All That Glitters

Afraid Knot

The barrier bent as JJ tugged at the key. The electric ribbons clearly derived from it. They blinked and seemed to stretch as JJ's forearm burned with that familiar unnatural strength against Ward's grip.

JJ felt Pope slide up behind him. Placing a hand along his rib cage. He was shouting something but JJ couldn't hear him over his roaring heartbeat echoing between his ears. And frankly, the spasm of his abrupt laughter was difficult to listen through as well.

All he could tell was that Pope was pushing against his ribs where the bandages were.

That was bad, wasn't it?

It didn't hurt anymore at least. Not that he would've stopped had it been painful.

Ward's stare was vindictive. Pummelling JJ's gaze with sharp stabs of desperation and malice. It truly only made JJ's abs seize with a harder fit of laughter as he managed to wriggle Ward's knuckles off the Manor Key. Using every ounce of strength he knew he had.

He and Pope went flying back. The golden key was burning the palm of his clenched hand. Streams of the same glistening light fevered off in spurts as they both lay against the floor.

He could feel every single strand of hair the magic of the key had forced him to grow. Every single muscle it materialized. The way his whole body shivered with what felt like boundless energy encompassing every line of DNA that managed to come into contact with the gold in his bloodstream.

One deep shaky breath escaped him.

" JJ ." Pope's voice cut through his brain fog as a sluggish blow. "You got it." He sounded almost proud .

Yeah, I did, didn't I? His cheeks grew thick as his face stretched to form a smile. As close to a smile he could get while harboring a giant row of razor sharp teeth in a jaw that was stretched out like a mutt's of some kind.

For once, he could feel things clearly. Almost as if the curse had always been a part of him. Sitting deep within his chest. Ingrained further than just his blood. Like the key was setting things right after the five long years of torture he'd endured. To say it felt euphoric, would be an understatement.

No pain.

Hell he didn't even realize his bones were breaking again until Pope started frantically apologizing in his ear.

"Whuh—" he managed to slip through his lips. A slight groan reverberated through his chest.

Pope's hand found itself wrapped around JJ's. The key clasped between JJ's knuckles and palm tightly still.

"Let go, JJ." Pope's voice was small in comparison to the thoughts he wasn't even trying to fight against.

Intentions. All that bullshit. Everything he'd gone through. Everything his friends had gone through . And now he held onto the thing that caused so much pain. The thing that was intended to provide protection.

No.

It was in his blood.

That same power he'd been trapped with. The key recognized his curse.

It took everything in him to understand.

Do you want to change it?

Do you accept it? 

Maybank blood. Cursed blood .

Do you accept it? 

He felt his face contort back into place. No longer resembling that of a dumb dog . And he reached out with a clawed hand within his mind. Toward the twisting knot in his stomach that had been eating him alive for years.