Jack wasn't sure what woke him up, at first. He'd found his eyes opening to look up at the familiar slanted ceiling of the tent, comfortably tucked in to his nest of blankets. But as he took the time to wake up, he realized there was something different about his environment; instead of the usual snoring from Mark, he could instead hear soft weeping.
Concerned, Jack turned over and peered over the edge of his bedding to see that the warrior was face down, his head tilted away from Amy's peacefully sleeping figure, brow bunched, lip quivering, and cheeks glittering in the darkness. Jack's own brow pinched upward, and he quietly climbed down to traverse the short distance to Mark's shoulder, placing his tiny hand amongst the dyed markings that were just barely visible to his human eyes in the dead of night.
There was a slight hum from Mark as he stopped and shifted, opening one eye. "Oh... L-líten häna." He sniffled and sat up, turning over to hunch over Jack as he hurriedly wiped at his wet cheeks with a forced smile. "Serönoba, did you need something?" Jack frowned, pointing back up at Mark. The grin wavered, and then the warrior dropped the act, letting out a shaky sigh. "Cha, alright I... You know how sometimes, when you dreamwalk, your dreams are sometimes twisted memories?" Jack nodded. "Well... I dreamed of my father again." Mark hung his head with a tired exhale, rubbing at his eyes once more. The small human frowned and leaned against the other hand that remained to prop Mark up, hugging the giant wrist in hopes of offering comfort.
"Have you ever lost someone?" Mark murmured, his voice thick and hoarse, "I know it isn't farewell forever, that we all must continue on our paths in the cycle of life... But it still hurts to grieve, to miss them even though- even though they are no longer suffering." Another tear fell as he blinked, and then he shook his head, bowing down to bury his face in the floor. "Why does it hurt so much?" He quietly sobbed, weeping again. Jack moved from his wrist to the giant's countenance, pressing against his cheek with his arms ranging from the jawbone to the nearest maxillary sinus. He felt the head tilt a little, leaning into his best attempt at a supporting embrace, but support he did. He even used his good foot to anchor against the floor, not minding the shudders or oily tears as he put his head against his, closing his eyes.
"I have," Jack murmured, half to himself. "So has everyone else, especially after what happened to our planet. You just gotta let it out, big guy... There ya go... Nothin' to be ashamed about, okay? Jackaboy's gotcha..." Fortunately, the sobs didn't get so out of control that Amy was woken up, but Mark had still let out the tears his heart had been straining for before he eventually fell quiet, save for the shaky, occasionally-hiccupy, breath. The muscles around his eyes drooped with exhaust, and Jack gave the bone next to his nearest eye a little pat.
"Bet you've been doing too many'a them patrol thingies. You look deadass exhausted." Mark let out of a weak chuff, opening his eyes to look in Jack's direction as best he could.
"Thank you, Jack," the warrior murmured tiredly, "I did not mean to wake you, but... I'm glad you're here." He brought his hand up to Jack's back, giving the human a gentle press in gratitude. "Perhaps I've been going on too many patrols, and not resting enough. I'll speak to Tyler." Jack gave an approving nod, closing his eyes to accept the hand-hug. Even though he couldn't directly talk to Mark still, he was glad they had figured out some means of communicating; some way to connect and understand each other.
It made being stranded on an extraterrestrial planet a whole lot less alien.
A yawn escaped the little human as he relaxed in the warrior's body heat, and Mark gave a soft smile, shifting his hand so his thumb could gingerly rub Jack's head. "You should get back to dreamwalking, líten häna."
"Mn..." Jack yawned again before he could protest, allowing Mark to gently pat his head once more before releasing him and turning over onto his back. The warrior let out a less terse sigh and closed his eyes, occupied with wiping his remaining tears away.
He stopped however when he felt something touch his arm, and he looked down before giving a faux-cross exhale.
"Jack, you should rest, I will be alright." Jack shook his head with a cheeky expression, continuing to hug the warrior's wrist. Mark now rolled his eyes with an airy chuckle, lifting his hand to also lift Jack and rest both on his chest. "Are you cold then, líten häna?" Jack did admittedly sigh and relax as the familiar emanating warmth washed over him; but he looked up to study Mark, and was relieved to see that no tears glittered despondently in his tilted countenance once more.
"Yeah, just cold," he murmured, continuing to snuggle his wrist... Rather adorably, admittedly. Mark sighed once more, but it was with amused resignation as his thoughts were successfully pulled away from the lingering grief.
"Alright, you can remain," he conceded, humoured as he let his other hand drape over Jack like a blanket. Jack only shifted a tiny bit before closing his eyes, beaming as he let out one more little yawn. He felt Mark take a less congested breath, and then the muscles under and around the human slowly relaxed, easing toward sleep. Jack gave the hand beside him a little pat.
"Hope ya sleep better, Mark..." He felt the fingers over him curl just a tiny bit more in response, and with a soft smile Jack allowed himself to nod back off, both feeling comforted once more.