~ Chapter 31 ~
*1 week later*
I had taken it upon myself to start planting these dandelion and tomato seeds, that I had picked up from a nearby market, just outside our warehouse complex. Jack has spent the most of his week in the warehouse below our floor with his men. He said he was up to his neck with planning for all of this. I rarely saw him but I didn't mind. Maybe because the major part of me didn't want to have the least of anything to do with this whole fiasco. However, it did feel like he was just passing by to pacify me occasionally, just so I wouldn't get suspicious
I finished shuffling the dirt for the new tomato seeds that I was planting next to the newly grown seedlings of the ones I had planted last week. Next I turned my attention to the tiny clay pot I had gotten to plant the dandelions in and began to water them. After pouring enough water, I then put the plastic bottle that I had poked holes onto it's lid aside, and made my way up to our floor. After climbing the stairs I opened the front door and found Jack lying on the couch.
"Hey! How come I didn't notice you heading back in?" I asked making my way to the kitchen's sink.
"You didn't notice me passing by because you were too busy getting down and dirty with those plants , Angel." He said as he stood up and chuckled.
His chuckle then turned into a cough as it has done for the past week, and he pulled out the same black handkerchief and covered his cough.
"I don't get why you don't want me to check your lungs out. The syrup and drugs obviously aren't working." I rolled my eyes as I turned to face him and he came closer.
He finished coughing and patted his lips before clearing his throat.
"Because Angel, I can't have you all worked up and giving me a full body check each time I get a common cold or some dry cough." He said as he stuffed the handkerchief in his pocket before taking my hands in his. I then sighed and lowered my head.
"Come on, doll. Look at me, I'm fine." He said as he grabbed my chin and had me face him.
And that was when I noticed a slight red mark on his chin. Almost like a little scar but the tissue was smudged out. I then brought my thumb up to it and pressed, smudging the colour a bit as some blood tinted my thumb and appeared onto his chin.
"What's that?!" I questioned him.
"Oh that! I hurt myself shaving this morning. Thought it closed." He mumbled before moving away from me.
"Well do avoid skinning your face off, next time?!" I rolled my eyes before walking towards the stairs.
"I'm gonna go rest for a bit." I added as I climbed towards my room.
"Go ahead, I think I'll follow you in a bit as well." He replied and I shut the door.
I then kicked off my shoes and flopped onto the bed before turning over to my side. I then fluttered my eyes a few times drying to empty my brain of thoughts before giving in to sleep. I then woke up almost half an hour later and felt a dip in the bed. I then turned to my other side and found Jack facing me with his eyes closed. I then sighed and rested my hand under my cheek.
"You're awake." I then heard Jack declare with his eyes closed before he sighed and opened them as well.
"Hey..can't sleep?" I asked.
"Don't want to. Just resting." He replied as he propped his head up higher on the pillow and shut his eyes again.
I then watched his features, trailing slowly down his face before reaching his neck. There was a mark of red with shrivelled looking skin around it. There was a slight hint of green around the jagged skin and my eyes widened.
"Jack, what's that on your neck?!" I questioned him.
"Hmm?" He opened his eyes and I scotched closer.
"Oh!" He quickly said before snapping over to his back and putting the arm that was near me behind his head.
"It's nothing Angel, probably just another cut from shaving."
"Yeah but it looks a hell lot like the reaction you got from the Titan." I spoke.
"Nah doll, I think this whole thing is getting to your head. You need to stop overthinking and worrying about everything so much." He said and my eyes fell on his pillow.
There was a beige, skin colour stain on the place where his neck had been.
"Yeahh..I guess you're right." I said slowly as I eyed the stain.
"I guess I just need to take my mind off of things." I then turned to him and smirked before putting my hand on his collar and pulling him towards me.
I then connected his lips with mine and let him turn me over so that I was on my back and he was on top. I gently moved my lips against his before slowly trying to turn him over so that I was on top and he let me. Once I had felt stable enough I moved my hand to his shoulder and squeezed a pressure point I had learned, before pushing my forearm across his chest.
"Emmh! What? Angel, what are you doing?!" He said with a nasal tone.
I then pulled away and grabbed some tissue from the bedside table and dipped them in the cup of water that was next to me. I tried my best to keep him in place before rubbing his neck with the tissues.
"Damn, you've got a grip. I never knew you could do that." He rasped squirming uncomfortably under my grip.
I then removed the tissue from his neck and it was just as I had expected. The tissues were now beige with layers of foundation and there on his neck laid the same infected looking skin I had seen a week ago. I then grimaced and grabbed the collar of his shirt with both hands before ripping it and dipping more tissue into the cup.
"Jeez! Calm down she-hulk! What have you eaten today?!"
I then grabbed him by his shoulder and pulled him up off the pillow before rubbing his chest. The spots on his neck expanded and was connected to his chest. His whole body was filled with this. It's like the Titan was attacking his skin cells. How hadn't this had any other effects?! I then remembered and grabbed the handkerchief he'd had all week in his pocket and dropped it in the cup. I then watch as the water turned in a light red as blood diffused out of it. I then turned to him and stared at him dead in the eye which I could clearly see the now visible regret in.
"You lied." I said through clenched teeth as I slammed him back onto the pillow.
I then got off of him and stormed out of the room. I then headed to the front door and stomped down the metal stairs making my way towards the warehouse. I then slid the metals doors open having them slam to a stop before stomping in. The men who were currently playing cards all turned their attention from the game and towards me.
"I need you all to head to town and get me syringes, a light microscope, and a blood chemistry analyser. Now I don't give a fuck if that means you rob a pharmacy or break into a lab as long as I have these equipment here before 7 PM. Am I clear?!" I shouted causing the men to look at each other before leaving their cards and heading out the door. I then closed the sheds after they left and headed back up to the flat. I opened the door and slammed it behind me as I walked past Jack who was standing in front of the door waiting for me.
"Angel, can you listen to me for a sec?" He asked and I scoffed.
"You honestly think you can make this better by telling me even more lies and half hearted promises?!"
"No just listen to me, Angel. I didn't mean to lie to you. I just didn't want you to worry. I wanted to find out what was happening to me on my own and not have to drag you with me." He replied.
"You never 'mean' to lie to me, do you?! But then every time you find a way to lie and hide things from me and still manage to convince yourself that it's for the best and you know damn well how much this hurts me, Jack." I turned to him.
"And now you'd think this is serious enough that you'd stop treating me like a child for once and actually share with me what you're going through. But no, you're just too proud and egotistical to let anyone else help you! Why did you even try it yourself in the first place, Jack?! Do you even know what happened to the man you tried it on?!" I questioned him.
"No, Angel. He left afterwards but he was fine the whole day he stayed with us! It seemed pretty rational to me, I mean nothing happened to him, Angel. Besides, it didn't work. I doubt this has any real harmful effects." He rolled his eyes.
"You're coughing up blood! And your skin is fucking shedding if you haven't realised! You let that man leave without even observing the effects it would have on him and then tried it yourself! There's nothing rational about that!" I yelled at him.
"You promised me not to and yet you did! This isn't the first time you betray your promises with me, Jack. How do you expect me to trust you?! You keep hiding things from me time and time again and then when everything blows up in your face, only then do you decide to let me in, but wait you don't even do that because I always have to find out when one of us is almost on their death bed!"
"You just can't control yourself can you?! I'm tired of sugarcoating your mistakes, Jack. I'm getting really sick of this! You shouldn't have touched it in the first place like you promised!" I felt my blood boil and my temples grow numb. I then sighed and brought my hand up to them and closed my eyes.
He then grabbed hand and looked at me with sorrow filled eyes. Ones that I meet whenever he does something like this and idiotically fall for only to have to meet them again later on.
"Angel li-listen to me. It was right there and there was nothing else to do! I had to give it a go! I had to try it, doll. Surely you understand me, right?! The power's call...it was way too overwhelming." He pleaded and I grimaced. He was still convinced it was all okay.
"I'm gonna go up to the room. Call me down when the men are back because I can't even look at you right now, Jack." I said bluntly.
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Hi guys!!
Few hours late but I managed to post it!!
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!
Much more to come as I've promised regular updates but after these 2 weeks because final exams.
I'm all yours after the 18th I promise.
Anyway, don't forget to comment your thoughts and vote.
Hope you're all having a great day!
Much love xxx