Monkey House scraps

Scraps in the Monkey House. Please see also "Carnegie Mellon scraps". 
==Skinny==
Logan corners Caitlin as soon as he finishes helping Jackson into bed. He hands over a note. -Jack's not eating-
Caitlin blinks. "Not at all?"
-Not enough- Chews his lip. -Gets stressed & stops-
A sick Jackson is a skinny Jackson. A stressed Jackson is a skinny Jackson. By the time he reaches Lightcap's lab after Brisbane, he's down multiple kilos, sleeping poorly, surly, and generally very short-fused. Also achy and frustrated at his lack of mobility. He made a living with his body for nearly a decade and for years of pride and escape before that. And now he's crippled--can't walk now and may never run again--and has no idea what he's going to do with himself. His non-Ranger skills are years out of date. Sure, he's got a pension and disability payments, but he doesn't want to sit idle for the rest of his life. So, cue existential crisis, depression and Logan smacking him around (metaphorically) to keep him going.
==Script==
Jackson's mobile buzzes with a text that, with autocorrect taken into account, could read 'we're safe'. 
An hour later, it rings properly for barely a second before he answers. 
A young woman asks, "Is this Officer Jones' brother?" 
"One of them, yea. Can I talk to him?" 
"He's--" Pause. "This is Quartermaster Yeung from the Hong Kong Shatterdome. Officer Jones asked me to inform you that the Breach is closed, Rangers Mori and Becket have been recovered, and Marshal Hansen has taken over command." 
"Can I speak with my brother?"
"Officer Jones is feeling a bit under the weather. May I take a message?" 
Mori 'n Becket ....
He can hear faint retching in the background. 
Oh. 
Jackson swallows; his head falls into his hand. "Why're you working off a script?"
A beat. "Habit."
Deep breath. "Thanks for calling, uh, tell him we love him." 
"I will. Good night." 
==War Is Won==
11 January 2025
The first morning Chuck manages to make it downstairs (a couples days in the hospital, and then a couple days when she couldn't muster the willpower to get out of bed). 
Comes into the kitchen, sees Jackson at the table. 
They stare at each other. 
"Uh, hi," says Jackson. 
Chuck turns on the tablet resting on the counter. 
-WAR IS WON!!!-
Turns off the tablet. 
Frowns at Jackson. 
He smiles awkwardly. 
She turns on the tablet. 
-WAR IS WON!!!-
Turns off the tablet. 
"So we're not all dead."
"Don't think so." 
"Okay." Scrubs her face. "I'm, going back to bed." 
"Sleep well."
Chuck snorts. 
.
Two hours later, Chuck wanders back into the kitchen, sees Logan at the table.
They stare at each other.
Logan nods, turns back to his sandwich.
Chuck turns on the tablet.
-WAR IS WON!!!-
Turns off the tablet. 
Frowns at Logan. 
He glances up, raises an eyebrow. 
She turns on the tablet. 
-WAR IS WON!!!-
Turns off the tablet. 
"So, am I hallucinating?"
Logan shrugs.
"Okay." Pause. "I'm, uh, going to talk to Caitlin."
He waves, takes a bite.
Chuck sighs.
==Scream==
[January] 2025
The first time it happens, Chuck leaps from her bed and scrambles for her jumpsuit.
“Tim!” she yells. “Alarm!”
Grabs her slippers, shoots down the hall, steps into air, and goes head-over-heels until she hits carpet.
Who the fuck put stairs in the residential wing?
Since when do Shatterdomes have windows?
Or carpet?
Chuck looks around.
Not a Shatterdome.
/Thump.
Picks herself up, drags herself back upstairs.
Hears small, frightened sounds.
Stumbles to a halt in front of the brothers' open door.
Logan holds his brother tight, both of them sitting on the floor.
Jackson's buried his face in Logan's shoulder, his small frightened noises muffled.
Logan notices her hovering, scowls.
Chuck retreats, padding back to her room.
==Cat==
[February] 2025
Chuck nudges the lump of blankets in the nest with her foot.
"Mrff."
"Sleeping again, Klingon? You're worse than a cat."
Jackson peeks out from the bundle of blankets, brows lowered. "I died a coupla months back, Rapunzel. No pulse. Dead," he snarls. "And now parts of me don't work right. You, of all people, should know what that's like, ay?"
Chuck looks away.
He looks away, ducks under a blanket. "If you wanna nap, too, I'll make room for you. But 'm not leavin'."
"Oh, uh, aaah ...."
Jackson huffs. "Christ, Chuck, it's a nap, not a fuckin' engagement ring."
Chuck sniffs, but drops to the cushions, yanks some of the blankets—
"Oi!"
—away, and tucks herself in. "Yer a freaking iceberg."
Jackson snorts, scootches closer. "Might not've been resurrected otherwise. Like Cap'n America." Presses his back to hers. "Oh thank god, yer a furnace." He exhales.
"Bonfire."
"Mmmf."
She smiles—just a little—and dozes off.
==Scarred==
Bang! Bang! Bang!
""Yea, yea, yea, Rapunzel, I'm coming. Gotta get my foot on.""
"You're never gonna make it to the lab on time."
The door opens on a sleepy, disheveled Jackson. "The kids'll wait." He absently reaches under his shirt, pushes it up, scratches his chest.
Revealing a long, livid scar.
"Wha-what happened?"
"Docs had to manually restart my heart." He lets the shirt fall back into place. "When Vulcan went down."
"I didn't ...."
"'s'not like I advertise, yea? Got more immediate problems."
"Like waking up in time for work?"
"Yea." He rubs his face. "Lemme find some real clothes."
==Shut Up, Wesley!==
"We are watching Star Trek," announces Jackson, tugging Chuck over to the couch and pushing her down.
"I don't care about your stupid alien show," she snaps.
Jackson smarts, but, "I'm gonna ignore that remark 'cause you haven't seen it yet, though it does have its faults—"
His mobile squawks, ""Shut up, Weasley!""
"One sec." He lops down the hall, pokes his head in the den door. "You are the very best little brother ever and I love you."
Logan gives him a thumbs up, spins back towards the display.
Jackson returns to the family room. "As I was saying, it has its faults but it's mostly good."
"Yea, whatever." She gets up—
"Sit yer ass down and stay put."
Shockingly, Chuck does.
==Collectible==
It all started when Jackson passed out on the couch; Chuck shifted to give him room and Logan continued his game. 
And then he got stuck. 
"Want me to look up a guide?" asks Chuck. 
He huffs, gives her the go-ahead but continues wandering around the level. 
"There's a thing under a rock pile, over to your left. And a 'correspondence' - whatever that is - behind those trees." 
Turns out the 'correspondence' was a collectible, so, while Logan played through, Chuck watched with her tablet and cued him for nifty stuff. 
==Living Situation==
"So," begins Sergio, "Living situation." 
Caitlin, Chuck, Logan, and Jackson all pay attention. 
"What are you three gonna do?" 
"Wha'dye mean?" asks Jackson. 
Sergio points at the patchwork ceiling. "Student housing. Not exactly our final destination." 
"Stay with you?" says Chuck. 
"Sure you don't want your own place?" asks Sergio. 
Blank looks. 
"Er, no?" replies Chuck. 
"Good to know. I'll talk to the university." 
==Princess==
not_a_monkey: whenre you leaving? 
mars_attacks: ? 
not_a_monkey: for new york 
mars_attacks: pretty sure im not? 
not_a_monkey: "Princess Eugenie to attend New York City Gala"? 
mars_attacks: hardyharhar rapunzel 
mars_attacks: like i havent heard that bfore. 
not_a_monkey: :P 
==In-Law things==
===Cat from the Bag===
(March 23; aka "Bribe")
""Monkey!"" calls Caitlin. 
"Yea?" 
""Striker says Herc's not doing well. Mind going... wherever he is?""
"Sure thing. Either of the Joneses coming?" 
A beat. 
""Shit. Joneses?""
""Yea?""
""You heard nothing.""
""What?""
""You heard—oh. 'Kay. Uh, go... Uh, day off. Both of you. Have fun!""
===Rescue!===
I assume Herc'll meander to Comondel. 
Herc skips from Koffiefontein to an undisclosed location without pausing in Coromandel in between. I think he settles and mourns a little further before risking himself with the remnants of the PPDC.
I don't want him to be aloooone!!! And/or not doing something. I feel that's very bad, but then again he probably has Striker to have two-sided conversations with. 
He shouldn't be alone, but both Gotham and I have the feeling he'll self-isolate more than we'd like him to.
That's what Striker and Lab Monkeys are for! (such that, perhaps, Lightcap gets concerned when she doesn't hear from Herc for a week, checks in with Brawler who checks in with Striker who admits, "yea, it's not good." Lightcap ships off Lab Monkey, and opens the door up for this beautiful exchange:
Herc opens the door to a bedraggled—
Her braid's given up on life and her hair's escaping, drooping, sticking out in every direction... the elastic's clinging to the end for dear life... 'Gone haywire', one might say. 
—vacant-eyed Kirra and her rather pathetic duffel bag. 
"I think the plane taxied here."
"Charlotte?"
"Caitlin said, Wash! Welcome back! Here's your bag, get on this plane, go to this address."
"Who's Wash?"
"Who's Wash?"
"You just mentioned them ...?"
"I don't remem...ber that shovel talk you gave me?"
"Hard to forget."
"So, uh, should we do, like, daughter-in-law-y things?"
The laugh shoots out like a bullet. 
Charlotte giggles madly. 
"What exactly are daughter-in-law-y things?"
"I have no idea. I don't think anyone's gotten married in my family for... ages."
===Amenities===
(Siqi sens a copy of the Harlequin!AU to Kirra; aka "Laundry".) 
When Herc wakes up the next morning, sleeping sounds still coming from the sofa. 
So he makes coffee. 
Rustling, and then a thump. 
"'Morning," he calls. 
"Guh mornin'," Charlotte slurs. "Whu' time'sit?" 
"Six." 
"That's ...."
"Fourteen hours."
"Forty-eight awake 'fore that, not," she waves, "whatever." 
"Coffee?"
"God yes." She pours a cup and chug it. "Fuck that's bad." 
"No cream, sorry." 
"Milk?" 
"Toast?" 
"First order of business, grocery shopping."
"Mail." 
"Really?" 
Herc shrugs.
The letter bears a postmark from—"This is before I left Hong Kong." She opens it and promptly spits coffee down her front. "Scratch that, laundry first." 
"Second door on the right."
.
===Family===
"Mind if we go to the museum?" 
"Uh, sure?" 
.
 
Chuck makes a beeline for the Australian Regiment wing; ignores the planes, uniforms, rows of medals, and goes straight to a case in the Indigenous Australians hall. 
"Ah," says an aide, "yer interested in Australia's own 'Novoa Lisa'?" 
"Actually, ye kinda look a l'il like her. Same nose." 
"Gonna say that, too," mumbles Herc. 
"Thanks," says Chuck. 
"We don't know a whole lot about the man—"
"Don't need storytelling, mate, he's my grandad." 
"Oh. Well, excuse me then." 
Chuck whispers, "How the fuck 'm I gonna ask her?" 
Herc pulls his shoulders straight. "Charlotte, I'm the co-Marshal of the former Hong Kong Shatterdome. I can talk t' whoever I want." 
.
They stand outside in the park, sheltered from the sun by a tree and listening to anklebiters shriek and laugh. 
Chuck bounces on her toes, impatient, eager, nervous as all fuck. 
Herc just calls the number on Miz Novoa's webpage. 
The line connects. 
"Good morning, this is Ra—Marshal Hansen."
"Good morning, sir, how may I help you?" 
"I have a young lady here who'd like to speak with Miz Novoa if it's convenient."
""Of course, she's just finished breakfast. One moment please.""
Herc whispers, "She's not busy." 
===Like a Baby's Coming===
The flight attendant'd be coming in a second but Chuck's phone's going off like—
mars_attacks: wat r u doing 
Herc notices Charlotte's odd look. "Everythin' okay?" 
"Uh, yea. Just Jackson bein' an idiot." 
"Jackson Jones? Isn't he the guy that—" 
Charlotte, without looking up, puts her hand somewhere in the vicinity of his face. 
not_a_monkey: getting on a plane same as 15 mins ago 
Herc takes her hand, and not really sure what he's doing, says "Charlotte, I love you like your my own, but I don't think I kin deal with a dating Chuck again." 
She giggles, but it's an odd, heart-wrenching sound. 
"He—" 
"He's a fucking douche canoe and he can suck it for all I care." 
Herc squeezes her hand. "But you do." 
"What happened to my emotionally-constipated almost father-in-law?" 
Herc shrugs, lets go of her hand. "Met a few Voses, shaped up." 
mars_attacks: im bored 
mars_attacks: n logan's snoring 
mars_attacks: I dont get it 
mars_attacks: he can barely talk but still makes more racket than the hangar 
mars_attacks: fact, sleeping in the hangar's nicer than sharing a room with him 
mars_attacks: btw your nest is mine 
mars_attacks: it is warm n wonderful 
mars_attacks: im not giving it back 
.
===Born to be Wild===
(If it sounds like 'Kirra and the Joneses 'rescue' Herc', that's because it kinda wound up that way.)
"Aren't you kids supposed to ... go out? Be wild ...?" 
Logan looks at Jackson looks at Chuck. 
"'m good," she says. 
Jackson and Logan nod. "We're good." 
They look back at Herc. 
"We bought a Nintendo," offers Chuck, holding up her controller. 
Jackson and Logan hold up theirs. 
"Got one fer you." 
Herc sighs. "What the hell." Takes up his. 
===Terminal===
[August] 2025
Charlotte's mobile sings as soon as she turns it on.
“Oh for ...,” she grumbles, “we're barely on the ground!”
mars_attacks: u landed?
not_a_monkey: just did
mars_attacks: git ready
not_a_monkey: for what
mars_attacks: u'll c
Charlotte groans. “What's that idiot planning?”
Herc shrugs. “One way to find out.”
.
Charlotte drops her bag as soon as they hit the concourse and sprints head-long into tall man with a heavy coat buttoned to his chin.
“Oi!” he grins, stumbling and hugging her back.
She buries her face in his chest.
“Missed you too, Firefly,” he mumbles into her hair.
“Shu'up, Klingon. Just happy to be off that damn plane.”
“'course ye are.” He spots Herc over the top of Charlotte and bobs his head.
Herc returns the gesture. “Jackson.”
Charlotte finally releases him, steps away, reclaims her bag from Herc.
“It's good to see you again, sir.”
Herc shakes the hand Jackson offers, notes Charlotte holding onto his other arm.
“What're you doing here, Jones? You can't drive.”
He rolls his eyes. “Can call a taxi, though. Didn't want you getting lost on the way back te the house.”
Charlotte sticks out her tongue at him.
“Gimme that bag,” commands Jackson.
“Not on your life, old man. You'll put your back out.” She nudges him.
He sighs, lets her keep the bag.
.
“Monkey!” cries Lightcap. “You're back! Great! We've got tests to proctor!”
Charlotte sighs. “Later, Herc.” Does a one-eighty, follows Lightcap.
“Have fun, Charlotte.”
“Sergent,” says Jackson, and makes a fantastic choking sound when Herc snags him by the hood, tows him back inside, and drops him on the couch.
“Intentions, Charlotte, now.”
“She's my friend 'n I love her 'n if she wants more, we'll be more.”
“Good answer. Really good answer.”
Jackson lets out a breath. “I can't compete with him—he's perfect. Almost shrugs. “And this 'Drift soulmate' thing.”
“Becket 'n Mori?”
Jackson sags into the couch. “Christ.”
“Doesn't sound like the Jones I knew in Sydney.”
“Dying really changes yer attitude.”
Herc snorts. 
Jackson exhales. 
“You be good to her or I'll find out and snap you in half.”
Jackson nods. “Of course, sir. I'd deserve it.”
Herc blinks.
“She's been hurt enough, ay? Doesn't need me adding to it.”
==Angles==
When Jackson wakes up, it's not his room and all the angles are wrong. There are also an awful lot of cats. 
"Hey," says Chuckles. 
"While I admit I'm a little sad that you had such a short life, I'm actually pretty happy you're dead." 
"And that is totally fair," replies Chuckles. 
Jackson narrows his eyes. "Why're you here?" 
"Uh, hold these." Chuckles hands him three unimpressed cats and Jackson hits the floor of his room in an awkward pile. 
A pillow lands beside him. 
"I'm not hurt," he croaks; tries to figure out how to get up. 
A whistle. 
"Gimme a second, Logan." 
A string of taps. 
"Weird dream," Jackson grunts and flops onto his side. "I think." Flings the pillow in a blind arc. 
More taps. 
"I'll be fine. Get some more sleep if you can." 
Another whistle, 'Charge!' 
"Love you." 
'You too.' 
==Good Ghost Drifts==
On the days when Chuck has a good Ghost Drift, she gets huggy, and, more [adjective](?), cuddly. 
And (just for our giggles) on one of those huggy days, she starts lavishing affectionate touches on Logan, who is desperately trying to fob her off on Jackson, who's moping because it's not working. Until that next day when she days, and he goes all mopey when she starts acting like her average self again.
==Adventures in Antidepressants==
===Nails===
Ye know what else are good for Lab Monkeys, right? 
"Chuck! Two birds with one stone!" 
"Come again?" 
"Antidepressants! Just started human trials. Helps you out /and advances psychiatry!" 
"As good a reason as any." 
~12 hours later~ 
"Bad reason," croaks Chuck. 
Lightcap hovers with a clipboard. "Can you isolate the nausea?" 
"Thro—" Chuck retches into the toilet. Again. "Worse in my throat." 
"Headaches?" 
"Nails up my nose." 
"Two or three?" 
"Three. Two on the left." 
"Awesome. Jen'll be thrilled." 
"Isn't this Jen's drug?" asks Jackson. 
Logan's equally unsettled. 
"Nope, this is Jen's competitor's drug." 
===Tripping===
"Heeeey... Joo- you," calls Chuck from, of all places, the floor. 
"What's up?" asks Jackson, dropping down beside her. 
"Y'ever taken drugs?" 
"Uh, once or twice. Why?" 
"'cause I think I'm trippin' out but I have noooo idea." 
"You seeing things?" 
"'re there butterflies all over the ceiling?" 
"Can't see any." 
"Oookay. So I've hallu—hall—I've see—perce-/en things before that aren't there but I wasn't trip—trip—" 
"Anything else?" 
"'m feelin' really floaty ...?" 
"Okay, I'm gonna tell Lightcap this stuff probably isn't the best choice." He stands. "Don't move, k?" 
"No worries~!" 
===Butterflies===
""Looogan."" Giggle. ""Loooooogan. You have butterflies in your nose.""
Logan's quite awake, jerks back as carefully as he can without knocking over Chuck but hopefully getting out from under Chuck. 
She giggles again, presses her forehead to his, keeps poking his nose. "Lots of butterflies~." 
Works his pillow free, whips it across the room. 
Jackson sleeps on. 
Leans over, again, /carefully, and scrambles for the light switch. 
"Wh' th' hell—Chuck?" 
"He's got butterflies in his nose and they flutter out—"
 
::Help me!::
"—like little leaves when he breathes." 
"Uh, Chuck, since it's the time most people are asleep, you wanna leave Logan alone and play a game of rummy?" 
"Rummy's fun," Chuck agrees and clambers away from Logan, not realizing her foot's caught in a blanket so she falls flat on her face. 
"Are ye okay?" 
Thumbs up. 
Jackson looks at Logan, tosses back his pillow. 
Logan is twenty seconds from finding a hardware store and installing a lock. 
Chuck figures out how her arms work, picks herself up off the floor, and flops at the end of Jackson's bed. 
He finds the cards, deals out a round. 
Chuck's out cold before he's done. 
.
 
The next morning, Jackson wakes with a sticky note affixed to his forehead. 
-Get your drugged-up girlfriend under control or I'm locking both of you out of the room at night.- 
"She's not my—" 
Logan scowls. 
"Yet," mumbles Jackson. "I'll talk to her. An' Lightcap." 
Logan squeezes his shoulder 'good luck.' 
.
"You're up late," greets Sergio. 
"Weird night." 
Caitlin wanders in. "Any particular reason Chuck bears an uncanny resemblance to Logan?" 
"Pro'ly 'cause Logan looks a lot like Chuck right now," Jackson replies. 
Sergio and Caitlin aren't processing this well. 
"Chuck's in my 'n Logan's room and Logan's gone back to sleep in Chuck's room." 
"Lemme guess," says Sergio. "The fair folk have a gateway in your closet and she tried to follow them." 
"Apparently Logan's breathing sounds like butterflies." 
"I was actually prefacing dragging you out and beating you but ignore that and thank you for keeping her safe." 
"Why the hell 'd I give her another reason to get her head mucked with?" 
Sergio slips his coffee. 
"I've been here fer months. Can you not trust me at all?" 
"I want what's best for both of you." 
"So if I say meds maybe aren't the way to go? At least for now?" 
Sergio looks to Caitlin. 
She's lost in thought. 
"Cait?" 
"Hm?" 
"Put treatment on hold for a bit?" 
"Chuck's hallucinating," adds Jackson. 
Caitlin swipes the pill bottle from the cupboard and jams it in her pocket. 
===Bad Days===
With regards to Jackson and tripping on serious painkillers, there's something about Caitlin and Sergio tucking the three of them into the sofa bed and waiting it out but I'm not sure if the timing works ... Could just be a bad day, of course. 
==Leaving==
[May & June or July] 2025
Pittsburgh, PA, United States
{by artificiallifecreator}
[Argument with Caitlin]
"K, ye know what? I'm leaving." Chuck stomps down the stairs. 
Jackson throws himself from the home office. "You're leaving?!" 
"Yup." 
"You can't leave!" 
"Oh yea? Why?" 
"You just can't." 
"Watch me." 
"I don't want you to." 
"I. Don't. Care." She opens the door. 
"We haven't finished StarTrek!" 
Doesn't slam the door. 
Yay? 
"I'm not leaving for good." 
"When'll you be back?" 
Drums the doorhandle. "Couple months, maybe? 'fore the fall term starts, at least." 
"That's--"
"I'll call, OK?" 
"Rather you'd stay." 
Her lip curls. "What is this? Why do you even care?" 
He rubs his neck. "You're nice to have around." 
"'Nice'." She laughs. "Out of my mind or in?" 
Jackson hesitates. 
Chuck rolls her eyes and leaves. 
Jackson drops his head to the wall. "You're nice to have around in every and all states, Chuck, bad or good."
(I'm not quite happy with the end (figured it needed a bit of ridiculousness). I'll give it another look in the morning.)
A couple hours later, Chuck's bank account logs an insane purchase at a hiking store. 
==Cultural Differences==
They get a couple pictures every week; usually clouds or stars, sometimes wildlife (on one memorable occasion, a wild cat ("look who came to supper and guess who fished all night!")), and then one morning, five weeks later, they come down to breakfast and there's Chuck at the table with a paper from two states over, covered in an inch of grime and eating toast. 
"Caught a serial killer," she says as greeting. 
"You /what?" 
"The US is /not like Australia. Not to say there aren't psychopaths, I've just never actually met them." 
"What happened, exactly? Are you OK?" 
"Bit freaky, I'll admit. It's two in the morning, I'm going from Nowhere to Elsewhere and I trip over a grave, get up, trip over him." 
"Holy shite." 
"Yea. Haven't tied a knot that fast in ages." 
"Come again?" 
"I grabbed a rope, tied him up, went to a police station, and made them listen to me." 
Jackson says, "So you're back...?" 
"A little spooked." 
"You're /incredible," says Sergio. 
Chuck preens. "You bet I am." 
==Art==
Jackson flicks the stylus lightly over the tablet, layering colors into the image on the screen, comfy with his feet propped up on the ottoman.
Across the den, Logan lounges with a book in the easy chair.
A final swirl of clouds and Jackson taps the 'save' command. He stretches his arms over his head.
Logan glances over.
"Done," says Jackson. "Wanna see?"
Makes grabby hands.
Jackson leans, stretches.
The tablet slips from his fingers, heads for the floor.
Logan dives, catches it one-handed an inch above of the rug.
"Yer fast as ever."
Shrugs. ::Video games.::
Jackson rolls his eyes.
Logan grins, straightens, types in Jackson's passcode. Gives a low whistle.
"That bad, ay?"
Scowls, taps the screen a few times. Tucks the tablet under his arm. Steps beside Jackson's chair.
Jackson raises an eyebrow.
Cuffs him sharply on the back of the head.
"Oi! What was that for?!"
::Being an idiot.:: Returns the tablet and strolls back to his chair and book.
.
At the lab the next morning, Jackson notes Logan's changed the wallpaper on his computer. He leans over Logan's shoulder. "Huh. Guess 's'not so bad, then."
::Nope.::
==Blind==
Logan gingerly shuts the door. He catches Chuck’s eye. ::Sleeping.::
“What happened?”
::Stairs. Fell.::
Chuck cringes. “Pills knock him out?”
Nods.
“Now we jest have t’ hope fer no nightmares, ay?”
Presses his palms together.
Chuck snorts. “Never figured ye fer a mother hen.”
::Love him.:: Glares. ::Don’t want him hurt.::
“What’s that look for?”
Scowls. ::You’re blind.::
Chuck huffs.
== Bath Bomb ==
Date/Timing: 3 November 2025 (for now) 
Inspired by a comment on "Fluff" 
Down the hall, a faucet squeaks and water stops running.
/POOMPF
‒ (╯°Д°）╯‒
Jackson winces. "Logan?"
A mighty sneeze.
"Ooooookay." He sets the tablet aside, digs himself out of his chair, scuffs to the washroom.
Another sneeze.
He knocks, calls, "You alright?"
A wheeze; the door unlocks and swings open.
"What—whoa." Jackson fans away a cloud of ... glitter? "The fuck?"
Logan—and god dammit he's not wearing clothes—sneezes, says, ::Fucking sample blew up.::
Jackson—sneezes—snickers.
Logan raises a sparkly eyebrow.
"So ... someone sent you an honest-to-god bath bomb?"
Logan glowers and grabs a towel, glitter puffing into the air—
Jackson looks—instantly regrets—
—wraps it around his waist.
—chokes, "My /god, mate, you're /covered in the shit."
::No shit. It's everywhere.:: Shifts his feet. ::Was leaning over the tub when it blew.::
"Even ...?"
Logan sighs. ::/Everywhere.::
Jackson laughs into his elbow, gets a mouthful of glitter in return, coughs.
::Serves you right, asshat.::
"I'm not the one who looks like a walking princess party."
Logan smirks.
"What?"
::/You look like you need a hug.:: Opens his arms, steps—
"Oh /hell no!" Jackson stumbles backward and away, takes off as fast as he can for the stairs, hoping Logan gives him the customary five-second head start.
==Sugar==
Chuck moseys into the family room, eyes glued to her tablet.
"Evenin', Rapunzel," calls Jackson from the couch.
Logan 'waves' from behind his book.
Chuck stops. Looks up. Sniffs. Takes another step. Inhales again. "Why does it smell like sugar cookies?"
Jackson smiles, but there's something off in his expression. "Hopin' fer one?"
"Just wanna know how you two managed to bake without setting fire to the kitchen."
Jackson snorts.
Logan glowers over his glasses at him.
Chuck looks from one to the other. "Okay. What's the joke?"
"Take a whiff 'a Logan."
Chuck blinks.
'Go ahead,' says Jackson's eyebrow.
Chuck does. Blinks rapidly. "Why do /you smell like cookies?"
Logan sighs. ::New bubble bath sucks.::
Chuck fights a laugh. "And it won't wash off?"
"Not unless he wants to smell like a fruit bowl," smirks Jackson.
Logan hunches behind his book as Chuck and Jackson give in to laughter.
==Snowflakes==
[January] 2026
"You can't seriously think that was any good!"
"You just have a problem with imagination, Rapunzel," huffs Jackson. "You're too literal."
Logan trails a few steps behind, watching snowflakes swirling under the streetlights.
"Nothing--" Chuck drops Jackson's arm as she emphasizes, "/Nothing in that movie made any sense!" Scoffs. "For one, nothing alive can move that damn fast."
"'s called 'suspension of disbelief'!"
"I'm not suspending the laws of physics for a movie!"
"Christ, Chuck—Oi!" 
Someone pops out of an alley, shoves Jackson.
Jackson staggers— 
Bounces off Chuck—
Gets pushed upright by Logan.
Six eyes turn to the new guy.
"Wallets, watches, jewelry," the guy commands.
A knife glimmers.
Chuck rolls her eyes. "We're teaching assistants." Sneers, "We don't have a goddamn thing."
Logan pushes up his sleeves, steps in front.
"Ya got a deathwish, asshole?"
'Shoo,' waves Logan.
"Yer crazy."
He grins, 'Yep.'
The thug jabs for Logan's middle.
Logan catches his arm, smashes the wrist against his knee—
Knife bounces away.
Chuck picks it up, passes it to Jackson.
Jackson drops it in a parka pocket.
—Hits the solar plexus, back of neck, down he goes.
Logan dusts off his hands.
Chuck snorts.
Jackson pats Logan's shoulder. "Nice work."
The mugger groans.
Logan shrugs, steps over the guy.
Chuck and Jackson pick their way around.
"Where were we?"
"You were about to tell me physics don't apply in movies."
"Right. You just have to let yourself ...."
Logan watches snowflakes.
==Dream==
[January] 2026
It's one of those dreary, lethargic Sundays when no one can muster the energy to fully wake up—or, as Chuck realizes with a start, stay awake.
Why is she awake?
There's an elbow in her side.
Looks around the living room.
There's a Jackson asleep, curled beside her on the sofa, hands and foot twitching, jaw set firm.
There's a Logan dozing in an easy chair.
"Snicket!" she hisses.
Logan blinks sleepily.
"He's dreamin', ay?"
Logan nods, sighs. Holds up clenched fists, feints a punch.
"Of fighting." Glances back to Jackson. "He ever win?"
Shakes his head, looks away.
== Going ==
Date/Timing: after Logan meets Bubbles and Blossom and Indiana Darling are a thing
Setting: Monkey House
Meta: possibly only pasta; Logan's moving from Pittsburgh back to Sydney to work with Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup (Amelia)
"You're really going, ay?" Jackson drops himself on the end of Logan's bed.
Logan stuffs a handful of socks into his duffel.
Jackson sighs, studies his slippers.
Gets poked in the forehead.
He looks up.
.::You don't need me anymore.::
"What d'you mean?"
Logan rolls his eyes, grabs a pile of t-shirts.
"Seriously, Logan. What?"
Tees go in the bag, then Logan straightens, seizes Jackson's arm, hauls him to his feet—
"Oi!"
—drags him out the door, down the hall to the den, dumps him on the couch next to Chuck.
Chuck doesn't look up, says, "You take your meds this morning?"
Logan crosses his arms.
Jackson rubs his neck. "I forgot."
"I'm not dealing with your grumpy ass today; go take them."
Logan gives Jackson a Look.
"Yea, yea." Jackson heaves himself to his feet, shuffles to the washroom.
Logan follows, hovers just off his shoulder as Jackson digs in the medicine cabinet. He clears his throat.
"You made your point," huffs Jackson.
>"/Thank you."
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Category:Jackson (ficlet)
Category:Chuck D
Category:Chuck D (ficlet)
Category:Monkey House (setting)
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