Back again! Prompts will be uploaded on Saturdays, much as the main story did. I took the last two weeks off to recover from the Spring Semester & start my summer classes, so good luck to anybody else working or studying this summer!

I was very excited for this prompt ever since it first popped into the inbox of Tricked Out's tumblr, so thank you for the suggestion!

This chapter contains spoilers for Chap 37 of Tricked Out.

February 16th

Outside Town Hall

Just After a Fight

"Go back to the Manor, now."

Ivy's hands were still curled into fists. "But Jack-"

"I wasn't asking."

For a moment Jack thought she'd obey - her face fell and her fists temporarily uncurled, her stance dropping it's defensive stature. But just as quickly she seemed to steel herself and stare stubbornly at him in a way that made his bones ache.

"No," she snapped, fingers flexing. "I'm not going to just - just - leave and let you do this?"

"Do what? Clean up your mess?" Jack felt a new ache building up in the back of his neck, a weariness anticipating the storm ahead. "Because that's what you've done - you've thrown everything out of order!"

"What was I supposed to do?" She cried.

Jack's jaw made a grinding noise as he gritted out, "not attack the poor girl just because she said something you didn't want to hear!"

Ivy sputtered, cheeks flushing. Jack could hear the Council moving around back inside the Hall, the soft swooshes of Vlad's coat as he took control adding a sense of urgency. He turned his attention back to the human before him, who still had blood welling in the scratches on her face and whose eyes were dark and dangerous in a way that made his insides curl.

"I can't waste any more time with this right now," he said, his voice low. "For the last time, go back to the Manor, or -"

"Or what?" Ivy challenged, drawing herself up as though Jack were her next target. His hackles raised at the implied threat, even though he knew it was more likely she'd hurt herself further. "What, Jack? Are you going to, to, to scold me? Ground me even more?" She let out a bitter laugh, gesturing around with a flourish dripping with sarcasm. "What can you do that you haven't already done?"

"I promise, you don't want to find out," he all but growled. "Listen to me -"

"Listen to me!" Ivy cried, stepping forward as though to seize Jack's forearms. He backed away, letting her fingers graze the open air. The motion seemed to stall her, but unfortunately, it didn't silence her all together. "Jack, I - you gotta trust me, this is a bad idea. I know she, she said I l-lied, but I'm not now, I swear! You use to listen to -"

"Why would I listen," Jack hissed, "to someone who's just embarrassed herself and me by acting like some wild animal in front of everyone? Like some out of control human?"

"Because I am one! I'm know, I know I'm not a Monster, but that doesn't -"

"This discussion is over." His hand cut through the air, a gesture that left a faint whistle. "Now you listen to me -"

"No!" She nearly screamed, hands digging into her hair. "Stop - stop ordering me around!" Her heartbeat was getting louder and louder, and the tension that had made itself known from the moment she'd thrown her first seemed to snap. "You're always telling me what to do like you're in charge of me but you're not! You keep - all these rules and and and little expectations like I'm -" her hands shook, Jack's fists were clenched, but they dropped instantly when she delivered her final blow. "You're not even my real dad, so stop acting like it!"

The constant bustle of Halloween Town seemed to die down - no distant footsteps, or vibrations beneath their feet, no Wind gently weaving between the occupants of the streets. There was only the quiet sound of Jack's finger bones grinding together in the now-trembling fists, and the harsh raggedness of Ivy's breath.

Jack stood, tall and unmoving, fighting to keep a calm façade even as a hot pain dug its way down his ribs, every bone aching and clenching with a mixture of rage and hurt. His jawbone had never been tighter, and he could feel his aura responding to the emotions within him, a black storm thrashing inside a glass bottle.

Ivy stood oblivious, though she seemed to have run out of steam. The weight of her injuries seemed to hit as she lifted one hand to her head, her face going pale despite the blood streaked on it. "Jack, I didn't -"

Jack waited, mildly curious despite the other emotions causing his form to creak. He watched her struggle with the words, the clear battle between her regret and… pride? Jack couldn't tell, and didn't particularly care to find out. He gave her one moment more, hoping desperately, but instead she fell silent altogether, head turning away from him.

Somehow, the hurt within him increased.

He forced his jaw open, flexing his fingers behind his back in readiness. "Then I won't order you as that, or a friend. But as long as you are in my Town, you'll listen." He paused, waiting for a rebuttal, but none came. Then, before he could trap it behind his teeth: "I am very disappointed with you, Ivy. I expected better."

His senses picked up the smell of copper and saltwater, and Ivy finally broke, moving towards him once more, a desperation he had never seen before in her eyes. "Jack, please -"

He didn't know what would happen if she finished her sentence - if she'd try to mend what she'd ripped, or simply dig the knife in deeper. Every part of him was on fire, a strange pressure building behind his eyes and temple, and a new sensation of fear that whatever she said would somehow, impossibly, make things worse.

So he acted first.

With one deliberate, swift motion that her human reflexes were too weak to pick up, Jack reached forward with one aura-filled hand and shut his sockets. He heard her sentence cut off in what might be a shout of surprise, the momentary disappearance of light from behind his sockets, the rush of air as it filled the space where the human had stood.

Slowly, weakly, he lowered his hand and opened his sockets once more, pulling his aura back in, sealing himself away once more. The dirt she'd been standing on had been disturbed, flecks of earth wafting down in a spiral, but the air itself was blissfully (painfully) empty. He rarely had cause to banish, these days, and didn't relish the strain on his already fragile nerves. No doubt Ivy would be cursing him from the Manor now, and he briefly wished he had the ability to lock the doors, but no matter.

He'd go back in, tired and heartbroken, and push the fear of what would happen next down. He'd deal with the Council and their … guest, he'd put on the same smile he'd donned for centuries and try not to think of how the title he'd unconsciously adopted had been ripped away before him. No, don't think about it, you fool, don't remember the terrible hope, the words he'd nearly said half a dozen times, the reassurance of having another being to care for that didn't see him as their King.

He pushed it down as hard as he pushed the door to the Town Hall open, well aware that the sickly smell of his magic still hung about him. No matter. He'd have time to rest, to think, to reconsider before facing his… before facing her again.

After all, it wasn't as if the day could get any worse.

But of course, as we all know, it did.

See you all soon, and remember prompts are welcome!

Next time: Summertime Fun in Halloween Town (bring your sunglasses!)

-Aria