Hey guys. A few things before we get to the story.
First: Updates will be slow from here on out because school's started and my teacher enjoys giving us homework.
Second: Found a FOP reference in City of Bones. I forget the page and the actual quote, (way to go, Beasty. Way. To. Go.) but it says something like 'magical goldfish in a fishbowl'. If that isn't a reference, well, I'm an idiot. XD
Third: RATING HAS GONE UP. It's now T, for language and general angst-ness.
Lastly, Thanks to BJXCBFOREVER, Cupcake-Ninja-Platypus, CherryCreamSauce, and Gamer girl247 for reviewing. :D
Disclaimer: Didn't not own nothing then, don't not own nothing now.
4. Mistake (Prompt 005)
"I'm not jealous, I'm just annoyed!" Anti-Cosmo shouts for what feels like the millionth time.
"I can' help it if 'e gives meh stuff!" Anti-Wanda protests, pulling her lips into a pronounced frown.
"You don't have to accept the gifts, though! Throw them back in his face, remind him again that you are married!" He reminds her harshly, turning his back to her.
Earlier, Anti-Cosmo had gone out to get some extra paper, (it was always running out, probably because he was forever scribbling his plans down upon it) and left Anti-Wanda home alone — right after reminding her that no, you are not allowed to touch the supply of poison, and yes, the pointy mace is sharp!
The southern anti-fairy had been fluttering around the castle, trying futilely to find something to do, when another anti-fairy had shown up (either Anti-Cosmo had forgotten to poof-proof the place, or Anti-Wanda had accidentally undone the enchantment, most likely the latter).
"Anti-Wanda?" She whipped around, nearly knocking an antique vase to the ground.
She blinked a few times when she saw him, just to make sure he wasn't a mirage. "Anti-Juandissimo? Whataya doin' here?" Asked a very confused Anti-Wanda.
Anti-Juandissimo — who was nowhere near as pleasing to the eyes as his counterpart, who was well-muscled and sexy where he was lanky and stick-thin — smiled a little at finally seeing his Dark Princess after so long. He then remembered why he hadn't seen her in so long. "Yes, it's me. I- er, where's Anti-Cosmo?"
"He's gettin' sam more paper for his plans!" She grinned goofily back to him.
Anti-Juandissimo heaved a heavy sigh of relief. The last thing he needed was for the anti-fairies' leader to come and find him here. He unconsciously shivered, remembering the last time Anti-Cosmo had found him looking a little too closely at his wife. "So, uh, do you want to maybe . . . I dunno, maybe try to- uh, I mean," Anti-Juandissimo stuttered, unsure what he was asking. "Doyouwanttogoonadatewithme?" He finally asked in a rush, biting down hard on his lip.
"A date? Like wit' date squares?" Anti-Wanda asked, still confused.
Anti-Juandissimo poofed up some date squares. "Uh, sure!" He picked one up, and scraped a small piece off. The he held it out to Anti-Wanda, except . . . he was trying to place it in her mouth. Shrugging, she took it in her teeth and began to nibble on it, grinning when it was gone.
Her ex-boyfriend smirked back, and gave her another piece. Then another, and another, and another . . .
Neither of them heard the other piece to their little love triangle appear, and he was most certainly not happy.
Anti-Juandissimo swore he could hear a soft 'tap, tap, tap,' like someone impatiently tapping their shoe on the floor, but quickly dismissed it as nothing.
Only when that tapping moved from the floor to his shoulder did he turn around. With a jump, of course. His eyes grew wider than what was probably healthy. "A-Anti-Cos-Cosmo?" He smiled nervously. "Uh, h-hi!"
The other male merely stared back, and began to retrieve his wand from its place in his pocket.
"I was j-just leaving!" He whipped out his own wand, and disappeared with nothing but blue smoke and the word 'coward!' in his place.
Meanwhile, Anti-Wanda had no idea what had just transpired. She was just smiling at her husband in her usual clueless manner, like her ex-boyfriend showing up and feeding her date squares was perfectly normal.
Obviously, Anti-Cosmo had been furious, and then they gotten in a fight. Which leads us back to the present.
"You don't have to accept the gifts, though! Throw them back in his face, remind him again that you are married!" Anti-Cosmo reminds her harshly, turning his back to her.
Anti-Wanda just floats in place, confused as usual. She doesn't understand why he's so upset; doesn't he like date squares? "Cozzie?" She asks uncertainly, feeling timid.
Her husband whips around, startling her. His usually grass-green eyes are turning darker, and threads of red are beginning to surface. "Don't 'Cozzie' me! I know what you're up to! You're going on dates with that, that . . . jerk behind my back!"
She blinks once, twice, three times; he's talking too quickly for her to understand. All she knows is that he's angry . . . at her. Why? "Cozzie?" She asks again, softer.
He ignores her, instead continuing his rampage. "I knew you were only married to me because of our counterparts! Fine! You can be that way if that's what you want!" He poofs out of the room with a cloud of the darkest smoke she's ever seen.
Her lip begins to tremble. "C-Cozzie." She floats silently down the halls, which seem emptier for some reason.
She finds herself in the library, where he isn't. When she glances outside, she notices storm clouds brewing. She has to find him before they hit the castle.
Tears slip unnoticed down her face as she goes from room to room, searching. She's certain she's covered every room at least twice when the lightning flashes through the house, thunder following almost immediately after. She shrieks and her movements become frantic and uncaring, ignoring what she knocks to the ground, her shrieks that are so loud she can't hear herself think, and instead thinking that she just needs him. Of course, he's not coming to save her today.
He's poofed himself to the barrier that separates his world from his counterpart's. He just needs to get away. He knows it is too good to be true; who can love a monster like him? He chuckles slightly, not because it's funny, but because karma is not the only bitch around here. Fate is a cruel mistress not to be underestimated. Together, the two create a living Hell.
He's so preoccupied, he nearly misses the roar of thunder as it blasts past his ears. Nearly. He bolts up from his sitting position on the ground and whirls around. Sure enough, storm clouds are gathered over Anti-Fairy World. He'd unconsciously whipped out his wand before he noticed the clouds, and now twirls it to poof himself home.
Oh, he still remembers the image of Anti-Juandissimo feeding his beloved date squares. That's a memory that will stick in the back of his head for a long time. But he also remembers how he promised not to let anything hurt her. Especially memories best kept buried. So because while he may be proficient in finding and using loopholes, performing dirty, underhanded tricks and on occasion, betraying his allies, he is nothing if not an anti-fairy of his word. That is why he goes back.
Meanwhile, she's curled herself up in a corner, completely covered in blankets. Soft, warm, comforting blankets. She trembles uncontrollably, but tries to ignore it.
This time he is the one searching for his spouse, poofing into one room one moment and vanishing the next. He finally arrives in the kitchen, and can hear soft whimpers coming from behind him. He whips around to see half-lidded, shiny pink eyes.
The guilt literally takes the breath out of him, and he takes her into his arms and just can't stop saying "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" because he knows that this is all his fault. Every little bit of it. He rocks her gently, tries to keep her tears away because each one is like acid to him, searing through his skin and leaving holes in his body.
Needless to say, he doesn't notice the tears on his own face.
She does, though. Through her blurry eyes, her forgiving, beautiful eyes, she notices. So when the storm ends, and she's okay, because nothing can hurt her now that he is here, she lifts an uncertain hand to brush them away.
She wishes he would stop apologising.
He can't stop apologising.
He tells her didn't mean any of it, he's sorry, he loves her, (she's too good for him, he thinks. Too innocent, too forgiving for her own good) and that he won't blame her if she just walks out right now and never wants to see him again, but she smiles a heartbreakingly sad smile, and shushes him softly.
It doesn't work.
She tries something different, if only to stop the agonising apologies because no, it's not his fault, it's hers!
He wonders if her kiss is her way of saying good-bye, or just telling him that she forgives him. He desperately hopes for the latter, though he knows he doesn't deserve it. Like hell he doesn't.
She kisses him fiercely, reminding him that he is too hard on himself, because no one is perfect, and that's what she loves about him. Though he may be the resident genius of Anti-Fairy world and its leader, he still makes mistakes. Plenty of them.
Him asking her to marry him wasn't one of them, they both know. Her saying yes wasn't one of them, either.
It's a little known fact, but it's known by the two people who it really matters to.
Oh, and Cupid. But he knows everything about love. Except how to tell the fairy of his dreams how he feels, but that's a story for another day.
While he cradles her again, smiling softly through fangs that are both razor-sharp and sweet as sugar, she just curls her head into his chest and listens to his heartbeat. She may not know it, but he needs her just as much as she needs him; maybe even more.
1678 words, I like it. Didn't really mean for it to get that angsty at the end, but when I try to add 'a little angst' to a story it always . . . well, it just isn't possible. Especially when I decide to listen to My Immortal on loop on my iPod while I write. *Sigh*
I think Anti-Wanda might have gotten a little OOC at the end there . . . not sure. I know AC's little temper tantrum was OOC though.
Oh well.
And if you even dare to mention that you might begin to ship ACAJ, I will personally cut off your- uh, just kidding. Hehe. ACAW FTW!
Please review, it makes me feel special. XD