At 8 o'clock in the morning, Jacob knew what he needed to do. He needed to let go and just do it.

So much of his personal misery was holding himself to a stupid standard of never looking weak and always trying to be the one providing. He'd had to be strong and take care of himself throughout his life before now, and he wanted his partners to feel safe to break down around him and let him take care of them. When he was stressed and had a meltdown from holding it in for so long, he always felt like a weak and stupid little boy so he forced his cheerfulness back and tried to smother the others in his undying and roaring adoration of them.

But today... Jacob needed to be taken care of. He needed to forget or at the very least be cuddled. He'd woken up anxious and shaking, almost throwing up as soon as he had opened his eyes.

He poked his head into the commons to see Adam fiddling with his rings as he watched a movie about a girl and guy both with cancer that fell in love. He'd forgotten what the name was, but he'd cried reading the book and then sobbed watching the movie.

Walking up to stand in front of Adam, he kneeled and scooted closer to bury his face in Adam's thighs. At first he was certain Adam wouldn't understand because he had never once asked in their years together, but then slender fingers tipped his head up to look into his eyes.

Adam leaned closer to look deeper and his brows furrowed. "Jack, baby, why are you upset?"

His lip started trembling before he could stop it and he sniffled like a child. "Please help me."

His brow raised for a split second, then his eyes lit up with pure excitement. "Oh, absolutely. Come up here and sit on my lap."

Annoyingly as he climbed up he broke down at the gentle rocking Adam was doing. It felt so nice, he felt so safe and he hated it. He hated being weak and vulnerable.

And then Adam scooted to the edge of the couch and stood to carry him. He was surprised under his pain, he clung to him in fear he'd fall but Adam wasn't struggling. "Baby, I'm not going to drop you," Adam soothed gently. "I'm taking you to cuddle in my bed."

Adam laid Jacob on his chest staring up in the ceiling, truly perplexed for the first time by him. Obviously he was struggling, but he was whining under his breath and nuzzling into him like he'd never been comforted in his life. He was being extremely clingy, which Adam had less than zero complaints about, but he just seemed so... small and helpless.

His heartbeat quickened as he rubbed at his head and Jacob let out a happy groan between his crying spells. "Are you nonverbal, Jack? Just nod or shake your head."

He nodded miserably and started crying harder again, his comfort was short lived apparently. It was breaking Adam's heart so much his chest ached painfully. "Oh sweetie..." He kissed over his head and rubbed his back in slow large circles like his mom used to do. "It's okay. I'll take care of you."

That seemed to make it worse. Jacob dug his nails into him a bit and wrapped his legs around one of his desperately. Adam wondered if maybe his special blanket would help. "Can I get up really quick? I'll be right back but I can take you with too."

Jacob sat up with his eyes closed and raised his arms weakly. It was adorable but Adam couldn't even focus on that while he was so clearly upset. Lifting him into his arms, he kissed his cheek and carried him into his house to tug out the blanket and rub against his cheek.

He hiccuped a little and his crying slowed but it still wasn't stopping. Jacob sniffled a few more times and opened his eyes to break Adam's heart again.

They were bloodshot from crying but more than that, they were deeply sad, scared... and innocent. It occurred to him that maybe Jacob was crying about something other than trauma but he couldn't be certain if he couldn't speak.

He rocked and cradled him, hurt when he refused to eat by crying louder and curling into himself to sob himself nearly sick.

"Jacob, please, you need to eat!" Adam begged, holding his face as he cried. "Please just eat something, it's nearly two in the afternoon and I know you didn't have breakfast or lunch."

He shook his head stubbornly and pushed him off to curl into himself all over again. His walls were up. He'd never been so inconsolable, at least not that Adam had seen. Grabbing his blanket he pulled it over his head and fell back to scream in frustration, like he was sick of this.

It turned Adam's blood to ice and he scrambled to pull out his phone as he tried to comfort him. "Jasmin, you guys need to come home now."

"What?! Why?! What happened?" She paused and he could hear the rest asking concerned questions. "Is that Jacob?!"

"We're on our way," Steven called out.

Adam's hands were shaking and clammy, he couldn't think of anything else to help. Whatever he offered Jacob would decline or just cry more. Every time he tried to move away Jacob got worse and stayed worse. There was nothing he could do but hold him.

Shit, he was stupid!

He pulled out his phone again. "Rebecca, River, we need you guys immediately."

Jacob calmed down just enough, giving Adam the chance to slip away when he fell asleep. The living room was full of people (and a Lion) looking all kinds of upset and worried. Hazel pulled him into a hug and he willed himself with all his might not to cry too.

"I don't know what's wrong," Adam whispered brokenly. He had to swallow his sob, Jacob's sadness was hurting him more than he could handle. Usually when Jacob was extremely upset he was the one they called, but he couldn't fix this. "He won't tell me anything and he's been crying for six and a half hours."

Jasmin clasped hands with Alex. "The whole time?"

"The whole time. The last thing he said was at like, 8:15 ish this morning," Adam recalled as he pulled away and mussed his hair. The more hair in his eyes the better. "He asked me to help him."

Rebecca nodded to Jasmin and Alex. "You two try first."

She shook her head but stood anyways. "If Adam can't help I really, truly don't think I can."

Adam scoffed. "You're his wife."

Instead of elaborating, she crushed him in a hug. "Shut up, Adam."

He chuckled weakly as they walked off to try and help. Steven patted the spot next to him and they stared off into the distance before Connie pulled out her phone. Steven frowned. "What are you doing?"

"I had to check to see if it's his birthday," She mumbled. "There has to be a reason."

Anna tipped her head. "It's not the anniversary of court is it?"

Rebecca shook her head primly. "No. I have it saved since we are going to spend the day together." She frowned and River pulled her onto his lap just as a loud slam sounded.

Steven and Hazel jumped up to find Jasmin on the other side of their bathroom door sniffling. "I told you. He doesn't want me to see him like this. He wants to be strong for me and it pisses him off when he can't be. I just wish he knew how much I don't care."

Alex knocked on the door, listening to him cry. "If you don't come out we're gonna send Rebecca and River in here. And if that doesn't work we're going to kick the door down. I'm too pretty, but Steven will do it if I beg because I'm also petty as fuck."

He just kept crying, it was as if he hadn't even heard them.

Alex slid his hand down the door and heaved a shaky breath. "Jacob... please just tell us what's wrong... We wanna help you."

When he didn't answer, Steven poked his head into the living room. "Alright. That's a wrap on that. Maybe you guys try."

Rebecca smoothed over her blouse and marched into their house with a nervous looking River in tow.

Anna giggled quietly. "I think Jacob is about to learn something about moms."

"Jacob Alexander Olfax come out this instant and give me a hug!" Rebecca cried, rattling the knob.

"Please," River added. "We just want a hug and that's it."

They heard shuffling and the door clicked open.

Rebecca smiled sadly and sat on the bathroom floor next to him. "Having a rough day?"

He sniffled pitifully. "I'm cream-crackered. I'm so tired."

River lumbered his large body to get on one knee and rubbed at his head. "I understand. Sometimes I have days like this too." He sat and Jacob sighed deeply, then inhaling and repeating it to draw out a groan over the course of a full 20 seconds.

"I'm glad you're here," He croaked. "I'm just having a whinge I suppose."

Rebecca hummed and pulled his head onto her lap. "Take a kip instead, love. We'll be right here."

*

When Jacob woke up again he didn't open his eyes, he listened to the conversation happening around him.

His entire polycule, the nosy little buggers, had crowded into their master bathroom to sit and watch him sleep while they kept Rebecca and River company. Clinking of dinner plates and silverware along with an incredible smell made him feel a little better.

Also, gross! They were eating in his bathroom, which was always properly kept spotless but still.

"This is just fetching, Steven!" Rebecca exclaimed ardently. River must have been feeding her, which was cute and incredibly cringy for reasons he didn't understand quite yet. It was cute when Adam's polycule did it, it was cute when Connie fed Steven, he loved feeding Jasmin, but when Rebecca and River did it he felt like groaning and laughing. "Who made the brisket?"

Hazel swallowed his food and chuckled. "I did. My mom taught me how to make all kinds of protein when my sister was sick. She used to love my barbecue briskets. Probably would've been more tender if Steven and Connie weren't flirting with me the whole time."

Connie kissed him, Jacob heard the smack of lips against his cheek. "You look sexy in an apron."

"And without one," Steven added, earning a swat.

Adam giggled joyfully and Jacob was pleased he wasn't as downtrodden as he'd feared he would be. "There's so much dairy in this. I'm so happy. I love you, Hazel."

"Sometimes he bites me when I say I love him but when I feed him allergens he's all over me," Hazel lamented to giggles. Even that morning he'd told him he loved him, and Adam motioned him closer just to latch on like a little monster. Then he told him he loved him.

Anna sighed happily. "He never bites me when I say I love him. It sounds like a skill issue."

They laughed and Jacob had to fight the urge to laugh along. It made him so happy to be with them all, even when feeling like shit.

"Anna is an adorable little flower," Adam countered passionately. "You just piss me off on an hourly basis."

"And yet you married me."

"I have no regrets."

"You guys sound like Jasmin and Jacob," Alex pointed out. "Jasmin, you want the rest of my mac? I'm trying to lose three pounds."

"That's stupid. If you lose any more weight you're going to disappear, you fucking idiot." Jacob could feel her attitude from all the way on Rebecca's lap. "If one more person offers me food, I'm going to bite them."

"Connie never bites me," Steven boasted. "Cause she knows what's at stake." He sounded pretty pleased with himself until he yelped. "Ow, Jasmin! I'm just trying to feed you, baby!"

"Hmph!" He could almost imagine her upturning her nose and crossing her arms.

"Now, Jasmin," River laughed. "That's quite the bite to your bark, but a mug needs to have a nosh."

Jasmin's irritation evaporated and she snorted at the intense waves of britishness. "I'll eat when he does. How's he doing?"

"He's been awake for five minutes," Rebecca told them with a smile in her voice. "He's just dogged."

Jacob groaned and threw an arm over his face to hide his blush. "That's pants. I've been awake for three minutes maximum."

River laughed heartily and patted his head. "How are you, chum? Feeling a bit brassy?"

He sat up and rubbed at his eyes. "I feel like rubbish but I'm alright, I suppose." He anticipated the hug tackle from his wife and wrapped his arms around her. "Hello, wife. If you keep starving yourself I'm going to start setting reminders on my phone. The day you lose a pound is the day I end it all."

"Don't say that and don't try to change the subject, you..." She sighed and climbed onto his lap. "Are you okay?"

He rested his head on top of hers and glanced at the others. "Whoever called my parents, thank you."

They were silent for a moment before a few little smiles broke out and Adam nodded. "Of course. Are you okay?"

"And thank you, Steven, for not breaking my bathroom door."

Steven frowned. "Jacob, are you okay?"

He broke the eye contact to stare at the food and completely ignored him. "You guys made mac and cheese because I was sad?"

"Jacob!" Alex snapped. "Are. You. Okay?"

The British man rolled his eyes. "I am alive and that is it."

River chuckled. "That's a good place to start."

*

By the time they'd had their morning tea Jacob felt the crying spell had passed and was able to admit he had just needed to be taken care of for the day. It was unknown why he'd cried so much because he couldn't admit it without dying of embarrassment, but the past was in the past. Rebecca suggested that maybe he'd just needed a good cry too, it was healthy and good to have one every once in a while. He was a bit quiet and distant still, but ultimately okay.

Rebecca hugged him again tightly. "Thank you for talking with us about it. I'm so glad someone called. I love you deeply."

River bear hugged him. "I also love you, Jacob. You can always call us for a chinwag or stop by."

He nodded. "I love you guys, too."

They departed and he returned to brewing a second pot of tea. "Bye, Mom and Dad. Drive safe and remember not to drive on the left side." It had been a bit of a learning curve, but the quiet gasps of wonder made him turn in confusion. "Hm?"

Rebecca's eyes were brimming with tears and River was smiling so big it was lighting up the room. His polycule was staring at him with the same expression before Connie touched a hand to her cheek. "You called them your mom and dad. Ugh, this character arc is killing me."

Jacob felt like he'd been staked right through the chest as a wary smile at the two turned to a bit of a misty-eyed one. "Please... don't cry."

Rebecca and River rushed to hug him again so hard he could't breathe but he hugged them back with just as much strength. He hadn't thought once about it, he'd never said it before but it just slipped out. "Is it okay I call you guys that now?"

Rebecca started sobbing and laughing at the same time as she nodded and River wiped away a few of his own tears. "I think we'd like that, son."

When Oliver said it, it made him nauseated and break out in a cold sweat. It made him want to hide and never come back out.

When River said it he smiled like a kid in a candy store. "Cool." He blushed and hugged them one more time. "Tea the day after tomorrow?"

"Absolutely," Rebecca exclaimed, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "We'll brew our best."