forum Operation: Cease and Desist (o/o Closed)

Started May 07, 2023 by @Anxietyfilledcinnamonroll group

tune

Jake looked over at Alaska giving the guy a sympathetic look. He knew what that was like, but didn't have the nerve to make the same mistake twice. Jake was an odd one, not really minding being alone most of the time- however, being lonely was a different story.
"Well then you don't have to be alone if that's what you want," He said strangely calmly. Jake seemed exhausted of emotions, as he always was. Tired of this, tired of that. He was tired of everything and no matter how much sleep he got, that problem would never get fixed.

Jake smiled at Alaska, a sort of mischievous smile at his "threat".
"I'm counting on that," He said rather seductively.

As soon as the bar came into view Jake seemed to relax a little more, like the thought alone of getting blackout drunk and forgetting everything was enough of a comfort for him.
He smiled at Alaska's comment, nudging him a little as they walked side by side.
"You'll get used to it," He said, now grabbing Alaska by the hand and quickly walking inside, beelining it to the farthest seat in the bar, almost isolated from everyone else. He sat Alaska down at the counter facing the drinks on the other side with a few bartenders already starting on orders.
"So, what do you usually like? Sweet? Bitter?" He asked, wondering what Alaska's tastes were like.

At the same time, a very dark-skinned guy came over, his features looked almost flawless, silky, and smooth. He had a low fade haircut with a thick curly top- two sort of spike designs shaved onto his head. He seemed to be a very built individual, his muscles visible through his tight uniform. He looked over at the two guys who had come in, one of his eyes being a turquoise blue color, the other a very dark brown looking almost like black with the dim lighting of the bar.

He gave the two a small greeting, though, his gaze was hard and very unwelcoming, bordering on a slight glare. He looked like an ill-tempered person.
"You guys know what you want to order?" He looked at Alaska, then over at Jake, and stopped. There wasn't any surprise on his face as he looked at Jake, but more so a knowing look as if he recognized the guy- though, he didn't comment on it.

---

Jen dropped his gaze to the floor as Aeron spoke.
"I know you worry that this might come true since it's new to you, but I did promise you I wouldn't go anywhere, right?" He asked Aeron. "Dreams don't really come true, neither do nightmares. You dream about these things because it's something that worries you a lot, but it's not going to happen." Not for a very long time. Jen thought. He would keep fighting till he couldn't anymore and hopefully get to see the kids grow up. He didn't like the idea of his time on Earth being short but in a way, sometimes, the idea came to mind. Maybe only for a second or two, he never intentionally thought about his death or causing it, but there were a few moments where it came to him, like intrusive thoughts.

He pressed Aeron's body to his as if telling him to rest a little.

"My love for you is unconditional Aeron. No amount of pain or hate you inflict on me will make me stop caring about you…I-I'll always be your dad" He said softly at the end. He studdered not because he was doubtful of his decision, but because he didn't know if Aeron would be kept in his care for long. He wanted the small child- he had always wanted kids and Aeron was a special case that tugged at his heartstrings. He wanted to give Aeron the love he deserved.

Alaska smiled nervously, staring at Jake. He clung to Jake’s arm, looking around wildly through the night. He had night vision, meaning everything was doused in a strange green. It would go away when they entered the bar. A small feeling in his stomach crept into his throat. Something was wrong - something felt wrong. He turned his head, staring into the forests, the neighborhoods, every single crevasse. Alaska seemed paranoid, clinging to Jake tighter. He turned his attention back to Jake, a whimper coming from his throat. “Uh, I don’t want to be lonely… I have been all my life and it's - uncomfortable. Very very uncomfortable.” He whispered, staring at Jake. He shook his head, rolling his eyes. “You don’t want to find out. No counting on anything, cat eyes.” Alaska placed his hand on Jake’s chest, looking at the buildings ahead. He wasn’t used to getting blackout drunk, in fact, he didn’t think he’d ever get blackout drunk. “I don’t know if I-” He got cut off when Jake took him by the hand and ushered him inside.

Alaska hadn’t been in a bar in a long time. It was almost alien to him. Jake almost pushed him into the seat, the man staring around wildly. “I - uh - I don’t know. I guess - er - sweet? I like bourbon.” He seemed to shrink back, whimpering at Jake’s questions. He looked up at the guy, blinking heavily. Alaska seemed nervous, almost scared. He clung to Jake, his claws extending.

——

Aeron buried his head into Jen’s neck. He loved his dad, terrified of the possibility he might one day disappear. His dreams were evidence of it. The nightmares, the flinching and turning in his sleep. Tears slipped down his face, his small body shaking. “Yes, but bad people take the people I love. You could be taken against your will.” He whimpered. “It could come true and I don’t wanna lose my dad.” Aeron clung to Jen tighter, looking up at him. He sniffled, a deep sadness in his eyes. A deep trauma. “It could happen. It could… I’m scared more people will leave me for dead. People don’t like me. I am a no good hellhound people hate.” Another whine left his throat. “I’m sleepy. I had such a bad nightmare last night. I was so upset.” He placed his hands on Jen’s face, feeling his skin. “I don’t like sleeping in my own bed. Can I sleep in yours? It’s less scary. And you will be there to comfort me if I get scared.” That was Aeron’s solution - to be as close to Jen as possible. He had three years to do it. That way, he could make sure he’d never disappear. He would never feel bad or have to sit alone in a dark room.

Aeron dropped his hands, laying his head down on Jen. “How do you love me so much already when I just came into your care? I love you too, but it confuses me - mom said it was unnatural. And dad said unnatural things weren’t worth saving.” He muttered. “But you’re my dad now, and you’ll always be my dad.” He nuzzled Jen, resting his head.

(im such a nightmare to rp with…if you need me to tone it down, I will LMAO)

Jake profusely blushed at the "cat eyes" comment but said nothing in return. Jake was no stranger to loneliness, it was something he had gotten "used to" over the years if that was even something someone could grow accustomed to.
For a while, that loneliness had disappeared and had been replaced with something far better, someone whom he proudly called his lover, even to this day. Somewhere deep inside of Jake, he refused it. Refused to believe Marcus was dead, as if his hands hadn't been the ones to take it. It was a much more comforting thought that Marcus was off somewhere living the life he deserved, than taking a spot in the cold ground where no one would ever see him again.

Jake watched Alaska struggle to formulate a thought, clearly tripping over his words when he attempted to speak.

Alaska shrinking away from Jake with all the questions he threw at him translated to "adorable" in his mind, pulling Alaska closer to him.

For once, instead of ignoring how someone was feeling, Jake took a shot at trying to make things better for the other person. He grabbed Alaska's hands and squeezed them comfortingly, shooting the guy a small grin. He seemed rather happy to be in this place, bars having quite a comforting effect for Jake, though, being with someone else really amplified that.

"Don't worry so much, just try to enjoy the time we have.." He said softly, trying to coax Alaska into a calmer state, though, Jake's almost seductive voice seeped through which made his face heat up a bit, remembering the past for a split second. He hadn't acted this way in a long time.

The guy behind the counter cleared his throat, clearly annoyed at the display of affection going on between the two.

Jake immediately let Alaska's hands go as if startled.

"The lovely guy beside me will have bourbon, as for me, I'll take three silver bullets, a Bushmills whiskey, and a Leinenkugel dark lager," He said, almost as if rehearsed. The shots of the "Silver Bullet" drink being composed of both gin and scotch.

The guy slowly wrote everything down on his notepad, knowing that people like Jake were always a problem in places like this. They always drank too much, but he supposed as long as they kept an eye on the guy, things would be alright.

---

Jen clenched his jaw at that, not exactly knowing what to say to Aeron's reasoning. The kid was right. Jen could be taken against his will and if they were someone stronger than him? Fat chance at getting away from whatever they had planned or even fighting them if it came down to it. Nathaniel being a good example of that. At first, Jen hadn't understood what he was going up against, everything clicking only after the fact that he had been told what Nate was and what Bane's nature was as well.

Jen was only human and the thought of being helpless in a hostage situation like that did nothing but give him crippling anxiety.
"That is true, that could happen, but it hasn't yet- it's better not to dwell on the things that could happen when they haven't happened yet, you'll only torture yourself further if you keep thinking about it. Try to focus on the here and now and enjoy what you have at this moment. No one knows what will happen tomorrow, but we're here. Right now. And that's enough" He said, tilting his head slightly at Aeron's sobs of pain.

"Not everyone is going to like you- hell, not everyone likes me, but that's only natural. The people who will like you are the good people you want to keep close- if someone doesn't like you simply because of who you are they aren't worth keeping around. It's important to know when someone is telling you to fix a certain habit you have for your own betterment, but it is something else entirely when they outright decide to hate you for something you cannot change." He said softly, a bit slower as if trying to make Aeron understand.

Feeling Aeron place his hands on his face made Jen smile, blinking tiredly back at the small hound and his solution.
"You may sleep with me" He nodded slowly. It seemed that everything about Jen had slowed down a bit, maybe it wasn't that noticeable, Jen surely didn't think it was, but for someone who knew him from the inside out, it was painfully clear that he was not himself.
"I love you because I'm human," Jen said in return to Aeron's question. "I'm human and I care and I hurt." He said squeezing Aeron a little. "You are human too." He said, knowing that Aeron was not at all human, but more so speaking about his ability to love and hurt, which was very much a human quality regardless if you were labeled a monster or not for the atrocities committed.
"It's not difficult to hate something, it comes quite easy, but to love something takes a lot of pain for some of us and it is not easy, it is not quick." He spoke, although his love for Aeron had come easy and quick for him, but Jen had worked for it. He had worked to be the kind of person he wanted to be. It took years of stripping the anger from his blood until there was nothing left but a clear reflection, showing him who he should have been and who he could be going forward.

"And I cherish you like my own son…" He said, the words melting on his tongue and the sentence, while foreign, felt right.

Alaska smiled, his nerves shooting up his body. He’d never been on an actual date before. Well, he had, but it was more of a one-night thing. The girl rejected him the next day. There were a few dates like that, some ending in a make-out session, which led to another rejection. He had many people give up on him in his life, but maybe this would be different. The blush on Jake’s face said something. It could be his chance to have someone, no matter the warning signs. Alaska never had a true lover. People always blew the guy off, not giving him a second chance. Why? He didn’t know himself. So in this moment, he grabbed Jake’s hand, squeezing it tight. Alaska didn’t care if the guy was waiting for their order; he didn’t care about the noise in the bar making it hard to hear Jake. Sure, it overloaded his senses, but he tried his hardest to take in Jake’s light scent mixed with smoke.

Alaska blushed as Jake pulled him closer, his hands squeezed by him. He looked away, embarrassment taking over. His heart thumped against his chest. Why this guy? Alaska didn’t know. There was something about him appealing to the werewolf. He couldn’t put a claw on it. He swallowed, looking into Jake’s eyes again, trying to speak. Alaska tripped over the words again, his face turning beet red as he failed to speak. He didn’t think it was cute—maybe a turnoff. A person was so flustered they couldn’t speak—he didn’t know what to think. Alaska’s breathing sped up, random feelings waving over him. He gave a weak smile, his eyes still ridden with anxiety. Alaska pulled the face of a nervous dog. Someone should get him a yellow nervous jacket. No one should approach unless his owner was around or has found comfort. He wanted to lean into the other, but his thoughts were interrupted.

If it wasn’t for Jake speaking, Alaska would have been stuck in his thoughts. He perked his head up. “I-I’m just nervous. I’m trying my best. I-I just…” He could only grin at Jake, his face red. Jake had successfully flustered the pup, especially with the tone of voice Jake used. But the moment was broken by the bartender, his head snapping to face the other guy. Alaska went quiet, swallowing harshly. He laughed sheepishly, the warmth of Jake’s hands leaving his. Lovely. He’d been called lovely. Jake might be the death of him. Alaska looked over at Jake, staring at him wide-eyed. “That sounds like a lot. I don’t even know what half of those are! Is that even safe?” Yeah — it was clear Alaska hasn’t been to a bar to get absolutely hammered. He wanted Jake to be safe, so maybe he should only have one drink. He could look after Jake that way. Alaska didn’t want Jake hurting himself. The werewolf let out a small whine.

---

Aeron nodded at Jen’s words, hugging his dad as they made their way to the restaurant. He didn’t want Jen to be taken from him. Not while there was so much to do. He didn’t want their time to be short. Jen was the best thing to happen to him. A caring parent who actually wanted him. A person who didn’t call him nasty names because he did something incorrectly. It was a dream come true, and he’d make sure his dream stayed. “I’ll enjoy the moment.” He whispered, laying his head on Jen’s shoulder. Nothing could be more perfect. Aeron sniffed, willing the tears to slow and stop. “Well, I like you, so it doesn't matter. You are worth keeping around. I don’t want another other dad.” Aeron understood to an extent. He took in a shaky breath, clinging to Jen tighter. He smiled when Jen accepted his solution to his nightmares, looking up at him. “Really? I can? Maybe my bad dreams will go away! Oh, please say they’ll go away.” Aeron stared at Jen with puppy eyes, his face in a pout. He seemed to not want these horrifying nightmares.

Aeron cocked his head. “I’m not human.” He didn’t seem to understand. “But my love — it seemed to come easy.” Maybe he was an oddity among the creatures on the planet. People didn’t like oddities, and it disturbed him deeply. “I am your son. And you're my dad.” He smiled, wiggling out of Jen’s arms as they approached the front door of the restaurant. Aeron opened it, peaking his head inside. His eyes shined with curiosity, his body vibrating with excitement. He’d never been to a place like this before. Once Jen had talked to the person by the door, He followed the hostess to a table. Aeron chose a seat, hopping up into it like he’d done at home. It was a small place, not as small as the dorm, but small. The dining room had a few tables with pictures hanging from the room. The floor was carpeted with strange patterns. It didn’t feel like the carpet at home. It was a bland room, but Aeron was most interested in the menus placed in front of him. He took it in his hands, opening it sideways as the other page fell.

There was one thing Aeron noticed. He couldn’t read any over the words. It was gibberish to him. Little squiggly lines on the lamented card stock. His brows furrowed as he looked over the menu. The pup was sitting on his knees, inspecting the menu, the tablecloth, and the roll of utensils. He’d never seen anything like these things. It only got worse when the server came over to greet them. Aeron stared at her like a deer in headlights, his eyes wide. His pulse pounded in his throat, adrenaline overloading his body as the new sights and smells invaded his brain. But the simple question “what would you like to drink” caught him off guard. Two things popped into his mind. A) He can’t read the strange rectangle in front of him, and B) He didn’t know what to do. A small panic started inside of him, his eyes flicking over to Jen. A small whine came from his throat, a way of asking for help. This was outside of Aeron’s comfort zone — and it showed.

Amusement coated Jake's face at every small shift Alaska gave, noticing the small nervous movements of the other. Jake had never been with a huge "loser" before- someone who had been rejected time and time again.

Usually, Jake didn't date in the first place, and his choice of a date definitely wouldn't have been Alaska either, wanting someone who didn't need their hand held through everything. I mean, the guy was an emotional mess, clingy, sappy, had a breakdown after a blow job, didn't have boundaries it seemed, had low self-esteem, was impatient, shy, indecisive, had enough anxiety to kill someone- yadda yadda yadda, the list went on. Jake was no stranger to these types, he himself was labeled as a walking red flag. There were probably more things wrong with him than the guy sitting beside him, he wouldn't deny it.

Still. To have someone with Alaska's personality be attracted to him of all people? It translated as crazy in Jake's mind and that was saying something.
Even so, Alaska was very enticing to Jake. He wouldn't admit that out loud of course but there was just something about the guy- maybe it was just that, his loser and idiotic personality. The guy had enough flaws to match his own and he had attached himself like glue to Jake. He didn't mind it, but Jake needed a bit more time to decide if this was right for him- well. Right for the both of them. Alaska could make his own choices and if he wanted to date Jake that was on him, but Jake also had enough guilt to feel that if he could, he should spare the other the amount of hurt he'd be in if he did decide to date Jake.

The look Alaska gave Jake made Jake laugh, it was soft yet genuine. It's not that he found Alaska's anxiety funny- but he did, knowing what that was like.

At the concern in Alaska's voice, Jake simply gave him a light mmm as if not too worried himself.
"If it's not enough to give me alcohol poisoning I don't want it," He said, waving the other off. Jake being no stranger to getting blackout drunk. In fact, he welcomed it. There had been one incident in his life where he actually had to be rushed to the hospital- not his proudest moment but at least he got a nice picture of his friends huddled around the hospital bed where he had been lying in. Jake had a cheeky grin on his face in that photo, giving an okay sign with the hand that had an IV in it- Jen shooting him a death glare.
He still had that photo.

He turned to Alaska.
"You're going to drink too. I didn't go through all this effort just for you to drink one drink, at the very least have three" He said, reaching up to cup Alaska's face to calm the poor guy. "Please?" He fluttered his eyes at the other as a tease, though, immediately snickered afterward and pressed a kiss on him.

---

"Yes, you can stay with me," He said, getting a better grip on Aeron so he would slide down. He paused at the last part, hesitating. He couldn't promise something like that- it was out of his control. "I'm not sure how often you have these nightmares, but hopefully they'll lessen over time. Maybe sleeping with someone else to be there for you when you do wake up from those might help a lot too" He spoke softly, coordinating his words in a way where it wouldn't be a letdown if things didn't go as promised.

Time had flown by with talking with Aeron and consoling the small kid- and before they knew it, they were in the small restaurant, Aeron now hopping down to pick a seat he found suitable.

Jen spoke to the person who he met at the register, paying early so they didn't have to when they left. That restaurant working a bit differently than the others.
After that, he went to join Aeron who seemed very interested in the menu- I mean this was a restaurant, but Jen felt he was interested in it for different reasons, probably never having seen something like that in his life.

He looked from the server to Aeron who seemed to be panicking.
Jen quickly went over to him to calm him down. He addressed the server first, telling her to give them a bit more time, to which she nodded and left.
Jen sat beside Aeron and gave him a sympathetic smile.
"Alright, so" Jen started before he proceeded to explain what the menu was to Aeron, then moving on to describing the dishes they had- the way they were prepared, the ingredients, what they tasted like- vaguely, and what they looked like, pointing to ones that already had pictures, though, there weren't many with pictures.
Next were the drinks, offering to order a few so he could get a taste of which ones he liked so they knew for next time.

Alaska sighed. In his day-to-day life, he was a prideful, sassy guy who liked to show off. But here with Jake, he was reduced to a nervous mess, and he didn’t understand why. Why now? Why with the guy he intentionally showed off to in order to get his explicit attention? He didn’t understand himself at points. Maybe if he tried to bring out his cockiness, it would help him be less nervous. He doubted it. Alaska stared at Jake’s face, his own going red. This was the first potential date to go right. Others gave him bullshit reasons why they couldn’t stay, pissing him off and shattering him. His teen years were filled with girls who thought they were too good for him, but now he was trying it out with a guy. Alaska had never been with someone who felt so low of their self. Maybe after a successful date, he’d gain his confidence in this fuck up part of his life. Even if Jake thought himself not good enough.

Alaska took in large deep breaths, calming himself down. His heart pounded against his chest, blood rushing in his ears. He attempted to soothe it. Alaska was attracted to Jake in ways he couldn’t put his finger on it. His stupid remarks, the attempts at being sweet — the looks. All of it. Alaska didn’t care if he could be hurt, it wouldn’t be a new thing. He wanted to test Jake out, at least try to make it work. He smiled, staring at the mess sitting beside him. Alaska tilted his head at Jake’s laugh. He was asking a genuine question out of concern. “So what I’m hearing is you want to potentially poison yourself? Good thing you’re cute.” He muttered, trying to be less nervous. Alaska wouldn’t abandon Jake, he’d be more likely to take him home. “Fine. I’ll drink a little, okay? I just - I get drunk quickly. And well, someone has to take you home, but I’ll appease you once.” He stared into Jake’s eyes, the other’s hands on his lower jawbone. “Just this once.” He mused, grabbing the back of Jake’s head and pulling him in for a kiss in an attempt to be bold. Alaska had a tight grip on Jake’s hair, his other arm slipping around Jake’s neck.

---

Aeron stared at the menu presented in front of him. He couldn’t make out the strange letters on the page, searching the menu for possible hints. All this was new. The bustling of a kitchen in the background and a few others talking lowly. It overloaded his senses. Aeron held the laminated rectangle in his hands, feeling the strange smooth texture. He found there to be a slit in the plastic, pulling on the paper slightly. But once a human came to address him, he stared at her with wide eyes. His heartbeat started to quicken. Aeron noticed Jen moving to sit by him, swallowing as the server went away. Good. He turned his attention to his dad, leaning into him. He wrapped his arms around Jen’s, overstimulated by the new place. Aeron seemed to be on the verge of tears. He stared at Jen, looking back down at the menu. He cocked his head to the side, confused what half these things were.

Aeron moved into Jen’s lap. “I don’t understand.” He muttered. “These all look strange. Nothing like what I’ve eaten before.” He didn’t seem to want to try anything, it all being out of his comfort zone. He listened to Jen order drinks by weird names. “What did you just ask for? They all sound weird. I don’t feel safe. This is too strange.” The young hound fretted.

"There is no "potentially", I'm going to," He said boldly as if it was a very well-known fact that death had always been something he had chased his entire life since childhood. Death seduced Jake like no other, but no one would ever know that.

At being called "cute" however, he froze, his eyes growing a little. No matter how many times people called him that, Jake had always been the one to shrug it off, knowing they were only making jokes about him or saying it to get some sort of reaction out of him that wasn't a flirty remark. They failed every time because Jake knew.

This time, however, Jake swallowed harshly, a now nervous smile on his face, trying to act normal after hearing a sentence like that and how much softness had been put into it. The thought of being seen like that by others- absolutely terrifying. Jake wasn't anything. He had been told and told himself that many times.
"It's going to take someone more than special to be into the type of fucked up you are."

A small part of him almost got his hopes up, but was immediately crushed as soon as it had started, trying to harden his heart to the possibility of finding someone who genuinely loved him.
He scoffed, trying to hide the disbelief and confused look he had on his face now.
"You and everyone else," He said, his eyes darting to the bartender and wondering when their drinks were coming because he needed one desperately- now. Somewhere in the middle of that interaction, his leg had started to bounce a little, trying to find things to distract himself with, as if he was being cornered and was trying to find a way out of Alaska's relentless affection.

At the change of subject, Jake perked up a little more, glad for the attention to be focused somewhere else. He suddenly beamed at Alaska as they caved for Jake.
"You have to- it's the rules" Jake decided. "Don't worry about who's gonna take who home, we're here to have a good time, we'll worry about that later" He snickered, Jake not being one to think about the future even the tiniest bit.

After a second Jake lowered his hands from Alaska's face, crossing them against this chest, giving the other a curious look as they mentioned they'd only do this once. He watched him for no more than a split second before Alaska made a move to kiss him, his breath hitching slightly at the sudden movement, surprised by the action. A muffled whine came from Jake as Alaska grabbed onto his hair, his face heating up almost instantly. His heart beating faster as the seconds went by.
Because Alaska had expressed his interest in Jake which was more than just bedroom activities, Jake was ten times more receptive to Alaska's moves on him, knowing now that the other saw him as more than just something pretty to fuck. It was an odd thing to feel, but Jake got shyer- more reserved when someone was romantically interested in him than if someone just came up to him and asked him to have sex with them.

Jake's hands instinctively pressed on Alaska's chest, bunching up his shirt in his fists as Alaska basically pulled Jake closer.
The longer the kiss went on, the more shaky Jake's mental stability got, tears pricking the edges of his eyes. He felt awful, like he had somehow tricked Alaska into falling in love with him- did the other really know who he was? No, he didn't and Jake didn't want to say either.
Although this was something he found himself drowning in, the heavy convoluted emotions tearing him apart, he pressed closer to Alaska, leaning into the kiss as the tears blurred his vision. His eyes looking a bit fearful as everything happened, staring at Alaska's eyes before he closed his own, the tears falling.

He was crying. Crying even before he had gotten drunk. What a mess of a first date.

---

Seeing the clear discomfort and slight panic build up inside of Aeron, Jen frowned a little- not at Aeron, but trying to think what else he could do to make the child more comfortable.
Well.
Maybe he had jumped the gun too quickly, taking Aeron to an unfamiliar place where everything was new.
At his question, however, Jen presented a gentle smile.
"You mean the lemonade and sweet tea?" He asked. "They're drinks, both having different flavors," He said. "I think it's better to slowly introduce you to the soft drinks than the fizzy ones, I'm not sure if you'd like those" Jen looked over at the waitress who was watching them. Jen had a sneaking suspicion that they thought maybe Aeron wasn't his kid and he had kidnapped him with how startled Aeron looked about everything around him. He let out a small sigh at that.
"How about this, we order our food to go and eat outside? Maybe somewhere a little aways from here where it's quieter" He asked, hoping that the idea might sound appealing to the hellhound.
"There's a public park if we walk down across the road, no one's usually there at this hour except for bold couples," He said, wondering if that too was a bad idea.
Both Jules and Bane had explained to him about the dangers of being out at night, but Jen didn't know how much of a danger that was. He had never seen this side of the world, still very much learning the ropes- though, he barely knew anything.

"Since you don't know much about what's on the menu, I'll order you something I think you might like that also doesn't disagree with your stomach, and then we'll leave," He said, his eyes now flickering across the names of the meals they could order at this time, trying to speed up the process as much as he could so he could take Aeron somewhere where he felt safer- or less overwhelmed.

Alaska bit his lip, shaking his head at how idiotic Jake was being. “No. No, you’re not. I won’t let you.” His mouth was neutral, eyes narrowed slightly. It almost seemed like his cheeks puffed out. It was a ‘don’t you dare’ look. But it went away, his face softening as Jake’s eyes grew. Alaska placed his hand on Jake’s arm, smiling slightly. He had a lump in his throat, still nervous about this relationship. His feet and hands were sweating, and he shifted in his seat. Alaska wasn’t trying to pull any reaction out of Jake, it was just how he felt. Jake was pretty, and it was all he could focus on. Sure, everyone had their bad qualities, but it didn’t make up the person as a whole. He relaxed his shoulders, breathing evenly. Maybe if he relaxed, Jake would relax too. Though, that didn’t seem to work. “What? Me and everyone else what? Is it a crime to think you’re actually cute?” Alaska sighed.

Alaska blushed slightly, watching Jake perk up. He laughed to himself, trying to calm his nerves. “Okay — okay! I - I’ll do it.” He swallowed, unsure what he was getting himself into. “If you insist, but still, it’s a bit of a worry. Walking home in the dark drunk is something.” He muttered, staring at Jake with a small smirk. This would be the moment. Yeah, he had moved in to kiss Jake. He wanted to prove he wasn’t a coward. Alaska played with Jake’s hair, placing his hand on his cheek as he leaned in. His own face heated up as he leaned into Jake further. His breathing grew quick, heart beating against his neck. He never saw Jake as something to fuck. It really wasn’t on his mind. It took a lot for him to even kiss the guy. Alaska felt a weight push up on his chest, barely noticing it was Jake’s hands. The guy’s tears fell upon his thumb, and he pulled away. He had a panicked look on his face, eyes wide. Alaska wiped the tears with his thumb. “Did I do something wrong?!” He asked in a concerned tone.

---

The pup’s eyes widened as he started to rock back and forth. He had crawled into Jen’s lap, clinging to his dad like he was his only lifeline. Aeron buried his face in Jen’s chest, whimpering slightly. He looked up at him with tears in his eyes. It was too much for him. He took a shaky breath. “I’ve never heard of those. What are those? Drinks can be fizzy? What even is fizzy? I’ve never heard of fizzy.” He started to yap, confused about what was happening. Everything was new to the pup. Even as of now, Aeron couldn’t read or write. A small whimper came from him. “Eat outside? I can do that! I know how to do that!” He beamed, seeming happier with the idea. “What is a bold couple? Like two people together? Like mates?” Aeron questioned. “And why is it bold? I’m used to being out at night all the time. They said people talking late night walks or runs were easy prey.” The pup was aware of how dangerous it was to be out at night. After all, things like him walked it.

Aeron reached up to touch Jen’s face again. He was seeking comfort and attention, making sure the thing in front of him was real. He also liked the feel of his hair and face. “You should also get something for brother.” Aeron couldn’t pronounce Artemy’s name quite yet. “But okay. I like that idea.” He also familiarized himself with Jen’s scent. If he were to ever go missing, the small pup could track him down. Aeron smiled at Jen, laying his head against his shoulder.

Jake only felt slightly guilty at seeing Alaska's display of worry, immediately going silent at his words.

"Yes." Came Jake's only answer to Alaska's question, suddenly feeling very very hot. "…it is." He added as insurance at the end, looking at Alaska's hand on his arm now. It was such a gentle touch it was almost criminal for Jake.
Jake hummed lightly at Alaska's concerns- it was always the anxiety and paranoia, wasn't it? Jake, over the past few years, had tried to get better at that, not thinking too much ahead and just letting life take him wherever. He didn't seem to care much either as of recently anyway.
"We'll find an alleyway and sleep on the streets if we have to" Jake mused, knowing that he himself had done that many times in his teenage years.

When Alaska pulled away from him so suddenly, there was an almost shocked and scared look on his face at seeing Alaska fret.
"No! No…you didn't" Jake said, placing his hand on Alaska's and lowering it to ease the other. "I'm just a bit tired right now" Was all he said. Jake's definition of "tired" meant he was not doing great mentally, but he didn't want to say the words out loud so he chose something that felt vaguely similar. Something more acceptable.
"Let's just…forget about that and drink…" Jake wiped at his face, clearing the tears that had fallen. "We're here to have a good time, right?" He gave Alaska a huge smile, there being a shift in personality as if a missing piece had clicked into place. And, as if on cue, the bartender came over to set their drinks down, taking two more trips back to bring everything to them.
Before leaving he eyed Jake, his eyes narrowed.
"If you need anything else, I'll be over on the other side attending the others. Just wave me down" He said, now stepping away.

It took Jake 0.000001 seconds to grab the shots and throw them back, placing them down with a small thud. Three shots down and hopefully it would work quickly- given how he hadn't eaten anything yet in the entire day.
Jake held the other larger cup in both of his hands like someone would do to a warm cup of coffee in the winter to warm up. He glanced over at Alaska.
"Your turn" He gave him a mischievous look that said he was up to something, even though he wasn't.

---

"I-I'll explain what fizzy is when we get home, we can do a bit of experimenting with different drinks- and couples are what you would call mates, just two people who love each other but aren't friends"

Jen gave a nervous laugh at Aeron's words.
"It's bold because you don't know what's out there- it's dangerous at night" He paused to think a bit. "For people like me anyways, it might be a bit easier for you since you're stronger and can handle other…beings that aren't exactly human. Humans are a bit more fragile and…." and break easy. "Hurt easily." He finished, his eyes softening at the thought of getting attacked. Jen didn't know what he'd do- he didn't have the qualifications to fend off a threat like that. It bothered him greatly, not being able to protect the things that he held close to his heart.

Jen looked down at Aeron and how he had a habit of touching his face, an amused sound left him. He didn't mind it much, he just hadn't expected a small child to act like this- then again, he didn't really know how any small child acted like, not having experience of his own with them, only with preteens and teenagers.

When Aeron asked to buy something for Artemy he smiled. It was a step towards kindness, though, he was sure it wasn't anything the hound had to learn, it seeming to come naturally to him.
"Alright then," He said, grabbing the kid and carrying him as he stood, now making his way to the cash register again to order to go.

Alaska pulled away, trying to search Jake’s face. What did he do wrong? He took his sleeve, using it to wipe the rest of Jake’s tears away. “Then why are you crying..?” He whispered, doubting himself further. Jake wouldn’t be crying if he hadn’t done something wrong. Alaska squeezed Jake’s hand. “Tired? Did you not get enough sleep? Should we go home, sweetie?” He went silent as Jake spoke, looking down at his lap. He moved his feet, playing with them. “I guess we can do that. I just don’t want you to feel bad, okay, love?” Alaska looked up at Jake, eyeing his red eyes and nose. He reached up to wipe away any residue. “Let me take care of you. Don’t fight it, okay? I’ll cradle you.” He muttered softly, staring into Jake’s eyes. “Yes. Have a good time.” Alaska smiled back weakly, unsure if Jake should be in a place like this. He had to hold back a few urges, looking away. Once he heard the bartender, he swung his head to look at him. He looked down at the drinks.

Alaska turned his head to Jake. “That is a lot. You sure you can stomach all that?” He tried joking, but didn’t know if Jake would pick it up. He cleared his throat. This wasn’t his place. Alaska didn’t belong here. It was awkward for him. He only did it because he was into Jake. Every noise and every smell made him nervous. He bounced his leg, watching Jake take the shots. Definitely wasn’t his place. A feeling gripped him. Alaska tried to pretend he liked being here for Jake, but his face fell. Bars weren’t his place. He swallowed, staring at the bourbon. “I don’t feel well.” He muttered. Werewolves also tended to get overstimulated. However, it was more than that. Alaska took the drink in his hand, taking it. It was sweet, nothing too offensive. It did have a slight kick to it. “I don’t belong in a place like this.” He muttered, putting his face in his hands. “I’m not like the other guys here. Sure, I’m a little prideful in my work. I’m always being mischievous and confident. But outside of that, I’m broken down to a lesser form. I’m going to the restroom — I’ll be back.” Alaska got up, leaving to find the restroom the best he could.

---

Aeron clung to Jen, wanting his dad’s warmth. It was his favorite thing in the world. Nothing else could top Jen’s warmth, not even Artemy. “Okay! Fizzy lesson when we get home!” The pup yawned. He wasn’t used to this day-night cycle. It really put a damper on him, crushing its strange weight on him. Aeron smiled. “So they would be mates! I was right!” He giggled. “I know what's out there. It’s not fun, dad. We shouldn’t stay out there.” He started to cry. “They’ll kill you. I don’t want that to happen.” He buried his head in Jen’s chest. His small body shook, grip tightening. “I don’t want my dad to die.” Aeron whimpered, sniffling. “I love you, dad.” His voice was sweet and a little squeaky. Due to the nature of how he was raised, Aeron had the mentality of a 6-year-old despite being 10. This kid was maturing fast, but his mind was behind. He rocked himself in Jen’s arms, his crying slowing. He pressed himself against Jen, feeling him right against his body. It soothed him.

Aeron looked up at Jen. His eyes showed interest, almost like a small puppy’s. Sure, Aeron was not a small child. He was 10 after all, but his mind didn’t develop much. He wasn’t taught all these things. Aeron wasn’t taught much of anything besides how to kill. He latched onto Jen, leaning his head against his shoulder. He was hoisted in the air, closing his eyes as Jen walked. Aeron could get used to this. He could get used to being carried around.

Jake didn't answer Alaska's questions any further. Alaska had done something wrong, but not in the way he was thinking. Mostly it was just a lot of turmoil inside of Jake, not knowing how to feel about everything, Alaska's professed love made Jake spiral a little. Not to mention the other's small actions that made Jake's heart skip a beat.
"I got enough…" He said, though, not by his standards. By everyone else's? It was more than enough.
There was a part of Jake that didn't want to leave the bar, he genuinely found it a comforting place, but at the same time, it also reminded him of someone who he couldn't take thinking about. Maybe Alaska was right, it was time to leave even though they had just arrived. Maybe that's what it was. Being in a similar place where he and his past lover had frequented so much- maybe he couldn't do it again in places like these. It was time to wrap that part of his life up and try to preserve the past by avoiding the places that reminded him of Marcus.
Maybe he and Alaska would find a new place they could call theirs with no one to haunt him there.

Unfortunately Jake did protest, trying to get Alaska to stop drying his tears and whatnot. It felt embarrassing, to say the least.
"There's no need," Jake said, grabbing onto Alaska's wrist and setting it down gently back on the table. He really didn't want anyone to baby him. He appreciated Alaska's efforts to make him feel better, giving him affection, something he craved a lot, but there were too many deep-rooted issues within Jake that couldn't simply be resolved by someone's love or a simple touch.

Jake rubbed at his eyes to clear the web of tears, now blinking a few times to make sure nothing uncomfortable was left.

At Alaska's poor attempt at a joke, Jake gave him a small smile, humoring him.
"I can handle anything," He said proudly, meaning it not just in an alcohol sense, but anything life threw at him, though, it was more hoping that he could, than actually being able to handle everything well.

There was a long moment of silence as Alaska went quiet, grabbing his drink and taking a sip. The next words out of his mouth however made Jake play around with his own drink, swirling it around a bit as a form of "entertainment".
He didn't say anything as Alaska got up and left to go to the bathroom. Maybe he had been wrong to ask Alaska out to a place like this- Jake only ever thinking about himself and what he wanted. He seemed to be good at that- it wasn't hard. His grip tightened around the glass cup, wanting to shatter it to get his frustration out, but he decided against it.

No. He wasn't Darius. He refused to take his anger out around others in a display of dominance. So he sat there, waiting for Alaska to come back. But the seconds turned into minutes and the minutes turned into a sick feeling inside of Jake. It had been a little over fifteen minutes since Alaska had left and while Jake's pride told him to sit there and continue to wait, he didn't. Getting up and leaving his half-finished drink on the table along with the payment for the drinks they had ordered.

He made his way to the bathroom where a lot of other guys seemed to be hanging around, idly chatting with others, some talking up women who gave them a "really?" type of look, or the opposite, leaning into the sweet talk.
Jake opened the door to the bathroom and stood there, looking over at the only stall that had the door closed, someone sitting on the floor, muffled sounds coming from them. He wondered why this was so worth it to Alaska. Hadn't he had enough?
In Jake's eyes, Alaska seemed to be a bit of a tragic character, a very sensitive guy, but he also knew that those types, at one point, always snapped either for the better or the worse. You didn't get around life by crying at every little inconvenience, people took advantage of that, and that realization almost always turned others cruel if not kept in check.

He opened the door to the stall, looking down at Alaska.
"Come on, we're leaving" Was all he said, though, there was no harshness in his voice, just sounding very tired.

---

At that point, Jen decided it was best to order the food and simply take it home to eat there- this small trip of theirs had been enough for that night. They had gotten some fresh air and a bit of a distraction. There was no need to risk anything else.
He held onto Aeron, feeling his own mental decline. He also didn't want to die, not if he could help it.

Sure, he maybe had a bit of a passive suicidal ideation, but he wouldn't put himself in harm's way, and he sure as hell wouldn't do that to Aeron or Artemy. So home it was. And then he'd get everyone ready for bed and get some rest himself.
"I love you too" He let Aeron snuggle up to him, slightly tilting his head so that it bumped against Aeron's gently.

As soon as Jen finished ordering a few boxes to go and they were handed off, he turned to leave. He decided against buying drinks since they had some at home- also carrying them while already having Aeron in his arms would prove to be difficult if not impossible.

Once back at Blackwood and in their small apartment-like dorm, Jen set Aeron down and put the bags on the table, taking out the boxes and letting Aeron choose which one smelled more appetizing to him, letting the kid take it.

Jen knew what Artemy's preferences were so he had gotten him a dish that he loved. Jen had gone a bit overboard with the takeout, ordering a total of five boxes all filled with different foods. In Jen's head, it would last them all week perhaps, if it didn't, he'd make something, but he hoped to get a bit more rest before he had to start actively cooking again.
Not that he minded it, Jen loved cooking but in the past twenty-four hours, he had little motivation for anything that wasn't Aeron-related. He'd pour his soul into a kid, pampering him with affection and giving him the attention he needed, whether that be to correct the kid or encourage him to do other things that didn't involve fighting. Anything else, however, felt like a chore and an afterthought. His own needs being put on the back burner for now.

Many would call him a coward. Maybe a piece of shit for leaving his date all alone. But he couldn’t take it anymore. The noise, the smell, everything. Alaska walked through the bar, looking up at the sign above a little corridor. He weaved in about out of tables, vertigo taking over. The room spun, dipping and tilting in each horizon. He shoved people out of the way, trying to reach the restroom before he puked. Alaska reached the small hallway, placing his hand on the wall to stabilize himself. He was panting, his unwell feeling rising in his chest. A few loud mouth people kept trying to seduce the surrounding girls. He shook his head, reaching to push open the door to the men’s restroom. Shit. Of course, it was shit. Missing doors, random graffiti, disgusting floors. But Alaska couldn’t complain, not right now. He chose the best looking stall with a door. The lock had been ripped off, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered as the welling of tears rising in him.

Alaska slammed the stall door shut. That’s when the tears came. And they came rolling. The salty tears made their way down his face, dripping onto his shirt. A small heave came from him, anxiety mixing in his stomach. The werewolf melted to the dirty floor, his back sliding against the stall wall. He’ll definitely will need a shower. Alaska heaved again, mush moving up his throat. He wasn’t even drunk and was throwing up. Thanks anxiety. He turned to the toilet, proceeding to puke. It was basically water, nothing of solid substance in it. Alaska needed to eat, but he didn’t think he could after this. He was pathetic. A fucking loser. He thought he could pull this off — in a bar no less. A guy getting overstimulated in a bar. Yeah. What a joke. Alaska did so well at work, being a bold and sassy guy. It was everything he wanted to be. He felt like he belonged. He didn’t belong here, the over bearing noise of the people and putrid stench of alcohol invading his enhanced senses. What was wrong with him.

It got harder to breathe. He took in short, sharp breaths, trying to stop hiccoughing. But the more tears that fell, the more he hiccoughed, the harder it got to breathe. Alaska made a wheezing sound. A few people entered and left the bathroom in the past fifteen minutes, whispering about him. Of course. At this point, he rocked himself back and forth, disappointed in himself. He always ruined everything. Alaska lifted his head up when he heard another person enter the bathroom. The footstep were familiar. He turned red. He couldn’t let Jake seem him like this! But it was too late. More tears feel down his face as Jake pushed the door open. Alaska furiously swiped at them, staring up at Jake. His eyes and nose were red. His face was tear stained, the makeup Eris had put on him smeared. Alaska didn’t stay anything, rising slowly. His legs were shaky, like a baby dear. And then, it started. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I fucked it up! I just couldn’t take it anymore! It was so overwhelming, it made me feel so unwell. I’m just some pathetic guy who doesn’t deserve anything. I’m sorry.” And we kept yapping apologies, his body flinching. Alaska felt if he blamed himself and apologized a million times, maybe Jake wouldn’t get angry. Maybe he wouldn’t scream.

---

Aeron clung to Jen, wrapping his arm around his neck. Was Aeron too big to be carried? Yes. Did he care? No. It was soothing. He might look to be an average ten-year-old, but he needed a lot of care. Aeron was starting separation anxiety. When Jen had left the night before to see Jules, he cried. When Jen left to do morning training, he cried. At this point in his life, Jen was the only good thing to happen. He didn’t hit Aeron, scream, or shove. He didn’t call him names. It was perfect. His nose twitched when the host brought the food, the scents mingling. There was once scent he made out that made him extremely happy. Chicken. Aeron squirmed in Jen’s arms, simply happy there was a smell he recognized. He knew bedtime was approaching, also happy to sleep near the one thing that made him feel safe. He grinned, pressing his head against Jen’s. Nothing could separate him from his dad. Nothing.

Once at home, Aeron stared over the boxes. His little wolf tail had manifested, and it was wagging back and forth. He looked over all the boxes, sniffing out the once he wanted. Chicken. “I want this one!” He beamed brightly, his little tail smacking against the chair. Aeron wrestled with the box, until figuring it popped open. He started to eat his hands, not know how to use utensils. Sure, knew had fed him with a spoon yesterday, but he still didn’t understand it. He ate quick, shoving food in his mouth, almost like he might not know when he’ll get his next meal. Aeron could choke but he didn’t care. This behavior definitely was rooted in him from old living habits. He loved the attention he’d been getting. He rarely got attention in the past, and if he did, it was negative attention. Affection was new to the pup, but he seemed to love it. It really wasn’t too late to turn his life around, give him the one he deserved.

Jake looked down at Alaska, a look that most would describe as disappointment, but it couldn't be the farthest thing from the truth. It was an expression he usually wore when he wasn't satisfied with himself or had too many thoughts going on to the point where he couldn't emote properly.

He watched as Alaska stood, his face still red from crying. How badly had he made him feel? Jake was unaware of the turmoil going on inside of Alaska, but he knew that at the very least he was partially to blame. He hadn't been the most receptive or warmest person to him and his advances.
One thing, however, that Jake hadn't been counting on, was Alaska apologizing. He thought the other would maybe express how he genuinely felt- that Jake was cold and hard to talk to or even touch, but not this. There were a lot of things Alaska could have said, all of which would have been valid in Jake's eyes, but an apology? To him?

Well. He didn't want it. Even if he deserved an apology from someone somewhere out there, he didn't want it, especially not from the person standing in front of him, someone to whom he had promised that he'd take out and show a good time.
He hadn't asked. Hadn't asked if Alaska had wanted this, simply stating that this place was where they were going.

So as Alaska kept running his mouth, Jake gently pushed on his chest so that Alaska's back hit the wall, his hands bunching up Alaska's shirt loosely, looking very tired, or perhaps very visibly depressed, it was either or, maybe even a mix of both. Jake stayed like that for a moment or two before he let the other's shirt go, reaching up to touch Alaska's face, his own attempt at affection as he brushed his tears away.

Jake stared up at Alaska, not a word uttered during the entire interaction.
That was until now.
"Just stop" Were his first words. "I'm not sure who took your vocabulary away and replaced it with the words "I'm sorry" and other words meant to appease others but stop." Truth was, Jake was no good at this- consoling people. His failed attempt at trying to be kind sounding like he was blaming the other. He wasn't, but it came off that way and he bit his bottom lip, feeling incredibly frustrated with how he felt and not being able to express it properly.
So giving up on words, he did the next best thing that he knew would get his point across. Something he knew he did well.

Jake pressed his lips against Alaska's, it wasn't hungry or desperate this time around, instead, he took things slow, it almost seemed like an apology all on its own, his own weird way of comforting Alaska.

If there was something Jake was known for, it was his ability to move quickly, usually having a guy or two in bed with him in record time, but one thing he always refused to do was take things slow, too afraid it was the beginning of something more. He had always needed something to get his blood pumping, something to distract and feel, his fast-paced nature always being his go-to.
This time, however, he was feeling a little more than he had bargained for, his heart refusing to accept whatever this was. It didn't turn him on or make him feel hot in ways he was familiar with, but it played with his emotions, ones he wasn't sure he was ready to fully embrace. It felt soft and kind and comforting- it quite literally made him ache in ways he wished it wouldn't, this being the first time in years that he boldly opened his heart to someone else when he had sworn he wouldn't play with this type of fire again.

It felt like too much of a short time between the moment Jake tasted the bourbon from Alaska's lips to when he finally let the other go, even though it had been the longest he had ever kissed the guy- or anyone in the past years.
"I told you we're leaving…" Jake repeated now, his words incredibly soft and his voice low as he took Alaska's hand in his, though now, Jake couldn't look into Alaska's eyes anymore for fear that he might find a love-struck look there or maybe signs of rejection. Maybe if he dared to look, it would kill Jake- realize that this is what he wanted, it all clicking in his heart and mind- finding himself in love for the second time in his life.

---

Jen had taken note of Aeron's manifested tail, smiling to himself, not being able to wipe the giant grin off his face, it replacing his previous tired expression.
In all his years of living, never had he thought that he'd become the parent of a child where it was easy to tell how they were feeling. Teenagers were hard to read and you had to be attentive or they could just slip from your hands forever. Jen had seen a lot of suicides in his life because of the nature of the work he had taken on from the moment he had left Nexus. The coffee shop he worked at, simply being a hobby compared to what he had decided he would dedicate his life to.
And yet, this was far better than anything he could have hoped to have for himself.

At Aeron announcing which one he wanted, Jen slid it over to him so he could open it. He watched the small hellhound for a moment as he figured out how it opened. Another moment passed as Jen blinked in surprise as if he had forgotten that Aeron ate like someone who hadn't had a secure meal schedule in his life.
He quickly grabbed a rag from the counter and walked over to Aeron, gently stopping him to clean his hands, now grabbing the fork and handing it to him.
"Use this" He instructed. "You can stab the bits of chicken and put it into your mouth that way- but don't bite through the fork, just bite and slide the piece off," He said, thinking for a moment, wondering if that would make sense to Aeron. Did he even remember what a fork was?
"Would you like me to show you?" He asked, now reaching for another box and opening it regardless of what Aeron's answer would have been. He did a quick demonstration on how to use the utensil, his action slowed down significantly so that Aeron could pick it up with ease.
"And please take your time in eating…." He gave Aeron a small smile. "Savor your food, it tastes really good and the people at the restaurant put effort into making that for you. I won't ever let you go hungry so you can eat slowly, you'll have a meal three times a day from here on out, but we'll go slow, does that sound okay to you?" He asked, now sitting in the chair beside Aeron to help him if he should need it.

Alaska stared at Jake, shame rising in him. A blush crossed his face, the heat rising. His face was tingly, his mouth forming a frown. More tears slipped down his cheeks, and he swallowed harshly. He was an idiot. When Alaska stood, he had to stabilize himself, reaching out toward Jake. He fell toward him, placing a hand on his shoulder. The wolf stood himself up. This was the definition of a wreck. His jaw trembled as he stared at Jake. A small sob came from him, and he drew in a shaky breath. It sounded more like he was gasping for air. Alaska laid his head on Jake’s shoulder, choking out sorry sobs. He shook, whimpering as more tears fell. He was nothing good. Alaska couldn’t even express his own emotions, falling back onto old habits before his inhuman life. “I didn’t even try.” He mumbled. “I got overstimulated so quickly. I’m not like the other guys. I can’t endure a fucking bar.” He hissed, talking in large amounts of air.

Alaska made a harsh noise when Jake pushed on his chest. His hands went to Jake’s, grasping tight. All he wanted was touch. That’s it. When he hit the walk, he flinched, staring at Jake. Once Jake let go, his hands fell. Alaska closed his eyes, letting Jake touch his face. He leaned into Jake’s hand, a knot stuck in his throat. It had all gone array. Jake reeked of alcohol, making the wolf scrunch up his nose. As soon as Jake scolded him, he looked away. He could thank his mother for that. He had to be a people pleaser at best. Alaska couldn’t just stop. It was a terrible habit. A difficult one to get rid of. “I just wanted you to have a nice time.” He whispered. But Jake shut him up, cutting off all words with something he didn’t expect. A kiss. His face grew beet red. The wolf’s whimpering ceased, the tears halting. Alaska wrapped his arms around Jake, sad it ended quick. If he could relish in moments like that, he would. If only Jake reciprocate his feelings, even slightly.

Alaska dropped his arms, staring at Jake. “You did.” He whispered. “Would — would you be opposed to going home and cuddling? It - it could do both of us some good.” He whispered. He needed the contact. Not once had Alaska gotten a hug telling him it would be okay. At least not after his father passed. “I just want to go home. This environment is too much for me.” He took Jake’s hand. He led Jake out of the restroom, past the fuckers trying to seduce some women. Alaska scoffed at that. Pathetic. He weaved in and out of the bar, leading them outside. Finally. The cool air hit Alaska, and he drank it in. This is what he needed, not some stuffy bar overloading his brain.

---

Aeron was ecstatic. He finally had food he recognized. Meat! Something tasty and familiar on his tongue. His tail was wagging harshly, making a slap slap slap sound against the chair. The pup stared at chicken, basically slobbering over it. Was he easy to read? Yes. He was a child. A child who could finally express his emotions without getting beat. The pup practically stuffed the strips of chicken in his mouth, hardly chewing. He looked like he might happily die from eating. Aeron never had food security. He never knew when he’d might eat. They pushed them to their limits, only to not feed them. But when Jen came to stop him from shoving it down his throat, he growled, basically telling him to back away from his food. Aeron’s floofy tail hung low, a snarl on his face. He loved Jen, but wasn’t about to let him take away something he never got.

As Jen went to clean Aeron’s hands, he snapped, perceiving Jen was trying to take it away. Once he realized Jen was trying to help, he whimpered. Tears ran down his cheeks. “Dad? Dad? Are you okay?” Aeron hung his head in shame, letting Jen clean off his hands. He took the fork, staring at it curiously. He looked up at Jen, cocking his head. Aeron didn’t know what the hell a fork was. He nodded his head when Jen offered to show him. The pup watched tentatively, looking down at his own fork. Aeron held it weirdly, like a kindergartner holding a pencil. It was with his fist. He violently stabbed the piece of chicken, bringing it to his mouth. He bit it off, his little fangs sliding past his bottom lip. “It sounds really good!” He kept eating. Once Aeron finished his food, he yawned, getting sleepy. This was a weird period. He had to adjust to the day-night cycle.

Aeron pulled on Jen’s shirt. “Dad, I’m sleepy. Can you read me a story?” The pup tilted his head.

"You tried," Jake confirmed, refuting Alaska's words. "I think you tried" He repeated, wondering if what he thought counted for anything. Would Alaska even care what he said?
"You're right about that- you're not like the others, a bit pathetic" He paused, a slight blush crossing his face. "But I don't mind that about you, I kind of like it…" He trailed off, shrugging slowly before his shoulders tensed a bit as if uncomfortable with admitting that for a second.
"Anyone can come into a bar and act like a tough guy" Hell knows I do that every time I come in here. He thought. "But you're not like that and no one said that was a bad thing, some people are into that you know," Jake said, the writing on the wall beside Alaska catching his attention for a bit, trying to focus on something else that wasn't the searing hot feeling that rose inside him.

"I am having a nice time" Jake lied, trying to wipe away the other's disappointment and guilt, forcing a small smile onto his face. Jake was having the farthest thing from a nice time at the moment. Part of it having to do with Alaska, but the blame not inherently all on him, more so that Alaska was having a nervous break down and it had been Jake's fault.
He didn't know how to fix this. Well. He did in a way, but was he really up for that at the moment? The singular thought being the thing he came back to again and again when he messed up. It couldn't be healthy and people who were close with Jake knew it wasn't, but no one cared enough to really tell him to cut it out or get him some help.

At being enveloped in a hug, Jake let out a soft muffled mmm sound, the comfort of the other feeling strange on his skin.
Once let go and given a proposition, Jake didn't really seem to fight it, nodding. Knowing that what Alaska wanted would help to maybe mend the mess he had caused. Jake had expressed his discomfort for the soft touch before but as of now, it actually seemed really appealing to him. He just needed to crash and if that was in Alaska's arms so be it.
"No, I would love that," Jake said, the darkness under his eyes looking a bit prominent as his mood took a dive, still, at this point, not making eye contact with Alaska.

Jake and alcohol. It was never a good mix, the alcohol, instead of making him lively or extra chatty or flirty or even aggressive, had a more dampening effect, his true colors usually revealed with the inhibition. Jake was the type of drunk to cry while drinking, the only time when he felt safe to do so. He became ten times more sensitive and a hundred times more honest. He indulged in his misery more than half the time while under the influence, his body taking a break from keeping everything from spilling over.

He allowed Alaska to lead him out of the bar, weaving through the various types who had the room dominated, attempting to seem more "macho" than they truly were.

Stepping outside, the freshness of everything seemed to hit Jake all at once, his hands immediately shoved into his pockets, his shoulders tense as he watched Alaska finally relax. Yeah. He had messed up in bringing the guy here.

Jake and Alaska were opposites in that regard, Jake needing the chaos of the bar to drown in and possibly suffocate his breathing. Jake loved to be forgotten and get lost in anything that wasn't his prison of a mind, pacing through his thoughts back and forth- it never really did him any good.

---

Jen winced, pain flashing across his face as Aeron snapped at him, having gone for his hand that had been attempting to clean him. He had bit it and harshly at that too, but Jen knew that was on him- he was only starting to get to know how beings like Aeron functioned and not being cautious even though Jen did not perceive Aeron as a threat had been a mistake on his part.
Wolves were usually very territorial and with that came the defensiveness of the food they had collected for themselves, it wouldn't be any different here. Noted.
"Sorry, sorry," Jen said, backing up a little to let Aeron cool down and hopefully go back to eating, discretely putting that hand somewhere where Aeron was less likely to see in an attempt to hide it from him and hopefully play it off like it was nothing.
There was a small warm smile on Jen's face as Aeron asked if he was alright.
"I'll be okay" He assured his now unofficially adopted child, finishing the cleaning of Aeron's hands and watching as he got distracted by the fork, attempting to use it for himself.
Jen almost let out an amused sound, finding it endearing how Aeron held the fork and violently stabbed his food to eat it, all clear tell signs that this was his first time trying to accommodate to what probably appeared to someone like Aeron, "silly human rules".

As Aeron finished up eating, Jen took that time to head to the bathroom, the rag still over his hand to hide the damage, fixing himself up before joining Aeron again.
"Of course, anything you want," Jen said, seeming a little more than eager to teach Aeron how to read, even if it wasn't a proper lesson- simply getting familiar with what human writing looked like would help.

Jen had been in the middle of turning the page to a thick almost cardboard-like children's book, when he heard the doorknob turn from the entrance to the apartment, Jen always kept the door open to his room to know when Artemy would be coming back. He liked to make sure everyone was in bed and accounted for before he got any rest.

Artemy stepped through the door, gently closing it behind him so as to not make any unnecessary noise.
As he came into view, Artemy held onto a pretty yellow flower-patterned bowl that held rice noodle soup. A soft hum came from him as he made his way to the kitchen, it was a different melody than the ones Jen had heard Artemy humming to himself, it feeling softer, an undertone of sadness to it. Truth was, Artemy had been with Jules all day and Artemy had made the guy play him a song on a guitar he had noticed in the corner of his office. Well. Maybe "made" being too strong of a word but Artemy had asked about it and Jules had offered.

It had been immediately followed by Artemy looking sad before absolutely crumbling and crying, the guitar reminding him of Rae whose main instrument had been the guitar, having been taught by her father, her guitar passed down from him as well. She often played it for everyone who had lived in the apartment, Artemy having been completely enchanted by how fast her hands moved when she played the faster tempos. It was one of the fonder memories he had as a kid.
So, that explained the warm noodle soup in his hands, Jules making it for him in hopes it would make him feel better- and it had, so Artemy had asked for seconds.

Alaska swiped at the tears falling down his face. He hiccoughed, a small whine coming from him. Yeah, he was fucking upset. It wasn’t Jake or his terrible personality — it was Alaska himself. He tried to take a steady breath, looking up at Jake through teary eyes. “Do you really think that? Or are you just trying to make me feel better? Because I don’t feel like I tried at all.” Alaska hugged himself, whimpering as more tears fell. “I feel like I screwed it up. I just wanted to.” He hiccoughed. “To impress you. I thought I had a chance.” His body shook, the warmth absent from it. “I - I..” He trailed off. “I don’t care how bad my decision is, I want to be with you. That is all I want.” Alaska placed his hands on Jake’s chest, pushing him back slightly. His breath trailed down Jake’s neck as he pushed him against the wall. He wrapped his arms around Jake’s neck, pressing a kiss to his lips.

The coolness from Jake’s snake bites was all he needed. It spiked his system back to life, letting him breathe in Jake’s scent. He’d never been this bold before — well, in relationship terms. This was something new, something exciting. His heart beat quickened and a blush spread across his face. When Alaska pulled away, he swallowed. He sniffled, his eyes on Jake’s face. He went back in, pressing another kiss to Jake’s lips. Alaska cradled his head. There could be a better place to be doing this — a place way better than the bathroom in a shitty bar. He finally caught his breath, pulling away. “A bar bathroom in not the best place to be doing this. I know a better place.” His face was flushed. “And Eris is out on a job tonight, so we’d have the place to ourselves.” This was weird. Alaska barely drank, and he was acting odd.

Alaska dragged Jake through the bar. He was going to make it home. He dragged Jake outside, closing his eyes. The cool air hit his arms, relaxing him of the stress. A bar was no place for a man like him. He held onto Jake’s hand, looking down at him. A small smile appeared on Alaska’s lips. The werewolf started the trek home, walking along the sodden path. He made sure to walk by streetlights to stay safe. Once home, Alaska pulled out a small card, scanning it by the door. The door unlocked and he let Jake inside. He took the man to his dorm, creaking open the door. Alaska held his breath. No Eris. He led Jake inside, taking the man to his bedroom. Once inside the room, he pushed Jake toward the bed. The wolf practically tackled him, wrapping his arms in a deathly bear hug around Jake. Alaska laid his head on Jake’s chest, leaning up to give him a kiss.

---

Aeron whimpered, tears streaming down his face. He couldn’t bear to see Jen get hurt. His tail drooped. “DAD!” He screeched. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Sorry! Sorry!” He kept whining. “I understand if you don’t want me anymore. I hurt you!” He broke down, sniffling. His small body shook. Once Jen said he’d be okay, he wiped the tears away, swallowing harshly. “Are you sure?” He went back to eating, chewing on the chicken after bringing it to his mouth with a fork. Aeron found forks to be odd. Why do through all that trouble when you could eat with your hands? He didn’t know. The chicken was good. It was enough for Aeron’s taste. The small kid filled up fast, finishing his dinner in a few scarfing bites. It would take a while for him to eat slowly. He yawned, turning to Jem, so he could go to bed.

Aeron liked this new bedtime thing. He had to brush his teeth and get dressed in new clothes, but the plus side made it better. He laid next to Jen, barely awake as his dad read to him. Aeron closed his eyes, snuggling against Jen. It was the only form of safety he had, nothing more. The pup didn’t hear Artemy come in. He clung to Jem, moving in his sleep. A small whimper rose from his throat. His body twitched and moved, the dream he was having unpleasant. After staying asleep for so long, Aeron woke up crying. He was in tears, almost inconsolable. His little wails of pain filled the room. Aeron clung to Jem, burring his small head in his dad’s shoulder. Tears dripped down his nose and fell into his mouth. Something bad had happened. The small pup had dreamt about Jen being taken away from him. There were so many possibilities. Murder, kidnapping, illness. The pup’s poor heart couldn’t take the thought.

It tugged at Jake's heartstrings to hear Alaska's question as if he knew that Jake was being dishonest on some level. He shook his head, guilt rising in his chest.
"I'm not just saying that to make you feel better…" Jake repeated, denying Alaska's claims. Jake genuinely believed that Alaska had tried- he had pushed himself until he was shaking and crying on the floor of the shitty bar bathroom and that was enough proof that he had tried. Hell, more than tried.
Sure, Jake found it a bit odd to be overwhelmed by such a place- but what he didn't know was certain aspects of werewolves and their sensitivities, not to mention Alaska's own personal sensitivities. He hadn't accounted for either.
"You tried….I mean, look at you" Jake forced yet another smile onto his face, trying to bring light to the situation, but probably failing miserably at it.
The more Alaska talked, the more the guilt rose within Jake. He swallowed harshly at hearing that the other had wanted to impress him, to have a chance with him.
Truth was, Jake wasn't as untouchable as he made himself seem. He knew he wasn't worth much and literally anyone could have him if they wanted to or bribed Jake enough to convince him to be with them. The problem here was that in Jake's eyes, Alaska was way out of his league, not only in how pretty the guy was but also because of how good of a person he was. The guy only ever did his job, a goody two shoes, only ever selectively dated, and had never touched another human being in the ways Jake had- in short? The guy felt innocent to Jake even if that wasn't the case at all.

"I lied." He swallowed hard at his words. "I lied. You do have a shot with me…" Jake said, almost cringing at Alaska's next words. To have someone so shaken up over him? Unfathomable.
"You want me?" He asked, his voice wavering as he said this. "Then you can have me."

As soon as he had finished saying that he felt Alaska pushing him back, the softness of his lips against his as he surprised Jake with a kiss. A small sound left him at the sudden action, struggling to keep up with Alaska's energy, Jake's own movements having slowed down significantly. He grabbed onto Alaska's shirt once again, trying to keep himself upright.
Once Alaska pulled away Jake had a dazed look on his face, his face also red from the combination of the alcohol and the overbearing heat in his body. And just when Jake thought it was over Alaska stole his breath away again, though, this one shorter than the last.
Jake looked into Alaska's eyes at the implication of going back to Blackwood, to his room.

Once back in the building, Jake could barely walk straight. It almost felt like he had closed his eyes at the bar and suddenly here he was in Alaska's bedroom.

Jake barely had time to process anything, his eyes skimming around the familiar place he had been in the day before, as Alaska knocked him onto the bed, which honestly probably took no effort as Jake was ten times more likely to stumble, drunk off his ass.

Alaska hugging Jake was probably the one thing Jake really needed at the moment, not having had a tender physical touch like that in a really long time. This time, however, he seemed really receptive to the hug, allowing himself something nice for once even if there was still a deep shame there for being "selfish" for wanting to be comforted despite the atrocities he had caused in the past.

Jake slipped his arms around Alaska in return, hugging the guy as tightly as he could as he moved to capture Jake into another kiss.
The rest of that night was a blur for Jake, knowing only one thing for sure. Alaska was now officially his boyfriend.

---

Jen did his best to console the small hound, repeating soothing phrases like "It's alright", "Don't worry about it", and "You couldn't help it". He wiped Aeron's tears, knowing that it would take a long time to undo everything Aeron had been taught, everything he had gone through. And even then, Jen wasn't sure if someone could recover from something like that- he himself being living proof.
But.
There was hope, hope that Aeron could forget about all of this as he grew up- even if it was just wishful thinking.

Still. It didn't matter, he'd make Aeron's life as easy as he could. He wouldn't have to lift a finger for anything that he wanted, Jen would make sure all his needs were met. He deserved that much. Every kid deserved that much and if he could take their troubles and turn them into something more manageable, then Jen would do that in a heartbeat.

By the time Aeron had fallen asleep, the lights had been turned off, Jen fast asleep, and Artemy in his own bed. The soup had been covered and put in the fridge for later and Jen's hand had been placed loosely on top of Aeron as if to make sure he wasn't going anywhere or didn't stop breathing somehow.
However, it seemed that Jen's attempt at sleep didn't last long as Aeron woke up crying once more. Jen didn't mind it one bit as he was pulled out of his sleep, reaching over to pull Aeron into a hug.
"Shhhh….it's okay, you're okay, we're all still here, nothing bad has happened or is going to happen…." Jen whispered, trying to soothe him. Jen was barely awake and struggled to formulate thoughts, his hand rubbing Aeron's back to hopefully calm him with physical touch, knowing that in the past, it had proven to help a lot with certain people.

Alaska huddled his body around Jake’s. He gripped the other tightly, pushing Jake’s face into his chest. He kissed his forehead softly. Alaska’s body shook as he caressed Jake’s head. Last night had been a mess. He regretted it. He shouldn’t have let Jake close to him at all; he should have told him to stay far away. But no, Jake had gotten too close, and Alaska bit him on the arm. He had curled around Jake’s body for the rest of the night, forgetting to even consult Jules about the bite. It didn’t matter now. It was too late. His breathing was shallow, and there was a soft whimper coming from his throat. The room felt foreign, and his vision became blurry. Small tears ran down his cheeks, and Alaska nuzzled his nose into Jake’s hair. A loud whistle caught his attention, and his breath caught in his throat. A dense wood scent filled the room. His face heated up as a fuzzy feeling spread throughout his body.

Turning his head, Alaska saw Eris' silhouette. His lower lip trembled. Eris’ glare burned into him as she raised her head. She held a straight face, the muscles tense. Alaska breathed heavily. Gravity suddenly weighed him down as his roommate decided what to do with such a mess.

Eris crossed her arms. “Get up.” She commanded. There was no warmth in her voice. It was icy. Alaska whimpered, wrapping his body tightly around Jake. Eris walked toward him, the floor squeaking under her feet. He could have sworn her eyes glowed blood-red. Eris gripped Alaska’s arm, harshly pulling at him. He whined in pain as her nails dug into his skin.

“LEVANTE-SE!” She screamed in Portuguese. “PARE DE SE LAMENTAR, SEU DESGRAÇADO!”

Alaska was ripped away from Jake as Eris wrapped her arms under his and pulled him away. He let out a harsh cry, and Eris threw him to the floor. She looked over at him. “Shut up, you big baby.” She moved over to Jake, grabbing his arm. She looked at the bite, a growl coming from her throat. Eris held up Jake’s arm. “O QUE É ISSO? ESTÁ BRINCANDO COMIGO? EU DEVERIA MATAR VOCÊ!” Her voice and body vibrated with anger. She marched over to Alaska. “VOCÊ PERCEBE O QUE FEZ?” Eris grabbed Alaska by the collar of his shirt, lifting him up off the ground. He whimpered, and she snarled at him. She lifted her fist, connecting it with Alaska’s face. He yelped as a second punch hit him. Blood ran down his lips, tears staining his cheeks.

“WHY?” Eris’ voice was unsteady. “WHY CURSE ANOTHER? WHY MAKE ANOTHER PERSON SUFFER?”

Alaska coughed, shrinking away from Eris. A knock at the door disrupted the quarrel. Eris dropped Alaska, his body hitting the floor with a thud. She left the room, going to get the door. Alaska sat up, rubbing his face. Blood dripped onto the floor, and he took in a shaky breath.

---

The morning sun shone through the window. Aeron squirmed, putting the pillow over his head as the sun shone in his eyes. He whimpered but gave up trying to get more sleep. Jen told him to try and sleep in his and Artemy’s room. If he managed to sleep through the night, he’d get a treat. But with Artemy’s incessant noises, it made it difficult. Aeron slipped out of bed and shook out his hair. He slipped out of the room, excitedly running over to Jen’s room. He slammed open the door, jumping onto Jen’s bed. Aeron kneeled by Jen. “Dad!” he shook Jen, looking for signs of movement within him. “DAD!” he mewed louder, shaking Jen. Aeron had overheard Jen and Bane speaking, learning his dad had his assessment today. He left the room, going to the kitchen in the interest of finding food.

Aeron climbed onto the counter, the golden sunlight igniting his amber eyes. He sat on his knees, looking into the cabinets. What did Jen normally make for him again? He couldn’t remember. “DAD!” he yelled again. He was bound to wake up the entire dorm. Aeron planned to eat breakfast and accompany his dad. He didn’t care if he got yelled at. He didn’t want to go back to the infirmary with Artemy. It was boring. Aeron wanted to watch his dad fight Bane! He leaped down from the counter, a mischievous smile on his face

Jake blinked slowly, feeling unnaturally tired. Alaska had cradled him as a burning sensation throbbed on an isolated area on his arm. The burning felt like it was slowly spreading, but it never got far.
It was…tiring, in more ways than one to know that there was almost a type of hatred there towards him, the way the universe taught him lessons. Anytime he softened his heart, the vague feeling of giving someone a chance- hell, giving himself a chance, the universe itself corrected him. Or well, attempted to correct him.
This is not something that was meant for you, kindly stop trying. You'll only further hurt yourself.

Jake himself wasn't quite sure what had happened. His head felt foggy and only the piercing headache brought him back to the present every time he let his mind drift, however, the headache only seemed to be getting worse by the second and Jake was not a fan, he wanted to stay in bed forever and keep sleeping.
But of course, as fate would have it, the answer was always no and it was a hard no at that with the way Eris had come in. Even in Jake's current state, it wasn't hard to tell that Eris was less than thrilled with the turn of events.

In all honesty, Jake had been enjoying Alaska's company, despite the wound given to him by the same person.
And yet again, that too came to an end when Alaska was taken away and thrown to the floor. There was yelling accompanied by frightened sounds coming from Alaska and for a second it felt like Jake was back at home with his father.
Eris had stormed over at that moment however and lifted Jake's arm to examine it. He gave her a tired lazy smile as she raged, her anger feeling parallel to Jake's older brother.
It took effort for Jake to push himself into an almost sitting position on the bed, his good arm being the main support for his weight.

"It's not a big deal-" Jake had started when Eris had switched to a language he understood, but he didn't get to say much more as she stormed away to receive whoever it was at the door. His eyes trailed after her as she disappeared, then panned over to Alaska who was on the ground trying to steady himself.
Jake made his way to the edge of the bed and slipped off it, now making his way to Alaska. Jake wasn't too sure what kind of relationship Eris and Alaska had, he hadn't seen too much of Eris but his most basic guess was that the two were either really good friends or had a sibling-type relationship. That or he was completely off and it was all one-sided with Eris holding most of the power over Alaska.

He crouched down in front of the other guy, having brought with him his shirt that had been draped over the bed's edge.
"Here, wipe your face" Jake offered his shirt to Alaska. "Just so you can stop the bleeding and don't get blood all over the floor" He spoke.
Jake was all too calm about this, but it wasn't anything unusual. People fought all the time and after a while, it became the norm.
"You guys fight like that often?" He asked, looking over Alaska's face and how much of a mess he was. He didn't know why it was such a big deal to be fighting over a bite wound. Sure, it was a little more than he had bargained for, but it didn't feel like a big deal. He'd disinfect it, wrap it, and be on his way. It wasn't rocket science.

---

At the door being slammed open to his room, Jen had instinctively reached under his pillow as soon as he had woken. Jen was not known to be a heavy sleeper, it was quite the opposite. He got very limited sleep some nights but when he did sleep, even the faintest sound could wake him.

He watched as Aeron kneeled beside him and shook him.
"I'm awake Aeron, there's no need, I'm just…" Jen took in a small breath as he closed his eyes again, hearing Aeron scamper off.

Jen was more of a morning person, but even he had some days where getting up so early was difficult. Especially after having done it for years since he had been a kid. There was some sort of trauma there with loud noises and mornings, and Aeron didn't exactly help with that. Jen couldn't blame the kid, but he also had no control over how his body responded to certain things, and it was all mildly annoying. He wished he didn't have to deal with the aftermath of everything that had happened in the past, it made living in the present day almost near impossible, and there was only so much one could do to deal and cope.
"Yep," Jen muttered to himself as he heard Aeron call for him once more, now sitting up in bed and rubbing the side of his face as he encouraged himself to get up.

A moment later he was in the kitchen, joining Aeron in whatever he had been doing previously.
"Avocado toast?" He questioned, looking over at Aeron. It was what he usually made for himself and sometimes even fed Aeron in the mornings. It was a simple sort of sandwich with a few layers to it. Toast, avocado, salt and pepper, an egg on top, and if the hunger was too much that morning? An added layer of sushi salmon or bacon on top. Jen almost always cooked the egg so that the center was either runny or gooey- knowing Artemy's tastes. He had cooked for that kid for years and knew all of his dislikes and likes and an egg with a solid center was not going to get touched.
Jen had peaked into the boy's room when he had gotten up and to his surprise, Artemy hadn't been there, or even here in the kitchen. Jen knew Artemy as someone who liked to sleep in, so this new behavior was somewhat lost on him. He wondered what had motivated him to the point of wanting to get up so early in the morning and join Jules in the infirmary.

Alaska whimpered, sniffing as the blood dripped down his face. Tears ran down his cheeks. Wasn’t it enough he regretted his decisions? His stomach turned, and he gagged. Alaska wrapped his arms around himself. What had he done so wrong? He couldn’t control himself. Not in that state. His entire face burned and throbbed. He could have sworn his jaw was displaced. Alaska took a harsh breath, looking up at Jake. His vision blurred, turning Jake into a large blob. He shook his head as Jake slipped off his head, trying to encourage him to stay in bed. The symptoms of his bite would only get worse the more he moved. But regardless, Alaska’s silent pleas never worked.

Jake's rough hand touched him, and he flinched. He reached out, taking the shirt. “I’m sorry.” he muttered, spitting blood out of his mouth. “This is my fault.” How? How was it his fault when Eris had been the one to punch him in the face? Maybe because he knew the life he’d cursed Jake with… Maybe that was it. Alaska pressed the shirt to his nose, his face twitching. Pain spread up through his nose, sending dull waves through his face. “I think she broke my nose.” He winced. It was a somber moment. Jake sat near him as he tried to assess the damage done to his face. Eris’ anger couldn’t be matched. She raged like a territorial lion. However, this was the first time she’d beaten him up directly. Alaska looked at his feet, the pain in his eyes clear. He looked like a kicked puppy—well, he was a punched puppy. “S-Sometimes.” He mumbled shakily. “This is the first time she’s really hurt me. Usually, it’s some screaming, but not—uh—violence.” He was shaking.

Eris slammed the door, making Alaska jump at the sound. She stalked off, allowing whoever was at the door in. Jax peered his head into the room. Surprisingly, he looked well. There were still indications of tired lines and black eye bags, but he seemed better. He frowned once he peered upon the scene, shaking his head. “You two look like a wreck.” He grumbled. “Here.” Jax went over to Alasked, helping him onto his feet. His gaze went to Jake, noticing how pale he was. “Let’s get you both to the infirmary. Jules will heal your wounds and—” He pursed his lips. “Figure out why you look so feverish. You look half dead, Jake.” He lumbered over, helping Jake up onto his feet. He held onto his shoulder tightly so he wouldn’t run away. Jax led Alaska and Jake out of the room. Something about his aura was off-putting, as if he were annoyed by something.

---

Aeron leaped down from the counter, running in circles around the kitchen. Young hellhounds had a lot of energy, especially early in the day. He stopped in front of Jen, grinning up at him. “I couldn’t stay asleep anymore. Plus, you have to assist Bane!” He yipped. Yep, Aeron had been listening to Jen’s conversations, and he just proved it. He was a sneaky pup at times. His crazed excitement took a turn as Jen mentioned avocado toast. He recently found out avocados won’t kill him like a dog, and ever since then, he's been obsessed with the strange fruit. Aeron’s body shook with pure happiness. “YES, YES, YES!” He jumped around the room, making sure not to crash into anything important-looking. He had gotten comfortable with Jen, slowly learning new things every day. Aeron’s progressed a lot in nearly a month. His reading skills have improved, and so has the skill of eating with utensils. Jen had started teaching him how to write the letters he was reading, correlating them with specific sounds found in each word.

Aeron calmed himself down, and he sat at the table. “Why isn’t Artemy here in the mornings anymore? He used to stick around for breakfast. But now he just slips away. It’s like he’s avoiding us.” The pup whined. He didn’t understand the desire to spend time with people outside his family. He didn’t understand what was so appealing about healing. “The infirmary is boring.” He stuck his tongue out. “Being with us is much more interesting. Does he hate us? Is he avoiding me? Is he abandoning me?” Aeron asked many questions in under a minute, his voice becoming high-pitched as worry invaded his mind. He laid his head on the palm of his hand, watching Jen cook. “I want to be like you when I get older.” He stared at Jen. “You do so many things, and I want to do them too.” Aeron looked up to his father. He was the only constant person in his life

As soon as Alaska started apologizing and blaming himself Jake narrowed his eyes.
"Shut up," He snapped "I don't want to hear it," He muttered harshly, reaching over to Alaska to gently touch his face and wipe the tears away, a clear contradiction between his actions with the way he spoke and the way he moved.

There was a silent rage there in Jake's words for the way Alaska always blamed himself for everything. He was sick of hearing how things were his fault when clearly they weren't. It was like an abuser/victim mentality and he wanted to know where the hell he had gotten that from. Jake had torn abusive pieces of shit limb from limb. He'd squared off with the worst of the worst and while he hadn't dealt the final blow, he had sunk his teeth into the man and ripped a huge chunk of his skin and muscle off when there had been no more cards left to play.
That moment had probably been the most alive he had ever felt in his life.
So he had no problems getting into a fight with Eris if he had to, however, it would have to wait as he felt less of himself at the moment and was almost a hundred percent sure he'd get his ass handed to him if he tried.

"She probably did," Jake said, moving the shirt that Alaska had brought up to his nose slightly to see how bad it was, touching the area to feel around.
After a moment he pulled away and watched Alaska's movements as he answered his question.
"Yeah, it's always like that. They don't do anything until they do" Jake said sourly, as if speaking from experience. Jake himself didn't have any experience with relationships like that- if anyone ever tried to lay a hand on him he'd cut it off and make the person regret ever having gotten involved with him. But. He knew quite a few people who either currently were in abusive relationships or had been in the past. He didn't blame those who chose to be with an abuser, there was usually a lot more going on there, but it did make him itch for the job he had been assigned at Nexus.

Jake gave Alaska a sympathetic smile.
"Well, it's good you won't have to stay here anymore" He spoke, now looking around the room. "You'll be staying with me" He gave Alaska a mischievous smile. The smile wasn't for obvious reasons, but more so that he'd turn Blackwood into a living hell for everyone if they didn't allow him to keep Alaska.

As soon as Jax made an appearance Jake made an effort to keep his thoughts to himself, redirecting his focus on Alaska and helping him up as well when Jax did, though, his efforts seemed a bit clumsy.

"Thanks, it's a new look I'm going for, it's called 'I feel like shit'," He retorted at Jax's half-dead comment, holding onto the guy when he helped him up as well, only to get "captured" into going to the infirmary.
"Listen, I appreciate all the uhh concern?" He questioned, not too sure if it was that or something else. "But I'm fine, I'll walk it off and it'll be like it never happe-" He didn't get to finish that sentence however as Jax started to drag him out of the room. "If you would just listen to me-" Jake protested as he tried to grab onto anything that would help him fight Jax's grip, though, it was mainly the doorway that helped as he refused to be taken away. That however did not last long as he was pried away.

---

"And how do you know that?" He arched an eyebrow at Aeron, though he was mostly messing with the kid. He didn't mind that Aeron eavesdropped sometimes, Jen had nothing to hide, but it would be on his to-teach list. Eavesdropping was not exactly something people appreciated, even if Jen didn't mind it.

Jen turned on the stove and started to get everything ready to make the "sandwich" for the both of them.
"I'm not sure, maybe you should ask him- but I think he's just very interested in what Jules is teaching him at the moment. It's not every day you get hands-on experience and someone takes you under their wing" He mused, knowing that Artemy had been wanting that for quite some time now. Originally he had asked for Jen to take him under his wing, but a few unfortunate things had occurred at the time and Artemy never got the chance.

"He doesn't hate us and he's not avoiding you," Jen said, even though, in his mind, he had the same questions. Aeron's worries were valid because to Jen it also did seem like that. Artemy had also seemed distant lately and he wondered why that was. Still. He didn't want to worry Aeron with answers to questions that could very well not be true. "Maybe he just needs some space. He has a lot of opportunities now that he's here. He can practice what he loves and be safe while doing them" Jen spoke absentmindedly, but freezing when he heard Aeron's claims to want to be like him.
A million things ran through his head which left him a bit winded. He knew Aeron meant he wanted to be like him currently, but even that sounded a bit jarring and alarming to him.

"S-sure, thank you, I…appreciate that," He said in a much lower voice as he continued to cook the eggs and set everything up.
Once that was done he sat the plate down in front of Aeron and gave him a small smile.
"But I think you should be you, you're already doing so much better than I am," He said gently. "And you will- you'll do a lot of things, good things, and I'll be there to see all of them when you do." He sat his own plate down and joined Aeron at the table.

"You'll make me proud," Jen said warmly before giving his blessings to the food and taking a bite of the avocado toast.

Alaska whimpered, tears running down his face and mixing with the blood. Small tears dripped off his lip, and he looked up at Jake. He flinched at his words, swallowing harshly. Yeah, he always blamed himself. It came from many pains in his childhood—pains he never wished to address. Alaska stayed silent, picking at his fingers. When Jake wiped his face, he leaned into his touch, closing his eyes. He would rather Jake not fight with Eris. No good would come of it, and it would most likely get him suspended. All Alaska wanted was for his boyfriend to tend to him and not worry about beating Eris. He might have thought it selfish a moon ago, but he reckoned it was a fair trade-off. As Jake touched his nose, he flinched, jerking his head away. The pain ebbed through his face, making him groan. He sniffled, tears rushing to his eyes. Alaska was not a happy camper.

However, he smiled up at Jake, even if it pained him to do so. “Really? You’d let me stay with you?” Blackwood wasn’t too strict on rooming. There were a few rules, but nothing significant.

Once Jax entered the room, it was chaos. The black-haired man grabbed Alaska by the arm, pulling him to his feet. He looked at the wounds, brushing his fingertips over them, forming bruises. “Let’s go.” He ushered Alaska out the door, practically shoving him. Jax had seen many fights in his life. It was usually him picking Val up and dragging him home. That man would challenge a bear in Denny’s parking lot. For sure, he was fed up with Eris’ behavior since Alaska and Jake started dating. He’d hear gossip from Jake, especially the little qualms about how much of a bitch she’s been. If Bane didn’t give her hell, then security failed its job. Once Alaska was out in the hall, Jax turned to Jake. “New look, huh? Is it a new look when you wear it every day?” A slight grin came to his face. He wasn’t one to tease people, mainly except for Val, but Jake somehow slipped in. He found it easier to tease a man who had similar issues as him.

“Let’s go, coffin lover; I’m taking you too. You look sicker than usual, which is saying something.” Jax strutted over to Jake and forcibly yanked him by the arm. “It’s for your own good. It’s not like Jules is going to kill you.” He didn’t know he could make a friend so fast. His walls were usually closed, not letting new people in. Jake, being the anomaly he is, of course, broke through the cement-sealed walls. Jax pulled Jake along, disregarding his thrashing. He was used to someone like Val, a man who was an insufferable patient. So Jake didn’t phase him. It was almost like a walk in the park.

Jax dragged their asses to the infirmary. It was difficult dealing with Jake and guiding Alaska along, but eventually, he burst through the double glass doors, hauling Jake like a sack of potatoes.

Jules was working on basic upkeep. He liked to keep himself busy in the morning, even with an assistant. He was fixing up a bed, tucking in the sheets, before whipping around to see Jax. “Jaxon!” Jules mewled in surprise.

Jax lugged Jake over to a bed, practically throwing him onto it. “Hey. I know it’s early, but we have a man with a broken nose.” He pointed to Alaska. “And one who is ill.” He gestured to Jake. He watched Alaska sit on a bed. “Bit of a bloody morning, but when is it not?"

Jules nodded his head. He rushed over to Alaska, looking over the injuries. “How did you receive such injuries?” He tilted Alaska’s head up, looking at the wounds in the light. Jules placed his hand on Alaska’s face, and healing magic softly pulsed through it. Within seconds, Alaska’s face cleared up. His pain was taken away, and his nose was fixed.

Alaska looked up at Jules with puppy-dog eyes. “Eris punched me. Twice.” Jules simply nodded his head. His face was hard to read. Jax was pacing around, his heavy gear rattling as his watch buzzed.

---

Aeron smiled mischievously, his face flushing red. He was bouncing his leg, his energy level more than he could handle. “I have excellent ears.” He closed his eyes, smiling smugly, as if he pulled off some brilliant feat. “I’m just excited!” The young hound suddenly jumped up, staring at his father with starry eyes. A giggle came from him before he settled and watched Jen cook. Aeron placed his head in his palms. “Well, he’s not around very often.” He paused. “And I don’t want to go back to the infirmary. It’s boring. All Jules does is run around or work on his computer. I don’t like it.” He shifted every so slightly, not being able to stay still. “I guess.” Aeron sighed. “Well, maybe he’s actually happy there.” He was swinging his legs, staring at the flames lapping at the bottom of the pan. “Then why doesn’t he come say hi? Why does he come home late? It seems like he likes hanging out with Jules more. He liked the soft, boring guy better. I want my brother back.” He sat up, staring at Jen’s face.

“Does having opportunities make a person so distant? He never struck me as the healer type.” Aeron shook his head, derailing a topic to one he liked better. A soft smile took over his frown. “I always look up to you! You’re my father! I hope I can be a good person. Everyone seemed so focused on that.” He took a piece of toast hostage, sinking his teeth into the avocado. “But I can’t even read well. I can’t even write! I want to do those things like you.” He swallowed, licking his lips before taking another bite. “Are you sure? I don’t think I’ve been a righteous person so far.” Even a month later, he still ate like he wouldn’t get another meal for days. Aeron shoved the rest of the toast in his mouth. Before speaking, he swallowed. “I hope I can. I didn’t make my biological father proud.” His head perked up as Jen’s watch went off.

As soon as Alaska flinched at his touch Jake froze and slowly put his hand back down into his lap, he hadn't pressed too firmly, but then again, it had just happened and it was bound to be tender. Jake had had his fair share of blows dealt and knew the feeling exactly.

"Well, yeah, or anywhere for that fact if the place they gave me is too much too soon for you, just not…here." He said, there being a hint of annoyance there at how they had kept Eris and Alaska together like this for so long. Did they not pay attention to what was going on here? Jake could excuse the place he came from, they weren't known to be kind, but this place seemed to be decent- hell, a lot more than decent. It was something they should have taken care of sooner to avoid this.

At Jax's grand entrance and his shot at Jake, Jake gave him an annoyed smile as if to say "just you wait.."
The final straw, however, was the coffin comment which made him want to throw another salt bomb at the idiot. Had he been in better shape he would have immediately tried to trap Jax into a headlock, not releasing him until he apologized.
"Fuck-" Was all he was able to get out before Jax grabbed him and dragged him towards the door, there not being a lot Jake could do feeling the way he was.
"He might.." Was all Jake muttered at the end before he stopped struggling, allowing Jax to string him along. He had gotten to know Jules a few times.
…
Maybe more than a few times over the course of the days he had stayed here, making some of the same poor mistakes he always made when training with Jax.
Some of the lectures stuck and were easier to grasp, but amidst all that, there was an internal panic inside Jake as the lessons went on. He was afraid of what would happen if he didn't pick up on things fast enough, execute them fast enough- or learned them perfectly, which resulted in a lot of fumbling when the time came to show off what he had learned. The same thing always happened back where he had come from and it only resolved itself once Jake took matters into his own hands and started training outside of the official training sessions, but they didn't let him do that here- there were a lot of other things to take care of then solely focusing on improving the way he fought which honestly came as a surprise to Jake.

These people valued each other a lot more than just fighting and being the best, the people here were the number one priority and it was still something Jake was having trouble getting used to. It showed in the way Jake had only truly placed his trust in one person. Jake could pretend all he wanted, like he belonged with the way he carelessly talked to others and showed the more extrovertedness of his nature. His best being on display at all times when around others, but the stone-cold truth was he hadn't really made a connection with anyone- Jax being the only one Jake shakingly clung to at times when it got to be too much, usually in the form of bothering the guy but being subtle about his needs.
Maybe he'd pluck the book Jax was reading from his hands to get a reaction, or purposely get into trouble- not enough to be sent to the holding place he had been at before but enough for them to call someone more equipped to handle Jake, the person usually being Jax.

Still. He knew that if he left now, he was almost a hundred percent sure he'd be just like another bad memory, something someone was eager to forget.

Alaska was a work in progress, the guy was slowly melting him from the inside out and gradually Jake had started coming to Alaska to be around him more. At first, making stupid excuses as to why he had been caught being around the guy, but at some point, Jake had given up, knowing that everyone knew he wasn't being as slick as he had hoped for.

Once Jax burst through the door and nearly shoved Jake onto one of the beds, he groaned at being handled so roughly, not having enough strength to get back up and giving up as he slumped back against the bed.
"Is this how you treat a sick person?" Jake joked, though, clearly, on some level, he looked to be in pain even though a forced smile had replaced his features. His body was starting to ache just a little more as the seconds ticked by.

With a lot of effort and someone running over to him to help him sit up, Jake hunched over back into a sitting position, now looking over to Jules and Alaska.
He watched as the two spoke, his eyes panning over to Jax as he paced around before a friendly face popped up in front of him.
"Hey there raccoon" Artemy chirped as he looked Jake over, he had been fixing some things on a shelf for Jules when they had come in, helping Jake up when he struggled to sit up.
Jake gave Artemy an unamused look.
"You guys are real funny with all the name-calling" Jake spoke, Artemy snickering at Jake's words. He did really look like a raccoon with the heavy darkness under his eyes. Something was wrong.
"What's up? Why does it look like you have a date with your ex?" He asked casually, worry seeping into his tone.
Jake shook his head.
"You have got to stop calling literal death my ex, we've never gotten along- though, he does treat me a lot kinder than all of you lot" A crooked smile painted his face, playing into Artemy's bit, which seemed to please the kid.

"Why are you here so early? You should be like, sleeping as much as you can" Jake nudged Artemy's arm, a huge smile coming from him as he sat beside Jake.
"I don't know, I like being here" A shy smile replaced his huge excited one as he scooted closer to Jake, looking for some type of comfort. Parental comfort. And maybe approval too.

---

The line coming from Aeron made Jen only slightly melt at it. It sounded all too innocent and almost like he was proud of it.

He arched an eyebrow at his excitement.
"A lot of it, you do" He smiled at the kid, watching him bounce around before he settled for watching Jen cook and prepare their meals.

"Maybe….have you ever thought Artemy is a lot like the soft boring guy?" Jen mused at the way Aeron described Jules. Jen knew that his words were only partially a lie, but he had raised the kid since he was a teen and Artemy had always been what others would call "soft" and very emotional. He had always needed extra care from a parental figure- not a teenager, but that had been the only thing available at the time and they made do.

"No…" Jen trailed off at his question knowing that sometimes it did if you didn't balance things correctly. It made him worry. That Artemy might be struggling and pulling one of Jake's oldest stunts which was distancing and isolation. He didn't like that thought one bit.

A warm smile crossed Jen's lips as he watched the messy eater.

"Thank you- I…I'm sure you'll become a great person, you already are but there is always room to grow I believe" He took a slight jab at himself. "But you'll get there, I'll teach you what you need to know, and it's okay to not be perfect, you already make me so-" He was cut off the the watch going off, now also scrambling to shove the rest of the food into his mouth like Aeron had done seconds ago.
He quickly grabbed both their plates as he chewed the food in his mouth and painfully swallowed it.
"Okay, okay, it's time to go, we need to go- I'll put these in the sink and we'll quickly get dressed and everything" He seemed to panic a little, almost like a mother would at their child being late for their first day of school.

Jax paced back and forth, the wood floor creaking under his weight. Jake was irrevocably an idiot, and Jax had to put up with his nonsense 24/7. There were some other things he’d rather be doing than training the guy. He was a loner, preferring to train alone. It was harder to push yourself to the limit with judging eyes on you. Jake didn’t learn easily—not with a sword, at least. Sometimes, he pondered how long it took him to fire a gun without missing. Now, Jax wouldn’t say Jake was a complete nightmare to work with. He eased up the tension, but at the same time, the dumbass wounded himself more than not. Every session garnered a deer-in-headlights look. Eyes wide, mouth straight. Jax was afraid that if he touched Jake, the man would jump back in terror.

Each lesson wasn’t very savory. Jake seriously seemed to try his best, but Jax grew frustrated. He didn’t want an apprentice, knowing how his patience ran thin. He could not teach someone who didn’t understand in less than four tries. But yet, he was the best agent, and he needed the experience. With Gwen, she killed him. Jax grew to face patience head-on, usually having to hold himself back from pacing so he could watch his trainee. He had grown over two years, but Jake wore him thin. Jax didn’t argue when he found out; he snuck away to practice by himself. Jax did it for years, and every trainee figured out Blackwood wasn’t scary. There were schedules, but never harsh curfews. It was your fault if you didn’t get enough sleep.

Jax stilled, peering at the dumbass lying on the bed protesting over his health. Maybe it wasn’t training with Jake that wore him thin. Maybe it was the striking similarities to his best friend. Both displayed a lack of logical thinking when faced with a problem. They were smart in their own right. Jax knew deep down that Jake and Val were more than their surface-level goofiness. People wouldn’t recognize it unless they met him. Was it the same way for Jake? Over the month, he decided yes. Jax walked closer to the bed Jake lay on, barely acknowledging Alaska’s nose being corrected. His eyes softened, drooping from their cold-hard stare. He knew who Jake reminded him of. Himself. Seeking solace in the other's absurdity, he clung to the person who accepted him.

Jake’s actions made sense to him. Be as annoying as possible to gather attention, whether negative or positive. It was the same problem Val had. Anything to seek his attention. Jax’s jaw clenched. He didn’t know if he could handle another Valerian. He wrinkled his nose.

“Yes.” Jax crossed his arms. “Throwing you onto a bed and making sure you don’t escape is how I ensure you won’t end up dead.” He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think you’d rather be in a grave right now.” His voice was smooth, with less grit behind it. Jax finally peered up at Jules and Alaska, then looked over at Artemy. So this was Jules’ assistant. The scrawny kid he met a month back. His work here was done; Artemy was now tending to Jake. He’d fade into the background and seamlessly walk away. Maybe Jake would see him out later. Jax’s shoulders relaxed, the scowl on his face weakening. Right before leaving, a tingling sensation warned him against abandoning Jake. It made him feel ill. This wasn’t Val. This was a completely different person, but his mind didn’t notice the difference. Did he have a connection with Jake? He sighed. Definitely. That’s what it was.

–

Jules smiled at Alaska, taking his hand away from his face. All the bruising disappeared. He patted him on the shoulder, making a promise they’d take care of the situation. It wasn’t like Eris to get this violent, but she finally crossed the line. Jules bowed his head toward Alaska and hurried off to tend to Jake.

“I don’t see you in here too often.” He noted, placing the back of his hand on Jake’s forehead. “You are abnormally warm. I’ll get a thermometer for an exact reading.” He departed from Jake’s side, passing Jax to reach his medical cabinet. Jules gave Jax a “we’ll talk later” glance before opening the cabinet and pulling out a thermometer. He quickly walked back over to Jake. Holding the thermometer to Jake’s lips, he instructed, “Open your mouth,” before placing the thermometer under his tongue.

Jules looked to Artemy. “Could you look for any infected wounds or rashes that jump out, please? We want to rule out infections or animal bites.” He bit his bottom lip. The deep circles under Jake’s eyes, the high fever, and the increased salivation pointed him in a direction he didn’t like.

—

Alaska sat by his lonesome, staring at the ground. Small tears came to his eyes as thoughts swirled around his head. He doomed his boyfriend for eternity. There was an increased risk when dating a werewolf, but he never intended Jake to be like him. Hell, Alaska should have told Jake he wasn’t suitable when he had the chance. But the thought of finally being with someone pulled him in, creating an undesirable mess. He leaned back on the bed, trying to regulate his emotions. Beside him, Jake lay feverish and in pain. He could tell. Alaska also noticed the look on Jules’s face. Of course, the witch knew what was up. Why wouldn’t he? A small kid also sat by him. Who was that, why, and did Jake seem to know him? Could it be a cousin or ward? It didn’t matter. He pulled the satin-blue blanket over himself. He was a fuckup.

---

Aeron smiled at Jen. Finally! Today, he could explore without being stuck in a place of medicine. The medicine Jules kept stunk to him. The infirmary always gave him a headache. He seemed innocent enough, his cheeks round and full. His body slowly recovered, and he had meat on his bones. To an extent, he was still thin. Thinner than acceptable, but he was improving. The small hound was vibrating.

“A hellhound without excitement is like a depressed dog. We’re energetic creatures!” The young ones were usually energetic. As a hellhound grew older, they got jaded. Day after day, the routine and abuse were unchanged. Of course, the young ones didn’t know what adulthood was like. Aeron sat on his knees, peering over to watch Jen.

"Well, no. He never seemed like that. Artemy seemed fun—more like a playmate than soft and boring.” He looked away, biting his tongue. Aeron didn’t understand the appeal, but he guessed it was there. His life had been nothing but action so far, and he needed to learn how to slow down. Taking a deep breath, he let it out. “Are we too much for him? Is he latching himself on the soft guy because we’re too rough?” Aeron shrank away. He was talking about himself. He was a rough kid and pounced. Aeron liked to roughhouse and hold people in chokeholds. He shook his head.

“I can grow to be really big!” He placed his hand on the table, positioning himself on his knees while leaning over the table. I can be like Artemy and you! I will learn so many things.” The pup was practically ready to take off. “I can’t wait!” He looked over at the watch, hopping down from his chair. Jen agreed to take him today. “Let’s go, Dad!” He barked. Aeron was up to some mischief. He herded Jen around the dorm, trying to leave as soon as possible.

Jake found that dealing with a sword was a lot harder than he had first thought- guns were easier for him, his aim near dead accurate, but with all the years of training of course it was. When he had started out with gun practice he had been shaky at best, only being six at the time. His training with Jax however, was brining back those same helpless feelings and while no one was yelling at him to get things right every second, he did feel shaky at best, again.
But no one ever had patience with someone who struggled so much- the only exception that Jake had met being Jen.

Artemy looked over at Jax when he got a bit closer to the bed they were both sitting on. Jake’s eyes flickering over to the guy when he spoke.
And for a moment, like it frequently happened around Jax, his mask faltered, the edge of his lips struggling to form a smile again.
“I’m just that irresistible huh?” Were the words that came out of his mouth which betrayed the genuine somber look that had washed over him for a split second. But now, with that comment, at least it was easier for him smile. In a way, he thrived off of his own stupidity- it had saved his life a couple of times as absurd as it sounded.
At the last sentence however, Jake looked away but didn’t say anything. He was pretty sure everyone in the room knew the answer to that question, he didn’t have to say anything.
He didn’t, but he did.
Artemy squished his cheek to Jake’s shoulder as he leaned onto the guy, waiting for Jules to be done with Alaska and when he was, Artemy immediately perked up.

“Aside from a few scrapes, yeah, thank fuck for that” Jake weakly mused as Jules looked him over, placing his hand on his forehead- it felt nice, a bit icy- or well, a lot cooler than how he was feeling at the moment.

Jake watched Jules leave his side to go get something. He opened his mouth to protest, a force of habit, but quickly shut it, grinding on his teeth a little as he did. There was something Jake had learned in his short stay here and it was that Jules always got his way. You let Jules look you over or they’d bring you in thrashing if you didn’t cooperate.
He swallowed harshly at the thought, still a bit nervous in a medical setting but slowly there had been some trust placed within Jules. He wouldn’t hurt him- or at least, hadn’t yet and as long as that stood, Jake wouldn’t put up too much of a fight.
At the thermometer being shoved in his face, Jake leaned away from it a bit, making a bit of a face before following Jules’ instructions.

Artemy nodded as he got up and stood beside Jules as he kept examining Jake. Artemy paused, now looking at Jake with apologetic eyes at what he would ask of him next.
“Can you take your shirt off?” He asked. At the question, Jake’s breath caught in his throat, trying his best to swallow the lump now stuck there.
“Y…yeah, that’s fine, it doesn’t matter” He muttered as he shifted on the bed, positioning himself in a way where only Jules and Artemy could look over his back when he took his shirt off, the brunt of Aristide and Nexus’ abuse centered there.

The entirety of his body, however, was littered with scars, some looking like they could have only been done when Jake wasn’t putting up a fight, the cuts being clean and precise. Some were placed oddly, yet were just as deep and large as the others, it looked like it might have been impossible to get hurt in those areas, yet the way the wounds had healed indicated that Jake had struggled with those, the edges looked rough and jagged. There were also circular wounds that could have only come from the barrel of a gun, some even smaller than those, suspiciously looking like circular burn marks.

Artemy shakingly and quickly looked over Jake’s body to make sure he didn’t miss anything and as soon as he was done he nodded to Jake who was all too happy to put his shirt back on.
“Take these off?” Artemy asked, gesturing to Jake’s arm warmers that almost reached his elbows.
Yeah. This was the exact reason Jake hated these places, but Jake complied and took them off, allowing Artemy to look.
Artemy on the other hand, froze almost immediately at the state of them, his eyes running over Jake's self-inflicted scars then the recent and very visibly irritated bite mark on his wrist near his pulse.

“I take very good care of myself after I’m done,” Jake said suddenly, feeling the pressure of the room on him. He was talking about scars on his arms, but the two thicker-looking scars at the base of his palm in a straight line indicated that Jake had tried to remove himself from the equation that was life entirely at some point.
Still, the bite mark stuck out a lot against the paleness of Jake’s skin and even the pinkish recent scars.
“How did you get that??” Artemy questioned, feeling a bit confused as he looked to Jules for help, his eyes then darting past Jules and to Alaska who had now wrapped himself in the bed's blanket.

---

Jen hadn’t said it out loud before, but his favorite thing about Aeron was the way he seemed to practically vibrate with untamed energy. The kid could probably circle the entirety of the building three times in less than two minutes and he still wouldn’t break a sweat.

A huge smile spread on Jen’s face at hearing Aeron’s statement. He was absolutely adorable and Jen wouldn’t hesitate to kill again just to keep Aeron the way he was now. That much he knew.
“Artemy can be a bit soft and boring at times, I’ll admit, but he’s a lot like you when it comes to energy. I’m sure he’ll come around and hang out a bit more, if not, we’ll ask him what’s up, deal?” Jen asked. There wasn’t anything a bit of communication couldn’t fix.
“I would like to think that’s not the reason, but I can’t speak for Artemy. I think we do just fine in handling him, sometimes people just need breaks, we can’t all be bouncing off the walls like you” Jen mused, poking a bit more fun at Aeron, hoping to get him used to banter and the way certain things weren’t meant literally, even though Jen was pretty sure Aeron could bounce off the walls with how excited he seemed.

“You will. You’ll be so good.” Jen’s gaze softened as he watched Aeron before the hurricane of a pup had him rushing to get things done so they could leave.

A soft laugh left Jen as he finished getting ready, in the middle of clipping a few hair pieces back as Aeron impatiently led him away to the door.
It didn’t take long for Jen and Aeron to reach their destination, Jen now knocking on Bane’s office door and waiting for the man to respond.
He looked down over at Aeron and ruffled his hair some.
“None of your usual recklessness, got it? Best behavior- like we talked about” He spoke, hoping that Aeron would at least attempt to reel himself in this time. They still had a lot of progress to make, but the fact that they had already gotten so much done with Aeron was astounding and Aeron never ceased to impress Jen with how fast he picked things up.