"Jay? Can I borrow you for a second?"
"Huh?" Jay glances up. Ichabod is there, a puzzled look on his face, with Chip latched onto his arm. "Oh- yeah-" she turns back to her desk, puts down a wrench, then looks at him again, "yeah, what's up?"
"I was ah- hoping you could answer somethin' for me."
"Of course."
"Well, Chip approached me and pushed this book at me 'til I took it," he lifts and wiggles a small blue novel, "and he hasn't answered any of my questions about it, refusin' to talk."
"Oh yeah?" Jay looks to Chip- he does seem a little dazed, but it's a dazed Jay recognizes. He's chewing on his sleeve and won't exactly meet her eyes.
"So all I was wonderin'," Ichabod says, "was what this here book is for, and if somethin's wrong with Chip."
"Fair question," Jay laughs. "This is normal, don't worry. Chip didn't have a very good childhood, and his mind has chosen to deal with it by making him act like a kid for a while."
"Oh?"
"Yeah," Jay smiles, holding her hand out. Chip latches onto it. She rubs her thumb gently over his skin, "it isn't permanent, he's usually acting like himself again after a couple of hours or a few days."
"Is it beneficial in any way?"
Chip nods against Ichabod's shoulder.
"Yeah, it is," Jay answers for him. "Helps with stress, mostly. Settles his mind."
Chip nods again.
"Well, alright," Ichabod smiles at Jay, then at Chip, "if it isn't harmful, I'm happy to encourage it."
He looks back to Jay, wiggling the novel again, "any idea about the book?"
"I've been reading it to the crew as a bedtime story," Jay answers, waving one hand, "teaching Gill how to read became a whole thing."
"I see," Ichabod opens to the page she marked, "well, I'd be honored to read the next chapter, if that's what Chip's askin' for."
Chip nods.
"Please," Jay translates.
"Perfect," Ichabod gently pries Chip's hand off his shoulder and holds it instead, giving it a squeeze, saying to Jay, "you get the crew, this one an'I'll get the quarters ready."
"Sure," Jay puts the rest of her project aside, removes her goggles, and stands, "we can do it down here."
"If that's alright?"
"More than alright," Jay assures, "I'll get the crew."
//
After a polite decline from Alphonse (he has to steer the ship) and a gruff denial from Gryffon (he isn't used to their shenanigans yet), Jay climbs below deck later with Gill and Drey in tow, finding an excited Ollie engaged in a pillow fight with Ichabod while Chip is curled up in a pile of blankets in the corner.
"There you are!" Ichabod beams, then is whacked in the face by Ollie and knocked cleanly off his feet.
Jay laughs. Gill takes Ollie by the armpits and lifts him in triumphant victory. Drey winces despite his chuckle.
Ichabod sits up, "got me good, kiddo."
Jay joins Chip in the blankets. He's sucking idly on his pacifier and looks to be halfway asleep already.
"Sorry we took so long," she says, offering a hand.
He blinks slowly at her like an oversized, affectionate cat, and latches onto her hand. Jay rubs her thumb over his knuckles.
"Alright you scallywags, sit down, I'll read'ya a story."
They pile around Ichabod, leaning over shoulders and sharing blankets. Chip lays his head on Jay's shoulder. Jay keeps a steady hold on Chip's hand. Gill lays on his stomach, head cradled in his hands, feet kicking idly behind him, tail draped over Jay and Chip's legs. Ollie presses close on Ichabod's other side, following along as he reads.
Drey sits in a chair nearby and listens.
Ichabod leans over to Jay before he starts, "catch me up real quick?"
Jay relays the story so far- lots of talking, mostly. Someone going to another dimension, briefly, though this chapter he's supposed to come back.
Ichabod nods, settling back, and clears his throat.
"Chapter nine," he reads, "Out Of Time..."
//
"And that's the end of it," Ichabod says.
Jay is the only one who managed to stay awake during the whole chapter- Chip is fast asleep on her shoulder and Gill's snoring away on the floor. Ollie is slumped against Ichabod.
He smiles and closes the book after dog-earing the page like Jay did last chapter. "How was that?"
"You do good voices," she answers, then yawns. It's a fight to keep her eyes open, "thank you."
He smiles, giving her leg a gentle pat. She can see the thanks in his eyes, "you rest well, kiddo."
She nods, watching as he carefully lifts Ollie up and lays him in Chip's hammock, tucking him in easily. Then he maneuvers a pillow beneath Gilion's head without waking him up, then tucks Jay and Chip in with another blanket.
"'Night, kiddo."
"'Night, Ichabod."
He offers another smile, then claps Drey on the back and heads to the upper deck.
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