ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 16

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"Baby, what did I say about eating too many strawberries?" 

Jack's stern sigh echoed through the empty mansion. And yes, even though he couldn't see, he could hear the girl's scuffling around the kitchen, his ears picking up the slightest sounds, from the girl's soft chewing and as she suckled the rest of the strawberry's juice from her fingers.

The girl's head popped up from the kitchen counter shortly, drawing out a long whine, soft lips jutting out to a little pout.

Jack narrowed his eyes.
No, he will not fall for that again.

"Put it back. Don't make me repeat myself." He warned, arms crossed.

Jack heard the faintest grumbling of the girl, scoffing to himself as he shook his head. 
So naughty these days, he thought.

He heard the door of the fridge shut and he could hear the light footsteps stepping away from the kitchen and a loud flop on the couch. 

"This is exactly why we need to make rules." Jack said, stepping towards the girl, gently sitting down next to her and rubbing a small chubby thigh in comfort. 

The girl huffed, turning away from him. "D-Don' wanna."

Jack frowned at the cold shoulder, sighing. "Then I guess we won't be getting the kitty some food." 

The girl's head shot up at that, eyes widening as she quickly straddled Jack's lap. "N-No I-I'll be a—"

The girl's sentence was cut off by her own embarrassment, looking away, cheeks flushed. Jack had his arms crossed above his chest, an amused smirk on his face, one eyebrow raised. "You'll be what?" He urged the girl on, trailing his cold fingers gently against the warm exposed legs of the girl.

The girl shivered, huffing as she glared at Jack. "I-I'll be a g-good girl.." She mumbled finally, crossing her own arms 

"That wasn't so hard was it?" Jack snickered, enjoying the faint hue of pink dusted across the girl's cheeks.

A sudden punch to his chest made the air leave his lungs as he tried to control his breathing, heaving shallow breaths as he rubbed his chest, staring at the girl who climbed off his lap. "Did you just punch my chest?" 

"'S w-what you d-deserve." The girl spat. 

"That's why we need rules, hon." Jack hummed. "You can set rules for me too, okay?"
The girl thought about it for a moment, before silently agreeing, nodding her head.

"Words, baby." 

"Y-Yes." The girl whined, completely flustered, hiding her face with her sweater paws.

Cute.

Jack hummed in approval, walking over to the kitchen and reaching for one of the drawers in the kitchen counter, fumbling his hands blindly, taking a wild guess as he huffed, shuffling over to the other drawer, biting his lip in satisfaction once he found what he was looking for.

He walked back over to the couch and sat next to the girl again, placing down something on the coffee table. And out of curiousity of the little kitten, the girl peeked out from her sweater paws, eyebrows furrowed as she stared at the black leathered notebook that sort of resembled like death.

Jack flipped the notebook open, and the girl stared at the dull grey color of the paper. She gently reached towards it, fingertips gently brushing against the paper, recoiling with a disgusted look on her face as she brushed against the hard and rough paper. 

"It's one of my favorites," Jack mumbled.

And if you looked close enough, you could see that the color of the paper was quite similar with the grey skin tone of Jack. And the little girl was smart enough to guess why that notebook was Jack's favorites.

"C-Could use c-cowors.."

"Dunno if we have some though." Jack hummed, standing up again, the girl's curious little eyes following Jack's movement as he opened the same drawer again, digging through the contents, and grabbing a handful of items as he walked back to the couch.

As he unfolded his hands, the set of items jumbled out of his hand and into the table, the girl's eyes lighted up with excitement as she scanned the ray of items, colorful pens with pastel inks, some stickers with cute little animals and immediately her imagination came to life.

Mesmerized by the pretty objects, the girl carefully lifted a little pastel pen with a light pink color, the pen decorated with even more pink, little cherry blossoms drawn on it. 

"The colorful ones are Sally's." Jack said, grabbing a black ink pen in his hand as well that was arranged neatly on the other side of the table, flipping through a blank page.

"Whose S-Sally?" The girl asked, eyes flickering up to Jack.

"You'll know later on." Jack said, not looking up from his notebook.

"I honestly have a lot of rules for you but I don't want you feeling like this place is a prison or anything." Jack mumbled, chewing on the cap of the pen whenever he was nervous. "So.." he trailed off, "how many rules would you like?" Jack asked. 

"Maybe f-five?" The girl suggested, shrugging as she twirled the pastel pen around her fingers.

Jack puffed out his cheeks, thinking.
"Okay." He said, letting out a soft sigh, beginning to write messily on the paper.

The girl peered over his shoulder, watching as Jack would sometimes not write in a straight neat line cause he couldn't see, some words sticking together with no space, but the girl managed to read what Jack was trying to write.

rule 1;
   — never go out of the mansion without Jack's permission

The girl frowned upon reading the first rule, already regretting making Jack write five rules. Perhaps she could've asked Jack to write only three rules. But yet she kept silent, biting her lip in anticipation as Jack moved his hand down, onto a new line and began writing the second rule.

rule 2;
  — never talk to strangers when outside

Humming in approval, the girl eased up a bit. She was usually shy around strangers anyway, let alone talking to one she could barely even meep out a sentence without stuttering so much.

rule 3;
  — no eating snacks from the fridge without Jack's permission

The girl pouted. How was she going to get her energy then? "I don't like that r-ruleee~" The girl whined, bouncing on her knees with frustration. 

Jack having no care whatsoever just gently patted the girl's knee. "You can make rules for me too okay? Just no rules that go against my own." 

The girl huffed, crossing her arms as she stared hard at the glittery sparkles decorated on the pastel pen in her hand.

rule 4;
  — always go to bed by 9pm

"Can it be nine thirty please?" The girl asked with hopeful eyes, watching Jack grimace, so she began to straddle Jack's lap, sitting in it, humming at the warm chest against her back, hearing the soft heartbeat beat at a steady rhythm against his ribs. "Pleaseee~" The girl whined, squirming around Jack's lap, looking up at him as he looked back down at her, biting his lip as he narrowed his eyes. (a/n ; y'all know this position is cute uGh)

"Give me a good reason why I should extend your bedtime to thirty minutes." Jack said, lifting his hands that were resting on the couch beside him, onto the girl's own lap, playing with her hands that seemed so adorably small compared to his veiny ones.

"B-Because I w-wanna spend more t-time with y-you.." The girl mumbled, avoiding Jack's gaze, playing her fingers with his, as a pink soft blush settled across the girl's cheeks, stuttering out of shyness.

Jack let in a loud sigh, gently squeezing the girl's pinky a bit too hard, making her cry out in pain, before quickly lifting the injured finger up and giving it a gentle kiss, patting it for it to heal. 

"Fine." 

The girl squealed happily. "Th-Thank youu!" 

 ❝ W-Wove you lots! ❞

Oof, did that hit Jack right in the chest, making him unable to function right for a moment as those three words replayed in his mind over and over again, Jack finding it hard to swallow as his throat felt dry, a little smile tugging at his lips.

"Mhm." Was all Jack said for he was fighting back a smile, trying to remain chill as ever.

Jack leaned in towards the table again for the notebook, the girl shifting around his lap making him groan a bit. "Baby you should get off before you fall." 

The girl shook her head. "N-No. W-Wanna stay with you." 

Jack sighed. 
He'd be a heartless monster if he said no.

With trembling hands, he tried to write on the notebook again, the girl's eyebrows furrowed as she noticed Jack's shaky hands. "Is J-Jwackie okay?" 

Write, you damn hands.

Jack sucked in a deep breath. "Yep, Jackie's perfectly okay." (a/n ; uwu)

rule 5 ;
 — never go in the office

The girl squinted her eyes. "W-What office?" She asked, glancing up at Jack as she leaned against his warm chest, curling herself into a ball.

"Remember that scary tall guy who had no face?" 

Immediately the girl tensed up, making Jack rub her arm soothingly to calm her down. "I'm guessing you remember him then." Jack said. "Yeah, he's not really a nice person, so don't go in his office, okay?"

"O-Okay." 

"Now, we're done with all your five rules. And I'm not changing them unless I want to." Jack confirmed. "Now for my rules.." Jack mumbled as he flipped to a new blank page. 

"You wanna write on your own bubs?" Jack asked. 

The girl looked up from her hand which was covered with a soft pastel pink ink, decorating it with the same cherry blossoms from the pen. 

Her eyes sparkled and nodded with so much excitement that Jack could literally feel the girl bouncing on his lap, making him chuckle as he leaned back into the couch, watching as the girl scrambled off his lap, Jack frowning as he missed the small bundle of warmth.

The girl kneeled on the floor, granted it didn't hurt much since she was wearing thiqq high knee socks. She began writing her rules for Jack, being careful to not let the ink drip off the paper. The letters she wrote were pretty small and neat compared to Jack's.

Normally Jack wouldn't let anybody touch his notebook, but the girl was an exception. One time Ben peered over when he was doodling on his notebook and yanked his pen right out of his grip, but before Ben could even write a single line on the notebook, Jack quickly yanked the pen back and shut the notebook. 

And here he was, letting the girl do as she pleased. Writing her own rules for him, decorating the page with stickers, scribbles and lines of pastel pink and a few different colors all over his notebook. And Jack thought it fit pretty well, surprisingly, although he couldn't see, he could picture how the pastel colors would blend perfectly together with the dull grey paper.

It was like a splash of color into the grey dull book.
Maybe Jack was being a bit too too poetic but he thought that's what happened when he met the girl.

His own little splash of color into his dark dull world. 

"M'done!" The girl said, setting her pen down, stretching her own legs and fingers from the uncomfotable position. She sighed happily, staring down at her own colorful creation, smiling in satisfaction.

"Bet it looks nice, bub. Wanna read to me my rules?" Jack said, snapping out of his thoughts.

The girl nodded, leaning closer as she picked at her high knee socks that was lazing off of her calf. "Wule number o-one, n-no yelling." 

Jack hummed. "Okay, easy." 

The girl beamed happily as she turned to look at Jack.
"Wule number t-two, treat the k-kitty nice." 

Jack scoffed, crossing his arms. "Fine." He mumbled.

"W-Wule number t-three, a-always give me h-hugs and k-kithes!" 

And although Jack wanted to remain as cold and stoic as he had always been, he was a big puddle of mush on the inside. He always liked hugging and peppering kisses all over the girl's face (except her lips of course), though he never actually said it.

"Hm, okay. Is that all?" Jack said, raising an eyebrow in amusement. 

"I-I think s-so.. Yep!" The girl said, clapping her smol hands happily.

"Great, okay. We should be heading out now since I think the rain has stopped." Jack said. "It's probably gonna be a bit chilly so I'll go get a scarf. Can you put the chicken nugget in our room?"

"The k-kitty isn't a c-chicken nugget!" The girl shot back, hearing Jack chuckle as he went up the stairs.

Said feline raised it's head sleepily, white soft ears twitching to life as it kneaded the couch, back stretching out, it's butt in the air, tail waving lazily behind it as it yawned, stretching it's muscles, making the girl giggle as she stepped towards it, grooming the cat's soft fluffy fur that began to dry from the rain earlier.

"C'mon k-kitty," the girl cooed, gently scooping up the small kitty into her arms, it letting out a startled meow but let the girl carry it anyway, the girl struggling to walk up the stairs with the cat moving around so much, as she had to step up carefully step by step.

Finally reaching upstairs, the girl opened the door to Jack's room, and as if on cue, the cat gracefully leapt out of the girl's arms and onto the floor where it hopped up onto the messy bed, curling itself into a tiny ball, head resting on its paws with a sleepy content look on its face.

"Sleepy kitty." The girl murmured, quietly walking up to the cat and sitting beside it, trailing her fingers gently across the feline's fur, purrs errupting from its chest as its eyes finally closed.

"Done?"

The girl looked up to Jack who was peering inside the room, scared to even step in the same room as the cat, which the girl found funny. The girl hummed happily as she skipped towards Jack, closing the door behind her. 

The girl quickly walked ahead of Jack, running down the steps, followed by a faint, 'be careful' from Jack. She turned around to see him carefully stepping down the steps, hands trailing against the railing for support.

Finally he reached the bottom and walked towards the girl who was waiting by the door for him. He gently unwraveled the knitted red scarf and tied it around the girl's neck, overlaying it a couple more times and tying it tight to make sure.

The girl could barely breathe.

But she was excited anyways, going out of the mansion, not stuck here in this place. Did she like it here? Of course she does but being the loud and energetic girl she is, she often gets bored easily.

"Ready?" Jack asks.

The girl let out a 'mhm!' but was a bit muffled due to her mouth being covered by thick layers of cloth. Jack smiled as he reached for the doorknob and twisted it open, flinging the door wide open, letting the chilly air enter the hollow mansion, the cold wind brushing against his exposed neck, making him shiver.

Suddenly he felt a warm tiny hand slip into his own, and for a split moment he felt warm all of a sudden, reassured, so he squeezed the girl's tiny hand as he led her out of the mansion and into the heart of the forest.

(ᴄᴀɴ sᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴀ ᴠɪʀᴛᴜᴀʟ ʜᴜɢ
ᴄᴏs ɪ ғᴇᴇʟ sᴏ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘʜʏsɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ᴅʀᴀɪɴᴇᴅ :ᴄ)

As the two walked in silence through the forest, hand in hand, Jack was busy thinking about what to buy at the grocery store.

Of course they had to buy cat food for the cat.
And maybe some more snacks.

Perhaps some more stickers too?
Surely it wouldn't hurt. He could already imagine the girl being all giddy, her eyes shining with excitement when she would look through the different sorts of stickers in the store.

He wanted to show her the world, really, since he knew she was probably different than others. He knew her parents were probably a bit too strict, and the other kids were mean to her.

He wanted to show her the world, the world that he couldn't see.
The world he had wanted to see, the world he wants the girl to see for her own since he knows he'd lost his sight and he would never get it back.

And did Jack love the girl?
Of course, with all his heart.

But did he love, love the girl? 
Though he kept denying the thought every single time, he now thinks back to it, and maybe, just maybe, he would've said yes. 

The way his heart beats faster whenever the girl leans closer to him, the urge to pepper the girl with kisses and cuddles and protect her from all the bad from the world. 

And he's tired of denying the fact, that he's gone soft for the girl, because he knows he has. And does he regret this? Not at all.

Every single moment spent with her wouldn't be a single regret to him.
And if he could do that all over again, he would.

His thoughts suddenly were cut off by a loud horn blaring in the distance, making the little girl flinch. Jack rubbed the tiny girl's hand gently in reassurance as they continued to make their way out of the forest.

And sure enough, they reached the border, where cars were whizzing past them, blinker lights flashing on and off. He listens for the rhythm of the cars, the feeling of the wind brushing past them. He'd taught himself how to do this, of course.

Carefully, he listened, and when there was a brief pause of silence in the midst of the whizzing cars, Jack pulled the girl towards him as they hurridely jogged across the busy small road, and onto the other side of the road. 

The two continued to walk, the girl talking to herself in mumbles in which Jack could hear pretty well, smiling to himself as he kept his head low and hood up. Though he knew that he was gonna be in trouble for this and news of him was all over town, he knew his ways to avoid certain problems.

As Jack could feel his senses telling him that they were near the store now, he could also hear faint laughter of children in the background, and the sounds of what seemed like cars whizzing past by, he couldn't really make out what it was.

But soon enough he knew as he heard a soft gasp and felt a tug on his hands and he was held back by a rather strong grip.

There stood the girl, her feet planted to the ground, eyes widening as they sparkled in mischief and wonder, mouth hanging slightly open as she stared at the pretty colorful balloons that other children around her age were carrying around, laughing with their friends, siblings, and parents.

A sign read in bold blotchy red letters which were illuminated by bright flickering lights on the sign, "AMUSEMENT PARK" where all your worries disappear.

Has the girl ever hreard of an amusement park before? No, she hadn't even seen it, and here she was, staring at the tiny people on top of what looked like multiple miniature chairs that were stuck together, in the air and on top of some rails(?)

And the girl watched with excitement as the ride slowly went up, and up, and up, and finally it whooshed down, the ride disappearing completely.

And the girl wanted to see it.
She wanted to see more, and all of it.

So with excitement, she bounced on her heels, tugging at Jack's hand. 
"Can we go to the am-amusem-ment p-park pleaseee~?" The girl whined, staring hopefully up at him.

Jack groaned, biting his lip.
He did say he wanted to show the girl the world.

Maybe later?
But surely just one ride wouldn't hurt right?

Having thoughts battle in his mind, he sighed, closing his eyes as he scratched against the skin on his neck, debating on whether he should or not.

But fuck it.

"Fine." Jack gritted out. "But just one ride." 

Eagerly, the girl nodded, eyes turning into little crescents as she let out an excited giggle that Jack adored so much. "Thankyouthankyouthankyouuu~!" The girl managed to say without stuttering.

Jack sighed again, with a smile this time as he let the girl drag him towards the amusement park. How could he not?

Boy was he was whipped for the girl.

➸

ᴀ/ɴ

sᴏ ɪ ʟɪᴛᴇʀᴀʟʟʏ ᴅɪsᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ᴀ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜ
ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʀᴏᴛᴇ 3ᴋ ᴡᴏʀᴅs ᴏғ ғʟᴜғғ ɪɴ ᴏɴᴇ ᴅᴀʏ ʟᴍᴀᴏ 

ʟɪғᴇ ɪsɴ'ᴛ ᴛʀᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴡᴇʟʟ
ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴍ sᴛʀᴜɢɢʟɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ғɪɴᴅ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ 
ᴍ sᴏʀʀʏ :c

ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴡɪsʜ ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴏʀɢᴇᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ
s ɪ ɢ ʜ

ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ғᴏʀɢᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴠᴏᴛᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴛ~
ɪ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ 💕

(ᴅᴏᴇs ᴀɴʏʙᴏᴅʏ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀ/ɴ sᴊsᴊs)

ᴀᴍᴜsᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴘᴀʀᴋ ғʟᴜғғ ɴᴇxᴛ~ uwu