Never
the Bride
Rating:
PG
Pairing: Omi x Jack
Summary:
Several years have passed since the quest for the Shen Gong Wu began.
Jack and Omi share an odd balance of 'friendship' and rivalry.
However, when Spicer reflects on their relationship, Omi must decide
just how far he is willing to go to make his 'friend' happy.
CHAPTER TWO
Another peaceful morning shone down on the Xiaolin Temple. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky. It was a perfect light blue sea that stretched far to cradle the distant, lush, green mountains. Kimiko lay on her stomach in the courtyard, her laptop resting on the cool stone ground before her. Occasionally, she would move her hands forward to type. Atop her head were a pair of headphones, and the loud pulse of music could be easily heard by any passerby.
"Kimiko." Omi moved up beside her and leaned over.
No response.
"Kimiko." Omi raised his voice a bit, starting to get annoyed.
The girl tapped a few keys and gently hummed to herself.
Omi reached over to lift one side of her headphones up as he yelled in her ear. "KIMIKO."
"AHHHH!" Kimiko jerked and screamed, quickly flipping over to her back and sitting up, panting with terror. "WHAT, OMI?" she huffed.
"You know much about weddings, yes?" Omi grinned.
"Why would you want to know about weddings?" Kimiko raised a brow.
"I would simply like to know more about something with such wonderful cake." Omi stared at her blankly.
The suspicion didn't shift from the young woman's face. "You've had wedding cake?"
"Kimiko. Can you help me or not?" Omi looked a little hurt at the mistrust in her eyes.
"Well, what would you like to know?" Kimiko sighed in defeat.
"Everything!" The young monk squeaked.
"Fine… Give me a few minutes…" The girl turned and tapped the keys of her laptop in swift movements. Omi waited impatiently, staring at the complicated screen with eager eyes. After the promised few moments passed, the girl stood up. "There."
"Oh, thank you, Kimiko!" Omi beamed and wrapped his arms around her in a quick hug before he plopped down in front of the computer to read. "I just push this to change it?" He had used her computer before, with help of course.
"Yes. Have fun…" Setting her headphones back on her head, Kimiko walked away.
"He is still on that laptop?" Raimundo raised a brow.
It was dinner time. All but Omi sat at the table in an open part of the temple, where they could not only enjoy the fresh air, but keep an eye on their shortest comrade. Omi's place was set, but his plate was bare. He hadn't bothered to eat, but the other boys gladly took care of his meal.
"He is really interested in the whole wedding thing." Kimiko leaned her head in her hand.
"Why?" Raimundo stuck a finger in his mouth to try to pry a small string of meat from his teeth.
Kimiko made a face at the boy's disgusting habit. "I think he said something about cake."
"Does he plan on crashing a wedding or something?" Rai paused to picture it before laughing. "Scoring with all the bride's maids and eating all the cake."
"Do we have the ring of nine dragons?" Omi suddenly popped up behind Rai, who jerked in surprise.
"We should, partner." Clay managed to mumble between a mouthful of food.
"Good!" Omi grinned and ran off.
"What was that all about?" Kimiko looked to the other boys, but they all shared the same clueless expression.
"I don't know… but knowing Omi; this can't be good." With serious eyes, Rai watched the monk disappear from view.
"Reckon someone should see what he is up to?" Clay wiped his mouth free of sauce.
"The little guy does manage to get himself into a lot of trouble." Kimiko shot Rai an annoyed glance.
"Which is why someone should keep an eye on him." Raimundo flicked away a bit of food he had salvaged from his teeth.
"You're seriously worried about him?" Kimiko rolled her eyes.
"Think of all the chicks he could score!"
Work. Always work to be done. Piles of broken robots lay scattered about Jack's lair, some still giving an occasional spasm of electricity and sparks. His goggles were over his eyes as he sat on a little metal stool, tinkering with the internal cables and workings of a robot's torso. The robot itself lay on a little bench, cables and wires spilled out of it like a mechanical murder scene. In the background, loud death metal screamed and pulsated throughout the lab; Jack's favorite band.
"Jack Spicer!" Omi moved up behind the taller boy, hugging him from behind.
"AHHHH!" Jack let out a high pitched scream and flailed violently. His tools and equipment scattered all over the floor.
"Jack!" Omi grinned as he held the squirming boy in a near death grip.
"WHAT? WHAT!" Jack's screams died down into a gasping struggle to breathe.
"I have been researching." Omi's voice suddenly became serious and he let go of Jack, who fell to the floor.
"Augh. Ow." Jack grunted and sat up. "Researching what, Omi?" He turned to frown at all the tiny little screws that had been knocked over.
"You, Jack Spicer," Omi pointed a finger to the other boy, the tip pressed against his white nose, "have a tocking biological watch."
Jack simply stared at the other for a moment, his eyes unblinking. "What?"
Omi pulled his finger away and tucked his hands inside his sleeves, grinning slyly. "Today I learned much about what women want."
"… I'm not a woman, Omi." Jack grunted, lifting his goggles up to rest them on top of his head.
"You are very close to one, Spicer." Omi bluntly commented.
"Am not!" Jack whined as he crawled back to sit on his stool.
"The internet is an amazing source of knowledge." Omi nodded sagely.
"Wait. You were on the internet?" Jack raised a brow.
"Yes! It taught me everything I wished to know!" The young monk quirked a brow. "Though there were strange images of men playing a form of leapfrog where they only jumped once…"
Jack bit his lip to hold in a snicker. "And what were you looking for?"
"Jack Spicer!" Omi moved down to his knees and pulled the ring of nine dragons out of his sleeve. Staring down at the ground, he took the other boy's hand. "Will you be my awfully wedded wife?"
Jack's eyes widened and he just stared, mouth slightly agape. "W-what…?"
Looking up to meet dark eyes with crimson, Omi stared back at him with serious eyes. "Will you marry me?"
"This can't be legal…" Jack finally managed to squeak.
"Is that a no?" Omi's expression began to tinge with the hurt of rejection.
"No. N-No." Jack nervously faltered a bit. "I mean. It isn't a no." He gave an uneasy laugh before biting his lip, which began to quiver. "I mean…" His eyes glazed over as he suddenly slid to the floor and wrapped his arms around Omi. "Oh god yes!"
Omi blinked at the confusing reaction and loosely wrapped his arms around him. "You really are a girl, aren't you?"
"Shut up." Jack sniffled as he pulled away from the embrace. "I just have something in my eye…" He then furiously rubbed them.
Omi simply stared at him blankly. "Now what? The church?"
"Omi." Jack leaned over and put his hands on the monk's shoulders. "What did I tell you last night?"
Omi squinted and stuck out his tongue as a finger rested on his chin. "You said… that you can brush yourself off?" He raised a brow at the other.
"… No. Omi. Not that." Jack's head lowered a little in disbelief. "About the whole… GAY thing."
"Hm?"
"Men. Can't. Marry. Men." With each word, Jack gave the boy a shake.
"Why not?" Omi tilted his head innocently before he smirked. "Besides, Jack Spicer, you are more like a girl than a man."
"Because…" Jack blinked as he ignored the 'girl' comment. "Because it is wrong."
"It is?" Omi frowned. "Why is it wrong?"
"Marriage is for a MAN and a WOMAN." Spicer was sure to stress the two genders.
"So we can't?" Omi disappointedly hung his head a bit.
"Well…" Jack looked around, as if they were being watched. "It could be our little secret…"
Omi was silent for a moment as he thought it over. "Will… there be cake?"
"Of course." Jack rolled his eyes.
"And will you wear a big puffy white dress?" Omi grinned at the other, amused by the thought.
"No!" Slight color rose to Jack's pale cheeks and he fidgeted nervously. "I would never wear a dress! I don't crossdress. AT ALL. Never! Not once! I've never even thought of it! No! Never! Don't give me that look!" he wailed.
"… You are being very defensive, Spicer." Omi kept his sly grin.
"I think it is your bedtime, cheddarhead." Jack poked the other's forehead.
"What? I have no bedtime! I am a seasoned Xiaolin Dragon!" It was a bit of a stretch… almost completely.
"Come on. You made a mess." Jack gestured to the nuts, bolts, tools and robot parts that had been spilled in the earlier struggle. "I've got to clean it up and go to bed myself."
"But." Omi squeaked.
"No buts!" Jack moved to stand, folding his arms sternly.
Omi rose and stuck out a pouty lip. "Are you mad at me?"
Jack stared at the other, unable to keep his stern demeanor when he was against THAT look. He sighed. "No… Just…" He moved forward and lowered a bit to give the other a quick kiss before he pulled away and coughed. "Just… This is… a lot to think about."
Omi smiled weakly before he took a step closer and hugged the other, smiling up at him. "I understand."
"You know… this won't change anything about me being an evil genius. And I'm not going to stop trying to get the Shen Gong Wu… and I'm probably gonna try to steal the ones you have. I still have world domination to think about. And, you know, evil." Jack snorted stubbornly. "But…" He looked away and bit his lip. "You… made me so…" He sniffled and wrapped his arms around the other in a tight hug before letting out a squeak "…happy."
Outside, the stars twinkled brightly over the Spicer family home. It was a beautifully cloudless night and the moon brightly shone down in all its pale glory. A cricket leapt from grass blade to grass blade, only pausing to give an occasional chirp and add to the sounds of the night. There was the soft sound of footsteps on pavement, then grass, but no one was to be seen. A slight wind picked up, rustling the trees at the edge of the large lawn surrounding the home.
The Shroud of Shadows suddenly fell to the ground to reveal a dark figure. "I can't believe it…" The figure mumbled softly.
