Chapter Text
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Grian
They were already late on Campus, but if Jimmy goes the limit (or maybe a little over the limit a few times) he's sure they'll arrive on time for Grian's first class without any issues. The students won't even notice, he'll just say he was stuck in traffic for a moment, he doesn't even have to acknowledge the fact that he's late because they left late.
They were late, and Grian is still unsure on why they're stopping by the side of the road. Now, they're going to be late for sure seeing Jimmy's shenanigans, he's preparing to scold him when:
"Grian?" Jimmy had turned to him, unbuckling his car seat already, "You can stay here, I'll go check the critter is fine!"
Jimmy suddenly hurried out the car, not closing the door behind him.
"The critter?" Grian mumbled to himself, and then turned to look before him.
It's a deer, probably a fawn even. He gets why Jimmy had to go out to check it, because it looks hurt.
Grian is struck with the faint memory of Jimmy saying he also had an important meeting soon after his classes started with the Dean, and with this predicament he's sure they'll both be late. And doesn't Jimmy have an important meeting to attend to close to the hour?
He can't find it in himself to be angry, or even frustrated, at Jimmy anymore, anyways.
The deer stopped trembling as Jimmy approached, it seemed to gain a somewhat comfort in the way that his cousin had lowered himself to its level and walked slowly. But in the entire interaction those glossy eyes weren't focused on Jimmy. The creature was staring directly at him. As if it had any idea what Grian was doing, or hiding, or not doing even.
Jimmy finally closed in on the deer and finally knelt down, the fawn turned to him and 'booped' his head with its nose, only to turn back to Grian again. The big eyes, full of brightness, instead of scared or hurt, seemed curious, as if asking him on why this other human was being kind. It's almost as if… It knew how he felt before… Everything.
The big eyes of innocence, not knowing anything outside its own bubble and being hurt by something unknown. Trying to get from one place to another safely, without much fanfare to try and stay invisible to those around him, yet being too big to go unnoticed. The poor deer on the road hurt by the moving obstacles, the poor kid making a break for it away from his past.
It brings a faint memory of him looking at a mirror when he is seventeen having just cut his hair to the shortest he's ever had it, and his eyes being so wide with joy and excitement, as well as dread when he realised he cut his hair without permission. He remembered the gentle hands that caressed him from Sparrow and Deryn when they told him they're not mad, they'll just make sure the cut looks cleaner and helped him look more proper. Maybe the fawn didn't understand him at all, but had just experienced his same emotions and saw itself in him, the same way he saw himself in that creature.
The deer barely even moved or protested Jimmy's advances, he just took one of the hooves to inspect and from nowhere wrapped some type of cloth (is that the bandana from his Sheriff costume?, it must be…) and set it back down.
There is a certain practice to those movements, after all, he saw them be done to him by Sparrow all those years ago. Jimmy just showed the same kindness to a random creature that was shown to him by their dad.
Jimmy was about to get up, but the deer stopped focusing on Grian as if it knew it tormented his thoughts enough. It proceeded to start licking Jimmy's face, he would have laughed at Jimmy's sputtering if the deer had stopped. But it just kept licking Jimmy, he was about to step in when the deer stopped abruptly and looked around. The blond's mouth moved, probably said something to the creature, but as he was about to get up again, the deer stepped on his foot not letting him go.
Something was up. Something was up, and Jimmy could be hurt.
In that moment, it must've been that fawn's mother emerged from the side of the road and locked in on Jimmy. He's already unbuckling his seatbelt, when the little creature pins its eyes on him. He's being watched. Judged, even. He's seeing Jimmy be scared, and he can't do anything to protect him again and-
The mother approached slowly, nothing major happening until she reaches the pair on the floor. She did the same thing as her young, licked Jimmy's face. She then proceeded to look at the bandage and try to take it off, his cousin seems confused but he takes it off, the mother bowed her head towards him and licked the wound.
It healed immediately.
The creatures then looked around, and scampered off. Jimmy sat there befuddled for a few seconds before he got up again and sat back down in the car. Grian was about to speak, demand answers before Jimmy spoke up:
"I- Uh… I think it healed me?" He whispered, as he closed the door gently, still looking confused at the encounter and his trousers looking a little worse for wear.
"What?" Grian replied, not really knowing what else to say. The situation is just ridiculous all around, his- His cousin (and he has to keep reminding himself of that, despite their closeness, Jimmy can't get closer to him. He can't be the deer in the end.) just stopped their lives for this little thing, and yet.
"When the- The deer? Licked my face? I had a cut from shaving, I don't have it anymore." He pointed to the side of his cheek, where he had a little scab Grian noticed in the morning, but it isn't there anymore.
"Oh, well that's very nice of the deer…" He murmured, feeling slightly disappointed in himself for harbouring such negative feelings towards a creature that had done nothing. Towards Jimmy who was the only one to rush to their side and help them. To help a defenceless being find its footing and start it's journey again, once they were alright.
He really feels like a dick now.
Jimmy had said nothing, he was driving again in silence as if nothing had happened at all. As if he wasn't a hero.
"I'm sorry for not helping you." The older said, not really wanting to make eye contact with the younger in case he caught Jimmy holding back tears and he felt worse, but instead he received a small chuckle, and Jimmy giving him a radiant smile.
"It's alright, no harm done."
If Jimmy only knew.