Cosmos

By ZAFO

A/N: Jack and Simon before the island. Drabblefic. Multi-chaptered.

– 1. Temper -

An angelic voice rings through the air; pure and young and therefore not his. The note ends and Simon stops, bowing humbly before the roaring applause. He turns to Jack, in a delicate motion, then precedes to give a subtle, mystique little smile.

Jack attempts to 'smile' in return, when-

"-well done, Simon!" chirps a nameless, female classmate.

She and her friends crowd around him like lions to the lamb.

"Yes!"

"That was splendid!"

"I am so jealous!"

"Will you teach me to sing like that?"

But Simon does not stutter, nor turn away, nor politely excuse himself from the commotion as Jack expects. Instead the small boy stands his ground, his eyes placid, and converses candidly with each and every voice that chimes in to talk to him.

'Pansy probably likes it.' Jack thinks venomously.

He gives a hard swallow, turning sharply on the edge of his heels. With a refined swish! of his black choir cloak Jack takes his leave and tactfully manages to ignore the somber expression Simon wears on his face all the while.

Lonely footsteps echo throughout the hall- magnifying to almost deafening proportions with each step and every he takes. The noise grows faint; the jealousy does not.

He rounds the corner, nearing the exit at last, and bursts from the doors with an anger unparalleled. Startled, Bill drops his cigarette and sputters on spot.

"J-Jack!"

Jack slinks over to his classmate with a deadly feline grace. Bill shrinks back with the undeniable feeling of being cornered.

"Bill..." he sings.

"-Jack! W-wait! I can explain! Oh c'mon, go easy on a chap, will you?" he wails, as Jack lifts him up by the collar of his shirt.

"Where were you today for the performance, huh? You bloody wanker!"

Bill panics.

"St-stop! I didn't mean to miss it! I-I just wanted to go out and have a smoke a-and I lost track of time and I-"

"You're twelve!" Jack explodes. "Why the hell do you need to 'go out and have a smoke?'"

Bill flushes.

"Y-you're just jealous of how cool I am! Because even Jack Merridew doesn't have the guts to smoke!"

Silence.

Jack stares him down, a low, predatory chuckle erupting from the back of his throat.

Bill shivers.

"Is that so? Just because I'm not stupid enough to go kill myself with cancer sticks...?"

"I-"

"-cool my arse, you fucking prat." His voice is rising. "You wanna see 'cool?' I'll show you fucking-"

"-Jack."

And then he stops, as still as a statue.

Simon smiles airily, as if there really wasn't anything wrong with the scene before him.

"Sorry I got caught up there. You know how those girls are."

Jack's shoulders slump.

"But, I managed to get rid of them."

Bill breaths heavily.

"I'm kind of hungry though. Let's go get something to eat, Jack?"

Jack says nothing for a long, long time.

Finally, the redhead throws Bill's body away, like trash, and slinks over to Simon's tiny, outstretched hand.

Jack doesn't take it, but the boy beams nonetheless.

"Fine." he sulks.

"Wonderful." says Simon, and the two make their way onto the street soon after.

Bill sits on the rough cement, wondering what the hell just happened.

A/N: Please review! :)