37. Water

 Water

Jack hadn't even registered what had happened when his eyes met Hunters, every other time he would crack a joke about the situation. But this time he could feel it in his bones, after his fall- he was really dead. When he died the previous times he lost consciousness shortly before. This time he could feel the weightlessness and he was fully awake as his body shattered. Even when this time was shorter than a second before he died, he remembered as he was gripped by a dark and cold force and he could feel himself disappear. He felt the moment that is said to not be imaginable for the human brain. The nothingness, the disappearance of oneself. And what he felt at this moment was not only shock but also the craving of warmth. 

He circled his arms around Hunter and pressed him against himself. Hunter's eyes were wide open as he felt the body warmth, before greedily breathing Jack's scent in.

Jack burrowed his head in Hunter's neck, holding him tightly. "That was so fucking scary, absolut terrifying, I...." He fought to vocalize what he tried to say. 

"It's over, it won't happen again, everything is alright." Hunter brought them back in a sitting -position and cradled the other while combing through his hair, the same way Jack had done it earlier on himself. He felt Jack shiver at his experience. That was new, the always happy and strong man sought out warmth, and the recipient was himself. Hunter himself tried to bend his lips down, but he could not win against himself. He felt euphoric and he tried to tell himself that it was because Jack survived, which was partly the truth, and not because he had him in his arms, and in a state so vulnerable- a state only he knew now, and nobody else. The last time he had seen Jack die, the other had laughed. This time, both felt real terror. And they were alone. Now he was the most important person in Jack's life. A mad glint illuminated his black eyes. Hunter gripped him tighter when Jack wanted to release the hug. With his other hand he tried to cover his own face, which he knew had taken on a creepy countenance.

When they finally broke the hug Hunter's lips trembled and he felt nervous. He suddenly blurted out "Let's be best friends." He had thought about this before, they were friends already, they accepted each other and went through life and death together. It was time to be more than friends.

Jack looked at him astonished, "Aren't we already?" He laughed and said "And blood brothers too." Looking down at all the expected blood that should have covered them both, he was surprised. "Why is it like this?" There was no blood, just red powder.

'Best friends, blood brothers, best friends, blood brothers' Hunter didn't know how these words put together could sound so magnificently. He repeated them in his head, and had to cover his face again as he sighed, enraptured.

He tried to focus back on Jack and saw the powder, probing it, he was sure it had to be blood. He narrowed his eyes "The fluid was removed. That was your blood...." 

Jack thought a bit then his eyes widened "It was you! Your power? Water?" He grinned. 

"What about your blood that is special and pulverized itself after being on the air or something like this?"

"Na, no way... I have bled enough to know that my blood doesn't do that." 

Hunter had to agree. "True." 

"Try to do something with water." Jack urged. 

"Let's get out of here first." Hunter contradicted

Jack looked around, found his backpack not far away, tested a few steps and found he could move without a problem, then took out a water bottle and without warning splashed it right at Hunter's face. Hunter reflexively closed his eyes but he didn't feel wet. 

"Cool..." Jack stared agape at the water flying in front of Hunter's face. Hunter had his eyes open again and was astonished as he moved his hand and the water followed his every motion. 

"See, I knew it." the smug boy commented, shifting his head to eye the moving water.

"Wow... '' Hunter played a bit, then thought of drinking the water, he wanted to make it fly in his mouth but instead the water disappeared, and he felt hydrated. Apparently he had absorbed it.