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justheretolurkonevajacks · 2 years

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A scorned Phoenix

ROXY

As usual, I had slept in and missed out on whatever exciting trip Gwen had been taken on by Gabriel. After more than a decade, both had given up on making me do anything early in the morning. As a matter of fact, I was biologically incapable of happiness before 10 A.M.

There was an exception. But that day - of all days - wasn't the time to linger on that thought. Max and his insufferable scaly companions were around the manor and even if I had the strongest mental shield in the realm, I was never fast enough. Last night, Max had caught on the disappointment I hadn't been able to banish all day, even after forcing Gabriel to offer me an extra-training session with all the threats of royal calibre I wasn't old enough to make.

The moment Gabriel had encouraged me, saying that soon I would even be faster than him, that obnoxious feeling had settled in again and I had barely touched anything at dinner.

Pathetic.

I didn't need him.

I had Gwen, and Gabriel, and Geraldine, and Caleb, and Max, and Seth, and even if besides Gwen, all of them were unbearable to be around at least twice a day, at least none of them had ever made me want to carve their eyes out.

As if I answering the silent summoning, a blur sprang the door open and Caleb rolled in front of me, his blonde locks dishevelled and a blush on his cheeks. "I'm still working on adjusting to the speed" he panted, still sprawled on the floor. I realized I hadn't even wasted a giggle on his entrance - had he taken the joy out of making fun of Altair, too? I shook the thought away, rising from the sofa I had been meditating on - and when did I ever meditate? was I ill? - and shrugged. "I admit, for a moment I thought you were Seth. Rolling around is kind of his thing".

Caleb immediately stood up. "Yes, Seth. Have you seen him, lately?"

"Not today".

"And what about Darius?"

"What about him?" I replied way too fast, turning so that he didn't catch me frowning.

"Apparently, he had an eventful birthday". His expression darkened. "You don't know?"

"By all the stars in the sky, why would I know? It's not like we're BFFs or anything". But even as I said it, I could feel the fire starting to build inside me. I had to be careful, or I would never hear the end of it. To feign indifference, I started playing with the air that had started flooding in from the corridors, twirling it around the room in tight coils that could have easily snapped any fae's neck who was suicidal enough to threaten me.

Not that I ever recurred to such drastic methods - the right degree of suffocating could go a long way.

I preferred fire, anyways.

The moment I let that thought in, a curtain caught flames. "Damn the stars" I whispered, as Caleb's heightened senses sought the source of the burning smell. "On edge, sweetheart?"

"Just bored". I quenched the fire with a drop of water. "What were you saying?"

"We were talking about Darius".

"You were talking about Darius" I corrected. "What has the lizard done, this time? Do we need to humble him again? Perhaps like that summer we stole his golden chains, knowing that he would be stuck looking for them all night? We won the Pitball game the next day".

"That was kind of cheating".

"Not if we hadn't agreed on when the playing started". Darius had been mad, but he had ended up flying it off because he was ten and I was nine and he wasn't about to fight someone whose order hadn't emerged yet. The first genuine smile in almost 34 hours tugged at the corners of my lips. "Fine. It might've been a little cheating, but it's not like he's above it either".

A dangerous glint danced in Caleb's eyes. "He most definitely isn't".

"So?"

"He kissed Margaret the night before his birthday".

I tightened the grip on my powers. "And? Why would I care?"

"A full-on make out session. I don't think he had ever done it with anyone else before".

"Once again, why would I care?"

"Because... Well..." Caleb might've continued, if I hadn't shot him a glare that spoke louder than a thousand warnings. "I mean, I wouldn't have turned down Marguerite either. She's become so hot last summer" he changed course. Wise.

I snorted. "I mean, there's little that thirteen-year-old fae males would turn down. You'd make out with a tree if it grew lips and boobs".

"That's true. To be honest, I'm surprised that Darius hadn't done it yet. Dark and brooding is in style right now".

"Dark and brooding is always in style" I corrected him. "I had three Fae males begging to spend time with me just yesterday. Darius isn't special".

"Oh, I know that, sweetheart". Caleb looked at me for a while without saying anything, as if taking me in all over again. "You do look especially dashing, today, lady Roxayna" he imitated Justin Masters, the most insistent of my suitors.I had to admit it, Altair knew how to make me smile even in my darkest hour. "Stop it". I tried to hide a giggle, punching his arm. For a moment, our gazes locked. "Your eyes..." Caleb breathed. "There's fire in them. Almost like--" He halted. "Doesn't matter".

But I knew who he was talking about. The image of Marguerite and Darius appeared in front me, a vision too clear for my liking. "I heard that blonde, angelic assholes are back on trend, too" I whispered, so close that his untrained fangs came out. "Not enough for me to give you a taste of that, though".

Caleb didn't move, but his teeth went back to normal. "Not even if I beg, sweetheart?"

"Not even if you beg".

I pandered what to do long enough for Margaret's face to flash in front of me. Darius thought he could hurt me – by not showing up on his birthday, by making out with a shallow social climber instead – but he didn't know that I liked playing too. I let Caleb's lips brush against mine, inviting him in.

And just like that, I was exploring Altair’s mouth, relishing in how purely physical it was – and as I did it, I pictured a pair of dark eyes burning with flames that mirrored mine.

DARIUS

I still remembered the night that I had first turned into a dragon. It had happened sooner than most expected, even before Caleb, Max and Seth, who had been awakened at nine like me.

I wished that I didn't have to associate being a Dragon to Lionel - I hadn't called him father in a long time - because it didn't matter how well-meaning most Dragons were, the memories of Lionel still lingered in the eyes of anyone that crossed mine, and confirming that I shared his Order wouldn't have made it better.

However, that morning when I had discovered that I was a Dragon I hadn't felt entrapped in Lionel's heritage. I had felt free.

After a few attempts, I had managed to stay off the ground and by the dawn of the next day, I felt more Dragon than Fae. I had been soaring across the sky, bathing in the pale sunlight above, and I had wished to never touch the ground again.

Even if Mother never said it out loud, I knew that she no longer took any joy from flying - Lionel had broken that, too. Her lessons had been out of duty, more than out of true pleasure. In a different world, I wouldn't have been flying alone that morning.

Looking back, I couldn't remember how I had decided to tap on Roxy's window. Perhaps it hadn't even been conscious. Perhaps it had been luck.

As if haunted by a shadow, I had fled loneliness to defend that perfect illusion of happiness that had seemed unending, and I had ended up by her window. And the loneliness had shrieked backwards.

Even through the curtains, I could see that Roxy was sleeping. Her dark hair was sprawled on the pillow, her palm on her eyes as if attempting to cover them from sunlight.

She looked beautiful.

I thought it was impossible, but through the eyes of the Dragon it seemed like all of the details that made her Roxy were more carefully drawn. The differences between her and Gwen, that to me were clear but undetectable as a Fae, were starking. Her skin, that was slightly darker, and the shape of her eyebrows, that seemed more capable of frowning than Gwen's, and the shape of her upper lip, that exhibited a harsher cupid bown in comparison to her sister's. I hadn't known whether she would've shouted at me to leave her alone - Roxy despised doing anything before 10 A.M. - but had been overcome with an emotion that I couldn't yet name and I had needed to wake her up.

Because she needed to see. Because she would've understood.

I tapped on the window, clumsily beating with the tip of my head. I hadn't quite figured out the proportions, so I had sprang it open and a gust of wind had entered the room. Roxy had startled awake, her eyes wide open. "What the-"

I had turned back into Fae, rolling inside - not the most graceful entrance. "Darius". She had looked at me in awe. No one had looked at me with such untainted pride, after learning that I was a Dragon.

"You emerged".

"Yes".

"If it wasn't your birthday, knowing you can fly I would've pushed you out of the window already. Are the birds even awake yet?"

"Nice to know you wouldn't kill me, given the chance".

"I first need to beat you like Faes do. I know that I'll have at least three elements when I'm Awakened next month".

Roxy had glanced at me with a challenge in her eyes and I had wished that I could fight with her already. It would've been different than with Caleb, or Seth, or Max. I wasn't sure I would've ever wanted to fight again with anyone else.

"Perhaps".

"You won't be able to show your face around for days afterwards. Caleb will make fun of you to death, Seth will never let it go, and you'll have to fleed the Realm". Roxy wanted to get a rise out of me, but I was still thinking about flying and I wasn't sure that I had ever actually touched the ground. She seemed to realize it too, because her taunting look softened. "You seem different".

"I am".

"How does flying feel?"

"Like..." Her curious eyes peered into mine, as if she didn’t need me to answer at all. "Like freedom".

We had stayed silent for a while, as if absorbing what I had just said. Then, she had broken the quiet – as she usually did.

"I wonder if I'll fly, too". She looked outside the window, a crushing longing in her eyes.

"I know you will".

I didn't know why I had said it - she had equal chances of turning out to be a Hydra - but there was a side of me that had never doubted that I'd share the sky with her.

But I hadn't wanted to wait.

"Fly with me".

"What?"

"Fly with me," I offered her a hand. "You can ride on my back, I won't drop you".

"Isn't there some snobbish Dragon code against it?"

"I don’t care".

I wasn't sure if I'd break it for anyone else, but I knew I didn't want Dragons to be what Father had wanted them to be - lonely creatures, destined to reign alone a step above all else. I had wanted her up there with me, I had wanted her to feel as unchained as I had felt. We had walked outside, as I created a silence bubble around us. Roxy had made a show of considering whether turning me down, but I knew her well enough to have seen through her act.

Since then, it had become a birthday tradition. I had showed up on the same day, at dawn, when I turned eleven, and then again at twelve, and I had intended to do the same when I turned thirteen until Marguerite had taken initiative and stolen what I thought belonged to Roxy. She had never laid such claims on me, but for the first time in four years, I wasn't sure if I could still ask her to fly with me. Would have she smelled Marguerite on me? Did it even matter that I took her flying, when these days she could do it so well by herself? Did she even care?

I circled the castle three times, reliving the memory of that first time again and again, as if Marguerite making out with me could make it vanish.

I had taken her flying for hours, until Solaria had started to wake. The noise should have been able to touch us, but it hadn't.

ROXY

I spat in the sink again, attempting to wash the sour taste of blood that still lingered from Caleb. I had told him that in no parallel universe would that ever happen again, unless he brushed his teeth beforehand to make sure that I had an entirely, blood-free, mint-flavored experience. Besides that side effect, the make-out had been an adequate performance for a thirteen years old – not that I had much experience to judge it from. Seth might have been a wiser choice, since he seemed to be all over his pack all the time, but he likely would’ve been a lap dog for months begging for more if I offered him just an inch – and I didn’t want a boyfriend. I didn’t even want a BFF that I made out with – apparently, Max had proposed it to Geraldine once out of sheer despair – and that made Caleb ideal for the role. He wasn’t clingy and enjoyed punishing Darius almost a tenth as much as I did, which is more than I could say about anyone else – besides perhaps the anti-Lionel radicals who still vouched for depriving him of the title of Heir to the Council.

I didn’t intend to make out with him again, but it had taken the edge off enough that I hadn’t been on the verge of sprouting flames for almost fourtyfive minutes afterwards.

“Roxy, I’m sure that Darius didn’t mean to not show up the other day”. Gwen was sitting on her bed, her dark hair in a neat updo, her bright eyes softer than mine could ever be. “I know you’re hurt, but-”

“I’m not hurt” I snapped.

“Upset”.

“I’m not upset”.

Gwen let out a laugh, and I would’ve strangled her if I didn’t love her so much. Besides, I would’ve never admitted it out loud but while I wasn’t upset, or hurt, or even angry, I had had controlled mood swings between the three for four days. “Fine. I still think that you should talk to him about this, even if just about how it didn’t impact you in the slightest”.

I went through the clothes that our mother had chosen for us, discharging the third gown with a frown. It was orange – why would I ever wear an orange dress? I was a Phoenix, not a mandarin. “Sure, considering how busy he is, I doubt he’ll even have time for that tonight”.

“He will”. Gwen stood next to me.

“I shouldn’t even show up” I sighed. “But if we don’t, then it will look like I want to challenge him politically, while I just want to hide his golden toys so far away that not even his damn fast wings will reach them before the next full moon”.

“I’m pretty sure you did that. Fourteen times. I don’t even know why he keeps leaving them there with no protection”.

“Because his brain is made of ash” I replied, as I adjusted the dark red dress I had picked.

“Technically, we’re the ones-” Gwen didn’t finish. “Never mind. Can’t you just approach him and ask him nicely why he missed out on your birthday tradition?”

I took out a tube of red lipstick from a hidden floor-board – Father thought it was too soon, but I didn’t care – and I applied it, side-eyeing my twin as I stood in front of the mirror. “Whatever. It’s not like we had made a Star Pact about it or anything”. Gwen’s reflection offered me an unconvinced smile. “If you say so…”.

As soon as we arrived, I started looking for the Heirs. Our parents stayed behind, entertaining Catalina, who had organized the most press-acceptable party to date. Darius would’ve likely preferred to spend his birthday with his closest friends, but he didn’t have much margin for mistakes when Solaria was observing his every move. I hadn’t met Lionel, but it was clear to me that he hadn’t inherited the dictator gene – I didn’t understand how no one saw that he would’ve likely preferred not being an Heir at all to ruling Solaria on his own.

Without even looking around, I saw him. I didn’t understand why, but I never had trouble seeking him out. As children, when we had first started to have classes together, he had made a habit of distancing himself from us when we were in public – even if it was an average playdate in the Solaria Gardens. But no matter where he hid, I always found him – as if there was an invisible tether between us. It was likely that we were Nebula Allies, but I had never had the same ease with the other Heirs, and I refused to linger on the reason why.

Before I could reach him, Marguerite stomped in front of me, a plastered smile on her freckled face. “Roxayna, we were wondering where our beloved Princesses were”.

“Beloved?” I echoed. It wasn’t a secret that Marguerite’s father had sided with Darius’ father and supported his coup. It didn’t matter that it had long been proven that Father had been misguided or how much effort Tyler’s mother put in re-establishing his reputation, Lionel’s supporters still believed that the Savage King had conspired against the Heirs and that Lionel was a fallen hero. That was likely why Darius had been allowed to retain his birthright.

She ignored me. “Not that Acrux would’ve noticed”.

“Gwen is quiet, but I’m sure he would’ve still taken notice if she wasn’t here”.

“I wasn’t talking about Gwen”. I bit my tongue. It wasn’t the right place to cause a scene, not with Marguerite, and not where Darius and the press of the entire Realm could see me. Attempting to channel Gwen’s composure, I made another step in the Heirs’ direction, but Marguerite stepped in front of me again – but not before I saw that Darius’ gaze was fixed on me. I wouldn’t let him have the satisfaction of seeing me falter. “I mean, I’m sure you’ve heard that Darius and I are a thing, now”.

“I’m a Princess, I know better than to believe the gossip” I feigned sweetness.

“Well, this time it’s true”. Marguerite stared me for a second, likely expecting a reaction – she didn’t know that I had long accepted that piece of information. “His wings are so strong, I’m sure he will become even stronger than his dear father. He didn’t have any issue carrying me”.

My tongue went dry. “His wings?”

“Sure. I mean, I had seen him transform, but not like that. I also didn’t know that Dragons even let others touch them, but I’m sure even Lionel made exceptions for Catalina”.

He had let her ride him. He hadn’t forgotten our birthday tradition, he had just taken someone else. “What’s up, Roxayna? Did you not know?” I heard Marguerite’s voice, but I wasn’t looking at her – I was sustaining Darius’ dark gaze, that likely hadn’t left me since I had entered the room. I held back the sting of the tears, willing them to vanish as I called upon the Phoenix within me to dry them before they fell. Because I didn’t care about Darius Acrux. And he certainly didn’t mean enough to me to make me cry.

But I didn’t want to be near him – not that night, not for a long time. He had never told me he would never let others ride him eventually, but I though it would be the Heirs, or Gwen, or even Geraldine. Not Marguerite. I had no right to claim a betrayal, yet as I reined in the flames that were burrowed beneath my skin so that I wouldn’t make a scene in front of the press, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was.

Caleb rushed out of his chair, faster than any of the other Heirs would’ve managed. “Roxy?” he whispered.

“I just want to be alone” I murmured. I was about to push him out of the way, when I noticed that Darius had almost reached us. I deliberately curved the corners of my mouth in a smile. “Before, though, I wouldn’t mind a little fun”. I erased the space between us. “Roxy, I have fed ten minutes ago, I don’t know-” I interrupted him, making sure I made eye contact with Darius as I ignored the metallic taste of blood in Caleb’s mouth. By the Stars, I wished I could wield water already.

Darius stopped, his eyes betraying his emotions as slits flashed in their stead.

I heard clicking sounds as the press caught that moment, but I didn’t care. “That’s enough” I decided, pushing Caleb out of the way. “I need to go”. Too startled to react, he didn’t stop me as I left the crowd, as the enchanted lights suspended over the Acrux Gardens dimmed into darkness.

The moment I knew that the shadows would hide me, I burst into flames and soared into the sky.

DARIUS

I had seen Roxy from the moment she had entered the party with Gwen. I had almost been afraid she wouldn’t show up – I had even asked mom if the Vegas had confirmed their participation, and she’d laughed it off saying that I was too anxious about the press. I hadn’t even thought about the political implications of her absence, but remembering that the Vegas not showing up would’ve been an offense to the entire family had reassured me.

As I made sure I didn’t lose her in the sky, I ran through the number of mistakes I had made that week – the last of which, not making sure Marguerite and Roxy didn’t cross paths at the party. If I had been a little braver, I would’ve told her myself about what had went down, instead I had avoided her for three days.

I didn’t owe her an explanation, and yet as I raced after her, all I wanted was to reassure her that I belonged to her – in a way I couldn’t yet name, I had belonged to her all along.

Haunting her light in the dark, I didn't even notice that we had left the urban area behind until flight halted. Spreading her wings, Roxy was floating above the Blackhole Forest - the most dangerous area of Solaria. In that moment, her eyes crossed with mine. Not human, but more - as if the spark that seemed to ignite them at all times had set them aglow, sharpening her emotions. And yet, beneath the fire, it was Roxy staring at me. A dare shone on her face, her wings shuddering in promise.

A moment before I realized that I hadn't been chasing her at all, she plunged in the shadows.

I landed next to her, thankful that being thirteen, I was still average-sized. I was about turn into Fae, when I remembered that I would've been naked. The expensive suit that I had been wearing was likely shredded outside of the Acrux manor.

Roxy, on the other hand, retracted her wings and let the fire burn out, leaving her beautiful dress intact. It hadn't even torn on her back, since all of the twins' clothes had been adapted to their Order. A victorious smile crowned her lips.

"You can't talk. That's how I like you the best". Her sweetness almost made me breath smoke. I might have let Marguerite kiss me, but she had made out with Caleb in front of the press, in front of all of Solaria's high society, in front of me. She had crossed a line. "Why did you even chase after me? I thought you had plenty entertainment at your party. Plus, I know how much you love those fancy canapes that Catalina orders all the time".

I hated them.

"To be honest, I didn't even know if you'd follow me here. You don't quite have the rule-breaking streak".

But it wasn't true - I was a broken rule. I should've been disowned after what Lionel had done, but I had stayed as Heir because of the conspiracy that the likes of Marguerite's father believed in. A conspiracy that I daily denied to the press, even if I knew that I owed it all.

"Guess I was wrong". Roxy's eyes softened. I noticed that while thinking about Lionel, I had settled on the ground. Perhaps even through her anger, she had noticed the effect her words had had on me. "Why don't you go back to the party, Darius?"

Because I want to be here. With you.

I didn't even know what Marguerite could've said to her to make her lose her temper. The Heirs had casually mentioned that Caleb had told her about Marguerite, and Roxy had never laid claims on me - I hadn't even dared to get close enough to kiss her, no matter now much I desired it.

I wasn't exactly the most suitable partner for a Vega Princess, anyways.

"Fine. You won't go, will you?" Her harshness had burned out, as if the flames had taken her fury with her. I hadn't been close enough to hear what Marguerite had told her, but I wanted to fly back to the Acrux Manor just to torture her until she denied it.

I shuddered at the thought. At times, when I was a Dragon, I feared that Lionel was closer than he should've been.

I wanted to turn into Fae to be able to question her, to explain, but I couldn't. But perhaps that wasn't what Roxy wanted. Perhaps she hadn't led me in the Forest just to taunt me and leave me stranded. Neither of us had ever been adept at voicing our feelings out loud. I nodded, brushing the nuzzle against her cheek.

She was sad, and I still didn't know why - but if that's all she let me do, I would comfort her until I could make up for what Marguerite had said to her. Roxy didn't push me aside, but didn’t make a move to stroke me back either. Her voice became soft, almost like a whisper. "You let her fly with you".

What? I stopped caressing her, stepping back. I felt the taste of smoke before I saw the twirls in the air, twisting around Roxy.

"I wouldn't even care. But why that day, of all days? When--" Her voice faltered. "You know, I shouldn't even be telling you this. Gwen was wrong".

Fast as lightning, Roxy spread her wings and skirted up above the trees. I went after her, but this time around it wasn't a chase. She glided through the sky, her flames at bay, the unique trace of her Phoenix fire an unnatural incandescence in her wings.

Once we arrived to the Acrux Manor, instead of landing where the photographer couldn't see her, Roxy hovered above the crowd and span for the press before retracting her wings on the dance floor, knowing I couldn't do the same. As I saw Gwen rushing to her sister, I turned around and I circled the Manor. Thankfully, the fact that I came from a family of Dragons meant that most windows were sized to accommodate our Order. I dressed as fast as I could and I rushed outside, begging the Stars that Roxy hadn't taken off again.

"Darius, where the hell were you?" Max greeted me. I wasn't focused enough to keep his Siren gifts at bay. "Anguish, desire, despair, which means that--" I didn't hear what he said, because I saw Roxy. Gwen was sitting next to her on the sofa, no Heir in sight - knowing Gwen, she had told them to make themselves sparse - and their hands were intertwined.

I pushed the crowd aside - including Marguerite, who I still wanted to set alight even without the Dragon instincts guiding me - and I reached them. "Roxy" I breathed. But the moment I saw her, I knew that something was wrong. Gwen offered me a tight smile. "It's not Roxy, it's an illusion casted by Catalina. She casted an illusion of you too, he might be wandering somewhere".

"Where's the real Roxy?"

"She's likely back at the Palace by now". Gwen bit her lip. "Look, I think you should wait to talk to her. This is not the right time. Twin advice".

"I never meant to hurt her" I murmured.

"I know".

I sat next to Gwen, who even while looking like her sister, couldn't be more different from her. "I asked Gabriel to cast a scary illusion for Marguerite, by the way, and there are excellent pictures of her going around" she added nonchalantly.

"Gabriel was here?"

"I might've called him". Gwen shrugged, an innocent look on her face. "I don't even know what she told Roxy exactly, but the moment you two left, she started saying that the Savage King's daughters were clearly as unstable as their father and it would be a matter of time before we realized that Lionel was a savior, and all that bias".

I growled. "I shouldn't have even invited her".

"At least there are excellent photos of her going around at the moment. I mean, it does make it a little more embarrassing if you want to date her in public, but--"

"No" I interrupted her. "By the Stars, I don't care about Marguerite".

She curved her lips. "That's what I thought".

We observed the crowd in silence for a while, Gwen lazily interacting with her twin to make the illusion more believable. I had yet to see either mom or fake Darius, but I suspected that both meetings would be interesting. "Little shrewd?" I called. She had been lost to her thoughts, as usual, and the daisies intertwined in her brains quivered in surprise when I spoke. "Yes?"

"Not to discourage you, but being thirteen so far seems so much harder than being twelve. Enjoy it while it lasts".

ROXY

A noise awakened me. It took me a while to notice the shape behind the curtains, casting a long shadow in the room. Darius. The second I thought his name, the memories of the previous night came back to me like a wave of nausea. His slits were looking at me, a pleading softness to them.

I pretended I didn’t hear him for a few minutes, considering whether I should open the window or not. And then, I couldn’t help but think about how he had comforted me until I had mentioned what Marguerite had told me. I had never been possessive, not of Gwen, not of any of my friends – and yet I couldn’t tolerate the idea of sharing him.

I needed to make sure he didn’t know, though. I needed to fix the glimpse he had seen of me the previous night, when I had carelessly opened up to him. I didn’t want us to change. I wasn’t ready. Wearing the most prideful look I was capable of, I tiptoed to the window and I opened it. I turned around as he put on the clothes that he kept at the Palace – just in case.

“You can look”.

I met his gaze, attempting to shake the vulnerability of our last conversation. “It’s early” I muttered.

Darius smiled shyly. “I’m here for our ride”.

“You don’t have to-”

“Marguerite lied” he interrupted me. “She didn’t fly with me. I had been hanging out with other Heirs and was heading home, when Marguerite and her friends saw me. Do you know that café full of Pegasus’, the one on the roof?” I nodded, still unsure where that was going. “Well. They were there. They started pointing their finger at me, shouting my name. I don’t know exactly what happened afterwards, likely a bet or whatever, but Marguerite threw herself off the building. I don’t have the Air element, so all I could do was turn into a Dragon to catch her. I just acted on instinct. Then I realized that her older sister, who wields Air, was behind them and nothing would’ve happened anyways”.

That girl was crazy. “That’s it?”

“When I caught her, she screamed that she knew I would save her and the whole the café started clapping. The owner handed me some spare clothes and when I headed out of the bathroom, there were even more people there. Before I could escape, Marguerite kissed me in front of every star-damned bastard that had stopped to stare. I was stunned, but I escaped a moment later, I swear. I didn’t mean any of it”.

“You don’t need to swear it, it’s not like I have a say in the girls you date” I managed. But I would’ve been lying if I didn’t admit that a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. “Is that all?”

“I’m sorry I missed our ride. I was just-” His voice trailed off. “I don’t know. I’m sorry, Roxy”.

We stared at each other for a while, in silence. I knew what he wasn’t saying – and he knew what I hadn’t said. The air seemed to be electric, as if ignited by all that the words that had fallen through the cracks.

“So…” I broke the silence. “What about that make up ride?”

It was by far our best one. For the first time unafraid of me falling, Darius span in the sky, and the rush made me breathless each time, even as I asked him to do it again. Towards the end, I threw myself off him and transformed into a Phoenix, and I chased him until neither of us had any strength left. I didn’t reach him, but I promised that one day I would. I bought him the most embarrassing shirt I could find – he still owed me for the disgusting blood taste in my mouth – and I waited for him to change.

“A Medusa cartoon? Really?”

“I’m sure that Marguerite will love it”.

Darius let out a snarl. “You’ll never let this go”.

“You can bet I won’t”.

“Wait to see the pictures of her escaping from Gabriel’s illusion. Gwen told me it was insane”. I laughed. He stopped at a café – safely placed on the ground, so no danger of Marguerite falling from the sky there – and told me to wait. When he came out, he was waving a bag full of little chocolate wafers. “Peace treaty?”

I faked a swoon. “Why do you know all my weaknesses, Acrux?”

He watched me eat them, a satisfied grin on his face. He didn’t ask me to share. I hated that he knew me so well. “What’s up with that silence, Dragon boy?”

He seemed to pander what to say for a few seconds. “There is no Marguerite” he blurted out. I didn’t expect it and I almost let it show. “There is no Marguerite?” I echoed, the voice more unsteady than I willed it to be.

“No. There’s only-”

“Guys!” a voice shouted from across the street. Seth and Caleb were frantically waving at us. “Hi” I yelled back. Seth was pointing at the screen of his phone, a picture that I couldn’t make out the details of in the middle of it – but I was quite sure it included a certain red-head. “Come here, these photos are insane” Caleb assured.

I turned back to Darius. “You were saying?”

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know. Even as he struggled for words, I had the temptation to shut him up so that he wouldn’t say the ones that would change it all. I wanted to remember our ride, and our laughs, and his humiliating t-shirt, and I wanted to chase him around the sky, until both of us went numb. I wasn’t ready.

He seemed to understand.

“Nothing”.

He opened up in a smile that wasn’t entirely sincere - but I didn’t let myself dwell on it, as I dragged him across the street to our friends.

I didn’t want morning to end quite yet.

#torydarius #zodiac academy #fanfiction #au #tory vega #darius acrux #darcy vega #seth capella

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