Jack was prepared this time, when the news declared all time low temperatures this winter. The upcoming week would be in the negatives, by human measurements at least, but the giant had wasted no time kicking into gear.

Mark could only sit on the gargantuan bed and watch baffledly as his larger friend paced back and forth with mutters and fervent strides. The engineer had been dropped off next to the pillows, but on the opposite side of the bed was the nightstand that housed his actual bed— or what once was, because now it currently looked like a heap of blankets.

"Jack-" Mark sighed when he saw the giant returning with yet another winter-friendly shirt. "Jack, there's no way I'm going to sleep in that without feeling like the princess and the pea."

"Well good! That's the idea, sleeping like royalty." Mark sighed again, pinching his brow.

"I mean, it's not a makeshift bed in a box anymore, it's a mess." Jack paused to mull over his handiwork.

"It's a bed still!" He insisted. "It's just... Extra-insulated, is all." The engineer rolled his eyes.

"It's not going to work. I don't produce enough body heat for all of that to be effective."

"No no, but look!" Jack moved to readjust the scraps of cloth he had been collecting and shoving into the box. "I've been looking at a buncha wilderness survival videos, and reading some stuff on how animals in the wild make it through the winter. See, the less space you have to move around, then the less space ye gotta heat up!" When the giant soon after offered his hand to Mark, Mark simply exhaled one last time before climbing onto his warm palm. Jack cupped his tiny companion to his chest until he got the right angle, then remained crouched and allowed the human to step onto the nightstand.

Mark only had to take one look at the 'bed' before feeling assured that it wouldn't work.

"Jack... I appreciate all this effort, but," Mark crossed his arms, glancing back upward, "I still don't know about this. It'd be a lot of weight on me if I fell in, hard to get out of, and the structural integrity is nothing like an emergency shelter. Plus, it's way too much cushioning."

"Yeah, cause it's a warren!" The tips of Jack's fingers remained hooked onto the edge of the end table as he ducked his head down, giving— ah damnit, why were puppy eyes universal? "Can'tcha at least give it a try?" He pleaded, "See if it's warm?"

"... Fine," Mark groaned. He ignored the happy beam the giant gave him and approached the box, noticing that Jack had cut a hole out of the middle-bottom. He leaned to the side and peeked in; sure enough, amidst the chaos that was the within the box, there was a small nook that had been carefully shaped by a cylindrical tube. The mouth of one end was up against the hole, while the other end was blocked by the heaped-on fabrics.

Warily, Mark glanced back at Jack, and the giant was simply watching with eager eyes and an optimistic grin on his countenance. Smug bastard. Mark rolled his eyes and amusedly resigned himself to the idea, carefully sticking his head into the opening and climbing inside. It was... Not bad. A little cramped, especially going in, but he had just enough space to turn around and face the entrance once inside. He tried laying down, and Mark couldn't help but admit to himself that the felt beneath him... Well, it felt nice. Soft, maybe in need of a bit more padding like a blanket or pillows, but it would do.

It was surprisingly warm inside as well. The engineer had been stiff from the cold air, even in the house— not that Jack would ever agree to let him go outside during this time of year— but yeah, it surprisingly worked.

"How is it?"

"Not bad." Mark couldn't help but jump a little when Jack suddenly put his cheek down on the 'ground' and peeked inside, blocking the cosy glow of the lamp behind his green hair.

"Is it warm?"

"It's pretty insulated, I'll give you that." Mark crawled back out of the little nook, and Jack pulled his head back to give some space. "I didn't realize you stuck a tube thing in the middle of all that."

"Did you think you'd be sleeping on top?" Mark faltered.

"Pfft... nooo."

"Uh huh, suuure~" Mark scowled and moved close enough to give the giant's nose a lighthearted shove. Jack's eyes rounded for a brief second, then those bright blues narrowed with a smirk tugging on the corners of his lips. "Ahh c'mere ya!" Mark squawked when Jack's hand came in from behind, pulling him closer. The engineer then let out a manly yelp as he was nuzzled in the abdomen, making him squirm and break out into giggles.

"Wh- Jack! Jack no, come on! That's not fair!" But the giant just smirked and poked him again with his snoot.

"Got somethin' else you wanna say?" He asked mischievously.

"Yeah!" Mark took the brief pause Jack had allowed him to breathe, then proceeded to flip him off.

"Rude," Jack chuffed.

"Says the one who currently has me pinned."

"Oh no, whatever shall the little human do?" Mark rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, trying to put on a serious face.

"You tell me, I'm just the captive."

"Hmm... Well, death by tickles would be too cruel of a fate," the giant rumbled with faux deliberation.

"Death by freezing isn't good enough for you either, huh?" Jack gave a weak chuckle, but his smile fell anyway; he pulled away from the engineer to see him properly.

"Yer not gonna die," he murmured. Mark's brow twitched downward, pinching inward.

"Maybe I'm not." Jack let his hand return to rest beside Mark, offering a supportive wall.

"Yer worried about your friends, aren't you?" Seeing Mark's eyes water before he looked away made the giant's heart squeeze in pity. "Mahrk..." He lifted his thumb just enough to rub circles into the engineer's head; to his relief, Mark didn't pull away, but rather leaned into the touch and closed his eyes with a shaky breath. "I'm sure you'll see them again. I bet they know the cold is coming too, and if they're still out there then they must be preparing." When Mark didn't answer, Jack worriedly pressed on. "But you gotta take care of yourself too, remember? That way they can see you again. And if they're even a fraction as stubborn as you... Then I bet they'll be just fine."

Mark still didn't answer, but instead he turned and grabbed onto Jack's thumb, burying his face into the plush pad. It just about broke the giant's heart to hear a small whimper escape the little guy, and he leaned in to give a more caring nuzzle.

"... I'm sorry," Mark finally mumbled. Jack shook his head, giving a small exhale through his nose.

"You've got nothin' to apologize to me for."

"But you've been working on this—" Mark had gestured to the manmade— giant-made?— warren, "— for hours, just for me, and after the ship crashed and I got sick and..." Jack gave him a small nudge.

"Hey, I don't mind, really. Yer my friend, I don't wantcha to suffer." Suddenly seeming exhausted, Mark sighed and leaned against Jack, hugging his nose. The giant had faltered, clearly trying to hold still, but then he finally let his head slowly lay down, gently pressing back.

"You're really warm," Mark murmured, closing his eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Mhm. Warmer than the 'warren'."

"Huh..." Then Jack gave a small smirk. "You just want me to carry ya everywhere, don'tcha?" Mark couldn't seem to quite wipe the grin that now formed over his lips.

"Maybe."