A LINGERING SWEETNESS ╱ @claritxs
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JACK AVOIDED HER THE FIRST DAY BACK. not properly, but he also hadn’t gone down to his workshop as normal. he couldn’t make himself face it not even after jamie’s words and josh’s advice. his chest had felt uncomfortably tight that night, as he wondered if she was there whilst he sulked in his room. that feeling hadn’t gone away, and now he couldn’t stop himself from going to see if she was there, even if he wasn’t sure what to hope for. was he hoping she was? was he hoping he’d fall down the staircase and not have to deal with this at all? . . .hard to tell. it was also hard to figure out why he couldn’t stop thinking about her, even during LESSONS. she played on his mind, worse than any machine he couldn’t fix.
BUT COULD HE FIX IT? HUMANS WERE NOT METAL. humans were complicated, which he proved by being like this. his feet took the final steps down to the basement, his mind too familiar with the path for him to think about it and his eyes searched the place casually. at first, he saw nothing. disappointment coursed through him, and answered his earlier conundrum over what he had been hoping for. but then he saw it. a flash of SUNSHINE HAIR, resting lightly against marble. his heart accelerated like an old engine that he wasn’t entirely sure would make it, but after wiping his hands nervously against his trousers, he walked in. the light was dim, and cast shadows on her face. still, she looked. . .
‘ HEY. ’ WORDS HE SPUTTERED, before he lost his nerve completely. after days and days of guessing at what she might feel or what he might feel, he wasn’t sure what he saw on her face now. EXHAUSTION, definitely that constant state of tiredness she was constantly stuck in, even if she wore it so well. it tore at him, and it was the only thing he’d change if he could, even if he was sure she was a MASTERPIECE that he could not touch. ‘ are you doing okay? ’ in hindsight, maybe he should have asked something less direct, or more precise. what if she told him she hated him? she could. he’d get it. he wouldn’t very much like it if his friends went around kissing him just because they FELT LIKE IT.
REALLY, HE JUST WISHED HE WAS BETTER AT READING HER. he hadn’t really minded not being able to before. humans were interesting, but not enough. not like her. the other people he cared about were already used to him; not to mention BIOLOGICALLY programmed to LOVE HIM. he felt his pulse rush, as he tried to look away from the soft indigo and the sheer rose tint of her cheeks but instead, he only managed to look downwards for a moment, arms crossing as he inhaled the familiar scent she brought to the sawdust covered room. it reminded him of the faint taste of SWEET TEA on her lips. as much as he wanted it again, he felt nothing short of DOUBT as he faced her.
' ARE YOU MAD AT ME? I’M SORRY. ’ WAS SHE? HE DIDN’T WANT TO LOSE HER- ‘ I REALLY AM. ’
