Similar Yearnings

Ch.24

Jake sat in the Lalonde lab for the longest, as he tried to gather up his thoughts over the incident on Halloween night. He couldn't understand what everyone else saw, and when it happened he didn't exactly feel anything different. He doesn't understand how traces of Lord English had ended up in his body. Was it because of the robe he had? And was it because of the fact that he wore it? Were traces of it left inside of him still? He didn't know. For the moment he could only await the results of his recent analysis by the girls. Dirk tried to speak to him and comfort him but he just didn't want to talk to anyone or look at anyone in the eye out of fear that they would turn away and see him as a monster. 

"Jakey?" Roxy called out to him. He didn't respond.

"Jake? Hey...Jake!" she shakes him snapping him out of his daze as he looks at her.

"Roxy..."

"I got the results.....so lets go ahead and sit with everyone and talk about this okay?"

The boy nods and follows her into a large meeting room with a massive round table where everyone sat. Dirk was sitting on one side beside Dave with an empty chair beside him. His head was in his hands and his elbows rested on the table. He looked exhausted.

'Is he...? Is he stressed out..because of me? Is he afraid of me? What is it? Why is he hunched over like that?' Jake wondered as he felt his anxiety creep up slowly inside of him making him feel the need to panic. But then Dirk looks up and stands immediately.

"Jake....!" he quickly makes his way over to him and embraces him gently. Jake stood for a moment in shock, having just been believing that Dirk was afraid of him; but the truth was that Dirk was filled with worry and was more scared of what could be happening to Jake. "Are you okay...?" he asks quietly.

"Yes....Dirk i'm fine...lets sit down okay?" He takes the blonde's hand and drags him over to their seats.

"Alright then, lets get this meeting other way," Rose says. She stands beside Roxy who clips all of the papers and reports on the board. "So everything we have been speaking of is still freshly clear in their minds correct? No questions at all, if not i will continue onto our newest incident and also other reports from some of you here," Rose says. No one says a word. 

"Very well then, now we will be discussing our recent incident....with um those vampires and Jacob," Rose looks over to Jake who stares up at her. "We all know what we saw...and thanks to a small camera on our vehicles, we managed to get a picture....and we will put it up now," 

A projection screen rolls down as the lights turn off and the photo is pulled up of Jake. But at first glance, this Jake was not the one everyone knew. It was something or someone completely different and inhumane. His smile was wide from cheek to cheek, his eyes were wide and completely brightened by a flash of colors and a number in his eyes. Jake stood up and stared at the photo with the utmost confusion.Was that him? Was that what he looked like? He felt a sudden swarm of panic rush into the core of his being, from his stomach, to his heart, to a massive break out of thoughts in his head. His hand clutched his stomach as he took in the image. Everyone stared at him as he kept gazing at the photo with sheer fear written all over his face. Dirk grabs his other hand tightly.

"Jake..."

The British boy gasps and looks down at him. Dirk squeezes his hand and lightly tugs on his arm, pulling him down beside him as rose continues with the meeting. 

"Dirk....was that...really me?...I...what happened to me? Will i end up hurting anyone..?" 

"Jake calm down okay...let's listen to what Rose and  Roxy found okay?" 

The boy nods and turns away from the blonde as he listens to the Lalonde sisters.

"Okay so we do not everyone to be alarmed, but we have confirmed that there are still small traces of the robe in contact with Jake. It's possible however, that they will wear off due to not being fully complete since he no longer wears the robe, However, the process can take over months, possibly longer,"

"Buuuuuuttttt! If we catch that Jack guy and destroy the robe then it's possible that those traces will even disappear since the won't have a thing to return to!" Roxy says with a wink. 

"Okay so how the fuck do we keep it under control so he doesn't possibly beat the shit out of someone or possibly kill someone?" Karkat asks. 

"The best way to keep him from doing that..? Well...for now we only have one solution...." Rose says.

"And what solution would that be Rose?" Kanaya asks?

"Do not...and i repeat with great caution to everyone here...Do not provoke Jake in anyway,"

"Provoke?"

"Yes, Kanaya provoke. Think of it like in one of Dirk's animes where a character loses their cool when they are triggered in more ways than one, this the exact same situation. Do not provoke Jake to a point where he will lash out. Such as that vampire gang who was ready to take down Dirk, the fact that they decided to target him and attack him in Jake's technical territory is enough to wind up having him go beyond his limitations developing a state of unconscious strength that can take over his body," 

"Sounds easy enough.."

"Weeelll we don't know for sure so don't get your hopes up! But for now we will keep our eyes on Jakey and analyze the traces we have found!" Roxy shouts. "And with that this meeting is ova! Y'all are dismissed!" 

Before anyone can move, Jake is the first to rise from his seat and exit the room without a word. Dirk quickly follows after him.

"Jake!" he catches him at the entrance and grabs his wrist. "Jake where are you going?"

"Dirk...please....don't...i..i need some time alone to think..." he pulls his arm away from his lover and leaves. Dirk frowns and clenches his hand into a tight fist. 

"Jake.....please....keep in mind...that we're not afraid..." he looks to the monitors revealing the cameras of the crocker bakery and glares. "Whatever you did to Jake...i'll take you down..and whoever becomes the leader will fall to my hands....cause i know..that person will be the one behind this whole fiasco...just you wait..."