A/N: A bit farther down, I'm borrowing part of Fenrir's Daughter's story arc, with Vert's mom in Brush Hollow. Just a heads up. This is the second half of the party scene, and I'm not saying why, but there is more swearing than I usually include. Gotta keep the emotion! This is…maybe my favorite chapter. Enjoy!
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Agura had finally found Grace (who she already could tell would have a major hangover in the morning, not that it was her placed to judge considering she wasn't exactly sober herself, and she knew firsthand how rough the twenty-first birthday could be, especially on teens who hadn't drank before. Spinner's 21st? Ouch.), and was dancing with her and a group of her girlfriend's who were what Whoregura liked to call…
Drunkbians.
Drunkbe-whats?
Drunkbians. You know, sloppy drunk white girls? The ones that just les it up everywhere the second they touch alcohol?
Whoregura, English, please?
THEY MAKE OUT WITH GIRLS WHEN THEY GET DRUNK. DRUNK. LESBIANS. DRUNKBIANS. Kapeesh?
Kaposh.
Agura tried not to pay too much attention to the 'drunkbians,' (certainly none of the guys they were dancing with minded them) but it was when they started trying to make a move on her that it got irritating, Grace not yet included but probably nearing the fence. She decided it would probably be strategic to leave the situation before pictures were snapped, but someone bumped into her as she turned, blocking her way out.
"Oh, uh, sorry, I…" Agura trailed off, having to tilt her neck upward (which didn't exactly help the alcohol-grogginess; she was starting to question the strength of whatever drink had been in that cup) to apologize to the guy she had accidentally bumped into. He was tall and muscular-thick, probably a defensive master on any football team if she had to guess.
"Leaving so soon?" This guy, whoever he thought he was, gave her a cocky grin. His breath stank of alcohol.
"Just taking a breather." Agura tried again to dart past him, but he still blocked her escape.
"But aren't you having fun?"
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Vert was still watching Agura, trying to build up the courage to go over and talk to her (and ignore the girl-on-girl action that had always been present when teens and alcohol were mixed) when someone big and tall blocked his view. Vert instinctively clenched his jaw.
Mason 'Big G' Grant. All six-foot-three of him. Mason and Vert had been fierce rivals for quarterback of the Handler's High Cowboys back in the day, and Vert had just barely beaten him out for the position. Mason had held a grudge for the entire season, and every once in a while reminded Vert by letting one of the opposing team's biggest players 'slip by him' and straight into the undeserving Wheeler.
In short, they hated each other's guts. And now Mason was getting a little too close to Agura's.
"I-I gotta go." Vert muttered through clenched teeth to Alex, who turned after him in a pout. Vert was already gone, pushing through dancers and other teens and keeping Agura in his sights. He watched as she kept trying to evade the hefty footballer, but to no avail. He reached for her with huge arms and Vert growled lowly.
Oh hell no.
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"C'mon, babe, dance with me." Mason slurred drunkenly, reaching for her waist. Agura disgustedly moved back, but he closed his fingers around her necklace, nearly choking her in the process.
"Let me go." She hissed, elbowing him.
"Ooh, you're feisty…" He purred in her ear. "I like that."
"Get off of me!" Agura panicked. Everything was moving too fast, his stinking breath by her face, huge hands still wrapped around the necklace and moving for her chest-
"Hey, Mason!" Someone called, and he released her to whip around. Agura took the opportunity to snatch her necklace back, turning to face her savior.
It was none other than Vert.
"Hey, back off, Grant." Vert snarled, smacking his hand away from Agura and protectively pulling the latter closer to him. Under normal circumstances, Agura's cheeks would have flamed, but now she drew closer into the shelter of Vert's strong, unwavering stance. Though the music still pounded, a few teens were eying them curiously, waiting to see if a fight would break out.
"What's the matter, Wheeler?" Mason taunted drunkenly. "Am I gettin' too close to your girl-friend?" He slurred, putting extra emphasis on the final word. "Gonna fight me for her, are ya?"
"I'd prefer not to waste my time." Vert glared. He was pounding with rage; it took everything he had not to swing at his enemy.
"Aw, c'mon, Wheeler!" Mason tried to throw a friendly arm around Vert, who disgusted shoved him off. "It'll be just like old times, huh?" He stared Vert straight in the face, his casual tone betrayed by hatred in his eyes.
"Get a mint, Mason." Vert pushed the jock back. "Or should I say a breathalyzer?"
"Alright, Wheeler, you're just asking for it now." Mason threatened. "What do you say, are we gonna fight for your pretty little girlfriend over here?" He reached out with sweaty hands to grope Agura's waist, and Vert just snapped.
"Get your filthy hands off of her." He growled, drawing back his arm. Mason barely had the time to summon a taunt before Vert's fist smashed into his nose, sending him stumbling backward in pain.
"You little son of a b*tch…" Mason hissed, only succeeding in making Vert more furious as he was more sensitive than most people knew about his mother. Mason immediately retaliated and throwing a punch at Vert's chest, when the incredible happened.
Vert moved quick as lightning, grabbing and stopping Mason's fist mid-punch and twisting his arm so that the hefty redneck yelped in pain.
"What the hell?" He demanded, held immobile by the maneuver Vert had performed.
"I warned you. Touch her again and I'll break your damn arm." Vert growled lowly. Mason glared from his compromised position.
"Get out of my face, Wheeler." He spat. Vert narrowed his eyes, twisting the arm of the hunched-over coward even further. Despite himself, Mason grunted in pain.
"Fine."
Vert glaringly released him, and Mason slowly stood up, cocky sneer back in its usual position.
"You can keep the prude-"
Crack!
Vert saw red. He didn't even know he had done it until his fist collided with Mason's face with a bone-breaking impact, and the hefty teen howled in pain, clutching his nose and glaring at with murder in his eyes.
"Bad idea, Wheeler." He growled, blood beginning to show.
"Get out of my sight, Mason." Vert spat angrily. He turned to Agura, putting a protective arm around her waist. She was shaking; disoriented from alcohol and scared. "Let's get out of here." They turned, heading straight for the exit.
"You'll pay for that, Wheeler!" Mason roared. "You better watch your back!"
Vert didn't even give him the pleasure of turning around.
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They moved together, not saying a word, to the parking lot behind the diner.
"You okay?" He asked softly, as they sat on the asphalt. She hugged her knees, his arm was supportively on her shoulder and she had a massive headache. It was simply too much.
"Y-yeah." She murmured. "Thank you." It was the automatic thing to say. She didn't even know if she meant it. Her head was swimming.
"It was nothing." Vert brushed the incident off. They were re-descending into their uncomfortable state again, and Agura felt it too. She fought to clear her head, to summon the strength to look him straight in the eyes and just say-
"No, really. Thank you." She said forcefully, turning to stare him in the face, to prove that she meant it. "I-…"
Agura paused. He was looking at her in concern; eyes honest and blue as ever, searching her face for damage. The eyes of someone who cared, so deeply, that they were spellbound. Just like her. Vert gulped at the sudden moment; almost a copy of what they had experienced in the jungle zone but infinitely stronger. He had just saved her, and now, he wanted to claim her. He wanted, no, he needed to kiss her, as if to prove that she was safe, untouched, his.
She was drawing closer and closer to him now, trembling lips about to meet. Vert ached with need as he brought his hand to cradle the smooth skin of her cheek. She half-closed her eyes, thick lashes fluttering. Vert's heart was pounding, his head was racing, and he realized he didn't need to think, or worry. Just to stop, live in the moment. Right now, with her. He closed the gap, and they drew together, finally touching what both of them had avoided for so long.
Fireworks. Agura thought. When they had connected, two people moving in harmony, she had felt fireworks. All the tension and angst between them had simply exploded, disappeared. It was amazing; it was perfect, it was simply…right. They been so afraid of a relationship this whole time, when in truth it was exactly what both of them needed. And Vert felt it too. He felt…fulfilled. He had craved the soft touch of her lips on his for so long, and they had done it. Agura was breathless. Her mind swam with need for oxygen but she couldn't stand to pull away from him even for a second. The months they had spent so carefully avoiding even the brush of an arm now seemed years ago, and she wanted nothing more than to stay in his arms forever. Finally, the need for air overcame the great passion she felt for him, and she pulled away, gasping.
Then their eyes met, exchanging the feelings neither had words for.
"Vert, I-" She started quickly, wanting to say so much to him.
"I'm sorry." He mumbled quietly, turning to stare at the ground. "I shouldn't have done that."
"No, Vert, it's-" She was pleading now. She had to stop him from apologizing; let him know it was okay.
"It's just…" He sighed. "When that prick Mason grabbed you…" Vert trailed off. He had so much he wanted to tell her, yet…none of it would come out.
"Vert…" Agura said softly, placing her hand on top of his.
"You're so beautiful, Agura." Vert choked out, turning to face her with intensity in his eyes. "You really are, and when he tried to take advantage of you like that…" He shook his head. "I couldn't even stand it."
Agura was lost for words. The ones he had said to her meant so much.
"And I want you to know," He began, facing her and gripping her hand tightly in his, "If anybody ever tries anything like that again…" He bit his lip, searching blindly for the courage to go on.
"Look, Agura, I love you. And I know that I can't, but please," He spoke with such intensity and determination that it chilled her. "At least let me protect you."
"Vert…I…" Agura didn't know what to say. Her mind was malfunctioning; she couldn't even process a sentence. The pure emotion he had just expressed for her was overwhelming, and she didn't even know how to thank him.
So she leaned forward, wrapped her arms around resolute shoulders, and kissed him with all of her might. She wanted to prove to him everything she was feeling; that she was so grateful for him, just to have him by her side. That there never should have been a decision to make; two people to choose between. He was the one, and she needed to show him that.
Agura's kiss…it meant everything to Vert. That she had been the one to close the gap, the one to instigate the bond, the one to prove that he hadn't loved her in vain. Everything was genuine, and passionate, and in the midst of all their past encounters and mistakes, it fit. Perfectly.
They finally pulled apart, even if it felt like they had only just begun. They stared at one another in total synchronization, waiting for someone to break the silence.
"Vert, I…" Agura frowned, confused. "I want you to…ugh, I can't even think straight…" She groaned, clutching her head. Vert looked at her more closely.
"My God, Agura. Are you drunk?" He gaped in shock, leaning in to check her eyes.
"No. Maybe. I don't know! I was looking at you, and dancing with Chace, and that thing in the jungle happened, and then there was that Mason guy…" Agura rambled troubledly, and Vert inadvertently ground his teeth at the sound of his enemy's name. "I just…" She stopped, leaning a tired head on his shoulder.
"Can we go home?"
"Yeah." Vert nodded decisively. "Come on. Let's get you back." He stood, holding out his hand to her. Agura shakily pulled herself up, holding him tightly for support, and Vert let out a grim smile, wrapping his arm around her back. He desperately wanted to carry her, but knew it was best to take things slow. He guided her to her car, attaching the towline to the Saber.
"I think it would be best if you didn't drive." He whispered, placing her gently in the seat. Vert took his place in the Saber and drove both of them towards the Hub.
