A/N: Well, I passed one of my modules! I'll find out the rest of the results tomorrow…wish me luck! 3 Also, fuck this chapter was hard to write. Like squeezing blood from a stone. I apologise for the complete guhness of it.
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Advent - December 14th
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That…was not a request that Sam ever saw coming. He's practically reeling where he stands.
His soul he saw giving up. Not getting offered a job. He, rather hysterically, wonders when the last time he updated his CV was and whether Thorn would accept shooting ghosts as an acceptable hobby.
"Work how?" Sam asks, feeling blindsided.
Thorn grins and Sam's stomach absolutely does not tighten at the sudden change. "You ever heard of the Hellchasers?"
Sam hasn't. They sound like some sort of leather wearing bike gang.
At Sam's bemused look Thorn continues, "The Hellchasers are a group of misfits whose job it is, is to hunt down demons who have escaped."
Sam blinks. "Escaped where?"
"From Hell."
Sam's eyes narrow because really, it can't be that simple. "You…hunt demons?"
"Yes."
"And…you want me to hunt demons?" Sam clarifies.
Thorn rolls his eyes. His black as night eyes.
Well, it wouldn't be the first time Sam has come across a demon that hunts other demons. Ruby for instance. She'd taken down one of the deadly sins.
"Yes." Thorn says again.
"So…" Sam trails off, because he's really not seeing the catch here and there is a catch. There's always a catch. And yet… "You basically want me to do what I've been doing for pretty much my entire life?"
Thorn blinks and opens his mouth. Then closes it almost immediately and give Sam a weird look.
"You've done this before?"
And wow, Sam thinks, he sounds pissed. Like he thought hunting demons was going to be this big surprise and change in lifestyle.
He…kind of looks like someone stole his toy.
Sam wants to hug him and pat him on the head.
Okay, this was not what he expected. At all.
Big scary demon guy, covered in scars and swearing like a redneck hunter in Ellen's bar, yes. Short blond guy with ruffled kitten aura, no.
But then again, Sam doesn't really have much in the way of self-preservation, as it's been pointed out quite a few times. Though more self-preservation than Dean, it has to be said. What with his gung-ho attitude to hunting everything.
Geez, Sam hates thinking what would have happened to his brother if he hadn't decided to pick hunting back up.
Dean would have probably been eaten by something by now.
Eaten or stabbed or shot or freaking electrocuted.
Oh wait…that's already happened. And look what Sam had to do to fix it as well!
And Dean complains that Sam is the one that blithely heads off into danger. Sam's not naive and he's not innocent and he doesn't need his big brother protecting him every step of the way.
When was the last time something bad happened to him?
Okay…maybe Sam shouldn't go there.
"Er…yeah." Sam says and manfully restrains his grin when he sees a scowl appear on Thorn's face. "Almost every week. Sometimes more than that if it's a busy one."
That seems to irritate Thorn even more as he stands and starts to pace. Glancing at Sam every few seconds.
"You…" He says, and then trails off and narrows his eyes.
Sam stands there and enjoys the scrutiny. He doesn't think he's had this much fun in a long time. So he really can't help himself when he adds, "Did Ash not tell you?"
Thorn growls, actually growls, and spins to face Sam.
"Careful, kid. I haven't agreed to anything." He says, "I can rescind my offer at any time." He pulls out his mobile with a vicious smile, "Want me to call Ash now? Tell him we're done here?"
Panic makes Sam's stomach curl and he reaches out to Thorn, letting his hand fall just short of gripping his arm. No need to give Thorn any more reason to not help. "No. I'm sorry!"
Thorn raises an eyebrow as he eyes the hand. Sam flushes as he quickly retracts it, rubbing it with his other.
"I'm sorry." Sam repeats, looking contrite.
Thorn lets the silence drag on and Sam is just starting to believe that maybe he's actually blown this. That maybe Thorn won't help him and Dean will be stuck in Hell forever and it'll all be Sam's fault.
Just like it always is.
His thoughts are derailed when Thorn huffs out a breath. "Geez, kid."
Sam glances up from beneath his eyelashes to see Thorn looking distinctly uncomfortable.
"I never said it was off the table either."
Sam's face brightens and he takes a step forward. "Really? You'll do it?"
Thorn sways back a little, but doesn't step away. "You look like I've just decided to kick your puppy or something." He makes a grumbling noise and then sighs. "Okay, fine, I'm not going to rescind my offer."
Sam smiles and then hunches again, "I am really sorry." He adds because apologising again can't be a bad thing.
Thorn pulls a disgusted face, looking like he's just swallowed a lemon or something equally bitter.
But he doesn't blast Sam across the room and he doesn't call Ash, so Sam chalks that up to a win and smile brightly at him.
"Damn," Thorn mutters very quietly.
Sam isn't sure whether or not he's supposed to have heard that, so he takes the not-pissing-off-the-demon route and decides to ignore it.
"So, that's the deal?" He asks.
Thorn blinks and looks Sam in the eyes. "Huh?"
"The deal," Sam repeats, "if I join your little gang will you save my brother?"
Thorn looks completely insulted. "Gang?" He repeats, "This is more than just playtime for kiddies!"
Sam flinches.
"No," Thorn says, sounding frustrated, "don't…don't look like that. Fuck." He sighs loudly and runs his hand through his hair. From this close, Sam can see it's blond. It's also very, very silky looking.
Sam's fingers itch to touch.
And that is probably the worst decision he could ever make.
Why hello there demon, please let me insult you then fondle your hair. Oh no, this is all perfectly acceptable. What? You're going to rip out my spleen and feed it to me? Sounds wonderful!
Yeah.
That'd work.
"The deal is, I will rescue your brother's soul from Hell if you agree to work for me."
Sam opens his mouth to agree and then hesitates. Ash had been very specific in his wording and Sam's training was screaming at him.
"Work for you doing what?"
Thorn rolls his eyes but Sam can see a hint of a smirk, "hunting demons, menial tasks, that sort of thing."
It's not great. There's still so much that's open about the amendment.
Menial tasks? What Sam thinks is menial and what Thorn thinks is menial could vastly differ. Actually, there's probably no actually about it. They would. Sam is human and Thorn is…not. Menial for Sam is picking up milk from the shops.
Menial for Thorn could be assassinating Batman.
Or something. Because Batman doesn't exist of course.
Sam also thinks, even with the vagueness, that this is as specific as Thorn is going to get.
Sam is also well aware that Thorn doesn't have to be doing this.
Besides, he was going to sell his soul if it came up on the table, no matter what Ash has said. Doing the equivalent of his already existing job, plus a few extras doesn't sound so bad.
It's pretty much what Dean signed up for anyway. So when Dean gets back he won't really be able to bitch and moan at Sam without looking hypocritical.
"So…?" Sam prompts, wanting to hear the deal said aloud in its full glory.
"I will rescue your brother's soul from Hell if you agree to work for me by hunting demons and other menial tasks." Thorn says.
Sam takes his time to think about it. Thorn's waiting patiently barely a foot from him.
They both know that this is the final deal on the table.
Sam lets out a slow breath. He's going to do this.
He's actually going to do this.
"Deal," He says and then, before his nerves dissert him, he reaches and grabs Thorn's shirt, jerking him forward.
He barely has time to register Thorn's look of complete and utter shock before their lips collide.
It's painful in the beginning. Thorn hasn't been expecting it and hasn't braced, causing it to start off as more of a head butt than anything else.
Sam winces, but doesn't pull away.
Thorn isn't moving. Sam can't even feel him breathing.
Sam wonders if that will affect the deal.
If he accidently kills the demon will the contract still stand?
Better safe than sorry.
Sam tilts his head, causing his mouth to slide more easily over Thorn's. There's a brief pause and then Sam can feel a stuttering breath.
His eyes sliding shut, Sam steps forward until he can feel the heat from Thorn spreading across his chest. His fingers start to itch again. He wants to touch, wants to run his fingers across Thorn's skin and through his hair.
But that would be totally inappropriate. This is just a kiss to seal a deal. Nothing more.
Absolutely nothing more.
Sam presses his lips more insistently and there's a small thrill in the base of his spine when Thorn's move against his almost tentatively.
Oh.
Sam makes a noise of appreciation and lifts one hand to grip Thorn's hip, whilst the other does what he's wanted to do for a while now and slides into Thorn's hair.
Thorn makes a startled noise when Sam scratches blunt fingernails against the nape of his neck, but it's muffled by Sam's mouth.
Sam hums in appreciation and pulls Thorn closer. Gods, he tastes so…
He flicks out his tongue to get more of that taste and feels Thorn jerk. And then things get messy.
Thorn surges up and grabs Sam's hair, pulling his head to an awkward angle. Sam opens his mouth in surprise and Thorn takes full and shameless advantage licking into Sam's mouth like he means it. His tongue slides against Sam's and it's hot and messy and so completely filthy that Sam's brain shorts out.
Sam's breath catches in his throat, and then he moans loud and long and half falls forward when his knees weaken.
Thorn is there, though, completely unmoveable and holding Sam up like he weighs absolutely nothing. He starts to walk backwards, dragging Sam with him. Rewarding him with little licks to the roof of Sam's mouth that cause heat to rush through his veins.
Sam, who is helpless to do anything but follow and whimper and practically beg for it.
Sam groans slightly and tightens his grip in Thorn's hair, causing Thorn to hiss into his mouth. Sam would smirk but his brain is still taking a holiday and so he just repeats the motion, enjoying the way Thorn arches into him.
Thorn retaliates by suddenly swinging Sam around.
Sam flails for a moment as the back of his knees hit something unmoving and he sits down with a whumph. He barely has time to notice that he's sitting in the ugly chair, or that Thorn is looming over him, or that Thorn is half-cast in shadow making him look so completely dangerous that Sam's voice catches in his throat.
Sam tries to say something though because that's who he is and this has gone so far out of his realm that he has no idea what's happening.
He doesn't get that far.
In fact, he doesn't get anywhere at all because suddenly Thorn is there and pressing him back into the backrest and straddling him.
Sam sucks in a sharp breath and moans when Thorn decides that it's his goal to chase after that breath and try to coax it back out of Sam's lungs with his tongue.
Sam feels it only fair that he grips Thorn's hips tight enough to bruise. Thorn makes a noise of approval and presses further into his mouth.
It's only when Sam rolls his hips upwards to relieve pressure that he realises what he's doing. Thorn seems to realise it too as he jerks back. Sam is only moderately disappointed.
They both watch each other, panting, unsure what's just happened.
"What?" Sam tries to say, but it comes out garbled and lust roughened.
A pleased smirk crosses Thorn's face. But he's soon distracted when Sam licks his lips and clears his throat, following the path of Sam's tongue.
"What?" Sam tries again, pleased when it comes out intelligible.
Thorn raises an eyebrow, but doesn't move from straddling Sam. "I think that's my question. Why did you kiss me?"
Sam looks confused. "But that's how you seal a deal…"
If it's at all possible then Thorn's eyebrow climbs higher. "A deal?"
"With a demon. I've researched this." Sam says, beginning to get flustered.
There's a quiet noise and Sam notices that Thorn's trembling. It's not until Thorn makes the noise again that Sam realises that he's trying not to laugh.
"What!" Sam says, starting to feel embarrassed.
Thorn's tongue darts out and he plants his hands either side of Sam's head, leaning in close. "Didn't it ever cross your mind that I'm not a demon?"
Sam has to swallow a few times before he can speak, "But you have the eyes…"
"You mean these?" Thorn smirks as his eyes turn a bright, ethereal blue. "I can turn them any colour I want."
Sam can feel a blush spreading up his neck and across his face. "So you…er…I didn't need to…?"
"Didn't Ash tell you I wasn't a demon?" Thorn grins.
Sam groans and lets his head fall back because Ash did and Sam had completely forgotten. He'd seen Thorn's eyes and immediately thought demon.
Oh God, this was so embarrassing.
Sam twitches and squeaks when he feels lips and teeth tease his throat.
"You know," Thorn murmurs against his skin, "I think I might have found something that'd I'd classify as a menial task." He grinds down and Sam squeaks again, his hands flexing on Thorn's hips where he hasn't yet let go.
"Seeing," Thorn adds, sucking a bruise just below Sam's ear, "that you now belong to me."
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A vase shatters against the wall and Artemis screams.
Behind her, her handmaiden's quake against the far wall. Too scared to stay in the same room and yet unable to leave.
Her rage has passed on to the wilderness surrounding her temple and there are too many dangers. Vines and poisonous thorns have taken over the tree and animals with too many teeth slunk in the new darkness.
Her wilderness is not something tame any longer.
She knows.
She doesn't care.
Someone, some thing had invaded her temple! Had possessed what was hers and snuck in! Had defiled her temple with death and blood! Had dared to enter her sleeping chambers!
Had stolen the soul of one of her warriors!
And not only that! The…the thing had dared to laugh at her!
Like Artemis wasn't anything to be worried about!
Artemis screams again and conjures another vase, throwing it and slamming it with a god bolt. Watching as it explodes in a mass of shards that scatter across the floor.
Earlier her brother had tried to enter her sanctuary. But for once she was too angry to let him bully her into doing anything.
She had slammed the temple doors in his face and not even cared at the look of surprise on his face.
This is her temple. This is her domain and it will not be invaded again by forces she does not want. Apollo is the younger of the two of them and it is time he realised that.
She is not going to cower at his feet any longer.
Artemis is panting heavily by the time she stops. Her rage has not disappeared, only settled into a slow, and pulsating mass somewhere below her sternum.
This is not over.
This is not over by a long shot.
She is Artemis, goddess of the Hunt.
And hunt she will.