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It was the day before Jack would wake up crammed amongst way too many other temporary invalids--that is to say, he was actually content for the moment, or at least as content as could be in his little curtained off area. He had his book of Poe's works, his pillow was supportive and soft, and his skin only irritated him as opposed to made him want to shout in agony like it had yesterday. But there was one thing still missing.

The one true love of his life.

And he had to have it now. The desperation was such that after a few minutes of fumbling for his pants pocket in pain, Jack finally snatched his phone.

He'd honestly forgotten he was half undressed while the Moon hunter Chel had shoved was getting him new bandages. Honestly. He'd soon come to regret this, but for now the Sun hunter was met with shirtless, still somewhat angry pink from healing, skin. And raised brows. And a not-so-scowly face.

This was about as happy as Jack could get to see her. She had not one but two cups of coffee. Clever girl.

He beckoned her over, mouth watering for the rush of caffeine. "Generous," Jack noted with some surprise; perhaps being shirtless had given him the karma for the prize. "Look but don't touch, Craft. Owain's not done healing me yet."

Owain cooed at the unexpected thanks. (( 'Lackey' is such an awful word for a wonderful woman, Jack. Do treat her well! ))

Whatever.

He snickered. "Noted, but don't," Jack warned her again as he reached over, gingerly, and grabbed the first cup. God but the smell of it though. He inhaled deeply, sighed happily, blew on it carefully, and took small sips. His throat protested having something warm (honestly it still felt a little like scalding temperature even though he knew this wasn't the case), but he swore his soul was a little less battered as the coffee was swallowed.

"Starting to consider allowing myself to ditch missions every once in a while. There was a ******** . . . sarlacc I think is the word? Huge ******** worm in the Sahara," Jack explained, taking another sip, his eyes closing.

It was practically euphoric, having coffee again.

"Take it easy," he echoed with a tone that said he might as well have been speaking Greek. "Bah. Some hunter you are. It would mess up my schedule anyway."

Carefully Jack continued to sip the coffee, blowing it occasionally as the heat built up quickly in his body. It was almost a little masochistic. "Yeah, I'm fine. Probably another day or so and I'll be on my feet again." He passed Chel a flat look. "But no, I didn't. That's the insulting part. Granted, the thing was so large, at best we would have been scratching its itches." He grinned a little. "There were grenades involved, though."

Savoring the taste as he drank a little more, he closed his eyes and added, "There were bugs festering under some of our skins, after. They firebombed the infected, hence..." He gestured to himself.

"Hell is correct," he agreed with a little smirk, though half was covered by the mug that now hovered close by, as if afraid of being apart for too long. "You're the worst ******** Sun next to Creedy. Better work on that." Not that it would take much, in his opinion.

At least Chel understood her role implicitly.

He snorted at the idea of whiling away his time with coloring books. "What am I, five? I've got a book already," he replied as he opened his eyes, patting the collection of Edgar Allan Poe's works partially tucked under the sheets. "Thanks but no thanks. You can go; it's going to get very boring very fast in here."

Jack didn't look like he would say anything else, but then he added in a mild tone, "Thank you for bringing double helpings."

Oh goddamn it, this was what he got for offering a hungry animal crumbs. It wouldn't go away.

"I like what you brought me," he corrected with a flat look. "Don't mistake the two." God, all night, she said . . . Well. Time to bore the hell out of Chel, then.

Taking another careful sip of his coffee, Jack set the cup back down on the table beside him, propped up his Poe book, and cracked it open. It might have purposefully been hiding said pecs behind the cover, and it might have worked.

At least, if that one hunter Chel had shoved hadn't finally returned with a fresh roll of bandages. They were promptly tossed at her with a scowl before she made her way out. Jack had harangued her with a few lewd comments as an attempt to flirt, which had worn her patience; the shove had been the final straw.

He was trying very hard to just concentrate on the lines of the poems he had read and reread quite a few times, but Chel's eyes seemed to bore right through the book. He was just about to ask her to leave when the bandages came into the picture.

s**t.

Jack glanced up and saw the eager puppy look. It didn't help that Owain was now endeared to her and rallying to allow her some fun for the unexpected generosity.

He stared at Chel for a while with utter resentment and resignation, then finally broke it off with a roll of his eyes.

"Fine. But do it right."

Whatever it was, it was loud enough for Jack to tell that he had made a grave and terrible mistake.

"You have to learn eventually," he sighed, snapping the book closed without bothering to adjust his bookmark. "Even if it's just the basics. And, god, just . . . don't bother. I'll let you do it. Even you can't ******** this up too badly."

Plus Jack had a feeling if Chel dragged the Moon back, he'd get strangled rather than bandaged up.

Setting the book aside, he gingerly pulled the covers back and slowly eased his way into the upright position, dragging his legs out over the side of the bed. Shirtlessness aside, it was clear there had been quite a bit of 2nd and 3rd degree burns everywhere, though a stretch of skin under and around his left arm and torso seemed to be healing slower than the rest. Owain was probably being a stupid d**k and purposefully taking his time there, Jack thought with a grumble. He extended that arm first, wincing. "Start here."