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Jack doesn't like the Fourth of July. He doesn't consider himself very patriotic - he lost a leg for this country and it gave him fuck all in return - so he doesn't see the point of celebrating the holiday. Instead he shuts himself in his house and gets called a killjoy for not coming to any parties.
He can't escape it, though. Not with all the fireworks going off outside.
They sound like gunfire, like the IED that blew up his convey, taking his leg and his friends. He sits curled up in the corner of his living room, digging his nails into his arms as he tries to stay calm. Eyes squeezed shut, trying to at least block the lights out even though it's the noise that's worse. But he's so scared, even though he knows it's just fireworks. His mind is back there, trapped under his burning truck, three dead comrades laying around him-
"Jack." A voice comes from in front of him, and he lashes out at whoever it is. "Jesus, Abbot, it's just me."
It takes a moment for Jack to realise who 'me' is. Dennis Whitaker crouched in front of him, who has a key to his apartment while Robby is on sabbatical. Because Jack isn't the sort of person who can be left unsupervised for three months at a time. And sometimes Whitaker comes and checks on him, unprompted, especially on days where Jack might be struggling.
Like the night of the fourth of July, when everyone in the city is setting of fireworks at the same time.
"What do you want?" Jack asks, and it comes out as more of a whimper than he intends.
"I thought- I mean, I know you're a veteran, and this isn't a good day to be a veteran in the US." Whitaker holds out something black, the shape of which is hard to make out through Jack's blurry eyes. "So I brought my noise-cancelling headphones, in case you don't have any. I'm sure you thought of that, but…"
Noise-cancelling headphones. Why has Jack never thought of that before? He takes them tentatively, hands shaking so hard that he fumbles with them.
"They're bluetooth, if you want to listen to something." Whitaker says. "I use them when Garcia comes over."
"Gross." Jack mumbles as he puts the headphones over his ears. Whitaker's laugh is cut off by the headphones blocking all sound out.
No more explosions. No more gunfire. Just the ringing in Jack's ears.
Whitaker holds out his phone to Jack and lets him pick a song. Jack puts on the first AC/DC song he finds and closes his eyes. He feels Dennis shift, sitting down next to him on the carpet, even though it's uncomfortable. Even though Jack will be stuck here for hours until the fireworks stop.
A few songs in, Dennis taps Jack on the knee. Slowly, peacefully, Jack opens his eyes. Dennis holds up his phone, which as a note open on it.
You hungry?
Jack shakes his head. He never feels hungry when he's like this.
I am. Pizza?
Jack smiles. Gives him a thumbs up. Dennis gives him a thumbs up back.
Maybe they'll survive without Robby after all.