Anomalies ✔

Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE: SNARL

My desire and wish is that the things I start with should be so obvious that you wonder why I spend my time stating them. This is what I aim at because the point of philosophy is to start with something so simple as not to seem worth stating, and to end with something so paradoxical that no one will believe it. 
-Bertrand Russell

Jasper fell asleep in the car, face cuddled in my neck and hands holding onto me so tightly, I was sure that during his dream, he was scared to let go of something.

And in trying to wake him up, after finally getting his arms from around my waist with the help of Dela- -I wouldn't let Axel touch him- -and taking his face in my hands, him curling into the middle as soon as he registered I wasn't there, I noticed that the once just-red faded marks became bruises.

Actual bruises.

Bruises that are light enough to be ignored from a distance, but by pulling him closer I can clearly see the imprints of Axel's fingertips.

"Axel." I snarl, turning sharply to face him. "What the fuck."

Axel steps back, Eris even stepping in front of him with a small frown on her usually smiling face.

"What did I do?" The girls murmur something to him that makes him wince and turn to with a sheepish smile, "Uh...he bruises easy."

"That means you should be extra careful!" My anger rises and I know that I tic, but take a deep breath so my adrenaline doesn't send my body into a frenzy. "Go the fuck away."

"But, Jazz-"

"No, go away- -Sasuke!- -or I swear to fuck," Snapping this, I step closer with my fists clenched, making Nyx do the same -jumping to the defense of her family. "You'll be bruised too."

Dela and Eris lead Axel away, going to the Under Eye Tea Bags that Jasper gave them directions for, they leave me with Damien and Nyx who look like they couldn't care less about me now that I'm not threatening anyone.

I guess they know that I won't hurt Jasper.

Couldn't bring myself to even if I tried.

"Hey, Jitterbug, come on," Climbing half way back into the car, I pull on Jasper's hands to pull his arms around my sides -knowing that when his body is completely exposed he tends to notice even in sleep and wake up. "You have to -mph!"

Without warning, Jasper's grip goes from slack-loose to tight as he tugs me into him -making my knees bang into the bottom of the car floor.

"More sleep?" He asks me, voice tired and gruff.

His sleepy voice is so hot.

But this is so not the time for that.

Not when the anger in me is doubling, not when Axel's face is begging for my fist because god dammit another man left bruises on my musician and that isn't something I think I could ever ignore.

"No more sleep." I instruct, voice tight with anger. "You have to wake up."

Slowly, Jasper blinks awake and we're able to climb out of the car where he nods to his older sister, "Mornin'."

"Nah, dipshit," Nyx shakes her head. "It's afternoon."

Grateful she didn't say anything, I just bury my hands deep in my pocket and lead the way to Under Eye Tea Bags -only half-aware that I'm stomping and glaring so heavily at the ground.

If I truly see how much damage Axel did to Jasper's face, there's no doubt in my mind that I'll actually punch him.

Hearing murmuring behind me, probably from Jasper being confused and Nyx answering- -Damien doesn't speak much, if at all- -I try to ignore it and focus on something else, anything else to get the anger out of my system.