May I please request the Jims setting up a surprise birthday/gift for Illi? Or surprise platonic date? Or just generally something soft with their queerplatonic relationship with Illi…
Co-written with you, @regalrain, using your Illinois.
The Jims were up to something.
The Jims were always up to something.
Illinois had come home after a particularly rough adventure, bloodied and bruised an exhausted. He hadn't had the energy to put up his usual facade and pretend everything was fine, and had almost immediately gone to collapse into bed, leaving the twins worried sick.
And plotting.
"What if we make him dinner? Something real special, his favorite?"
"Not grand enough, and we were going to do that anyway."
"True, true..."
"What if we take him out? He usually takes us out places, never lets us do it...could be fun!"
"Too grand. You saw him, I doubt he wants to move from bed much."
Both Jims hummed, deep in thought...until RJ snapped his fingers. "I got it! Pillow fort."
CJ grinned. "Ooh, I like where your head's at. Dinner, movie, snacks?"
RJ grinned back, both twins aready dreaming up blueprints. "You read my mind~"
+++++
"Shh! He's coming!"
"Don't give it away!"
"Shh!"
The Jim twins' hustle and bustle came to an abrupt halt when the door cracked open, and he stepped into the living room. Immediately, the twins were beaming at him, arms spread, and presenting the fact that they'd turned the entire living room into one massive pillow fort. They had to be utilizing nearly every scrap of cloth in the house, blankets and pillows everywhere, and it even accompanied the TV. The perfect set up to a movie night. The perfect thing after a long day.
The twins grinned, speaking in unison. "Surprise!"
Illinois had heard all their hustle and bustle. It would be impossible not to, with how high strung he was at the moment. Though even at his most relaxed, he typically was keenly aware of his surroundings. All it took was a second, after all…
Anything could happen in a second.
This surprise? It was one he didn’t dream of in a million years, even with all his preparation for anything and everything to happen. He paused in the doorframe, leaning heavily against it. His hat was tucked low on his head, obscuring most of his face from the twins view. His voice soft, if a bit raspy, as he spoke. “….What is this, Sea~? Sky~?”
“It’s a pillow fort!” CJ bounced forward, nudging Illi with an elbow. “We know you had a hard time…figured you could use some relaxing!”
“We made snacks~” RJ came up on his other side, hesitating a moment, before wrapping a gentle arm around Illi, holding him close. “You deserve some pampering, after all you’ve been through.”
Silently, CJ held open the entrance to the fort. Inside, it was nice and dark, cozy, covered in blankets and pillows, and piled with bowls of all of Illi’s favorite snacks, some homemade by the twins. RJ crawled inside, and patted the space beside him, back against the sofa. “Come on!”
While he didn’t flinch, having trained himself out of it a long time ago, his smirk visibly pulled tighter at the nudge. He wasn’t used to the contact, and it always took him awhile to get settled again. The twins were the only two who could get him that way, and he was just forcing himself to relax when RJ wrapped his arm around him. It made Illinois shoot him a look, before he deflated, sighing as leaned against him. Allowing himself to be guided to the fort entrance. Watching RJ go in, before he carefully took his satchel off, placing it nearby. Next, his belts were taken off, neatly placed atop the satchel. Finally, he pulled his hat off.
He held it in his right hand, as he got down to crawl inside. Lips wobbly, eyes filled with unshed tears, as he went to settle beside RJ. Hugging his hat close as CJ made his way in and onto his other side, he took a shuddery breath as he leaned his head back on the sofa.
The full reality of what’s going on hitting him, that not only were the twins home, safe and sound, but they were waiting for him. That they cared enough to build a fort for him, and to remember all his favorite foods that he’s admitted to over the years with them. He reached out, snagging a chicken strip from a nearby snack bowl, before he was turning to kiss RJ’s cheek, then CJ’s. Dark brown, tired eyes closing, as tears finally slipped from them.
“Thank you, Pals… it’s good to be home~”
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