Work Text:
Tim looks out to the empty parking lot, cigarette hanging from his lips as he leaned against the second floor railing. It was 2am, dark, a little chilly in a way that wasn't cold, but was making Tim regret not grabbing at least a flannel prior to coming outside.
Jay’s asleep inside, or at least, he was meant to be, before the morel door opened behind Tim. He doesn't turn, familiar with how the weight shifts in Jay’s movements, memorized the sounds of his footsteps and breathing, knows his presence like a warm blanket.
Jay doesn't say anything, he hasn't really been saying much of anything since- Well, since Alex’s house.
The camera man leaned against the railing, eyes sort of glossed over and vacant, like he's awake but not fully alert yet.
A moment passed and Jay let out a soft grumbling sound before leaning his weight against Tim. The movement shocked Tim a little, but he welcomed the warmth, wrapping an arm around Jay’s shoulders and holding him closely. Jay sighed, light and content and it made something twist in Tim’s chest.
Clumsy fingers grab the cigarette from Tim’s mouth, rediverting Tim’s attention to look at Jay wide eyed as he made to place it between his own lips. Tim is faster, grabbing it back and chuckling fondly when Jay’s glossy eyes try their hardest to chase after him, pouting.
“Smoking’s bad for you,” Tim said and Jay managed to muster up enough consciousness and control over his facial muscles to give Tim an annoyed expression. Tim laughed lightly, holding Jay close. “Already got so much second hand smoking, don't wanna ruin those pretty lungs any further.”
Jay grumbled again but his eyes slipped shut, resting his weight back against Tim.
It's been like this since Tim confronted The Operator. Jay’s been... well, lucid seems too strong of a word right now. He’ll have bursts of consciousness, but even when he's up and moving, it's sluggish. Like moving each limb takes more concentration and strength than he can muster. He also hasn't been speaking much, barely seemed to remember anything that had happened the last time he was up.
So Tim’s had fun with it, allowed himself to play the domestic husband doting on his sickly wife. He gives Jay medication, feeds him when he's up, makes sure he drinks and uses the bathroom when he has the focus too. He’ll allow Jay to lean against him for stability or comfort (though Tim doesn't dare believe for one second anything about himself is comforting to Jay), will smile softly and call him sweet nicknames he rarely let his mind think on other occasions.
In a strange way, it seemed almost like the doting husband routine was helping Jay’s recovery. Tim would call Jay a sweet nickname and for just a moment the other man’s glossy eyes would clear for a moment and his eyes would actually properly meet Tim’s. Almost every time he'd managed to form words in the last few days had been directly after Tim calling him darling or sweetheart.
So Tim allowed himself to believe it was for the betterment of Jay’s recovery. That he was sweet on him because it was helping and not because of feelings he'd tried to tuck away. Feelings that persisted even while the rest of his memories were fucked beyond repair.
Tim smoked through his cigarette, stubbing the butt into the railing edge before gently nudging Jay. The other startled, panic in his gaze that melted away the moment his eyes found Tim.
“Going back inside now,” Tim informed, voice gentle. “That okay, honey?”
Jay yawned and nodded small, before frowning a little. Tim raised an eyebrow, expecting another reaction to follow but Jay just leaned more into his side, pulling away from the railing.
Tim sighed and walked them back inside, leading Jay to his bed and getting him to lay down.
Jay was in one of his bouts of confusion it seemed because as he laid down, his frown only deepened, brows furrowed.
Tim tried to move away from the bed but Jay’s fingers latched onto his t-shirt. His grip is loose, not lucid enough yet to regain full mobility over his fine motor control skills, but Tim paused. Letting the other hold his shirt and turning back to him.
“Jay?” He asked and Jay frowned.
“Where are you going?” His voice is soft, barely heard and slurred a little. It's the first words he's spoken in the last 24 hours, however, so they're like music to Tim's ears. Proof that he had been doing better than he was when Tim first dragged him out of the lawn.
“To my bed,” Tim said and pointed a few inches to his side. “That one right there, see?”
Jay’s head lolled to the side to look where he was pointing and he only frowned more.
“G’t in mine.” Jay mumbled with an overly adorable pout and Tim chuckled softly to cover how fast his heart was racing.
“Kind of defeats the point of getting two beds, sweetheart,” Tim said, keeping his voice light and upbeat despite the nerves racing in him.
“Plea’e.” Jay begged and now his voice bordered on terrified, like something terrible might happen to him or Tim (though Tim can't bring himself to believe Jay would care if something happened to him) if they didn't share the bed.
Tim sighed, not having much will to deny Jay and just nodded.
“Sure, Darling.” Tim said and Jay’s hand released him so he could walk around and turn the light off, walk over to the other edge of the bed. “If you're more conscious in the morning, you better remember this was your idea.”
Jay didn't react to that other than smiling warmly at Ti , shifting on his side to watch as he settled into the bed next to him.
Once Tim was comfortable, Jay latched onto his side, arm thrown over his waist and face tucked into his neck.
Tim immediately went to tell him this was too much, but Jay had managed to pass out in the three seconds it took for Tim to open his mouth. Tim’s jaw tightened and really, he should move Jay away. Jay's only clinging to him like this because he's been so fucking out of it for days. If he woke up and was finally lucid, he'd probably lose his mind over this, yell at Tim or something.
But Tim’s tired, and Jay’s all around him and he might never get Jay like this again, might never get to hold him close enough he can hear his soft breath and even heartbeat.
So against his better judgement, Tim relaxed against the mattress and let his eyes slip shut.