Le Chat et Le Serpent

Chapter 54: Short of a Fairy Tale

***Trigger warning***

In this episode we are going over some of Luka's childhood trauma. There is mention of self-harm, overdose, suicide attempts/ideation, and additional shitty mental health stuff within that realm.

Digging up old memories

Always used to be the one to let it go

Got my fears in a suitcase

I locked them away

In a place they wouldn't find

They still haunt me

Nightmares by All Time Low

Siren's reflected off Luka's glasses as he watched the sparking of his lighter. It kept spitting thin lines of fire, refusing to flame against the tip of his cigarette.

"Here," Jagged cupped his hand around his lighter as he brought it to Luka's smoke.

Inhaling, Luka stared into the bright light that offered him solace.

The fire didn't feel hot as it crackled before his eyes. He set his hand out, inches from it, the fire was erasing what had happened. Never again would he be strangled in his sleep from the memories of his blood stained sheets.

Screams were distant in the background.

What if he went into the fire? Would it take the rest of it away?

They sounded like they were yelling his name, but he couldn't tell for certain.

Anarka's screams surrounded Luka as she picked the boy off the ground.

Even within her embrace, she still felt distant.

Luka rubbed his temple as he backed away from the flame, taking a deep inhale.

"I'm sorry, Luka. I really am." Jagged stared at his own smoke in his hand. He hated that the boy was following in his steps. He had such a light in him, and Jagged knew he helped to ruin it.

"Whatever. Just don't tell the Captain." Luka bit his nicotine stained thumb, the irony not lost on him.

"Dad?" Luka didn't like this house. Everyone was falling and the music was too loud. "Jagged Stone?"

He continued to push through the crowd.

"Hey, Little Man!" A strange woman kneeled in front of Luka. "What are you doing here?"

"My dad brought me." Little Luka rubbed his arm as he stared down to his feet. The floor was sticky with liquor and ash.

"Oh shit, you're Jagged's kid, aren't you?" Her lilac lips grinned at him.

"Y-yeah. Have you seen him?" His baby blue eyes were watering.

"How old are you?" She scanned the party. A group was around a table sharing a bag of coke, at least three different women wore nothing but a thong, and the room was thick with smoke.

"Almost seven." His voice croaked.

"ALMOST SEVEN! Oh, you're nearly a man! We need to find your dad, Little man." She grabbed his hand. She'd known Jagged for a bit now, but she never thought he could do something like this. Why the fuck did he bring his kid here? "YO! ANYONE KNOW WHERE JAGGED IS?"

The only thing the room could agree on was that no one knew.

"Is your sister here, too?" The woman turned towards him, worried there could be another seven year old running around in this cesspool.