"Looking for someone?" 

 

Of course it's Jaebum, the only person willing to tease this early in the morning. He's grinning, but Jackson doesn't return it, knocking the apple off the younger's tray. 

 

"Tell me, oh great captain, just who would I be looking for?" Jackson rolls his eyes as the other lets out an indignant squawk as he tries, and fails miserably, to save the fallen fruit. 

 

"Please don't take your unrequited love out on our captain" 

 

Jackson actually laughs because Youngjae looks so serious, but it's all really ridiculous. 

 

"Where is Clark by the way? I need to talk to her."

 

Jackson really wants to punch Jaebum but doesn't want to be suspended for the first game so he settles for a withering glare. It's ineffective but it's the thought that counts, he thinks.

 

"How am I supposed to know? Besides, why do you guys always need to talk?" 

 

It's an innocent question, but the reaction is almost immediate as Jaebum pauses, looking slightly bewildered.The blush that covers his cheeks doesn't really help at all. Neither is the fact that he can't quite meet anyone's gaze.

 

"Dude!" 

 

Marks exclamation pretty much confirms that Jaebum has some confessing to do, and even Yugyeom and Bambam have broken from the crowd and are peering curiously over Youngjae's shoulders.

 

There's a small pause in which Jaebum simply ducks his head, picking at his fingernails while the others impatiently awaiting some sort of explanation. An explanation that never comes as Jr chooses this opportune moment to pop up, jersey pristinely intact, slinging an arm around the captain. 

 

"We have to talk to coach before the game, remember? Let's go." Is all he says before the pair disappear, Jaebum still a flushed mess. Jackson thinks it's just Jr's attempt to save his best friend, because that's the lamest excuse he's heard. 

 

Yugyeom and Bambam turn back to entertain the crowd, almost immediately losing interest, Youngjae looks lost, while Mark and Jackson share a look. It was strange to see Jaebum so .. flustered, and he hadn't even bothered answering the question. 

 

It didn't sit well with Jackson. Every time he turned around, Jaebum and Skylar were all in each other's faces, the captain claiming they had "important matters" to discuss, but what was so important? Jackson is curious. Besides, he thinks, eyes roaming again only to settle on the table occupied by Logan and the rest of their team, whom were eating and talking animatedly ...

 

 Where was Skylar? 

 

 

 

 

 

___

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"You know you can go, right? You don't always have to stay here all of the time." 

 

Skylar tries not to let her disappointment show. She's apprehensive as despite the bandages covering his eyes, she's fully aware of how observant her brother is. He doesn't need to be able to see to know how she's feeling.

 

"I don't want a pity party, sister" He's looking right at her as he says it and the hospital gown clinging to his paling skin hangs on his shoulders as he sits up. 

 

Thunder crackles outside, but only she jumps. The downpour outside adds to the eeriness inside and Skylar couldn't possibly hate hospitals more than she does now. 

 

"This is not a pity party. This is me being a supportive sister." She's upset that she even has to clarify that because her brother has a habit of feeling so worthless, when he's worth everything to her.

 

The younger pauses, fingers brushing over the bandages. He turns to the window, contemplative, and she thinks it's almost like he's watching the downpour, but it's murky and gray. It's depressing. 

 

"Are you afraid of mom?" He questions, and Skylar has to strain to hear it. She pauses because it's not a conversation she wants to have, but it's her brother, so she indulges.

 

"I'm not afraid of anyone"

 

It's s complete lie, but she hopes she's the only one that knows it. It was a tough front to put up, but Skylar had always been a rather strong girl. 

 

Silence envelopes the pair. He's watching the storm, and she's watching him, always. His mouth twitches, he twists his fingers, then speaks.

 

"I want to go home."

 

They've been here before and he's already yanking the bandages off of his eyes, tearing the hospital gown off, and tumbling out of the bed. The nurses come rushing in once he's jabbed the emergency button several times. 

 

Skylar just watches. 

 

"Please, unhook this thing from me. I want to go home." The young boy says, raising his arm and motioning toward the IV. 

 

The nurses glance at Skylar, as if seeking confirmation but they looked worried, and so is she, but she nods her permission anyway, because it's her brother and that's the best excuse she has. 

 

Once he's free from all of the wires and tubes, his eyes bandage free, he grins at her. It's playful and can only mean mischief. For a moment, it's almost as if he's looking directly at her, but she can always hope. 

 

"On second thought-" 

 

He starts and Skylar is cringing already. 

 

 

 

 

 

____

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jackson wouldn't be lying if he said he was a little distracted during the game, and slightly disappointed at the lack of a certain somebody in the stands. 

 

This also greatly confused him. Even though it's only been a day it felt like forever since he'd last seen Skylar. He's not really sure why this concerns him so he tries to distract himself by joining in on the celebratory shouts from the team. 

 

They'd won the game without much fault or effort, and he's more thank thankful. Jaebum is the most happy, grin wide and hands shaking, but that doesn't mean any less harsh practice for the upcoming weeks. It's rare to see their captain act so cheerful and outright goofy, so they join in on his exuberant shouts of victory , but it all comes to an abrupt stop and they stare at him strangely when he discards his shirt, running through the student parking lot, still yelling joyously. 

 

Jackson thinks he's an idiot, along with the rest of his teammates, except Yugyeom , who shrugs and joins him. 

 

"Oh my gosh" Mark mutters, because their captain is so embarrassing, and Jackson can't agree more, slapping the elder on the shoulder in congratulations before shuffling toward his own vehicle. 

 

At this point the home stadium is starting to empty out and people are coming up to congratulate him and the others, but Jackson just wants to find Youngjae, because he promised the younger a ride, and go home.

 

He's about to pull out his phone to call him when someone taps his shoulder timidly. He turns around figuring someone else has come to congratulate him, not expecting Skylar Clark to be standing before him, hands gripped tightly on the shoulders of a younger, very tiny looking boy. The jacket he's wearing is swallowing him, the hood pulled up, and he's wearing shades, but the sun has long since set.

 

"Hi there" She looks nervous, Skylar does, and her voice is a little too light, it almost doesn't sound like her, he thinks. 

 

"Hey" Jackson is very much aware he probably looks more idiotic than Jaebum, who's still prancing around half , as he just stands there, smiling dumbly at Skylar Clark of all people. 

 

He probably looks like a lovesick puppy or something, when he's totally not. 

 

"Jackson, this is Michael. Michael, meet Jackson" 

 

The boy, Michael, allows a look of annoyance to pass his features at the way she's puffing and poking his cheeks before he grins up at Jackson, all baby face and curls peaking from under his hoodie. 

 

"Nice to meet you little guy" Jackson holds out his hand but the kid just stares at it, but the elder can't really tell with the shades. 

 

"Mikey!" An exclamation rings and both Jackson and Skylar whip their heads around to find Logan a few feet away, waving the boy over enthusiastically, despite being practically caged to her car by Jaebum, who's lost all sense of personal space, Jackson notes wearily. 

 

Michael perks up at this and all but takes off, yanking himself out of Skylar's hold. She watches him go with a look of genuine tenderness that makes her eyes sparkle under the streetlights. 

 

"He seems like a good kid" Jackson comments, thoughtfully. 

 

"He is" She hums, crossing her arms. 

 

Jackson decides not to comment on how small he is or why he's wearing sunglasses in the dead of night.

 

"Jaebum said he needed to talk to you" He tries instead and he doesn't really like the way she giggles and bites back her grin.

 

"Am I missing something?" He huffs, because he doesn't really like being out of the loop. 

 

"Not at all" Is the reply and it's incredibly vague, so Jackson doesn't like it and he makes it known as he frowns down at her. 

 

"Then why are you two always 'talking'? And why can't you tell us what you're talking about?"

 

"Does it matter? Or are you jealous? I thought you didn't like me" She's teasing of course, but he's only really used to Jaebum doing that. He hopes she doesn't really think that.

 

"Of course not. And who said I didn't like you? You're the one who keeps trying to deny our friendship!" 

 

"Maybe because there isn't one!" She snaps with no real bite, rubbing her temple as if he gives her a legitimate headache. 

 

"Aw, look at the love birds! So cute!" Jr shuffles up, slinging an arm around the pair, smiling sickeningly sweet. 

 

They glare at each other, arms crossed flippantly as they huff, noses turned at each other. It's Jackson that breaks the glaring match, shoving Jr's arm off of the both of them before stomping out, sticking his tongue out at Skylar as he walks off. 

 

She picks up a rock and throws it at him, and Jackson has to actually duck to avoid it, Jr's laughter filling up the background, but all he can really focus on is her, pouting at her botched effort. 

 

He will never admit it, Jackson thinks, but even if it was just for a moment, he's glad to have seen her. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

____

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next morning Skylar awakes to screaming. She recognizes the voices immediately and jumps out of bed, slinging her door open and sprinting down the hall of her two story home. 

 

The scene before her is very unpleasant. 

 

Her mother is practically dragging her younger brother down the stairs, and he's crying and yelling, desperately gripping each stair, but her mother is insistent, gripping the back of his t shirt. 

 

"What are you doing?!" Skylar shrieks, almost falling down the stairs in her haste. 

 

"Getting him the proper treatments he needs, since you seem unable to do so" She snarls, adjusting her designer shades that could have went toward said treatment, Skylar thinks bitterly. 

 

"What are you talking about?" Skylar retorts, reaching for her brothers smaller hands, and he grips hers tightly, sobbing loudly when their mother all but hauls him up. 

 

"What do you not understand, Skylar? Your brother is clearly ill. He needs to be at the hospital!" The older woman all but shouts, yanking the boy by the collar as she all but glares at her daughter.  

 

"He's blind, not sick!" She cries out and she doesn't mean to sound so harsh because she really wants to argue that her brother functions like a normal human being despite his lack of vision, he smiles brightly at everyone even though he can't see them, and he has a heart of gold but her mother doesn't really deserve to hear that. 

 

She doesn't receive a reply as her mother grabs a suitcase she hadn't noticed before. Skylar wonders just how long her mother had been in a house that didn't belong to her. Her stomach coiled at the thought of her coming into her father's house and taking someone dear to her without care. 

 

It made her angry, furious but she was also crying now, because her brother's sobs were getting louder and he was still reaching out to her, calling for her, as their mother dragged them along as she stormed out. 

 

Through a haze of tears, all Skylar could do was watch them go.