Work Text:
It was real.
The vision was real. Rezzoch was inside of Jack.
The laceration on his wrist glowed a haunting blue, and as he gazed down at the surreal sight, it set in -- Rezzoch had been able to actually hurt him inside the vision. Inside his own head. He wasn’t safe in his own body.
He knew immediately that this meant something more was coming, that defeating Thrull hadn’t defeated Rezzoch once and for all like they’d thought. The idea of her coming into their world, taking over…it scared Jack more than he’d like to admit. They had to defeat her. Jack had to defeat her.
He hadn’t meant to hide the injury from the others, but something told him he had to. They hadn’t seen the King Wretch, which meant Rezzoch was targeting him, which meant telling them might put them in danger. Or something. It didn’t matter -- he just knew he had to deal with this on his own. He had to protect them.
His wrist hurt most of the time. It burned and itched and ached. Jack did his best not to show the pain he was in, and he must have done a pretty good job, because the others didn't suspect a thing. Even Quint, who always seemed to know when he was hiding something, didn't mention anything. Maybe Jack really could do this on his own -- maybe if he could just bear the pain inside him a little longer, prove that he was worth keeping around even if that stupid radio led them to their parents, they wouldn't leave him. Nothing else mattered. He just had to do this one little thing, just defeat an entity that had nearly destroyed the world all on his own, no biggie. He could do it, he could win.
As long as nothing forced him to reveal the danger he was putting himself in, he would be fine.
He would be fine.