Il libro di Jaylos

my savior Carlos

Jay wasn't afraid of anything.

At least, that's what he liked to pretend. Carlos knew better, though. That's not to say that he didn't think Jay was brave; Jay might've been the bravest guy he'd ever met. He'd seen him take on throngs of pirates armed only with his fists, seen him stare down angry parents, and take a knife in the side for Mal. And of course, Jay had the hidden fears every island kid harbored - the deep, vulnerable ones that made a person soft, widening the chinks in their armor - like abandonment and the sort. But the fearless, tough, ever-so-handsome son of Jafar did have one slightly normal fear that no one knew but Evie, Mal, and Carlos.

Jay was scared of ghosts.

"Did you hear that?" Jay glanced over his shoulder, pausing the video game he and Carlos were in the middle of.

"What?" Carlos grinned. "The sound of me kicking your ass? Hell yeah, I heard it."

"No." Jay held up his hand, then shrugged. "Probably nothing." Still, he didn't hit play on the game, sitting casually on the couch with one leg crossed over his knee.

"Come on." Carlos reached for the controller. "Let's go. I wanna win this thing already."

Reluctantly, Jay allowed the game to resume, and the sounds of enchanted battles filled the room once more. But it was short lived. A moment later, the game was paused again, much to Carlos' irritation.

"Jay!"

"No, no, no, I heard something!" Jay reached into the lining of his pants and pulled out a knife. Carlos immediately felt himself grow more alert. He knew Jay kept a weapon with him at all times, but when he pulled it out, it meant shit got real.

"Which direction?" Carlos whispered quietly, trying to find the source of what could've possibly put Jay so on edge. "What sound?"

"Rattling," Jay whispered back, nodding his head towards the door. "In the hall. I think it's a ghost."

And then Carlos sat back, relaxing as his voice resumed a normal volume. "A ghost?"

"Shhh! It might hear you!"

It was rather funny to see Jay - confident, shining, courageous Jay - get so bent out of shape over a possible ghost.

"Jay, first of all, if there really was a ghost, stabbing it would be absolutely pointless," Carlos pointed out, watching Jay look behind the curtains. "It's made of air. Your knife is literally useless."

"Shit." Jay looked down at his blade, then back up at Carlos. "You're right. Can you build me something? A ghost catching thingy?"

"Like from ghostbusters?"

"Huh?"

Carlos rolled his eyes. "That movie we watched the other week. You want me... to build you a ghost vacuum?"

Jay nodded, and Carlos had to stifle a laugh. Suddenly, there came the definite sound of rattling from the hallway - and if Carlos wasn't mistaken - some faint moans, too. Jay's eyebrows raised even higher.

"See?"

"Okay..." Carlos rose from the couch, going to stand near his boyfriend. "Don't freak yourself out. This building is old. And our neighbors are idiots."

"That didn't come from the room next door," Jay argued, still clutching his knife in spite of everything. "And I'm not freaked out, 'Los. Ghosts don't scare me. I'm just... cautious."

"Uh huh." The son of Cruella folded his arms. "Dude, don't pull that one on me. You already admitted down in the Catacombs that ghosts are - and I quote - 'the worst'."

"I never said that."

The rattling sound came again, and Carlos had to admit it didn't sound like anything he was familiar with. He wasn't scared, though; his heart wasn't pounding, nor did his gut twist anxiously. But Carlos was chronically curious, and he knew he wouldn't be able to focus on the game now without figuring out what was in their hallway causing such a racket.

"Carlos!" Jay called, hurrying to his side. "Where are you going? We don't have a ghost vacuum yet."

"I'm pretty sure we won't need one."

The hallway was empty and dimly lit. Carlos stepped out and glanced in both directions, listening for the rattle again.

"I'm not scared," he heard Jay mutter behind him. "I don't get scared. It's not my fault that ghosts have an unfair advantage. For one thing, they're already dead and I'm very much not, and for another, all weapons literally go through them. How is that fair, Carlos? How can I win a fight with a -"

The rattling sounded once more - definitely louder now - and the handle of a storage closet a few feet away jiggled violently. Carlos made eye contact with Jay, who looked like he was trying to do his best to appear calm and collected.

"You know," Carlos whispered, reaching for the doorknob. "You don't have to be so tough all the time. Out in the world, maybe, but if you've got my back, I've got yours. You trust me, right? It's okay to be a little scared sometimes when it's just us."

"That's very poetic," Jay answered quietly. "But we have a ghost on our hands so save the pep talk until after you suck it into - oh! Oh, wait! We came unarmed! Because that's a smart -"

Carlos wrenched open the door and waited. No translucent, floating person came out, no chains, not even a rush of cold air - just two familiar heads of colored hair who shrieked and jumped apart.

"Holy fuck!" Evie shrieked, squinting in the sudden light.

"I'm armed!" Mal cried, putting up her fists.

"Relax," Carlos grinned, stepping into the light. "It's just us. We've got a few questions, though."

"Yeah." Jay looked relieved and maybe a little sheepish, too. "Like why the hell are you all the way over on the boys' side of the dorms making out in a closet?"

Evie blushed and wiped the lip gloss off her cheek and mouth. "We were actually coming to hang out with you guys but... we got sort of distracted. Mal kept - I mean, she was - it's complicated."

Mal looked at Carlos, jerking her head towards Jay. "He thought we were a ghost, didn't he?"

"Yup."

"Shut up!" Jay folded his arms, flushing. "You guys act like you know me so well."

Standing on tiptoe, Carlos kissed his cheek affectionately. "Shh, you're still our Big Bad Jay. Even if you are terrified of ghosts."

His boyfriend looked slightly mollified, if still a little embarrassed. "Hauntings are no joke," he muttered, allowing himself to be led back inside - the girls right behind him.

"I know." Carlos grinned, hoping that Jay took his earlier words to heart. "And I meant what I said earlier."

"About me not having to be brave all the time?"

"No," Carlos joked, shoving his arm and picking up the controller again, handing another one to Evie who took it with a smile. "About the ghost vacuum, you little shit."

Jay - strong, brave, beautiful Jay - laughed. And Carlos loved him for it.