Work Text:
Jacob had never liked the ugly scars in his body, the ones that made him look like a freak,
the ones that got him sympathy and mocking started when getting changed for gym.
The colour clashes against his skin and itches up his back like a parasite, a filthy parasite that he’ll never be able to get rid off.
He remembers how he got all of his scars, some are from normal childhood accidents falling off his bike, getting beaten by a bully, falling and hitting off a table but then they were the ones on his back.
As much as he doesn't want to, he'll never forget how he got them, his father shoving him and ripping the skin of his back open on rocks. Not even looking at him, not caring enough to check up on him.
Another is from his mother grabbing his arm and pushing it onto the hot stove. The boy can still remember the smell of his burning skin.
He’d actually done a pretty good job at hiding them from the others, they hadn’t seen it yet.
The only thing saving him from pity and harassment was the layers of fabric.
He could never be so grateful for it.
That was until they went to a beach for a break, they had bought swimsuits for everyone. But Jacob insisted on wearing his normal
Outfit much to the others annoyance. He sat on the beach watching his family play and splash in the water, even Miss Peregrine was joining in even if it was just splashing the younger kids.
He really wished he could join them but they would probably find him disgusting.
They would see his ugly scars and never want to talk to him again, the scars itched and burned whenever he thought of them, a painful reminder from his parents. It was like someone was desperately clawing at his back.
The only thing that pulled him out out his pain was a gentle tap on the shoulder, he looked up and saw nothing, well nothing but a floating swimsuit
“Hey Millard.” He tried to sound happy but his tone was flat and clearly upset which unknown to anyone caused Millard to frown
“Hey Jake! Are you ok.?” The younger older? The worry was clear in his voice
“Oh yeah don't worry about it I’m fine!”
“Jake.” His voice was Insistent almost demanding
“What? I am!” The shakiness of his voice was making it clear he wasn’t and unknown to Jacob deepened the frown on mallards face
“Jake.”
“Millard I swear I am, why wouldn’t I be!”
“Jake please your killing me, what’s wrong” his tone went down to nothing more than a whisper “is it why your wearing a long sleeve at the beach”
“Oh! No no no don’t worry I’m not doing that I swear!” Millard nodded before looking down at the ground
“Then what is the reason..” Millard put an arm around jacob as he sat down next to him
“Don’t be mad at me.” Jacob clasped his hands together before fidgeting. He had never told anyone but something about them made jacob trust them
“Why would I be mad at you, i doubt you did anything wrong it’s not like you” Millard let out a wet laugh at the end of the sentence
‘it really wasn’t like jacob, jacob but as sweet and naive as much as he hates to be sometimes’ Millard thought to himself
“I just…I’m……”He sighed before letting out an almost silent “it’s just hard to talk about”
“It’s fine take all the time you need I’ll be here” The invisible boy took Jacob’s hands which were still fighting in his lap
“I have..scars I guess”
“Scars..?” Millard looked at him
wondering why he would hide scars they fought so hard it’s not wonder he had them. Jacob must have heard his thoughts because he let out a Little
“They’re not from the Library of souls or anything like that..”
‘Oh’
“There from my parents and I just.” The boy let out a sigh
“I just don’t want you guys to hate me because of them.”
Millard was pissed.
Very fucking pissed but he tried not to let it show instead pulling jacob close
“No one. And I mean no one will hate you for something like that. Ok? This is not your fault”
Millard felt Jacob nod into the crook of his shoulder and sighed.
It felt like every time his parents were brought up he hated them more and more, people should pray for them if Millard ever got his hands on them.
“Sorry sorry i shouldn’t be crying, it’s just something dumb” Millard grabbed Jacob my the face
“don’t. This ain’t dumb or your fault.”
He made sure Jacob kept eye contact
“it’s not. Your fault.”
Millard sighed before looking at the others who were still playing in the water.
“Now, I brought you a swimsuit incase you wanted to change so how about you go put it on and we go have fun with the others”
his voice was calming and I made jacob feel safe.
So he did just that he put the swimsuits on and took his shirt off, it had been a good while since people had seen his scars.
Maybe it won’t be as bad as last time?
He walked over to where Millard was waiting for him.
…
Millard knew it would be bad but he didn’t think it would be that bad. His arm was horribly scard and looked like he had been in a house fire, his back looked like it had been torn open my a wild animal and hadn’t healed right.
It was times like this that he was greatful for his peculiarity, so Jacob wouldn’t have to see the anger etched onto his face,
they had done this,
the people that Jacob had asked to go to instead of staying with them.
Millard would rip his parents appart but for the now he took jacobs hand and led him to the water making light conversation to calm him down.
When they got close to the water all eyes were on them, on him, on his scars. But surprisingly what he saw wasn’t silent pity or mocking glances but pure protective instinct.
He could tell they wanted to ask him what happened and who they had to kill but to his surprise nothing came but normal conversation.
They were ignoring it to not make him uncomfortable, and he couldn’t have been happier.
Behind Jacob, Millard was sending a silent signal
‘not a word’
and they sent one back
‘promise.’