Crackerbox ✔

twenty-two: empty shells

Lee's uncle doesn't even flinch. "I'm here to claim my nephew."

It's then that Jack's father attacks, throwing himself at Lee's uncle like an assault rifle. He is a bullet, arm scything through the man's face like he's made of paper---and yet, Lee's uncle barely reacts. Lee stands behind Jack, frozen in place...until the terror in Jax's eyes pierces through his mind once more.

"Stop!"

Lee flings himself in between the two men, narrowly missing a well-aimed punch. He faces Jack's father, hands pressed against his broad chest to keep him at bay. "I'll go with him. I'll go. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't---" ---didn't want to cause trouble...

His throat seizes. His tongue runs dry.

His uncle's brow raises, and he bends down a little so his dark eyes pierce right into Lee's own. "Hello, Leroy. It's been a while. I really didn't think we'd meet again like this."

I remember you, Lee thinks. I remember how you always used random visits to town as an excuse to bring me presents. I remember how you always used to tease Mom for pampering me so much. I remember how you snuck me alcohol once I turned thirteen, and how you stopped coming over after the divorce. And you were always the cool uncle. I always thought it was neat, you being a private investigator and all.

(Lee's thoughts tend to come back to bite him in the ass.)

"Hi, Uncle Andy," Lee says flatly.

If Lee's uncle senses the bitterness in Lee's voice, he doesn't let on. "Glad you still remember my name. Let's go. I'm taking you home."

Where is home? Lee wonders.

"You're not going anywhere," Jack's father insists, placing his hand on Lee's shoulder and pulling him back. Jack steps forward, nodding in agreement as he grabs Lee's other shoulder and glares at Uncle Andy.

"Uncle..." Lee swallows. "It's okay. I'll go." He attempts a smile that slips right off the skating rink of his face. "I knew I'd have to go home eventually, anyway."

"Lee---" Jack starts, eyebrows still furrowed with rage, but Lee holds up a hand to stop him.

"It's fine, Jack." Lee swivels around to Jack's parents and bows quickly. "Thank you for having me. I'm so sorry for the trouble."

"It's no trouble at all, dear," Jack's mother says quickly. "Are you sure you don't want to stay? You can, if you want to." Say yes, her eyes scream. Tell us you want to stay with me and we'll get that man out of here.

Lee swallows, hard. "I'm okay, Aunty. I should talk to my dad, anyway." It's a lie. He doesn't want to---doesn't think he needs to, honestly. And he wants to stay so badly it hurts. But Lee has come to realise that in the cosmic infiniteness of the universe, some things don't matter. Like him, and what he wants.

Jack's father frowns. "Lee..."

"It's fine, Uncle. Thank you for all that you've done for me. I'm so sorry I was so much trouble. Thank you for having me." Lee bites his lip, stomach churning. Jax runs to him and wraps him in a blisteringly tight hug that he instantly returns. His heart falls out of his chest and smashes on the ground. "I'll go get my things now."

"Wait, Lee..." Jack starts. Lee turns.

Jack grabs him by the shoulders and crushes their lips together, eliciting a tentative wolf whistle from Jax and a mumbled, I knew it, from Jack's father. Lee tastes copper on his tongue, silver on his teeth, gold from the fire that Jack had ignited in his bones barely ten minutes ago. Sparks fly between their lips, forged out of rusted ivory and a thousand burning suns. For a second, Lee is alive, kept afloat by the lightning crackling through Jack's mouth as he kisses him---kisses him like he loves him.