Men and Monsters
Jack's eyes flickered open slowly. Just barely enough to let the new light in. He squinted against the brightness and groaned lowly rolling over on the surface he'd apparently fallen asleep on.
He blinked, once, twice, three times.
His surroundings had not changed, he was still in the living room, sprawled across the couch shamelessly naked.
He grimaced and ran his hand through his hair.
He didn't even remember falling asleep in the first place.
Suddenly the overwhelmingly delectable scent of fresh coffee hit his nose.
He lifted up on his elbows slowly, peering over the couches back and into the kitchen.
He pushed himself into a sitting position and found his footing tiredly.
He stood with ease this time around.
His muscles felt strong, his body felt healthy. He felt...whole again. The looming sense of an overworked body was no longer lingering there. He just felt...human again.
Strong and ready, breath coming easy, movement coming even easier.
He rounded the couch and was met by that playful gaze he knew all to well.
Axton stood in the kitchen, a wry grin spread across his face as he looked over the freshly awoken former president.
Jack grabbed a kitchen stool and yanked it outward grumpily before plopping down in it.
Axton continued to look at him with that stupid grin spread across his face.
Jack shot him an irritated look.
"What?" Jack barked.
Axton snorted chuckling loudly.
"Nuthin princess. You're just distracting as hell naked, that's all. Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed." Axton said laughing heartily.
Jack just growled in response.
Axton set a mug of coffee down in front of his less than pleasant companion. Jack glared at Axton, then down at the mug.
He brought the warm beverage to his lips daintily and took a long drink.
Black, just the way he liked it.
None of that sweet shit to dress it up.
Just straight, bitter, dark roast.
After countless mornings waking up with Jack, Axton knew just exactly how to make his coffee. He did so gladly, seeing as it made the other male seemingly less grouchy.
Jack sighed out slowly at the taste.
It was hot on his tongue and pleasingly warm going down his throat.
Axton leaned over the counter, his own mug in hand.
His coffee looked like faded chocolate in color, filled with creamer and sugar and god knows what else.
Jack grimaced at the other man's coffee.
"I see you are still ruining perfectly good coffee." Jack snarled taking another drink of his own.
Axton chuckled and shook his head.
"I see you still have the attitude of a crocodile with a toothache in the morning." Axton teased slyly his eyes narrowed as he looked upon the older male.
Jack rolled his eyes and scoffed, leaning back on the stool slowly.
Axton watched with interest as Jack set his coffee down and stretched upward lithely.
He groaned lowly as he did so, all his abdominal muscles shifting and stretching with the rest of him.
"So when does the rest of your little freak show clan get back?" Jack asked cracking his neck loudly.
Axton took a long drink of his coffee.
"Tomorrow...which reminds me...we gotta figure out...how to well...you know...explain all this to them.." Axton sighed.
Jack cocked a thin eyebrow at the commando.
He folded his arms across his chest.
"Oh what you think simply announcing to them that Handsome Jack has returned from the grave isn't a good idea?" Jack grunted sarcastically.
Axton shot him an unamused look.
"Oh I am sure that would just go over lovely." Axton said gruffly.
"Unless you want a buzz-axe to the face, we best come up with a different plan." He continued.
Jack chuckled lowly.
"Shit, you could always just bring me back again right kiddo?" Jack joked cracking a wicked half smile.
Axton shook his head and drained the rest of his coffee.
"Sure would be nice if I could just explain to them I'm not the man I was..." Jack whispered rubbing his chin.
Axton looked at him, a small frown set across his lips.
"They aren't so easily convinced..." Axton sighed.
Jack looked up at him with sorrowful eyes.
"You convinced the siren..." Jack whispered.
Axton leaned against the kitchen counter and breathed out loudly.
"Yeah...but she's different. The rest of them...their stubborn sons of bitches...they don't forgive or forget." Axton sighed.
Jack shrugged.
"Maybe I should just put a mask on like that weirdo assassin that runs with ya'll. Hell I can't even tell if that guy is human, so it seems to do the job." Jack grumbled irritably.
Axton looked at Jack with large inquisitive eyes that seemed to widen with an idea as Jack muttered the sentence.
"Actually...that...isn't a half bad idea..." Axton mused rubbing his chin.
Jack shot him a confused look.
"I was being fucking sarcastic." Jack growled.
Axton waved a hand at him before jogging off down the hallway.
"Like I was KIDDING! Where are you going?" Jack yelled after him irritably.
Axton disappeared for several moments, and when he returned he was gently overturning something in his hands.
The object seemed to be made of worn leather in places and hard plastic materiel in others.
Jack would know that sort of mask anywhere.
It was a psycho mask.
Jack looked at Axton then down at the mask.
He made a disgusted face and glared at Axton.
"Well I mean what if we just...hid your identity? Zero does it...why can't you?" Axton said holding up the mask, pleased with his 'brilliant' idea.
Jack made a distasteful face.
"Fuck. No." Jack snarled.
Axton rolled his eyes and took a step toward Jack.
"Oh c'mon, this is the only one I've got that's enclosed in the back as well as the front. Nobody would be able to even tell it was you. Just try it on. For me?" Axton pleaded.
Dealing with Jack was like dealing with a five year old that only knew the word 'no'.
Jack huffed out stubbornly.
"No! Where did you even get that thing? Off a dead bandit? Who knows where that nasty piece of trash has been." Jack snapped folding his arms.
Axton groaned out at his stubborn partner.
"Ok yes, I got it off a dead bandit. But I washed it I promise, It's sorta a little hobby of mine to collect bandit masks and helmets and such." Axton explained trying to get close enough to force the mask onto Jack.
Jack scooted back in his stool, a dark scowl set across his brow.
"That's disgusting kiddo...and fucking weird. I'm still not putting that thing on." Jack snarled.
Axton looked at him sternly.
"Look it's either this mask, or get strung up by the other Vault Hunters. Your choice Jacky." Axton growled.
Jack gave him an unsure look.
"B-But...it isn't my color." Jack whined.
Axton groaned out at the stubborn other male.
"Don't give me that. Just put it on would you?" Axton snapped outstretching his hand, offering the mask to Jack.
Jack looked at the small offering as if it might just jump up and bite him.
He reluctantly took the mask and sighed in deep.
He pulled the mask down over his face and adjusted it irritably.
He hated to admit it...but it wasn't all that uncomfortable.
Nothing like his usual mask he wore...but not half bad.
The mask was painted in quite the opposite of the normal bone white psycho masks adorned by the local bandits or Pandora. It was sleek black with blue highlights around the stitching. It had multiple straps and buckles wrapping around to the back.
Jack shifted a little and looked at Axton through the transparent eye holes.
From the outside they glowed a shimmering turquoise blue, and Jack found the visibility from the mask wasn't bad at all.
He sighed and shrugged his shoulders in a defeated kind of way.
"I guess it isn't that bad." Jack admitted finally.
Axton grinned at his counterpart wryly.
"Told you so." Axton sang annoyingly.
Jack just grunted in response.
Axton closed the gap between the two of them and gently reached out to run his thumb over the mouthpiece of the mask.
He made a low pleased sound as his fingers came in contact with the combination of smooth hard material and soft leather. It was a glorious combination.
Axton had been through hell to get this mask in particular. He'd had to take on a badass psycho to get a hold of the thing and had taken a nasty blow from a buzz-axe to the back.
But now as he looked fondly over his mask wearing companion it was all worth it.
Jack was quite pretty adorned in the getup of the very things he hated most...bandits.
It was sickly fitting in a way, and hilariously ironic.
"You look good." Axton almost moaned as he gently fondled one of the leather straps between his thumb and forefinger.
Jack scoffed loudly.
"Oh don't give me that kiddo." Jack snarled.
Axton just chuckled as one of his hands came to slide down Jack's bare side, squeezing just a little harder at his hip.
Axton made a low noise in his throat, his fingers drawing small circles over Jack's bare flesh. His index finger ran over Jack's abdomen, touching the coarse hairs there gently. The touches were so slight, his fingers ghosting over Jack's skin. It caused the hairs on the nape of Jack's neck to stand on end as Axton's palm slid down the outside of his thigh. Axton applied a little bit of pressure, squeezing the muscle there, a louder, more detectable groan rumbling up from his chest.
Jack felt himself freeze at the other male's unexpected advances.
Axton leaned in, gently prodding Jack's knees apart on the stool, allowing him access.
He settled himself between Jack's open legs, coming closer to Jack intimidatingly.
His lips were mere centimeters from the mouthpiece of the mask.
Jack could feel Axton's breath as he let loose of it.
He could see the commando's mannerisms morphing, an expression of utter enthrallment now dripping over his face.
Axton's hand came to the mask again, touching, grasping, pressing.
Like his fingers were hungry for the material beneath them, wanting more, and more.
"Fuck...you look...so good." Axton breathed his voice husky and thick.
Jack cocked an eyebrow at the commando's tone of voice.
What the fuck had gotten into him?
"What the hell is your deal?" Jack snarled from behind the mask.
Jack watched as Axton just grinned in response, his lips pulling back over his teeth deviously.
He slowly extended his tongue and dragged it up the side of the mask, both his hands coming to cup Jack's chin.
Jack couldn't "feel" the touch, but something about it sent his cheeks to flushing bright crimson.
Jack let go of a shaky sigh and seemed to melt into Axton just a tad.
Axton caught one of the straps between his teeth and pulled slightly, just enough to let Jack know he was there.
Finally Axton pressed his nose into the crook of the other male's neck and answered Jack's looming question.
"What? I've got a thing...for masks...you should know that by now." Axton groaned throatily.
Jack rolled his eyes.
"Well yeah...I always knew you had a thing for MY mask...but this scummy bandit mask? Seriously..." Jack snarled.
Jack's snappy response only drove Axton madder with want.
Jack was fucking delectable when he was snarky.
"I dunno Jacky...I think a bandit mask suits you well." Axton growled suddenly thrusting his hips into Jack's groin, allowing him to feel his taught pants.
A thick line pressed against Axton's sweatpants, hard and throbbing.
Jack looked down and then back up, the glowing eyes revealing no emotion to the other man.
Axton kissed the bare skin of Jack's collarbone, the hot kiss giving way to tender teeth. Jack made a sound like the breath had been forced from him and his hand instinctively snapped up to squeeze Axton's bicep.
Axton sneered against Jack's skin, his lips hot, his body hotter.
"You woulda made a damn good bandit baby." Axton swooned venomously.
Jack made a disgusted noise and bit his lip as Axton dragged his tongue over Jack's throat.
"If you're going for some kind of flattery...you're failing kiddo..." Jack hissed as Axton ground his hips into the other male's.
Axton's hand slid down Jack's heaving body, only to wrap around Jack's own swollen member.
"Am I now? I don't think I'm doing all that bad...give you a buzz-axe and you'd be a regular psycho Jacky." Axton teased meanly squeezing as he stroked Jack's cock.
Jack arched his back involuntarily and moaned out loudly, eyes shutting mouth agape and pitiful behind his mask.
Axton's lips whisper poisonous compliments across Jack's neck.
Jack makes a pained groan and tries to find his voice as Axton's palm works him fluidly.
His eyelids flutter almost closed as he watches wontonly through the eye holes.
"I-I'm...no bandit..." Jack whispers breathlessly.
Axton sneers into his skin.
"Whadda ya say I make you into one?" Axton growls throatily.
Jack snarls back at him with hatred and the want to snap sarcasm at the other male, but words fail him miserably.
Axton laughs that thick, husky laugh of his and bites Jack's shoulder.
"What's tha matter sweet cheeks...cat got your...tongue?" Axton whispers smiling and stroking Jack's throbbing erection faster.
Jack moaned out loudly, the sound coming from his lips like pure honey.
"God damn it kiddo only you could make me want to kill you, and fuck you in the same breath." Jack snapped angrily.
With that Axton was scrambling for the lube left out on the counter from last night, and was hauling his sweatpants down, letting his fat hardness spring free.
Suddenly he hauled Jack up into his arms, then slammed him into the wall opposite of them, pressing the slighter man into the brick harshly.
Jack groaned out with the impact and wrapped his legs instinctively around the commando's thick hips.
Axton was already pressing his head against Jack's hole giving him little time to stretch.
Jack yelled out in pleasure and pain, hissing as Axton's head entered him.
Fucker wasn't giving him any time to adjust...and yet Jack couldn't tell him to stop. He couldn't muster the words. It left him aching, but more so it left him wanting. That sense of pleasure with a twinge of pain was driving him mad with need.
Axton gave another thrust, his girth at it's thickest point sliding into Jack's body.
Jack cried out uselessly, arching his back against the wall, dragging his nails down Axton's shoulders.
Axton winced as his partner's nails dug into his skin mercilessly.
He pressed his forehead against the mask and moaned out lowly as he buried himself to the hilt in Jack's perfect ass.
He kissed the material, feeling it's soft leathery tendencies beneath his lips. His hands cradled Jack's thighs as he pushed him into the wall with each hump, driving into him with a mean vengeance.
Jack cried out loudly, tilting his head back against the brick of the wall. Axton grabbed one of the straps and pulled Jack's head back farther, now biting on the mask meanly.
Jack held onto Axton for dear life as the other male pushed his advances upon him.
He wanted to form words, but they fluttered from his brain like frightened birds. All he could think about was the pleasure ringing through him. The want for Axton, the want for him to go harder.
His moans carried a whisper of Axton's name on them, his body convulsing and arching.
His cock pulsated impatiently as it bobbed in front of him, wanting attention, wanting release.
Jack looked at Axton through the glowing eyes.
"H-HARDER!" He finally managed to gasp out.
Axton was panting like an animal, already spiraling down to his own finish.
But he obeyed.
Months of listening to Jack's orders had conditioned him to do so. Jack was the boss. It would always be that way. Even if he was no longer the Hyperion overlord.
Axton's hips snapped into Jack's, his balls pulled tight to his body, orgasm mere moments away.
Jack scraped his nails down Axton's shoulder and yelled out loudly, his voice echoing off the vaulted ceilings.
He came shamelessly, long ropes of his finish decorating his chest as Axton continued to crush him into the wall.
Axton bit his lip and screwed his eyes shut.
"F-Fuck!" Axton bellowed as he came.
He filled Jack with everything he had, feeling Jack's body pulsating around him, his cock throbbing with every cumshot.
He let a long groan pass his lips as he finished, fingers still clenched around Jack's thighs.
Jack slumped now, his breathing hard and erratic in the throughs of post orgasm.
Axton looked at Jack with tired, pleased eyes, unsure if Jack was returning the glance from behind the mask.
He slowly pulled himself from his partner's body, some of his finish dripping from Jack's abused hole and onto the floor.
Axton gingerly set Jack down, releasing him from his confinement against the wall. Jack leaned unstably against the wall breathing hard and heavy.
"C-Can I take...this stupid...thing off now?" Jack panted his shoulder slumping forward tiredly.
Axton cocked a half grin and nodded.
Jack pulled the mask up off his head, ruffling his hair in the process.
Axton stepped forward and grabbed Jack's chin, pressing his lips against the older male's.
"You make a cute Psycho." Axton whispered against Jack's mouth.
Jack scoffed irritably, his blue and white eye fierce upon Axton.
Clearly somewhat annoyed he'd been roped into the whole thing in the first place.
"If you wanted to fuck a psycho that bad, why didn't you just fuck Krieg." Jack snarled viciously.
Axton broke out in hearty laughter.
He kissed Jack again.
"Cause you're much cuter than Krieg sweet cheeks." Axton purred running his thumb along Jack's bottom lip.
Jack slapped his hand away annoyed.
"Yeah and because Krieg would most likely eat you." Jack barked.
"You got something wrong upstairs kiddo." Jack added huffily.
Axton leaned away from Jack folding his arms and cocking his head.
"Well yeah, I must, specially since I put up with you. Gotta be something wrong with me for puttin myself through that." Axton sang cockily.
Jack snorted.
Axton just smiled at his irritable counterpart.
"C'mon let's go get cleaned up. Gotta go to town." Axton said steering Jack toward the bathroom and smacking him on the ass.
Jack narrowed his eyes at the commando.
"Town? Why?" He snapped.
"Cause, we gotta get you something to wear sweetie. You can't just run around naked all the time." Axton said grinning.
"I mean...though I'd much rather prefer that..." He continued.
Jack rolled his eyes and headed off toward the shower leaving Axton trailing at his quick heels.
The shower came with silence between them. Mostly because Jack was too exhausted to really have much to say. The night had wore on him, and the morning's activities hadn't helped his state. He groaned out lowly and tilted his head back, allowing the lathered suds to run down his back.
Axton stood behind Jack silently, simply watching the other man intently.
Jack closed his eyes and then opened them once more with a little groan. His limbs felt like dead weight and all he wanted to do was just crawl back into the confines of a bed.
Axton rested his chin on Jack's shoulder.
"You ok?" He whispered his hands gently coming to Jack's slender hips and resting there.
Jack huffed out.
"I'm fine. Just tired." He said shortly.
He was almost tired of Axton treating him like some machine that could break at any second. Mind you he may have been some broken, battered thing...but he wasn't helpless.
He'd let the commando baby him for days, mostly because he'd had no choice. But Axton playing nurse was getting old quick for the former president.
He wanted to be treated the way Axton used to treat him.
Like a powerful, wild, unpredictable thing.
Axton used to treat Jack the way he would treat any other enemy, with a hint of lust and caring.
It was a weird love. But it was love none the less.
Jack was tired of being treated like such a fragile thing.
He wasn't fragile anymore.
In fact he felt...strong. Stronger than he ever had before.
Jack stretched his arms out.
They felt heavy and tired, but they felt strong.
So fucking strong.
He thought about barking something more at the commando fussing over him...but he let it lie.
He was too tired to argue.
Jack didn't want to pry himself from the warmth of the water.
The day was chilly and the cold had crept into the house like an unwanted guest.
Of course the minute he finally willed himself to step out, Axton was there to wrap a towel around him.
"Didn't want you catching a cold." He said.
Jack just grunted at the comment.
A cold never killed anybody...but if he said that, Axton would most likely argue that in his state, it certainly could.
Jack was pretty sure that was a load of bullshit.
He felt just fine.
Jack sat down on Axton's bed with a soft thunk, his wet hair slicked to his forehead. He watched Axton with unamused eyes as the commando worked out how they would pull off hiding Jack's identity.
Axton pulled a roll of medical bandages from his drawer and asked for Jack's right hand.
Jack offered him his arm without question.
Axton traced the old, blue green ink that had at some point been black and looked at Jack.
"We gotta keep this wrapped up. It's kinda identifiable." Axton said softly wrapping Jack's wrist in the tape.
He ripped the end with his teeth and smoothed it down, making sure it wasn't too tight.
Jack just let him do it.
The commando kneeling before him like he was some sort of god.
At one point he had been.
He'd been a god to the planet, the people, and Axton.
The way Axton still worshipped him was something he'd not expected.
After everything he had done to the kid, he was still willing to give everything he had for Jack. It made Jack a little sick to his stomach knowing what Axton had given for someone so unworthy. He shook the thoughts away and simply smiled at Axton when the commando looked up at him from the floor.
Axton stood and ran his thick fingers through Jack's wet locks.
"There now, that should do it." Axton said pleased with his handy work.
Axton dressed the slighter man in some of his older jeans, lashed tight with a belt and put Jack in a shirt that was far too big for him...but it was all he had.
Jack groaned.
He was all opposed to actually going out in public like this, but he was too damned picky with his clothing to let Axton go alone. Axton had absolutely no fucking fashion sense that was for damn sure.
Axton pulled a heavy coat onto Jack's shoulders and smiled down at him.
Jack pulled on the psycho mask with a heavy sigh and shrugged at the commando.
"See, nobody will even know it's you." Axton boasted folding his arms.
Jack sighed out in annoyance.
"Sure kiddo. Whatever you say." Jack snarled following the commando out the door.
"Oh cheer up, I'll buy you somethin' real nice I promise." Axton said clapping Jack on the back.
Axton pushed the front door open with his foot, his arms full of boxes, bags and packages, gingerly balancing the load against his chest.
He nodded for Jack to go in first and smiled genuinely at the other male, who was also sporting a hefty armful of items.
Jack followed Axton up the narrow stairs and dumped the packages on the floor.
He groaned out and flopped backward onto the bed closing his eyes tiredly.
Axton set the bags down also and ran his hand through his hair slowly.
He breathed out and looked over at his worn out counterpart.
"I never thought we'd ever get done. How in hells name are you THAT picky about some fucking clothes?" Axton groaned rubbing the back of his head.
He crossed the room and let himself fall onto the bed also.
Jack pulled the mask up off his head and threw it onto the floor with a heavy breath.
"I like looking nice. If I'm gunna have to wear a fucking bandit mask all the time, I at least want to have nice clothes to go with it kiddo." Jack snarled.
Axton shook his head and yawned.
The action was contagious and in moments, it had Jack yawning too.
He turned his head and looked over at the commando tiredly.
"I'm fucking beat. I think I'm gunna hit the sack." Jack groaned peeling off his oversized clothing borrowed from axton, until all that were left were his boxers, and crawling beneath the blankets.
He instinctively took the right side of the bed, closest to the wall. Jack had a thing about always being nearest to the wall when sleeping. Made him feel safe Axton supposed.
He pulled the heavy comforters up to his chin and sighed out long and heavy, his eyelids already falling closed.
Axton stripped to his briefs and crawled in next to Jack.
He spooned up against Jack's thinner frame, his arms coming to snake around his counterpart's waist.
Jack wasn't really much for "cuddling".
He never really had been.
He'd put up with it for a little while before getting uncomfortable and rolling out of Axton's grasp. That was just the way he was.
But now...all he wanted was Axton's firm grip.
It felt safe.
It felt like home.
It was warm where the house was cold and Jack welcomed the body heat.
Sleep held a sense of fear tonight...would he have another nightmare like the night previous?
Jack frowned.
He just wanted a good nights sleep...without the horrid nightmares.
He felt like Axton surrounding him, just might ward off any dream creatures lurking there in the night.
But he wouldn't say it out loud.
Wouldn't admit he was afraid to sleep.
No...he was too proud for that.
So he let Axton cling to him, and hesitantly closed his eyes.