Dead Or Alive |Laughing Jack X Masky|

Close Calls & Close Bodies

LJ laid his head down on the rather plush pillow Trender had given him. They had decided to stay the night to fill up and rest, leaving first thing the next morning. Masky was chatting away with Trenderman as if they were old pals, which for some reason irked LJ. He didn't like the fact that Masky could stand being that close to him; he couldn't stand the fact that he could talk to him that easily, when 99% of the time, Masky and him were mutes around each other. He was, in every way he could think of, jealous.
"LJ," Masky's cool voice brought him out of his dark cloud, his attention suddenly on the hidden boy. "Would you like to try some of Trender's pot pie? It's pretty good."
"No," he muttered, his now even darker cloud returning. He felt a presence kneel next to him, and he suddenly worried if they were planning on taking him out this whole time.
"LJ," Masky spoke once again.
LJ remained silent and grumpy, his nose pressed against the back of the couch.
"LJ, don't fucking ignore me."
"Oh, hmm? Were you talking to me?" LJ said, playing the innocent act. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you!"
He turned his head only to be face to...mask, with Masky. He blinked once. Twice. Finally Masky looked away; though only to look at Trender.
"Trender, I'm going to sleep. Please turn off the lights."
"Very well, very well!" Trender clasped his hands together, and suddenly all the lights in the living room had clicked off. They heard a door open, and the tall, slim figure enter the other room, then there was complete and utter silence.
LJ could still feel Masky kneeling next to him, and he shook his head in disbelief. "That must be a damn uncomfortable position to sleep in," he muttered.
"Scoot over."
"Eh?"
"I said scoot over."
LJ scooted as close to the couch as he could, confused. Soon enough, another body was laying right next to him, a face pressed into his shoulder. He tensed up, slightly confused.
"For a killer clown, you sure do have a lot of teenage girl emotions."
"Tch," was all LJ could muster in response.
The small boy was right, though. He felt a wave of emotion he had never felt before, and his hands were shaking, though concealed by his own body.
He took a deep breath before turning around, facing the other boy. Masky looked up at him, and he almost had the urge to kiss him. Almost.
"Just...go to sleep."
Masky nodded, now pressing his face into his chest. LJ placed his hand on the small of Masky's back. Just so he won't fall off. Or so he told himself.
He closed his eyes, drifting off into his own, restless sleep.

"Well, well, well. What close bodies I see," Trender's voice awoke the two.
Though he hasn't wrong. They were somehow even close than they were when they fell asleep. Masky had his arms around LJ's waist, LJ had an arm around his torso. Their legs were tangled together, and they almost looked like a couple. If it weren't for the fact they were cold blooded killers.
Masky sheepishly sat up, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I was cold."
Trender let out a hum, placing a plate of eggs in front of them. "I don't have much food, so you'll just have to deal with this for breakfast."
They nodded before getting started. They ate in comfortable silence, LJ sneaking a glance at Masky through the corner of his eye every now and then. Masky did the same, though less noticeable thanks to his mask.
Masky suddenly dropped his fork on his plate, looking up at Trenderman, whom was towering over them, watching their every move.
"We need to head off. It's a weeks journey on foot to Splendors."
"A week?!" LJ exclaimed, his mouth forming an O.
Masky nodded, getting up. LJ followed Masky's lead, frowning.
"A frown doesn't suit your face," Masky said as he headed towards the front door.
"You once told me nothing suits my face," LJ pointed out, remembering the days before the federals took all but one 'pasta and one proxy down.
"I lied."
LJ blinked at Masky's response. What was he saying? Is this what flirting is? Should he flirt back?
"You have a nice...mask." What the fuck, LJ?
"You once said it looks like it belongs on a toilet seat."
"I lied."
Masky whipped around, causing LJ to jump back, slightly startled. He couldn't tell what Masky was doing, or feeling. His fists clenched up in small fists. "Trender told you?"
"Told me? Told me what?"
"Never mind. Fucking forget it. Stop mocking me, dickhead."
"Eh-"
Masky was already turned around, stomping away. LJ let him be, deciding not to think more about it. They'd be walking for a week, only a few short breaks for food and sleep. LJ didn't need to be chewing on the same thought the whole time.

They were about an hour away from Trender's now, neither of them had said anything to the other. Suddenly Masky stopped, causing LJ to bump into him. "Federals."
They were everywhere. It looked to be a murder scene, and a brutal one at that. The blood had splattered in all directions, as if poured, the limbs were severed and placed in a rectangle shape around the deceased.
One of the men in blue glanced up, making eye contact with LJ.
"There! The monsters, get them!"
"Run," Masky said. "Run!"
They turned on their heels, running aimlessly away. LJ jumped over several trash cans, falling on his elbows more than once. Each time he'd get up, and leave another cloud of dust behind him. He turned down every alley he saw, scaling several walls and, again, falling down.
"I think we're okay," he panted after a while, resting against a wall.
He turned his head to look at Masky, though only to be met with a vast emptiness. Inside and out. "Masky?"
He got up, panic washing over him. "Masky!?"
He shouted his name over and over again, running back towards the direction he came from. He'd stop at every turn, to look around for the small boy. Though he never saw him. He eventually made it back to the scene of the murder, the police all huddled together. There was a figure in the back seat.
"No.." LJ turned around, pressing his back against the brick wall he was hiding behind. "No, no, no, no, no!"
He rose his fist, aiming towards the brick wall. A small hand wrapped around his wrist, stopping him. He turned his head, met with a brown eyed, brown haired boy.
He tore himself from his grip, backing away. "Who the fuck are you?!"
"LJ," he spoke.
"Masky?..."
"I had to take it off...they almost had me."
LJ slowly advanced towards him, before carefully embracing him. "That....that was a close call."