One second you’re running in the abandoned warehouse after the wraith, and the next, pain exploded through your side and everything blurred. You hit the concrete hard, vision dimming around the edges. Jack is the first one there. He drops to his knees beside you, hands hovering, eyes wide in panic. “No, no, no-wait, stay awake,” he says quickly, voice cracking like something inside him is fracturing. “You’re bleeding. That’s… a lot of blood. Oh no.” You try to speak, but your breath stutters. Jack’s hands tremble as he presses one over the wound. “I can fix it. I can fix it. Just-just hold still.” Light glows beneath his palm, but it flickers: faint, unstable. Nothing happens. Jack’s eyes go wilder. “Why isn’t it working? It always works! You’re supposed to be okay!”

“Jack…” you whisper, reaching for him, fingers brushing his arm. He flinches like your touch burns.

“I wasn’t fast enough,” he chokes. “I should have been. I should’ve been there before it touched you.” He leans in, eyes swimming with tears now, breath ragged. “I thought-I thought maybe I just liked being near you. That it was… friendship. Or the thing where your stomach feels weird when someone smiles at you.” He’s rambling now, completely unraveling. “But this? This feels like my whole chest is breaking open. I don’t want to live in a world where you’re not.” You blink, stunned, not by the pain this time, but by the rawness in his voice.

“Jack…”

“I love you,” he blurts, eyes squeezing shut. “And not in the general, human love-everyone way. I love you. You’re the one. You’re my one, my human.” And then the light surges-brighter than before. His hand glows golden, steady now, and warmth floods through your wound. It seals beneath his palm like it had never been there, the ache disappearing second by second. Your breath returns. Color fills the edges of the world again. You reach up, cupping his cheek.

“You healed me,” you whisper.

“I love you,” he says again, voice smaller this time. “Is that okay?”