breath on his face. Still he didn’t move. Why couldn’t he move?

 “So,” Chase spook, his rough voice sending shivers down his spine. “You’re the creator, the one who brought me here.” He tilted his head to the side. “I expected something more.”

 Henrik swallowed, subtly backing up. Chase towered over him. A firm hand on his shoulder made him freeze again.

 “You’re not trying to escape me, are you?” The gun in his hand now pressed to him neck.

 “N-no,” Henrik lied.

 Chase gave a toothy grin, moving the gun away but still leaving it pointed at him. A warning.

 “You’re a lot smaller than I expected,” he dragged his thumb across his bottom lip, “cute. Handsome even. I like you.”

 That small movement with his thumb was affecting Henrik a lot more than he expected. It felt nice, made him long for more.

 Chase was closer now. Almost pressed against him, his voice right by his ear. “It’s funny. I could kill you right now, it’s my job after all, but I don’t want to.”

 He slipped the gun back into his pocket, using his now free hand to fix Henrik’s hair. Now they were eye to eye, so close they could kiss. Chase’s breath against his lips.

 They stood there, Henrik’s anticipation growing, along with a sense of fear. And then Chase pulled away, somehow leaving Henrik breathless and flustered.

 “I’d like to see you around,” was all he said before disappearing.

 Henrik back up into a wall and slid down to the floor, a hand over his mouth. Desperately trying to calm his beating heart.

 He almost kissed me. He almost kissed me. Henrik repeated over and over in his head.

Later that day Henrik was lying on the couch, curled up in a fetal position. Trying to forget this morning's events. Of course Jack noticed something was off. He sat next to him, knitting a scarf.

 “Something on your mind?” he asked, not taking his concentration off his project.

 “N-no,” Henrik said, covering his face to hide his blush.

 “If you say so,” Jack sighed.

 There was silence before he spoke up.

 “Chase almost asked me.”

 Jack hummed. “And that's bothering you?”

 “It’s not that he tired to kiss me, it’s that he didn’t. I wanted him to and I feel bad,” Henrik curled up into a smaller form.

 “Why?”

 Henrik shot up. “What?!”

 “Why does it make you feel bad?”

 “Be-because I’m with you!” he said as if it were obvious, which it was.

 “And? You have feelings for two people, it’s not that uncommon.” Jack’s own cheeks flushed red.  

 “You’re not jealous?”

 “Of course I am, but I know your feelings are out of your control. If I were to act possessive of you and force you away from him, that would be toxic behavior.” He paused a moment to examine his work. “Besides, I may have my own feelings for someone else.”

 Henrik sat up fulling, scooting closer to Jack. There was a comfortable silence while Henrik thought that over.   

 “It seems like most of our conversations are me complaining, you having some amazing insight, and then silence while I think,” he turned to face the other, “How do you do it? How do you have everything together?”

 Jack chuckled. “I don’t have everything together, I just know when I’m down that things will get better. It makes me happy to help others. I don’t know how i do it.”

 “Who are you making that sweater for anyway?” he asked changing the subject.

 “Anti,” Jack admitted, blushing, “I may be harboring my own crush on him.”

 “Heh. Guess this is becoming some kind of poly relationship.” Henrik laughed.

 “I think that sounds great. The more the merrier after all.” Jack joined him laughing.

 “Let’s have a date tonight, we should invite Chase and Anti along and see where it goes.”