"No you're not, you're not me and you'll never be me!" He snarled loud enough for Jamie to hear and Roxas to whimper at Jack's anger.
"Shhh, it's okay Roxas." Jamie said gently, soothing the boy by rocking them both in the chair.
"Just shut up." He went into the nursery and gently hushed Roxas as he looked worried, reassuring him that he was fine.
"See? It's alright, just as I said." Jamie said gently, aware of the likely cause.
"No need to worry about me, Roxy boy." Roxas settled down.
"Do you want to read some more?" Jack looked at Roxas, he could see the same gleam in his eyes as Jack saw in his.
"Yeah."
"Alright then, do you want this book or a different one?" Jamie asked, not noticing for the moment.
"THAT ONE." He said, pointing to Red Ridinghood; Jack smiled and sat in a chair by Roxas.
"Okay." Jamie got up, holding Roxas with one arm while he put away the Mother Goose book before getting the one Roxas had chosen and sat back down with the book with him. He held the book in front of Roxas, who sat on his lap.
"Alright then, go ahead son."
"Liit- lit- little r-r reeed red ri- ri-ridi- riding hoo- hood" Jack smiled as he watched him read. Jamie smiled, listening as Roxas stuttered his way through the story. When he reached the end Jamie closed the book.
"Very good son. Do you want to read another or do something else?"
"DINO! DINO! RAW! RAW!"
"Alright, let's put the books away first then we'll go get the dinosaurs and mat." Jamie nodded and helped Roxas put the book back on its shelf before setting him down so he could toddle-run over to his toy box. Jack growled as his inner demon was fighting to get out; he sighed.
"Excuse me." He head to the restroom. Jamie nodded a little, but he doesn't let on that he's fully aware of what's going on; if only for Roxas' sake as he helps the boy pull out the mat and his dinosaur toys. Jack growled at his mirror image, shaking.
"WHY CAN'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE?!" Jamie distracts Roxas, while the inner demon in Jack just grinned at him.
"Get out of me please." He begged the monster, but how can you beg something that is you and yet not... to leave? Jamie played dinosaurs with Roxas to keep him distracted.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME HUH I DON'T NEED YOU ANYMORE GO AWAY!"
That's what you think. You will ALWAYS have a need for me. I am you, you cannot survive without me.
"NO, YOU CAN'T SURVIVE WITHOUT ME! I DON'T NEED YOU! MY FAMILY DOESN'T! SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS GET THE HELL OUT!" He yelled, using his light against it but realizing soon he felt the same amount of pain it did.
"OW!"
Didn't I just finish saying that you couldn't live without me and here you go hurting us both... Jack groaned, holding his head.
"Why... why won't you leave me alone? I won't be like you and I'm nothing like you, so leave me and my family alone!" He screamed so loud that Roxas started to cry.
And here you call ME the monster... you made the baby cry. Jamie winced and rocked in the chair, trying to soothe Roxas.
"JUST STAY OUT OF MY LIFE!" Jack ran out of the bathroom, taking flight; his wings flapped harshly as he took off, shaking and crying.
Jack... The touch came over the bond from Jamie even as he did his best to calm Roxas who eventually cried himself to sleep.
J-Jamie... I love you, stay away from me please. Jack cried as he blocked the bond completely, like a brick wall, and did the same for Roxas. He sniffed.
"Goodbye Jamie... Roxas; I love you... always, but I can't be around you when it's so close to taking control."
Jack? JACK! Jamie began to seriously worry. He knew about this... he'd been reading about it in a book he'd found at North's...
"AHH!" Jack screamed into the night sky, a blood moon starting to rise.
"NO! NO! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE OVER!" He screamed at his inner demon.
Yet I already have... after all... you never liked killing... Jack screamed in more pain as it felt like he was losing complete control.
"GET OUT!" He scratched at his chest where the thing lay, taking over.
Time to hunt... Time to eat... to kill... Jack screamed in pain.
"NO, I WON'T!" He felt like he was going to die; his wings spread, more skeletal and bat like, black orbs now stared out from what was once blue.
"No." He couldn't fight it anymore.
Hungry... With a snarl it took over and took flight in search of suitable prey. Jack fought against himself but it wasn't enough; the only one who knew what to do was asleep at the moment, his little wings sprouting without pain. Roxas roused from his sleep a few minutes later, hungry. He ran over to the fridge first thing; remembering the leftovers and before Jamie could stop him he's stuck his head in and began to eat it all. Jack screamed in pain as he had killed many people, children... families. Roxas cocked his head sideways once he's done. As if hearing something.
"Roxas?" Before Jamie could catch him he's out of the cavern and off into the night.
"Roxas!" Jamie followed after him.
"Why?! Why? They don't deserve this!" Jack screamed at the inner demon. The thing ate everything it came upon. It was eating the remains of a teenager when Roxas finally caught up, growling with only mild success in the native tongue. Getting the thing's attention.
Ah... the protege... and the donor... It thought as Jamie landed a few feet away. Jack struggled against the demon.
"JAMIE! ROXAS! GET OUT!" It's all he managed to say as he fought with it.
"GET OUT OF ME!" He clawed at his chest as it took control once more.
No... After all... it's time to show him the truth... Roxas spread his wings, staring at the demon a moment as it finished its meal then beckoned him to follow on the rampage to follow, Jamie wasn't sure how to react... He did know one thing though, this wasn't normal... He followed Roxas, for the child's sake. For the sake of the would-be-prey he sent his cold out for miles, sending anyone and everyone scrambling indoors. It took power to create such a storm. The demon snarled a little as it flew through the city, looking for more prey. Anyone who could get out of the storm had done so. Jack struggled and fought the inner demon. Roxas followed the demon, who was followed by Jamie. The demon began to grow frustrated as it realized that Jamie was protecting most of its prey...
"Way to go Jamie." Jack snickered. After the third town in a row with this happening, the demon turned and narrowed its eyes at Jamie who simply crossed his arms and stared back without fear. Jamie can do this... he can stop the monster I have inside me.
"Knock it off."
"No."
"Do you have a death wish or something?"
"Or something." Jamie replied, leveling the demon with a calm gaze. Jack cried in pain as it felt like he was losing all control of his body.
"AHH HELP! NO! NO! NOT THERE! NO!" Jack screamed hysterically as the demon had sent him into his memories; ones he wished to never relive. The demon spread its wings menacingly and growled as it turned towards Jamie. Roxas stood next to him, hissing in surprise. Jamie didn't let it get close; blasting it with ice as warning, sending the thing skidding across a patch of ice on the road.
"LET ME OUT!" Jack begged, shrieking and crying.
Focus Jack... I'm here for you... stay with me love... The demon growled.
"Irritating brat!" The demon lunges forward, but the next shot from Jamie was ice that glowed with his inner light. Seeing the light, Jack grasped for it.
"J-Jamie... Jamie!" He gasped, ignoring the memories. They're the p-past I'm here now... with Jamie... Roxas. They're gone... Jack snarled, pure light lighting inside him; hope, love, joy filling him... belief. Belief in himself... Jamie... Roxas... everything.
"AND YOU ARE NOT WELCOME!" Jack screamed, the demon could feel searing pain starting from Jack's soul to it. The demon screamed from the blast from Jamie, it screamed louder at the light from within and the light that Roxas gave off too; following Jamie's lead. Jack growled at the demon.
"You wanna know what real torture is... what real pain is..." Jack said maliciously, his form growing bigger inside and the demon smaller.
"I'll show you torture." It was then that Jack tossed him inside the light; hearing him scream satisfied him. Jamie picked up Roxas, holding him in one arm with a gentle firmness as he waited to see what would happen next. Jack grunted, shaking a little; he fell to his hands and knees in pain, but he was himself again.
"Jack?"
"Jamie." His eyes were watery with tears as he hugged him.
"Y-you saved me." It's all Jack could get out before he went unconscious. Jamie picked him up with a small smile.
"Come on Roxas, time to go home." A snowstorm covered them and their retreat. Once back at the cavern Jamie tucked Jack into the bed before going back to the nursery to play with Roxas until the boy wore himself out and began to yawn. Jamie hummed a lullaby then and tucked the boy into his crib. He returned to Jack's side once the boy was out for the night, the transformation reversing itself as he slept. Jamie was snuggled asleep next to Jack as the morning's rays drifted across the land. Jack didn't wake for quite some time, tomorrow was his birthday; he wouldn't have any problems with his inner demon as long as it lived inside the light. Jamie was feeding Roxas when Jack woke up again, he's feeding him some mashed food now; weaning the boy off the bottle after having rubbed paste in his mouth to numb his gums as his first normal tooth was pushing its way out. Roxas happily ate his food, numbed from the pain for now. He seemed to really like the sweet potatoes that Jamie was feeding him.
"What's going on? How long have I been asleep?"
"Morning dear." Jamie said as he wiped up a messy, giggly Roxas who had just finished his lunch.
"I see he's teething, fuck." Jack sighed.
"Jamie, his teething's gonna be dangerous; he'll be able to even bite through metal 'cause of his demonic status plus these teeth are gonna come out sharp and painful."
"Normally, yes, but North had already thought of that and has sent me something that numbs him well enough. He's perfectly happy for the moment. Aren't ya?" Roxas just grinned. Jack ruffled Roxas' hair.
"And thanks for staying and sticking up to my other half buddy, I couldn't have done it without you; without either of you." Jack swallowed, remembering the last birthday he'd had, it was not good. Roxas smiled happily. Jamie looked over at Jack with a small smile.
"Told you that we'd stick with you didn't I?"
"Thank you for this."
"Hun, there's no reason to thank us. We're family and that's what family does."
"Yeah, but Jamie... I could have killed you both!"
"No, I don't think you could have." Jamie said thoughtfully. Jack sighed at that.
"So, what does Roxas like to eat solid so far?" Jack asked, simply interested so he could learn to make the boy his favorites.
"Sweet potatoes, green peas, mashed potatoes and mixed berries so far. Doesn't like broccoli or carrots."
"Really?"
"Wow, you're more like you're daddy every day huh?" Jack snickered as he realized Roxas was like him and Jamie together. Roxas grinned.
"Wike dada 'n papa!" Jamie chuckled.
"Yes, like dada and papa." Jack smiled and lifted him up.
"Oh, what do we have here? Mmm, Jamie look; I found a cookie!" He said blowing on his little stomach, making noises.
"Mmm... so good Jamie, take a nibble." Roxas giggled, squirming.
"Not cookie! Not cookie!" He shrieked between his laughter. Jamie smiled and nibbled on the boy's fingers lightly, causing him to giggle more.
"Very tasty... although I think your cookie is needing something to make it sweeter, it is starting to rot." Jamie joked as a malodorous scent filled the air; Jack snickered.
"Oh boy, yep time to get this rotting cookie to the bakery to make it sweeter." He said as he carried Roxas to the nursery to change him. Roxas giggled, apparently finding the whole thing funny.
"What's so funny Rox?" He cleaned him up.
"Oh boy someone had a messy day huh?" Roxas just giggled and kicked his legs.
"Roxas don't do that you're getting it everywhere." Jack groaned then snickered as he cleaned up before powdering him and then diapering him.
"There, all done." He patted his bottom gently, smiling before washing his hands in the bathroom sink. Roxas giggles and pushed himself up into a sitting position.
"Up! Up dada! Up!"
"Alright, alright; up got it." Jack held him and nipped his nose gently.
"Oh, what do we have here? I think I got..." Jack "took" his nose, making his thumb look like it.
"I GOT YOUR NOSE!"
"DADA! GIB ME MY NOSE!" Jack snickered.
"Ok." He gave him his nose back.
"What's this? You got coins coming out of your ears boy." Jack said, laughing as he pulled a quarter from his ear using the magic trick he had been taught by his father years ago. Roxas giggled and clapped. Jamie, meanwhile, set to making some lunch for himself and Jack while Jack was entertaining Roxas.
"Look another one... ooh is that a dollar? Here, you keep these kiddo." He handed them to him and walked into the bedroom.
"Wanna read a book Rox?" Roxas giggled, waving the money happily as Jack carried him off to the bedroom for a book. Jack smiled and picked out three books, Goldilocks, Dinosaurs in Paris, and The Cat in the Hat. Roxas picked Goldilocks out of the three first as Jamie came in with the noon meal. He settled in a chair nearby.
"Why don't you read to daddy while I feed him lunch?" Jamie suggested with a smile, Jack looked at Jamie curiously with a 'I thought that was for Roxas' kind of look.
"Otay." Roxas didn't notice the look, or rather it seemed to go over his head... in every sense of the meaning. Jamie simply held out a bite of a sandwich he'd made for Jack while he held Roxas who opened the book all by himself and began to read.
"Th th there was a g-girl wi wi with gol gold golden h-hair..." Jack smiled while eating the sandwich; he wanted the meat that he and Roxas had collected, but realized the boy had ate all of it. Jamie knew that, so he'd made a sandwich of fish that was mostly raw though Roxas didn't know of that. It was the best substitute he had on hand at the moment and while it wasn't bloody, it was a little warm still from being on the pan for a little while so that it was a more normal temperature that was close to that of a fresh kill. Jamie fed Jack another bite before offering him a glass of water to wash it down as Roxas continued to read. Jack smiled, wiping his mouth with a napkin and downing the glass; he watched Roxas read for a bit only to suddenly yawn.
"Great, I hate this part of my birthday eve. I get tired and then." Suddenly he was out like a light, snoring; his body glowed like a lava crystal of some sort and then ceased after a moment. Jack was very still, only tomorrow's light would wake him; Jamie picked up Roxas after setting aside the food and the empty glass.
"Looks like your daddy is tuckered out from last night still. We'll let him sleep hmm?" Jamie said softly, he set Roxas down briefly to tuck Jack into the bed and then picked him up again and took him back to the nursery to finish reading the book. The next morning that same lava like glow illuminated Jack's skin before he opened his eyes; he stretched out his body and wings, thinking to himself. What time is it... 6:66? Jamie was changing Roxas when Jack began to stir.
"Hmmm, I think it's about time we started to get you potty trained. What do you think Roxas? Want to learn how to go to the bathroom like daddy?" Jack groaned, growling as he peeled the loose skin on his wings, showing the shiny and new skin beneath; he sighed, yawning, and started to clean up the skin flakes.
"Better just replace this."
"Replace what?" Jamie asked as he came in with Roxas who was watching while sucking on his thumb. Jack jumped and nearly had a heart attack; he sighed.
"The bed, I shedded in it with wing skin and it's sort of covered in demon blood... which will burn any spirit or mortal not demon.. or demon unless it's the same demon that shed it." He said summing up the red liquid that dotted some parts of the sheets.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you, but okay. I think I get all that."
"Also, the only way to get rid of it is to burn it with hell fire." He smiled.
"That's the easy part, but getting another bed is the hard part."
"I think I can remedy that problem. You just get rid of it and watch Roxas for the day." Jack nodded, sighing.
"Fudge, I forgot what day it was; my birthday, bad luck coming... as usual. Just... be careful getting a new bed ok?" He took Roxas and tickled him a bit.
"Alright, so what do you wanna do Roxas?"
"Hey, I rather think Roxas and I are your good luck." Roxas giggled as Jamie came over to Jack.
"I'll be back soon, don't worry. I know I will be welcome where I'm going." He gave Jack a loving kiss.
"I'm just worried for you is all." He said, before kissing him again before he left; as soon as he did leave all hell broke loose... everything came apart. Walls, the ceiling peeling... the furniture exploded, leaky faucets, fires... Jack sighed once he'd fixed most of it.
"This is gonna be a long day." Roxas giggled, several hours later there's a shriek outside the cavern followed by a stern female voice.
"Don't you DARE drop me Jamie Frost or so help me I will kick your ass!" Jack sighed, so far he had Roxas held tightly against him in a pillow fort for safety.
"Who dat dada?" Roxas asked. A few minutes later there was another voice, male this time.
"Honestly, this HAS to be the best way to travel! Well, when not carrying anything heavy or bulky." Jack shook his head.
"I don't know, I recognize the voices... but I don't know." He eeped as the popcorn machine, not even plugged in, went off; Jack hid behind the safety of the blankets, pillows, table and couch. Roxas just giggled and a third voice, female, spoke up.
"Okay, time to get to work once he gets back. You two ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be." The male replied.
"I'm so excited! I mean... who knew right?!" The first female spoke up. The other two just sighed in response. Jack growled and looked at the said people Jamie had brought; coming out from under the fort.
"Jamie, who they heck are these people?" He gestured them as Jamie floated down with a mattress in his arms. The first girl, a brunette, squealed happily.
"He's so cute!" Roxas hid his head against Jack shyly while the other two rolled their eyes. The male looked like a slightly older version of Jamie but with green eyes and the woman had blonde hair and hazel eyes.
"Relatives. They wanted to help when they realized what I was after." Jamie said, holding a mattress that's at least twice his size in width. The other three were holding various things, the brunette had a backpack and the other two held things that could only be parts of the bed frame.
"Um... Thanks for helping Jamie here." Jack winced as the stove suddenly, for unnatural reasons, exploded. He sighed.
"If you need me I'll be in the fort." The three looked at Jamie uncertainty.
"Was it something I said?" The brunette asked.
"No Mandy, it's just not a good day for him. Like I told you. Come on. Jack probably moved the bed already, let's get it set up." They nodded.
"So this is cool... um, no pun intended."
"Geez Jack, could you have been any more obvious?" The blonde said.
"Hey now, be nice to each other okay Jessie? I don't want Roxas upset, he's shy as it is and we don't need to leave a bad impression on him."
"Little tyke doesn't look anything like you man."
"Why would you expect him to?" Jamie asked and Jack shrugged.
"Why of all days did this have to be my birthday!" He groaned, wings forcing themselves out of his back once more.
I HATE IT! I HATE IT! I WISH I WASN'T BIRTHED TO BE THIS MONSTER! He screamed inwardly but calmed as soon as he heard Roxas begin to cry. Jack shook a little.
"Why? Why me?" Roxas sits in a corner of the fort, upset because Jack was upset.
"Thanks for the help. Perhaps a different time would be best. He's touchy as it is... as I'm sure you noticed." The three nodded and Jamie took them back home again before he made lunch. Jack lay asleep for the next hour... or at least tried to for the next hour as he lay on a sleeping bag in the fort while Roxas was playing in the nursery.
"CURSE MY BIRTH! CURSE IT!" He snarled, a small voice answered back, his own.
But we are cursed, aren't we? Cursed to be this monster for our entire immortal life. Jack sniffed and then growled looking at himself in a nearby mirror that hung on a wall, if crookedly.
"True it is, we are cursed... I'm cursed, but my family doesn't deserve this curse." He left the house; the bad luck followed as it was part of his birthday, bad things always happened on his birthday. Jamie fed and soothed Roxas before they went out in search of Jack, after cleaning up the house a bit as well. Jack sniffed, it was pouring rain and storming unnatural storms everywhere; Jamie made an umbrella of ice to protect him and Roxas from the water. Roxas just giggled as Jamie looked for Jack through the storm. Jack was crying, the sound coming from a rotting tree, a big tree; Jack was within its hollow, having scared any critters who'd came upon him. It was Roxas who pointed the way for Jamie so that he found Jack, in the end. Jack curled up inside his wings, bundled up like a baby.
"Please make this day over with..." Jamie set Roxas down and moved over to Jack, gently putting his arms around him. Jack gasped and jolted back, shaking; he looked like a child more than a demon... lost... scared... horrified... and guilty? Jamie just pulled Jack close to him.
"It's ok." He murmured gently and Roxas managed to wiggle inside as well to snuggle up to Jack.