Jack and The Cuckoo Clock Heart Preferences

Confession: Jack

A/N: Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!
Warning: It might be angst but you guys should let me know if it is or not.

Despite having a clock for a heart, Jack couldn't help but feel as if time dragged on forever.

Jack had invited Y/N over for a Valentine's Day outing- as he had put into his own words- especially since neither of them had actual Valentines. The young man had spent a considerable amount of time making the impromptu picnic look as perfect as possible.

With money he had saved from odd jobs, Jack bought a beautiful bouquet of tulips, roses, and carnations- a detail he hoped would help Y/N understand his confession. He and Madeleine spent more time making a light lunch consisting of finger sandwiches, snickerdoodles and Belgian mint tea. Jack had assured Madeleine that his lunch was just that- lunch with Y/N and nothing more. She believed him.

Finally, all Jack had to do was wait. He sat down under the dead tree, dressed in a new suit Luna and Anna gifted him. Still, no matter how well he had dressed up or how much he had worked on their lunch, Jack felt as if Y/N's arrival would never come. He leaned against the slowly rotting trunk and sighed.

Y/N's slow ascension to the top of the hill was evidence to his contrary belief. Jack perked up and dusted off his coat, ready to start the lunch date.

Time seemed to slow along with the mechanic miracle in his chest as he admired Y/N. Y/N looked like an angel among the early February snow. It was inevitable for the cogs in Jack's heart to speed up to the point of literal heartburn.

"Jack!" Y/N waved at her friend happily as she was within earshot of him. She ran up to him and hugged him carefully, obviously weary of his heart. She pecked his cheek and grinned. "Happy Valentine's Day, Jack. You look very handsome, by the way."

Jack could feel his heart crumble but it would have to wait- he'd be damned if he let death stop his confession.

❤️

The two friends had since finished their lunch. Y/N praised Jack for the effort he put into their outing. Jack jokingly mentioned that the lunch wasn't even the best part and gifted her the bouquet of flowers.

"Jack, it's beautiful", gasped Y/N as he took her hand and helped her up. "Thank you so much. You're too sweet, Jack. Really, I mean that. I feel like such a bad friend- I didn't bring anything for you." Y/N mumbled as she sheepishly looked away from the neatly wrapped flowers, feeling unworthy of this attention.

Jack shook his head and smiled calmly. His pale hand lingered on hers as he made eye contact with Y/N. "Your attention would be more than enough, Y/N, because there's something I've been dying to tell you."

He wasn't lying. The cogs and wooden boards of his makeshift heart burned and splintered inside him, but he promised himself he'd would let Y/N know his true feelings. Jack only kept a calm face but his heart ached more with each passing second as he waited for the courage to tell her.

Jack was on borrowed time but it was better to spit it out than die a slow, painful death. "Y/N, my dear, I love you." It hurt so much. He'd never felt pain quite like it.

"Jack, I love you too. I'm the luckiest girl in the world just being your friend, so-"

"No, Y/N! Listen to me, please!"

Enough was enough and Jack couldn't take it anymore. "I love you and it's literally killing me! It's killing me as we speak. It's been killing me for a long, long time. You are the oxygen that fuels the very fire in my heart, Y/N!"

Y/N was at loss for words. She could've promised she had her breath taken away by his confession if Jack hadn't collapsed right in front of her right then and there. His body tensed up, the flowers still in his cold clutch. "Jack!" She caught him but struggled to stay afoot. Y/N's heart dropped to her stomach as she saw the black smoke and embers coming from Jack's chest.

"Madeleine! Come quick!" Y/N burst into desperate tears as she staggered to the front door. "Dear God, Madeleine please help! Jack's dying!"

The rickety old door swung open. Madeleine's tired eyes snapped open with fear. She swiftly took Jack from Y/N's arms. With one quick swoop, Madeleine swept everything off the table and placed Jack on top.

Anna and Luna came down from their room and rushed to Jack's side as soon as they saw Madeleine tear his coat open.

"You did this! You're the reason he's dying!" Madeleine couldn't afford herself the luxury of attacking Y/N since saving her son's life was more of a pressing matter, but Luna and Anna stood by Y/N, ready to get her out of there if anything happened.

Y/N seemed to be stuck to the ground. Tears rolled down her burning cheeks. All she could look at was the grayish smoke that came from his broken clock and his skin that was turning a startling shade of white.