The Boys met again for dinner and discussed Jeb's upcoming first Therapy Game session. They don't know where he will log in so they gave him a quick overview and in which direction Jack's corpse is to be found. Despite their fears it would be awkward to talk after all that had happened, it went quite well. Although Saiwa and Jeb didn't talk directly to each other ^^' And Kiyoshi didn't talk at all. His mind probably roams in other dimensions again.
Ji Ho is so happy to see all his friends on one table all together again. He still feels the sadness from the loss of his feelings but for him this is more exciting than sad. The sadness still lingers but that's a good sign he's on the right path to get his feelings back. And poor Vlad dreads his upcoming conversation with Saiwa and Jack about Kiyoshi. He's going to talk to them right after dinner.
Vlad dragged them up to Jack's houseboat because he knows Jack feels comfortable here. And he told them about Kiyoshi and how his mind was drifting further into his demonic/divine realms. And that he'll need Jack's help to keep him grounded into reality. Because Jack is still his fated mate...
Jack really loves his deck. Pizza all around, so he was distracted and didn't really listen to what Vlad said... (We call this phenomenon 'Jack's Armadillo World' ^^')
When it sank he jumped up: "WHAT? Now you're asking me to have a fake relationship with Kiyoshi? What's wrong with you!" Vlad: "Please, Jack. Hear me out. You said you would be fine just being his 'mate' and not his lover, right? And we all know now that while Kiyoshi didn't do everything right, he didn't do anything wrong either. He didn't torture you and Sai at the Lab, he saved you. And almost paid with his life for it. And yes, he kept your relationship a secret - but to protect you - all of us - from the Council. And your jealousy..."
Jack sat down again. Vlad was right. Noxee already told him all this at Beltane weeks ago and he'd thought a lot about it (because Noxee said it :3 ). And he knows she's right. (Greg told him almost the same stuff but Jack refuses to listen to Greg because he hates him lol.) Saiwa knows he shouldn't be upset, but he is. He wants to protect Jack from Kiyoshi and from falling down in the swirling abyss of utter madness again. Saiwa: "You weren't with him when he woke up from this nightmare or in the Lab!" Vlad: "I was with him when he was in his coma. And Kiyoshi was with him too! And Kiyoshi and I had been with him after he had the panic attack when Ji Ho and him had been locked up and almost burned alive! You can't keep him from growing out of his trauma. Noxee believes in him. And me too!"
Jack: "Hey hey hey. I do believe in me. And you can keep an eye on us, hm? Noxee said I have the tools at hand. And I can decide if I let him hurt me. I will try to become his 'mate' - just his mate - and that should be enough for fate - or whatever tied us together - to let me off the hook, right? Two of my spots I earned for leaving him are already gone, so I know I'm following the right track, see?"
Jack: "Sai, let me off the hook too, hm? I know you love me and you want to protect me but I can't grow if you hold me back." Saiwa sighed, but he remembered their conversation from Summer Solstice under the new moon: "You are right. Let us see Jack 2.0. Let's see if this Therapy Game is worth the troubles..." Now it's getting serious. Despite his big snout, Jack is a little afraid... He loved to hate Kiyoshi because that allowed him to blame someone else instead of seeing his own failures. Which is/was painful and kept him from growing.
Vlad was relived. Another milestone reached on their way to live together again. And Vlad is glad that his best friend is moving forward. Saiwa: "But no secrets! And we'll have an eye on you." Vlad: "Ok! I'm sure we won't regret it. Kiyoshi changed since he's back from the tree and he regrets how wrong it all went. And he deserves a second chance. He suffered for decades already. He got kicked out of the Temple and is not involved with the Council anymore so he can fully concentrate on his own healing here."
Jeb will be happy to hear this. He and Vlad had all hands full with mostly zoned out Kiyoshi. Trying to keep him in the here and now. And when he was in the here and now, he tried to go back into the tree. Ridden by guilt. At least they are keeping up their Tantra practice...
When it was time to go to bed, Vlad and Ji Ho met at the stairs that lead to their rooms. Vlad wants to stay by Ji Ho's side. The Bond tells him about Ji Ho's sadness and how stirred up he still is from the demon's spell. And Ji Ho doesn't want to be alone with the still lingering remnants of all of his feelings he'd lost so long ago.
None of them dared to ask the other to spend the night with him. Until Adriano bleated loudly and startled them. Ji Ho: "Would you..." Vlad: "Can I..."
Ji Ho: "To your place or to mine?" Since Vlad dreads the sadness having Ji Ho's scent in his bed after he leaves him alone again, he said: "To yours."
After they brushed their teeth and got ready for bed, they met in Ji Ho's room. Vlad is going to sleep on the sofa. With Ji Ho's emotional turmoil and the little shards of love he still feels, they wouldn't be able to keep their hands off of each other. But they should after they agreed to wait with their physical relationship. They also agreed to start their Tantra practice tomorrow. This will help them to control their libido.
Ji Ho took a cute photo of Vlad during their Summer Solstice trip to Henford and put it on his nightstand. He also hung a copy of it in their shared bathrom.
Poor Vlad is quite struggling with not sliding into the bed and snuggling behind Ji Ho... holding him tight.
But he remained steadfast. Before he drifted into sleep, Vlad thought about if it's really possible that Ji Ho's evil grandfather put a spell on him to gain the Council acess to his powers, as Morgan claimed.
It was weird that he immediately fell in love with Ji Ho at first sight after he mourned his first love Wesley for two years. But he never felt it had been against his own will - like Jack said earlier. He always had the feeling he was able to resist Ji Ho. But maybe that was also a trick? Giving him a false sense of free will?
'… I like to read murder mystery I like to know the killer isn't me Love and hate what a beautiful combination Sending shivers make me quiver Feel it sliver up and down my spine'
Love to hate you - Erasure
Erasure · Song · 1991
The Therapy Game Master Post with the sessions and places so far is -> here
From the Beginning ~ Underwater Love ~ Latest
Current Chapter: 'Who killed Jack?' from the beginning ▶️ here
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