Work Text:
Jake jolted awake from his rest, rattled by yet another nightmare. This time it was about China when he and Sherry were experimented on. It wasn’t a great memory, but he preferred it over other horrors his brain conjured up.
Knowing that he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep again Jake sat up, rubbing his eyes with a hand. He glanced at the lump of blankets that was Piers next to him. He considered waking the soldier up or simply moving over to hold him, but the thought was as quickly dismissed as it came. Piers struggled to sleep and it was a miracle when he got a decent night of rest.
Jake reached for his phone that rested on the bedside table and got blinded by its light when it turned on. He quickly turned down the brightness to save his eyes and to not wake the sleeping body next to him. He squinted at his phone, trying to check the time.
“2:30? You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
The mercenary opened his messages and texted the first person he could think of.
JAKE: Are you awake
SUPER-GIRL: I am, did something happen?
JAKE: Nightmare
About china
Is it okay if I come over? I don’t want to wake piers
SUPER-GIRL: Yeah, of course. I’ll keep a lookout for you
JAKE: Thx
A small smile graced Jake’s lips. He carefully slipped out of bed and scrounged for a shirt, putting on a raggedy Alice in Chains tee and pocketing his phone. He scribbled a note for Piers and put it on the other’s bedside table before leaving the bedroom.
Jake was able to leave the small apartment with minimal injuries (he had bumped right into the corner of the kitchen counter and nearly gave up for the night). He hopped on his motorcycle and drove to Sherry’s own apartment complex.
It didn’t take that long for Jake to arrive, as the roads were bare and the drive itself was short. He parked his bike, kicked down the kickstand, and walked inside.
The apartment Sherry lived in was a lot nicer than the one he and Piers had. He suspected the DSO had something to do with it, but he never questioned Sherry directly about it. It’s not like she was miserable anyways, she was a lot happier now that Simmons was gone and she was working under someone who actually cared about her.
Jake pressed the ‘up’ button on the elevator, waiting with his hands in his pockets. The elevator dinged and he walked inside. He pressed the 3 button before leaning against the wall. He sighed softly and stared blankly at the wall in front of him, his thoughts muddled with sleep.
The elevator eventually dinged and the doors opened quietly. Jake slipped out of the lift and made his way to Sherry’s apartment number. He stopped in front of the door, the number reading 304, and knocked. A few seconds later the door opened which revealed Sherry’s tired but yet somehow always bright face.
“Hey Sherr.” Jake greeted, smiling weakly.
“Hey Jake,” Sherry echoed with her own smile, opening the door a bit wider. “Come on in.”
The red head walked into the apartment, taking in the scenery as if he hadn’t been there a thousand times before. Sherry always tried to keep her spaces neat. There was a few throw pillows on the couch and a fluffy blanket draped over it. To Jake’s initial surprise there were a few plants as well. He had assumed a government agent like Sherry wouldn’t have the time to take care of plants, but she had gotten ones that didn’t need much attention and care like others would. A few sat near the walk-out balcony and a group of succulents were seated in the middle of the kitchen island. For the amount of time Sherry spent here, it was well-loved.
Jake turned back to the blonde as she shut and locked the multiple locks the door. “Sorry if I woke you up. I just can’t sleep after those, y’know?” He apologized, feeling a bit sheepish.
Sherry just shook her head, taking one of Jake’s calloused hands and guiding him over to the couch. “It’s fine Jake, really. I don’t mind if you wake me up, especially if it’s for something like this.”
The pair sat down on the couch and the latter suddenly felt nervous, as if the spaces were too cramped and he wasn’t allowed to physically relax. Jake’s muscles felt tight with anxiety. There was an overwhelming feeling he had done something wrong.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Sherry asked eventually, looking over at her partner. She was still holding Jake’s hand.
Jake hesitated for a second before answering. “I dunno.” Sherry just nodded again. “That’s okay, we can just hangout if you want to instead.”
Jake nodded stiffly before allowing himself to relax a little into the couch, trying to get comfortable. He chewed on his lip for a moment. “So uh, how has everything been?”
———
They talked for a long while, telling each other how their lives were, complaining about coworkers, and doing their usual banter. Jake was more comfortable now, even having unknowingly shifted closer to Sherry. He was enjoying his time here, he really was, but he couldn’t help but feel like something was nagging at him. A sort of desperation of wanting to be held or comforted.
Ever since his mother died, Jake has always struggled with emotional and physical affection. Sure he’ll call people names and tease them to no end, but when it came to acting upon those promises he froze up. It was almost embarrassing, really. An ex-mercenary who is the son of an infamous bioterrorist unable to preform the most simple acts of intimacy. Even having been in a relationship with Piers for a few months was a struggle, and it took a while for Jake not to tense at sudden affection or hesitate just trying to hold his boyfriend’s hand.
Sherry was laying on her back with her eyes closed, her hands clasped on her stomach and her feet in Jake’s lap. Jake felt bad, waking her up and then barging into her apartment at such an early time, but Sherry swore that she didn’t mind. She didn’t get much sleep either - between the nightmares about whatever the government did to her when she was younger and the 6 months of experimentation in Langshiang that she also went through.
Jake pursed his lips. “Sherry?”
“Hm?”
The mercenary’s jaw tensed as he tried to think of how to word his request. Jake must’ve been quiet for too long because he felt Sherry sit up. She didn’t question him. Jake thought she was too patient with him, if you asked him.
“Uhm,” Jake paused. He felt his face getting hot with embarrassment. “Do you… can you.. hold me? Or something like that?”
He felt Sherry’s stunned stare boring into the side of his head. Jake Muller never asked for comfort. Not since he was a child, at least. The few times he had was with Piers, and that was far in between. He usually comforted himself - not wanting to look weak in front of other people - no matter how many people told him it was okay to be vulnerable.
“Yeah,” Sherry said softly, propping herself up on the arm of the couch and opening her arms. “C’mere.”
With a small pout, Jake shuffled over to Sherry and carefully lay down in her arms, hiding his face in the crook of her neck. She immediately incased Jake in her arms and ran her fingers lightly over his side.
It felt… weird. But it was nice. It felt good to just relax for even a minute and let someone hold him. To let them carry his weight for a moment.
Jake eventually let his eyes close, the remainder of his tense muscles finally relaxing.
They laid there together for awhile, the rhythmic breathing of Sherry and the barely-there patterns being traced into his side nearly put Jake to sleep.
Sherry shifted her hold on Jake, moving him up a bit on her chest. “Do you feel any better?”
Jake hummed in thought before answering. “Yeah, actually.” He rasped, his voice rough from speaking quietly. “Thank you.”
The blonde smiled below him and pressed a kiss to the side of his head, making Jake’s face flush and a smile to appear on his lips.
“Any time, Jake,” Sherry said softly. “I’m here for you. Always. And so is Piers.”
Things eventually settled after that, Jake and Sherry both getting too tired to speak or stay up any longer. They fell asleep together on the couch, tangled together in each other’s arms.
And for once, Jake had a peaceful rest.