The Touch of Jack Frost (Weak Hero)

Teddy (12-9-22)

"Gray is..." His voice trailed off before the words could form on his tongue. Around the room came tears, actual tears, from boys who'd sworn one too many times that they would never cry again. Now each and every one of them wept over their lost friend. "That's not possible," It never really felt possible until it happened to you one might suppose while looking in on the situation.

Ben Park looked like he was hardly holding it together, his face was pale and blank. Perhaps, he was mimicking the stoic boy they'd all lost. Teddy didn't like that thought. Time passed slowly, edging on and creeping. The world would still go around, even if Gray Yeon world had stopped, everyone else's hadn't. Teddy didn't like that either. There's a lot of things Teddy didn't like.

"How?" Alex spoke up, if you could call it that. The whole time, he hadn't said a single word. As the room had become heavy with grief, Alex had fallen silent, waiting, wondering, soon he too might cry. As of now it was unreal, just the other day they'd seen him smiling, sipping coffee carelessly and laughing at one of Ben's dumb jokes. Gray's eyes had lit up with life, he was alive, he breathed, his skin was warm to the touch. How could things change so drastically? It'd only been a couple days.

Gerard cleared his throat, as of now, the boys assumed he was regretting his new hair cut. It'd been so long since anyone had been able to see the flickers of emotion that often overflowed in his eyes. Now he was vulnerable, and anyone could see the wetness forming at his red-rimmed, sad eyes. "They're calling it The Touch of Jackfrost,"

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Rowan asked, while the others had fallen into sadness, Alex and Rowan seemed more angry than anything else. It'd come. Wait. Shock is a powerful mind tool, one must always be leery of those in shock.

Gerard shrugged, it'd been Ben after all, who'd received the news first. Gray's mother had called him, telling him that he was Gray's third emergency contact, after herself and Stephen. Through choked sobs, she managed to get out a few words. It wouldn't of mattered if she'd said a million, all Ben heard was "passed", then it was as if his brain had short circuited. All he could do was nod. Even the best therapist Gray had ever met, couldn't offer any words of consolation to a grieving mother breaking down over the phone as she detailed it until she couldn't anymore.

Through the heavy room, a phone rang. Rowan's. He sighed out what tension he could, anger dissipating. For a moment, he wondered if he was going to bawl his eyes out, then he decided that was impractical. "Yes Ma'am?" He questioned, picking up the phone with eyes squinted shut. The other's watched either in anticipation or a longing for a distraction.

His eyes grew wide, shoulders shook. Rowan didn't say a word, just listening. It seemed like he didn't want to, he was a caged and cornered animal plotting an escape. "What?" His voice was small, broken, and that was when Rowan Im, the Sydney Guillotine, Eunjang's Hyper Elbow, started to cry. "Not Eugene too!" His sobs filled the air, he'd once stood against the wall, leaning comfortably and confidently. Any trace of that boy was gone as he crumpled to the floor, sliding down the wall as he clutched his phone.

Rowan didn't have to tell them, he didn't have to say what had happened to Eugene, or how he'd died. They knew. Eugene's Aunt, presumably, continued to say things to Rowan, though he was listening about as well as Ben did when he was told not to do something. Teddy moved swiftly, everyone knew how much Eugene meant to Rowan. How much he meant to all of them. Gentle hands took the phone from the weeping boy, Teddy's calm voice, sweet and respectful, taking on a tone no one had ever heard before, not even Teddy, spoke slow, "It's okay," It wasn't, "I'll watch him," Teddy couldn't even watch himself, "Yes ma'am I'll send him home to you,"

Click.

Ben Park didn't say a word. He didn't cry. He watched, dead silent, as his friend group fell apart nearly as much so as the room fell silent. Apart from Rowan's sobs of course, and Teddy's hushed attempts at calming him. "C'mon," He half whispered, picking the boy up, "We'll take you home so you can rest," Teddy was quite upset about the situation in all actuality, though he found himself trying to be strong for Rowan and the rest of the guys. They walked out, and no one uttered a syllable.

"It's crazy," Rowan cried as they edged ever nearer to his home, he hadn't said a word for the entire trip, "Gray and Eugene," His lip quivered as he struggled to say the brown haired boy's name. That's been his best friend since middle school from Australia to Korea, they were always best buds.

Teddy hushed him, "I know," His chest squeezed tight, he knew.

Then the red-head fell silent, again. Until they reached his house, in which his mother and Eugene's Aunt were already stationed on the front porch of. They cradled him and cooed out words dripping with sadness. Rowan was showered in love from his family. Teddy walked off without another word.

Rowan needed the support, he wasn't all that strong. Teddy was glad he had a supportive family. As his own home came into his field of view, only 20 or so minutes later, the car in the driveway made him want to run away. Today his father would be home, and so his home would be an unbearably tense battlefield. On the one day he wanted to be alone in the silence of his house, something had to happen. Of course. Teddy couldn't even mourn the death of his friends in peace.

Timidly, he peered around corners, opening the door with a plink.

"Where were you?" A gruff voice spoke, "Last I checked, school ended four fucking hours ago,"

He must've showed up sometime during the afternoon, noting the too-many beer bottles on the side table, he could've have been here too long. Something was up, maybe mom had pissed him off or something. Surely Teddy would take the blame.

"WELL?!"

He took a deep breath, inhale, wondering if his father would really beat him over being out late with friends. They weren't even doing anything dangerous, just crying and mourning. So why couldn't he understand, just this one time.

What would Gray do? He wondered. Since his defeat from The White Mamba, he'd admired him. He was a tough badass fighter. If death could strike down even Gray Yeon, then Teddy had already decided that he wouldn't stand a chance. Without realizing it, wet tears ran hot down his cheeks.

Whether they were the one's he'd held in as he recived the news of both his friend's deaths, or maybe the fear he felt of what was to come now, he couldn't be sure. But damn, it felt really good to cry it all out right there. After all the years he'd spent keeping in it, and masking it. Crying was a luxury. Now he was rich and could indulge in such a thing. 

Again his focus turned to his father, who'd eyes were hot with anger. Why today?

Exhale.

/.....................................

1234 words

really rushed IK IK. probably the last time for a bit that it will be rushed, got home late today.

love you