I leaned over the car as exhaustion took its toll. Working...I've been working since morning right? And then right into the night since this stupid thing wasn't fixed. The problem turned out to be much more complicated than I previously thought so I had to stay up and fix it...
My beady glare washed over the shifting time periods. Ugh...it's morning already? I groaned a choking sob. Bed...I want to go to bed...but that will have to wait. I need to go wake stupid Julius up for his coffee, come back and finish this stupid thing up before running over to the mirror house since one of them is off balance and...so much crap...I jumped slightly as arms wrapped around my waist for a hug. I limply thumped my head against the ride knowing exactly who it was.
"Elliot...I'm tired." I complained as he hugged me from behind.
"Well, if you're tired take a break -,"
"No." I denied. There's still so much work...
"Then don't complain." he teased. I swung around giving my best friend a hug. Yeah...I want to but I can't. Bleh this sucks... ," Woah -! W-What happened to your eyes?!"
"Hm?" I lifelessly hummed as he took my cheeks. I closed my eyes welcoming the very temporary rest my neck had from holding my head up.
"You look almost like a raccoon with eyes like that." He noted tilting my head to the side.
"Hm...," I hummed, sucking in a deep breath and pushed his hands away.
"Yeah...ha. Raccoon...," I chuckled at his reference somehow managing the strength to peel myself off the machine.
"Well, off to the clock tower I go...," I noted stumbling into a wall. My body stiffened from impact but went limp immediately after, slumping against the object which held my weight. Ah...that feels nice...I don't even care that the brick and mortar is digging into my skin right now.
"The clock tower? S-So Alice really asked you to look after the clockmaker?!" Elliot cried, shocked as he peeled me off the ground.
"I know what you think of the clockmaker...but he's not a bad guy." I mumbled leaning into my friend's arms. Hm...he supports my weight nicely.
"Is taking care of that b****** really sucking the life out of you this much?" Elliot said with a troubling note.
"Hrmm...not at all. I just stayed up all night working on a project...that's all." I said as he dipped down and laid me over his shoulder. I didn't even bother to struggle as he trotted off with me. "Where are we going...?"
"Mansion."
"Clock Tower." I said defiantly yet weakly. My actions of not moving whatsoever easily countered my words.
"No, the Mansion." He argued back.
"Elliot, take me to the Clock Tower."
"No. You need your rest!"
"I'm fine. I'll go to sleep after."
"No you won't; you're probably planning to go to work right after!" Elliot cried. Hm...work...work?
"True." I returned twisting in his grasp. He huffed as we entered town, relenting and headed towards the Clock Tower.
"Thanks...," I mumbled on the verge of passing out.
"Hmph." Elliot huffed clearly not in favor of it. Ace...
"Hey, does Julius and Ace have a thing?" I suddenly blurted out in my war torn mind.
"Huh? A thing?" He asked twisting around to see me. I glanced up and showed him my hand crossing my fingers.
"Yeah, a 'thing'. I can't tell." I noted. It really makes me wonder though if he's straight or not...it seems like it since he liked Alice but I'm not so sure anymore...I've seen them lock lips not once but twice.
"I have no idea and I don't care either way. Why? Is this affecting you?" He pushed knowing he will get more information out of a sleepy me rather than an alert me.
"Hrm... ort sof." Ugh oh. There goes my speech. I'm really slipping now...
"Like how?"
"Well, I like Julius and I want to know is he's is Ace's er somethin'...," my words blended together as the lights began to go out. Oh...so tired...
JULIUS'S POV
I tediously worked on the rather detestable spring before me trying to latch it back into its rightful place. My ears strained hearing for the slightest of moments the door thump shut. Oh? Is Ace back already? I glanced up from my work spying a sneering Elliot carrying the young foreigner over his shoulder. Alarm sprinted through my eyes before I coldly hid my chilled reaction. Is there something wrong with Jackie? Did she get hurt? Then why would Elliot being her here, of all places?
"Why, Clockmaker?" He icily demanded entering the room without invitation. I cautiously eyed the animal - confused man as he sauntered into the room lying Jackie down on the couch. My eyes racked over her form finding nothing wrong with her. Is she only sleeping?
"Why what?" I asked masking my curiosity as I eyed the foreigner. Her chest rose and fell evenly giving little to no indication of irregularity.
"Why are you working Jackie to the bone like this?! She passed out half way here!" He angrily demanded sweeping his hand over the slumbering girl. I stiffened slightly. Working her? Nonsense!
"It is her choice if she wants to come here or not." I frigidly countered glaring at the man. He knows he's not supposed to be here...I threw him in jail and yet he returns? Just for Jackie? What is she to him? My clock ticked painfully at yet another foreigner abandoning me. No...this is for the best. Jackie should...my own thoughts vanquished the thought before it had a chance to live. No, I do not want that. More than anything I do not want that...!
"...If you were dead ... then Jackie wouldn't have to come here anymore, now would she?" Elliot dangerously threatened placing a hand over his gun. My eyes flashed as Ace's sword swept past Elliot's ear nearly lopping it clean off if he hadn't moved.
"Eh~ playing without me? That's no fun~," Ace complained in the midst of his masked attire. Elliot's sneer only grew deeper as he scampered out the door without a second's hesitation. The tension stayed, knotting my muscles as I hurried to the girl's side, pressing my cold fingers against her vein.
JACKIE'S POV
"Huh? Maybe she's dead?" Ace said an icy touch stabbed into my neck. I uncomfortably squirmed away from the fingers fluttering my eyes open to see Julius's wide panicked eyes.
"Hm? Julius...m what's goin' on?" I sleepily questioned as I sat up. Hm? When did I get in here?
Ah.
I swung my legs off the couch and hurried off to the kitchen.
"Oh? She's really up and about!" Ace cried fervently with a laugh. I slipped the coffee maker out of the cabinet and snatched a bag full of coffee beans, tossing them into a bowl to crush.
"Jackie, are you feeling alright?" Julius asked, walking in as I finished up the grinding.
"M- fine." I mumbled tossing the powder into a cup and filled it with water. "Sorry, but I have to go now. I'll be back tonight."
"Huh? You're leaving already?" Ace asked as I scooted by him.
"Yeah. I got work." I noted with a massive yawn. I jumped slightly as Jullius's hand snatched my arm. I tiredly glanced back. Did I mess up on his coffee?
"Stay here for a while." He said.
"Oh~ is this a development towards my threesome?" Ace asked with an excited grin as he wrapped his arm around Julius's shoulders. A faint blush shot across Julius's face. I blankly stared at the odd scene as a pressure pressed against my chest. Ah...it hurts.
"Of course not! If word gets out that I made a foreigner pass out from work then it will be troublesome for me." A twinge of annoyance pricked my heart as I hastily withdrew my hand. As a foreigner huh? Nothing more?
"Screw off Julius. I need to go to work." Why am I so annoyed right now? Just because he referred to me as another 'foreigner'? Or is it because Ace is touching Julius so much? But why would I get angry over that? Am I... sheer horror washed over me. Am I jealous? How is that possible?!
"Jackie?" Ace asked, tilting his head to the side as Julius quietly observed my terrified expression.
"Ah - ah - ah - ah - ah -!" I stuttered unable to think of anything else. What can I say? I - I -! "See ya!"
"Jackie - ?!" Julius cried as I flew down the stairs with cheeks burning a blazing red. Why... why do I feel jealous over Ace touching Julius? No, why would I care? And why in the heck does my heart feel like something is squeezing it?
My feet somehow carried me all the way into town far from my previous destination of a park. Why...why am I feeling like this? My heart is racing and aching and - and...
...and...
...
...Do I like Julius?
I sucked in a quick breath and slapped my cheeks. Of course I 'like' him but do I 'like like' him is the real question. My heart felt as though it was on the verge of exploding as I stumbled to a nearby wall using it as support. Well, let's think about this logically. Sick...maybe I'm just sick? My hand slapped to the forehead, proving me wrong. Ok ok... so if it's not that then... then maybe it is a like like? But how? We've done practically nothing but fight! And yet... a shutter ran up my spine as my neck remembered his hot breath against it the first night he passed out. I touched the bandaged skin as my chest pounded louder and heavier.
I...I like him?
My cheek flushed from the mere thought. Ah... Julius...but what do I like about him? I have nothing in common with the man! Except...
We both dislike people.
We loathe useless small talk.
We hate tea with a burning passion.
We love to fix things.
We love solitary confinement.
I sighed as a small bout of depression hit me. Ah... I guess we do have a lot of things in common... that's kind of depressing really. The clockmaker... who would have thought that I would come to like a guy like that? No, not like. Maybe... this is just a deep respect? I do like how he can fix such tedious things with those beautiful hands of his and make life with a few twists of the wrist and... and...
Wow.
Oh gosh.
I...really think it is that.
No, no no stop. Before I think about this I need to get one thing straight;
Is Julius into guys ... or is he into girls?
‡
Sorry it took so long but here it is! I hope you all enjoy~ REVIEW! :D