We Wear The Mask

Swords and Wounds

Notes:

Hey guys...

Sorry for the late update. We were mourning the loss of the sweetest cinnamon roll we adore. And we didn't want to be tacky by posting a chapter...I'm not sure either of us have ever been so deeply affected by a celebrities passing away... Tears happened when we saw our newsfeed about it. Cameron Bryce was an amazing actor and person, and it kills us that he was taken so young. Our hearts go out to everyone he touched with his kind soul, not only to his friends and family, but to his fans as well. It's just painful to think about, and we're sorry for his loss.

One Wednesday after Mal's run in with T

Jay felt like an ass for trading places with Mal last week, not that he had a choice. Still, he hadn't seen T since he fell into his and Harry's meeting.

He was kind of worried T might not show up after practice with Mal, her style was meant to be cruel and brutal. Visually showy as befitting their vicious leader. And he knew she hadn't held back. Mal, the 'cold-hearted', didn't understand the concept.

He shakes his head. On the other hand, this was T he was talking about, and it was rare the kid was fazed by something so... Well, Mal.

It wasn't the first time he hadn't seen T for weeks. He kicks a piece of rubble out of his path. It was just hard not to worry about the kid since the well. He was fucking reckless as shit. Jay scowls. He still didn't know what to think about T taking full on Hyades' flames to the face when he tackled her down the well. Why the fuck would anyone do that?

And who the fuck was stupid enough to challenge Atilla alone, and to fucking save him for fuck-sake?

Just T . He rolls his eyes.

If T could face those two... Why was he worried the kid would shy away after tangling with Mal?

He frowns.

It probably had something to do with the fact Mal had been acting shady since then. Her responses snippier, her temper shorter than normal- Even with Evie. That itself was a dangerous sign. She hadn't acted like that with E since they were kids. Which meant there must have been some heavy shit weighing on her mind.

And he wasn't liking the timing.

He freezes when he sees someone in the distance where he and T usually met and frowns. The white and red shirt throws him off. What the hell was one of Cora's doing on this side of the isle?

He dips off the trail, his steps becoming silent as he crept up on the beach from a different direction than usual.

"Jay?" A voice suddenly questions from right behind him.

"Sonovabitch!" Jay nearly jumped out of his skin. He could have sworn his heart skipped a beat at the sudden surge of fear.

"Whatcha doin' in the brush?"

Jay laughs nonchalantly, "Just, checking your reflexes."

"Did I pass?" T questions.

"Yup..." Jay nods as he claps T on the back, "Good job." He breathes out. Pretty sure if T ever did that to him again he might have a heart attack. Had he gotten even quieter through the years? Or was it because of his and D's stupid game, where they wandered off pointlessly into the woods for days.

T nods, "Nice." He smiles before he turns back to the beach and starts walking.

Jay's brow furrows as he watches T walk off. If T hadn't spoken, he wasn't sure he'd have realized it was him. T was normally shrouded in layers of blacks and grimy browns. Layers. So many layers.