Jack winced at that.
"O-okay, sorry." He clicked his tongue a little.
"I r-really need a vacation."
"Maybe we should take a weekend to ourselves. I'm sure Sandy won't mind watching him for a couple of days." Jack looked over at him.
"Oh Jamie, I don't know." He sighed, his wings flapping a little and he flexed his hands and claws.
"A-alright." He said with finality.
"If I hear that Roxas is sad or upset we're coming straight home!"
"Of course love. The point is to relax and I don't think either of us could if he's upset, though I believe there may be a bit of separation anxiety the first day. After all he hasn't honestly spent more than a couple days without either of us checking on him. Not even when I left him here at the pole." Jack nodded.
"Alright, I'll need to call Sandy. I hope he doesn't flip on me about my form again. I'll need to conceal myself once we get back though." He said even as he cast the spell; his form seemed to flicker before seeming to disappear and he looked once more like the pale human boy whose body he'd been given, only his emerald blue eyes stayed slited. Jack looked into a mirror.
"I can't change my eyes anymore. The spell's power over them wore off, looks like this part of my form will permanently show through now."
"I can live with that hun. Not an issue. Just go see Sandy while he's still awake." Jack sighed.
"Okay." He flapped his invisible wings and headed off to find the Sandman; while Jamie waited for Jack to return he got himself something to eat as it was about supper time. Jack sighed when he failed to find Sandy at the pole, so instead he connected to Sandy with a mental bond he'd formed years ago with the other.
"Sandy, you around? I think me and Jamie are gonna take a vacay and was wondering if you could watch Roxas for a bit."
Of course. About time you did. You could do with one. Came the reply; Jack winced at that.
"So, um... can you come over and watch him, so we can leave knowing he's in your hands safely?"
On my way now. See you shortly. Jack huffed in uncertainty of this as he went back to the room; on one hand he and Jamie would get some peace and quiet and alone time, but on the other he'd be worried about Roxas. It wasn't long before Sandy arrived at the pole and went in search of Jack to speak with him. When he does find them Jack is busy explaining to the young boy why he couldn't come with Jamie and him.
"I promise I'll be back sweetheart." Jack said, though seeing Jack using a false disguise made Sandy a little angry at Jack though he just sighed. He'd been trying for years to get Jack to tell the other Guardians the truth and to get him to trust that they would all accept what he truly was just as they had accepted him for who he was. Sandy sighed inwardly. Well... maybe Jack didn't think the little boy was ready for it, but children were resilient. Shouldn't he know that by now? Well... Jack still seemed new to this whole Guardian thing, even despite the years that he'd been one. So maybe humans wouldn't be as accepting of having a demon for a Guardian... but the Guardians aren't human dang it! Well... okay, North technically still was in terms of physical form, but he'd long since lost the mortality that came with being human. What would it take for Jack to trust the other Guardians like he trusted Sandy? And what about Jamie? Was he STILL in the dark after all this time? Sandy floated over to Jack and gently tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention, signs flickering above his head that obviously they needed to talk before Jack and Jamie left. Jack sighed as he looked at his son.
"So your uncle Sandy is going to take care of you 'til we get back." He turned to Sandy and groaned when he saw the signs.
"Really? What about?" Sandy nearly rolled his eyes, what about? Shouldn't Jack know by now? How many times were they going to have this same conversation? No, he wasn't nagging Jack, but the last twenty years or so he figured it was time the truth was out:
Not here.
He indicated the child, though smiled at the little boy. He'd fallen in love with Roxas the moment he'd set eyes on the child and he'd known that the child would be part demon. Not necessarily half... but enough to cause... issues... in terms of growing up and what he would likely face going through as he matured. Jack sighed and turned back to Roxas who was staring at him.
"Hold on Roxas, daddy will be right back to give you a hug and a kiss goodbye." Roxas stared pleadingly at Jack who was trying hard to ignore the look, pretty sure that at this point Jamie and Sandy both would knock him out if necessary to get him to go on this vacation. Jamie walked by the two to talk to Roxas and try and soothe the boy as best he can while Sandy talked to Jack. Once in another room, Jack folded his arms.
"Alright, what is it?" Jack was already annoyed that they would have this talk now of all times. Sandy frowned a little:
I think you should tell them, it's not right to keep them in the dark and I feel like I'm lying myself every time they ask me about you and I have to bite my tongue.
Jack grunted.
"Sandy, I've already told them too much." He glared, Sandy met the gaze steadily:
And they know too little.
Jack huffed.
"I'll tell them when I'm good and ready, damn it. You don't control me!" Nearby candles lit with an icy blue fire, adding to the glare he was giving the other Guardian. Sandy sighed in his quiet way:
Not saying I do, but the longer you put it off the worse it's going to be if they find out before you're 'ready.'
Jack huffed again.
"Do I make you tell your secrets? No, now drop it." He hissed, eyes glowing red now. Sandy crossed his arms:
I don't have secrets from my FRIENDS.
Jack waved him off.
"Whatever, I'm not saying anything more and that's final." Sandy huffed a little in annoyance, knowing the reason he knew the truth was due to both dreams and an incident years ago that had been pure luck because Jack could deny the nightmares, but not the accidental transformation as the result of one particularly nasty one that had drawn the Sandman to his rescue. That had been a very long time ago... Well, he'd kept his promise to keep Jack's secret but he was worried about what would happen now because he had figured out that the reason Jamie had left Roxas with them and Jack's distress those months had been because Jamie had found out the truth and it hadn't been because Jack had told him... Jack groaned again as the transformation spell made him exhausted.
"Fucking hate this." He grumbled as he headed into the other room.
"Well, take care Sandy." He said after giving Roxas the hug and kiss he'd promised him. Jamie tugged him away as Jack called out.
"Don't forget he likes his night light on and to read him a story! Don't feed him too many vegetables! PLAY GUARDIANS ADVENTURE WITH HIM EVERY DAY, HE LOVES IT!" Jack said the last bit as he clung to the doorway, Jamie trying to pull him out and away from the two. Sandy couldn't help but smile a little, nodding and waving as Jamie all but pried Jack off the door frame, out of the workshop and away from the pole.
"He'll be fine love." Jack winced.
"But I haven't told Sandy yet he loves peanut butter sandwiches."
"You don't need to tell him that, Sandy already knows love. Don't forget that he and the others helped take care of him; he knows everything he needs to know, probably more than the others I wager." Jamie reassured him as he gently pulled him from the pole. Jack sighed; he didn't really like to think about that time.
"I guess you're right." He smiled.
"Well, where are we going for vacation hmm?"
"Well I found a nice spot last time I was out that I thought would be nice." Jamie replied with a slight smile. Jack looked at him curiously.
"What do you mean?"
"You'll see." He lead Jack to a spot deep in the woods of Maine. The clearing revealed a tiny, abandoned cabin. The view from the cabin of the forest around it was breathtaking with everything about dusted in white. Squirrels and rabbits out and about with the occasional bird or fox flitting about. Jack gasped when they arrived.
"Jamie, it's... it's so beautiful!" He looked about in awe, suddenly laughing and whooping as he made it snow and flew about the area. Jamie smiled, the look on Jack's face was worth it and he would thank North later for telling him about the cabin. Jack floated down on his back a moment before nipping Jamie's nose.
"I love you." Jamie laughed a little.
"Love you too Snowflake. Want to see the cabin now?"
"Of course!" He grinned. Jamie smiled a little and led Jack inside. It looked like something from pioneer days. A warm fire against one wall with a pot of soup slowly cooking. A wooden table with chairs that had only downy stuffed cushions on the seats for comfort. The cabin itself had been, built obviously a long time ago; it was a standing relic of it's time. Jack 'ooohed' and 'awwed' at the interior, giggling every now and then when they'd pass a fish trophy on the wall. Jamie watched Jack explore; he could only think one thing: definitely worth it. Jack giggled as he pointed at one display, he'd found a captain's hat; he put it on and flew about the cabin.
"Aye aye argh!" He then put it back and plopped himself onto the sofa before the fire. Jamie chuckled.
"Come on 'captain' there's more 'treasure' in the bedroom." He led Jack through a doorway blocked by a fur drape for privacy. Beyond was a large bed, the mattress and pillows stuffed with downy and straw. A wardrobe sat on one wall and an old truck was at the foot of the bed that had an old quilt as covering.
"Woah nice." Jack looked closely at the quilt.
"Hey look at this, it's made out of rabbit skin and cow leather." Jamie nodded.
"I saw when I came to set up supper. " He replied with a smile. Jack chuckled, then sighed.
"Um Jamie... what do people do on vacation?" Right then and there he was the most innocent and cutest thing yet in Jamie's eyes.
"Whatever they enjoy that relaxes them. When I had one once, a year before... well mom pulled us from school for a week. About a few weeks before you came back... and she took us to an aunt's house down south and I had a blast in the sun on the beach then and me and Sophie just had fun the whole time... I think I mentioned the trip once or twice that year." Jack scratched his head.
"So um... what do we do for fun?" It was like an angel had dropped Jack right there as he was curious, confused, and cutely at a loss.
"Anything you want love. This vacation is about you but for starters maybe we should relax you a bit. Bunny gave me a suggestion that's ideal. Just lay on your stomach and I'll do the rest." Jack nodded and lay on his stomach, not sure what Jamie was gonna try and was as well trying to think of things for the fun vacation. Jamie straddled Jack so that he'd settled on his bottom before he began gently, but firmly massaging Jack's neck and shoulders.
"Just relax, but let me know if I hit any sore spots too. It's not supposed to be unbearably hurtful though it might be uncomfortable before the muscles relax." Jack nodded, bored, before he felt the first knot of muscles protest against the firm, but gentle tough.
"MM hmm MMM!" He grunted out and wanted to move away as it really hurt, but felt good a few seconds later. Jamie worked on the muscles until he felt them relax then he moved to the back muscles. Jack winced.
"Ahaha..." His mouth open in gasps, muscles relaxing and the pain quickly went away.
"Shoulda done this ages ago..." Jamie murmurs as he soothes out the kinks he finds as he works his way down Jack's lower back. Jack groaned.
"Gosh Jamie." Slowly his muscles began relaxing. I think I love Jamie, so much.
"You're more tense than I thought." Jamie murmured as he continued the massage down his lower back and shifted so he could work on the legs next. Jack yelped as Jamie shifted lower; that's where all his bundled nerves of pain and stress went. He whimpered and flipped over pushing his hands away.
"Ok, ok enough massaging." Pained tears in his eyes from the touch on his back and legs. Jamie tumbled back from the sudden flip.
"Okay. Let me try something then will you? I promise it won't hurt." Jack winced.
"N-No thanks. I think I'm good; how about I massage you now?" Jamie chuckled a little.
"Alright but this is supposed to be relaxing ok?" Jack started with the top of Jamie's back; rubbing in circles firmly, but gently and rubbing his sides along with the back of his neck. Jamie sighed a little, relaxing. Slowly he lowered to his lower back; Jack used the heels of his palms against his lower back, rubbing and stretching, pulling away the stressful knots. Jamie uttered a sound of contentment as his muscles relaxed. Jack smiled and spread a little frost up his shoulder blades, the coolness seeped into the hot muscles. Jamie melted like butter on a hot knife. Jack smiled and rubbed in a little ice into his arms and legs.
"How's that feel sweetheart?"
"Like heaven... you're good at this." Jamie replied with a sigh. Jack blushed at that and pressed a little firmer into his shoulder blades, making a circular motion then a figure eight. Jamie just uttered a sound of contentment that sounded close to a purr. Jack grounded an elbow into his arms and neck; gentle and firm all the same.
"You could do this as a profession love." Jamie murmured. Jack blushed harder, the mirror above showed his expression.
"N-No, definitely not."
"Well, maybe you don't have the nerve for it... but you have the skill." Jack smiled.
"Yeah, not as much as you do though love." He worked on his leg muscles.
"I donno about that." Jamie winced a little, but the pain eased after a few minutes as the muscles relaxed. Jack rubbed gentler, smiling as he lay next to Jamie; he kissed him on the nose.
"Well it's best to cuddle."
"No arguments here." Jamie replied with a smile. Jack hugged Jamie close, snuggling and cuddling him. Jamie snuggled close contently. He really would have to find a way to thank the other Guardians for their help with this. Jack sighed.
"I wonder how Roxas is doing with Sandy."
The boy was there no less than eight seconds and he was gone the next. Sandy has his hands full, but fortunately the yetis give him a hand. Phil had the boy by the back of his shirt, Roxas pouted cutely as the yeti handed him over to Sandy who thanked him and then asked the boy why he'd run off as he carried him back to the playroom set up for him.
"ME want daddies." He said, still pouting cutely. Sandy smiled a little:
They'll be back soon Roxas, they simply need some time to relax.
Roxas sighed.
"Why does daddy wear fake skin? Why don't he be his true self?" Sandy considered this a moment as he's a little surprised the boy has noticed. How to explain this: Well, your dad is afraid. He knows not everyone is as accepting of things they do not understand like Jamie is. You, Jamie and I know of it, but the other Guardians do not. Your dad is afraid they will not accept him if they knew.
"That's bwul cwap." He folded his arms.
"They will accept dada, I just knows it." He was angry at the thought the Guardians would not. Sandy nodded in agreement: I know, I've been trying to convince him of that but he's stubborn. He can't get past his appearance. He assumes the others will judge him by his appearance... honestly, if any of the Guardians would have at first... it would have been Bunny but North and Tooth are past that. I don't know, maybe you can convince him when he gets back huh? I know the others won't mind any more than you or I do.
Roxas nodded.
"Will woo hwelp mwe get daddy to stay when we twalk?" Sandy smiled at the little boy: Of course.
He clapped.
Jack sighed.
"Crap." Already the skin was falling apart.
"Well, I knew this wouldn't last long."
"Don't worry about it love. You're here to relax remember?" Jack sighed.
"I'll be a moment Jamie."
"No rush." Jack sighed, the rest of the skin had flaked off again; he was back to his true form.
"I wish I wasn't this monster."
"Dear, monster is a relative term. You aren't one to me." Jack growled, frustrated.
"How am I not a monster? Look at me! Do you think children will not be scared by me this way or... or... what about Roxas? How do you think he's gonna feel? Finding out he's part demon as well."
"Jack, haven't you ever heard of the story of Beauty and the Beast? It's not one's appearance that makes someone a monster." Jamie gets up from the bed and goes over to Jack.
"You're not a monster to me. Different, yes, but not a monster." Jack sighed.
"Yeah, at least he in the end gets to turn back human." He glared at his hands mostly, but they softened when looking at Jamie.
"He was human to begin with, but only in form Jack. He was a "beast" before the witch transformed him, remember? It took "beauty" for him to become someone worth loving. You didn't need that though, you already had that inside you. You've always been beautiful to me." Jack started to smile, and tried to stop smiling, but it was hard when Jamie was smiling at him and at his blushing. Jamie tugged Jack to the bed and snuggled up to him.
"I didn't fall in love with you for your looks remember." Jamie gently kissed his nose playfully before he shifted to kiss Jack lovingly.
"Mmm... gosh Jamie, you haven't kissed me like that since... hmmm, two hours ago."
"True... and it's been a little too long since I've been able to kiss you like this." He murmured before kissing Jack deeply.
00000000
Jack smiled and lay next to him as Jamie nuzzled against him as he worked to catch his breath.
"R-Roxas would be scarred if he ever caught us that way." Jamie laughed a little.
"T-this is what vac-cations are for..." He managed after a moment, though he's still a little winded.
"I s-swear though... th-that was... gods... I don't have a word for it!"
"Heavenly?" He snickered at the term as for sure there was a hell and of course Jack was one spawn of one of hell, but also a bit of angel in other ways.
"Now hold still." He bit deeply into Jamie, leaving his mark that Jamie was his no matter what; he could never mate with anyone else ever, if they even dare tried it with Jamie he would know and would rip them apart and eat the entrails.
"Not hard to do." Jamie replied drowsily, before yawning a bit; he knew about the bite, but he'd no real idea of the significance behind it. Jack snickered, the dark laughter and the natural instinct gone; he cast the same spell to cover him in that fake body he hid behind. Jamie wasn't sure why Jack wanted him to stay still, but it didn't really matter much; he trusted Jack... and not long after he dismissed the question of why in his mind did he drift off to sleep. It was morning and Jack was baking breakfast; Jamie yawned, waking up slowly and stretching.
Meanwhile, Roxas would not eat a single thing given to him unless Jack or Jamie was there. Sandy, meanwhile, resorts to the only thing he could think of... putting the little one to sleep and feeding him that way... He had a feeling he got that from Jack... considering Jack has shown to be just as stubborn. Roxas growled in his sleep; he clutched onto the little toy Batman Jack had got him not too long ago; mostly he wanted a Robin plushie. Jack was working on getting him one but North couldn't seem to make him for odd reasons... it was the colors. Sandy managed to get him to eat in his sleep by influencing the dream the boy had. Roxas giggled in his sleep.
Jack was searching online for that one birthday present for Roxas when he saw it.
"YES!" He shouted and clicked to start the bidding war.
"You shall be mine Robin plushie." Jamie wandered over with a yawn to see what Jack was up to. Jack growled.
"Mine, mine... yes!" A message popped up.
"Wait... six to eight months to receive your item!?" He screeched.
"Noooooooooo!" Jamie looks over Jack's shoulder with a bit of a chuckle when he saw the address.
"I know where that is. I can go get it." Jack knelt before him.
"You're a god." Jamie chuckled a little.
"I wouldn't go THAT far... I just happen to know a kid who lives near there. One of my first believers actually. Give me a few hours and I should have it." Jamie went off to dress and head off to the address. Jack smiled happily.
"Finally I have it; Roxas' birthday is coming up soon... perfect." True to his word, Jamie arrived back with the package. Jack giggled and Batman wrapping paper appeared.
"Thank you North for that trick." Jamie chuckled a little as he watched Jack wrap it up.
"Finally the duo is complete."
"Yup, can't believe North has so much trouble just making one of those."
"Well, think about it Jamie; making millions of toys for all the children in the world in one night. Don't you think he would be too exhausted in the end?" Jamie playfully nudged Jack.
"Don't give me that, you and I both know he doesn't make them all himself." Jack nodded.
"He's just lazy truthfully." He said, yawning.
"Aww hell." Bright light blinded Jamie as Jack's true form reappeared.
"It's not working anymore."
