A/N: Terrible attempt at blood. You’ve been warned. 😛
Also, for the record, Corrine uses the f-bomb quite a lot all the time. I know this isn’t news, but I thought I’d offer an apology if it bothers anyone. It’s just how her voice is constructed in my head.
Corrine
I wake up with the worst headache known to humankind. “Unh,” I moan, and I rub my face. Then I look around. Fuck. I slept on the sofa last night. Orion isn’t anywhere to be found in the room. Trying not to stumble, I get up and search for that aspirin stuff.
I hear Orion as he flumps down the stairs about as gracefully as an angry ogre. Then he merely stands at the entrance to the kitchen and holds his head. “Whose idea was it ta drink that foul poison?”
“Mine.” I hand him a glass of water. I’ve already had some, using one of the mugs from last night.
He takes it, but I can’t figure out his expression. Then he watches me as he drinks the water. When he’s had enough, he merely holds the glass with his gaze piercing me like a white-hot laser.
“What?”
“Ye said some stuff last night.”
“I said a lot of things last night, and none of it makes any sense this morning.”
One of his eyebrows raises.
“What? What did I say?”
“Ye told me why.”
No, he can’t mean that. “Why what?”
“Why ye wanted to change.” He puts down the glass and then walks over to brace himself strategically in front of the door. Bastard.
I fight hard to keep from turning red. “Oh I did, eh? Well, who knows if I even made any sense. I don’t remember a thing about it. I wouldn’t take anything I said seriously.”
He scratches at his beard. “Really? Because I’ve been thinkin’ aboot it all night, an’ it might very well make sense.”
Shit! “What did I say and I’ll tell you whether or not it does.”
He takes a cautious step forward. He must be able to sense my anxiety and realise my proclivity for lashing out. “When I asked ye why ye wanted ta be a lass, ye told me so I would like you.” His eyes pierce into me.
Fuck, fuck, and fuck! I want to strangle pissed me from last night. At least I said ‘like’ and not ‘fancy,’ although from his expression, he’s figured out what ‘like’ I meant. Still, I have to deny, deny, deny. “Did I? Well, that doesn’t make any sense at all.” I move to walk past him. He side-steps me. I try again. He blocks me. “Get out of my fucking way!”
“Is it true?” he asks when I’ve backed up.
Fuck. I can’t just charge at him; it’d be like throwing myself at a brick wall. There simply HAS to be an opening. “Is what true?” I’m stalling.
He lets out a huff. “What do ye mean ‘is what true’? Did ye do it so I would like you?”
I let out a kind of stupid laugh. “Why would I think you didn’t like me, mate? Don’t be daft.”
He steps forward again. “I think ye know ye meant the other kind of ‘like.’”
My damn face betrays me, turning crimson. “Get out of my way.”
“Answer the question.”
“What question?” Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit!
He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, probably so that he doesn’t yell the next thing. “Did ye or did ye na change yerself so that I would like you?”
“You’re mental.” I have to get out of here! This isn’t how I want things to go!
I do it. I make an attempt to get around him, but the fucker merely reaches out an arm and wraps it around my waist. I gasp and lamely try to one-handed pull him off me. Doesn’t work, of course. “Let go!” I could try other tactics, but I don’t want to hurt him.
“No. Not until I get a straight answer.” He pulls me right up to him, my back to his front. “Answer the bloomin’ question, Corrine.”
“I was,” I try jerking myself back and forth, “drunk off my ass. You can’t,” I move again, but his arms tighten like a bear trap, “trust anything coming out of my mouth,” I elbow him in the ribs, “when I’m like that.” He grunts in pain, but he doesn’t let go.
“Then why are ye fightin’ me, an’ why are ye tryin’ ta run off?” Then he cries out when I ram my heel against his instep, but his arms only slip for half a second before locking back into place.
“I’ll jab your eyes next. Fair warning!”
“No ye won’t.” He puts his face in my hair, though, perhaps in an effort to protect his eyes. “Why did’n ye tell me before?”
Oh ffuuuuucccckk! I stop fighting for a moment as something akin to fear shoots through me.
“Did ye think I would laugh at ya?”
“Stop it! You know I don’t know how to fight you like this, and you’re taking advantage of that.”
He does a tiny shrug. “So I am. I need ta do sommat ta get ye to talk aboot this wi’ me.”
“Well trapping me like this isn’t the way.”
He lets out a huff into my hair. “If I let go, ye’ll dash away.”
“You’ve got that right.”
“Why? Are ye suddenly afraid of me?”
“No, you bastard.” I reach forward, needing to grab anything I can in order to hit him over the head with it.
“Why. Did’n. Ye. Tell. Me?”
Ah ha! I got something! One of the mugs from last night! I turn slightly and hit him over the head with it. It cracks in half and falls to the floor broken. Orion’s face immediately begins to bleed.
He yells and reaches up to stop the bleeding. I’m not worried. Face wounds bleed a lot. He’ll be fine. I make my escape.
As I’m running out of the house, I now wonder where the fuck I should go. The bright sunlight gives me a harsh reminder of the pounding in my head thanks to the hangover, but I ignore the pain. Orion could be after me in seconds. Where do I go?
Zuri! She’ll stop Orion in whatever girlie way I haven’t learned yet.
I hear him yelling in the house. “Corin! Get back in here, ya ruddy bastard!”
Shit. I don’t miss how he called me my old name. He means business.
I may not be stronger, but I’m faster. I take off like the old cartoon roadrunner and make for Zuri’s. As I round a bend, I hear the front door open, and I pray he doesn’t see my obvious red hair through the trees.
Orion
This is what I get for trying to get my best mate to talk about something he’s… she’s afraid of. The person has always lashed out fighting. I knew it would happen, but I, at the time, couldn’t think of another way to approach the issue.
I walk outside, and with the bright light and fresh air hitting me, I realise I’m a dafty bugger. That was probably the dumbest pig shite idea I’ve ever had.
Holding my head to make sure the bleeding has stopped, I kick a random rock across the yard in my frustration. What the blooming hell did I expect to happen there? There was no chance I would ever get a straight answer from her, not if she didn’t want to talk about it and especially if she’s afraid.
With a sigh, I slump down into a seat, continuing to hold my head. I probably look a mess, but right now, I don’t bother myself with going to clean up because I feel I need to look a mess because I ACTED a mess.
Are you some green youth who doesn’t know his arse from his face, Orion? On what planet did you think that would work? This is Corin turned female, and now you know why! So what do you do? You go and act like a numpty-headed lummox with all the social graces of a grizzly bear stomping around in a tutu!
I inwardly scream, wincing as I hold my head. I do know why I acted the way I did. I myself don’t know how to react to this new knowledge, and I’d foolishly hoped she would take the wheel.
There ARE unanswered questions like for how long? Was there ever a time when he tried to tell me and I didn’t listen? Those are only a few, but they’re the most pressing in my mind. I’m not going to get answers if I continue to behave the way I did, though.
Blast this damn headache! Tequila is evil, pure evil.
Pretty sure I’ve gotten the bleeding to stop, I run my hand down my face. But the evil tequila did accomplish one thing: She finally said it.
Taking in and letting out a deep breath, I go back into the house, needing to clean myself up at the washbasin. Hm. The water will need replacing soon. The best water pump is up behind Sama’s house. I’m going to presume that Corrine headed up that way somewhere. I walk over and grab my bucket, intent on filling it up now rather than later. It’s not chasing after her… it’s going to roughly the same place. That’s different. I’m purposefully not going to look for her, but if she sees me and wants to talk, fine.
On the way up, I run into who is now my blond-headed nemesis: Rohan.
He sees me and cocks an eyebrow. “Run into a tree? I’d say it got the better of you.”
“Who me? Ye should see the tree.” I’m more than ready for a good fight if he should decide to start taking out more of his frustrations on my face. I let him before—when I’d come home sans Yadira. I deserved it and would’ve reacted just as he did, so aye, I let him. Not so now. I’ve already had a shit morning, and I’ll not take anything from him.
Lucky for him, he decides to drop it, ignoring me. He’s on about some new project, but to be honest, I couldn’t care less.
At last, I arrive at the main settlement and make my way to the pump. Sama is out hanging clothing on the line when she sees me.
“Dear gods, Orion! What happened to your face?” she exclaims as she dashes over to me.
I hold up my hand. “I’ll be fine, hen. I’ve na need for yer cluckin’ over me.”
“Don’ talk oot yer arse, an’ bend yer head doon, ya daft stoter.” She holds up a washcloth I’d not seen yet.
In spite of everything, hearing her talk like that cracks me up. Spending all that time with the Skeeves after running away from home, I lost a touch of my accent; however, teaching it to her, she picked it up incredibly quickly, and she brings to mind my own mother… in a good way. I smirk and bend down a bit. “Aye, mum.”
“’Mum’ indeed. What’ve you been doing to cause your face to look like you forgot which end of the axe to use?” she asks as she wipes at my face.
My smile slides to the ground. “It’s a long story.”
“Does it have anything to do with why Corrine came dashing up here like a bat out of hell?” She raises her eyebrows.
I ponder that. “’Bat outta hell’ jus’ aboot covers it. ‘Hellion’ works rather well.”
“What did you do?” she asks as she finishes up.
My jaw drops. “You assume I’m at fault?” I point to my forehead. “Do ye na see me war wound?”
She watches me shrewdly. “Of course I see it. And I’m wondering if you need stitches. But I’m wondering what would cause her to … It looks like she broke something over your head.”
I sigh. “Fine. I was bein’ an arse, but I’d rather na talk aboot it.” I gesture to my bucket. “I only came up here for some fresher water. Tha’s all, I swear.” Contrary to my words, though, I do look around for that redheaded firebrand, curious.
“Mmmhm,” Sama replies like she doesn’t believe a word of it.
“If ye would be so kind, step aside so that I might fill my bucket.” I hold it up and let it swing back and forth to further prove its emptiness.
She purses her lips. “Fill the bucket, yes, but then come inside. I’m going to at least wrap up your head.” She then turns and starts walking to her laundry basket, muttering about how between the two of us, Corrine and I are going to fly through any and all of her first aid supply.
I shrug. “Aye, Mum.”
Corrine
Orion knows, and I don’t know what to do next.
I stand far back enough from the window so that he can’t see me but so that I can see him. I’m inside Zuri’s house. She’s not home, probably at the temple.
What are they talking about? Sama has walked over to him with a washcloth in her hand. I wince when I see how badly I hurt him. After a quick back and forth, Orion laughs heartily. Then my gut twists as he leans down and lets her wipe his face clean. I don’t like the way he looks at her. It’s SAMA for fuck’s sake! Don’t tell me he’s now going to make a play for HER!
He fills his bucket, and she gets the laundry basket. She didn’t finish hanging everything up, but she doesn’t appear to be bothered by it as she walks into her house.
I have to bite my lip to keep from screaming when I also see Orion walk to her house. What are they doing?! I can’t see because there’s a whole fucking building in the way. My feet carry me to the door, and I debate exiting the house so that I can spy on them. I have to know! If Orion has suddenly decided to chase Sama after failing with Yadira and then giving up on me, I’ll… I don’t know, but it won’t be pleasant.
Taking a steadying breath, I turn the knob and stealthily sneak outside. There’s a window that faces Rohan’s old house, so I make that my target, creeping as quietly as I’m able.
Once I reach it, I have to jump back because Orion is sitting RIGHT THERE at the kitchen table, facing my direction. Luckily, he didn’t see me. So, I duck down and crawl under the window to get to its other side. Then I stand and flatten myself against the wall while peering in.
Sama is once again dabbing at his face with the cloth. I can’t really hear what she’s saying, but her expression looks like she’s scolding him. She pinches at his forehead, and again, I wince. Then she bobs her head and gets her first aid kit. Oh. She’s just being Dr. Sama to him. I’m being ridiculous. It’s nothing like that. Next she leans forward to be sure and wrap some gauze properly around his head, and her breasts practically shove themselves in his face.
I feel my face go red as I glare and take a deep breath. Here we go again. I had to spend years, almost decades, watching as either Orion chased different women or they would throw themselves his way. I’d often wonder what they saw in him. Granted, I know what I saw in him, but they didn’t know him like I did. Sure, he had, has, a kind of charisma that could possibly be what would draw them in, but…
She’s touching his face, looking almost like she’s telling him off. He nods and looks down. Then he sighs and moves to stand up and turn around.
Oh shit! He’s about to grab the bucket and exit the house. I can’t be here!
Quickly, I duck down and dash over to the back of Rohan’s house before pressing myself against the bricks. I hear her front door open and close, and it sounds like Orion starts back down the hill.
This is a nightmare. Silent tears spill out of my eyes, and I sit down and fold myself into a ball.
After the End 