DISLAIMER: I do not own.
Chapter 2
Falling For You
Jake walked down the hall in silence. 'what does he want to talk about?' Jake shivered inwardly 'maybe he thought more of our wrestling'. Tom opened his bedroom door and let his "little" brother through. Once they were both inside he shut the door and turn on a dim light. "I need... I need to..." Tom seemed to be struggling for words, breath even. 'Oh my god, its actually Tom! He's-He's not a yeerk.'
The younger boy wanted to cry. His emotions yelled for him to leap forward and hug his brother, but he couldn't. He hated himself for not being able to, but he couldn't risk it. The yeerk would know, and then Cassie, Rachel, Marcus and Tobias would all be in trouble. And being the leader he would not allow himself weakness. The boy cursed himself silently. "Jake ..." Tom moved closer, brushing a finger along his brothers jaw. "I-I..." he stopped again, breath mingling between them. "Yeah Tom? What is it?"
"I just want you to look out for yourself."
"But you'll always be here to protect me right? My big brother." Jake felt a knife go through his gut at the pained look in Tom's eyes. He knew those eyes were saying 'No, no Jake... I'm going to die a slave to this filthy thing in my head, I just had to talk to you one last time.' Tom took Jakes hands in his.
"No,"
"What?"
"I won't always be around Jake."
"Of course you will---"
"No! I-I---" Tom started to cough and twitch. "Jake please, take, take care of yourself!" he gasped. "I will Tom. I promise." Then the taller young man smiled. And then the smile was gone replaced by a fake grin. The yeerk was back. "Yes, well thanks for listening to me Jake. I have to go to the sharing tonight, so I have to get going." 'No! No your not welcome you fucking slug! I hate you! I will kill all your kind, I loathe you with every fiber of my being and if I die I will die fighting you, fighting to save the ones I love. Give my brother back!' He wanted to yell, to scream, but it was pointless.
"Yeah, no problem T-Tom. See ya." It was hard getting that three letter word out...Tom. Because it wasn't Tom, not even close. Jake walked out of the small bedroom and made his way slowly back to his own. Tobias was sitting on the edge of the bed, lips pursed in a tight line, hands clasped tightly, brow furrowed in worry. He looked up startled when his friend walked back in. "Jake!" the younger boy sounded like he was about to burst with relief and he flung himself forward, grabbing Jake around the neck and hugging him tightly. The taller boy hugged back numbly. Putting his arms loosely around Tobias's waist. This would have normally made his day... but his day had just been ruined. The boy started to cry and Tobias backed away "Jake?"
All he could think of doing was burying his head on his young hawk friend's shoulder and he did so. Tobias seemed a bit shocked but sat down with Jake and rubbed the older boy's back softly. Jake explained everything, in great detail, up to how many scars he could see on his brother's face, how much pain reflected in those eyes.
'Why! Why did it have to be Tom!' Jake was thrown into a war of feelings, part of him was happy that Tom was able to say something as his normal self. The other was screaming injustice. "God Tobias! Why? Why!" He sobbed uncontrollably. Not caring about anything else except the feelings in the pit of his stomach, the warmth of his friends body, Tobias's tears that were falling onto his shirt. Not caring, not wanting to care. Tobias just made comforting comments, holding Jake close. Not wanting to give this up, not wanting, but having to.
Jake looked at his watch "T-Tobias." He whispered. The younger boy nodded. The pain in his eyes increased. The dark green making him look more mature, and older than could have been possible. Jake knew the pain. He knew Tobias struggled with the iron will to be wild, to bite into raw flesh. But he also knew how strong that small looking boy was on the inside and Jake gave a weak smile hoping his friend would understand.. that he cared, for him.
Tobias let salty tears drip down his chin as he changed "It will be alright Jake."
It wasn't true, it would never be alright. Nothing would ever be alright and Jake knew it.
Jake walked down the hall in silence. 'what does he want to talk about?' Jake shivered inwardly 'maybe he thought more of our wrestling'. Tom opened his bedroom door and let his "little" brother through. Once they were both inside he shut the door and turn on a dim light. "I need... I need to..." Tom seemed to be struggling for words, breath even. 'Oh my god, its actually Tom! He's-He's not a yeerk.'
The younger boy wanted to cry. His emotions yelled for him to leap forward and hug his brother, but he couldn't. He hated himself for not being able to, but he couldn't risk it. The yeerk would know, and then Cassie, Rachel, Marcus and Tobias would all be in trouble. And being the leader he would not allow himself weakness. The boy cursed himself silently. "Jake ..." Tom moved closer, brushing a finger along his brothers jaw. "I-I..." he stopped again, breath mingling between them. "Yeah Tom? What is it?"
"I just want you to look out for yourself."
"But you'll always be here to protect me right? My big brother." Jake felt a knife go through his gut at the pained look in Tom's eyes. He knew those eyes were saying 'No, no Jake... I'm going to die a slave to this filthy thing in my head, I just had to talk to you one last time.' Tom took Jakes hands in his.
"No,"
"What?"
"I won't always be around Jake."
"Of course you will---"
"No! I-I---" Tom started to cough and twitch. "Jake please, take, take care of yourself!" he gasped. "I will Tom. I promise." Then the taller young man smiled. And then the smile was gone replaced by a fake grin. The yeerk was back. "Yes, well thanks for listening to me Jake. I have to go to the sharing tonight, so I have to get going." 'No! No your not welcome you fucking slug! I hate you! I will kill all your kind, I loathe you with every fiber of my being and if I die I will die fighting you, fighting to save the ones I love. Give my brother back!' He wanted to yell, to scream, but it was pointless.
"Yeah, no problem T-Tom. See ya." It was hard getting that three letter word out...Tom. Because it wasn't Tom, not even close. Jake walked out of the small bedroom and made his way slowly back to his own. Tobias was sitting on the edge of the bed, lips pursed in a tight line, hands clasped tightly, brow furrowed in worry. He looked up startled when his friend walked back in. "Jake!" the younger boy sounded like he was about to burst with relief and he flung himself forward, grabbing Jake around the neck and hugging him tightly. The taller boy hugged back numbly. Putting his arms loosely around Tobias's waist. This would have normally made his day... but his day had just been ruined. The boy started to cry and Tobias backed away "Jake?"
All he could think of doing was burying his head on his young hawk friend's shoulder and he did so. Tobias seemed a bit shocked but sat down with Jake and rubbed the older boy's back softly. Jake explained everything, in great detail, up to how many scars he could see on his brother's face, how much pain reflected in those eyes.
'Why! Why did it have to be Tom!' Jake was thrown into a war of feelings, part of him was happy that Tom was able to say something as his normal self. The other was screaming injustice. "God Tobias! Why? Why!" He sobbed uncontrollably. Not caring about anything else except the feelings in the pit of his stomach, the warmth of his friends body, Tobias's tears that were falling onto his shirt. Not caring, not wanting to care. Tobias just made comforting comments, holding Jake close. Not wanting to give this up, not wanting, but having to.
Jake looked at his watch "T-Tobias." He whispered. The younger boy nodded. The pain in his eyes increased. The dark green making him look more mature, and older than could have been possible. Jake knew the pain. He knew Tobias struggled with the iron will to be wild, to bite into raw flesh. But he also knew how strong that small looking boy was on the inside and Jake gave a weak smile hoping his friend would understand.. that he cared, for him.
Tobias let salty tears drip down his chin as he changed "It will be alright Jake."
It wasn't true, it would never be alright. Nothing would ever be alright and Jake knew it.