As the title implies, this is what happens. Like it or not.
Also, you know there are no limes already. However, be prepared for something a few levels below that. Either in this chapter or the next.
Also, this is still a Jet/Virginia fic. Don't let anything throw you off. I can be a tricky writer sometimes. Okay, pretty often. Okay, most of the time. Okay, all of the time. Meh…
Klox: She was born a liar…
Aughus: Actually, she did not speak falsely. This is a romance, after all.
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The Gorg's Curse
"Gallows? Is something wrong?"
He jumped. He had been sitting on his bed, staring at her for the past five minutes straight. At first Virginia had ignored him, knowing he was just being the normal Gallows with his normal periods of mindless daydreaming. But when she looked over at him five minutes later, there was something different about his complex expression.
The Baskar hung his arm from the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. "Sorry. Can't quite explain it, but I'm happy you're better and all. You had all of us worried…"
Her face softened as she sat on her own bed across from him. "Oh," she said, feeling slightly relieved. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare any of you. I'll be more careful from now on, okay?"
"Uh…" He nodded slowly. "Okay."
She stood up again, pulling her hair back at the same time. Using the string she had taken out earlier, she tied the stray locks back and smoothed them out in front of the mirror. All the while, Gallows stared at her. His mind was in a state of complete turmoil, typically, torn between obeying his feelings and pure logic.
Should he just tell her? If he did, she might understand…perhaps even cooperate. It would make it all so much easier for him…
But no. Why was he thinking about what would be easier for him? The only reason he was in this position was because of her. He had to make this easier for her. Telling her about the curse would complicate things indefinitely, and that was the last thing he wanted.
But did he want to do this? Why couldn't he decide? Sure, Virginia was all and dear to him…he'd known her for almost a year now and they had been through a lot. He wasn't alarmed by the thought of the task he had set out for him. He was alarmed, however, by the thought of hurting her…or scaring her, or losing her trust…
So, he thought. How does one woo a woman who has never even considered intimacy?
He sighed quietly. Well, logic told him to try, and so try he would. He stood up and crossed the room to where she was standing, but he kept a healthy distance between them.
"So uh, Virginia…" He did not stutter, or look around. Nothing that would give him away…not yet, at least. "Okay, I'm gonna say something. I'm probably putting my life on the line, but I'll say it anyway."
She turned to face him, her face distorted in mild confusion. But she remained silent.
Gallows drooped his shoulders slightly. "I dunno if anyone ever told you…but in case they didn't, here goes. You're drop-dead gorgeous."
Oh, Guardians, what was he doing?
Virginia's mouth opened slightly. Not all the way, mind, but a little to say the least. After a moment of stunned silence, she surprised him by smiling. "Thank you, Gallows. I've been called 'pretty' before and it was nice, but I 'drop-dead gorgeous' does the trick, too."
He grinned wryly, the beginnings of an awkward feeling creeping into his chest. "Yeah, but uh…that's not all." He took a deep breath. "Geez, this is hard."
Her smiled faded, but the traces of it remained on her face. "Whatever it is, Gallows, it can't be that hard. You know there's nothing you can't share with me. What's on your mind?"
A lot. But he wasn't going to tell her…well, not exactly. See, this is where Gallows ignited every seductive sense he'd used in his long, long history of women. He coughed and shrugged. "You're not just gorgeous, Ginny. You're smart, you're kind, one helluva leader and to top it all off, you can shoot an ARM better than any dualist I've ever known."
Virginia stared at him for a second or two. Then she lifted her arms and crossed them, looking at him with certain amusement. "Okay, what do you want?"
Nothing you'd ever give to me willingly…Gallows swallowed. "Ginny, what if I told you there's something I have to do, or someone really important to me will disappear forever?"
This took her by surprise. She blinked at his seriousness. "Um…" She paused. "I suppose I would ask you what you had to do, and then help you decide whether or not you should do it. Gallows…is something wrong? I mean, really wrong…did Cheville tell you something I don't know?"
Damn. She was catching on. Gallows winced. "Uh…say that she did, what would you say if I promised I wouldn't tell you until I did that thing I'm supposed to do?"
She shook her head. "Now you're confusing me! How bad can this thing you have do be, Gallows? This would be easier if I knew what it was."
"Trust me, it wouldn't," said Gallows with definite graveness. "It's something I wanna do because I want to save this person, but I can't…"
Virginia looked saddened and perplexed. Gently, she brushed a strand of hair from her face and motioned to the beds. "First, lets sit down and start over."
Once they were both seated, she folded her arms across her stomach and gazed at him with concern. "Tell me why you can't, well, tell me…"
"That's the hard part," he said. "If I told you why I can't tell you, you'd know why I wasn't supposed to tell you and it would be just like I told you anyway."
She sighed and buried her face in one of her hands. "Gallows, are we still speaking English?"
He smiled crookedly. "Don't think so."
"Right." Her eyes widened slightly. "Wait…is this 'certain person' me? Are you guys trying to protect me from something Cheville told you about?"
What was this woman? A detective? Gallows winced again as she practically threw the remaining puzzle pieces in his face. "Uh…" Now what did he say? "Maybe."
Oh, smooth one, Gallows. He slapped his hand to his forehead. Why not tell her right out? I can hear it now. "Well, Ginny, we kind of need to have sex or you'll die in a few days." Yeah, that'll go over really well.
To his surprise, she did not get upset or demand why he was hiding something from her. Instead, she nodded and uncrossed her arms. "So something is wrong with me. And you have to do something you can't tell me about, or I won't get better."
Ten points for that one. His face must have given away his answer, because she went on without allowing him to respond.
"I know why you can't tell me, at least," she said wearily. "If you'll tell me what you have to do, Gallows, I can help you. You understand that, right?"
Of course. But she still didn't grasp the situation. "Virginia," he said with all weightiness. "I kinda do need your help. What I gotta do involves you, too, which is why I can't do it…"
Her expression softened considerably. "Oh, because…you're worried about me! I get it now…no, wait…I don't. It can't be that dangerous…we've been through so many dangerous things before. It can't be my health, either…why would you tell me now, anyway? It's nighttime, and we're alone, so we're not supposed to go anywhere…Jet was acting strange today, kid of like he…was…"
Gallows thought he heard her heart skip a beat. Well, maybe he imagined it, but the expression on her face was nothing less than the cold, hard reality. Virginia's face drained of his colour as she trembled slightly with realization.
"We're supposed to…" All of a sudden, she found it hard to breathe. "We're not really supposed to…but that's…the cure…?"
She was panicking. He knew it. And because he knew it, he did not know why he acted out so soon. Before she could lose her breath entirely, he reached out and grabbed her shoulders.
"Hey…hey, Virginia!" he said with both a fierce and gentle nature. She was not looking at him, but he wasn't about to let that stop him. "C'mon, take deep breaths! See? This is why I couldn't tell you!"
Virginia obliged, but she felt as if her head were expanding and contracting wildly, and it hurt…when she finally did look up and breath normally, the Baskar looked ready to faint himself.
"That's what…was going on," she said quietly. "Whoever didn't get the horses…got me…?"
Oh, crap. Gallows shook his head. "No!" he said quickly. "That wasn't how it was at all. We thought you wouldn't…not with someone you didn't know, you know? That little sulky punk just won't admit his feelings…"
Her gaze became somewhat alert. "Jet…? What feelings?"
Crap. Crap, crap, crap, crap…Gallows sighed, releasing his grip from her arms. "Big story there," he told her. "Never mind. This wasn't supposed to happen…I was supposed to, well…or the curse…"
Virginia's head was spinning. A curse. Obviously a curse on her virginity…one of the few things left she'd kept for a reason. Here it was, the big truth…and now, looking up at him, she could not feel angry at Gallows. She could not feel angry with anyone, excluding herself. She'd been caught with her defenses down, she'd been the one who was bitten and…infected.
"You…" She looked up at him. "You said you wanted to do it…to save me? You mean…you're not angry, or embarrassed…"
Gallows did not need to hesitate. "Hey, your life in on the line. I just happen to be one of those guys that'll do anything to save his leader, best friend, teammate, 'close comrade' if you wanna get technical…"
She wanted to smile. Maybe she did…she really didn't know. She'd made up her mind. "Okay…I…Gallows, let's…I mean, I want to…to help you…"
Of all things, this was the last thing he'd expected. It felt as if someone had driven an ice-cold mallet into his gut.
"…what?" he managed to say.
"Please," she said. "You….you're right…I-I wouldn't…I don't trust anyone else…so, if it's going to happen…let's have it done…I'm a little scared…"
"But…" He shut himself up. This was good. This is what he walked in looking for. On the other hand… "Ginny, it just…I mean, you're sure? We can't…y'know, go back if…"
She stood up abruptly. In doing so, she grabbed his arm and urged him to stand, too. Taken by surprise, he was compelled and soon stood face-to-face with her. She was trembling, but there was no mistaking that all-to-familiar glint of determination in her eyes.
The next few seconds blurred his train of consciousness. For, in the next moment, she had stepped forward and pressed her lips over his.
He added it to the list of things he didn't expect.
The first second, he spent recovering from her brash action, wondering exactly what direction to head in. He figured...no, he knew what he had to do and how to do it. So, carefully, he allowed the stimulating effects overwhelm him and take over his senses. She easily responded when he began to move his mouth against hers, deepening the passionate exchange.
She was frightened. He could tell. Thus, he felt it necessary to ease her uneasiness. Using a gentle, but firm hand, he pressed her entire body against him, aware that she was returning the favour by placing her hands behind his head and holding it tight.
It seemed like a dream. A dream that ended as suddenly as it came. His grip on her vanished, the provoked ardor in his antics now diminished and missing. She released him a split second after, wondering for all the world why it had ended like that.
Gallows sat back down, putting his forehead in his hands. "I...can't. It's not right."
Strange...that was how he felt. The reason he wouldn't continue no longer had anything to do with the fact that she was Virginia. Suddenly, the concept had seemed right, and he had done it...but somehow, his conscience had rejected it. He knew the reason, but for some other reason, its immediate effects eluded him.
Now he really knew what he had to do.
Slowly, Virginia returned to the edge of her bed, staring at him with silent expectations. She knew how he felt exactly. It did not seem right at all...and for that same, 'other' reason she shared with him, she felt as if she were betraying someone.
Someone she knew, with light violet eyes, silver hair...
"It's okay, Gallows..." She sighed inwardly, glad that she was able to conceal the object of her thoughts from her voice. "I guess...we shouldn't...you're right, neither of us wants this. But..."
Gallows shook his head in frustration. "But Ginny, you're still cursed. There has to be some kind of...y'know, other cure?"
She averted her eyes, staring at her pillow instead of his face. "No, that's not it...um, can I ask you...a favour?"
He was puzzled. "Uh, like what?"
"Please don't..." She looked at him. "...tell Jet."
Gallows blinked. "Tell him what?" Her expression responded. "...oh."
A wayward silence passed between them. Slowly, a smile crept onto Gallow's face as he began to understand what she was saying.
"Wait a minute," he said suspiciously. "You mean, uh…you...with Jet--"
"Gallows!" Virginia snapped, looking truly cross for the first time. "Don't even think about telling him! 'Close comrade' or not, I'll make your life miserable if you even hint...that I...well, I'd prefer..."
Oh, hallelujah! He was free!
The beginnings of a very workable plan started to form in his mind, causing his implying smile to break into an all-out grin. "Right...heh heh heh. I get it now. Want we to hook you two up?"
His answer came in the form of a flying pillow. After it had struck him across the head (however not affecting his goofy expression in the slightest) she re-gripped her 'weapon' and prepared to wallop him with it again.
Gallows grabbed the feathery instrument of destruction as it descended on him. He quickly threw it behind him, only to realize that she had already seized the pillow from his own bed and was looking ready enough to make him eat feathers.
"Alright, alright!" Gallows shielded his face from her unholy wrath. "I'm sorry! Sheesh..."
She glared for another moment before dropping the cushion on her bed. "So what if that's how I feel? Besides, even if there was a chance we could...well, he wouldn't want to. We'll have to think of something else."
"Huh?" His eyes widened. "Yeah, I...no, wait. I mean, uh...Jet's he's, uh...I got an idea. I think."
Virginia rested her chin in her hands. "You know how I can be cured without canoodling?"
His brow arched. "Canoodling?"
"Do you have an idea or not?" she huffed, crossing her arms.
"Yeah, but..." He grinned sheepishly. "This is weird. You still have to...canoodle."
She went rigid, if only slightly. "So, we're back on the drawing board..."
"No, not exactly," said the Baskar, gesturing his insistency. "This involves Plan B, and the sulky punk."
Virginia relaxed slightly. "Jet? He doesn't...well, you know Jet."
Gallows was grinning again. "Yeah he does. He just doesn't know it yet."
"Excuse me?" Her interested was perked.
"Uh, well..." He paused and thought for a moment. "Okay, here's what I'm gonna do..."
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Lookee that…One, big ol' complication. Sad. I PROMISED myself I would stop writing romance. Yep. Promised. But OH NO, Yachi had to go do it again…sigh….
Yeah, I know it's a bit more serious. However, the evil plotting against (or for?) Jet now continues. Expect mayhem.
Klox: coughs dramaticallyLiar.coughs some more
Aughus: ................
Klox: What?
Aughus: I was...under the impression that robots cannot cough.
Klox: looks above Huh, would you look at that...
Aughus: Granted.