XII. THE HANGING MAN

" Do I need a reason ? " Tilting his head, the smile had not once faded from the moment it appeared. A rather soft expression, companied by the honey hair and the glowing skin, perhaps one could argue that it was perfectly innocent. Maybe it was, the line between the sins were far too thin to truly cut anymore.

But said fact was not solely his own, it was one shared. Perhaps by many who reside within the residence, but for now- Jack would be selfish and think only of two others.

Upon the hills, the wind picked up- throwing loosen hair to follow direction- light reflecting off different strands, and Jack found himself wondering if the sunlight suited her best. Perhaps it brought a certain charm to her, just as much as the moonlight did. Shining behind her- a shadow which would be cast, simply he wished to remain within its darkness for a moment longer, should she will it.

A laugh falls from him as he shifts from his place on the ground, his legs folding beneath him, " Let's see, for a reason I shall give ... hmm, " he cupped his chin in thought- an effort to be placed forward before he perks, " Because I have been able to see you today ~! That alone is enough to make me smile ! " Such a simple, foolish reason.

But, if all she wanted was a reason, then his answers shall only remain foolish for her.

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" Eeehh ?? Am I truly not using it right ?? " With a true look of defeat, Jack didn't seem to question a moment of her words. Already standing with this failure, the man simply didn't know what to do ! It was true, even now he was still learning, a clear mind could never truly stop attempting to learn new things. And just recently had heard a discussion ! Between Oswald & the other fellow ... what was his name again ?? Jack simply didn't put much effort in remembering the purple-eyed devil. If one was enough to bring shivers down his spine, certainly it was worth the lack of effort not to involve with- regardless- he had listened to a conversation!

What was it about ? Well ... Jack truly didn't pay much attention until it was too late, a word had been uttered and perhaps in the attempt to sound more sophisticated, he had been parading around the newly found vocabulary as his extended listed words.

Only to now find out, the most fun word he had come across- Pernicious, it would seem had been mistaken in the context.

Truly now, he looked like a kicked dog. One could only imagine his sorrows, " Oswald uses too big of words ... "

" That would make it the third time, " a fond reply would follow soon after- the roaring the the fire making sure the room was not left in silence.

Leaning back into the cushion of the sofa, Jack surveyed the pages once again- a book once again that he felt as if he could read with his eyes closed. Perhaps that alone was a sign of the repetitive times he has begun it. Amusingly, he has not grown tired of the words just yet.

In honesty, the story was nothing too much. A classic tale of a wondering innocence that fell into a world of upside down tendencies. Perhaps it was remedied as a child's tale, a precaution? ... Perhaps that was it, Jack concluded- his fingers pushed against the edges of the worn page, threatening to turn it over to the beginning. It a was a tale that, while not as interesting- still kept him reading. How funny some of the words could be, the creatures it could make up. Certainly felt his imagination w i l d.

And it wasn't as if he was alone in said thought- as eyes crossed downwards, he would be met with a pool of dark threads of hair. For a moment, Jack would've assumed slumber had caught up with the man by the time he had reached the middle of the story. It would seem he was wrong, just this once. But, perhaps it was fine- to be wrong meant his teasing could still be heard. " - but I don't see why not, it's an amusing tale. One that certainly keeps you finding new discoveries with each read. " Openly praising, a hand left the book. Fingers brushed against the thick strands,

" Maybe this time, when I ask you- why is a raven like a writing desk, you'll give me a new answer. ~ "