[Not] Needing his approval

Facing the truth

"Jackie..just how many times do you plan on gettin yourself hurt like this before realizin what's really goin on here?"

Rajah stood at the base of the stairs leading down into Jack's 'Evil Lair' after treating the redhead's wounds from a brutal showdown. It had taken a while to convince the stubborn teen that he'd benefit from walking away from the battle and just come on home. Though, that doesn't mean she was able to stop him from escaping into his lab to tinker away for long hours.

The naive and flighty proclaimed boy genius, Jack Spicer, was once more trying desperately to plan some large, convoluted scheme in order to show Chase Young that he was, in fact, worthy of being his apprentice. It was the type of plan that made you want to shake your head in, not in disappointments, but..pity. Rajah could not for the life of her understand how Jack could continue to let himself be humiliated, ridiculed and just plain abused by a malicious, and quite frank, narcissistic character like Chase.

"Come on, Cookie! How can someone not want to prove themself to a guy like him? I just..I just gotta show him", Jack mumbled more to himself as he tried to maneuver mechanical pieces into their correct places with a heavily bandaged arm. He had sustained a nasty gash, courtesy of Chase, from when the warlord shoved the teen off a cliff. The poor albino had somewhat luckily landed in a river, leaving his clothes completely soaked and favorite jacket ruined.

"Sugar, darlin of mine, look, I know he's your idol but you can't stand there and tell me you don't see how he treats you." The older teen was trying deeply to get through to him, but let out an exasperated sigh when Jack brushed her words off. "To me, it seems like he's more interested, no, obsessed with that Lil fella than you. What's his name..Omi?" Rajah could recall countless rants Jack went on and on about how Chase pursued Omi, wanting the young monk as his underling. "If'n that's the way he's gonna be towards you then you're better off by yourself. You don't need his approval."

What happened next she wasn't prepared for.

She wasn't sure if it was the mention of Chase's obsessive nature towards Omi or the fact that he didn't need the warlord's praise in order to consider himself worthy, but his whole mood suddenly changed. His usual slouched and relaxed form jerks upright, his normally warm red eyes now fixed with a harsh glare as he stares over his shoulder at Rajah. Her own stature remained the same, standing tall and unphased.

Neither of them spoke, even when Jack stopped messing with scraps of metal and faced the other fully. The heat of his gaze remained as he began marched up to her.

"Jackie." There was no response and Rajah thinks for a moment that she hadn't spoken aloud, but before she can respond again, he speaks.

"Then how? HOW do I get him to notice? Chase is literally the Greatest Villan to ever grace the earth and you really believe that I don't need his approval?! ARE YOU EVEN HEARING YOURSELF!? If I can't even convince him then how can I even call myself a villain, Rajah!?" he stared intently at her demanding an answer.

For a moment she takes in this new side of Jack, red-faced, uneven breathing and a small vain popping out at his neck. His voice was deeper than she ever heard before. Where was this side of him whenever he was being picked on? Why does it only make an appearance to defend a manipulative person like Chase? And above all, how dare he yell at her for calling out the obvious flaws in his idol when she only wishes him nothing but the best outta life.

"JACKSON ANTHONY MAXWELL SPICER!" Jack physically jumped at the surprising volume change in Rajah's voice. Never had the curly-haired brunette gone anything above a soothing monotone pitch. She placed both of her sun-kissed toned hands on either side of his face, holding him where he stood. His intense stare grew less and less with each minute he was forced to look into calm mismatched grey irises. In a very comical, cartoonish fashion, his eyes practically leap out of their sockets when she leans closer, pressing their foreheads together. "You listen n you gonna listen damn good, cuz I ain't just talkin to hear myself talk."

Jack fidgets in her grip, not knowing what to do with himself. All that gusto from before had faded and reality was setting in with a heavy sadness. Gentle fingers run lovingly through bright sunset locks, under puffy eyes to flick away tears and end up wrapped around him in a tight hug. Due to their height difference, he rests his head against her plump chest. She can feel how damp her shirt is becoming as more tears fall but don't care any about it.

"Why? Why..why won't he even give me a chance? I-I'm not that t-terrible, am I? I..I-I just..just..why?" Jack sobs, his words partially muffled by how he hides his face in her chest.

"Because he doesn't realize what true potential you have, pumpkin. He may be an ancient warlord, but that's just it."

"w-what do you mean?"

"Ancient. Chase is someone who lives by old rules and shows no interest in adapting to this century's ways. He's an 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' kinda fella. An because of that this is where you potentially shine the brightest. He may have ruled the primitive world with an iron fist, but the 21st century, where the age of technology flourishes, is your playground.

"Na stop all this cryin over someone who ain't worth a moment of your time. Cuz believe me when you start paving your way and he sees what a marvel you've become, then he'll be the one lookin lost. Tryin everything and anything to grab your attention." Rajah placed soft kisses to the top of Jack's head reassuring him that everything was, and will be ok. "Just let'em go, honey. leave'em in their ignorance and prove'em wrong. Cuz if no one else will believe in you know that you will always have me." 

Jack pulls away and smiles up at his best friend with tear-stained eyes, feeling rather touched by her words. Using the bandages of his injured had to wipe his nose, he sniffles and nods enthusiastically. 

"Yeah..yeah let's do it!"

"There's my little firecracker." 

The two embrace once more, before the older of the two ushers them upstairs to clean and rebandage Jack's arm. Maybe even stopping by the kitchen for a quick meal to bring into the redhead's room along with a couple of movies for background noise.