A/N: Yes, I am aware that the title of this chapter sounds like a Chinese kung-fu movie titled 'Crouching tiger, hidden dragon'. I don't own that movie, or these characters. Sad fact, I know.
I'm in the study reading about the History of Tanis when who should come skipping in but the conniving little pancake lover. I try very hard to ignore her as I bury my nose further into the book I'm reading. She spins around a few times, and then seems to realize I'm there.
I don't think she means any harm as she walks over quietly and bends over me. I don't think she has any plans whatsoever to try and take the mickey out of me.
Oh, Jones, how very wrong you are.
"What are you reading?" She asks, sitting right at my feet. She glances at them as she does so, probably comparing them to her own.
"The History of Tanis." I smile, though not at the History at Tanis. She's still staring inquisitively at my shoe.
"What's your name again?" She looks back up at me, twisting an onyx lock on her finger slowly.
I cannot believe she doesn't remember my name. I've only lived in her own house for a week or more.
"Indiana Jones." I turn back to my book, rather bored.
"What kind of name is Indiana?" She blurts.
I lay my book down and measure Marion up and down. Since when has she be so talkative and curious?
"A special one. What kind of name is Marion?"
"A unique one." She replies. "Besides, Indiana sounds like a dog's name."
"It is the name of a dog." How ironic that she know my namesake immediately.
Her reaction is expected, but it still comes as just as surprising. She begins laughing her ass off, rolling around on the floor and pointing at me.
I decide to shut her up. In a mere amount of seconds, I bring up something to use against her.
"Did you know that Marion was the third queen of Persia, who slept with her maids, who I might add were women as well?"
Her laughter ceases and she glares at me, making it my turn to laugh. I stand up and leave the room, happy to be rid of her, because to be honest, I'm not in a mood to talk to her today. The History of Tanis is far more interesting.
"That wasn't very nice you know!" I hear shrilly from behind me.
I round on her, not glad she followed me.
"Since when have you ever been nice?" Comes my retort, adorning a rather large and mocking smile.
It clearly has an impact on her, my words, because she blinks mid tirade and looks rather put out.
"You're the one who came here and interrupted my perfectly normal life!" She yells, starting to look a little more than pissed off. I don't worry, because what can she possibly do to me? I sort of doubt that a seventeen year old such as Marion Ravenwood could harm a hair on me. But still, I feel pretty angry right back at her.
"Oh yeah? Well, you tell me where I'm supposed to go after leaving my own house because my dad doesn't even want me!" The sentence comes out of my mouth and can't hold it back. Very smart, Indy. Deal the Ace right to your opponent.
"At least you've got my dad to make up for it!" Her voice is as loud as it can possibly be, and she's right in my face. Which does not benefit my ear drums, mind you.
"You're a pretty girl, I'm sure you can manage to find another guy to protect you and make you feel actually wanted." It's a low blow to make, but I'm mad enough to do it.
Which is when I find out how very wrong I was about the whole 'she can't hurt me' deal. Something small and hard smashes against my face, making my head snap back fast. I grunt in pain as the fist leaves my face and I see she's preparing to strike again.
I'll take this moment to say that I have faster reflexes than most people, which was why I am able to catch her fist mid-air and pin it to her side and say quietly and venomously, "What the hell do you think you are doing? I didn't come here to ruin your life, I just came to learn things." She's glaring at me so hard it's a wonderful my head isn't on fire. "Maybe if you'd stop being a bitch and listen to me you wouldn't judge me so much."
I have a slight feeling that my words are like a slap in the face. Her fury-riddled glare falters and her expression closes off all emotion to me. I can't really tell what she's thinking.
"You bastard!" She yells again.
Oh, NOW I know what she is thinking.
"You have no right to chastise me for simply defending what I care about. I-"
Her rant is stopped by the entrance of another voice in this argument, startling both of us. Abner is standing in the doorway, looking just as pissed as his daughter and I.
"Marion Ravenwood and Indiana Jones, stop fighting!" He glowers at the both of us as we stare back, dumbfounded.
I painfully notice that Marion is rather close to me, and that one side of my face is hurting where she had punched it. I mean, really hurting. Like Holy-shit-I-need-some-ice hurting. Now that I get time to think about it, I can't believe she punched me. That hard. I've been punched plenty of times, sure, but always by tall, rather muscular, full grown men. Never by a tiny teen-aged girl. You'd think that--
"Indy, go have Ben tend to that bruise." Abner's voice slices for my train of thought and I stare guiltily at him. "I will not see either of you at dinner tonight. You will eat in your rooms. Lessons are cancelled for the next two days and so is school. But don't think that is all, both of you will be carrying out a number of chores. No excuses. Now each of you, go to your rooms."
He exits the room. Marion stares watches him leave, face masked.
But then she turns to look at me, shaking and breathing hard. I am now aware that I'm on her personal hit-list. She holds her gaze just long enough for me too see something glistening in her eyes.
She turns away quickly and practically runs out of the room, and I force myself to believe that I was imagining the tears spilling over and down her cheeks.
A/N: I'm aware that it's been a while. That's because I'm sticking this story at the back of my priorities. Luckily for you, I was inspired and itching for some Indy POV today. I hoipe it turned out alright. I'm working on other one shots. But that doesn't mean I don't want you to review when I do post!
