It’s been quite the while since Jayce had returned from the Arcane. You were relieved that he was alive. You took him in, took care of him, washed him, fed him. Everything you could to help him. And he was thankful. But…there was something off.

Jayce had been rather clingy as of his return. You assumed it was because he was alone and suffering during his time away. You gave him some grace and hoped he’d work through it. But it only got worse.

Jayce went from hovering around when you were home to following you. He would not abruptly interrupt but he’d wait just outside wherever you were. He didn’t hide his presence that well either. When he followed, you could always see him through the window of the place you were in. Clingy was one thing but this was…obsessive? Oh hell, who knows what to call this.

You did question him about him following you around. His only response, which wasn’t much clarification, was that his skin itched and his muscles ached while you were away. Whatever that means.

This behavior only progressed further. You and Jayce had never been romantic. Friendly, sure, trusted, no doubt, but not romantic. And yet you’d often find Jayce needing to touch you. Grasping at your flesh randomly or staring at you as his eyes started to narrow. He’d try to get as close as possible without you snapping at him for some space.

Speaking of space, you had none. He always had to be there. Just outside. He wouldn’t part from you. If he had councilor duties, you had to come. If he had to work at the lab, you had to be there. And even if you needed to go somewhere he’d follow. If not beside you then right behind you. You tried to get space from him one time. Just standing on a balcony with the glass doors closed behind you. And where was Jayce? Standing right behind the glass door staring.

His touch progressed and he became quite the gripper. If you took to many steps away, he’d reach out and grab. If you were cooking, he’d suddenly be behind and grab. And his gaze? Completely different. It was hungry and it was feral. Completely different to the kind and attentive look he was used to. It was hard to decipher if the man wanted to sleep with him or consume him. But by the looks of it, probably both.

All this led up to current day. You had tried to get him help weeks prior but he’d never listen. He insisted he didn’t need any and that they wouldn’t understand what he went through. Hard to argue that, really. So you didn’t press anymore, just let him figure it out. But it was hard to keep by him when he was just so…difficult to manage.

The clinginess, the hunger, it was all starting to boil over. It became almost aggressive. Suffocating. And Jayce was going insane by the looks of it. He spoke saying how he can’t breathe without you being near and how his skin crawls if he’s not touching you. It was strange and you couldn’t use the ‘he’s traumatized and sick’ excuse anymore. This needed to end.

But it was too late for Jayce. He wouldn’t accept you leaving. In fact, i don’t think he could accept that. As of now, you’re sitting at your desk, thinking of the best way to leave him or send him somewhere. Something, anything. As you contemplate, he walks back into the room from using the bathroom. The man was a sweating mess, his eyes half lidded and his eyes almost rolling back. His form was hunched as he stalked forward. He was pale, a frightening pale compared to his usually tanned skin. You’ve never seen him this…sickly looking.

But that’s the least of your worries. As you sit and watch him drag himself, as if he weighed tons, his breathing picked up. His eyes finally refocused, focusing back on his one true want. You. Within seconds his pace picked up. Stumbling still, but quickly, he got himself to you, grasping at your hips as if he was attempting to rip the skin right off and keep it for himself. “I need this.”