"The devil's voice is sweet to hear." -Stephen King
Waking up to a steady breath tickling the hairs on the back of his neck Jericho stretched his skinny arms forward, cracking the morning stiffness from his bones. The heavy warmth of a relaxed hand still rested upon his hip as the boy attempted to roll over. Thwarted by his bedmate's weighted limbs the smaller teen with a slight smile, let himself drift into the realm of sleep once more, awaiting for his love to spur them both out of the room at a later time.
Less than an hour had passed when the creeping dawn's light had invaded, and Herald opened his drowsy eyes, his mask unneeded abandoned on the dresser. Shuffling into his chest was Jericho still bundled up in the fabric of night shirt, his fists grabbing at the loose buttons of his pajamas, snuggled closer. A bit of drool dripped from the corner of his mouth.
Mal snorted quietly in amusement as he pulled the younger into him more intimately while patting down Jericho's wild curls. It was pleasurable to be wrapped up like this; safe like eggs being incubated underneath their parent's feathers. Or in this case like after care of a romantic rendezvous.
A stifled yawn caught the leader's attention as the brightest emeralds emerged to match with his sherry topaz ones.
"Morning." Herald said, brushing away stray hairs from the other's plump cheeks.
Grinning crookedly from moonlight's spell Jericho signed, 'Good morning Mal.'
"Well," Mal groaned, rubbing the kinks out of his neck while removing the blankets, "We better start getting ready now."
'Do we have too?'
Jericho whined at the Herald with his captivating set of puppy-dog eyes, those innocently shaped orbs were alluringly outlined by dainty fluttering eyelashes, causing the experienced musician's brain to do backflips from the sheer temptation of lustful attraction.
Instead he huffed around a laugh, and jokingly pinched at Jericho's nose causing the other to swat the offending hand away with disgruntled childishness.
"Sorry Joe, but if you want food then we gotta go before Wally wakes up."
Placing a chaste kiss onto the blond's forehead the mocha skinned teen rose up, carefully lifting the pouting boy with him. And with another gentle brush of their tinted lips both were out of bed, lazily making their way across the room to get dressed.
It was the weekend, and uniforms weren't necessary unless it was for the alarm of duty. So the pair eased their way into civvies, making a great effort to occasionally bump into each other; always touching at revealed skin or adjusting the folds of their clothing.
Soon they were on their way to the kitchen, their fingers laced together as they walked down the halls. The scent of hazelnut coffee wafting through the air grew stronger as the duo entered to find Argent and Jinx already awake, speaking quietly their hair up in curlers and braids. Hot Spot only adorned in a pair of sleep pants was lazily flipping through channels on the couch, his usually fiery temper subdued by the early morning's haze. As Herald and Jericho came over a series of drowsy 'mornings' were exchanged.
Wally must've been still asleep in his room since the spread was mostly untouched; food was more abundant whenever the ginger wasn't around.
Finding a seat at the table Jericho plopped down, letting most of his body fall against Mal's as the leader relaxed next to him, scrolling through his phone for any interesting social updates. The girls then came by patting Jericho's downy fluff, before taking a seat as well, their breakfast now secured.
Scooping another spoonful of yogurt Jinx turned to Mal lazily, her cat-eyes scanning over each bite she took.
"Anything happened lately?" Jenna asked.
"Nah, no reports. Just minor disturbances of pre-teen vandalism with some spray paint." He replied, still skimming, "KF getting up soon?"
Jinx nodded, "Yeah, he should be. Do you think he noticed that we changed his alarm?"
"If he hasn't realized it yet, I don't think he ever will." Hot Spot added from the distance.
"Maybe he has figured it out." Toni spoke, adjusting the straps of her tank top, "Hard to tell what that boy is thinking."
"Yeah true," Jenna twirled the spoon around the edge of her cup, "I'm his girlfriend and even I can't keep track of him."
"Speedsters are unpredictable. Be glad we only have one, I heard from Speedy that M and M can be real terror twins when they wanna be." The Herald put down his phone, causing Jericho to almost stumble backwards if not for his grip on Mal's sweatshirt, "Uh sorry bout that Joey."
Jericho stuck his tongue out briefly before cuddling his leader's forearm, much to the other's secretive delight. So, he might've shifted more on purpose for the sake of Jericho to latch on tighter. Manipulative, possibly, but the need for physical connection went both ways in their relationship.
"Didn't one of them bite you?" Isaiah said, a mischievous smirk painted on his dark features.
The Herald shot him a look, his brows furrowing as Jericho broke out in muffled giggles behind oversized sleeves. His lithe shoulders vibrated as he hid his laughter from Mal's frustration.
Flustered, the Herald cried defensively, "No, he didn't! Why does everyone think that?"
Around the table a series of sly knowing looks were passed as uneasy perspiration began budding on the back of Mal's neck.
"Anyway," Jinx interrupted, swallowing briefly, "What are the plans for today? Are we still doing night patrol?"
"Oh God I hope not," Argent cupped her cheeks as she begged Mal, "The lack of sleep causes my complexion to suffer, and I'm already so pale!"
"You're literally gray though." Hot Spot pointed out, only to duck down when both girls glared at him simultaneously.
"And is there something wrong with being gray? Hmm?" Jenna pressured with her hands on her hips.
"Yes Spotty ," Toni snarked, "Is there?"
Shrinking even lower, only the top of Hot Spot's head was visible as sweat built up on his forehead.
"Come'n Mal," Isaiah pleaded, reaching out, "Help a bro out?"
"I don't know, man." Herald prolonging his speech carried on teasing meticulously, "Guess you're on your own."
Jericho was tucked away in the warmth of a blue hoodie, paying no attention to the ongoing heated stare off Hot Spot was being subjected too from the girls. Instead the shorter teen was safely in the crook of Mal's elbow picking only the marshmallows of his cereal to nibble on.
"Yo! Does anyone know why my alarm clock doesn't go off?"
Finally making his grand appearance Wally sauntered in, decked out in the most recent Flash merchandise, his freckled nose sniffing around for food like a hound dog.
The instant the speedster's tone flew out into the open Isaiah let out a desperate hiss.
"Wally! Kid Flash! Over here!"
The redhead turned to him confused, one eyebrow raised, "Uh dude? What's up?"
The cushion hidden titan gestured to the incoming female threat, "Them."
"Oh."
Racing to table quickly, he sped over to Jinx, taking her hand and kissing it.
"Bonjour mademoiselle! Let us not be in hasty moods, for you are too beautiful to be angry, no?"
Giving into his smooth charm, Jenna let her guard fall as she pecked Wally's cheek.
"Don't be such a flirt, Quickie."
"Jinx." Mal warned, jerking his head towards Jericho's befuddled expression.
"I know. I know. Sheesh, you try to shield him from everything" Jinx mumbled as she shooed Kid Flash off her shoulders with her spoon, using her free hand to toss him a baked good.
"Here, have a muffin."
"Thanks babe!"
Argent glanced at the couch where Hot Spot was cowering and tiredly exhaled. Gesturing for him to come over her boyfriend sent her a pensive look before straightening his hunched form.
Deciding to leave on some secluded news station Isaiah, hobbled over to join in with the titan assembly, and draped his arms over Toni's head much to the girl's dismay.
"Isaiah love, you're flattening my hair." She said, swatting off his limbs.
"Sorry 'Gent."
Lifting himself up the human flame dragged out a chair beside her and flopped down, his internally cooled head resting on the table. Under his eyes bags laid, dark and blue, as if the night was avoiding him of unconscious relief.
"Damn you look exhausted." Jinx handed him a bottle of orange juice from the basket next to her, he accepted graciously.
Toni tenderly stroked his bicep.
"What were you up to last night? I could hear explosions."
"Yeah dude, there were some massive 'booms' coming from your place." Kid Flash stated, as he smothered his thirty something bagels in cream cheese and jelly.
"Couldn't sleep," Isaiah muttered, as he flicked the cap mindlessly around with his fingers, "Kept setting the bed on fire."
Mal winced, shooting the pyrokinetic teen an apologetic look alongside Jericho, whose tear ducts glistened with unshed tears.
Toni hugged his side, her thin hands now trailing over the exposed skin of his back.
"Oh you poor thing, was it another flare up again?"
"Yeah."
Wally hurried to the seat beside him, slapping the taller boy on the back.
"That sucks man. Like how do you deal with incinerating everything you touch- Ow!"
Herald threw an apple at the ginger's forehead, flashing him a frown as he motioned to a now dejected Hot Spot.
"Er sorry, should've used better words? … but at least you still have your pants?" Kid Flash appeased unsuccessfully.
"Wally!" The girls cried out in sync, both of their eyes dangerously glinting.
"You are absolutely tactless."
"That's your apology? Really?"
Waving his arms defensively, the redhead explained to no avail.
"What?! I tried! Honest!"
The Herald rolled his eyes as he caressed Jericho's uncontrollable tresses. It was typical for arguments to break out every now and then, especially with a tower full of hormonal teenagers who all were dating each other. Some would say the way they intermingled was a recipe for disaster, but to Mal it was just another way to increase team bonding… as long as their romantic endeavors bordered on the more platonic interactions physically.
Spying on his own partner he murmured in disagreement at his boyfriend's choice of meal; Jericho's cheeks were speckled with dastardly sugary dust. But that boy had a sweet tooth nearly as syrupy as his own personality.
If only Mal wasn't so gullible to those doe-eyes, then maybe he would be able to stop buying Lucky Charms, even if they were magically delicious. Tomorrow he promised himself to sneakily hide all over-processed junk food away in the top cabinets, so his jumping bean of a cuddle bug wouldn't find them, or just trade them to Kid Flash.
Jericho was organizing his marshmallows in rainbow order, the actual cereal pieces forgotten. Pushing all the red ones towards Isaiah, he smiled sympathetically.
"Thanks Jer."
'No problem.'
As the girls continued to halfheartedly bicker with Wally, who at this point was snatching pastries like a personal marathon, and Hot Spot who had moved on from his moody blues now digging into a package of pop tarts, Mal let his palm wander over Jericho's knees under the table. His docile lamb of a lover's face was coated in a brilliant shade of pink, as he let out one of his precious smiles meeting the Herald's own satisfied grin in return.
Changing tunes of the conversation Wally cut off the mild banter with a month old question.
"-But does anyone know what happened to my alarm? Like seriously."
A round of head shakes and false oblivious no's were his responses. Shrugging off their unhelpful answers, the speedster zoomed over to the couch taking a seat with the entire cereal box in hand much to Mal's appreciation. And as his own retribution the speedster was totally going to devour all the food before lunch for the inconvenience of being scolded.
Munching loudly Kid Flash, barely aware of the mundane reports, shoved another unhealthy cluster into his mouth when on the TV a familiar face appeared.
"Hey Jer-Bear."
The curly haired boy skipped over to where Wally was temporarily sprawled.
"They got your pictures on the big screen."
Letting himself merge into the couch the youngest on the team became absorbed into the news story, a pillow squished between his thighs, Mal's posture hardened as he eavesdropped nearby. He was worried. Often the press would tear into little Jericho with a derogatory demeanor, ripping his unstable confidence to shreds. And more than once after battle did he have to drag his teammates away before they started a fight with reporters; Jinx had previously hexed a news van that they had to reimburse. Although, Mal had to admit it was pretty satisfying to see a grown man grovel at the sight of his so called 'baby' lying in mechanical shambles.
On the television a woman wearing a modest chiffon dress impatiently tapped her manicured nails against the mug in her hands, her immaculate hair sprayed stiff as she continued on with her morning segment. A rather large unruly man was seated beside her.
"Mr. Katz," She crooned, her left eye twitching, "Recently you made some discerning statements about Jericho, a member of the new team of vigilantes here in Midway City. Care to elaborate on that for us?"
Without missing a beat the beast of a man grumbled with a mouth full of too many teeth and a stench that permeated through live television, "You mean that puny boy who doesn't speak?"
Clicking her tongue the interviewer's manner hinted at discomfort.
"Well sir, I'm not sure if I'd word it that way, but yes-"
Blocking the view Mal stood in front of him, and Jericho motioned at him to move. Noting the growing situation's awkward vibes, Wally fled discreetly.
"You shouldn't watch this Joey." The Herald said calmly, arms interlocked across his chest, "These people aren't worth listening to."
'I want to know what they say about me.'
"Seriously? I don't think that's a good idea. You're just going to get your feelings hurt." The Herald reasoned, he didn't want to find Jericho crying alone again, he could remember how his soul felt obliterated the last time he witnessed his love in such a sorrowful state.
Annoyed, Jericho's lips were drawn thin as he sternly signed, 'I don't care.'
"Joey…"
'Please Mal.'
"Fine," His boyfriend let out a stressed exhale as he massaged his temples, the wrinkles accumulating up to his crown, "But I did warn you."
At the table the other's held their baited breath, the tension building up was pure suffocating; like a storm cloud ready to burst, but unable to because the dams within were locked by unspoken anxiety. As the leader came back, his fists balled to his sides, Wally's eyes didn't meet his unlike the other onlookers. And as they blindly listened to the continuous poison leaking from the speakers, all of the remaining titans prepared to intervene; knowing how sensitive Jericho was it would be soon for him to break. Despite his fragility the youngest was quite steadfast in his ways, but the venomous bite of reality's cruel perspective could easily shatter through his barriers.
The grease slicked Mr. Katz's baritone echoed throughout the commons.
"How can we put our trust in a 'hero' who can't even communicate? It's ridiculous!"
The woman with a restrained sigh, faking a disingenuous smile intervened, "But don't you think that Jericho is a good representation of the disabled community?"
The man grunted, his bulging pot-belly jiggling over his belt as he adjusted himself more comfortably.
With an exaggerated stylized gesture and perky facade the morning talk show hostess continued, "Since he openly uses American Sign Language or ASL, more youths in the community have picked that elective in their academic studies." Cheers and applause were panned over by the camera crew- "So, isn't that a good thing?"
"It might seem that way, but let's be realistic." Mr. Katz straightened his tie, his fat reddening neck already pooling with layers of folded skin seeping over the white collar of his button down becoming more ever so pronounced.
Bellowing with his white knuckled fists shaking with misplaced rage the guest resumed his offensive tirade, not caring about the public outcry from the audience.
"He's a mute! How are we the public supposed to understand him if he's silent all the time, huh?" A few hums of agreement followed- "What if we need to evacuate or take refuge? What, you think that we'll just magically know what he's thinking? No! I say that dumb kid" Surprised gasps sounded off from behind the stage- "shouldn't be a titan! In fact why are we putting our trust in a whole bunch of teenagers anyway-"
The screen shut off leaving everyone stunned in silence, the whirling of the machinery and pulsating breaths were hardly recognized; the Herald tucked the remote in his pocket.
Even the birds were unheard as they flew past the overarching glass panes with their daily songs and trills, shadows of their unrestrained wings cast gloomy reflections which were ignored by the hailing stillness. Jericho, eyes blown wide, sat unmoving, sinking further into the cushions. His ringlets once bouncing with joy currently covered his sullen face while his chest pounded uneven rhythms in shockingly cold despair.
Was he really some type of hindrance? An obstacle, a drawback because he couldn't talk? And was having a voice that important? So, not having one made a problem? He already knew that he was different from the others, always so isolated and shy. But they said he was helpful, right? He was doing his best, but it wasn't good enough?
Was he not good enough?
The scar hidden under his turtleneck burned against the thick woolly fabric.
His scar. His reminder that he will never speak again. Never fit in within society. Never be normal enough. Never again. Never.
Jericho felt like he was being strangled, the metaphorical rope tightening around his throat cutting off his airway. Like all the oxygen within his lungs was being forced out of him.
Mal was right.