Mystic Roots

By: CrystallicSky

Disclaimer: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown or any of its characters, nor do I make any profit or attempt to with the writing of this or any of my other pieces.

Warnings: Language, homosexuality, some violence/gore later on, etc.

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Jack's consciousness hazed back to him slowly, almost as if he didn't want to wake up.

At the feeling that assailed him as soon as he became a bit more aware, the youth realized precisely why that might be so.

He ached everywhere. Every last inch of him felt as if it'd been run over by a truck, then a woolly mammoth, and then the truck again, but most of the ache was concentrated in his throat and stomach.

He felt raw inside, as if he'd swallowed acid! What the hell happened to him?

With a soft, barely audible groan, Jack shifted and realized he was in a bed, at the least. The feel of the sheets and blankets, however, told him it was not his own. The goth opened his eyes and slowly, cautiously attempted to sit up.

A hand, large and warm and heavy, pressed to his chest and gently forced him back down. To his shock, he found himself lying beside Chase Young.

The warlord had stripped off his armor prior to getting into bed; had, in fact, stripped off everything except his trousers before slipping beneath the covers to share body heat with Spicer. Now, he met Jack's confused look with steady calm.

"You're not ready to be up and about just yet, Spicer," he said quietly.

Jack did not protest his master's words and remained flat against the mattress. Still, he was confused and so voiced as much. "Chase," he began, "what…what happened? What am I doing…" he glanced around briefly, recognizing nothing familiar, "wherever this is?"

The dragonlord stretched vigorously, and then relaxed again before he muttered, "My bed."

Red eyes instantly went wide as saucers. "Your bed?" the fae meeped. "Wh-what am I doing here?!"

Chase was silent for some time. Eventually, he shifted to settle his hand flat against Jack's chest again, directly over the quickly beating heart. The thump-thump pulsing against his palm reassured him as nothing else could at the moment.

"The monks proved their cowardice and disregard to their own Xiaolin rules by drugging you and forcing red ochre down your throat to poison you. I took action and brought you back here to care for you. You are... incredibly lucky, Spicer. Had your body not immediately rejected the majority of that ochre, I've little doubt you would've succumb to the poisoning and died."

With that information, Jack recalled what'd happened with frightening clarity. There was no doubt that that was why he was feeling so awful even though he'd managed to live through it.

However, it did not tell him the reason Chase Young, ultimate Heylin badass, had taken the goth to bed with him.

He asked.

"So...why-"

"You are here because I wanted to be certain you would live. You are here because you are my apprentice. You are here because I want you to be." He raised himself up on one elbow so he could see Jack at a better angle. "You are here... because I do not want to risk losing you again."

So saying, he bent and touched his lips to Jack's in a soft-soft kiss.

If brains were capable of making audible sounds, Jack's would've made that of a train screeching to a full halt. Thoroughly shocked and confused by the kiss, the youth jerked away.

Quickly, Chase caught hold of Jack's chin. "No; do not pull away from me."

He kissed Jack again, more firmly than before. He kept the kiss simple; a caress of lips against lips without intrusion.

This time, Jack did not pull away, but neither did he react whatsoever. How was he supposed to? He'd never been kissed before, most certainly never by his idol and maybe-kinda-sorta-crush!

The fae remained perfectly still as the everlord's lips were pressed against his own, stiff and tense and nervous.

It didn't take long for Chase to realize he was the only one involved in the kissing. Pulling back, he frowned down at his apprentice and would-be lover. "Why do you not kiss me back? You are allowed to do so."

"Y-yeah, but do I have a choice...?" Jack hesitantly inquired.

Chase's scowl deepened. "Of course you do! Always. I will never force you in anything of an intimate nature. I prefer to keep myself above such reprehensible atrocities. My devotion to evil only goes so far, Spicer."

The youth calmed at the assurance, feeling a good deal less unnerved by the preceding events. "So...I have a say in this?" he ascertained.

"Yes; of course." Chase bent and nuzzled against Jack lightly. "I admit I want you, Jack. You have become so much more to me than I ever would have imagined. It is a pleasant surprise. But I will not take what I want; not in this instance. To do so would render anything we do together meaningless. Whatever we have together is because we both want it."

Jack shivered under the ministrations and was for a long time quiet, thinking it over. Then, boldly, he caught the dragonlord's face and kissed him firmly, likely before his courage in doing so could run out.

Chase made a rough sound of pleasure. He settled himself more firmly against Jack and kissed the younger man deeply. He took his time, pressing kiss after kiss against Jack's lips, slowly coaxing them to part for him. When they had, he deepened the kiss firmer, and delighted in the startled, but appreciative groan that Spicer gave.

The two men twined greedily together on the bed, enjoying the touch and taste of each other. Jack, however, was still tired and out of sorts, and so the kiss did not last too long. Regretfully, the kiss faded, though they still held each other close.

"Wow," Jack breathed, swallowing hard. "Ch...Chase?"

The dragonlord nuzzled his lover again. "Yes, Spicer?"

"......I'm feeling kinda dizzy," the youth informed.

Chase settled back down on the bed and tested the back of his hand against Jack's forehead.

"You still have a fever," he informed his young lover. "You should rest."

Jack did not protest the advice; rather, he was grateful for it. "Yeah," he agreed, making himself comfortable amongst the pillows, "okay..."

The warlord tucked his lover close, inviting Jack to lay comfortably against him. "I will keep watch over you, in case those blasted monks decide on trying to 'get even' with you in your moment of weakness. Granted, I dealt them quite a bit of damage, but I wouldn't put it past them to try a... what is the phrase you use? A 'dick move'?"

The goth snickered at the sound of such an informal, modern phrase escaping his overlord's lips, but he didn't argue the reason behind what the older man was saying. The monks probably were assholes enough to try and come murder him in his sleep even after being on the ass-end of an ass-kicking.

Besides, it gave Jack an excuse to cuddle up to Chase, and there was no way Jack had a problem with that.

He did so and as his tired body quickly began sending him to sleep, he thought of all that was going right for him, for once. He had magic of his own and had been trained in how to use it, by Chase Young, no less!

Furthermore, said warlord had decided to take him on as a full-time apprentice instead of simply a magic-student. Now, he would be learning the ways of Heylin and maybe even some physical training instead of simply instruction regarding magic!

If all that weren't enough he had just been kissed by Chase; kissed! The dragonlord wanted him as an apprentice and a lover!

Jesus, a lot of good stuff had ended up happening, hadn't it?

Jack smiled at the thought and before he could fall all the way asleep, he spoke, "Chase?"

Chase tucked the covers around the both of them, and then settled one large hand against Jack's head and began rubbing. He knew the soothing sensation of fingers massaging against the scalp would ease more of his young lover's discomfort and help him rest. "Yes, Spicer?"

Jack sighed in pleasure at the sensation, his exhaustion seeming to amplify until he was no longer able to even keep his eyes open. Still, he felt he had to say what he wanted to say, and so he did. "Thank you," he offered gratefully. "For...well, everything."

Chase smiled. "You're welcome... my Jack."

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A/N: The Seventh and Final Chapter of Mystic Roots! ^^

Once again, I'd like to thank Silvarbelle for all her help with this and of course, all the people who've read all the chapters up to this one!

Thanks everybody, and I hope you liked the fic! :D

(P.S.- There will not be a sequel, so don't bother asking for one! ;P )