“I always make you cry.” Jack said quietly. “W-when did I start making you cry so much…? I, I don’t know what to do…” he admits, pulling his hand away from her, as if he’d touched a hot oven. “I-I don’t you, I don’t mind about the artwork because you were safe and unharmed b-but…”
He stops himself, and rubs at his temples, shutting his eyes. “God.. I’m sorry. I am.” Jack shook his head. “G-great. So Hot Flash knows who I am, now…” he whispered to himself.
“No, Jack,” she says desperately, making a grab for his hands. “You’re not..you’re not making me cry. I’m not crying.” Shows him her dry eyes. “See? I just..you’re right about the bully thing..I hadn’t thought about it..I always do things without thinking..I’m sorry..all of this is my fault..if it hadn’t been for me she wouldn’t know who you are and she wouldn’t have burned your gallery down…”
Oh god now the guilt is choking her. She didn’t want Jack worrying, always wanted to see him smiling and yet she was causing him so much pain all the time. Her initial fears and musing on if he were better off without her entered her mind and that scared her even more.
She trembled at the emotions in that thought alone.
“It’s not y-your fault Hot Flash is, is a woman who delights in the misery of others.” Jack said quietly. “It’s w-who she is, it’s what she does… I-I just don’t know why she and the other Doom Syndicate members f-focus on you so intently… if, if I could I’d take all their attention from you, s-so they bother me instead.” he reached and touched her hands, looking at her painfully.
“I’m used t-to being bullied and beaten a-and hurt so it’d be n-nothing new to me. If it would o-only mean they’d leave you alone…”
Jack Maple 