Work Text:
It was a sunny day, and Jack was in the middle of training, practicing with a random student from Savanaclaw. Suddenly, a bright flash appeared in front of him. He stepped back in surprise, but as he did, he tripped over something and fell backward.
When he looked up, he realized he was no longer outside on the sunny track or sitting on the green grass. Instead, he found himself in a dark room furnished with a couple of couches and some snacks. Alarmed, he quickly got up and began to walk around the room, his ears flattening against his head in fear and uncertainty. He pulled out his phone only to discover there was no signal. With a scoff, he put the phone back in his pocket.
As he walked toward one of the couches and sat down, more and more people started teleporting in, all of them his classmates and upperclassmen. He observed their panicked expressions until Leona spoke up, "Calm down. There’s a note on the table... Hey, Jack, read the note." Jack nodded and picked it up to read aloud:
"T he video you are about to see is a music video set to a song called ' My R. ' The video is short it's only three minutes and thirty-nine seconds long . You will all be teleported back to where you were after the video ends . Ah , and everyone—good luck !"
As he finished reading the note aloud, he heard Ace groan in annoyance. “Do we HAVE to...?” Riddle smacked the back of Ace's head. “Of course we do; we don’t have any other option.” As Riddle explained, he sat down, and slowly the other students followed suit, talking among themselves.
Ruggie and Leona sat next to Jack. Ruggie sighed, “Ugh, this stinks. At least we get free food.” He smirked and reached for a sandwich, but Leona slapped his hand away. “Don’t be dumb; just sit and watch whatever video we have to.” Ruggie pouted but complied, leaning back on the couch.
Suddenly, they heard Vil call out, “Alright, are we all settled so we can watch this video?” They all shouted, “Yeah!”
As Vil pressed the play button on his remote, the TV turned on, and the room grew even darker. Jack felt a lump catch in his throat as he leaned back on the couch, feeling uncomfortable. He felt his tail tucked back and his ears pressed against his head. Leona noticed his unease, but he said nothing.
As the video starts, there’s a sound of footsteps on a set of stairs . A person wearing black leather biker boots walks up . The scene then shifts to a door that opens with a loud creak.
Jack's eyes widened as he realized what the video would be. He felt his heart drop and glanced over at Leona and Ruggie; they looked confused.
A pair of black short-length gloves reach for the black leather biker boots.
'J ust as I was about to take my shoes, '
The video cuts to Jack reaching for his boot . Abruptly , he skims up in surprise.
'O ff on the rooftop there, I se e '
Ruggie looks over at Jack and mumbles a quiet ''Jack why are you up at the roof?'' tho Jack doesn't answer he is too afraid to answer.
The perspective shifts to show things from Jack’s point of view, revealing that he is standing on the rooftop . The scene also shows Jamil, who is on the school rooftop, gripping the protective railing while precariously balanced on the ledge of the far side—one wrong step could make him fall.
'A boy with black braided hair here before me, '
Jack frowned as he looked over where Jamil was sitting and Kalim who sat next to him was staring at the screen in horror. Jamil was just trying to hide his face he felt ashamed that this was shown to everyone.
The perspective shows Jack looking unsure, before closing his eyes and sighing.
'D espite myself, I go and scream .'
'' HEY, don't do it please . ''
The video goes black-screen, and the words “ MY R ” flash up on the screen.
Kalim looked back at Jamil, his eyes watering. "Jamil, why...?" Jamil didn’t answer; he only tried to hide his face further. Kalim held his hand, trying to comfort both Jamil and himself.
Jack glanced over at Leona and Ruggie, their brows furrowed in concern. Their tails swing quickly showing that they feel anxious.
The camera reveals Jack’s surprised face.
'W hoa, wait a minute, what did I just say ?'
He lowers his head and shakes it before looking back up determinedly.
'I couldn't care less either way'
'T o be honest, I was somewhat pisse d '
'T his was an opportunity missed .'
Jack heard Ruggie's breath hitch as he felt Ruggie's eyes glaring at him in concern, Jack cowered his tail swaying in anxiety.
The video shows Jamil . His eyes are wide in shock . He opens his mouth as he starts to speak.
'T he boy with black braided hair told me his woes .'
Jamil shuts his eyes, raising his shoulders in what looks to be embarrassment.
'' You've probably heard it all before ''
The scene changes to show a flickering shot of a younger Jamil next to an asleep Kalim . It also shows him playing with Kalim's hair .
"I really thought that he might be the one . ''
The video then changes to show Jamil arguing with Kalim, and then suddenly Kalim pushes Jamil aside and just storms away.
'' But then he told me he was don e "
Kalim gasped as he looked at the screen and then back to Jamil, feeling tears roll down his face. He pulled Jamil into a tight hug, whispering something to him. Eventually, Jamil revealed his tear-filled face and hugged Kalim back.
It was a heartwarming moment, but the glare from Ruggie was anything but pleasant. Jack heard Ruggie whisper something to the equally disorientated Leona, something along the lines of, "We need to talk with Jack after this..." Leona nodded in agreement.
The scene shifts to reveal a frustrated Jack, his fist clenched against his chest.
'' For God's sake, please ! Are you serious ? I just can't believe it. ''
'' That for some stupid reason, you got here before me. ''
The shot shows Jamil’s face as his eyes water tears threatening to fall, then changes again to Jack.
'' Are you upset 'cause you can't have what you wanted? ''
The video changes to a flickering shot of two smiling kids his sister and brother . The happy shot changes to them looking terrified, then changes again to show a young scared Jack . He looked like he was in a fight surrounded by older and stronger kids.
'' You're lucky that you've never gotten robbed of anything! ''
Jack glanced over at Leona and Ruggie and noticed their appalled expressions. He also observed that their ears were slightly pinned back against their heads, which indicated they seemed anxious. But why were they feeling this way? They usually didn't show their emotions so openly, so what had changed?
The shot changes to show Jamil’s face as tears roll down his face , he is still crying, but smiling.
" I 'm feeling better thank you for listenin g "
Jamil climbed over and back to the safety of the rooftop far from the ledge , still smiling, he left, leaving only Jack on the rooftop.
'T he boy with the braided hair then disappeared .'
Jack heard Kalim whisper to Jamil, "We will talk about this later, Jami," and Jamil nodded weakly.
Jack glances at the door and lets out a sigh . He walks back to the entryway stairwell and pushes the door open, closing it securely behind him . The colors of the sky shift, indicating that time has passed, and when he opens the door once more, the scene has changed.
The video then shows Jack nodding his head.
"A lright, today's the day! " or so I thought .
Jack winced as he noticed both Ruggie AND Leona's ears pin down further and their tails swaying slowly and unsurely Jack was sure he was going to get scolded for this later.
The video shows Jack, with one shoe already pulled off, and working on the other one when he looks up in surprise.
'J ust as I took both of my shoes off .'
It switches to show Deuce with his back to the railing, on the far side again.
'T here was but a boy short as can be .'
Then the video switches to show Jack sighing before reaching out a hand.
'D espite myself, I go and scream .'
Jack heard Ace yell out, "Deuce, what the hell!? Why couldn't you have told me or something? Like, at least tell someone!" Ace's voice sounded shaky, while Deuce tried to shuffle away from his dorm group. He felt regretful and didn't want anyone to see him in this moment.
Jack managed to grab Deuce's arm, now holding it in a protective yet gentle grip.
'T he petite boy told me his woes .'
The scene changes to show Deuce’s tear-stained face , as he glimpses down and to the ground down underneath him.
' Y ou've probably heard it all before .'
The scene changes to a flickering photo of a younger Deuce sitting alone at his desk.
"E veryone ignores me, everyone steals. ''
The shot then changes to show the current Deuce looking down at scattered papers all over the place, with his shoulders scrunched up and small tears rolling down his face.
I don't fit in with anyone her e "
As the scene unfolded, Ace shot up and yelled, “You fit in perfectly What do you mean!?” After shouting that, he turned around to see Deuce becoming anxious, he quickly sat down next to him. He began whispering words of comfort to Deuce, who then started crying once again, shielding his face from the stares of others.
Riddle, Trey, and Cater just watched the scene play out with sad gazes, they quietly agreed to wait until Deuce was comfortable to tell them what this all meant.
The video shifts to show Jack looking down . The camera angle changes just in time to capture Deuce turning his head, looking stunned tears still rolling down his face.
'' For God's sake, please ! Are you serious ? I just can't believe. ''
The video shifts back to Jack, who squeezed Deuce's arm, his ears resting and his tail swaying slowly . He smiles, though there is no real joy in his eyes.
'' That for some stupid reason you got here before me. ''
Jack could have sworn he had seen Leona stiffen up at that sentence.
Ruggie was gripping his yellow bandana and tugging at it slightly feeling more anxious.
The scene changes to a flickering shot of Deuce joking with all his friends, a bright smile on his face.
'' Cause, even so, you're still loved by everyone at home ''
The shot then changes to one of a young Jack sitting on the muddy floor and some random kids were tugging at his wolf ears, they were kicking mud at him Jack was crying but he didn't fight back he couldn't burden his already struggling parents.
'' There's always dinner waiting on the table, you know! ''
As that was shown Jack felt his shoulder hitch up as he tried to hold back a cry.
Leona and Ruggie noticed his behavior but they couldn't say anything cause they were staring at the TV.
The video changes to Deuce lowering his head and smiling, tears rolling down his cheeks.
" I 'm hungry, " said the boy
Deuce turns and hops back over to the safe side of the rooftop, walking over to the exit with a soft smile, just like Jamil.
'T he boy short as can be then disappeare d'
Ace tugged Deuce into a half hug as he felt Deuce rest his head on his shoulder. Ace quietly whispered, "Deuce, we can talk about this later..." Deuce nodded and closed his eyes.
Jack smiled as he watched the scene but felt Ruggie grab his hand. He looked over at Ruggie, but before he could say anything, Ruggie spoke first. "Jack, we will talk about this, okay?" Ruggie's ears flopped down. Jack didn’t respond; he just looked back at the TV.
(he also didn't notice Leona and Ruggie's worried face)
The shot shows the rooftop again , the first one shown was Sebek then it fades into showing Vil.
'A nd like that, there was someone every day .'
As This video was shown to their respective dorms, they panicked and called out for each other. Lilia quickly grabbed Sebek, while Malleus, too surprised to react, remained still, though everyone knew he would comfort him later. Meanwhile, Rook grabbed Vil's hand and began whispering soothing words, while Epel could only pat Vil's back in support.
The video changes to show Floyd slanting back on the railing, talking to Jack with a rare soft smile.
'I listened to their tale .'
As that was shown Jack heard Floyd chuckle awkwardly ''Oya~ this was also shown...''
Azul and Jade quickly jumped up to Floyd's side. "Floyd, why?!" Floyd tried to ignore them, but they didn't budge. They spoke quietly; it was mostly Jade and Azul, but still.
It then changes to show Floyd gone, but Jack is now glancing down at the floor and it shows Cater , who is sitting there knees to his chest.
'I made them turn away .'
Trey quickly went to comfort and calm Cater down as he started to panic. Cater calmed down but Trey still held him close.
The shot changes to show Jack’s emotionless expression.
'A nd yet there was no one who would do this for me .'
A few tear stains appeared on his face as Jack was breathing heavily and he started running through the void but then suddenly-.
'N o way I could let out all this pai n'
-A string of rapidly flashing images show up on the screen, including a younger Jack playing with Vil but then it shows two boys beating him up, and then it shows his middle school locker filled with notes telling him to die and kill himself it even shows Jack's parents arguing while Jack hid and lastly it shows Leona's over blot and a hurt Jack and Ruggie on the ground.
Ruggie groaned as he complained ''That was too fast Leona did you see anything!?'' his ears flickered as he looked at Leona but he shook his head ''No... I only saw my overblot form tho why would that be there.''
(Jack was grateful for that)
The scene changes to show Jack hitting the stairwell door, and panting . He darts up and his eyes go wide.
'F or the very first time, there I se e '
This time, on the other side of the railing, staring at the camera, there’s a slightly younger version of Jack-but for some reason his eyes are dull .
( he's 14 turning 15 here)
'S omeone with the same pains as m e'
He’s wearing his old school uniform but his tail was cut and destroyed.
'H aving done this time and time agai n'
Jack could not look at anyone; he was ashamed of this part of his life. He felt as though everyone was either staring at him or at the video.
(Leona was confused but he felt Jack getting more and more anxious)
The camera focuses on his younger self.
'H e wore a uniform .'
The slightly younger Jack started talking his eyes looking dull and empty.
'' I just wanna stop the scars that grow ''
The scene changes to the present time Jack staring in horror as the younger Jack raises his leg acting as if he is going to walk off the ledge with an emotionless look on his face .
'' Every time that I go home ''
Vil felt his shoulders stiffen. He and Jack were friends, so seeing Jack like this was slightly worrisome. He glanced at Ruggie and Leona, the two beastmen looked disarranged. Ruggie tightened his hold on Jack, trying to comfort the younger boy, while Leona just watched with an unreadable look.
Epel noticed that Jack was sulking and found himself resisting the urge to jump in and comfort the glum wolf beastman.
Sebek also saw that Jack was feeling down and tried to pull Lilia away, but he just hugged him tighter. Sebek sighed; he wanted to comfort his friend.
Ace and Deuce were worried about Jack. He had always been there to help others, yet it seemed like no one was offering him support. That was about to change after this video.
Ortho patted Idia's back. Idia had been scared and anxious since the beginning, but Ortho was particularly concerned for Jack. The video showcased many moments when Ortho struggled to read Jack's expressions or noticed that he seemed emotionless.
The slightly younger Jack smiled as he looked over the edge, the camera showing the tears coming from the slightly younger Jack .
" T hat's why I came up here instea d "
The camera swaps back to the present Jack who has an alarmed 7expression.
' T hat's what the boy in the uniform sai d '
Jack covers his mouth with his hand, lightly trembling.
'W hoa, wait a minute, what did I just say ?'
The camera cuts back to the lifeless face of the younger version of Jack tho it seems like he is smiling but the smile doesn't reach his eyes .
'I couldn't care less either way'
The younger Jack starts by bracing his hands on the railing ...
'B ut in the moment I just screamed .'
It shows Jack's horrified face as he starts reaching his hand out for the younger one's arm in an attempt to save him.
'S omething that I did not believe .'
The screen fades from black to white and black text is shown
"H ey, don't do it please !"
The younger Jack turns his head over his shoulder, eyes still empty . And he starts inching closer to the edge .
'Aah, what to do? I can't stop this boy, oh this is new.'
The camera switches to the current Jack as he starts tearing up . And it shows him swiftly grabbing the younger Jack's arm just in case he might slip.
'F or once I think I've bitten off more than I can che w '
His tears start flowing down his face.
''But even so please just go away so I can't see''
The camera reverses back to younger Jack as his expression slightly softens . The scene then changes to flickering photos of Jack getting ganged up on by some random Savanaclaw kids . The shot then changes to Jack cleaning up some cuts on his arms and legs , he was also trying to fix up his ruined tail and uniform.
'' Your pitiful expression is just too much for me! ''
The video turns back to the younger Jack standing on the rooftop.
"I guess today is just not my da y "
The camera turns around to the current Jack as he looks up in surprise . He looks behind him, but the younger Jack has already faded.
'H e looked away from me and then he disappeared .'
As that was shown suddenly Leona's gaze turned dark he looked over at Jack who was looking down at his lap in embarrassment and Leona asked quietly ''Jack who were those boys... the ones who ganged up on you?'' Jack just kept quiet which irritated Leona ''Jack don't you dare keep quiet just fucking tell me'' Jack then mumbled some random names of 2 juniors Leona didn't know them but he will soon find out so he can give them a taste of their own medicine.
As Leona meticulously plotted a murder, a wave of shock washed over Ruggie as he stared at the screen in disbelief. He was acutely aware of the disdain the other Savanaclaw students held for Jack since he disrupted their schemes. However, to gang up against him so ruthlessly? That crossed a line in Ruggie's eyes. His heart raced as he tightened his grip on Jack's arm, feeling the tension in the air and sensing the weight of their situation.
The atmosphere in the room was charged with a mix of frustration and concern as the other first years grappled with the situation. Ace and Deuce were practically throwing their voices into the fray, shouting about how Jack should have informed them beforehand; their words were filled with a blend of anger and protective camaraderie. “If he had told us, we would have taken those dumbasses down!” they exclaimed, their passion echoing off the walls.
Meanwhile, Epel sat seething in silence, his brow furrowed in a scowl that revealed the depth of his displeasure. Beside him, Vil gripped the armrest of the couch so tightly that his knuckles turned white; his usual composed demeanor was overshadowed by the unspoken tension hanging in the air. Across from him, Sebek struggled with his emotions, his face a mix of frustration and sadness as he held back the urge to reprimand Jack for his silence.
In the midst of all this, Jack felt a wave of emotion swell within him. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes as he realized just how much these friends truly cared for him. It was one thing to know that they valued his presence, but this level of concern was something he had never anticipated. The warmth of their support enveloped him, leaving him both touched and astonished at their fierce loyalty.
The video then shows Jack’s back . He’s wearing the Savanaclaw student uniform with a yellow cardigan over it instead of his normal black jacket.
' T here's no one here today , I guess it's time .'
'It's just me, myself, and I'
The video switches, as Jack is shown over the railing.
' T here's no one who can interfere .'
It shows Jack holding the railing in a loose grip.
'N o one to get in my way here .'
The camera swaps, showing Jack’s cardigan hanging on the railing.
'T aking off my yellow cardiga n'
The video changes back to Jack, showing his hair wavering slightly in the breeze.
'W atching my braids all come undone .'
As the video continued Jack noticed the horrified look on his friends as they presumably watched their friend try and kill himself.
Jack put his head down feeling slight shame as everyone was going to see this.
The video changes back to Jack, taking one final deep breath and letting it out in haste . Then the shot changes to a person running towards Jack, the distance slowly shortening as they extend their arm.
'T his petite boy, short as can b e'
Leona felt his ears perk up as the video showed someone running to save Jack ''Seems like I've got to pay back whoever saved Jack'' Leona mumbled quietly to himself.
Jack looked to the sky, closed his eyes, and pushed himself forward
'I s gonna jump now and be free -'
As Jack pushes himself forward, the video suddenly turns black, and the music fades out. It slowly fades back in with a soft melody, revealing someone holding Jack's wrist. The camera pans up to show Malleus Draconia gripping Jack's wrist tightly. He pulls Jack up, panting slightly as if he has just run a marathon.
''Horned bastard!? You saved Jack?'' Leona shouted out as he glanced at Malleus.
Malleus simply nodded as he glanced over to the screen ''I was just walking around not doing much and then I noticed Jack up at the rooftop I panicked and started running to try and save him.'' Jack felt a small flush appear on his face he felt embarrassed as he heard what Malleus said ''You didn't have to-'' Malleus cut in ''Oh yes I most definitely did you were going to die if I didn't come in time...Now I suppose you and Ruggie will help him?'' Leona nodded ''Don't worry about lil frosh here he'll be safe you should worry about your first year'' Leona pointed at Sebek as Malleus simply smiled ''Oh You don't have to worry he will be fine soon enough when I learn why he was up there'' Sebek let out a quiet yelp as he heard his name mentioned, as the room was filled with chatter suddenly a loud noise was heard from the TV they all stopped talking and they looked over at the TV.
Alright since the Video has ended you are all going to be teleported back to your original places . Thank you for your patience and good night . Also Leona, Malleus, Ace, and everyone else don't force your friends to open up about this , give them some time . Anyway , that's all goodnight .
As the TV slowly turned off, everyone was being teleported back to their respective places. While Jack waited for his turn, he felt a tug on his sleeve. Looking down, he saw Ruggie pulling at his sleeve and heard him mumble quietly, "I'll see you at the dorms after this; we need to talk." Jack nodded in response, and as soon as he did, Ruggie was teleported back to where he had been watching the video.
A few minutes later, Jack was teleported back to the grassy field. He groaned as he started walking back to his dorm, knowing that Ruggie was keen to talk to him about the video.
As Jack was walking to his dorm he noticed Vil and Rook quietly talking he also noticed the way Vil's eyes were tearing up but Rook didn't say anything about that.
As Jack finally arrived at Savanaclaw, he let out a shaky sigh as he opened the door. The dorm was unusually quiet, which was rare for Savanaclaw. Jack continued walking through the common area until he reached Ruggie's room. He took a shallow breath and opened the door. As soon as he did, Ruggie pulled him into a tight, protective hug. Jack didn't pull back; he knew Ruggie needed this hug more than he did.
As Jack leaned into the embrace, he felt Ruggie tugging him further into the room. Standing in the middle of the room, Jack suddenly heard a door close behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Leona staring at him with an unreadable expression.
Leona leaned against the door with his arms crossed. "Jack, can you explain what that video was about?" As he asked, Jack felt his breath quicken, and his ears pressed back in distress.
"I-I don't know! I know as much as you do, Leona-senpai," Jack stammered, glancing at Ruggie, who was frowning and clearly not believing a word he said. Jack's tail swished uncomfortably.
"Cut the act, Jack. You know what I meant by that question," Leona said as he stepped closer to Jack and Ruggie. He flicked Jack's forehead, adding, "I know you're not stupid, so stop pretending."
Jack let out a quiet whine. "Listen... It's stupid. Why are you even asking about this?" he murmured.
Suddenly, Ruggie spoke up. "It's because you almost killed yourself, Jack! That's why we're worried and asking questions." As he blurted that out, he squeezed Jack's arm, but Jack looked away, quietly mumbling, "You never seemed worried before, so why now?"
Leona let out a low huff. "It's because we didn't know you were thinking about killing yourself."
Jack lowered his head, feeling ashamed that they had seen that. As he looked down, he felt Ruggie patting his back, comforting him slightly. "We are worried about you, Jack... Even if we don't show it as much, we care about you, especially since you're our freshman," Ruggie explained quietly, but Jack didn’t respond.
Leona stood there, leaning over Jack, and then stepped back, ruffling Jack's hair. "As much as we fight and disagree, we still care. The video—it wasn’t what I or Ruggie or anyone expected, but... I’m glad we watched it. It showed us that there are still problems that need to be addressed, but we don't need to tackle everything in one night." With that, Leona shrugged and walked past the duo to sit on his bed, yawning. "I’m going to sleep. You two can stay here since it’s late, and you’re tired." He laid down, closing his eyes.
Ruggie groaned slightly. "Jeez, he's nice for more than 0.1 seconds and then he's asleep... Come on, let’s go to sleep, Jack. You’re probably the most tired out of all of us." Ruggie pulled Jack toward the bed and laid down, still holding Jack close, as if he were afraid Jack might disappear if he let go.
As Jack lay there, he smiled slightly, feeling warmth in his chest. It was as if he finally had people who wanted him alive. Slowly, he fell asleep.
Hm... Maybe he won't go just yet.
EXTRA-!
Monday 22th
HEARTOFACE: hhheyyy jack ifyou wanna talk with anyone yk im here....!!
Tuseday 23th
SPADEOFDEUCE: Hope your doing better <3
Wednesday 24th
POSION: JAck pls kys :////
POSION: DON'T ******* KYS KEYBOARD
Thursday 25th
ROBOBOY: hello Jack me and Idia hope your doing better! Please contact us if you need to talk with anyone
Friday 26th
GREENBOLT: JACK ARE YOU FEELING BETTER IF YES COME TO THE DIASMONIA DORM AND WE CAN WATCH GOSSIP GIRL
Saturday 27th
BEAUTIFULBOY: hello Jack you don't need to come for our run if your not feeling better
Sunday 28th
KINGSCHOLAR: Jack tell ruggie to get smm food
DOUNT; tell Leona to GET HIS LAZY ASS UP AND GET HIS OWN FOOD
As Jack read those messages he smiled.