Jack Frost raised a brow, "Um, question. Why is this weirdo tied up in the workshop?"

Bunny shot him an incredulous look, "You don't recognize him either? It's Eros."

Jack Frost glance back at the man tied under the illuminant glowing glob and narrowed his gaze. Sure, admittingly, Eros and whoever this guy was shared a lot of similarities. But... it was more like how a poor copy would look, similar but not.

And Jack wasn't sure how he knew, but this guy could see too. Maybe it was the way he focused his surroundings. Plus, the lack of the red blindfold was a dead give away.

"Naw, this definitely not Eros." Jack Frost glanced at the other four Guardians then back at the man. "Who... who tied him up?"

"That, would be me."

Jack Frost jumped, "I- man. Psyche, listen, you gotta stop appearing out of nowhere like that."

Psyche ignored him and sneered at the stranger. "This, is not my husband."

The man rolled his eyes, sweat making his forehead gleam. "Alright, fine. You caught me. I'm not Eros. He flashed them a force, all too white smile. "Ya think you all can let me go now?"

North brows pinched, "Definitely not."

Tooth angrily buzzed closer to the stranger, "If you're not Eros, then who are you?"

Sandy had his sand form into a thick club and had it hitting the palm of his hand. Demanding an answer as well.

The stranger's eyes widen, "I'm his twin! Er, sorta. I'm better know with the mortals as Lust."

Psyche narrowed her eyes. "My husband has no twin."

"Like I'm saying, it's complicated." Lust attempted a shrug, but his arms were tied too tightly. "People confuse our natures like tomato, tamato. But for better or for worse, I'm Lust." He glanced curiously at Jack Frost then his eyes wavered to Psyche, "I'm curious though, how could you two tell so fast? What gave me away-"

Tooth scoffed and crossed her arms. "You are in no possession to ask questions."

Sandy nodded in grim agreement, eyes not leaving Lust as he let the club swing to his side. Ready at a moments notice.

Bunny crossed his arms, "If you're not Eros, then where is he?"

Jack pointed his staff at Lust. "And why did you take him?"

Psyche was the one that regarded the most caution picked up a saw from the nearest work bench and forced it centimeters from his neck, "Answer. now."

The rest of the guardians gave Psyche a weary and surprised glance. Bunny swallowed, "Betta do as she says mate."

"It was the rebellion! They sent me! I didn't sign up for this shit-" Lust made a choking noise when Psyche held the saw so hard against his neck that a single droplet of blood trailed down his collar bone. Lust was shaking now,

"You- what where you expecting?!" Lust spat this out in the same manner that reminded Jack Frost of a cornered animal, eyes ignited with rage. "How fair can it be that your husband c-can be seen by any mortal and- and the most of us spirits have to be in-be in t-this hell game where we can only live if some snot-nose mortal simple belief is the only thing keeping use from dying?!"

Lust gave a cold, hallow crackle that echoed through the room. "In- in fact, the Overseer knew that you would figure out! He knew. Not so soon, but," His eyes became as cold as Jack's ice, "He wanted me to tell you."

For the first time, Psyche became an ashy pale, but then she bared her teeth. "What are they going to do with him."

Lust's eyes flickered to the worn wood saw then to Psyche. "The Overseer's got a lovely machine that'll figure out all of Eros's little secrets." Lust's eyes flashed. "And maybe, just maybe the whole world will see us! No more death. No more petty games-"

North's face twisted with disgust, "that's not how it'z supposed to work! It's- it's unnatural-"

"So?" Lust snapped back. "So's medicine, and books and phones. I could go on. Those, were once- in fact still dubbed as your so-called unnatural." Lust hiss 'unnatural' with a bitterness so thick that Jack Frost could feel Lust's hate echo through the whole room.

There was an uncomfortable silence that suffocated the room.

"Would it truly be so bad?" Lust all but whispered. "How many friends have we lost over the years because they floundered to have someone just simply believe in them? How many spirits became forgotten because the couldn't fit to mortal, to some stranger's needs? How can that be fair." Lust's angry eyes found there way to North, "How can that be natural?"

The Guardians eyes unwillingly flickered to Jack Frost, then each other. As if they all once asked that same question. Jack Frost himself started to lower his staff when he suddenly jerked it to Lust's direction. "You sill kidnapped Eros! He- you still have him in some thing for experiments-" Without warning, Jack's thoughts turned to Danny. While suppressing a shudder he readied his aim. "-Your rebellion still kidnapped those mortals! Don't act like a cause can justify those actions."

Psyche was livid. "Where's Eros. Where are the humans." Lust squirmed as she placed the saw deeper still. "Where."

"I- I don't know!" Once more Lust's eyes were wide with panic. "The Overseer never told me!"

Tooth impressively seemed to loom over Lust like a dark shadow, "Why should we believe a word you say?"

Lust snorted, and flinched in pain when he did so. His eyes flickered to the saw. "What reason do I have to lie?"

Tooth didn't look convinced.

Sandy had an array of signs formed over his head.

"Yeah, what Sandy said." Bunny said, eyes still on Lust. "Who is your Overseer?"

Lust hesitated before be grimaced In pain, "humanity. Humanity the spirit is the Overseer."

Those words seemed to put Psyche under a strange spell as she slowly pulled away the saw, ignoring Lust as he melted in relief. Her eyes flashed to the other Guardians, "Do any of you have a place to put him."

Jack Frost raised a brow, "Lady, does it look like we got a prison set and ready under out sleeves?" A beat. "And given that Pitch escaped his prison several times, I suggest that we don't go there."

"Actually," Tooth had the decency to look modest. "I do. In my castle,"

The rest of the Guardians stared.

"Why," Bunny said dryly, "do ya have a prison."

Tooth flustered and turned a deep red.

"Yeah, you know what?" Jack Frost raised his hands in surrender, "I don't. I don't wanna know. That? Better off a mystery to me." He then glanced back to Lust who looked severely rattled. "... Should we clean it? The cut I mean."

"It's taking everything I have not to kill him so there's a low chance that I'm doing it, Frost." Psyche said in a low growl. Still not placing back the saw.

Bunny sighed, "I'll do it then." He walked to the other side of the room and started grabbing medical supplies.

North gave Jack Frost a strange look. "I'm still confused though, I can see how Psyche could tell that it wasn't Eros but you..."

Jack Frost gave North a pointed look and raised a brow, "He's not even wearing the blindfold, North."

"Vhat? No, he has..." North sight zipped to Lust then back slowly back to Jack. "I swear, I saw him wear one earlier."

Jack Frost supposed that this turn of events was yet one more thing to add with the ever-growing list of things not-quite-right.

. . .

There was a soft knock at Danny's door. "Hey kid, you alright?"

"Huh- um. Sure. I'm... I'm fine."

Jerry paused. "Can I come in?"

All Danny had on was a undershirt and baggy shorts that all but reveled most of his scars. Danny took a deep breath. "Yeah... yeah, you can come in."

Jerry might as well kicked down the door. "Good cuz' I felt like you were in need of an in-bed breakfast, like, those always cheer me..." Jerry froze when he saw Danny. "up...  you... your sweater is missing... I- Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ."

Danny didn't look up from the door, he didn't look at Jerry at all.

"Jesus Christ, What- who," Jerry's words died in his throat.

Every time Danny breathed in, the air clogged up in his throat making a soft wheezing sound. His eyesight started to blur and Danny still couldn't look up to where Jerry was standing. Focusing only on the bed fabric that he had netted in-between his finger-tips, holding them on so tight that they turned a stark white.

"Hey... I- oh god... hey Danny," Danny heard Jerry slid the plate onto some smooth surface and Jerry's footsteps come towards him. "Danny, it's ok. It's- It's gonna be ok."

Danny smeared his eyes with the heel of his hand. His breaths choked and rippled trough his lungs while his eyes felt like they were on fire.

"It'll... God, I can't say that it'll be ok. I- shit, I can't make promise like that but..." Jerry tilted his head until he was in Danny's view. "I'll try to make it better, Danny. Ok? You don't have to do this by yourself."

Danny suddenly jerked his head up to where Jerry was, his expression indistinguishable.

Jerry straitened his posture and waited. For what, he didn't know. But he waited all the same.

Quite without warning, Danny lunged and hugged Jerry in a hold so tight that any sudden release of pressure might shatter him to a million pieces.

Jerry felt his eyes go blurry as he returned and tightened his hold. "Whoa, Danny, you're going to get my shirt all wet." It was said with a bittersweet fondness.

Danny scoffed. But his posture loosened and after a long pause the silence thickened to sobs. And Jerry said nothing.

He had nothing to say.