Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

     If there was one thing he hated, it was waking himself up from a dream at four in the gosh-awful morning.

    He had dreamed about middle school, funnily enough. Warm, sunlit rays lulling him from the teacher’s nonsensical lecture about tomatoes. But when she had sharply reprimanded him with an agitated, “Mr. Connor!” He had felt frustrated embarrassment in his dream, groaning and slamming his face onto his desk.

    Which meant that he had slammed face-first into his wall.

   Stupid moving-in-sleep-tendencies.

    The clock by his bed read 04:23 AM in bright, neon blue. No light seeped through the blinds as a result of the storm outside.

    There was a sharp crash of thunder, the lightning flash illuminating his room in white. The rain came down even heavier, crashing into the foliage outside.

   He shivered as he sat up, the blanket sliding off his torso. When had it gotten so cold? It was only a spring shower, not a winter storm.

    It was freezing, the air sharp and still. He was sure if it wasn’t so dark he would see his breath misting in front of himself.

    Again, thunder rattled the house, just after a nearby streak of lightning. His room illuminated in the flash.

    His breath hitched.

    He strained his eyes in the dark.

   Eventually there was another flash. His silver eyes blown wide and glowing.

    . . .he didn’t remember leaving his door open.

     There was another flash and crash, as the tumultuous storm howled on outside.

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lNerves still shaken from the sudden shift to present reality, Jay had to clench his jaw in attempt to steady his breathing.

fear isn’t the ideal word he would use to describe what he felt, but he had to admit he was at least uncomfortable 

Static made its way through his limbs, dancing along his spine and urging goosebumps to surface along his golden honey skin. 

Time didn’t seem to exist in the way his eyes scanned the room. Straining to see if anything else was out of place, his brain running through the millions of possibilities and trying desperately not to spiral down into anxiety induced insomnia. 

The movement nearly made him jump and once again, though he didn’t remember closing them, his eyes flew open just as another crack of lightning illuminated the room around him. 

He felt the anxiety, like water at a rolling boil, physically settle down. someone turning off the burner raging in the cavities of his chest. The ripples softened as he watched black paws timidly toe at the comforter looked against his ankles. 

With a soft but clear mewl, Simon pawed his way up to the warm spot in the middle of jays chest and settled into a rhythmic purr, dozing off as if he hadn’t nearly given Jay a full blown anxiety attack. 

Slowly He settled back into his sheets, blankets wrapping Simon tucked close to his torso and let his mind wander to tomorrow’s possibilities. 

Chapter Text

    By time Jay woke up, the rain hadn’t changed.

    Some light made its way through, so he knew it was daytime at least, and the still quiet of the house told him that no one was home.

    He got up tentatively, gathering his blanket around his shoulder, and making his way out of his room. He called for Simon, but no pattering paws ran up to him. He assumed that the cat was gone, traveling through the void like most felines were apt to.

    There was a trill of nerves as a crash sounded outside. Jay tried to steady his breathing, muttering, “Probly just the thunder.”

    Or a tree crashing outside, but it doesn’t do to dwell on it.

    He made his way to the kitchen, turning on the kettle. He decides on tea, since coffee will probably just spike his anxiety. And after his stressful night, he’d really rather not.

    At least he didn’t have school today.

   The kettle’s shriek startled him out of his thoughts, and he lost his grip on the tea bag, fumbling to keep it on his hands.

   Of course, inevitably, it feel to the floor. He stares at it despondently. Then, sighing, bent down to get it.

    Of course, Simon then had to come hurtling out of whichever dimensional pocket he had been hiding it and bat it across the kitchen tile, small bobtail waving frantically.

    I have the worst luck, Jay thought.

    His luck wasn’t all run out, though, since there was still some chamomile left. With his steaming mug, and a bowl of cereal, he finally plopped down on the couch, and flipped on the tv, pulling his blanket close.

    It was mostly cartoons or court cases on at this early hour, but he managed to find some Tom & Jerry reruns. Simon even joined him, curling up in his lap after he had set his empty bowl aside.

    Jay was starting to get drowsy; the rain becoming like constant static, melding with the tv sounds. Simon purring. 

    But there was still this uneasy trill coursing through him, anxiety worming along the bottom of his stomach. No matter how comfortable he wanted to be, he just. . .couldnt.

       Thdkk thdkk thdkk!

    Jay came fully awake at the sound of rough knocking at the door.