7: Aware

Late in the night, while Chase slept on oblivious, Jack removed his diaper, knowing clearly the consequences if the transformation occurring with it still in place. He made sure the chibi was wrapped in some dark silk sheets before considering a plan of action…

First things first…

"Oi! Cat, where's my stuff!" hissed Jack, he had been walking hurriedly down several halls before he caught sight of a white leopard padding silently towards a lower level. The cat looked around at Jack and shrugged uncaringly and continued on.

"What do you mean you don't know?!" snarled Jack. Instantly, after his outburst, a pale hand flew to his mouth, surprised. "I'm going crazy... Understanding Chase's cats… Yeah right-"

The cat growled, shocking Jack out of his rant,
"Well you should know where my stuff is! Gimme it back!" he whined, tugging the cats tail impatiently. His hands flew away when a low growl hissed past the animal's teeth. "Okay, okay, you don't have to have a fit… Man, I can't steal Chase's clothes!" he moaned, frowning while gesturing to the silver haori. "You just want to get me killed don't ya?"

The leopard once again shrugged, indifferently, before continuing along the hall. Jack sighed,
"You suck"

While standing in the cold hall considering his limited options, a small cry came from Chase's quarters.
"Damn it" muttered Jack, hightailing it for the mini-lord's room.

Jack quickly ran to Chase and picked up the child with a few blankets. Chase instantly latched onto Jack's front, whimpering quietly. Jack wondered if the baby knew he was planning to run, he shook his head at his insane thoughts, probably a nightmare.
"Sush… Let's get you some milk huh?"

Surprisingly the milk did nothing to sweep the chibi to dreamland as Jack had hoped. Even as the redheaded teen sat with Chase for the following hour, the baby refused to lose sight of him. Jack was getting worried, he leant closer and touched Chase's forehead, expecting a fever, something!

Instead Chase grabbed Jack's hand, burbling and sucking one of Jack's fingers. The redheaded Goth laughed pulling his hand away.
"No fair," Jack crawled under the blankets, pulling them around both of them.

Before Chase could drift off, Jack gave him a meaningful look,
"If you kill me tomorrow… I will not be happy, you hear me?"

Chase gave a simple,
"Ba" before closing his eyes, loosing the battle and sleeping.

Jack closed his eyes, too tired to care anymore,
"That better be a 'yes'"

Golden eyes fluttered open then closed again tiredly as a jaw-cracking yawn made his chest swell. Chase knew he was in his room, just by scenting the morning air. Furrowing his dark eyebrows together, he tried to place what he was doing in bed this late in the day.

Slowly Chase started to recall what he could from his jumbled thoughts. Memories slowly squirmed into view, the Showdown, the Xiaolin Warriors incompetence; their squabbling, Jack enjoying the show.

Chase smirked as he remembered the redhead's easy smile as the Elemental Dragons bickered like little children over a toy. With eyes still closed against his dark surroundings, Chase smiled gently.

Concern flickered alive as what followed became blurry. What had happened? Had he ignored them? Intervened out of boredom? Or secretly watched Jack laugh?

No. He hadn't had the chance… The Orb of Yu-Su had put a stop to that.

It had been aimed at Jack. Even that thought made anger shift in his chest; the pale teen had done nothing to prompt the attack. Chase had stepped in the Wu's path.

Sighing angrily at the memory, Chase silently berated himself. Sure, he had been curious as to what the Wu's ability, but why did he have to take action in such a protective manner? He wondered if Jack caught any meaning behind his deed, no, Jack wasn't that sharp…

But… What had the Wu's power been?

Thinking deeply on the matter, Chase almost missed a yawn and an arm tightening around his chest. Blinking his glazed eyes, gold flickered and focused over to his right, before widening.

Still sound asleep on his shoulder was Jack Spicer clad in a black and silver haori Chase had forgotten he owned. The boy's pale skin seemed parchment white in the thin light, his red hair dark and mussed. And while Chase blinked at his unexpected bed-partner, he became aware of his lack of clothes and flushed deeply wishing more than ever, that he had the slightest notion of what was happening.

Had the Wu sent him to some warped parallel universe?

Refusing to move Chase glanced around for more clues, so when his eyes landed on several toys scattered across the floor, many gnawed upon, he wasn't sure what to think anymore or if he wanted to know.

Without warning Jack shifted causing Chase to tense, the redhead yawned, his eyes fluttering open then closed as he tried to wake fully. Chase cringed visibly when Jack's red eyes fell on him, taking a long drawn out moment to focus on his now non-chibi form.

The un-masculine squeal that followed soon satisfied Chase that, yes, he was still occupying his own universe.

Jack, who had rolled away to escape his impending death, tumbled off the bed ungracefully, legs tangled in the silk sheets, and didn't waste time scrambling up and towards the door. Sadly, the white leopard from the night before was blocking his path.
"Wait Spicer," the deep voice of the warlord made Jack tremble and freeze up, not daring to move.

There was a shuffle of bedclothes,
"Where is my armour?"

"In the front hall" muttered Jack quietly, knowing clearly the man could hear. The teen's cheeks heated and he bit his lower lip.

A pause followed by more shuffling.
"Disil, some robes, if you will?" the white leopard bowed, padding off to do as his master bade.

Chase sighed, rubbing a temple angrily, before forcefully calming himself,
"Spicer, come sit and explain"

"Can't I stand?" muttered Jack weakly; he'd feel a whole lot comfortable if he was in bolting distance of the door.

"No"

Jack shuffled towards the bed, blushing furiously. When he sat, he chanced a look up at Chase and saw that he was blushing himself, if only a fraction of what Jack was.
"Now explain"

Jack cringed, wishing he were somewhere else,
"The Wu… it turned you mini, uh-I mean," Jack hated himself further at his rushed words, "You… were transformed into a baby" Jack ducked his head low, half expecting Chase to strike out, a hand threw his chest, anything but nothing...

A shocked noise escaped Chase's constricting throat.

Things started to fall back into place, memories of his two lost days as a child, of Jack's care, the redhead's loyalty in his weakened state, protection from the Xiaolin Warriors and the embarrassing chaos that followed… Not to mention a deep dislike of one Elemental Dragon Chase would happily care of at a later date.

Leaning forward, startling Jack, Chase tugged the shoulder of the haori down and narrowed his eyes on the dark, colourful bruises that bloomed there. He growled, resulting in a sharp shudder from redhead,
"Guessing you remember?" Jack muttered quietly, his throat going dry.

Chase nodded, leaning back,
"Yes" was his curt answer, sharper than he had intended as he was still thinking of torturous and sadistic acts to perform on one Raimundo Pedrosa.

Jack bit his lower lip, frightened by Chase's tone,
"Uh- I was going to be out of here, I swear, but-"

Chase raised a silencing hand as Disil entered the room with some soft pants and shirt. Jack, still jumpy, quickly whirled away, politely keeping his eyes averted. Chase silently thanked Jack as he pulled on his clothes; he wasn't sure he'd be able to ask the teen to turn away. The shards of what was left of his pride were still scattered and slowly healing.
"Now," Chase growled after an awkward silence fell over them "Because of your-"

Now facing Chase, Jack started to babble, trembling,
"Whatever it is I did, I'm sorry! I'll get out of your home right now-" and as if to prove the fact Jack went to stand but was caught when Chase's hand wrapped around his own, tugging him backwards and throwing him off balance.

Jack fell back on the bed and stared up at Chase, blushing deeply. Thoughts of his wounded pride flitted from Chase's thoughts as he leaned over the teen, a smirk playing at his lips.
"As I was saying Spicer…" Jack shifted under Chase's gaze; fearfully "Your… assistance was highly appreciated… In return you shall reside here, with me, as my assistant and pupil…"

Jack lay still with his mouth hanging half open, his red eyes wide and unblinking.

Chase chuckled at Jack's expression, revealing two pearly fangs, and then stopped abruptly, as if catching himself. Then the warlord's eyes gained a strange look that Jack couldn't decipher.
"Jack..." muttered Chase, leaning closer to the teen, enjoying the deepening blush, "Join me for an early lunch… I have a curious craving for chocolate cake…"

END

-shudders- Ooh! It's finished… Freaky… This was so much fun!!
So…? What do you think?
I wanted this chap to be a sweet end for a cute little fic… leaving off for the imagination… Did it work?

!!!!Thank you all so much for your support!!!!