Sage Monroe (turnitup) wrote in shadows_rpg, @ 2020-06-11 21:16:00 |
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Entry tags: | #january 2018, jacob, jacob x sage, sage |
Who: Jacob & Sage
Where: Sage's apartment, Castle View
When: Monday, early afternoon 01/22
Status: Complete
The day after his sleep walking, Jacob had dutifully told Connor that no, they didn't need to move out of Seaview. He felt embarrassed about the whole thing even more so than he was afraid of it and it felt like such a hassle. The fact Connor saw right through him and refused to budge was both mortifying and... a source of great relief. They would move out of Seaview and he wouldn't be so close to the tunnel anymore. Only the tunnel would always be a part of him, it would always be close in his thoughts, looming over him and drawing him in. There weren't many people in his life who could fully understand that and only two of them lived in town.
He wasn't sure how long he'd keep getting away with shanghaiing his friends into picking him up and giving him rides but it worked today and Sage was willing to hang out before work. Jacob even considered going with him to Dragonfly because Connor was working late and he wasn't quite ready to be by himself at home, even if he didn't go to sleep.
"You're a lifesaver," he said sincerely when he climbed into the passenger seat of Sage's car and tugged his seatbelt on. "I was kinda crawling out of my skin at home. How are you?"
The past week had been weird in a way that Sage didn’t understand, but also felt too good to question. He felt like a teenager again, energized and creative and ready to face the day with gusto. He couldn’t keep himself at home for more than a night’s rest and was up early each morning, looking for something to do until it was time to go to work. He’d written two new songs and had worked through them with the guys everyday until they’d crapped out on him, whining they were too tired to jam. It frustrated the hell out of him, he wanted to make good on the high he was riding, but he was willing to give them a day off, so long as they were back tomorrow.
The only big downer was the knowledge that there were people out to get him. Sage had known for a while that someone was out there, but he’d thought it was Grayson, haunting him from beyond the grave. Now he knew better. He didn’t know these people personally, but he knew their names and had done some internet stalking to find out exactly who they were. There wasn’t much he could do… yet. But he was on the lookout for them. His eyes scanned the streets as he drove, expecting to see them on the sidewalks, ready to run at him with guns or fists or some other evil he hadn’t yet imagined. But there was no one there that looked threatening. He took a deep breath when he pulled up in front of Connor’s place, then smiled as Jacob climbed in the car. “Hey man,” he said. “I’m doing great! Glad to have someone to hang out with today. What’ve you been up to?”
"Well I went to that Overlook country club party," Jacob said with a little laugh. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be, I actually met some nice people." Of course that hadn't been the highlight of the evening for him but despite how close to his friends he was, there were still things he felt were a little too 'TMI' even for them. At least when sober. "Of course the people I talked to weren't really Overlook people, they were hospital staff." He reached over to ruffle Sage's hair then put on his seat belt. "How about you?" There weren't a lot of days to cover since they last met but when Sage or Joss said they felt great, Jacob had a feeling something good had actually happened.
“Yeah, well, the Overlook crowd’s pretty hard to relate to,” Sage said as Jacob buckled himself in. He couldn’t imagine what it must be like to have that much money. His parents had always struggled to make ends meet and he wasn’t exactly rolling in dough himself. He’d have thought going to one of their parties would be weird, but it made sense if hospital staff were there too. “Not really anything in particular, though I did write two new songs. I’ll have to play them for you later. I’m really excited about ‘em,” he said, trying to keep conversation relatively normal. He’d been feeling really good lately and didn’t want to bring attention on the big downer that loomed over his thoughts, at least not right away. He wasn’t all that sure Jacob would understand. “That and working. Nate went home sick last night, so I got to close, which was cool, I guess.”
"Careful," Jacob said with a little smile. "He'll make you close all the time now, if he does you should ask for a raise." He had wanted to talk to Sage about what had happened, but right now he just kind of wanted to hang out, listen to some of his songs and pretend everything was okay for a little while. It wasn't a decision he needed to make, if it felt right to talk about it he'd talk about it, otherwise it could wait. Sage seemed like he was in a good mood so Jacob wasn't exactly dying to be a downer either. "Do you have lyrics and everything already?" he asked instead. "Do they have names?" Songwriting was such a different process than drawing, and so often a collaboration between people, it was kind of fascinating to him.
“Names?” Sage asked, his brain failing to connect one question to the next. Yes, they had names, but that was all he had and he didn’t know what to do with them. Sage almost rattled them off to Jacob, then remembered what they were talking about and refocused. “No, not yet. I’ve got most of the lyrics though. There’s a few holes that could be filled in or reworked, but they were really coming together till everyone decided they needed a break.” That part still pissed him off. How could they not be as excited about this as he was? Couldn’t they see they were on a roll, that they needed to take advantage of the moment? “I don’t know what their problem is. Bullshit about being tired. One of the guys was literally falling asleep during practice yesterday, even after saying he’d gone to bed early. It just fuckin’ pissed me off.” He gripped the steering wheel harder, his emotions flaring up. Maybe they were out for him too. Not in the same way, mind you. Holding him back musically wasn’t the same as wanting him dead.
Jacob watched him with slightly furrowed brows. He wasn't used to seeing Sage like this, like he was legitimately pissed at his band mates for... being tired? Not just frustrated but honest to god angry. "Maybe they're coming down with something," he suggested quietly. "It's heavy duty flu season and all. Just hope they didn't give it to you, I don't wanna get your germs." It was an attempt at easing the atmosphere a little with a joke and he smiled at Sage, nudging him playfully even as he felt a weird sort of apprehension slowly building in his chest.
“Maybe,” Sage frowned. “But they weren’t coughing or sneezing or sniffling of anything. I think I’m fine though. I can’t remember the last time I felt this good.” If he didn’t know better, he’d have thought someone was drugging him or something, but the chances of that were slim… unless it was the four. What would they gain from drugging him into happiness? Maybe they thought he’d become complacent, that he’d let his guard down and then be easier to take out. Well, they were wrong. He knew about them and their plans. “Hey, can I run some names by you? See if you happen to know any of ‘em?” If so, then maybe Jacob could help him out… but then maybe he was working with them. Sage didn’t want to consider that. Jacob was supposed to be on his side.
It should have made Jacob feel better to know Sage was feeling good but that little outburst had been so out of character that he couldn't help but still feel uneasy. "Names? Sure, what names?" he asked, wondering if Sage meant names for his songs or something else. He had no idea what he was talking about, the topic change was sudden and subtle. "You going to get yourself some new band members?" he added with a little smile even if Sage looked a little too serious for that to be it. Jacob watched him curiously, still trying to understand what had his friend acting so out of character.
“What? No,” Sage frowned, unable to follow Jacob’s train of thought, not realizing it was his own that was erratic. “There’s some people that wanna fuck with me and I want to see if you know any of ‘em. I’m trying to find out more about ‘em.” Even though they had pretty much the same circle of friends, there was always a chance Jacob had connections that he didn’t. Maybe he’d met one of them at that fancy party he’d gone to with his man. “They’re Carson Durand, Jules Cooper, Neil Wainscott, and Nic Castell. Anything you know about ‘em would help.” It was bizarre—Sage could barely remember the first and last names of people he’d met just late night, yet these four strangers were stuck in his head. It was a bad omen.
"Wait, what?" Jacob asked with genuine confusion. He didn't recognize any of those names but his immediate thought was that these people were hassling Sage about Grayson's disappearance. "What did they do?" he added tentatively. That shit always made his emotions flare up in a mix of protectiveness and utter helplessness. Fear made him retreat and shut down, he knew this and so he knew he would never be one to stand up and fight if someone like Steve showed up again and tried to start a fight. Sage had always done better at playing it off as a joke and ignoring it so it felt weird to see him so worked up. But maybe he'd reached a breaking point, everyone had one.
“Nothing yet,” Sage said, hands turning on the steering wheel, anger building. “But I think they’re plotting to kill me.” It sounded like something out of a movie, a grand practical joke, but there was no hint of a smile on Sage’s face. He made no attempts to laugh it off this time, speaking in all seriousness, as it was his reality. “You know how you know things sometimes? You just know? Like knowing the tunnel is evil. That’s how it is. They’re gonna come for me and I don’t know if I can stop ‘em. Or if I should try to run, or hide. I can’t fight. I’ve never been able to fight. But I can’t do nothing either. I won’t let them have me.”
Sage had never talked about there being mental illness in his family but that was the first thing Jacob thought of now. He sounded delusional, manic and so unlike himself and Jacob had to swallow down the request that he turn the car around and drive him home. Acting normal seemed like the right thing to do now, try not to agitate him while he struggled to understand what the hell was really going on. "I've never heard of them," he said and everything he'd meant to tell Sage today was all but forgotten. None of it mattered if his friend was having a mental breakdown, but Jacob felt honest to god scared now. "What do they want from you?" He didn't know if that was the right thing to do, asking for more details, maybe a part of him was hoping he could make Sage talk sense into himself.
Sage glanced towards Jacob for a moment, briefly considering the possibility that he was lying before dismissing it. None of the people that were after him seemed to run even close to their social circle, so it seemed like a reasonable answer. Furthermore, Jacob was his friend, one fo the few people he seriously trusted. If he was in on it, then Jocelyn probably was too and that was just too fucking depressing to consider. “I think they wanna kill me, but… but I don’t know why. That part’s all foggy, while the rest is clear. I just know it’s them against me, and I’m out numbered, and maybe I should try and leave town, you know? That never worked out for me before, but maybe it’s time to try again.”
Jacob was mentally repeating those names, trying to make any of them click with any faces in his memory. Neil, Carson, Nick and Jools? He didn't know any of them, he was sure. Even vague memories of people they went to high school with didn't click, the people who had terrified him because they believed they'd killed Grayson were now just blurry ghosts in his memory for the most part. "Is it because of Grayson?" he asked but it didn't feel connected because then they'd be after him and Jocelyn too and Sage would be warning them instead of maniacally ranting about it. "How do you know them?"
“I dunno. I don’t think it has anything to do with Grayson, but I’ve been seeing him lately. Did I tell you that? I can’t remember,” Sage muttered, the last few days and weeks blurring together in his mind. He knew he’d told Jacob some of it, but he thought he’d probably left out parts as well. If Grayson was back from the dead, maybe these four had something to do with it. Or maybe he was sending them to do his bidding. It all sounded both crazy and plausible to Sage. “I woke up and I just knew it was them. Like it came to me in a dream. Except It hasn’t faded and they’re real. I looked ‘em up and all four of ‘em are real.”
This was where Jacob really wanted to tell him about his own dreams and his sleep walking but really, he was far too wrapped up in whatever was going on with Sage to delve into that right now. "I remember," he replied quietly, glancing out the window. "If it's about Grayson then they'll come for me and Joss too and I don't know them. Who are they? Maybe you just... know them from somewhere and your subconscious is fucking with you. Did they go to school with us?" It felt so futile, trying to find logic where there probably was none, but he wanted Sage to think about what he was saying, hopefully come to his own conclusions that maybe he was acting a little crazy, calm down.
Sage shook his head, trying to think about the details he’d been able to pick up online. “I think they’re all older or younger than us. One works at the library. One looks like a gym rat. One’s a high school cheerleader. And the last guy almost beat someone to death when we were in junior high. I think his sister owns that tea shop.” He’d googled all of them, but Castell was the only one he’d heard of before. He was pretty sure his mom shopped at the tea shop, so he’d called her that morning to tell her to stop immediately. It was the first time he’d ever hung up on his mother. “I don’t know if I’m more scared of him or the cheerleader, to be honest,” Sage said with a little laugh. Popular girls had always seemed dangerous to him and now the situation was magnified beyond reason, like she could turn a whole hive upon him with just a wave of her hand.
Jacob found himself doubting that any of these people actually existed so he pulled out his phone and started scouring social media. He wasn't even sure if he was relieved or not when he found Nic Castell's facebook almost immediately. He even had some mutual friends on there, a very real person who lived in Point Pleasant. None of it rang a bell for Jacob, he'd never talked to the guy, he didn't at first glance have any friends who'd been openly hostile to any of them but... He was real and apparently a psychopath or something. It still didn't make much sense that he was after Sage, especially if the only thing Sage was going on was a dream. He glanced up from his phone in time to see they were close to Joyland and for a brief moment he feared Sage wouldn't stop, that he was in a manic state of madness and wanted to go kill these people or something - but thankfully he pulled into a nearby parking space and Jacob felt like he could breathe properly again. "I just don't understand why they would be after you," he said, trying to sound reasonable without sounding like he didn't believe Sage. It was a very hard line to balance on.
“I dunno,” Sage frowned as he pulled into a parking spot in front of Joyland. “Maybe they’re evil. I just know they want to hurt me. They want to… to take everything away from me. And I can’t let them.” It didn’t make a lot of sense, but Sage couldn’t find space in his brain to doubt it. The names had come to him like some kind of a vision or a prophecy and, while he didn’t necessarily believe in either, he couldn’t deny that he’d been given knowledge he hadn’t had before. Ignoring it seemed foolish. Dangerous, even. He’d been warned that these people were out to get him and he couldn’t forget it, no matter how little sense it made. “Come on, let me buy you some coffee. I’ll try to stop ranting for a bit,” he offered. He could stop, but he wouldn’t forget. And he’d be on the lookout just in case one of them showed up. He had no idea when they might strike first.
Jacob couldn't deny that relief rushed through him when Sage turned the engine off. He wasn't sure he wanted to get in the car with him again to go home, unsure if Sage had lost his mind or if something else was going on. He smiled faintly at Sage as he got out of the car, trying to ignore that growing discomfort he felt while trying to play it cool. At least Sage wasn't barricading himself in his apartment or anything so maybe it wasn't all as serious as it sounded. "So, Connor offered me to move out of Seaview," he said as they walked up to Joyland. He wasn't sure he wanted to feed Sage's paranoia by telling him why this had come up but this was good news. "He knows I hate it there so... he offered to find a new place. How sweet is that?"
“Seriously?” Sage asked, brows raising. “A new place of your own, or a new place with him?” Either one was good news if Jacob wasn’t happy where he was living, but the later seemed a little fast in his opinion. Or maybe he’d forgotten what it felt like to really be into someone. He’d thought he wasn’t bitter about how both his friends moved back home and found someone within weeks, but now it curdled in his stomach, souring his mood. Were they just that lucky? Or was he just that unloveable? Didn’t he deserve to be happy too? “Must be nice to have such a good boyfriend,” he said, distracted by his own thoughts. Just when he thought he could distract himself from his bad mood, his distraction made things worse.
Jacob realized quickly that it hadn't been the right thing to say, picking up on the soured mood and quietly cursing himself for it. "With him," he said hesitantly. "I sleepwalked again last night." Maybe if Sage knew why Connor had agreed to move it would... He didn't know. Make it better? No, he felt like he was just digging himself in deeper but wasn't sure how to stop. "I dreamed I was in the tunnel and when I woke up I was... headed out. Connor stopped me. So we figured maybe living near the damn thing wasn't a good idea." He shut up before as they opened the door at Joyland and at this point he kind of wanted to call Joss and see if she could pick him up or take an uber home or something. Sage was acting off and Jacob was having a hard time figuring out how to deal with it.
“I thought that stopped when you stopped taking a sleeping aid,” Sage frowned. He couldn’t be mad at Connor if he was getting Jacob away from the tunnel, but… he still was. Why didn’t he just get him an apartment somewhere safe? Or, hell, why didn’t Jacob just move in with him? Because you’re not fucking him, his brain supplied. “You think getting away from the tunnel will help? Were you having this problem when you were staying at Holly’s? Or did it just start when you got home?” The solution was probably for him to leave town, but Sage couldn’t say that. He knew Jacob wouldn’t leave without Connor. Maybe they’d leave together. Connor could probably afford it, but at that point Sage didn’t want Jacob to leave. He’d missed his friend, even if he felt more alone now than ever before.
"I had nightmares that were worse in Portland," Jacob said and idly pulled the menu to his side even if he knew very well what he was getting. It was more something to do with his hands now that they were sitting down and talking about uncomfortable shit. "But I don't know if I sleepwalked there, never left the apartment at least. And yeah I thought the sleep aid was... yeah. But I got drunk on Saturday so maybe that triggered it or something." He let the menu flop on the table in front of him and gave a slightly frustrated sound. "No. I think it's... I think it's the fucking tunnel." And he wanted to ask if those people Sage was so afraid of now were somehow linked to that but at the same time he didn't think it was a great idea to bring it up again. Something about the way Sage was acting when he talked about them was slightly terrifying.
“I hate that tunnel,” Sage said, barely scanning the menu. He knew what he wanted—something hot. Just thinking about it made him feel cold all over. He’d never been able to fully explain to anyone how bad that place was, how it was steeped in evil and just thinking about it filled him with dread. His memories from the past led him to believe there was something living in the tunnel, the thing that had dragged Grayson in, but other times he was sure that it was the tunnel itself, that they were one and the same. “I hope getting away from it helps. And… and maybe have Connor put locks on the doors. And windows. Can you open windows when you’re sleeping? I’ve heard of people, like, making sandwiches and shit, so probably.” It might sound crazy to lock Jacob in, and it was probably a safety hazard, but him sleepwalking to the tunnel was far worse.
"Put a bell on the door so he wakes up if I leave," Jacob said with a faint grin. He almost made a naughty joke about Connor tying him to the bedpost but it didn't feel right to say it so he didn't. Instead he started to reach over to touch Sage's arm but quickly withdrew when their waitress showed up. They put in their order and only when she'd left did Jacob reach over again, gripping Sage's wrist in concern. "You're not going to do anything crazy, are you? About those people?" He still wasn't sure what to make of it, it sounded absolutely bonkers, but so did their story about what really happened in the tunnel. Maybe Sage was crazy or maybe he was right, both of those options were frightening.
Sage thought of a little shop bell that rang every time someone entered or exited a shop and thought about how highly ineffective that would have been at waking him up. Hopefully moving away from the tunnel would decrease Jacob’s chances of sleepwalking to it because that felt like the equivalent of walking off a cliff to Sage. He ordered his drink and was still thinking of a better way to keep Jacob safe when Jacob’s question tore him from his thoughts. “No,” he said, shaking his head. “I mean, what can I do? Hunt ‘em down and then what? Yell at ‘em?” He could beat the shit out of them, he thought, but he also knew how highly unlikely that was to happen. He’d probably freak out and hide if he actually ran into one of them. “But if something bad happens to me, you’ll know who did it.”
That was at least a little reassuring and Jacob gave him a wan smile. "Do you want me to... I don't know. Approach one of them? Sneakily extract information?" It was a terrible idea but he had no idea how to address this and it was weird, being on the outside of the crazy for once. It kind of gave him a perspective on how they had all probably looked after the tunnel, conspiracy theories and crazy talk. No wonder people hated them. "We can call it operation smooth talk." He didn't know if Sage was just crazy or what but he was now curious about those people and what might have triggered this belief in his friend.
There was something appealing about the offer, but also something dangerously alarming. Sage wanted to know more about the people after him, social media only told him so much, but he also hated the idea of putting Jacob in harm’s way. He considered it for a moment before shaking his head. “No, no that’s a bad idea,” he said. “If they realize who you are, they might hurt you too. It’s too risky. I have no idea what they’re capable of and I’d feel horrible if something happened to you because of me.” He smiled a little, a bit of himself shining through the crazy. “I like the name though. You’d be a good spy. No one would ever suspect you.”
Jacob smiled back, not really reassured but it was good to know Sage hadn't jumped on board or started concocting some even crazier plan. "Have you talked to Joss about it?" he asked. "Maybe she knows something about them." And he wouldn't be the only one with the burden of worry. Was that mean? Probably. "You know, I believe you but you could be wrong, you could be misunderstanding something so let's be cautious but keep an open mind? If this is some supernatural shit then you know it always twists things around. Like tarot cards where death actually means new beginnings and shit?"
“No,” Sage said with a shake of his head. “I haven’t had a chance to talk to her about it. This really just happened. I mean, I’ve had a bad feeling for a while, but I only really found out who to watch out for the other night.” He knew how bizarre that sounded, since he couldn’t pinpoint the source of this newfound knowledge, but he knew he could trust it. At least as much as he could trust his own mind. If he lost that, he lost everything. “But I know. Just like we know that tunnel is evil. I just know. I’d like to be wrong, but… I just need to be careful. And watch my back. ‘Cause they could be anywhere.”
None of those people seemed dangerous from what little Jacob had gleaned of them, except maybe for that one guy but he only had Sage's word for the violence he was supposed to have committed. From the pictures alone it was hard to imagine any of those guys beating the shit out of someone but he knew you couldn't tell that sort of thing from just looking at people. "Well, yeah, it's not a big town," he sighed quietly. "And you don't feel like you could actually confront them? Or at least one of them? To just... ask if something is going on?"
“Maybe the girl,” Sage said thoughtfully. “I think she’s in high school. But then high school girls can be vicious, so I dunno. The librarian, maybe.” Out of all of them, Sage thought he had the best chance of overpowering Neil if he had to. He could probably take down Jules easy, but that still kind of felt wrong, unless she attacked first. Maybe that was their plan, since she seemed like the least likely threat. She could be some kind of trained assassin and he’d never guess it. Sage looked out the window, suddenly feeling like there were eyes on him somewhere. What if one of them had a gun? He’d be so easy to take out. “I shouldn’t be out here,” he murmured. “I’ve made myself an easy target. What the fuck was I thinking?”
"They wouldn't- we're in public," Jacob replied incredulously and looked around as if for emphasis. The guy on the next table caught his eye because the man was sleeping. He'd been sitting there sipping coffee when they walked in but now he was resting his head on his arms, fast asleep. Maybe that shouldn't feel weird, but it did, especially since Jacob was starting to feel tired too. Sage's paranoia fueled his own and he wondered if there was a gas leak or something else, something more sinister. "Let's... let's pay and go," he mumbled. "We can go to my place for a bit, Connor's at work, we have coffee and tea there too."
The guy sleeping at the next table over didn’t raise any concerns for Sage, but that was only because he’d been seeing a lot of that lately. The winter months seemed to be doing a number on everyone, or they had that mysterious flu that seemed to be going around, the one that made people tired. He didn’t know or care; he was more concerned with the possibility of a librarian with a sniper rifle hiding out in some nearby cafe, just waiting for a good shot. “It’d be easier to take me out in public,” Sage said quietly. “People panic and run. They forget what they saw. If I’m home, they’d have to break down my door.” Which sounded dramatic, but he’d thought about it. He’d started boobietrapping the living room, just in case someone tried to break in. “Yeah, let’s do that,” he said, immediately rising. “Connor’s place will be safer.”
Jacob had to wonder if this was a terrible idea, taking Sage back with him, but he stupidly didn't want to go to Sage's place and be trapped there if Sage got all weird and he felt safer at home, even if it was in Seaview. They got out of there quickly, paying as fast as they could and heading to Sage's car. Again Jacob wasn't so sure it was a good idea to get in the car with him again but it felt somehow worse to abandon him now when he was either right that he was being hunted or he was completely losing his mind. Jacob couldn't tell if he was high or something by looking at his eyes but he somewhat hoped that was the case and he just couldn't see it. Then it would wear off. Once they were in the car he reached over to give Sage's arm a little squeeze. "I'm sure it'll be okay," he said with more conviction than he felt. "We'll talk to Joss and take turns hiding you until we know you're safe."
Sage gave Jacob a small smile as he started up the car, comforted by the fact that his friend believed him. He knew how weird it all sounded, but having someone on his side made him feel a little less alone, like maybe he could tackle this. He hadn't wanted to bring it up, but if his friends could help keep him safe, then it was worth it. "Thanks," he said. "I dunno if it'll work, but it's worth a try." He knew they couldn't hide him indefinitely. At some point he'd have to confront them, but he wasn't ready for that yet. He'd put it off as long as he possibly could.
If he was to be honest, Jacob didn't know how they'd keep him safe, he didn't even know how much he could let Sage stay. Connor would think he was insane unless they came up with some other story like... his apartment was being treated for termites or some shit. Connor wouldn't care right now because he was at work and wouldn't come home until late but they needed to figure something out for later. And if Sage was not crazy, was he painting a target on himself and Connor by letting him stay? What if it was all true and those people saw Sage's car outside their house? Maybe the wisest thing to do was to get out of town but even thinking about it all was exhausting and Jacob felt a surge of hopelessness that felt all too familiar.
Sage didn't notice the silence as they drove, too busy thinking about what the days to come might look like, or even weeks. Hiding would only work for today; tomorrow he'd have to go to work. It wouldn't be hard for someone to track him down there and he'd be vulnerable standing behind the bar at Dragonfly. Even being at Connor's place wasn't perfect. His car would be there for anyone to see and it wasn't like he was even equipped to stay the night. And if he did, then he'd potentially put Jacob in danger. While he appreciated the offer, Sage was starting to see the flaws in it and knew that in reality he couldn't stay more than an afternoon. It was still nice of Jacob to offer though. They could have coffee and hang out somewhere that he wasn't so vulnerable. "Connor at work?" he asked as he pulled up out front.
"Yeah, he'll be home tonight," Jacob replied and he was torn now in not being sure if that was better or worse. He wanted Connor home, but if Sage stayed it'd be less awkward if Connor was on a night shift. This whole situation was just weird and uncomfortable and he didn't know how to handle it at all. One step at a time, he decided as he got out of the car, popping his collar for some shelter against the cool breeze. He'd start by making coffee and he felt like he really needed the caffeine at this point, drowsiness setting in and the urge to just flop down on the couch and snooze for a while getting stronger. He unlocked the door and let Sage inside, giving him a little smile, maybe to reassure him or maybe to reassure himself. "When are you working again?" he asked, wondering if Sage felt safe at the bar or if he was this paranoid everywhere.
Sage looked over his shoulder as they walked towards the house, making sure that no one was following or watching them. He supposed there could be neighbors peeking through their windows, but no one knew they were coming here. Sage hadn’t even known until they’d made the decision. Even though his car was out front, he felt safer inside, pretty sure no one was going to storm Connor’s house to get him. He could stay a while, until Connor got home, but then he’d probably have to leave. As much as he appreciated the invitation, it probably wasn’t as good an idea as it first felt. “Tomorrow night,” he said as he slipped off his shoes just inside the front door. “Don’t worry, I won’t actually stay, but…I feel better here than out in public. So thanks.”
"I'm sure it's okay if you take the couch tonight," Jacob told him as he pulled off his own winter clothes. He could text Connor and make sure but as much as he wanted to help Sage, there was still a part of him that hoped he'd decline the offer. It made him feel guilty and he reached out to squeeze Sage's arm reassuring, as much for himself as for his friend. "Do you think you'll be okay at work?" he asked as he toed off his shoes and then led the way further inside. "It's public and it always feels like a safe place, will you be okay there?" They all felt like stupid questions because the situation was just so weird he wasn't even sure if he could fully believe it. He definitely wanted to look at those people better now that they were home and he could go on the computer, it was easier to sleuth there than on the phone.
“I dunno,” Sage said, running his fingers through his hair and rustling it up. “I can’t imagine someone coming into the bar and starting something. It’s always pretty chill. And it’s been really quiet lately. But I worry about going out to my car after close. If they know I work there, that’d be a perfect time to jump me.” The streets would be mostly deserted and there would be no one around to protect him. He might be able to get Nate to walk to his car with him, but his boss had been feeling under the weather lately himself. “I can’t stop going into work though. I need the money. Rent doesn’t pay itself.” Unless you had a rich boyfriend to cover it, he thought but didn’t say. He knew he should be happy for Jacob, and he was, but the urge to turn bitter was strong lately and he was getting tired of fighting it.
Jacob knew just how good he had it right now and Sage's words only reminded him of the crappy jobs he'd had in the past where he'd dragged his depressed self out of bed to go take a crowded bus to a shitty job where he pretty much hated everyone. He did not miss it and at the same time some fatalistic part of him knew he would end up going back there because happiness was always fleeting. He led the way to the kitchen and gestured to Sage to take a seat as he went about making coffee for the two of them. "At least your boss is nice and hot," he murmured, though he knew from experience that didn't make much difference and he only really knew that Nate was nice because Sage said he was. "I wish I could do something to help you," he added quietly and meant every word. It was a sucky situation, whether it was Sage going crazy or Sage telling the truth.
“Nice and hot and seeing Joce, so… yeah,” Sage said, not sure if he was bitter because Jocelyn was dating Nate or because Nate was dating Jocelyn. He wasn’t even into her anymore, but it still stung. All the beautiful people were hooking up, leaving him behind. It wasn’t really a shock to him, because it was nothing new, but he still hated it. Jocelyn and Jacob had only gravitated back to him because they were outcasts in Point Pleasant, just like him, but it would be so easy for them to move on now that they’d found people to vouch for them. “I’m pretty sure I’m beyond helping,” he said. “I should’ve left when you guys did. Maybe then things would be different.” He wasn’t sure if that mattered or not, but it felt like it. The town was finally getting to him via four random strangers and he didn’t know why.
"I never understood why you stayed," Jacob admitted, turning the coffee maker on and leaning against the counter. The sleepiness he'd started to feel wasn't going anywhere, even when he stood up and did things and that was frustrating. If anything it was getting worse, like his whole body was tired and he just wanted to sit down. "I mean, I don't even know why I came back." He knew why he was staying for now at least and coming back had eased his nightmares a little. He watched the coffee start dripping and sighed, slinking over to the table to sit down with Sage. He reached over and rested his hand on Sage's hand, giving him a pouty little smile of sorts. "Must be a little weird knowing she's dating your boss," he murmured somewhat sympathetically.
Sage shrugged. “I wasn’t going off to college. My family was here and I didn’t have the money. It was just… daunting… to do it on my own. But I should’ve done it.” Instead, he’d stayed behind, always hoping something better would come along, but never going out of his way to make sure his life changed. If he survived this, he would leave Point Pleasant. Maybe he should start looking for ways out now, escape before they found him. If he could get far enough away, they might leave him alone. “A little weird,” he agreed. “I mean, I’m happy for her. It’s hard to find someone around here, so… good for her, you know?”
When Jacob touched Sage's hand he could swear he suddenly felt even more tired. He drew his hand back and folded his arms against the table, unsure what to say as he thought about the last time he had felt this inexpicably tired before and how he'd been with Sage that time too. He wasn't a total stranger to the concept of energy vampires so to speak, but Sage had never been one of those people who were exhausting to be around so that didn't make sense. They'd been upset together before - depressed, angry, the whole spectrum of emotions - and Jacob had never felt this viscerally tired. "When I move out of town again you should too," he mumbled, moving again to rest his head on his hand and god it felt heavy, like he hadn't slept at all the night before.
“Connor’s here,” Sage said. “You’re not going anywhere without him. But I appreciate the thought.” Every time things got bad, Sage revisited the idea that he needed to leave, but he’d never got around to actually making it happen. It would have been so much easier if he could go with Jacob, but he didn’t see that happening any time soon. It was unfortunate; he thought they’d both be happier somewhere else. “You feeling okay?” he asked, noticing the way Jacob rested his head against his hand. He’d seemed okay when they’d met up, but maybe there really was something going around. It didn’t occur to Sage that he might be the cause of it, since he felt great.
"Connor won't stay here for long," Jacob mumbled and shook his head. "No I'm... I'm fucking tired all of a sudden." He couldn't really tell Sage that this kept happening specifically when they were hanging out together but damn if it didn't ring true. "Can you get the coffee?" he asked, the thought of getting up and taking care of that small task seeming somehow insurmountable. "But yeah, Connor's only in town for like... a few months." God this didn't feel like a conversation he wanted to be having, talking in general seemed like it was becoming kind of pointless and hard and he just wanted to rest his head on his arms and relax.
“Seriously?” Sage said, surprised that this was the first he was hearing of it. He’d been under the impression that Connor was sticking around, especially with how serious Jacob sounded about him. Now he couldn’t imagine Jacob not going with him, but he had no idea what their plans were. Only a few seconds ago Jacob had said Sage should go with him when he left, but that would be weird if Jacob was going with Connor. “So, he’s moving for you, but he’s not planning on staying for the long haul? Are you gonna go with him? Or… How do you take your coffee?” he asked, walking over to the pot and pouring them both a cup.
"I don't know," Jacob said in a long drawn out sigh and the thought of the future just made him more tired. He was, despite everything, still so certain Connor wouldn't stick with him once he was back in Portland but that wasn't really something he wanted to think about. For now he had it good and it was much the same feeling as not being sure he'd even make it to thirty. "Uhm, coffee black," he added then and maybe the coffee would help, maybe he should put sugar in it just this once for an added kick but he had a bad feeling it wouldn't make any difference.
Sage glanced up at Jacob as he poured the coffee, no longer sure that caffeine would do the job. Jacob looked like he needed a nap more than a pick me up, something he’d been seeing a lot of lately. It was annoying, but also concerning, and the two of them went far enough back that worry was quickly winning out over all other emotions. “Hey… are you feeling okay?” he asked as he brought their coffee over. “If you wanna rest for a bit, I can take this to go.” To go where, he wasn’t sure, but it felt weird to sit around and hover in Connor’s house while Jacob took a nap, even if it was the safe thing to do.
Guilt warred with self preservation and Jacob had promised Sage he'd be safe here so it felt all sorts of wrong to let him leave. But he was also almost sure he was this tired because of Sage which didn't make any sense and yet he was so certain. "Where'll you go?" he asked as he wrapped his hands around the hot cup, not touching as it was a little too hot to the touch but still taking some comfort in the radiating heat. "I'm worried about you," he added in a whisper but that went without saying what with everything that seemed to be going on.
“I’m worried about you, too,” Sage said with a little frown. “I’ll figure something out. Maybe I’ll go to the arcade or something. Just wander around for a bit, see if I can’t throw them off my trail. Just… you should get some rest. And call Connor if it gets worse.” Whatever it was that Jacob was coming down with it seemed to be happening fast. A part of him thought that he should stay close, just in case Jacob needed him, but Connor would be better suited for that and Sage was a little bit worried about catching it himself. He felt great at the moment, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t take a turn for the worse, just like Jacob had.
Jacob had only worked at the arcade a handful of times since the fog and logically he knew it was okay to be there now but it still gave him chills to think about going back. His boss had been awful to him and that place mostly held bad memories. Still, it was probably fine for Sage to go there so he didn't voice his concern. "Text me and let me know you're okay?" he asked instead, guilt still warring with self preservation and it was an intensely shitty feeling. "Like... Regularly. Let me know where you are." He might not be awake to see it but it'd help when he did wake up and started fretting over Sage.
“Yeah,” Sage said softly and reached out to gently ruffle Jacob’s hair. “Yeah, for sure. You just go lay down. And… maybe text Connor if you’re not feeling better soon.” He didn’t want to sound alarming, but he was worried about Jacob. This seemed so sudden and he was torn between staying and going himself. He wasn’t even all that sure what was safest for him, but it was Jacob’s condition that made the decision— he needed sleep more than Sage needed a place to hide. “I’m gonna go, okay? I’ll text. Every few hours, I promise. I need someone to know where I am.” If they get me, he thought, but that was a worry for later.
"Okay," Jacob replied even as his gut twisted with discomfort and shame. He needed to text Jocelyn and let her know something was wrong with Sage, though he didn't even know how to begin explaining it and suddenly just the thought of it seemed like too much, like just texting her the simple words would require some great stamina that he didn't possess. "Sorry," he whispered, well aware he wasn't about to get up and walk Sage out. "Just be safe, okay? Be safe." His eyes were already closed and he wasn't so sure he'd make it to the couch but that was okay as long as he didn't have to move at all. Maybe he'd bounce back when Sage left - or maybe he wouldn't and this had nothing to do with Sage.
Sage was struck with the thought that he couldn’t just leave Jacob there, sleeping on the kitchen counter, but it also seemed weird to move him. He wasn’t drunk, just tired, unbelievably tired, like so many other people he’d encountered. It was only a matter of time before he was hit with it too, he thought again, and decided now was the time to go, just in case whatever Jacob had spread over to him. He was probably being paranoid, and a bad friend to boot, but self preservation won out. “Okay, I promise,” he whispered, backing towards the door. “We’ll talk soon.” With a sigh, he turned and left, making a mental note to text Connor himself if Jacob didn’t text back. It would only occur to him later that he didn’t have Connor’s number, making that impossible. Hopefully all Jacob needed was a little rest.