Why hello there! It's been awhile, hasn't it?

Honestly, guys, I'm putting way too much effort into this. I'm ridiculously OCD and will not rest until every chapter is just as good of quality as what you started with. I know the update times are really depressing but I don't want to bust out a chapter if I'm not satisfied with it. I've also got Six Souls which is original and needs some love as well! Self-Advertising for the lame!

Anyway, please read, enjoy, COMMENT! I love to know what you think or if there is anything you feel I need to work on. Ta-ta!

Wick didn't exactly know what he wanted to expect for Jay's inevitable reaction to the death of his mother. Then again, he could feel his own muscles tense, ready to be flung across the room. This reaction has yet to come. He watches Jay's slow change of expression, sensing the deteriorating emotion in his mind. Processing what he has just been told.

The Will Bender notices in these moments just how much the Fox has changed the kid. He looks much stronger, less flimsy and awkward, more defined in muscle. Even the blue in his eyes reveals less innocence and more icy confidence. That could be problematic. Although, Wick could still feel the same weakness, even if it is covered expertly. He's not fully transformed, not yet anyway. Especially now, as Jay looks at him with a tragically upset look, yet not as devastated as he would assume.

The Fox, meanwhile, could probably turn Wick to dust with the vicious gaze he is giving him. There is something unholy about the bright green eyes. He could hear the ticking of his life's clock again, although, unlike at the ship yard, he knew he would live through this.

"Jay…" The Fox, Wick recalls his name being Aiden, slowly speaks. It is adorably gentle, protective, "Jay, you need to back up."

Yes Jay doesn't respond, frozen. His eyes are focused on a luminescent rat mask he has attached to his belt. He plays with it, trying to stay calm. Not avoiding anger, to Wick's guess, just from sadness.

He finally speaks, quietly, "Aiden…let me talk to him."

Only God know how much Wick wants to grin at the Fox's sudden spike of surprise. He doesn't show it very well, but Wick can sense it loud and clear.

Before he can respond Jay takes Wick's arm, leading him up a set of stairs and into one of the rooms Wick had brought him when they first met. Once the door closes Jay slowly sighs, "Yeah…we won't last long in here."

"I'm guessing he'll be coming up soon," Wick guesses, keeping any sort of amusement from his face. He's supposed to be regretful, saddened by his mistaken murder. It really helped more that he never meant to kill the mother, but he didn't exactly care that it happened either. He does now, though, for the sake of acting.

Jay leans against the wall, the crystal blue of his eyes vibrant in the dark room, "He doesn't trust you."

"That's pretty obvious," Wick says whilst keeping close attention to the kid's emotions. His heart rate is fast, as if nervous. There is heat that radiates off him, like adrenaline, though it only lingers, as if depleted a while ago. Something quite eventful has happened to him recently, and Wick is very curious about it.

"He's just protective," Jay is quick to defend, "He's just…he doesn't want me to get hurt. He wants to do everything."

"And you're OK with that?" The last time he talked to Jay, that sort of mentality seemed like something he tried to avoid. Now he speaks about it like it is perfectly fine.

"Yeah…" He trails off, rubbing the back of his neck. His emotions spike, uneasiness, tension, sheepishness.

"Ok…Ok what are you even thinking about?" Wick asks, "I can sense your nerves. I thought I'd be dead by now after…"

A new wave of sadness sets over his layers of feeling. Jay looks at him rather intensely, "You said it was an accident…you didn't mean to…"

Wick stares, a concerning hesitation settling. He has never once questioned whether to lie or not. However, Jay's eyes are something bizarre, as if staring into his morality. He shakes it off, sighing, "Yes…it was…I thought maybe she was asleep…but if humans try and fight the transmission…" He trails off, relieved as he knows the kid is buying it. Although, he seems more preoccupied by the door. He knows well enough that Jay never fancied his parents but the obliviousness to standing in front of his mother's murderer is astounding. Less work for him, he supposes.

Finally, Jay speaks, looking back at Wick, "I understand…you didn't mean it."

"Really…" Wick lets some of his amusement sneak out, but he buries it under a frown, "Thank you for listening…but you are distracted."

"What do you mean?"

"I can sense emotions, remember?" Wick explains, deciding it is best to change the subject, "Did something happen recently? Your past feelings suggest as much."

Jay's frown deepens as he moves farther into the room, sitting on one of the plush couches and is silent, arguing with himself. Wick follows, his curiosity peaking. He follows, careful while sitting beside him, letting him think. He is debating on telling Wick something important. It must be.

"Jay…" He speaks gently, keeping the gesture in his hands casually, "Tell me what is going on."

He watches the psychic's muscles tense just slightly, like he just felt some chill go through the air. He speaks quietly, "I kissed him."

Wick stares, trying to comprehend, "You did what?"

"Aiden," He reiterates, "I kissed him in the alleyway, just before the rain came."

Well this is interesting isn't it? Wick was thoroughly aware of Jay's cute crush on the Fox but to this extent he didn't even understand. He stares with his true emotion of shock, asking, "Did he—"

"Uh, yeah," He answers before Wick and finish the question, "He…kissed back." The way he says this and the faded blush on his cheeks makes the Will Bender smirk only a little. The Fox kissing him in some alley way just before a storm? How romantic. Even with Jay's feelings he didn't think he'd be able to influence such a powerful and emotionless psychic so fast. Then again, this just makes Wick's job easier. This is exactly how he wanted it to play out. The only thing he needs now is a little more trust. The most important factor to him is the fact that the Fox showed emotional weakness. Something happened that caused this, he wouldn't just sporadically kiss without some bit of his endless stoic disposition being shattered.

"You kissed him?" Wick repeats, "How did that even happen?"

"Well I kissed first," Jay says casually, shrugging, "And he didn't really react at first and then he…reacted all at once."

"Why did you decide to kiss him? Why then? Just the right moment?" Wick asks as he tries not to sound too demanding, only curious, like a friend asking about a date.

"I…" Jay hesitates, his expression growing a concerning skeptical as he watches Wick. He speaks again, quieter, "I'd rather not say. Like you said…it was just the right moment."

That is not nearly good enough. Jay knows, he knows he shouldn't talk about the Fox. At least his theory is correct, he needed to rebuild his way into his trust. Distantly he could hear a voice, so quiet and buried under years of this life he traverses that he could barely hear it. It tells him not to do this, to walk away.

But if he does, if he listens, the only thing left for him was a bullet through the head or probably worse. It isn't his time to join who he has lost.

~WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW~

Aiden leans stiffly against the bar, staring toward the room Jay and the purple-haired man had disappeared to. The psychic has counted twelve minutes. Part of his mind measured how many ways he could kill someone in twelve long minutes, dividing out ones that involved lots of screaming. He promptly sticks them back in the equation when one of the club residents informs him that it was a sound proof room. This didn't apply to how the Will Bender killed people. He's seen ones of his kind take several out in a couple seconds by simply shutting off their brain activity. He remembers Jay's mother, how the young man claimed it a mistake. It sounded genuine enough, almost believable...almost.

Then again, he could hear Damien telling him otherwise. Will Benders are born to manipulate. They did not fall under general signs of lying like darting eyes or twitching muscles. You had to go with your instinct.

And Aiden believed the mother's death was a mistake. That didn't mean the young man was innocent. Just that the death was a mistake. He didn't seem like the kind of psychic that would be so needlessly malicious. If he is, he would have tried to kill both of them.

At least from his experience with family death.

His mind reluctantly flashes back to what Jay said in the alley. He saw everything. At least, mostly everything. A part of him is happy that he didn't have to see the aftermath of that day. The last thing he needed is for Jay to be afraid. He'd rather have him cocky and rebellious than to be afraid. He wasn't afraid when he looked at Aiden in the alley. He watched his blue eyes peering at him with needless concern and worry. The brightness of them was captivating, breaking down his so meticulously crafted wall of indifference.

Then there was that damn kiss. He supposes he should be thinking of 'what the Hell came over him' or 'why did I let myself do that'. Yet, he didn't. Aiden never regretted anything. The only thing he could think of was not being able to save Lena. But that is different. All that rubble from his demolished walls, he had to rebuild it somehow. Kissing Jay back with such rigorous passion mostly unbridled by restraint…it is another outlet. He figures this out in his head afterword. There is something ungodly satisfying about it. So insatiable is his desire to protect Jay that security turns to love so quickly.

"You're going to break the glasses," One of the club members, his name is Leon, says blankly, spinning an empty cup in his hand already with a large crack, "It's a bit irritating how just thinking makes things break apart."

"Is there supposed to be some meaning in that?" Aiden asks far too roughly. He knew Leon, before he lost his arm. It is a distant relationship but well enough to speak civilly. It probably didn't help Aiden's position that he threw him over the bar when chasing after Jay. Leon is strong but crippled by manic policemen. They had tried a tactic a long time ago to cut off hands of psychics so they could not use their powers. Needless to say that ended quickly, considering how quickly they found out after testing it on Leon how he didn't need his hands to impale them on street lamps.

"No, I just don't want you breaking my fucking glassware," Leon spits out, but his face softens afterword, sighing, "Listen. I'm not even going to try and understand. I'm just going to say that Jay needs a bit more freedom."

"You think I'm keeping him prisoner?"

"A jail may have nice wardens and a comfy room. It may even make you want to stay," Leon looks up, his eyes are grey, not nearly as bright, but still alive, "It's only when you look out the window, or when you take a walk on the outside that you remember it is still a fucking jail."

Aiden wants to be angry about this. Though he knows that there is truth in his words. Jay is not used to making his own decisions. Then again, he chose to kiss Aiden, and he obliged quite spectacularly. Maybe he needed to trust him more.

He looks back at the room. Seventeen minutes now.

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't trust him either," Leon says, glancing to where Aiden is looking as well, "He's around here a lot. Lingers in the club."

"What does he do?" Aiden asks, wanting to know as much information as he can.

"Nothing. I've talked to him before. He's a clever kid, always avoiding any sort of involvement…he's dangerous if associated with the wrong people."

"I've assumed that much."

"Well think about it this way. What if Jay trusts him?"

The psychic doesn't know how to answer this. One choice could be to trust him as Jay trusts him. However, Jay has far more emotional interference than Aiden. He wants to believe that Jay has lost all his innocence but he hasn't. Just most of it. Another choice is ignoring Jay and not trusting him at all, which won't work in the slightest. The best thing he can do is trust not to trust, to be cautious.

He hears a door open and close. Turning, he sees Jay slip out of the room followed by the one in question. At this point he vaguely remembers Damien telling him his name is Wick. He looks at Aiden blankly, nothing revealed in his expression.

"Thank you for not trying to kill him," Jay says, his voice tinged with a similar rebellion that he has heard before.

"Do you trust him?" Aiden asks immediately, not even caring. He wanted to get to the point.

Jay watches and nods. He nods only once.

There is a visual relaxation to Wick behind him, he immediately stiffens again as Aiden looks at him. It isn't the fearful kind of tension, it is almost like a kid getting caught stealing from the cookie jar. He watches Aiden with far less emotion than his posture.

"Yay, we all love each other and we aren't going to destroy Leon's club from fighting!" Leon says with feigned cheerfulness from the bar, sipping his glass, "Because that would be irritating and really fucking expensive to fix!"

"It'll be OK, don't worry," Jay assures just as thunder claps in the distance, another set of rain sheening the roof.

Aiden glances to Leon, "Do you have rooms?"

"Yeah, sure, it's a hotel now," Leon rolls his eyes, grabbing keys off the bar, passing Jay, pointing a metal finger at him and muttering, "You are the only one I like."

This makes Jay smirk, looking to Aiden, "You know, there is some advantage to being nice to people."

"I don't need people to like me," Aiden says slowly, setting his glare to Wick who looks away. A smile is dancing just barely on his lips. He moves to Wick without restraint, standing close, speaking clearly, "Give me one reason. One single reason. It'll make my day."

The purple-haired psychic stares, the smirk falling yet he is far too stoic for Aiden's liking. This isn't the first time someone has threatened him this way. He speaks gently, "You won't get a reason, Fox."

There is too much steel in his words. Nevertheless, Aiden backs away, about to take Jay's hand but moves to his shoulder instead, leading him to follow Leon. Wick is behind them, but keeps a distance. He could not shake away his paranoia so evident in the Will Bender's presence. But, Jay trusts him. All he can do is be very, very careful. Jay already knows too much, has too much effect on him. There is no way he would lose him now.

Never.

~WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW~

Jay feels he could cut the tension with a dull blade if he wanted to. The aggression like deadly electricity. Although, even with this he could tell well enough with Aiden's grip on his shoulder, which is drastically tight. He reaches up, touching the older man's hand, trying to give him some sign.

To his touch Aiden glances at him with his bright eyes, ultimately letting go entirely. Jay rolls his shoulder, mumbling, "Thank you."

He gets silence in response.

Leon stops after they climb up another set of stairs, looking at them blankly, "I only got two rooms because to Hell if any of you stay with me."

"I don't need a bed," Aiden says simply.

"Great." He tosses the set of keys to him, "I really need sleep after this. Don't bother me." He rubs his temples as he disappears into the farthest door.

Aiden is quick to access both doors, holding one open as he looks at Wick. He stares back, strangely emotionless as he walks in. He almost slams the door, contemplating between the keys and the lock.

"You're not funny," Jay pipes up, trying to foil his plans he is clearly thinking of.

Aiden looks to him blankly, "I wasn't going to lock the door."

Jay snorts, rolling his eyes, "Right."

He sees the older man's lip twitch up at the sound. He moves to the next door, "He could just open it with his power, you know. It wouldn't have done anything."

"Well you would find it funny when he tries to open it in the morning."

"No I wouldn't."

"You are so shitty at lying!" Jay can't help but chuckle, "I lie better than you!"

"I'm not good at lying to you, Jay, there is a difference," Aiden says suddenly, pushing open the door quietly to a simple guest room, sparingly furnished. Jay steps in, the air cold under the pattering ceiling. He stares ahead, then turns slightly back to Aiden, "What happened…back there….was it a mistake?"

He can't help but ask. Aiden certainly likes to calculate plans, but he is also one for instinct. He needs to know if the experience in the alley was just in the heat of the moment. Aiden was so uncharacteristically broken, so starkly emotional. Anything can happen to people when they are like that, even when it's something so distinct like what happened before.

The Fox is silent for an unbearably long time, but does not look away from the younger psychic. He looks out in the hall, then back, stepping closer. He lifts Jay's chin up with strange gentleness, kissing him in a similar fashion. If what happened in the alleyway was like an uncontrollable wildfire, this was a delicately lit candle, so soft and leaving such subtle warmth. And then it is gone.

Jay blinks, seeing Aiden is not out of the room. He could see the man's hands twitch slightly, as if nervous but not symmetric to the look on his face which is as unreadable as stone. He speaks blatantly, "I make no mistakes." He takes the knob of the door, slowly closing it, "Goodnight, Jay."

The Visionary leans against the wall, stricken with the finality of the statement. Why is he so good at last words?

He could feel the cold air thicken with the warmth still left behind. The layers beat down on the last remaining spots of energy he has. With little grace he collapses on the bed, his body asleep before he even feels his eyes close.