Title: Stay With Me
Title: Stay With Me
Author: Itzika
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 550
Warnings: Slash, angst, vague mentions of slashy activities
Summary: If the tin suit has broken Zero, Jeb doesn't want to know.
AN: This came into my head when I wanted to write a Jeb/Zero oneshot, even with all the twisted insanity that necessarily entails. So without further ado, here it is.
This story was inspired in large part by my PM conversation with AbeoUmbra. I'm so sorry I didn't mention you before, Abeo!
Jeb waited until they had won the war, just like his dad said. But he is afraid, now, that he has waited too long.
He knows that those things were designed to break people. Just like the box with four gray walls and no windows, they were designed to drive people to insanity. The tin suits are exactly like his old 'room'. And if it's broken Zero, he doesn't want to know.
It is difficult, dragging his feet along, putting one in front of the other. Each step feels like he is lifting a concrete shoe. He doesn't want to see Zero's cold eyes, now turned desperate. He doesn't want to see those black pits fixed helplessly on the first living being to come into view. He doesn't want to know that years ago, when he was sure he would die locked in a gray room where time did not exist, he did the same thing.
When he first sees the tin suit, he wants badly to turn back. He doesn't want to see the mocking smile he knows so well turn to pleading. He doesn't want to remember his voice saying those same words and know that it wasn't him.
He doesn't want to know that after so many months (or was it hours?) and years (or was it days?) of being trapped in that room, his pleads were for no reason but to see someone.
Because if that's true, then it's true that when he begged Zero to stay, Zero only took advantage of him when he did.
And if that's true, then it's true that every time Zero stayed until he finally fell asleep, it meant nothing.
And if that's true, then it's true that when he didn't want to fall asleep, afraid that Zero would be gone when he woke up, and Zero stayed, and his hands ran through Jeb's hair, and he told him soft stories of the outside world until Jeb finally, unwillingly fell asleep, it meant less than nothing.
And then it would be true that when Jeb woke up and Zero was still beside him, almost asleep himself, it was only a mind game.
And then it must be true that after this had happened many times, and Jeb leaned into Zero's touch, and Zero kissed him gently and he kissed back, it was a mental torture.
And it must also be true that when kissing was not enough either, and hands started to roam and the heat of skin on skin replaced the endless cold gray of the walls and floor of his 'room'… it was worse than rape.
And then it must be concluded that Jeb owes Zero no gratitude, and should not be here at all, about to open the tin suit but fearing that what will happen will be just like back then.
But he has come all this way, and he refuses to turn back now. He reaches out, his hands shaking, and opens the metal coffin.
Light hits his eyes as the door opens, and he sees him and knows he is about to leave. He falls to his knees, shaking and clinging to the man's clothes.
"Stay with me," he begs. "Stay with me."
The man stands still for a long time, as though in shock or horror. Finally he kneels, and whispers back, "Forever."
AN: Feedback is appreciated!