(I would like to thank my first reviewer on here. Sadly I cannot respond to anyone that doesn't have an actual account, which I find lame, but. Either way, thank you. I appreciate it so much, as do I of the other reviews I've gotten. You've all been so great, and same with the people on Archive of Our Own and Tumblr. Thank you for your continued support, and I hope I can live up to your expectations. I'm not a writer, and I'm not an artist, hell, I'm barely even a person when compared to some great people, but you guys have pushed me through, even if it's just your view that I see. Thank you so much ; u ; I love you all.)
Chapter Seven - The Varied Hours of Breaking
Jack woke up earlier than he'd expected from a night of texting. At first he'd thought he slept in, but by checking his phone his doubts were cleared. It was six a.m. Two hours of sleep accomplished. He sighed and raised himself off the bed, trudging over to his bureau and pulling out clothes for the day. Before he could turn around with his bundle there was a loud pounding that shook the hardwood floor. Jack didn't move.
"I know you're in there you little shit!" John screamed. He sounded drunk.
"What do you need?" Jack said calmly without turning his head to face the door.
"Get out here right now!" John roared with another pound.
"Are you gonna play nice?"
Before Jack could react, the door creaked and splintered open, the lock he'd installed himself now shattered and twisted behind him. He slowly turned. John stood there, looking as angry as he had the night with Jamie, and behind him, Megan had her door open just a crack and was peering out of it with tears streaming down her face and her snow-monster dangling from her small hand that clutched the edge of her door.
Jack's eyes widened. She couldn't see this. She shouldn't see this. Without a second thought, he ran to his window and undid the latch as fast as he could. He had the pane open halfway before John grabbed him from behind. Jack's forehead smacked into the window trim and he fell face-first onto the floor with a bang. Attempting to recover and avoid what John obviously had in mind next, he rolled onto his back and kicked upwards at the closest appendage he could find. John grunted and fell on top of Jack. He tried to push the older man off but it didn't take and it wasn't long before John was back to fully enraged attention. He grasped greedily and hard at Jack's shirt and then his jeans. Somewhere, Jack heard a soft almost silent thud.
John stopped what he was doing and turned to look, providing a view for Jack to see as well.
Megan stood there, in Jack's doorway now, a furious look on her blotchy red face. She rubbed angrily at her tears and tried to push them away. Her snow-monster was what had made the noise. It lay on the ground behind John.
She'd thrown it at his head.
"Get off of him, daddy."
Their father was stunned. Jack took his chance, raising his arms and pushing hard at John's chest. Catching him off balance, the teen stood up, grabbed his bundle of clothes and backpack, the snow-monster, and Megan, and ran down the stairs and out the door without looking back. He ran and ran, down the street, not noticing a stray that hissed at him or the barking of the neighbor's dogs. He didn't stop until he reached Jamie's front door. Panting, aching, he rang the doorbell and knocked. Mrs. Bennett answered the door.
"Oh, hello Jack! Jamie was just telling me he saw you the other day!" She smiled warmly. Kindness and chocolate hair definitely ran in their family.
"Hello, Mrs. Bennett," he breathed back, setting Megan free from the grasp of his arm, and doubling over, catching himself on his knee.
"Jack! Are you alright?" Jamie's mom bent down and touched his shoulder.
Surprisingly, it was Megan that spoke up. "There was a big dog that jumped through our back screen door. Jack had to grab me and we went out the window," she paused, "Can I stay here and play with Sophie until our parents get home? Pretty please Sophie's mom?"
Mrs. Bennett bought the story and let Jack and Megan in without hesitation. She shuffled them to the living room and went to the kitchen to tell the family they had guests as the Frost children sat on the couch. If Jack wasn't so exhausted he might've felt bad for intruding on their breakfast. Maybe.
Jamie was the first one in and smiled warmly and brightly at Jack. "Jack! What brings you here?"
Sophie stumbled in shortly after. Her hair just as unruly as the last time Jack saw her, even though she was already about Megan's age by now. She ran over to Jack's sister and they hugged before Sophie grabbed her hand and led her upstairs, exclaiming, "Let's play!" Megan made sure to bring her stuffed animal with her and wave bye to her brother.
Jack smiled and waited for them to leave before he replied to Jamie. "Hey, I, uh, well…"
Mrs. Bennett came in and interrupted Jack's fake explanation with the one she thought was true. "Didn't I tell you? A dog got in their house! Can you believe that? Megan is going to stay here for the day until their parents are home from work." She left the room almost immediately after, remembering that she still had cinnamon rolls in the oven, from what Jack could hear her whisper under her breath.
Jamie stood near the couch and rubbed the back of his neck while Jack looked around.
"Can I take a shower? It's just, we have class in like an hour and I didn't get to at my house so…" Jack started.
Jamie brightened up. "Oh yeah! That's fine! You can use the one in my room. Er, I mean, I have my own bathroom, not like an actual shower in the room, like next to the bed, no, it's in its own room, off of my room, and it's mine, but wait, there's other things in there too, like a mirror-"
"Jamie. I get it. I remember from when we were kids." Jack laughed.
"…You-you do?" Jamie looked so happy he might cry.
"Uh, yeah, I do. Now let's go." Jack bit his tongue as Jamie smiled wider and his expression changed. He definitely didn't understand what Jack had meant by that.
"Let's go!" Jamie left the room and headed up the stairs with Jack close behind him, carrying his things.
Jamie led him to his bedroom. Jack remembered it taking longer when they were kids, but now that he was older, he could see the house was a lot smaller than he remembered, even if it was a two-story.
Jamie flung open the door happily, flicked on the light, and went over to his bathroom's door, opening that one, and again found the light switch. He stumbled back to his bedroom door and closed it, clicking the lock, after they heard a yell from Mrs. Bennett that she was headed to work and would be home for lunch to Sophie and Megan. Jamie went back to the bathroom, all the while Jack just stood in the center of his room not looking around. Afraid that a forgotten memory would come back; afraid that he would remember the life he'd missed out on having; afraid that he'd want it.
Taking the reaction for nervousness, Jamie padded over to where Jack stood and lightly grabbed his wrist, guiding him to the extended part of the room. The white-haired boy didn't react other than the movement of his legs, following Jamie without fully realizing what he was doing.
Once inside, Jamie shut the bathroom door, and Jack heard the click of another lock.
"Uh, what are you doing?" Jack questioned with a confused look and an involuntary harder clutch of his clothes.
"What we both want, Jack," The younger teen said, taking a step forward and raising his arms from his sides to reach out.
Jack stepped back and felt the edging of the tub on his calf. "Uh, Jamie, I'm flattered, really, but it's been a rough morning, and I'm still sore from running."
"I'll make you feel better, I promise. Just give me a chance," The awkward, nerdy Jamie was gone, replaced by a much more blatant one that Jack didn't know how to handle.
"Jamie, no, I-," The brown-haired boy shut him up with an eager openmouthed kiss.
Jack tried to push him off. "No, seriously, stop it, Jam- Ah!" Jamie'd run his hand down through Jack's inner thigh and roughly rubbed up and down, getting closer with each stroke to his groin. Jack again tried to move him away, but Jamie continued, grabbing one of Jack's wrists and holding it out of the way. He stopped his work on Jack's crotch and moved to take off the older's shirt while going in for another kiss with closed eyes.
Jamie succeeded and threw it behind him. He moved a hand to twist one of Jack's nipples before he thrust a hand beneath Jack's jeans and started pumping his member while rubbing his own hips below that same area. Jack automatically used his free hand to fist in Jamie's hair from the building pressure before he came back to his senses with a snap.
"Jamie! Get the fuck off me!" Jack snatched his wrist free that the younger had once again grabbed and shoved Jamie hard in the chest. Jamie fell backwards onto the white, squared tile and looked up at Jack with shocked and teary eyes.
The start of tears from the impact the floor made against his back and the shock from what he saw.
Jack stood looking down at him, not understanding the horror that slowly crept into his face. "What? Jamie, are you alright? I'm sorry, I just don't want that. Not right now, anyway."
Jamie didn't reply, and Jack finally saw why. He caught his reflection in the full length mirror that hung from the back of the door behind his terrified friend.
Bruises littered his body, still, from the beating a couple nights before. They were swollen, dark, and purple. Older ones were in the spaces, yellowed by now. You could almost see his ribs poking out of his chest, but only barely. He was heaving breaths, and there were bloody scars and indented teeth marks around his nipples from last week when John had been drunk yet again. His short bangs were flicked up out of his face more than usual and you could see the still bleeding mark from when he banged his head on the window sill a few hours ago. His lip still swollen on the bottom left side. He looked awful, broken, empty, and abused. He looked much like, or so he thought, what an attempt made by his father at having a happy family looked like.
He hurt, more emotionally than physically, and all of a sudden, he finally cracked. He collapsed to the ground just as Jamie scrambled to stand up. He didn't look at him and he gripped his face tightly with his white hands, ignoring the pain. Hot, salty, big tears fell and slid down his arms faster than he ever thought possible. He rocked subconsciously, trying to figure out what went wrong; where he went wrong; where his father went wrong. Of course it all led back to that one night, but Jack couldn't face that fact yet. It was his fault, for now, what had happened. As long as he thought it was, it would be.
The water kept flowing from his eyes he squeezed harder with his palms; his rocking picking up speed and going in erratic bursts. He started mumbling and whispering to himself.
"It's all my fault… I did it. He lost his job; I should've been more considerate. I shouldn't have cared so much about my birthday. I should've made sure he was okay… He wasn't. I deserved what I got. It was my fault. My fault. I can't… I can't… I can't!" His voice broke much like his appearance. "I can't do this! I can't do this anymore! I need to leave… I need to get away. I need to make sure she's okay; I need to make sure she's safe; I need to make sure he's happy. Why can't I just do that? Why am I so selfish that I want to leave everyone when they need my help? Why is this happening… Why did I have to make myself deserve this… Do other people feel this way? Do they want to live, and live for the people they love? If they do…" He raised his head and fixed a red-rimmed, puffy, saline filled look at Jamie's stunned face. "… Then why do I want to die?" He paused in his speech, sucking in a much needed breath and exhaling it with short gasps of air. "Why do I want to leave them, even though I love them? Why do I want to be gone forever, far away, rotting in hell for all I know, and stare up at them from my own pit of flames? Why do I think that would be better than what's happening to me now? Why do I think that it would be less torture that way?" Jack looked back down at his knees and rubbed his eyes without reason, still crying. He whispered, "Will someone help me if I ask them too, you think…?"
Jamie realized he was finally talking to him and cleared his throat, looking down at his collapsed and broken friend. "Help you with what, Jack?" He whispered back.
Jack looked up again, his eyes tired and hollow, eyelids sagging from the weight of his saltwater and heart, his arms looking fractured and sprawled against his sides and the tile, his legs still tucked underneath him and feeling gone, his body's bones seemingly shattered together and fallen to the point where he didn't think he'd ever be able to move again, not that he could consider a good reason why he would ever want to. "To help me die, silly…" He said with a cracked and swollen smile that spread thin over his teeth.
Jamie's own tears finally spilled over and he bent down onto his knees and grabbed Jack to him gently.
"Jamie…" Jack whispered.
"Yes, Jack?" He replied, hugging the abused teen closer to him.
"Is… Do you think…" Jack trailed off.
"What is it?" His voice was gentle, filled with emotion, and love, and it pushed Jack to ask his question.
"Is God real?"
Jamie hesitated, thinking of the best way to answer his question. "I don't know, Jack. I'm sorry. But I do know, if there is someone up there, He's looking out for you and He's gonna get you through whatever it is that's been happening…" He felt his own tears fall onto his arm that clasped Jack's back; he watched it slide down his friend's swollen skin.
"Do you think that if I prayed hard enough, that maybe… Maybe he'd let me go in my sleep?" Jack breathed earnestly, with a hint of hope.
Jamie didn't answer. He hugged Jack tighter and started shaking, sniffling, coughing, and eventually crying loud and burying his face in Jack's purple shoulder. He could hear the dead smile in Jack's voice when he spoke and patted Jamie on the back, massaging it in slow and reassuring circles.
"Hey, hey now… Don't cry, Jamie. You're gonna be okay. I'll help you through this."
The younger sniffed harder and grabbed Jack tighter, breathing a bitter laugh. "I think," sniff, "I'm the one that's supposed to say that."
"You might be right, there kid."
There was a short silence before Jamie spoke back up.
"Don't ever leave me… I need you… You're worth something. You are… You're worth more than you'll ever know and not just to me… I-I… I love you, Jack…" Jamie stuttered, still bawling. "I love you so much." His voice broke, and Jack could feel more hot tears on his shoulder.
"I know, Jamie, I know." Jack gripped the back of Jamie's head, leaning forward to accommodate his arm, and with the other he hugged the brown-haired boy tighter. He lifted his head and look at himself in that full-length mirror that hung from the door. The mirror that showed him how he was really seen by people. The mirror that showed him that at least one person actually cared about him. The mirror that showed him his own feelings. It didn't just reflect his body, but his hurting heart. As he looked himself in the eye now, minutes later, he looked the same, but somehow different.
He looked like he finally knew why he was really here.
It didn't take long before Jack was ready for yet another day of college. He'd ushered Jamie, so the younger could also get himself ready, out of the bathroom, once they'd both collected themselves, and gone to shower, dressing in his black zip-up sweatshirt, light grey cotton shirt, white skinny jeans, and grey converse. The hoodie definitely wasn't warm enough for the morning's chilly air, but he never minded the cold, so why start now? The finishing touch was his light blue backpack he slung over one shoulder.
As he exited the bathroom he could feel Jamie's eyes on him, and saw them quickly dart away when he looked over, nothing but a light blush left behind. Jack ignored it as best he could, trying not to think about everything that had happened, but for some reason, he felt unburdened. He felt, dare he think it, happy.
Was that what it felt like? To feel happy? Jack had always wondered about that. It was a hard thing to remember for him nowadays, unless he was with his sister, or Pitch…
He glanced at Jamie again, feeling guilty about thinking of someone else when he knew how the kid felt about him now, but why would he? Pitch was only a friend. Sure he was attractive, but… No, he didn't have time to think about that. He was going to be late.
"Well, I guess I better get going, man." Jack said to Jamie.
"But, but…" He visibly scrambled for a reason for Jack to stay.
"Relax dude. We have the same class today anyway."
"Oh right!" He smiled brightly with twinkling eyes.
Jack forced a smile back, wishing for the other's sake he could find a way to love him, but he just couldn't. It wasn't what he wanted. He knew Jamie would always be there for him, and he was grateful for that, but there wouldn't be anything more or less than a friendship. Jack just had to figure out how to tell him that…
Later.
"I'll head out then." Jack said with a movement towards the door.
"Wait! I can give you a ride!" Jamie called out to him.
"You have your license?" He asked incredulously.
"Well, yeah, I'm almost seventeen."
"Can you drive people?"
Jamie paused and fidgeted. "Y-yes."
"No you can't. I'll see you there." He opened the door and walked out saying, "You better work on that lying of yours," without looking back, much to Jamie's dismay.
He was about halfway down the road when he heard a car pull up to him. Jamie's car. The brown-haired teen rolled down his window.
"Are you sure you don't want a ride?"
"Positive."
"Hey, can I ask you something?"
"Dude, you just did." Jack rolled his eyes.
"W-well…" Jamie looked down and fidgeted with his hands on the wheel. "Are we a couple?"
Jack held his breath so long he looked paler than normal, causing Jamie to look hurt when he shyly glanced back up. Jack let out the breath.
"Look, kid-," He started.
"I'm not a kid! I'm barely younger than you!" Jamie pouted, crossing his arms.
Jack had to resist the urge to snicker at how childish he was being. He took another deep breath.
"Okay, look, Jamie. I'm not, I mean… I can't really handle that right now, okay?" He saw Jamie start to protest and cut him off. "It's not just what's been happening with my dad and mom, and at a later time, I'll explain that to you more, because yeah, you're a good friend, and I'm glad you were there for me today and when we were kids, but that's just it. We're friends. I'm really sorry, Jamie, but no, we're not dating, and I wish I could-."
"But we can! You can! It's so easy! You just have to say you want to!" Jamie was now leaning out of the window, explaining with his hands and Jack could see the small tears starting to form.
"No, we can't. It wouldn't be fair to you," Jack looked away.
"Shouldn't that be my decision to make!?" Jack snapped his eyes back to meet Jamie's. "Shouldn't I be allowed to decide that I want to be with you, even if you don't think it'd be fair to me? You're not being fair now, so why wouldn't that be allowed later? Think about it, Jack! I love you!" The small tears grew and spilled over lightly. "Don't you love me too?"
"I… I'm sorry, kid… I don't."
Jamie's face became blotchy and he rubbed hard at his eyes. "Fine, right. What was I supposed to expect?" His voice broke into a whine. "We barely talk anyway. This makes perfect sense. I'll see you in Anthro." He took the car out of park. "And Jack?"
The ashamed looked back at Jamie and willed himself to speak without shaking. "Yeah?"
"I'm still not a kid."
The last thing Jack heard was Jamie's car gunning down the street and the faint, far-away cries of heart breaking through a still rolled down window.
Jack was panting as he ran down the school's long and curvy driveway. His legs ached, but less than he thought they would, after the run he'd already had that morning. He just wanted to keep running and to never stop like he'd had to before. He didn't want to face Jamie, Megan, Katherine, John, or even Pitch. He just wanted to be alone for once.
To be free.
The squeal of car brakes behind him halted his running, and he felt sick, because the first thought he had when the rubber-on-pavement noise blasted out, was that he wanted to feel a hood of someone's car break into the back of his lower legs. He wanted to feel the full force of a windshield shatter him open. He wanted to feel the flight through the air that would land him hard against the ground. He wanted that, and now more than ever, he didn't know why.
The talk with Jamie that morning, he thought he'd been better, he thought he was finally going to be okay.
Like it could be that easy.
Jack turned around and saw a nice, expensive, sleek black sports car about twenty yards away from him.
It wasn't even close.
The letdown he felt for that brief instant was quickly erased by a smile that could win "Best Male Actor" as he recognized the car, waving, and the man that was driving it that honked his horn and motioned for him to come over rudely.
I'll just have to teach him some manners later.
That thought became more important to him as Pitch basically took off down the road before he was even in the car.
"In a hurry, are we?" Jack asked with a wicked smirk.
Pitch huffed annoyed back at him. "Be quiet, Frosty. I slept past my alarm due to someone keeping me up last night."
Like you minded it at all.
"At least I didn't try to run you over."
Pitch totally ignored his comment, switching back to what he'd said last. "You slept through yours as well, I take it?"
Jack's grin slipped away and he remembered the morning.
Too much fondling. Too much crying. Too much pain.
He only replied, "Yeah," in the most convincing way he could do at the moment and tried to push those thoughts out of his mind. He was safe for the moment, on his way to a college filled with other people that could help him if John came barging into it looking for him; if Jamie tried to cause a scene after what had happened that morning.
"If the professor asks, I blame you for being late." Pitch said a little bit too casually and Jack knew that he wasn't hiding anything as much as he wanted to.
Jack brought back his grin in an attempt to make sure Pitch didn't try to figure out what was wrong. "Hey hey now, you could've not replied and been your usual rude and cynical self."
"You know how I usually am, do you?" Pitch smirked, turning the wheel again.
"I can only assume."
Jack noticed the college coming into view. Once they parked he started to hop out, but began laughing as Pitch said, "You are right, though," and kept going.
He checked his phone. Eight 'O clock. He showed it to Pitch.
The next thing he knew they were running down the hallways, Pitch following close behind even though it was obvious he was much faster than Jack.
Maybe he does have good manners, or, more like etiquette.
Once at the door, Jack adjusted his hoodie and rifled a hand through his hair. He glanced at Pitch to see if he was doing the same but apparently Mr. Perfect never needed to fix a thing about himself. He also seemed to find it amusing when Jack looked frustrated with him. Who knew.
Jack opened the door with what appeared to be not one fuck.
The teacher rapped on his desk and looked down his glasses at them both. "And where have you been, Mr. Frost and Mr. Pitchiner?" He sounded pissed.
"We overslept, Mr. Bunny." Jack flashed a smile toothier than Marshall Lee's. He should know.
"If you're gonna address me proper, mate, use the full name. It's Mr. Bunnymund." Bunny sank his eyebrows into an angry glare, either over the sleepover he was implying or the fact neither of his students seemed to care about their tardiness, Jack wasn't sure.
But he was damn well gonna laugh at Bunny. "But how can I do that when your nose always twitches? I mean, come on, act less like a bunny and I won't call you that."
The teacher's nose twitched and this time Jack knew he should probably not burst out laughing.
"See me after class you little ankle-biter."
He feigned heartache and clutched a hand to his chest. "I'm hurt." He headed to his seat after his fantastic performance with Pitch behind him.
He could see Jamie sitting off to the side, staring at him with absolute despair, but he wouldn't glance at him. Jack couldn't. Not only did he already know what him walking in with Pitch seemed like, the whole "we" comment was sure to kill Jamie, even if Jack had been with the kid that morning. The fact that Jack spent any time with Pitch would be like a slap across the face.
Oh yeah, Jamie, hey, I don't love you, probs never could, but there's this gorgeous British guy who looks a bit German and I swear if I ever got him in the sack he would totally be wearing a uniform first, cause woo, I can't resist a man in uniform, but don't you go and do that, that'd be silly. And not only that, this guy's an adult! I like spending time with him, and he can actually drive me places!
Maybe they hadn't been close the past few years, but Jack had a terrible feeling that's what Jamie was imaging the one he looked up to telling him while turning him around to grab the knife Jack stuck in there.
This is gonna be a long day.
Jack sat and forgot about Pitch for a second until he pulled out the chair next to him and took a seat.
Bunny still stared up at them from the front of the room, but went back to his lecture once he saw the both of them pull out notebooks and pencils.
"As you can see here from slide B, the indigenous people of Australia were the first to create, what we call today, the boomerang," their teacher taught.
He noticed out of the corner of his eye Pitch blanking out, pretty much lost in thought from what he could tell.
Jack honestly didn't want to do the same thing to himself. Thinking about the morning he'd had and the rest of his life that'd gone wrong just didn't seem to be the best option for him right then. He decided instead to pay attention to his class, and by that of course, make subtle faces at Bunnymund until he either got angry or started laughing. Both would be terrific outcomes.
Sadly Bunny didn't notice him, but he did notice Pitch, who was practically gawking at the professor.
Jack kicked him under the table harder than he actually needed to, though he wasn't sure why, and Pitch looked over at him and then back at Bunnymund, who in turn cleared his throat in a typical teacher-ly, "Ahem."
"If you wouldn't mind, Mr. Pitchiner. I know it's your first day, but how about ya don't stare quite so much? Keep it in your pants, mate."
To Jack's amazement, Pitch stood and bowed, freaking bowed, at Bunny and calmly started speaking. "Excuse me, sir, but I'm afraid you're mistaken. I was merely getting my bearings and admiring the classroom. If my eyes stopped on you I do apologize, but it was an accident, though if I may be so bold, it doesn't have to be one." Pitch winked at the end and the class erupted into laughing and giggling fits.
Jack sat with his jaw open looking between the two of them. If he wasn't wrong, he thought he saw a blush on the teacher's face.
Bunny looked furious and immediately rapped on his desk like when Pitch and Jack had walked in earlier. "Quiet down," he addressed to the rest of the group, and they listened. He turned his attention back to the new student. "Mr. Pitchiner, one more comment like that and you can get off at the sight of my outside my classroom."
Pitch didn't even hesitate. "Is that a promise?" The rest of the students started to laugh again but quickly tried to stop themselves and calm down again without a loud yell from the teacher.
Bunny opened his mouth to say something but Pitch was faster. "Yes sir, I understand. It was a joke. I apologize yet again. Sometimes I just can't resist."
The professor took the apology and nodded, flashing Jack a small look that no one else noticed.
Jack shut his jaw.
Pitch sat down.
"Don't let it happen again, mate."
"I won't."
Jack started to smile despite himself. There'd never been any other students that would dare try to challenge Bunny. This was insane. He really must have a friend in this guy. Pitch beamed small-ly over at him, and Jack could feel the Brit's eyes rake over him causing an undetectable shiver as the teacher did his job without any disturbances..
It wasn't long before Jack felt bored, and maybe a little awkward, with not saying anything to Pitch, even if they were in the middle of class.
He passed a note to the older as obviously as he could, and watched as the bridge of his friend's nose crinkled in slight annoyance out of the corner of his eye.
Way to get the teach to hate you on the first day.
Pitch quickly scrawled a sentence back with neat and half-cursive writing.
What else was I supposed to do? Get him to like me?
That would've been the best option, yes.
I never was one for taking the quick road. I prefer the scenic route.
The scenic route's gonna get you kicked out.
But at least it will take me out in style.
Jack choked back a laugh, ignoring Bunny's pause in teaching, and wrote back. It was just too funny seeing Pitch trying to be cool.
Now you're trying to use my generation's lingo? Come on, Kozzy.
I'll have you know I'm only twenty-one, and the more nicknames you make for me the more I make for you.
Jack rolled his eyes at Pitch for actually getting defensive about his age, so he just ignored him altogether.
Perfect. You can buy me booze then.
He could see Pitch frown for a split second before he grinned way too creepishly for Jack's liking… Or maybe he did like it… Wait, what was he thinking now? Dammit.
And what will you give me in return?
Jack knew what he wanted to say as soon as he saw the reply. Now it was his turn to be 'quick witted.'
My virginity.
He saw Pitch fumble slightly and drop his pencil. He leaned down to grab it and Jack couldn't help sneaking a glance at that little strip of light grey skin that shown from under Pitch's button-up. The taller sat up and coughed before finally writing back.
A strapping young man like yourself hasn't lost their virginity yet? Well well, that's not as much as a surprise as I expected it to be.
Jack snickered inwardly. So I guess Pitch can recover.
Oh shut up, Kozzy. Of course I have. Learn to take a joke.
Perhaps it's you that should.
Pitch chuckled to himself and for the life of him Jack wanted to punch that pretty little smile off of that perfect skin… Okay. He needed to stop himself. Damn teenage hormones.
What, so you're saying you've lost yours?
Jack could see Pitch's hesitation and grabbed back the note before he could reply.
Thinking of a lie, were you Look at that. Tall, dark, and handsome still has his V-card.
You think I'm handsome, do you?
As much as he didn't want to, Jack knew he blushed.
You know what I mean.
Oh, but, I don't think I do. Why don't you explain it to me.
Jack stared at the sloping letters and wondered how just words could contain so much annoying meaning. He crumpled it all up and shoved it in his pocket, trying his best to yet again not punch a smile off of Pitch's face.
It was only a few minutes before class ended, and they walked out together, back to the happy friends they were before. If you could call them happy, or friends, anyway.
They headed down the hall and were on their way back to Pitch's car, or so Jack assumed, when he heard Bunny calling out to him. They both turned around at the same time.
"I thought I told you to see me after class, Mr. Frost?" Bunny must've been angry because he actually yelled, scaring all the last students out of the hall.
"Oh jeez, sorry Mr. Bunny." Jack looked at Pitch. "Wait here, I'll be right back." He thought to suppress the next thought that popped into his mind, but he just couldn't. He brushed past Pitch and felt his own pace quicken at the intended contact. Well, that wasn't supposed to happen.
Pitch replied with a slight breathy stammer. "A-alright." Jack had to admit that was the best sound he'd ever heard. He turned around on his way over to Bunny and smiled devilishly, silently telling Pitch that it wasn't an accident he'd rubbed up against him.
Jack kept going with another turn and entered the classroom with the feel of Pitch's side still on his mind. That wasn't good at all.
Bunny shut the door behind them loudly, and Jack was about to look to see why when he felt hot breath on the back of his neck. He sprang away as fast as he could.
"Uh, Bunny? What do you need? I'm pretty sure in college they don't give detentions." Jack gave a wide-eyed fake smirk at his teacher.
Bunny ignored him and started pacing, getting closer to his student at every step back and forth. "You know what bunnies do almost more than any other animal?" He breathed out.
It wasn't a particularly nice sound to Jack's ears especially not after hearing Pitch moments before, and now his teacher was uncomfortably close to him. Maybe a month ago he wouldn't have been so afraid, but it was now. He didn't want to live that lifestyle he used to, or at least not the sexual encounters part. He'd learned his lesson from Jamie, and even though his past partners had hurt him he'd never realized the pain he could put on other people.
He slowly backed away from the ever inclosing Bunny. "U-uh, what's that, Mr. Bunnymund?"
Bunny's nose twitched in appreciation at the full name and a leer creeped up on his face as he leaned in closer to Jack. "Procreate."
He was in big trouble.
"Pi-!" Jack tried to cry out but a calloused and partially tattooed hand clamped over his mouth, keeping him silent.
"Uh oh, wouldn't want that little boy toy of yours to overhear, now would we mate? He might spoil the fun." Bunny grinned.
Jack bit down. Hard.
The professor pulled his hand back with a shake as his student tried to run for the door.
"Not now! I've waited long enough for this!" Jack felt Bunny's weight on top of him from behind and they crashed to the floor.
"N-no! Stop it! Please! I won't be rude to you or act out ever again, I promise, Mr. Bunnymund!" Jack pleaded as the lust-crazed teacher ripped down Jack's jeans and hefted him up over the desk. He roughly pulled the younger around to face him and kissed him forcefully.
Jack couldn't cower back any further and went dead still. Bunny's kisses were all teeth and jaw and Jack just wanted to get away from him.
Bunny held Jack with one arm and undid his own belt with the other, throwing it over his shoulder when he was finished. He pulled up his student's shirt and dove underneath it, violently biting a nipple and the suckling on another before pulling back out and flipping Jack over again.
"I've waited too long for this!" He stated and unzipped his pants, pulling down both his boxers and Jack's, springing free his leaking erection and Jack's soft cock.
"Wait, Mr. Bunnymund! Stop. Think about what you're doing!" Jack pleaded, gripping at the desk in an attempt to crawl over it.
"I'm gonna make you say my name like that every time, Mr. Frost." Bunny whispered before he lined himself up and thrust into Jack dry.
Jack started to scream and Bunny covered his mouth again. "Keep doing that and I'll get the word out about how you get off with everyone you see! Especially that Pitch boy!"
The professor started to thrust erratically with no rhythm, hurting Jack even more than it would have.
"I don't…" Jack exhaled with a held-in screech. "I'm not like that anymore… You have to believe me…!"
Bunny grunted picking up his pace and finally settling into a pattern. He didn't respond, only going in harder, not caring about even pleasuring Jack as long as he got what he wanted.
Jack could feel it inside him. It pounded against his prostate again, and again, and again. All he wanted was for it to stop. He didn't want it from this person above him. He didn't want it from his father. He didn't want it from Jamie.
"G-get… Get off… Get off of me!"
And suddenly, he was.
Jack no longer felt that horrible slick feeling of being taken over between his legs. He stood up from his bent over position, feeling a sharp pain in his lower back, but quickly pulled up his boxers and jeans to get his bearings on what happened.
He looked over to his left and saw Pitch about ten yards away straddling Mr. Bunnymund and uses his fists to cut into the teacher's face.
Jack stood, stunned, unsure of what to do. He just stared at his friend, watching him punch with all of his force. Never stopping. Hitting harder, if that was possible, with every pound. Jack heard a crack and snapped out of his daze. There was blood.
Too much blood.
It pooled out of Bunnymund's face and spread across the collar of his shirt and the floor underneath his head. His nose looked broken.
Jack walked quietly over to Pitch, and put his hand out to grip the charcoal shirt. Now that he could see Pitch's eyes, he could tell how far gone he was. He gripped tighter, and the confused student finally noticed him.
He looked back with tears in his eyes and protection that quickly turned to hurt and shock.
"Pitch… That's enough," Jack whispered, silently begging he didn't have to keep seeing either of the faces that were in front of him. They were both too crushed to look at.
Pitch looked at his left hand, and Jack saw the skin had ripped on his knuckles. He jumped off of the teacher and backed slowly, tripping just barely enough for Jack to notice. Jack looked between his friend and the practically passed out teacher that lay on the floor.
It had happened again. First his father forced himself on him, then Jamie tried to, though Jack knew that Jamie would never have pushed him to the point where he didn't want it, and now his teacher, someone he actually trusted and didn't mind being around. They had fun banter, and it perked Jack's day up. Why did everyone he let into his life always hurt him in the end? Either physically, or emotionally, or both? Was it his fault? Was he doing something wrong? Jack thought that had to be it. He was the one that wasn't right. He shouldn't have tried to fight back against any of them. If he didn't deserve it, then why would they keep trying it?
He felt empty inside, but soon realized he needed to say at least one thing to Pitch to explain what happened. "He was… He tried to… I couldn't get him off of me… And then…" He heard himself sniffle but it didn't really feel like him; it didn't feel like he was really there anymore. Whether that meant an out of body experience or he was finally numb from his life, Jack wasn't sure.
Pitch seemed to get his grip on reality back and went over to Jack, hugging him tightly but gently, and shushing. He pet Jack's head with the hand that wasn't hurt and Jack automatically grabbed onto the taller's shirt, using the feel of the fabric to ground himself. He heard Pitch start to speak softly.
"It's gonna be alright. It wasn't your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. It was that sick fucker. It was his fault. You're safe now. You're gonna be fine."
Jack squeezed his eyes shut, wanting to believe him; wanting with everything that he knew was himself that Pitch was right. That there was nothing wrong with fighting back; that it wasn't his fault; that he was finally safe; that he was finally going to be fine. He wanted to believe that, and even if it was lie, for the moment, he chose to. He had to.
It was the only way he could stay sane.
Pitch continued to stroke his hair until Jack heard the sound of someone sitting up clumsily behind him and felt Pitch remove himself from the hug and turn Jack to push him partially behind him.
He looked out from behind Pitch's shoulder and looked up at his friend's ferocious gaze. A gaze that made him think that Pitch really did care about him.
That thought was clarified for him when he heard Pitch's voice, angry and low, spitting.
"You think it's okay to touch your students without consent, do you? I wonder how the Dean will react to hearing this. He'll take away your teaching license and you'll be on the street before you can say, 'God save the Queen,' you can be assured of that."
Bunny stared at the ground, mumbling. "I didn't… No… I didn't…"
"Didn't what?" Pitch sounded even more disgusted.
"I didn't think he would find it so bad…"
Jack felt his heart lurch.
So that's what they think about me.
Pitch turned his head towards Jack, his eyes never leaving Bunnymund. "I would like you to leave the room now."
"But Pitch-," Jack wanted to cry out frustrated-ly. He needed to hear what else was wrong with him; he wanted to know why these people kept doing this to him.
"Now."
Jack turned and walked out, shutting the door behind him. He stood there for a second before he couldn't take it and opened the door a crack to look in. He heard Pitch talking to Bunnymund and saw him creep closer to the teacher. The thing on the floor shuffled backwards on his elbows, slipping across the tiled floor.
Pitch stepped on the professor's fingers, and Jack could hear him cry out. Even louder after Pitch spoke again, there wasn't an immediate response, and for a second time there was a step down.
He could see Bunnymund begging.
He could hear Pitch, he could hear their whole conversation and what had already been said, but he wasn't listening. He started once Bunny started crying.
"I like him, okay? I like him. He's outgoing and maybe a little bratty, but he's witty like me. I thought that if I could just convince him- If I could just start it he'd like it. I didn't think he would… He would…"
Pitch pressed down again.
"He wouldn't want it! Okay!?" He gets around! Everyone knows that! If I had real feelings for him I didn't think he would mind!"
To Jack's horror, Pitch removed his boot and Bunny grabbed his hand close to him.
Oh… So Pitch agrees…
Jack was about to turn away when he saw Pitch lift his right, long leg up and back, and thrust it forward, right into Bunnymund's chest. He fell back hard onto his head and gripped the back of it.
"You disgust me," was all Pitch said before he turned to walk out. Jack went behind the door more so he wouldn't be seen and continued to listen.
"I won't tell the Dean, mainly because Jack and I both need this credit, but if you so much as look at the boy, or breath his same air, I won't be going to the Dean for help anyway. I won't need it. I will break you." Jack exhaled the breath he didn't know he'd been holding and back away further as Pitch opened the door and called over his shoulder with a smile, "See you next Monday, professor," before slamming it shut behind him.
Jack ran the few steps between them and hugged him tightly. He didn't know what came over him, but he thought Pitch should know he was listening in.
"I heard you in there." Jack buried his face into Pitch's shirt and didn't care if Pitch could hear him or not. Pitch hugged him back almost immediately.
"I don't think eavesdropping is a very polite thing to do, Jackson." His friend whispered back.
Jack lifted his head, a smile starting on his face. Even though he knew it must've been red from the crying earlier, he didn't want Pitch to think something was wrong. "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Jack?"
"Right, I apologize, Frosty." Pitch smiled kindly down at Jack, and it made the younger feel queasy to see. He didn't know how long he could keep up his act.
He removed his arms to smack Pitch on the shoulder but quickly realized his mistake and flew back into the hug.
Pitch laughed as Jack buried his face again.
"What's so funny this time?" Jack mumbled.
"You."
"That's not very nice, Kozzy." Jack breathed a genuine, small laugh.
"When have you ever known me to be nice? If I remember correctly, earlier you said I was cynical.
Jack pulled his face away but kept close in the hug, turning his head to accommodate it.
"Okay, okay, fine, you're cynical. Happy now?"
"Elated." Jack laughed, and it felt good, even better when he felt the rumble of Pitch's against his own chest.
Pitch bent down and turned Jack so he could whisper in his ear. "You heard what I said to him, right? We can tell the authorities if you wish. That doesn't bother me one bit to do so."
Jack pulled back fully. "No no, don't. I'll be okay." His new sense of laughter and feeling good quickly gone, he still smiled fake-ly, once again assuring Pitch everything was okay, even if it wasn't in the slightest. If they called the cops, and even if the officers didn't give him a physical to see what else was wrong with him, they'd find out about his dad. About his home life. He couldn't have that. He didn't want to be paraded around as the kid that got beat and he didn't want his sister to be taken away from their mom. No matter how horrible she was to Jack, she would always be there for Megan, and so would their dad, though Jack didn't care if those two were separated one bit after what had happened that morning.
He decided to come up with a truthful excuse. "You could get in trouble for what you did, too, and I don't want that to happen when you were just trying to help me out."
Pitch looked a little confused but continued. "If you change your mind, tell me immediately, alright? I'll drive to the police station myself," he paused, "Well, if I can find it, that is." Jack saw him lift his uninjured hand embarrassedly and ruffle his perfect hair.
"I promise I will," and Jack thought that he actually meant it more than he first thought.
"Can I give you a ride home, at least?" Pitch asked, going back to his cool self.
Jack hesitated and tried to keep calm. There was no way Pitch could go by his house when there was a chance John could be home and run out to pull him to the sidewalk for a public beating, plus he needed to get Megan. And then what would he do when he got home with her later? His door didn't even have a lock anymore, and he wasn't sure if she would be safe at the house now.
He figured he'd figure everything out once he got to it. "N-no, I can make it on my own."
"Jack, you're not walking home. Are you really that afraid of me?" Pitch's grin looked evil, and Jack looked around, trying not to meet his friend's eyes. He couldn't explain why, as much as he wanted to, and as much as it shocked him that he wanted to.
"I-it's not that."
"I was kidding." Pitch looked concerned again.
Shit.
"Do you need to go somewhere else?" He asked with a serious face and slightly worried eyes.
Jack thought for a moment. He couldn't go home. He really didn't want to go to Jamie's to get Megan, not that they'd have anywhere else to go afterwards except home. Megan could always stay there for the night. Her school was on vacation for the week anyway, and Mrs. Bennett and Sophie wouldn't mind her at all. Now the issue was where he would stay.
It didn't take long for him to make the connection.
"Can I just…" Jack finally looked up at Pitch. "Can I just go to your place?"
Pitch wavered ever so slightly, probably something no one else would've noticed had there been anyone in the halls. "That's fine, but, uh, why don't you want to go home? I understand that maybe you want to get cleaned up a bit first if you don't plan on telling your parents but…"
Jack tried to seem as calm as possible; tried to seem like he wasn't facing something horrible when he went home; tried to seem like his normal show. "My knight in shining armor is denying me a carriage ride back to his castle? Come on, be a gentleman." He threw a smile on hastily.
Pitch gave him an odd look that lasted for less than a second before he smiled wider. "If you put it that way, princess." Jack couldn't help the grimace he made, which only caused Pitch to smile even wider, if that was possible, and bowed typically. "Your chariot awaits." Pitch lifted his head and met Jack's eyes with a scary grin.
Jack stepped back as Pitch stood up and took a step closer. "Pitch… What're you doing?"
"Why, I'm helping you to the carriage, my lady." Jack wondered, though the sunlight was shining brightly through the windows of the hall, if it was possible for someone to actually look darker. Apparently Pitch could.
Jack had a feeling he knew what was next.
"Pitch, no, don't you dare. Pitch-," he didn't get to finish his sentence before he felt Pitch put an arm under his legs and sweep him up into a carry, gently.
He held onto Pitch for support without noticing as his knight started to walk.
"Put me down right now!" Jack struggled to get out of the embarrassing situation before the next classes finished.
Pitch bent his head down and whispered close in Jack's ear, "Not a chance."
Jack could feel the breath on his neck and his heart hammered loudly. He hoped he wasn't blushing and thought about his next escape attempt.
That's it!
He went limp in Pitch's arms, putting his full weight down.
His friend just laughed loudly and didn't stumble in his pace.
"I have a feeling you'll like my housemate."
"Housemate…?" Jack questioned, confused. Who would ever want to live with this gorgeous guy? Wait…
The taller didn't respond and kept on walking. The next rounds of classes were let out and way too many of them were staring, and Jack knew practically everyone that was. He didn't look up at Pitch but just stared at his chest, flushed once again at the thought of everybody seeing them.
He didn't stop until they reached the car.
"So this is your place, huh? Holy shit, if you pardon my French." Jack said as he dropped his bag on the floor of the large apartment.
Pitch chuckled. "Parlez-vous Français?"
Jack gave him a wide-eyed look and then glared. "Parlez-vous fuck you."
"What a nice way to treat your host, Jack." Pitch stared down at him, amused.
Jack rolled his eyes and started to walk around, inspecting everything from the gorgeous hardwood floors, to the deep green and bricked walls, to the leather furniture, and the books and artwork.
"Nosy, aren't you?" Pitch half-bent to pick up Jack's bag and slid his own off of his shoulder smoothly, holding them in the same hand, and putting them on top of the shoe mat.
"If you're asking then doesn't that make you the nosy one?" Jack turned away from rubbing the granite kitchen island with a grin.
"Touche."
Jack again rolled his eyes and went back to his work, ignoring Pitch even as he came over to him and stood behind his shoulder. It became less easy to ignore him when he leaned on his uninjured hand around the side of Jack, clearly forgetting any and all boundaries.
"Don't you want to take a shower, Frosty?" He sounded like glass; thick and clear, with a little bit of the possibility of breaking.
The morning's events flashed through Jack's mind and he stumbled backwards for a second and stepped down back into the living room. "Uh, right, yeah, that'd be nice."
Pitch gave him a questioning look but didn't ask anything related to it. "You can borrow some of my clothes, I suppose. I don't know if they'll fit you or not, you being so short and all." His eyes glinted.
"You mean you being so freakishly tall and all." Jack mimicked the tone his friend had used.
Pitch sighed with a small smile. "Again with the rudeness. One of these times I'm gonna have to see you to the door."
Even though Jack knew it was joke, he panicked. If that did happen, he was screwed. He strained a grin. "Yeah yeah, I understand."
The older didn't comment and walked off to a room at the end of the hall. He came back carrying some clothes and a towel, handing them to Jack. "Here you are. I have two washrooms, you can pick either one."
Pitch showed him to the hall's bathroom and Jack noticed the washer and dryer. "I'll just use this one. Do you mind if I throw in my clothes?"
"Not a problem." Pitch leaned in closer. "I'll be waiting."
Jack turned and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door too hard behind him, and he heard a loud laugh from Pitch. That bastard.
And then he thought he might've heard a bark, but brushed off that thought. Like someone like Pitch could ever take care of an animal.
Once he stepped into the shower he realized how much he'd been aching and hurt. His entire torso hurt and the water ran down the drain slightly tinged with blood for the first minutes he was washing. His old bruises were definitely still there along with some new ones, and he didn't want to think about that at the moment. Thinking about John, Jamie, and Bunnymund would make him never leave the bathroom. He collected his thoughts and got out with red, warmed skin. He toweled himself off, his hair after, threw his old clothes in the washer, and slipped on the ones Pitch gave him.
It was only surprisingly comfortable red briefs, matching red socks, and long jeans. Jack rolled up the jeans as best he could and didn't think they looked too bad on him, all things considering. He searched for the shirt, assuming he'd dropped it, but didn't see it anywhere.
That.
Bastard.
Jack cracked open the door and peered out, being careful not to show his upper bruised half. Pitch was in a lounge chair back in the living room, from what he could barely see. He was petting something on his lap that jumped when Jack hollered out. "Hey asshole, where's my shirt?"
Pitch stood up, laughing loudly and practically doubling over from it. A little thing yapped and ran towards the bathroom door.
It was a dog.
Jack's eyes widened. It was a thing that was actually living in this apartment other than Pitch.
His friend stepped up into the hall and walked down it, ignoring Jack's now almost completely covered head as he attempted to keep the dog out of the bathroom, and went into that same room he'd gone into before. Jack assumed it must be the bedroom. He came back out carrying a plain black T-shirt.
"Oh you mean this?" He held it of in front of the door, as if waiting for Jack to try and snatch it. When he didn't, Pitch's grin vanished.
"Are you okay, Jack?" Pitch looked concerned and looked down at the dog. "Is it Sandy? Sorry, he's just excited. I haven't had him for very long and he really hasn't seen any other people yet."
Jack wasn't sure what to say, or do, and while he was mulling it over whether or not he should just say he's scared of the dog to not have to stick his arm out the door, the little dog pushed through. The door smacked Jack in the face and he stumbled backwards but remained standing. Pitch stood outside the door, hand still holding out the shirt like Jack was supposed to grab it. He looked shocked and concerned and hurt and worried all at once. It made Jack feel nauseous.
Pitch took a step forward as Sandy sat excitedly in front of the sink, looking happy at his accomplishment of busting open the door.
"Jack…"
The beaten one looked away.
"You weren't in the classroom long enough to get those bruises… And the majority of them look old…" Jack still wouldn't meet his friend's eyes.
"Look at me."
He hesitated, but listened, and as much as he felt like crying, there weren't tears in his eyes. He thought that was it. He was finally broken. There was nothing left for him to express, or be able to express.
Pitch looked the exact opposite. Like he couldn't express anything more.
"Jack… What's happened to you…"
