Jack waited impatiently under a tree shirtless as to not bloody his clothes and turned to footsteps behind him "Jesus fucking Christ, Masky! Where the hell have you been!?"
"I have a job you know."
"Where's my food!?"
"I couldn't bring anyone." Masky said pulling off his jacket and shirt. "You'll just have to deal with proxy for dinner." Jack was too hungry to argue and simply tackled him to the ground tearing into his flesh. Masky screamed in pain as Jack removed his organs swallowing them whole before sitting back happily gnawing on Masky's small intestine. Masky quickly healed and gasped back to life. "Fucking hell! When was the last time you ate!?"
"To long ago." Jack said before slurping the last of the organ like a spaghetti noodle. "That's fucked up."
"Does it look like I give a fuck? I've been keeping my hunger a secret from my brother so he doesn't even know he should be on the defensive but I told smile to rip my head off if I tried to hurt him." Jack said patting smile with a bloodied hand. "Why do you even hang around him? He's dangerous. Either he's gonna get you in a world of trouble or you're gonna end up killing him or worse both."
"He's 13 and he's not stupid he's not gonna tell anyone his brother is not only still alive but a demon as well."
"Still there's going to be a day where you save his ass and you're gonna get yourself in a situation where you get exposed and it will be over for all of us." Jack shrugged "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it." Masky shook his head. "Whatever, slender would slap me if I said something like that."
"And that's why I will never even live with you guys."
"But you'll live in a tree under his name?"
"Hey tree house don't dis my house I worked hard on that shit!"
"I've seen it, shit is right." Jack scoffed. "Well excuse me, but not every demon can be a master builder! Some of us have to learn through our mistakes."
"He doesn't even have a dog door." smile said interrupting. "I'm working on it!"
"At least he has a door." Masky said sitting up almost healed. "Why do you heal faster than me? It's annoying."
"I work under someone, if you worked under slender your proxy-hood plus your healing you could lose a limb and it would grow back in seconds!" Jack thought about it for a moment "eh, not worth the beating every time I went back to Devin." Masky nodded "yes he probably would kick your ass for that."
"See? No point. Maybe in 80 years after Devin dies."
"I doubt that."
"Why?"
"You'll get attached to his kids and their kids and you'll just be protecting anyone who was related to him
"No just Devin his kids are on their own."
"liar." Masky sighed standing, clipping his mask to his pants and getting dressed. "Well that is a shame."
"What?"
"You're putting your clothes back on."
"Are you still hungry?"
"Not for food." Masky blushed visibly. "Shut up!" he said kicking Jack in the shoulder playfully. "pervert." Masky tossed Jack a towel and a water bottle. "What are these for?"
"Your face and chest." Jack looked down to see blood dripping from his chest to his stomach and his hand also covered in blood. "Right that would be good to clean off." Masky nodded before walking away.
Jack chuckled as smile began to lick his face clean of blood. "Come on off." Jack scrubbed off the blood and as he was about to head back to the house but stopped hearing Masky's voice. "Did you steal my phone?" He turned back and without missing a beat "yeah why?"
"I need it."
"Don't worry its only like for an hour."
"Can I come with you wherever you're going?"
"Sure if you stay out of sight." Jack smirked pulling off his mask and pulling Masky towards him forcing him into a kiss. Smile rolled her eyes walking away as Masky didn't fight back but draped his arms over Jack's shoulders.
Devin sat in his brother's bed playing on his phone when he heard screaming getting closer followed by a loud thud. He ran to the front door and ripped it open finding a man in a tan jacket and a mask, face down on the porch. "Uuuh? You are?" seconds later Jack landed next to him. "Dev! Great! You're up!"
"Yeah but…who's that?"
"Oh Devin Masky, Masky Devin." Masky stood wobbling slightly. "Never do that again!" Jack laughed picking Devin up letting him piggy back ride. "What? Throw you two stories up?"
"Yes! I can get up here on my own!"
"Doesn't make it any less funny. Ready to go home Dev?" Devin shrugged "yeah I guess."
"Good lets go. Stay here smile!" Jack jumped off the porch to the nearest tree before turning back to Masky. "You come'n?" Masky groaned "yeah I'll be going by ground I know where you're going." Jack shrugged and continued hopping from tree to tree soon hitting the buildings and running along the roof tops stopping at Devin's building. "Here call mom and dad I want them to see I won't hurt you or becoming after you again." Devin pulled out his phone and began scrolling through his contacts list. "Well turns out we don't need the phone I stole from Masky." Devin giggled before pressing dial as Masky landed on the roof. "If you wanna not be seen by my parents you better hide." Masky groaned going behind a nearby set of chimneys. "Mom? Y-yeah it's me…yeah…just come to the roof ok...that's where I am…I promise I'm safe…yeah ok…bye." Jack sat down crossing his legs and mentally prepared for seeing his parents again. "I'm…I'm not gonna talk to them." Devin nodded understandingly. "I get it, don't want to give then unnecessary hope." Jack nodded and Devin sat down in his lap using him for warmth. "Good job saving that girl today." Jack chuckled "couldn't just let her die." Devin smiled resting his head on Jack's shoulder only to have their mother and father burst of the roof door. "Devin!" Devin turned and smiled at them standing. They were going to run over but seeing Jack behind him stopped them. "D-Devin, come here." They said holding a hand out to Devin; Devin turned to Jack and held out a hand but he shook his head stepping back before shooing him away. "You act like you have a choice." Devin scoffed grabbing Jack's hand "you don't have to talk but you have to meet them." Devin pulled Jack over and he stiffened in front of his parent; his parents did the same. "Mom, dad this is my friend he…saved me." Jack gave a weak wave. "Saved you? They said he kidnapped you."
"Yeah after the police tased me! He took care of me while I woke up. It took some convincing for him to bring me back but that's because he wanted to protect me." Devin's mother and father looked Jack up and down and he stepped back slightly seeing the fear in their eyes. "It's ok he won't hurt you."
"Does he talk?"
"Sometimes, he's just scared, sacred you'll think he'll hurt you or me." Jack squatted next to Devin and ruffled his hair before pulling him into a hug. "Bye E.J." Jack let him go and stood, nodding to his parents before walking away and jumping off the building to the ground.
5 months later
Devin ran through the forest as fast as he could tears staining his cheeks he knew the way by heart even though he'd only walked the path a few times. He stopped at the tree his bothers house rested in and began climbing the tree next to it. "Jack! Jack! Please I need you!" within seconds Jack was out the door and carrying Devin inside. "Hey hey hey slow down what's the matter?" Devin sobbed into Jack's chest. "Jack, mom…she." He couldn't get the words out they were too painful to speak. Jack held Devin close letting his sob waiting for him to calm down "she…" his breathing hitched and Jack rake his fingers through Devin's hair. " Shhhh, calm down first." Devin wrapped his arms around Jack his fingers digging into Jack's back he couldn't hold Jack close enough and his heart shattered slowly but quickly at the same time. Devin's breath began to slow and he was able to speak again. "Jack…she's got days, days!"
"What do you mean days for what?"
"Days…days to live." Jack's heart dropped "she…she had a stroke…the doctors said it was caused by a tumor that may have been there for years…they can't remove it…she…she doesn't even know who dad and I are anymore she only has small moments of clarity then she's gone again!" Devin began to sob again and Jack just sat there frozen his mother was dying and there was nothing he could do. Jack had never felt so hopeless, even when he turned he didn't feel this helpless. "D-Dev…I-…I…" that was all he could say, what was he supposed to say? So he just held Devin close and let him cry but Devin only cried for a little while before falling asleep in his arms.
Jack picked Devin up and laid him down on his bed pulling the blankets over him. Even in his sleep tears rolled down his cheeks. Jack stepped outside and found smile happily tearing into a bird she'd caught. "Smile?" she looked and gave him a worried look at the shakiness in his voice. "Call him." she nodded and sat down putting her head back. "She doesn't have to." He turned to Masky with a bottle of wine in his hand. "I guess we won't be needing this." He said holding the bottle up. "I need it now more than ever."
About half way through the bottle and all the way through news he'd gotten Jack was feeling the need for comfort, physical comfort. Jack climbed into Masky's lap tangling his fingers in Masky's hair. "J-Jack what cha' do'n?" Jack chuckled darkly. "Don't worry, I'll be quiet."
"Jack you're drunk." jack giggled drunkenly "Barely."
"Jack you're drunk and full of grief. You need to be with your brother."
"Dev's passed out."
"You also need to take him home." Masky said trying to push Jack off him. "I doubt anyone is home, mom is in the hospital and dad is with her."
"Then take him to the hospital." Jack scoffed trying to push off Masky's mask "there's no way they'd let me in."
"I'll get you in but we have to go now before we both do something we'll regret." Masky said grabbing Jack's wrists. "That's why you came isn't it? To fuck me?" Jack spat in anger "Maybe but your brother is here and you're both hurting and he needs you just as much you need him!"
"Wasn't it you that said I shouldn't be hanging around him? That I'd expose people like us or I'd kill him?"
"Yes but-."
"Then why does it matter anyway!? I've already out lived mom I'll sure as hell out live dad and unless a meteor hits the earth killing me I'll probably out live Devin too why should I care?" Masky pinned Jack on the floor but Jack rolled them over and pinned Masky instead "Jack wake up! Yeah you'll out live him but help him live a full life first! Ok!? I love you and I hate seeing you in pain like this to see deny your pain like this!" Jack looking at Masky knowing he was right and just collapsed on top of him crying though no tears came out. "What would I do without you?" Jack asked in a shaky voice but Masky didn't respond. "Jack?" Jack in seconds rolled off Masky and stood running to his brother's side. "Yeah?"
"I think I should go back to the hospital…can you take me?"
"Y-yeah Masky says he can get me in." Devin nodded and put his arms out for Jack to carry him Jack shook his head but picked him up without protest.
Masky and Jack walked into Caitlin's hospital room with Devin in Jack's arms again passed out. "E.J.?" Jack nodded "did he go find you?" Jack nodded again. "Why?" Dalton didn't ask bitterly but just in udder confusion he was unaware of the relationship the boys had. Jack didn't answer and just set Devin down in a chair and squatted in front of him not wanting to look at his father. Jack made eye contact with Masky and nodded, Masky nodded back knowing what he meant. "Your son…he's good at keeping secrets." Masky started. "I'm sorry, who are you."
"Devin calls me Masky so do most people in my life that's all you need to know for now."
"Ok well what do you mean? Secrets about what?"
"You have no idea who E.J. is, do you?"
"Nothing other than his name."
"Devin knows everything about him all the way down to his real name he even knows who his extended family is."
"w-wha-? How?"
"They share the exact same family." Dalton gave Masky an odd look. "You're not suggesting that…"
"It-…it's been a while dad." Jack's tone was fearful and full of sorrow but the room stiffened at the next voice that filled the room. "Jack? Is that you?" Jack spun around heart pounding to find his mother staring at him. "I had a feeling it was you, no stranger would save Devin like that." Jack grabbed his mother's hand. "I…I'm really sorry I didn't come home but…I…I just couldn't." she placed her hand over his. "It's ok you're here now and you've been protecting Devin like the older brother you've always been." She smiled at him. "Don't ever change that." Jack nodded "I won't." Catlin's face changed giving Jack a confused look. "Are you the doctor?" in that moment Jack's heart shattered and he fell the few inches to sit on the ground. "Where's the doctor?" Dalton placed his hand on Caitlin's shoulder. "The doctor isn't here but he did say to rest." Caitlin nodded and closed her eyes "Devin told me she was like this, mere moments of clarity."
"So…is…it-."
"Yeah it's me." Dalton was silent for a moment. "Prove it." Jack chuckled sadly. "You mean take off my mask, but that won't work."
"Why not?"
"I don't wear the mask to keep from being known, I wear it to keep from scaring you. In all honesty I'm surprised Devin didn't piss his pants when he saw me. I'm not the same Jack anymore I'm a monster now."
"You're not a monster you're my son." Jack chuckled again. "Dev said the same thing because how could I possibly be both?" Devin made a groan and he sat up stretching. "E.J.?"
"hey." Jack said turning and sitting down in front of him. "what are you still doing here? I thought you were just gonna drop me off."
"yeah, well…I thought if you're gonna be coming over they should know that I'm not some stranger." Devin gave Jack a worried look. "are you sure." Jack nodded "not gonna take off the mask but he knows now." Devin looked at Dalton. "sorry he asked me not to tell you."
The family sat around Caitlin's bed they talked sometimes about old memories sometimes about what Jack had been doing for the last 7 years Caitlin would join the conversation before asking where they were and who the people in her room were, asking if they were her doctor. Masky soon left leaving Jack behind and Devin passed out in Jack's lap again while Dalton passed out in a different chair. Jack didn't sleep he almost never did when Devin was around he never left the hospital for days he went hungry until Masky brought him a cleverly hidden meal which Jack basically inhaled. On the 5th day Jack sat alone in Caitlin's hospital room reading whatever he could get his hands on in this particular moment it was the comic section of a newspaper. Jack listened carefully to the heart monitor and his head shot up hearing the rate speed up. he jumped to his feet and got out of the doctors and nurses running in. "please…please don't." he mumbled to himself, but there was nothing to be done. Jack heard the shock pad charge and recharge. "clear!" shock, nothing. After about the 6th time the doctor spoke "call it, time?" Jack's heart shattered and he ran out of the room to the courtyard.
About half an hour later he heard Devin's voice. "Jack!" he looked up from where he was sitting to see Devin run over and kneel in front of him "she's not…right? I mean she can't be…right?" Jack didn't respond "Jack!" Jack stayed silent and just slid off the chair falling to his knees before sitting on his heels. "4:36."
"what?"
"4…30…6."
"Jack what does-." Before Devin could finish his sentence it clicked 4:36 was the time she died. "oh…" Devin fell back on his heels. "I thought you should know…where's dad?"
"inside." Jack nodded. "you should go talk to him." Devin nodded "so should you."
"he probably hates me right now."
"why?"
"don't show up for 7 years only to show up 5 days before her…"
"yeah…I guess, just promise me you won't leave."
"I have to go see smile she's probably worried out her mind about me but I'll meet you back at the apartment ok?" Devin nodded "sure."