one -shot
Bonzly-says' idea
Impulsive
Chase Young held his breath for ten seconds, then he slowly released it. The painfully downtempo of his breath was a reminder that control requires time and effort. Chase constantly did breathing exercises, they were part of his morning and night routine, that he was performing them late on the afternoon meant nothing. The warlord hid on the shadows like monsters from legends and he observes his prey, distracted with work lay over the metal table.
Jack hums to the loud music that plays while his expert fingers carefully rearrange wires, the ruby gaze focus on a pattern his mind had formed. Chase had been looking him work for over an hour, well, not really looking. Chase had been pacing around the lab for an hour and stealing glances to the young man working.
Yesterday was Jack's birthday. Jack Spicer has been 26 years old for 11 hours. Chase assumed that the young man would spend his birthday with him, as he did the year before and the year before that one. Chase assumed that Jack would spend his birthday with him as he had for the last ten years.
Chase hated to be prove wrong. But not as much as imaging Jack moping alone on his birthday. So Chase had waited a respectable amount of time, ten hours to be exact, and came to visit Jack with the excuse to delivered his present.
It was a surprised to find Jack working on a robot that look like him. It was a surprise to see Jack not broken for reasons Chase couldn't understand, Jack's mood switches with little to none warning but time had taught him that he shouldn't question it but simply support Jack. Chase liked his self-assigned duty to help Jack.
Chase likes to be support for when Jack feels incomplete, Chase likes when Jack jokes laughly and shamelessly. Chase likes when Jack talks all afternoon and night until he falls asleep in the living room, Jack would cuddle on his sleep -like a touch deprive pup. Chase likes when Jack gets drunk, and Chase likes when Jack decides not to get drunk because he knows Chase needs a handler when the dragon drinks.
Chase felt sick and sappy.
Of course he likes Jack, he had been aware for a long time. But he did not love Jack or so he believed. But he could barely wait to see the young man again, and to be the first one to congratulate him.
Chase had been hiding on the shadows for an hour, trying to control his breathing and slow down his heart beet.
Finally, he allows his presence to be known.
It took Jack over ten seconds to notice the intruder, Chase was unhappy that might still be his best time Jack has so far. The young man turns obviously surprise but confused.
"Cha-" Chase hold up his arm and Jack stops talking and tilts his head.
"I have something to tell you. I need you to be silence and listen." Chase says and Jack nods.
Chase stares at Jack for a moment, in response the young man smiles. He unknowingly encourages Chase continue. Though even with Jack lack of patience, he would wait for Chase to be ready to say whatever he has to say. It was still nerve wracking seeing the warlord unsure, but Jack could not disobey a direct order.
Chase walks to the table and looks at the new project Jack was working on. Jack told Chase two months ago that he was scared to die someday; to disappear, to become nothing. The warlord couldn't understand the fear, but he care for Jack and offer the young man immortality as one of his servant; he told Jack it would be his 26 birthday present. But Jack had looked disrupt at the proposition. I don't want to be your servant. Jack whispered.
Now on the table lay a metal shell, it could be anyone, but the bright red strands of hair half glue to the top left only one suspect.
The metal copy couldn't compare to Jack. Maybe because Chase was looking at the cold wired inners, but once it was done no one would be able to tell it was a fake; it would have been some of Jack's best work. But, alike an outlooker seeing a canvas and paint, Chase could not see the masterpiece in front of him.
"A copy of you seems dark." Chase says unaware of the irony of him saying that.
Jack stays quiet, but he was obviously confused.
Chase feels oddly nervous. Maybe because he didn't plan to do this, he didn't plan to feel this. He was acting on impulse. But after so many years of Jack holding tight his unrequited love, Chase felt he couldn't wait.
"I miss you today." Chase starts and Jack's eyes widens almost twice their size. "I miss your presence. I find myself missing at dinner, it gets lonely without you." Chase continues and he can't look at Jack for what comes next. "Sometimes I miss you as soon as I wake up." He admits and tries to ignore his growing embarrassment; he was millennium year old warrior, not a teenage confronting his crush.
No, this was much bigger than a crush.
Chase turns to look at Jack who stands on the middle of the room stunk stunned and silent.
"I love you." Chase ends, and he feels his chest fill with something that can't be air, it felt both too light and heavy at the same time.
A second pass as he wait it for an answer.
"Would you like me to sent ...this message to Master Jack." Says Jack. Or Jack-2.
Chase looks at the copy for moment in disbelief. He sees all of it at once: the perfect pale skin new and clear from old scars, the eyes young and light free from the darkness and bitterness, and the patience submissive stand. The embarrassment was too much and frustration being to appear. Chase angry puts his hands on the copy's head -it was cold, and it felt weirdly hard. Then he twist it.
The sound of metal bending until it breaks, cables ripping, electricity zigzagging, sparks and buzzes and a door opening.
Jack stares from the door frame. His masterpiece broken; the body stays standing miraculously until Chase kicks it against the table where it proceeds to catch fire. Jack hugs himself tightly and he feels the cold drops of his wet hair fall on the back of neck. A perfect copy of Jack's head was almost intact between Chase's hands. The end of the neck showcase the cables and tubes, and the red eyes were still alive just oddly still.
"Chase?" Jack asks touching his own neck out of reflex.
"...Sorry, I thought it was the real you" Chase says feeling emotionally exhausted.
"Oh." Jack says and very slowly he steps back and closes the door.