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Rating:
Archive Warning:
Fandom:
Additional Tags:
Language:
English
Series:
Part 1 of MerMay 2022 , Part 5 of Children of the Sea and Stars
Stats:
Published:
2022-06-01
Words:
348
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
7
Kudos:
75
Bookmarks:
2
Hits:
663

Not Alone

Summary:

Jazz wakes from a nightmare.

Notes:

this is set roughly 8ish months after Jazz, Ratchet & Glyph were found at the reef. Jazz has been living with Prowl while he recovers and learns to navigate and Prowl has been convincing him to stay with the Praxian pod and live in as much safety as possible.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

“Prowl?” Jazz’s call was weak and lacked his usual cheer. That worried him more than anything else, and Prowl was already setting his weaving aside when Jazz called out again. “Prowler? Are you there?”

Quickly, he swam to the other mer’s room and brushed aside the seaweed that hid Jazz’s door from easy view. “I’m here, Jazz. What’s wrong?”

“It was…” Jazz reached for him and Prowl swam closer so that he could hug the other mer. Jazz buried his face against Prowl’s chest and keened for a several moments. “I know it was a nightmare, but when I woke up, I really thought the hunters had gotten you and Ratchet.”

Prowl rubbed Jazz’s back gently, hoping to soothe some of his fear. “Your father and I are both safe and unharmed. In fact, Smokescreen reported that the closest humans are on board the science vessel Horizon and they were only taking water samples. Everyone in Praxus is safe.”

“Thank you.” Jazz’s embrace was almost painfully tight, but Prowl didn’t complain. Jazz’s nightmares were much worse than he ever said out loud, and he knew that the blind mer would need all the comfort he could get in order to calm himself and shake off the fear.

“You’re welcome. Would you like to hear what the other scouts reported when they returned home?”

“Yeah, i think i would. Might help take my mind off it.” Jazz clicked softly in frustration. “But you don’t gotta sit with me if you were busy.”

“I was making bags for the oyster harvest. It is nothing that cannot wait.” For a moment, he wished that Jazz could see his face and understand how truly he meant those words. His safety and security, his comfort and peace of mind, were all vastly more important than the bags Prowl had been weaving. “You are much more important.”

“Thanks, Prowl.” Jazz loosened his hold, though he didn’t pull away. “I just… Thank you.”

“You are welcome, Jazz.” He continued rubbing the other mer’s back and considered which of the scouts’ reports to give him first.

Notes:

Jazz rarely calls Ratchet his father, unless they're alone. It's a liability among their enemies if they know, and Jazz worries more abut Ratchet's safety than propriety.