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Simon poked at the fire, shifting the logs around and trying to keep it from blazing too high. He glanced over to see The Flock slowly creeping closer, eyeing the pot hungrily. Simon stopped and stared it straight in the face.
“No. Not for you. I can find you something later.”
It squawked, indignant.
“Besides, Alex said that birds can’t have this. Doubt it would do anything permanent to you, but I’m not taking any chances.”
It tilted its head to the side. Simon picked up two mugs and filled them with the liquid.
“I can get you a pheasant if you would like, but first I want a moment with our guest.” He looked towards a spot in the corner of the barn, made up of a hodgepodge of old blankets and pillows with a mound of green limbs curled up on top of it.
Simon walked over and gently shook the sleeping rabbit awake. Jack lifted their head and blinked the sleep out of their eyes.
“Drowsy?”
Jack nodded and yawned.
“You can go back to sleep right after this. Just wanted to share something with you.”
Simon sat beside them as they stretched, contorting their body every which way to work feeling back into their limbs. They turned their head to the mugs Simon was holding.
“Watcha got there?”
“Hot cocoa. Alex was talking about how to make it out here.”
Jack nodded and took a mug, taking a sip from it. Comfortably warm, like their time with Simon had been thus far.
Simon started talking about his day- hunting birds with The Flock, a run-in with Clyde, Winfrey, Alex, and Mortimer which gave him the idea for this, after hearing Alex’s stories of their family (which were tinged with a slight melancholy according to Simon).
His tone suddenly dipped bitterly. “Course, I also saw Klaus- he doesn’t know where you are, thankfully, but every interaction we have is him giving me an earful about a bond he squandered all by himself.”
Jack stopped.
Klaus…
Klaus was abrasive, loud, and Jack was slowly realizing that if they had been caught by the foundation Klaus wouldn’t think twice about leaving them to rot.
Simon was none of that. Simon was everything Jack had tried to search for in Klaus but never found. Simon was gentle, kind, enjoyed sharing even the littlest things with Jack and The Flock.
“I can stay with you as long as you would like.” Simon spoke.
Jack didn’t waste a moment. “Stay with me while I sleep. I’d like that.” They perched their head on Simon’s shoulder. “Just checking, are you, uh, okay with this?”
Simon smiled. “Perfectly fine, my dear friend.” He patted their head. Jack shut their eyes.
“Thank you.” They let Simon’s chatter lull them into sleep, safe and sound in a rundown yet loved barn with a kind figure beside them.