After the incident with Link, and as the younger teen had raced off, Ghirahim had taken it into his own hands to polish off the bottle of wine. There wasn't exactly enough to get him drunk, but there was enough to make his judgement a little fuzzier and the voice just that much harder to listen to. Why he loved that feeling of not being able to think about anything, acting on impulse, but it wasn't always the greatest.
The wine glasses had been forgotten, and Ghirahim was taking swigs from the bottle, Ardaia and Rynae gone. He was alone with his thoughts. And it could be either good or bad in this situation, as that inner demon of his had a bite that was pretty damned strong, and it wasn't something that he could escape from all too easily.
I need something to keep me grounded… But nothing lasts forever… He thought as he took another sip, eyes glazed over in thought, tears welling up in his eyes, but he wasn't about to cry. No, that would ruin his image. Ghirahim sighed, placing a hand on his face before draining the last of the bottle, shaking his head. He needed to get to class, and he brought the bottle with him, hiding it in his locker before heading off to his next class, sighing.
English, with that new guy, what was his name? Kakamart? Jakamer? Jaken? Whatever. He'd be fun to mess with anyways, and he pushed open the door, a wide grin on his lips. He had this class with Link as well. Well, at least he had someone who could possibly help him if an attack started, which hopefully wouldn't be at school anytime soon.
He glanced at the teacher, bowing to him, hopefully going to screw him over in confusion, the wine providing enough of a veil between him and reality, and what the hell was in his head, all his fears…
"Excuse me, but, err, who are you?" The teacher asked him as he straightened up from the bow he gave the teacher. Jakamar, that's what his new teacher's name was.
"I am called Ghirahim." He spoke, his voice coming out like a king, which is what he was, or at least tried to be over most of the school population. He started towards the back, where he usually sat in his classes, glancing over to grin at Link, his discomfort obvious. How had his friend looked at him when he saw him? Oh well, not that his condition had any consequence to him. He stood there for a short period of time, Link glancing away, not making eye contact with him. How pleasing, he was scared.
He did have to sit down for class, so he continued on his way, glaring at the pompadour-styled freak and his band of cronies before stopping at his favoured place.
"You're sitting in my seat." He snapped at Groose, his voice dangerously soft. "And you know how angry that makes me." He didn't like others sitting in his favourite spots in a class, usually at the back so the collateral of his outbursts if he had any would have lesser damage done to the class atmosphere. It would be confined to the back of the class, but nope, nothing was as he liked as usual. And it pissed him off honestly.
"What? I was here first." Groose's tone made Ghirahim's focus snap and there was the angry drunk he had a habit of being as his fist slammed down on the desk and he leaned in close to Groose's face.
"Well, now, I'm going to sit here." He told him, his eyes narrowed, staring at Groose's defiant gold eyes. "So, if you, along with your dim-witted companions could kindly get your asses off of those seats-"
He was interrupted by the newest teacher of the school, the teacher who knew him least, why couldn't he have had Owlan? Oh, yes, he didn't teach English. For fuck's sakes. "Boys, boys!" And Ghirahim could guess he was about to attempt to separate the two teenagers from what could –and already was- something quite nasty.
"Don't involve yourself in this, old man." Ghirahim snapped towards the teacher, his voice sharper, and he internally winced as it rung in his head. "You're new here, unlike me. And whether you want to believe it or not, I could seriously hurt you. So leave me to my own affairs, please, and save me the trouble of showing where you belong." He had swiveled around, a dark grin appearing on his lips, a thin silver eyebrow quirked up under his bangs, hidden out of sight and he glanced at the movement of the one student who had been facing away from him this entire time.
Link was a brave one, that was sure, brave and curious, but that got people into trouble, poking their noses into where they didn't have any business being. Curiosity was, well, a curious thing. And then one stood up and he turned, seeing Zelda standing there, her little hands that wouldn't hurt a fly but were capable of much worse planted on her hips. He was taken over by fear, but laughed at the weak glare that was aimed at him.
"Oh, here comes trouble." He mockingly announced, his voice slurred by the alcohol's vice, the vice he invited it to have on his mind. It was better being drunk than the victim to the voices in his head.
"Ghirahim." She acknowledged him, and she was furious. She stepped forward, around the teacher too stunned to do much. "It's one thing to harass the students here, but teachers? What is wrong with you?" She looked him in the eyes, although she had to tilt her head back to do so. He shook his head in return, the grin staying on his lips, never breaking eye contact with Zelda, even though everything was telling him to run.
She and her father would adore this. Him finally cracking so they could shuttle him away from their pure, uncrazed society to be locked up in a white room, his arms in a straitjacket so he wouldn't be able to harm himself or others. Locked away in solitary.
Your fault for everything, you useless wad of garbage. Hopeless cretonne. Mama dearest gone to a place you can't see her at, and daddy dearest locked up, and just like him, you'll be locked up, either like him, or in that padded cell you fear the most. His most hated thing ever taunted him, even as he was drunk enough to avoid the thing whispering all his worst fears into his ear.
Shut the fuck up. You don't run my life.
Yes, I don't, but I can wreck you. You're on a one way trip to self-destruction and the brakes aren't accessible to you.
"You think that because your father is the big boss, you're in a position to speak to me?" Ghirahim asked, placing his hands and glaring in imitation of and at the blonde.
"Yes, I do happen to think just that, and in fact, Ghirahim," Zelda started, "I think everyone in this room -in this school- has a right to speak up to you."
He sighed mentality, staying silent for a few moments before bending down to get in her face before he spoke.
"Boo."
Zelda took a step backward, shock clear on her face and her composure breaking long enough to show that her breath caught. Ghirahim straightened up, starting a laugh that was madder than he was, throwing his head back.
Zelda made a sound of annoyance, her back straighter than the flagpole outside the school. "We're sick of this, Ghirahim. Something's going to be done about your behaviour, mark my words."
You can start by leaving me the hell alone, little princess. As well, keep your little trap shut. He thought.
"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow. "You're going to tell your Daddy? Dear little Zelda, are you familiar with the concept of blackmail?" There was a curt nod from her in response.
"Well then, if you and your precious friends want to have a nice stay at this school, you might want to keep your mouth shut and stay out of my way."
The teacher was speechless this time and he stepped around Zelda, going to attempt to intervene. Ghirahim glared at him as he spoke.
"Now, kids, let's not-" Ghirahim cut him off.
"Didn't you hear me the first time? Stay out of the way." He growled, pushing by the two of them to leave the classroom when he found his way blocked by a certain student who was more or less dealing with a hangover courtesy of him and his friends.
"Aren't you looking awfully happy today, Link?" He grinned, after his smile momentarily slipped from his lips. "So good to see you this eager on your first day."
Link swayed, obviously still affected by the glasses of wine he had been forced to drink, and smoke scented his clothing. Dreadfully sorry, Link. A better part of him apologized to him. Link glared at him, which was probably something that was a big accomplishment for him in his current state.
"Leave them alone…" The order was weak, obviously a strain for Link at the moment. Oh, how cute and adorable of him to stand up for people he hardly knew in his state. "You shouldn't… You shouldn't be doing this…"
Ghirahim raised his right eyebrow before reaching out and pushing Link's shoulder, and the unstable teen toppled over, and the little princess stomped over and offered a hand to help the newest of Ghirahim's victims to his feet.
"Would you just give it a break?" Zelda asked him, turning on him.
"I was about to." He said matter-of-factly, "but your little friend here got in the way."
"He's a new student; there's no reason for you to bully him around."
Yeah, but he's a distraction, I'm so alone, Zelda. I bet you could never be able to understand that.
"Oh, please," Ghirahim sighed. "I'm just as nice as any of you louts. Now, if you'll excuse me."
He swept past the two of them, continuing out the door with his head held high, and when he was far enough away from the class, Ghirahim found a place to curl up and pulled his phone out and started to text Ardaia and Rynae.
Someone please help me from the path I'm set on…
The next day was a little better, and Ghirahim spent the first class focusing on the lesson being given, jotting down notes, listening to Owlan's lesson. He always listened the best in his classes, and it was a comfort to Ghirahim knowing that. When the bell rang, he proceeded to the next class, to Horwell.
He could swear the two teachers were either brothers or lovers, as they spent most of their time together when they weren't teaching, and he had seen them around together at the mall. Well, they could just be drinking buddies.
He sat down at the back without any incident today, which was something he quite enjoyed, and when it turned out that the day's art project was for everyone in the class to draw anything they liked, Ghirahim drew the one person he had found his attention locking on to all the time, and he wasn't sure if he found that annoying or… oddly endearing.
He softly drew out Link, his head down, but it was clear who exactly he created, and he let himself be absorbed in the land of his mind, a small smile on his lips, hardly visible unless one decided to look at his expression enough to look at to actually learn when he showed different emotions, but it was unlikely unless they befriended him.
But who would exactly befriend him. He wasn't… normal. He wasn't the usual friend someone could have and that could be either good or bad when someone knew his quirks and learned about his condition, but his condition alone would be something that people wouldn't exactly like in a friend.
Anyways, when he was done, it was placed on the wall and he smiled at his work for a moment before noticing that Link had pinned his art up and was now looking over the other drawings by other students, standing in front of a self-portrait drawn by one of the other students, and he placed a hand on the teen who always seemed to dress in variations of the colour green, and he spotted a wonderful forest hanging on the wall only a short distance away.
"You painted the forest, am I right?" Ghirahim smiled at the other when Link turned around to look at him.
"Yeah, go ahead and laugh at it." He grumbled, and Ghirahim laughed a little.
"It's good." Ghirahim honestly insisted. Damn, Link, look at you! Can't you see you have the potential for more than you let on? "I really do think it looks good. Don't worry your precious little head about my odd sense of humour. I'm not laughing at you."
"Which one is yours?" Link waved a hand at the other paintings and Ghirahim pointed at the one he had drawn. Link's eyes went wide as he realized who exactly he had drawn, after all, Ghirahim didn't see any flaws or errors in the drawing.
"You… you painted me?" Link turned on him and asked. Ghirahim bounced on his toes just slightly, feeling positively giddy about the situation.
"Every time I see you, you look confused and lost, but no matter how miserable you may be, your eyes never fail to strike me. And they complement your hair nicely, too. You make for a fantastic model." Ghirahim stated cheerfully, happy to tell Link about his looks. Link was quite attractive, and Ghirahim felt a very faint heat build in his cheeks when he watched Link look over the painting he had created so carefully.
"Do you like it?" Ghirahim asked, his voice hopeful. Maybe he was letting himself get too attached to the other teen. It was only a matter of time before he found out about his condition and pushed him away like everyone else had to him in his life.
"It's…" Link started. "Well, it's incredible. But did you have to paint me?" He asked, blue eyes turning to look at Ghirahim.
He shrugged in return. "As I said, you make a great model. You don't blink a lot, do you know that?" He pointed out to the younger teenager.
"I don't care!" Link snapped, and Ghirahim internally flinched at the sudden outburst. That's it, he hates me. He thought. He hated me more, but he probably hates me more now. I should just die, it'd save everyone the trouble of talking to me, thinking about me, knowing me… "Just… It's really good. You really have talent. But from now on, don't draw me."
Ghirahim cried out internally at the last bit. He was so stunning and beautiful, like the rarest flower.
But like the rarest flower… flowers got crushed and flowers died, and their beauty was not forever.
Link was not a flower. He was, but he was a weed.
He grinned mischievously anyways. "Of course not. This was just a once-off." I'll still probably draw you at home, Link… Where you can't see unless I invite you in. After all… I like you a little bit. I just have screwed up ways of showing my affection.
Link nodded curtly, and turned to join his friend again. A few moments later, the bell rang and he headed off to his next class.
After the period ended, he was faced with gym after lunch, which was a class he adored, because after all, he was strong. Eventually Link would know why he was strong, and how he got strong. It was only a matter of time after all.
He waited for Link at the point he had met him the day before, and eventually the green hoodie wearing boy came into his view, looking moderately surprised. He looked like he had just withheld a shout of surprise.
"Why are you here?" Link asked Ghirahim, and he gave Link a small smile.
"I'm here to escort you. Come along then." He turned, Link behind him. When they arrived at the dumpsters, Rynae and Ardaia were already perched on top of the dumpsters, Ardaia's long hair neatly plaited like he had seen Zelda wearing her hair.
"Looks good, right?" Ardaia grinned at Link, and Ghirahim turned. Link must have been staring at the way it was plaited. It was just hair after all, and it was quite nice on Ardaia. Though Ghirahim was not going to voice it. Such compliments were for his boyfriend to tell him. Oh, those two and the antics they got into. "There was a little blond girl with her hair done up neat. I think she's in your grade, Link."
Rynae shook his head at Ardaia, Ghirahim knowing that later that hair was getting taken out of the pretty braid one way or another. "It's absolutely ridiculous." Rynae announced exasperatedly.
Ardaia winked at the newest to their group. "Well, Link thinks it looks awesome, right?"
Link had this grin on his face. "Sure." He replied. Ardaia cheered in return, and Ghirahim dramatically tapped his foot on the ground, giving his friend a look of mock severity.
"It occurred to me that I never answered your question from yesterday." Ghirahim smoothly mused, turning to Link.
"What question?" Link was visibly confused.
"You asked me how I got so strong!" Ghirahim announced. "And here's the answer! Ardaia, Rynae and I fight each other. And now you have an opportunity to join in on the fun!"
"What?!" Link spluttered. "I'm not fighting anyone!"
"Oh, honestly, Link." Ghirahim shook his head, "It's all very friendly. No one holds any grudges or anything." He stopped moving his head and his hair fluttered back into place, while his friends gave Link positive hand gestures.
"Give it a go, Link," Ardaia pleaded with him. "It'll be worth it in the long run, we promise. Don't you want to buff up and attract the eyes of countless women?"
"You guys would just beat me up." Link protested and Ghirahim had to smile at it.
"No way," Rynae shook his head. "We'd go easy on you, no worries."
"For now…" Ghirahim grinned, speaking slyly. "Besides, Link's eyes are set on the lovely Zelda: the very same girl whose hairstyle you replicated, Ardaia."
Rynae grinned and Ardaia raised his thin eyebrows in surprise. Ghirahim laughed internally but a part of him worried. What if Link was spying for her, what if he was going to be taken away by her, siren calls in the sea of the school, luring him away to supposed safety.
Link, you're safe with me, she's a cold blooded bitch who isn't afraid to stab you in the back. I'm sure she'd be glad to put me away somewhere where I won't be able to touch you. I'm not that bad, Link. I just have problems. Most of them starting with the letter Z.
"That's Zelda?" Ardaia questioned Ghirahim. "The little girl who bossed you around yesterday?"
"She didn't boss me around." Ghirahim snapped, his pride and his fears getting the better of him. "Anyway, you can be sure that's who Link's trying to attract the attention of." He teased Link. All the while, his stomach sank.
"Well, why don't you get fighting?" Rynae asked Link.
"Not happening." Link muttered and Ghirahim turned his full attention on Link. Was he scared? Poor thing. It was absolutely adorable! He planted a hand on his hip and stared him down and Link glanced at him quickly and looked away just as quickly as he started to look at him.
"Hey," Ardaia spoke up, lifting a hand to prove his point. "It's not like he's got to fight today. What if we just give him a demonstration?"
Ghirahim clapped his hands together to show that he approved of the idea. That was quite a brilliant idea, but he was not going to show how he fought, after all… Link was his guest here and he should be a wonderful host. "An excellent idea!" He turned to Link with anticipation lighting his expression. "Rynae and Ardaia can show you what they've got. They're both good fighters in their own rights."
The two of them gave him reactions that showed how they thought of his 'good fighters', Rynae clearing his throat and Ardaia scoffed.
"Good?" Ardaia echoed. "Oh, all right. Let's show Link what a 'good' fight looks like, Rynae?"
Rynae shrugged, pulling off his jumper over his head and tossing it aside. "I suppose we could. Why don't you hop up on that dumpster with Ghirahim, Link, and enjoy this."
Ghirahim had a small smile on his lips as he directed Link towards the dumpster, leaping up with practised ease and examined the back of his hand before Link was a weak dumpster climber at the moment and extended a hand out to assist the teenager up to sit beside him.
Ardaia and Rynae made a point of flexing, something that usually had Ghirahim in a fit of giggles when Rynae compared himself to the taller (and stronger) Ardaia.
"This will be quite fun to watch." Ghirahim mused softly to his companion. "Ardaia and Rynae are polar opposites." And yet they fit together like puzzle pieces and Ghirahim had to admit a part of him was a little jealous of how easy they had that relationship, where-as Ghirahim usually wore against another, his walls usually eroding a possible best friend away and leaving them behind as a druggie. His destructive path… he hoped one day he'd get off of it. It wouldn't be any time soon. Not with Zelda and her father waiting for him to crack.
"Wait!" Ardaia cried quite excitedly, cutting into Ghirahim's train of thoughts and derailing them and bring them back to the present, to reality. "I say we each take a drink!"
"Interesting." Rynae announced, his eyes flashing with amusement, and Ghirahim smiled at his friends. "You planning on sneaking me extra so you can win?"
"As if!" Ardaia retorted, a friendly smile on his face. "Ghirahim! Some wine!"
Link's hands held the two glasses, Ghirahim pouring them rosé wine and taking them from Link and passed them to Ardaia, and received a wink for his troubles. They both downed their glasses in a gulp, an impressive feat.
Rynae returned the glasses and Link leaned over, scooping them back up and passing them to Ghirahim. The pale teen felt a smile grace his lips at the ease that Link scooped them up. He must have been used to helping with the dishes. "Here, take one." He passed one back to Link and reopened the rosé he had just recorked only moments ago and poured some for Link before pouring himself.
"I don't like this." Link's stubborn tone came and Ghirahim merely clinked his glass against Link's in a cheer.
"Adjust." He merely replied, turning to face the two who stood opposite each other, Ardaia's neatly braided hair swinging behind him.
"You ready, little man?" Ardaia grinned, Rynae making a sound of annoyance, glowering at the other.
"Just because you're freakishly tall doesn't mean you can tease other people about their height." Rynae's voice was sharp, but he was still smiling at the other.
Ghirahim worked his way through his wine, watching the two. "When you two are quite done with all the sexual tension, I'd like you two to get started so that Link can actually see some of the action we promised him." And not ready to go at it. He mused
Rynae shot him a deadly glare and Ghirahim smiled. Ardaia laughed.
"If you insist!" He grinned, launching forward at Rynae without another word. The distance between them closed, and Link squirmed beside him.
"Rynae, move!" Ghirahim cackled, his whole body shaking with the momentum of it, Rynae vaulting over Ardaia, landing behind him, while the redheaded teen skidded to a stop and turned.
The two restarted how they circled each other like a pair of vultures about to strike each other in the desert. "No point telling Rynae to move," He spoke, "he can get around pretty quickly. Ardaia's strong, but he lacks that speed. However, if he lands a hit, it's going to be pretty bad for Rynae."
"Not that he's going to land one." Rynae called up to the two seated together on the dumpster. He grinned as Ardaia stuck his tongue out at the other.
"We'll see about that."
Ardaia charged him again, the wiry of the two teens shooting up into the air, but instead of the success, Rynae grabbed him around the waist, Ghirahim flinching inwardly at the grab.
"Here's where things'll get interesting." He mused, hearing a small noise from Link.
Rynae struggled, before Ardaia tossed him like a doll, sending him flying through the air and landed sharply on the ground with a thud. The younger teen beside him moved to help him, but Ghirahim quickly barred his way with an arm thrust out in front of his chest.
"Don't." Ghirahim's voice was soft, he needed Link to see this, because everyone needed to know how to fight to protect themselves, and Link needed to know that, but it was also dangerous. Especially in the hands of someone like him. "If Rynae can't get up, that's his problem.
Ardaia ran swiftly towards Rynae again, the other seemingly unmoving. Just as he neared, Rynae's hand shot out and grabbed Ardaia's ankle, giving a sharp tug and pulling the other teen to join him on the ground.
Oh thank god the landing didn't hurt him. Ghirahim thought, worried for his friend. He knew this was dangerous, but it was an escape. Everything they did was.
Besides, if something happened to him, who'd miss him if he landed badly and hurt himself mortally in one of the fights?
Not very many people would, that's for sure. Many people would be glad to see him go in reality. Saves Zelda and her father the trouble of putting him away.
Ardaia let out an oomph as he joined his favourite person on the ground, the two laughing. Ghirahim let a small smile grace his lips as he looked at the two. Even like that, after a fight, they could still laugh.
Not many people would be like that with him. He doubted anyone even cared that much about him, other than his mother, who…
He missed her, that was all.
He shook his head, keeping up appearances. "Honestly, if that's all you fools can do to impress our guest, then I may begin to think you useless." He teased, Ardaia pulling Rynae to his feet.
"Whatever." He called. "As if you can do any better."
Ghirahim simply smiled in return. "Tommorow, I'll fight Link."
The glass in Link's hands fell to the ground, the wine spilling out onto the ground, the glass itself rolling away to one side.
Ardaia shook his head in imitation of Ghirahim, planting his hands on his hips and Rynae laughed.
"I'm not fighting you." Link stated, panic clear in his expression. "You'd destroy me!"
"Why, thank you for the complement." Ghirahim flashed him a smile. "But it's been settled. Ardaia, please bring little Link back to the school." He glanced at Link. "I don't think you'd be sick after half a glass. At least, I hope not."
The three gave him their usual send off, Ghirahim wondering what Link's lips would feel like if he kissed him, but the thought was quick and fleeting. The two parted, Ghirahim staring slightly wistfully at Link's back as they turned the corner.
His affections for Link were a little more than he had wanted in the first place, but he couldn't control who he fell for, and it always seemed that anyone he fell for was someone who he couldn't touch. After all, who would come to love a monstrous thing like him? He wasn't normal, and Link did deserve better.
What he was making Link go through was something that made his heart sink, and he was not going to let Link know of his condition. Not now, and not ever.
He was such an idiot.