We're All a Little Crazy

Couldn't live without you

      "NO!" Jack placed his hands on Anti's chest and started pumping, trying to get the blood flowing. There was no response. Mark re-entered the room, eyes popping out of his head as he watched his best friend trying to revive the evil dæmon on the floor before him. Mark softened. Maybe there was something more to this dæmon than he'd thought. Mark placed the gear next to Jack and went off to collect himself. Jack was desperate. Anti still wasn't responding. He started whimpering. Just as he'd given up hope, the body twitched. Jack returned to the task with renewed enthusiasm. Anti spasmed and coughed up blood, gasping for breath. Jack cried out and hugged the dæmon as he slowly came back. "̶.̀..̸.͏.j̀..̨...͘j͝-̢-̛a̵-̛-c-͞-k͡--?"͡ Anti whispered. Jack cried and pushed his head into Anti's chest. ̴"͝...̷y--o-̸-̷u͢...̡.͡..̷.̷..̛.̶y̢-̵-̧o̶-̢-u̢..͝..͢....̢..y--̡o-͘-͡u.̴.͘.̧..̸.̴.̀s.̧..s͡..̨.̕a͝-̢-̨v-͜-e͟-͢-d͏....m̸-͢-͜e-͞-̡"͘ Anti murmured. Jack sobbed. "Anti, I-I th-thought you were d-dead-" he stuttered. ͝"͝....͠i̷....i̵-"͝ Anti coughed, spitting out more blood. Jack finally noticed the stuff beside him. He grabbed the blade and slowly dragged it across his wrist. Flinching, he brought his wrist up to Anti's mouth. "Drink" he commanded. "...j-̀-a-͢-̨c͏--k̷..͡..i-͞"̶ "just do it" Jack snarled. The demon slowly opened his mouth and started licking the cut. Jack's wrist stung, but he didn't care. Color slowly came back to Anti's face and he relaxed. "Anti?" ͜"j--a̴-̸-c̕--k"̛ Jack hugged Anti, forcing him up. "--̷-j̶.͝.͟.͢.̷j̴-͢--a̷-̛--c͘-̷--k̛...̴.͜..̸.̶.a-̴-͟.͞.͞.͜-͡-͏i̧-͏-͢.͢..͘-͏-͜r̷--"̕ Jack loosened his hold and Anti gasped for breath, in pain. "Anti? Are you okay?" Anti croaked ͏"..̶..͢.͢f-f-f͢-̧--͞i---n҉-̨-͢-e,.̛.̷.̵.j-̨j́-̨-͜u-s͡t,...͟.̡.s-s͘-o͝.̕...̸.́.͡.̀c-ç-͠c҉-ol҉d̡.҉..͜" His whole body was quivering. Jack picked up the demon bridal-style and carried him into the bathroom, setting up a hot shower. Anti could only watch with pain-filled eyes. Jack carried him into the shower, not bothering about either of their clothes. Anti sighed in relief as the warm water washed over him. ͜"̡w̢-̛h-y͢"̸ Jack looked down at the demon in his arms. The water had cleansed them, and the black ooze had washed away. The pupil was sky blue, just like Jack's. It held a questioning gaze. "Oh Anti, you didn't think I'd jus' leave you there t' die, did you?" "--y--y--ye-ah." "Oh Anti! I could never! You're my friend." As he said the words, Jack realized they were true. Anti had never harmed him in any way, only looked out for him. He didn't even talk to Jack unless he felt something was off. And his hunches were always right. "r-r-real-ly?" "Of course." Anti's eyes smiled back at him, bright as stars. "Th-ank....y-ou..." They slowly closed. "Anti? ANTI!" He opened one eye. "'m f-ine....j-j-ust.....ti-red" Anti closed his eye and rested his head on Jack's chest. He was asleep. Jack turned off the shower and changed their clothes. He slid still-sleeping Anti into his bed and watched over him as he rested.