[ the hug pulls a strangled noise from his throat - too much, he has never been touched like this before and it should be good but it's so much, overwhelmed and hypersensitive - and he is rigid in her arms. he can feel Lux along his side, a hot brand that singes all his nerves. dimly, in his shock, he thinks that he must be unpleasant to embrace, bony and cold and clammy. ]
I barely even remember this place. I woke up here so many times, but... [ until he left, he had only ever seen the ceiling, and even those memories are a haze of pain and confusion. when he saw the whole room at last, he didn't care about anything except finding a way out of it. he definitely didn't think he would ever be looking at it again.
the Moon Man stands opposite the operating table, and his expression now is soft, sympathetic. Jack looks at him and grits his teeth. ]
You only said two words to me. "Jack Frost" - that's it! [ he isn't trying to pull himself out of Lux's hold, but he strains against it, all of his body strung with tension and trembling fury. ] And then you were just gone, I woke up one day and it was cold and dark, I was so scared and I, I was—
Alone?
[ Jack's voice dies, his breath hitches. the Moon Man slides his fingertips along the operating table and he goes on, gently and coaxing, his tone almost parental: ]
Just like you've been alone ever since? And now you aren't used to anything else. You know, you flinch when people touch you. [ he ignores Jack's panicked, angry interruption: Stop it, stop changing the subject— ] Do you remember when you were caught sleeping on the streets of Union? The looks on their faces? They were so horrified and you couldn't understand it. You don't know how to be a person. You're not even sure if you want to be one.
None of them understand it, do they? They never will, and oh, how that frustrates you. You were so angry at everyone who tried. But don't blame them, Jack. You're too much of a broken thing for anyone to understand.
[ Jack is shaking like a frightened rabbit. his eyes are wide and wet with unshed tears, but he doesn't even make to brush them away, just brings his hands up to his head and clenches his fingers in his hair. his breaths are hard and shallow, shuddering, and every exhale puts out mist and glittering frost. ice is forming on him, around him, cracking as it grows and splinters into sharp spikes. under Lux's touch, his body flickers in and out of corporeality. he feels— wild, unstable, coiled too tightly, like he's going to explode out of his skin - but Lux, Lux is here, and the panic ratchets up another notch. ]
Lux, you gotta— You need to get out of here, away from me—
no subject
I barely even remember this place. I woke up here so many times, but... [ until he left, he had only ever seen the ceiling, and even those memories are a haze of pain and confusion. when he saw the whole room at last, he didn't care about anything except finding a way out of it. he definitely didn't think he would ever be looking at it again.
the Moon Man stands opposite the operating table, and his expression now is soft, sympathetic. Jack looks at him and grits his teeth. ]
You only said two words to me. "Jack Frost" - that's it! [ he isn't trying to pull himself out of Lux's hold, but he strains against it, all of his body strung with tension and trembling fury. ] And then you were just gone, I woke up one day and it was cold and dark, I was so scared and I, I was—
Alone?
[ Jack's voice dies, his breath hitches. the Moon Man slides his fingertips along the operating table and he goes on, gently and coaxing, his tone almost parental: ]
Just like you've been alone ever since? And now you aren't used to anything else. You know, you flinch when people touch you. [ he ignores Jack's panicked, angry interruption: Stop it, stop changing the subject— ] Do you remember when you were caught sleeping on the streets of Union? The looks on their faces? They were so horrified and you couldn't understand it. You don't know how to be a person. You're not even sure if you want to be one.
None of them understand it, do they? They never will, and oh, how that frustrates you. You were so angry at everyone who tried. But don't blame them, Jack. You're too much of a broken thing for anyone to understand.
[ Jack is shaking like a frightened rabbit. his eyes are wide and wet with unshed tears, but he doesn't even make to brush them away, just brings his hands up to his head and clenches his fingers in his hair. his breaths are hard and shallow, shuddering, and every exhale puts out mist and glittering frost. ice is forming on him, around him, cracking as it grows and splinters into sharp spikes. under Lux's touch, his body flickers in and out of corporeality. he feels— wild, unstable, coiled too tightly, like he's going to explode out of his skin - but Lux, Lux is here, and the panic ratchets up another notch. ]
Lux, you gotta— You need to get out of here, away from me—