forum Operation: Cease and Desist (o/o Closed)

Started May 07, 2023 by @Anxietyfilledcinnamonroll group

tune

The world had always been blind, but they were never ignorant. They knew it was happening, but always swept it under the rug. Humanity couldn’t deal with it. They didn’t have the capabilities. So, if they pretend it wasn’t happening, then there was nothing to fear. But some people, called the Clairvoyants by modern society, were ‘cursed’ to hear, see, and feel the paranormal. These humans suddenly became the perfect candidates to deal with the inhuman issue. Many of the prominent Clairvoyants started their own agencies, sending out agents on missions to deal with the current inhuman issue.

An agency called Blackwood, named after its renowned founder, James Blackwood, sends two agents off on a mission called: Operation Cease and Desist. They send them to an abandoned mansion called the Watcher’s Estate. Their mission is to take care of a poltergeist, but it opens the door to other paranormal trickery, leading them down a trail of disturbances linked to one source. So together, they brandish their silver swords, gather iron chains, and salt to combat the foes they have coming forth.

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Rules/notes:

• I’d appreciate a paragraph or more per response and some detail
• No smut
• Swearing is okay
• Please be respectful outside the roleplay
• If you have any questions, please ask me

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Here is the character template:

Name:
Age:
Gender:
Appearance:
Personality:
Background:
Other:

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Here is my character:

Name:Jaxon “Jax” Ashvale

Age:21

Gender:Male (He/him)

Appearance:6’2. He has a combed-over style with medium-length, jet-back hair. His cheeks are hollow. He has an oval face shape. He has sharp arctic blue, eagle-like eyes. He has a hook nose with a kink in it. His skin tone is honey beige and his build is spare and fit. He has a faint scar over his mouth and on his clavicle. He has a long scar on the side of his abdomen from being stabbed. His clothing is a black bomber jacket over a plain white t-shirt. Sometimes wears gloves to avoid callused palms. He wears a leather belt with a sheath for his sword. He wears black jeans and black combat boots. He also carried a bag full of iron chains and salt.

Personality:Jax is a realist. He gives suggestions on what is achievable in meetings. You will hear him shooting down ideas not possible in this world. He does not daydream about fantasies that could happen; they are just a figment of his mind that will lead to hope. He makes plans based on the realism of the attack. Jax is very down-to-earth. As a child, he had many hopes and dreams; he threw them away after the traumatic event that led to his reserved personality.

In the beginning, Jax's emotionally detached from people. His PSTD got worse after being diagnosed with PTSD two years after his traumatic event. He became emotionally detached to protect himself from the drama, anxiety, the stress of his PTSD, the questions, and the help others offer. He’ll be blunt with others. Jax is not open with his emotions with many people, and that can lead to difficulty. Ηe calls himself numb.

Tying into his emotional detachment, he is a reserved person who rarely shows his genuine feelings. He mostly has a neutral face and tone. His tone will sometimes turn to irritation or change when he’s pleased. Many times, it seems the many manipulative tricks others use do not affect him at all. He acts as if he has a wall around him. Jax rarely contributes his thoughts in situations unless asked, or he feels it’s crucial. He has complete self-control in consequential circumstances, but he might lose it when his bottled emotions become expressed. Jax is polite to people; he respects others opinions and feelings. Jax is self-sufficient. He doesn’t want to dump his emotional baggage on others, he’d rather deal with it on his own time. He won't display his emotions in public. He excuses himself to have his own alone time. Alone, he’ll express his bottled feelings. Two of the biggest exhaustion of his bottled emotions are crying and anger. Contradicting not displaying his emotions in public is when he snaps and starts sobbing. It happened when he was younger and now in his twenties. It doesn’t matter who’s around him. It occurs on missions, or in times he can’t get alone time.

When someone he cares for gets hurt, his emotions will cloud his judgment. He’ll often jump to action against the enemy instead of thinking it through. Jax is awfully loyal to his friends. He'll protect them with his life. Jax is doubtful of himself. He fears he’ll never pull through and be there to save the ones he loves the most. Jax fears he’ll fail his biggest goal. Jax will claim he isn’t good enough or will screw up everything. He is a humble person. He would never boast about his skills, his only input when asked, “How do you fight so well?” would be Years of tough training. Being humble ties into his reserved and doubtful image.

Background: Jax was once a happy kid until his childhood home caught on fire. His family had died in the accident, leaving him to wonder and blame it on himself. The agency found his all on his lonesome, taking this kid in to learn under their wing. Jax grew up around inhumans, knowing how to deal with them well.

Other: N/A

Name: Jake Grey Satori
Nickname: Jakey
Age: 21
Gender: Cis Male
Pronouns: He/It
Sexuality: Gay
Race: Human, Italian/American

Appearance: Has charcoal grey eyes, they seem almost like silver- as if he were blind. He always has a fog that covers up the brightness behind his eye. His eyes are angled in a cat-like shape, being an almond shape, but also round and wide. Jake's stare is intense as it comes off as a glare, he seems like he's pissed all the time if you don't know him that well. His eyebrows are thin yet bushy with a slit or two through it. Has a button nose that is somewhat turned up with a slightly curved bridge.
His top lip is kind of thin while the bottom one is slightly plumper. They are decorated with black snake bite piercings- his tongue also contains a piercing. Jake's face is a mix between heart and round shapes, with a strong jawline, but still maintaining a kind of baby face, though not as much fat on his face as when he was younger.
Jake has coal-black hair that's curly, and soft, yet slightly puffy. It does get frizzy if he's been out in the rain. It drives him crazy because later when he tries to brush out the knots, he can't tame it. His hair looks fairly short but not quite since it covers part of his left eye. If he were to straighten it, it would be decently long. Sometimes, when it's really bothering him, he'll shave the sides of his head so that it's way shorter than the hair on top and the front.

Jake is extremely pale to the point where it looks like he hasn't been out in the sun since his birth and that is partially true. His body is more of a mix of mesomorph and ectomorph types, having some muscle for him to do his daily activities which involve a lot of exercise, but not extremely so. He stands at about 5'11" and weighs 169 lbs.

Clothes: Jake usually wears punk clothes. An example of this would be T-shirts with explicit graphics on them like occult stuff, gore, blood, suicidal themes, self-mutilation, etc. Skinny ripped black jeans are his go-to but he'll also opt for slim-fit jeans. He wears alternative shoes like Boots, Heels (not often because of his job), and Platforms. The only thing that stands out about Jake is the cool-colored pastel necklace that he holds very dear to his heart.

Condition(s) (if any): Has an extremely bad case of pavor nocturnus, MDD, and anxiety.
Personality: If you met Jake and don’t know him on a personal level he’s very much the prankster type, teasing others and flirting till he gets what he wants. He’s confident to a disgusting degree, almost on the verge of a god complex, thinking he can do whatever he wants without consequences. His cocky attitude is simply a front though, he has walls built up for a reason, his fake personality is a way to protect himself. Sometimes his fake personality blends in with his true self to the point where he doesn’t know who he really is. Part of this has to do with the fact that he believes there's nothing really wrong with him.
There are rare occasions where he'll seem a little more dejected than usual, looking really dull and tired unless something really interests him. He seems to get bored very easily when not doing his job or having someone to mess with. Jake is also a little touchy with certain subjects, so if you bring up the wrong thing, he'll definitely snap at you and see you as an enemy for a while before he cools down, which usually means a few days of isolation for him.
Jake as himself, is not difficult to befriend, he just seems like a spiky character due to the way he presents himself, but on the contrary, he’s very caring and attentive to those who have faced similar struggles as he has. He trusts people like himself more than anyone else even if he has a hard time being trustful of people.

Background: Jake and his siblings weren't raised in a good household. They were abused by the one person who was supposed to protect them and be a role model, their father.
As a kid, Jake had it bad, but his brother had it worse, he took on the brunt of the abuse. That didn't mean that it was any easier for Jake.
As Jake learned how things worked, he gradually went up against anyone who wanted to take away his freedom. So while he didn't necessarily care what happened to him, he would sure as hell put up a fight when he needed to. Since Jake didn't have the best of families, he pretended like he did. No one knew what went on behind closed doors except his older brother, so he seemed like a "normal" kid- and he preferred to keep it that way.

Other: https://pin.it/7bInmo6

Jax swore off missions for three months after the incident. But here he was, creeping around the tall grass with a recruit. A recruit who didn’t seem like he worked a day in his life. Transfer between departments, they said. It could be beneficial, they said. There was a reason the bureau stayed secret. They had to deal with this bullshit. He had to deal with this bullshit. Amity thought it bright to give him an apprentice again. He shuffled within the tall grass, a bag slung across his back. He had the mansion in sight, but it was purely a waiting game. The sun hadn’t set yet, painting the sky in a multitude of purples and oranges. Sure, it was pretty, but it needed to be pitch black. Almost as if a black hole swallowed the sun. Then the hunt could begin.

The harsh wind displaced his hair, sending shivers down his spine when it nipped at his face. Jax was wrapped up in heavy leather and denim. Dark clothing helped him blend into the night, keeping his presence to a minimum. It was protocol. Not only did it help sneak upon — physical inhumans — it helped keep hysteria low. Even if the population was semi-aware, it still startled them to see young adults stalking a creature in the void. Jax peered up at the sky. The sun dipped lower every second. It was nearly time to go. And a good thing too. His muscles started aching. They weren’t used to being bunched up for long. He will admit, they left a bit early, but it didn’t matter. Night set in, the countryside falling victim to the abyss. Jax disappeared, his eyes glowing in the dark. This was his only downfall. One could tell where he was because of his bright blue eyes.

With a sigh, Jax got off his hunches, stretching his back. The grass moved with the wind, obscuring his figure further. His hand lingered on the hilt of his sword. Every agent carried a silver sword at the hip, helping them reduce the inhuman threat. If it weren’t for them, the city would be rampant with chaos of death. Jax signaled to Jake with a jerk of his head, moving done the hill they sat upon towards the mansion. They should see no other humans, it was a heavily secluded place. As of now, it was the reign of the inhuman. If they were lucky, only one problem had to be slain. But sometimes, other inhumans weren’t as smart. They tried to take a bite out of Blackwood's agents occasionally, but it rarely resulted in death. Only malicious evils killed the agents; even then, some were only distraught and in pain. This mission would prove curious, especially with the recruit.

Jax moved closer to the mansion. The icy presence of something in anguish lapped upon his delicate skin. It was a poltergeist, alright. Once in the business long enough, they could tell based on touch alone. He checked to see if Jake was following as he approached the entrance to the mansion. The Watcher’s Estate was a beauty. The outer wall was made of white stone, while the front porch was made of marble stairs, floor, and pillars. He would kill to live in a place like this. Funnily enough, he was easing a ghost back into the afterlife, so someone could live here.

Jake yawned as they walked through the grass, hand over his mouth, making a small sound when he was done. Jake wasn't from around these parts, the place he came from dealt with more…. tangible things. To put it simply, he had worked for a company that made a profit from being second to the police. They were more efficient in capturing and locating people. You had a cold case? It was passed over to their apartment and they got to work on it. Anything that couldn't be solved by simple means was handed over to them and nine times out of ten they completed their tasks. It was rare for them to not get something right, they were, after all, the best of the best.
However….

Recently they had handed off their problem child over to a different agency. It wasn't a "you deal with this" situation, it was a punishment. For Jake. He hadn't exactly been cooperative these past few weeks and they had given him several warnings. They needed him to take his job more seriously, so they had put him under someone who wasn't so fun.
While Jake was used to dealing with criminals and being put in basically suicide missions, this new job was a different ballpark. They were dealing with things that weren't human. Jake had fought, hard to not get transferred, he never did well with horror. Fighting dangerous people? Fine. The supernatural? Not fine.
Jake eyed Jax as he walked behind him. Tallass. He thought but didn't say anything just yet. He was sure sooner or later he'd annoy the living hell out of Jax, but for now, he was keeping quiet. His hand also finding the hilt of his sword. Jake's eyes nearly rolled to the back of his head as he thought of ways to use the darn thing. He had never held one in his possession in his entire life. Guns he could do. Swords? Fuck.
As they moved closer, Jake was completely oblivious to the fact of what was happening. He felt a bit chillier than he had before, but he chalked it up to being out in the wind for a while.
Jake's eyes found Jax's and he gave him a charming smile, waving as if to say "I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere yet."

Jax rubbed his face. This was going to be a long one. He could complete these missions in 20 minutes. But with this recruit here — no chance. Not with that smile. In fact, Jax rolled his eyes at that smile. Their best bet was for Jake to learn the simplest tactic on his first run — throwing salt bombs at distorted aspects of reality. And sit and stay. That worked well too. Pushing open the great brown doors, he stepped into the grand foyer. A grand staircase was pushed off to the right. The staircase was made of wood, with a polished banister running up the curves. Carpet lined each stair, which made the poltergeist situation quite ironic. The rest of the foyer was decorated promptly. Small drawers with old photos sat upon them, dusty paintings lined the walls, and wilted flowers wept on a small table. The abyss engulfed the entire house. Jax placed his black bag on the marble floors. If he focused hard enough, splatters of blood had strained the marble. It left the white rock a light pink.

Jax pulled a flashlight from the back, throwing a second to Jake. He guessed it was important for the recruit to see, too. Flicking on the flashlight, the dim light illuminated the hallway leading into the living room. Spider webs lined the walls, making the hall seem condensed and grotesque. He swore he saw a figure standing at the end. He dug 6 salt bombs out of his bag, placing them down on the floor. They were little packages with salt in them. They’re designed to react with the air, creating a combustion reaction to make the salt launch out of the bags. Jax beckoned Jake over towards him, handing the recruit the salt bombs. “Your job is to stand - or sit - in a corner. Don’t move or touch anything. If you see a dispersion within reality, throw the salt at it.” He waved Jake off, letting him pick his no-touchy corner.

Once he dealt with Jake, Jax pulled out the iron chains. Once he found the bones or the thing the ghost was attached to, he could create a circle with the chains and toss it in the middle. It trapped the ghost, allowing him to hack and slash. Once he deterred the spirits long enough, he could break the object or set fire to the bone. A simple job when you knew what you were doing. Jake, however, probably would find this hard. It would be a piece of cake if Jake didn’t move. Jax could only pray. With a deep breath, he turned towards Jake. “The activity is about heightened. Stay right there. Do as I say. If it gets bad, take the sword to slash it through the apparition. It will keep you alive — if you like that.” He looked Jake up and down. “I’m going to go find whatever this ghoul is tied to.” Jax turned heel, creeping down the hallway leading to the living room.

Jake stopped at the doors, not really entering. He looked around disapprovingly. It was dark as fuck. Not that he hadn't done a job at night, but they had come to the sketchiest-looking place, ever. What the fuck was he supposed to do in there? Fight ghosts? Jake let out a startled laugh at the thought. Yeah. That's exactly what he was expected to do.
Once Jax turned the flashlight on Jake scowled and very hesitantly walked in behind him. They had fucking better. He thought, or he would not have stepped foot in the house. As he walked in, he eyed the spiderwebs, wondering if there were any around. Something more like curiosity on his face than actual terror at the thought that spiders roamed the place.

If Jax had seen a figure, it had completely gone over Jake's head as he happened to be looking elsewhere at that moment, though the motion of Jax beckoning him caught his attention and he begrudgingly walked over to him.
Once Jax handed Jake the salt bombs, Jake just stared at them. It wasn't until Jax explained what they did, that he understood.
Jake and bombs? Not a good combo. If he was reckless with grenades, then handing him salt bombs was like literally asking him to go crazy with them.
"What am I, a fucking dog?" Jake grumbled as he went over into a corner and crouched. He didn't seem to put up much of a fight though. He narrowed his eyes at the sight of the iron chains though, snickering as he looked away to scan the area.
Jax looked a little nervous to be around Jake, or at least, that's what he picked up as he kept turning to him as if to keep an eye on him. He nodded at Jax's instructions but froze when he said the "if you like that" part.

"I like a lot of things, being alive is not one of them" He scoffed, though there was a huge smile on his face now as he messed with the salt bombs. Jake had been eyeing the back of Jax's head for a while now and he wondered what it would be like to throw one….surely he could do a test run? Would it hurt if made contact with another human?
Jake watched as Jax left. Left him alone. He looked around, bored. It didn't help that Jax had taken the flashlight with him. He had one too- if he had remembered to bring it. He patted his pants and felt a square shape in his back pocket. The urge to smoke to help with his nerves was not helping and he was sure Jax would not appreciate him accidentally lighting the place on fire. Though, that would take care of the ghost right? Surely?
Jake craned his neck to see if Jax was completely gone and when out of sight, he stood up, stretching a bit. They had stayed crouched in the grass for so long, his legs hurt.

Jax sighed. Jake was going to kill him. Telling the man to go sit would relieve him of the burden. After all, if he let Jake cling to his hip, he’d end up dead. Jax would strangle him. Blinking at Jake, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re not a dog, but you are under my watch. If you die, I’m responsible for explaining how and why. I don’t feel like sitting in my director’s office for hours.” He straightened his back, goosebumps forming along his arms and neck. This was a sign. “So just stay put until I get back. It will save me a lot of pain later.” Once Jax had taken all supplies out of the bag, he wrapped his hand on the hilt of his sword. Yanking the hilt, he pulled the silver sword out. It was around 1 foot long, the blade glittering in the darkness. The hilt was wrapped in worn leather. Small indentations of Jax’s fingers imprinted into it.

Jax shone the flashlight down the hallway leading into the living room. No, why would he go down there? Knowing the knowledge of the poltergeist, the item would be by the stairs. He turned his body, shining the flashlight on the stairs. The light gave the marble a sparkle. Blood speckled the grand staircase. Yep — this was the place. Jax moved around the stairs, following the wall of white wood painted to blend into the marble. The underside of the stairs was hollow, leaving an empty area. It radiated potent energy, sending shivers up Jax’s spine. Strong paranormal energy manipulated the body’s natural response, leaving a man incapacitated or frozen. While he didn’t get missions dealing with ghosts often, he was trained to bypass the immobilizing effects.

Creeping around the stairs, the extensive area came into his line of sight. It was empty, save for large spider webs and dust bunnies. Jax believed Jake would have run away screaming. A small object shone in the light of his flashlight. That must be it! The object. He would have grabbed it if it weren’t for the figure guarding it. Wonderful. He stared at the figure, its form see through. The ghost was a pale white, its face permanently twisted in distress. The figure’s head was cracked open, blood oozing from the wounds. No questions around it. It fell down the stairs, breaking its head open. The ghost was dressed in nightclothes, blood staining the white. Jax raised his sword, swinging in the diagonal. He struck from up over his right shoulder down to his left foot — right through the phantom. It screeched, its scream burning in Jax’s ears. He dropped the flashlight, the black metal thudding against the marble floor. He placed his hands over his ears, groaning in pain.

The sword in his hand dangled precariously. Jax tried not to cut himself with the blade as he fell to his knees. Unfortunately, he was not impervious to blood-curdling screams. His face twisted in pain, his muscles tensing up. For the ever loving hell. Why did he have to go on this mission? He was supposed to still be recovering. With a painful hiss, he crawled forward, the cool marble stinging against his hands. It was unnaturally cold. Jax got onto his stomach, military crawling across the floor towards the object. He extended his arm, reaching out for the circular item. A wedding band? It would make sense. A cobweb brushed his arm, sending goosebump throughout his entire body. Shit. Jax's breathing picked up, a knot setting in his stomach. The walls closed in, slowly crushing his body as he grabbed the ring. He backed out, trying to get a hold of himself as he cradled the item. It was a wedding band.

Jax picked up his flashlight and sword, shaking himself off. Getting on one knee, he lifted himself to his feet. Joints popped, making gnarly snarls. He wasn’t old, but these missions took a toll on his body. Swallowing harshly, he made it back to the foyer. He was on high alert, looking around tentatively. He created a circle out of the chains, throwing the ring in the middle. This drew out the phantom, its white form appearing in the middle. It was incapable of hurting them like this, but it was pissed. “Shit.” Jax muttered. Sharp pain wound up the side of his head, a deafening ring following suit. Did this bitch burst his eardrum? Or was it all hallucination? He’d find out later. They needed to focus on this phantom. Well, he needed to focus on the phantom. Jake couldn’t do shit to help him. He wasn’t trained and unprepared. Once they returned to headquarters, Jax was going to do him in. He would put harsh training regimens in place.

Jake had the biggest smile on his face at Jax's explanation.
"So basically me dying would be an inconvenience" He noted, not dropping the smile. Something about that amused him, being an inconvenience.

Jax was gone for a while, and Jake was pacing around the room with a flashlight in his hand as he looked everywhere. There was a cigarette now in his mouth as he held the sword in his hand and the flashlight in the other. He swung the sword around several times, humming at the noise it made when it ripped through the air.
His fun didn't last long though. He heard an unholy sound coming from somewhere in the house, which made him flinch really hard, causing him to drop the flashlight and sword as he placed his hands on his ears, biting down on the cigarette. There was no way in hell that had been Jax.

When Jax returned, Jake watch him as he put the ring inside a circle he had made of chains. He wondered what it was for, but quickly got his answer as something appeared inside it out of thin air. Jake seemed to pale at that, frozen in place. No way, no way, no way.
Jake dug into his pocket, pulling out one of the salt bombs. He very weakly threw it at the ghost, missing by a mile. Usually, he was better at throwing things, but the whole situation had him on edge, and not in a good way. Sure, the ghost was blocked in by the iron chains- they had given him a small run down on how things went before chucking him into a mission like this, but it just seemed impossible. How??? How could the ghost not get out?? What if it did? Then what?

"Hey-" Jake called out to Jax. "Are you alright?" He asked, seeing how he seemed a lot more off than he had been before. He asked partially out of concern but also because he didn't want Jax to keel over and leave him to fend for himself.

Jax stared at the ghost, gritting his teeth. The phantom titled its head, the neck splitting into tendrils of flesh. Openings appeared on the neck. If the ghost had been alive, this would be the trachea and esophagus. He stepped back, the ringing in his left ear growing harsh. It was like hornets had nested in his ear canal. He grimaced, holding his sword towards the ghost. The pain wasn’t unbearable, but it wasn’t pleasant. He needed to focus. He lost focus. The translucent figure hissed, the unintelligible garble sending shivers up Jax’s spine. The temperature in the room dropped. This was a nasty phantom. Jax could only guess its pain came from losing its life. The married life, family life. Its face twisted into a snarl, inconsolable toward itself, projecting it on Jake and Jax. Jax would have to dispel the phantom in order to burn the ring.

Turning to Jake, Jax witnessed the feeble throw of the salt bomb. The bomb hit the marble floor, exploding in a shower of salt. Small grains rained upon the ghost, dissolving its figure. A horrid shriek emitted from its throat. He made eye contact with Jake, hovering his hand at his neck and flicking upward. He was trying to tell him not to throw more. If Jake threw another salt bomb, it could displace the iron chain, letting the angered phantom free. The room swirled, flashes of bright light filling his vision. Sharp pain had reached his head, placing pressure behind his eyes. Jax cussed to himself, trying to take control of his body. It was going to be tough. Readying his sword, Jax swung at the phantom over his right shoulder. The blade phased through the ghost, dissolving the apparition. But before he could reach for his match, it came back. Jax swung again. With each swing, his center of balance became off-centered.

Jax couldn’t hear Jake. Not while in focus and with the ruptured eardrum. He was grappling with his own world, a reality different from the recruits. The apparition dissolved again, allowing him to grab his lighter before it came back. The next part was simple. Jax ran back over to his bag, grabbing a canister out of it. It was red and back, but more discrete than your average gas cans. Uncapping the canister, he scampered back over to the circle, splashing gasoline all over the ghost and ring. The ghastly ghoul didn’t seem fazed. Instead, its face shifted shape. It resembled a skull. Its form changed, the body contorting into a monstrous beast. Yep, Jax needed to set this bitch on fire before it got out of control. He rolled his thumb over the wheel of the lighter, trying to get it to spark. Panic rose in his chest, the lighter refusing to spark. Taking a deep breath, he carefully rolled his finger over the wheel. A flame ignited and Jax chucked the lighter into the iron chain ring, setting the ghost and ring ablaze.

Jake's eyes grew as he watched the horror unfold in front of him. The way the neck split and the flesh became visible. Oh fuck. Jake's response to situations like these was either fight or freeze and right now, being the first time he was seeing something like this, he just froze. He didn't know how to fight something like this. Was throwing salt and swinging at it going to work?
He watched his breath appear in front of him as the temperature dropped. And it was cold?! Jake swallowed, taking a slight step back when he threw the bomb. Seeing the salt dissolve a part of the ghost seemed to relieve Jake a little, it hadn't been a good throw, but now he knew that these people weren't crazy and this stuff actually worked.

Before getting transferred Jake had been sat down and talked to about what was going to happen. The place he worked for had all his information since before he was even born. They knew everything about him, every strength and weakness. Because Jake didn't do good with fear, they thought this was the perfect place to put him. They did that a lot. Not just to Jake, but to other members of his group.

Jax's motion drew Jake's eyes to him. Ah. He was going to kill him if he threw another. Jake could only watch as Jax fearlessly dealt with the thing in front of him, something akin to admiration sparked in Jake's eyes despite the fact that his heart was beating out of his chest with everything happening.

Because Jax couldn't hear Jake, Jake seemed to flip out a little at that. Was he really okay?! He wasn't going to pass out right?!

When Jax ran over to his bag, Jake blinked. Oh, so now he was being ignored? The fire reflected in Jake's eyes as it grew and engulfed the ring in the center and ghost alike. As Jax stepped back from the fire after throwing the lighter in, Jake clutched onto the salt bomb.
"Hey, asshole" Jake yelled. "I asked if you're okay!" He said before throwing the salt bomb as hard as he could toward the back of Jax's head. Jake didn't know Jax was hurt, he had seemed off but didn't know what his deal was. Maybe if he had known that small detail he wouldn't have thrown the bomb.
Maybe.

The flames reflected in Jax’s eyes, the form of the ghost flickering within the trap. The different hues created a kaleidoscope of refracted segments. Heat licked his skin, the ghost screaming as the flame swallowed its figure. The room melted away, curving and contorting into the suburbs of his childhood home. Ash fluttered to his feet, remnants of his home up in smoke. Sirens of many emergency vehicles sounded the home, and the fire trapped his family inside. Everything breath coated with smoke particles. He wheezed, scanning the surroundings for his mother. Mom. Tears stung his eyes, slowly dripping down his face. Each drop hit his hand, running off at a precarious angle. The night sky mingled with the smoke, dancing with it as the fire burned brighter. Mom. Jax fell to his knees, his jaw trembling. He squeezed his eyes shut, more tears straggling down his face. Imprints of the fire lined his vision, making it hard to shake off the horror. The deaths. A knot in his throat, his chest heavy. He rocked back on force on his knees, trying to ignore the crackling of the harsh fire. Stinging erupted throughout his body, small 3rd-degree burns inhabiting his arms and legs.

The fire raged on; the ghost wailing as it dissipated further. Jax was on his knees, tears dripping down his face. Jax was incapacitated, shaking back and forth. His heart beat against his chest, wanting out of the horrific cage. His stomach dropped, breathing coming in incomplete, shallow breaths. Jax’s muscles were locked, not allowing him to move besides the twitching on his face. He stared at the blaze, almost like he was entranced by it. He couldn’t have heard — have possibly known — Jake threw a salt bomb at him. It connected with the back of his head; the combustion igniting. As it hit Jax’s head, the salt bomb exploded, spraying the crystals. It dissipated the last of the ghost, but also rendered Jax unconscious. His eyes rolled in the back of his head, his body collapsed to the ground. Luckily, he didn’t fall on his blade, which he sheathed early on.

The iron circle disbanded, letting the gasoline dribble out of its prison, the fire following suit. The blaze become out of control, and with Jake’s operator knocked out, it wasn’t going to be controlled. Their best bet was to run, run back to HQ. Or call for backup with the watch they gave Jake. However, it could get him in trouble, especially with Jax unconscious. So many options, all with their high stakes. 

It all happened so fast, with Jax dropping to his knees and Jake throwing the salt bomb right as he did. As soon as Jax collapsed Jake realized the horrible mistake he had just made. The blood drained from his face. Oh. Now he's done it. Jake hadn't moved an inch when the gasoline made its way out of the iron circle. He watched as it got dangerously close to Jax's figure. Jake's eyes were wide as he stood there. The place was going to go up in flames and there was nothing he could do about it. Surely Jax had something in his bag to help with this??
Before the fire could latch onto Jax's clothes, Jake broke out of his trance and rushed over to pull Jax away to the other side of the room, when he did so he saw the faint wetness on Jax's eyelashes. Something like guilt twisted in the pit of his stomach.
He was going to fix this. He was going to fix it damn it!
Jake gently placed Jax in the corner and quickly dropped down to his knees in front of Jax's bag, rummaging through it to find anything to help with the situation. There wasn't much in there and that's when Jake panicked. Shit. Shit. Shit. There was nothing he could do but run. Put Jax outside far away and just run.

Oh….he was so done. Well, this wouldn't be the first time he fucked up and maybe it wouldn't be the last. Realizing what Jake had caused, he looked around, the fire spreading quickly, the ceiling becoming charred. His expression darkened, but there was terror in his eyes. It's fine. It's fine. Everything was going to be okay. He ran over to Jax and hauled him up onto his back, grabbing his arms and throwing them over his shoulders, picking him up. Jake grabbed his bag and made a run for it out the door, right before the entrance was blocked by the ever-consuming fire. He could have called for backup like they usually did, but Jake was already fucked as it was. They had given him two options. One. Get sent away to this agency and straighten himself out, or two. Get sent home, which implied a lot of things. The choice had been clear in Jake's mind. The agency it was. Jake hadn't seen it before, his friends constantly covering his ass, but his father was right. He was a problem.
Jake gritted his teeth as he ran into the fresh air of the night, looking back briefly to see everything getting destroyed. After that he didn't stop, running until he couldn't anymore.

It wasn't long before Jake made it to HQ in the car they had come in. The entire time he had been constantly looking over to Jax to make sure he was still breathing and he wouldn't just die on him unexpectedly.
When he parked, he turned the engine off, but he didn't stop rushing. He could have dragged this out, the moment where he had to face the others, but he didn't, Jax's safety was his number one priority. He pulled Jax out and hauled him back onto his back and made his way to the doors.

Jax lay helplessly on the floor, fire trickling closer to him. Flames could have engulfed him, left to die, if it weren’t for Jake diving to pull him away from the hazard. His body twitched. Despite being knocked unconscious, he still didn’t get peace. As the fire blazed on, it lapped the ceiling. Slowly, the tiles above rained down. It was useless. Jax didn’t have anything to contain the raging fire. It was both a completed and failed mission. At least both of them got out alive. It didn’t matter if the ghost was vanquished or if the building burned. Their lives were of most importance. Jake may have possibly made the best decision of his life. A burning building could be replaced, but the life of an agent could not. If he left out the detail of how they go to this point, he could be in good graces for rescuing a valued agent. If he told the truth, he would be respected for honesty, but also punished. It was up to the mind of the beholder.

Once placed in the car, Jax’s body slumped against the car door. A low, guttural groan emitted from his throat. His left ear had dried blood around it. It had dripped down his face and onto his jacket. His breathing was regular, nothing too concerning. Jax would be fine once he got medical treatment and proper rest. Then they could start training in the morning, teaching Jake how to work with their weapons and values. Jax adjusted his head when pulled out of the car, but otherwise stayed unconscious. Once Jake entered those doors, the guards would be in a flurry of panic. Considering it was night, the place would be quiet. Night had a mix of schedules. For some, it was downtime. For others, it was missions. It depended on the party being dispatched.

The outer building they were approaching was composed of gray brick. Three other buildings surrounded it, although one who wasn’t familiar with the place wouldn’t know what they were for. The door Jake pushed through was made of thick glass, almost impenetrable. Once Jake walked inside, he found himself at the main entrance. It appeared to be a sunroom, upholstery scattered about. Chair, couches, and other means of relaxation were placed carefully around a carpet and coffee table. The guards at the door jumped, seeing Jake walk in with an incapacitated Jax. One pressed a button on his watch, and the other lead Jake. He pushed through another set of glass doors to the main floor. He beckoned for Jake to follow, almost as if he was in a hurry. The floor was marble tile, the walls still gray brick. They stood in the center hall, light illuminated the place from the fluorescent light above. There were large windows etched into the wall, which allowed natural light to beam in. A set of dark marble stairs led upstairs, a hall to the left led to the west wind, and a hall to the right led to the east wing. The guard led Jake toward the east wing, also known as the medical wing.

The medical wing was another large room, quite like the main room. There were many doors, but it was undetermined where they led. The guard opened another set of double glass doors to the right. This was the infirmary, a spacious room with rough oak floors. It seemed as if decades of shoes had trampled over the boards. The walls were made up of cream boards, almost the same color as the ceiling. Beds bordered both sides of the room with small nightstands. A large cherry wood cabinet stood close to the door on the west side of the room. In fact, there were a few doors strewn about the room. The guard called for someone by the name of Jules, a young silver-haired man appeared from a doorway, specifically one to the left of the cherry cabinet. That must have been his office.

As soon as Jake was inside, he watched as one of the guards stood by as another immediately led him down a hall. Jake didn't need to be beckoned as he immediately followed suit, walking at a hurried pace like the other, if not more desperate to get Jax into the infirmary.

Jake had been in this part of the building before in the tour they had given him, though, he didn't remember which turns they had taken to get to the place, he was exactly taking notes right now. Once inside the infirmary, Jake eyed the beds and tensed. He held onto Jax, his grip tightening a little.

When someone was called and the guy made an appearance, Jake looked up at him, wide cat-like eyes looking a little terrified but also a little of something else that couldn't quite be placed. It was guilt. Jake swallowed before he forced a smile- the best he could do, though it looked like he wasn't all there.
"I uhm-" Jake started. "He got hurt," Jake said, deciding not to say anything for now. Jake had the instincts of a wild animal trying to survive, so he would do anything to keep himself alive, or the very least, away from any type of punishment. While telling the truth had crossed his mind, he was quickly reminded of the situation he was in and what would happen if they reported this. Not only would he get punished, but they'd also inform Nexus, the place he had been transferred from. He would not allow that to happen.

Jules creeped out from behind the doorway, looking around before his blue eyes landed on Jax. A painful expression engulfed his face, but he held off, rushing toward the man. He knew this face. It was quite similar to his boyfriend’s face when he first joined. The guard who led Jake to the infirmary disappeared, leaving Jules and Jake alone. Jules walked toward Jake, his footsteps light. He tried not to hurry in case it scared the other. He couldn’t treat Jax when the one holding him was so tense. Strands of silver hair fell in his face, highlighting his sweet eyes. Concern rounded the bottom of his eyes as he got closer to Jax, eyeing the dried blood and disheveled look of the unconscious man. Jules dressed in a red vest with a pink button up. He wore light-wash jeans and leather boots. On his right ear, he had three gold piercings along his helix. 

Jules reached Jax, brushing hair out of his face to get a good look. “You’re going to need to place him on a bed so I can check him over.” His touch was gentle, like a mother comforting her child. He looked over at Jake, smiling softly. Worry rounded his eyes. He cared for Jax deeply. He spent many years being a faux father figure for him. “I wouldn’t let anything happen to anyone I treat. No need to worry.” Jules fluttered around, opening cabinets next to a bed. He pulled out a blue blanket, laying it on the bed, motioning for Jake to lay Jax on it. If one got close enough, one could tell Jules had the smell of milkweed to him. A comforting scent altogether. He looked up at Jake, waiting for the man to lay Jax on the bed for examination. The more minutes that ticked by, the more Jules looked worried. Fear gripped his mind when he wasn’t able to treat his patients right away, but he always remembered to stay calm. While he was panicking on the inside, he was calm on the outside.

When Jules reached over to touch Jax, Jake took a slight step back, his eyes changed from fear to an intense wide glare, like a warning not to get too close, though Jake didn't move Jax anymore than he needed to, letting Jules get a better look at Jax.
Jake examined the other's face. He looked kind and the way he touched Jax told him that he would be okay. His eyes immediately softened a little at the green flags the other gave off. He looked over at the beds but didn't move. He was not putting Jax down. For some reason, Jake didn't seem to want to, as if stalling, but he knew Jax needed care right now.

At Jule's words, he hesitated, but followed the man, fighting off his irrational thoughts. He walked with a pace that told the other he was suspicious about everything. Jake stared down at the blue blanket, and quickly put Jax down on the bed, turning his back to it and sort of leaning back to gently set Jax down. Jake lifted Jax's legs to fully place him on the bed when he had been put down.

After having done this, Jake sat on one of the other beds close to Jax, facing the unconscious man, his leg bouncing rapidly as he waited for Jules to examine Jax. He seemed to be very on edge as he placed one of his hands on the bed, the hand immediately pulling away as if he had been burned, though he acted like nothing had happened, keeping his eyes on Jules. Should he try anything, Jake would be the first to tear his throat out, though, he had a good feeling about this one. Still, he couldn't be too careful.
The reason Jake was like this, was because he was used to being held down whenever they treated his wounds. They very rarely gave him an anesthetic as they didn't seem to care for Jake very much. Bullet wounds? Taken out without anything to numb the area. Torture wounds? Stitched regardless of how deep they were or where they were placed. It was only if he needed surgery for other parts that he was put under, but those were done in surgery rooms. Sure these were back when he had been sixteen, but they left a huge imprint on him as they continued to happen.

Over the years Jake had mastered controlling his fear of these places, but whenever he would walk into them, a little part of him died and whenever one of his friends got hurt and they were brought in, he could act the same way. Giving a silent warning to the other person to treat them right or they would have more things to worry about than the person with the actual wound.
Jake knew that these weren't the same times as when he was still a teenager, things had gotten better since then, and medicine had greatly improved. However, his entire body screamed at him in alarm at the smell of the room paired with the almost white walls.

Jules frowned as Jake stepped back. He kept an open mind, remembering where Jake came from. He gave him a small, soft smile as if to say, I am no threat. Just a healer. Jules wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he hurt a patient. Especially Jax. However, he treated everyone equally. He didn’t let bias get in the way of his work. Watching Jake’s every move, he waited patiently for Jake to corporate. Jules could tell he was anxious and frightened. His muscles tensed and his grip on Jax was harsh. This kid could probably benefit from a visit to Holly. She could help him if he wished. While Jake watched him, Jules prepared the bed. He laid the soft, fuzzy blue blanket over it. It helped the patient stay comfortable. He adjusted the pillows and messed with the sheets. He didn’t like how messy they were.

Once Jake placed Jax down on the bed, Jules moved closer to him. He gently turned Jax’s head, noticing the spots of blood around his ear. They were dealing with a phantom. Its scream could have ruptured his eardrum. “While I think his eardrum is ruptured..” Jules trailed off. “Do you have any noted complaints of pain or ringing?” He inquired. He moved away from Jax’s side, going over to the cherry wood cabinet pressed against the wall. Jules grabbed a bowl of water and a towel. Jules carefully sauntered over, placing the bowl on the nightstand by Jax’s bed. He dipped the towel in water, softly dabbing the dried blood. “Were there any high-pitched screams?” He wanted to get to the bottom of this. Most of the blood came up on the towel, staining it red. He dipped it back in the water before slightly pressing it to the back of Jax’s head. There was a minor wound there.

Jules pulled the towel away, placing it on the nightstand. He hovered two fingers over the wound on his head. They glowed white, and the wound sealed up immediately. “Magic is a painless source of healing we have.” Touching the tragus of Jax’s ear, he flowed his magic through the cartilage, healing the busted eardrum. “We should let him rest. I suspect he might be out a few.” Jules walked to the end of the bed, untying Jax’s boots, and pulled them off. He placed them at the foot of the bed. He also slipped off the bomber jacket and scabbard. They would be too heavy to rest in. He placed the jacket and scabbard on little hooks by Jax’s bed. Jules grabbed another blanket out of the cabinet, placing it over Jax. “I want my patients to be as comfortable as possible.” He looked up at Jake.

A soft sigh came from Jules. “How are you doing? Are you hurt at all?” He wanted Jake to feel safe here. It was a place of healing and rest, not screams and pain. “I didn’t read any of your files. Even as head medic, I couldn’t bring myself to.” He fluttered about, doing simple chores like stocking medicines and prepping trays for serious cases. Jules also took a detour to dim the lights, letting Jax rest in a peaceful environment. Jules was scared Jax had a concussion.

Jake watched Jules as he tilted Jax's head to the side to investigate him, catching onto the dried blood that was near Jax's ear.
"No, I'm fine, and yes, there was a scream, though, I wasn't anywhere near Jax when the scream happened. I think he might have been closest to it" He replied casually, the image of the burning building etched into his brain. They were bound to find out.
The careful way Jules treated Jax sparked an emotion inside Jake. It wasn't a warm fuzzy feeling, it was angry jealousy and it was written all over his face as he looked away, trying to distract himself.

The slight white light that illuminated Jax, made Jake turn his head, his eyes widening. He had never seen magic before and he looked equally as intrigued as he was confused.
"So if I get hurt…" Jake started. "You just…use the white light on me and I'm good to go?" He asked, a new sort of look on his face, something like hope. His eyes trailed Jules as he attended to Jax, making him more comfortable on the bed.
"Right…comfortable as possible" He echoed, though, the idea sounded foreign to him. Jake locked eyes with Jules as he looked at him, but Jake quickly looked away, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
"I'm doing great, and I'm not hurt," He said simply, both were lies. Maybe he wasn't hurt physically, but this whole situation really made him want to go back to Nexus. He didn't do well with seeing things like this and being treated nicely. In a way, it made him squirm to know someone was being nice to him for once.

At the mention of his file, Jake froze, his breath caught in his throat.
"Don't." He said suddenly. It wasn't a warning, sounding more like he was pleading. His file had everything about him, every little detail and it stripped him of the protective layer he had worked so hard to portray. He didn't know what his file said, he had never read it himself, but he knew that Nexus would put everything out in the light. Small warnings about him, pieces of his past, hospital visits. Fuck the hospital visits. That part embarrassed him, turning a deep red at the thought.
"Don't look at it." He said, smiling tiredly now at Jules, though his smile looked shaky as he forced himself. He knew some of them already had, but the fewer people knew about him, the better.
"Please…" He added for good measure, maybe if he begged and was polite, they would consider listening to him.

Jules nodded his head, staring at Jax for the longest time before blinking back to reality. He had been deep in thought, a good deal of diagnoses running through his head until one made sense. Ruptured eardrum. It made sense. Taking a deep breath, he regarded Jake. “That will do it. A piercing scream from a phantom will burst an eardrum, especially so close.” He moved fine strands of Jax’s hair away from the wound site. Carefully consulting it, he had gotten to work, gently touching his fingers to the cartilage of his ear. Jules peered up at Jake, noting the complex emotion shifting throughout his face. He’s never seen kindness. Just like Bane. He smiled, one of innocence which illuminated his soft eyes. He cautiously healed the wound with his magic, making his fingers glow a strange white. Jules repositioned Jax’s head, limiting the strain on Jax’s neck.

Dragging a spinney chair over, Jules sat in the space between Jake and Jax, holding eye contact with Jake. He didn’t want Jake to feel uncomfortable, but felt it was important to close the gap. He crossed his legs, hands clasped in his lap. Once up close, one could see the gold specs in his eyes and how round his face was. “If you ever got hurt, I would do my best to ensure your recovery and safety. The ‘white light’ is my magic. It heals things quickly. You would be good to go.” He paused, taking a small breath. “And if you got bombarded by shrapnel, I’d numb the area, pull it out, and heal it. You don’t have to fear me, Jake.” Jules stood, giving Jake breathing room. He wheeled the chair over to the small bureau (desk) he took it from. As the chair rolled over the floor, each groove in the wood caused it to rock.

Jules went back to filling his night with trifles. There was a metal cart in the back next to the cherry wood cabinet. It contained small tools like forceps, syringes with medicine bottles, scalpels, and scissors. The door it sat next to was open, leading into a small ICU. It was to separate the intense cases from minor ones. Was he prepping for a major case? Or preparing in case one presented itself? No one could be sure. “Yes. Comfort is important to me, Jake. You cannot recover without care and comfort. All my practices provide my patients with the best care they can get. I am not lazy. I don’t believe in pulling out a bullet and slapping a band aid on it.” So he did have some knowledge of Jake’s medical history, disgusted by the practices of the other facility. “But if you’re not hurt from the encounter, make yourself at home until Amity comes and gets you. She had some questions.” Jules peered over his shoulder, pausing his activity. “It’s nothing bad, don’t worry. You need to provide mission details, since Jax is unconscious.” He finished up his task, tucking the cart into the doorway of the ICU.

Fluttering over to the cherry wood cabinet, he opened it. It was low on herbs and medicines, throwing Jules in distress. He scampered off to the right, opening a supply closet. Grabbing a few jars, he ran back out. He places a few high up and a few down low. One section, the lower one, was for over-counter meds and herbs. The higher shelves were for dangerous medications, mostly opioids like morphine. A pitiful tapping caught Jules’ attention, turning on his heel to stare at the infirmary doors. A round of tapping rippled through the room. Jules recognized the pattern of taps. It was Nyx, his familiar. Oh, heavens. Before going to open the door, he considered Jake’s pleading. “I won’t. If I didn’t look at them in the first place, I won’t later in time. I don’t believe in figuring out a person by another’s words. It is highly unrealistic.” he moved to go open the door before an enormous figure appeared behind the thick glass.

Opening the door, a giant man appeared. He was tall, almost 6’5, with thick, unruly black hair. He had gnarly scars across his right eye, the right eye having a splash of blue interrupting the brown. The man’s ears were slender, a strange oddity in this world. A black right triangle mark with two dots above and below encompassed his left cheek. He donned a black jacket with a red shirt underneath. He wore black jeans and hefty boots. His belt had a scabbard attached to it, harnessing a blade. Although unknown, it was a blade made of solid shadow. A necklace with clay beads sat at the base of his neck, piercings dotting the helix of both ears. The man followed a little raven, who was hopping along with herbs in her mouth. “Nyx has a present for you.” This man’s voice was low, with a gruff edge. Jules stared at the bird, hesitating as she flew over to nest on his head. She dropped the herbs from her beak, cawing contently.

The large man regarded the others but kept his eyes on Jules. “I think you need to go to bed. Look at yourself. You’re overworked.” This was nothing new. Bane always barged into Jules’ infirmary simply to strike up a conversation or berate him on his lack of self-care. Almost everyone knew they were in a relationship, everyone except Jake. Jules gestured to Jake, almost as if telling Bane this wasn’t the time. “What did you really come in here to tell me?” Jules inquired, taking the bird off his head. Nyx squealed and squawked in his hold until he put her down. Bane sighed, shaking his head. “This will be an influx of injuries — at least we predict. He’s back.” He spat, a low growl coming from his throat. Jules simply sighed, biting into his lower lip. This was not good, not good at all.

Jake took the information in. He still couldn't believe these people were dealing with ghosts and the such and the fact that the supernatural could hurt them. Well. Jake hadn't exactly helped.

Seeing the look on Jules face made him arch an eyebrow. He didn't know what the other was thinking, but at the smile directed at him, he sort of narrowed his eyes at that. He knew that look. Something like pity. Sympathy? He made a face akin to disgust, looking away and making a small disapproving sound. Though, his face seemed to turn a deeper shade of red like he was embarrassed that someone was trying to be nice to him.
"You don't have to do that" Jake commented. "You know, try to like me. I get it, to some people, I look like I need help, but really, I don't need all that. It's just wasted efforts." He sort of snapped at the end. He didn't sound angry, just frustrated. Jake didn't mean to be harsh, but he was doing what he always did. Pushed people away who tried to be kind to him. He kept telling himself he didn't need people like that. He could deal with things on his own. He wouldn't break himself apart so someone could understand him. He didn't need that. He'd rather die. He could handle himself.
When Jules brought the rolly chair over to him, Jake seemed to shy away, getting away from Jules who was now a little closer than Jake liked, but he didn't run away. He simply sat there, eyes trained to the ground as Jules looked him in the eyes.

When Jules spoke, Jake glanced over at him, swallowing as he looked Jules in the eyes for the first time. The gold specs in his eyes made Jake stare a little longer than he normally would have.
Jules' reassuring words made Jake shift uncomfortably. He felt like a little kid being talked down to and that's exactly what this was in Jakes' mind. He didn't comment on Jules taking care of him, he didn't know what to say to that. Thanks? It felt off though.
"I'm not scared of you" Jake muttered, sort of scoffing, but that was also a lie, he was only trying to appear brave. Though, this small talk seemed to have Jake reconsidering his attitude toward the other. He was still skeptical of everyone in this new place, but maybe if he kept an open mind….
Maybe.
Jake watched Jules move away, letting out a shaky breath he didn't realize he had been holding in the entire time the other spoke. The other moved around frantically, grabbing stuff here and putting stuff there- honestly, it made Jake a little dizzy. Did this man ever stop?
"I don't know. Works for me" He shrugged, talking about the lack of care and comfort, though, again, lies. Liar. Liar. Liar.
Jake waved off Jules' last words. Right. People always needed to talk to him about things. He sighed, defeated as he fell back onto the bed, a slight shiver running down his spine as he did so, staring at the ceiling. Nope. That was too much. He immediately sat back up. So much for making himself at home.
"Thank god," Jake sighed in relief to Jules when they said he wouldn't be reading his files. "One less person to think I'm more pathetic than I look" He gave a small amused laugh.

Jules kept running around, stocking shelves and arranging things. Jake's eyes would wander from Jules to Jax, watching his steady breathing.
When the door opened, Jake's eyes darted up to the figure that presented himself. He saw the scars on his face and couldn't really look away from the newcomer. How had he gotten those? That looked painful. Jake hadn't really seen the raven until the new person mention someone by the name of Nyx. Jake's eyes trailed down to see the small bird hopping to Jules with herbs in its beak. Jake simply stared, blinking at the small creature, before he felt a laugh bubble up in his throat. His laugh sounded kind of high-pitched and sweet. It was carefree and a little loud like he didn't care if people heard him or others woke up.
He watched the two interact when he calmed down, the bird nestling himself on the top of Jules' head. He listened in on the conversation, but when the mention of someone being back was talked about, he didn't quite understand, so he simply looked away, a huge smile still on his face from watching the raven.