AN: This is super long and is like 80% fluff. It happen...sorry it took so long.
Peace and quiet for a while
Chapter 8
"I'm surprise." Chase says and Jack smiles while he snuggles on his bed. Those words sounded so real that Jack almost feels like the actual man had said them; then, his brain reminds the albino of his situation. The reality of all that has happened washes over him like icy water, his stomach flips with the weight of old tension and new pressure. Electricity travels through his body and Jack sits up completely awake.
"Whatdidyousaidjustnow?!" Jack asks, uncanny speed for someone who has just wake up. Chase eyes widen and a crooked smile spread across his face.
"Wow, I'm never complimenting you again. You were asleep. That can't be natural." Chase laughs a little and tries not to think too hard about what it means; how much Jack adorns him and how much Chase enjoys it.
"You are playingwithme" Jack whines and throws his blankets away, that's when he notices that he is on his own room … at 'home' Jack would guess. Jack can feel his heart sink but he tries to ignore it and move against his sore muscles -Chase has a very strict rule about morning breath which is 'it shouldn't exist.'
Jack carefully takes out needle from his arm, he quickly presses over the little wound and bangedes himsefl with the large band-aid just prepar by his robots. It didn't hurt at all which made Jack worry. The pink-quicky healing serum normally leaves an ugly purple bruise which hurts as bad as it look; however, it didn't hurt at all. The bruise is there, but the pain was missing.
Chase gives Jack time to clean himself, he waits sitting over the too soft mattress and wonders how would he asked Jack to never die...another selfish impossible request after another…
The shower water starts running and Jack sticks his head out of the bathroom to look at Chase.
"I really need a shower." Jack says instead of apologising for leaving his guest alone.
"A rare moment in which we both agree." Chase says and Jack grins while rolling his eyes. The door closes and Chase calls some of the doc-bots.
They say that their master is stable and recovering to an expected pace, but they prefered to have him on the lab for closer observation -where all their medical resources are. Also to be conscious that the pain medicine that has allow Jack to move is wearing out...
"If you would allow?" The medical chief robot asks and Chase can almost laugh at how much control he has over Jack that even the albino's own creations are aware. Or maybe it was something Jack himself installed to please the warlord, either way Jack is willing to give too much to Chase. The man simply has to ask…
Music starts playing from the bathroom and Chase knows that it will take far longer than a shower should take.
"Look after him." Chase orders a robot while he stands to leave. The creature nods and Chase walks down the stairs towards the kitchen.
There were four robots already on the kitchen preparing various meals, the smell was agreeable but still Chase question the menu; smash potatoes, beef stew, baked garlic chicken, grill ginger chicken, cheetos breaded fish?...
The man picks up the bowl of orange dust and throws it on the trash.
"Disgusting." Chase says to himself but the sentiment must had been shared if the round of clapping from the robot-chefs was an indication.
After Chase is content with the large variation of meals from simple and plain to large and overdone, Chase moves to find a place where Jack can relax.
It takes no time for the man to decided on the altered movie room. It was meant to look like an small cinema with the flat screen that took a whole wall, multiple red cushion sits, and a mini snack bar. But Jack felt that the rows and rows of chairs mock him, he would never had that many guests, so he took them off.
And he remodeled the whole room.
The wide room had two levels that were separated by a single step, the second level -under the step has a thick cushion like carpet and it was covered with multiple different pillows and soft toys.
The first level was wooden floored, and Chase favorite. It has the enlarged snack bar with the popcorn machine, three equally comfy small sofas and it offers the best distance from the screen. (also most of the speaker were place on the second level making less annoying to watch whatever from the first level).
Chase smiles to himself while he visualizes a dumb comedy playing while he and Jack lay over the pink sofa, a feast within hand's reach, and Jack's weight over his chest after the second or third movie. The immortal could use the calm and warm to sooth his troubled mind, and his dragon would much prefer to had Jack as close as humanly possible at the moment.
Chase swallows his more animalistic desires and continues to make his way to the movie room.
The room was on the opposite side than the lab, though annoying at first Chase was happy when he learnt that it had been by choice. Jack really like the room and he feared that having it so close to the lab might be too much of temptation and disrupt his work flow. Also, it would be easier for the room to be destroy in battle if it was closer to the lab…
So only Jack and his parents, and Chase of course, knew of the movie room….it was far more secret than most of Jack's secret labs.
Chase chuckles at the thought, and then he hears the familiar hum of machinery.
The warlord enters the room angrily, not completely sure why, but he felt like he didn't need a reason.
Tables were being set near the snack bar and by each sofa for convenience, piles of clean blankets place at the bottom of each sofa, and a doc-bot and a chef-bot in every corner.
It didn't take much inspection for Chase to see that they were ready and competent for once in their artificial life span.
Chase smiles when his brain reminds him that Jack likes to move his hands while watching something. And he has the right distraction -Jack's favorite 3-D puzzle and since it is at Chase's lair only he can provide it.
Until he sees a line of robots carrying multiple sets of puzzles and board games, including what he guess must be a replica of his 3-D puzzle.
Chase frowns but does nothing, since he really doesn't have a reason to destroy the robots and Jack can't afford the inconvenience of having to repair them, so he returns to Jack's room.
When Chase enters the room he feels a similar anger but unsure to why he stays quiet, quiet enough for Jack not to notice him. Jack is sitting on his bed while a robot dries his hair and combs it. The albino appears tired but grateful for the soft caresses.
Jack has lost weight making his usual lean frame look too thin, his arms and legs fall awkwardly to the sides like gravity couldn't ground him anymore, his torso curved almost too much like his ribs were too heavy for his spine to hold but there was a tension that lives deep within his bones and it wouldn't let Jack's body collapse. The young man's spine is a rubber band pulled far enough to snap, his ribs are paperweight, his heart needs to be kept under observation and he is falling asleep -like he hasn't slept for a week.
Jack's head lolls down and his eyes close, the robot delicately holds his chin while it brushes its master's hair; the white roots were growing.
Chase stares and wonders if he had ever seen Jack this weak, and even though the answer is 'yes,' he had never seen him so fragile. The warlord moves like an intruder, in silence until he is next to Jack and softly he places his hands over the young man's chest.
Jack stiffs at the sudden touch, his body tenses on surprise until he sees Chase then his body looses all instinct and relaxes automatically. Chase straightens the other's posture and looks at the sleepy eyes, a little more awake now that they had found the warlord. Those eyes look at him with an unqualifiable amount of adoration and Chase lets himself stare as long as Jack can stand it.
"What are you doing being a creep and hiding in corners?" Jack says and turns to signal his robot to bring him a sweater.
"I was checking how your minions had kept your mansion on your absent." Chase informs and he lets his hand move lower over Jack's stomach.
"And?!" Jack asks excited.
"Sufficient." Chase answers and lightly presses over Jack's stomach; there is no wound or pain or scar and Jack beams with happiness.
"I knew this day will come! I'm so proud." Jack big eyes shine like they always do when he is happy. "Shit -I'm tearing up!" He says and a robot hurries to offer its master a napkin.
"Aren't you always tearing up?" Chase asks and he removes his hand to allow Jack to put on his sweater.
"Ha-ha. So funny." Jack says with a smile while he rolls his eyes. The human stops when he feels Chase hand over his stomach again - not over but higher; if Jack have to guess he would say his liver.
The report of his clone's dead flashes through his mind. The liver was destroyed -the stomach ripped and …
A warm hand on his cheek brings Jack back to reality.
"Jack are you going to pass out again?" Chase asks lightly but with a hint of seriousness on his tone.
"I sure hope not." Jack answers, and wonders what else to say or how to approach such an odd predicament. "I have a whole season of america's next top model to watch." Jack talks without a stopping.
Chase nods, always on the mood to observe pretty people fighting over power positions.
"Then hurry. I would like to finish the season today and you are wasting precious time." Chase decides and observes Jack struggle to get off the bed. "We can't watch a whole season on one day Chase, we had to alternate. Only amateurs binge watch a whole show. After you feel like your life if over -"
Once Jack is standing Chase offers his arm as support.
"No. There is no point to binge watching if you don't finish the show in one sitting. The day must be planned, and one must be prepare for the end." The man wishes to carry Jack and save him the laborious walk after days -no, weeks of not using or not properly using his muscles, but the short walk should be the start of the human's physical therapy.
"I have done that and let me tell you that it ruined my life!" Jack says with so much passion that Chase almost asked him about the incident that involved a specially nasty 'fandom,' but Jack did request to 'not bring it up until I'm ready, please.'
"What most people don't know is that binge watching requires self discipline." Chase explains and to that Jack laughs.
"Every time you said it just gets funnier! Chase the whole point of binge watching is because people lack self discipline." Jack says and he laughs so much that he feels winded. Jack blinks at the odd idea when he understand that he is winded from walking. They had barely crossed the doorframe of his bedroom and he was breathless. "I should call a Jack-bot. I think that it might take me forever to get-" Jack says with a little of shame -to admit to Chase when he couldn't physically do something was always embarrassing, but having to be help to reach a distance that was a five minute walk.
"Is all about time." Chase interrupts with a soft voice that quiets everything around him. "One has to know when time is scarce or plentiful, at the moment the only thing I have plan to do is walk this hall. Would you keep me company?" Chase asks and he sees those rubies eyes swell with love and tears, little crocodile tears fall while Jack furiously nods.
"Well, I happen to have nothing to do." Jack says while he leans more of his weight on Chase.
"...years ago you have jump at the opportunity. Scream what an 'honor it is' and all that nonsense." Chase mocks the other and Jack chuckles.
"It is an honor!" Jack says his smile so wide Chase could hear it. "Thank you."
That felt wrong.
Chase didn't tense and his small smile didn't falter, but Jack could feel him straightening his already perfect posture.
"Jack." Chase calls sure of what he wants to say but unsure if he can.
"Chase?" Jack turns to look at the man better, but his joints had forgotten how to work he feels the action fail and his knees give up for a second. Jack hisses at the strong grip on his arm but he is still thankful that he didn't ended up the floor. He looks at Chase who holds him. "Thank you Chase."
"It was nothing." 'This is nothing' the man doesn't said, he helps Jack back up and tries to think of something else Jack might like to talk about.
The next minute is on silence, not tense or uncomfortable, only broken by little groans from Jack as walking was starting to feeling a lot like running up hill.
"We can take a break." Chase says once he sees little drops of sweat formed on the white skin.
"By the painting." Jack says and he glares at the large painting of a dancing woman only two feet in front of him. Chase nods and silently supports the albino until they reach the painting. Jack presses his back against the wall and slowly sinks on the floor. Chase holds his hands to ensure his won't slip. Once grounded Jack pants for air.
Chase considers offering Jack to carry him the rest of the way -only half way, since it seems the albino has reached his limit. But he doesn't because he is more surprise that Jack hasn't asked to be carry yet, and Chase doesn't want to damper the youth's energy.
"I just need." Jack stops and breathes in deeply. "A minute... or ten? Give or take." Jack makes a hand movement and Chase moves to sit next to him.
"Where was this determination when I tried training you?" Chase asks and doesn't even bother on discussing as a joke.
Jack does one of his ugly nose laughs.
"You never had snacks waiting for me! I can almost smell them." Jack says and he rubs his stomach. Chase looks at the hand and he can't help but to feel relief when there was no open wound underneath the thick sweater.
"Snacks? That would had done it?" Chase jokes and Jack smiles.
"Crumbles! Crumbles from you!" Jack says dramatically but Chase knows better.
Jack has grown up.
When Chase taught him Jack was too young, too immature, too foolish -but Chase knew Jack will grow up. Now Jack is twenty four; grown but still growing. Is he ready to be offered immortality?
"What do you smell?" Chase asks instead to continue the conversation he wants to have, but it is not time -Jack is too weak.
"Popcorn!" Jack says with a smile. "Oh! Have a tell you about a new dish invented by moi -that is me on french - is breaded fish, but wait for it, cheetos-" Jack is stop by Chase's hand.
"No, don't even say that aloud." Chase says and wrinkles his nose like he could almost smell said abomination.
"Come on! You have to live a little." Jack says pushing the hand down.
Chase feels the thin fingers twitch, and he sees Jack expression switch and he stares at his fingers with horror. The albino looks at his hands like he is counting each digits, classifying the damage and accessing all what he could lost in that one moment. He forces each of his digits to touch the thumb, clumsily his right hand performs the task but his left hand can only correctly move his index and middle finger.
Chase takes the left hand. Jack is surprise at the contact, neither of them are wearing gloves, and it felt far more intimate than he was prepare for but either of them pulls away. The warlord very delicately inspects the hand, adding pressure and soft caresses until the inspection seems more like a massage.
"Chase?" Jack murmurs. Chase instead of answering he performs the action Jack had tried earlier, he cautiously guides each finger of the left hand to touch the thump.
"You still need patience Jack." Chase says as he releases Jack's hand. The genius mouth hangs slightly open and his eyes shine with awe and love, he opens and closes his mouth trying to expresses his gratitude but words fail him. Chase is thankful for Jack's silence, he can't stand Jack being thankful for so little that Chase has offered him when the human is so willing of give so much. "And strategy; for example how are you planning to go down stairs?" Chase continues and Jack's expression quickly changes.
"Fuck! No, I forgot!" He groans and pouts. Then he looks at Chase with his crooked smile and his big eyes. "Oh, great prince of darkness could you please spare me the trip and just -I don't know, teletransport us there! Please!" Jack smiles.
Chase rolls his eyes and turns to pick up Jack, once Jack has been secured on his arms Chase stands up.
"Wow! Now this is an honor!" Jack giggles and Chase smiles at the light squeeze of Jack embrace. Jack beams as they walk down stairs and reach the movie room, the air was warm and almost flavored with the different meals placed throughout the room.
Chase walks towards the pink sofa without giving the other two even a change. Jack pouts as he prefers the purple sofa but he is quickly distracted as Chase throws him over the pink sofa's thick pillows.
Jack falls with a squeak and before he can fix his position Chase purposely sits on the sofa with enough strength to unbalanced Jack whose face hits the pillows for a second time.
"And I thought that you were planning to play nice for the day!" Jack says as he turns to look at Chase.
"Really? A whole day?" Chase asks while he sees Jack struggle to lift his weight -maybe he shouldn't had throw him…
"Did I set up the bar too high?" Jack asks with mock innocence before his arms give up and he faces the pillow a third time.
Chase laughs and pulls the albino into a sitting position.
"No, but you have to redefined 'nice' for me." Chase hums.
"Of course, silly me." Jack says and he opens his palm, a robot places the control on its master open hand. It takes longer than normal for Jack to placed all the need it commands for the large t.v to light up with the show Jack wants, but not terribly long.
The show starts and both man become silence.
The host speaks and Chase grings the plate of bite size lime-cilantro chicken on his lap, every few minutes Jack steals a piece.
Once the first episode is over Jack turns to asks Chase who is his favorite to win -a little game they do; they choose their 'champion' and see how far they get.
"I need more information…" Chase says taking the whole thing a little too seriously, Jack laughs but nods without saying anything else. He knows Chase doesn't like to be tease.
"I like the bitchy one." Jack says while picking up chicken strips from Chase's plate.
"They are all bitchy this season." Chase complains and follows Jack's eyes to try to see who is he refering too.
"Oh, the witchy bitchy one." Jack clarifies.
"Really?" Chase says. "That is a weakling!"
"So, maybe I ...resonate with his witchy bitchy weak-y pretty ass." Jack says and Chase shakes his head in disapproval.
"He is not meant to fight." Chase informs him and Jack laughs.
"None of them are!" Jack says but he doesn't push more than that, he knows that Chase still hoping an episode in which all models had to fight for the spot to the top.
Chase had chosen his favorite by the third episode.
"The angriest one." Chase says.
"I'm surprise…" Jack says, Chase frowns until he sees that Jack means it.
"She has fire, passion, and is the prettiest." Chase explains.
"She is also the youngest...and she seem to be getting distracted by a dumb boy." Jack insists.
"She will drop him when he becomes inconvenient."
"Aja." Jack says and Chase can almost hear all what the younger man means. He pulls Jack back and Jack falls over the other's chest.
"Maybe I feel like betting on a young talented fool." Chase says and he can feel Jack's heartbeat increase its rhythm.
The the fourth episode Jack shakes his head.
"I might had chosen wrong…" He whines.
"Tyra is too kind. These weak petty babies don't deserve her." Chase says while he looks an undeserving participants receive another change.
The fifth episode Chase was mad.
"She continues to get distract it! I'm so disappointed it." Chase complains.
"At least she is still on the competition! I can't wait until my guy is thrown out!" Jack says. Jack was still resting over Chase's chest, enjoying the inhuman warm skin on his back and hoping that Chase hasn't notice that it has been an hour since he has move from that position.
The seventh episode Jack has really started to fall asleep until Tyra gave a participant the lowest score she had ever given; a 5.
"You messed up!" Jack screams to the screen and Chase nods.
Then Tyra broke her own record by giving Chase's least favorite competitor a new lowest score: a 1. Because 'I can't give you a zero.'
"Cry low life!" Chase hisses happily.
"Chase please. She is a baby!" Jack says while chuckling.
Jack falls asleep before the last episode and Chase pauses the start of the next one, Jack's lightweight grounded the immortal on a weird way, it confirms that Jack was alive that he hasn't lost him. Not yet.
Chase knows better to even attend to sleep until an hour or two after Jack has fallen asleep. Machinery comes to life and move to store the uneaten food, clean the floor, take to wash the dirty pillows, prepare tomorrow's utilities, and secure the house. The constant hum of the robots' is present throughout the house. He wonders if he should take Jack to his bed or let him sleep on the sofa, it was large enough and as uncomfortably soft as his bed. Chase fixes Jack position until he is sure the young man won't wake up sore, and then he sits and waits.
Chase uses the time to meditate.
The old man feels like he has too many things to consider. But he has never been one to hesitate; he knows what he wants. He wants this. The soft light moments, and the quick sharp mind to grow into a lethal one.
The doc-bots come and untied the bangande Jack has made on his arm, and insert a new needle to direct a yellow serum.
Chase observes the yellow liquid dripping into the thin plastic tube and travel into the curve of the little pipe until it disappears into Jack's blood. It was worrisome and soothing at the same time somehow.
The day starts the warlord can feel the sun raising even though the room is design to not allow any sunlight in.
Chase continues to think circles over his predicament.
Jack wakes up around noon.
The house once again becomes alive and robots rush to aid their master. Jack looks at Chase lotus form and yawns.
"Did you sleep at all last night?" He asks while he tries to move. "Shit, why everything hurts?" Jack complains and decides to wait for help.
"This is not a place for sleeping, and don't speak until you have clean yourself." Chase answers and waits for the Jack-bots to take Jack away to the nearest bathroom.
Chase leaves to find a bathroom to clean himself.
He knows where everything is at Spicer's house, so it doesn't take him long.
Once done Chase searches for Jack who is on the med-area of his lab. The albino wears a white tank top and trousers.
"White looks awful on you." Chase says with almost pity.
Jack is laying on the floor looking annoy while a robot tries to convince the albino to hold a medium size medicine ball between his calfs.
"Thanks." Jack pouts, sarcasm not quite hidden as much as Jack usually tries. "Can you believe that I'm not allow even a day off?!" Jack says from the floor as he lets the ball fall once again.
"For once your minions make the right decision of starting your physical therapy right away, and you can only complain." Chase states and judgemental eyebrow raises.
"Well. It not that! Is just that -well, they...they didn't ask me. The recovery plan was done by their judgment...I don't think you understand how terrifying that is. And annoying." Jack tries to explains. Chase doesn't agrees aloud, but he can guess that it must be worrisome if artificial intelligence starts to out thinking you or thinks faster than you -even though Jack is hurt and obviously startle from the past events, he is not used to not being the first one to think of everything.
Chase can almost compare it to an odd impossible escenario where each of his warriors is able to defeat him in battle…
"Don't underestimate my capacities Spicer." Chase says and he sees Jack trembled.
"I don't! I just thought that - I mean. I -it was an expression!" Jack babbles while Chase kneels next to him.
"Why are they starting with your legs?" Chase asks Jack but he really expects an answer from the robot.
"Is meant to be a test to judge my current capacities, aka 'how fuck up is my body?'" Jack explains and the robot lowers its master legs.
"I see you are exercising your civil disobedience and doing absolutely nothing." Chase says and Jack doesn't even had enough manners to look ashamed.
"They are lowering my doses already! I won't move until I get a little more oxy-stuff." Jack pouts.
"Oh. So that was what has been keeping you moving."Chase says while he picks up the blue ball.
"More or less." Jack says instead of explaining the cocktail of meds his robots had been pumping into him. The young man tries to turn to better see Chase.
Chase stands and holds the blue ball over Jack's chest.
"Catch." Chase orders and Jack hurries to protect his chest by crossing his arms, but Chase never drops the ball.
"Why are you like this?!" Jack breaths a little faster and tries to use his feet to push himself away from the ball's range.
"You didn't even try to catch it." Chase says feeling relief that Jack's reflexes seem to be present. Jack uses his right arm to roll away from Chase.
"Is a plastic ball Spicer; stop running away from it." Chase orders but Jack once again ignores him. The young man struggles to sit up.
"First -no. I had scars that shape." Jack pouts while he pulls himself of the ground using a step.
"That sounds disgusting." Chase says.
"Second: everything on your hands is a weapon." Jack finds himself wrestling gravity.
"Appealing to my ego won't gain you any points." Chase warms and he walks until he is next Jack. Jack tries to stand on his own but before he knows it he is using Chase as support.
"That's like the best angle though. I can't count how many times it save my life." Jack jokes and a crooked ot smile forms. He lets his head fall on Chase's shoulder feeling adventureos, and hoping that he can blame it on his weak legs.
"What is next?" Chase asks and Jack's smile is replaced by a little 'o.'
"What do you mean?" Jack asks
"Arm exercises. Stretches, and minimum resistance wire." A doc-bot answers.
"You should sit." Chase tells Jack who looks at him with incredulous eyes.
"You had chosen their side!" Jack says hurt. "I thought you were being nice, but no! I'm so betray!" Jack says but he obeys and clumsily sits on the step.
"Don't be so dramatic. Yes, I trick you to doing minimal movement." Chase says and observes Jack.
Jack pouts silently asking Chase for a more lenient treatment. His arms hurt; each muscle more tired than the last. Jack couldn't lift his arm without feeling his armpit being pull out of place, and everything was heavy.
Chase lifts and eyebrow and Jack bounces his leg, blood rushing trying to help the young man to form an excuse.
"Jack. Do I have to lift your arms for you? Because I will, but I won't be as kind as I have been." Chase warms and Jack has to feel blessed to at least have been warm.
He whispers 'fine,' and lifts his right arm in front of him and brings the left one across his chest. Then folds his right arm pulling the left one further from his body.
"No fine." Jack immediately decides against the action and releases his arms.
Chase looks at Jack with pity.
"Really."
"Everything hurts." Jack pouts.
"Let's try a foam roll." Chase decides.
"No! My robots tried it earlier, it hurt like shit! Foam rolls more like...rock rolls." Jack tries to stop Chase from ordering the robots but it was too late. Chase is only good at listening when he wants to.
"Did they tried it as 'they perform the massage.' Or 'you cried really loud and they tried to calm you down.'" Chase asks but both of them know the answer to that.
"I'm serious Chase, I think my foam roller is broken." Jack says as Chase offers his hand, the younger man takes it and tries to pull himself up; it took a little more than three tries.
"We can always use warm stones. Would you like that better Spicer?" Chase mock asks; the only type of question Chase ever asks.
"I won't forget this." Jack says before Chase helps him to laid on the ground, his stomach over the blue matt.
Two robots came with the four foam rollers each. They explain that they want to finish the massage as fast as possible. Chase sends one robot away and orders to only use one foam roller.
Once the robot start it the massage Chase understands why they were on a rush to 'finish as fast as possible.' If Chase wasn't looking at Jack at the moment, then he would believe that Jack was being beaten with a bag of rocks.
A foam roll is as the name describes a large roll made of compressed foam. It's use is to massage sore muscles and help release tension.
"Why are you doing this!" Jack screams.
"Stop exaggerating!" Chase says a loudly.
"I'm not!" Jack pouts and for a moment Chase believes him. "I'm being kill right now and you are letting happen." Jack cries.
"Kill? Really?" Chase exclaims a little bewild at Jack's behavior.
Jack pouts in silent, his face twisted with pain until the roll move to his other leg. The whole torment restarts, but his left leg felt much -opposite of tight.
"Hey this isn't so bad." Jack whispers.
"I hope that means that you are going to stop screaming." Chase says with relief.
Jack still screams randomly throughout the rest of that hour, but by the end of the hour he is also letting out a satisfactory groan.
"You are making this weird." Chase jokes pleased with any type of advance.
The physical-therapy-bot turns Jack around. The young man doesn't seem to care until the foam roll starts massaging the previously neglect it side of his body. It wasn't as bad as it was at the start, but the sharp pain of pressure left on Jack's muscles was somewhat overpowered by the relief his muscles experience. Jack becomes accustomed to the muted pain and his body finally relaxes enough for him to close his eyes and rest.
Chase stares at Jack and hears the heart slow down.
The robots come as quietly as they can and continue the therapy; they lightly pull on each appendage and massage the joints. Once they are done a doc-bot brings a transparent serum and a new needle.
Jack is left sleeping on the matt, the temperature is high enough for the young man to sleep without a blanket.
"Coffee?" A robot asks.
Chase tilts his head. He normally would not accept any offers from the robots while Jack was asleep; he simply doesn't trust the machines. But Jack will be out for awhile, and Chase has stand more sleepless nights than he prefers.
"Cuban with something to eat on the side, preferably chocolate."
The robot leaves and Chase turns his attention once again towards Jack. He looks so peaceful and oddly quiet; it was disturbing. Chase wanted to see Jack full of ideas and so much energy that it couldn't be contained on his small body. Chase wants to see Jack when he becomes a destructive force of nature. But for now peace and quiet are enough; for now Jack being alive was everything.
That thought alone was enough to make Chase reconsider many things, he was aware that he needs to evaluate -reevaluate, many things on his relationship with Jack.
Chase knew what he wants and is not a question if he could have it, but if he should even attempt to reach his goal.
There is a rat on Chase's lair that can prevent Jack from dying of natural causes, and Chase can think of at least four more ways to grant immortality to Jack. But that didn't matter it at all if Jack wasn't meant for immortality.
There was a rat in Chase's lair.
Jack wakes up at the smell of coffee.
Chase looks at the chest of the albino raise and fall faster, he told himself not to think of the imposter, and he drinks a sip of his coffee.
Jack opens his eyes and turns slightly, too sore to do more than necessary.
"Give me some." Jack asks.
"No." Chase answers.
Jack doesn't ask again, his robots have prohibit him caffeine.
"I got nothing out of this." Jack pouts.
"You gain experience and knowledge." Chase says and bites into his chocolate cupcake. That pastry alone has more sugar than he usually allows himself to have on a day but he had a harsh week.
"Give me a cupcake; please." Jack asks again.
"No. If you are hungry you can have-" Chase looks at the platter of snacks the robots brought him. "Cold lime-cilantro chicken." Chase says.
"No; I had that yesterday." Jack pouts for maybe a million time by now.
"Then starve to death for all I care." Chase says behind his cupcake.
"I can't believe this! I win your stupid- your splendid. Your very splendid game and I get nothing!" Jack's pout becomes a frown.
Chase swallows his bite of cake and drinks a little sip of coffee before very calmly picking up a fight.
"You didn't win." Chase says and it Jack shifts his body towards him.
"I did." Jack says so confident to be true it actually made Chase put down his coffee.
"I seem to be perfectly alive." Chase stands up and walks towards Jack until his is hovering over Jack. He notices the red eyes looking at the last bits left of his cupcake. "Well and alive." Chase says and eats the rest of the cupcake while holding eye contact.
Jack's eyes widens and he actually pushes himself up, only to immediately fall back down.
"I have my knife on your throat, with all respect, but I pretty much did the deed." Jack says from the floor.
"I remember saying 'I need you to kill me.' Not see if you can get close to it." Chase says and Jack's mouth hangs open.
"Oh You little-" Jack bites his own tongue and instead he uses his new found energy to twist his body and laid on his stomach, then he pushes. Jack knew that he needs all the momentum he could get so he pushes once as hard as he could, curves one leg under him so he could used it as leverage point to stand up. Jack can't pull himself up but this doesn't slow him down.
"With all respect; I won this." Jack states sitting up.
"Mmm? I must have miss the moment you kill me." Chase wonders and offers a hand to Jack. The other stares at the finders before taking it.
"Maybe, you did have your eyes closed. Maybe the whole thing went … too fast for." Jack can't pull himself up so Chase puts his hand on Jack's back to help him.
"I wouldn't finish that implication if I were you." Chase warms.
"I don't have to." Jack hisses lightly.
"You did better than I expected, much better, but if you seriously believe that you better me. Then you should rest a little more, because you are not thinking clearly." Chase answers.
"Thinking is the best thing I can do right now." Jack says letting tension escape his body. "Chase. I'm serious; I played you. You didn't see me coming, and seriously you are lucky I didn't have more time to plan because you were going to be kick to outer space. What are you gonna do at space; die? Yeah. My knife was at your throat. And can I said this? I hesitated it; I could have ki-" Jack talks so fast, a doc-bot comes to change the serum and Jack stares at him. "We are busy!"
"That knife was a joke. And your whole plan fell through-" Chase laughs.
"I picked it up." Jack hurries "I made it work. My minions worked through it! I bested you! A little, for a few moments, for only a few minutes I bested you. I made you doubt. I made you worry." Jack stops, he needs to breath, his ribs seem too heavy for his body and his back is so straight that Chase feels like it could snap with all the tension inside the small body. Jack is becoming a destructive force greater than he ever expect it.
"I made reconsider everything." Jack smiles satisfied. Chase holds Jack's sides worry that the young man might become too workout and collapse any minute.
"You are so sure." Chase says unable to really deny anything that Jack has said. Jack was radiating so much confidence. Jack has never been more fragile than he is now; yet, Chase has never seen him stronger.
"Yes." Jack says as clear as his winded voice would let him.
Chase brings Jack closer and Jack literally squeals.
"I hug! This is the best reward-" Jack says content to be given the prize he really wanted it, until Chase uses the opportunity to whisper something in Jack's ear.
"I still win Jack. I'm alive; you clearly fail." Chase says and he can feel Jack biting his lower lip in pure frustration.
"In ten years I'm kicking you into outer space." Jack hisses and Chase laughs. He tightens his arms around Jack; ten years seem like such short time span. A blink of an eye really. "If I'm alive." Jack adds.
"You have to be doing that in purpose." Chase groans.
"Sorry." Jack confesses, and it was Chase's turn to be angry and frustrated. "I'm still surprised that you would miss me." Jack says, and Chase opts for not being angry at the moment.
"Is rude to play with people. But is dangerous to play with me Jack." Chase says and steps away from their embrace, which already had lasted long enough even though both man have prefer to stay close just a little longer.
"I know." Jack says still using Chase for support. "But I keep picking up your bad habits."
Jack turns to look at the needle in his arm and he repeats the process from the morning. This time he uses a bandage left on his pants' pocket, then he throws the needle on the ground. Chase looks at this in disbelief.
"Why are you like this?" Chase complains but Jack isn't even aware of what has he done wrong.
A robot picks up the needle and returns to whatever chore was it doing.
"Wanna finish the season?" Jack asks and Chase nods.
A robot hurries to bring a wheelchair, which seem to make Jack oddly uncomfortable.
"Go away. I can walk!" Jack says.
"I think they don't want you overdoing yourself. Smart." Chase says and silently orders Jack to sit on the wheelchair.
Jack loudly obeys.
Jack complains and sits on the chair. Chase notice the wheelchair sinks below the wheels. A quick inspection reveals that the wheels were floating in place.
"Explain." Chase orders and Jack twists it his body until he can see what Chase is looking at.
"Oh, the wheels are charged metal and they make a magnetic field, yada yadayada. It floats in place." Jack explains. He will have to explain in detail later, since they must leave to watch their show -they have wasted it most of the day as it it.
Chase jumps on the back of the chair without a warming sending the whole thing back. Jack screams as the chair rocks back and forth until it finds equilibrium once again.
"Why are you like this?" Jack parrots Chase's question but the man, like Jack did earlier, ignores the question and continues to enjoy floating without using his powers.
"Let's go Spicer. We don't have all day." Chase orders.
"You are impossible!" Jack says but he uses the controls of the wheelchair to move.
"How fast can this go?" Chase asks leaning forward and rocking the whole chair forth.
"Shit! -Normally, or with extra weight and pushing the motor to max?" Jack asks.
"Don't asks questions you know the answer too; is a waste of time." Chase answers on his own way.
Jack presses some bottoms and the machine makes a noise before picking up the pace and quickly turning on the next corner. Chase sees the stairs and looks at Jack, wonder what would the strategy be on this escenario. The redhead looks up knowing he would find Chase looking.
"We are going for it." Jack informs him and Chase nods pleased.
Jack pulls a lever and flicks a switch, and the wheelchair goes faster. The vehicle tilts back and it races up stair.
Chase enjoys the small trill, accompanied with the quick beat of Jack's heart. Then the chair rocks back too far and falls back. Jack screams and Chase simply jumps of the chair to a step never letting go of the chair. The machine starting buzzing trying to continue ahead.
"Spicer stop screaming and lower the speed." Chase orders and Jack nods.
"I need to work on that design." Jack mumbles while he pushes the lever back and turns a key. After that Chase gives the chair a light push and it floats the rest of the way up.
"Definitely. And you call yourself an mecanic." Chase says while walking up stairs.
"There were variables I didn't account it for." Jack answers while turning the chair to face Chase.
"You must be prepare for everything Jack. That's how you stay alive." Chase says and jumps on the chair once again. This time on the front blocking Jack's view.
"The view just got better." Jack whistles making the other roll his eyes.
"Drive." Chase orders and Jack obeys; he doesn't need to see he knows the way by memory. Though they do crash in the door frame.
"Are you still trying to kill me?" Chase asks and Jack glares a little.
"No. Are you trying to kill me?" Jacks and Chase tries to not overthink that.
"Never." He answers.
Jack gets the control and puts the last episode they watch.
Chase can't really concentrate after that.
The large screen plays their show but Jack is busy eating and Chase is bore of this season already. He has decided it that once it is over he will propose Jack to watch a rom-com; he would like something funny and sweet, and predictable. The warlord closes his eyes, when was the last time he slept? It doesn't matter. What really makes him feel tire is that watching a rom-com is the only decision he has being able to make.
Jack lolls his head and tries to tell himself that he doesn't need more sleep; he has slept so much already.
"Do you want my popcorn?" Jack asks only to talk to Chase, he does that sometimes. Jack moves to offers the bowl much closer than he needs to. Jack plans to stay there after Chase rejects the snack, and then 'accidently' fall asleep over the warrior. Jack has been using the same trick for almost three years. He isn't delusional enough to think that Chase is unaware of his dirty trick.
Chase waits until Jack is close enough to tell him that he doesn't like popcorn.
"I'll remember." Jack lies. The only lie Chase lets him get away with.
"Do you want to watch a rom-com?" Chase asks.
"As long as the guy is cute." Jack says and then yawns.
Chase picks the control and looks through the many options. He picks one he has already seen so he doesn't have to worry about keeping up.
Jack falls asleep five minutes in and he leans on Chase, curling against the man like a reflex to rob his warm.
Chase lets his hand reach for the red-pinkish strands, and he wonders how would Jack look without his dyed hair. He can't picture him.
Chase thinks of what Jack said, and how he said it.
'I made you doubt. I made worry. I made reconsider everything.'
The warlord was really trying to not think of Jack like an opponent. But he has to consider his enemies and allies possible strategies; that is how he stays alive.
Chase asked Jack to tried to kill him, to surprised him, and the fanboy deliver. Jack showed case his potential and how much more has him grown. He had also proved himself dangerous and highly skilled, both attributes that will only increase with time.
Chase has to consider all angles before making a decision.
If he offers Jack immortality then there could be two main possible outcomes: he might accept it or reject it.
If Jack rejects immortality, then he will eventually die and Chase will be forced to live through it twice.
If Jack accepts it, then there are far more possibilities.
Jack could swear his loyalty, and live alone side Chase.
Or he could lose his mind. Or his will to live. Or his motivation to create.
Or Jack could grow out of love with Chase and become his enemy.
Chase has see Jack's plan to kill him, though unlikely to work now. In ten more years, or fifty, Jack might have enough resources to actually kill the warlord. A small possibility but if Jack is immortal, then he would eventually reach a point in which he could dethrone Chase.
No. Chase wouldn't let Jack grow into an enemy he can't defeat. But then, would Chase have to control how powerful Jack becomes? Would Chase inhibit the growth of Jack Spicer, for what?
Because he doubts Jack. Chase can't really doubt him. He can't truly trust the man yet, too young to really know what he wants, but Jack isn't lying or being deceitful. Jack means everything he says; Chase would know otherwise.
Is he worry about Jack? Chase can feel the beast inside him breath in air and converted it into acid. Yes; he worries for Jack. And he worries how much Jack has somehow sneak his presence into his life.
Maybe is because it changes everything.
Jack's jaw begins to twitch slightly and Chase moves to massage the muscle. The younger man needs some potassium; banana pudding for once is the solution.
That is the problem.
The millennium old warlord didn't survive countless enemies' attacks and plots by being cautious, but by being rationally paranoic. He has to consider what would he do if Jack would ever become his enemy.
Chase Young sold his soul, killed whole armies, build himself a throne and an empire. That's his everything. He won't lose everything because he didn't see the possibility of a threat.
Chase feels the thin scar on Jack's jaw.
"You scare me Jack." Chase concludes and looks at the screen, the movie has stop playing awhile ago. He hits replay and tries to meditate on the subject.
Chase would be taking a chance, he would be making a bet against the odds and he has too much to lose to simply risk it all for a boy. Even his fanboy.
Chase felt pain deeply growing on the back of his head and like on cue Jack's heartbeat increases. Not dangerously, Jack shifts and groans as he opens his eyes.
"What day it is?" He asks to someone and tries to sit up.
"Is has been only 4 hours Jack." Chase answers and pulls Jack closer.
"Oh?" Jack says still sleep. "That's nice. I'm sleeping normal amounts." Jack says and yawns.
"4 hours is not normal Jack. And is not great, you need to fix your internal clock." Chase answers.
"Better than nothing! What day it is?" Jack asks again.
"Tuesday." Chase answers.
"Tuesday what?" JAck pushes and Chase lifts an eyebrow.
"Buy yourself a calendar Jack. Is Tuesday 17, 10 days since your plan to kill me failed." Chase answers. "Why do you ask?"
"I have dinner plans with my mom this friday. Fuck, mom is so gonna notice that I'm… I'll tell her I catch a cold if she asks." Jack decides.
"She might cancel. And why did you made plans barely a week later -If your plan had work, then you wouldn't had been able to meet her. This dinner plan was for me, a further method to guilt trip me for killing your imposter." Chase says a little pissed.
"Well.." Jack tries to think of something to said. He knows begging only works with things Chase doesn't really care about. The man pushes Jack off him and Jack struggles to not fall of the sofa.
"You are cruel." Chase crosses a leg over the other and Jack knows he needs to appease the man.
"I knew that you would get suspicious!" Jack slides to the floor and hugs Chase's legs. "You always exhaust every possibility. It was a matter of time before you consider I might have fake my own death! I needed it to make it seem like I have things plan. And you know I never pass up a chance to have dinner with mom or go shopping!" Jack please.
"Don't beg!" Chase hisses.
"I'm not begging. I'm presenting you with solid arguments to justify my strategy!" Jack says and hugs tighter the leg he has capture.
"Go clean yourself Jack." Chase orders and Jack obeys.
Chase stays sitting on the sofa a few more moments before he himself searching for a bathroom. He barely reach the location when a robot offered him a change of casual cloths. Chase took it and shower. He hope that water and cleanliness might relax him but he still felt his head heavy with rambled thoughts.
Chase stay a whole hour under the hot water before coming out. He smelled like vanilla tea and fake lavender, but that was a great improvement from his previously scent.
The millennium old warrior considered leaving, return to his home and meditate about his predicament without Jack. It was the correct thing to do but instead he walks towards Jack.
The young man was on the balcony getting his hair cut, he was pouting but his expression quickly changed when he saw Chase.
Chase was about to comment on the poor choice of fake coloring when he notice that the chemical smell from the new hair dye was missing.
"They won't let you dye your hair." Chase smiles feeling somewhat avenge for all the cruel twists of Jack's plan.
"They want to avoid my body absorbing any unaccounted chemical!" Jack exclaims. "That doesn't sound like good medicine."
"If I were a doctor I would have prescribed the same thing." Chase says and looks at the other creams and treatments to tried to repair the decade of mistreatment to the albino's hair.
"Why can't anyone understand me!" Jack whines.
"People understand you; they simply dislike your choices." Chase walks closer and pokes Jack's bottom lip. "Stop pouting. Is simply exhausting."
"Is gonna turn pink." Jack whines.
"Pink is a pretty color." Chase says and Jack stays quiet for a while.
Too quiet.
"Spicer." Chase tries and Jack snaps into reality.
"I keep zoning out." Jack whispers.
A robot offers Chase coffee and an omelet.
Chase refused the food, but ordered a caramel latte no foam with a melted marshmallow on top and ¼ of a teaspoon of cinnamon.
"I'll have the same." Jack asks, but his robots gave him warm milk with a little of cinnamon. 'Not even honey,' Jack complains as they walk and drink their coffees.
"They are being too protective! I have been stable for like what five day?" Jack turns to look at Chase.
"Physically, 6 day. Mentally and emotionally; never." Chase says and sips his coffee.
"Physically would do Chase. Thank you." Jack says and looks with envy Chase's coffee. "I miss coffee so much."
"You are doing well, maybe next week they will let you have a sip." Chase says and has his perfectly golden marshmallow.
"You are not nice!" Jack says, then he hurries to sit on the floor. Chase tosses his coffee at the side and sits with Jack, holding him to keep him from falling on the floor.
"Dizzy. Unbalance. Difficulty breathing." Chase tries.
"Those are not questions; you are just listing symptoms." Jack laughs. "My legs gave up for a moment." Jack explains.
"You scared me." Chase says.
"And you thought I would never grow to inspire fear." Jack laughs. "Thank you."
Chase doesn't answer to that he lifts Jack and tries not to think how much lighter Jack is from his previous weight.
"You are going to stay on bed today." Chase decides.
"Can I play videogames?" Jack asks.
"For 2 hours only."
"Can you play videogames?" Jack asks.
"No. I need to practice." Chase tells him.
Jack stays on bed that day, he receives his therapy on his room and is far more cooperative than he has been on pass days.
Chase practiced his stance until the next day.
Chase sat down on a lotus position to meditate and he didn't move until Jack came for him thursday morning.
The warrior heard Jack coming long before he made his way to the garden's entrance. Chase was glad to hear a steady pace with much heavier step than earlier… He decides not to question he bad tracking of time and instead concentrate on the aroma of food.
"Good morning." Jack starts and Chase opens his eyes. Jack had put on weight rapidly, his cheeks not longer sunk inside his mouth.
"Preppy today." Chase says and extends his hand to accept the tray of food Jack was yet to offer him.
"Coffee, mea, pancakes, eggs, and toast. You know the basics." Jack says and sits next to Chase. "My robots are also brewing you a bath." Jack smiles.
Chase looks at Jack's happy face. He instructed Jack to come interfere with his meditation if more than two days had passed.
"I appreciate it." Chase quickly thanks Jack, and then he changes the subject "you are doing much better."
"Yeah. I asked my doc-bots to put me on the accelerated course. I don't want to look death when I go out with mom." Jack explains.
"Cancel; you shouldn't go out yet." Chase recommends. He knows that he could order Jack and Jack would obey. But Jack would resent that.
"I can't. Is so hard to make plans with her. I booked this with 2 month in advance! I'm actually kinda happy that my plan fail so she doesn't get involve." Jack says.
"Such sweet son." Chase says with sarcasm.
"I didn't want to involve her, but I would. I love her but." Jack decides to stop there.
"You going to go with your hair like that; brave." Chase changes the subject once again.
"Is not that bad!" Jack says and tries to covered his orange-pink-ish hair.
"No. I rather like it." Chase says and drinks the coffee on one go, He decides to ignore the rest of the breakfast, not before throwing the toast away.
"Rude." Jack says while blushing. "But I trust your taste more than I trust common sense."
"Like you should." Chase answers standing up, blood rushes back to his legs and he uses the tree he was meditating under to steady himself. Jack still tries to wordlessly offer his own body as support.
Chase accepted it even though after 3 or 4 seconds he didn't need it, still he walks with his arm on Jack's forearm.
Chase kept track of Jack's breathing and by the time they reach the house, he was doing much better than last time but near the end Chase notice early signs of distress.
"You are sure you should go." Chase states.
"You know it." Jack laughs to that. "I'll be fine." Jack says but Chase doesn't believe him. He thinks Jack's mother a fool whose best accomplishment has been to birthed Jack and later introduced Jack to the world of high heels.
Chase doesn't comment his opinion on Jack's mother, because that is always a two hours 'debate' minimum. He pulls away from Jack and walks towards the bathroom. He knows Jack would chose his favorite.
The warm water and light aromas prove highly inefficient at calming the warlord, but at least he felt clean again at the end of the three hours bath.
Chase places a towel on his back to avoid his hair to wet his clothes and he returns to Jack.
The albino was predictably in the theater room, but he was surprisingly unhappy.
"Which cartoon character died?" Chase jokes and Jack pouts at him.
"Don't even joke like that!" Jack moves to make room for Chase. Chase looks at the purple sofa.
"Well, I know you don't know any real people." Chase says and crosses his arms. He won't sit on the purple sofa. He saw once Jack spilled a whole glass of milk on that sofa, and two weeks later he made a joke about being a 'cheese' sofa. Chase isn't naive enough to believe that Jack has never spill anything on the pink sofa, but he has never see it; ignorance is bliss in this situation.
"Chase I haven't done a thing. I have just slept or sat on my ass watching bad shows!" Jack says and he crosses his arms mirroring Chase. The pink sofa is too hard for Jack, he likes to sink on the cushion.
"How is that different from all the long periods of time in which do nothing but watch bad - are you calling American Top Model a bad show?" Chase stops.
"No. I'm not. I obviously meant all the other ones. But I'm having lunch with mom tomorrow and she is gonna be like 'so what had you done in the past months sweety?' and what and I gonna say 'I planned my clone's death and put myself on a coma.' She is gonna insists on me seeing psychologist again." Jack whines.
"You stop seeing Dr. Lang." Chase, he guessed that Jack took a break or postpone it for a while, not stop seeing her all together.
"She didn't want me to do the whole thing. It wasn't 'healthy.' So I fired her." Jack makes air quotation marks.
"A sane observation. You fired her for doing her job." Chase frowns.
"No. Well, yes. But she didn't care about my plan, she care why I was doing it. She thought that I was not getting nothing out of, so I shouldn't take such a risk for nothing." Jack explains.
"So, you did fired her for doing her job and doing it well. Or very least better than the others." Chase asks.
"She wanted me to get away from you." Jack pouts.
"A sane request." Chase says feeling oddly guilty. He knows that Jack wouldn't be safer without him; quite opposite really, Chase has marked Jack as his and most people don't like to mess with his territory. But he could end Jack so easily; he already witnessed just how easily.
Chase drops his arms to the side and moves to sit on the infamous purple sofa. Jack should have at least the smallest of victories.
Jack smiles as he sees Chase giving up. But Chase didn't stay sitting for a second.
"No. No, is like is trying eat me. Too soft. Jack, how isn't your spine curved to a perfect letter c?" Chase stands and looks towards the pink sofa.
"'Eat you?' But I'm exaggerates?!" Jack pouts.
"Come already and you can sit on my lap." Chase offers and Jack stands up even faster than Chase did the first time.
"Now that's is a good negotiates." Jack runs to the pink sofa and jumps on the not-as-soft cushions, and he pats the spot next to him.
"You could lie to her. Even if she notice I doubt she would care enough to investigate." Chase says and Jack tilts his head in confusion. "You really have the attention span of a guinea pig."
"Oh! I guess, but I suck at lying." Jack says and as soon as Chase sits down he climbs on his lap. "Hey, handsome!"
"Don't make me regret this." Chase warms him but Jack's grin grows wider, he looks like a loved-sick-teenegar. "Cancel; then you don't have to explain a thing."
"I want to see her; it has almost been a year." Jack insists.
"She told you to stay away from me?" Chase asks almost out of the blue.
"What? No, she wants me to marry you; she knows you are load it." Jack laughs and tries to hide his blush; he had kept his feeling in line so well for so long. (as in line as he can)
"No. I don't care what your mother thinks of me. I mean Dr. Lang." Chase specifies.
"Oh, yeah. But she wanted me to take a break from everything. I think even leave it until I quote 'learn to value your life' end quote. Can you believe it? What a bitch." Jack says nervously. He knows she wanted the best for him, and he can see she was right.
"Either way you are taking a break. You might as well go back with her." Chase says and Jack straightens his posture.
Jack has grown taller than Chase and the man didn't understand why was Jack always the small spoon when they cuddle. Chase brings Jack closer to his chest blocking completely his view of the T.V.
He doesn't feel like watching whatever cooking show it was playing anyways.
"I don't want to tell her. She is gonna make me think about it; I don't want to think about Chase." Jack says and he looks at the strong hands holding him, he feels tempt to hold them too but he isn't sure how much is he allow to do.
"You don't had to face everything at once, but you must." Chase says and he tries to lay his head on the curve of Jack's neck but he finds it too high. The man frowns on defeat and settles for laying on Jack's back. He can feel Jack shiver under his touch.
"I know." Jack tries to calm down his heart that is working overtime. "I just don't want to, and that is the worst because I like to have my shit together when I see mom. I want to tell her I'm doing 'okay.'"
"Are you doing 'okay?'" Chase asks and he makes sure that Jack can feel his breath on his skin.
"No. But I think I am getting there. Or you know, sure hope so." Jack giggles at the contact.
"That is good Jack. She should know that's great." even if she is an absolute fool. Chase doesn't finish that sentence.
"Thank you." Jack whispers and he closes his eyes, trying to concentrate on every touch.
They stay on that position for a long time. But when Jack fall asleep half of his body is laying on the sofa, and his head and chest are on the other's lap.
Chase never falls asleep, he caresses Jack's hair and thinks of the same problem he has been thinking about for almost 2 weeks.
He found his efforts to be fruitless one more time.
Jack wakes up at 5 am, he twists and turns and complains.
"My back!" Jack whines. "This sofa sucks."
"Sofas are not for sleeping Jack, stop blaming inanimate objects for your decisions." Chase says and pushes Jack back down in place.
Jack doesn't fight, he laughs and lets himself be pinned in place by the strong hand.
"Can I go brush my teeth My Lord?" Jack asks after tasting his own mouth. Chase frees him and watches him go.
"Warlord." He corrects and Jack grins at him.
"My Warlord." Jack laughs and continues to leave.
Chase didn't get anything accomplished, he only looked at Jack and repeated like a mantra all the ways Jack could be taken away from him. Plus one; Jack could move on. He could get tire of the bare minimum Chase gives him and move on.
Jack returned to Chase running, he jumps on the sofa and almost tackles the warlord.
"Energetic; you must be excited for your dinner date." Chase says and watches Jack looking at him like a puppy silently imploring permission for more.
"Ew. Don't call it 'dinner date.' Is with my mom. I can't wait, we are gonna go to this cool restaurant on japan. Is actually a hotel, but is under water. Chase you would love it. I'll send you pictures, there is a glass roof and you can see the fishes and whales and all that stuff I wonder how they -the staff- keeps the seaweed from-" Chase puts his hand on Jack's mouth.
"Why?" Chase asks even though he knows that question doesn't have an answer.
"Sorry. I'm excited." Jack says and he beams when he sees Chase pat his lap, Jack moves to sit on Chase. He has never been allowed to do cuddle 2 days on a row.
"Maybe I should die more often." Jack jokes.
"You and Wuya can joke like that. I want you to wait at least a week Jack." Chase says and Jack tilts his head.
"It has been 2 weeks Chase." Jack says worry, mistakes were extremely rare from Chase.
"Let's make it a year." Chase ignores Jack's concern eyes.
"Had you sleep at all? Like you were meditating and ...meditated it too hard?" Jack asks.
"Are you suggesting I sleep instead of meditate." Chase lifts an eyebrow.
"Just a little bit." Jack timidly smiles.
"Don't. I used that time to think. You should try it every so often." Chase answers and Jack smile widen.
"So you haven't slept at all?" Jack asks.
"I'm an immortal creature Jack, I don't need sleep." Chase states.
"Mmm." Jack says because he can't just call Chase on a blunt lie, but he can highly insinuate it. "Who really need sleep though?"
"You sleep like a whole week." Chase answers.
"I was in a coma! Totally different." Jack crosses his arms.
"You are being noisy, go back to sleep." Chase mock orders Jack.
"Yes My Warlord." Jack says and tries to fit his larger frame into a comfortable position. Chase was wider than Jack, but Jack had grown taller.
Almost everyone of the Xiaolin had.
"I can't even get comfortable. I gonna go to my lab and look at all the possible work I could be doing if my robots didn't believe they are my collective parents." Jack pouts and stands up. He doesn't say you should rest he says. "Do you want me to asked my robots to prepare you a room?"
"You don't have a room ready already." Chase says and Jack looks worry. "I can't sleep with the humm of all this machines. " Chase lies.
"Sorry." Jack says and lets the subject drop.
Jack leaves to his lab and orders his robots to wash some blankets with basil water and sun dry them, and then he got to work.
Chase was truely tired, but he didn't want to rest he wants results.
He felt the day move both slowly and fast, unsure of how time was moving. He felt the effects of sleep deprivation sneak on him. All creatures need sleep, some can live and function longer than others but eventually they must sleep.
Chase showered, he practice his stances on Jack's garden for three hours before his body became too sore, he showered a second time and then he search for Jack to accompanied for lunch.
He was pleased by the rich smell of meat. Jack prefers fish or chicken, so he rarely has meals rich in meat. While Chase enjoy even fresh raw meat...for different reasons.
Chase looks at Jack who is ready to go wearing his tight black pants with a white dress shirt that had embroidered black sequins on the collar and handcuffs. Jack's hair was style back, unruly as always but the shorter length seem to be easier to manage, and he was wearing shiny black little ankle boots, with the smallest heel Jack has wear so far. But Chase is going to guess that his doc-bots insisted on it, incase Jack becomes dizzy or loses balance it would be for the best if he has reliable footwear.
"And you still wearing your eyeliner." Chase says even though has become fond of it.
"Is my trademark!" Jack insists and opens the principal chair for Chase.
The man sits and he pulls back the chair next to his left with a quick spell, Jack sits and tells him his mother called.
"Plans changed. I have to fly to paris and we will shop a little go to one of those cheap cafes you see in movies and then go to dinner." Jack explains and serves himself enough food to accompanied Chase.
"That sounds like a lot of walking." Chase comments and Jack nods with worry.
"I feel fine, but I don't think I should push it. But we are only shopping a little." Jack tries.
"Jack you or your mother had never shop a little, and when you 2 are together the expenses increase exponentially. Last time you went to help her find a gala dress you came back with a yacht." Chase frowns, he can't order Jack to stay but would prefer if Jack say were he can see him and protect him. Chase almosts proposes to go with Jack. But Jack likes his time with his mother, and Chase hates that woman.
Jack smiles sheepishly.
"It was a good deal." He whispers as a good excuse.
"I highly doubt it was better than anything you can build." Chase says and Jack beams at the compliment. Even though those are the facts.
"I did end up using it as scrap metal." Jack remembers.
"You always go overboard." Chase says and cuts a piece of his filet; pink but not bloody just like he likes it. He could hear Jack sticking his tounge out in disgust. "Thanks for the feast, but I do find it strange."
"I kinda need it to get rid of all this meat." Jack says and then Chase drops his fork on the plate. He can smell that is fresh meat and he trusts his senses, but also Jack had prove he is great at making very realistic imitations.
"Is fresh! And good, I haven't tamper with it or anything. I just wanted gone. You think I would serve you anything than the best!" Jack hurries and Chase glares a minute before continue eating.
He was starving, even with all the snacks and meals offered to him he has only eaten a handful of times. So, Chase continues to eat until he has finish three whole platters, Jack observes on silence but the little smug smile on his face was loud and obnoxious.
Once Chase was done a robot came to retrieve the plates, and an other one offered him a cup of red wine infused with rosemary and black pepper. Jack was drinking grape juice infused with blueberry tea out of a straw.
"You look like such spoiled brat drinking from a crystal wine glass and a cheap straw." Chase laughs after the big dinner.
"Uh, I'm a man." Jack acts offended and moves to desert. Chase drinks a second cup of wine and rejects the cherry vanilla champagne cake. Jack eats both slides.
"I could have saved it for later." Chase says as Jack eats the pastries.
"You called reheated food 'lies.' I don't think you know the concept of save it for later." Jack pokes fun and Chase only looks at him.
He takes his vengeance on slowly drinking his wine fully aware that Jack would have to sit with nothing to do for five minutes. Jack could only stay in place when asleep, and that was still on relative terms.
Once Chase drank the last drop Jack sighs of relief and springs to his feet.
"Are you escorting me out right after dinner?" Chase says but he stands to follow Jack.
"No! I thought that we could go for a walk." Jack beams.
"You should rest instead, you have a lot of more walking to do later."
"I should be going but it would be a short walk." Jack promised and Chase nods.
They walk into the garden and towards the biggest tree on the territory. There was a large blanket over a sunny spot on the grass. Chase could smell the light basil -a cleaning herb and scent of the sun.
"Touching." Chase can barely said it with a straight face as he sits on the blanket.
"I'm trying here." Jack says a little embarrassed.
"No, I really appreciate it. This is what I was missing on my life Jack: a warm blanket." Chase now let's his laugh be heard. Jack truly thinks that he will sleep if he lays on the sun over a clean blanket like a lizard pet.
"Now you are just being a jerk!" Jack says and almost sits on the blanket.
"Oh! This is not just a clean blanket. Is a piece of fabric with no one's scents, so I can mark it as mine." Chase laughs, Jack has a wild imagination. "Come." He lightly orders and Jack obeys.
"I'm here trying to be nice to you, and you are a jerk." Jack whispers under his breath, but he knows very well that Chase can hear him.
"Lay under the sun with me." Chase order but now Jak laughs.
"And become a lobster: No Thank You." Jack laughs and then his watch started beeping. "I should go now."
Chase wanted to order Jack to stay, but he knows that Jack is not his pet.
"Go." Chase says keeping the bitter out of his tone.
"Try to rest." Jack says and his heli-pad (a only black model) starts.
Once Jack disappears from his radar Chase hears the hum of the robots die.
Then the buzz of the electricity running through house.
The water in the pipes stops.
The backup battery deactivates
The electricity on the houses surrounding stops.
And everything becomes silence except for the wind and the nearby birds.
With complete silence Chase concentrates his other senses. The refreshing aroma of the basil and the warm of the sun felt much soothing. And with a little curse Chase decided he should sleep, and now seem like a good time. He would lie to Jack when he is back.
Chase closed his eyes for what it felt for a second, then he heard the cry of a raven. Chase looks at his minion on the sky rushing towards him, the sun was gone and the air was cold.
A terrible feeling cemented on his stomach and Chase jumps up to reach his minion on the sky. He felt his mouth go dry and his breath quicken. And he could see them; those red eyes looking at him for the very last time.