Mayhem 2019 (JackSepticEye Prompts)

Day 28: Ruined Life

Anti stared out across the lake, gently kicking his bare feet through the water as he sat on the edge of the dock. His bare chest stung from the wind blowing over his wounds, but it felt nice on his face and he closed his eyes to enjoy the sun on his skin.

It was strange, allowing himself to be so exposed like this. For the first time, he was out in nature with no electronics or technology nearby, letting his more fragile human form exist without an escape route. A small part of him was desperate to find a phone somewhere as a crutch, yet he forced himself to sit and let go of his nervous habit. He didn't need electricity to exist, so--just for a little while--he was going to live without it.

Besides, he was safe here. He'd be fine.

There was a soft sound of footsteps from behind him and his heart started to race, but he forced himself to calm down as Jack sat down beside him. He crossed his legs and leaned back on his hands, sighing calmly. 

"This seems weird," Jack said, glancing over at him. "It feels like forever since I saw you in those woods and even then, we were always busy walking around or planning something. Us just relaxing. . . it's strange."

Anti raised an eyebrow. "Is i̡t á ba̴d ̵k̡in͏d of ͢st̷ra̶n͝ge?͏"

Jack smiled. "I don't think so."

The comment took him by surprise, but Anti looked down at the rippling water below him. It felt like there was a lot that needed to be said, yet the words seemed to be evading him. His head filled with memories, both recent and distant. After everything that had happened between them, he couldn't fathom what might come next.

After a while, Jack finally spoke. "They really hate you, you know. I don't think they'll ever forgive you for what happened."

"Ąs e̶x̢p̢e̶c͘ted̀,̕" Anti said. "I'́m̧ s͘ùre the̡y'͘ll̴ ̵be h͠u̸n̕ti̡ng m̶é ̵unt̀i͞l ̵t҉h͢e҉ir ̕d́y̸ing ͏day҉s͠ now."

Jack's nose gave a small twitch. "And there's nothing I can do to stop them?"

"I ҉d͟o̴u͜bt i͏t͘."

"Will they try to use me? To get to you, I mean."

Anti turned and looked at him. Though Jack was trying to hide it, staring determinedly at the clouds above, the worry in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Pòss̡ibl͏y̨,́ thoug̸h ́I̡'̷m ̧g̴u̡e͡s̷sing ̷they͏'ll̨ ̵ju͞st wa͞n̵t to ̸k̶ee҉p̶ ̡you n͞e͘ar͟b̧y f̧o̧r n̶ow͘.͏ ͡I ́wouĺdn͡'̕t͡ s̛tress ̶ov͜e̢r͏ it̶."

Jack let out a humorless laugh. "You wouldn't stress over anything."

"Y̧o̡u'd͟ ̕b̛e ̷s͠urpr͞įsed."

Anti sucked in a quick breath and turned his head away. He hadn't meant to say it, but the words slipped out as if the truth was inescapable. That was a little too vulnerable.

He couldn't see Jack's face, but there was silence between them for a moment. A bird started to tweet in a nearby tree.

Jack sat forward. "The others. . . they want to know why you did what you did."

"An͞d ̴you ̨d҉o, too?̡"

"I--" Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I kinda do, but I can guess better than they can. I'm more wondering--it's less of a why really, I--"

"Şpi̶t̸ ̶i̷t̷ ̨óut."

Jack sighed again and sat forward. "Did you ever care?"

Anti looked at him. He almost seemed to be grimacing, as if the question were hard for him to ask. "E͘la̡bor͞a̸te.̧"