[There were days when Jack believed that Johnny had found a way home. It didn't make him feel angry, didn't even make him feel sad, not really. He felt numb, as if someone had removed the beating heart from his chest. He wondered if he'd made the wrong choice after all, if his dissatisfaction with Johnny's world was worth losing him after all.
But there was still a spire and people who depended on it, which left no time for mourning. Jack continued Johnny's work, using the fire rune that Merida taught him to keep the rooms warm. He keep the hunting parties on schedule, and poured over the greenhouse blueprints with the architects.
He barely slept, and ate only when Kyrianna forced him to take a meal.
But then he got Johnny's squirrely message, and he was returned a few days later, a tiny flaming rodent. Jack sent out a new call, to sorcerers and witches who might return Johnny to his true form. But most told him the same: it was the Hart's curse, but it was temporary. He would return soon, but still not soon enough for Jack's liking.
Jack smiles when Johnny crawls up onto his chest, and he places his book aside to stroke his head with a finger.]
You must be tired. Did Shadow give you a hard time today?
[ Jack is thinner. He looks more tired, and from his vantage point on Jack's chest the sight of him makes his heart sink. There's everything awful about this gulf between them, and Johnny's never felt more heartache for him, the truth that sinks in: he has done the one thing he promised himself to never do, which is to never hurt Jack.
He makes a dissatisfied squirrelly sound, quietly distressed. It's not what Shadow did to him (she made him play tag pretty much the entire evening), but what he sees in Jack now, older than he looks, and unhappier. It's primitive, older than time, this instinct to protect one's mate, to keep them safe and happy.
He nuzzles into his finger, tail bristling as he squeaks unhappily at him. He can't talk, not like the others, but maybe he'd make his point clear by pooping on the map the next time he skips his meals. Rubbing against his fingers, he darts forward to press his nose lightly against Jack's chin. Once, twice.
There's so much he wants to say, so much he wants to apologize for. ]
[Jack misses the sound of his voice, the ridiculous things he would say - even his singing. Knowing that he'll eventually hear it again is some comfort.
But when he does turn back into a human, that pooping thing had better stop, Jonathan.
He smiles when squirrel!Johnny bumps his nose against his chin, the most adorable kisses ever. Jack cups his hand around him, scooting him over so that he can feel the beat of his heart, which has been returned to him. He reaches over to take something from the nightstand: a peanut.]
[ The pooping stops when Jack starts eating like a normal person again! Oh, he does like peanuts. He's settled right above his heart, and he wiggles just a little, happy to hear the familiar, rhythmic beat of it again. Johnny misses their intimate moments together, the nights and days when nothing else matters but each other.
He's reminded of this again, cheered up by the way he smiles. There, there it is, his Jack. He had been afraid he'd never see it again.
Johnny reaches for the peanut and cracks it, but instead of eating, he scampers forward to push one nut between Jack's lips. The message is clear: he knows someone hasn't been eating. ]
[He'd been afraid that he might never be him again, that he had relapsed back into that version of Jack who had tar on his soul, before Johnny Storm came into his life and burned much of that away, became a light that made his soul grow like Johnny was his sun.
He's not perfect. He will never be perfect. But he made a promise to keep trying.
Jack holds the peanut there, smirks before sucking it into his mouth.]
Breakfast is only a few hours away. Now eat. [He smiles at him.] I promise I won't let any cats eat you, no matter how much you fatten up.
[ Squirrel!Johnny's ears prick up in alarm at the mention of having a cat eating him; and as if Shadow's got a sixth sense about this (she does), she leaps onto the bed on Johnny's usual spot, purring loudly as she regards them both, tail swishing.
Johnny, who has balls of steel even as a squirrel, only eats his peanut, straightening up to paw for more from Jack. Also, just because breakfast is in a few hours doesn't mean that he won't share what he has with Jack. His prince might not be perfect, but hey, neither is he -- and all that matters is that they're trying. ]
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But there was still a spire and people who depended on it, which left no time for mourning. Jack continued Johnny's work, using the fire rune that Merida taught him to keep the rooms warm. He keep the hunting parties on schedule, and poured over the greenhouse blueprints with the architects.
He barely slept, and ate only when Kyrianna forced him to take a meal.
But then he got Johnny's squirrely message, and he was returned a few days later, a tiny flaming rodent. Jack sent out a new call, to sorcerers and witches who might return Johnny to his true form. But most told him the same: it was the Hart's curse, but it was temporary. He would return soon, but still not soon enough for Jack's liking.
Jack smiles when Johnny crawls up onto his chest, and he places his book aside to stroke his head with a finger.]
You must be tired. Did Shadow give you a hard time today?
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He makes a dissatisfied squirrelly sound, quietly distressed. It's not what Shadow did to him (she made him play tag pretty much the entire evening), but what he sees in Jack now, older than he looks, and unhappier. It's primitive, older than time, this instinct to protect one's mate, to keep them safe and happy.
He nuzzles into his finger, tail bristling as he squeaks unhappily at him. He can't talk, not like the others, but maybe he'd make his point clear by pooping on the map the next time he skips his meals. Rubbing against his fingers, he darts forward to press his nose lightly against Jack's chin. Once, twice.
There's so much he wants to say, so much he wants to apologize for. ]
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But when he does turn back into a human, that pooping thing had better stop, Jonathan.
He smiles when squirrel!Johnny bumps his nose against his chin, the most adorable kisses ever. Jack cups his hand around him, scooting him over so that he can feel the beat of his heart, which has been returned to him. He reaches over to take something from the nightstand: a peanut.]
I roasted some in the shell for you.
no subject
He's reminded of this again, cheered up by the way he smiles. There, there it is, his Jack. He had been afraid he'd never see it again.
Johnny reaches for the peanut and cracks it, but instead of eating, he scampers forward to push one nut between Jack's lips. The message is clear: he knows someone hasn't been eating. ]
no subject
He's not perfect. He will never be perfect. But he made a promise to keep trying.
Jack holds the peanut there, smirks before sucking it into his mouth.]
Breakfast is only a few hours away. Now eat. [He smiles at him.] I promise I won't let any cats eat you, no matter how much you fatten up.
no subject
Johnny, who has balls of steel even as a squirrel, only eats his peanut, straightening up to paw for more from Jack. Also, just because breakfast is in a few hours doesn't mean that he won't share what he has with Jack. His prince might not be perfect, but hey, neither is he -- and all that matters is that they're trying. ]