Oh man, I just want to thank ALL of you who reviewed! It was so Fantastic. Your responses to the last chapter where so overwhelming that I got this one done much faster. I wrote 10 pages in just three days...You all ROCK!
I love you guys. This one is for you, makoblue 93, ReliveTheGreat, Ashcola 17, Capell, TheEnigmaticEnchantress*, bitterbeauty813, Rugiku, Sam I am (guest)*, igotthtpunkswag, Fireotaku18, p3lu54, pandoraMagic, Guest, and sexydeadangel123!
* You made my day. You made me smile and made me laugh just by reading your review. Thank you. Also to Sam I am, I have thought about doing a Johnlock but its far from complete or even readable at the moment.
"So tell me, what exactly it is that you want out of this." Vareidy said from his spot on the couch. I glanced over at him from the kitchen where I was dumping out spoiled milk.
"To be able to hold my own. Axel clearly doesn't respect me so I want to be able to make him." I said as I tossed the emptied jug into the garbage can.
"My orders from Axel are to teach you just enough to protect yourself in dire situations." he said as I moved into the living room, his eyes on me.
"To hell with that." I said as I crossed my arms. "I want to be taught just like Vincent and the others." Vareidy gave me a skeptical look.
"I don't think you understand what that implies." he said.
"If Vincent where here would he tell me no?" I asked.
"Yes." he said without hesitation.
"Well then I want to do it. If Axel and Vincent both think I don't need it then I need it." I said as I set my face into determined lines.
"That is the most back-ass-backwards logic I have ever heard." he said with a dark chuckle. "Fine, we'll do it. But just remember that you asked for it." His face had taken on a whole new light now and I was suddenly slightly worried. "Pack a bag, you won't be coming back here for some time. Only pack what you can move in and don't mind getting dirty." I nodded and headed to my room.
"So I have to stay at the manor for this?" I asked as I entered my room and started to pull out all of my shorts, workout pants and muscle shirts.
"No, you'll be staying with me." he said from my doorway and I jumped just a little. I hadn't realized he had followed me.
"With you?" I asked, my eyebrow raised as I went back to my packing. "Your not staying at the manor?"
"I'm not welcomed in the main house." he said. "They've given me access to a small house that I've converted into a training facility." I snorted as I dug around a bit more, making sure I had everything before closing the bag up.
"Why do I have to stay with you?" I asked as I slung the back over my shoulder and turned to him. He was watching me, his bi-colored eyes scanning me over.
"I have to have complete control over your environment." he said and I had to suppress a shiver. "Vincent will be allowed to see you but only at a distance." I felt my mouth go dry.
"I don't think Axel is going to be okay with that." I said as fear started to seep into my mind. Vareidy's eyes went into slits.
"Axel doesn't have any say in it. He hired me to do a job and you've volunteered to be my student. That means you belong to me for the next 3 months." His voice was dripping ice now and I was fighting to keep myself from shivering physically.
"Alright." I said but inside I was cringing. 3 Months?!
"Meet me at the car when you're ready." he said before he scanned the room once more and then turned and was gone. I heard the front door open and close and I relaxed. I moved into the bathroom and gathered myself some toiletries before heading into the living room once more. I stood there and looked around trying to keep my mind blank but I couldn't help the stray thought that bubbled up to the surface.
What the hell have I gotten myself into now?
I locked the door to the apartment behind me and headed down stairs. I found him smoking a cigarette and leaning against the car, his sunglasses in place. He released a breath of smoke as I approached.
"Anyone you want to see before you go into isolation?" he asked as he placed the cancer stick back to his lips.
"Yeah, guess I better call my mom." I said as I pulled out my phone and hit her name in my contacts list. She picked up after a few rings.
"Roxas?" She asked and I could tell she was upset with me. I sighed and rubbed my face.
"Hey mom, what are you up to?" I asked and I heard her huff.
"Oh you know, just sitting around wishing I had some children that cared about me." I felt a pang in my chest but brushed it off.
"Oh mom. I'm coming over and we can catch up." I said as I shot Variedy a pleading look. He simply nodded and flicked his cigarette bud away. He went around the car and slid into the driver side.
"I'll believe it when I see it Roxas." I chuckled as I opened my side and tossed my bag into the back seat.
"I'll see you in a minute Mom." I said before she hung up on me. I rolled my eyes as I dropped my phone into the cup holder in the center console. "I'll make it quick." I said.
"Take your time." he said and I glanced over to find him with a phone. Strange, I had never seen him with one before. He put it away after a moment and started the car. "Expect to hear from both Axel and Vincent very soon. They are going to tell you that you can't do this. You are to tell them, very firmly, no matter what is said, that you can do this and you are going to do this."
"You told them?" I asked, feeling a little miffed.
"Yes, I need to know that I'm not wasting my time with you. Stand up to them. Don't let them control you." he said as he shot out into traffic. I grumbled under my breath as I looked out my window. Easy for him to say. I thought bitterly. My phone started to vibrate in the center console. I picked it up to see Axel's name flashing across the screen. I glanced to Variedy who was watching me out of the corner of his eye.
"Do it." was all he said. I hit accept and placed the phone to my ear.
"Yes?" I said into the phone.
"Where are you?" came Axel's voice. Oh yes, he was pissed.
"On the way to see my mom." I said and I couldn't help the smile that was forming on my face.
"I want you back at the manor as soon as you leave there. Back to Vincents room."
"No." I said and even to my ears it sounded final. There was pause in which I could tell Axel was counting to 10.
"I know that I upset you Roxas but going into isolation with Variedy is hardly the way to get back at me for it. Its dangerous and you have NO idea what you're getting into."
"I know all I need to know Axel. Either support me on this or go to hell." I said before I hung up the phone and dropped it into my lap.
"Not bad. It's going to get worse. Your brother and Leon will be at your mothers house when we get there." he said and I gave him a skeptical look.
"You told them too?" I asked. I could practically hear the eye roll.
"No but Axel did. He will do whatever he can to get you not to do this. The next step is to use your family against you." I sunk down into my seat and tried not to groan. It was one thing standing up to Axel and Vincent but Cloud?
The rest of the ride was silent, me lost in my thoughts, contemplating how badly this could go. I really hoped he wouldn't bring Mom into this but that was a slim chance. We pulled up to the house to find both Leon and Clouds bikes in the drive way. I sighed as Variedy parked the car at the curb.
"Remember. No matter what is said or the tears that are shed, you must make it clear that this is your decision. They're going to try and turn this on me and you have to make it clear this is all you." he said as we both got out of the car. I just nodded as we went up the walk and onto the porch. I paused for a moment and took a deep breath before opening the door and stepping inside.
I made my way into the living room, Variedy right behind me, to find Mom and Cloud seated on the couch and Leon standing by the tv, his arms crossed and a scroll on his face. I quickly emptied my face as Cloud stood from the couch to face me.
"Hi Mom." I said from where I stood in the door way. She went to say something but Cloud cut her off.
"Why are you doing this?" he said. I took a few more steps into the room, allowing room for Variedy to come in as well.
"Because I've been beaten and nearly raped one to many times recently." I said and I could tell this wasn't the response he was expecting by the intake of breath. At the same time Mom stood from the couch, her eyes a mess of worry.
"We can protect you Roxas.." Cloud said and I laughed bitterly.
"Yes because you all have been doing such a bang up job." I said and I kept my tone cold. Leon didn't say anything but I knew he was getting angry. "And besides that, you made it very clear from the beginning that Axel take precedence over me. So riddle me this brother, who is going to protect me from him?" Cloud flinched now and I wanted to take it back, I wanted to tell him that I didn't blame him at all but I needed him to let me do this.
"That's not fair Roxas." Leon finally said and I switched my cold gaze onto him. Wasted as it was of course, Leon was the master of the cold gaze.
"Yes, I know. So I'm making it fair." I said. Finally, fed up with not knowing what was going on Mom spoke up.
"Roxas, please enlighten me." She said as she stepped around Cloud.
"Variedy is going to teach me how to protect myself, self defense training." I said my arms crossed. She looked puzzled then.
"That's good." she said, confused. She turned to Cloud. "That's a good thing Cloud. Why all the fuss?" Cloud's hands balled into fists.
"Its not just self defense training!" He growled. "It's brain washing! It's months alone with that Psyco while he breaks you down, both mentally and psychically and then rebuilds you in his image!"
"You seemed to have survived it." I said.
"You've seen the look Roxas. That first day you came home and you asked me what I did for Axel, I know you saw it, the look of horror on your face was so pure. He gave me that look." he said gesturing to Variedy. "It was part of my job to go through the training but it's not part of yours! You don't need that look!" I tried to fight down the image of the dead look my brother had given me that day.
"No it's not part of my job but I chose to lead this life. I chose to stay, this is the price I'm willing to pay to stay here, to stay with Axel and everyone else." I was finally starting to feel angry. "Because the next time someone decides to take a swing at me, or decides that I need a lesson taught to me Vincent may not be fast enough, Axel may not be clever enough, and I am not willing to DIE while I sit and wait for someone else to save me. It's become increasingly clear lately that I can count on NO ONE, but myself."
"Then do it honey." Mom said, breaking the silence as she came toward me, her arms opened. I closed the distance between us and hugged her close. "I want you to be safe, and if this is how you can do it, then please do it." she whispered to me. I squeezed her tightly before she pulled away and set her sights on Variedy. "You better take care of my baby." She hissed at him and I wanted to laugh. My mom threatening Variedy was hilarious.
"Better then anyone else could." he said. I looked to Cloud and Leon. Cloud had his eyes closed, his hands balled into fist still. Leon was staring at me with a calculating look.
"Axel and Vincent will be at the house when you get there." Leon finally said. Cloud looked at him, shocked.
"I'll handle it." I said with a nod.
"Good luck then." he said.
"Leon!" Cloud growled. Leon shot his lover a look.
"This is what he wants Cloud. He's taking responsibility for his own life, I can't begrudge him that." He said.
"You know what he's going to go through!" Cloud hissed. Leon nodded his head.
"Yeah, I do. I wish there was another way, I wish I could spare him from it, just like you do but it's his choice." he said. Cloud looked back over at me, his eyes burning with his anger.
"You have no idea what your doing." he said to me. I kept my gaze steady but said nothing, meeting his anger with absolute calm. Finally after a few moments of silence, Mom hugged me again and kissed my bruised cheek.
"Go love." She said. "I expect to hear from you as soon as you get done." I hugged her tightly and buried my face into her shoulder for a moment before pulling away.
"I will." I said with a soft smile. I looked to Leon who just nodded and then to Cloud. He was staring at the floor now and made no move to say anything else to me. I felt my heart break a little but turned and headed for the door. I paused for a moment. "I know you don't like it Cloud, but it really is for the best." I said before leaving, Variedy once again right behind me. I managed to get into the car before I started to fall apart.
No tears came but I was shaking uncontrollably as Variedy got into the car.
"Calm down. You did really well." he said as he watched me from behind his sunglasses once again. "You did much better then I thought but it's not over yet. Hold it together." I nodded and took a deep breath, relaxing my shoulders as the car started and pulled away from the curb. I looked back at the house for a moment but quickly focused myself on the road in front of us.
By the time we reached the free way the shaking had stopped. I had my eyes closed and was concentrating on my breathing.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
Once I was completely relaxed I opened my eyes and watched the scenery fly by. I glanced over at the speedometer to see the little needle pointed dangerously low on the right hand side.
"If Axel gets physical with me I expect you to step in." I said as I watched his face. I'm pretty sure he looked at me from the corner of his eyes but the sunglasses made it hard to tell.
"He won't touch you." he said, his voice soft. "He knows how I'll react if he threatens you." I gave him a questioning look.
"How will you react?" I asked, a little nervous now.
"The second you agreed to go into isolation you became my responsibility. And I take my responsibilities very seriously." was his response. Not exactly an answer as to what he'd do if Axel tried to hurt me physically. Suddenly I was afraid for Axel.
I know that seems silly but if it came down to it, Variedy would win, hands down. Axel had power and a lot of people at his beck and call but Variedy was ruthless and a whole new level of crazy. Not to mention he could take a man out with one step and a swift jerk of an arm. As he guided the car off the free way I felt my pulse pick up again.
"Don't let the fear rule you." Variedy said and I shot him a quick glare before I closed my eyes once again and concentrated on my breathing.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
After a bit more driving, and several turns I felt the car start to slow and I let my eyes come open. We were pulling into a long drive way that led up to a large house. I felt a little shocked that this was the place that they had let Variedy stay, it looked awfully nice. I had been expected some nasty little shake somewhere that use to be used as a drug run. But this house was quite nice and well maintained. We got to the end of the drive and Variedy pulled the car into the opened garage. The sleek black sedan that was also in the garage didn't escape my notice.
"They're here." I said and I saw him nod out of the corner of my eye. I reached into the back seat and grabbed my bag before getting out of the car. I shut the door as Variedy emerged on the other side.
"Remember, you can and will do this." he said as he pulled his sunglasses off and tucked them into the front of his shirt. I met his mismatched eyes and gulped before nodding firmly. "Lets go." I moved around the car and followed him through a door. It led into a very nice washroom where Variedy removed his shoes. I almost felt like laughing, seeing Variedy care about the conditions of the floor was amusing but with the current state of my nerves it probably would have come out as a sob. I followed his example and slipped out of my own shoes and also set my bag down, before following him out of the washroom and into a small hallway that led into a very spacious kitchen.
The kitchen over looked what was suppose to be a formal dinning room but held only a small table and two chairs. I followed him around the center island in the kitchen and I could see the living room through an opened door way off of the dinning room. It had been converted into a huge open space with nothing in it but a blue mat that covered the hard wood floor. I paused as we moved into the living room and looked to my left to see that the entire back wall facing the backyard was made of glass. The backyard was well maintained and had what appeared to be an obstacle course set up.
Variedy didn't wait for me to finish my inspection and instead moved into a hallway that led to the front of the house. I quickly followed him, not wanting to have to walk into whatever room Axel was in on my own. There was a beautiful stair case in the main foyer that led up to the second floor and two small rooms on either side of the front door. One was a sitting room and one was empty. We found Axel and Vincent in the sitting room.
"Nice of you to come." Variedy said as he stepped into the opened door way and plopped down onto a small couch that was across from the chair where Axel was seated. Vincent was in his wheel chair with a familiar looking man behind him positioned next to Axel. He was the same man who had come to Axel's door to give us the news that Vincent had been taken. Zack? I moved into the room and took the empty cushion next to Variedy and saw the flash of anger on Axel's face.
"Did you really think I would just let you do this?" he asked and Variedy looked to me.
"I'm talking to you Variedy, not him." Axel snarled. I inhaled deeply as I met Variedy's eyes before turning my face to Axel.
"No, you need to be talking to me. This is my choice." I said.
"Only because he's planted the idea in your head!" Axel said and he was already losing his cool. I shook my head.
"No, he told me what he was suppose to do. I told him no, I volunteered for this." I said.
"You don't know what your volunteering for." Vincent said and I looked to him to find his face as blank as ever but I knew. I knew those weren't his words. Vincent didn't care what I did, he was only here because Axel thought that if Vincent told me not to do it then maybe it would sway me. He was wrong.
"Funny." I said, glaring at him. "That's the same exact thing my brother said. You must have gotten together and rehearsed." His eyes narrowed slightly but then his face relaxed again.
"Its the truth." he said. "You are volunteering for something that has turned stronger men then you into broken, killing machines." I caught the flare of regret in his eyes for just a split second and I knew he was referring to himself. I shook my head and leaned back into the couch.
"No." I said, my arms crossed. "You don't get to suddenly decide to tell me your life story because Axel has told you to do whatever is necessary to keep me from doing this." I turned my gaze back to Axel.
"I'm doing this Axel. I'll tell you the same thing I told my brother, since you seem to be so insistent on just regurgitating the same bull shit at me. I chose to lead this life. I chose to stay, this is the price I'm willing to pay to stay here, to stay with you and everyone else. Because the next time someone decides to take a swing at me, or decides that I need a lesson taught to me you may not be clever enough and Vincent may not be fast enough, and I am not willing to DIE while I sit and wait for someone else to save me." I said as I gazed into acid green eyes.
"It's not a sacrifice I'm willing to make." he said through gritted teeth.
"It's not yours to make." I said and suddenly he was up and out of the room, leaving me staring at an empty chair for a moment before my eyes tracked his movements across the foyer and into the empty room on the other side. I stood to my feet with a sigh and moved to follow him but Variedy grabbed my wrist. I looked down at him and saw that he didn't think I should follow. "Stand in the door way here and keep an eye on the situation." I said and he nodded. I moved into the foyer and looked back to see Variedy standing it he middle of the doorway, his arms crossed as he watched me. I gave a slight nod before I moved to the empty room. Axel was standing with his back to me, his hands balled into fist. I stepped down into the sunken room and just waited.
After a few moments Axel finally turned around to face me, his face a mask once again.
"This isn't a good idea Roxas." he said.
"Why?" I asked him, my arms crossed. He opened his mouth and closed it again.
"Because you'll be away from me for 3 months!" he said and his voice was so soft I almost didn't hear it. My heart clenched painfully and I almost went to him, almost gave in but I stood my ground.
"It's only few months." I said, my face carefully controlled. His hands balled again.
"Because your mine." he snarled and took a step toward me but quickly looked away, his eyes squeezed shut. "Because when he's done with you I won't know you anymore." He looked back at me and I could see the fear in his face, and the doubt. "Because everything could change in 3 months." I gulped and felt my resolve crack just a little.
"I'll still be me Axel. But if you decide that after this is over you don't want to be with me any more, I'll understand." I said and it was my turn to clench my hands into fists. He didn't like that response at all and he crossed the room in several angry strides and grabbed my shoulders.
"No!" he hissed in my face. "I will not allow this!" I pulled out of his grip.
"Don't touch me Axel." I said and my voice was a warning. Variedy would intervene and I didn't know how that would play out. Always the unstable variable was Variedy.
"Call off your dog Axel." came Variedys voice. I turned around to find Zack standing in front of Variedy, his back to us. "I'd hate to break another one so soon." I turned back to Axel, my eyebrow raised.
"Why can't you just let me do this?" I asked, my voice soft now. "I need to do this. I need to take responsibility for myself. Why does this have to turn into a blood bath?"
"There will be no blood bath." he said, but his eyes were over my shoulder on Zack and Variedy.
"Don't be naive Axel, it doesn't suit you." I said. "If you lay a hand on me Variedy will tear through your man like a pit bull with a stuffed animal. And then when he gets here there is no telling what he'll do. I don't like that. I don't like that he could hurt you." I reached out and laced my fingers with Axel's and he finally looked back at me. There was silence then, no one spoke as Axel gazed down at me, our hands intertwined.
"Fine." he said. "With one condition."
"No." Variedy said and I shot him a 'shut the hell up' look over my shoulder.
"What?" I asked, my voice hesitant.
"Vincent has to stay." he said, his eyes taking in my face. "He needs to have accesses to Variedy for physical therapy and I need to know that there is someone here to intervene if things get to bad."
"I need to be in control of his training. Complete control." Variedy said and he was much closer now. I looked back to find him standing just behind me. I turned back to Axel.
"Either he stays or I take Roxas out of here by force." Axel said as I moved out from between them so I could see them both. I turned just in time to see the shift in Variedys stance. I had only ever seen him attack once but I knew that shift. I knew what came next.
"Don't." I said to him, my hand out. (As if that would stop him). He didn't relax his stance but he didn't attack either.
"Vincent being here will only make things worse." Variedy said. "He'll be a witness as I break your lover down bit by bit and build him up again. Do you really want your potential rival for his affections here to witness something so intimate?" I opened my mouth to say that in no way was Vincent his rival for my affections but was cut off with a look. I looked to Axel to find him glaring at Variedy, his teeth bared.
"Vincent stays or Roxas goes." he said again. In that moment I realized how much trust Axel had in Vincent and I found myself hoping that Vincent never lets him down. After a tense silence Variedy gave a slow nod and the entire room seem to deflate. "Let me say goodbye to Roxas." Axel said and Variedy turned and headed into the sitting room. I had time to turn slightly before I found myself crushed to Axel's chest.
"Axe..." I said as I tentatively wrapped my arms around him.
"I can't believe your making me do this." he said in my ear. I closed my eyes as I relaxed against him, glad that he had finally agreed to this with out violence. I should have known I wouldn't get off that easy. We stayed hugging for a moment before he pulled away from me completely and took a step back. I watched as his face shut down and I knew something bad was coming. "When you get done we will reassess our relationship." I felt my heart squeeze painfully but I quickly pulled up my own blank face.
"If that's what you want." I said. His mask slipped for a moment to reveal the anger but then it was back.
"Goodbye Roxas." He said before moving past me. I gave myself a moment to collect myself and keep my mask up before I followed. Variedy was standing at the foot of the stairs with Vincent in front of him. Zack was no where to be found but a moment later he was coming through the front door with a suitcase. He set it next to Vincent before he went back out the door without a word. Axel went to the opened door and paused, his back to us.
"I hope my trust in you is not misplaced Vincent." he said and then he was gone, the door closing silently behind him. I instantly let my mask drop away and covered my face, gasping around the tears that wanted to spill. I was not going to lose it, I was not going to lose it.
"Come on Roxas." Variedy said and I looked up in time to see him wheel Vincent around and head down the hallway we had come from. I stood for a moment, collecting my self before I followed him.
He and Vincent where in the dinning room when I came around the corner.
"I see you still haven't done much with the place." Vincent said as he gazed out the long windows that showed the backyard. I took a seat at the dinning table as Variedy went into the kitchen.
"No point." Variedy said. I let my thoughts drift away from them as I examined what I could see of the backyard.
"Roxas." Variedy said, pulling me out of my thoughts. I looked up at him, my face blank.
"Yes?" I asked. He handed me a bottle of water and then took the chair across from me.
"From now on. Its yes sir and no sir." he said and I nodded. "Lights out at 2100 and up at 0600. Breakfast at 0700 and from there the day will go as I have planned. No deviations." Again I just nodded. A loud bang had my head snapping up to glare at Variedy who had slammed his hand down on the table. His glare out did mine by a mile. "What did I just say?"
"Lights out at 2100.." I started to say but was cut off by a quick shake of his head.
"Before that." he said.
"Yes sir." I said and looked away from him again. This was going to be difficult.
"Alright, get up and get your stuff. I'll show you to your room. Vincent you can have the spare room on this floor." Variedy said and Vincent just gave a nod. I got up from the table and went back into the wash room and grabbed my bag. I found Variedy at the foot of the stairs. As soon as I was beside him we headed up the beautiful stair case. At the top of the stair case was a long hallway that went right or left. Straight ahead was a banister that over looked the living room below.
"To the left is an empty room and the gym. To the right," He said and led me that way. "Are three rooms, one is empty and two are bedrooms. There is a shared bath between the two." He pointed out
the doors directly to my right and left and then the one straight in front of us. "Either room is available for your use. Get settled in and then meet me down stairs at 1800 in cloths fit to work out in."
"Yes sir." I said and then he was gone. I examined all three doors closely and opened the middle one first. It was the bathroom, done in all dark tones with a standup shower and a separate bathtub. I closed this door and went into the one on the left. It was a relatively good sized room with a small twin bed and a dresser but nothing else. I examined it for a moment before I went into the door on far right. This was a bigger room with a queen size bed and several other pieces of furniture. I, naturally, chose the one on the left. The less comfortable I was here the better. I quickly emptied my bag into the drawers and changed into a pair of basketball shorts and a muscle shirt. I slipped on my jogging shoes, checked the time and saw it was only 5:30. Thirty minutes to kill. I went back out into the hallway, silently closing the door behind me.
To my right was another long hallway that I assumed led to the empty space Variedy had mentioned earlier. Instead I followed the hallway that led to the stair case and went passed it. I opened the first door I came to to find just an empty room. I then moved to the door on the left and opened it to find a fully furnished gym, the walls lined with mirrors. There were several weight lifting machines, two treadmills, a strange looking thing that I think is called an elliptical, and several other machines that I couldn't recognize. I closed the door and went back to the stair case and went down stairs.
I got to the living room to find that no one was out here so I moved to the windows to gaze outside. Now that I could take the time to look I could see that there was indeed an obstacle course out back. I shuddered slightly at the thought of having to dive into the mud pit that was clearly under the barbed wire that was low to the ground.
"Don't worry. He won't make you do the course until after we've had a good rain." Came the soft voice of Vincent. I turned to find him just at the edge of the blue mat. I shrugged my shoulders and turned back to the window.
"I'm sorry you're stuck here with us." I said, keeping my voice level. Truth be told I was happy he was here. All the talk about brainwashing and everyone's obvious aversion of me being here was starting to get to me.
"No your not." Variedy said. I turned again to find him leaning in a door way opposite of the dinning room. I gave him a raised eyebrow as I turned to face him. "He represents comfort for you." he said as he moved into the room and onto the mat. "And that's not how this works. So I've set up some rules that Vincent has already agreed to." I felt my back stiffen and I shot Vincent a look before focusing back on Variedy. "There will be no contact between you two. As far as Vincent is concerned you do not exist. The only communication he will make is to me. And as far as you are concerned he does not exist."
"That hardly seems fair." I said, my arms still crossed.
"Wrong." Variedy said and I had just enough time to see him shift his footing, feel him grab my arm and suddenly I was airborne, my back slamming onto the mat and knocking my breath out. I lay, staring into red and gold eyes and gasped for my breath. "There is no fair here. It is how I want it or get out now." he said. I gasped for a moment as I glared at him before I finally managed to get my voice back.
"Yes sir." I wheezed. He backed off and I set up, before shakily getting to my feet. He started to circle me and I turned with him, not wanting him at my back. A slow, creepy smile came to his face as we circled.
"Good," he said. "Lesson one, never give your back to your enemy." I saw the shift in his footing and had just enough time to brace myself before I felt his fingers circle my wrist, gently almost as if he were going to hold my hand. Then without warning my arm was jerked up behind me, my elbow bent and my fingers reaching for the back of my head. He put pressure on my arm and I dropped to one knee as the pain seared through my shoulder. I reached back with my free hand, trying to reach him but there was nothing but his hand on my arm keeping me on my knees.
"Fuck." I snarled as he released me. I stood to my feet, shaking out my arm and could feel my anger and frustration start to rise. He was circling me again and I moved with him, my breathing heavy.
"So what are you going to do if the baby is Axel's?" Variedy asked and it was such an out of the blue question that I stopped, giving him a confused face. "Ah, Ah, Ahh." he said and he crouched down and swept my feet out from under me and I was on my back again.
"Ugh." I groaned as I rolled over and pushed myself up again.
"Never let someone's words distract you from their actions. Because actions are all that matter." he said as I got to my feet. This time when he came at me I managed to dodge but the motion was to fast so I ended up on my ass anyway. I scrambled to my feet again as he started to circle me. "Good," he said. "But be aware of where your motions will carry you."
"Sounds like a life lesson." I said, my voice breathy as I followed his movements in a circle.
"Take it as you like." He said and then he was on me again. His right fist shot out and took me in the gut, I felt my stomach clench up and I tried to back away but he kept coming. I managed to dodge most of his attacks but he wouldn't stop coming! Finally I managed to back peddle a few steps and when he moved closer I shot out my foot and made perfect contact with his chest, sending him back several passes. I landed in my ready position, body sideways, fist at shoulder level. He coughed once and whipped his hand across his mouth as he eyed me.
"That's a good attack position." He said as he came close again. "Hold that position." I did as I was told, staying still but tense as he came to stand beside me. His hands on my elbows, he raised my fist to eye level. "Keep your fist up, always protect your face." He kicked my feet apart a little. "Feet apart at shoulders width. And when you kick or hit you visualize your foot or fist going through your target. Your kick was good, solid, but if you had been visualizing it going through my chest I would have been on the floor."
He moved to stand on my other side now and mirrored my position. He leaned back slightly and shot his right leg out and up, right where an opponents chin would be.
"Always aim to kill." he said as he brought his right leg down, quick and swung his body around, his left leg shooting out next. "Do as I do." He said, glancing over at me. I shot out my right leg and brought it down but he stopped me with a hand on my arm. "Lean back only slightly and always, always after you kick or throw a punch you bring the limb back to your body immediately." He turned again and made several quick punches, each time his arm snapped back to his body. "The sooner you get it back, the sooner it can go again." I took position again and shot out my right leg and quickly brought it back before swinging my body around and lashing out with my left leg.
"Good, now this." He said and did a few punches followed up by a kick like I had delivered to his chest. I did as he did and he corrected me several times. We went about like this for several hours before he finally called it a night.
"A small dinner and then lights out." He said as he tossed me a small hand towel before moving into the dinning room. I wiped at my face and looked over to where Vincent had been to find him gone. I frowned a bit before I remembered Variedy's rules. I rolled my eyes and went into the dinning room and collapsed at the table.
"Axel might leave me when I get done with this." I said as I wiped at my face.
"Then why do this at all?" he asked from the kitchen. I glanced over the bar to find him at the island, fixing what appeared to be left over pasta.
"Because it could be an empty threat." I let my head rest in my hands.
"If its not?"
"Then I'll just make myself useful to him in some other way. Who knows, maybe I'll be good at this." I said with a sad smile. A plate of spaghetti was placed in front of me with two pieces of bread and a bottle of water.
"Anyone can be good at this." He said as he set in the chair across from me. I looked up and met his gold and red eyes and once again was shown just how dead they could be. "It just depends on how much of yourself your willing to give up." I stared into his face for a moment longer.
According to Axel, Variedy was the best that there was. So how much of himself had he given up for this?
The answer was there, staring back at me.
All of himself. There was nothing left of who he was before.
It made me wonder what he had been before, what he could have been and what made him chose this? Only for a moment and then the curiosity was squashed by the danger he was radiating that clearly said 'Ask and die'. I picked up my fork to dig in but paused when he spoke again.
"So how much are you willing to give up?" He whispered. I met his eyes again.
"I guess we'll see." I said back.
So the response to my OC Variedy has been so very positive and overwhelming that I'm thinking about posting his story on Fiction press. I haven't decided yet, would it be something you all would be interested in reading? It wouldn't take away from me writing this because its already written.
Let me know and leave me some more awesome reviews!
Review!