Valentine's Day
A series of one-shots from some of the characters who you'd never dream of when thinking of Valentine's Day.
Diana
Diana walks the familiar path back up to Coates Academy. The day is uncharacteristically cold, and small droplets of rain are struggling to reach the earth. She's not thinking about the weather or the long, lonely day she has spent in Perdido Beach. Her thoughts are running in a completely different direction.
Throughout her life, Diana has never really understood love. It breaks you, destroys you, and so why would anyone willingly go looking for it? Love can't beat cold, undiluted hate, as Diana had proven when she'd pushed her mother…
Diana shoves away the tears that are dancing down her cheeks, pretending that she doesn't really care. In reality, it hurts so much that she's sure there's a fire burning inside her.
No matter what they say, Diana Ladris does have a heart, although not many have access to it.
Caine is one of the few privileged people.
It's Valentine's Day, one of the most pointless events of the year. Diana's often buried in lurid, flimsy cards which carry as much meaning as a grain of sand.
Diana walks through Coates moodily, ready for a hot shower and an early night. Before she can head in the right direction, a flustered Jack intercepts her. "Caine's looking for you. He's, uh, in the gym."
Diana briefly considers arguing, but thinks better of it. "Yeah, thanks Jack. I had a really nice evening planned before you came and rained on my parade." She feels sapped, drained of energy, so doesn't pay attention to Jack's upset expression.
Diana marches into the gym, intent on nothing more than sulking in her room.
"What, Caine?" she snaps. "What do you want?"
"Turn around," comes the reply.
She whirls around to see that he is using his power to hold up some lilies – her favourite type of flower – which are arranged so as to spell out her name in mid-air.
"Caine… that's… I mean…" she searches her mind for a word, an insult, anything, but she pulls up blank.
"I can't believe it," he says, guiding the lilies to form a bunch and then levitating them towards her. "Diana Ladris, speechless."
All Diana can manage is a pathetically weak smile.
"Happy Valentine's day," Caine whispers before walking out.
Diana's stomach is filled with butterflies, her heart a bird desperate to escape its cage.
Diana doesn't understand love, but that doesn't mean she can't feel it.
Zil
Zil exits the house, glancing left and right. He's sure no-one's seen him, but he doesn't want to take chances. His thoughts flick towards the freaks – if one of them is camouflaged like Bug or has the ability to intrude on his thoughts, he'll be found out. That's not an option.
He darts down the alley next to the house and waits. Eventually, after what seems to have been an hour, the sound of the footsteps he's been anticipating comes. But Zil feels the thrill of panic, because things aren't going as planned; the footsteps are coming from behind him.
Zil instinctively dives into a nearby open dumpster. He buries his head unashamedly in the soggy rubbish, begging fate to favour him, and for once, it does.
The walker passes obliviously by and enters the house Zil just left.
Zil climbs out of the dumpster with a shudder, brushing himself off hurriedly before heading towards the house. He walks in without bothering to knock.
"Hey, Lance," he shouts.
"Huh –? Oh, hey, Zil. Check this!"
Zil walks into the kitchen, knowing what he'll see, but unsure of Lance's reaction.
There are several heart-shaped 'cookies' on a plate, made hastily with the same recipe as tortillas.
"Wow," says Zil, grinning inside. "Who left them?"
"No idea," answers Lance. "Want one?"
Zil picks up a burnt one and nibbles it, too worried inside to eat properly. "Happy Valentine's day, I guess," he murmurs. Lance replies with something indistinguishable through a mouthful of Zil's cookie-tortillas. "Someone really likes you," Zil hedged, hoping and dreading an answer.
"Zil?"
"What?" he barks, feeling sick. How could he have guessed…?
"No offence man, but you stink. I mean, did you fall into a bin on the way over?" Lance laughs and hits Zil on the arm.
If only he knew.
Orc
Orc sits on the floor in his almost empty room. He hesitates before reaching into the back of his wardrobe, from which he retrieves an old cardboard box.
Again he stops, listening for Howard's return. Nothing. Orc is safe.
With his clumsy gravel fingers, Orc opens it and withdraws four cards, all unsent, only one of which is unwritten in. Each is a tremendous kick in the gut.
The first one, decorated with gold flowers and silver hearts, was meant for Astrid, kind, clever Astrid, who guided him through the boggy marshes of math.
"Astrid? I can't do this question."
"Fractions? Okay, Orc, don't worry. Firstly, we –"
And she'd be off, explaining the impossible in her melodic voice. She'd never failed to catch his eye after that, despite her obvious lack of interest.
Now Astrid holds hands with Sam.
The second card had been for Bette. Sweet yet daring Bette, with her flame curls. That's what he'd loved about her; each hair had been a strand of autumn, as vibrant as her personality.
"Hey! Leave my brother alone, you big bullies!"
"Why? We're sharing his sweets out," sneered Cookie, snatching another sherbet lemon from the paper bag.
"Yeah," Orc echoed, keeping up with his reputation, although he'd felt a stirring of guilt in the pit of his stomach, as if a snake was curled up in his intestines.
But certain actions had been preformed, the bat had been swung, and now Bette holds hands with Death.
The third card had been destined for Mary. She'd forgiven him for his sins, as holy and angelic as her name suggested. Maybe she even loved him back.
"Hey, Mary. I found some animal crackers under the sofa in my house. Bit stale, but the prees might –" He was cut off by his stomach moaning.
"Oh, Orc. Thank you," Mary whispered, and a beaming smile lit up her face, putting the sun to shame.
Orc's yellow eyes had filled with tears.
But in the end the FAYZ had stolen Mary, twisted her into something other, and she'd held hands with the prees and jumped off a cliff.
Orc picks up the empty card, and an idea creates a slow smile to spread across his face. One person is still here.
When Howard returns home, Orc greets him with a grin.
"Here," the monstrous boy grunts, handing Howard a card. On the front are the words 'Best Friends' in Orc's wobbly handwriting.
Howard, a toady, a friend, is now the only constant thing for Orc in the FAYZ.
"Orc, man –"
"Beer me."
A/N: Yep, I'm back! Also, I've got some other fics planned to make up for such a long absense. Feel free to despise me. Also, I know Zance isn't a "proper" pairing, but I couldn't resist! Anyway, leave me a review telling me what you thought. Peace out!