Apples & Foxes

Evangeline and Jacks ~the loneliest~

A/N: this one might be a sensitive subject for a lot of people so I will put a trigger warning. To be honest it pains me to write it but I feel like I need deeper topics for these so here we are. I promise I'll do a happier one after haha. Of course, this is my own complete imagination and I just thought why not with this. You don't have to read it if you don't want to, but I promise there will be protective Jacks if you do <3
TRIGGER WARNING: SELF HARM / SELF HARM SCARS

Evangeline worries her lip as she looks at her reflection, the sleeveless dress not the best cover. She tries to think of some way to get out of going out with LaLa- or to at least change. The abundance of thin white scars and more recent pink cuts on her wrists and forearms are fairly obvious. Fates, she's such an idiot. She should have thought the timing through- mind you, she was not thinking of the future in the many moments which brought her the scars, if anything she was dwelling on the past. She takes a deep breath, blinking back threatening tears.

"LaLa's waiting for you." She jumps and spins around to face the Prince of Hearts, hiding her arms behind her back.

"Tell her I'll only be a few more minutes- I just need to change." She replies, trying to smile- judging by the look on his face, it's not very convincing.

"Why? It looks good on you." He ticks his head to the side, blonde hair falling over one eye, causing the mortal girl in front of him fully smile.

"Umm-" She fails at coming up with anything close to a good excuse; mind you, Jacks would most likely see through her anyway.

"What are you hiding behind your back?" He asks, and her heart starts hammering nervously, it's all she can hear.

"Nothing..." She starts, but it's too late.

Jacks has already taken the few steps it takes to be directly in front of her, and, quick as a shooting star, has pulled her arms from behind her. His eyes flash with confusion for a second, seeing she does not in fact have anything- and then: Evangeline can't even really think as she looks at his face, his eyes are somewhere between being angry, sad, and some unrecognizable pain she's too scared to dig deeper into. She yanks her arms from his grip and turns, her back to him, and crosses her arms, panicking in anticipation for his anger. Evangeline already feels tears welling- it was at least two weeks ago now, and yet, him seeing the cuts, and seeming to be so effected, makes a wave of agonizing guilt wash over her, making her feel sick to the stomach.

"Evangeline." She can't tell his feelings by his voice, and she's too scared to look.

"Little Fox, turn around." She shakes her head in response, honestly feeling as if she's about to throw up with guilt.

"Turn around." Jacks' voice is demanding but fractured, and, with as much effort as she can, she turns, facing him.

"I-I'm sorry-" She tries desperately to not burst into tears, still having her arms crossed.

His eyes soften, something which is rare for the Fate, and reaches out to gently unfold her arms, holding her wrists in a way that has her scars perfectly in his sight.

"How long have you been doing this?" He asks, interrupting her.

"I dont know-" She sniffs, looking down at her feet, "The last few months-?"

"I do not feel angry, Little Fox." He says, voice scratchy.

"Then- what do you feel?" She asks the blonde Fate, trying to swallow the lump in her throat.

"Responsible. Heartbroken." Jacks lifts her chin up, looking through to her soul with deep icy eyes, ones which she has never seen so much emotion in before.

"I- Sorry- sometimes everything just-" He shushes her softly.

"Too much?"

"Yes."

"You could have told me, my Fox." He says, and if anything, that hurts more than if he left right now and forgot this entire interaction.

"No, I could not."

"Why?" He does not seem hurt by that, just curious.

"That's not who we are. I am not yours to be responsible for just as you are not mine to be scared for. We will never be more that reluctant companions, Jacks, never anything other than mutual acquaintances. You do not like me, and I should not like you. We are not anything alike, and nor will we ever be- I do not want you to know my feelings when I am alone, and I do not want you to be there to stop this from happening." She signals to her forearm, "Don't care for me, because then neither of us will get a happily ever after- I will die and then you might be sad for ten years -if that- and then move on." Every word that comes from her mouth poisons her heart, and with every synible, her voice destroys the few shattered pieces of the heart he regrets letting beat.

"When will you realize, Little Fox? There's no such thing as a happily ever after." The Prince of Hearts' face has turned back to marble, yet there's something in his eyes that makes her want to break and cry and kiss him.

He brings one of her wrists to he lips, and kisses her scars with tentative care. Before Evangeline can speak a word, he's gone- as is her hope.

A/N: I am having a horrific week, hence the sad ass shit. 918 words.