We should talk (Bow)

A lot had happened in JaK's love life recently and his life in general. Once a thief, gang member, and parkour enthusiast. To a roommate, part time-crime fighter, boyfriend, father, and meta-human. And now a rockstar, beginning architect, and martial artist.

Indeed a lot had happened, but now he had to add one more thing to his list, and that was whatever JaK and Bow were at the moment. They had had two encounters. One hanging fliers and the other before their last show. She would want answers soon. Not to mention that day at the soup kitchen

They were bandmates sure, but things between them had gotten much more...tense..lately.

JaK went to the bathroom where the pink haired girl was doing her make-up at the Grayline Clubhouse (Dojo). Two knocks and a look into the mirror would show the pale skin, dark haired teen standing in the doorway with his arms folded. His eyes were closed and he was wearing a thin red sweater over his muscular bodyframe, tan timberland boots, and straight leg blue jeans. His expression riddled with uncertainty as he opened his eyes and spoke. "Hey...We should..talk." JaK rubbed his nape.

Bow was trying to forget about the day at the Soup Kitchen, and really every intimate encounter with her band mate, JaK. She didn't want to get her hopes up about him. All he saw her as was a friend. Those times they had together were a mistake. That day at the Soup Kitchen was just...confusing. It was too hard to think about so she just didn't think.

Then he showed up in her bathroom. The girl had her hair loose and wavy around her face and a light yellow sweater on with the sleeves rolled up. She had on a mid thigh black skirt that was high waisted and no shoes at the moment. When she saw his reflection in the mirror, she tried to ignore it, but then he spoke and her heart dropped. What did he think he was doing? She bit her lip and set down her mascara, already fighting back tears as she spoke softly. "Wh-what is there to talk about, JaK?" Her voice was surprisingly cold. The tone of a woman that didn't want to talk. Her heart had already broke over him, she was done trying. They would only ever be friends. He had so much going on in his own life. He didn't have time to deal with her mess as well. As her thoughts started to spiral, a cloud formed over her head, but no rain came...yet.

JaK walked forward as she finished nervously primping and grabbed her hand. "Come with me."

He walked her through the city all the way up to the observatory. The entire way not saying a word. Once reaching the observatory he rolled up his sleeves and created a mudslide which rolled the hired security guard at the gate downhill.

Moments later JaK and Bow would enter and climb the spiral staircase to the top. That's when JaK finally spoke. "I'm going away for a while..." He looked back to see her expression as he snapped his fingers and changed the lock over the hatches shape to allow them entry to the roof.

Bow went wide eyed and squeaked when the boy gripped her hand and begun to drag her away. "My shoes! My shoes!" She put her little red heels on and then was carried out the door forcefully. While they walked down the street, she kept asking where they were going and why wouldn't he talk, with no answer. She tripped over her own two feet and growled at him, staring at the back of his head while they walked. A cloud was forming above them as Bow's heart sank lower and lower, positive that this was going to be a negative talk.

When they got to the observatory and he made the security guard fall, she went wide eyed. "J-JaK!? Why did you do that!?" Still no answer. She gritted her teeth and followed him up the stairs, confused and hurting.

Then he spoke. And the words he spoke were nothing she was expecting. They hurt worse. A crack of lightning could be heard over head as her eyes went wide and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. Her voice was barely a whisper as she spoke. "W-what?...No...Y-you can't!" Flashes danced through her mind of a memory long forgotten. A birthday party. Her best friend and her on a swingset and then... A tornado. Bow's mind raced and she looked up when opened the door and flew out onto the roof. It was raining. Good. It could hide her tears. Maybe he wouldn't know that it was her causing the rain to begin with. Her head hurt. She couldn't face him and dropped to her knees as she spoke faintly. "What about the band? W-what about your friends? W-what about m-..." A roll of thunder as she couldn't speak the word. She was just a friend. It shouldn't matter. It hurt. It hurt so much... Why did this hurt?

JaK stood a top the observatory staring out into the city in the rain. His dripping bangs covered forty percent of his face. His goldenrod irises seemed to flicker in the rain as he turned back at her. The drizzle had caused his shirt to tighten around his body, making his chizzled body frame much more apparent. His expression was lost, yet certain of his decision. "Think of it as a solo tour." JaK looked back to the city skyline. "Since our show things have picked up in sales and whatnot, you guys can do appearances and shows without me. Meanwhile, I'm gonna spread the word elsewhere." This wasn't the only reason he was going though, that much was evident.

"I need to better myself Bow...and there's only so much I can learn from standing still and watching." JaK clenched his fist. "When I come back, I'm gonna come back stronger." JaK turned to her and brushed a bang from his face. "Much, much stronger."

Bow growled and stood up, slapping him across the cheek before even realizing what she had done. When she did, she went wide eyed and gasped, tears rolling down her cheek, but she couldn't stop the path she was on now. "HOW CAN WE HAVE A BAND WITHOUT THE DRUMMER!?!?" Obviously that wasn't the main point, but she couldn't express herself properly right now. The rain started to pour even harder and her cloth clung to her body.

Then the next part came and she didn't even try to hold back. "What are you f***ing talking about!? When have you ever just stood on the sidelines!?" When he faced her again, she gripped his shirt and looked into his eyes, completely heart broken and feeling abandoned. Her voice was a sweet whisper. "...p-please... don't go..."

JaK was stood suspended, his eyes wide after the slap. Bow had...hit him..? He didn't know she literally had it in her to be aggressive in any sort of manner.

JaK stood silently in the rain. She was hysterical and rightly so. He grabbed hold of her and covered her mouth before she could speak anymore. "Don't beg..." he said. "I'm not worth it."

He uncovered her mouth and pulled her close, "I feel like..." He lowered his face into the bundle of wet, pink hair on her head and spoke quietly as he hugged her tight. "...I love you."

Silence.

"I love you dearly, as more than just a friend and bandmate." JaK had brought her up here to tell her his feelings; one last thing he had to do before he left. "What we've been doing, when I touch you...It doesn't mean nothing to me."

When he covered her mouth, all she could do was look up at him with her eyes shaking as the streams wouldn't stop rippling down her face. She gripped his shirt when he said he wasn't worth it and looked as if she was either going to cry even harder that he didn't think he had any self worth or rip his head off for being such an idiot.

Then he pulled her close and she buried her face in his chest. As he spoke those three words. Those simple three words. Her heart stopped. Even the rain froze for a moment. Then it fell as her heart did again. He was still leaving her, wasn't he? Why was he saying all of this now?

Her knees wobbled and she pulled him down onto the bench, staring up into his eyes for a long moment before reaching up and bringing his face to hers, kissing him with every ounce of love in her body. The two of them floating just inches off the seat before setting back down.

Spoiler:

As she pulled away, she stayed just centimeters from his face as she whispered, tears continuing to fall like the rain. "...I-I...Why now? I-if you love me, why are you leaving me? My heart has been screwed up ever since our first time together... I've loved you since the beginning but have been so damn afraid because I didn't think you could ever feel the same way about me. I'm the one not worth it, JaK. But I love you. And I am convinced that love makes you crazy... Because I know I'm crazy for you..." She was still sobbing and finished her little monologue with her face in his chest, gripping at his sweater as the rain wouldn't stop.

As their lips parted again, JaK's breaths became heavy. She seemed so sincere in her words to him and in all honesty he hadn't really known she felt this way. After all it was typical for teenagers to be physically aroused around one another. So he had really thought she had thought nothing of them being "together" since when he asked before, she brushed it off as them just being friends.

But now, now he knew the truth and that made leaving all that much harder. But...

JaK scooted away, seething from his teeth. "Wait for me," he said finally and turned away from her. "I'll be back for you Bow." JaK looked up and let the rain bathe his face. "To be honest I'm glad," he stood up and took a step forward while keeping his face directed at the sky. "I wasn't sure I was going to actually come back from this trip, but now..." He turned back towards Bow and smirked. "You've given me a reason to make sure I come home." He approached her and bent down in front of the girl, his hands gripping his knees, and face a mere inch away from her own. "You'll be my life line; reeling me back to my home and family, even if I stray too far." JaK liked that idea.

He extended his hand and let it glide up the side of her body to her cute face. "And when I get back, well be together." His yellow iris's were unfaltering in their connection with her orbs. "Soung good?"

"No." Her eyes closed and both of her hands gripped his on her cheek, laying into it as she broke down even more. "No. I-it sounds absolutely awful, JaK..." Her heart broke at every word he had uttered. They had just confessed to each other! And he was still going to go away!? "I-it's not fair! I-I don't want you to go!" She hated herself for being so selfish. It wasn't like her at all. Usually she would support him in any decision, but, love was making her crazy.

Slowly but surely; however, the pink haired girl opened her eyes once more and stared into his, tears still dripping, but her gaze was softer, more understanding, and most of all, filled with pure love. "I will wait for you, JaK. But please, try to come home soon, okay?" She forced a small smile and kissed his lips gently, not wanting to ever pull away, but did, whispering while still lingering close, eyes closed from kissing. "I never thought I would feel this way about anyone... I thought when I woke up that day, I had closed my heart for good... I thought every relationship with me would be superficial and only skin deep... But..." She looked up at him adoringly and the rain began to stop. "You broke me down and made me realize... I don't have to be afraid of love... True, deep love... Because everyone thinks they're unworthy... But that doesn't really matter... I love you for the you I know... And that's all I care about. Go. Learn what you want. And when you come back... You better teach me." She smiled genuinely this time and kissed him, full of passion, like it might be their last.

JaK seemed shocked by her words at first. "...Bow..." He was disappointed mainly in himself, he was putting her through so much anguish over this. But then Bow came back around and showed him her inner strength. "I admire you more than you'll ever know." As she finished addressing him he gave her the most harmonious gaze in history and rubbed her cheek. "You bet; I'll be your teacher, your lover, your everything." As soon as he uttered those words they began a passionate kiss, one that would lead to a very heavy make out session between the two.

The rain didn't seem like it was caused by their strife anymore, it was if it was washing it away - a purifying downpour - baptizing them and letting their relationship be born anew.