Rose Petals - Eyeless Jack x Reader

Chapter 22

[22— Wilted Roses]

   You woke to one less person in the bed than there was when you went to sleep. Sitting up, you rubbed your eyes and stretched, Liam still asleep next to you. He had stuck especially close to those last night, and after what had happened, you were glad for it.

   Carefully, as to not wake him, you made your way out of the bed and toward the door, wondering where Jack had gone. With a dull ache in your stomach as you lumbered down the hall came thoughts of breakfast, and you considered, for a split second, making Liam some, until you remembered you couldn't.

   You sighed to yourself, and the misery which plagued you in so many different ways. As much as you hated how Jeff had gone off for you about not having any power the other day, you had to admit that you, too, would have loved to have electricity in that rundown, stupid house.

   As you tried not to think of the impending doom with tendrils, you went off the last step on the stairs and made your way to the living room. There, Jeff was still there, tied to the heater with enough complicated knots that even if he were in his full strength, he wouldn't have been able to escape.

   Jeff's head hung, and he wasn't moving. Whether that meant he was asleep or not, you didn't really care. "Hey," you called out to him, voice a little groggy, "Jeff?"

   Slowly, he looked up at you, those lidless eyes meeting yours. He said nothing, but the contempt in his eyes told you everything he had wanted to say.

   "Where's Jack?"

   Underneath his permanent grin formed an almost delirious one. He let out a huff and briefly struggled in his binds. "Untie me, and I'll tell you."

   Your jaw clenched, not in any mood to put up with his bullshit. "Tell me where he is," you demanded, stepping closer. "I don't have time for whatever shit you've been conjuring up all night for me."

   He simply dropped his head.

   You shot a hand out and gripped chunks of his hair, ripping his head back up to force him to look at you. "Tell me!"

   Jeff winced at what you did before growling, and tried to break free from your grasp, though it seemed to be to no avail with the binds holding him down so sturdily. "Let go of me, you cocksucker!" he yelled before ramming his boot against your leg.

   You hissed out, and then angrily kicked him as hard as you could in the stomach. All of his retaliation stopped as he lurched in your grasp, gritting his teeth to bite back the pain. Giving him no time to recover, you pulled his head back up by his hair again. "Where is he?" you seethed.

   "Fucking hell!" he spat. "He left a couple hours ago! I don't fucking know why! Now fuck off!"

   You pushed him away and then turned around and hurried back upstairs to Liam, figuring it wasn't worth the energy to fight Jeff to see if he actually knew where Jack went or not. Besides, it wouldn't have mattered anyways— wherever Jack had gone, you wouldn't have been able to follow, especially if he had left as long ago as Jeff claimed he had.

   All you could do was hope that Jack would return soon, and unharmed. Whatever it is, it better be important, you thought as you stepped through the doorway. Liam was now awake, leaning against the windowsill and staring out at the world beyond the glass. You walked over to him, and he twisted around at the sound of your footsteps.

   "Hey," you greeted gently, now less tired. "You alright?"

   He gave a tiny nod. "Bored."

   "Yeah." You sighed. "Yeah, I get that." You stood next to him at the window, thinking. You hummed, and looked down at him. "How about we go and get something to eat, and then we can see if there's anything around here we can play?"