Tom dances with an unknow girl by accident at the Blood Moon Ball, ruining his plan to tie his and Star's soul for all eternity. Will this become the bigest mistake of his life or will he find the right path by taking a wrong turn?
Before you start reading I will just warn you: This is not a Tom x Star nor a Tom x Marco fanfic... and I will not hint to that nowhere in this story. So, don't flame, complain or beg about it. It is not negociable.
Anyway, to those who still wanna give this story a try... thanks and you are welcome to stick around.
As always: italics are thoughts, the " o " is a page breaker, bold is for emphasis.
Tom, Star and Marco (along with the other characters of Start vs The Forces of Evil universe) belong to Daron Nefcy and Disney Television Animation. Any other charcaters are of my own invention.
A/N: Thanks to a Guest for his/her comments about Tom's mom. Truth be told, I had also pictured her like an overprotective mother... and then decided against it because I thought it was too predictable; hence, I tried for a "less common" path. That's why. =)
Hope the change in POV in this chapter doesn't confuse you; I thought it took too long to paste one and then the other (and that process also made the chapters shorter).
And the day is not over yet... I hope I can have the X-Mas chapter ready in time. I know how I want it to be, but I don't know if it will come out as I imagine. =S
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I lean on Brian's divan in his makeshift office - that is also, his bedroom - and make myself comfortable.
Dad told him to make his office in the adjacent room for our sessions when he was appointed as my life coach; Brian, decined. He must be very perceptive, because I don't feel comfortable in a real shrink's office. That's the reason Brian lives in the west wing of the castle-like mansion, close to my quarters.
"How's your day so far?", he asks. Unlike "the professionals", Brian doesn't address my "issue" right away. He gets to it through casual conversation.
"Like hell", I growl but smirk. Getting out of council meetings always makes me happier. Brian nods.
"And how are you faring with... mhmm... the maid?", I notice the reluctance in his voice. After all, I don't think he will feel any more comfortable saying 'your gift'. I shrug my shoulders.
"You saw it yourself", I simply say and place my hands on the back of my head. I look at the ceiling but I give sideglances toward Brian from time to time.
"I only saw some puddles comming from your bathroom to the room next door", he replies, "what happened?"
I sigh, deflating my chest like a balloon. I explain to him the morning ordeal. Brian listens attentively, nodding once in a while and muttering 'oh', and 'ah' from time to time to let me know he follows. I even tell him about the uneasiness I felt after I saved Cille.
"I don't really know much about this realms traditions or lore", he says almost apologetically, "do you think that feeling is related to the Ball?"
"Dunno...", I answer and frown, "... but I only feel like this when I'm with Star. Or felt, anyway".
"Then, it's probably a good thing", he smiles sheepishly. I throw him a nasty glare.
"How so?", I ask him to delve in his statement.
"Well...", he starts calmly, "it means that, even if this feelings are yours or suggested by an external force, you can get over your infatuation for that girl, Star, and..."
"It is NOT an infatuation!", I roar and seat on the divan, cutting him short, "I love Star". I'm losing my temper and I know it. I get up from the divan and pace back and forth in front of Brian.
"I know she loves me, too... but that Marco guy is a hindrance to our relationship!", I go on and on and on about why we make a perfect couple, about why we should be together, and about how I cannot stop loving her no matter how hard I try. I talk about my conversation with mom and her twisted matchmaking plan - I don't mention mom's secret about Cille unknown past nor her third eye. By the time I finish, I see Brian has filled quite some pages of his notebook with scribbles and is smiling contently at me.
I grunt and turn my back to him, crossing my arms over my chest. He cheated me again! Brian's tactic is to use my short-temper against me to make me talk about the things I usually bottle up. A knock on the door disrupts the tense atmosphere briefly. Brian stands up slowly from his chair - his cubby frame bouncing slightly with his calm steps - he places his hand on the doorknob and turns to look at me.
"I'm just suggesting you to open up to new possibilities", he says and opens the door. A maid enters pushing a service cart with food plates on it...
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I knock on the door and wait a moment. The nice man from before opens and invites me in with a smile; I smile back and push the service cart in. My smile falters when I look Tom is standing there in the room with a sullen face. He averts his eyes and turns his face away. I can't say he has an animosity against me, but I guess he is not happy to see me. Is he still mad about the tub thing?
The nice man moves some papers and books away from a table near the window and I begin to set the food on it. I realize the amount of plates is for three persons. Maybe the nice, chubby man will eat for two. I make a slight curtsy and begin to push the cart to the door; however, the man places a gentle hand on my shoulder and stops me.
"Stay for lunch", he kindly says and smiles warmly. I look at him, then back at Tom - who still seems to be sulking.
"I appreciate your offer...", I begin to excuse myself.
"Stay...", Tom butts in, "is an order". His voice doesn't match his dark deamenor; however, is a commanding tone. The chubby man takes the cart in my stead and rolls it to a corner of the room. He smiles at me as if to reassure me that this situation is not as bad as it seems. He guides me back to the table and helps me to my seat. Tom seats in front of me and the man seats to the side. It would be a nice lunch, if Tom's discomfort in that four-person table wasn't so palpable.
"Can you pass the bread... ehm... missy", the man asks me shyly. I nod and do as he requests.
"The name is Cille", I tell him while handing him the bread basket, "and I didn't get your name before, sir".
"Brian", he replies and takes a bite of the hand-sized loaf of bread he got from the basket.
"Before?", Tom lifts a brow, "have you two met 'before'?"
"Well...", I start, chosing my words carefully, "...he came to help me with the bathroom mess this morning". Tom looks at me with a straight face and then turns to look at Brian - who's happily chewing part of the steak on his plate.
"Did you now, Brian?", the demon asks and sips a bubbling orange liquid from his glass. Brian finishes the morsel he is chewing.
"Of course!", his answer is way to cheerful for my liking and I worry that Tom will lash at him... since he is still a bit sour. "That mess was just too much for one person to handle".
Tom's features soften - I can see he has the man in high-steem -, and nods absentmindedly. He turns his crimson eyes to me.
"How are you feeling?", he suddenly asks; when I don't reply and he sees the puzzled look in my face, he adds, "nothing is hurting? You swallowed a lot of water".
"Ah... ehm...", I stammer, "I don't feel ill and nothing hurts... thanks for asking".
"Whatev...", the demon answers and munches on his meat; he pretends to be very interested in chasing around his plate a green, tinny ball that looks like a pea. The clatering of fork and knife in the plates is soothing, despite its dissonance. My own portion of meat, smashed potatoes, and peas - if that is what they are -, are very tasty and melt in my mouth.
"Are you one of Master Tom's tutors?", I ask Brian after a mouthful of food, "You have a lot of books and interesting things laying around". Tom seems to tense when I inquire about the man.
"Mhmm...", the man taps the tip of his fork on his lower lip, "I could be called that, I guess... but, in reality, I'm a life coach".
"Because dead things can't make good use of coachings, right?", I playfully add. I think I hear Tom snicker but when I look at him he clears his throat and keeps a straight face. Brian, on the other hand, chuckles amused.
"I had never seen it that way", he says with a fatherly smile. We pause the chat to attend our plates some more.
"It is nice to eat in the company of others for a change", I point out of nowhere. So suddenly, in fact, that I blush and bow my head - pursing my lips in a thin line. My cutlery forgotten on the table while my hands curl into fist on my lap. I can feel Tom and Brian inquisitive looks on me, but I don't dare face them.
"Yes it is", Brian says, encouragingly, "I believe food is tastier when shared with people you appreciate". I partly look up at him and Tom's voice makes is way to us, too.
"Yeah, why not... it's been a while since I had some company while having lunch; with the King and Queen being busy with the realm...", the demon looks at Brian but gives me a sideglance and... is that a smirk?, "Overall, is not that bad".
I smile at him and nod, hoping that small gesture show him how relieved I am by their words. We eat and chat some more until the granfather clock in this room strikes six times.
"Ah!", I exclaim, "An hour already? I have to go do some errands".
"You are my maid", Tom points out and takes the last sip of his drink; he leaves the glass over his empty plate, "I left you no errands aside from the bathroom cleaning".
"They are for the Queen, Master Tom", I say, standing up and cleaning the table. I make some short trips from the cart to the table while picking things up.
"Explain", Tom commands. Is it me or he tries to keep his phrases short when talking to me?
"She said something about the upcoming Sabbath", I reply, "she wanted me to go pick some items she ordered beforehand for the occasion".
"What items and where?", the demon asks with a mix of aprehension, anger, and caution. Is he worried about something?
Instead of answering, I get a folded piece of paper from the apron pocket and hand it to him. His crimson eyes scan the paper and a bit of horror, disbelief, and mild repulsion flashes in them. Tom mutters through clenched teeth: "This is... making me... getting late... damn meeting". I don't know what he is talking about.
In the end, he closes his eyes and gives a resigned sigh. He remains like that, tapping his fingers on the table for a while, as if collecting himself. When he finally opens them, he pockets the paper in his maroon ragged shorts.
"Tomorrow", he says, "we'll go tomorrow".
"But...", I begin.
"Missing a day won't harm mom's plans", he reassures me. I nod to him again and take the cart and its contents to the door.
"I'll go with you", Tom says and stands up; he and Brian part with a good-bye fistbump. The man waves at me and I wave back.
"Come eat with us again, missy", he says before closing the door behind us.
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Hope you like the story so far. No need for reviews unless you feel like doing so.
