morality

[duke_of_illusions]

As Barma promised, he returns the next morning, ready to help poor Jack acclimatize to the mansion. He knocks on the door gently, reluctant to wake him if he's sleeping.

"Jack?"

Comments

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

Barma comes in slowly, and gives him a nod and faint smile.

"You're awake."

[surfacage.livejournal.com]

He smiles brightly at the older man, letting the bandages fall all over the bed.

"Uh-huh. And I'm still here!"

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"Why are you taking those off?"

He asks, curiously.

[surfacage.livejournal.com]

"I think they're pretty," he answers, raising a hand over his eyes. "And once they heal, I don't want to forget how they look like right now."

His tone is laced with childish vindictiveness, and he giggles. "I'm going to take scissors and do the same thing to who made me do this!"

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"Jack."

Barma's voice takes on a stern note.

[surfacage.livejournal.com]

Jack stares at the older man, shivering a little at his tone of voice. Maybe he shouldn'tve told Barma that...

"I'll be neat, I promise!"

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"Do you understand that hurting people is wrong?"

[surfacage.livejournal.com]

"They hurt me first."

He doesn't see the problem either way.

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"And you didn't like that, yes? So it would be wrong to do to anyone else. You know that they would feel the way you do."

[surfacage.livejournal.com]

"But...that would be why I would do it!"

He defends, rolling over and propping himself up on his elbows. "If they make me feel bad, then I make them feel bad too."

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"No, Jack. There are far more rewarding things than petty revenge."

[surfacage.livejournal.com]

"Is that what it's called?"

Blinks up, curiously, wiggling his fingers.

"What does that mean?"

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"It means you should focus on getting better and growing yourself, rather than hurting others."

[surfacage.livejournal.com]

"...why would I do that?"

An honest question. "It sounds boring."

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"Because it's right, Jack."

[surfacage.livejournal.com]

"Why is it right? Is there a book somewhere saying it is...?"

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"No. It's an unspoken social contract."

[surfacage.livejournal.com]

Jack stares at him for a full minute, and his face falls. He doesn't understand any of it, and he's taking it as being reprimanded for one of the rules that older people always liked to impose on him.

"...'kay, sir."

Not that he's going to follow Barma anyway.

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"Do you understand, Jack? Mindless obedience means nothing, I want you to know what I mean."

[surfacage.livejournal.com]

He shakes his head. "Um, I don't. But I'll be good!"

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"All right. Let's try again."

They'll get this.

"Would you say you liked me, when you first met me?"

[surfacage.livejournal.com]

"Uh-huh."

He sits up properly for this, hair all over the place.

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"Would you have liked me if I had done that to your hands, rather than helping heal them?"

Barma smiles, and moves forward.

"Sit up, I'll braid."

[surfacage.livejournal.com]

The thought makes him flinch, and he scrambles back on the bed, away from Rufus. He did wake up with his hands already that way, and the man was there, and --

He shakes his head, terrified.

[info-barma.livejournal.com]

"I would never, ever, do a thing like that to you."

Barma swears to him.

"On my life."