Love Interrupted Chapter 7

“Jackie…Jackie” the soft words slowly roused Jack from his deep sleep, though apparently not fast enough for the voice as a thin hand connected solidly with his cheek, snapping his head to the side and his mind to alertness. “Come now Jackie, you simply must be awake if we’re going to make any progress breaking your boyfriend.” Pitch said with a vicious smirk.

Despite the situation Jack felt a brief flash of hope, no not hope, the possibility of hope, at Pitch’s words before he forced it down and glared at Pitch, hard blue eyes boring into light gold.  Jack wished he wasn’t gagged, because “go to hell” sounds a lot less defiant when said through a wad of fabric, still he felt he got the message across.

“Oh don’t be nervous Jack, I’m sure you’ll do fine. Just…do what comes naturally.” Pitch said with a dark chuckle that made Jack’s stomach crawl. Continuing with a toothy grin
Pitch said “You know Jackie, I feel terrible that I didn’t get you a present yesterday, granted you were the present so I guess that kind of changes things a little doesn’t it…I got you a present!” Jack felt his stomach twist itself into a knot as Pitch withdrew a long iron rod about three feet long from somewhere in his billowing robe. “Shall we wake the rabbit and get started? So much to do, so little time!” Pitch sang as he glided over to where Aster hung from the wall and slapped the Pooka sharply across the face. “Ah good, your awake. We can finally begin!” Jack heard Pitch’s voice, its pitch higher than usual. Jack’s eyes were still locked on the terrible metal rob in Pitch’s thin fist as he made his way over to the molten pool in the center of the room and dipped the metal into the glowing rock.

Jack looked up at Aster then, wishing his fear wasn’t as plain on his face as he knew it was. He didn’t want Pitch to be able to use him to get to Aster, the Pooka had resisted him successfully for months now and Jack wasn’t about be the reason he gave in. He would not cause Aster more pain then he already had with his foolishness. Pitch was using him because of Aster’s feelings, whatever they were exactly, for him and Pitch would undoubtedly find a way to use Jack’s own feeling against them as well. Jack just wished he know what those feelings were himself, he wished he had time to figure it out, time with Aster to see where things went, but it seemed fate didn’t like that plan.

Jack was brought out of his frantic thoughts by Aster’s cold words “Don’t you dare Pitch.” Jack’s eyes went wider as Pitch approached, glowing iron in hand. “Don’t test me Pitch, touch him and I’ll kill ya.” Jack almost laughed at the small flutter in his chest at Aster’s words; this was not the time.

“Oh dear Bunny, I don’t think you’re in any place to be making threats.” Pitch was next to him now, the glowing metal emanating enough heat that could feel it even at a distance.

“Ya know I’ll get out of here some time!” Jack winced as fresh blood spilled from Aster’s wrists mixing with dried as he struggled against the cuffs restraining him.

"Such lovely soft skin, such a shame…" Pitch trailed off as he ran his hand down Jack’s face. Jack steeled himself for what he knew was coming; he would not let Pitch use him.

It’s funny how little determination means when someone presses a molten hot iron against your side, Jack would have been happy that he lasted a full three seconds if he’d had the mental capacity to do more than scream. Scream he did to, his voice rising until it broke and he screamed silently all the while arching away from the pain in a desperate attempt to escape. It was futile of course, there was nowhere to go and Pitch would allow for no reprieve. The pain chased every thought from Jack’s mind as it shot through his body, overriding ever command and instruction.

Relief, blessed relief as the iron was removed and Jack collapsed all his muscles going limp as the pain lessened from a blazing jab to a burning throb. Fresh pain as Pitch reapplied the iron to a different part of his side, the new pain mixing with the old to hurt far worse than either on their own. Tears streamed unbidden down his eyes as he screamed for release, pointlessly begged for the pain to stop, called out for help that didn’t come. Hours passed as Jack slipped in and out of couscous thought, the moments of clarity colored by red pain and exhaustion. Finally after an eternity the pain receded and Jack slipped into blessed blackness.

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Jack flew through the air, relishing the cool breeze against his face as he spun and looped and dove through the frigid air located in the upper levels of the atmosphere. He always loved the feeling of flying high and free like this, away from the cares of the world or worries about anything; just him, wind, and the sky. As he flew the sun beating down began to warm his skin, which was unusual for being this high up. Jack turned away from the sun, attempting to escape the uncomfortable heat but it only grew hotter and hotter, increasing to a painful level. His side was burning now as he dove from the sky, desperately trying to escape whatever it was that was causing him this pain. He looked around franticly as he fell, trying in vain to find the source of the heat that was now obviously not from the sun; his eyes fell on a pond bellow him and he angled himself toward it.

He landed in the water with a cacophonous plash, sending shards of ice in all directions as water droplets froze midflight. The temperature of the water dropped and still his side burned like it was on fire even with the cold water surrounding him. He was sinking, he kicked as hard as he could toward the surface but still he sunk the dark depths pulling him farther down away from the light above him. His lungs were burning along with his side now, begging for oxygen as his vision blurred as the edges. “I’m sorry” Aster’s words suddenly filled his ears as he felt his mind growing fuzzier “I’m sorry” the words sounded again as Jack’s world went dark “I’m sorry”

Jack woke with a start, his breath coming in gasps as his mind worked to process what was going on. The pain in his side was a dull burn as he slowly raised his eyes to look across the room at Aster; The Pooka’s head was down, chin on his broad chest. Jack had never seen him look so defeated and the sight sent a sharp jab through his chest. “I’m sorry I love you.” The words were whispered, almost too quiet for Jack to hear but he heard them and he felt a warmth blossoming in his chest. The warmth was almost immediately dispelled by the context of the confession, Aster was sorry for his feelings, be blamed himself-and probably his feelings-for the situation.

Jack was surprised by sudden anger that flared within him, he didn’t have much experience with this whole ‘romance’ thing but he was pretty sure this was supposed to be a happy moment-the irony of that statement aside-and here the stupid Pooka was running it with his guilt. Jack really wished he could talk now just to set the fuzzy idiot straight, so to speak. He had to settle for shouting through his gag, trying to get Aster’s attention “Uuuuuuuummmmmmmeeeeeeee!” he shouted through the cloth but Aster didn’t respond.
“UUUUUUMMMMMMMEEEEEE!” He shouted louder to no avail. He must of have asleep. Fine, Jack would wait until he was awake and then he’d yell at him.

As Jack hung there another thought occurred to him that made his stomach fall; Aster blamed himself for what was happening to Jack. This was just as Pitch had planned, Aster would blame himself for Jack’s pain and suffering. Well Jack would be damned if he was going to be the reason Aster broke after months of resisting Pitch so completely he had to do something. An idea was forming itself in his mind as he hung there, a way he could give Aster back the hope that Pitch had worked so hard to chip away at. But was he willing to do that? Was he willing to take the consequences when they inevitably came? If it would help Aster then the answer was a resounding yes, he would take whatever came his way later if it meant he could save the person who loved him.

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Jack let out a shuddering gasp as the iron was removed from his skin and he felt limply, supported only by the chains binding his wrists. He wished he’d been able to fight the tears, he wished he been able to fight at all actually, but they had fallen quick and fast as Pitch made his way methodically down his other side now. Knowing what to expect did not make the main any less, but it did at least allow him to keep a small portion of his sanity during the torture. He could hear the telltale sound of iron jangling around that meant Aster was trying to break free from his restrains and tear Pitch apart; As much as the protective side of Aster warmed his heart he wished the Pooka was stop tearing is wrists open pointlessly.

Running a finger down Jack’s cheek Pitch traces the frost like pattern his tears had left “I simply must say Jackie, your pain is more beautiful then I could have imagined. It will be a shame to lose you.” Pitch cackled at his last words before vanishing into nothingness.

“Don’t worry Jack, I won’t let that happen” Aster said once Pitch had been gone for a few minutes.

Jack wished he had a more effective way to tell Aster he trusted him then nodding, but since he didn’t he nodded with all he had, his head bobbing up and down in a comical way. When he looked back up he found the smallest smile on Aster’s face which caused his eyes to crinkle in what would be a smile. Their mirth soon faded and Jack watched as Aster sighed and lowered his head to rest it against his chest, his ears hanging limply over his face. Jack knew that everything Aster had endured, and everything he had watched Jack endure, was wearing on the Pooka. Aster was strong, but everybody had a weakness, and apparently Aster’s was Jack; He wouldn’t allow himself to be a weakness he would do everything he could to be a strength and he had a plan to do just that.

“Aaaaammmmrrrrr!” Jack shouted, trying to get the Pooka’s attention. Aster raised his head and looked at Jack, weary emerald eyes meeting watery blue.

Jack stared at Aster for a long minute until the Pooka cocked one ear and said “What is it Frostbite?” Jack help up four fingers “Not this please Frostbite, there’s no point.” He hung his head again, which Jack would not accept; he shouted until Aster raised his head again and once again held up four fingers. With a sigh Aster said “Fine. Four words.” Jack nodded, held up one finger and pointed to himself “You?” Jack nodded. He hesitated then, despite his resolve and how much he knew Aster needed this it was still difficult to mine the words after all he didn’t know if they were true. He wanted them to be though, and he felt that they could be so that would have to be enough for now. He held up two fingers then curved his thumb and pointer finger on each hand so that each made half a heart and pushed them as close as he could, which was still a good three apart due to his manacles.
Aster stared as him uncomprehendingly “uuuuuuuuuuu mmmmmmmm” Jack said through the gag, which got him another confused look. Shaking his head he held up three fingers “third word now? What about two?” Aster asked in confusion and jack shook his head “alright, third word then.” Jack nodded and pointed at Aster “me?” Jack nodded and held up four fingers “fourth word” Jack nodded and held up two fingers “back to the second word?”  Jack shook his head and help up two fingers again “oh, two?” Jack nodded then held up two fingers and swirled his hand in a half circle motion “Now back to the second word?” Jack nodded and repeated the heart motion with his hands. Aster looked at him without comprehension “I don’t know what your doing Jack. You something me two? You something me two…? You…something…me two…” Jack saw the flash of understanding in Aster’s eyes as they flicked between his hands putting together the shapes and growing wider with each bounce. His words barely above a whisper he said “You…love…me too?” The look of wonder and desperate hope on Aster’s face had Jack smiling even bigger then he already would have, his eyes nearly closed as he nodded his head, his shining blue eyes never leaving Aster’s suddenly watery green.