I would if it was still there... started raining the day after this, almost all of it is gone now...Labyrinth said:
And I was so close to guaranteeing snow on Christmas too...
My town hasn't seen snow on Christmas since 1981...
The artist in thee
- Thread starter Labyrinth
- Start date
And I was so close to guaranteeing snow on Christmas too...
My town hasn't seen snow on Christmas since 1981...
Why, thank you! And that you find them to have distinct characteristics is pretty much the finest praise I could hope for.Labyrinth said:
Since I seem to be on a high note;
Need to get a bit of miscellaneous writing done lest I lose the will to write completely. Fair warning, though, the story idea is a little bit risque. Spoilered for that.
Some things in the world are frightening. A creeping feeling in the back of the neck, the scuff of a shoe behind you in a dark alley, or even just that omnipresent feeling of being watched. It's not the dark we fear as a society, but rather what would lurk within it. In short, predators.
However, humanity often has a love of predators that extends eternally into our cultures and society. As long as it's in the third person, even seeing a predator is beautiful. Seeing a lion stalk gracefully though a forest, not a stray hair or soft noise revealing the predator to its prey. Then, the pounce, a wholly liquid motion which manages to be the sum of both grace and power. It's a beautiful, and terribly frightening thing.
Yet predators aren't always creatures of the food chain, some come in smaller sizes. The slender waist, the inviting eyes, the beckoning finger. Clubs and parties are hunting grounds for societal predators, and their prey is all around them. Not exactly the weaker or the more simplistic meals. Society's predators can afford to be picky, pick their most succulent targets.
The scary thing is that social predators eat their prey slowly.
I'm not sure why I was the favorite target of the predator that night, nor was I aware as to why my... "Bones" looked more succulent than any other. But like a calf separated from the herd, I was in sights of a predator. My friends had gotten away from me, which was the first step of a predator. Isolate the prey.
I don't usually go to house parties because I don't usually like parties in houses. There's furniture to break, audio limitations, and no safety features like cabs outside for the idiots too drunk to drive but too stupid to walk. However, due to overwhelming request, I opted for this one if only so I could be a familiar face for my friend. Little did I know he invited five more of them, and that I was unimportant to the whole process.
That meant that I was among a throng of unfamiliar faces, uncomfortable among the strangers, and with no intent to partake of the drinking that every else preferred. So I sat in a relatively uncluttered corner of the living room and looked around. It's when I saw her, my predator. Dark hair, pale skin, cool hat. She leaned at the de facto bar, eyes trained on me. There was a half-empty glass of scotch next to her, and I suspected she'd be watching me for a while. However, prey doesn't always fall easy.
I paced across the room, using the mirror at the end of the hall to pass another glance at her. She was still eyeing me in the reflection, and I tried not to reveal that I had seen her. When I passed another glance into the mirror, she was stalking toward me. Time slowed down, her hair swayed, and people surged. She stepped, and by will or grace, she managed to run the group through without even bumping them. She was gaining on me as I stumbled through the crowd.
Hallways make for bad escape hatches. They usually lead to bedrooms, bedrooms to dead-ends. I turned, and saw a series of linens, well-cared for but otherwise uninteresting. Didn't help my running away, not even in the slightest. I turned, and saw her on me, smile promising all the attention I wanted, and the exotic goods of the world. I shot her a glance that answered "Road to hell paved in goods and attention." She smiled more, and the corner of the hall jostled me rudely. I frowned, and ducked into the closest room between me and her, a bedroom.
As bedrooms goes, this one was rather beautiful. Black and white decor, very contrast-heavy, with the walls adorned in all manner of gray paintings. The effect was rather beautiful, but served to distract very little from the tiger prowling behind me. A hand, firm but loving, lanced me down. The bed caught my fall, and hair cascaded around me.
Hot lips, cool fingers, and the feel of flesh on flesh was undeniable. My world swam for a moment, and I tasted the barest remnant of drink on her lips. More heat, more hair, and finally a smile. Next I remember I was panting, in the hall again, backing away from the bedroom. The smile stayed in my subconscious, the Cheshire grin imprinted into my mind. As I backed away, the party surged around me. Music, loud and driving, lended the pulse of the party. Bodies surged, drinks were spilled, and around me a party played its part in the hunt. A forest of passers-by, and I the wounded gazelle. The Cheshire grin promised more to come.
For as long as the music had me, I lost track of time. Bodies surging and dim lighting made for poor defenses, and I was pinned down by arms too feminine to be accidental. The voice said nothing, it simply breathed in my ear. Hot and unchecked passion. The breath in my ear was just a precursor to the kiss. Lips that molding around my ear, and in turn, my senses. All I remember was warmth, humid and hungry, bypassing my defenses and penetrating my guard. I shivered, cold compared to the too-hot lips on my ear. A purr, and it was gone.
I turned, looking for my predator. She was gone, not a strand of hair in sight. My mind replayed the purr in my ear, a phantom voice to match the Cheshire grin. The party had shifted around me, new song. The bass line was lower, driving. Each thump an unspoken direction for the hunt. War drums for a modern battlefield. I felt exposed and vulnerable. My shirt had been unbuttoned.
I shifted from the party, moving from dance floor to common area. The kitchen, as it normally would have been. It felt much quieter, the bodies less dense, the rhythm less driving. It was here that she struck me again. My back found a wall, my lips a mate, and my hair a hand to rake through it. My eyes sank without instruction, and my body responded to a hunt that I was clearly losing. The shiver that dripped down my spine was proof enough of that. I was unable to focus with the lips on mine, but I could feel her hair brushing along my arm. Her body was warm against me, and my animal instinct returned the hand in my hair with one of my hands in hers. We stayed that way for a time, enjoying nothing but one another's taste. Then, like the chill of a cold breeze, I was alone again. The Cheshire grin reminded me that this was far from over, as did the purr in my ear, and now the silk stroking my arm.
The final pounce returned to where we had started, past the party, and back into the bedroom. This one had none of the reservation the rest of the encounters had. It was instant, selfish, and gratifying. The hunter had claimed the prize, the prey was unwilling to fight further. Teeth claimed skin, neck, ear, lips... It didn't matter really, I was the prey, and the spoils had been earned. Music thumped in the background as her lips alternated exploring me and returning to mine, as if the taste would only last for so long. Then, distantly, the music faded. A hand brushed mine, fingertips glancing at one another, and she was gone.
I looked up from the bed, breathing heavy. The room was quiet, almost alien without the driving thumps from the other room. I got up, buttoned the top button on my shirt, and looked down the hall. The guests were slowly filtering out, making promises for the next party. Next time. The Cheshire grin promised more with a smile, and faded away. The feeling of teeth on my ear, too, seemed to disappear with the party. As I looked around, even with the noise of conversation, everything seemed too quiet. Empty.
My friends found me staring blankly at the party goers. "Yep," one answered dryly, "too much to drink. C'mon man." The got me by the arm, and pulled me away. They said their goodbyes as we passed, and we started to leave the house. As we got outside into the stinging cold, I jostled another partygoer. I felt a press of hand against my waist, and it was gone. I may as well have imagined it for all I know. We got into the car, and the adrenaline from the hunt left my mind. In the pocket of my pants was a note, written in sprawling cursive, "Until next time, Prey."
There's a method to the madness of the food chain, well beyond my comprehension. Though if the experience had left me with anything at all, it was that once I'd had a taste of the hunt, I knew I wanted more.
However, humanity often has a love of predators that extends eternally into our cultures and society. As long as it's in the third person, even seeing a predator is beautiful. Seeing a lion stalk gracefully though a forest, not a stray hair or soft noise revealing the predator to its prey. Then, the pounce, a wholly liquid motion which manages to be the sum of both grace and power. It's a beautiful, and terribly frightening thing.
Yet predators aren't always creatures of the food chain, some come in smaller sizes. The slender waist, the inviting eyes, the beckoning finger. Clubs and parties are hunting grounds for societal predators, and their prey is all around them. Not exactly the weaker or the more simplistic meals. Society's predators can afford to be picky, pick their most succulent targets.
The scary thing is that social predators eat their prey slowly.
I'm not sure why I was the favorite target of the predator that night, nor was I aware as to why my... "Bones" looked more succulent than any other. But like a calf separated from the herd, I was in sights of a predator. My friends had gotten away from me, which was the first step of a predator. Isolate the prey.
I don't usually go to house parties because I don't usually like parties in houses. There's furniture to break, audio limitations, and no safety features like cabs outside for the idiots too drunk to drive but too stupid to walk. However, due to overwhelming request, I opted for this one if only so I could be a familiar face for my friend. Little did I know he invited five more of them, and that I was unimportant to the whole process.
That meant that I was among a throng of unfamiliar faces, uncomfortable among the strangers, and with no intent to partake of the drinking that every else preferred. So I sat in a relatively uncluttered corner of the living room and looked around. It's when I saw her, my predator. Dark hair, pale skin, cool hat. She leaned at the de facto bar, eyes trained on me. There was a half-empty glass of scotch next to her, and I suspected she'd be watching me for a while. However, prey doesn't always fall easy.
I paced across the room, using the mirror at the end of the hall to pass another glance at her. She was still eyeing me in the reflection, and I tried not to reveal that I had seen her. When I passed another glance into the mirror, she was stalking toward me. Time slowed down, her hair swayed, and people surged. She stepped, and by will or grace, she managed to run the group through without even bumping them. She was gaining on me as I stumbled through the crowd.
Hallways make for bad escape hatches. They usually lead to bedrooms, bedrooms to dead-ends. I turned, and saw a series of linens, well-cared for but otherwise uninteresting. Didn't help my running away, not even in the slightest. I turned, and saw her on me, smile promising all the attention I wanted, and the exotic goods of the world. I shot her a glance that answered "Road to hell paved in goods and attention." She smiled more, and the corner of the hall jostled me rudely. I frowned, and ducked into the closest room between me and her, a bedroom.
As bedrooms goes, this one was rather beautiful. Black and white decor, very contrast-heavy, with the walls adorned in all manner of gray paintings. The effect was rather beautiful, but served to distract very little from the tiger prowling behind me. A hand, firm but loving, lanced me down. The bed caught my fall, and hair cascaded around me.
Hot lips, cool fingers, and the feel of flesh on flesh was undeniable. My world swam for a moment, and I tasted the barest remnant of drink on her lips. More heat, more hair, and finally a smile. Next I remember I was panting, in the hall again, backing away from the bedroom. The smile stayed in my subconscious, the Cheshire grin imprinted into my mind. As I backed away, the party surged around me. Music, loud and driving, lended the pulse of the party. Bodies surged, drinks were spilled, and around me a party played its part in the hunt. A forest of passers-by, and I the wounded gazelle. The Cheshire grin promised more to come.
For as long as the music had me, I lost track of time. Bodies surging and dim lighting made for poor defenses, and I was pinned down by arms too feminine to be accidental. The voice said nothing, it simply breathed in my ear. Hot and unchecked passion. The breath in my ear was just a precursor to the kiss. Lips that molding around my ear, and in turn, my senses. All I remember was warmth, humid and hungry, bypassing my defenses and penetrating my guard. I shivered, cold compared to the too-hot lips on my ear. A purr, and it was gone.
I turned, looking for my predator. She was gone, not a strand of hair in sight. My mind replayed the purr in my ear, a phantom voice to match the Cheshire grin. The party had shifted around me, new song. The bass line was lower, driving. Each thump an unspoken direction for the hunt. War drums for a modern battlefield. I felt exposed and vulnerable. My shirt had been unbuttoned.
I shifted from the party, moving from dance floor to common area. The kitchen, as it normally would have been. It felt much quieter, the bodies less dense, the rhythm less driving. It was here that she struck me again. My back found a wall, my lips a mate, and my hair a hand to rake through it. My eyes sank without instruction, and my body responded to a hunt that I was clearly losing. The shiver that dripped down my spine was proof enough of that. I was unable to focus with the lips on mine, but I could feel her hair brushing along my arm. Her body was warm against me, and my animal instinct returned the hand in my hair with one of my hands in hers. We stayed that way for a time, enjoying nothing but one another's taste. Then, like the chill of a cold breeze, I was alone again. The Cheshire grin reminded me that this was far from over, as did the purr in my ear, and now the silk stroking my arm.
The final pounce returned to where we had started, past the party, and back into the bedroom. This one had none of the reservation the rest of the encounters had. It was instant, selfish, and gratifying. The hunter had claimed the prize, the prey was unwilling to fight further. Teeth claimed skin, neck, ear, lips... It didn't matter really, I was the prey, and the spoils had been earned. Music thumped in the background as her lips alternated exploring me and returning to mine, as if the taste would only last for so long. Then, distantly, the music faded. A hand brushed mine, fingertips glancing at one another, and she was gone.
I looked up from the bed, breathing heavy. The room was quiet, almost alien without the driving thumps from the other room. I got up, buttoned the top button on my shirt, and looked down the hall. The guests were slowly filtering out, making promises for the next party. Next time. The Cheshire grin promised more with a smile, and faded away. The feeling of teeth on my ear, too, seemed to disappear with the party. As I looked around, even with the noise of conversation, everything seemed too quiet. Empty.
My friends found me staring blankly at the party goers. "Yep," one answered dryly, "too much to drink. C'mon man." The got me by the arm, and pulled me away. They said their goodbyes as we passed, and we started to leave the house. As we got outside into the stinging cold, I jostled another partygoer. I felt a press of hand against my waist, and it was gone. I may as well have imagined it for all I know. We got into the car, and the adrenaline from the hunt left my mind. In the pocket of my pants was a note, written in sprawling cursive, "Until next time, Prey."
There's a method to the madness of the food chain, well beyond my comprehension. Though if the experience had left me with anything at all, it was that once I'd had a taste of the hunt, I knew I wanted more.
As some of you know, I'm an aspiring musician. And part of becoming a good musician, is the writing of songs. I've written a few melodies here and there, none of them complete. If they ever do get completed, I'll be sure to show them to you. Other than that, I just finished a set of lyrics for a song (I imagine the voice of the singer of In Flames singing... sorry, growling them). It's my first try on writing lyrics, so please don't be too harsh.
Yes, I know they're one of those self-indulgent songs, but I'm not that good at exploring the depths of philosophy and human experience.
[VERSE:]
Wanting a glimpse of perspective, I travel to the distant territories of my mind.
I see the destroyed parts of my past self, staring at me like a stranger.
What should I do, where should I look, to find peace again?
When will I see reality again, and wake up from this nightmare?
[PRE-CHORUS:]
Behind me, the shadows follow me, before me, the havoc awaits.
Who can I turn to, where can I go, to escape this dreaded world?
[CHORUS:]
The confusion is taking over, my mind is about to explode.
Show me the path to serenity, I put all my trust in you.
Is it the harsh truth, or my state of insanity?
[VERSE 2:]
Who have I become, when did all of this happen?
All around me, the eyes never stop following me.
I see no end to this madness, just give me a sign
To see that all of this is not real.
[PRE-CHORUS 2:]
Wherever I go, the demons stalk me. Whenever I stop, they surround me.
What can I do, how do I act, to escape this destroyed reality?
[CHORUS]
[STICK:]
Promise to lead me, and I'll follow.
Tell me to trust you, you will be my guide.
My desperation is showing at a first glimpse.
I don't even know you, yet you see my true self.
Show me how to flee, I have no hope left.
Wanting a glimpse of perspective, I travel to the distant territories of my mind.
I see the destroyed parts of my past self, staring at me like a stranger.
What should I do, where should I look, to find peace again?
When will I see reality again, and wake up from this nightmare?
[PRE-CHORUS:]
Behind me, the shadows follow me, before me, the havoc awaits.
Who can I turn to, where can I go, to escape this dreaded world?
[CHORUS:]
The confusion is taking over, my mind is about to explode.
Show me the path to serenity, I put all my trust in you.
Is it the harsh truth, or my state of insanity?
[VERSE 2:]
Who have I become, when did all of this happen?
All around me, the eyes never stop following me.
I see no end to this madness, just give me a sign
To see that all of this is not real.
[PRE-CHORUS 2:]
Wherever I go, the demons stalk me. Whenever I stop, they surround me.
What can I do, how do I act, to escape this destroyed reality?
[CHORUS]
[STICK:]
Promise to lead me, and I'll follow.
Tell me to trust you, you will be my guide.
My desperation is showing at a first glimpse.
I don't even know you, yet you see my true self.
Show me how to flee, I have no hope left.
Romance Guest Chapter! You know you love it. This one comes courtesy of our very own [user]Geek@Heart[/user].
Any formatting errors are my fault, for which I apologize.
On a brighter note, there's another part of the Romance coming up, for all of my silent readers. So, if you're hoping for a new part to the Romance, expect it sometime tomorrow. Until then, make sure to tell Fairy what a great job she's done on this Guest Chapter. See you folks tomorrow.
I stood outside the cafe, waiting for the last few customers to leave. Finally, it was empty, with just a few minutes before it closed. Perfect.
I walked in to find Puppeteer Putin cleaning the tables. "Hey there old friend. "
He turned and smiled at me. "Fairy! I haven't seen you in a while. How are you? "
"Oh, I'm good. " I told him. "I was out of town for a few weeks, just finishing off my old job. I haven't seen you working in the cafe for a long time though. Something wrong? "
He sighed. "There's a virus going around town, and most of the staff are off sick. It doesn't help that I had to fire Nuke... "
This wasn't news to me, but Puppet didn't need to know that. "Oh dear. Are you still not over him? "
He continued to work silently, cleaning the tables and then sweeping the floor. His refusal to answer my question made a verbal answer unnecessary. As he finished, I broke the tense silence. "Okay, I'm sorry. That's none of my business. The thing is I want to help. My new job is only part time, so I was thinking I could do a couple of mornings a week in the cafe for you. Just until the virus has gone and your regular staff are back. You spend long enough working in here as it is, and you need to have time with Kari. You don't want your marriage to suffer because of this place, do you? "
Puppet sighed and shook his head. "We need someone new in anyway, to cover two or three shifts a week. One of the girls told me she was leaving to get married the day after I got rid of Nuke. If I'd known she was going, I may have ke... " His expression went blank for a moment as he thought about Nuke again. "Look, the point is, if you want a job, you're more than welcome. I may have you on the minimum wage for a few months until business picks up though. "
"No worries, " I told him. "Just as long as I'm first in the queue for a pay rise. "
He smiled, for the first time that day. "Can you be in at 10am tomorrow? I'll show you how everything works then you'll be on your first shift. "
"Sure. So, are you headed home now? "
"Yeah. You headed my way? "
I pointed to the left, and he nodded. We start walking and had a chat to catch up. It seemed like while I'd been gone I'd missed a lot of gossip.
"So, I guess you didn't hear Xitel's back in town then. "
I stopped dead in my tracks. "What?! "
He turned and nodded. I quickly caught up, and he explained. "He got back about... a week ago now, I'd guess. From what I heard he's gonna be around for a few years, he's got one of Higs' apartments for him and his wife. "
"He has a wife?! "
"I was as surprised as you, to be honest. I never thought he would get married. He just wasn't the type to settle down..."
I turned down the road to my block and Puppet followed me. Half way to the door, we found someone on the floor. "Xitel! What's wrong?"
As I knelt down to him, I realised his face was a nasty shade of white, with a hint of green/grey. He was burning hot to the touch and there was a pool of vomit beside him. I gently lifted his head onto my lap and stroked his hair.
"This is that virus I mentioned, " Puppet told me. "It just suddenly strikes you down, it makes you vomit, you get a fever... "
"So what's the advice from the doctors? " I asked.
"Bed rest, keep him cool, make sure he drinks plenty... usual stuff. "
The size difference between us made me carrying him alone impossible. "Mind helping me carry him up to my place? " I asked Puppet.
"Uh, well I don't see why you- " He saw my pleading eyes and stopped. "Sure, I'll help you. "
We got him up into the elevator, then in my apartment and onto the couch. "Y'know, after what he did to you, you don't have to help him. "
I looked at Puppet. His was the same expression many friends had given me. None of them had the heart to hate him, given the circumstances, but all of them felt sorry for me, thinking I had been badly hurt and I should never have to forgive him. But to me, there was nothing to forgive.
The expression on my face encouraged Puppet to go, so he made his excuses and went. I got a damp cloth for Xitel's forehead, pulled off his sweat soaked clothes and covered him with a thin blanket. I kept a bucket nearby, just in case, then knelt by the couch to stroke his hair.
A few minutes later, an unfamiliar tone beeped. Checking his pockets, I found a phone with a new text from ae86gamer, who I assumed was his wife. "Hey hun, just wondering where you are. Is everything okay? "
There was a groan from the couch, and I turned to find Xitel awake. "Where am I? Wh-what happened? " He caught sight of me and smiled weakly. "Fairy! What's going on? "
"You've gone down with a virus, hun. Puppet and I found you collapsed on the floor outside, so I brought you up to my apartment. "
"Oh, damn. Sorry about this, I'll just go... " He sat up to move, and nearly passed out again. I sat behind him and pulled him down to lean on me. He snuggled close, still very warm. After all, he was always hot.
I gave him a drink, then let him sleep again for a while. About an hour later, he woke up again feeling nauseous. I grabbed the bucket and got it on his lap just in time for him to vomit. Eventually he stopped again, and leant back on me, shaking. "What if I make you sick too? "
"Oh darling, you always give me a fever. " He groaned at the pun, but at least he was smiling.
"So what happened while I was in England? " He asked. "This place is like a soap opera, there's always someone dating someone, then one of them kissing someone else, and another losing their job... "
I smiled. "I thought the same when my boyfriend left the country to sort out his dead grandmother's estate. It seemed like the actor wanted their character written out for a while... " I closed my eyes and winced. "Sorry hun, I didn't mean it like that... "
"'Sokay. " He told me. "I knew what you meant. "
I got up, lying him back down on the couch, and walked over to look out the window. "So what happened in England? You seem to have brought a wife back with you. "
"You heard about that then? " I nodded, still looking away. "I'm sorry hun, I was going to tell you myself. "
"Go on then, " I whispered, barely holding back the tears. "Tell me why a gay guy would get married. "
He sighed. "It's not how you think, it's not that kind of marriage. "
I was shaking by now, my voice wavering as I spoke. "Still too scared to tell mummy and daddy the truth? " I turned to face him. "Still ashamed because you fell in love with a man?! "
He looked at me, so tired, so drained, so weak, and I felt guilty. This wasn't just the illness. He had been having the same thoughts, the same doubts about his life all the time he was gone. I should have known better, he would have never done something like this unless he had no choice. Eventually he answered, "I had to be married to inherit the money. "
I stood, frozen with shock, my mouth gaping open. "Wh-what? "
"It's something that's been written into our family's wills for centuries. I can understand why, back when the Roltons were rich. They didn't want spoilt brats wasting all the money on gambling or loose women then having nothing to support a family with. However, I went to a lawyer to check where I stood, and they said it couldn't be changed.
"I was in a bar one night when I met ae86gamer. She was chatty and friendly, and we got on. I was a bit drunk and we ended up back at my hotel room in bed together. At the last minute I confessed to her, so instead we stayed up talking.
"She needed money invested in her business idea, and if I got a wife I would have the money to give her, with plenty left over for me. So over a few weeks we went on several dates and got to know each other, and we realised this could work.
"We got married, I inherited my gran's money, her business idea was invested in and it took off. She's just sold it and made a huge amount. Everything seemed to turn out great for us.
"But we both knew that deep down I still hated myself for what I did to you. I always loved you, from the moment I left. I came back so I could make it up to you. If, y'know, it's not too late... "
I burst into tears, and curled up on the floor sobbing. The couch creaked as he got up to walk over to me. "Y-you shouldn't g-g-get up, hun. You nee-eed your rest, " I told him, my voice broken and stuttery. As he put his arms around me, I realised he'd ignored my advice.
Slowly the tears dried up, but I was still shaking. Xitel gently lifted my face to look at him. "I promise you, we are nothing more than friends. Close friends. We look after each other, and support each other, but our relationship is purely platonic. It's you I want to be with. It's you I love. "
His soft smile was as gorgeous as ever, and made me melt slightly. I wanted to pull away, to stop myself getting hurt again. I was still scared that history would repeat itself. But as his lips brushed against mine, my mind went blank. I couldn't resist his touch, and he knew it. He took my head in his hands and kissed me repeatedly, gradually getting more passionate. I moaned softly, and kissed him back. Eventually he stopped and pulled away. For a moment I tried to follow his lips, tried to continue. But as I came to my senses I pushed him back.
"I'm sorry hun, but I can't let you get close again. It took me months to get over you, to stop me hating myself. I can't do that again. I can't let you do it to me again. "
"I know, I'm sorry. I understa- "
"Don't you dare say you understand! " I screamed. "Don't you dare pretend you have any idea what you did to me! You didn't just break my heart, you tore me up and made me nothing. It took all I had to get over you. "
He stared at me, breathing heavily. He had no idea, I'd never let him know. It wasn't just that he left. There was so much more than that.
"You were so schizophrenic with me. You could be so loving, so caring, and yet you couldn't stand to see me undressed. As soon as I took my clothes off you looked away, you were always so disgusted with my body. You called me gorgeous, and yet you never saw all of me. It made me hate myself, it made me think I was disgusting just because I'm a guy. " I grabbed my sleeve and pushed it up my arm to show him. "I cut myself because I wasn't a woman. Because you couldn't truly love me for who I was. "
I moved my legs from under me and hugged them to my chest. "As soon as you left I stopped. I was scarred, but I could move on. And gradually, with the help of friends, I got my confidence back. I got a new job, a new style, a new apartment, a new life. And I was happy. "
He took the glass and sipped some more water. His hand was shaking as the glass clinked on the coffee table. I looked up to find tears at his eyes, something I'd never seen. Even when his gran died, he didn't cry. "I, I had no idea... " He whispered.
His phone rang, and it was his wife. He held the phone to me. "You talk to her, please? "
I took it and answered. "Hello? "
"Oh, I was looking for Xitel, " She told me. "Did I get the wrong number? "
"Uh, no. " I told her. "It's his phone. It's just he's sick so I'm answering for him. I'm Fairy. "
She went silent for a moment. Obviously she knew who I was. "So how sick is he? "
"Oh, it's just this virus that's going around. Nothing serious. He probably just needs a few days rest and he'll be fine again. "
"Are you okay to look after him? I'm meant to be going out of town for a day or two to catch up with an old friend. If you can't, don't worry. I can rearrange. "
I turned to look at Xitel. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and he was shaking badly. I reached out and took his hand, and he squeezed mine tightly. "He can stay here for a while. I'll make sure he's okay. "
I said goodbye and ended the call. I knelt down by Xitel and wrapped him in my arms. He nuzzled his head into my chest and I stroked his hair softly.
"We can't just pick up where we left off, hun, " I warned him. "I can't let you hurt me like that all over again. But if you want, we can try again. "
He nodded and wiped his eyes. Maybe, just maybe, we could have a future after all...
I walked in to find Puppeteer Putin cleaning the tables. "Hey there old friend. "
He turned and smiled at me. "Fairy! I haven't seen you in a while. How are you? "
"Oh, I'm good. " I told him. "I was out of town for a few weeks, just finishing off my old job. I haven't seen you working in the cafe for a long time though. Something wrong? "
He sighed. "There's a virus going around town, and most of the staff are off sick. It doesn't help that I had to fire Nuke... "
This wasn't news to me, but Puppet didn't need to know that. "Oh dear. Are you still not over him? "
He continued to work silently, cleaning the tables and then sweeping the floor. His refusal to answer my question made a verbal answer unnecessary. As he finished, I broke the tense silence. "Okay, I'm sorry. That's none of my business. The thing is I want to help. My new job is only part time, so I was thinking I could do a couple of mornings a week in the cafe for you. Just until the virus has gone and your regular staff are back. You spend long enough working in here as it is, and you need to have time with Kari. You don't want your marriage to suffer because of this place, do you? "
Puppet sighed and shook his head. "We need someone new in anyway, to cover two or three shifts a week. One of the girls told me she was leaving to get married the day after I got rid of Nuke. If I'd known she was going, I may have ke... " His expression went blank for a moment as he thought about Nuke again. "Look, the point is, if you want a job, you're more than welcome. I may have you on the minimum wage for a few months until business picks up though. "
"No worries, " I told him. "Just as long as I'm first in the queue for a pay rise. "
He smiled, for the first time that day. "Can you be in at 10am tomorrow? I'll show you how everything works then you'll be on your first shift. "
"Sure. So, are you headed home now? "
"Yeah. You headed my way? "
I pointed to the left, and he nodded. We start walking and had a chat to catch up. It seemed like while I'd been gone I'd missed a lot of gossip.
"So, I guess you didn't hear Xitel's back in town then. "
I stopped dead in my tracks. "What?! "
He turned and nodded. I quickly caught up, and he explained. "He got back about... a week ago now, I'd guess. From what I heard he's gonna be around for a few years, he's got one of Higs' apartments for him and his wife. "
"He has a wife?! "
"I was as surprised as you, to be honest. I never thought he would get married. He just wasn't the type to settle down..."
I turned down the road to my block and Puppet followed me. Half way to the door, we found someone on the floor. "Xitel! What's wrong?"
As I knelt down to him, I realised his face was a nasty shade of white, with a hint of green/grey. He was burning hot to the touch and there was a pool of vomit beside him. I gently lifted his head onto my lap and stroked his hair.
"This is that virus I mentioned, " Puppet told me. "It just suddenly strikes you down, it makes you vomit, you get a fever... "
"So what's the advice from the doctors? " I asked.
"Bed rest, keep him cool, make sure he drinks plenty... usual stuff. "
The size difference between us made me carrying him alone impossible. "Mind helping me carry him up to my place? " I asked Puppet.
"Uh, well I don't see why you- " He saw my pleading eyes and stopped. "Sure, I'll help you. "
We got him up into the elevator, then in my apartment and onto the couch. "Y'know, after what he did to you, you don't have to help him. "
I looked at Puppet. His was the same expression many friends had given me. None of them had the heart to hate him, given the circumstances, but all of them felt sorry for me, thinking I had been badly hurt and I should never have to forgive him. But to me, there was nothing to forgive.
The expression on my face encouraged Puppet to go, so he made his excuses and went. I got a damp cloth for Xitel's forehead, pulled off his sweat soaked clothes and covered him with a thin blanket. I kept a bucket nearby, just in case, then knelt by the couch to stroke his hair.
A few minutes later, an unfamiliar tone beeped. Checking his pockets, I found a phone with a new text from ae86gamer, who I assumed was his wife. "Hey hun, just wondering where you are. Is everything okay? "
There was a groan from the couch, and I turned to find Xitel awake. "Where am I? Wh-what happened? " He caught sight of me and smiled weakly. "Fairy! What's going on? "
"You've gone down with a virus, hun. Puppet and I found you collapsed on the floor outside, so I brought you up to my apartment. "
"Oh, damn. Sorry about this, I'll just go... " He sat up to move, and nearly passed out again. I sat behind him and pulled him down to lean on me. He snuggled close, still very warm. After all, he was always hot.
I gave him a drink, then let him sleep again for a while. About an hour later, he woke up again feeling nauseous. I grabbed the bucket and got it on his lap just in time for him to vomit. Eventually he stopped again, and leant back on me, shaking. "What if I make you sick too? "
"Oh darling, you always give me a fever. " He groaned at the pun, but at least he was smiling.
"So what happened while I was in England? " He asked. "This place is like a soap opera, there's always someone dating someone, then one of them kissing someone else, and another losing their job... "
I smiled. "I thought the same when my boyfriend left the country to sort out his dead grandmother's estate. It seemed like the actor wanted their character written out for a while... " I closed my eyes and winced. "Sorry hun, I didn't mean it like that... "
"'Sokay. " He told me. "I knew what you meant. "
I got up, lying him back down on the couch, and walked over to look out the window. "So what happened in England? You seem to have brought a wife back with you. "
"You heard about that then? " I nodded, still looking away. "I'm sorry hun, I was going to tell you myself. "
"Go on then, " I whispered, barely holding back the tears. "Tell me why a gay guy would get married. "
He sighed. "It's not how you think, it's not that kind of marriage. "
I was shaking by now, my voice wavering as I spoke. "Still too scared to tell mummy and daddy the truth? " I turned to face him. "Still ashamed because you fell in love with a man?! "
He looked at me, so tired, so drained, so weak, and I felt guilty. This wasn't just the illness. He had been having the same thoughts, the same doubts about his life all the time he was gone. I should have known better, he would have never done something like this unless he had no choice. Eventually he answered, "I had to be married to inherit the money. "
I stood, frozen with shock, my mouth gaping open. "Wh-what? "
"It's something that's been written into our family's wills for centuries. I can understand why, back when the Roltons were rich. They didn't want spoilt brats wasting all the money on gambling or loose women then having nothing to support a family with. However, I went to a lawyer to check where I stood, and they said it couldn't be changed.
"I was in a bar one night when I met ae86gamer. She was chatty and friendly, and we got on. I was a bit drunk and we ended up back at my hotel room in bed together. At the last minute I confessed to her, so instead we stayed up talking.
"She needed money invested in her business idea, and if I got a wife I would have the money to give her, with plenty left over for me. So over a few weeks we went on several dates and got to know each other, and we realised this could work.
"We got married, I inherited my gran's money, her business idea was invested in and it took off. She's just sold it and made a huge amount. Everything seemed to turn out great for us.
"But we both knew that deep down I still hated myself for what I did to you. I always loved you, from the moment I left. I came back so I could make it up to you. If, y'know, it's not too late... "
I burst into tears, and curled up on the floor sobbing. The couch creaked as he got up to walk over to me. "Y-you shouldn't g-g-get up, hun. You nee-eed your rest, " I told him, my voice broken and stuttery. As he put his arms around me, I realised he'd ignored my advice.
Slowly the tears dried up, but I was still shaking. Xitel gently lifted my face to look at him. "I promise you, we are nothing more than friends. Close friends. We look after each other, and support each other, but our relationship is purely platonic. It's you I want to be with. It's you I love. "
His soft smile was as gorgeous as ever, and made me melt slightly. I wanted to pull away, to stop myself getting hurt again. I was still scared that history would repeat itself. But as his lips brushed against mine, my mind went blank. I couldn't resist his touch, and he knew it. He took my head in his hands and kissed me repeatedly, gradually getting more passionate. I moaned softly, and kissed him back. Eventually he stopped and pulled away. For a moment I tried to follow his lips, tried to continue. But as I came to my senses I pushed him back.
"I'm sorry hun, but I can't let you get close again. It took me months to get over you, to stop me hating myself. I can't do that again. I can't let you do it to me again. "
"I know, I'm sorry. I understa- "
"Don't you dare say you understand! " I screamed. "Don't you dare pretend you have any idea what you did to me! You didn't just break my heart, you tore me up and made me nothing. It took all I had to get over you. "
He stared at me, breathing heavily. He had no idea, I'd never let him know. It wasn't just that he left. There was so much more than that.
"You were so schizophrenic with me. You could be so loving, so caring, and yet you couldn't stand to see me undressed. As soon as I took my clothes off you looked away, you were always so disgusted with my body. You called me gorgeous, and yet you never saw all of me. It made me hate myself, it made me think I was disgusting just because I'm a guy. " I grabbed my sleeve and pushed it up my arm to show him. "I cut myself because I wasn't a woman. Because you couldn't truly love me for who I was. "
I moved my legs from under me and hugged them to my chest. "As soon as you left I stopped. I was scarred, but I could move on. And gradually, with the help of friends, I got my confidence back. I got a new job, a new style, a new apartment, a new life. And I was happy. "
He took the glass and sipped some more water. His hand was shaking as the glass clinked on the coffee table. I looked up to find tears at his eyes, something I'd never seen. Even when his gran died, he didn't cry. "I, I had no idea... " He whispered.
His phone rang, and it was his wife. He held the phone to me. "You talk to her, please? "
I took it and answered. "Hello? "
"Oh, I was looking for Xitel, " She told me. "Did I get the wrong number? "
"Uh, no. " I told her. "It's his phone. It's just he's sick so I'm answering for him. I'm Fairy. "
She went silent for a moment. Obviously she knew who I was. "So how sick is he? "
"Oh, it's just this virus that's going around. Nothing serious. He probably just needs a few days rest and he'll be fine again. "
"Are you okay to look after him? I'm meant to be going out of town for a day or two to catch up with an old friend. If you can't, don't worry. I can rearrange. "
I turned to look at Xitel. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and he was shaking badly. I reached out and took his hand, and he squeezed mine tightly. "He can stay here for a while. I'll make sure he's okay. "
I said goodbye and ended the call. I knelt down by Xitel and wrapped him in my arms. He nuzzled his head into my chest and I stroked his hair softly.
"We can't just pick up where we left off, hun, " I warned him. "I can't let you hurt me like that all over again. But if you want, we can try again. "
He nodded and wiped his eyes. Maybe, just maybe, we could have a future after all...
Any formatting errors are my fault, for which I apologize.
On a brighter note, there's another part of the Romance coming up, for all of my silent readers. So, if you're hoping for a new part to the Romance, expect it sometime tomorrow. Until then, make sure to tell Fairy what a great job she's done on this Guest Chapter. See you folks tomorrow.
I can't draw, I'm cursed with an evil mind
Lack of drawing skills + Overactive imagination
Which means I'll be sitting with a notepad screaming "Damn! I have this really cool alien creature in my head but I just....can't....draw it!" I lead a hard life.
I can write though I've been told I write on a college level, I think if I ever make video games/movies I'll get a team of artists and provide vivid description of my ideas then they can draw them. Because that perspective shit is never going to make sense to me.
And I'd post a story but I don't have any of them saved on my computer they're all handwritten in notebooks ok I've edited this post for the last time I'm done.
Lack of drawing skills + Overactive imagination
Which means I'll be sitting with a notepad screaming "Damn! I have this really cool alien creature in my head but I just....can't....draw it!" I lead a hard life.
I can write though I've been told I write on a college level, I think if I ever make video games/movies I'll get a team of artists and provide vivid description of my ideas then they can draw them. Because that perspective shit is never going to make sense to me.
And I'd post a story but I don't have any of them saved on my computer they're all handwritten in notebooks ok I've edited this post for the last time I'm done.
Ah, THIS is that guest chapter she was talking about!NewClassic said:
So, does that mean that other people could do one if they wished?
[sub](I'm not offering, of course, as I haven't caught up completely in the story yet and I'm low on available time to write)[/sub]
Absolutely. Just let me know if you're interested, and send it to me for editing. I'll usually just adjust a few grammar errors, if anything at all. My only requirement is it follows the timeline, or doesn't mess up something I have planned for Nuke in the future.SharPhoe said:
That said...
Holy crap! Another Romance part! It's been a long time, hasn't it? (Part 15 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/18.72805.3764723] still available.)
When I woke up on the couch, my neck hurt. I remember passing out every possible place without a single repercussion, but it seems like as I get even a bit older, I start losing out on all of the mobility and energy of youth. It was weird going without when I had so many memories of going with, but I suppose that's part of aging. Doesn't mean I have to like it. I sighed, and looked around for Aeryn, who was nowhere to be seen.
I got up, and more of me creaked and groaned than I would've liked. But after a short stretch, I felt more in-tune with the rest of the world. My nose caught a draft of bacon just as heard the sizzle, and saw a swish of hair in the kitchen. "Oh, good morning Nukums~"
"Morning Aeryn," I said, waving at the skillet, "I heard the pig dying from the other room. Any of that for me?"
"Maybe, if you play your cards right."
"And lose out on the chance to call you beautiful completely unrelated to any possible reward?"
She smiled, a blush sneaking on her cheeks. I spoke before she could counter, "And it looks like I'm holding a flush."
She laughed, "Poker joke, Nuke? I thought you were better than that."
"Better than poking?" I asked, dragging a hand along her back as I walked to the table, "Nonsense."
After we had pretty much completely defeated breakfast, the sad talk had to come, "Where'm I dropping you off?"
"What do you mean?"
"As much as I've enjoyed out time together, Aer, it's time for us to head back to the city."
"Really seems like a long time since I've been there."
"Me too," I admitted, "not sure why I can't shake it. I mean, I've only been out of the city for a short while, but it's felt like weeks." We were silent for a little while.
"Do we really have to go, Nukey?"
"Afraid so."
"Um..."
"What is it, Aer?"
"Nevermind," she said quickly, getting up and hurrying into her room. She called from her room in the back, "I'm going to start packing."
"Uh..." I said, addressing the now-empty table, "what just happened?"
I got my clothes packed, the cats in the back of the Jag, and settled in. The drive wasn't too long, and with the warm leather of the car, I had the feeling it wouldn't be the worst drive in the world. The cats seemed pretty good about the trip, surprisingly Kitten more than Veru. I started the car, and we got onto the road.
The twisting country roads were a comfortable challenge for the car, and I focused quietly on the curves of the road while Aeryn cooed at the cats in the back seat. The silence was odd, especially since we'd been so talkative at breakfast. I kept my focus on the road, listening to the rhythmic crunch of gravel and the soft roar of tires on ground kept me company. I kept my playful driving to a minimum, which meant there was very little engine noise. It was oddly quiet in the car, even the cats weren't making too much noise.
By the time we had gotten to the interstate, it got a lot quieter. I turned onto the thoroughfare, and settled in a long drive, putting the car in gear and letting my right hand relax. The whisper of solid concrete was infinitely quieter, giving the car a too-quiet feeling. I was unaccustomed to the complete lack of sound, and it was unnerving. Since the car was a luxury car, though, very little noise made it into the cabin. I looked over to see Aeryn asleep in the passenger seat, and the cats both curled into one another silently. I turned on the radio and let the music provide the soundtrack for the drive.
I drifted out of focus, letting years of driving more or less guide me down the straight line. I do vaguely recall seeing cars come and go, and my changes to compensate for them. Slipping into the left-most lane, dropping gear and accelerating to pass, getting over to the right-most lane to coast in sixth, things like that. For the most part though, I was off in my own little world, thinking about what has been going on in the city of late.
It's been a bit of a rollercoaster. I hadn't hardly seen or heard from Neese after what happened, and it certainly left me a little more off-balance than I could've anticipated. Furthered by Puppet's strange behavior. Ugh, this whole thing is a mess. I suppose I could count myself lucky I have new friends around to spend time with. A new cat, Caime living in, a writing job... Oh God, writing. I need to get on that. Perhaps when I get back. Although I should probably focus a bit harder on the job front, maybe see if I can get something productive done. Here's to hoping, I guess.
Aeryn shocked me by grabbing my hand on the center console. Her fingers meshed in with mine, and I twitched. "Whoa... Aer. You scared me."
"Ah, sorry Nuk'ums. I didn't mean to."
"No harm, no foul I guess. What's up?"
"Um... I was thinking. I don't have an apartment in town any more. Can I have yours?"
"Have mine? Uh... No. I kinda need it."
"No, silly. I mean stay at yours. At least until I can get one of my own?"
"Oh," I said, feeling stupid. "I don't have a bed for you, though."
She floundered a bit, "Well... Uh-...I-i was th-think-"
The car got really awkward really quickly, "Oh. Oh! Um..."
The pout was obvious in her voice, without me needing to turn to look, "Please Nukey.~ For me?"
"Uh... I guess..."
"Yay!" She was hopping up and down in her seat, excited. "Thank you thank you thank you!"
"It's no problem," I said instantly, "anything to help."
The drive back to the city ended without further incident. I parked the Jag, gathered up an unreasonable amount of luggage, and headed up to my apartment. I got inside, greeted Caime, and we exchanged small talk about what's been going on with the city. "Wait, she's back in town?"
"What, who? Fairy?"
"Yeah. I thought she already came back, with Xitel."
"No, he actually married someone else."
"Whoa. Then are they?"
"Uh..." He said, sidestepping the topic by pointing at the door, "Uh, who's your friend?"
"Oh," I said, turning to see Aer at the door, "This is Aeryn. Aer, this is Caime."
He smiled at her, "Pleasure to meet you, Aeryn."
"A-huh," she answered, smiling. "Been a long drive. I'm going to go drop my luggage off."
She collected her luggage and went off to my bedroom. In her wake, Caime said, "Another one already? Damn Nuke, slow down."
"It's not like that," I said quickly, walking into the bathroom. "Now I need to shower."
After the shower, I realized I didn't have any clothes. I walked into my room wearing nothing but a towel, where Aeryn was reading something. "Oh," she said, getting up, cheeks flushed. "E-excuse me."
"No big," I said, losing the towel and going to look for something clean to wear. The clothing options were rather limited since I'd taken most of my casual wear with me for the weekend. I found a nice polo and some jeans. Ugh, jeans. When I turned around, Aer was sat with her head under the covers. "What?" I asked.
"Nuke," she replied, explaining. "You're naked."
"Uh-huh, as are you under your clothes. It's not a big deal. Besides, I'm getting dressed now."
"You've got to stop doing this," she said.
"You've got to stop caring." I replied, putting on the clothes.
It was getting dark out, but I figured I could make one more trip before it got too late to go out. The coffee shop wasn't a particularly new walk, nor were the sights different, but I felt refreshed to be making it again. I walked into the cafe, and greeted Erana behind the counter. "Is Puppet in?"
"Yeah," Erana said, "although now may not be the best time."
"Why?"
"He's... uh... Stressed."
"I'll risk it."
She frowned at me, expression unreadable. "Your funeral."
It was really quiet in the back. I could see Puppet mulling over some accounting sheets. "Last I saw them," I said into the silence, "you could afford two more employees and still manage a decent profit."
He looked up, startled, "Nuke? What're you doing here?"
"Asking for my job back. I kinda need it."
"What if I...?"
I shook my head, "I trust you, just as you should trust yourself. I think you'll keep yourself under control. Besides, think of your marriage. It makes you happy, and you should be happy with your friends around, and your marriage."
"You... Uh... Sure?"
"Yeah, I think you can handle it."
"I... I'm not sure."
"C'mon Puppy."
"I dunno."
"I'll buy you a beer."
He cracked a half-smile, "You're and idiot, hun."
"Your idiot," I said, "besides, you're amused by it."
"True enough. You'll work when Fairy isn't."
"Oh, Fairy's working here now?"
"A-huh."
"Awesome." I said. "Thanks Puppet."
I went back to the apartment, the several flights of stairs practically crushing me by the time I got to the top. I was a lot more tired than I had any right being. It wasn't quite eight o'clock, but I was tired enough to just lay down an pass out. The lack of sleep over the weekend was probably weighing down on me more than I cared to admit. I settled into bed, making no more effort than to remove my shirt. I fell asleep almost immediately.
At eleven, I woke up with an arm around my chest. Aeryn had nuzzled into me in my sleep. I smiled, and she rustled in her sleep. She murmured comfortably, and settled back into my side. Her leg was hooked around mine, and I wasn't sure how I should take that. It was too late for me to worry about these things. I stroked her hair once, and laid back down. The last thing I thought before passing out was how warm Aeryn was.
I got up, and more of me creaked and groaned than I would've liked. But after a short stretch, I felt more in-tune with the rest of the world. My nose caught a draft of bacon just as heard the sizzle, and saw a swish of hair in the kitchen. "Oh, good morning Nukums~"
"Morning Aeryn," I said, waving at the skillet, "I heard the pig dying from the other room. Any of that for me?"
"Maybe, if you play your cards right."
"And lose out on the chance to call you beautiful completely unrelated to any possible reward?"
She smiled, a blush sneaking on her cheeks. I spoke before she could counter, "And it looks like I'm holding a flush."
She laughed, "Poker joke, Nuke? I thought you were better than that."
"Better than poking?" I asked, dragging a hand along her back as I walked to the table, "Nonsense."
After we had pretty much completely defeated breakfast, the sad talk had to come, "Where'm I dropping you off?"
"What do you mean?"
"As much as I've enjoyed out time together, Aer, it's time for us to head back to the city."
"Really seems like a long time since I've been there."
"Me too," I admitted, "not sure why I can't shake it. I mean, I've only been out of the city for a short while, but it's felt like weeks." We were silent for a little while.
"Do we really have to go, Nukey?"
"Afraid so."
"Um..."
"What is it, Aer?"
"Nevermind," she said quickly, getting up and hurrying into her room. She called from her room in the back, "I'm going to start packing."
"Uh..." I said, addressing the now-empty table, "what just happened?"
I got my clothes packed, the cats in the back of the Jag, and settled in. The drive wasn't too long, and with the warm leather of the car, I had the feeling it wouldn't be the worst drive in the world. The cats seemed pretty good about the trip, surprisingly Kitten more than Veru. I started the car, and we got onto the road.
The twisting country roads were a comfortable challenge for the car, and I focused quietly on the curves of the road while Aeryn cooed at the cats in the back seat. The silence was odd, especially since we'd been so talkative at breakfast. I kept my focus on the road, listening to the rhythmic crunch of gravel and the soft roar of tires on ground kept me company. I kept my playful driving to a minimum, which meant there was very little engine noise. It was oddly quiet in the car, even the cats weren't making too much noise.
By the time we had gotten to the interstate, it got a lot quieter. I turned onto the thoroughfare, and settled in a long drive, putting the car in gear and letting my right hand relax. The whisper of solid concrete was infinitely quieter, giving the car a too-quiet feeling. I was unaccustomed to the complete lack of sound, and it was unnerving. Since the car was a luxury car, though, very little noise made it into the cabin. I looked over to see Aeryn asleep in the passenger seat, and the cats both curled into one another silently. I turned on the radio and let the music provide the soundtrack for the drive.
I drifted out of focus, letting years of driving more or less guide me down the straight line. I do vaguely recall seeing cars come and go, and my changes to compensate for them. Slipping into the left-most lane, dropping gear and accelerating to pass, getting over to the right-most lane to coast in sixth, things like that. For the most part though, I was off in my own little world, thinking about what has been going on in the city of late.
It's been a bit of a rollercoaster. I hadn't hardly seen or heard from Neese after what happened, and it certainly left me a little more off-balance than I could've anticipated. Furthered by Puppet's strange behavior. Ugh, this whole thing is a mess. I suppose I could count myself lucky I have new friends around to spend time with. A new cat, Caime living in, a writing job... Oh God, writing. I need to get on that. Perhaps when I get back. Although I should probably focus a bit harder on the job front, maybe see if I can get something productive done. Here's to hoping, I guess.
Aeryn shocked me by grabbing my hand on the center console. Her fingers meshed in with mine, and I twitched. "Whoa... Aer. You scared me."
"Ah, sorry Nuk'ums. I didn't mean to."
"No harm, no foul I guess. What's up?"
"Um... I was thinking. I don't have an apartment in town any more. Can I have yours?"
"Have mine? Uh... No. I kinda need it."
"No, silly. I mean stay at yours. At least until I can get one of my own?"
"Oh," I said, feeling stupid. "I don't have a bed for you, though."
She floundered a bit, "Well... Uh-...I-i was th-think-"
The car got really awkward really quickly, "Oh. Oh! Um..."
The pout was obvious in her voice, without me needing to turn to look, "Please Nukey.~ For me?"
"Uh... I guess..."
"Yay!" She was hopping up and down in her seat, excited. "Thank you thank you thank you!"
"It's no problem," I said instantly, "anything to help."
The drive back to the city ended without further incident. I parked the Jag, gathered up an unreasonable amount of luggage, and headed up to my apartment. I got inside, greeted Caime, and we exchanged small talk about what's been going on with the city. "Wait, she's back in town?"
"What, who? Fairy?"
"Yeah. I thought she already came back, with Xitel."
"No, he actually married someone else."
"Whoa. Then are they?"
"Uh..." He said, sidestepping the topic by pointing at the door, "Uh, who's your friend?"
"Oh," I said, turning to see Aer at the door, "This is Aeryn. Aer, this is Caime."
He smiled at her, "Pleasure to meet you, Aeryn."
"A-huh," she answered, smiling. "Been a long drive. I'm going to go drop my luggage off."
She collected her luggage and went off to my bedroom. In her wake, Caime said, "Another one already? Damn Nuke, slow down."
"It's not like that," I said quickly, walking into the bathroom. "Now I need to shower."
After the shower, I realized I didn't have any clothes. I walked into my room wearing nothing but a towel, where Aeryn was reading something. "Oh," she said, getting up, cheeks flushed. "E-excuse me."
"No big," I said, losing the towel and going to look for something clean to wear. The clothing options were rather limited since I'd taken most of my casual wear with me for the weekend. I found a nice polo and some jeans. Ugh, jeans. When I turned around, Aer was sat with her head under the covers. "What?" I asked.
"Nuke," she replied, explaining. "You're naked."
"Uh-huh, as are you under your clothes. It's not a big deal. Besides, I'm getting dressed now."
"You've got to stop doing this," she said.
"You've got to stop caring." I replied, putting on the clothes.
It was getting dark out, but I figured I could make one more trip before it got too late to go out. The coffee shop wasn't a particularly new walk, nor were the sights different, but I felt refreshed to be making it again. I walked into the cafe, and greeted Erana behind the counter. "Is Puppet in?"
"Yeah," Erana said, "although now may not be the best time."
"Why?"
"He's... uh... Stressed."
"I'll risk it."
She frowned at me, expression unreadable. "Your funeral."
It was really quiet in the back. I could see Puppet mulling over some accounting sheets. "Last I saw them," I said into the silence, "you could afford two more employees and still manage a decent profit."
He looked up, startled, "Nuke? What're you doing here?"
"Asking for my job back. I kinda need it."
"What if I...?"
I shook my head, "I trust you, just as you should trust yourself. I think you'll keep yourself under control. Besides, think of your marriage. It makes you happy, and you should be happy with your friends around, and your marriage."
"You... Uh... Sure?"
"Yeah, I think you can handle it."
"I... I'm not sure."
"C'mon Puppy."
"I dunno."
"I'll buy you a beer."
He cracked a half-smile, "You're and idiot, hun."
"Your idiot," I said, "besides, you're amused by it."
"True enough. You'll work when Fairy isn't."
"Oh, Fairy's working here now?"
"A-huh."
"Awesome." I said. "Thanks Puppet."
I went back to the apartment, the several flights of stairs practically crushing me by the time I got to the top. I was a lot more tired than I had any right being. It wasn't quite eight o'clock, but I was tired enough to just lay down an pass out. The lack of sleep over the weekend was probably weighing down on me more than I cared to admit. I settled into bed, making no more effort than to remove my shirt. I fell asleep almost immediately.
At eleven, I woke up with an arm around my chest. Aeryn had nuzzled into me in my sleep. I smiled, and she rustled in her sleep. She murmured comfortably, and settled back into my side. Her leg was hooked around mine, and I wasn't sure how I should take that. It was too late for me to worry about these things. I stroked her hair once, and laid back down. The last thing I thought before passing out was how warm Aeryn was.
Part 17 on the way. You know you want it. (And it's here [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/18.72805.5676683]!)
Just a reminder that Fairy is a guy... >.> You said she instead of he. And yeah, I know it wasn't obvious in my guest chapter, but I did say Xitel was a gay guy, meaning Fairy was a guy <.<NewClassic said:Holy crap! Another Romance part! It's been a long time, hasn't it? (Part 15 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/18.72805.3764723] still available.)
When I woke up on the couch, my neck hurt. I remember passing out every possible place without a single repercussion, but it seems like as I get even a bit older, I start losing out on all of the mobility and energy of youth. It was weird going without when I had so many memories of going with, but I suppose that's part of aging. Doesn't mean I have to like it. I sighed, and looked around for Aeryn, who was nowhere to be seen.
I got up, and more of me creaked and groaned than I would've liked. But after a short stretch, I felt more in-tune with the rest of the world. My nose caught a draft of bacon just as heard the sizzle, and saw a swish of hair in the kitchen. "Oh, good morning Nukums~"
"Morning Aeryn," I said, waving at the skillet, "I heard the pig dying from the other room. Any of that for me?"
"Maybe, if you play your cards right."
"And lose out on the chance to call you beautiful completely unrelated to any possible reward?"
She smiled, a blush sneaking on her cheeks. I spoke before she could counter, "And it looks like I'm holding a flush."
She laughed, "Poker joke, Nuke? I thought you were better than that."
"Better than poking?" I asked, dragging a hand along her back as I walked to the table, "Nonsense."
After we had pretty much completely defeated breakfast, the sad talk had to come, "Where'm I dropping you off?"
"What do you mean?"
"As much as I've enjoyed out time together, Aer, it's time for us to head back to the city."
"Really seems like a long time since I've been there."
"Me too," I admitted, "not sure why I can't shake it. I mean, I've only been out of the city for a short while, but it's felt like weeks." We were silent for a little while.
"Do we really have to go, Nukey?"
"Afraid so."
"Um..."
"What is it, Aer?"
"Nevermind," she said quickly, getting up and hurrying into her room. She called from her room in the back, "I'm going to start packing."
"Uh..." I said, addressing the now-empty table, "what just happened?"
I got my clothes packed, the cats in the back of the Jag, and settled in. The drive wasn't too long, and with the warm leather of the car, I had the feeling it wouldn't be the worst drive in the world. The cats seemed pretty good about the trip, surprisingly Kitten more than Veru. I started the car, and we got onto the road.
The twisting country roads were a comfortable challenge for the car, and I focused quietly on the curves of the road while Aeryn cooed at the cats in the back seat. The silence was odd, especially since we'd been so talkative at breakfast. I kept my focus on the road, listening to the rhythmic crunch of gravel and the soft roar of tires on ground kept me company. I kept my playful driving to a minimum, which meant there was very little engine noise. It was oddly quiet in the car, even the cats weren't making too much noise.
By the time we had gotten to the interstate, it got a lot quieter. I turned onto the thoroughfare, and settled in a long drive, putting the car in gear and letting my right hand relax. The whisper of solid concrete was infinitely quieter, giving the car a too-quiet feeling. I was unaccustomed to the complete lack of sound, and it was unnerving. Since the car was a luxury car, though, very little noise made it into the cabin. I looked over to see Aeryn asleep in the passenger seat, and the cats both curled into one another silently. I turned on the radio and let the music provide the soundtrack for the drive.
I drifted out of focus, letting years of driving more or less guide me down the straight line. I do vaguely recall seeing cars come and go, and my changes to compensate for them. Slipping into the left-most lane, dropping gear and accelerating to pass, getting over to the right-most lane to coast in sixth, things like that. For the most part though, I was off in my own little world, thinking about what has been going on in the city of late.
It's been a bit of a rollercoaster. I hadn't hardly seen or heard from Neese after what happened, and it certainly left me a little more off-balance than I could've anticipated. Furthered by Puppet's strange behavior. Ugh, this whole thing is a mess. I suppose I could count myself lucky I have new friends around to spend time with. A new cat, Caime living in, a writing job... Oh God, writing. I need to get on that. Perhaps when I get back. Although I should probably focus a bit harder on the job front, maybe see if I can get something productive done. Here's to hoping, I guess.
Aeryn shocked me by grabbing my hand on the center console. Her fingers meshed in with mine, and I twitched. "Whoa... Aer. You scared me."
"Ah, sorry Nuk'ums. I didn't mean to."
"No harm, no foul I guess. What's up?"
"Um... I was thinking. I don't have an apartment in town any more. Can I have yours?"
"Have mine? Uh... No. I kinda need it."
"No, silly. I mean stay at yours. At least until I can get one of my own?"
"Oh," I said, feeling stupid. "I don't have a bed for you, though."
She floundered a bit, "Well... Uh-...I-i was th-think-"
The car got really awkward really quickly, "Oh. Oh! Um..."
The pout was obvious in her voice, without me needing to turn to look, "Please Nukey.~ For me?"
"Uh... I guess..."
"Yay!" She was hopping up and down in her seat, excited. "Thank you thank you thank you!"
"It's no problem," I said instantly, "anything to help."
The drive back to the city ended without further incident. I parked the Jag, gathered up an unreasonable amount of luggage, and headed up to my apartment. I got inside, greeted Caime, and we exchanged small talk about what's been going on with the city. "Wait, she's back in town?"
"What, who? Fairy?"
"Yeah. I thought she already came back, with Xitel."
"No, he actually married someone else."
"Whoa. Then are they?"
"Uh..." He said, sidestepping the topic by pointing at the door, "Uh, who's your friend?"
"Oh," I said, turning to see Aer at the door, "This is Aeryn. Aer, this is Caime."
He smiled at her, "Pleasure to meet you, Aeryn."
"A-huh," she answered, smiling. "Been a long drive. I'm going to go drop my luggage off."
She collected her luggage and went off to my bedroom. In her wake, Caime said, "Another one already? Damn Nuke, slow down."
"It's not like that," I said quickly, walking into the bathroom. "Now I need to shower."
After the shower, I realized I didn't have any clothes. I walked into my room wearing nothing but a towel, where Aeryn was reading something. "Oh," she said, getting up, cheeks flushed. "E-excuse me."
"No big," I said, losing the towel and going to look for something clean to wear. The clothing options were rather limited since I'd taken most of my casual wear with me for the weekend. I found a nice polo and some jeans. Ugh, jeans. When I turned around, Aer was sat with her head under the covers. "What?" I asked.
"Nuke," she replied, explaining. "You're naked."
"Uh-huh, as are you under your clothes. It's not a big deal. Besides, I'm getting dressed now."
"You've got to stop doing this," she said.
"You've got to stop caring." I replied, putting on the clothes.
It was getting dark out, but I figured I could make one more trip before it got too late to go out. The coffee shop wasn't a particularly new walk, nor were the sights different, but I felt refreshed to be making it again. I walked into the cafe, and greeted Erana behind the counter. "Is Puppet in?"
"Yeah," Erana said, "although now may not be the best time."
"Why?"
"He's... uh... Stressed."
"I'll risk it."
She frowned at me, expression unreadable. "Your funeral."
It was really quiet in the back. I could see Puppet mulling over some accounting sheets. "Last I saw them," I said into the silence, "you could afford two more employees and still manage a decent profit."
He looked up, startled, "Nuke? What're you doing here?"
"Asking for my job back. I kinda need it."
"What if I...?"
I shook my head, "I trust you, just as you should trust yourself. I think you'll keep yourself under control. Besides, think of your marriage. It makes you happy, and you should be happy with your friends around, and your marriage."
"You... Uh... Sure?"
"Yeah, I think you can handle it."
"I... I'm not sure."
"C'mon Puppy."
"I dunno."
"I'll buy you a beer."
He cracked a half-smile, "You're and idiot, hun."
"Your idiot," I said, "besides, you're amused by it."
"True enough. You'll work when Fairy isn't."
"Oh, Fairy's working here now?"
"A-huh."
"Awesome." I said. "Thanks Puppet."
I went back to the apartment, the several flights of stairs practically crushing me by the time I got to the top. I was a lot more tired than I had any right being. It wasn't quite eight o'clock, but I was tired enough to just lay down an pass out. The lack of sleep over the weekend was probably weighing down on me more than I cared to admit. I settled into bed, making no more effort than to remove my shirt. I fell asleep almost immediately.
At eleven, I woke up with an arm around my chest. Aeryn had nuzzled into me in my sleep. I smiled, and she rustled in her sleep. She murmured comfortably, and settled back into my side. Her leg was hooked around mine, and I wasn't sure how I should take that. It was too late for me to worry about these things. I stroked her hair once, and laid back down. The last thing I thought before passing out was how warm Aeryn was.
Part 17 on the way. You know you want it.
Edit - BTW, forgot to say, as great as ever Nuke. I just wish I could write as well as you.
Wow, these drawings are very good, dunno if mine can stand up to them, but anyways here are mine i did in my free time, ill post the other drawings in my school books when i can be bothered to, (flippin Mock GCSE's) :
[Spoiler/]
City Wasteland (Influenced by Fallout)[/Spoiler]
[Spoiler/]
Temple Wariiors (Assassins Creed)[/Spoiler]
Sorry about the size
did the second one a while ago, first one around a month after the first
[Spoiler/]
[Spoiler/]
Sorry about the size
did the second one a while ago, first one around a month after the first
The size isn't bad at all. The forums pretty well adjust the images to fit. Some of the images I post are actually well over 3000 pixels wide, but the boards seem to auto-shrink.BigHandInSky said:Wow, these drawings are very good, dunno if mine can stand up to them, but anyways here are mine i did in my free time, ill post the other drawings in my school books when i can be bothered to, (flippin Mock GCSE's) :
[Spoiler/]City Wasteland (Influenced by Fallout)[/Spoiler]
[Spoiler/]Temple Wariiors (Assassins Creed)[/Spoiler]
Sorry about the size
did the second one a while ago, first one around a month after the first
Keep doodling, it's what every good artist does. I tell you, some of my profs actually encourage doodling instead of note-taking because it has some kind of odd focusing quality to it. Of course, these are art theory profs so I wouldn't expect a math or science teacher to be too happy about it, but still, keep doodling. Get a small sketchbook if you can. Like 5x7" that you can carry around everywhere easily.