#i'm allergic to posting anything under 1k to ao3

[sparklingbinjuice]

“Jake,” a familiar deep voice echoed through the parking lot, reverberating off the tall red brick walls and through the cab’s slightly open window, “Jake Lockley.”

“Not now,” he hissed. His face was half-buried in the crook of his arm, left elbow digging into his right knee as he tried to keep a hold of himself, folded over almost double. His hands were still firmly clasped around the steering wheel. The leather of his gloves squeaked plaintively as he repetitively clenched and unclenched his fists.

Fuck, he wished he could crawl all the way inside himself, find somewhere warm and safe to hide. To rest. To breathe.

“I can’t… Not now.” Fresh tears of exhaustion were hot on his cheeks, salt stinging his skin as they traced pathways  down to his stubbled upper lip through three days’ sweat and grime. “’M busy.”

“Jake Lockley,” the deep voice said again, firm and definite. The voice of a god. He knew who it was. He growled against his suited upper arm, frustration overcoming his misery.

“This ain’t the time, OK?” he snapped. He flexed his fingertips against the wheel, tracing the familiar bumps and grooves that he knew so well for comfort.

“We have work to do, my Moon Knight.”

He sniffed sharply, like he could just be clearing his nose. It was allergy season, after all. The brim of his cap hid his red eyes nicely, thank fuck.

“I was just taking a breather,” he said, counting his way through every stuttering inhalation. “It’s late. I’m tired.”

“It’s not yet dawn,” Khonshu informed him unnecessarily. No shit. The horizon was still an inky navy-blue beyond his windscreen. No stars. No fucking moon. Certainly no hint of the sun. “Many innocent travellers still require our protection.”

“You don’t gotta tell me,” Jake murmured. His damp eyelids were drooping. The others kept their body well rested, but he couldn’t remember the last time he had slept. He was tired to his bones, an ache so deep he could almost cry from it. He was crying from it. “’m doing my best,” he said.

The engine was off and the cab was cooling. He curled inwards towards the wheel again, lower lip quivering uncontrollably.

“Jake Lockley,” the voice was more gentle, soft almost. “A few more hours, my warrior,” it told him, soothing and close.

He hummed in the back of his throat, finding an actual reply to be too much effort. He had slept in the cab before but the soft cushioning of his headrest had never seemed more inviting. He pressed back against it momentarily, enjoying the way it yielded against the back of his head. His shoulders relaxed into the soft seat, tingling slightly from being tense for so long.

“Jake Lockley...” Tears were still forging a path down his cheeks. It felt like they were cutting into his skull. He swiped them swiftly away, expensive gloves gliding across his face. He caught a glimpse of the half-moons that decorated his knuckles and felt a sudden surge of shame. “There is work to be done.”

“I know,” he said, still staring at the wet shimmer on the back of his hands, a silver glitter in the golden glow of city street lights. “Where to?”

#moon knight #jake lockley #my fics #hmmmm #this is a drabble #but i'm in my jake feelings tonight #khonshu #i'm allergic to posting anything under 1k to ao3 #(also wrote this while very drunk so sorry for typos etc)