Status: Finally completed~
Heartless
III
When I first woke up, I thought it was because my alarm had gone off. But when I noticed how dark it was still, I woke up fully, sitting up slightly to find what had woke me.
Jace, sitting upright in his bed and practically covered in sweat, breathing like he'd just been nearly choked or something. I slowly turned on my light, wincing at the sudden brightness that impaired my vision more than the dark had, and slid out of bed, silently going over to Jace. I sat next to him, lightly placing my hand on his shoulder. He tensed at the contact, and I thought he was going to push me away when he did the exact opposite. He turned around, eying me for a second warily before whimpering (I guess that's what it's called... Whining perhaps?) quietly and grabbing the front of my shirt, pulling himself closer so his head was buried in my shoulder.
We stayed like that for a while until Jace's shuddering stopped, making me pull back to see his face. “Jace? What happened?” I asked quietly.
He closed his eyes, leaning into me further before licking his lips and responding, “Just a bad dream. As usual. Nothing too exciting.” he said, trying to lighten the mood and smile, but ending up with a grimace instead. Slowly he sat back up, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand and sighing. “I'm sorry if I woke you up.” he murmured. I tilted my head slightly, snorting. “Well I'd rather be awake if you had a nightmare, Jace.” I said in a tone that kind of sounded like 'Duh you woke me up, does it seem like I give a shit?' instead. Jace smiled slightly at that, glancing up at me. “What time is it?”
“Same time it usually is. Around two.”
He nodded, laying back down and staring at the ceiling. As I moved to get off the bed, I found that I couldn't, looking down to see Jace with a handful of my shirt. “You should know this by now.” he mumbled tiredly. I rolled my eyes slightly; ever since Jace had gotten bad dreams (several years ago) I stayed with him until he fell back asleep, sometimes even falling asleep myself.
I moved back onto the bed, laying so I was next to Jace and staring at the ceiling as well. I felt him relax somewhat, though he didn't relax completely until he was in the position he wanted- that would be practically clinging to me with his head facing mine. I smiled a bit as I readjusted, turning so I was facing Jace as he stared back. “I don't like sleep.” he mumbled, moving closer and sighing. I nodded slightly. “I know.”
I heard him yawn before his breathing evened out, and I relaxed, moving my arm carefully so it was around his waist as I stretched my legs out.
The next morning had been interesting, as they usually were. Jace skillfully avoided talking about last night, and was more polite than he usually was in the morning. Instead of 'get out of the way' or 'I'm gonna use your toothbrush', it became 'excuse me Willow' and 'you can take a shower first'. We were always fighting for who got the shower first; the first usually got most of the hot water.
As I was tying my shoes and grabbing my bag, Jace was waiting by my door, fidgeting and making me glance over. “You don't have to wait you know.” I told him. He shrugged, holding the door for me when I was finally finished. “So what are we doing today in Science? I fell asleep yesterday.” he asked. I rolled my eyes. “We aren't in Science anymore. It's Chemistry.”
“It has been, and always shall be, Science.”
I sighed, not wanting to argue at the moment as we got on the bus, sitting in the back. Jace remained silent, even when Bailey came on and smiled to him, talking to him animatedly as he just listened politely. After a while she frowned, tilting her head. “What's with you? You're all... quiet today.” she commented. Jace shrugged. “Don't really feel like talking I guess. Sorry BB.” He smiled slightly as she nodded, leaning back in her seat and talking to the girl next to her. Jace faced forward again, yawning quietly and leaning against me slightly. “I'm tired.” he mumbled. I nodded, lightly patting his knee. “I know.”
“You say that a lot.” he chuckled, glancing over at me. I shrugged back. “Maybe because I know a lot of things.” I suggested. He smiled more, shaking his head as we pulled up to the school.
I went home alone that day, surprised when Mom was actually home. “Oh. Hey Mom.” I greeted her awkwardly, fully aware of what could have been an obvious tent in my pants had I not been wearing a long coat. Courtesy of Jace, by the way.
“Hey Hun. How was school?”
“Oh. The usual. Jace got detention and decided to get three days suspension for stripping on top of a lunch table or two.”
“... Ah.”
I nodded slightly, shrugging and heading to my room where I decided a cold shower was most definitely in order.
Stepping into the shower (which was one of the more complicated tasks; it's not like I can shower in my glasses) made me gasp at the sudden pressure and temperature, making me freeze for a second before getting used to it and shaking my head. I furiously began scrubbing at my head, since I might as well do something productive instead of wasting water just standing there. When my phone rang, I almost decided to let it go before rolling my eyes, reaching my head and arm out of the shower and flipping the phone open, putting it on speaker. “Hello?”
“Hey Willow. Shower?”
I froze for a second as I couldn't help but notice lower areas becoming interested again, causing me to roll my eyes and bang my head against the wall. “Yes Jace. Something I can help you with?”
“Not really. Well, I'm actually really bored, so I was wondering if you wanted to do something with me since I'll be home for three days.”
“Well, maybe if you hadn't decided to strip at the place people eat...”
“Oh c'mon, it's not my fault I'm endowed with such a wonderful body.” Jace replied. I could hear him smirking, which made me glare at the phone slightly. “Next time, try to keep your shirt on.” I growled. He laughed, then sighed and coughed. “So I take it that's a yes?”
“... Fine.”
“Wonderful! Oh, and Willow?”
“Yes?”
“You know you love my wonderful, sexy body.”
I felt myself freeze again as my heart rate spiked somewhat, causing me to stare unseeingly at the wall.
“Damn... Joking Willow... And here I was expecting a witty comeback from your rather wide repertoire.”
I flushed out of embarrassment, covering my face with my hand as I tried to breath normally. “I'm pretty sure you didn't use that word correctly.”
I heard him laugh again as the line went dead, causing me to lean back against the wall and slide down to the floor of the shower, all while thinking, 'Why can't showers drown people?'
Jace had decided that we should go to the mall. I don't think that when I agreed to that I realized how big our mall actually was. I wasn't in there often. I also carefully avoided talking about today, since Jace's earlier comment, though he was joking, hit a little too close to home. He, however, seemed to be absolutely basking in his attention brought by the suspension and... Stripping.
“You have no idea how many phone numbers I got after that, not that they really matter and all with BB, but still, the total number is incredible!” he laughed, making me nod slowly and shove my hands in my pockets. He turned to me, raising an eyebrow and mimicking my stance. “You're oddly silent.” he observed. I snorted, rolling my eyes and shaking my head. “How observant of you, Doctor Jace.” I mumbled. He glared slightly, lightly elbowing my ribs. “Be nice. Here I am, spending my time and money on taking you out, and you behave like I'm nothing. It's heat-breaking!” he said, pretending to wipe away a tear.
I elbowed him back, causing him to run into someone who glared as he stepped back quickly, snorting when they were far enough away. “Up yours too, bitch.” he mumbled. I hung my head, trying not to laugh as Jace started to walk the way the woman had been walking, and he was right- it did sort of scream 'Uptight Bitch' in it's own way. After a few minutes I couldn't help myself, what with Jace getting the 'are you gay, man?' looks and his new speech pattern to accommodate the walk ('Like, oh my god, you totally just broke my nail, Willow! What the hell?')
I started laughing so much that we had to sit on a nearby bench with Jace rubbing my back as I calmed down, giving myself hiccups. Jace snorted, patting my back lightly for a minute before humming. “What?” I asked quietly between hiccups, making him smile.
“... I gotta do that more often.”
Jace, sitting upright in his bed and practically covered in sweat, breathing like he'd just been nearly choked or something. I slowly turned on my light, wincing at the sudden brightness that impaired my vision more than the dark had, and slid out of bed, silently going over to Jace. I sat next to him, lightly placing my hand on his shoulder. He tensed at the contact, and I thought he was going to push me away when he did the exact opposite. He turned around, eying me for a second warily before whimpering (I guess that's what it's called... Whining perhaps?) quietly and grabbing the front of my shirt, pulling himself closer so his head was buried in my shoulder.
We stayed like that for a while until Jace's shuddering stopped, making me pull back to see his face. “Jace? What happened?” I asked quietly.
He closed his eyes, leaning into me further before licking his lips and responding, “Just a bad dream. As usual. Nothing too exciting.” he said, trying to lighten the mood and smile, but ending up with a grimace instead. Slowly he sat back up, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand and sighing. “I'm sorry if I woke you up.” he murmured. I tilted my head slightly, snorting. “Well I'd rather be awake if you had a nightmare, Jace.” I said in a tone that kind of sounded like 'Duh you woke me up, does it seem like I give a shit?' instead. Jace smiled slightly at that, glancing up at me. “What time is it?”
“Same time it usually is. Around two.”
He nodded, laying back down and staring at the ceiling. As I moved to get off the bed, I found that I couldn't, looking down to see Jace with a handful of my shirt. “You should know this by now.” he mumbled tiredly. I rolled my eyes slightly; ever since Jace had gotten bad dreams (several years ago) I stayed with him until he fell back asleep, sometimes even falling asleep myself.
I moved back onto the bed, laying so I was next to Jace and staring at the ceiling as well. I felt him relax somewhat, though he didn't relax completely until he was in the position he wanted- that would be practically clinging to me with his head facing mine. I smiled a bit as I readjusted, turning so I was facing Jace as he stared back. “I don't like sleep.” he mumbled, moving closer and sighing. I nodded slightly. “I know.”
I heard him yawn before his breathing evened out, and I relaxed, moving my arm carefully so it was around his waist as I stretched my legs out.
The next morning had been interesting, as they usually were. Jace skillfully avoided talking about last night, and was more polite than he usually was in the morning. Instead of 'get out of the way' or 'I'm gonna use your toothbrush', it became 'excuse me Willow' and 'you can take a shower first'. We were always fighting for who got the shower first; the first usually got most of the hot water.
As I was tying my shoes and grabbing my bag, Jace was waiting by my door, fidgeting and making me glance over. “You don't have to wait you know.” I told him. He shrugged, holding the door for me when I was finally finished. “So what are we doing today in Science? I fell asleep yesterday.” he asked. I rolled my eyes. “We aren't in Science anymore. It's Chemistry.”
“It has been, and always shall be, Science.”
I sighed, not wanting to argue at the moment as we got on the bus, sitting in the back. Jace remained silent, even when Bailey came on and smiled to him, talking to him animatedly as he just listened politely. After a while she frowned, tilting her head. “What's with you? You're all... quiet today.” she commented. Jace shrugged. “Don't really feel like talking I guess. Sorry BB.” He smiled slightly as she nodded, leaning back in her seat and talking to the girl next to her. Jace faced forward again, yawning quietly and leaning against me slightly. “I'm tired.” he mumbled. I nodded, lightly patting his knee. “I know.”
“You say that a lot.” he chuckled, glancing over at me. I shrugged back. “Maybe because I know a lot of things.” I suggested. He smiled more, shaking his head as we pulled up to the school.
I went home alone that day, surprised when Mom was actually home. “Oh. Hey Mom.” I greeted her awkwardly, fully aware of what could have been an obvious tent in my pants had I not been wearing a long coat. Courtesy of Jace, by the way.
“Hey Hun. How was school?”
“Oh. The usual. Jace got detention and decided to get three days suspension for stripping on top of a lunch table or two.”
“... Ah.”
I nodded slightly, shrugging and heading to my room where I decided a cold shower was most definitely in order.
Stepping into the shower (which was one of the more complicated tasks; it's not like I can shower in my glasses) made me gasp at the sudden pressure and temperature, making me freeze for a second before getting used to it and shaking my head. I furiously began scrubbing at my head, since I might as well do something productive instead of wasting water just standing there. When my phone rang, I almost decided to let it go before rolling my eyes, reaching my head and arm out of the shower and flipping the phone open, putting it on speaker. “Hello?”
“Hey Willow. Shower?”
I froze for a second as I couldn't help but notice lower areas becoming interested again, causing me to roll my eyes and bang my head against the wall. “Yes Jace. Something I can help you with?”
“Not really. Well, I'm actually really bored, so I was wondering if you wanted to do something with me since I'll be home for three days.”
“Well, maybe if you hadn't decided to strip at the place people eat...”
“Oh c'mon, it's not my fault I'm endowed with such a wonderful body.” Jace replied. I could hear him smirking, which made me glare at the phone slightly. “Next time, try to keep your shirt on.” I growled. He laughed, then sighed and coughed. “So I take it that's a yes?”
“... Fine.”
“Wonderful! Oh, and Willow?”
“Yes?”
“You know you love my wonderful, sexy body.”
I felt myself freeze again as my heart rate spiked somewhat, causing me to stare unseeingly at the wall.
“Damn... Joking Willow... And here I was expecting a witty comeback from your rather wide repertoire.”
I flushed out of embarrassment, covering my face with my hand as I tried to breath normally. “I'm pretty sure you didn't use that word correctly.”
I heard him laugh again as the line went dead, causing me to lean back against the wall and slide down to the floor of the shower, all while thinking, 'Why can't showers drown people?'
Jace had decided that we should go to the mall. I don't think that when I agreed to that I realized how big our mall actually was. I wasn't in there often. I also carefully avoided talking about today, since Jace's earlier comment, though he was joking, hit a little too close to home. He, however, seemed to be absolutely basking in his attention brought by the suspension and... Stripping.
“You have no idea how many phone numbers I got after that, not that they really matter and all with BB, but still, the total number is incredible!” he laughed, making me nod slowly and shove my hands in my pockets. He turned to me, raising an eyebrow and mimicking my stance. “You're oddly silent.” he observed. I snorted, rolling my eyes and shaking my head. “How observant of you, Doctor Jace.” I mumbled. He glared slightly, lightly elbowing my ribs. “Be nice. Here I am, spending my time and money on taking you out, and you behave like I'm nothing. It's heat-breaking!” he said, pretending to wipe away a tear.
I elbowed him back, causing him to run into someone who glared as he stepped back quickly, snorting when they were far enough away. “Up yours too, bitch.” he mumbled. I hung my head, trying not to laugh as Jace started to walk the way the woman had been walking, and he was right- it did sort of scream 'Uptight Bitch' in it's own way. After a few minutes I couldn't help myself, what with Jace getting the 'are you gay, man?' looks and his new speech pattern to accommodate the walk ('Like, oh my god, you totally just broke my nail, Willow! What the hell?')
I started laughing so much that we had to sit on a nearby bench with Jace rubbing my back as I calmed down, giving myself hiccups. Jace snorted, patting my back lightly for a minute before humming. “What?” I asked quietly between hiccups, making him smile.
“... I gotta do that more often.”