Whew I have been working really hard to get this chapter out since the last one left off with such a cliffhanger! So without further wait, here is the next chapter! Things are getting pretty crazy so hang onto your butts kiddos! :D
Seeing Ghosts
Axton shook his head, his mouth gaping open and then closing again, trying to form words or thoughts but none coming to him. He had to have imagined it. He was just hearing things. There was no way that he had actually called him...that. There was no way he could have known that. Only Jack knew that. Only Jack ever called him that.
The doppleganger stretched his arms up casually and shot Axton a devious, playful smile.
"You know I don't believe I stuttered..." The double cooed sweetly.
Axton stared at him with unbelieving, frightened eyes.
"I-I asked what did you just...call me..." Axton questioned again his voice shaking.
The double rolled his eyes and huffed out.
He gently hauled himself up off the bed and approached Axton's shaking form. He stood just slightly taller than Axton as he ran his fingers down the commando's chin.
A wicked smile curled across his thin lips as he pressed his forehead against the bigger male's.
"I believe I called you...pet..." The man paused for a moment.
"It's been a while huh babe?" He whispered his breath low and slight as it passed his lips.
Axton's eyes widened, he felt his body freeze, his heart was pounding out of his chest. Suddenly his head grew light and his vision became fuzzy.
His eyes rolled back in his head and he fainted.
Axton's eyes shifted beneath his lids as he came to. He groaned out and rolled onto his back. His palm immediately went to his throbbing head, rubbing along the back of his skull. He could feel a lump there that was painful to the touch and doused with the sticky sensation of liquid.
He brought his fingers around to his face, and found there was a little sparkling red clinging to them.
"Fuck..." He whispered out.
What the hell had happened?
He'd been having the weirdest fucking dream that was for sure.
He blinked a couple of times, his blurred vision finally coming into focus. His pupils grew as they soaked in his surroundings, a whole new wave of panic flooding over him. He sat up quickly, his throbbing head quickly objecting the sudden movement. He moaned out and pressed his hands against his head.
Jesus his head was pounding.
He looked around his heart thumping in his ribcage frantically.
This was not his bedroom.
The dark red interior and dim lighting confessed to that quickly.
He swallowed hard.
He hadn't...been dreaming after all...
"Took a nasty spill there kiddo." Came a voice from beside him.
Axton yelped, shot up out of the bed, tripping over the comforters and tumbled backward onto the floor again.
He scrambled to his feet just in time to catch the unamused gaze settled over him from the other side of the round bed.
Axton pressed his back against the wall, staring fearfully at the double...Jack...thing... a few feet from him.
"Oh fuck, oh fuck...I'm hallucinating...yup just hearing things...fuck." Axton stuttered rubbing his head frantically.
Jack rolled his eyes at him.
"Jeez kiddo didn't think you'd freak out this bad." He muttered sitting up slowly.
"Y-You can't possibly know about Jack calling me that, unless...you heard it from somewhere...you had to have heard it from somewhere. You better tell me where the fuck you heard that from right now doppleganger!" Axton bellowed his words fast and slurred.
Jack folded his arms across his chest.
"I didn't hear that from anybody, I know that because I called you Pet. I'm not a doppleganger Axton." The Jack whispered tilting his head observantly at the commando.
Axton made a pained little noise.
"No ,no ,no ,no ,no you can't be Jack. Jack's dead. He's been dead for a year." Axton whispered his voice clipped with tones of terror and confusion.
Jack chuckled slowly.
"Look kiddo, that's a long story." Jack said lowly moving his hands in a little circle.
"You CAN'T be Jack! Jack IS dead! I watched him die! I was there! I did everything to save him...but it wasn't enough! HE'S DEAD!" Axton yelled, his voice cracking as the tears pricked at his eyes.
Jack's face screwed up into a pained look of displeasure as the commando fell apart.
He sighed out slowly.
He reached up to the mask over his face, undid the small metal hinges and gently took the mask from his face.
Axton looked at him through blurry, wet eyes.
A retched blue scar stretched across the man's face, a deep, blue indention tearing across the skin like lightening.
He looked at Axton with sad eyes.
"Dopplegangers don't have scars like this." Jack whispered the mask hanging loosely in his left hand.
Axton's eyes darted over the other man standing before him.
The tears fell heavier now, dribbling over Axton's face uselessly as he dissolved to a sobbing mess.
"J-Jack...? B-But how?...why?" Axton sobbed miserably.
Jack placed the mask on the bed and closed the gap between them in a few short strides.
Jack's arms circled around the crying commando, and this time it was not the foreign grip of a double made to look like Jack. This time it was not Axton's desperate brain trying to make Jack out of something that was not him.
The arms were familiar, the touch something long lost but now returned. Axton crumpled to the ground, taking Jack with him clumsily as he legs gave out from under him.
Jack climbed halfway into the commando's lap, he ran his slim fingers through Axton's short hair, soothingly, pressing his mask-less face into the side of the commando's neck.
Axton sobbed hard, his chest rattling with the new emotion forced over him.
His fingers gripped Jack's bare skin tightly, nails dragging over the flesh that he still could not comprehend as real.
This wasn't one of the many dreams, or nightmares he experienced almost every night. This was something tangible, something he could touch, hear, smell. Something he could feel.
He couldn't think, couldn't breathe. Everything was a blur as his confused brain tried to keep up.
"Y-You left me!" Axton sobbed pitifully, even with all the emotional joy there was still anger there.
Anger in the sense that he had no idea what was really happening. If Jack was not dead, how could he have done this to Axton? How could he have faked such a thing and left Axton all alone for all those awful, horrid months. How could he have left Axton to fall to pieces. How could he have left him to drown in his own misery.
"H-How could you DO this to me!" Axton yelled his voice shaking and vicious, tears still streaming down his face, his grip not loosening from Jack's form even as the angry questions flowed from him.
Jack leaned back from Axton a little, concern spreading across his face as his blue and white eyes darted over his sobbing partner.
"Axton...it's not what you think. It's a really long story, I'd rather just explain it to you at home. This isn't the time or place." Jack whispered softly looking over Axton's tear stained face.
Axton didn't understand.
None of this made sense.
He sputtered weakly, his hands gripping Jack's shoulders roughly.
"You're alive..."Axton whispered his voice shaking, musing the words still in disbelief.
Jack nodded and offered Axton a gentle crooked smile.
"Of course I am kiddo. Did you really think I, The great Handsome Jack could actually be dead?" Jack teased softly gesturing to himself, then nosing against the side of Axton's jaw.
Axton hugged Jack tighter as if fearful if he loosened his grip Jack might disappear all together.
Jack frowned against Axton's skin, placing a gentle kiss to his stubbled cheek.
"Axton, hey, c'mon it's ok. I know I left for a long time...but I'm here now. I'm here...and I'm not going anywhere." Jack whispered rubbing Axton's back soothingly.
They sat there like that for a long while.
Finally the sobs seemed to subside from Axton's red stained eyes.
Axton wiped at his eyes with the heel of his hand, slightly embarrassed for his full on break down in front of Handsome Jack himself. He had never felt so weak, so emotional, and so confused all in one single breath.
He touched Jack's face slowly, timidly, as if fearful when he did so it would fade to nothing once more and he would wake from this dream.
Jack leaned into Axton's hand, allowing him to do so, not even flinching as Axton ran his fingers down the deep indention of his scar.
Jack breathed out at the touch, eyes closing for a moment.
Axton seemed enthralled by simply being able to touch the other man, being able to feel him.
"I'm not dreaming?" Axton questioned softly.
Jack shook his head.
Axton grabbed Jack roughly and pulled him in for a frantic, needing kiss.
Jack grunted against Axton's rough advancement, but pushed into the kiss just as needy.
Jack drew back from the display of passion breathlessly.
"Fuck I missed you kiddo." Jack breathed lowly.
Axton smiled slightly, the foreign gesture breaking his thin lips.
"I missed you too boss." Axton whispered pressing his forehead against Jack's.
Jack chuckled at the phrase as it slipped past Axton's lips.
"Boss? You addressing me, or yourself kiddo? I mean you being the new face of Hyperion and all." Jack snickered grinning, his lips centimeters from Axton's.
"I gotta admit you do look good on those posters slapped around town." Jack continued smiling.
Axton shook his head slowly.
"You'll always be my boss." Axton whispered faintly.
Jack seemed to stiffen at the words, shivering a bit.
"Fuck stop it kiddo, you're gunna get me all worked up again. We need to get outta here." Jack groaned.
Axton nodded slowly.
"Can you at least explain to me why the hell you're working at the Pleasure Palace?" Axton whispered frowning at Jack.
Jack rolled his eyes.
"Shit I'm not working here, it was the only way I could get into Opportunity. I really did quite the bang up job on security around here, so playing a double was the only way I could fathom to get in." Jack started.
"Faking my own death sorta voided all the clearance I had around this place. Sorta happens when you...uh die. Or whatever. Being here was safe. It's on the outskirts of town, I obviously blend in, and it offered the highest chances of running into...you." Jack whispered shrugging casually.
"I figured the allure of this place would rope you in eventually. Seems I timed it pretty perfectly seeing as I did only get here about two days ago." Jack breathed looking at Axton's utterly confused face.
"Like I said...it's a lot to explain. I just can't here. Not safe enough, and I'd be lying if I didn't say I sure as hell miss my own fucking bed." Jack whispered cracking a small smile.
Axton nodded and allowed Jack to lift up from his lap.
Axton watched Jack with disbelieving, entranced eyes as the other male began sliding his clothing back over his thing frame.
He followed behind Jack closely, not liking two much distance between them.
Jack straightened his collar and looked at Axton with understanding, fond eyes.
His demeanor was softer than the norm, as if knowing how fragile Axton might be. How broken the poor commando was.
Axton pulled on his ragged jeans slowly, hoisting the thin material to his hips and buttoning his fly, his eyes never leaving Jack.
Jack offered him a slim smile.
"Kiddo I'm not going anywhere." Jack reassured casually.
Axton nodded, his head still desperately trying to wrap around the events carried out.
The night hit the two men light a sharp kick to the gut. It was a cool night, cooler than the norm and clear, the millions of stars and planets winking down at them.
Axton walked beside Jack, hands stuffed in his hoodie, eyes darting between watching his feet and then watching Jack, or vise versa.
The trek was spent mostly in silence, millions of questions floating in Axton's head, but saving them all for the safety of their home.
What reason could Jack possibly have to do this to Axton? To break him into millions of pieces.
He just couldn't seem to understand.
After what felt like years they arrived at the door to the living quarters.
Axton shoved the key into the lock and yawned the door open, going in before Jack.
Jack breathed out lowly at the sight of the home, a place that was familiar. A place that had been long missed.
"Fuck it feels good to be home." Jack sighed looking back to Axton.
Axton let the door click closed and locked it, smiling at Jack simply.
Suddenly there was a soft little growl from the couch nearest to the door.
Jack froze in place as Axton clicked on the light and the room was illuminated in brightness.
The two massive skags were still splayed across the couches, both awake now, their heads tilted in curiosity at Axton's company.
Kitten quivered her jaws unsurely and leapt down off the couch her collar jingling softly as she moved.
Jack backed up a little, bumping into Axton as he did so.
"Axton...what...the fuck...are those..." Jack hissed over his shoulder.
Axton smiled and passed Jack casually.
"Hey girls, I'm home, and I got someone for you to meet." Axton chimed rounding the couch and allowing the two animals to lick on his face, chirping and gurgling as they did so.
"Jack, this is Kitten and Pumpkin." Axton said smiling at the other male who remained frozen in the doorway.
"Go say hello and make nice girls." Axton commanded patting the two creatures fondly.
Both animals galloped over to the unsure other man, rubbing against him and chiming at him in a friendly fashion.
Jack settled his hand on the larger one's head, his eyes flicking to Axton and then back to the skag.
"So...which one are you...?" Jack whispered turning her name tag over slowly.
"Kitten huh..." He mused cautiously rubbing underneath her jaw a little.
He felt a nudge to his other elbow and looked over to the slightly smaller skag demanding he give her attention too.
"And you must be Pumpkin..." Jack whispered a little smile breaking his lips gently.
"Well hello there girls." Jack cooed to the two animals leaning down slightly.
Axton crossed his arms and grinned as Jack made friends with the two monsters.
Jack looked to Axton grinning as Kitten licked his hair.
"Where the hell did you even get them? How did you train them...I mean hell I've never seen such a tame skag." Jack breathed ruffling the girl's spines and crossing the room to Axton the two skags clinging to his every step like glue.
"I found them about a year ago...right around the time when...well...you...were gone. They needed me as much as I needed them. They didn't have a mama, and I just needed something to fill the void." Axton whispered sadly.
Jack frowned at Axton and furrowed his eyes together.
"They are very good at dealing with...pesky workers that don't obey me." Axton added confidently.
Jack raised his eyebrows and grinned at the commando.
"Well they are gorgeous. Very pretty girls I must say." Jack swooned down at the chirping creatures.
"Careful girls, he's a flatterer." Axton chuckled throwing Jack a playful grin.
Jack rolled his eyes and returned Axton's smile.
Axton commanded the two girls stay in the living room and closed the bedroom door softly.
His eyes were swimming with questions as he looked on the face of his lover come back from the dead.
"Fuck I need a shower." Jack snarled his heavy fingers coming to the buttons of his dress shirt.
He allowed the meager clothing to hang open exposing his front casually.
Axton watched him with intent, wavering eyes.
Jack shrugged the shirt off his shoulders, allowing it to fall uselessly in a small heap on the floor.
His shoes were kicked off next, gracefully taking his foot from each one, then standing in his socks, shirtless and glorious.
Axton breathed in through his nose sharply.
There were about a million different questions that needed to be asked. Thousands of subjects that needed to be addressed. So many things that need to be covered, cleared up and discussed.
But in that moment, as Axton watched his lover undress, none of that mattered.
Jack had undressed like so many a times before, right in that very spot, right in this very room, but none had been so monumental.
There he stood, like a ghost. A past memory come to life from the back of Axton's brain. A dream now swimming with blood, with a heartbeat, with those mismatched eyes Axton knew all too well. In that moment Axton didn't care about the whys and the whats and the wheres. He didn't care about anything. He just wanted. Wanted Jack. Right there, right now. He was angry, he was confused, but he was needy, and that burning need seemed to outweigh everything else, for just a moment. Axton was crossing the room closing the space between them quickly. Jack's eyes barely swept up to meet Axton's before the commando was crushing his lips against the other man's.
Jack seemed to stiffen at the sudden turn of events, but just as quickly melted into the display of affection. His mouth slid along the commando's, his arms coming to the sides of Axton's jaw, cupping needy and wanting. His tongue was sinewy and lithe as it played against Axton's, quick and gentle and rough all in one. Axton groaned agains the kiss, his throat vibrating against Jack's palms pressed there. Jack nipped at Axton's bottom lip a little harder than he should of, causing a little hiss to pass the commando's teeth.
Axton's hands were at Jack's pants, parting the button skillfully and drawing the zipper down hurriedly. He grabbed the fabric by the belt loops and bunched it down around Jack's thighs.
Jack offered the commando a playful, interested glance.
"What happened to me explaining myself?" Jack questioned deviantly, his eyes playing over the commando's defined facial features.
"Right now I don't care. I just have to have you." Axton breathed pressing his lips against Jack's ear, letting his hot expel of breath run down the CEO's neck sensually.
Jack moaned out lowly at the tone of Axton's voice and curled his fist in the collar of the other man's hoodie, pulling him closer.
"Is that so Pet?" Jack cooed softly the words clipping off his tongue like breaking ice.
Axton made a pitifully needing sound at the name as it passed over his senses.
"Please again..." Axton begged pressing himself against Jack desperately.
"You like that huh? Oh my poor, pitiful, little cock slut of a pet." Jack repeated the name teasingly, the insult that trailed along with it only making it that much better on Axton's ears.
Axton moaned out loudly, the sound guttural and primal as it rumbled from his chest.
"F-Fuck..." Axton let the curse pass his lips like a piece of a whisper.
Gentle, needy and heady as it came.
Jack's hand skated along the material of Axton's pants, his fingers sliding down the inside of his thigh skillfully. Axton all but doubled over at the small touch, his cock swelling rapidly, pushing a thick, taught line against his leg.
Axton's choked on the spit in his throat as Jack grabbed at him through his jeans, fingers pawing at his thickness. Jack chuckled lowly as Axton crumpled against him, the simple touch turning Axton into a sloppy mess on spot.
Jack's chortle was clipped short as Axton hauled him into his arms, forcing the older man to wrap his legs around Axton's hips.
Axton pushed Jack into the unmade bed, knocking the breath right out of his lungs.
Axton framed Jack dauntingly, his elbows on either side of the former Hyperion CEO as he ravaged his neck.
Axton could taste salt and heat on the other man's throat, his skin warm and flushed by the commando's closeness.
Jack raised his hips and ground them firmly into Axton's, as if wanting him to feel his matching erection.
Axton breathed out raggedly against Jack's lips, breaking their frantic kissing momentarily.
Jack reached up slowly, running his fingers down Axton's thick neck, touching the set of round, perfect little scars there. The scars serving as the only evidence left behind of the collar that had once been there.
"So who took it off? You...or them? I'll be very disappointed if you say you took it off." Jack husked sucking the lobe of Axton's ear diligently.
"L-Lilith insisted it be taken off...a-afraid you might have a tracker...or weapon in it..." Axton struggled to string together words, all the blood he needed to form thought having headed south moments before.
Jack snorted.
"Typical. Regardless...I'm so proud of you for being such a good pet." Jack taunted through his perfect teeth.
Axton moaned out lowly, his body temperature burning him down, his heart thumping against his ribcage so hard it hurt.
Axton stalked down Jack's body, dragging his trousers down off his legs, returning to press the heat of his lips against the soft line pressed against Jack's black boxer briefs.
Jack leaned his head back, the tilt of his throat more inviting than Axton could comprehend. Axton dragged his teeth over the hard heat behind the material, successfully dragging up clipped moans from the President's lungs.
Jack's fingers twisted not so gently in Axton's hair as Axton pulled the hem of the boxers down, allowing Jack's length to come free.
Axton dragged his flattened tongue up Jack's rosy head, successfully collecting the tear of pre-cum at his prick.
Jack hissed through his clenched teeth and arched his back up off the mattress.
Axton's mouth was hot and familiar around Jack's erection, taking the formidable appendage so skillfully, so desperately. Jack moaned out louder, his voice thick and rich with deepening need.
Axton's eyes flicked up to the sharp of Jack's chin, where the mask connected to flesh, watching his adams apple dip as he swallowed hard. Jack's fingers scraped across Axton's scalp desperately, then suddenly Jack was pressing his palm into Axton's clavicle, forcing the younger man to stop.
Axton let Jack's erection come free from his mouth, the length flushed and wet.
"Master?" Axton questioned kissing Jack's head gently.
Jack damn near fell apart at the title, his blue and green eyes resting on the commando wontonly.
"I-If you keep going like that...I'm going to come at any second..." Jack admitted breathlessly.
Axton chuckled, nosing against Jack's cock, dragging a hiss from the CEO.
With that Axton was kissing him again, as if his mouth could not get enough of the other man. Axton's lips we husky with the taste of Jack's own cock. It only made Jack want the kid more.
His fingers gripped desperately around the heavy material of Axton's hoodie, making an annoyed noise in his throat at the commando's excess of clothing.
Axton seemed to get the message.
He pulled his hoodie and shirt up over his head, tossing them aside and letting the floor have them.
The tattered jeans were next, coming undone sloppily, until he returned to Jack adorned in only his yellow boxers sporting the Hyperion logo in black across the left thigh.
Jack made a pleased noise in his throat as he slipped his palm down into the depths of the boxers and wrapped his fingers around Axton's thick cock.
"Hyperion boxers. Such a company man now aren't you?" Jack teased lightly.
Axton just managed to moan against the side of Jack's throat as Jack's fingers twisted around his erection, pulling upward, stroking fluidly.
Forming words was by far out of the question at that point.
Axton grabbed the top drawer of the bedside table, a piece of furniture that had long since gone untouched. But now, now it came into instant use once more.
The lube was cold as Axton applied it to Jack's entrance, parting the president's legs in an utterly vulgar fashion.
Axton gently pushed his fingers against the tight ring of muscles, getting a low hiss from Jack in the process.
He curled his index and middle finger in the other male's body, pressing skillfully against his prostate.
Jack jerked up, yelling out involuntarily as the pressure forced through him, causing his cock to leak pre-cum down his underside helplessly.
Axton pushed his dripping cock to Jack's ass, sliding in just the tip. He had to do everything in his power to fight the urge to just bury his whole cock in his partner in one swift motion. Fuck Jack was tight.
With each slow inch he added Jack stretched out around him, the skin taught around Axton's girth. Jack's mouth hung open in a slacked oval, whispers of moans slipping through his parted lips.
Sometimes they were just sounds, sometimes they were curses, and other times they carried a hint of Axton's name upon them.
Axton leaned down over Jack's heaving body, his cock hilted in his tightness.
He kissed Jack feverishly. Like it was the last thing he would ever do. He kissed too hard, and too needy and he did not care.
Jack's arms hung lazily around the commando's built shoulders like a great big loop. He nosed against Axton as they broke for breath, his eyes half lidded and wonton.
Axton began rolling his hips into Jack's, slowly and steadily, gathering gasping breaths from the man beneath him.
Axton's eyes fluttered almost closed, moaning out lowly, roughly.
He had only just began and he could already feel the pressures of orgasm stirring in his gut.
He pushed his lips against Jack's heated throat desperately as Jack pushed himself down onto Axton's cock greedily.
"F-Fuck...J-Jack...I-I'm sorry...I-I'm not going to last very long." Axton breathed through gritted teeth as he buried himself in Jack, pulled halfway out then plundered back in.
Jack gasped out desperately.
"I-It's...ok I'm...I'm not either! FUCK I'm almost there!" Jack begged pitifully.
Axton smiled against Jack's pulse and wrapped a fist around Jack's erection, pumping in time with his thrusts as they became steadily more frantic and sloppy.
"HARDER!" Jack barked loudly, his deep, husky voice shaking Axton down to his very core.
Axton's hips snapped into Jack's desperately, beads of sweat pricking his forehead as his abdomen worked.
Jack was moaning out indecipherable phrases that all ran together, and then he was there.
He came into Axton's working fist, seed spilling over thick fingers up onto his chest and stomach.
His cock throbbed with each burst of ejaculation, his hot, thick finish dribbling over Axton's knuckles shamelessly.
Axton made a pained noise and dug his free fingers into Jack's hip bone as he came too, tumbling over into the throws of hard orgasm.
Jack hissed out a the feeling of Axton spilling inside of him, his cock twitching and throbbing in the tight space. It was a ridiculous feeling of utter fullness. A connection that had not been felt in an eternity.
Axton sagged on top of Jack his elbows shaking, his head hanging tiredly.
He gently pulled himself from Jack and rolled onto his back beside his partner, breathing raggedly.
Words were far off things as they lay there panting, simply basking in the afterglow of a good fuck.
After a long while Jack's mismatched eyes parted open just slightly.
"F-Fuck...I've needed that for so god damned long..." Jack huffed out weakly.
Axton just nodded in response.
"Me too...sorry I was quick on the trigger..." Axton breathed heavily.
Jack just laughed heartily.
"We both were..." Jack retorted still trying to catch his breath.
"Like a couple of damned teenagers for crissakes." Axton chuckled.
They laid there for a long time, the weight of Jack's head nestled into the crook of Axton's elbow, the silence overtaking the two men.
"You gunna let me have that shower now kiddo?" Jack questioned tiredly.
Axton nodded thoughtfully.
"Yeah...and we've got a lot to talk about." Axton whispered.
Jack nodded slowly.
The commando helped Jack to his feet and followed his counterpart into the bathroom slowly.
Jack unclipped his mask and set it gingerly on the counter.
Axton smiled at him softly, he had missed this...missed it so damned much.
Jack wasted no time in turning the shower knobs and seemed to melt at the feeling of the water.
He pulled Axton close and hung his arms over the commando's broad shoulders.
Axton looked over Jack's features as if searching for answers.
He sucked in a slow breath.
"So why...why did you do all this..." Axton finally asked.
Now that they were in the safety of their own home he felt the questions were welcomed. They needed to be confronted. He had to know why.
Why Jack had left him all alone for so fucking long.
All alone to come to pieces like a shattered plate.
Jack drew in a long breath.
"Because I had to." Jack responded looking over Axton's features with heavy eyes.
Axton shook his head, tears threatening the corners of his eyes once more.
"B-But I watched you die...I had to go through it all alone! I had to put all the pieces of Hyperion back together all while mourning over you. I had to become the President of Hyperion overnight, I had to bury you...I had to put you in the ground in front of all of Opportunity and I couldn't even cry because it would have made me look weak! You have no idea what I have been through Jack! That is not a good enough answer!" Axton exclaimed anger rising like bile in his throat.
Jack ran his fingers through Axton's wet hair.
"I know kiddo. I know. Just let me try and explain...I'm sorry I had to put you in that situation...but it was necessary." Jack sighed.
"If that wasn't you that died that night...if that wasn't you that I buried...who was it?" Axton breathed his voice shaking.
"A trained double. He went in fully understanding his roll was to perish." Jack answered the question pointedly.
Axton frowned deeper, his pine eyes wet and angry.
Jack sighed.
"I know I have put you through a lot...but..." Jack tried before Axton sharply cut him off.
"No, you have no idea! You have no idea at all. I burned Sanctuary because I thought you were dead, I shot one of the Vault Hunters. All the nights alone, all the days just going through the motions. Feeling so...hollow..." Axton sobbed, the tears coming once more.
Jack wiped the trails of tears away, his face sad and guilty.
"I'm sorry Axton." Jack breathed suddenly.
The words were strange and unknown on Jack's tongue. Axton could hardly believe the phrase was really spoken.
Handsome Jack did not apologize.
Yet here he was, wiping the commando's pathetic tears and whispering "I'm sorry" like it was the only phrase he knew.
The ground seemed to fade away at Jack's touch. The noise of the water around them sunk into the background at Jack's words.
Axton pressed himself to Jack's form, gripping him tightly, gritting is teeth with the sobs.
"Don't ever leave again...please...I'll never disobey you again. I promise Jack. If this was a test...or punishment for my actions...I promise I will never ever disobey again master. Please don't leave me, just please don't." Axton cried irrationally.
Jack scoffed against him.
"Stop. This isn't what this was about. So stop that right now." Jack snapped shaking Axton a little and looking sternly into his eyes.
"I am the one that needs to be apologizing and explaining right now. Not you." Jack scolded harshly.
Axton sniffled loudly and nodded feebly.
Jack searched over Axton's face, his good eye soaking in the other male diligently.
"I found something Axton." Jack began, his voice but a mere hushed whisper.
Axton stared at him confusion setting over his brow.
"Something that contains power...power unlike anything this planet has ever fucking seen." Jack breathed, the dangerous excitement rising in his eyes wildly.
Axton simply stayed quiet.
"Something...that will finally bring order to this planet. WE can bring order to this planet. For good." Jack hissed clenching his fingers over Axton's shoulders.
Axton watched cautiously as the power crazed look rose in Jack's face, swimming through his eyes like fire, burning behind his pupils.
"W-What are you talking about Jack?" Axton whispered slowly.
Jack shook his head.
"When I first heard about it...I didn't believe it of course. I had my scientists research it. When they confirmed that this...this existed...I had to have it. But it was halfway across the damned universe...and the lab that had it, the lab that had created this glorious, gorgeous miracle...they were selective about who they let have it. I pulled some strings, but not everything was to be so easy. If I wanted it, I had to acquire it myself. I couldn't just send one of my idiot workers to retrieve it. I had to go. The trip was about a year long, and I knew I couldn't just skip town for that long without it being noticed. Those damned Crimson Raiders would get wind and for sure try and put a stop to it. They would not let such a thing be brought back to Pandora. I had to find a way to keep it all hushed, to keep them all out of the know. Everybody had to be out of the know...even you. Especially you.
I only saw one way to do it.
I had to fake my own death. If I was dead, the Crimson Raiders wouldn't smell the danger...even as it burned right under their noses. I had to do it...and I knew those dirty bandits would never keep their word about a fair, unarmed trade agreement. I rested everything on them going back on their word and killing me...well my double...but you get what I'm saying. I had to gamble on it. Gamble on the hope that if they killed me...it would create a monster in you. You would seek revenge...and replace me for the duration of the year I would be gone. I must say...I could not be more proud of how you handled things." Jack hissed kissing along Axton's neck softly.
"You said you burned Sanctuary? All for me...oh kiddo...my little pet all fucking grown up! And killed a Vault Hunter?" Jack questioned running his fingers down Axton's shoulders.
"Mordecai was the one who took the shot. I took his life in exchange for yours." Axton mused flatly.
Jack purred against Axton's flesh.
"Oh fuck Axton I never would have thought you had it in you! Mmmm kiddo just hearing that gets me all hot and bothered again!" Jack cooed grinning wickedly.
He pressed his lips to Axton's playfully.
"Did he beg? Please tell me he begged." Jack swooned.
Axton cracked a small smile, it was sick the amusement that Jack seemed to be getting out of Axton's ruthlessness. It was even sicker the way it stirred Axton. It made Axton feel so proud of his actions, so proud of the blood spilled over his hands as Jack praised him. As his master...praised him.
"Oh he begged. He begged good and hard." Axton breathed against Jack.
Jack shivered pleasantly.
"Oh god kiddo tell me more." Jack husked.
"I told the stupid Crimson Raiders if Mordecai surrendered himself I wouldn't burn their little city. I knew he would, and he did. So I made him watch as I burned Sanctuary anyway. Then I dragged him out into the hills, all tied up, him pleading to me...telling me that I wasn't you. That I would never be you. Begging me not to. I put that shotgun barrel in his mouth...and pulled the trigger." Axton whispered in Jack's ear.
The sound of the crazed commando's voice left pleasant little tingles trailing down Jack's spine.
In that instant it was hard to tell the difference between them. Their mouths pressed together chuckling in light, sick little laughter.
"Unfortunately some of the Crimson Raiders escaped the blaze though. Brick and Lilith included." Axton sighed looking at Jack sternly.
Jack smiled wickedly.
"Oh they won't be a problem. Not with what I've got now. Not with the power I've found. We will wipe them all off this planet, them and the rest of the bandit scum." Jack breathed.
Axton raised an eyebrow.
"Are you ever going to tell me what is so great about this 'new power' you've found?" Axton mused against Jack's ear.
Jack just grinned.
"I've found a way to turn anybody I want...into the most powerful Siren this planet has ever seen." Jack breathed slowly.
Axton stared at the other man with wide confused eyes.
"What?" Axton whispered.
"I quickly found that even your little Vault Hunter Maya, is not strong enough to charge the key. Angel wasn't, and neither was Maya. They simply were not experienced enough...they weren't powerful enough. We need a stronger Siren to charge the vault key. A much stronger siren." Jack husked grinning wildly.
"The only siren on the planet strong enough to charge that key, is the same one that could ruin the entire awakening of the warrior. But what if we had another siren, one capable of charging the key...AND snuffing that fucking fire hawk off the face of this planet...? It would be the perfect combination of power to take charge of the warrior and take this planet for our own." Jack laughed maliciously.
Axton furrowed his eyebrows together.
Jack turned and pointed to a small lump underneath the skin of his shoulder, a small, straight scar hovering over it.
"You see this...it's right here. I opted to have it implanted for safety so I could just cut it out and use it when the time was right. A small capsule of the serum. A serum engineered to transform anyone who injects it into their blood stream...into a siren...a siren so powerful they will be capable of damn near anything. A miracle of science if I do say so myself." Jack whispered dazedly.
Axton swallowed hard.
"B-But Jack...that kind of power...how could we trust just anybody with it? Who would we even think about turning?" Axton whispered running his fingers over the lump in Jack's shoulder.
The corner's of Jack mouth curled up into a wicked, malicious sneer.
"I actually have just the man in mind..." Jack whispered touching Axton's face fondly.
Axton's face screwed up in confusion, when suddenly realization washed over him like a flood gate that had been ripped open.
"I guess this whole thing has been just a tad bit of a test. I had to know Ax...I had to know you would do...anything for me." Jack hissed pressing his lips to Axton's softly.
"You know I would..."Axton breathed his heart thrumming into his throat.
Jack chuckled against him.
"That's a good boy. My little soon to be pet...siren." Jack whispered wickedly.