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It was an unusually cold night, the waxing moon obscured partially by passing clouds. The small breeze blowing through the brush made for a paranoid mind, and as a branch snapped close by, Jake's tired eyes shot open in immediate reflex.
Sitting up in place, he scanned his surroundings, just as he did before he had laid down for some much needed rest. He was very much ready to scurry away into the forest like an animal of the night, until a very familiar yelp sounded to his left, and a stumbling Dwight emerged from the trees. Jake sighed heavily, his nerves settling as the air left his lungs. The bespectacled Dwight twisted himself back into balance, pushing his glasses back to the bridge of his nose. "Sorry Jake... I didn't mean to startle you," he started. Jake prepared himself for the inevitable string of apologies. "I couldn't see too well, so I kind of tripped.. Anyways, I- uh. Well, I came out here since I was feeling a bit.." Jake's brow perked up, curious as to what brought Dwight to...well, himself.
He argued with himself for a brief moment. Being alone out here was alright with Jake. More than alright. Preferred, even. But, lately... It seems he's found a new comfort in companionship. Especially within Dwight. Perhaps in the beginning, he thought quite differently of the selfless leader, believing that his give-all attitude was just temporary kiss-assery to assign himself a title. All too familiar behavior for Jake. But Dwight had gradually proved otherwise, his encouraging, good-hearted actions making it easy for him to carve a mark into Jake's unconscious heart.
He shook his head and rested his forehead on a open palm. What was he thinking..?
Jake's lips moved before he could bite them shut. "Are you lonely?"
Dwight's eyes shot from his fingers twisting around each other, to the man who had just exposed him in less than thirty seconds of his arrival. He tore his gaze away, instead opting to drill holes into the nearby foliage. "...Yeah." In the end, he couldn't bring himself to lie. Not after he had filled himself with all the courage he could to go off the beaten path to find the isolated survivalist. "I am. I thought you wouldn't mind if I came out here too..? I'll be quiet," he bargained, knowing too well that Jake could easily change his mind about his company.
Jake felt his lips curl upwards just the slightest and he was quick to cover it with a hand. "Sure." Clearing his throat, he gestured for Dwight to join him on the ground, leaning up against the rough bark of the large tree he'd previously laid under. Dwight's eyes sparkled, and he quickly settled against the tree with him. The small fire Jake had started earlier in the night was beginning to die out, the crackling wood collapsing into a slow burning pile of blackened ash.
"..Should I get some more?" Dwight spoke up, finger pointing at the fire. "You seem tired. I don't mind getting some extra wood for you!"
How he managed to stay somewhat optimistic escaped Jake's mind, but in a strange way, it was able to put him at ease. "That'd be nice. 's colder tonight." As if on cue, Dwight blew into his cupped hands, rubbing them together.
Dwight smiled. "No problem! Be right back," he assured, getting to his feet. Before he could go off whatever direction, Jake tugged his pant leg. "Mn?" Dwight turned, and was greeted with Jake's outstretched hand, offering his metal "shank" as he'd called it before.
Scrap metal from the Autohaven junkyard was seemingly useless to the others, but intrigued Jake enough to try and make himself a shitty, makeshift tool. If nothing else was constant, he could at least have this one thing. Perhaps the Entity didn't see any true harm being done with it, because he found himself able to keep it in his possession. Useful for ripping into troublesome wood, unwilling to split with a persons force alone. Made his solitude much easier to maintain, leaving him able to escape (almost) unnoticed from the group and keep a fire for himself.
Dwight hesitated for only a moment, and reached down to take it. He carefully inspected the metal, finding the appropriate area to grasp and not tear into his hand. "Thanks, Jake!" Turning back, Dwight disappeared back into the brush, and Jake closed his eyes, listening to the crackling of breaking wood and Dwight's unbalanced footsteps. It only took a couple moments for Dwight to return, placing his arms full of wood at his feet. He just as carefully returned the borrowed knife. "So, how do you get these started..?" he asked curiously. Not once had he seen any matches of the sort..
Jake pulled a stone from the inner pocket of his blue puffy vest, and a handful of dry grass straight from the ground, expertly demonstrating to the starry-eyed Dwight the wonders of flint and whatever dried bullshit this was. He was able to stoke a small spark into a flame, and the rest took care of itself, Dwight handing over the retrieved wood as Jake asked for it. "Learn anything?" Jake teased, glancing up through a smirk. Dwight laughed and covered his smile.
"You're amazing," he nodded. "I couldn't have done something even this simple by myself." Jake was stuck in a stunned silence before he cleared his throat and sat back against the tree.
He didn't need to look to know Dwight settled back next to him, but his presence felt... closer. A quick glance to his left and Jake was quite right. Their shoulders hovered inches from each other and Jake, not wanting to risk catching Dwight's eye, looked straight toward the fire. Dwight rambled on a bit more about how he'd never been camping, thus never having the chance to start a fire, before he sighed lightly and picked at his fingers. "Well... Not any camping that I would want to do again." Jake could feel the mood shift, and Dwight forced a laugh. "Anyways, thanks... For, I guess, everything. But right now, for this fire."
A comfortable silence fell over the two, basking in the renewed warmth of the fire. Dwight had his hands stretched out, trying to bring the feeling back to his chilled fingers. Jake watched for a moment, before he bit into the tip of his gloved finger, pulling the fabric off with ease, followed by the other. He placed them both on Dwight's bent knee, hunched over with legs criss-crossed. "Wear these. I have enough on to keep warm.."
Dwight shook his head and tried to return the gloves, but Jake was as stubborn as an ox. Dwight slipped them on, the fabric still warm with Jake's heat, and it made Dwight a little self-conscious, thinking of where these gloves were... and where they are now. Was it weird of him to think of it as indirect hand-holding? It was, wasn't it? He silently berated himself for his odd thoughts, but his hands definitely felt better this way. "Thank you.."
Once again, silence washed over the pair. Dwight wondered if he should start another conversation to fill it, but just as he turned to start, Jake's shoulder pressed lightly into Dwight's. Any and all words that were about to leave his mouth were sucked right back in, and he pursed his lips together. Jake's eyes were closed, head bobbing to the side. Dwight, feeling brave, made a very impulsive decision right then and slowly closed their distance. Jake pressed comfortably into Dwight, shoulder to shoulder, his head just barely resting against him. Dwight was stiff as a board, torn between whether this was a good idea of him or not, but he had already made his choice. Perhaps Jake wouldn't mind if they sat like this toge- "...Is this okay?" Jake's voice ripped Dwight out of his thoughts and he almost flinched.
"Ah- Um, yes! I-It's totally okay! Are you okay?" His voice strained into a crack, and he nervously laughed it off. Jake didn't seem to care enough to comment, which made him feel a bit better about it.
He felt Jake nod into his shoulder. "...Yeah." Jake's hair tickled Dwight's neck as he did, but he would be damned if he moved because of it. He was suddenly too aware of Jake being this close. Their arms were touching, warmth seeping from Jake's sleeve into Dwight's bare arm. He could feel Jake's chest moving as he inhaled and exhaled, and found himself focusing on that smallest of feelings, his heart in his throat. Would Jake notice just how flustered he was..?
"...I can hear your heart from here," Jake mused, like he could read minds. When he got no reply, he glanced upward just a bit, wanting to see why Dwight had clammed up. Dwight was facing slightly away, a poor attempt to hide away the visible embarrassment. Even in the dim, yellow light of the fire, Jake could see his cheeks flushed a light red. He was stunned into silence once again, and suddenly, they were both flustered. Now, why was he feeling all shy?! Jake for one, wasn't the type to get worked up over...
His thought process stopped about there, and he really realized what exactly he had initiated here. He could feel his body temperature spike, heat rushing to his own cheeks. They were basically cuddling. Like... shy lovers.
Jake felt the urge to push away, and kick Dwight back to the common campfire.
Lovers... He clenched his jaw tightly and let it go, then clenched it again. What a thing to think about, here especially. He squeezed his eyes shut. Was there any appropriate time to think about these things?
... Would they ever have the appropriate time to think about it..?
He shook the thought immediately. Of course not. There were so many pressing things to think of, trapped here in this eternal night. To be hunted and sacrificed for who knows how long? And yet here he was, daydreaming about this comfort. This warmth, not of the fire, but of Dwight.
His thoughts were only getting muddled with confusion and frustration and... feelings. Jake rubbed at his eyes, burning with exhaustion. Dwight inhaled a large breath and let out a long yawn, trying not to disturb his companion. "Jake... Are you sleeping yet?"
He wondered what Dwight would do if he didn't answer. Would he move and leave Jake on his own again? Or would he tough out sleeping while sitting up against the rough bark, rather than move him? Or..
"..Jake?"
Dwight's voice was so soft as he called his name again, and maybe it was because of his lack of sleep, or lack of clear thought, but it touched Jake somewhere... unknown. It made him want to try. Try what, though? He was reeling, unsure of what he could say, until he lifted his head and was finally met with Dwight's returned gaze. It was an intense feeling, staring into each others eyes in such close quarters and it stopped his thoughts in their tracks. He could make out the smallest emotion showing on Dwight's face from here, and found himself unable to tear his eyes away.
Dwight's lips opened and Jake cautiously moved his hand up to his mouth, covering his lips with a light finger. Dwight had nearly stopped breathing at this point, until Jake moved the same hand and placed it on top of Dwight's, resting over his lower stomach. Now, he really did stop breathing.
With Dwight frozen in what Jake assumed to be shock, he took the opportunity to just... let go. The one time he'll allow himself to forgets his worries, doubts, and fears. Just for now, he thought.
"Dwight," Jake breathed. He swallowed hard, feeling a rush of adrenaline as he mustered his fading courage. "...Will you stay with me tonight?"
Dwight's mouth opened and closed, but no sound left his parted lips for a couple of seconds. "O-Of course I will, Jake... I'll stay with you as long as you'll let me." Something about the way he phrased it made Jake's insides twist with an unfamiliar, fluttering warmth, and Dwight emphasized exactly what he meant by it by gently lacing their fingers, rubbing Jake's hand with his gloved thumb. Jake's eyes slid closed with ease, unable to fight off his exhaustion any longer. He understood then why he could feel so comfortable with Dwight, but his thoughts melted away as he gave into sleep.
Dwight, left awake, covered his face, trying not to squeal like an excitable little pig. This was really happening..! In an effort to be more comfortable against the tree, Dwight gingerly wrapped his free arm around Jake's relaxed shoulders, pulling him closer and allowing him to rest against his chest while Dwight held him close.
If this was all a dream, Dwight never wanted to wake up again. He rested his head back against the tree and closed his eyes, drifting slowly into sleep himself. The hardest part about this place (after the gratuitous suffering), was having to sleep alone. Even as he lay there, he couldn't wipe off the aching smile that spread from ear to ear, thanking whatever god, or even the Entity for letting this happen. He got as comfortable as he could before letting his thoughts drift away, joining Jake in sleep.
Tomorrow, he thought with the last of his energy. I'll tell him.
I've always loved you.