Disclaimer: Any recognizable characters do not belong to me, nor does Sons of Anarchy.
His eyes held contempt. That was all he could see. Juice shook his head frantically, reaching a hand out. "Please, just—just let me explain—"
"Explain? Explain what?" the other man laughed, if it could be called that. It was devoid of humor and filled with disdain. "Explain how you're a rat? Explain how you're a liar; a traitor? Explain how you used us? You killed a brother." He stepped closer; warmth no longer in his eyes whatsoever and Juice felt his stomach jerk at the disgust and the loathing he could see clearly. "You're nothing. You're less than nothing. And I'll show you just what that means."
"No, no, Chibs!" The other man's hands were on him, once holding him and comforting him, loving and warm, were now cruel and unforgiving, pushing against his chest even as Juice's own flailed out to reach for Chibs. "Please, please, Chibs—"
The other man crowded forward, knife in hand and his eyes held no remorse. Juice searched for anything—anything to hint that maybe there was something he could do, maybe he'd have another chance. But there was nothing. "You don't deserve even this," the other man said musingly, twirling the knife. "Too personal. The last thing you deserve is something so personal, intimate. After all, wasn't it all business to you? No," he put the knife away, but Juice was far from feeling relieved.
Tears filled his eyes despite himself, as he struggled with giving in and begging the man who meant so much to him to give him one last chance, to let him explain. "Please," he tried again.
Chibs shook his head, eyes never leaving Juice's. "No," he said flatly. "That's the last thing you deserve." He put his hands on Juice's chest once again, and shoved.
Juice fell back and down, jerking suddenly, the chains digging into his throat, tearing the skin and crushing his windpipe. No. No. Not again. I can't do this again, he thought, panicking as he struggled to breathe, as his lungs constricted and his eyes watered.
Pain. So much pain. The branch didn't break again though, and neither did his neck like he so desperately wished. He saw Chibs step up in his peripheral vision, and he tried to gasp out, but he just couldn't breathe and fuck it hurt, it hurt so much worse than the last time.
"P-e-assse. 'I-bss. 'I-bsss." He choked, fingers moving uselessly at the chains, and he felt his own blood drip over his numbing fingertips.
Chibs did nothing. He stood there, watching with empty eyes as Juice bled, as Juice struggled, as Juice cried and begged with what little air was left. He did nothing.
Juice felt his arms fall heavily of their own will and his vision blackened as he shook, gasping out his sorry's with the last breath he had.
Far off, he could hear Chibs one last time. And for the first time, he sounded mournful. "Aye. Me too, Juicy boy. Me too."
*.*
Juice jerked up in bed, gasping and choking down bile as he recalled the dream and the actuality of the chains around his throat. He shook, everywhere, struggling to get out of the sheets that felt too similar to the noose, and he fell out of his own bed.
He felt arms wrap around his chest, pulling him up and steady. "Shh," he heard a Scottish brogue. "C'mon Juice. Breathe for me, yeah? Juice, breathe."
Juice struggled with reality and nightmare, and was pulled around into Chibs' chest. He sobbed, and felt disgusted with himself for doing so as Chibs comforted him. Chibs was there every night since he had found Juice near the tree with the chains. Every night, comforting him and holding him, assuring Juice that he was okay that everything was okay, when nothing would be okay again.
But, just as every other night, he let himself be comforted, let himself be calmed down and held. He burrowed into Chibs, clenching his eyes shut tightly, relishing in the hands rubbing up and down his back soothingly. He relaxed into the hands that were always there for him, even as he wondered how long it would be until those hands turned around to wield Juice's own murder weapon.
Oh, Juice. My creys. I'm dreading next season, if only for the fact that we all know Juice is going to be found out. I don't think I can handle that.
Here is your Juice, finally, xLila Rose! Sorry it's taken so long, but rest assured; there's more where that came from.
Reviews? Prompts? Insults? Constructive criticism? Plain criticism? All is welcome here.