*Discontinued* Tortured Love

10

Anti's eyes slowly opened, blinking several times just to get the haze away, to the sound of a steady beat. Anti frowned as he looked over to see a heart monitor. He winced as he held his arm up and his frown grew. He was hooked up to an IV. His eyes narrowed as his fingers brushed the spot the IV went in his arm.

What even happened? Anti looked around only to push himself up in shock over the state of things. His room was destroyed... well, no it wasn't. The place was clean but Anti could tell. His lamps were gone. His ceiling was blackened and his things were not where he had them. He must have lashed out. Anti let out a shaky breath as he just sat there. At least this time it was his own things.

His throat felt sore. Had he been yelling or had he just been crying so much? Anti honestly didn't remember. The last thing he remembered was... Was Chase trying to make these... pancakes with him. He got a text and... and...

JJ isn't coming back.

Anti flinched expecting a shit tone of pain but... nothing. Well, not nothing. His chest felt heavy and it was hard to breathe. He could feel his tears beginning to fall only to whimper at the sudden burn on his skin. He instantly jumped to wipe them only to freeze feeling the cuts that ran down his cheeks from his eyes. As if his tears burned right through his skin. Anti let his hand drop as he just sat there. 

JJ is gone. He's not coming back... And it was his fault. JJ said he hated him. He hated him because of all times Anti fucked up there trip. Sure a trip doesn't seem as important to most but... JJ is an old silent films ego. He's never seen the world like the others. He's never left the damn city. This trip was his first chance at experiencing all of this shit... And Anti took that away.

And frowned as the sound of his door opening caught his attention. He looked over to see Jackie standing there and the room went cold. His eye was black and blue.

"The fuck happened to you." The hero just laughed as he moved to sit in the chair that was beside the bed.

"You woke up at one point and didn't take to kindly to me keeping you from removing your IV." Anti's face paled as the hero leaned against the arm of the chair with a tired smile. "I never knew you were afraid of needles.

"You're afraid of hights." Jack just smiled as Anti glared at him. 

"You know that's not meant." Anti deflated as the hero looked away. "You gave us quite a scare, you know. Just dropping like that..."

"I don't remember." Jackie nodded as he stared at the heart monitor.

"That's alright. Henrik said that was a possibility. You were in a lot of pain." Anti's eyes shot up startling the hero. "What?"

"I-I didn't... I didn't hurt anyone... d-did I?" Jackie frowned as he looked away again and Anti just laughed sadly. "Oh."

"It's ok, Anti. It was just Henrik and I. The others weren't around." The demon's eyes simply narrowed as Jack relaxed a bit in the chair. "Henrik was able to stave off any energy you let out while I took the physical things. That punch though came out of nowhere."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Jack beamed as he Anti's confusion grew. "You were scared and hurting. Of course, you lashed out. Anyone would have. I would have." 

"Why are you here, Jackie? I thought you hated me... like JJ." Jackie's eyes shine as he looked away and sighed.

"I won't like, Anti. I did. I thought of you as the villain. I didn't understand how Mark could just accept Dark. I didn't understand how Jack could let you back in but... that's because I didn't know you... did I?" Anti shook his head as Jackie smiled sadly. "I hated the version of you I created in my head. The thing is though, Anti... That version felt nothing. He was a heartless murder who didn't feel a damn thing... not even pain."

"So you see I do feel pain and what... you decide you don't hate me."

"I realized I was wrong." Anti's eyes narrowed as Jackie frowned. "I realized Chase was right. I don't know the whole story. You practically seized in my arms, Anti. You were crying out, begging for us to make the pain go away and..." Jackie took a deep breath just to keep the tears from falling. He couldn't cry. He had to be strong right now. He had to be so that Anti didn't have to be. "Henrik couldn't determine why you were in so much pain."

"He's not going to. It's not something he can fix." Anti let out a shaky breath as he pulled his knees in. "It's because he's gone. He's gone and my fault. I made him so angry and hurt he had to leave and..." Jackie tensed seeing the way Anti's breathing became labored. "I didn't mean to. I didn't want Jack to cancel the trip. I know... Ok, I get why he did but look what it got us... what it got me. JJ is still gone."

"Wait." Jackie frowned as Anti wiped his own tears away only to groan at the pain in doing so. "So the one you couldn't let leave really wasn't Jack but... JJ?" Anti nodded as he stared at the blankets. 

"I tried to. I tried not to do anything but... I couldn't do it. That whole night I couldn't stop the pain. The very thought that JJ was leaving caused so much of it. I lashed out before I even realized. I... I blacked out from the pain." Jackie's eyes went wide as Anti smiled sadly. "When I came to I found the computer broken. I had dragged it out of the recording room and smashed it in the living room. I tried to fix it. I didn't want Jack to have to postpone it again... but the pain came back so much worse and..."

"You destroyed the recording room because of it." Anti nodded as his hands went to his head as if supporting himself.

"Chase found me. That's... That's how he got involved. He took me in here and stayed with me the whole night. I never told him anything but he was there when I spoke with Jack this morning." Jackie's frown only grew as Anti shook.

"Why tell me all this?" Anti laughed as he hugged himself tighter.

"I told you, Jackie. I trust you. You're the protector... a literal superhero." Anti smiled softly as he just stayed curled up. "I know we fought so much and you were always so against me but... I never considered you the bad guy. I know where you stand. You were against me because I was dangerous... am dangerous. You saw me as a threat to those you cared about and you took actions to protect them."

"But I... I thought..."

"I don't hate you, Jackie." Jackie couldn't stop the tears that spilled over just that one sentence. "I don't hate anyone... except maybe myself but... I don't exactly trust everyone, you know."

"You trust me." Anti nodded as he sighed.

"You're the only one beside Henrik, I know that can successfully fight me. If I were to do anything, I know you'd do whatever you can to stop me. Henrik... I know I talk shit and give him all this crap over only being half-demon but... he's strong, Jackie." Anti actually beamed as Jackie just sat there listening. "I can't believe how strong he is. I guess maybe I'm just jealous. When Dark kicks my ass it's one thing but Henrik not only has the strength to beat Dark but the brains to not even have to lift a finger and yet... he's a fucking doctor."

"You actually sound proud of him." Anti laughed as he shrugged.

"I guess I am. He's a demon, Jackie. Even if he's only half he's still one of us and... I don't know." Anti bit his lip as he shook his head. "I just don't know anymore. I don't know what to do. I just... I really just don't know." Jackie smiled softly as he picked himself up and moved to fix the blankets making Anti have to lay down again.

"Well, I know what you should be doing right now?" Anti shot him this confused look you'd expect from a child and the hero had to stop himself from laughing. "Rest, Anti. You're still recovering. Doc as you on a lot right now so... I wouldn't strain yourself to much. You're going to be in bed for a while."