Jack and The Cuckoo Clock Heart Preferences

Unless: Jack

It wasn't a very good day for Jack. He felt mildly uneasy with his body- a similar feeling to what a regular person feels the day before they come down with a very bad fever or cold.

As Jack walked home, he racked his brain trying to find some sort of explanation he'd have to give Madeleine. His throat ran dry, his hands grew clammy and clumsy, and his voice stammered in an almost robotic, albeit charming tone as he practiced telling her what he'd say. However, the biggest whammy was his heart. His heart visibly warned Jack of any distress usually before his own brain would. Boy, was he in distress.

The mechanical masterpiece that was Jack's heart really was a masterpiece. Every tick and every tock was a minuscule miracle, but it was so fragile. Just the slightest problem and Jack would cease to exist.

Ever since he was born, Madeleine had preached and persisted the three most important rule Jack would ever have to learn and obey. As his friendship with Y/N progressed, Madeleine instilled the same rules in them.

Rule number 1: don't touch the hands on Jack's clock.

Rule number 2: Jack had to watch his temper.

Finally, the most important rule of all, rule number 3: Jack could never, ever fall in love.

As children, Y/N and Jack didn't think much of the last rule. You know, cause love is gross and foolish and it's for grownups. However, as they grew older, they wondered if the last rule had any exceptions or miraculous leeway.

That's not to say the two friends had any feelings towards each other, right?

As Y/N grew into adolescence, the stupid boys she formally butted heads with may have occasionally caught her eye. Her younger self might've gagged and grown disgusted at the prospect of being the future wife of any of those idiots, but as she grew into early adolescence, maybe one of those idiots wouldn't be so bad.

Jack was no exception, except that he still had his ticking heart on one girl.

Y/N had heard all about Miss Acacia and how beautiful and wonderful she was. It would've made Y/N happy to know that Jack had found somebody that made him feel the way he did, but she always wanted the best for Jack.

"Jack, you have to listen to me. She's bad news." Y/N said as they sat together on an old schoolyard bench. "Trust me, I want you to be happy. You deserve that and I want nothing more than to see you happy and healthy but that simply cannot happen if your heart is compromised." She took his hand in hers. "Sorry to say, but I won't allow it."

Jack grumbled, pinching the cuff of his sleeve. "I know you and Madeleine only want what's best for me, and I cannot be more grateful but there's just something about her. You just don't understand it, Y/N. You've never even been in love. Maybe if you didn't spend your time picking fights with boys, they wouldn't see you as some brutish girl."

That hurt, especially if it was coming from Jack. Y/N had her eye on a boy in her class and he actually gave her the time of day, and she felt herself crushing more and more on him. It hurt when Jack said that because she'd only ever start fights because the kids would mess with Jack. Not only that, but it broke her heart to know Jack saw her as just some brute.

Y/N stood up and gathered her things. It didn't matter anyway, she just wanted to leave. "If that's how you feel, Jack, fine." Yes, it hurt and there wasn't really much else she wanted to do except cry. Her heart hurt so much, and she felt nauseous. She felt as if there was a dark pit in her chest. She'd never felt that way before but she hated it.

"Y/N, I didn't mean that." Jack quickly stood up and followed her. "I wasn't thinking. It's just that I haven't seen you with anybody." There went another unintentional blow to Y/N's poor heart. "Y/N, what will it take for you to realize that I didn't mean the things I said?"

Y/N began walking faster, narrowly dodging other pedestrians just keep her distance from Jack. She just couldn't find the words in her heart or mind to tell him how she felt. Everything just welled and simmered in her heart. It wasn't until Jack had finally caught up to Y/N and grabbed her by the arm, stopping her right before she entered the plaza.

"I need you to understand that I didn't mean any of the things I said to you. Please, Y/N, look at me and tell me you understand." Jack held both her hands just as she did whenever he was distressed. "Please."

"I forgive you. Though you really did hurt me, Jack." Y/N looked at him, teary-eyed and red in the face. If he spoke so boldly about her, she didn't see anything wrong in doing the same to him.

"Listen, Jack, I don't know who you think you are to call me a brute but I've only ever gotten into fights to make sure nobody messed with you and for your information, I've been talking to a boy from our class. Of course you wouldn't know a single thing about it since all you want to do is talk about is your silly, little Andalusian dancer." Y/N's tears dried as she felt herself burning up more and more the more her ranting progressed. Obviously she didn't let that stop her.

Jack listened intently. That was the least he could do after putting his closest friend through that grief. He did want to speak up and defend himself and Miss Acacia but it wouldn't be fair to Y/N, so he kept quiet and listened. However, just like Y/N, he felt something burning inside him.

"And I am very sorry but you must be stupid! There, I said it!" Y/N could just feel herself losing but God as her witness, she wouldn't stop ranting. "How stupid are you, Jack? I love you so much and it would kill me to see my best friend die because some stupid little singer unknowingly broke his heart! Are you even listening to me? Is that really how you want to go? Your heart literally imploding? Madeleine and I couldn't bear to see you die. I love you so much and maybe you're too in love to even take what I'm saying seriously so I'm going to leave you now. Maybe you'll think about what I've said and don't you even dare follow me home."

With that said, Y/N recklessly wiped her tears from her face and quickly made her way past other pedestrians, blending in immediately.

Jack was left behind, his mind dizzy with embarrassment and shock. The thing that snapped him out of it was the smell of burning wood and rapidly ticking gears.

It was his heart.