Chapter Text
Together, Jack holding up underneath his arms, while Ab held together his legs, the two dropped him suddenly into a warm, full tub. He let out a jarring yelp of surprise, along with the wind being knocked out of him, which also didn't help. For a moment, he had to hold still, his mind racing to catch up with his body as Jack grinned down at him and knelt, taking some of her own orchid scented body wash to begin the actual process of bathing, but first, she turned to Ab.
"Hey, we got any of that fancy bath salt?- Not the drug- The relaxing stuff?"
Nervously looking at the panicked Lucas, then to her friend, she turned reluctantly to rifle through the bag left on the counter. After confirming it was the right product, she turned with it in her hand.
"Is coffee scented ok?"
Jack was pretty occupied swooning over the currently disoriented man in the tub, and how hard his fingers now clutched the tubs edge. But, she found the time to look up and confirm.
"Even better. We'll have him nice and clean in no time, ain't that right, Luke?"
She hesitated to use any nicknames, worrying it'd make Ab uncomfortable, or Lucas, even though he was completely in shock still. Accepting the bottle into her open hand, she gently opened it and poured some in, calmly stirring it together with the wonderfully temperatured water. Taking the moments opportunity, she reached down and carefully slipped Lucas' cold hand into her own, using the guise of washing it just to be able to hold on for a moment. With a deep exhale that came straight from the heart, she melted and held on to him as his mind woke back up and he began to squirm. Ab watched nervously, wondering if intervening would be a good idea or not. It wouldn't be for Lucas' sake though- she didn't have nearly enough care for him to try and help him out of a bath. Besides, Jack wouldn't hurt him. Even though he was currently struggling and sloshing water everywhere, she sat there calmly holding him with a smile on her face, even if it was strained due to having to hold him down. He flipped around like a cod for a good few minutes before wearing himself out, breathing hard again with water now all over his face. Without turning her head, Jack kindly asked Ab to bring some fresh towels and the like, to help possibly calm him. She didn't really know how towels would help with that, but went to get them anyway. Meanwhile, Jack gently leaned in and put her head up underneath his, cuddling in without restraining his breathing. His grip tightened, though, she just gently grabbed his hands back and held them again, rubbing spirals into them as she gazed down, looking at the muddied water. See, while Jack wanted to bathe him, he never actually agreed, nor did she wanna make things uncomfy or gross with him, so instead, she dropped him in fully clothed, even if it meant the water would be dirtier for it. Then his clothes would also get a wash, she reasoned. But now, she was just here enjoying the moment. The bathroom had fogged up already, and the steam was creating an even better atmosphere. She filled her hand with soap and carefully lathered his upper half, before tackling his lower torso as best she could, seeing as to how it was under water. Now irritated, he lifted up his arms before shakily responding;
"Hey! Cut that out, you're gonna mess up my hoody!"
Jack quietly giggled, the responses she had in her head made her do so, but she landed on just one as she continued soaping him up.
"And the years of sweat, blood, and grime don't? You're just mad I'm getting rid of your basement stink."
He took a sudden inhale, but accepted it as she eased up and stared down at his legs. From where she currently knelt, she couldn't reach them, so instead, she stayed with her head underneath his, even interlocking their hands and closing her eyes just as the bathroom door opened and shut again.
"Here, these were the best I could find."
Ab uttered half-heartedly. It wasn't like much laundry got done around here recently anyway. Jack took a washcloth from the top of the pile as Ab offered them kindly to her.
"They look good, surprised you managed to find anything half this nice. Thanks again, man."
She was in one of her drunkenly happy moods where you could slap her and she'd thank you. Even though Lucas looked more to be stewing in his own anger, Jack's eyes were lidded and she wore an uneven grin, a true mark of genuine happiness and peace. With that, Ab retreated to observe and scout while Jack took her washcloth and wet it, softly grabbing onto his cheek as she brought herself closer again. Prioritizing her thumb for said cloth, she brought it carefully down his jaw, tracing it as weird yellow maybe-grease-maybe-food debris came out. It was gross to know she'd been cuddling into that, but it felt so satisfying to watch it come off. She went all underneath his chin and down his neck, tracing every detail, as if to appreciate them all. He noticed her dumb looking stare as she sat with him, and finally, with a huff, he eased up and muttered.
"Guess there's worse things you could be doing."
That much was certainly true, may he never forget when she got bored and lonely that one time. He still had flour in his stubble. Anyway, he relaxed and slowly shifted to get comfortable in the warm water, letting out one of those oddly audible breaths seemingly only men ever make. Jack fawned over him as she took the other cloth and wet it as well, drawing calming, repetitive patterns against his cheek before using it to grab ahold of him and pull him close enough that she could lay a shy, soft kiss on his cheek. It was still funny to him, she seemed so out of her element every time she did something like that. If he ever actually did anything with her, who knows, she may just explode. After cleaning off every portion of his face, even his eyelids which she was very careful about, she moved down to his legs and looked between him and them, making him recoil a little as he sat up more.
"No, you can't take my pants off."
He made very clear, staring at her in awkward silence as she stared back with a reddening face,
"I wasn't gonna, you- dumbass idiot."
Using that weak voice she does whenever he assumes something like that, her face hardened as she spoke her actual question.
"Besides, Ab is here, you weirdo. And- I was just gonna ask if I could roll up your pants leg, that's all."
With that, he eased somewhat, looking over to where Ab sat on the toilet seat lid, her head suddenly lifting.
"Hm? Oh! Sorry, I was busy RPing, what's going on?"
Jack just made a little weird choked sound, like she wasn't sure how to explain.
"I was just wondering why you're here, ain't you got somewhere else to be?"
His gaze narrowed, making both girls a bit uncomfortable.
"Why do you want us to be alone?"
Jack spoke up, accidentally cutting off Ab, though she was glad she did when she realized Ab was going to apologize. Now she looked kinda sketched out too.
"Didn't say I did."
With that, Jack let it go and just looked over once more before continuing on, experimentally tugging his pant leg up while looking at him in a way to ask permission. He didn't pull away, nor say anything, so she just continued, steadily falling back into a deep almost sleepy-love. Tiredly leaning over the rim, she carefully took off the soap she'd laid a moment ago and moved up his body. He even let her do around his stomach under his shirt. He probably would've let her do more, but, Jack really didn't wanna push it, and Ab was still chilling so that'd probably be concerning for her. Looking over and seeing Lucas half undressed was probably the last thing she ever wanted to see. After all, they weren't close by any means. She despised him for all that he did, and the fact that Jack loved him over it, but him being a murderer was enough reason to hate him, in her book.
After making it up to his neck and having practically given him a full body massage, he jolted to life and grabbed Jack's arms, suddenly trying to pull her in. Only her elbows broke the surface, enough to irritate her, but not enough to actually get under her skin. While she was struggling not to join him in the shiveringly good water, he sat up and pulled their faces together. They looked really dumb as both the bridges of their noses touched, she closed her eyes since she was afraid they'd get poked as he muttered.
"Hey, you really didn't do a bad job, keep that up and I'm sure they'll hire you at the care home of your choice."
Then, with something that startled her more than anything, a kiss to the nose, he let go and she swung back while he put his arms behind his head, relaxing now sideways in the tub, which didn't look very comfy at all. Ab looked up from her phone, honestly bored. This wasn't the retribution she'd hoped for, or been promised, but watching Jack let herself get laid out on the floor and become a writhing red mess over returned affection was some ok entertainment.
"You alright?"
She suddenly asked, now questioning whether Jack was actually just infatuated, or having some sort of episode, but Lucas' pleased look indicated either way, he was the cause.
"Bahh, she'll be fine. She's just gotta learn to deal with her feelings is all, right baby?"
He tried to look at her from where he sat, but his perspective was pretty much just the tub and the very ends of her hair splayed out on the floor. He sat comfortably for another moment or so before becoming bored, and leaning over to see her now. With one wet poke, he got her attention.
"Hey, could you be a doll and grab a towel for me? I don't really wanna have to make you do this all over again cause I slipped on the floor."
Without a word, she grabbed a towel next to her head, still high up on the pile since she didn't want him using the floor towels first, and then she stood, wrapping him in it as he too stood, water came rushing out of his hoody in a gross brown-yellow color like a filthy fountain.
"Thanks sweetheart, knew I could count on ya."
He grabbed her suddenly and pulled them both together, which, she fought while she could, but relented when she feared falling.
"Hey- you wet- get off-"
Jack sputtered as Ab got up and started walking over. Suddenly, Jack, Lucas' father, burst in the door.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON IN HERE?"
He yelled in his usual frantic voice, scaring Jack halfway to death. As all survivors in a life and death scenario, Jack wormed her way out of Lucas' clutch as he began talking back to his father, but she didn't listen, within a moment, she grabbed the frightened Ab and made a daring exit through the wardrobe. Obviously, Jack and Lucas had to come pull them out, except, when they opened the doors, there was a giant hole sawed into the back of it, and they'd escaped. Jack raged while Lucas just stood almost amazed. Imagine cutting a hole in the back of a wardrobe as an escape plan. What a weird idea that must be.