"Love until we bleed..." -Lykke Li
Gilgamesh pushed Cú towards the door, "Aren't you going to go after her?"
Cú looked back at the blond young man as everyone looked at him with expectance. He sighed, "I'm sure she doesn't want to talk to me."
"Mongrel. If there is anything you take my advice on, it should be this; girls want to feel that someone out there cares about their feelings so what are you still doing here?"
Cú frowned, glancing towards the door. He went after her.
"Hey," Jeanne stopped in her tracks when she heard the deep voice. She rubbed her face and felt her heart beat wildly in her chest as the footsteps of the man got closer. She wrinkled her nose and blinked away the blurriness in her eyes.
"Jeanne." He spoke, "What's wrong?"
She turned to him as he had made it to her already, she shook her head, "Nothing."
Cú frowned, "Are you sure?"
"Look, I'm sorry." She sighed, "It was rude of me to act the way I did… and I hope this doesn't hurt what we have."
Tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, he brought her face up to him, "Never," he mumbled, "I just want to know if you're alright."
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"I wanted to tell you today but you didn't have time for it…" His eyes fell to the floor.
She did not reply, instead, she took a deep breath and pulled out her phone. "I…" She began, "I ought to get going. Work calls." She shook her phone.
Cú nodded.
"I'll miss you." She got on her tip-toes to kiss his cheek tenderly. "Make sure to behave yourself, and don't go running to other girls now," she teased.
A smile spread across his face, light glinting in his eyes. "You know I only have eyes for you."
She groaned, as if in physical pain. "You are so cheesy; it's disgusting," she laughed.
He laughed along and kissed her forehead, knowing very well she didn't like the taste of cigarettes. "I promise to behave. And who knows, maybe I'll come back a changed man." He winked.
Jeanne eyed him, "I sure hope."
"What?" Diarmuid looked furious and rather upset. His brows were furrowed, he leaned on the kitchen counter.
Arturia sighed, "Guinevere said it was the best way to get Grainne's eyes off us."
Diarmuid pushed off the counter top and shook his head. "No. There has to be something else we can do."
"Unless you want to leave the school…"
He sighed, "Maybe that would be for the best…"
She grunted, "I have been thinking about it and I can assure you that this will not get in between us."
"I…" Diarmuid mumbled as he gathered his thoughts.
Arturia stood from the kitchen seat and walked towards him.
"I don't want to share you. I really don't." He looked away, embarrassed to admit it.
She giggled (he did not think this appropriate) and ran her hands over his shoulders to his neck, "Are you being possessive?" She teased.
His cheeks turned red and he coughed, "No."
Pulling him down towards her, she kissed him. He did not even think of protesting, immediately snaking his hands around her hips and helping her up a bit. He pulled her onto the countertop as he had done before. He pulled away from the kiss after she smiled against his lips.
"You don't trust me?" She asked, playing with the collar of his button up shirt.
Diarmuid rolled his eyes, "That's not it."
"Then?"
A sigh, "I just…" he ran a hand against her cheek, "I don't want to lose you."
She pulled him in for another kiss. "I won't stop kissing you until you agree with me."
His eyes filled with mirth and he held her hands. "I think that's a great deal," he laughed, "I get you to myself and a billion kisses."
She grunted and punched him playfully, "Then no more kisses until you agree."
"Nu-uh! You can't take back your previous deal!" He chided. "You made a promise."
"Ha! I never promised!"
Pushing her hair behind her ear, he kissed her cheek. "My answer remains a 'no'."
"Dia!" She whined. Never, ever had he seen her whine.
He smiled. "Nope."
Monday came sooner than expected, the teens had no time on the weekend to meet and discuss the plan any further, but Gwaine assured the bunch that Danny was in on it and the show would start Monday after school.
After much persuasion, Diarmuid gave in. Obviously, he set a bunch of ground rules, and thus he settled there should be no kissing and virtually no PDA between her and the fake boyfriend. There were plenty concerns he had but Arturia assured him that there was nothing to worry about.
A crowd of girls blocked the entrance of the school, so much so that Jeanne, Guinevere, and Arturia could not even get past them.
"I'm so hungry, why can't they just move?" Guinevere groaned.
Jeanne shrugged, "Is there something happening today?"
The brunette shook her head, "I don't think so…"
Arturia, knowing Jeanne was too kind and Guinevere not strong enough, pushed through the crowd, creating a passage for the other two ladies. They stumbled out of the crowd, coming face to face with what the yapping was all about.
A young man sat on the hood of a red sportscar, bouquet of flowers in his hands. His shoulder length dark brown hair fell in soft waves, while his brown eyes were fixed on the crowd of girls. Her wore a white t-shirt (not failing to show off his muscles) and a pair of expensive sweatpants.
He smiled and Arturia could hear the crowd of girls behind her swoon.
The man pushed off from his car, taking a step onto the sidewalk.
"Arturia!" He called and Arturia closed her eyes in aggravation.
The crowd became silent almost immediately. The wandering eyes fell on the blond.
Guinevere whistled, whispering over to Jeanne, "Woah, if I knew Dinadan was this hot before—"
"Guin, please," Jeanne groaned.
"What? Can't a girl admire the beauty of a man?"
Jeanne shook her head slowly.
"What are you doing here, Dinadan?" Arturia crossed her arms over her chest.
The young man frowned. "Look, sweetheart." He stepped towards her again.
She looked away.
"I know, I know. I messed up. Big time. And… I really am sorry," he began, "but I'm back."
She rose an eyebrow. "No," she shook her head, "Not this B.S. again."
"Give me a week. I promise I'll make it all up to you. Starting with these!" He lifted the bouquet of roses, "I know roses aren't your thing…but, I still like you."
Arturia sighed, "I don't know…"
Bringing her to face him, he ran his thumb through her cheek. "Please?" He gave her a look, one to persuade her.
Arturia was silent for a bit, staring at him and weighing her options. "Fine." She rolled her eyes. "One week."
A smile exploded on Dany's lips and he kissed her cheek. "Thank you! I promise you won't regret it."
Arturia took the flowers from him and he did not fail to greet Guin and Jeanne before he opened the passenger's door for Arturia and rounded the car for the driver's seat. He settled in and the engine roared to life once they buckled their seatbelts.
"So where to?" Arturia asked.
He shrugged, "I'm hungry, what about you?"
"Same."
They sat in a booth at a fast food restaurant. Arturia burst into light laughter, "A sportscar parked in front of a low-chain burger place?"
Dany frowned, "What's so bad about that?"
She shook her head. "Nothing, nothing."
"Good."
She sat back as Dinadan began to devour the food before him. She mumbled, "So, what's the plan, Danny? Got any tricks up your sleeve? I'm really in need of an Ace of Hearts here."
"Mm?" He mumbled through a full mouth, cheeks puffy as if he were a chipmunk that recently stuffed itself with acorns.
"The story that we're going to have to tell everyone? Our fake relationship's beginning?" Arturia raised an eyebrow.
He swallowed before speaking, "We have known each other for five years. I was there for you when you lost your mother and we grew closer togeth—"
"No." Her eyes widened, "We are not going to put my mother into this!"
"Sorry." He blinked, "I was there for you when you quit fencing. We grew closer together and we genuinely liked each other. We were about to go on our first date but I had to go to university and here I am after finals, ready to start where we left off. You are upset at first," he smiled, "which you nailed today. Ultimately, we grow together and boom, we're dating. Got it?"
"Did Gwaine suggest this?" She asked.
"Mhm." He popped a fry into his mouth, "So who's the mystery man?"
"Pardon?"
"The one we gotta make sure isn't found out?"
Arturia blinked, crossing her arms over her chest. "None of your business."
Dany grinned, "Diarmuid Ua Duibhne."
She gasped, "H-how—?"
Dany winked, "Trick of the trade." He finished up his burger before he began sipping at the iced tea. "Isn't he a little too old for you?"
"Isn't that none of your business?" Her eyes narrowed.
Dany leaned forward, "Since when did you become so ballsy?"
"I was always like this."
He rolled his eyes, "Not the way I remember it."
"You're just jealous because I always beat you at fencing."
"Ha! Hardly!"
"Remember that time I beat you by triple the points."
"Do you want my help or not?" Dany questioned, one of his dark eyebrows raising as he played with the straw of his soft drink.
She remained silent.
"Thought so." He leaned back into the booth's couch. Blinking, he spoke, "Isn't he like a teacher or something. That's completely messed up."
Arturia crossed her arms over her chest, frown cutting deep into her cheeks, she growled, "Are you here to judge me or help me out?"
"Not judging you, I'm judging him."
"Well," she glared, "I was the one to get him in this mess."
"And he listens to a teen girl? Sounds rather questionable and pathetic."
Taking a deep breath, she unscrewed her water bottle and calmly, collectively, took a sip.
"As a man he—"
Splash!
"What the fuck?" He rubbed his eyes as the water dripped from his face.
She did not seem mad or even the slightest bit upset; she was calm. "You're lucky that it wasn't soda," she smiled as she stood from the booth.
He stormed after her, leaving his drenched food behind and rather composed, left soaking wet.
"Arturia! What the fuck? Are you bloody insane?" He called after her.
Arturia was patiently waiting by the car, blinking at him as he came into view. "I need my bag."
"I'm doing you a favour and yet—"
"I don't think you remember how straightforward I could be. You know, I fight for what I want and for once this is what I have wanted instead of being forced to marry some idiot. Diarmuid is older, yes, but he's a good and respectful man so you have absolutely no right to talk about him like that."
Dany wiped his face and closed his eyes. "I… I'm sorry. I stepped out of line."
"And I'm sorry for drenching you." She tried to hide her smile.
"Friends?" He extended a hand a genuine and expecting smile on his lips.
She took his hand. "Friends."
Pulling out his phone and keys, he passed her the smartphone. "Put in your number and we'll keep in touch. We can discuss plans too." He opened the car doors and Arturia climbed in, followed by Dinadan.
"Look," he spoke, "I really am sorry. It's just that men are men and you've been through a lot so I don't want you getting screwed over."
She smiled, "Thank you for your concern but Diarmuid is really not the type to use people. This is a serious relationship not a lust driven one."
"I sure hope so."