Donovan breathed in the crisp air as they reached the golfing course, strolling out to the field with his club in hand and had one of his helpers carry his bag to set everything up.
"So tell me how have you been, and what you've been up to?" He started out, his red eyes looking over to his maturing son. Donovan was amazed to see Jack looking so strong and muscular after having a growth-spurt, he certainly had his mother and father's genes in him.
"Well," Jack began, "so far I've been working with Lee, and two other people who live with him," he explained. "The girl you saw yesterday was one of them; she's currently taking care of an injured business partner."
"Business partner?" Donovan questioned as he hit the ball, he watched it as the ball made it into the hole, smirking at the small accomplishment. "What sort of business?"
"They're helping me start up a new company," Jack answered hesitantly; technically he wasn't lying, taking over the world hypothetically was a type of business to some. "Some kind of corporation," he explained while jotting down the score on a notepad with a small pencil.
"What does this company do, and what products are you going to supply?" Donovan asked once he got back into the cart with his son, and drove to the flag to get his ball back. "Are you producing more of those high tech robots of yours?"
"Actually, I plan on kicking the business off with producing video games," Jack replied from the front passenger seat of the golf cart. "But I've been trying to raise up funding for upgrading before we start," he added. "So far, Lee and that other girl have been making suggestions to me about future enhancements."
"Ah," he responded, pausing for a moment. "Lee seems to be a pretty big deal in your life, now isn't he?" Donovan commented, his eyes narrowed slightly as he focused on the cement trail that led to the next hole.
"He really is," Jack confirmed, "he's helped me a lot over the years, along with the others."
"I do not approve of Lee," Donovan bluntly stated after stopping the cart.
Jack's shoulders tensed up again from hearing this, his heart nearly lodging in his throat.
"Why not?" He managed to ask, trying to maintain composure.
"He is a gold digger, people like him are always after those who are within the upper class," Donovan answered, turning to look straight at his son.
"How would you know?" The younger albino questioned further, furrowing his eyebrows and frowning at the accusation. "You've only known Lee for a day," he stated defensively.
"Have you seen the way he acts? Lee is just after your money, Jack! That is how people from the lower class are, always after the money," he snapped. "He's been using you since day one!"
"No, he hasn't!" Jack argued. "Since the first day we met, he's done everything he could to protect me; even when I was injured, he took me in and helped me," he spilled.
"It was all an act," Donovan retorted, not wanting his son to get hurt like he once was. "Once they know how to treat you, they take control and feed off of it, and then use it against you."
"That's what he's been trying to teach me," Jack responded, becoming a bit more frustrated with his father. "Lee has been teaching me how to know when I'm being manipulated; I've been learning not to let people stab me in the back since I've worked with him, and he's been helping me."
"Oh really, how do you know he's not tricking you into thinking that is how everything works, how do you know he's not blinding you by your feelings for him?" Donovan interrogated.
"Because he made sure that I wouldn't fall for it," Jack nearly yelled. "Two years ago, Lee tricked me into thinking that he was going to kill me, and one of my business partners. He had the Jack-Bots be a part of the act, and pretended to hold us both hostage. Lee was teaching me a lesson that even though I may have strong feelings for someone, they may not be returned, and they might be used against me. We were both scared, we really thought that Lee was going to murder us since we fell for the act."
Donovan stared at this son with wide eyes. "He used your feelings against you, by making you believe that he was going to kill you?"
"No! He knew that if I didn't learn that my feelings could be used against me, then I'd get killed in the long run," Jack clarified. "Had he not pulled that prank to teach me, then I would have trusted anyone who offered to work with me, and I would have been vulnerable. So he saved me from that fate, Lee is trying to prevent me from getting stabbed in the back after it has happened so often."
"So filth like him has been teaching you how to watch the people you work for, and show you how to watch for your enemies?" He frowned in disbelief and disgust. "What kind of life has he lived?"
"A life that has made him far stronger than you'll know," Jack retorted coldly. "The life he lived where he was a lot like me."
Donovan stared at the grown man before him, and let out a sigh. "Then he's taught you well..." He admitted softly. "No one has ever stood up to me like you have, not in a long time."
Jack didn't know what to say to his father, and simply looked at the middle-aged adult, bracing himself for what he was about to say next before taking a deep breath.
"Thank you, dad," Jack finally spoke, standing his ground.
"I just don't want you to get hurt," Donovan told him with an arm wrapped around his shoulder. "I know that your mother and I were hardly there, and that we don't understand you very well, but we do love you with all our hearts, we wanted to protect you, but in the end we hurt you…" He said in a saddened tone. "If Lee makes you happy, then I will support the both of you, but no one is ever good enough for my baby boy," Donovan grinned slightly, then kissed the side of Jack's head. "I will always love you Jack, no matter what you do or who you want to become. Now, how about you tell me how you want to take this world over?" Donovan grinned, anxious to hear about how his son was going to rule the Earth.
Jack was touched by his father's words, hugging the older man before smiling at him and began to explain his plan of world domination as Donovan listened to his every word. Later that day, the two men returned to the house; Lee and Lucia were already there waiting for them.
"There's my two boys," Lucia grinned, welcoming the two males back. "How was golfing?" She asked.
"It was great," Donovan replied to his wife and kissed the side of her head. "How was your day with Lee?" He inquired while taking his wife's hand and kissing it gently.
"It was great, dear," Lucia responded happily, "Lee and I got mani-pedis and had lunch, it was a wonderful evening~"
"I am glad that you had a great time." He said to his wife. "How about you and Jack spend some time together?" He smiled. "To catch up, while Lee and I get to know one another?"
Lee hummed happy once he heard the door open, and raced down stairs and hugged Jack tightly. "Jack, I missed you!" Lee cheered while nuzzling his lover's chest happily.
"Aren't they just the cutest, Donovan?" Lucia cooed as she saw the couple reunite.
Donovan watched the blonde woman/man person hug his son, he saw that Lee was very loving and gentle with Jack in their interactions. Lee's tone was that of excitement and complete endearment.
"Adorable," Donovan agreed evenly.
"Why don't you and Lee spend some time together while the day is still young?" Lucia suggested. "I haven't gotten a chance to catch up with my baby, so it's only fair."
Jack grumbled a little, not really wanting to leave Lee. The blonde pouted in equal reluctance, but lightly kissed Jack on the corner of his mouth and pulled away from him. "It's okay, we can have the night together, watch some movies, and eat some chocolate banana pudding," he promised.
"Okay," Jack grinned slightly, giving Lee a quick kiss before following his mom out to the car.
Lucia smiled and got into the driver seat and drove off with him, they were going to the mall that was in Clackamas and she was so excited to finally get to be with her baby.
"Is there anything you want to get Lee, I am sure that she will appreciate it," Lucia suggested, pausing to look at Jack for a second. "Or is she not the type that likes money spent on her?"
"I ought to get her something," Jack responded, "she's been good to me for such a long time, so I might as well look and see if I can get her a gift. And if I can't, then I'll make something; Lee enjoys homemade things just as much."
"What does she like?" The brunette asked curiously. "Jewelry, candies, clothes, make-up?" She inquired. "I know her favorite color is blue and gold."
"Lee's a huge sucker for fashionable things," Jack recalled, "and I remember that there was this hat she really liked… She was actually pretty sad when we left the shop since she had to leave it there."
"He doesn't make you buy things for him?" She asked lightly, she could tell that Lee was a great person, but some people had their flaws.
"Not really, no," Jack answered. "He usually prefers to buy things himself if he can afford it, but Kyung, Louis, and I help him avoid impulse buying at times."
"Well thats good, I am glad he has someone like you and you have someone like him."
"Me too," Jack silently agreed, and remained silent for the rest of the ride over to the mall.
Lee looked at Donovan, and smiled gently. "Would you like something to eat?" She offered him as she took off her high heels and rubbed her sore heel; Lee wasn't really a fan of high heels, but knew that Jack loved it when she wore them, and thought it looked sexy.
"No thank you," Donovan declined politely, although his tone was still firm and lacking sensitivity. "Jack and I had lunch after golfing. "He's told me an awful lot about you," he added. "You seem to have made a very big impression on his life since he met you, and even seems more confident than ever about taking over the world."
Lee looked at Jack's father with a soft smile as a light blush covered her cheeks, and walked into the kitchen to get started on a Breakfast Panini with egg, sausage and cheddar. "Jack is something not of this world, he is beautiful," he/she stated, while glancing back at Donovan. "I loved him then, I love him now, and I'll love him till the end of time."
Jack's father was ecstatic that Lee felt that way about his son, but didn't want to express it openly since he still felt as though the gender fluid individual was possibly lying through their teeth.
"Well, I'm glad you feel that way about my son," Donovan responded in a straight tone. "It seems as though the feelings between you two are mutual. Aside from explaining how he plans on taking over the world with you and the others, he seems happier just talking about you in general. He trusts you very much…"
"I thought I taught him not to trust anyone, not even someone like me..." Lee murmured, staring at the counter as she turned on the black-top stove. "I don't want him to get hurt, not even by me…" She continued. "Because one day, I might have to turn against him to save him," the blonde dreaded, looking highly remorseful. "But I pray that it does not come to that."
"I pray that it doesn't come down to that either," Donovan agreed, observing Lee sharply as he sat within the family room; he knew that the "woman" had good intentions, but he wanted to see if he could push the other to the limit, and have the blonde prove that "she" was truly good enough for his son. "Jack truly is an eccentric one," he added, "he most likely gets it from his grandmother."
"That he is, always doing something, always on the move," Lee smiled happily, perking up from previously being worried. "I remember this one time he was building one of his Jack Bots, and accidentally used pudding instead of oil. Then when he tried to turn on the robot, it completely malfunctioned," she snickered, and started to fry the bread once the egg was done cooking.
Donovan chuckled silently, knowing how sometimes Jack could be a little clumsy despite having high intellect.
"Usually that seemed to happen often with his Jack-Bots in the past," Donovan recollected. "But now that I look at them, they've improved," he noted as a couple Jack-Bots moved about the house.
"That they have, and it is all Jack's doing," Lee said, giving Jack all the credit. "He really is something," Lee mused, but then blushed in a bit of embarrassment. "I am sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, should we talk about something else?"
"Well then, perhaps we can talk about your family?" Donovan requested, knowing from Jack that family was quite an enigma, but still a sensitive topic to the blonde.
Lee flinched as he turned off the stove, and placed the bread on a white square plate. "What do you want to know?" She asked him softly; Lee could tell him, but it made her/him cry each time she did.
"Just your family background in general," Donovan replied. "Jack told me that it was rather similar to his."
"Well, I grew up with a family that wanted nothing to do with me, my parents were not the best at all, they don't even deserve that title," Lee sneered as she cut the bread. "Disgusting human beings deserve nothing, not even hell!" She ranted while washing the knife off and placing it back in its holder. "I moved in with my grandparents, and there I learned how to be proper while being myself and having the right discipline…" Lee continued, and went to the tall, square table in the kitchen to sat down. "Anything else you'd like to know?"
Donovan's brows furrowed at Lee's words, but remained stoic. "What part of town were you from?" He asked, remembering that as he and his wife drove through Gresham, they had seen a few neighborhoods that were a little down in the lower class compared to the neighborhood Lee was currently living in.
"I don't come from one area, I have lived all over the place. From Montana, Washington, Oregon, to Louisiana, back to Oregon, to Texas, Tennessee, to Oregon again," Lee explained to him. "I have never stayed in one place for long, four years is the longest I have ever been stable and it was ripped from me...my home is always ripped from me because of peoples selfish desires and addictions," he told Donovan, and looked at her plate before taking another bite.
"Selfish reasons?" Donovan inquired. "Like what, exactly?" He questioned further, he could tell just by Lee's words that he was really pushing the blonde.
"Alcohol was always the reason for everything in my life," Lee responded with a bitter smile. "So now that you have dirt on me, going to try and take Jack away?" She asked, staring at him dead in the eyes. "Or are you simply waiting for me to strike you?"
"I was actually consider having him return home," Donovan fibbed, but made sure that it sounded like he was completely serious. "I've heard that over the years he's been exhibiting rather irrational behavior, and so I planned on having him see a therapist to fix him."
Lee's striking blue eyes went wide at what Donovan said, completely silent.
Lucia and Jack returned from their trip to the mall, rushing to park in the driveway because Kyung had made an urgent phone call to him. Sprinting, Jack flung open the front door to see Lee and Donovan in a brutal fist-fight with each other, trading blows as they were on the ground. There were a few spots of blood on the tile floors, and furniture had been flipped over; Kyung was hiding upstairs with Louis during that time, not knowing what to do.
Lucia ran into the house, not sure who was on top or on the bottom, she saw blood, and then looked at Jack. "Get a bucket of cold water and throw it on them!" She instructed, not wanting anyone to get hurt any further.
Jack scrambled to get a pale from the garage, fumbling with the faucet of the sink in the laundry room before rushing into the living room and soaking the brawling males with water. Donovan froze while pinning Lee down with his fist raised, whipping his head back to see his wife and son with wide eyes. Lee had many bruises covering his body, his lip was split and the left side of his face was black and purple, his jaw was dislocated, and his left eye was sealed shut from the bruising. While Donovan was frozen, he punched the man again to throw him off his aching body. Lee's clothes were torn in a lot of places, his hair was messed up with a few large bits of his blonde locks ripped from his head.
"Fuck…" Lee muttered while struggling to catch his breath.
Lucia glared at them both. "What is the meaning of this!" She demanded furiously, her green eyes dark and angry; she was not a happy person, not by a long shot.
"This was my fault," Donovan admitted honestly. "I said something I shouldn't have, and I offended a person who meant the world to our son," he sighed deeply as he stood up, looking in almost as badly beaten as Lee. "But thankfully, he made me realize that he really is good enough for my son."
Lucia glared at her husband. "What gave you the right to do this Donovan Lee Spicer!?" She snapped, using his full name. "I can't believe you would do something so...so-ugh! Pick up this room, now!" She commanded, glaring at her husband. "Jack, take Lee upstairs and deal with her, fix her just go!"
Donovan nodded, and immediately got to work on returning the furniture back to their original placed while Jack assisted Lee upstairs to clean him up and dress the wounds.
Lucia glared at Donovan and sighed deeply. "Why did you start a fight with Lee, what did he do to you?" She asked, knowing that her husband would only hit someone when hit. Lee seems like the type to attack when feeling threatened by someone, and feels the need to protect herself, so assumably Donovan was to blame on this account.
"I wanted to test him," Donovan simply responded as he picked up the armchair that got flipped over.
"You're an idiot, Donovan, I can't believe that you'd go this far!" Lucia yelled at him, she rarely raised her voice, normally being a very soft spoken woman. "You're sleeping on the couch for a month."
"Yes, dear," the man nodded dismissively; he knew that his actions would earn him some kind of consequence, so he didn't argue, nor complain.
~
"Sorry about ruining your time with your mother and our time…" Lee winced when a heat pack was placed on her face. "Vinegar works better you know, takes the bruising right out…" He suggested to Jack.
"It wasn't your fault," Jack responded, but quickly poked his head out of the bathroom. "Kyung, do you know where the vinegar is?" He asked, seeing as how Louis' bedroom door was open.
"In the kitchen," she answered back. "There should be a bottle in the tall cupboard on one of the top shelves."
"Thanks," he quickly replied, and turned back to Lee. "I'll be right back," Jack assured the blonde, and scurried off to retrieve the vinegar before returning in a heart beat.
Lee waited for Jack to come back with the nasty smelling white liquid, sighing again as he stared down at the floor. Jack dabbed a bit of the sour fluid on a cotton ball, using his free hand to take a gentle hold on Lee's chin so he could tilt his head up for a better view of the bruises. The albino then started applying the vinegar to the blonde's beaten up face, and gave each of the sterilized wounds a small kiss. However, he unintentionally started to sputter when he tasted the foul liquid.
"Worth it," Jack grinned while trying to spit out the horrible taste. "Totally worth it."
Lee blushed heavily and returned his gaze to the floor. "If you say so," he said, glancing at himself in the mirror, noticing that the bruises were already beginning to fade.
"Is anything broken?" Jack inquired concretely, tilting up Lee's head using his hand so he could look his lover in the eyes. "Are you able to stand?"
The blonde male nodded his head and stood up. "I am just a little sore," Lee assured him, and kissed his chin. "But I think your dad needs help."
"Alright," Jack replied, and gave Lee a small peck on the lips. "I'll go help him, while you just stay in the living room and rest," he told him. "C'mon, I'll help you down the stairs," Jack said, and offered his shoulder to Lee.
"Actually I'd like to lay down for a little while, but could you go down stairs and get me the pain pills and a heat pack?" Lee requested, leaning against him.
"Sure," the albino nodded, and got Lee to his room before going downstairs to retrieve the pain killers and shakeable heat packs. "You okay, dad?" He asked to his father, but didn't make eye contact as he walked about the kitchen and searched through the medicine cabinet.
"I'll live, your lover sure can pack a punch though," Donovan responded with a grunt, rubbing his sore jaw where the blonde had slugged him.
"Yeah, Lee's actually really strong for someone who doesn't like having their nails chipped," Jack chuckled a bit, but then his expression went straight again as he got the heat packs and a bottle of advil before retrieving a glass of water for Lee from the sink.
"Your mother and I will be leaving for a bit we will be back in a day or two," he informed his son.
"Okay then," Jack nodded, and glanced at Donovan just out of the corner of his eye before leaving the kitchen/family room. After returning to Lee, Jack gave him the medication and heat packs. "My parents will be gone for a couple days," he informed the blonde, feeling a little relieved because the two would have their private time back.
"That's good," Lee responded after taking the painkillers with a glass of water, then applied the heat pack before curling up in the blankets with a happy sigh as the pain practically melted away. "Hmmm...cuddle with me..."
Jack chuckled and grinned at the blonde, finding it very amusing and adorable how Lee curled up into blankets and around him.
"Okay, scoot over," he said, and got under the covers with Lee after taking off his coat and shoes.
Lee smiled and scooted over for him, laying on his side and watched him. As Jack wrapped his arms around Lee, he felt more at ease and happy.
"Once you're done resting up, we should probably see my parents out," Jack suggested, knowing it was the most courteous thing to do despite what happened.
Lee wrapped his arms around his lover's body, not really wanting to leave the comfort of the bed. "To be honest, your father can go suck it," he stated bluntly, and hid his face, feeling very disrespected by his father's words and actions.
"That bad, huh?" Jack frowned slightly, sighing as he snuggled Lee. "I'm sorry for whatever he said," he apologized, feeling guilty that he wasn't there to defend his lover.
"Just go say goodbye I'll be up here awaiting for you," he whispered, and curled into the thick blankets.
"Okay, I'll be right back," the taller of the couple replied, and got out of bed to say goodbye to Lucia and Donovan.
Downstairs, his parents were getting ready to leave, putting on their coats and shoes. Jack stared down at them as he walked down the staircase, frowning when Donovan turned his head to meet his son's gaze.
"I'll see you later," Jack bid casually, yet his voice was low. "Remember to call when you plan on coming over," he added.
Jack's parents nodded their heads, Lucia kissed her son's cheek, and smiled at him. "We will, and be gentle with Lee now!" She giggled before walking out.
"Love you son, and see you later," Donovan bid with a bow of his head.
"Bye, dad," Jack responded while returning the small bow, and watched as his parents got into their car before driving off.
He let out an exhausted huff once he shut the front door, but smiled now that he could go spend some quality time with Lee, and wasted no time in returning to the blonde's side.
"Whelp, they're gone," he announced after entering Lee's bedroom. "And won't be back for a few days."
"Good now get your ass in bed now, I demand cuddles!"
Jack smirked at Lee's playful demand, and got back under the covers before embracing him.
"Sheesh, someone's feisty," he joked while placing a small kiss on the back of Lee's neck.
"You have no idea," Lee snickered and hummed happily, he held his hand. He loved how Jack's hand was larger than his own. He kissed Jack's hand and leaned back against his strong chest. "But you love me no matter what."
"Course I do," Jack agreed as he gently squeezed Lee's hand, "we belong to each other, so I don't have a choice," he smirked, his red eyes darkening a little while he moved his lips along the nape of the blonde's neck.
Lee shivered slightly and closed his eyes. "Someone seems to be in a frisky mood~" He purred.
"You started it!" Jack retorted with a blush on his face. "But don't worry, I'll be gentle; mom said I had to," he added, and playfully blew a puff of cold air into Lee's ear.
"Then show me what you've got, Master Spicer," Lee smirked, and moaned lightly at the cold air.
Letting out a growl, Jack moved to pin Lee down under him and licked his lips hungrily as he gazed down at his lover before leaning down to give the blonde a passionate kiss.