IF HE DISAGREED WITH THE MONSTER STATEMENT — which, honestly any other night he might’ve disagreed; but tonight tensions were too high — he didn’t speak it. just stayed silent and listened to diaval speak. maybe, their roommate would be easier to handle without his friend ( boyfriend? whatever they were ) around. but two out of three were still scary, and jack already knew he would still be avoiding the room as much as possible. “oh! you don’t have too — i can..” words cutting off as his teeth sunk into his lower lip. he couldn’t handle barrel, and that’s why his words had suddenly stopped. a quick shake of his head. “im okay staying out of his way.”
his heart ached in ways that it would when his sister would say something — usually about the accident, but the ache was still similar. and for jack; it confirmed what he was previously sure of, that this feeling of protection, and safety around Diaval, wasn’t just a fluke. “you’re not a monster.” his words holding a firmness usually reserved. icy blue eyes losing their childlike for only a moment while he spoke.
“if you’re scary, it’s for a reason — but that doesn’t make you a monster. not any kind of monster. if you could make me — of all people; feel safe, how could you ever be a monster?” but as soon as the serious look came, it fell away. just as the fairy lights did; his comment on how his costume was thoroughly ruined left silent on his lips.
gaze falling back to the moon, it relaxed him. but then again, it always had done, like he had some kind of link to the moon, an understanding that as long as he could see it, he would be safe.
“if they’re watching over me, they’re watching over you as well — i’ll make sure of it.” words mumbling off, a hand coming up to rub at his face, only to freeze and frown at the red stains. “ew, it got everywhere.”
"You can handle anything," he confirmed, true or not he was going to say it and maybe Jack would believe him. Which didn't mean he wanted him tangling with Barrel though; there weren't many people he would have thought might come out of an argument with him and not be bleeding. Val wasn't scared of the guy, but he wasn't stupid either. "But you shouldn't have to deal with his brand of rough, yeah, just let 'em have his time for now. He's an asshole but that doesn't mean he's not feeling it now, even if he ain't going to say it."
Wasn't his business what was between Lock and Barrel, it was just a fact that when one of yours went down? It hurt and it was a righteous anger. If that's where Barrel was then, for now, Val wished him some peace.
Seeing that spark of determination in Jack's eyes, defiance of his words; it wasn't just that he appreciated them that made Val smile. It was the fierciness there, an instant of resolve that reminded him that Jack, with his quiet smiles and soft gaze, was stronger than people gave him credit for. Some people were like that, stronger for others than themselves, the fight in them needed a reason to flare.
Which was all the more reason he hoped it rarely did; there was a lot of good the world needed and it needed it in quiet, soft ways.
"I appreciate that," he wasn't going to argue that he didn't feel it was altogether true, not with the road he'd traveled, but Jack wasn't one he really wanted to share that ugliness with. Something about him, maybe the initial fact that Jack being stuck living with himself and Barrel, had led Val to a hovering sort of watchful eye. It had stuck, of course, when he saw how much sunshine Jack was under all that uncertainty.
Jack didn't even know about some parts of the claws the world had, Val hoped he never would.
“I believe ‘ya,” he nodded, because Jack had some conviction in his words, some need to say what he did and at the core of it; he was just a better person than most. Maybe something out there was looking out for him, and by proxy those who Jack held close. But Val didn’t play chance with it, the moon could carry on however it liked but he planned to make sure there was absolutely someone keeping an eye on Jack, so long as he had the time there. After, well, Val couldn’t guess at what happened when he was gone, but he wasn’t going to step into those dark thoughts.
“Life’s messy,” Val chuckled and by that point his own clothes were stained from the close contact, he had nothing to offer in that. But he was creative, adaptable, so it crossed his mind and he worked with what he had, rolling his shoulder up to pull the pillow from behind his head and wrangle the covering over it free before tucking it back against the branch and holding the fabric case out to Jack. “Just gotta go with it, yeah? Figure it out along the way.”
yousharknotpass
turnnoffyourmind
janainaart
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