2015-03-19 10:02:45 ¶ ● ⬀ ⬈

## Learning the Hard Way

jackofakind:

> Tim was staring at his ECHO at the last message. Exhaustion was wearing on him, and he massaged at his temples as he tried to prepare himself to see Jack face to face. There were times of day he could handle his boss and this wasn’t one of them.

> Normally the ride up the elevator and the walk down that long hallway was excruciating. Now? It was exasperating. Probably why he didn’t school himself with a casual grin and take extra precautions to make sure he looked perfect. The most the doppelgänger tended to was straightening his jacket, and he finger combed his hair as the door opened to admit him into the large office.

> “Alright I’m here. What is it boss?”

Jack took in the exhausted appearance of his double for a few long, quiet moments. Just long enough to make the other squirm under his scrutiny as he tapped on the metal of his desk.

“Took you long enough.” He crunched a mint between his molars; it had been the closest thing he could find to kill the late night sugar cravings. God, he really hated mint. “What’s the matter Toto, you get lost down the yellow brick road?” He swung his legs from their perch on his desk and stood to walk over to the other man. He did it slowly and deliberately, like a predator closing in on it’s prey, his jaw still working at the cold burn sweet in his mouth. He looked at Tim’s empty hands with mild disapproval.

“What, no gifts for your favorite boss?” He crossed his arms and shook his head, letting it really sink in just how upset he was as he slowly circled the double. “I’m a little disappointed, kiddo.” No candy, and no paddle. Tsk, tsk. He circled until he stood directly in front of the other once more, and, for anyone who knew Handsome Jack, it was perhaps a little too close for comfort. Jack hummed as he reached out to restore some semblance to the collar of Tim’s rumpled Hyperion yellow shirt before running his hands down the material, smoothing it out until he reached Tim’s belt. He left his fingers gently hooked behind the leather of it.

He rolled his tongue between his teeth, sucking the last of the mint flavor from the bone. “I’m thinking you’re getting a little too big for your britches, there, cupcake.” He gave a gentle tug on the belt to emphasize his words. His smile was almost free of any cruel edge. Almost.

“You know what that means.” He breathed over the other, heavy and warm and smelling strongly of mint.

“Assume the position.”